Wednesday, May 29, 2002
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Football
``It's difficult to organise free time here, Japan is not necessarily a land where you want to spend a vacation,'' assistant coach Michael Skibbe said. ``Some players play golf, some go swimming or walk by the ocean, some go into town.'' The German team's quarters is outside the city of Miyazaki, in a resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Some German players have complained about what they called inadequate amenities in their hotel, but goalkeeper Oliver Kahn praised the Japanese hospitality and said the team was enjoying its time in Miyazaki.
Blank on Blanc
If anyone happens to speak to Laurent Blanc, can they please ask him to call Fabien Barthez? The French goalkeeper said on Monday he's tried repeatedly to call his Manchester United teammate, who was one of the architects of France's 1998 World Cup triumph, but to no avail. ``I think he must have switched his phone off,'' Barthez said. ``If any of you get through to him, tell him to call me.'' Blanc retired from international soccer after winning the European Championship in 2000. He moved to United last summer, where Barthez and France defender Mikael Silvestre also play.
Buoyant Kanu
Nigeria's Nwankwo Kanu isn't just happy to be at the World Cup, the Arsenal striker is also happy with the draw, which put his team into the tournament's toughest group with Argentina, England and Sweden. ``Our group with Argentina, England and Sweden is as difficult as it can be — but Nigeria does well against big countries,'' he said. Nigeria, which has been hampered by internal bickering, hasn't looked much like the team that reached the second round in 1994 and 1998. The Super Eagles were eliminated from the African Cup of Nations earlier this year after losing to Senegal in the semifinals. Senegal also qualified for the World Cup.
Local ``Bleus"
South Koreans who don't bear a grudge for their team's 2-3 friendly loss to France can back the defending champion in Friday's opener against Senegal. Tickets for the match in Seoul are on sale for South Koreans who want to cheer for France, French team spokesman Philippe Tournon said. Support for ``Les Bleus'' runs high in South Korea. Dozens of mostly teen-age fans greeted the French team when it arrived in the country on Saturday, shouting ``France team, fighting!'' as players walked through Incheon airport. Koreans often shout ``Fighting!'' in English to cheer their favourite teams. Tickets for South Koreans wanting to support France were to go on sale in the shopping mall at Seoul's Novotel Ambassador hotel on Wednesday.
Ready for it
Alvaro Recoba, Uruguay's key player, isn't afraid of the responsibilities put on him by the two-time champion. Uruguay won in 1930 and 1950. ``In order to play soccer, one has to be able to endure the pressure,'' the Inter forward said. ``All soccer players face all kinds of pressure all the time. But the main thing in my case is that is I am convinced of what I am doing and I know how to overcome the pressure.'' Recoba, who suffered a groin strain in January, helped Inter to a third-place finish in the Serie A and a spot in next season's Champions League preliminaries.
Any red cards in fashion?
The U.S. soccer team is hoping that clothes don't make the man. Players chuckled and turned a little red on Monday as they ribbed each other over a fashion shoot that appeared in Sunday's style section of The New York Times Magazine. After seeing Pablo Mastroeni in a turquoise-studded white linen shirt and matching pants by Roberto Cavalli, and others dolled up with come-hither looks on their faces, players thought the shoot deserved a red card. The Boys of Soccer shot by Matthias Vriens featured Kasey Keller in Calvin Klein athletic wear, Brian McBride in Prada, Landon Donovan in Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent, DaMarcus Beasley in Jil Sander, Clint Mathis in Gucci and Cobi Jones in Miu Miu. Another shot in the magazine had a bare-chested Mathis. ``Everybody's laughing about it,'' McBride said. ``If you can't laugh about it, you have severe problems.''
Don't whine, there's wine
French players and staff will have plenty of wine to drink — even if they fail to retain their World Cup title. The squad has brought 240 bottles of French wine from the Cotes du Rhone winemaking region, French team official Henri Emile said. They come from the Domaine de Lignane and Domaine des Echevins vineyards. To make extra certain players don't suffer from culinary homesickness, the team has also brought olive oil from France's Provence region.
Thieves beware!
A special police force set up to handle a potential increase in petty crime during the World Cup finals made its first arrests on Monday, police officials said on Tuesday in Tokyo. Members of the special team arrested a 39-year-old Mexican man in Tokyo after he allegedly tried to steal a wallet and other items from the bag of a 66-year-old company employee. Two suspected accomplices, one also from Mexico and the other from Peru, were also arrested. The three first drew the attention of authorities after acting suspiciously outside a Tokyo bank. According to police officials, the three came to Japan in April or May but said they weren't in Japan to watch the World Cup.
Photo swapping on mobile
That winning goal at this summer's World Cup can be sent instantly between mobile phone users in Japan and Korea, co-hosts of the tournament. A tie-up between Japan's second-largest mobile phone group, KDDI Corp, and South Korea's top mobile operator, SK Telecom Co, will allow users of special camera-equipped cell phones to swap photos during the World Cup finals, Japan's Kyodo news reported. The picture service is meant to showcase the two nations' mobile phone prowess. More than 50 million people browse the Internet on credit card-sized screens in Japan and 7.3 million use third-generation technology capable of sending and receiving video. Users of KDDI's ``au'' (pronounced like hey-you) and SK Telecoms mobile phones will be able to send and receive photos taken on mini cameras embedded in cell phones over the Internet for about 17 yen (14 cents) per image, Kyodo said. KDDI would not comment on the Kyodo report but said it would hold a World Cup-related news conference.
Caniggia, a doubtful starter
Argentine forward Claudio Caniggia, struggling to shake off a knee injury, acknowledged on Tuesday that he is almost certain to miss Sunday's Group F game against Nigeria. ``Unfortunately I've suffered a setback,'' he said while watching Argentina play two friendlies against Japanese club sides. He added that it would be ``very difficult'' to be available for selection by the weekend. Caniggia, 35, injured his knee playing for Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Cup final in May. Initially, doctors feared he would miss the World Cup finals. Coach Marcelo Bielsa played Caniggia in Argentina's final warm-up games and it looked as though he had forced his way into the team after an absence of six years. But he suffered a reaction during a training session on Saturday, and has been sidelined ever since. His right-wing position is now most likely to be filled by Ariel Ortega. Argentina also meets Sweden and England in Group F.
— AP & Reuters
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