Ugh - Get ready for a winter World Cup. What a farce.

First my apologies for being lax in 2015 to publishing some posts. I need to get back to ranting about the beautiful game! Here is a great reason to spew some anger - looks as if the Qatar 2022 World Cup will be held in the winter - click here for article. What???

Granted the reasons for this are obvious. It is too *&$%@# hot in the summer in Qatar! But guess what, we knew that before the nation was selected to host the tournament. I do not need to rehash my feelings towards this selection. From the fact the nation has zero soccer heritage, to the heat, to the ability to handle such a massive sporting event. This has been nothing short of a prime example why clowns like Sepp Blatter is seen as corrupt and a weasel. Qatar 2022 is all about money. The money FIFA hopes to get from the oil rich nation as well as the fat envelopes that most certainly found their way into Sepp and his cronies' pockets. I can only imagine what the clubs are going to say about this brilliant decision.  Holding the World Cup during November and December is going to fall right in the middle of club seasons, Champions League group stage games and countless national cup ties. The major European leagues, other than England, take a break end of the year. So what does the international duty mean for this? Will FIFA expect club seasons to continue minus the international players, as they do during the African Cup of Nations? Ask Manchester City how they felt about now having Yaya during that time....Clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, PSG, Chelsea, Bayern Munich would be fielding their youth teams! Granted that might make the mid-tier clubs happy. But seriously, this is beyond asinine.

If and when this becomes a reality, expect the majority of clubs to not just complain but challenge having to allow their players to go to the World Cup.  The mess that is Qatar 2022 is only getting worse. The sad part is the likes of Platini did not help by voting this in. Alas, Platoche is falling under the bad influence of global football's idiotic management.

Platoch, say it ain't so - Rumors continue to swirl with Qatar 2022 World Cup

The whole Qatar World Cup 2022 debacle continues. And this blog has always contended that it was a catastrophic mistake to allow a tiny nation, with little footballing pedigree, in one of the most inhospitable weather locations to host one of the most important global sporting event. The controversy only gets worse with reports that the president of the UEFA - Michel Platini - is suspected of being illegally swayed by Bin Hammam to vote for Qatar.

My admiration for Platini is also no secret. He was my childhood footy hero. I remember him dominating the 1984 European Cup, scoring a ridiculous amount of goals - 9. Putting away two hat tricks, against Belgium and Yugoslavia. As well as hitting the winning goal versus Portugal in Marseilles in the dying minutes of extra time to go to the finals.



He also has done some wonderful things post playing career - a short lived stint as manager of Les Bleus. Undefeated in qualification for the 1992 Euros, but playing poorly in the tournament. Platini was instrumental in getting France to host the World Cup in 1998 and influential in getting the Euros there in 2016. His efforts with financial fair play have not been perfect but a move in the right direction as have his emphasis on getting greater participation from more nations in the Champions League.

Of course I do not agree with everything he has lobbied for. I do not believe he is right with his ideas around expansion of the Euros, big mistake. Nor his idea of having multiple cities host the Euro championships or even the crazy idea of inviting a non-European nation to the tournament...huh???

The main accuser is the Daily Telegraph - click here for article. Based on the article there is a trail of meetings prior to the final vote for the World Cup where Platini met with Bin Hammam, at a private breakfast. As well as meetings with the then French President - Sarkozy. Does this mean that Platini took a bribe to vote for Qatar? That is a very dangerous leap to make. And one has to judge the source. It is no secret that there is no love lost between the british press and Platini. Yes there seems some sketchiness that Platini's son Laurent was given a job as head of a Burrda a Qatar sports company. But getting someone a job is far from the accusations of large sums of money being given to influence votes. I am sure that every nation that is bidding for the tournament sends representatives to lobby influential voters. So let us not act as if these types of meetings are not happening all the time - just look at any Olympic bid...Socchi anyone?

If there emerges some more nefarious information that comes out about these meetings, then shame on Platini. And if there is more damaging information that comes out, I would be the first to say Platoch would need to step down. However, let's not allow a witch hunt by the British press be accepted as fact.

Regardless of how you look at it, the Qatar World Cup bid remains embroiled in controversy. Something that is never too far away from anything Sepp Blatter is associated with.  I am hoping that somehow the bidding process will become so tainted that Blatter has no choice but to reopen the bidding process. The Qatar World Cup has been a disaster...8 years before the games are even scheduled to be played! There are no shortage of people, myself included, that is looking for any loop hole to find a way to take the tournament out of Qatar and give it to a more legitimate host.

And the drama continues.

PSG - chickens coming home to roost. Fair play hits club hard.

PSG now knows the penalty they will pay under the new UEFA "Fair Play" rules to target rampant spending (think PSG and Manchester City). Speaking of the citizens, they are believed to be fined a hefty amount as well - 50m pounds. But for this post, let us focus on what PSG is facing next season. After trying to convince UEFA that their sponsorship deal

PSG ... you have been naughty

with the Qatar Tourism Authority for £167m-a-year was deemed not valid and put PSG in violation of the fair play rule. The penalties PSG face:

• PSG will not be able to increase their payroll, which is already the highest in Europe at 240m euros.
• PSG will not be allowed to purchase any players during the transfer window until they sell off players. They can also only spend 60m Euros on one "star player" but cannot break it down into 2 players for 30m or 3 for 20m. Not sure what about buying rotation players at say 5m Euros...
• With regards to transfers, they are allowed only 21 players on their Champions League roster as opposed to the usual 25 player list. Also at least 8 must be formed by the club.
• Finally they will have to pay a nice little fine of 60m euros paid out over 3 years. 

With this ruling, expect things to be very interesting in Paris this summer. It could be argued that if PSG had a healthy Zlatan they might have gone further in the Champions League, something their wealthy owners are most interested in than saving a few Euros to get back in the good graces with UEFA. Their current squad should once again challenge for Ligue 1 as well as domestic cups next season, even if they do not add any new players. Other than the obvious impact on the coffers, here are some story lines to be watched:

• Look for many of the rumors of player exits to gain more steam and some coming to fruition. Even without this penalty, PSG had to do something with Cavani. Under Blanc's current system, the striker has had difficulty emulating the impact he had in Italy with Napoli. Rolling out a 4-3-3 left the Uruguayan striker out wide, somewhere he did not seem comfortable being. With rumors abound about him heading to the EPL, Manchester United being one of the most discussed destinations, I think there is fire where there is so much smoke. Look for Cavani to end up either in Manchester or in London with Chelsea.  This will also free up 10m Euros in salary.
• The log jam in the midfield. Blanc leans on the trident of Matuidi, Motta and Veratti in his 4-3-3. With the addition of Cabaye over the winter, and the rumors of targeting Pogba as well as the emergence of Rabiot and you have a bit of a log jam. It will be interesting to see if the Pogba transfer gets shelved and what happens with Rabiot, who is rumored to be heading to Chelsea. Will PSG look to off load Veratti? Sell him to the likes of Arsenal? What about the Pastore? Who is really a central midfielder and has been more of a bench player. I see Pastore being moved, probably back to Italy as he is excess already and moving his 4m Euro salary would be seen as an addition by subtraction. I think Rabiot will be kept. Not only is he a talent but he is home grown...something that is going to carry even greater importance next season. Also, look for Sissoko to be moved as well.
• Speaking of log jams, what about the wingers? Menez, Lucas and Lavezzi are all

  

  Closer to reality?

  options on the wings. As is, out of position Cavani. However there are some rumors that PSG will make a push to bring back Hazard to Ligue 1. The fact the Belgium winger has had some words with the Special One, might add some fuel to that fire. Could PSG move Menez and Lavezzi, to then use their one big signing to get Hazard? That would slot Hazard on the left and Lucas on the right...seems like a good formula. With Menez and Lavezzi out - PSG would save over 7m Euros. Granted if they added a player of the likes of Hazard they would be adding payroll.

PSG will have to do some house keeping this summer. They will have to get rid of some of the expensive dead weight they have - Pastore, Menez, Sissoko are first to come to mind. They will need to figure out what to do with Cavani. I think the situation, both on the field and on the balance sheet means he will be heading out of Paris.

By the beginning of next season PSG will still be a favorite to win the Ligue 1 title. The question will become, can they manage the balance sheet and the penalties to get their club to a position where they can challenge for a European title?

Zidane, plan B for Les Bleus?

Hmmmm....after Deschamps asked the FFF to give him some time to reflect, the latest is that the heat has been turned up on Zizou. Is this is little gamesmanship on the part of Le Graet? Giving Deschamps a small kick in the back end, not allow him to waffle too long. Or is Le Graet serious...how about Zidane? Zizou has made it clear recently that taking the reigns of France is something he would be interested in doing...but not necessarily today.

France's next manager?

To me I think Zidane is not ready to take over the reigns for France. Both Blanc and Deschamps cut their teeth at the club level before Blanc ended up taking over Les Bleus, and Deschamps looks like he might follow those footsteps. Zizou's ability on the pitch is without question, arguably one of the top 5 players of all time, but that does not necessarily translate to the management role. Like in many sports, it is usually the non-super stars that make the best managers - they are more students of the game, they did not have the superhuman natural ability that made them so good. Of course this is not a hard rule -

• Platini managed Les Bleus to a 100% qualifying campaign, with victories over Spain and Czechoslovakia. A 19 game unbeaten streak led to Platini getting manager of the year awards, but the 1992 Euros saw France crash out after the group stages.
• Beckenbauer managed the German national team to the 1990 World Cup title as well as the 1986 runner up finish, his first managerial role. Not bad.

The difference is both these players were leaders on the field with their talents and also in the dressing room...I am not sure Zizou was all that great at the latter.

I think that Le Graet really wants to see Deschamp running the national team, this smells like a ruse to get DD to sign on the dotted line. If he has to try an persuade Zidane to manage the national team, it would not be a PR move. Just not sure the results will come on the pitch.

Blast from the past - Platini and France 1984

Getting ready to face off against the Spanish Armada tomorrow, France is the underdog and I am sure most expect them to get thoroughly outplayed. After what Les Bleus showed us against Sweden, I would say that is a distinct possibility. But here is a blast from the past -

Goal line technology...why are we even debating this?

This time the English benefited from what appeared to be the wrong call in their group game against the Ukraine. Terry cleared what appeared to be a goal off the "line" preserving the English 1-0 lead at the time.

Over or on the line??

The most powerful and corrupt man in football - Sepp Blatter - seems to have finally come around and called for goal line technology. Well it is about time! I have to disagree with UEFA president...and one of my all time favorite players...Platini who seems stubbornly against introducing the technology. Platini seems to think this is a slippery slope and technology will play a greater role in the game.

I strongly disagree. Every other major sport has some technology to aide the officials -

• NFL replays that coaches have a limited number of appeals for.
• NBA officials use replay on tight calls - such as out of bounds
• MLB leverages replay to determine home runs
• NHL uses replay for goal calls
• Rugby goes to a tv replay for tries
• Tennis for an in our out call

I agree that technology needed not be used to see if someone dove, or if someone was off side...but goal line is vital. End of the day the game hinges on...who scores! So let's make sure that the goals are all properly tallied. Come on Platoch embrace modern times and back goal line technology! I stand with you that we do not want to stop the game every 2 minutes, but goals are too precious to not allow!

France - better days - Zidane and Platini

Had to watch this, remind myself of the better times with Les Bleus -

Zizou looking more Brazilian than Brazil!

A young Zizou always speaks fondly of being at Stade Velodrome to witness this epic semi final. I also remember vividly watching in front of the the TV in my grandmother's house outside of Paris in the Marne region. Those were the days!

Platini says it straight - Les Bleus are in trouble

Ouch ouch ouch, when arguably the greatest French player ever (I would say the greatest French players of all time in no particular order - Platini, Zidane and Kopa) says the team has no chance in South Africa, that we have lost a generation and that the manager is rubbish. Can one really argue with the former French captain and manager? I certainly will not.

His comments that Domenech has not been able to get France to be greater than "nul" meaning they were zero...who can argue with that? Platini also goes on to say there is no way France is one of the best 5 nations right now - does anyone really believe Les Bleus can beat the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Holland, Ivory Coast or even England in a knock out stage in South Africa?

This latest attack from the French legend is telling of the state of France Football. Unfortunately Escallette is the only man in France let alone the planet that knows why Domenech remains at the head of Les Bleus....alas I agree with Platini....we are watching a generation wasted.

About time! UEFA to try more refs on the pitch

I guess Platini read my blog...or maybe not. It is good to see that the UEFA is looking to experiment with adding more officials to the pitch. While there will still only be 1 referee with the authority to make the calls during the match, this ref will have the added advantage of 2 more sets of eyes to see the play. With more players being accused of diving, hand balls being missed in the box, phantom off sides, and other situations, it can only help to have an increased number of officials on the pitch. This is not the end all solution, I would still vote for having 2 officials on the pitch that can make calls, but I like the direction UEFA is heading in. Maybe with more eyes, we can avoid the nasty situation that happened in London last season after the Barca - Chelsea Champions League match!

I also think UEFA should experiment allowing on a designated player to speak with the referee (since some teams have their keeper as captain). Rugby has instituted this rule and I think it makes the game smoother and eliminates the foolishness and silliness that permeates games when players feel it their right to berate referees after every call.

The need for an other ref on the pitch

I was not able to see the match, but this article gave me reason to call for another ref in professional football once again. As the Platini stated, having a referee behind the goal could and will most likely make these calls easier to make and penalty diving less prevalent. By why just have a ref behind the goal line?? Earlier this summer I was playing in a coed recreational soccer league and guess what? They had 2 refs!!!! Granted no assistant referees managing off sides calls, however, if a coed recreational footie league recognizes the need to have 2 referees how can professional and international level games not have the same amount of officiating? As I have stated in the past, having two on-the-field referees will not only add an other set of eyes to manage the game but allows the refs to be better positioned, one behind the play and one in front of the play. Once again Blatter is showing his complete stubbornness and lack of vision, he floated having the World Cup every 2 years but cannot budge on adding another referee on the pitch or leverage video for certain situations. Ugh.