The Club World Cup features champions from Europe (Champions League), South America (Libertadores Cup), Oceania (OFC Club Championship), Asia (Asian Champions League), Africa (CAF Champions League) and Central and North America (CONCACAF Champions Cup) who will compete along with the Japanese J-League champions. There was little chance of upsets – the European and North American champions are expected to clear the hurdles and meet in the finals, this year was no exception.

Milan have an axe to grind with Boca after being on the losing end of penalties in the 2003 Intercontinenal final. Kaka, who won the prestigious French Ballon d’Or award for the best player of the year is Milan’s trump card and attacking inspiration. However, he will not be using any memories of the 2003 defeat as motivation: “I don’t like the word ‘revenge.’ In 2003 Boca won and it ended there, closed story.”

Things have indeed come full circle for Milan in a fruitful season. They defeated Liverpool in the Champions League finals which was sweet retribution as the Reds went one up over them in penalties after coming back from 3-0 down in a shocking reversal two years ago in the same competition. In the Club World Cup, the opportunity to seek payback against Boca presents itself and Milan took it with aplomb.

Milan’s victory also helped restore European pride. Brazilian teams have dominated the competition since it was merged from its predecessor (Intercontinental Cup). Sao Paulo beat Liverpool in 2005 and Internacional edged out Barcelona 1-0 last year.

In the past, most European teams regard the Club World Cup as merely a bonus and did not accord enough respect to the competition – clinching the Champions League is already the pinnacle for them (in financial terms too), hence the uninspiring performances. The fact that the Cup is right smack in the middle of their already packed schedules also make it an undesirable distraction.

By bringing the trophy back to Europe, there is hopefully, a shift of emphasis and European teams may feel a greater impetus to win this event, more for honor and prestige than monetary incentives. The media can also help to elevate the Club World Cup by providing greater coverage and infusing glamor to spark the fans’ interest.

Prolific striker Filippo Inzaghi scored twice, either side of goals from defender Alessandro Nesta and Kaka, as Milan added to their 1969, 1989 and 1990 titles. Boca’s Rodrigo Palacio was on target in the first half and Pablo Ledesma’s shot bounced off a defender into the net five minutes from time to keep the scoreline respectable for the South American champions.

This victory, added to their seven Champions League/European Cup trophies, two Cup Winners’ Cups and five European Super Cups, took Milan’s total of international titles to 18 – one more than their defeated Argentine foes. Next in the list are Real Madrid and Argentina’s Independiente on 15.

An interesting sidenote of this year’s Club World Cup is the testing of a revolutionary football embedded with a microchip, designed to end goal-scoring disputes by alerting the referee when it has crossed the line.

The technology was first tested at the 2005 Under-17 World Cup and may be applied at the next World Cup in 2010. Using a magnetic field to provide real-time feedback to a central computer, the exact location of the ball on the field is tracked and the data transmitted to the referee.

Responses from players and coaches were mixed over the quality the ball. AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said the ball was satisfactory. “It’s good. We did not notice any different particulars with regards to other Adidas balls. It has a good consistency and the trajectories are respected.”

Midfielder Clarence Seedorf found it harder to control though. He said: “For various technical reasons we still have to get used to certain trajectories, but generally we are able to kick it well.”

The Argentinians, after losing, are not too impressed with the new ball. Boca Juniors coach Miguel Angel Russo echoed the comments of his defender, Hugo Ibarra. He said: “Ibarra said that as he is not used to it, its trajectory changes. If you use a new ball in such an important tournament, players have to put in a lot of effort to get used to it.”

FIFA did not offer any immediate assessment but said the test findings would be reviewed by an international board in March.

If this ball is going to be used in the World Cup 2010 and it offers match officials a firmer grip of the game, I think it is a positive step forward. Since everybody has to get used to the ball, nobody has a clear advantage, so any complaint of the ball affecting the team’s performance is merely an excuse.

End of the day, if a player is good… he is good, regardless of what trajectories the ball takes when it is hit. Goalkeepers will have a tougher job determining the path of the ball and it makes for a more interesting game with better scoring opportunities.

The microchip is is just an example of beneficial technology being phased into a game which is still largely dependent on human judgment. The impact of “imperfect” decisions cannot be overemphasized, some human errors can take on mammoth proportions and affect the fate of a nation, so reducing them will ensure fair results.

More can be done to help the match official out in his work, they are still susceptible to sleazy tactics (playacting, off the ball fouls, etc.) but changes, if any, cannot be implemented immediately into the game as the errors are what makes football so interesting (and frustrating). If all the referees are infallible, then we wouldn’t be able to see the players and fans protest as well as the antics of managers like Ferguson and Wenger at the bye-line.

That would surely take something precious away from the game. What do you guys think of technologies helping out the match officials during a match?

December 17 2007

As a player, he did credibly too, winning 32 caps for his country and scored for Italy against England at the old Wembley in 1973 to secure the Azzurri’s first win over the Three Lions.

Whichever way you cut it, he fits the requirements of a “world class” manager but the outcry emanating from some quarters in England will have outsiders believing that the FA has bungled up again – it appears Capello is going to drag England through a new malaise…

Gareth Southgate, Steve Coppell and Mark Hughes are among those who have voiced their criticisms. Former England captain Paul Ince described Capello’s impending appointment is a “sad indictment of English football”. He said: “But when you build your CV up and they go out and get a foreign manager, sometimes you think, ‘what’s the point?’”

Of all people, Ince wants to complain. Does he seriously think that he can step in as England’s manager for his lacklustre performance as a club manager? And what kind of CV is he talking about for English managers? If they are so good, then why aren’t any being employed at the Big Four or the top European clubs, maybe the headhunters have missed out something? Ince is just making a pathetic case for himself, I believe.

Those who are in support of Ince’s views prefer to see England fail than to see a foreign coach come in and implement a tried and tested system which will set the corner stone for England in future campaigns. Look at Real Madrid even after Capello has left, the ills plaguing the team from the galacticos seasons have been eradicated and it is up to the next coach to build on a functioning championship team.

Certainly, in England’s context, it will not be smooth sailing. Language is a barrier. Capello’s grasp of English is basic and over time, it will be more effective for him to develop his English sufficiently to forge a bond with his players and the media. Imagine the players staring blankly at the manager and then waiting for the translation to come from his assistant.

Nevertheless, Capello has time on his hands to brush up on his English as his team does not have any competitive matches in a long time. His first matches in charge will be two friendlies: against Switzerland at Wembley on February 6 and against France in Paris on March 26. The real test will come in September 2008, when England begin their bid to qualify for South Africa 2010.

There is also the midfield conundrum of Gerrard and Lampard to tackle. For the strict defensive approach which Capello espouses, he will have no qualms ditching either one of them. He needs a holding midfielder who can search and destroy, Owen Hargreaves or Gareth Barry revel in this role of disrupting the opposition’s attacks and will be key options for Capello.

A strong goalkeeper has always followed Capello’s reign. In England, he will be deprived of this luxury. Steve McClaren’s choice of Scott Carson cost him dearly but his hand was forced by Paul Robinson’s lapses. Manchester United’s Ben Foster still needs much schooling while Robert Green is as fresh as a virgin. Capello can turn to Calamity James for experience but he will have sleepless nights once he reviewed the the past errors which James have committed.

Capello is known for ruling with an iron fist and it has proven to be very effective at club level. But at international level, he will be held at ransom by club managers who are reluctant to release their best players for international duties, especially when they are in the midst of a white-hot competition.

It would be unproductive to head for a showdown with the clubs as they are the paymasters of these prima-donnas. Given a choice between playing for England and endangering their already short playing career, the players will make a smart choice. They know where their priorities lie as they are being paid massively inflated wages. Though the World Cup Finals is prestigious, most will feel that that the qualifying rounds of meeting the likes of Andorra and Kazakhstan are redundant. The challenge is to make the players feel proud of representing England, in qualifying stages as well as friendly matches.

Capello will also have to struggle with recovering momentum after a lull and the players lost some of the telepathy after not playing together for an extended period. The need to have enough back-ups for each position cannot be underestimated too as there are always injuries to the key players after a taxing season.

With all these challenges in mind, the fans have to temper their expectations. If the xenophobic and at times, bipolar, media starts screaming “Crapello” after some tame performances or unpopular decisions, then everything will fall apart again.

Give Capello time to rebuild the team. That may require breaking down the present team and starting from scratch to piece a team which plays for one another and with a winner’s mentality. I have no doubt that he will set about this process methodically and ruthlessly, as is his style, and once that is done, England will instill fear and respect into their s opponents.

The FA should give him a free hand and all the necessary support too. That means green-lighting the make-up of Capello’s backroom staff and coaching methods. That is the basis of his winning formula and you take it wholesale or leave it. The FA should have people taking notes on what makes Capello ticks as this could be the blueprint of success for future England managers.

I think the one thing Capello has in his favour is his reputation which, any self-respecting professional footballer will want to work with him and look at international football as a way to improve themselves. Capello has enough stature to create such an atmosphere for England.

As for Jose Mourinho, I supported his candidacy previously but I have since given up on a man who chickened out at the last minute. He did not want to put his reputation on the line and unravel his past achievements with this appointment. Just as well… there is nothing to be said when you have an uncommitted coach who is afraid of repercussions as you will end up with players who perform likewise.

Capello has indicated his desire to take on this beautiful challenge right from the start and the FA has reciprocated. The Italian has achieved everything possible at club level and he is at an age where he no longer craves the day-to-day involvement with players but his passion for the game remains undiminished.

Forget Mourinho, herald the new era under Capello for the Three Lions and enjoy the prospect of being world-beaters. It will be a crowning achievement for Capello as he writes himself a chapter in England’s history and the golden generation will benefit from his tutelage too. Mourinho will eat his heart out when he sees Capello and company standing on the top of the world.

December 14 2007

Ronald Koeman needs to inject a new vitality into Valencia as his team has not scored in their last five matches. He has plenty of time though, now that their attention has turned solely to domestic issues after missing out on a Champions League and UEFA Cup place. Yes, even that was snatched away with Schalke 04’s 3-1 win over Rosenborg and Valencia end up finishing bottom of the group. Some of the fans will be missing the guidance of Benitez; if he loses his job at Liverpool, I believe the door is open here.

Read more here.

Bill Shankly, arguably Liverpool’s most successful manager, will have turned in his grave if he knew his beloved Reds had handed three points on a silver platter to Reading. It is not a travesty to lose if the team has gone down fighting, but at 2-1, with every chance of pegging the marauding Reading players back in their place, Liverpool raised the white flag…

Read more here.

At the club’s annual meeting, he was pillored by fans and shareholders who objected vehemently to his proposal of uprooting their Liverpool home to a new 55,000 seat stadium in Kirkby. Some Toffees have even labeled him as “the man who has murdered the soul of the club.”

Read more here.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as United beat Fulham 2-0 at home on Monday to restore some respectability to their league standing. Arsenal still lead the pack with 36 points with a game in hand while Manchester United have 33, Chelsea 31, Liverpool and Manchester City 30. The victory was United’s seventh in a row at home in all competitions.

Read more here.

Golden Balls, as he is affectionately known, is a marketing phenomenon, even today. After leaving glamorous clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, becoming more injury prone with age at LA Galaxy, losing his England captaincy and a regular England spot; it is a surprise that his charisma is not blunted. New Zealand, a rugby nation, became the latest “victim” to be caught in Beckham-mania, after Australia.

Read more here.

After thrashing Rosenborg 4-0 away for their sixth straight win, Chelsea are safely through to the knock out stage. They are top of Group B with 11 points and one game in hand. Rosenborg came in second with seven, Schalke 04 with five and Valencia last on four points.

Read more here.

The draw, attended by South African president Thabo Mbeki and other soccer dignitaries, was beamed live to more than 170 countries worldwide. Europe were assigned 13 spots, Africa six (including the hosts), Asia and South America four, and CONCACAF three.

Read more here.

The Reds stamped their authority in this game and skipper Steven Gerrard gave a sterling performance in the wake of England’s embarrassing European Championships failure. Out to prove his detractors wrong, he cleared all doubts regarding his use-by date with a dominant show filled with energy, drive and inspiration.

Read more here.