Brian Clough famously said, “Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius.” How apt it is then, that Leicester City are tonight’s visitors at the nation’s first boutique football club, Queens Park Rangers. Sky Sports 1 offer that at 7:45 whilst at the same time on ESPN, Borussia Dortmund will be looking to swipe bottom club Hertha Berlin.
Germany vs Honduras is the afternoon offering on British Eurosport from the U17 World Cup. Get in quick - it finishes in a fortnight.
For those not invited to celebrate the birthday of Robert Pires
The U17 World Cup continues at 3pm on Eurosport 2, as Italy’s nippers attempt to take revenge for 2002 and all that, by beating some South Korean children.
Three matches this evening covering a range of footballing competition. If you like your football young, catch Wales vs Scotland in the Victory Shield at 7:40pm on Sky Sports 1. If you like your football second-rate, Man United reserves try to take their own revenge against the Liverpool counterparts, MUTV from 7.
And finally, if you like your football preening, the Special One hosts Walter Zenga’s Palermo, looking to go four points clear at the top of Serie A. The game is on ESPN at 7:45.
The Corrigan Brothers (Gerard, Brian and Donncha if you must know) made an indent into the world’s brow, when they popped up at Barack Obama’s inauguration with their song ‘There’s no one as Irish as Barack O’Bama.’ Well now they’re back back back, with a jaunty tune aimed at propelling the Irish into the 2010 World Cup.
Watch out for the reference to John O’Shea and Eamon Dunphy (after the latter described him as “not good enough” ahead of a United match) as well as the tremendous verse, “Sometimes we lack skill, Sometimes we lack speed. Who needs Stephen Ireland, Bring back Andy Reid.”
Thespoiler is a huge fan, and demand that if the Irish make it through, ‘Here’s to Trapatonni’ becomes the official FAI song. Altogether now - “Let’s take it to the French. Here’s to Trapatonni.”
Above, a memorable evening at Oakwell over a decade ago, but Barnsley’s task may be slightly easier tonight for the absence of Schmeichel, Beckham, Cole, Sheringham et al. Sky Sports 2 at 7:45 is the place to be if you want to see Championship strikers humiliating Rio.
Elsewhere, the U17 World Cup continues where the U20 left off last week - in a vapour of anonymity. It’s Argentina v Germany at 3pm, before Brazil and Mexico are allowed to stay up a bit past their bedtime, to entertain us at 6pm. All the fun on Eurosport 2. There’s a Eurosport 2?
‘Sporting bureaucrats in possible corruption’ shock
How easily can you be bought off? Tickets to the FA Cup Final? Sexual favours? How about a handbag? In the latest installment of the triumph that is the England 2018 World Cup bid, the FA have been criticised for bestowing handbags upon all 24 members of FIFA’s executive committee just for being members of FIFA’s executive committee.
Of course, the gifts served a higher purpose, that of representing the best of British handicraft, seemingly a vital element in any successful Jules Rimet bid. And at £230 a pop, one expects the handbags really do represent the high-end of British handicraft.
But don’t worry legal eagles, it’s all perfectly kosher. An England 2018 spokesman confirmed:
“FIFA have a set of guidelines for all bidders which includes direction on what constitutes an acceptable campaign gift. All our gifts are carefully chosen so as to be within both the spirit and letter of that law.”
Yet Shadow Culture Suit Hugh Robertson was less happy:
“I think it is a massive misjudgement particularly in the middle of an economic recession and a time when the bid is looking for public funds. In addition I think it’s very clumsy in public relations as it sends out entirely the wrong messages about England’s bid.”
In other positive news for the USA 2018 bid, Brian Deane has been named as one of the 50 official bid Ambassadors. The full list is after the jump…
Thespoiler is nothing if not topical. Hence we’re bringing you live coverage of the play-off draw for the European Qualifiers. Matches will be played on the 14th and 18th of November - countries listed first are at home
Klinsmann, van Basten, Dunga, Maradona - international football management, like policing and judging dance contests, seems to have become a young person’s game of late, with recently-retired legends heading straight to the dugout, and more often than not, tarnishing their reputations.
Not next summer however. In an unusually high-calibre field, (probably due to the young managers trend seeping down to club level - Ferrara, Leonardo, Guardiola etc) there may be as many as six managers at South Africa 2010, who have won the greatest prize in club football, the European Cup.
Jack Warner suggests tough measures for World Cup cheats
After deciding that UEFA’s technique of banning players and subsequently letting them off the hook was not an effective method of deterring diving, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has suggested a rugby-style ’sin bin’ is a distinct possibility for the 2010 World Cup:
“[Often] a guy fakes an injury, and he acts as if it’s the end of the world, and then after you give him the foul he then flies up and kicks the ball.
“That guy should be sent off, and he should be sent off for five minutes.”
A five-minute sin bin would certainly be a strong deterrent for players thinking of hitting the deck, particularly if it was coupled with a yellow card (thus preventing the prospect of multiple sin bin visits from a single player). However, without the assistance of video replays to prove simulation, temporary incarceration could put even more pressure on referees who may be accused of incorrectly using their powers.
So, are you pro-sin bin, or is this just more unwanted tampering from football’s governing body? Let us know below…
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