FIFA 2010 SOUTHAFRICA

Friday, June 25, 2010

Honda gearing up for more success

Keisuke Honda scored one goal and made another in a scintillating performance for Japan [ Images ] on Thursday but said he is not satisfied with guiding his team into the last 16 at the World Cup finals.

Honda's left foot worked like a magic wand at times in Japan's 3-1 victory against Denmark in their final Group E contest.

But, he said, he is not as happy as he expects to feel, before adding that this dazzling Japan side, which produced spells of superbly fluent soccer has a lot further to go in this tournament.

"I am not as jubilant as I had expected because we are not finished," he said. "We have to go further, step by step. We can be the team that continues this way."

Honda, 24, proved both he and Japan have the potential to make an impact with a devastatingly skilful display as the Asian side claimed a place in the second round on foreign soil for the first time.

He opened the scoring with a stunning 30-metres free kick and, after Yasuhito Endo had scored from another excellent free kick, laid on Japan's third for substitute striker Shinji Okazaki after the Danes had replied through Jon Dahl Tomasson.

"This is a big win for Japan," he said. "Our coach told us today not to concentrate on defence but to attack and that attitude gave us confidence.

"I talked to him (Okazaki) before the game and together we said that we would both score. So tonight, of course, we are happy."

Having come into the tournament on the back of a poor run of results, Japan have emerged as one of the surprise sides and coach Takeshi Okada said he would prepare for more success when they face Paraguay in Pretoria next Tuesday.

"This is not the end and we will focus again on what we can achieve," said Okada, who told his players before the tournament to aim for the semi-finals. "We will be ready to face Paraguay."

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Dunga's Brazil adopt bunker mentality at World Cup

Brazil [ Images ] is probably the only major soccer-playing country where reporters can join in goal celebrations and interview players as they fight on the pitch.

Dunga Dozens of television and radio reporters stand on the touchlines at games in Brazil, interviewing players seconds before kick-off, at halftime and when they are storm off the pitch after being shown a red card.

If a fight breaks out, they run onto the pitch and try and get a few quick quotes. When a player scores, he will often go straight to the cameras and microphones so his celebration can be broadcast to millions of listeners.

Last year, Ronaldo [ Images ], playing his first domestic game in Brazil for 15 years, left the field with a black eye after he was hit on the head by a microphone and a television camera in a media scrum on the field at the end of the match.

After so long in Europe, he was shocked at finding reporters on the field.

"I can't answer questions when I'm warming up," he said.

For the hundreds of Brazilian reporters who are sent to the World Cup, the set-up, with no pitch access, can be a shock.

They have, however, traditionally enjoyed access to players which colleagues from other countries can only dream of.

Even at the height of a World Cup, Brazil would organise a daily "mixed zone" in which the players would walk alongside a barrier on their way back to the team bus, answering questions from the several-hundred strong media pack on the other side of the fence.

Although something of a sweaty scrum, it generally worked well. This World Cup, however, has been completely different.

AIR TIME

Coach Dunga has replaced the sacred mixed zone with a daily conference in which two selected players trot out the usual cliches to a room of 400 reporters.

He has even done the unthinkable and restricted access to training sessions - often broadcast live in Brazil.

The new policy has been especially tough on radio reporters who have hours of air time to fill. Radio is still hugely important in Brazil, where many people still do not have internet access.

"We have to talk on seven programmes every day and the hourly news bulletins," said Wellington Campos, a reporter from Radio Itatiaia.

"In the past, it was always very open, not just for the Brazilians but also for foreigners, you could choose the player you wanted to speak to. That's over."

This has led to tensions between the media and the team, especially as Dunga has included the powerful Globo television network - Brazil's rights holders - in his clampdown.

Four years ago, players would take part in round tables and give exclusive interviews to Globo but, under Dunga, they are treated the same as everyone else.

Tensions boiled over after Sunday's win over Ivory Coast with an exchange between Dunga and a Globo journalist during the post-match press conference.

Brazilian media said Dunga was then heard to swear under his breath at the reporter.

Globo later criticised the coach's behaviour and has since refused to use his name, referring to him as "coach of the Brazilian national team".

The following day, there was another exchange when playmaker Kaka [ Images ] claimed that he was being criticised by outspoken columnist Juca Kfouri because of his religious beliefs.

After being asked a question by Kfouri's son Andre, also a journalist, he said: "Your father is taking pot shots at me because of my faith. I ask that he respects me and the millions of people who believe in Jesus Christ [ Images ]."

With the battle set to continue, Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari [ Images ] suggested a truce.

"In the World Cup, we have to put up with each other," he said. "The best thing is to work together, and when the World Cup finishes, each side can tell the other to go to hell."

Maradona asks media to apologise for criticising his players

Argentina's coach Diego Maradona [ Images ] launched into a heartfelt defence of his players who have won their three matches in the group, including Tuesday's 2-0 win against Greece with a largely reserve side.

diego maradona (left) with juan sebastian veron He said the media who had criticised the team and players during the qualifiers when things were not going well for his team should apologise.

"Everything a lot of you said, you were wrong... You even showed a lack of respect for these players... (and) should apologise to these players because they give everything on the pitch, because they are 100 percent professional.

"We're doing our duty, we're defending the Argentine colours which we've always done.

"These same players were in the qualifiers. Anybody can make a mistake but I'd love it for those on the other side to say sorry."

Maradona was suspended by FIFA [ Images ] for two months last year for a foul-mouthed rant at reporters on the night his team secured their place at the finals.

He and the players were the butt of strong criticism for poor results that nearly ended in Argentina missing the finals for the first time since 1970.

Maradona also questioned fair play at the World Cup after Lionel Messi [ Images ] was treated to systematic fouling by Greece in Argentina's win on Tuesday.

"The famous fair play doesn't exist (here), let's make it effective once and for all," Maradona said.

"Because if each time Messi gets the ball they bring him down, what are we playing at?" he asked at the post-match news conference.

"After repeated fouls, take out the yellow card to the third (player) who hits Messi, and you'll see that defenders don't hit him any more.

"Why didn't the referee do that? It's in the regulations, man."

Maradona had a rant at what he saw as repeated foul throw-ins by the Greeks and said his complaint to the fourth official had fallen on deaf ears.