Perhaps next time Harry Rednapp decides to mouth-off before a big game, he will think twice.   Prior to the Arsenal v. Tottenham Carling Cup tie, Redknapp had a go at his Arsenal counterpart by saying that he wouldn’t follow Arsene Wenger’s example of relying on reserve team players in the competition.

Redknapp’s exact words were:

“The fans want to see some trophies.

“I wouldn’t want to be in a position where they say, ‘he played all the kids and won nothing, but he has a good youth team’. It’s not for me.”

Redknapp must rue his choice of words, especially considering the team he put on the pitch.  Wenger, who normally plays his youngsters in an effort to provide them with first team experience, must have taken Redknapp’s statement to heart.  In a surprise move, Arsenal fielded a much more experienced side than normal.  Unfortunately for Good Ol’ Harry, he didn’t take his own advice and he fielded a much weaker team than could have been expected.

With big matches in the Champions League and Premier League cup competitions to juggle, perhaps the reality of competing in the upper echelons of the game is finally setting in.  It’s one thing to wish for Champions League football; it’s another to actually compete on all fronts.  Maybe next time Harry will zip it, or at least refrain from making such embarrassing statements. Taking shots at Arsene Wenger, no matter how comical it is given his recent dearth of trophies, is a bit over the top for a manager with two trophies to his name.  Then again, that wouldn’t be much fun, so keep the quotes coming, Harry.

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The game of soccer is increasingly global.  Many of game’s biggest stars are African.  Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Samuel Eto’o are a few of the continent’s best home grown talents that ply their trade in some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs.  While much is known about these African superstars, not much is known about the countless others that don’t make it to the game’s biggest stage. The documentary ‘Soccer Slaves’ covers the travails of these young, desperate soccer hopefuls.  From the fields of hope in Africa to the black market games in Europe, the exploitation of the Lost Boys of Soccer is vast and shameful.

These desperate teens and their families are duped into signing complicated contracts and paying huge sums of money on the promise of a trial with a top tier European soccer club.  As can be expected, many of these kids don’t make it to soccer stardom and are left to fend for themselves thousands of miles away from home.  As if being sold like cattle isn’t bad enough, these kids are often left with no choice but to sift through the underworld of Europe’s major cities, often left with little choice but to become beggars and prostitutes.

The head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, has described the trafficking of young soccer prospects as a form of “modern slavery.” In Africa, particularly in the soccer hotbeds of Western Africa, these so-called ‘agents’ that over-promise and under-deliver leave a long line of tattered families in their wake. In today’s day and age, centuries after the abolition of slavery, it is shocking to know that the immoral trafficking of human beings still persists.  It is especially heart wrenching to see that this time around, the most innocent among us, children are the victims of one of humanity’s most atrocious acts.

Be sure to catch this compelling documentary when it airs on Current TV at the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, September 15 at 10:00 PM
• Thursday, September 16 at 1:00 AM, 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM
• Saturday, September 18 at 11:00 PM
• Sunday, September 19 at 2:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM

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Italian Football fans have something to rejoice about in the aftermath of the National Team’s poor display in the World Cup.  Media tycoons Silvio Berlusconi and Rupert Murdoch are engaged in a corporate catfight to win over the hearts and wallets of Italy’s football fans.  Mediaset, owned by Silvio Berlusconi, and Sky Italia, owned by Rupert Murdoch, have been waging a price war for television soccer viewers.  The gloves are apparently off and the media moguls are going at it like two shameless divas.

The competition between the two former friends began to take an adversarial tone when Berlusconi, also Italy’s Prime Minister, passed a law that doubled the tax paid by satellite television subscribers to 20% VAT.  This law conveniently hit Sky Italia hard since it is a satellite television provider, unlike Mediaset, which is cable television broadcaster.  Murdoch supposedly retaliated by publishing newspaper articles about the Prime Minister’s sexual and financial scandals in several News Corp (parent company of Sky Italia) publications.  Additionally, Sky Italia has sued several subsidiaries of Mediaset for refusing to allow Sky to purchase advertising on some of their main television channels.

Now Silvio has decided to take things to another level by cutting prices for Mediaset’s soccer and film pay television package from 29 euros to 14 euros, undercutting Sky Italia’s pay per view deal.

Not that I am against watching this train wreck of an affair between two 70 plus year old men, but you would think that they would have better things to do with their time.  At least Italian soccer fans can rejoice.  For once, Silvio’s personal agenda is having beneficial external consequences for Italy’s citizens.  I say these grumpy old men fight to the death.  At the rate things are going, the two will soon be paying subscribers instead of charging them.

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Jeff and Michael Zimbalist’s documentary The Two Escobars brings us a tale of a nation gripped by crime, drugs and a passion for soccer.  At the time (circa 1994), Colombia was seen as one of the world’s most reviled narco-states and one of the world’s best soccer nations, at one point ranked 4th in the FIFA rankings.  During this period, many Colombians were hoping that victory at the 1994 World Cup would help rebuild the country’s tattered image.  Unfortunately, that dream was never realized.  Colombia’s hopes came crashing down with one errant kick during the World Cup by Andres Escobar, one of the team’s star players.  Escobar’s subsequent murder was a cold reminder of how the violent drug trade controlled everything within the country, including soccer.

The Two Escobars walks you through an era in Colombia when drug money flowed through virtually everything in public life, a period during which soccer enjoyed both a meteoric rise and a cataclysmic fall. Mesmerizing stuff, really.

If you haven’t already seen The Two Escobars at a film festival near you, make sure to catch this fascinating documentary so that you have something interesting to say about the relationship between cartels and the local and national teams in Colombia when the conversation comes up at work.  It’ll make you a more well-rounded person.

The Two Escobars will air on Saturday, July 17 at 12 PM on ESPN2.

Oh, what was that? An exclusive interview with the directors? And you want to see a preview of the action? Well, you’re in luck. Head over to Telegraph 21 to check out the film preview and for an exclusive interview with Jeff and Michael Zimbalist. You’re welcome. And thank Telegraph 21 too. They’re special.

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As their teams go by the wayside, soccer fans often find themselves needing to regroup and find another team to support, lest they risk isolating themselves from the euphoria that is the World Cup.  Rather than relying on sport related reasons when choosing another team to support, some soccer fans choose to go beyond the game and delve into history.  These fans offer some of the most illogical (and often humorous) reasons for their decisions.

While watching the Germany v. Netherlands semifinal match, a fan told me (tongue-in-cheek of course) that he would root for the Dutch because he felt that they have been more contrite in their guilt over colonization, unlike other European powers like the French, Spanish and British.  Mind you, this same fan who makes colonization a centerpiece of his rationale, doesn’t find it hard to cheer for a nation whose colonization of the host nation led to the evils of Apartheid.

Another casual soccer observer was elated by the Dutch triumph over Germany.  When asked why, she jokingly said that she didn’t want the Germans to win because of the sins of Nazi Germany.

Another fan billed the Netherlands v. Spain Final as the battle of Apartheid v. the Spanish Inquisition.  With such choices, he joked that he was stuck and couldn’t in good conscience cheer for either side.

While these historical moments in time are far from funny, holding soccer players accountable for them borders on humorous.  Although the logic is clearly lacking, the level of creativity is not.  How else can one explain pinning the brutality of the Spanish Inquisition on David Villa or the evils of Nazi Germany on Miroslav Klose or the sins of Apartheid on Wesley Sneijder? Never mind the fact that they weren’t even born when these horrors took place. In the court of football opinion, they must be held accountable and made to suffer the excruciating humiliation of losing a soccer match.  Then, and only then, can we reconcile the sins of the past and make things right.

Although these rationalizations are often made jokingly, one has to wonder how heartfelt these statements are in reality.  The truth may actually lie somewhere in between.  Soccer is a rather complex sport because it enables people around the world to interact with one another on and off the pitch.  Because of this unique quality, on the international level, a game of soccer is often more than just a game.  It is a game that is played with the weight of history, with the baggage of politics and culture never far behind.  That’s why the World Cup is observed with such passion. We’re allowed to live out our Old World and New World grudges, whether rational or not, through soccer games, complete with their militaristic anthems. Teams and their fans cloak themselves in nationalist sentiments, and with that comes the good, the bad and sometimes the very ugly from years gone by, a ready-made cocktail for amateur historical commentators eager to display their wit.

The amazing part of such tongue-in-cheek reasoning is that otherwise perfectly rational, logical people arrive at such conclusions.  From doctors to lawyers and teachers, it appears no one is immune from such crafty logic when faced with the prospect of not having a team to support.  It seems that the pull of being a fan and being emotionally invested in a game trumps the need to make sense, which makes sense, since being a fan is more about faith than rational decision making. And I suppose it’s easier to have faith in one team when the other team is guilty of, say, the Spanish Inquisition.

Logic aside, these rationalizations do make for some truly memorable banter while watching a match.  Without them, the World Cup experience just wouldn’t be the same.  And that’s all good, so long as people are aware that they may sound insane.

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It may just be me, but the level of sheer magic in this World Cup has been absent in comparison to past events.  To date, there has been too little in the form of excitement and wonder.  Where are the nuggets of sublime creativity or sheer force of will that have made previous campaigns the stuff of folklore?  Am I being too nostalgic or has the game evolved to this?  Where is the wonder goal created out of nothing that the next generation will be talking about and trying to replicate on the football field?  I may be getting ahead of myself with the quarterfinals less than a day away, but this World Cup has been as exciting as watching paint dry for the following three reasons:

• Poor Officiating: I don’t mean to beat a dead horse. I love horses too much to do that, but aside from being unfair, the officiating in this World Cup has removed the intrigue that normally grips this competition.  Far too often, it appears that officials play it safe and favor the ‘Better Known Soccer Nations”.  For example if Argentina’s second goal was ruled offside as it should have been, the game would have been more interesting, at least for non-Argentine fans.  Spain has benefited twice from favorable officiating.  In the game against Chile, a penalty should have been awarded to Chile but wasn’t, and in the Spain vs. Portugal Round of 16 match, a Portuguese defender was sent off after a Spanish player clearly dived.  Many argue that such events don’t matter, but they do.  When the game is allowed to unfairly get away from a team, it takes away the intrigue and the possibility of the losing team getting back in the game.  What is a contest if the underdog isn’t even given a fighting chance to begin with?

• Too Cautious:  Many teams have decided to go out and not lose games as opposed to going out to win games.  The counter-attacking methodology that has permeated club football has also infected international competition.  Granted, at the club level, the business ramifications of winning and losing warrants such an approach, but I was hoping that at the World Cup, teams would be a bit more adventurous.  In the game against Brazil and Spain, it appeared that Carlos Queiroz was content walking away with a ‘good showing’ as opposed to committing men forward in an attempt to win the game.  In the game against Argentina, it appeared that Nigeria was more concerned with defending as opposed to going out and forcing the issue against a team that had a hard time qualifying for the tournament.  If there were ever a time to have a go at Diego and the boys, it was at that first match.

• The Jabulani Ball: I don’t know about you, but all I see with the Jabulani is a bunch of errant passing and shooting.  FIFA should have said no to this ‘technological marvel’ instead of to goal-line technology and instant replay.  Because of the cautious approach embraced by some managers, teams have been unwilling to send enough players forward when in the final third, and as a result, players have resorted to “pulling a Ronaldo”. (You know, when a ‘world-class’ player refuses to share the ball with his teammates and resorts to ripping shots from 40 yards and watching them sail off target out over and over again.)  Surprisingly, this new approach has not been very successful. Maybe, just maybe, FIFA’s penchant for allowing Adidas to introduce a new and “technologically improved” ball before the start of the World Cup isn’t such a bright idea, but then again what do I know.  On second thought, forget I said anything.  Sepp may just use it as an excuse to do away with the ball all together.

Here’s hoping things take a turn for the better from here on out, otherwise this World Cup may be known as the World Cup that put people to sleep.

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The World Cup thus far has been less about the Beautiful Game on the field and more about the inexplicable refusal of Sepp Blatter and his clan to uphold FIFA’s own Fair Play Code of Conduct.  In the wake of recent controversial decisions (or indecision –  you make the call), the pressure is mounting on FIFA to stop making nonsensical excuses and step into the 21^st Century and embrace the use of technology by game officials.

With Blatter’s apology to the football federations of Mexico and England yesterday, it appears that FIFA is finally bowing to pressure and common sense.  Mind you, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sepp sticks to his guns after the uproar dies down.  It is imperative that fans hold the governing body accountable, since the players and their respective federations have done very little to affect change.

Even with his apology and admission of guilt, the FIFA head refused to back down from his refusal to allow instant replay.

“The only principle that we are going to bring back now for discussion is the goal-line technology.”

To limit the debate to goal-line technology doesn’t make sense.  Sepp’s stubborn refusal to uphold the credibility of the game is perplexing.  Why bother with an apology to Ireland and Mexico for blown calls, if you’re not going to do anything sensible about rectifying egregious calls?  How can a champion be crowned if many doubt the legitimacy of the officiating?

Watching this issue unfold has been like watching a car crash in slow motion.  The last World Cup was remembered for the ‘head-butt’ and the controversial decision to send Zinedine Zidane off the field since many questioned if the officials saw the incident in question in real time. Now this World Cup, little more than half over, is going to be marred by similar controversy.  To date, there have been at least four cases of noticeably bad officiating in South Africa.  The sad thing is not that referees are fallible, but that FIFA has steadfastly refused to improve the level of officiating.  When Ireland was wrongfully denied an opportunity to compete in this World Cup by Thierry Henry’s hand ball, FIFA looked the other way when it should have acted, and acted decisively.  When will soccer’s governing body wake-up and join the global sports standard?  Every major professional international sport from car racing to tennis and even cricket has embraced some form of video replay without issue.  Why is it that the world’s most popular sport cannot get its act together?  All they seem to offer are excuses.

FIFA’s stance that technology would slow down game play is plain hypocritical.  Diving slows down game play but some way, somehow, it has been permitted to continue unabated.  FIFA’s inaction on this issue has led players to cheat at every opportunity.  Long gone are the days when it was admirable for players to stay on their feet.  Now it is all about conning the referee.  In light of this shift in player sentiment, FIFA should have acted quickly to quell the unsportsmanlike behavior and help referees, however they elected to make illogical excuses that only benefit controversy.  Instead of rectifying clear mistakes, they elected to make referees the scapegoats of their failure of leadership.

It is somewhat ironic that it took England being hard done for FIFA to step forward and do the right thing. Why is it that FIFA does nothing when so called ‘lesser soccer powers’ suffer injustice?  South Africa was victimized by a dive in their second group game.  The US team could have failed to qualify for the elimination round due to a disallowed goal against Slovenia.  An undermanned Chile should have been awarded a penalty in their match against Spain, however the call was never made.  How about acknowledging these obvious mistakes?

Actually, FIFA should forgo the apologies and begin working on a sensible solution to the present day issue of better officiating.  It is abundantly clear that referees need additional help.  Like all human beings, they are far from perfect and prone to error.  FIFA needs to be fair not only to the competitors, but to the referees as well.

If FIFA were to fairly evaluate their own rules, they would see that they are asking a bit too much from officials.  The linesmen have to be in position to judge if offensive players are offside while at the same time keeping an eye on the ball prior to the pass that plays that player through.  On top of that, officials are supposed to be at the goal-line to judge if a goal is legitimate or not.  Not to mention that referees are responsible for policing the countless acts of unsportsmanlike behavior that goes on in today’s game.

The introduction of technological assistance for officials has been long overdue. Without it, FIFA’s claim to be champions of Fair Play appears cynical.  After all, a competition like the World Cup should not be left to chance, it should be decided by the players between the lines.  Let’s hope that FIFA recognizes that the beauty of the game lies not in controversy but in the legitimacy of the winner.  Till then, let the game of chance resume.

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Your friendly developers at Google Earth have put together 3-D renderings of all ten soccer stadiums that will host games at this year’s World Cup.  Aside from the over the top drumbeat, these 3-D models of the stadiums are quite impressive.  The tour also shows the cityscape of all nine-host cities.  If like most football fans, you can’t make it to South Africa to see the stadiums and the country, here is your opportunity to get up close and personal with the stadiums’ architecture and South Africa’s urban planning prowess.  For a more detailed look click here.  And don’t worry, Google takes your privacy seriously.

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