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Egyptian soccer at a crossroads as Bradley jets in
Cairo giants Al Ahli’s elimination from the African Champions League at the weekend is the latest blow for soccer in Egypt and their golden generation.
Al Ahli failed to reach the semi-final stage after drawing 1-1 at home with Esperance of Tunisia in their final group game in the Egyptian capital on Friday.
It was Egypt’s last chance of salvaging some success from what has been a terrible year for their football.
They have gone from an unprecedented three successive African Nations Cup titles to missing out on defending their title at the next edition, to be hosted in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon early next year.
Al Ahli’s long-standing dominance at club level is also at an end while Egypt’s other major club Zamalek surprisingly did not even make the group phase.
In all likelihood, it signals the end of an all-conquering generation who rewrote the continent’s record books.
Egypt’s national team, close to officially naming American Bob Bradley as coach, and Ahli have perhaps kept faith for too long with players like Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Barakat and Wael Gomaa who ruled the roost for almost a decade, but no longer have the aura of invincibility they so long enjoyed.
from FaithWorld:
Amid the prayers, some haj pilgrims talk football
The haj is supposed to be a spiritual highlight in a Muslim's life, but everyday issues can sometimes intrude. In between prayers and visits to various sites, pilgrims often discuss all kinds of current issues. Among Algerians and Egyptians on the haj here this year, the buzz is about the public row sparked by a soccer game to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Algeria won that match 1-0.
The football rivalry has caused considerable bad blood between the two countries. Egypt has recalled its ambassador from Algiers after the play-off, accusing Algerian fans of post-match thuggery at the game's venue in Khartoum. Egypt had earlier complained when Algerian fans trashed the Algiers headquarters of Egypt-based Orascom Telecom's Djezzy mobile subsidiary. Before that, Algeria was irked after Egyptian fans pelted the Algerian team's bus with stones and some fans were hurt in scuffles on game-day in the first round of the qualifier in Cairo.
"We are brothers ... This should have never happened and I blame the media in the two countries for instigating ill feelings among the most foolish of us," said Khaled Salam Abdallah from Cairo.
Mohamed Lab'haj, an Algerian pilgrim, agreed. "We are more than brothers ... The real criminals are the Arab governments. They play with us like they do with a ball ... If football had much use in it, they would not have kicked the ball with their feet," he said.
The haj, a duty for every able Muslim, emphasises the unity of all Muslims. This year's pilgrimage has offered the first big encounter between Algerian and Egyptian masses since the football showdown. Some 2 million Muslims have come to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Abdulwahhab Alyousha, an Algerian pilgrim, said he was outraged that such a spat erupted between two countries that shared a significant part of their modern history. "Egyptians helped our Algerian revolution. I don't think this dispute will mar bilateral relationships for good," he said, referring to the movement which led to Algeria's independence from France in 1962.
Some refused to talk about the issue. "Soccer is a matter of earthly life, we are here to work for our afterlife," Egyptian pilgrim Adel Abdul-Shafi said.
France break Irish hearts to seal World Cup slot
France ensured the likes of Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Thierry Henry will be at the World Cup in South Africa next year after winning through with a goal that has left Irish fans seething.
There was nothing wrong with the finish from William Gallas, but Thierry Henry admitted using his hand to keep the ball in play and commentators and Irish supporters are already talking of “The Hand of God II” and “The Hand of Henry” in reference to Diego Maradona in 1986.
“Yes, there is handball but I am not the referee,” Henry told reporters. “I’m in the box, there are two defenders in front of me. The ball bounced off my hand, the referee did not see it and I played on.”
Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni called the goal a “great mistake” by Swedish referee Martin Hansson but he chose not to accuse Henry of cheating.
“I told the referee that it is possible to make great mistakes,” Trapattoni told a new conference after the game at Stade de France. “It is a bitter evening.”
Trapattoni said he felt the referee should have talked to his assistants and to Henry before awarding the goal.
Yes, it’s a shame, even I as a Premier League fan have to says I am sad to see the Irish beging kicked. It looks like the big bosses want The French National Team in the World Cup 2010 no matter what… I feel a bit for Henry though as I always liked him and if you look at what is going in the regular matches there are so many things that are not correct but are still tolerated
