Arindam: - Good evening, viewers. Tonight in our show of ‘Fantastic Football Fever’ in your favorite ‘Royal Bengal Tigers (RBT)’ TV Channel, we have with us in our studio, the President of the FIFA World Cup 2010 organizing committee, Mr. Danny Jordan. Welcome to our show, Mr. Jordan. Your surname is the name of a small country also. First of all, our viewers want to know that at present how many football playing nations are there in this planet?
Jordan: - Around 211 nations. But, for this World Cup 2010, only 204 nations participated in the qualifiers. The qualifying round started at the end of 2007 and in 2009, the 32 teams got qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Arindam: - Suddenly, why FIFA decided to make South Africa as a venue? Do you people badly wanted to improve the economy of South Africa?
Jordan: - Ha ha ha…nothing like that. See, FIFA has its own rule of rotating the venue of every World Cup. Earlier, World Cup used to be hosted by either European or Latin American countries. But, now, the policy has changed. All the 6 continents of the World will get the chance to host the FIFA World Cup. Not a single continent can host two FIFA World Cup tournaments consecutively.
Arindam: - Why Antarctica is not in the FIFA list?
Jordan: - He he he…Who will watch the football match in Antarctica? Is it the Penguins only! I am not ruling out Antarctica totally. Maybe, who knows in later stage, we can formulate a game of ‘Ice Football’ for the polar countries. If there is Ice hockey, then why there cannot be any Ice football. Canada, Alaska, Russia, Greenland, Norway, Iceland, Arctic region people as well as Antarctica region scientists can participate in that ‘Ice Football’ game. Even in Winter Olympics, we can include the game of Ice Football. Now, coming to your question that, why we chose South Africa? We have not chosen any particular country at all. When FIFA decided that in 2010, a country from Africa will be given the opportunity to host the World Cup, 6 African nations placed their bids for it. The 6 African nations were: - Morocco, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and South Africa. Later on, Libya and Tunisia jointly placed their bids to increase their chances. But, South Africa thrashed them all in the bidding process. I will not disclose the bid money here, but, South Africa’s bidding call was at least 1.5 times more than the runners-up.
Arindam: - Many people are still confused about the mascot of this World Cup. I also don’t have any idea about it.
Jordan: - The mascot for FIFA World Cup 2010 is ‘Zakumi’. It is a special leopard of South Africa, but not the Cheetah.
Arindam: - Oh! Now I understand! Even the mascot of the Commonwealth Game, which will be hosted in India in 2010, is ‘Shera’, the Royal Bengal Tiger. After all, Royal Bengal Tiger is the national animal of India. Mr. Jordan, FIFA has so much money, but, still, why you people are not doing anything to improve the Indian football?
Jordan: - Hey, now, you have started mudslinging like the other media people. FIFA supports each and every football playing nation to improve their football. Don’t blame FIFA by saying that they have not done anything for Indian football. The problem lies elsewhere. There is no motivation among the people of India to create a good infrastructure for football at the root level. I have visited India. I can see there are many Cricket Coaching camps for school boys here and there in India, but, hardly, I have seen any Football Coaching Center. You go and visit any European country or any Latin American country; you can see that after every 2-3 lanes, there is a football coaching camp, with a new club name. In Europe or Latin America, people start playing football, when they are in class- IV only. But in India, the ‘Physical Education or Training / Sports’ is an optional subject in schools. Even I have observed that children of rich families play Cricket and of poor families play football.
Arindam: - hmm…I can understand, Mr. Jordan. Even nowadays in the age of Computer games, students don’t go to the playground to play a game physically. They just spend their late afternoons in playing ‘EA Sports’ Game or ‘Car Racing’ games. Mr. Jordan, this Jabulani ball has become a topic of discussion. Is the ball too hard to handle.
Jordan: - The Jabulani has been manufactured by Adidas. So, it has to be a perfect football, but, yes, the surface of this ball is harder than the previous ones. But, it hardly matters! Everyone is playing football by wearing spikes only. Maybe, some goalkeepers have complained that due to its hardened surface, the Jabulani often rebounds from their gloves. But, that hardly matters for the game of football. You cannot satisfy each and every footballer at the same time.
Arindam: - Where from you got this surprising name ‘Jabulani’? It sounds awkward.
Jordan: - Ha ha ha…well, Arindam, let me tell you that ‘Jabulani’ is an African word, as far as I know. In Africa, the word ‘Jabulani’ means ‘Bringing Joy to everyone’.
Arindam: - What joy, Mr. Jordan? The poor South African people don’t even get meals twice a day to survive. Unlike IPL, FIFA is not at all doing anything for the poor people of South Africa. In 2009, IPL got so much respect from the South African people because many sponsors came forward to take some initiatives for the poor little children of South Africa, who were unable to go to school due to poverty.
Jordan: - IPL has got so many sponsors. After English Premier League, the Indian Premier League is the best avenue for earning money both for the Team owners and the players. Sponsors get the best opportunity to market their products through IPL. FIFA is not like that. FIFA don’t get too many sponsors.
Arindam: - No, no, Mr. Jordan, I don’t agree to you. I have the facts and figures with me. In the last fiscal year only, FIFA has earned profits, which is around 3.78 times more than that earned by ICC. Don’t worry; I will not disclose the exact amount. Don’t say that FIFA is not having any money. In this tournament, every participant team got around 1 million USD for practicing and training. The teams which went out in the group stage got 7 million USD each. The teams which will go out in the round of 16 get 10 million USD each. The losing quarter finalists will get 19 million USD each. The losing Semi-finalists will get 21 million USD each. The runners-up will get 25 million USD and the World Cup Champion team will get 30 million USD. That is, at least 400 million USD will be the expense for the prize money distribution only and you are saying that FIFA has no money. How funny! Anyway, we will continue our discussion, but before that, let us hear about the matches of England Vs Germany and Argentina Vs Mexico from Mr. ARINAN.
Mr. ARINAN: - The Germans were playing the car racing game and the English were playing the Snake game. In a Car race, the car speeds up in a straight line, whereas, in a Snake Game, the Snake swirls here and there with a much slower speed. The speed created the difference. The goal kick from the German goalkeeper was more than enough for Klose to score the goal. The British defense was looking vulnerable. Podolski scored the 2nd goal. England strikers were unlucky. Two of their shots hit the German bar post and went out. Gerrard, as a captain, did his best by scoring a goal. The fiery shots of Lampard was on target, but, unlike the case of 1966, this time a sure-shot goal was denied to the England team by the lines-man. FIFA is yet to implement the latest technology to judge goals or fouls. FIFA has not progressed in scientific and technological implementations. They remained in the same confusing position in 2010; what they were in 1966. In the 2nd half, the seaside castle of England collapsed due to two cannon balls fired from the German submarine. The two cannon balls were the two deadly shots from the 20 years old German, Thomas Mueller. Germany thrashed England by 4-1. Even Adolf Hitler was dancing with joy in the heaven after seeing this match. In another battle, Mexico started off well, but, a clear cut offside goal from Tevez was enough to break the concentration of the Aztecs. The Red Indians came back only in the 2nd half with a goal from Hernandez. Otherwise, Argentina rocked the show with Higuain and Tevez. The second goal of Tevez was one of the best goals in this tournament. But, Messi is still unlucky to get a goal in this tournament, even after performing those terrific left-footed dribbles. Maradona’s Magical Men defeated the Red Indians of Mayan Civilization by 3-1 to clash with the countrymen of Hitler in the Quarter Final. Whoever wins that match will either be the runners-up or the World Champion of this tournament.
Arindam: - Mr. Jordan, that’s a shameful day for FIFA. Two wrong decisions taken by the Lines-men. Even a little child will say that the England was denied a sure-shot goal and Argentina got the 1st goal in a clear-cut off-side. Somehow, for the first time, people saw that a referee is having a headphone and also consulting with the Lines-men for 5 minutes about a goal. FIFA should learn from ICC now, about how to use technology in taking fair and neutral decisions. In Cricket, there is a ‘Third-Umpire’. In Lawn Tennis, any player can appeal for ‘Video-Camera’ visuals to take a correct decision. Even in hockey also, a team can appeal for the ‘Second Referee’, who will give the right decision after seeing the video of the incident. But, in football, which is played by more than 200 nations, don’t have a technology to judge whether a decision taken by a referee or a lines-man is right or wrong.
Jordan: - We will implement it in 2014.
Arindam: - What is so special about 2014? Is Sir Issac Newton going to take a re-birth in 2014? What is wrong with 2010? What was wrong in 2002 and 2006? Mr. Jordan, implement the latest technology now, otherwise, it will be a shame for FIFA only. The whole world is watching the FIFA World Cup 2010. They will just laugh at you and your FIFA. When they will shout the ‘Boo Boo’ sound by pointing fingers at you, how will you feel as the Organizing Committee President of this FIFA World Cup 2010?
Jordan: - Ok, ok, we will surely do some ad-hoc arrangement so that a referee and lines-men can consult with the ‘Second Referee’ to take the correct decision. But, the players have to appeal for the ‘Video-Camera’ decision; otherwise, the referee will not consult the ‘Second Referee’.
Arindam: - Well, already the FIFA is under the scanner. Let us see, what kind of technological arrangements will be made by FIFA for the forthcoming matches of this tournament. Anyway, thanks for coming to our show. Viewers, we will end our show here. Don’t forget to watch our next episode. Take care and Good night.
No comments:
Post a Comment