It'd be nice to get some actual conversation going on in here.

Not Joffa posting articles that no-one even reads....

Rio de Janeiro police clear decks for 2014 World Cup

From: AFP June 21, 2011

Hundreds of Brazilian police and soldiers backed by helicopters and armoured vehicles swept in to take over a crime-ridden Rio slum yesterday as part of a pacification plan ahead of the football World Cup in 2014.

More than 100 marines, 160 elite police officers and 600 ordinary officers took part in the operation in the hillside Mangueira neighbourhood, which went off without a shot being fired, a police spokesman said.

Mangueira is near Rio's famed Maracana football stadium.

The pre-announced operation began just after dawn with 14 armoured personnel carriers thundering up the slum's steep roads and helicopters clattering overhead, as security forces on foot followed with arms at the ready.

Ninety minutes later, two of the vehicles reached the highest point of the slum and officers hoisted the Brazilian flag atop a water tank. The forces met no resistance. Drug gangs that had been controlling the district had fled well in advance.

"We were woken at six in the morning by the helicopters. Everything was already calm before that. It would have been better if they spent the money on improving the hospitals," said one resident, a kitchen employee and mother of five who gave her first name as Bete.

Her seven-year-old nephew Donatan said he was afraid: "When I heard the noise, my legs started shaking. The house was shaking, too. I thought the police were going to start shooting."

Most residents refused to comment for fear of reprisals in case the drug gangs returned. The few who did refused to give their last name.

"All of that is because of the World Cup. But afterwards, who will make sure it doesn't go back to like before, that the police won't leave?" asked Vera, 54.

Vinicius, 15, feared what the slum would be like under police control. "It's finished, going out at night. We'll have to stay at home."

Some residents said they were worried more about the police than the gang members, who reigned but also provided security. There were also concerns that gunfights might break out between police and drug traffickers.

The operation was the final link in a "security perimeter" authorities have set up around the Maracana stadium, which will play host to the World Cup final, to be watched by more than 700 million television viewers around the world.

It will also be a venue for sports featuring in the 2016 Olympic Games, which Rio will also host.

Unlike in previous years, when the police raided the neighbourhoods only to exit soon after, leaving a vacuum quickly filled by returning gangs, they are setting up local posts in the slums to maintain control.

AFP

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/rio-de-janiero-police-clear-decks-for-2014-world-cup/story-e6frg6so-1226078758650

FIFA worried about Brazil 2014 World Cup preparations

From: AP June 25, 2011

FIFA has said it remains concerned at the slow pace of Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

The world soccer body said Brazil’s soccer officials appear to have invested more energy in winning the tournament than organising it.

"We don't have stadiums, we don't have airports," secretary general Jerome Valcke said yesterday at the Inside World Football forum in Moscow.

He added it looked increasingly likely that some facilities, including Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana, would be ready with only a few weeks to spare.

"The Maracana is not a World Cup stadium" yet, Valcke said, adding that in Brazil "the main issue is not to organise the World Cup but to win the World Cup".

Brazil, which won hosting rights by default after other South American nations withdrew their bids, has been mired in organisational and bureaucracy problems since it was announced as host in 2007.

Builders working on one of the stadiums only this week returned to work after going on strike over pay and conditions. About 160 of the nearly 400 workers helping to upgrade Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte stopped working this month. The agreement includes a four per cent wage hike, a health plan and more overtime pay.

Belo Horizonte is one of the cities vying to host the opening match. Others include the capital, Brasilia, and Sao Paulo, South America's biggest city.

Brazilian lawmakers this month were forced to approve a raft of measures aimed at reducing the paperwork needed to clear various infrastructure projects. The changes reduce the time to conclude the bidding processes on tenders, eliminating some stages and need for approval.

Valcke urged Russia, which is hosting the event for the first time in 2018, to have the required 12 stadiums ready two years in advance to allow time for test events, a luxury Brazil won't have. Russia is building most of the facilities from scratch in a US$10 billion ($9.5 billion)project, a budget that doesn't include the massive infrastructure improvements needed such as rail networks and new roads and airport upgrades.

It was Valcke's first public appearance since FIFA exonerated him of wrongdoing for saying Qatar had "bought" the 2022 World Cup hosting rights. Valcke alluded to the maelstrom of corruption allegations to dog FIFA in recent months, beginning his keynote speech by saying "it's good to talk about football. I mean, we need it at FIFA sometimes".

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/soccer/fifa-worried-about-brazil-2014/story-e6frepmf-1226081737093

Mongolia 1-0 Myanmar

Second legs to be played this weekend. Timor-Leste's "home" game against Nepal will actually be played at Kathmandu in Nepal. Most of these sides will just be cannon fodder for some of Asia's middleweights in the next round, but a couple of them have a sneaky chance of getting through to the group stage, where they might get to play the likes of Japan, Australia or Korea.

Thirty hopefuls begin road to round three

(FIFA.com) Friday 22 July 2011
AFP

Asian minnows rarely take centre stage. However, the continent's second qualifying round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ provides them with a seldom chance to rub shoulders with the big boys. Fifteen underdogs, including the eight successful sides from the opening round, will challenge higher-ranked rivals over two legs, the first of which will unfold tomorrow, for the right to join Australia, Bahrain, Japan, Korea DPR and Korea Republic in the next phase.

Such meetings invariably used to end in one-sided results, with upsets scarce. With the gap between teams in Asia having narrowed significantly in recent years, though, the favourites can take nothing for granted. FIFA.com previews the ensuing action.


The big game
United Arab Emirates-India

This is without doubt the pick of the contests, given that it is the only one featuring two sides which competed in January's AFC Asian Cup. Both ultimately exited at the group stage, though India can take heart from returning to the competition for the first time since 1984 and United Arab Emirates can draw encouragement from being unlucky to be held to a goalless draw by South Africa 2010 participants, Korea DPR.

The pair have both made fast progress thereafter. Under new coach Armando Colaco, India recently stunned Qatar 2-1, while Srecko Katanec's side thrashed Lebanon 6-2 in a friendly. The South Asians can look to the prolific form of Sunil Chhetri, who was twice on target during the continental finals. For their part, the UAE, with the talismanic Ismail Matar likely to miss out through injury, will entrust striking prodigy Ahmed Khalil, who netted a hat-trick against the Lebanese, with inspiring a home triumph.

Despite the first leg taking place in Al Ain, Colaco wants nothing less than victory. He said: "My players are eager to play the UAE, and we will play to win." Katanec, meanwhile, has fixed his sights on no fewer than an emphatic success: "The India match is a test for us. But the players are confident of building up a big cushion to take to Dehli.

United Arab Emirates have met twice in the FIFA World Cup preliminaries, on the road to Korea/Japan 2002, when they recorded a 1-0 win apiece.

The best of the rest
The aforementioned game is one of eight involving teams who have encountered one another before in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Among them is Iran-Maldives, whose last meeting, in the run-up to France 1998, ended in an astounding 26-0 aggregate victory for Team Melli – a then record in the preliminaries.

This time around, a far tighter contest is expetced. Maldives highlighted their progress with by holding Korea Republic to a goalless draw in qualifying for Germany 2006, before reducing Yemen to a narrow 3-2 aggregate win in their attempt to reach South Africa 2010. That said, Iran, under Carlos Queiroz and captained by Ali Karimi, are still very much the team to beat.

Like Maldives, Vietnam have a score to settle, having been humiliated 4-0 both home and away by Qatar in their debut qualifying appearance in 1994. Their hopes lie on the form of forward Le Cong Vinh, who smashed home seven goals against Macau over two legs. Qatar, spearheaded by their Asian Cup hero Yusef Ahmed, must overcome inconsistency if they are to live up to their billing as the firm favourites.

Inspired by their elimination of Chinese Taipei, Malaysia expect to upstage neighbouring Singapore and seal their first-ever qualification for the third round. With goal-getter Mohd Safee Mohd Sali back to fitness, coach Rajagobal Krishnasamy can field the formidable side which conquered all at last December’s AFF Championship. Radojko Avramovic’s charges do boast the better qualifying record, however, having reached the third stage in their previous attempt for South Africa 2010.

Recent success is not something Thailand can count on when they entertain Palestine in Bangkok. Having failed to progress beyond the group stage in the recent AFF Championship, despite being three-time winners of the tournament, the Land of Smiles, under newly-appointed Winfried Schafer, are desperate to redeem themselves against the West Asians.

Despite progressing with a 5-1 aggregate victory over Sri Lanka, Philippines face an uphill challenge against a Kuwait outfit 57 places above them on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The Azkals' German coach Michael Weiss told FIFA.com: "We are underdogs in many aspects, but the team are on their top form and we will strive to defy the odds."

Elsewhere, China PR are expected to make light work of Laos, while the same can be said of four-time FIFA World Cup qualifiers Saudi Arabia, who take on Hong Kong. Uzbekistan are hoping to continue their regional authority over Kyrgyzstan, and an easy tie against Yemen should beckon for Iraq, who ran out 9-1 aggregate winners in the sides’ last meeting ahead of USA 1994.

Player to watch
Having established himself as one of south-east Asia's best forwards in recent years, can Le Cong Vinh prove himself on the entire continental stage by steering Vietnam past Qatar?

What they said
"To be honest I was not happy when I learned that we have to face Iran. However, we are not daunted by the task and our target is to play as best as we can and achieve satisfying results," Andres Cruciani, Maldives coach.

Second round, first legs
23 July
Thailand-Palestine
Lebanon-Bangladesh
China PR-Laos
Turkmenistan-Indonesia
Kuwait-Philippines
Oman-Myanmar
Saudi Arabia-Hong Kong
Iran-Maldives
Syria-Tajikistan
Qatar-Vietnam
Iraq-Yemen
Singapore-Malaysia
Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan
United Arab Emirates-India
Jordan-Nepal

The second legs will be played on Thursday 28 July.

Have Your Say
Which underdogs do you foresee springing a surprise? Which players do you reckon will headline the upcoming games? Simply click ‘Add your comment’ to make your views known, remembering to keep your posts clean, respectful, on-topic and in English.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1478636/index.html?cid=rssfeed&att=

Brazil sports minister says work on 12 stadiums for World Cup will be completed by late 2013

By Associated Press, Friday, July 22, 4:53 AM

BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil’s sports minister says the construction and renovation work on the 12 stadiums scheduled to host matches at the World Cup will be concluded by late 2013.

Orlando Silva said Thursday in a conference call that 10 of the stadiums will host matches for the 2013 Confederations Cup, a test event for soccer’s showcase tournament.

Silva says Brazil will invest $14 billion in airports, urban transportation, ports and stadiums for the World Cup.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/brazil-sports-minister-says-work-on-12-stadiums-for-world-cup-will-be-completed-by-late-2013/2011/07/21/gIQAJ79DSI_story.html

Worries over Brazil for 2014 World Cup Sao Paulo, Brazil

July 27, 2011 - 7:32AM

.FIFA will fire the starting gun on Saturday for the build-up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with the qualifying draw in Rio.

But lingering worries over security and the country's infrastructure continue to occupy the minds of organisers.

Several of the 12 venues, including the mythical Maracana in Rio, remain behind schedule on construction or renovation and/or over budget.

A mooted new venue in Natal in the north east of the huge country of almost 200 million people has yet to see the light of day and another in Minas Gerais state in the south east is behind schedule owing to worker protests.

"If work goes on at its current rate, when we have the Confederations Cup a year before the World Cup, there won't be matches in Rio and Sao Paulo - the World Cup venues won't be ready," FIFA president Sepp Blatter fretted in March.

Organisers in Rio say they believe the Maracana will finally be spick and span in time - but only after renovations costing some $US625 million ($A577.85 million).

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff insists the construction program "will be duly completed on time," in the words of her Ministry of Sports assessor Alcino Rocha.

But above and beyond the stadium costs, further associated public funds of public investment are still required to the tune of an estimated $US11.4 billion ($A10.54 billion).

Much of that will go on improving the road network, boosting hotel capacity, reinforcing security, modernising telecommunications systems and also improving air traffic capacity with the current network already full to bursting point.

A major influx of tourism on a nationwide scale would likely cause the system to collapse, causing chaos to the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of fans.

"During June and July 2014, the Cup will generate an additional flow of some 2.25 million passengers through Brazilian airports," according to a report from the Getulio Vargas Foundation and consultancy Ernst & Young Terco.

That influx corresponds only to median passenger numbers for the summer of 2009, meaning extra capacity is sorely needed.

Official reports warn that of 13 airports being expanded in time for the Copa to serve the 12 venues, nine will not be completed on time.

"One cannot see this issue just in terms of the Cup - there has to be planning so that the investments can be signed off and approved," Marcos Nicolas, executive director of Ernst & Young Terco, told AFP.

The government has already launched plans to privatise several major airports, including Guarulhos, serving Sao Paulo, Viracopos (Campinas) and Brasilia.

Although officials say things are coming together, respected sports journalist Celso Unzelte warns that the country's "structural problems won't get resolved in three years".

Unzelte indicated: "The event will go ahead as FIFA dropped the level of its demands" for the hosting of the Cup.

And Unzelte added that, despite former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisting the country would pull it off, Brazil in reality "cannot aspire to host the best World Cup in history," even as it strains to modernise as fast as possible to meet expectations.

Former star Romario agrees.

"Only Jesus can get Brazil to host the best ever World Cup. If he shows up in three years time, then it will be possible."

AFP


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/worries-over-brazil-for-2014-world-cup-20110727-1hz0i.html#ixzz1TIGT2LHj

Sepp Blatter to question Brazilian FA president about Pelé snub

Sepp Blatter is planning to meet the outspoken president of the Brazil FA (CBF), Ricardo Teixeira, over remarks the Brazilian has made against England and for snubbing Pelé by not inviting him to the World Cup draw on Saturday.

Teixeira, a Fifa executive committee member who has been surrounded by controversy for years, recently accused the English of being "pirates" and said they "could go to hell". On Friday he refused to talk to English journalists, calling them "corrupt" after a media scuffle involving his entourage following a news conference ahead of the draw.

Blatter said Teixeira's criticism of England was not good for Fifa's image and he was upset that Pele had not been invited to the draw, although the former Brazil international will now be there. Blatter said: "I will speak to him but I have already said once, I'm not the man who is responsible for the moral or ethical approach of the members of Fifa or the members of the executive committee. I'm not their conscience. It is his responsibility what he is doing. I am not so sure that all of that is in my spirit of fair play."

Teixeira is upset with England after David Triesman, the former head of the FA, accused him in a parliamentary inquiry of asking for a bribe in return for his vote to back England's bid to stage the 2018 World Cup finals. A subsequent inquiry found no evidence for Triesman's allegation and Fifa cleared the Brazilian of any wrongdoing.Teixeira said in an interview last week he would make the lives of the English FA and the English media very difficult during the World Cup, if England qualified.

Teixeira, who has a had a long-running feud with Pelé, also angered Brazilians by not inviting the man widely regarded as the world's greatest ever player, to Saturday's draw. Pelé was going to be absent until the Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, stepped in and named him as Brazil's international World Cup ambassador.

Blatter said he was surprised that Pelé would otherwise have missed the first major milestone on the way to the finals. "I am surprised he was not invited and I will be looking into it," Blatter said.

Pelé branded Teixeira's attack on England as "not good" for the 2014 hosts, saying: "This is not good for Brazil. Some people talk more than they know. I think that the controversy is not good for Brazil. With Ricardo we always have some confusion or misunderstanding when he does interviews. I hope from now on we can clear this away and he can work properly for the good of the World Cup."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/29/sepp-blatter-pele-ricardo-teixeira

World Cup Qualifiers fixture list is out!
Most of us have been anticipating this news now that Sergio BATISTA is gone. Before Checho was fired, I didn't want to see this fixture list but now I can breathe a bit more comfortably and look forward to enjoying the ride.


Before we give you the complete fixture list for the South American World Cup Qualifiers with a couple of reminders: Brazil, as host, obviously are not part of this so each team will have two bye weeks.

Most importantly, four teams out of the nine competing will qualify automatically while the fifth-placed team will go to a playoffs. This weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there will be a draw for World Cup Qualifiers in other regions and one of the things that will be introduced for this edition is that the playoffs are not previously determined. There will be a draw to establish the region from which the rival for the fifth-placed South American team will be from.

So here you have it, the full fixture list as announced by CONMEBOL:

Week 1 (7 October, 2011)

Uruguay - Bolivia
Perú - Paraguay
Argentina - Chile
Ecuador - Venezuela
Bye: Colombia

Week 2 (11 October, 2011)

Venezuela - Argentina
Paraguay - Uruguay
Chile - Perú
Bolivia - Colombia
Bye: Ecuador

Week 3 (11 November, 2011)

Argentina - Bolivia
Paraguay - Ecuador
Uruguay - Chile
Colombia - Venezuela
Bye: Perú

Week 4 (15 November, 2011)

Colombia - Argentina
Venezuela - Bolivia
Chile - Paraguay
Ecuador - Perú
Bye: Uruguay

Week 5 (2/3 June, 2012)

Argentina - Ecuador
Bolivia - Chile
Perú - Colombia
Uruguay - Venezuela
Bye: Paraguay

Week 6 (9/10 June, 2012)

Bolivia - Paraguay
Venezuela - Chile
Uruguay - Perú
Ecuador - Colombia
Bye: Argentina

Week 7 (7 September, 2012)

Colombia - Uruguay
Ecuador - Bolivia
Argentina - Paraguay
Perú - Venezuela
Bye: Chile

Week 8 (11 September, 2012)

Perú - Argentina
Uruguay - Ecuador
Chile - Colombia
Paraguay - Venezuela
Bye: Bolivia

Week 9 (12 October, 2012)

Argentina - Uruguay
Colombia - Paraguay
Ecuador - Chile
Bolivia - Perú
Bye: Venezuela

Week 10 (16 October, 2012)

Bolivia - Uruguay
Paraguay - Perú
Chile - Argentina
Venezuela - Ecuador
Bye: Colombia

Week 11 (22 March, 2013)

Argentina - Venezuela
Uruguay - Paraguay
Perú - Chile
Colombia - Bolivia
Bye: Ecuador

Week 12 (26 March, 2013)

Bolivia - Argentina
Ecuador - Paraguay
Chile - Uruguay
Venezuela - Colombia
Bye: Perú

Week 13 (7 June, 2013)

Argentina - Colombia
Bolivia - Venezuela
Paraguay - Chile
Perú - Ecuador
Bye: Uruguay

Week 14 (11 June, 2013)

Ecuador - Argentina
Chile - Bolivia
Colombia - Perú
Venezuela - Uruguay
Bye: Paraguay

Week 15 (8 September, 2013)

Paraguay - Bolivia
Chile - Venezuela
Perú - Uruguay
Colombia - Ecuador
Bye: Argentina

Week 16 (10 September, 2013)

Uruguay - Colombia
Bolivia - Ecuador
Paraguay - Argentina
Venezuela - Perú
Bye: Chile

Week 17 (11 October, 2013)

Argentina - Perú
Ecuador - Uruguay
Colombia - Chile
Venezuela - Paraguay
Bye: Bolivia

Week 18 (15 October, 2013)

Uruguay - Argentina
Paraguay - Colombia
Chile - Ecuador
Perú - Bolivia
Bye: Venezuela

http://www.mundoalbiceleste.com/Article.aspx?id=2507&rss=1&title=world-cup-qualifiers-fixture-list-is-out

brazil's grand obsession with beautiful game

Saturday July 30 2011

Welcome to the land where football never sleeps, where games are found at any hour, day or night and where those strolling along the boardwalk are beckoned across to join in kick-abouts (good first touch permitting).

Welcome to Brazil, the land where football comes second only to breathing in the list of daily must-dos.

So, today's 2014 World Cup draw at Marina da Gloria, which sounds like the Girl from Ipanema, but is actually a large tent by the Atlantic, stirs exquisite expectation darkened only by a fear of missing out on what will be the greatest footballing party ever held. Every fan will want to travel to football's heartland.

Brazil's grand obsession can be seen everywhere from the rebuilding of the mighty Maracana to those five gleaming stars stitched into the national team shirt denoting World Cup triumphs.

But for the visitor to Rio this week, it has been the little details that form the big picture of Brazil's love affair, that signal why the world will tumble smitten into this country's embrace in three years.

It is seen in the conspiratorial smile from a security guard at Maracana as this Englishman nips inside to snap a sneaky picture of the splendid montage of legends like Zico and Pele.

It is the Botafogo fan who guides strangers up into the stands at the Olympic Stadium, beaming proudly when mention is made of Garrincha, the 'little bird' on the wing in the Fifties and Sixties.

It is the radio commentator, greeting Botafogo's two goals with lung-shredding fervour.

It is the elegant lady striding along Ipanema Beach in her ironed Flamengo shirt at 7.0am.

It is the old men gathered around their tables as the sun stretches its warming fingers across the beach, these hardened Flamengo fans poring reverentially over the pictures of Ronaldinho shimmying through Santos' defence. Such is Brazil's fixation with footballing idols that Ronaldinho was mobbed by reporters clamouring for his views as he walked off the pitch -- at half-time.

Even a well-travelled man such as Guus Hiddink, the Alan Whicker of the managerial world, gets caught up in the joys of Brazil. "It's of course a country where you see football everywhere -- near the beach where kids play it any time of the day," reflected the Dutchman, currently Turkey coach.

"There is incredible passion. Brazil will be very attractive because of the romance. Football is in the soul of every kid in this country. There is more passion than even in Europe.''

Such is the desire to welcome the world that some Rio taxi drivers are even taking lessons in English, although some could do with driving lessons first.

If England qualify (usual caveats, disclaimers and no-liability clauses apply) then the cabbies on the Copacabana may be genning up on words like 'penalties' and 'not again'.

England seem to spend their time shuffling around the globe, seeking redemption for past failures. They certainly have a World Cup score to settle in Brazil, a humiliating score from 1950. Some of the most fabled names of the English game, icons like Stan Mortensen, Billy Wright, Tom Finney, Alf Ramsey and Wilf Mannion, lost 1-0 in Belo Horizonte to the United States' collection of teachers, hearse-drivers and dishwashers.

If 1950 was their darkest World Cup hour, 2010 was almost as much a wake for a pedestrian England outplayed by a youthful German side in Bloemfontein.

England will be hoping that the date of the draw provides a good omen. For, 45 years ago today, on a sunny afternoon in north London, West Germany were overcome 4-2 in the World Cup final at Wembley.

Tonight, nearly 6,000 miles away in sunny Rio de Janeiro, England's 12th and latest quest to replicate the achievements of Alf Ramsey's side will be mapped out. Those planning to save to make the football trip of a lifetime should note that there are just 1,048 days to go before the opening match of the 2014 World Cup finals. (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/brazils-grand-obsession-with-beautiful-game-2835540.html

Pele: Brazil 2014 to be the best

3 August 2011-PA Sport

Brazil legend Pele has moved to allay fears regarding his country's organisation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and believes it will be the best one yet.

The South American nation's preparations have been dogged by speculation regarding their progress, with transport problems and half-built stadiums raising concern.

The issues are highlighted by the fact that construction on the venue for the opening match in Sao Paulo has only just begun but Pele believes the country will rise to the challenges that face them over the next three years.

"It is okay," he said. "We have had a little problem there and everybody knows that.

"I worried a little bit because we worked for years to have the Olympics and the World Cup.

"Then we get them both and have a little bit of a problem with the administration in Brazil.

"This was more in Sao Paulo and even now they do not have a stadium decided, but the rest of Brazil is already done.

"I was with the President of Brazil Mrs Dilmar [Rousseff] last week and she pledged to do the hard work to avoid any problems.

"I have no doubt it will be the best World Cup."

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/2014-world-cup/news/1067213/Pele-Brazil-2014-to-be-the-best

Herbert: We’ll make sure we do things right
(FIFA.com) Tuesday 9 August 2011

Ricki Herbert, New Zealand coach
It was always going to an interesting draw for the [intercontinental] play-offs, and Oceania has now got a different region (as an opponent) than we’ve had in the past. It’ll be a challenge, but one New Zealand will relish if we get to that stage. Hopefully the dice fall in our favour through qualifying and if you look historically then we’re in with a chance. But we’ve got to get through to that stage first, and we’ll make sure we do things right. The extra round will have its challenges from a time component, but we’ve been good at working through that in the past. But we’ve got clarity now. We know what we need to do, who we’re playing and we can start preparing.

Jacob Moli, Solomon Islands coach
The bottom line is we have to make our own luck in this group, nothing will given for free and since it is the pool of death, every game is a must win. Meeting New Zealand will be very exciting as it will give Solomon Islands a good measurement of our standard compared to a World Cup team. Of course, we have to go the extra mile to ensure that we are of sufficient quality to win against them, but I am fully confident that that we can achieve that. I think the success of New Zealand in the World Cup has also inspired all of the island countries. The quality that they will bring will be something we can really benefit from. Having them in the same group is an honour but when the whistle blows all respect will be out the door. The current format is really interesting because New Zealand will have to play in the same playground as the island countries.

Anil Sharma, Fiji team director
The long path to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil has been laid. It will not be an easy task to top the Oceania region, and then face off against the fourth-best side from CONCACAF for a place at the FIFA World Cup, but we will be out there ready for the challenge. Like any other side we are not preparing ourselves to lose. This could be tagged as the pool of death but we are not going to sit back and let a chance of being the first national side of Fiji to qualify for a FIFA event go by easily. We will fight till the end and perform to best of our abilities for a positive outcome. Our immediate aim will be to qualify for the third stage of the Oceania play-offs.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1489251/index.html?cid=rssfeed&att=

Explosion at World Cup 2014 stadium leaves one worker seriously burnt and the rest on strike

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 10:05 AM on 18th August 2011

Construction workers refurbishing the giant Maracana stadium for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil have once again gone on strike after one of their colleagues was badly burnt in an on-site explosion.

The worker's legs were also injured when an oil barrel with chemical residue exploded at the facility in Rio de Janeiro. He was rushed to the city's Souza Aguiar hospital, his union added.

Many of the 1,500 person workforce held a demonstration outside the stadium demanding an improvement in conditions, as well as higher pay and better health care. Up to 1,500 people work on the stadium in rotating shifts.

Romildo da Silva, who heads the group in charge of staff rights on the site, said: 'We must improve our working conditions which are not ideal. We'll only return to work when our demands have been heard.'

The famed Maracana will stage Confederations Cup matches in 2013 and is expected to host the World Cup final a year later. The renovations have been estimated at £380million (one billion reais).

A statement from the Rio de Janeiro State Public Works said: 'These are labour issues that are being analysed by the consortium in charge of the work.'

Brazil's World Cup preparations have previously been hit by industrial action.

In June, workers renovating the Mineirao stadium that will host World Cup matches in Belo Horizonte, capital of the southern central state of Minas Gerais, went on strike for four days demanding better pay and conditions.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2027364/World-Cup-2014-hit-building-chaos-staff-strike-Maracana-stadium-explosion.html#ixzz1VNLCx83V

Four cities vie for 2014 Cup opener

by Friday, September 30, 2011 - 5:04 PM

Source: BigPond Sport

Brazilian officials say four cities are still vying to host the 2014 World Cup opener.

Brazilian officials say four cities are still vying to host the 2014 World Cup opener - Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Salvador.

Sports Minister Orlando Silva says FIFA will announce next month which city it will pick for the tournament's first match.

Rio is expected to host the final at Maracana stadium.

Sao Paulo, the country's financial centre, seemed the obvious choice for the opener but the city just recently began building a venue and there are still doubts whether it will be ready in time.

Brasilia is the country's capital, while the northeastern city of Salvador has an outside shot.

Silva said on Thursday FIFA would decide based on which city has the best condition to accommodate the match

http://www.bigpondsport.com/four-cities-vie-for-2014-cup-opener/tabid/91/newsid/78070/default.aspx

The view from Brazil

Brazil's 2014 concerns gather pace

October 5, 2011
By Tim Vickery

With less than a thousand days to go before Brazil 2014, the 20th World Cup, there is a stand-off between Dilma Rousseff and Sepp Blatter, the presidents of Brazil and FIFA respectively.

At the heart of the dispute are the problems of staging the World Cup in a developing economy. For FIFA, the World Cup is low risk as it makes its money from the sale of TV rights. Meanwhile, it makes all sorts of demands on the host nation and, in a country such as Brazil, there are many competing claims on the public purse.

If there is one country in the developing world with the leverage to stand up to FIFA, it is Brazil - five-time world champions and globally synonymous with the glamour of the game. Rousseff appears keen to use some of that leverage.

FIFA has been anxiously waiting for Brazil to pass a law bringing into effect a legislative framework for 2014, but Brazil has been in no hurry and is unwilling to give FIFA all it wants. Brazilian law, for example, decrees that senior citizens should pay half price for public events, while some of the country's 27 states extend the same right to students. FIFA wants no discounts; Brazil does not want to bend. And that is also the case on other points of conflict, such as the sale of alcoholic drinks inside the stadiums (banned in some states) or the severity of punishment for those selling pirate merchandise (FIFA wants tougher penalties).

Rousseff is digging in her heels on the issue of sovereignty because the Brazilian State has already been forced into an uncomfortable position with regard to preparation for the tournament. In theory, there was plenty of time for planning; in practice, it was wasted.

It was clear as far back as March 2003 that Brazil would be staging the 2014 World Cup. Blatter announced that under the (shortlived, as it turned out) rotation principle, 2014 would go to South America. CONMEBOL, the continent's football confederation, instantly announced that Brazil was its only candidate so, when Brazil was officially given the job in October 2007, it was mere ratification. At this point, Brazil should have had its plans in place. Instead, it had not even named its host cities. Nor would it.

The controversial Ricardo Teixeira has been president of the CBF, Brazil's FA, since 1989. He also presides over the 2014 Local Organising Committee, an uncommon accumulation of powers. But he did not want to take the political heat for excluding cities from the party, so, unusually, the decision was passed to FIFA. Its choices were announced at the end of May 2009. Years had been needlessly thrown away.

It is hard to escape the conclusion that Rouseff's predecessor, the charismatic Lula, should take some of the blame. Once a critic of Teixeira, Lula became an ally, his efforts at playing the global statesman bolstered by a friendship with the effective owner of the Brazilian national team. Not enough pressure was placed on Teixeira to name the host cities and speed up the planning process. From this point, the 2014 World Cup carried two certainties - that it would cost the hard-pressed Brazilian taxpayer more than it should, while also providing less than it should in return.

Costs spiralled, and the government had to pick up the bill. Teixeira's sales patter had been that the money for stadiums would all be private. In the event, it is nearly all public and it is hard to see how some of the stadiums, especially those in Cuiaba and Manaus, will be viable once the circus has left town.

With public money being thrown at stadiums and also at airport capacity - the Achilles' heel of the 2014 World Cup - a scale-back is already taking place on urban mobility projects, the area where Brazilian society could most benefit from the event.

But what of the tourist who flies in to enjoy the party? Brazil's crime rate makes security a legitimate concern and, while the country has a good track record of providing security for major events, the nationwide scope of the World Cup will be an extra challenge.

Expense is also a consideration. Brazil's currency, the 'real', has gained enormously in strength over the last few years. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro were recently named as respectively the tenth and 12th most expensive cities in the world. There might be a change by 2014 - the exchange rate is making it difficult for Brazil to export manufactured goods - but sound advice to potential World Cup fans would be to start saving up early.

It may also be necessary to bring a variety of clothes. This is another 'Winter World Cup' but in a country the size of a continent where the season only really bites in the south. Temperatures in Porto Alegre and Curitiba could even be around freezing. Further north, there are plenty of venues hitting above 30 degrees Celsius.

Such vast temperature differences between host cities could well prove controversial. Those teams based in the south for their group games are likely to feel at a disadvantage if they have to move to the much hotter north for a knockout match. Amid all the fuss about human failings, it could be that the most criticised aspect of the 2014 World Cup is one laid on by Mother Nature.

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