Innehållsförteckning för January 2016 från World Soccer

From the ‘Special One’ to the humbled one And then, just when you thought 2015 could not possibly get any more bizarre – soccerwise, that is – there came this utterly ridiculous business of Jose Mourinho. The “Special One” himself…sacked! But no, not sacked at all. What, then? I read what the official Chelsea statement said about him, which really sounded as though they were actually hiring, rather than firing him. Or maybe just sending him a Christmas card? “All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution…three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League Cup wins….the most successful manager in our 110-year history…a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea…he will always be warmly welcomed back to Stamford Bridge.” Welcomed back, but not right now. Michael Emenalo,…

After Bournemouth’s dramatic 2-1 victory over waning, lopsided Manchester United, their lively young manager, Eddie Howe, proclaimed it the greatest victory in the club’s history. Actually it wasn’t. Many years ago I was fortunate enough to see Bournemouth, then a Third Division club managed by Harry Redknapp – who was there to watch and applaud his old side’s latest Cup triumph – knock the then formidable United out of the FA Cup 2-0. (After that game, as I was walking away from the stadium, a figure emerged from the crowd to greet me. It was Peter McParland, at once hero and villain of the 1957 Cup Final, when, as Aston Villa’s outside-left, he crashed into United keeper Ray Wood, breaking his cheekbone and forcing him off to reduce United to…

With a thumb pointing to the sky and a grin spreading across his face, Cucuta Deportivo skipper Gustavo Bolivar did little to disguise his delight. Soaking up the moment for the cameras, he winked before shooting off down the tunnel. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” the former Colombian international midfielder later told a local newspaper. “But everybody knows I’m a happy person. That’s just the way I am.” It was, indeed, a peculiar and imprudent reaction – as just moments earlier his team had been relegated and the 2007 Libertadores Cup semi-finalists were off to the second tier. After the 30-year-old’s smile was splashed across newspapers the following day, social media howled with rage and he was warned to watch his back. Yet for many, the club’s captain…

Luis Enrique began 2015 as a man under severe pressure at Camp Nou. Barcelona had lost to his previous club Celta Vigo, the club’s sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta had resigned after the club was placed under a transfer embargo for signing underage players, and there were reported tensions between Enrique and Lionel Messi One poll reported 68 per cent of supporters believed he should be sacked. Yet less than 12 months later, the coach is basking in the glory of his award as World Manager of Year after leading Barcelona to an incredible haul of trophies: the Champions League, Spanish League and cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup. The victories have enabled him to emulate the man who many in Barcelona thought they could not replace: his former…

Leicester City’s victory over Chelsea in December felt like a distillation of the Premier League season so far. It wasn’t just that Chelsea looked anxious and disjointed, or that Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, scored excellent goals; it was that, once again, the team with less possession were victorious. It becoming an increasing trend. That weekend, the only sides in the Premier League to have more possession than their opponents and win were Arsenal and Watford. Perhaps not insignificantly, they were playing the bottom two sides in the division. Even Manchester City had less of the ball – although only just: 49.9 per cent to 50.1 per cent – in overcoming Swansea City. Liverpool, meanwhile, failed to beat West Bromwich Albion despite having 68 per cent possession. The only game…

• OVERVIEW Albania, with players spread around Europe, secured an historic first-ever qualification for a major finals with key wins over Portugal and Armenia. • Few people gave Albania a hope of making it out of a qualifying group that also featured Portugal, Denmark and Serbia. But a stunning 1-0 away win over Portugal in their fi rst game, thanks to a goal from Bekim Balaj, gave them an unlikely platform from which to launch their campaign. • Home and away draws with Denmark helped to sustain their leading position in the group. They were given a huge boost when awarded all three points after their match against Serbia in Belgrade was abandoned when a drone carrying a flag featuring Albanian nationalist symbols was flown above the pitch. • Albania,…

• OVERVIEW A defensive-minded Romania will compete in their fi rst fi nals since 2008 after qualifying from an unexceptional group, ahead of rivals Hungary but behind Northern Ireland. • Romania had the best defensive record in qualifying, conceding just two goals, but were also miserly at the other end, scoring 11. They endured a national-record goal drought of 428 minutes which included a run of four straight draws in the second half of the campaign. • There is competition for the goalkeeper slot between Tatarusanu (see profi le) and Sunderland’s Costel Pantilimon, but elsewhere coach Anghel Iordanescu has to choose mostly from domestic-based players. That Vlad Chiriches is their star man speaks volumes about their quality. • Many key players are ageing: captain Razvan Rat is 34, playmaker Lucian…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima overcame defending champions Gamba Osaka 4-3 on aggregate to win their third J.League title in four years and claim a place at the Club World Cup. The J.League had promised an exciting end to the season with its revival of the championship play-offs for the first time since 2004 – and Sanfrecce and Gamba both rose to the occasion in two nail-biting encounters. Gamba took the game to Sanfrecce both times, but the battle was won by Sanfrecce’s tight defending and swift counter-attacks. Gamba’s fortunes turned in the closing minutes of the first leg in Osaka, when defender Oh Jae-suk was sent off for retaliation with the hosts leading 2-1 at the time. Sanfrecce then struck twice in time added on to take a 3-2 lead into the…

Manchester United were the biggest casualties of the Champions League group stage after poor form, confused tactics and a run of injuries left Louis Van Gaal’s side needing to win their fi nal game, away at Wolfsburg, to progress to the knockout stage. On a thrilling night, Wolfsburg came from behind to win 3-2 – a result which, combined with PSV’s defeat of CSKA Moscow, sealed United’s fate and sent them into the Europa League. United had begun the group as clear favourites but a poor start, losing away to PSV in their opening game, left them chasing results. A goalless draw in Eindhoven in the penultimate group game meant Van Gaal’s side needed to win in Germany. Injuries forced Van Gaal to give a full debut to Uruguayan defender…

Congratulations to Lionel Messi, Luis Enrique and Barcelona on sweeping the board in the annual World Soccer Awards (page 45). There were convincing margins of victory in all three categories (Player, Manager, Team) but also some notable, interesting dissenters in the voting. At the end of a year when football has seemed in perpetual crisis, it is re-assuring to get back to basics and celebrate achievements on the pitch. So many of 2015’s headliners, the heroes and villains of the global game, will be remembered for their involvement in the FIFAgate scandal. Is it too much to hope that in 2016 a better calibre of leader emerges from a new, post-crisis FIFA? Certainly, the less than inspiring candidates for FIFA president do not offer a great deal of optimism on…

“Arriving at a club in mid-season is hitting yourself in the face. You’re not in control of anything. Not the physical preparation. Not the tactical profile of the team” IN EUROPE GARY NEVILLE replaced Nuno Espirito Santo in charge of Spanish side Valencia until the end of the season. Ex-Romania international CONSTANTIN GALCA took over from Sergio Gonzalez at Espanyol. Former Scotland midfielder BILLY McKINLAY, who was sacked when David Moyes’ assistant at Real Sociedad in La Liga, was named coach of Norwegian side Stabaek. Former AEL Limassol boss CHRISTAKIS CHRISTOFOROU replaced Pambos Christodoulou in charge of Cyprus. Hareide takes charge of Danes AGE HAREIDE – the only coach to have won league titles in Norway (Rosenborg), Denmark (Brondby) and Sweden (Helsingborg and Malmo) – took charge of Denmark’s national…

1 IS NAPOLI COACH MAURIZIO SARRI THE NEW SACCHI? Napoli stormed to the top of Serie A following a spectacular 2-1 defeat of Internazionale in November. Although defeat by Bologna a week later brought many Neapolitans back to earth, the feeling in the city is that, a quarter of a century on from the title wins inspired by Diego Maradona, this could be their time once more. The famous Christmas cribs of Naples have been full of miniature reproductions of Gonzalo Higuain, Pepe Reina, Lorenzo Insigne and other heroes of the current side. One crib seller proudly unveiled a life-size wax model of coach Maurizio Sarri, generally perceived by Napoli fans as the supreme architect of the current success. Sarri’s high-pressing game is based on the Milan of Arrigo Sacchi…

“It’s quite normal for any big team to lose 3-0 to Barcelona,” said coach Luiz Felipe Scolari after Guangzhou Evergrande’s Club World Cup semi-final defeat. “At least we didn’t lose 4-0 like Real Madrid.” It was an interesting point. Barcelona’s comprehensive win, and the way in which they effortlessly stroked the ball about for much of the second half, provided plenty of fodder for those who argue that this competition is a waste of time. Another 3-0 win over River Plate in the Final provided yet another opportunity to deride the contest. But, by the same argument, there is little point in playing La Liga and the Champions League group stage where Barcelona are also on a different planet to their rivals. On the same day that Barca were winning…

Short, dapper and quietly spoken, Hans-Joachim Eckert hardly fits the popular image of a relentless battler against the forces of evil. But that may also be one of his most important weapons in a judicial career marked by a relentlessly firm and forensic pursuit of lawbreakers. Certainly he presents none of the outward trappings of power common among other grandees at the head of FIFA. But then, that is not his style – which is what many of the men he has kicked out of football have found unbalancing. Eckert was unknown to football when he was appointed, in July 2012, as president of the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA independent ethics commission, which had been created at the behest of reform guru Mark Pieth. Observers considered the juxtaposition of…

Goncalo GUEDES Age 19 (29.11.96), Benfica & Portugal IN A SENTENCE In his first full season in Benfica’s first team, he has dazzled with his finishing and stunning skills, scored the winner in a Champions League win at Atletico Madrid and made his senior debut for Portugal. WHAT THEY SAY Joao Barbosa, his former coach with Benfica’s under-9s: “He was just really happy to play football. So self-contained and independent. He was very focused on his game and what he needed to do. He seemed like a small adult.” Former Benfica coach, Jorge Jesus: “He is at least two years ahead of everyone in his age group.” Jorge Simao, coach Pacos de Ferreira, after losing to a Guedes-inspired Benfica this term: “We were beaten by the pure talent of a…

• OVERVIEW Joachim Low’s side have seen some changes since winning the World Cup. Despite problems in qualifying, they will be among the favourites in France. • Germany qualifi ed as winners of their group, ahead of Poland, Republic of Ireland and Scotland. But it was far from plain sailing. They suffered defeats in Poland and Ireland and did not confi rm qualifi cation until the fi nal matchday. • Joachim Low has overseen a number of personnel changes since the World Cup. Bastian Schweinsteiger is now captain following the retirement of Philipp Lahm, while Per Mertesacker and Miroslav Klose also stepped down. • Marco Reus is back after missing the World Cup because of injury, while the returning Ilkay Gundogan impressed in the defeat of Scotland in September 2015.…

In global terms, the last truly competitive side to come out of South America was the Corinthians team moulded by coach Tite, who won the Brazilian title in 2012 and followed it up the following year with the Libertadores Cup and Club World crown. And after Corinthians’ latest league triumph, there are hopes that Tite can do it again – and this time with much more style. Tite’s previous Corinthians side were solid rather than inspired. They were a team of mostly single-goal victories. After that side broke up, the coach took some time off and continued his education with a study of European club football, before returning to build a team as compact as its predecessor but far more expansive and much easier on the eye. The key to…

Just before France heads into its traditional winter break, there can’t be a single football fan in the country who is surprised by Paris Saint-Germain’s inexorable march towards a fourth successive Ligue 1 title. The problem is that nobody – not even the most rabid PSG fan – is even remotely excited by this. Having opened up a massive 17-point lead over their nearest rivals after 18 games, the capital club have sucked the life out of the domestic league simply by being on a different planet to the rest of the competition: financially, technically and tactically. Yet while the title is already a done deal, what has been genuinely thrilling in this season’s campaign has been the remarkable rise of two of the country’s most unfashionable teams. At the…

“The new generation of players are more or less impossible to handle. They want everything right away” GERMANY Losing for the first time this season, Bayern Munich’s 3-1 reverse at Borussia Monchengladbach was not only an early Christmas present for those despairing at the Bavarians’ one-party rule in the Bundesliga – it also meant overtime for the statisticians, who tore into the numbers behind the shock result. • Bayern’s first Hinrunde (autumn championship) beating since October 2012 (56 games). • Pep Guardiola’s first Hinrunde loss. • The unique sight this term of Bayern conceding more than once and failing to keep a second-half clean sheet • Guardiola keeping an unchanged side; the first time he had done so in 99 games. If Bayern’s dream of the perfect, undefeated campaign now…

A glimmer of hope has spluttered into fragile life at FIFA. Positive reform proposals have been tabled for the extraordinary Congress on February 26. The breeze which threatens the flickering little flame is the danger that a new president will use the levers of power to extinguish that spark. Reforming FIFA was likened by governance guru Mark Pieth, on his assignment in the summer of 2011, as trying to turn around a tanker mid-ocean: a slow, time-consuming process needing an awful lot of space. So it is proving. Not least because the outward-bound president, Sepp Blatter, had his own ideas of which reforms he could accept and which flew a little too close to threatening his eternal grip on the organisation. Ironically, the initial reform in which Blatter took most…

It was Alberto Armando, whose two spells as Boca Juniors president spanned from 1954 to 1980, who coined the phrase “half plus one”. Half the country, and then some, supported his club, he joked at River Plate’s expense, claiming that Boca were the most popular team in the land. In 2015, Mauricio Macri took the maxim of “half plus one” a step further. Macri moved into politics on the back of a hugely successful spell as Boca president. After two terms of office as Buenos Aires city mayor – which he once said was infinitely easier than being the Boca president – the son of a millionaire businessman won 51 per cent of the vote to become president of Argentina. The election results even gave the political map of the…

As he paces up and down his technical area for 90 minutes, Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli looks as if he runs on batteries – evidently the strong, long lasting type, for they have carried his little legs from obscurity to the FIFA podium as one of the world’s top three coaches. It is a fitting honour for a man being celebrated not just for what he has done – the Copa America triumph in 2015 was Chile’s first senior title – but more for the way that his teams go about their business. As befits a self-confessed disciple of Marcelo Bielsa, he sends his team out to attack and to impose themselves on the game. As with his idol, there is little place for the conventional full-back in Sampaoli’s line-ups.…

The quality of the football may be on the decline in the Premier League but the feelgood factor is sky high in English football right now. And if one figure epitomises the smiling face of the game in the home of soccer it is the veteran manager whose arrival last summer was met with mockery and scorn. Claudio Ranieri is the surprising catalyst for the most open and most engaging season since the Premier League was created by England’s elite clubs more than two decades ago. When the Italian was the shock choice to take over at Leicester City, the doubters were everywhere, led by one of the club’s most famous former players Gary Lineker, who called the move “uninspiring”. However, Ranieri has been a top coach for many years,…

At the start of a World Cup year, the January issue took an early look ahead to the forthcoming global tournament in Argentina, with Mexico featured on the front cover. Inside, Eric Weil interviewed Cesar Luis Menotti, the coach of the host nation who, six months down the line, would lead Argentina to glory. “Menotti’s contract with the Argentinian FA runs until after the World Cup,” wrote Weil. “And he is already the longest serving national coach in the country’s 47 years of professional soccer. “He was about to leave on a trip to Europe to see probable World Cup rivals and watch Argentine players with European clubs who he may ask to join the squad.” Menotti explained to Weil: “I think I have 15 players already and I’m sure…

• OVERVIEW Inspired by top scorer Robert Lewandowski, Poland came through a tough qualifying group to reach their third successive finals. • Poland qualifi ed for their third successive Euros after failing to reach any fi nals before 2008. They were co-hosts in 2012 but failed to get beyond the group stage. • They fi nished second behind Germany in their qualifying group. Their key results were beating Germany 2-0 in Warsaw, a late draw against Scotland in Glasgow and a 2-1 win over Ireland in Warsaw which sealed qualifi cation. • Qualifi cation was fi red by Robert Lewandowski, who was top scorer in qualifying with a record-equalling 13 goals • The campaign was marred by a fallout between Lewandowski and former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Jakub Blaszczykowski, who lost…

Five years after joining Major League Soccer, Portland Timbers claimed the MLS Cup for the first time, beating holders Columbus Crew 2-1 in the play-off Final. Around 2,000 Timbers fans made the long trek to the MAPFRE Stadium in Ohio and thousands more were at Portland International Airport to greet the team on their arrival home. “This exceeds anything that I could have had in a dream,” said coach Caleb Porter. “This is unbelievable. We’ve the best fans in Major League Soccer.” Portland were gifted their opening goal in the MLS Cup Final after 27 seconds when Crew keeper Steve Clark took too long to clear his lines and Diego Valeri charged down his kick. The ball rolled into the net for the fastest goal in MLS Cup history. Rodney…

Tajikistan may have been eliminated from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers with two matches to go, but a place in the 2019 Asian Cup is still very much within their reach. Regardless of results in the remaining qualifiers, Mubin Ergashev’s side can qualify for the continental finals in the UAE via the play-offs, despite setting out with limited ambitions. Ergashev took on the job in July 2015, after former Russia striker Mukhsin Mukhamadiev was sacked, and was the obvious replacement following his success in charge of Tajik champions Istiklol. “In Istiklol, there are players with greater knowledge and experience, but nothing special” Former Tajikistan coach Kemal Alispahic Before independence in 1991, CSKA Pamir Dushanbe spent three seasons in the Soviet top flight – the only Tajik club to have played…

La Liga chose the comedian Leo Harlem to present their gala for the 2014-15 season, but he was out-funnied by the awards themselves, which not for the first time were a bit of a laughing stock. Still, at least people were watching and talking about them, which was what mattered most of all. It was said that 134 countries followed the gala live, although a lot of things that are said are not always true – especially when it comes to their reach. Those who did watch, certainly in Spain, had a lot of fun – just perhaps not for the “right” reasons. And then there were the eternally offended who found the whole thing a terrible affront, but then they find pretty much everything a terrible affront. When it’s…