The first chapter of my new book, GB United? British Olympic football and the end of the amateur dream, has been published exclusively by Play The Game.
Anyone interested can read it here.
Anyone interested can read it here.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Monday, 1 November 2010
New Book
The London 2012 Olympic Games will see the return of a football team that the world has not seen for more than forty years.
Only in the Olympics have the four Home Nations of the UK managed to unite and a century after last winning the Olympic football tournament, the British side will return for London 2012.
GB United? British Olympic Football and the end of the Amateur Dream is the first and only book to tell the full story of the UK’s Olympic efforts – which saw the team
twice crowned world champions before petering out in the qualifiers for the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
Now, four decades on the Olympic team is being revived as a one-off for London 2012 and the side will be one of the most talked about in world football.
GB United? author Steve Menary said, “The team for 2012 is supposed to be only English players but the British Olympic Association have not given up on the idea of a united team.
"With the tournament following directly after Euro 2012 and Fabio Capello being increasingly pressured to use younger players for the England team, there’s going to be a lot of strain on resources if England qualify for Poland and the Ukraine as the Olympics is an U-23 event, and there’s also still the issue of who the manager is going to be.”
Featuring scores of interviews with Olympic players, GB United? also traces the history of the amateur ethos of the game’s founders and how that credo died ofering up a long-lost world that contrasts starkly with today’s over-commercialised football industry, but still provides an essential insight to the problems facing the current Olympic team.
Examining the successes and failiures of previous managers of the Olympic team, including some of football’s leading names, such as Sir Matt Busby and Walter Winterbottom; while also featuring the leading amateur players, such as Vivian Woodward of Spurs and Chelsea, Bill Slater of Wolves and Jim Lewis, who won the league with Chelsea in 1955 while still an amateur – and wrote the book’s foreword.
Only in the Olympics have the four Home Nations of the UK managed to unite and a century after last winning the Olympic football tournament, the British side will return for London 2012.
GB United? British Olympic Football and the end of the Amateur Dream is the first and only book to tell the full story of the UK’s Olympic efforts – which saw the team
twice crowned world champions before petering out in the qualifiers for the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
Now, four decades on the Olympic team is being revived as a one-off for London 2012 and the side will be one of the most talked about in world football.
GB United? author Steve Menary said, “The team for 2012 is supposed to be only English players but the British Olympic Association have not given up on the idea of a united team.
"With the tournament following directly after Euro 2012 and Fabio Capello being increasingly pressured to use younger players for the England team, there’s going to be a lot of strain on resources if England qualify for Poland and the Ukraine as the Olympics is an U-23 event, and there’s also still the issue of who the manager is going to be.”
Featuring scores of interviews with Olympic players, GB United? also traces the history of the amateur ethos of the game’s founders and how that credo died ofering up a long-lost world that contrasts starkly with today’s over-commercialised football industry, but still provides an essential insight to the problems facing the current Olympic team.
Examining the successes and failiures of previous managers of the Olympic team, including some of football’s leading names, such as Sir Matt Busby and Walter Winterbottom; while also featuring the leading amateur players, such as Vivian Woodward of Spurs and Chelsea, Bill Slater of Wolves and Jim Lewis, who won the league with Chelsea in 1955 while still an amateur – and wrote the book’s foreword.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Pohnpei record first win
The national XI from the tiny Micronesian island of Pohnpei has won their competitive game after English coaches Paul Watson and Matthew Conrad led them to a commanding victory over club side Crushers on October 3 during a tour of Guam.
The world's youngest international manager Watson and assistant Conrad, both 26, took charge of Pohnpei in July 2009 and after 15 months of hard work, a young Pohnpeian squad travelled to Guam on tour to play their first competitive matches in over a decade thanks to a sponsorship deal with London-based cargo airline Coyne Airways.
In the first match of their four-game tour, Pohnpei lost 3-2 to club side Rovers 3-2 but they bounced back to thrash Crushers 7-1 at the Guam Football Association Complex in Dededo in front of a large crowd of Pohnpeian expats, who invaded the pitch at the final whistle to celebrate with the team.
Teenage strikers Ryan Johnson and Matthew Carlot scored two apeice, while gifted midfielder Nick Santiago, speedy wing-back Mike Selikar and giant defender Tom Mawi also hit the net for a team that has never received a penny of funding from football's governing body FIFA.
"It's just amazing how hard these lads have worked," said Watson, whose squad had an average age of just 22. "We have put them through 5.00 AM sessions before work as well as a tough gym routine, not to mention the hours spent on our waterlogged pitch at PICS Field."
On an island with an obesity rate of nearly 90%, Watson instigated strength and conditioning and nutritional programmes for his squad that was picked after last autumn's inaugural Pohnpei Premier League - a five-team league competition won by the local Island Pit-Bulls.
Pohnpei were beaten 2-0 by the Carpet Masters the day after their historic win and lost their final tour game 3-0 to a Guam side mainly featuring U-18 players but with five players above this age limit and three full internationals.
The hope is now that Pohnpei's success with aid the Federated States of Micronesia - Pohnpei and the neighbouring islands of Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae - in their bid to join the East Asian Football Federation, providing huge development grants and creating a long-term future for the game in the region.
Team captain Dilshan Senarathgoda is now set to take over the reins in Pohnpei while Watson plans to look for a football role in the UK or Europe and Conrad plans to make a documentary about the team's epic journey.
The world's youngest international manager Watson and assistant Conrad, both 26, took charge of Pohnpei in July 2009 and after 15 months of hard work, a young Pohnpeian squad travelled to Guam on tour to play their first competitive matches in over a decade thanks to a sponsorship deal with London-based cargo airline Coyne Airways.
In the first match of their four-game tour, Pohnpei lost 3-2 to club side Rovers 3-2 but they bounced back to thrash Crushers 7-1 at the Guam Football Association Complex in Dededo in front of a large crowd of Pohnpeian expats, who invaded the pitch at the final whistle to celebrate with the team.
Teenage strikers Ryan Johnson and Matthew Carlot scored two apeice, while gifted midfielder Nick Santiago, speedy wing-back Mike Selikar and giant defender Tom Mawi also hit the net for a team that has never received a penny of funding from football's governing body FIFA.
"It's just amazing how hard these lads have worked," said Watson, whose squad had an average age of just 22. "We have put them through 5.00 AM sessions before work as well as a tough gym routine, not to mention the hours spent on our waterlogged pitch at PICS Field."
On an island with an obesity rate of nearly 90%, Watson instigated strength and conditioning and nutritional programmes for his squad that was picked after last autumn's inaugural Pohnpei Premier League - a five-team league competition won by the local Island Pit-Bulls.
Pohnpei were beaten 2-0 by the Carpet Masters the day after their historic win and lost their final tour game 3-0 to a Guam side mainly featuring U-18 players but with five players above this age limit and three full internationals.
The hope is now that Pohnpei's success with aid the Federated States of Micronesia - Pohnpei and the neighbouring islands of Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae - in their bid to join the East Asian Football Federation, providing huge development grants and creating a long-term future for the game in the region.
Team captain Dilshan Senarathgoda is now set to take over the reins in Pohnpei while Watson plans to look for a football role in the UK or Europe and Conrad plans to make a documentary about the team's epic journey.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Strain at new regional federation
A version of this story appeared in a recent edition of Soccer Business World
Tensions between the six national football associations in the Indian Ocean that have clubbed together to form a new international association are delaying plans for a regional tournament.
The federation comprises Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion and the Seychelles and a champion’s league featuring the top club sides from each territory should be staged before the end of 2010.
A tournament featuring the national sides from all six countries is also being planned. This will be staged regionally with the Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte in Pool A and Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles in Pool B.
Although the club competition is highly likely to be staged this year, getting the regional version started will prove harder due to tensions between the six associations, which have very different political status. “Madagascar and Comoros are in FIFA and want all the power,” said the Mayotte manager Frederic Suflaj.
The Fédération Comorienne de Football representing the Comoros was accepted into FIFA five years ago, while the Fédération Malagasy de Football representing Madagascar has been a member of the world body since 1964 – the same year that Mauritius also joined FIFA.
The Seychelles Football Federation was welcomed into FIFA in 1986. All four are independent states, unlike Reunion and Mayotte, which cannot join the world body due to their political status.
Reunion is a French department, while Mayotte is a French territory. Reunion is an associate member of the Confederation of African Football and can enter clubs in CAF competitions but not a national selection in the World Cup qualifiers.
Like Reunion, Mayotte is affiliated to the Fédération Française de Football but only a French territory. Teams of local players from both islands were recently in Paris at the moment for Le Coupe de l’Outre Mer – otherwise known as the Overseas Cup – (pictured) which is an eight team, bi-annual tournament staged by the FFF for its overseas departments or territories.
Reunion, winners of the inaugaral tournament in 2008, reached the final again only to lose to Martinque on penalties, while Mayotte finished fourth behind Guadeloupe.
Tensions between the six national football associations in the Indian Ocean that have clubbed together to form a new international association are delaying plans for a regional tournament.
The federation comprises Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion and the Seychelles and a champion’s league featuring the top club sides from each territory should be staged before the end of 2010.
A tournament featuring the national sides from all six countries is also being planned. This will be staged regionally with the Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte in Pool A and Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles in Pool B.
Although the club competition is highly likely to be staged this year, getting the regional version started will prove harder due to tensions between the six associations, which have very different political status. “Madagascar and Comoros are in FIFA and want all the power,” said the Mayotte manager Frederic Suflaj.
The Fédération Comorienne de Football representing the Comoros was accepted into FIFA five years ago, while the Fédération Malagasy de Football representing Madagascar has been a member of the world body since 1964 – the same year that Mauritius also joined FIFA.
The Seychelles Football Federation was welcomed into FIFA in 1986. All four are independent states, unlike Reunion and Mayotte, which cannot join the world body due to their political status.
Reunion is a French department, while Mayotte is a French territory. Reunion is an associate member of the Confederation of African Football and can enter clubs in CAF competitions but not a national selection in the World Cup qualifiers.
Like Reunion, Mayotte is affiliated to the Fédération Française de Football but only a French territory. Teams of local players from both islands were recently in Paris at the moment for Le Coupe de l’Outre Mer – otherwise known as the Overseas Cup – (pictured) which is an eight team, bi-annual tournament staged by the FFF for its overseas departments or territories.
Reunion, winners of the inaugaral tournament in 2008, reached the final again only to lose to Martinque on penalties, while Mayotte finished fourth behind Guadeloupe.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Pohnpei to tour Guam
Coyne Airways have flown in with a sponsorship deal that will enable the Pohnpei State team to tour Guam from October 1 and 8.
A new Pohnpei shirt will be produced for the short tour bearing the Coyne Airways logo and the air cargo firm, which serves the Caspian, Middle East and Asia, will give updates on the team's progress at www.coyneair.com. "We are delighted to help the team fulfill their dream," said owner Larry Coyne. "We understand how distance and logistics can pose such a challenge to a remote island like Pohnpei and we are proud to be the ones to step in and help."
An 18-man squad has been named for the tour but only 15 players will make the journey. Dutch-born winger Yafeth Konings, who previously represented Indonesia, and SDA FC striker Matthew Carlot have joined a squad that will be trimmed on September 21.
The squad train twice weekly at 5.00 am on top of evening sessions at PICS Field, while friendlies are played against an Island All-Star XI made up of overseas players on Pohnpei but the state of the island’s only pitch is causing concern with injuries to several key State players.
Poor weather and an inefficient drainage system can cause flooding to a pitch often full of frogs. Divots – not frogs – have injured Pohnpei State players Roger Nakasone (pictured), Denson Fairfield and Brian Taylor but with Pohnpei – one of the four islands that makes up Micronesia – not a member of FIFA, the island has no fund to repair the pitch or improve the drainage so training was briefly shifted to Daini Field, the College of Micronesia’s baseball field.
To join FIFA, Micronesia needs to show that football is flourishing on all four islands and the Federated States of Micronesia Football Association (FSMFA) has been in touch with the Oceania Football Federation over the possibility of joining and is working to encourage the game in the other islands of Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap.
Paul Watson, the FSM’s English head coach, and his assistants, fellow Englishman Matthew Conrad and the Nepalese expat Dilshan Senarathgoda set up a league in Pohnpei and want to do the same in Chuuk and Yap. Conrad and Senarathgoda visited Chuuk on August 18 and will join Watson on a trip to Yap for a week in October.
Yap was the home of Micronesian football in the 1990s, when a national team took part in the Micronesian Games but with no funding, the game lost momentum and fell apart. In 2011, Pohnpei will host the Federated States of Micronesia’ games and the FSMFA want all four islands to enter football teams to demonstrate to FIFA how the sport is progressing.
A new Pohnpei shirt will be produced for the short tour bearing the Coyne Airways logo and the air cargo firm, which serves the Caspian, Middle East and Asia, will give updates on the team's progress at www.coyneair.com. "We are delighted to help the team fulfill their dream," said owner Larry Coyne. "We understand how distance and logistics can pose such a challenge to a remote island like Pohnpei and we are proud to be the ones to step in and help."
An 18-man squad has been named for the tour but only 15 players will make the journey. Dutch-born winger Yafeth Konings, who previously represented Indonesia, and SDA FC striker Matthew Carlot have joined a squad that will be trimmed on September 21.
The squad train twice weekly at 5.00 am on top of evening sessions at PICS Field, while friendlies are played against an Island All-Star XI made up of overseas players on Pohnpei but the state of the island’s only pitch is causing concern with injuries to several key State players.
Poor weather and an inefficient drainage system can cause flooding to a pitch often full of frogs. Divots – not frogs – have injured Pohnpei State players Roger Nakasone (pictured), Denson Fairfield and Brian Taylor but with Pohnpei – one of the four islands that makes up Micronesia – not a member of FIFA, the island has no fund to repair the pitch or improve the drainage so training was briefly shifted to Daini Field, the College of Micronesia’s baseball field.
To join FIFA, Micronesia needs to show that football is flourishing on all four islands and the Federated States of Micronesia Football Association (FSMFA) has been in touch with the Oceania Football Federation over the possibility of joining and is working to encourage the game in the other islands of Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap.
Paul Watson, the FSM’s English head coach, and his assistants, fellow Englishman Matthew Conrad and the Nepalese expat Dilshan Senarathgoda set up a league in Pohnpei and want to do the same in Chuuk and Yap. Conrad and Senarathgoda visited Chuuk on August 18 and will join Watson on a trip to Yap for a week in October.
Yap was the home of Micronesian football in the 1990s, when a national team took part in the Micronesian Games but with no funding, the game lost momentum and fell apart. In 2011, Pohnpei will host the Federated States of Micronesia’ games and the FSMFA want all four islands to enter football teams to demonstrate to FIFA how the sport is progressing.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
FIFA membership a decade away for Kosovo warns ex-manager
This story has also been published by When Saturday Comes
In the last week, football in Kosovo – Europe's newest country – should have received a real fillip after tacit acknowledgement by FIFA and the United Nations. Football's world body agreed to regulate the sale of players from Kosovan clubs even though the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) is not a member, while the UN's highest court ruled that the country's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not break international law.
International transfer certificates will be issued for Kosovan players, a move welcomed by the country's clubs, who are losing players without transfer fees. But another FFK plea, to play international friendlies, was rejected as the world body underlined the lack of recognition. "The FFK recognises that from [this] agreement there is nothing from which a favourable view of its wish to join FIFA and UEFA can be inferred," said FIFA in a statement.
The FFK cannot join UEFA or FIFA until full statehood and membership of the UN is secured. So far 69 countries, including the US and most of the European Union, consider Kosovo a country. Spain are among several European countries who do not, along with Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovakia. All of these states have internal issues, such as the breakaway Turkish state of Northern Cyprus and the predominantly Hungarian-speaking areas seeking greater autonomy within Romania; recognising the Kosovans would only fuel their own problems.
"Qualifiers for Euro 2012 begin in September and Kosovo will not participate," says former Kosovo manager Edmond Rugova (pictured). "Time is going by and the youth of Kosovo is being ignored and discriminated against. Who would have thought that this was going to continue even when Kosovo [was an] independent and democratic country?" Rugova, a former Yugoslav youth international and later a striker for New York Cosmos in the NASL, returned from the US to take charge of Kosovo.
Struggling to find fixtures, Rugova focused on holding training camps for young Kosovans who had fled his country during the 1999 war with Serbia. At a camp in Basel in 2008, Rugova came across a talented 16-year-old striker called Xherdan Shaqiri. To the surprise of many Swiss fans, Shaqiri joined two other exiled Kosovans – Valon Behrami of West Ham and FC Nuremburg's Albert Bunjaku – in Ottmar Hitzfeld's squad that went to this summer's World Cup.
Discouraged by the stasis that Kosovo's footballers have been left in, Rugova has returned to the US and does not expect any change until the opposition from Serbia, Russia, China and Spain is overcome. "Kosovo will have to watch Kosovar players represent other countries and wonder," says Rugova. "I said it would take at least ten years until Kosovo is recognised by FIFA, now I say it will take ten years if Kosovo is lucky."
In the last week, football in Kosovo – Europe's newest country – should have received a real fillip after tacit acknowledgement by FIFA and the United Nations. Football's world body agreed to regulate the sale of players from Kosovan clubs even though the Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) is not a member, while the UN's highest court ruled that the country's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not break international law.
International transfer certificates will be issued for Kosovan players, a move welcomed by the country's clubs, who are losing players without transfer fees. But another FFK plea, to play international friendlies, was rejected as the world body underlined the lack of recognition. "The FFK recognises that from [this] agreement there is nothing from which a favourable view of its wish to join FIFA and UEFA can be inferred," said FIFA in a statement.
The FFK cannot join UEFA or FIFA until full statehood and membership of the UN is secured. So far 69 countries, including the US and most of the European Union, consider Kosovo a country. Spain are among several European countries who do not, along with Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovakia. All of these states have internal issues, such as the breakaway Turkish state of Northern Cyprus and the predominantly Hungarian-speaking areas seeking greater autonomy within Romania; recognising the Kosovans would only fuel their own problems.
"Qualifiers for Euro 2012 begin in September and Kosovo will not participate," says former Kosovo manager Edmond Rugova (pictured). "Time is going by and the youth of Kosovo is being ignored and discriminated against. Who would have thought that this was going to continue even when Kosovo [was an] independent and democratic country?" Rugova, a former Yugoslav youth international and later a striker for New York Cosmos in the NASL, returned from the US to take charge of Kosovo.
Struggling to find fixtures, Rugova focused on holding training camps for young Kosovans who had fled his country during the 1999 war with Serbia. At a camp in Basel in 2008, Rugova came across a talented 16-year-old striker called Xherdan Shaqiri. To the surprise of many Swiss fans, Shaqiri joined two other exiled Kosovans – Valon Behrami of West Ham and FC Nuremburg's Albert Bunjaku – in Ottmar Hitzfeld's squad that went to this summer's World Cup.
Discouraged by the stasis that Kosovo's footballers have been left in, Rugova has returned to the US and does not expect any change until the opposition from Serbia, Russia, China and Spain is overcome. "Kosovo will have to watch Kosovar players represent other countries and wonder," says Rugova. "I said it would take at least ten years until Kosovo is recognised by FIFA, now I say it will take ten years if Kosovo is lucky."
Friday, 23 July 2010
FIFA to regulate Kosovo transfers
This article appeared in yesterday's issue of Soccer Business World
The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) will be allowed to issue international transfer certificates for all the players transferred to and from Kosovar clubs in a breakthrough for the former Yugoslav republic.
Kosovo has been lobbying for international recognition since declaring independence in February 2008. All but five European Union countries accept Kosovan independence but the FFK needs their country to be a member of the United Nations before being accepted into UEFA and FIFA.
This has isolated Kosovo and players are being poached by clubs that do not have to follow FIFA’s rules but that is about to change. “The FIFA have signed a so called contract with KFF for these cases,” a source close to the talks told SBW. “For the first step they have invited secretary general [Eroll Salihu] for an up-coming workshop of [the] transfer matching system (TMS) of FIFA. Although, this have been done on the good will of FIFA for the Kosovar players, this have been considered as the first step of the full membership of KFF in near future by the KFF president, Fadil Vokrri. KFF have signed the contract and after the FIFA signed it, there will be some 60 days to take effect.”
A second request to permit the national team of Kosovo to play friendlies was not passed. FIFA insist that the move is not a precursor to recognition for the FFK. “The [FFK] wishes to be admitted as a member of FIFA and UEFA as soon as possible, but is aware and recognises that membership is not possible at this moment in time,” a FIFA spokesperson told SBW.
“In view of its duty to prevent methods and practices, particularly in association football, that might jeopardise the integrity of matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of association football, FIFA granted to football clubs that belong to the Football Federation of Kosova the right to invoke the relevant provisions of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players in relation to the maintenance of contractual stability between professional players and clubs in connection with the transfer of players to a FIFA member association and to request adjudication from the competent FIFA bodies according to the applicable regulations.
"This means that clubs belonging to the FFK undertake to comply with and respect the relevant provisions of the aforementioned Regulations as well as the relevant procedural rules. Furthermore, clubs belonging to the FFK expressly recognise the right of clubs belonging to FIFA member associations to lodge claims against them with the pertinent FIFA bodies or to request any investigations that may result from the application of the above-mentioned Regulations. In summary, the clubs belonging to the FFK were granted the rights in relation to the maintenance of the contractual stability, but must also assume the respective duties.
"Finally, it is important to emphasise that the FFK confirmed that it is aware and recognises that from the above-mentioned agreement there is nothing from which a favourable view of its wish to join FIFA and UEFA can be inferred.”
FIFA tried late last year to bring together the associations of Serbia and Kosovo in Zurich but this failed after officials from Belgrade pulled out. Serbia’s football association had confirmed on 3 November that the president of the association, Tomislav Karadzic, would talk with representatives of the football association of Kosovo but Serbia told FIFA five days later that its representatives would not attend.
In a letter to FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, the Serbian FA wrote: “Regarding your call to the meeting, we would like to inform you that talks on the issue have been held with all the relevant figures within the Serbian FA. According to the stances, which were expressed on the issue during the talks, we inform you that we are unable to accept the invitation for the proposed meeting.”
The issue of transferring players from Kosovo was due to go to a vote of the FIFA executive committee in December but no progress was made. The European Parliament recently called on the last five EU member states yet to recognise Kosovo's independence to comply but European Parliament members admit nothing will happen before an International Court of Justice ruling on the legality of Kosovan independence this summer.
So far, 69 countries recognise Kosovo, including the US and most EU member states with the exception of Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovakia. Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion in 1974, rejects Kosovo's declaration of independence owing to its stance on territorial integrity and the lack of UN approval. It is backed by Greece, while Spain – which has its own regional tensions – cites lack of respect for international law as justification for its opposition. Romania, home to an ethnic Hungarian community in 'Székely Land' that is pushing for a higher level of autonomy, and Slovakia, with its own significant Hungarian minority group, have also rejected the legality of Kosovo's secession from Serbia.
The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) will be allowed to issue international transfer certificates for all the players transferred to and from Kosovar clubs in a breakthrough for the former Yugoslav republic.
Kosovo has been lobbying for international recognition since declaring independence in February 2008. All but five European Union countries accept Kosovan independence but the FFK needs their country to be a member of the United Nations before being accepted into UEFA and FIFA.
This has isolated Kosovo and players are being poached by clubs that do not have to follow FIFA’s rules but that is about to change. “The FIFA have signed a so called contract with KFF for these cases,” a source close to the talks told SBW. “For the first step they have invited secretary general [Eroll Salihu] for an up-coming workshop of [the] transfer matching system (TMS) of FIFA. Although, this have been done on the good will of FIFA for the Kosovar players, this have been considered as the first step of the full membership of KFF in near future by the KFF president, Fadil Vokrri. KFF have signed the contract and after the FIFA signed it, there will be some 60 days to take effect.”
A second request to permit the national team of Kosovo to play friendlies was not passed. FIFA insist that the move is not a precursor to recognition for the FFK. “The [FFK] wishes to be admitted as a member of FIFA and UEFA as soon as possible, but is aware and recognises that membership is not possible at this moment in time,” a FIFA spokesperson told SBW.
“In view of its duty to prevent methods and practices, particularly in association football, that might jeopardise the integrity of matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of association football, FIFA granted to football clubs that belong to the Football Federation of Kosova the right to invoke the relevant provisions of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players in relation to the maintenance of contractual stability between professional players and clubs in connection with the transfer of players to a FIFA member association and to request adjudication from the competent FIFA bodies according to the applicable regulations.
"This means that clubs belonging to the FFK undertake to comply with and respect the relevant provisions of the aforementioned Regulations as well as the relevant procedural rules. Furthermore, clubs belonging to the FFK expressly recognise the right of clubs belonging to FIFA member associations to lodge claims against them with the pertinent FIFA bodies or to request any investigations that may result from the application of the above-mentioned Regulations. In summary, the clubs belonging to the FFK were granted the rights in relation to the maintenance of the contractual stability, but must also assume the respective duties.
"Finally, it is important to emphasise that the FFK confirmed that it is aware and recognises that from the above-mentioned agreement there is nothing from which a favourable view of its wish to join FIFA and UEFA can be inferred.”
FIFA tried late last year to bring together the associations of Serbia and Kosovo in Zurich but this failed after officials from Belgrade pulled out. Serbia’s football association had confirmed on 3 November that the president of the association, Tomislav Karadzic, would talk with representatives of the football association of Kosovo but Serbia told FIFA five days later that its representatives would not attend.
In a letter to FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, the Serbian FA wrote: “Regarding your call to the meeting, we would like to inform you that talks on the issue have been held with all the relevant figures within the Serbian FA. According to the stances, which were expressed on the issue during the talks, we inform you that we are unable to accept the invitation for the proposed meeting.”
The issue of transferring players from Kosovo was due to go to a vote of the FIFA executive committee in December but no progress was made. The European Parliament recently called on the last five EU member states yet to recognise Kosovo's independence to comply but European Parliament members admit nothing will happen before an International Court of Justice ruling on the legality of Kosovan independence this summer.
So far, 69 countries recognise Kosovo, including the US and most EU member states with the exception of Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Slovakia. Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion in 1974, rejects Kosovo's declaration of independence owing to its stance on territorial integrity and the lack of UN approval. It is backed by Greece, while Spain – which has its own regional tensions – cites lack of respect for international law as justification for its opposition. Romania, home to an ethnic Hungarian community in 'Székely Land' that is pushing for a higher level of autonomy, and Slovakia, with its own significant Hungarian minority group, have also rejected the legality of Kosovo's secession from Serbia.
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Viva World Cup 2010
Kurdistan vs Regno della due Sicilies. Image courtesy Miléna Kit NFB (c)
This article also appears on Play The Game
Padania completed a hat-trick of successes in the Viva World Cup for non-FIFA nations at the weekend but the latest tournament in the Maltese island of Gozo was a far lower profile affair than last year.
In 2009, Padania hosted the tournament in a blaze of publicity, including live TV coverage of some games, but Sunday’s 1-0 win over Kurdistan – a repeat of last year’s final – was not screened after Kurdish television decided against screening the tournament.
This year’s VWC did see the highest number of entrants with six teams playing and sponsorship from Vellone Sports and Bank of Valletta.
The tournament was also staged without interference by the Malta Football Association and a full international took part for the first time with Danijel Bogdanovic of Sheffield United and Malta captaining hosts, Gozo.
The tournament also featured Provence, Occitania – a side of players, who can speak the medieval language of Occitan - and Regno della due Sicilies representing the ancient kingdom of southern Italy.
The first VWC was held in 2006 in southern France and nine different teams have played in the four tournaments but Monaco, a team representing Sweden’s Aramean Suryoye minority and the Sami tribe from Scandinavia did not travel to Gozo.
The Sami played in the first three tournaments but missed out after internal disputes between the Swedish and Norwegian elements of the tribe.
The next VWC will be in Kurdistan in 2012 after the organisers, the New Federation Board pushed back the tournament by a year to try and attract teams from the Island Games football tournament, which will be held in 2011 on the Isle of Wight.
This article also appears on Play The Game
Padania completed a hat-trick of successes in the Viva World Cup for non-FIFA nations at the weekend but the latest tournament in the Maltese island of Gozo was a far lower profile affair than last year.
In 2009, Padania hosted the tournament in a blaze of publicity, including live TV coverage of some games, but Sunday’s 1-0 win over Kurdistan – a repeat of last year’s final – was not screened after Kurdish television decided against screening the tournament.
This year’s VWC did see the highest number of entrants with six teams playing and sponsorship from Vellone Sports and Bank of Valletta.
The tournament was also staged without interference by the Malta Football Association and a full international took part for the first time with Danijel Bogdanovic of Sheffield United and Malta captaining hosts, Gozo.
The tournament also featured Provence, Occitania – a side of players, who can speak the medieval language of Occitan - and Regno della due Sicilies representing the ancient kingdom of southern Italy.
The first VWC was held in 2006 in southern France and nine different teams have played in the four tournaments but Monaco, a team representing Sweden’s Aramean Suryoye minority and the Sami tribe from Scandinavia did not travel to Gozo.
The Sami played in the first three tournaments but missed out after internal disputes between the Swedish and Norwegian elements of the tribe.
The next VWC will be in Kurdistan in 2012 after the organisers, the New Federation Board pushed back the tournament by a year to try and attract teams from the Island Games football tournament, which will be held in 2011 on the Isle of Wight.
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Monaco quits NF Board
A version of this story appeared in Soccer Business World.
The Monaco Football Association has quit the NF Board for non-FIFA nations, which later this month holds its fourth Viva World Cup (VWC).
As a member of the United Nations, the Mediterranean principality is eligible to join UEFA but has not done so for fears that this could jeopardise the position of AS Monaco ASM) in France’s Ligue 1. Opportunities for Monegasques are rare at ASM and local players that started there, such as Guy Platto, Renaud Connen and Gregory Campi, have invariably left.
A national team was started in response to these lack of opportunities but, excluding tax exiles, Monaco only has a population of around 8,000 and there are only 60-odd eligible players.
Monaco were one of the founder members of the NF Board and played in the first VWC in 2006 but the growth of the organisation and inclusion of teams such as Kurdistan and Padania has created problems for Monaco.
“We didn’t participate to the [2010] Viva World Cup as we are not anymore member of the NF Board,” explained Yohan Garino, one of Monaco’s most capped players. “For political reason, we are not authorized by our Government to play against some teams.
"We also had some problems with the NF Board and teams of the association who used pictures of the national football team of Monaco and the Prince Albert as advertisement for their many exhibitions without authorisations. We were very disappointed about this last point which deserves us.”
Monaco have written to the NF Board explaining their decision. The organisation’s secretary general, Jean-Luc Kit, expressed his disappointment but hopes that some solution can be produced to prompt Monaco to return but with the next VWC scheduled for Iraqi Kurdistan in 2012, this may create further political problems that keep the Monegasques on the sidelines.
The Monaco Football Association has quit the NF Board for non-FIFA nations, which later this month holds its fourth Viva World Cup (VWC).
As a member of the United Nations, the Mediterranean principality is eligible to join UEFA but has not done so for fears that this could jeopardise the position of AS Monaco ASM) in France’s Ligue 1. Opportunities for Monegasques are rare at ASM and local players that started there, such as Guy Platto, Renaud Connen and Gregory Campi, have invariably left.
A national team was started in response to these lack of opportunities but, excluding tax exiles, Monaco only has a population of around 8,000 and there are only 60-odd eligible players.
Monaco were one of the founder members of the NF Board and played in the first VWC in 2006 but the growth of the organisation and inclusion of teams such as Kurdistan and Padania has created problems for Monaco.
“We didn’t participate to the [2010] Viva World Cup as we are not anymore member of the NF Board,” explained Yohan Garino, one of Monaco’s most capped players. “For political reason, we are not authorized by our Government to play against some teams.
"We also had some problems with the NF Board and teams of the association who used pictures of the national football team of Monaco and the Prince Albert as advertisement for their many exhibitions without authorisations. We were very disappointed about this last point which deserves us.”
Monaco have written to the NF Board explaining their decision. The organisation’s secretary general, Jean-Luc Kit, expressed his disappointment but hopes that some solution can be produced to prompt Monaco to return but with the next VWC scheduled for Iraqi Kurdistan in 2012, this may create further political problems that keep the Monegasques on the sidelines.
Friday, 7 May 2010
New FIFA members?
This story also appears on Play The Game
A FIFA working party is attempting to help small nations and territories unable to gain recognition by the world body in a move that risks sparking outrage among other potential members.
Geoff Thompson, a former chairman of England’s Football Association (FA) and a current vice president of FIFA, chairs a working group at the world body that is looking at issues faced by small nations and territories not currently recognized internationally. Thompson and Urs Kluser, director of member associations and development at FIFA, have visited the tiny Pacific island state of Tuvalu and Sint Maarten - a Dutch administered territory that occupies half of the Caribbean island of Saint Marten. Their low-key programme of trips culminated in a visit to the British Crown dependency of Jersey on April 14-16.
“The key purpose of their visit [to Jersey] was to understand the football organisation within the island, understand the current island situation with regard to football development [and] understand the relationship with and support currently received from the FA,” explained FIFA, which confirmed that only three places are being visited by Thompson’s working party and that no other visits are planned.
Tuvalu, which has a population of just over 12,000, took part in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers without even being a full member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) let alone FIFA. FIFA is waiting on a final report from Tuvalu following the working party’s visit and the island is likely to become Oceania’s twelfth full member and the next member of the world body.
That will disappoint a number of other territories lobbying for FIFA membership, notably Kosovo, whose independence from Yugoslavia in February 2008 has been recognized by 66 countries – but not by the United Nations (UN) or FIFA. FIFA is working to stamp out illegal trading in Kosovan players, which has denied clubs in Kosovo much-needed funds, but any new member of the world body must be accepted by a regional confederation first.
UEFA insists that all new members are recognized by the UN to prevent Gibraltar from joining and upsetting Spain. This rule also keeps out Kosovo, whose independence is vehemently disputed by Serbia, and UEFA president Michel Platini has promised the Serbs that he will respect the UN’s decision – a promise that will also hinder Jersey’s aspirations. Any move towards international footballing recognition would provoke a political storm in Serbia and Russia and FIFA confirmed to media in Kosovo that no visits from Thompson’s working party are scheduled.
FIFA’s last attempt to resolve a long-running political dispute brought the football association in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Cyprus Football Association together for the first official talks in more than three decades but these ground to a halt after two years.
The world body has been more successful in helping associations in less contentious regions, such as Greenland, where last year a U$D 400,000 FIFA grant channeled through the Dansk Boldspil-Union provided the Arctic island with its first artificial pitch. The Jersey Football Association is keen that their attempts to develop football on the Channel Island are seen in isolation and do not get caught up in sporting politics.
“Of course nothing is guaranteed but I do believe there is now a genuine recognition and understanding of the international void we find ourselves in,” said JFA president Ricky Weir after Thompson’s visit.
On returning to Switzerland, Kluser told Weir: “It was inspirational to see what a small FA can achieve. I will certainly share with my colleagues what we have seen during our stay on the island. As discussed in our meetings, we will do what we can to further the question of the Jersey FA within the international football family.”
Jersey is a member of the FA, along with neighbours Guernsey, and the JFA is trying to set up a competition with other places caught in international limbo – but only non-contentious ones, not the likes of Kosovo.
Jersey’s plans for an International Shield have yet to come to fruition but this September the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) will stage the second Coupe De L’Outre Mer for French departments. The tournament began last year and eight teams will journey to France for the next event, featuring Reunion, Martinique, French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, French Polynesia and Guadeloupe.
For Guadeloupe, the tournament is a vital outlet for a region, whose team reached the semi-finals and quarter finals respectively of the last two Gold Cups for teams in CONCACAF yet is not even a full member of this body so remains excluded from World Cup qualifying. News that FIFA’s working party would not be visiting Guadeloupe was a disappointment to the Ligue Guadeloupeenne de Football but the LGF’s Alain Soreze said: “In Guadeloupe, we work hard with French FA to authorize us to be a full member of CONCACAF that is our first step.”
A FIFA working party is attempting to help small nations and territories unable to gain recognition by the world body in a move that risks sparking outrage among other potential members.
Geoff Thompson, a former chairman of England’s Football Association (FA) and a current vice president of FIFA, chairs a working group at the world body that is looking at issues faced by small nations and territories not currently recognized internationally. Thompson and Urs Kluser, director of member associations and development at FIFA, have visited the tiny Pacific island state of Tuvalu and Sint Maarten - a Dutch administered territory that occupies half of the Caribbean island of Saint Marten. Their low-key programme of trips culminated in a visit to the British Crown dependency of Jersey on April 14-16.
“The key purpose of their visit [to Jersey] was to understand the football organisation within the island, understand the current island situation with regard to football development [and] understand the relationship with and support currently received from the FA,” explained FIFA, which confirmed that only three places are being visited by Thompson’s working party and that no other visits are planned.
Tuvalu, which has a population of just over 12,000, took part in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers without even being a full member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) let alone FIFA. FIFA is waiting on a final report from Tuvalu following the working party’s visit and the island is likely to become Oceania’s twelfth full member and the next member of the world body.
That will disappoint a number of other territories lobbying for FIFA membership, notably Kosovo, whose independence from Yugoslavia in February 2008 has been recognized by 66 countries – but not by the United Nations (UN) or FIFA. FIFA is working to stamp out illegal trading in Kosovan players, which has denied clubs in Kosovo much-needed funds, but any new member of the world body must be accepted by a regional confederation first.
UEFA insists that all new members are recognized by the UN to prevent Gibraltar from joining and upsetting Spain. This rule also keeps out Kosovo, whose independence is vehemently disputed by Serbia, and UEFA president Michel Platini has promised the Serbs that he will respect the UN’s decision – a promise that will also hinder Jersey’s aspirations. Any move towards international footballing recognition would provoke a political storm in Serbia and Russia and FIFA confirmed to media in Kosovo that no visits from Thompson’s working party are scheduled.
FIFA’s last attempt to resolve a long-running political dispute brought the football association in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Cyprus Football Association together for the first official talks in more than three decades but these ground to a halt after two years.
The world body has been more successful in helping associations in less contentious regions, such as Greenland, where last year a U$D 400,000 FIFA grant channeled through the Dansk Boldspil-Union provided the Arctic island with its first artificial pitch. The Jersey Football Association is keen that their attempts to develop football on the Channel Island are seen in isolation and do not get caught up in sporting politics.
“Of course nothing is guaranteed but I do believe there is now a genuine recognition and understanding of the international void we find ourselves in,” said JFA president Ricky Weir after Thompson’s visit.
On returning to Switzerland, Kluser told Weir: “It was inspirational to see what a small FA can achieve. I will certainly share with my colleagues what we have seen during our stay on the island. As discussed in our meetings, we will do what we can to further the question of the Jersey FA within the international football family.”
Jersey is a member of the FA, along with neighbours Guernsey, and the JFA is trying to set up a competition with other places caught in international limbo – but only non-contentious ones, not the likes of Kosovo.
Jersey’s plans for an International Shield have yet to come to fruition but this September the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) will stage the second Coupe De L’Outre Mer for French departments. The tournament began last year and eight teams will journey to France for the next event, featuring Reunion, Martinique, French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, French Polynesia and Guadeloupe.
For Guadeloupe, the tournament is a vital outlet for a region, whose team reached the semi-finals and quarter finals respectively of the last two Gold Cups for teams in CONCACAF yet is not even a full member of this body so remains excluded from World Cup qualifying. News that FIFA’s working party would not be visiting Guadeloupe was a disappointment to the Ligue Guadeloupeenne de Football but the LGF’s Alain Soreze said: “In Guadeloupe, we work hard with French FA to authorize us to be a full member of CONCACAF that is our first step.”
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Jersey Breakthrough
This story has also been published by When Saturday Comes
Could last week’s visit to Jersey by a FIFA delegation be the first step towards playing the Channel Island playing international football?
The trip to the island was led by Geoff Thompson, formerly chairman of the Football Association, but more latterly a vice president of both FIFA and UEFA. In tow was Urs Kluser, development director for FIFA’s grandly titled member associations and development division.
“They were extremely positive about what they found in Jersey,” Ricky Weir, president of the Jersey Football Association (JFA), told WSC. “Of course nothing is guaranteed but I do believe there is now a genuine recognition and understanding of the international void we find ourselves in.”
Jersey has a population of 87,400 – roughly double that of FIFA members Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Liechtenstein and San Marino – but as a British Crown Dependency is not eligible for FIFA.
Not because of FIFA’s regulations, which simply require recognition by the undefined ‘international community’ but because the JFA needs to get into UEFA first. The European body has far tighter membership criteria. Potential entrants must be members of the United Nations – a rule designed to keep out Gibraltar and appease Spain. As a result, Jersey is on the international touchlines along with the likes of Guadeloupe and Kosovo.
What makes FIFA’s visit to St Helier interesting is that firstly, FIFA finally seems to have accepted that a grey area exists between regional and international football and, secondly, that Jersey has successfully promoted itself into this limbo zone.
Not content with the football tournament at the Island Games – a sort of mini-Olympiad for islands – in 2008 Jersey staged a three-way tournament with two other rejects, Gibraltar and Madeira, and plan another tournament with Guernsey.
Guernsey are looking to field a club side in a UK-league but under Weir, who was born in Coatbridge and played internationals for the British Virgin Islands before moving to St Helier, Jersey will not let the idea of international football drop.
Weir has been in contact with UEFA president Michel Platini but enticing an official FIFA delegation is the JFA’s biggest success to date. After returning home, Kulser told the JFA: “As discussed in our meetings, we will do what we can to further the question of the Jersey FA within the international football family.”
Kulser’s working party has also visited an unidentified Asian region and another in CONCACAF.
In response to WSC’s questions, FIFA said: “Geoff Thompson and Urs Kluser’s visit was as part of working group chaired by Mr Thompson to look at the issues faced by small nations and territories, such as Jersey, not currently recognized internationally. The key purpose of their visit was to: understand the football organisation within the island; understand the current island situation with regard to football development; [and] understand the relationship with and support currently received from The FA.”
FIFA said the other places included in Kr Kulser’s could not be “clarified” until later this week but one place in CONCACAF that is also stuck in international limbo is Guadeloupe.
As a French department, Guadeloupe is not eligible for FIFA and the island’s footballers traditionally aspired to play for Les Bleus. Players like Marius Tresor and Lilian Thuram did so with success but that all changed in 2007, when Jocelyn Angloma, a veteran of Euro 92 and 96, accepted that his French international days were gone and returned home.
Led by Angloma, Guadeloupe reached the semi-finals of the 2007 Gold Cup (the North and Central American regional championship) where they were edged out 1-0 by Mexico. Angloma had retired by the time of the next Gold Cup in 2009 but the Gwada Boys still made the quarter finals.
Alain Soreze from the Ligue Guadeloupeenne de Football confirmed to WSC that the LGF had heard nothing about a visit from FIFA but without something greater to play for than the Gold Cup, Guadeloupe’s flourishing football scene will wither, as will the hamstrung game in Kosovo.
Dozens of countries recognise that Kosovo is a country. Sadly, the Serbs and Russia do not, forcing the likes of Lorik Cana and Valon Behrami into adopting other countries to play internationals.
Bournemouth’s St Helier-born striker Brett Pittman might not seem to be in the same bracket, but with FIFA showing signs of wanting to solve the dilemmas that a combination of politics and football generate, an international call-up could soon be on the way.
Could last week’s visit to Jersey by a FIFA delegation be the first step towards playing the Channel Island playing international football?
The trip to the island was led by Geoff Thompson, formerly chairman of the Football Association, but more latterly a vice president of both FIFA and UEFA. In tow was Urs Kluser, development director for FIFA’s grandly titled member associations and development division.
“They were extremely positive about what they found in Jersey,” Ricky Weir, president of the Jersey Football Association (JFA), told WSC. “Of course nothing is guaranteed but I do believe there is now a genuine recognition and understanding of the international void we find ourselves in.”
Jersey has a population of 87,400 – roughly double that of FIFA members Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Liechtenstein and San Marino – but as a British Crown Dependency is not eligible for FIFA.
Not because of FIFA’s regulations, which simply require recognition by the undefined ‘international community’ but because the JFA needs to get into UEFA first. The European body has far tighter membership criteria. Potential entrants must be members of the United Nations – a rule designed to keep out Gibraltar and appease Spain. As a result, Jersey is on the international touchlines along with the likes of Guadeloupe and Kosovo.
What makes FIFA’s visit to St Helier interesting is that firstly, FIFA finally seems to have accepted that a grey area exists between regional and international football and, secondly, that Jersey has successfully promoted itself into this limbo zone.
Not content with the football tournament at the Island Games – a sort of mini-Olympiad for islands – in 2008 Jersey staged a three-way tournament with two other rejects, Gibraltar and Madeira, and plan another tournament with Guernsey.
Guernsey are looking to field a club side in a UK-league but under Weir, who was born in Coatbridge and played internationals for the British Virgin Islands before moving to St Helier, Jersey will not let the idea of international football drop.
Weir has been in contact with UEFA president Michel Platini but enticing an official FIFA delegation is the JFA’s biggest success to date. After returning home, Kulser told the JFA: “As discussed in our meetings, we will do what we can to further the question of the Jersey FA within the international football family.”
Kulser’s working party has also visited an unidentified Asian region and another in CONCACAF.
In response to WSC’s questions, FIFA said: “Geoff Thompson and Urs Kluser’s visit was as part of working group chaired by Mr Thompson to look at the issues faced by small nations and territories, such as Jersey, not currently recognized internationally. The key purpose of their visit was to: understand the football organisation within the island; understand the current island situation with regard to football development; [and] understand the relationship with and support currently received from The FA.”
FIFA said the other places included in Kr Kulser’s could not be “clarified” until later this week but one place in CONCACAF that is also stuck in international limbo is Guadeloupe.
As a French department, Guadeloupe is not eligible for FIFA and the island’s footballers traditionally aspired to play for Les Bleus. Players like Marius Tresor and Lilian Thuram did so with success but that all changed in 2007, when Jocelyn Angloma, a veteran of Euro 92 and 96, accepted that his French international days were gone and returned home.
Led by Angloma, Guadeloupe reached the semi-finals of the 2007 Gold Cup (the North and Central American regional championship) where they were edged out 1-0 by Mexico. Angloma had retired by the time of the next Gold Cup in 2009 but the Gwada Boys still made the quarter finals.
Alain Soreze from the Ligue Guadeloupeenne de Football confirmed to WSC that the LGF had heard nothing about a visit from FIFA but without something greater to play for than the Gold Cup, Guadeloupe’s flourishing football scene will wither, as will the hamstrung game in Kosovo.
Dozens of countries recognise that Kosovo is a country. Sadly, the Serbs and Russia do not, forcing the likes of Lorik Cana and Valon Behrami into adopting other countries to play internationals.
Bournemouth’s St Helier-born striker Brett Pittman might not seem to be in the same bracket, but with FIFA showing signs of wanting to solve the dilemmas that a combination of politics and football generate, an international call-up could soon be on the way.
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Viva World Cup Draw
A version of this story was published in Soccer Business World and Play The Game.
A record six men's teams have entered next month’s Viva World Cup (VWC) for international teams not affiliated to FIFA.
The tournament that will be held in the Maltese island of Gozo for a week starting on May 29 2010 is the fourth staged by the NF Board and features the largest field so far.
The hosts will play with a side drawn from Gozo FC, which has previously played in the Maltese first division before slipping down the island’s pyramid, plus local teams, such as 2009/10 Gozo league champions Sannat Lions.
Gozo have been drawn with Padania, a team drawn from northern Italy that won the 2008 tournament and retained the trophy at last year’s third VWC. Padania have been linked by some critics of the tournament with the separatist Liga Nord political party but the NF Board insist that politics must play no part in the tournament.
Occitania, a team comprised of players who can speak the medieval language of Occitan found in southern France, Monaco and parts of Italy, make up a group with Gozo and Padania. Occitania staged the first three-team tournament in 2007 but have not taken part since. The other group features a side drawn from Iraqi Kurdistan that was runners-up last year and are expected to host the next tournament in 2012.
A team from the French region of Provence took part last year and has again entered. The other side in this group is a new entrant with a team representing the old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with players drawn from southern Italy
The Scandinavian Sami tribe – known more commonly as Laplanders – won the inaugural tournament in Occitania in 2007 and staged the 2008 event but for the first time in the event’s brief history will not send a team in 2010.
The Sami are spread across Norway, Sweden, Finland and a handful in Russia. Traditionally, the Sami FA has been made up of teams from Norway and Sweden but a number of the old Sami FA board have quit since the Norwegian Leif Isak Nilut was replaced as president two years ago by Mikkel Isak Eiras of Norwegian club Kautokeino IL. Departures include Hakan Kuorak from Gällivare, home to many of the Swedish Sami and the hosts for the 2008 VWC. "Now the Sami FA are concentrated to Norway and not the whole Sami area," said Kuorak.
Monaco also entered the first tournament but have not entered since, while the side drawn from Swedean’s Aramean Suroye community that played in 2008 will not feature in Gozo either.
The draw took place in Gozo at the weekend but was disrupted by the cloud of volcanic ash that has forced the cancellation of many air flights across Europe. At the draw, Jean Luc Kit also returned to the role of secretary general of the NF Board after a brief hiatus.
The last final was screened on satellite TV channel Rai Sport and there was also coverage on a number of other TV stations, including Rai Sport, Canale 5 and Rai 3.
The NF Board hope to get similar air-time for this year’s event, which will be sponsored by Vellone Sports and held in the 4,000 capacity Gozo Stadium in Xewkija and the Sannat Ground, which has a new artificial playing surface. A women’s tournament was to feature Gozo, Padania and Corsica and be staged at the same time as the men’s event but the French controlled island will not now take part.
The tournament that will be held in the Maltese island of Gozo for a week starting on May 29 2010 is the fourth staged by the NF Board and features the largest field so far.
The hosts will play with a side drawn from Gozo FC, which has previously played in the Maltese first division before slipping down the island’s pyramid, plus local teams, such as 2009/10 Gozo league champions Sannat Lions.
Gozo have been drawn with Padania, a team drawn from northern Italy that won the 2008 tournament and retained the trophy at last year’s third VWC. Padania have been linked by some critics of the tournament with the separatist Liga Nord political party but the NF Board insist that politics must play no part in the tournament.
Occitania, a team comprised of players who can speak the medieval language of Occitan found in southern France, Monaco and parts of Italy, make up a group with Gozo and Padania. Occitania staged the first three-team tournament in 2007 but have not taken part since. The other group features a side drawn from Iraqi Kurdistan that was runners-up last year and are expected to host the next tournament in 2012.
A team from the French region of Provence took part last year and has again entered. The other side in this group is a new entrant with a team representing the old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with players drawn from southern Italy
The Scandinavian Sami tribe – known more commonly as Laplanders – won the inaugural tournament in Occitania in 2007 and staged the 2008 event but for the first time in the event’s brief history will not send a team in 2010.
The Sami are spread across Norway, Sweden, Finland and a handful in Russia. Traditionally, the Sami FA has been made up of teams from Norway and Sweden but a number of the old Sami FA board have quit since the Norwegian Leif Isak Nilut was replaced as president two years ago by Mikkel Isak Eiras of Norwegian club Kautokeino IL. Departures include Hakan Kuorak from Gällivare, home to many of the Swedish Sami and the hosts for the 2008 VWC. "Now the Sami FA are concentrated to Norway and not the whole Sami area," said Kuorak.
Monaco also entered the first tournament but have not entered since, while the side drawn from Swedean’s Aramean Suroye community that played in 2008 will not feature in Gozo either.
The draw took place in Gozo at the weekend but was disrupted by the cloud of volcanic ash that has forced the cancellation of many air flights across Europe. At the draw, Jean Luc Kit also returned to the role of secretary general of the NF Board after a brief hiatus.
The last final was screened on satellite TV channel Rai Sport and there was also coverage on a number of other TV stations, including Rai Sport, Canale 5 and Rai 3.
The NF Board hope to get similar air-time for this year’s event, which will be sponsored by Vellone Sports and held in the 4,000 capacity Gozo Stadium in Xewkija and the Sannat Ground, which has a new artificial playing surface. A women’s tournament was to feature Gozo, Padania and Corsica and be staged at the same time as the men’s event but the French controlled island will not now take part.
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