Blatter Blasts Unlimited Substitutions
Calling England’s match against Australia last month “a farce,” Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, president of FIFA, Tuesday said world soccer’s ruling body will take action to prevent the use of unlimited substitutions, even in friendly internationals.
England Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, bowing to pressure from English Premier League clubs, used 22 players in a 3-1 loss in London, fielding two different teams in the game, one on each half.
“It will not be possible in the future to play a friendly with one team for 45 minutes and one team for the other 45 minutes,” Blatter told the British Broadcasting Corp. in a club-versus-country documentary aired by the network Tuesday night.
“It is a matter I will bring to the international board now. It’s a farce. It is not correct. It is not correct for the opponent. It is definitely not correct for the public.... [FIFA] will intervene here.”
In competitive matches, teams are allowed three substitutions, plus a fourth if the goalkeeper is injured, but in friendly internationals the coaches agree between themselves on the number permitted.
The resentment of clubs at having to give up players for essentially meaningless matches has led national team coaches to compromise by using those players sparingly, leading to the type of problem FIFA will now try to address.
Aigner to Retire
Gerhard Aigner, the 59-year-old chief executive of European soccer’s governing body, said he will retire when his current contract expires Dec. 31, stepping down after 34 years with UEFA.
“I have a young family and I intend to devote more time to them and to my private interests, which I regret I was not able to do in the past,” Aigner told UEFA’s executive committee, which is meeting in Rome.
At that same meeting, officials today will select the venues for the 2004 European Cup and UEFA Cup finals.
Arsenal Through
An own-goal by Chelsea’s John Terry, who deflected a Patrick Vieira cross into his own net, plus goals by Sylvain Wiltord and Lauren, gave Arsenal a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in an F.A. Cup quarterfinal replay at Stamford Bridge.
Although Terry later scored into the correct net, Arsenal’s two-goal first-half lead was never in danger. The Gunners have not lost in more than four years after leading by two goals.
Arsenal, the Cup holder, will play Sheffield United in one semifinal and Watford will play Southampton in the other.
Abreu Heads Home
Uruguayan World Cup striker Sebastian Abreu, who two seasons ago set a Mexican league scoring record with 19 goals, will join Nacional of Montevideo this week after being fired by Cruz Azul.
The struggling Mexican team dismissed all its players two weeks ago, then offered to rehire them on performance-based contracts. While most accepted, Abreu and three other foreign players refused the offer.
Beckham on War
David Beckham said he hoped England could do well in its upcoming European Championship qualifying matches on the road against Liechtenstein and Turkey in order to lift the spirits of British forces fighting in Iraq and their families in England.
Speaking at a news conference in London, the England captain said the war is on the players’ minds.
“Our love and thoughts go out to the families that have lost people already,” Beckham said. “It’s hard for anyone at any point in their lives. We shouldn’t even be talking about football and war in the same breath.
“But if we can bring some sort of happiness by our results, then hopefully we can do that on Saturday and Wednesday.... If we can take their minds away from things for five minutes, then that would be of benefit to everyone.”
