FIFA World Cup News

Poland Matches Set To Be Cancelled

FIFA World Cup Football Reporter — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:39:44 +0000

With the stand-off between FIFA and the Polish government nowhere near being resolved, Poland’s two World Cup qualifying matches to be played this coming weekend from 11 - 15 Oct look set to be cancelled. If such a scenario were to take place, the games and points will be awarded to the Czech Republic and Slovakia respectively, with Poland’s World Cup 2010 hopes dealt a huge blow. On top of the penalties, Poland will also be punished with 3-0 defeats in each game, giving them a big disadvantage in terms of goal difference.

All this could effectively end Poland’s hopes to appear in South Africa in 2010. The Polish government has refused to stand down, reiterating that cleaning up the corruption within Polish football as a priority over the country’s qualifying hopes. They are also not about to be bullied into letting FIFA and UEFA have their way in this scandal, with the latter threatening to remove Poland’s hosting rights for Euro 2012, which will be another blow to the country’s economic hopes. The football World Cup and Euro tournaments have traditionally provided a boost to every hosting country’s economic development at the time of the individual events.

Polish Interior Minister Grzegorz Schetyna have accused both FIFA and UEFA as using “scare tactics” to prevent justice from being served.

“There is a battle of wits and a war of nerves between Poland and FIFA. Ultimatums and pressure are not advisable. I think FIFA is using scare tactics.”

Rooney No Longer A Doubt For England

FIFA World Cup Football Reporter — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:34:29 +0000

Late last week, Alex Ferguson assured Capello that Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will be allowed to join up with the England squad for their qualifiers this weekend, with his injury after the Champions League game not an overriding concern for the Scot. After the win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, there should be no doubt in Capello’s mind that Rooney will be available for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus, with the latter a match that might pose problems for the England team.

Capello would have been heartened by Rooney’s performance in the match against Blackburn, as the striker was easily the best player on the pitch. Working tirelessly up and down the field, the striker capped an excellent display with a wonderful goal that ripped the hearts out of the Blackburn players, effectively ending the game as a contest. With his return to goalscoring form, Rooney will once again be a threat for the English when they attempt to build on their fine result against Croatia in the last qualifier.

Next Round Of World Cup Qualifiers Around The Corner

FIFA World Cup Football Reporter — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:47:08 +0000

After this weekend’s matches have been completed around Europe and the rest of the world, the next round of World Cup qualifiers will take place the upcoming weekend, from 10 - 15 October. Many interesting and exciting matches are lining up to tickle the football fan’s fancies, and we’ll stay on top of the various news and tidbits that will come before the matches start. Already, there is some controversy surrounding Fabio Capello’s selection for his next England squad, with speculation that Newcastle United’s Michael Owen will once again be left out.

Capello claimed in the previous selection that Owen was not match fit enough to be selected, and that had no argument since Owen was still recovering from an injury then. But with Owen now the second highest English scorer in the Premiership’s top scorer’s chart, it would be interesting to see the media and fan response to the Italian’s latest controversial move. Capello claimed that Owen was not doing more than just scoring goals, but what more would you expect from a striker? However, the Italian’s system often demands that each and every player pulls his weight on the field, so that could be the primary reason why Owen might miss the cut again this time.

Stay tuned as we bring more FIFA World Cup news as the week unfolds.