Italian club crisis hits national team

Italian club crisis hits national team

Italian club crisis hits national team

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 08:02 PM PDT

No coach, no president, no forwards and no place in the World Cup knock-out rounds, the question is, where do Italy go from here?

Right now, the common feeling is that Italian football is in crisis.

This had long been the case in the club game but at least the national team could on occasions relieve the gloom, such as when they reached the Euro 2012 final, albeit only to be dismantled 4-0 by Spain.

That is no longer the case after a second successive World Cup group stage elimination.

Italy may have breezed unbeaten through their qualification group to reach Brazil, securing their place with two games to spare, but such small mercies will do little to appease fans of a country used to success — they are after all four-time world champions, a record bettered only by Brazil.

Apart from Inter Milan's Jose Mourinho-inspired Champions League triumph in 2010, Italian teams have struggled in Europe.

Since AC Milan won the competition in 2007, Inter's victory is the only occasion an Italian side has gone beyond the quarter-finals. Several times, they haven't even made it there.

Last season, Milan were the only ones to make it out of their group, although they were subsequently crushed 5-1 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid.

In 2012 Italy also lost their fourth place in the Champions League as Germany overtook them in the UEFA rankings.

As for the national team, they came into this tournament ranked ninth in the world but their abject exit will likely see them drop several places.

Following their failure at the last World Cup, they dropped six places and later that year, in October, dropped to their joint lowest ever ranking of 16 in the FIFA list.

Depending on their results later in the year, they risk breaking that record.

It is hardly the time to be left with no coach and no federation president following the resignations of Cesare Prandelli and Giancarlo Abete after their 1-0 defeat to Uruguay on Tuesday.

The immediate issue will be to replace Prandelli, with Italian media suggesting former Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and current Galatasaray boss Roberto Mancini top the list.

However, both are used to considerably higher salaries than the 1.7 million euros ($2.3m) Prandelli was receiving.

Other potential targets could be former Roma and Zenit St Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti, former Palermo and Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin or Alberto Zaccheroni, who left the Japan post following his country's elimination on Tuesday.

Another issue to solve is Italy's striking problem.

They came into this tournament with only one established forward in 23-year-old Mario Balotelli.

Despite scoring the winner against England he failed to have a positive impact against either Costa Rica or Uruguay, where Prandelli hauled him off at half-time.

Ciro Immobile finished top scorer in Serie A last season after a fine campaign for Torino but he has yet to score for his country.

He began his career at Juventus but made only three brief substitute appearances before being forced into taking a step down.

If Balotelli doesn't fulfil his undoubted potential, the likes of Immobile, Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne or Milan's Stephan El Sharawy have yet to provide conclusive proof they are the future of Italy's attacking line.

Perhaps Balotelli will never come good, certainly the path has never been easy.

His brushes with disciplinary bodies aside, there is a section of Italy's support that has never warmed to the son of Ghanaian immigrants.

On Wednesday Balotelli posted a passionate response on his social media instagram page to a video by an Italian telling him to get away from the national team, accusing his detractors of being "racists".

In any case, Balotelli is suspended for Italy's first Euro qualifier in Norway, so a temporary replacement at the very least needs to be found.

The one bright spot for Italy is young midfield playmaker Marco Verratti who looked every bit an international player in this, his first, major tournament.

It is perhaps telling, though, that he doesn't even play in Italy, having been seduced by the big bucks on offer at Paris Saint-Germain.

His importance will grow even more should veteran Andrea Pirlo retire from the international scene, as is widely expected.

His loss would be a huge blow, as would that of 36 year-old goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon.

That pair are still often Italy's best performers and talents of their ilk are not easily found, let alone replaced.

The future really does look bleak. -AFP

Print Friendly

Dates Distribution Must Be Carried Out Responsibly, says HRH Prince ‘Abdul Malik

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:56 PM PDT

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: All parties involved in the dates-distribution which is a personal gift by His Majesty the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizaddin Wadaullah, the Sultan and the Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam must pay serious attention to their duties and responsibilities. The prevalence of outcry among members of the public means that they failed to deliver the entrusted responsibilities upon them and also failed His Majesty's aspiration to see all Muslims in the country to enjoy his personal date-endowment as a delicacy for the breaking of the fast, ©BRUDIRECT.COM reported.

In his sabda at the launching ceremony of the dates-distribution of a personal gift of His Majesty the Sultan and the Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, His Royal Highness Prince 'Abdul Malik expressed hope that the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) will take pro-active measures in monitoring the implementation of the distribution of the dates, so that no complaints would arise again.

On arrival at the Banquet Hall of the Prime Minister's Office Building, His Royal Highness who is also the Chairman of the Committee of Governors of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, was greeted by the Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Suyoi Hj Osman, as the Chairman of the Yayasan Board of Directors.

The function began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Awg Salim Hj Besar.

The Minister of Development, in his welcoming address, among other things, said that this year, a total of one hundred and fifty five metric tonnes of "Safawi" dates will be distributed to the Muslim community in the country.

The recipients will also include Muslim expats who are working in the Sultanate. The dates have been packed into five hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and sixty six small containers each weighing three grams.

According to Yang Berhormat Pehin, the fruit is supplied by the Al-Madinah Dates Company based in Saudi Arabia.

In his sabda, His Royal Highness said that in just a few days time, Muslims will enter the month of Ramadhan which is filled with blessing. The holy month is eagerly anticipated not only by Muslims in Brunei Darussalam but also the global Muslim population.

His Royal Highness proceeded to distribute the packed dates to mukim penghulus, village chiefs, and representatives of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

They, in turn, will give out the endowment to the people under their respective jurisdiction. The personal gift of His Majesty the Sultan and the Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam is a unique annual event which occurs only in Brunei Darussalam.

Every muslim citizens and residents, regardless of their age and national status, is entitled to receive a pack of the fruit.

To bless the ceremony, the doa selamat was read by Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Awg Salim Hj Besar.

The personal gift shows His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam's caring attitude and affectionate to his Muslim subjects, and reflects his due attention to their welfare.

Print Friendly

Author-Sarawak: “Write from the start”

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:35 PM PDT

by Neville DCruz. Posted on June 26, 2014, Thursday

MELBOURNE: Even from the time she was a little girl, Amy Han, whose father is from Sarawak, had no doubt what she was going to be. "I can't remember a time when I was not telling everybody I was going to grow up to be an author," the 29-year-old says.

"When I started school, I discovered how much I loved to write. I started making 'books', stapling paper together and copying out my favourite stories. I did not know it then, but that is actually an excellent way to get used to the act of writing, and also to learn how stories work".

Amy was born in Wellington, New Zealand, but moved to Australia with her parents – George, an IT project manager, and Yvonne, a lawyer.

"My dad grew up in Miri, Sarawak. His parents sent him to Wellington to finish high school and attend university, and it was at university that he met my mum.

"Mum grew up in Wellington but was born in Hong Kong. After my parents married and had their first child – me – we moved to Melbourne when I was eight months old".

Amy's artistic streak began to shine through from an early age.

"I was a very creative child," she says.

"I remember seeing toy kitchen sets being advertised on TV and, instead of asking my parents to buy me one, I went straight to my Dad's study for cardboard, scissors and tape so I could make them myself. I made myself paper handbags complete with paper lipsticks and a paper mirror inside.

"I also loved to read, to watch Mum read her big crime novels at night, and to listen to Dad's bedtime stories, which were all about his childhood; all the mischief he got up to as a little boy growing up in Miri, Sarawak. It all seemed so foreign to me from my home in leafy, suburban, multicultural Doncaster (Melbourne) with my beloved pet cat.

"My favourite stories as a child were 'Fern Gully', the Selby series, the 'Little Princess' trilogy, and all of the fairy tales that were made into Disney films".

Amy has so far written and published two novels – "Ru Dreaming in 2011″, and "Breaking Jumps" this year – as well as a collection of short stories and three picture books.

"Ru Dreaming is aimed at middle readers and is about a girl named Ru's first year in high school, and her sense of feeling torn between her oldest best friend and the new friends she is making, and not to mention the boy she has a crush on.

"Breaking Jumps is aimed at teenagers and young adults and follows two teenagers — Jess and Ollie — as they get to know each other over a dramatic night, escaping from a gang they become tangled up with, and saving a friend.

"The short story collection, "A Trip to Somewhere Else", is an e-book of interlinked stories all alluding to questions about love, life, and what it means to follow your heart.

"The three picture books are out of print; they were a special project for which I collaborated with students at Doncaster Primary School — my old school.

The kids illustrated the books. It was fun to see how they interpreted each of the pages".

In 2012, Amy left a full-time job in marketing to pursue a business idea and dedicate more time to writing. That idea has grown into Creative Write-it!, which aims to inspire and encourage young people through creative writing workshops.

"Currently I am still a one-woman show, but I hope to expand soon. I run weekly workshops, visit schools upon request and run holiday programmes.

"It has been a huge learning curve but also an incredibly rewarding experience as I continue to shape Creative Write-it! into 'that thing' I wished was around when I was a kid".

Amy says she would love to tour the world promoting her books when she becomes more well-known, and might one day consider a book launch in Miri to honour her Malaysian heritage, but for now she has plenty on her plate with Creative Write-It! and her own writing.

"I now have four ideas in the works for new novels, all aimed at kids or young adults. I think a part of me will always be young… let's hope.

"They may not all make it to completion, but it's an exciting place to be".

Links: amyhan.com.au; creativewriteit.com.au — BERNAMA

Print Friendly

Gunmen open fire on plane while landing

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 04:43 PM PDT

A woman killed and two crew wounded when PIA with more than 170 passengers on board under fire

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Gunmen opened fire on a passenger jet while it was landing in Pakistan's troubled northwest, killing a woman passenger and wounding two crew as the military battles Taliban insurgents in the region.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, landing in Peshawar from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, came under fire late Tuesday as it descended with more than 170 passengers on board.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but attention turned to the Pakistani Taliban, who have promised a bloody response to the army's assault on their strongholds in North Waziristan.

Authorities said the Airbus A310  landed safely but a catastrophe was only narrowly avoided when it was hit by eight bullets from the unidentified attackers.

PIA spokesman Mashud Tajwar said the plane was between 60 to 100 metres feet off the ground when it was hit, contradicting an earlier altitude of 1,500 metres given by police.

"The shots were fired from outside the airport, one lady passenger and two stewards were wounded, the woman later died in the hospital," Tajwar told AFP.

Tajwar said the reason for the firing was not yet clear but the airline had not received any threats.

Muhammad Faisal, a senior police official in Peshawar, said eight AK-47 bullets hit the plane's tail section.

Police cordoned off an area outside the airport to search for the gunmen and paid tribute to the pilot's coolness.

"Credit goes to the aeroplane pilot that he managed to land safely," said senior police official Najeeb Ur Rehman.

The airport was briefly closed after the incident and the Emirates airline cancelled its yesterday flight from Dubai to Peshawar.

The attack came two weeks after a bloody raid on the international airport in the southern port city of Karachi that doomed a largely fruitless peace process with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Hours before the latest incident, militants staged the first suicide bombing in North Waziristan since the military launched its major operation against the Taliban. Three people were killed in the attack.

The military said it had killed 47 fighters in the tribal northwest in its most recent air strikes – part of the assault which began on June 15.

The armed forces have used jet fighters, tanks and artillery to kill more than 300 people they have described as militants, although the number and identity of the victims are impossible to verify.

The suicide attacker struck in North Waziristan's village of Spinwam, detonating a car bomb when he was intercepted on the approach to a checkpoint.

Officials said two soldiers and a civilian were killed.

The deaths bring to 12 the number of security forces killed in the offensive, dubbed "Zarb-e-Azb" after a sword used in battle by the Prophet Mohammad.

The Ansar-ul-Mujahedin militant group, a Pakistani Taliban faction, claimed responsibility for the car bomb, with spokesman Abu Baseer calling it the start of a counter-strike against the military.

"It is the beginning of our offensive and we will launch attacks against government and local tribesmen if they form an anti-Taliban force," Baseer told AFP via telephone from an unknown location.

Also Tuesday Pakistani jets and helicopters targeted militant hideouts at several locations in North Waziristan and the neighbouring Khyber tribal region, killing 47 militants, a military statement said.

The offensive has claimed the lives of a total of 346 militants so far, according to an AFP tally.

After some 10 days of  shelling and  air raids in North Waziristan, a total of more than 470,000 people have fled the region – fearful of an expected ground assault.  — AFP

Print Friendly

Mismanaged approach, complex cockpit cited in Asiana crash

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 04:35 PM PDT

WASHINGTON: A mismanaged approach for landing in a highly automated cockpit was the probable cause of last July's crash of a South Korean airliner in San Francisco, US investigators said Tuesday.

Three young Chinese citizens died and 182 people suffered injuries when Asiana Flight 214 from Seoul clipped a sea wall with its landing gear, then crashed and burst into flames, in the first commercial airliner disaster in the United States since 2009.

"In this investigation, we have learned that pilots must understand and command automation, and not become over-reliant on it," said acting chairman Christopher Hart of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

"The pilot must always be the boss," added Hart, a licensed pilot himself, at the end of a day-long NTSB hearing that concluded the federal agency's probe into the July 6, 2013 disaster.

While the Boeing 777 was in the hands of "a seasoned flight crew with a good safety record, they misunderstood the automated systems at their command," Hart said.

The NTSB, which never explicitly assigns blame, refrained from explicitly accusing the Asiana crew of pilot error.

Instead, it cited a long and varied list of contributing factors, from the Boeing 777's automated throttle system to pilot fatigue and jet lag after an otherwise routine 10-1/2 hour trans-Pacific hop.

Investigators testified that captain Lee Kang-Kuk, a seasoned Airbus A320 pilot transitioning to the bigger Boeing 777, cut the autopilot on final approach into San Francisco, where the instrument landing system was out of service on a clear sunny day.

Doing so put the auto-throttle on hold, meaning it would no longer automatically control airspeed, explained investigator-in-chief Bill English.

When the jet dipped below the correct glide path, Lee reacted by pulling the nose up – but the auto-throttle, still on hold, failed to deliver an expected burst of engine power that would have enabled the airliner to make the runway. — AFP

Print Friendly

Ukraine seeks Putin help to save truce

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 04:30 PM PDT

LAVYANSK, Ukraine: Ukraine's new Western-backed leader sought urgent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday after rebels shot down an army helicopter despite ceasefire orders from their own commander to observe a fragile truce.

The death of nine servicemen outside the pro-Russian stronghold city of Slavyansk and loss of two other soldiers in attacks by separatist gunmen prompted Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to threaten to unleash a powerful new military campaign in the industrial east.

An AFP team in Slavyansk heard a new wave of shelling being launched by Ukrainian forces who have effectively surrounded the devastated city of nearly 120,000 yesterday morning.

Their push was met with extended rounds of anti-aircraft and heavy machinegun fire that echoed through deserted city streets.

"This is the calm before the storm that begins once the ceasefire ends," said a 42-year-old rebel who is simply known to his unit as 'Oleksandr the Soldier'.

Poroshenko's threat of retaliation dealt a crushing blow to budding hopes of the sides mediating an end to 11 weeks of fighting that has killed more than 435 people and brought the ex-Soviet nation to the brink of collapse.

Kiev's temporary ceasefire was picked up by separatist commanders on Monday but was due to expire on Friday morning after just one round of inconclusive and indirect talks.

Putin urged both sides to extend the truce and further asked parliament to revoke his March 1 authorisation to invade his western neighbour in a self-proclaimed bid to 'protect ethnic Russians from the nationalists now in power in Kiev.

The Kremlin said Putin was seeking to encourage dialogue that could help bridge the worst standoff in East-West relations since the Cold War.

But Kiev and Washington accuse Putin of covertly arming the rebels in retaliation for the February ouster of a pro-Russian administration that abruptly ditched an historic EU agreement and preferred closer ties with Moscow instead.

Poroshenko will sign the final chapters of that pact in Brussels on Friday despite Kremlin threats to follow up a cut in gas deliveries it imposed on June 16 with punishing trade restrictions.

The Ukrainian leader now hopes that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will join him on a conference call to Putin that could decide the immediate faith of diplomatic efforts to resolve Ukraine's worst crisis since its independence in 1991.

The crumbling hopes for a quick solution will also confront Nato foreign ministers when they huddle in Brussels amid pleas from ex-Soviet satellite nations for the Alliance to beef up its military presence along Russia's western frontier.

The meeting will also see US Secretary of State John Kerry conduct his first bilateral talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin — a veteran diplomat who had represented Poroshenko in closed door negotiations with Russia that resulted in Kiev's decision to call a temporary truce.

The current negotiations are being led by an unusual assortment of figures who include former Ukrainian leader Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Medvedchuk — the one-time chief of staff of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych who is currently on a US sanctions list.

Medvedchuk's presence at the first and only round of negotiations between the rebels and Kiev on Monday evening created huge controversy in Ukraine.

He unofficially represents the separatist cause but is seen to be so close to Putin that his daughter is rumoured to have the Russian strongman as a godfather.

Some analysts believe Putin trusts Medvedchuk enough to believe he will lead negotiations that result in the Kremlin preserving its influence over eastern Ukraine.

But the Kremlin chief would also like to be seen as a proponent of dialogue to avoid painful economic sanctions that both Washington and the European Union have threatened to unleash unless Putin took immediate steps to promote peace.

The White House said it was encouraged both by Putin's latest steps and the rebels' acceptance of Poroshenko's temporary ceasefire.

"That said, in the coming days … it is actions, not just words, that will be critical," White House spokesman Josh Earnest added.

But the Mi-8 helicopter's downing on Tuesday underscores the limited control both Russia and senior rebel leaders have over some militia units that are apparently operating according to their own rules on the battlefield. — AFP

Print Friendly