Fabio Capello puts the blame on the new ball in the world cup
Whenever a team loses the blame normally comes down on referees or other factors in the game. Especially when one of the teams involved is England. This time the England boss Fabio Capello has put the blame not on referees but the new ball used in the world cup, and Capello has said it is by far the worst ball he has ever seen.
The Jabulani(ball being used in the world cup) has been the topic of debate way before the world cup started. It received huge criticism from all corners, mostly from goal keepers, who complained that the ball deviates too much in the air, and the movement is handicapped. Adding that it not only deviates in the air the flight of the ball is also unpredictable.
Capello said the ball is simply terrible for players in the middle of the park, and for keepers it is a nightmare.
While on the other hand, FIFA the world governing body, has time and again defended the new ball, and said that it has been rigorously tested, and there are no flaws in the ball.
The name of the football “Jabulani”, has been taken from a Zulu word which essentially means "to celebrate", the ball was first made available in February, and the first big test of the new ball was in the African Cup of Nations. It was also used in several domestic leagues around the world. Germany’s Bundesliga was one of the top European leagues which used the new ball. While Argentina were the biggest league in South America to try out the new ball. United states was another big country to do the same.
The English Premier League (one of the biggest leagues in world football) refused to use the ball. They had a contract with Nike, rivals of Adidas, who are the manufacturers of Jabulani. Even though, the ball was tested in their own backyard at the Loughborough University.
Adidas have continued to defend their product by saying that, the altitude in South Africa has got a lot to do with the deviation and flight of the ball, and the teams should have practiced a bit more before the World Cup to get accustomed to the new ball.
Regardless of all that England manager Capello, believes that the ball is having negative effect in the matches.
Capello said that at time the ball is just impossible to get hold of, and constant control is essential for any player to have a good game.
England’s boss is of the opinion that when the ball is played along the ground in short passes, it does not do anything out of the ordinary. But as soon as long passes are brought in to play and long distance shots, the ball starts behaving in an unusual manner, which most or in fact all of the players are not used to, creating a big disadvantage.
England played USA in their first match of the World Cup, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. England’s new captain, Steven Gerrard had given his team the lead early in the game, but a horror mistake from England keeper Robert Green allowed Clint Dempsey to level the match.
The English keeper refused to blame the ball for the error, but did say that the ball did move unexpectedly once it left Dempsey’s foot.
England’s former coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson who is now in charge of Ivory Coast, has joined in the long list of managers voicing their disagreement with the new ball; Erikson believes that goal keepers should be consulted when a new ball designed for international tournaments.
Erikson said that but now it is too late to do anything about it.
He added that regardless of what happens in the rest of the world cup, next time whenever a new ball is designed, teams and goalkeepers should be taken in to confidence, as they are the one who are on the receiving end more times then not.
England’s other goalkeeper David James, Gianluigi Buffon from Italy and Spain’s number one Iker Casillas were 3 major goalkeepers who openly criticised the Jabulani way before the world cup.
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