NY Coed Soccer

INTERVIEW: Guus Hiddink

New Russia manager Guus Hiddink talks to the Guardian about his Eastern mission, liaisons with Roman Abramovich and riding his Harley:  Hiddink

Materazzi Breaks Zidane Silence

Marco Materazzi has finally explained what he said to Zinedine Zidane before he was headbutted by the Frenchman during Italy's World Cup final victory. Zidane was sent off for the attack and later claimed he was provoked after Materazzi had insulted his mother.

But Materazzi told Gazzetta dello Sport that Zidane's sister was the subject.

He said: "I was tugging his shirt, he said to me 'if you want my shirt so much I'll give it to you afterwards,' I answered that I'd prefer his sister."

Materazzi added: "It's not a particularly nice thing to say, I recognise that. But loads of players say worse things. I didn't even know he had a sister before all this happened."

The French press has depicted the Zidane-Materazzi incident as the culmination of years of Italian cheating and gamesmanship, and the desire to see Italian arrogance quashed is palpable. The chance comes on Wednesday evening as the two countries meet in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

"Italy won on penalties," Lillian Thuram reminded reporters over the weekend. "That doesn't mean they are the best team in the world, nor even that they were the best team in the tournament. The greatest matches of this World Cup featured France more than any other side."

"The two-match ban given to Marco was a scandalous compromise. It was an absurd precedent and totally unacceptable," countered Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was also unhappy at French claims that the better side lost in June. "We must prove that it wasn't just by chance that we beat them in Berlin."

"I know we usually complain after losses," mused Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, "but they do it even more. Italy is second to France in that."

FIFA Announce World Rankings...

... and apparently Brazil are still the number one team in the world, even though they departed Germany 2006 at the quarter-finals.

England find themselves in 5th position, ahead of Portugal and Germany. Nigeria - who didn't qualify for the World Cup - are Africa's highest ranked nation in 11th place.

The US has fallen to 23rd, finding themselves one place behind Guinea.

For a full listing of FIFA's rankings, including those teams at the bottom:  FIFA Rankings

International Friendly Round-Up

It was not so long ago that Steve McClaren was finishing bottom of fan polls during the FA’s cack-handed search for Sven-Göran Eriksson’s successor as head coach, but each of his journeys along the touchline at a buoyant Old Trafford last night brought only applause and high-fives:  England 4-0 Greece

The reaction of the Greek newspapers to last night's performance:  Greek Reaction

Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland suffered their worst home defeat since losing 4-1 to Denmark in 1985 when a rampant Holland underlined the alarming weaknesses in Steve Staunton's side.

For a full list of last night's games:  Round-Up

FIFA Announce New Rankings

FIFA announce their new world rankings and unsurprisinlgy the US plummets to 16th. Brazil still remain number one but, for some reason, England rise to 5th finding themselves above Portugal (8th) and Germany (9th).

World Champions Italy have to be content with 2nd.

To find out who is bottom of the rankings and a full list:  FIFA Rankings

TODAY'S TOP STORY

Who Needs the World Cup? Not Scotland. Not when they have the Kirin Cup to play for – an annual three-nation jamboree organized in Japan by the Kirin Corporation.

Earlier in the week Japan’s World Cup preparations suffered a setback with a 2-1 loss at the hands of Bulgaria. This morning, the Eastern Europeans took on manager Walter Smith’s all-singing, all-dancing Tartan Army. And his side provided a performance that will have a few nations relieved that Scotland will be missing in Germany.

The resurgent, rampant and downright sexy Scots (are there any other kind?) illustrated football at its most beautiful with a 5-1 demolition of the Bulgars. Young Rangers starlets Kris Boyd (right) and Chris Burke, both making their international debuts, grabbed a brace each with James McFadden of Everton providing the cherry on the top of this perfectly iced Scottish cake.

The message from today’s game is clear: Watch Out World. Scotland Are Coming Back!!

Nothing Wrong With Being Average...

... that's what NY Coed's mom used to say all those years ago. And she was right. Look at us now. Perhaps that's why our resume should have winged its way to those bungling fools at the English Football Association. After the vaudeville of last week and their attempts to get Big Phil to sign on the dotted line, it appears they have now settled on Mr Mediocre, Steve McClaren. But that's all England need. Someone who can do the basics. And on a cheap salary:  Mr Perfectly Capable

With Steve McClaren's appointment set to be confirmed in the next few days, many are wondering why former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has found himself on the sidelines. Simply, it appears as though he wasn't able to tell the English FA what it wanted to hear. And oh, O'Neill didn't carry a laptop. And he is too old-fashioned:  Martin O’Neill

It's A Big Phil Special

Hold the celebrations. Or don’t get too despondent just yet. For Big Phil Scolari has yet to say “yes” to England and, indeed, may not do so. Especially now he’s getting a taste of the media scrum that will surround him. The English sports pages, after all, are not renowned for kindness or for listening to pleas for privacy:  "I’m Just Like Anybody Else”

Naturally, we’re keen on him accepting the offer. If only for his soundbites. Example:

“Well one's white and the other's black" - when asked by English journalists to compare Wayne Rooney to Pele during Euro 2004.

Meanwhile, in Portugal, emotions run high:  Crisis

And jingoism runs rampant in England as a muppet of an EPL chairman calls the potential appointment “A betrayal of Englishmen and England fans”:  English Reaction

Not that the Brazilian will be too bothered. There is also one person’s opinion that really matters. And that’s Olga’s:  Meet the Wife

England Offer Job To Big Phil

Disregarding the clamour for an Englishman to assume the managerial role of the country, the English Football Association have offered the job to Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, who is currently the coach of Portugal:  Big Phil

Two Horse Race For England Job

Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari (right) is one of the two candidates lined up for the England job. An announcement may come as soon as Wednesday:  England Appointment