SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - HIDDINK PLAYS RUSSIAN ROULETTE

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

SIGNS WITH CHELSEA - The rumors can be put to rest as to who will be the replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari who was sacked Monday - The payback issue factored into the move as Guus Hiddink's ties with the Russian national side and his salary has been partly financed by Chelsea owner Roman Ambramovich for the past three years. - FIFA TOP 10

Saturday February 14, 2009

FOUR MANAGERS DOWN HOW MANY TO GO?

The rumors can be put to rest as to who will be the replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari who was fired Monday as Chelsea's next manager now that Russian national team manager Guus Hiddink has signed with the Blues on an interim basis until the end of this English Premiere League season basis until the end of the English Premiere League season for a reported £1 million a month. He is scheduled to take charge of the club in a game against Aston Villa February 21.

At the time of the dismissal Chelsea's aging club was in fourth place 10 points behind the leaders Manchester United. The move was made due to the team's poor performance and disharmony in the locker room with several players being cited as problematic including Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Petr Cech.

The payback issue factored into Hiddink's move due to his managing the Russian national side with his Russian national team salary has been partly financed by Chelsea owner Roman Ambramovich for the past three years. At this point the odds are in Hiddink's favor that he won't be the next causality of the Russian roulette bullets that Ambramovich uses when he fires his managers now totaling four since he purchased the club In June 2003.

The most controversial of all the sackings was that of Jose Mourinho who did it all by winning two EPL titles and seldom losing while he was in charge. AmbRAMOvich (not RAMBO) felt that wasn't good enough as he preferred to have a more attacking style of play implemented. Mourinho preferred to run the club his way and continue their winning ways thus creating friction between the two. As the saying goes money talks and bull$#!t walks and RAMO has the money and gave the special one his walking papers. As RAMO was to later realize is that Mourinho's style of winning was not bull$#!t it was the real deal.

RAMO also likes to sign players without consulting the manager which also created conflict with Mourinho. It is argued that Abramovich's involvement with Chelsea has distorted the football transfer market throughout Europe, as his wealth often allows the club to purchase players virtually at will (frequently at inflated prices), without regard for the effects on the club's financial future, as was seen in 2005 when he allegedly offered AC Milan a world record fee of £89.8M for the then European Footballer of the Year, striker Andriy Shevchenko. Shevchenko eventually joined Chelsea in 2006 for a British record transfer fee of around £30m. That signing proved to be a mistake as Shevchenko never fulfilled his promise and has moved on. The club recently reported a loss of $95 million during their past financial year.

The spending has, to some extent, seen wealth redistributed throughout the game, with the combined fee of £12.5m paid to West Ham United for Glen Johnson and Joe Cole helping to avert administration.

Since that Mourinho RAMO separation RAMO hired his friend Avram Grant who led the side to a second place finish in the league and the face off in the Champions League title game against the EPL titlists Manchester United only to lose in a penalty shoot-out when John Terry and Nicholas Anelka missed their attempts. For RAMO his friendship was over with Grant as he spun his weapons barrel and unfortunately Grant was hit with the your fired bullet. It was a case of what have you done for me lately and is in stark contrast of the lyrics to the song 'That's What Friends Are For.'

In the year ending June 2005, Chelsea posted record losses of £140 million and the club was not expected to record a trading profit before 2010, though this did decrease to reported losses of £80.2 million year ending June 2006. Now with his additional payoffs to Grant and Scolari as well as the signing fee for Hiddink the financial situation for profitability at Chelsea only worsens. It raises the question what does RAMO want?

He had his cake he ate it too but that wasn't enough. Since Mourinho's departure and two managers later he still hasn't found peace of mind of what he wants to do with the club. In the process the once healthy mental stability and harmony that existed under Mourinho is gone as there has been turmoil in the locker room with players expressing being unhappy with Israeli Grant and now Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Though Hiddink is making his payback for Ambramovich's support of his Russian national team salary and the Dutchman's now personal relationship with the Russian football program is that enough for Hiddink to commit beyond this season and possibly lose his mind with a club owner who enjoys playing Russian Roulette? Stay tuned…

Part 1 - Scolari Given The Poison Pill

FIFA TOP 10 - No movement in the top ten

Panama in the top 50 for the first time - Of the 57 matches played, 26 were friendlies, while 31 were qualifying matches for continental championships – 14 played in the CONCACAF region and 17 in the AFC region. The UNCAF Nations Cup had a big impact on the top 50

After a slow start to the year, things have started to pick up, with a total of 57 “A” matches being played since the last FIFA World Ranking in January. With none of the top teams taking part in any of these matches, however, there have been no changes within the top 10 this month. Spain still lead by a clear margin, followed by Germany , the Netherlands , Italy , Brazil and Argentina . Newly ranked within the top 20 are Romania , who have gained four places (17th, up 4).

Of the 57 matches played, 26 were friendlies, while 31 were qualifying matches for continental championships – 14 played in the CONCACAF region and 17 in the AFC region. The UNCAF Nations Cup had a big impact on the top 50 this month, with the two finalists – Costa Rica (38th, up 9) and Panama (50th, up 33) – moving up the ranks. Making history, Panama not only secured their first victory in this competition, but also succeeded in gaining a place among the world’s 50 best teams for the first time.

Notable winners outside the top 50 include Bahrain (74th, up 15), Benin (81st, up 18), Bermuda (116th, up 15) and Nicaragua (132nd, up 50). Qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time ever, Nicaragua are the biggest movers this month, securing their highest placing since the inception of the FIFAWorld Ranking, together with Australia (27th, up 2), Gambia (73rd, up 2) and Montenegro (111th, up 2).

* Leader Spain (1, unchanged)

* Moves into top 10 none

* Moves out of top 10 none

* Matches played in total 56 (plus 1 from 2008)

* Most matches played El Salvador , Honduras (6 each)

* Biggest move by points Nicaragua (plus 176 points)

* Biggest move by ranks Nicaragua (132, plus 50)

* Biggest drop by points Egypt (minus 230 points)

* Biggest drop by ranks Cuba , Zambia (minus 16 each)

* Newly ranked teams none

* Teams that are no longer ranked none

FIFA TOP 10 for February, 2009

Rank -- Team -- Points

1. Spain - 1693

2. Germany - 1403

3. Netherlands - 1357

4. Italy - 1318

5. Brazil - 1248

6. Argentina - 1181

7. Croatia 1175

8. England - 1136

9. Russia - 1119

10. Turkey - 1040

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