SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - MAN CITY DEAL WENT KAKA

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KaKa stepped up and became a role model for doing things right and valuing integrity and loyalty when he turned down a reported US $158 million transfer fee and US$500,000 a week wages - RONALDO SECOND IN THE TOP NEWS OF THE MONTH - NBA TRIVIA - FIFA TOP 10 - Go To FOOTBALLS TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

Sunday January 25, 2009

KAKA a Role Model For Doing Things Right

In an age of a lack of integrity in football KaKa stepped up and became a role model for doing things right and valuing integrity and loyalty when he turned down a reported US $158 million transfer fee and US$500,000 a week wages to play the beautiful game. City's owners are said to be worth $20 billion but they are finding that money can't buy them love, wins and now KaKa.

It was a bold move for the Brazilian to turn down a chance to join his Brazilian teammate Robinho who did go for the money in his British transfer record 32.5 pound move from Real Madrid in August.

The repercussions resonated around the world when after KaKa's decision Robinho went AWOL to Brazil for his 25th birthday celebration after a bust-up with manager Mark Hughes. That indicates all is not well in Man City land with regards to unity, respect and loyalty. Though Robinho had produced 12 goals for the club prior to his revolt Man City is floundering around in the bottom half of the table.

In a related non loyalty related issue real Madrid's Ramone Calderon resigned amidst vote rigging issues. It was Calderon that started the raiding of players when he went after Ronaldo last summer that infuriated Man U boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

At this point many rumors have been circling about of Roman Ambramovich selling Chelsea and Liverpool being on the availability list. With the was clubs are being sold without discretion raises the question that in this raiding atmosphere are the Somali Pirates eligible to purchase a club in the EPL?

At the FIFA World Player Gala 2008 Cristiano Ronaldo collected his first FIFA World Player title while Marta claimed her third successive FIFA Women’s World Player award at the 18th FIFA World Player Gala at the Zurich Opera House.

Ronaldo had a remarkable 2008, in which he scored 31 goals for Manchester United in the Premier League and propelled his club not only to another league title but also to the UEFA Champions League crown. He performed creditably at international level at UEFA EURO 2008, although Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Ronaldo reaped 935 points in the vote in which the coaches and captains of 155 national teams took part. Argentina ’s Lionel Messi finished second (678 points) and was trailed by Spain ’s Fernando Torres (203), Brazil ’s Kaká (183) and Spain ’s Xavi (155).

Marta delivered an outstanding performance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing 2008, and equaled the record set by Birgit Prinz by claiming her third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Player title. For the women’s vote, 139 coaches and captains cast their vote and Marta won comfortably (1,002 points) ahead of Germany’s Birgit Prinz (328), Brazil’s Cristiane (275), Germany’s Nadine Angerer (198) and England’s Kelly Smith (150). An overview of the complete results can be found on www.FIFA.com

For the first time ever, a distinction was awarded for one of the many development programs supported by FIFA. The purpose of the FIFA Development Award is to recognize the work carried out by FIFA and the 208 FIFA member associations in the area of football development. The Palestinian Football Federation was honored for having maintained, under difficult circumstances, their football organization and their national team. Together with the help of FIFA and some donators, they completed a major refurbishment of the Al-Husseini Stadium, in the city of Al-Ram near Ramallah, which has become the first stadium in the Palestinian territories to meet the requirements to stage an international game. As a result, on 26 October 2008, Palestine were able to play their first international match at home, against Jordan , since the affiliation of their football association to FIFA in 1998.

The FIFA Presidential Award went to women’s football in general in acknowledgment of its tremendous development worldwide. It was presented to the US women’s national team in recognition of their outstanding performances on the field and their immense contribution to increasing the popularity of the women’s game. Amongst others, US women have clinched gold at the Olympics three times (1996, 2004, 2008) and won the FIFA Women’s World Cup twice (1991, 1999), and they were also victorious at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2008. At the Gala, US international midfielder Heather O’Reilly collected the trophy from FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA Vice-president and CONCACAF President Jack A. Warner and Football Committee member Charmaine Hooper.

The FIFA Fair Play Award went to the President and team captain of the Turkish Football Association, Mahmut Özgener and Tuncay Sanli respectively, as well as their counterparts at the Football Federation of Armenia, President Ruben Hayrapetyan and team captain Sargis Hovsepyan. During the 6 September Armenia v. Turkey FIFA World Cup qualification match, the Presidents of both countries shook hands after decades of distrust and diplomatic silence between the two countries.

NBA TRIVIA ANSWER

FRANCE: France (9): Alexis Ajinca, Charlotte Bobcats; Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers; Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns traded to the Charlotte Bobcats; Yakhouba Diawara, Miami Heat; Ian Mahinmi, San Antonio Spurs; Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs; Johan Petro, Oklahoma City Thunder; Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic; Ronny Turiaf, Golden State Warriors

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FIFA TOP 10 - Little movement at the top Spain's lead goes on

14 positions remaining unchanged and Spain retaining a comfortable lead over nearest rivals Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil

After an eventful 2008, in which 1,060 international matches were played, 2009 has started slowly but surely. January’s FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking takes into account the 27 senior international matches played so far this year as well as 20 matches played in the second half of December 2008. This has led to the status quo being preserved at the top of the ranking, with the top 14 positions remaining unchanged and Spain retaining a comfortable lead over nearest rivals Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil.

Indeed, the only climbers in the top 20 are Egypt (15th, up 1) and Nigeria (17th, up 2). Costa Rica (47th, up 6) are the only team currently in the top 50 to have risen more than five places, thus earning a place among the world’s 50 best teams for the first time since July 2007. Lithuania are the only other team to move into the top 50, while the other movers in the ranking are predominantly from Asia or Africa. The Gulf Cup in Oman and the CECAFA Cup in Uganda , both currently under way, are two tournaments that have already had a positive effect on the positions of some of the teams taking part. For example, the Gambia (75th, up 13), Vietnam (138th, up 17) and Somalia (178th, up 22) have all climbed more than 10 places. The remaining matches in these tournaments will be taken into account in the February ranking.

· Leader Spain (1, unchanged)

· Moves into top 10 none

· Moves out of top 10 none

· Matches played in total 47

· Most matches played Bahrain, Oman , Saudi Arabia , United Arab Emirates (5 each)

· Biggest move by points Egypt (plus 80 points)

· Biggest move by ranks Somalia (178, plus 22)

· Biggest drop by points Kenya (minus 71 points)

· Biggest drop by ranks Kenya (84, minus 16)

· Newly ranked teams none

· Teams that are no longer ranked none

FIFA TOP 10 for January, 2009

Rank -- Team -- Points

1. Spain - 1663

2. Germany - 1389

3. Netherlands - 1338

4. Italy - 1326

5. Brazil - 1246

6. Argentina - 1180

7. Croatia 1142

8. England - 1115

9. Russia - 1103

10. Turkey - 1016

The next FIFA World Ranking will be published on February 11, 2009

FIFA