SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - FIFA'S BLATTER TO RUN AGAIN - CAMBODIAN FOOTBALL'S DECLINE Part 2

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

FIFA president Blatter to seek another four-year term at the world governing body's congress in 2011 - Since the departure of manager Joachim Fickert in January 2003 the Cambodian national team has fallen from what little grace they had and are not as competitive as in the past

Thursday June 17, 2010

BLATTER ON THE RUN AGAIN

FIFA president Sepp Blatter stated that he will seek reelection as FIFA president for another four-year term at the world governing body's congress in 2011. Blatter 74 has held the post since 1998. The job is believed to pay US $1 million a month. His term in office has been beset with allegations of corruption.

"I am going to be frank and direct. I haven't finished my job," said Blatter. "I'm still motivated, not only motivated, I want to do it" Blatter added by saying "working for the youth is my mission." Friday, June 11, 2010

CAMBODIAN FOOTBALL'S DECLINE - Part 2

As North Korea proved with their 2-1 defeat at the hands of world number 1 Brazil in their World Cup opener you don't have to be a rich nation to be competitive. What is required is a constructive, progressive program. Korea DPR is the lowest ranked nation in the World Cup at 105 just one spot above Thailand. With that said Cambodia has had time to develop a progressive program but just the opposite is happening as it is in regression.

Since the departure of manager Joachim Fickert in January 2003 the Cambodian national team has fallen from what little grace they had and are not as competitive as before. This month Cambodia had the biggest drop in the FIFA ratings falling 14 spots from 171 to 185. Once again the Cambodia Football Federation is searching for another manger.

There have been many managers since the German's contract was not renewed in January 2003. The latest Khmer causality is Australian Scott O'Donell who has had two terms with the team. After his initial contract he was granted a two year renewal in 2005. He departed in 2008 and returned last year on a one year agreement. Like Fickert, O'Donell's current contract will also not be renewed.

On the ASEAN football website O'Donell has been noted as stating that he was unhappy that the Federation didn't obtain enough friendly games for the side. That's an SOS signal as Fickert had the same problem but put himself to the task of securing them with club sides in Cambodia the likes of NAGA Security Company and a 13-0 victory over a team from Svay Rieng province. Those sides failed to provide stiff competition but the national team did get a run and a sweat.

It would be foolish to think Cambodia's current squad could give China a competitive match as they did in a 2001 World Cup qualifying match . China failed to qualify for this World Cup but did defeat France 1-0 in a friendly World Cup warm up game earlier this month.

The current Cambodian side lacks a player with the quality and stature of Hok Sochetra who was one of the best strikers in the ASEAN during his career having registered 42 goals in 65 games. He exited the national team and took a day job because he wasn't making any money as a national team member. He married and started a family which eliminated his opportunity to play in Vietnam or elsewhere as several top ASEAN players have done as well as some Khmer footballers.

When Fickert was at the helm the players received $100 a month salary. That was reduced to $60 resulting in him paying the difference out of his pocket. When the Federation failed to pay the players Fickert did so out of his pocket. When his contract wasn't renewed he was owed over US$70,000 by the Federation that was eventually repaid after his departure over a period of time.

Fickert also left the Federation his Land Cruiser which was used by Federation members, coaches and eventually O'Donell. As Fickert says it was in the agreement when he took on the job through the German Football Association that the vehicle would be donated to the Cambodian Federation upon his departure.

When ESPN sports analyst Scott O'Donell took over in 2005 just two plus years after Fickert's exit the players were only being paid $20 a month which is barely enough to pay for fuel to get to practice. O'Donell said he got them a raise to $30 a month. How money is spent remains a question. During Ficket's reign FIFA pledged the Federation one million dollars over a 4-year period.

It was published in the Cambodia Daily that Khek and the Federation president and Sao Sokha intended to travel to Europe and the USA to recruit players with Cambodian heritage to strengthen the squad. Sokha is also a high ranking military police officer.

The logical question is what could be the enticement be for someone with a Khmer heritage to leave a country in the western world and come to Cambodia a country overwhelmed with its financial hardships and a football federation with a history of paying the players no or very little money?

The next logical question is could the money to travel to those countries to recruit be better served paying the players on the team a better wage so they could feed themselves, have enough money to pay for petrol to go to practice and be in better mental, physical and competitive condition? You do the logic.

CONTINUED - CAMBODIAN FOOTBALLL'S DECLINE Part 3

CAMBODIAN FOOTBALLL'S DECLINE Part 1