By RYAN TOLMICH
After weeks of outside clamoring, FIFA are finally set to issue a statement regarding the investigations surrounding the 2022 World Cup.
The FIFA ethics committee is expected to finally speak out this week with regards to the details surrounding corruption allegations stemming from the tournament’s bidding process.
Adjudicatory chamber chairman Hans Joachim-Eckert confirmed last month that his statement would be “an overview of the investigation report, a summary of the main findings, conclusions and recommendations, as well as a brief evaluation of the same”.
The statement is expected to be a summary of the report issued by American Michael J. Garcia, who investigated corruption surrounding the next two World Cups. Two this point, both Qatar and Russia have denied any wrong doing.
Here are some more news and notes to kickoff your Monday morning:
BECKHAM’S SON SIGNS PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT WITH ARSENAL
Roughly 23 years after signing his first deal, David Beckham can now count his son among the fraternity of professional soccer players.
Brooklyn Beckham signed his first professional contract Sunday with Arsenal despite interest from Chelsea, Fulham and even his father’s former club, Manchester United. The 15-year-old will join the Gunners on a short-term deal.
“Brooklyn is talented and he has stood out in all of the training sessions and games he has played,” a club source told The Daily Star. “He has had other teams sniffing around and it was always going to be a case of when, not if, he was signed up by a big-name club.
“Arsenal realise he can be a huge talent. They have seen that potential and protected their asset. The club has signed him, fending off interest from Manchester United and Chelsea in the meantime. Next summer we may see him sign a big-money deal and with Arsenal.”TEVEZ REVEALS THAT HE PLANNED STUNNING GOAL
Shortly after scoring Sunday’s goal-of-the-year candidate, Carlos Tevez that the whole sequence was one that was planned.
The Juventus forward’s stunning play in the club’s 7-0 routing of Parma created headlines, as the Argentine darted and dodged a slew of Parma defenders with a Diego Maradona-like run before finally finishing.
“I knew that I just had to free myself from my marker,” Tevez said. “Then I just had to win another one-on-one and shift the ball to the right. I knew which way to send it past the goalkeeper because I was coming so fast at him that he had no chance of diving. It was all planned.
“It’s been a beautiful week for me and returning to the national team now is my reward.”
Tevez’s coach, Massimiliano Allegri, praised his forward, who is set to finally rejoin the Argentina National Team for the international break.
“It was a great game from the lads,” Allegri said. “Tevez’s goal was extraordinary, both in technical terms and for the character he showed.
“He needed that because he’s not scored for a while now, but he’s an example for the way he works hard in training and this is the best way for him to celebrate a thoroughly deserved call-up to the national team.”
QUICK KICKS
Swedish legend Henrik Larsson has stepped down as stepped down as coach of Falkenberg after the club’s “most successful season ever”. (REPORT)
Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne will miss out on the rest of the season following knee surgery. (REPORT)
Emmanuel Adebayor admitted that he’d rather play away from home due to Tottenham fans’ constant negativity. (REPORT)
Borussia Dortmund’s Socrates will miss two-and-a-half weeks with a broken fibula. (REPORT)
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What do you expect to hear from the report? How will Brooklyn Beckham fare with Arsenal? What did you think of Tevez’s goal?
Share your thoughts below.
I cringe every time I read that kid’s name. How do you name your kid after a place that you visited once?
Well tell me how do people support a team whole heartedly from a place that they a) visited once or b) never been to before
Sentimentality. Maybe it’s the same reason Becks and Posh named their kid Brooklyn. That’s a big part of it, anyway. Same reason you try a beer or a food in a foreign country and you say, “They’ve got the best [fill in the blank] in that country!” Do they really? Probably not*, but you associate the food or soccer team or place you boned (?) with that fun trip abroad.
*If you tried beer in Belgium, perhaps you’re right to claim they’ve got the best beer there.
I believe he was conceived in Brooklyn
No, he was conceived in Posh.
Both of the above statements are TRUE!
Brooklyn was part of the Galaxy Academy, but I never saw him play. Anyone care to speculate how much of his signing is based on talent and how much is based purely on his last name?
CAP BECKHAM
CAPS LOCK BECKHAM
“I would like to commend Michael Garcia and his team for doing a complete and thorough investigation and a comprehensive overview of the bidding process for both the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups. We have found a number of items which will be reviewed with the highest integrity by the Ethics Committee and actions will be determined. Of course, there are other items which cannot be revealed due to confidentiality and ethical clauses in the FIFA statutes and those we cannot discuss publicly. This report shows that FIFA has the highest ethical standards and we look forward to implementing its recommendations.”
I expect a big wind bag statement like that, praising itself and generally saying nothing. Yawn.
Like they’re going to do anything. I’m not holding my breath for this announcement.
Why bother at all. The people that run FIFA and their “ethics committee” can be put in the same category as Putin in Russia, Kim in No. Korea, and so on.