FIFA has finally acknowledged that there may be something wrong with the Jabulani World Cup ball, but won't act on the problem until after the tournament.
Many players have likened the Jabulani to a 'supermarket ball', saying it is too unpredictable and flies through the air too easily.
"We're not deaf," FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Saturday at a news conference. Valcke said that FIFA will discuss the matter with coaches and teams after the World Cup, then meet with manufacturer Adidas.
Denmark defender Daniel Agger said the ball made some outfielders look like 'drunken sailors'.
The Jabulani could create even more problems in the knockout phase beginning Saturday, since games could be decided by penalty shootouts.
Many players have likened the Jabulani to a 'supermarket ball', saying it is too unpredictable and flies through the air too easily.
"We're not deaf," FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Saturday at a news conference. Valcke said that FIFA will discuss the matter with coaches and teams after the World Cup, then meet with manufacturer Adidas.
Denmark defender Daniel Agger said the ball made some outfielders look like 'drunken sailors'.
The Jabulani could create even more problems in the knockout phase beginning Saturday, since games could be decided by penalty shootouts.
"The balls have changed over the last couple of years, they have become a lot faster and in addition to that, in Johannesburg, we are playing at an altitude of 1700 metres, which makes the ball even faster," former Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said.
"Thus the goalkeepers work even harder, but I don't think that we can take the ball or the altitude as excuses."
"Thus the goalkeepers work even harder, but I don't think that we can take the ball or the altitude as excuses."
No comments:
Post a Comment