SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2014 Southampton in crisis; Match-fixing ‘major problem’ in Greece Lambert heads for exit BERNE: Match-fixing is a “major problem” in Greece where 12.8 percent of players interviewed in a recent survey said SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton Football they had been approached and asked to manipulate a game Club yesterday resembled not so much a in the last year. The survey, conducted by Birbeck, University side in repose after a record-breaking sea- of London on behalf of the world players’ union FIFPro, said it son, but rather a carcass of a club being cir- was also a major problem in Italy, although the number of cled by vultures as news broke that England cases that have been exposed may have been a sign of will- striker Rickie Lambert was headed for ingness to tackle the problem. Liverpool. Only weeks after ending their Footballers in England, meanwhile, said they did not English Premier League campaign with a believe that match-fixing had affected the game. None of club-record 56 points, Saints find them- those questioned said they had been approached to fix a selves managerless and on the cusp of an match in the last year or had any reason to believe that any exodus threatening to rip the heart out of matches in their league had been manipulated during that one of last season’s most exciting teams. period. Around 1,500 first and second division players in Lambert, who spearheaded England, Scotland, Greece, Slovenia, Finland, Italy, Hungary Southampton’s revival from League One to and Romania were interviewed in the survey as part of the Premier League, is expected to undergo FIFPro’s “Don’t Fix it” campaign. a medical on Saturday, after Liverpool The campaign was started in 2012 to educate players agreed to a fee said to be four million about match-fixing and tackle the causes which lead them to pounds. The 32-year-old could be con- accepting offers to get involved. Among 17 questions on firmed a Liverpool player within 48 hours, match-fixing and gambling, players were asked if they had local media reported, as the Reds want the ever played in a game later identified as having been fixed; if deal wrapped up before he flies to Miami Argentinean manager Mauricio Pochettino they had been approached and asked to fix a match in the last year; and if they had any reason to believe matches in with England on Monday to continue World the table, forcing his way into Roy Clyne and Dejan Lovren - the latter being their league had been fixed in the last year. Cup preparations. The news of Lambert’s Hodgson’s World Cup squad at the same the third Southampton player to be linked In Greece, 29 players, or 13.7 percent of those interviewed, impending move came on the day time. But it is the broader signal his depar- with Liverpool. As British media whipped said they had played in matches which had been fixed, with Southampton reminded fans of their dead- ture would make which is most worrying for itself into a frenzy regarding further transfer nine of those saying they were suspicious at the time, and line to renew season tickets for St Mary’s supporters. While few would begrudge him speculation at the south coast club, the 12.8 percent had been approached in the last year. Sixty-four stadium. this move at this stage in his career - a move Daily Mail reported that Saints’ Kenyan mid- percent said they had reason to believe that games in their A Twitter reminder of the May 30 dead- to Anfield would be a dream come true for fielder Victor Wanyama wants to follow league had been fixed in the last year. This was far higher line was peppered with replies from fans - the Liverpool-born player who was released Pochettino to Spurs. than any other country and compared to 13.6 percent for some ironic, most abusive - as they came to by his hometown club at the age of 15 - the The Southampton board this week Romania, 11.8 percent for Italy and 10.4 percent for Slovenia. terms with the reality of a disintegrating loss of the striker will be a bitter blow to a spoke of acting swiftly to replace Pochettino “The results...indicate that match-fixing is a major problem in team. “Yet again, roll over, and get our belly club reeling from manager Mauricio with a top-notch manager, but until they do Greece,” said the survey. tickled. Embarrassed...” one fan posting as Pochettino’s departure this week. The so there appears little the club can do to “The staggering number of players who had reason to BracknellSaint wrote on Southampton Argentine left Saints for the deeper pockets stem this PR disaster. Feyenoord head believe that matches in their league has been fixed in the newspaper the Daily Echo’s website. of Tottenham Hotspur and Lambert’s exit coach Ronald Koeman was the latest big past 12 months is remarkable...this piece of evidence, while “...totally cheesed off with #SaintsFC,” will further rock the destabilized South name to be linked with the club after his uncorroborated as it stands, should alert the football authori- another fan calling himself Saintjeff posted Coast side. Fans had been braced for skip- agent told Southampton newspaper the ties to investigate further.” In Italy, where dozens of players on Twitter. “Joke Club, Joke Management. per Adam Lallana and left-back Luke Shaw Echo that the 51-year-old former Dutch have been banned following the Calcioscommesse scandal in Other Clubs tearing us up”. Lambert’s to leave over the summer. Both also feature international would be keen to discuss the the second and third divisions, 11.8 percent of players said record of a goal every other game for in England’s World Cup squad and Lallana is vacancy. But the new man - whether it be they believed matches might have been fixed in the last year. Southampton (114 in 228 appearances) also a target of Liverpool, while Manchester Koeman, ex-Basel coach Murat Yakin or “The significant number of cases that have come to light in speaks for itself, and he will be sorely missed United are linked with a move for Shaw. somebody closer to home - may find him- the past year may well reflect on Italian football’s desire to on the pitch. Worse news could be in store for the self with only the bare bones of a team tackle match-fixing rather than be indicative of a growing managerless club, however, as Pochettino is unless they can find a way to halt an problem,” said the survey. “Nevertheless, it shows that Broader signal said to be keen on taking another England impending exodus in its tracks and repel the match-fixing is still a major issue in Italy.” He rattled in 13 league goals for the Saint Jay Rodriguez to Spurs, while suitors cash being thrown at them by the Premier Saints last season as they finished eighth in are circling around defenders Nathaniel League’s big spenders. — Reuters Finland threat In Finland, 20 percent of players said they had taken part in a match later identified as fixed, although only 9.2 percent Real Madrid punished UAE submits bid to said they had reason to believe matches had been fixed in for fans racist behavior the last 12 months. “The significant number of players who host 2019 Asian Cup have played in a match that has since been identified as fixed, and the number who believe that matches in their NYON: Champions League winner Real Madrid was punished by UEFA yesterday for racist behavior by its fans during a semifinal DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates have submitted a bid league have been fixed in the past 12 months suggests that match against Bayern Munich. Two sections of the Santiago to host the expanded 2019 Asian Cup, the Asian Football match-fixing remains a serious threat despite the welcome Bernabeu stadium - sectors 120 and 122 - will be closed for the Confederation has said, with competition expected to absence of any recent cases,” said the survey. Singaporean club’s first home match in the Champions League group stage next come from Saudi Arabia and Iran. Yesterday was the national Wilson Raj Perumal was sentenced to two years in season. “Real Madrid are obliged to display a banner with the word- deadline for countries to submit their proposals to host prison and nine soccer players, seven Zambians and two ing ‘No to Racism’ in those sectors,” UEFA said. UEFA did not specify the tournament for Asia’s best 24 international sides, Georgians, were given suspended sentences in 2011. The details of the racist abuse during Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Bayern which expands from 16 after next year’s event in court said Perumal was part of a group that tried to fix match- on April 23. Madrid won the second leg 4-0 in Munich. Australia. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran had all previ- es played by the Rovaniemi club between June 2008 and Madrid beat city rival Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time to win ously stated their intentions to host the Asian showpiece, February 2011. its 10th European title last Saturday. It marks the latest racial abuse which was previously held in Qatar in 2011. “We are hon- The report was encouraged by figures in Hungary, where incident in Spain in recent months, including two cases involving ored to have this opportunity to personally come to AFC few players (1.6 percent) had been approached, and worried Atletico.