WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 SPORTS

Alcoholism, violence and neglect: Life as Best’s son

LONDON: There’s one place where the which I will always be proud of, there’s a his first wife, Angie, gave birth. Calum’s One trip to London in 1995 was trau- up. memory of George Best is forever of the darker side to it,” he said. “My dad suf- arrival didn’t curb the binges, and the matic. Calum had enough of trailing “I saw in his eyes he wanted to stylish winger who bamboozled defend- fered from a drink problem, which couple separated from George. By 1986, around pubs so returned to his father’s change but he wasn’t able to,” Calum ers and thrilled fans. Immortalized in meant we suffered, which meant our Angie sought to shield Calum from his flat. When George later returned in a said between sips of mineral water in a bronze outside Old Trafford, a statue fea- relationship suffered.” father’s chaotic life, applying for divorce drunken mess, he accused his 14-year- fashionable London hotel. turing Best is as much as a crowd-puller Nothing is off limits in Calum’s book before returning to California after a few old son of having an affair with fiance A bad reaction to medication to con- as the Manchester United icon was in his about his father, which was published years in England. Alex. trol the alcoholism forced George into footballing prime. Monday: violence, neglect and, of George didn’t even turn up to the “You’re not my son,” Calum recalled hospital in 2005. He never left, dying two It’s where Best’s only child now goes course, the extent of the drinking prob- custody hearing, and the sense of aban- being told as his father attacked him. months later when his organs gave up. for a glimpse at what one of the game’s lem. donment felt by Calum is reflected “You’re not even meant to be. I hate you.” “If alcohol didn’t take over he could have first international superstars looked like The focus on the flaws over the foot- throughout the book, as is a constant Reflecting on the night 20 years later, had a whole second chapter that we before alcohol took over his life, and balling exploits in “Second Best” has pursuit of his father’s love and attention. Calum said: “It was one nasty situation.” could have shared together,” Calum said. then destroyed it. angered George’s family in his native It was rarely fulfilled. Back in the US, The constant rejection hurt, and Now he feels closest to his father on “I go up there and take pictures in Northern Ireland, with his sister’s hus- Calum started discovering the extent of seems to explain Calum’s own wild ways visits to Manchester to see United, join- front of him, just like everybody else band, Norman McNarry, telling local his father’s past prowess through as a hell-raising teenager enjoying the ing in the enduring Best songs and does,” 34-year-old Calum Best said in an media in Belfast that the book’s “nasti- “absolutely mind-blowing” videos of surfer-boy lifestyle on the West Coast always stopping to take pictures at that interview with The Associated Press. “I’m ness” was a “betrayal.” Raising the family some of the 180 goals scored in 465 while binging himself on drink and ever- statue of Best, Denis Law and Bobby a fan in that respect.” rift himself at the start of the interview, United appearances. harder drugs. Calum played football, but Charlton, the “Holy Trinity” who won two Calum never got to see his father Calum acknowledged: “It’s kicked up a But Calum’s first visit to Old Trafford never wanted to emulate his father. English titles and the 1968 European winning trophies at United in the 1960s, fuss.” with his father was far from a bonding “It was hard enough living up to my Cup. and collecting personal accolades for his “Belfast feel they are probably pro- experience. Like so much of their time dad’s reputation without trying to play,” Even today George Best is regarded extraordinary dribbling and goals. Born tecting their own,” Calum added. “It’s not together, it ended in tears. The 11-year- Calum said. But Calum’s life has mirrored as one of the most talented players to in 1981, Calum instead endured a tumul- an attack on my dad. I’m my dad’s num- old Calum was abandoned in the his father’s. A modeling career faded grace the game despite leaving United tuous relationship with a father who ber one fan. I love him to bits, more than evening by his drunken father, who took after his teens as drinking, drug-taking at 27 - initially retiring from football struggled to cope with the end of his anybody. But this isn’t about George until the following afternoon to re- and womanizing took over, even as completely - and never playing in a top playing career and reveled in a hard- Best the footballer. This is about me hav- emerge. George was seriously ill. league again. “Not a day goes by when I drinking playboy lifestyle before dying ing alcohol dependency in my relation- And by then Calum was old enough Although George received a liver don’t get into a black cab or meet some- at 59 from multiple organ failure. ship with my father.” to realize his father’s alcoholism was transplant in 2002 and briefly looked to one somewhere who talks about what a Approaching the 10th anniversary of The relationship was as fraught as it being splashed across newspapers. “I have turned a corner, alcohol was just legend my dad was and I’m the first per- the death in November 2005, Calum is was fragmented, with the Atlantic Ocean would come into town for my trips to too hard to resist. son to say, ‘Thank you,’” Calum said. telling the full story of their turbulent separating them for much of Calum’s see him and everyone would be like, The yearning for a drink made a “He’s such a hero in the football father-son relationship for the first time. childhood. ‘He’s so excited to see you,’” Calum coaching career impossible. George world. I don’t think that legend will ever “Although he was on this pedestal of The 1968 European player of the year recalled. “As soon as I’d get here he’d go looked increasingly gaunt while working die. If I’ve got anything to do with it, it being this amazing, iconic footballer, was at the San Jose Earthquakes when on a three-day brandy bender.” as a television pundit - when he turned will never die.” —AP

Qatar 2022 World Cup may not need cooling systems

DOHA: A winter World Cup in Qatar may league games all year, said Cadavid who not require cooling systems to lower tem- described this aspect of the bid as the peratures in the stadiums as proposed in “legacy” element. the bid for a summer tournament, said an There are fewer local matches sched- executive from the Gulf state’s 2022 organ- uled each week in the summer than there ising committee. will be at the World Cup and they require Earlier this month, soccer’s world gov- less planning so maintaining cool tempera- erning body FIFA ended more than four tures in the stadiums will require lower years of uncertainty over the timing of the amounts of energy, according to Cadavid. World Cup in Qatar by announcing it would “...matches in the summer for the local be played in November and December leagues are less frequent than a tourna- with the final on Dec. 18. ment.. you have two matches per week so One of the biggest challenges of host- less demand for energy,” he said. ing the tournament in the summer months, when temperatures at times exceed 40 COMPACT CUP degrees Celsius, was cooling down the sta- FIFA also decided to cut the length of diums but with the shift to the winter the the 2022 tournament from 32 to 28 days, organising committee is reassessing the sit- meaning more games will be played per uation. day and a country of Qatar’s size might “The temperatures are lower in the win- thus need fewer stadiums. ter so the demand for cooling will be low- The number of stadiums planned for the er,” Dario Cadavid, technical assurance and finals has not been announced but the rev- integration manager at Qatar’s 2022 olutionary cooling system will be installed Supreme Committee for Delivery and when each ground is constructed, Cadavid Legacy told Reuters in an interview. said. “It’s very possible that during that time “It’s more difficult to put in the systems of the year that cooling isn’t required for after the stadiums are finished... it becomes the winter,” he added, without giving any more expensive and complex because the details on the potential cost savings of cooling system is integrated so that needs using less energy if the cooling systems are to happen now.” not used. While declining to detail the costs or Qatar always said a summer World Cup energy required to bring temperatures was viable thanks to revolutionary cooling down from 40C to 26C, Cadavid said the TOKYO: Uzbekistan’s Lutfulla Turaev (left) fights for the ball with ’s during their friendly soccer match. —AP technologies it is developing for stadiums, general expense of installing the “mechani- training areas and fan zones but there was cal” aspects of a stadium with a cooling sys- still widespread concern for the health of tem was 20-30 percent of the total. players and fans. As part of Qatar’s original bid, he said Japan rout Uzbekistan However, Cadavid downplayed those the organising committee will provide all concerns. “In order to provide safety for the the energy used for cooling from sustain- players we need to provide a temperature able resources including building a 100 TOKYO: Goal-hungry Japan floored Uzbekistan register his own maiden goal for his country, again at the Asian Cup in January, were buzzing. between 26 and 29 degrees... our target is megawatt solar power plant and installing 5-1 with an explosive performance in a friendly completing a perfect week for new coach Vahid Okazaki and Honda scored the goals against 26 degrees,” he said. Whether it is used at solar panels in every stadium. “This tech- yesterday, with young guns and Halilhodzic after Friday’s 2-0 win over Tunisia. Tunisia and they led by example again in a one- the finals or not research on cooling tech- nology has been proven so it’s no longer a pointing to a bright future for Five of Japan’s seven goals under the Franco- sided game watched by 46,000. nologies is continuing because Qatar wants fantasy... we are working to make it more the Blue Samurai. Shibasaki scored Japan’s third Bosnian have come from substitutes. “It was a Halilhodzic, who steered Algeria to the the 2022 stadiums to be available for local sustainable,” he said. —Reuters on 80 minutes with an outrageous lob from just spectacular display,” said Halilhodzic, who knockout stages of the World Cup in Brazil, inside the Uzbekistan half, before fellow substi- replaced Javier Aguirre after the Mexican was pumped his fists after Usami’s goal vindicated tute Usami capped a superb cameo by slam- sacked over allegations of match-fixing dating his decision to give youth a chance in his first ming in a fourth soon afterwards. Toshihiro back to his time in Spain. two games. Johansson predicts Aoyama triggered the rout after just six minutes “I’d like to say ‘Bravo!’ to the players. To score “It finally feels like my Japan career has in Tokyo with a sumptuous long-range volley five goals is special. Nonetheless we won’t get begun,” said Usami, who used to draw gasps and doubled the home side’s lead carried away as there is still work to be done.” from Bayern Munich’s superstars with his skills at easy win for Blatter nine minutes into the second half with a classic Japan have looked unrecognisable, albeit training during a loan spell in 2011-12. poacher’s strike. against modest opposition, from the side which “I got long enough on the pitch to show the VIENNA: It is 17 years since Lennart way to go, how to handle things. “I am not The floodgates opened after Shibasaki’s stun- lurched from one crisis to another under Aguirre coach what I can do,” added the 22-year-old. “I Johansson lost an acrimonious FIFA presiden- surprised he has remained president since ner. Uzbekistan replied two minutes later and Italian over the past think I did that.” Halilhodzic has been given a tial election to Sepp Blatter and he has a stark 1998, he is an extremely intelligent man. Of through Islom Tukhtakhujaev, only for Usami to year. contract through the 2018 World Cup in Russia message to the three men standing against course, it depends on how you use your intel- slalom past three defenders and smash home Talisman and playmaker Shinji after being brought in to rebuild the side follow- his old foe-you have no chance. Prince Ali Bin ligence. his first goal for Japan. Kagawa, whose confidence had been shattered ing their shock quarter-final exit at the Asian Al Hussein of Jordan, Dutch FA president “But he is smart and a very hard worker. I There was still time for Kengo Kawamata to after Japan flopped at last year’s World Cup and Cup.—AFP Michael van Praag and former Portugal inter- could call him at 7.30 in the morning and he national Luis Figo are attempting to unseat would be working.” Asked what his relation- Blatter from the position he has held since he ship is like with Blatter now, or whether the beat Johansson by 111 to 80 votes in Paris in old battle scars have healed, he replied “No. 1998. But Johansson, 85, does not think the He doesn’t even say hello when we meet S Korea give Cha winning send-off trio have any hope of winning and is upset now. He avoids me. “I sit on the first row as an that the man he wanted to run for FIFA presi- honorary vice-president of FIFA and the hon- SEOUL: Substitute Lee Jae-sung steered home a late winner as dent-his successor as UEFA president Michel orary president of UEFA and he is sitting next South Korea beat New Zealand 1-0 in a friendly yesterday to give Platini- ignored his advice to challenge the to me ... but he doesn’t “see” me. “But I don’t veteran defender Cha Du-ri a winning send-off into retirement. 79-year-old Swiss who is standing for a fifth approach him. I see no reason to. These are The Koreans laboured to a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan on Friday term of office. the facts.” and were keen to go into 2018 World Cup qualifiers with victory There is little love lost between himself over New Zealand who were unbeaten in the group stage of the and Blatter, but Johansson cannot see the RAZOR SHARP 2010 World Cup but have tumbled to 134th in the FIFA rankings. president losing the election in Zurich on May Johansson, now in need of a wheelchair Son Heung-min had a first-half penalty saved by New Zealand 29. “Blatter will win in the first round, but I for mobility, still keeps a close eye on the goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic who pulled off a string of top quali- can’t give you the figures,” the Swede said in political scene and although his body might ty stops to deny the hosts. an interview with Reuters at last week’s UEFA be slowing, his mind is as sharp as a razor. Jeonbuk forward Lee, who made his debut against the Uzbeks, Congress. He believes Blatter will win the election got the breakthrough four minutes from time when he pounced “He knows how to do it, he knows which because his challengers will not be supported by the vast majority of countries outside of on a loose ball to score after Marinovic had saved from Kim Bo- Europe-and Blatter, in their eyes is not kyung. “European” despite his Swiss nationality. The players rushed to the sidelines to celebrate with Cha who “Africa and Asia, they will not vote for a announced his retirement from the national team after Korea’s European-and Blatter is not ‘European’ in their defeat by Australia in the Asian Cup final but was asked to play eyes, he is FIFA,” he said. one more game for the home fans to show their appreciation. Johansson’s 17 years as the head of the Cha, a member of Guus Hiddink’s squad that reached the 2002 European confederation-the longest reign of World Cup semi-finals, captained the side and gave a typically any UEFA president-saw the expansion of robust performance before being substituted in the 43rd minute. UEFA from 32 countries when he became The Korea Football Association held a ceremony at halftime to president in 1990 to 52 by the time he left mark his 14-year career, with his father, former great because of the political upheavals in eastern Cha Bum-kun, presenting the defender with a bouquet of flow- Europe in the 1990s. ers. Together with his general secretary Gerd “I was never a great player but I always tried my best and I’m Aigner, they also transformed the European happy that you appreciated me for that,” Cha told the 33,000-plus Cup into the Champions League and saw the crowd. expansion of the European Championship Cha, who will continue his club career with FC Seoul, said it from an eight-team to 16-team finals. Looking had been his goal to try to outdo his famous father. “I really AUSTRIA: FIFA President Joseph Sepp back he reflected: “I miss the years I had with believed that I could be better but there came a time when reali- Blatter delivers his speech during the UEFA because together what we built up was ty hit me and from then on I decided I should just try to enjoy Ordinary UEFA Congress in Vienna in this respect. People knew that we tried to be hon- SEOUL: New Zealand’s Michael Boxall (right) fights for the ball against file photo. —AFP est, with new rules and regulations.—Reuters football and be happy,” he added. —Reuters South Korea’s Lee Jae-sung during their friendly soccer match. —AP