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TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 SPORTS Ibrahimovic - troublemaker who became a role model MALMO: Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes no finish was good!” recalled his coach at ZLATAN TUNNEL VISION award. As soon as school ends in Rosengard. “On our team, for those born secret of his lofty opinion of himself and Malmo, Ola Gallstad, where Ibrahimovic The club president presses the mes- Rosengard, kids rush out onto “Zlatan in 1980-1981, we all came from the for- according to his childhood club it is a went in 1994. sage to young players that if Ibrahimovic Court”, kicking the ball around a pitch he mer Yugoslavia,” recalled Milosevic. Born longstanding trait of the Swedish super- The stubbornly single-minded perse- can do it, so can they. FBK Balkan is had built and which is emblazoned with in Malmo, Sweden’s third city, star. Ibrahimovic pulled on his boots for verance was the key to Ibrahimovic’s based in the working class Rosengard the gold swoosh of his sports equip- Ibrahimovic has a mother of Croatian the first time at the age of six at success. And the powerful striker likes to district of Malmo. The flamboyant ment sponsor. “Everyone knows who origin and a Bosnian father. Fotbollsklubb (FBK) Balkan, a club creat- trumpet it. “I came like a king, left like a Ibrahimovic seems omnipresent. He Zlatan is. By contrast, not everyone The team still follow the Ibrahimovic ed by Yugoslav immigrants in Malmo in legend,” the 34-year-old Swede said as rarely goes to the town of red brick knows who the king (of Sweden) is!”, ethic however. “If you really want it and 1962. “The only thing he wanted was to he confirmed last month that he would apartment buildings now, but his unmis- joked Milosevic. “For us, it’s huge to play give it all you’ve got, there’s a chance score goals, so sometimes he listened to be leaving Paris Saint-Germain where he takeable grin adorns a local tunnel wall. for his first club,” said Max Skarpas Torres, you could become like Zlatan the coaches but sometimes he just did broke scoring records in four years. Young and old are quick to boast of their a 19-year-old defender who wears the Ibrahimovic,” said 24-year-old player what he wanted,” said Ivan Milosevic, the “From morning to night, he would prac- connections to Sweden’s best known same FBK Balkan jersey that Zlatan wore, Dino Dulji. For kids in this neighbor- FBK Balkan president. tice with the ball, dribbling, feinting, player who had a stellar career at Ajax featuring the flags of Sweden and the hood, where unemployment is high, He played with Ibrahimovic when playing, playing, playing,” Milosevic said. Amsterdam, Inter Milan, Barcelona, former Socialist Federal Republic of Ibrahimovic is a role model: the son of they were young and now trains the sen- “He always had a ball. I think he even Juventus, AC Milan and Paris Saint- Yugoslavia. migrants who grew up in difficult condi- ior side. A former FBK Balkan coach slept with one. He was never without Germain. FBK Balkan claims to be the oldest tions and managed to make it to the top Hasib Klicic has similar memories. He one,” added Klicic. “He and a friend Even at 34, Ibrahimovic will be the club in Europe representing a diaspora, ranks of the football world. “For the kids remembered Ibrahimovic as “a trouble- fought to score the most.” Some FBK centrepoint of Sweden’s team at the as well as Ibrahimovic’s alma mater. It and youth of Malmo, he is proof that you maker. Not very good but he always Balkan members say Zlatan has forgot- European Championship finals. He is the has had its ups and downs over the can rise to the top echelons, that you wanted to play.” “He was good but not ten the team since becoming a star. But all-time record national scorer with 62 years and is now struggling, having can become someone in life,” said ‘wow what’s happening here’... He was a Milosevic avoids that debate. He prefers goals and a 10-time winner of the failed to attract the migrants from the Ibrahim, a 26-year-old Rosengard resi- little bit slow when he started but the to remember a very determined player. national Guldbollen player of the year Middle East who are now a majority in dent.—AFP WCup agony still hurting Panama ORLANDO: Nearly three years after Russia. “These are thing we are working on. Panama agonizingly saw qualification for Mentally it is about fighting for you goals the World Cup slip out of their grasp in and the goal is to get to a World Cup, to injury time in their final game, the feeling take that next step,” he said. of hurt still hasn’t gone. Indeed, according At this Copa America, Panama have to veteran defender Felipe Baloy, that expe- been drawn in a tough group which rience, which cost the team a first ever includes defending champions Chile and appearance on the biggest stage, is still World Cup runners-up Argentina.Not sur- very much an open wound. prising then, that with progress to the “That was a very bitter experience. And knockout stage a long-shot for the Central lot of Panamanians can’t forget it. But the Americans, the focus is on using the tour- important thing is that we as players have nament to get valuable experience for the the desire to turn it around and get to the push to get to Russia 2018. Panama has next World Cup,” he told reporters ahead of grown as a nation within CONCACAF and Monday’s Copa America Centenario game their days as a minnow are clearly over. ‘Los against Bolivia.”That is not only my dream, Canaleros’ have reached the last four in that is my passion. Get to the World Cup,” their three most recent CONCACAF Gold he said. Panama were 2-1 up against the Cup campaigns, losing 1-0 to the United United States heading into injury time with States in the 2013 final. a win enough to secure them fourth place “We are up against opponents here who in CONCACAF qualifying and a play-off are very experienced and with great history against Oceania’s New Zealand for a place - Argentina and Chile are two of the best in in Brazil. the world, so they will show us if our work But dramatically, the US scored twice in is effective or not for our goal. But in this injury time meaning that Mexico grabbed tournament, we will try and get as far as we fourth spot, beat the Kiwis and went on to can,” said Gomez, who added that he would reach the second round in Brazil. Coach prefer to face an Argentina with Lionel Hernan Dario Gomez, a Colombian who Messi in the line-up. “To be honest, the took over after that campaign in 2014, has players would be sad if Messi didn’t play, clearly used the lingering sense of hurt as because we came here for that. We want motivation for his players. “It is good to the full Argentina because it’s great to play GLENDALE: Uruguay’s Diego Godin, second from left, heads the ball to the goal for a score, sending it past Mexico’s Diego Reyes (5), Rafael hear that from Felipe because that is the against opponents like that - that’s why we Marquez (4) and teammate Abel Hernandez as Mexico’s Hector Moreno (15) looks on during the second half of a Copa America group C soccer mentality I want Panama to have, for us the consider this a historic tournament for us,” match at University of Phoenix Stadium Sunday, in Glendale, Ariz. Mexico defeated Uruguay 3-1. — AP ultimate goal is to get to the World Cup in he said. — AFP Mourinho faces grilling after Mexico down Uruguay Chelsea doctor rejects £1.2m after anthem blunder CROYDON: Jose Mourinho faces a public Semantic debate grilling at an employment tribunal brought In Mourinho’s own statement, the by former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro, manager said: “Filho da puta is a phrase I GLENDALE: Mexico defeated Uruguay 3-1 in a Uruguay and to the fans for this mistake,” a state- Guardado then received a second yellow to which opened yesterday after she rejected often use, all of the players know it. There stormy Copa America Centenario on Sunday that ment said, blaming the gaffe on “human error.” earn a red card and from the ensuing free-kick a £1.2 million offer to settle the case. The is no sexist connotation in the use of the saw both teams finish with 10 men after a pre- When the game kicked off, Mexico took the Godin headed Uruguay level-before being pelted tribunal heard that new Manchester United phrase. “In the world of football, a lot of match furor over a bungled national anthem. A lead after only four minutes with a goal that owed with missiles from the overwhelmingly pro- manager Mourinho is likely to be ques- swear words are used.” In her opening pulsating clash at the University of Phoenix stadi- everything to the guile of PSV Eindhoven mid- Mexico crowd as he celebrated. The game tioned for at least a day during the case. argument, Carneiro’s lawyer Mary um in Arizona saw Mexico take all three points in fielder Andres Guardado. The 29-year-old wide appeared headed for a draw but Marquez rifled Carneiro is claiming constructive dismissal O’Rourke said Mourinho had used the the crucial Group C battle through an own goal player carved out space for himself on the left home score his 16th international goal in 131 against Chelsea and a connected, personal word filha rather than filho “because he is from Alvaro Pereira and late strikes from Rafa flank superbly and then whipped in a wicked cross appearances to put Mexico 2-1 up and Herrera legal action against Portuguese boss abusing a woman”.