THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 SPORTS Beckham to bring MLS club to Miami

MIAMI: David Beckham said yesterday reports suggest it will be in 2016 or 2017. Madrid, although relations have warmed would not seek public funding for the team since the Miami Fusion folded that he will buy a US team to play Major “This is going to be a people’s team,” since. Beckham spoke to reporters along- team’s stadium, having raised money more than a decade ago, but Beckham- League Soccer in Miami, confirming the he told a throng of media, as a helicopter side MLS commissioner Don Garber, who from private partners. whose popularity and fame endures worst-kept secret in world football. buzzed overhead and a small plane said Beckham and the league would The new club-which does not yet despite retirement from the game-will The former England and Manchester whizzed past dragging a banner that work with Miami Dade county to build a have a name-is looking to build a stadi- be hoping his star pulling power can be United star said he already has big-name read: “Beckham, don’t trust Gimenez,” world-class downtown stadium for the um for 25,000 spectators, with reports the difference. “This is the first time in players phoning him up and pledged to referring to local Mayor Carlos Gimenez. new club. suggesting Beckham is eyeing up a the modern era that an ex-athlete is create a “global team” like the huge The former United and Real Madrid Beckham thanked Garber and Miami prominent location close to the water. joining the ranks of ownership,” Garber European clubs where he became a star said he had high hopes for the MLS, Dade’s Mayor Gimenez, and said he Miami has been without a football said. —AFP superstar. where he featured for LA Galaxy before “I wanted to create a team where we retiring last year following a stint with can start from scratch,” Beckham told a Paris Saint-Germain. packed press conference at a downtown “I’ve seen the change over the last 10 Miami art museum, explaining his deci- years. I’ve seen the change in this league, sion to bring the expanding league’s the interest in this league,” the 38-year- 22nd soccer club to the city. old said, as fans chanted: “One David “I know there was a team here 10 Beckham, there’s only one David years ago that unfortunately folded, but I Beckham!” know that Miami is ready for football “We want to bring some of the best again,” he said. football players in the world, great play- “We’re planning to bring a team that ers, to this team. Players are already inter- will be a global team,” he said, arguing ested in coming to Miami. that in the past decade American soccer “We are very excited about this proj- had made huge progress as both a sport ect. Miami is a vibrant city and a city with and a business. a lot of passion. I know this city is ready The former England midfielder, who for football, for soccer. “I’m going to work wore a slim-fitting gray suit and tie hard to make this team very successful. despite the 82 degree Fahrenheit (28 C) It’s an exciting time. “We want to create a weather, said one of his partners would football club that is a people’s football be British pop music and television club. This is a dream... I’ve lived the impresario Simon Fuller, who managed dream.” Beckham’s wife Victoria when she sang Asked if his former manager at with the Spice Girls. Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, had Beckham, who reportedly paid a cut been in contact over a coaching role, price $25 million for the franchise, said Beckham said: “Funnily enough no, he MIAMI: Former English soccer star David Beckham (third from left) poses with MLS Commissioner Don Garber his wife and family would join him in didn’t call me or text me.” (left) Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez (right) and soccer fans with the Southern Legion soccer sup- Miami. He did not disclose when the The pair famously fell out and porters at a news conference. —AP team would be ready for action, but Ferguson shipped Beckham out to Real Milan unveil Taarabt, ‘Balotelli of Morocco’

MILAN: AC Milan winger Adel Taarabt pledged to Moroccan international hopes to show the 37- But I’m really motivated and can’t wait to show fulfil his potential for the Serie A giants, if given year-old Dutchman-who took over from sacked my worth in Serie A and play my part against the chance by coach Clarence Seedorf, when he Massimiliano Allegri three weeks ago-he has Atletico Madrid.” After a disastrous start to the was unveiled by the club yesterday. plenty to offer. campaign Milan sit in 10th place, 30 points Taarabt, currently owned by English “I hope Milan is a platform for me to show my behind leaders Juventus, 15 adrift of the last Championship side Queens Park Rangers, signed abilities and to give everything to the team,” Champions League qualifying place and six for the Rossoneri last week from Fulham on a loan deal that will see him remain until the summer with the chance of a permanent deal available. Whether describing himself as the ‘Balotelli of Morocco’ will win favor with the club’s talismanic striker Mario Balotelli remains to be seen. But the 24-year-old, who grew up in Marseille Michael Laudrup being inspired by the feats of French great Zinedine Zidane, says he is itching to stake his claim for a place in Seedorf’s side. “It was a dream come true signing for Milan. Swansea sack Laudrup It’s a big change for me and I can’t wait to make my debut,” Taarabt said yesterday. after League slump “I’m still really young and they say I’ve got tal- ent. It’s been a while now that people have said LONDON: Swansea City have sacked their Dane replaced as manager in June 2012. that I should be playing in a big team. Danish manager Michael Laudrup with the “During my days with QPR, I was linked with Welsh club having dropped into a Premier GREATEST PLAYER PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) but nothing hap- League relegation battle after a dramatic Widely acknowledged as Denmark’s pened. I’m here now and I can’t wait to show my slump in form that has left them two points greatest player of all time, Laudrup drew on true worth. I have an idol and his name is above the drop zone. his experience managing a string of clubs Zinedine Zidane, because I grew up in Marseille.” Laudrup, who said that winning the from Brondby to Spartak Moscow and led Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said: “I think I am League Cup last season ranked among his Swansea to a ninth place finish last season the director who has seen the most QPR match- proudest moments because Swansea are such and their first major trophy. However,their es, even when they were in the English second a small club compared to the European giants small squad has been hampered by the tier I watched them thanks to my friendship with like Real Madrid and Juventus he once played demands of the Europa League with injuries to (former chairman) Flavio Briatore. for, now finds himself out of a job. “It is a deci- key players, including Michu, Jonathan de “I was often asked about him and he always sion we have taken reluctantly,” said Swansea Guzman, Jose Canas, Pablo Hernandez, Nathan seemed a great player to me. I don’t understand chairman Huw Jenkins. “But it’s a decision Dyer and goalkeeper Michel Vorm, having tak- why at the age of nearly 25 he hasn’t as yet Adel Taarabt made in the best interests of Swansea City en their toll. shown all his talent, but I am convinced that with Football Club and our supporters. Since beating Newcastle United in early us he will show his true potential.” added Taarabt. “It’s true that when Milan were behind Verona in the first available Europa “It is the first time in nearly 10 years that the December, Swansea had a tough run of Taarabt’s arrival will boost an attack already interested in me, I thought ‘well, they’ve got the League place. club has parted with a manager in this way, but games with fixtures against Everton, Chelsea, boasting striker Balotelli, who is usually support- Italian Balotelli and now they’re going to also The Rossoneri, who host Atletico in the first we had to remove the constant uncertainty Manchester City, Manchester United and ed by fellow forwards Robinho, Kaka and Keisuke have the Balotelli of Morocco’. leg of the sides’ Champions League last-16 clash surrounding the club and Michael’s long-term Tottenham Hotspur, who are all battling in Honda in Seedorf’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. “Milan have shown great faith in me by in a fortnight, are away to third-placed Napoli on future with us,” he said on the club website the top half of the table. Despite the competition for places, the including me in their Champions League squad. Saturday. —AFP (www.swanseacity.net). Jenkins had anguished over the club’s Swansea’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham United future direction under former Denmark inter- on Saturday was their sixth in eight league national Laudrup, who had a glittering career Pakistani sugar-seller games, a run which has left the 12th placed as a player and won the European Cup with team battling to avoid the drop as they pre- Barcelona in 1992, but in the end he decided aims at Kyrgyz glory pare to host fellow strugglers and local rivals they should part ways. “I had a meeting with KARACHI: Pakistani footballer Mohammad Adil is set to complete Cardiff City on Saturday. Michael today (Tuesday) in a final attempt to a remarkable journey and fulfil his dream of playing for a foreign Swansea said their club captain Garry support him and establish a way to improve club, after an impoverished beginning selling sugarcane on the Monk, who came on as a substitute in their the work of the backroom team to secure the streets. The 21-year-old has signed a one-year contract with League Cup triumph against Bradford City at results we need over the final 14 Premier Kyrgyzstan champions FC Dordoi to cap a fairytale rise that has Wembley, will take over as head coach along- League games,” said Jenkins. seen him touted as one of the best players ever produced by the side first team coach Alan Curtis for the fore- “However, after thinking long and hard Pakistan Premier League. seeable future. about the best way forward, I felt it was “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” the winger told AFP by telephone from The 49-year-old Laudrup’s departure will unlikely we would achieve a stable environ- Lahore before his departure. “I am over the moon and very excited come as a surprise to many pundits with the ment at the club to allow us to get back to that my hard work has paid off.” promising coach having continued the pre- basics and produce the performance levels Even top-flight football in cricket-mad Pakistan is of a low stan- cise passing game championed by Roberto that have served Swansea City so well over dard and it is extremely unusual for a player produced by its Martinez and then Brendan Rodgers, who the the last few years. —Reuters leagues to move abroad. Adil hails from a small town near the agricultural city of Bahawalpur in Punjab province, where his father used to sell sug- Malaysia fines 17 players arcane. As a boy, he would wheel a sugarcane cart to school, carry- ing his books and a tattered football. “Those were very difficult for match-fixing Antonio di Natale days,” remembered Adil. “I wanted to study and play but I had to take the cart to sell sugarcane after school and then in the little KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian soccer authori- said. “The players have pleaded guilty and time I used to play football.” ties have found an entire lower league team appealed for leniency. So, we decided to fine Udinese inch towards Cup final Noticing his interest in football, his father encouraged him and Adil took big strides from small clubs to Khan Research guilty of match-fixing in the latest scandal to them because they fixed the matches under ROME: Udinese moved to within one game because of constant criticism from the fans, Laboratories (KRL) — one of Pakistan’s top teams. KRL coach Tariq blight the country’s corruption-riven competi- duress. of their first Italian Cup final since 1922 on broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, Lutfi said Adil was a natural talent. “Adil came to us as an exciting tions. The Football Association of Malaysia “The players wanted to report to the Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in rounding off a counter-attack begun by (FAM) on Wednesday confirmed a report in authorities but feared for their safety. In fact, their semi-final first leg clash. Swiss Silvan Widmer. player, willing to achieve his football dreams,” Lutfi said. the Star that said 17 players from Kuala some of the players were beaten up for not Udinese captain Antonio di Natale Di Natale was removed from the fray at “For the last three years he has been an integral part of KRL and Lumpur FA, competing in the country’s third- following the orders of the bookies.” opened the scoring for the hosts before half-time but not till after he had an alter- we are now close to achieving a hat-trick of league titles and Adil tier FAM league, had been fined 5,000 The Star said another five officials at the Fiorentina levelled through Peruvian Juan cation with the referee, pleading that the has a major hand in it.” Malaysian ringgit ($1,500) for match-fixing. club, which has suffered back-to-back relega- Manuel Vargas a minute before half-time. Fiorentina equaliser should not have been Adil’s main asset is his speed which he uses to make marauding Another five players and three team offi- tions from the top and second-tier leagues, However, Udinese edged the contest allowed as he was fouled at the beginning runs at the opposition and set up team-mates. He was KRL’s best cials from Kuala Lumpur were handed life were expected to be charged with match-fix- when Colombian Luis Muriel scored with a of the move. player as the club finished runners-up in the Asian Football bans and fined in December. The 17 were giv- ing. The paper did not say which games had fine effort eight minutes from time. Fiorentina looked the sharper side at the Confederation President Cup last year. He helped KRL draw 1-1 en lighter punishment because they had been fixed. FAM declined to comment further Fiorentina will still fancy their chances of outset of the second-half but eventually against Dordoi, then scored a scintillating goal in the 2-0 win over been “victims of circumstance,” the Star quot- when contacted by Reuters yesterday. overhauling the deficit in the second leg they ran out of ideas and energy and were Palestinian club Hilal-Al Quds before they lost the final. ed FAM disciplinary committee chairman Malaysia, like much of Southeast Asia, next Tuesday. punished when Muriel fired home. That, plus another fine show in a AFC Challenge Cup qualifier Taufek Abdul Razak as saying. has fought a long battle with match-fix- They will also be boosted by German Wednesday sees the second semi-final against Kyrgyzstan, caught the eye of the Dordoi hierarchy. “Luckily “Our investigations revealed that the play- ing in sport with poorly paid players and international striker Mario Gomez, who first leg match take place with AS Roma, for me, Pakistan’s former coach Zavisa Milosavljevic (from Serbia) ers had no option ... they were threatened officials routinely punished for wrongdo- missed the past five months because of second in Serie A, hosting Napoli, who are has taken over Dordoi club and since he liked my style he complet- with physical harm by the bookies,” Taufek ing. —Reuters injury, due to return to training yesterday. third in the league but whose form has ed my signing and it would be great to play under him,” said Adil, Di Natale, who has threatened to retire tailed off of late. —AFP who idolises Argentinian star Carlos Tevez. —AFP