THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014 Hey ref, can I have a haircut? CUIABA: A dancing chemist, a British bobby and doppel- leagues compare him to a Hollywood star. “But unfortunately a Gambian take on wrestling. ganger for a Hollywood star, a Swedish millionaire, and a hair not a good looking one,” he admitted to fifa.com. “They say I “I’m not really very good at it but like to do it as a hobby.” FAN FERVOR salon owner are all playing a central role at this year’s World look like Shrek, which explains why I have a picture of him as a As a former High School maths teacher, American Mark Cup. These are just some of the varied off-pitch personas of screensaver on my mobile.” Geiger shouldn’t have any problems adding up the yellow the 25 referees attempting to keep things rolling smoothly as cards-unlike Brazil’s Sandro Ricci. He made the fatal error of players from all corners of the globe collide in Brazil. Chip Insurance man with whistle dishing out a second booking but failing to send the recipient away at the granite-like veneer of the man in the middle and House burgled? Car pranged? Then Cuneyt Cakir’s your off in a domestic league game. Ricci made history at the there’s a treasure trove of weird and wonderful aspects of man-the Turkish referee practices as an insurance broker back World Cup on Sunday by awarding the first score by goal-line humanity waiting to be unearthed. Take Noumandiez Doue in Istanbul, that is when he’s not turning the pages of a technology to France against Honduras. for example. Stephen King chiller. Any Belgians or Algerians of a religious He’s also an old sentimentalist. “Before each game,” he He created history when he became the first referee from nature in Tuesday’s clash in Belo Horizonte will have found a explains, “I take off my ring and kiss it four times in honor of the Ivory Coast to take charge of a World Cup game, Chile’s kindred spirit in their referee-Marco Rodriguez. Away from the four women in my life-my mother, my wife and my two second day 3-1 win over Australia. As well as being one of football, the former PE teacher is at home behind the pulpit daughters. Referees let off steam in different ways-Bahrain’s Africa’s top officials the 43-year-old is a qualified chemist, “and delivering sermons in his capacity as a Protestant preacher in Nawaf Shukralla for instance may well head to Rio’s iconic I like to dance”. Any hard-up players taking part in the United a church outside Mexico City. Copacabana beach after a tough day at the World Cup office. States’ victory over Ghana on Monday should have tapped up Players needing a short back and sides-Marouane Fellaini? “When I want to leave everything behind me, I always go the their ref, Jonas Eriksson. The Swede is known as “the laid-back — need look no further than Bjorn Kuipers. The Dutchman sea,” the legal researcher disclosed. Last but not least, step for- millionaire” after making a seven-figure fortune selling shares who refereed Real Madrid’s Champions League final win over ward Felix Brych. The German lawyer gained notoriety in the in a media rights business. A Yorkshire policeman will be Atletico last month owns a hair salon as well as a couple of Bundesliga last season when awarding Bayer Leverkusen’s keeping law and order in Colombia’s second Group C run out grocery stores back in Holland. Meanwhile it might be best infamous “phantom” goal. And he probably spoke for his work against Ivory Coast on Thursday. Howard Webb, handed the not to mess with Bakary Papa Gassama. The first Gambian to colleagues everywhere when he urged fans to always remem- honor of refereeing the 2010 World Cup final, says his col- referee at the World Cup is a devotee in his spare time of buri, ber: “We are referees, but we are also normal people.”— AFP FORTALEZA: Football fans are seen during a Group A football match between Brazil and Mexico in the Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. — AFP 5 problems jeopardizing Japan and Greece go back Brazil World Cup hopes to the well for Natal clash FORTALEZA: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari declared himself “satisfied” with NATAL: After losing their Group C openers, for Brazil but almost as many in their first his team’s 0-0 draw against Mexico in Fortaleza on Tuesday, and the hosts Japan and Greece will be looking to redis- match of the tournament, a 3-0 defeat to remain on course to reach the World Cup knockout phase. However, ‘Felipao’ cover the qualities which got them to Brazil Colombia in Belo Horizonte. admitted that improvements still need to be made, as was evident in their as they bid to keep their campaigns alive at They came to the World Cup promising opening game, when they came from behind to beat Croatia 3-1 in Sao Paulo. the Dunas arena today. There is little doubt a more adventurous style and, considering Here, AFP Sport looks at five areas where the Selecao could fall down in their that only three points will do if either side is themselves unlucky to have gone down by bid to win the World Cup. to extend their stay in Brazil beyond the such a margin to the Colombians, will not group stage. Japan’s attacking flair helped be abandoning it. “Everyone expected we Coping with the pressure them become the first country to qualify would have 11 men behind the ball, “The demands are always much greater here in Brazil, but we are pre- for Brazil but they paid the price for unchar- defend, defend, defend and give every- pared,” said Dani Alves after the Mexico game. Nevertheless, the Selecao have acteristic timidity after taking an early lead thing to keep a clean sheet,” said experi- shown signs of fragility under pressure in their two matches so far. Seeing in their opening 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast in enced striker Giorgios Samaras. “But I think Neymar break down in tears at the end of the rousing version of the national Recife. what they saw was a team that likes to anthem at the Castelao brought home the enormity of what this Brazil side Abandoning the fast, intricate inter- attack, that moves the ball really well, and are trying to achieve and the amount of pressure they are having to carry on passing that gave them the lead through that tries always to create chances. “We their shoulders. Against Mexico, the nervous energy transmitted by the Keisuke Honda after 16 minutes, they sat went out to win against Colombia, and that crowd in the early stages of the game in particular had an impact on both sets back in defense and were ultimately bullied philosophy will not change. We just hope it of players. First touches were poor, passes were wayward and challenges out of the contest by the powerful Ivorians. brings a better result for us because Japan came flying in during a frantic opening spell. “Possession, that is our strength,” striker is now a must, must-win game for us. Brazil at times lack a calming presence-captain Thiago Silva is usually such Honda said this week. “When we have the “We created chances against Colombia a cool customer but he has apparently been unable to sleep at night due to ball we just need to keep the ball and not and that’s something we can’t forget. On the pressure that is as stifling as the heat in Fortaleza. give it away easily. When we do lose the another day, it could have been us winning, ball we should press immediately. That is and that’s something we need to take into Dependence on Neymar our philosophy.” this massive match.” That may be, but With the possible exception of Oscar, Neymar is the one player in this Brazil Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni is Portuguese coach Fernando Santos will cer- side capable of conjuring up a moment of match-winning magic from unlikely to make sweeping changes to his tainly be hoping for an end to concentra- nowhere. Fred last week insisted there was nothing wrong with giving the ball side, although Yoshito Okubo might have tion lapses at the back that cost the team so to the Barcelona man when the going gets tough. Against Croatia his was a done enough as a substitute in Recife to dear in Belo Horizonte. Tricky winger match-winning contribution, and against Mexico he was twice denied by bril- get the nod over the disappointing Yuya Giannis Fetfatzidis’s better ball retention liant Guillermo Ochoa saves. However, seeing Neymar in tears following the Osaka up front. Attacking midfielder Shinji might get him the nod ahead of forward national anthem in Fortaleza indicated that he could do with having some of Kagawa has also taken some flak for his dis- Dimitris Salpingidis, while Fanis Gekas could the weight taken off his shoulders. “Neymar doesn’t win or lose on his own. play against the Elephants but his place in make way for Kostas Mitroglou up front He is part of a group,” says Scolari. “Within the group, he can sometimes be the the side is probably safe with Japan fans despite hitting the bar against Colombia. decisive player. But he wins and loses with the rest of the team.” hoping he might be able to produce some- “Mitrogoal” is Greece’s most expensive thing special to unlock the Greek defense.