Ronaldo is a broken man after Portugal´s defeat

Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo confessed to being a broken man on Wednesday after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Iberian rivals Spain in their World Cup Last 16 match on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old Real Madrid star – who once again failed to live up to his club form for his country at a major championships – said he felt a deep sadness at the exit at the hands of the European champions, who progressed to a quarter-final meeting with Paraguay thanks to David Villa’s fourth goal of the tournament.

“I feel a broken man, completely disconsolate, frustrated and an unimaginable sadness,” he said in a statement released on the website of Gestifute, which is owned by his agent.

Ronaldo, whose side failed to score in three of their four matches save a 7-0 humbling of North Korea where he ended his near two year goal drought, also denied he insulted coach Carlos Queiroz.

He refused to answer questions save to remark to a TV crew ‘How can I explain it (the defeat)? Ask the question of Carlos Queiroz’.

Ronaldo, who ended up trophyless at Real Madrid last season after his 94million euros transfer from Manchester United, was roundly criticised for that and for not assuming his responsibilities as the national captain.

“When I said put the question to the coach, it is just because Carlos Queiroz was holding a press conference,” said Ronaldo, the 2008 World Footballer of the Year.

“I was not in a position to explain what was what. I am a human being, and like any human being I suffer and I have the right to suffer alone.

“I know that I am the captain, and I have always assumed and will assume my responsibilities.”

Fifa chief warns French president

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has warned France may be banned from international football if its government interferes in the running of the national side.

Blatter said he was sending a "clear and clean message" to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who criticised the team after a dismal World Cup campaign.

Sarkozy has pledged to personally lead an investigation into what went wrong.

But Blatter insisted the governing body would oppose "political interference, even if it is at presidential level."

Les Bleus finished bottom of their World Cup group and were plagued by problems on and off the pitch.

Forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home after refusing to apologise for verbally abusing coach Raymond Domenech, whose six-year reign ended with France's exit.

If it cannot be solved by consultation, then the only thing we have is to suspend the federation
Fifa president Sepp Blatter
The rest of the squad then boycotted a training session in protest, and captain Fabrice Evra was involved in a row with fitness coach Robert Duverne.

Sarkozy has called for change within the French Football Federation (FFF), and during the tournament in South Africa he asked his sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to speak to the players, leaving them in no doubt about his view of their conduct.

Since the squad's return to France, Sarkozy has held talks with striker and former captain Thierry Henry, while Jean-Louis Valentin has resigned as FFF president.

The FFF has issued an apology to the French public and been savaged by the media, but Blatter is adamant that interference from governments in its affairs will not be tolerated.

"In France they have made an 'affair d'etat' with football, but football remains in the hands of the federation," said Blatter.

"We will help the national association and if it cannot be solved by consultation, then the only thing we have is to suspend the federation.

"Definitely, I can tell you that political interference will be dealt with by Fifa notwithstanding what kind of interference and what is the size of the country."

Fifa rules demand that national federations manage their affairs independently or face suspension from international football.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8771693.stm

Published: 2010/06/29 10:29:19 GMT

© BBC MMX

FA waits to make Capello decision

The Football Association has told Fabio Capello he will have to wait another two weeks to find out if he has a future as England manager.

Capello, 64, said he wanted to stay in the post despite England's second-round World Cup exit at the hands of Germany.

But after speaking to Club England chairman Sir Dave Richards he was told he would have to wait for a decision.

Capello, who is reported to earn £5m a year, said: "I can be the manager for the next season, but they must decide."

Asked if he wanted to stay in the position he has held since December 2007, he said: "Absolutely."

The Italian guided England during an impressive World Cup qualifying campaign where they lost only once and topped their group.

But since the start of the tournament the team struggled to repeat that form, drawing their first two games against the United States and Algeria before qualifying for the knockout stages with a 1-0 win over Slovenia.

The 4-1 defeat to the Germans was England's heaviest World Cup defeat in their history but it is the manner of the performances by the players that has led to the harshest criticism.

Capello, who has been very successful in club management but was making his World Cup debut, said: "I think all the English players are really tired at this competition. The coaches told me the physical condition of the players was not good and they did not play like the players that we know."

More to follow.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8768513.stm

Published: 2010/06/28 12:51:37 GMT

© BBC MMX

Eriksson's $4m pay under fire

Reuters - Sven Goran Eriksson's brief tenure as the Ivory Coast's coach, which lasted all of three months and three games, earned him a cool US$3 million (S$4.2 million) pay packet.

But it has also earned the country's football body a lot of criticism, reported Soccernet.

"It was very clear when I took the job it was to to the end of our World Cup and that is today," said Eriksson after Ivory Coast's futile 3-0 defeat of North Korea.

Critics said such salary was not justified for a man had weeks to make an impression on the team and who also seemed to have no time to embrace and learn local culture