High times for Downswell’s Jamaica

High times for Downswell’s Jamaica

Jamaica will arrive in Mexico for the FIFA U-17 World Cup as colourful outsiders, among no-one’s favourites in a challenging group. This doesn’t bother coach Wendell Downswell, a coach who oozes the laid-back cool that has become the endearing trademark of the sun-splashed Caribbean island.

“People all over the world love Jamaica and Jamaicans,” said Downswell with a smile as he prepares his young charges for the physical and mental strains to come. “We have a proud sporting tradition and I think we can win the fans over in Mexico. We can capture their hearts with our football."

While the country’s sprinters have traditionally been the envy of the world, and their senior Reggae Boyz went to the FIFA World Cup France 1998™, Jamaica's success at youth level is far patchier. In their only ever trip to a FIFA U-17 World Cup, in New Zealand in 1999, they conceded ten goals, scored none and went home with their tails tucked after three games.
It’s a dream come true for our boys.
Wendell Downswell on Jamaica reaching the U-17 World Cup

Downswell, though, has confidence and hope, not to mention an enduring passion for the game of football. A former international in the 1970s, he is now technical director at the local club where he spent his playing career, Reno FC. And in addition to being the man to oversee all youth development on the island, his time spent as coach of the senior Jamaica side, between 2004 and 2006, yielded a Caribbean Cup title and a place in the quarter-finals of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

“We have some challenges as a team,” the coach, who is in a better position than anyone to judge the merits of this fresh generation of Jamaican competitors, told FIFA.com. “Some players are taking their school exams right now, so it’s a tricky time. We had to cancel a preparatory trip to Spain, and that was a disappointment, but we are looking forward to the World Cup,” he said, hoping for big things from his trusted star trio of Jason Wright, Kemo Wallace and Omar Holness.

Argentina, France await
Far from viewing their participation in the tournament as a holiday, Jamaica and their coach are eager to spring a surprise down Mexico way. After a tour of Brazil and a raft of games against some top U-20 sides, the Jamaicans – who hosted the CONCACAF preliminary rounds – are fighting fit. “In attack we are quite good,” said Downswell, who broke down in tears of pride when his team booked their place at the tournament, beating fancied Honduras in Montego Bay en route to the semi-finals.

Defence is a different story, according to the coach: “We need to focus more on getting a goal or two and then tightening up at the back, controlling the game." This is easier said than done with such young players, but it is something Downswell has been working on. “We’ve had psychologists working with the boys,” he explained. “And, on some of our travels, they have already been exposed to the pressures of the big occasion. I think they will be ready. We won’t be overawed.”

One could not blame the upstart islanders for being a little nervous heading into the finals in Mexico, as their first round opponents include France and Argentina, with the latter – having won everything else on offer in the international arena – setting their sights on an elusive U-17 gold. “They are big names, that’s for sure,” said Downswell, a striker in his playing days. “But we’re looking forward to measuring ourselves against them. It’s a dream come true for our boys.”

The coach is planning a pair of friendly games after the team arrives in Mexico, before their opening game against Japan in Monterrey on 18 June, a contest Downswell sees as crucial. “This is the only game we are thinking about,” he said. “Not Argentina, not France, only this first one. All of our energy and desire is for this game.

“If we get that positive start,” he said, hope building in his voice, “we can roll on from there. And then, who knows what?"

Wenger makes first summer signing

Wenger makes first summer signing
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger kicked off his summer transfer spending today with the £1m capture of promising young defender Carl Jenkinson from Charlton.

Wenger is expected to continue his on-going enquiries for experienced new men, however - with Lille's Ivorian forward Gervinho, Bolton defender Gary Cahill and Blackburn centre-back Christopher Samba all reported targets - but in Finland U-19 skipper Jenkinson, Arsenal have secured another leading prospect.

Jenkinson, who qualifies for dual nationality through his mother, broke into the Addicks first team last season and leaves The Valley with glowing reference from his former boss. Chris Powell, the former England defender, said: "I want to put on record how much I admire Carl as player and, more importantly, as a young man. If he grows into the right-back we all feel he could be, we could be talking about a player playing at the highest level for a long time."
I hope supporters will understand why I can't turn down such an opportunity, but Charlton will always have a special place in my heart.
Carl Jenkinson, new Arsenal defender

It is a dream move for Harlow-born Jenkinson, who supported the Gunners as youngster. He told Charlton's official website, www.cafc.co.uk: "I hope supporters will understand why I can't turn down such an opportunity, but Charlton will always have a special place in my heart. I will always be in Charlton's debt for the training they have given me since a young age."

Arsenal also announced today they have secured England youngsters Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke on long-term deals, along with Dutch youth international midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup. That, though, will not be the news of a big-signing expected by impatient Gunners supporters.

One thing is for certain, though, Wenger will make changes to the make-up of the squad over the coming weeks. Liam Brady, the Gunners' head of youth development, maintains the north-London club will soon complete a number of deals.
We all rate Nasri. I am optimistic he will be playing with Arsenal next year.
Liam Brady, head of Arsenal youth development

"There will be a lot of business done this year and I think we will be spending a bit more money than we have done in past seasons. I think Arsenal will spend this year," Brady told talkSPORT.

However, the former Republic of Ireland midfielder maintained signing talent is never easy, given the competitive market. "Where are the players to go around everybody? It is not only the clubs in England, but also all the big European clubs are in the transfer market," he said.

Midfielder Samir Nasri last night urged Gunners fans to ignore reports he could be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium. The France international has yet to agree a new deal and is said to be a target for both Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Brady, though, is confident the 23-year-old will soon commit his long-term future to the Gunners. "We all rate Nasri," Brady said. "I believe they had extensive contractual talks but not reached a conclusion, but sometimes it takes time. I am optimistic he will be playing with Arsenal next year."

Memories, marvels & continental conquests

Memories, marvels & continental conquests


Continental competitions dominate FIFA.com’s latest statistical review, with Marvin Martin, Frank Lampard and Mario Gomez on target in Europe, Javier Hernandez thrilling at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and Penarol and Santos rolling back the clock in South America.
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victories was the milestone reached by France’s national team in Monday’s 4-1 friendly win over Ukraine. The hero of this landmark triumph was Sochaux midfielder Marvin Martin, who sparked comparisons with Zinedine Zidane by emulating Zizou’s achievement of coming off the bench to score twice on his international debut. Martin and Zidane are part of a group of only 15 players who have scored more than twice on their first appearance for Les Bleus, and the 23-year-old’s second goal carried added significance as the 1300th of France’s history. Martin had remained on the sidelines last Friday when Laurent Blanc’s side blew the chance to reach the 350-mark in their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier by drawing 1-1 against Belarus, who remain the only nation France have faced more than once without beating.
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years after the sides met in a legendary final, Penarol and Santos – two of the Copa Libertadores’ true pioneers – set up an eagerly-anticipated reunion in the climax to this season’s South American showpiece. Between them, these Uruguayan and Brazilian giants won each of the first four Copa Libertadores crowns, with Santos – inspired by two goals from Pele in a third-match decider – ending Penarol’s bid for three-in-a-row in September 1962. O Peixe retained the trophy the following year but have not won it since, while Penarol are aiming for their first Libertadores title in 24 years. Meanwhile, Santos’s success in seeing off Cerro Porteno in the last four ensures there have now been 15 Brazilian finalists in the competition’s last 15 editions.
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Primera Division goals was the landmark reached by Martin Palermo on Sunday, enabling the Boca Juniors icon to move level with Jose Sanfilippo as the joint-fifth highest scorer in the history of Argentina’s top flight. The 37-year-old equalled Sanfilippo with a spectacular long-range drive in Boca’s 2-2 draw with Quilmes and is enjoying a rich vein of goalscoring form, having found the net in six of his last seven appearances. With Palermo adamant that he will retire at the end of the current season, he now has just two matches remaining to score the four goals needed to climb another rung in the ladder and reach the 231-mark of fourth-placed Manuel ‘Payo’ Pelegrina. The all-time record is jointly held by River Plate legend Angel Labruna and Paraguayan Arsenio Erico, who starred for Independiente, both of whom ended their careers on 293.
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converted penalties have established Frank Lampard as the most successful spot-kick taker in the history of England’s national team. The Chelsea midfielder moved beyond Alan Shearer and Ron Flowers when he scored from the spot to spark a Three Lions comeback in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Switzerland. Flowers, it should be noted, retains the distinction of never having missed any of his six penalties, while Lampard has been thwarted in two of his nine attempts. Failing to beat the Swiss, for whom Tranquillo Barnetta ended a run of 32 games without a goal by scoring a brace, extended England’s winless home run to four matches – their worst in four years. Rio Ferdinand also ended a proud run of impeccable discipline, picking up his first yellow card in any competition since March 2009.
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years and three months have now passed since Germany lost an away fixture, with Italy the last home team to inflict defeat on Die Mannschaft with a 4-1 friendly win in March 2006. This run, which now spans 22 matches and the entirety of Joachim’s Low’s tenure, was extended with a 2-1 over Austria that continues the Germans’ 100 per cent record over four games in Vienna. Mario Gomez was the hero with a match-winning brace and is currently in the form of his life, having scored again last night to end the season with 13 goals in eight appearances and found the net in four consecutive internationals for the first time.
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goals in Mexico’s 5-0 win over El Salvador on Sunday saw Javier Hernandez become the first El Tri international in 18 years to score a hat-trick in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The last was Zaguinho, who famously scored seven times in a 9-0 demolition of Martinique, setting a tournament record that, unsurprisingly, still stands to this day. Thanks largely to that seven-goal haul, the former America star remains the Gold Cup’s all-time leading scorer on 13, although current USA talisman Landon Donovan needs just one more to draw level.

Neuer completes Bayern switch

Neuer completes Bayern switch

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has completed his transfer to Bayern Munich after passing a medical today. The 25-year-old flew into Munich this morning to complete a deal that ties him to the Allianz Arena for five years.

Bayern announced last week that they had signed the sought-after goalkeeper from Schalke, but had to wait until today to put the finishing touches on the transfer after he had been away on international duty with Germany in Azerbaijan. Neuer's switch to Bayern had been expected since April when he confirmed he would not extend his contract at Schalke.

In the interim he was linked to Manchester United after impressing in Schalke's champions League semi-final defeat to the Red Devils, however, he admitted at his unveiling today he only ever intended to join Bayern.
I feel this is the right move because I am the Germany goalkeeper and Bayern Munich is the best club in Germany.
Manuel Neuer, new Bayern Munich goalkeeper

"I feel this is the right move because I am the Germany goalkeeper and Bayern Munich is the best club in Germany," he told Bayern Munich's official website www.fcb.tv. "I'm glad that everything is now behind me. I am looking forward to this challenge, the first training sessions and training camps."

Neuer is the first major signing for new boss Jupp Heynckes with the club having also plumped for Brazilian defender Rafinha as they look to rebuild after a relatively poor season last time out. The Bavarians only snuck into third place in the Bundesliga table, crucially qualifying for the UEFA Champions League to salvage something from a disappointing campaign, but goalkeeper proved a problem position for them.

Neuer believes he can help turn the club's fortunes around as he looks to cement his growing reputation with silverware. "I know definitely what I want," he added. "I look forward to these five years. I know Munich and I think I will feel comfortable here. I know this is not normal for me, this is all new territory. But I look forward to it."

Samba: No regrets choosing Congo

Samba: No regrets choosing Congo


Upon meeting Chris Samba, the defender reportedly courted by the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, you are immediately struck by his gigantic 1.95m frame, his firm handshake and his soft French accent. However, therein lays an anomaly, as he has won 20 caps for Congo. His parlance is most definitely European, rather than African.

A look at his biography reinforces that view: Samba was born on 28 March 1984 in Creteil, just south-east of Paris. After spells with local clubs, he moved north up the River Seine to Rouen, before ending up with Sedan’s B team.

There, he was considered to be a youngster with considerable potential and had even made a handful of appearances for the club's first team, when disaster struck. A broken fibula saw him out of action for over three months, and Sedan were not prepared to take the risk by offering him a professional contract.

“Every time in football it’s the same; sometimes people believe in you and sometimes they don’t," he recalled in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com. "Then I left Sedan I couldn’t play, I couldn’t go on trial, so I was forced to train alone for six months. People thought I was in bad shape because everywhere I was going I was not fit enough or I was not ready to play.

“I really needed to get into a club and train with a team and I didn’t really know what to do. Then, the national team of Congo gave me a chance, they said I could go and train with them and get regular training and play regular matches so I could get back to full fitness.

“I played some games with the national team and people saw me. I earned a trial with Hertha Berlin, then I got spotted by Blackburn – and the rest is history. People say now that I have the ability to play for France, but I will never regret choosing Congo because it was because of them that I was able to get back on my feet. They helped me very much and I’m proud to play for them.”
I will never regret choosing Congo because it was because of them that I was able to get back on my feet.
Chris Samba, Congo defender.


Samba still has a large family in Congo, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and relishes returning to his ancestral home to play for the national team to see them and to give something back to the people who offered him a chance when he needed it most.

“I hope my family are proud of me and I hope I can make them even more proud in the future,” he smiled. “I love playing for Congo. When you arrive at the airport and then to the arrivals hall people physically pick you up and carry you to the waiting car, dancing and singing; it’s just great!

“I ought to apologise because I didn’t go back for the last couple of games but that was so I could really concentrate on what was happening at Blackburn and not take the risk of getting injured. At the time it was more important to be in England, but I'm really looking forward to playing for my national team again very soon.”

Samba may be joined by Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Steven Moyoukolo and West Bromwich Albion’s player of the season Youssuf Mulumbu in the next Congo squad, but feels that the country needs to make bigger strides off the pitch in order to compete with Africa's top footballing nations.

“We’re getting more and more players, where I think we need to progress is in our professional standards,” he opined. “We have a couple of players playing in Europe and the Premier League but we are not getting the best out of them because as a country we do not live up to European levels of administration and organisation. If we raise standards off the pitch, I think that there would be a positive response on the pitch.

“If you look at African teams who have done well at Olympic Games or at World Cups - the likes of Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon - they had a good coaching and administrative structure in place, in comparison with other African teams. We are getting there slowly but surely. We'll get there ourselves one day.”
So many African footballers are so determined to succeed because they know they can help a lot of people around them.
Chris Samba, Blackburn Rovers captain.


The Blackburn Rovers defender is taking matters into his own hands when it comes to improving the lives of people in Congo. In a few months time, the Chris Samba Foundation will be launched, mirroring club team-mate Jason Roberts’s equivalent, which aims to help people in Roberts' adopted homeland of Grenada.

Samba's foundation will initially aim to improve local schools and hospitals, as well as raising the quality of life for young children. Eventually, he hopes to open his own football academy in Congo.

“In Africa, a football player can be compared to a huge tree,” he said. “From the central branch you can help and give so much joy to other people. That’s why it’s so important and why so many African footballers are so determined to succeed because they know they can help a lot of people around them.

“It makes me very happy when I see people launching foundations and charities like that because it’s important to give something back when you have been given an opportunity because you should use your talents to give to other people.”

Uruguay get one back over Dutch

Uruguay get one back over Dutch
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Liverpool pair Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt traded late goals as Uruguay and the Netherlands drew in Montevideo, before the hosts triumphed 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out.

Suarez, a £22.8million January signing for the Reds from Ajax, seemed to have given Uruguay victory when he scored with eight minutes remaining. But Kuyt's injury-time header levelled matters for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Finalists in a game which was a repeat of the semi-final in South Africa, which the Dutch won 3-2.

Suarez though could still claim the bragging rights, though, as the South Americans prevailed 4-3 in the shoot-out to win the Fraternity Trophy.

The Netherlands were the brighter side in the opening quarter-hour, but had little to show for their efforts. Ibrahim Afellay curled a free-kick wide and then set up Kuyt, whose shot was held by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Suarez set up strike partner Edinson Cavani for Uruguay's first chance, but the Napoli man's header was blocked by defender Erik Pieters.

Diego Lugano shot over for Uruguay before Diego Perez tried his luck with an audacious free-kick from inside his own half, which was held by Netherlands goalkeeper Tim Krul. Robin van Persie shot over and Afellay's effort was blocked by Muslera as the Dutch pressed in the closing stages of the first half.

The second period began uneventfully, with Krul claiming Diego Forlan's inswinging free-kick from the left in a rare moment of goalmouth action. Afellay shot over and Krul caught Suarez's header before the latter finally broke the deadlock.

Cavani squared the ball from the left of the penalty area and Suarez slotted home from 12 yards. Godin went close to a second when he headed Nicolas Lodeiro's corner over the bar but there was a sting in the tail for Uruguay.

The Netherlands forced a corner as the match ticked beyond the 90-minute mark and Stijn Schaars' delivery was nodded in by Kuyt for the equaliser.

That set up a shoot-out, with Van Persie and Eljero Elia, a very late substitute for Kuyt, off target for the Dutch to give Uruguay victory despite Krul saving from Lodeiro.

Lazio snap up Klose

Lazio snap up Klose
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Lazio have confirmed the signing of Germany striker Miroslav Klose. The 33-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the Serie A outfit and joins on a free transfer after leaving Bayern Munich.

Talks with Bayern over a new deal broke down earlier this week and Klose has wasted little time in getting fixed up with a new club.

"Miroslav Klose is a Lazio player," read a brief statement on Lazio´s official website, www.sslazio.it.

Klose had also been a target for Turkish side Galatasaray and Primera Division club Valencia but opted for Lazio instead.

The former Werder Bremen forward endured a disappointing campaign for Bayern in 2010/11, scoring just one goal in 20 Bundesliga appearances.

Poland-born Klose made his name at Kaiserslautern before joining Bremen in 2004 and then Bayern in 2007.

He helped Bayern to the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in his first year at the club and was also instrumental as they reclaimed the league title in 2010 and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League.

He has won 109 caps for Germany, scoring 61 times, and his record of 14 goals in FIFA World Cup™ finals is second only to Brazil's Ronaldo.