Right about now, Bora Milutinovic is waiting for his phone to ring. From FilBalad.com’s Amro Hassan.
German coach Otto Pfister has resigned from his post as Togo manager only three days before the team’s opening game in the World Cup against South Korea.
The 68-year-old tactician was appointed to guide Togo in their World Cup debut after former coach Stephen Keshi was sacked following the team’s poor performance in the 2006 African Cup of Nations (ACN) in Egypt.
“When I started to be manager of Togo, I was promised that the bonuses of the players would be cleared,” Pfister told FIFA™s official website on Saturday.
“That is still not the case so I decided to quit immediately, it’s a professional decision,” Pfister added.
Togolese Prime Minister Edem Kodjo said that he will personally fly to Germany to attempt to solve the issue that has the team™s World Cup preparations for the past two weeks, however Pfister insisted that he wasn™t going to retract from his decision.
“I’m not going back, my life’s dream to coach in the World Cup has been destroyed but this is a situation I simply cannot work with, Pfister insisted.
Former best player on Earth contender (circa 1997) and recent New York Red Bulls transfer target (OK, stop laughing) Ronaldo insists “I’m not fat.” I’ll resist the temptation to plug a jpg of Eric Cartman in this space, mostly because the resemblance is far too slight.
(England’s John Terry, challenged by Paraguay’s Nelson Valdez early in the first half)
Paraguay keeper Justin Villar lasted all of 6 minutes this afternoon against England, suffering an undisclosed injury moments after being victimzed by a Carlos Gamarra own goal (set up by a David Beckham free kick). The Guardian’s scrolling live blogger writes “On immediate evidence, Bobadilla is rubbish. At least, unlike PlayStation addict David James, he can actually claim to be unprepared.” Ty Conklin has been told he’ll only be needed an absolute emergency.
After Djibril Cisse broke his leg earlier in the week, France summoned Lyon’s Sidney Govou as a replacement. Perpetually petulant Nicolas Anelka coveted the call-up, but claims he was shunned due to “a personality problem.” Anyone who recalls Nick’s tenures at Arsenal, PSG or Manchester City would call that an astute observation.