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The lonely death of Diego Mendieta: Football´s forgotten man

(CNN) -- Diego Mendieta was a man who needed help.

There he lay, helpless. Alone. Dying.

There were no news stories. There was no #prayforMendieta hashtag, not even a line on the internet.

With the world oblivious to his plight, the Paraguayan, thousands of miles from home, passed away at the age of 32 in an Indonesian hospital on Tuesday.
Mendieta was a footballer who formerly played for Persis Solo, a club based 90 minutes´ flight from the capital, Jakarta.

He had longed to return home to see his wife and two children but had not been paid four months´ wages -- worth an estimated $12,500.

Mendieta fell ill and died of cytomegalovirus, a common infection that can be spread by coughing or sneezing.

In his final days, without enough money to finance his medical treatment, he changed hospitals three times and lost about 17 kilograms (about 37 pounds) in weight before his death.

His skeletal frame was left on a stretcher, covered by an old Real Madrid shirt, with a few football fans for company.

It is a story that has spread around the globe and left another stain on the sport in Indonesia, where two rival organizations are battling for control of the game.

"After his contract expired in June and his former club had not paid his salary, Mendieta suffered financially. He played in some rough football matches to survive in Solo," Indonesian journalist Sam Hadi of Kompas Daily said.

"He was unable to pay for his rented room in the last six months. He even had difficulties to pay for food, so his friends, colleagues and fans raised money to help him.

"His agent had advised Mendieta to go home by preparing the flight ticket for him. But Mendieta reportedly said that he was ashamed of not bringing back money to his country."

Having fallen ill in early November, Mendieta was first diagnosed with typhoid. By the time he reached his third hospital, where he could not afford his medical bills, the cytomegalovirus had crawled to his brain, Hadi said.

"It was very, very sad situation for him."

Football in the Asian country has been torn apart by infighting between the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) and the breakaway Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI).

Football´s ruling body, FIFA, has threatened to impose sanctions unless an agreement is reached.

Both bodies, which have their own competitions, have agreed to run just one league next season to avoid punishment from FIFA, whose executive committee expects to have to rule on the matter at its meeting next Friday. The PSSI did not immediately respond to CNN´s request for comment.

"Unfortunately yet again, it seems that the set objectives will not be reached and we, therefore, anticipate that the PSSI will be sanctioned," FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke wrote in a letter to Indonesian sports minister Andi Mallarangeng.

"We are fully aware that Indonesia is passionate about football and that sanctions will have a major impact. We have tried tirelessly to solve the problems, but we are afraid that there will be no choice unless the objectives are met or that significant progress has been made."

The division has caused great ructions within Indonesian football, with players often the victims both financially and physically.

"Mendieta´s death raises questions of how he was treated by Liga Super´s management. Why was he not paid his salary for so long?" PSSI official Rudolf Yesayas told AFP.

"Managing football is a complicated affair. Mendieta´s death highlights the importance of having one football association, not more."

The national team has also suffered, losing 10-0 to Bahrain in a World Cup qualifier in March, a result that was investigated by FIFA because of suspicions of match-fixing.

"It has been almost two years since Indonesian football split," Hadi said.

"However, the financial problems do not only hit the breakaway clubs but also the clubs which play under the PSSI competition."

He said 13 clubs from both leagues are months late with payments, according to the players´ association.

"On this matter, PSSI said on its official website that they would help the cost of flying Mendieta´s body back to Paraguay, but they won´t pay the players´ salary as Persis did not play under PSSI competition," Hadi said.

"On the other hand, Persis officials said they have transferred Mendieta´s salary to his wife in Paraguay. "

Hadi said an out-of-contract Brazilian footballer, Bruno Zandonadi, also died in similar circumstances three months ago after being infected during treatment in an Indonesian hospital.

While Solo Mayor Hadi Rudyatmo has said he will pay Mendieta´s hospital bills, the act of charity has come too late for FIFPro, which represents footballers around the world, with a membership of 60,000.

FIFPro launched a "Black Book" this year, detailing the abuse of players in Eastern Europe. It has repeatedly fought cases for players facing violence, arbitrary termination of contracts and non-payments of salaries.

It has also taken up the case of 2010 World Cup finalist Wesley Sneijder, who has been asked to extend his contract for no additional pay by Italian club Inter Milan.

"FIFPro demands that the Indonesian football association make an end to the structural mismanagement of countless football clubs," the Netherlands-based group said in a statement.

"It is a disgrace for the whole of professional football in Indonesia," added Frederique Winia, secretary general of FIFPro´s Asia division.

"I know countless stories of players who are intentionally not paid by their club and have to wait for months for their salary. But I have never before heard a story where a seriously ill player has been left completely to his fate by a club.

"I assume that both the club and the national football association of Indonesia realize that they have seriously failed and that they have much to explain, particularly to the family and relatives of Diego Mendieta. The least the club can do is to pay the arrears in salary to his family."

Mendieta´s body has been transported back to Paraguay, where he will be buried.
His wife, Valeria, remains adamant that the Indonesian authorities are solely responsible for Mendieta´s death.

"He was practically abandoned. The only help he received was from three Paraguayan companions, nothing other than that," she told Radio Cardinal.
Mendieta´s plight has drawn widespread sympathy.

"It´s a heartwrenching tale," Indonesian football expert Antony Sutton said.

"As an expat myself, I know what it´s like to be on your own in a foreign country and left to fend for yourself," said Sutton, author of the Jakarta Casual blog.

"He hadn´t been paid in four months and was all alone without anyone to pay the bills. The Persis Solo fans, who are extremely passionate, did their best to raise money and made about $300.

"But before I found out about the story, it was too late and he was dead. It´s a real tragedy."

Emotional Muamba ´gets closure´

While the case of Fabrice Muamba, the former Bolton player who collapsed on the pitch after going into cardiac arrest, drew intense media coverage, Mendieta did not have the same fortune.

Muamba´s collapse at Tottenham´s White Hart Lane in March was broadcast around the world after the midfielder´s heart stopped for 76 minutes.

Twitter went into overdrive, players around the world wore "Muamba" shirts to express their solidarity, and news channels jumped on the story.

His subsequent recovery has also been well documented, with interviews beamed around the globe, and an autobiography recently released.

But in Indonesia, where football is not king and the sport is in disarray, Mendieta had little chance.

It is only after his death that his name has become commonplace.

"He always complained of being lonely," said Guntur Hernawan, head of the internal medicine division at Moewardi Hospital in Solo.

"He said he wanted to go home because all of his relatives were in Paraguay."

Another argie legend bites the dust...

Unión busca DT: Suenan Cocca y Sava

SANTA FE -- La dirigencia de Unión de Santa Fe comenzó a buscar entrenador luego de la renuncia de Nery Pumpido, quien dejó el cargo al no haber podido ganar ni un solo partido en el torneo Inicial y con el equipo poco menos que condenado a perder la categoría.

Pumpido se fue de Unión tras el empate 1-1 como local ante Racing por la última fecha del torneo Inicial y ya comenzaron a sonar los nombres de Diego Cocca y Facundo Sava como candidatos a sucederlo.

El viernes a la noche, Unión ganaba 1-0 y parecía quedarse con su primer triunfo en el torneo, pero Racing le empató en tiempo de descuento y entonces Pumpido decidió presentar la renuncia.

Para intentar mantener la categoría, Unión deberá buscar salir campeón del torneo Final que comenzará en febrero.

El equipo santafesino sumó apenas siete puntos en el Inicial y arrastra 23 fechas sin victorias (la última fue en el Clausura pasado ante San Lorenzo).

Cruzeiro striker Anselmo Ramon involved in accident, cyclist dead

Cruzeiro striker Anselmo Ramon was involved in a car accident near Salvador in Bahia state on Saturday morning, leaving a cyclist dead and injuring both himself and another cyclist.

Anselmo, 24, was driving on a slip-road just off the BA-099 highway between the cities of Camaçari and Dias d´Ávila when the incident occurred.

According to information given out by the Military Police, the vehicle left the road for around twenty metres before colliding with the two cyclists. The vehicle was not registered to the Cruzeiro striker.

One of the cyclists died instantly in the incident, whilst the other was taken to a nearby hospital along with the player himself.

Because of his injuries, it is reported that the footballer did not undergo a breathalyser test at the scene, but the Military Police report that he is thought to have fallen asleep at the wheel ahead of the incident.

Anselmo Ramon joined Cruzeiro from Bahia in 2007 and has spent several spells away from the club on-loan. However, the striker has returned to play an important role for the Belo Horizonte side over the past 18-months.

Så for søren! Så er eksamnene færdige, og jeg kan endelig hygge mig herinde inden jeg drager til Berlin i Januar.

Her er lidt nyheder:
Grêmio 0 Internacional 0 - Final Gre-Nal at the Olímpico ends in a draw
By Josh Pedley 2012-12-03 18:10:00

Joshua Pedley
Grêmio leave their home since 1954 with disappointment, after goalless draw means they miss out on automatic qualification for the 2013 Copa Libertadores

It’s easy to know when a football match is taking place in Porto Alegre by the amount of fireworks that get let off around the city, but the explosions came on the pitch at the Olímpico on Sunday as the final Grêmio v Internacional fixture to be played at the historic stadium ended 0-0.

The match itself was hardly a classic. Inter, with nothing to play for but local pride, set about ruining the party for their rivals, who as well as not wanting leave their home with a defeat, needed to win the game to secure second place in the league and gain automatic qualification to next year’s Copa Libertadores.

Grêmio dominated the game throughout but Inter stood firm and defended superbly, throwing themselves in front of shots and hurrying Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s team all across the pitch.

But the game will be remembered not for the football that was played but the two second half incidents that turned the game into something more like a street brawl.

On 48 minutes Inter keeper Muriel got sent off for handling outside the area and as the player was walking off the field a brawl broke out in which Grêmio ‘s Elano appeared to be headbutted by Fred who, to Luxemburgo’s fury, was only given a yellow card.

Then, just 10 minutes later, Inter striker Leandro Damião elbowed Para while challenging for a header and was sent off, reducing the away side to 9 men.

With Grêmio frantically searching for a winner, an altercation broke out between defender Saimon and Inter coach Osmar Loss, which descended into another brawl, causing the referee to end the game early, despite having four minutes of injury time remaining, thus angering the Grêmio players even more.

The Inter players left the field feeling triumphant at spoiling their great rivals party, and the disappointment of missing out on second place soon turned to sadness as fans realised it was time to say goodbye to the Olímpico for the last time.

The tricolor started this season with no real hopes of success, but Luxemburgo has breathed new life into the club and with a new president promising quality recruitments for next season, and the move to their new 60,000 capacity stadium in December, things are finally looking up for the blue half of Porto Alegre.

Cruzeiro striker Anselmo Ramon involved in accident, cyclist dead
By Christopher Atkins 2012-12-08 17:26:48
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Cruzeiro striker Anselmo Ramon was involved in a car accident near Salvador in Bahia state on Saturday morning, leaving a cyclist dead and injuring both himself and another cyclist.

Anselmo, 24, was driving on a slip-road just off the BA-099 highway between the cities of Camaçari and Dias d´Ávila when the incident occurred.

According to information given out by the Military Police, the vehicle left the road for around twenty metres before colliding with the two cyclists. The vehicle was not registered to the Cruzeiro striker.

One of the cyclists died instantly in the incident, whilst the other was taken to a nearby hospital along with the player himself.

Because of his injuries, it is reported that the footballer did not undergo a breathalyser test at the scene, but the Military Police report that he is thought to have fallen asleep at the wheel ahead of the incident.

Anselmo Ramon joined Cruzeiro from Bahia in 2007 and has spent several spells away from the club on-loan. However, the striker has returned to play an important role for the Belo Horizonte side over the past 18-months.

Grêmio´s Naldo rygtes til Udinese

Berlin - det er da for koldt ? - syntes da Porto Alegre lyder langt bedre og varmere...husk dog solcrem - eller bliver du bare "rød" og det går ikke som gremista ;-)

Det ser iøvrigt også ud til i forlænger med Zé Roberto :-)

Clash of the Titans....kan i (nok mest henvendt til Samba) huske de dueller mellem Zico´s Flamengo og Dinamite´s Vasco....suk det var tider...

Dinamite: Romário is not welcome at Vasco after dispute

Following former striker Romário´s outburst against the Vasco board of directors, club president Roberto Dinamite has insisted the ´94 World Cup winner would not be welcome at the club.

Romário launched his tirade against the club on Facebook following his son´s decision to leave Vasco´s academy and join the first-team of Série C side Brasiliense.

The former Barcelona striker spent four separate spells at the club, winning the Brazilian championship in 2000 and scoring nearly 300 senior goals for the Cruz-Maltino.

However, the striker-turned-politician complained that his son did not receive the same treatment as Dinamite´s own son, complained that youth coach Sorato was a ´mediocre player´ and that the club was ´in s**t´.

Besides that, Romário reserved special criticism for president Dinamite—another former idol of the club—accusing the director of being a ´horrible president´ with no knowledge of administration and lacking in personality.

Dinamite responded on the social media site with a dignified message equating the situation of his own son with Romarinho and stating he was ´surprised´ at the comments.

However, on Saturday, Dinamite told Globo that the club would consider removing Romário´s statue from the ground after the incidents before adding: "I think it would not be good for Romário to appear at the São Januário. He would not be welcome."

Romário´s statue was unveiled at the club after he scored his 1000th senior goal while at the club. The player is, though, currently taking Vasco through the courts over unpaid wages dating back many years.

Grêmio Arena set for inaugaration

Grêmio will celebrate the opening of their new 60,000 seater stadium on Saturday evening as they take on Hamburg in a repeat of the 1983 Intercontinental Cup.

Although the Porto Alegre stadium will not be used at the World Cup, it is the first of the latest generation of stadia to be opened in the country and could provide Grêmio with a new source of income.

The club hope that the stadium can rake in €41 million in revenue in its first year alone, with 65% of that money heading to the club and the remaining 35% to be paid to construction company OAS—club partner for at least the next 20 years.

Footballing revenue, including ticket sales is expected to bring in 40% of the stadium´s income, with 30,000 feet of rental units, 58 bars and two restaurants accounting for the remainder.

The club are still considering a naming rights deal with the Industrial and Commericial Bank of China (ICBC) which could potentially add to the stadium´s revenue, with Ronaldo´s 9ine agency handling the potential deal.

Nåh men først og fremmest tillykke til Monterrey med deres semifinale ved VM for klubhold. Los Rayados besejrede koreanske Uslsan med 3-1 - målscorer 2 x Cesar Delgado og Jesus Corona.

http://www.youtube.com/w…o85TeRADdUg

Carlos Feraud sikrede Liga de loja en 1-0 sejr over Independiente José Terán i Ecuador - i kampen om de ecuadorianske seedninger i den kommende Copa Sudamericana.

Idag møde Emelec og LD Quito for at afgøre det samme mht Copa Libertadores første kamp er Casa Blanca I Quito.


Mål af Jose " El Machete " Contreras og Jairo Arreola sikrede Comunicaciones en 2-1 sejr over Malacateco og dermed er Los Albos klar til finalen i Guatemala hvor de skal møde vindren af opgøret mellem CSD Muinicipal og Heredia.

I El Salvador kvalificerede Isidro Metapan sig til finalen med 3-2 sejr over Aguila på mål af Cristian Bautista, Nicolás Múñoz og AlfredoP Pacheco - mens Darwin Bonilla stod for gæsternes mål.

http://www.youtube.com/w…45v-F8vjBJE

Uruguay

Ignacio Russo og Federico puppo sikrede Defensor Sporting en 2-0 sejr over Cerro. Fenix og River plate delte i porten med 2-2 i enkamp hvor alle mål blev scoret før pausen og endelig fik bundproppen Danubio endnu et point på Luis Martínez sene scoring mod CErro Largo.

Caribbean Cup 2012...

Martinique - Cuba 1-0

French Guyana - Jamaica 2-1 (!!!)

Piquionne goal lifts Martinique over Cuba

NORTH SOUND, Antigua - Frederic Piquionne scored a 29th minute goal and Martinique defeated Cuba 1-0 on Saturday in the 2012 Caribbean Cup finals Group B opener at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

In a physical contest, veteran Piquionne provided the difference, beating Cuban goalkeeper Odelin Molina after receiving a through ball from the influential Kevin Parsemain.

There was no shortage of opportunities, however, for the Lions of the Caribbean to get on the scoreboard. Alberto Gomez and Jaine Colome Valencia hit the crossbar in the first and second half, respectively.

Parsemain, though, was the game´s outstanding performer. The 24-year-old forward, who scored six goals in a first-round win over the British Virgin Islands, was a creative force and his sharp skills continually challenged the Cuban defense. In the first half, he had an attempt knocked off the line by Jorge Corrales.

With 20 minutes remaining, Parsemain saw a 35-yard shot saved spectacularly by the outstretched Molina.

The victory extended Martinique´s Caribbean Cup unbeaten streak to seven consecutive games.

Next up for Les Matinino is an encounter against Jamaica on Monday, while Cuba meets French Guyana.




French Guyana turns back Jamaica

NORTH SOUND, Antigua - French Guyana made its Caribbean Cup intentions clear on Saturday, stunning two-time defending champion Jamaica 2-1 in the Group B opener for each at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The victory plants it into a first-place tie with Martinique, which defeated Cuba 1-0 earlier in the day.

Gary Pigree, the impressive French Guyana forward, netted his eighth goal in seven Caribbean Cup games to open the scoring. A splendid solo run by Jean-Claude Darcheville unbalanced the Jamaican defense. Rather than take the shot himself, the former Rangers and Bordeaux star unselfishly located Pigree advancing from the right.

The 24-year-old appeared to have mistimed his attempt, but Jamaican goalkeeper Dwayne Miller failed to collect cleanly and the ball rolled into the net, giving the upstart a 19th minute 1-0 lead.

But that joy was short lived as Jamaica´s Tramaine Stewart tore down the right flank into the 18-yard box and, without hesitation, hammered a shot past helpless goalkeeper Laurent Pecthy to level the score just three minutes later.

The Reggae Boyz came out for the second half in a spirited mood, but it was French Guyana that got the goal.

In the 48th minute, the 37-year-old Darcheville threaded another precise pass, this time to Rudy Evans, who tallied to give French Guyana a 2-1 advantage that it would never relinquish.

Jamaica had a chance to salvage a point with 10 minutes remaining, but Pecthy demonstrated his class and sealed a win for his side by saving back-to-back efforts from Darren Mattocks and Demar Phillips.

Group B play continues on Monday with another doubleheader. French Guyana will face Cuba in the opener, followed by a meeting between Jamaica and Martinique.

Så er dey iøvrigt idag for vi finder den peruvianske og chilenske mester, da det er dagen hvor der er er returkamp i mesterskabsfinalen - ummidelbart ser det det bedst ud for henholdsvis Sporting Cristal i peru 81-0 plus hjemmebanefordel) og Union Española (3-1 med fra første kamp)

Med lidt held har vi også afgørelsen i Bolivia hvor the Strongest mangler et point...

Argentina

19 og sidste runde, 5 kampe lørdag.


Lanús - San Lorenzo de Almagro 0-0


Argentinos Juniors - Newell´s Old Boys 1-3

0-1 Victor Figueroa (21´) 0-2 Ignacio " El Nacho " Scocco (34´) 1-2 Juan Luis Arangonó (59´) 1-3 Ignacio " El Nacho " Sococco (90´)

http://www.youtube.com/w…AOclVcT5GSs

Boca Juniors - Godoy Cruz Mendoza 2-1

0-1 Armando " Pantera " Cooper (60´) 1-1 Guillermo "Pol" Fernández (64´) Nicolás " Metralla" Blandí (90´)

http://www.youtube.com/w…UvnuBy2OAKo

Belgrano - Estudiantes De La Plata 1-0

1-0 Claudio Pérez (87´)

http://www.youtube.com/w…jAE6AhD4w2k


Atletico Rafaela - Vélez Sarsfield 0-3

0-1 Facundo " Chucky " Ferreira (34´) 0-2 Lucas " Oso " Pratto (83´) 0-3 Facundo " Chucky " Frreira (87´)

http://www.youtube.com/w…qmHIP5M6qj4