The Monday Briefing - Blatter Open to Video Technology; S.Korea President Visits FIFA

(WFI) World Football Insider rounds up the 10 things you need to know about the global football business today.

Blatter warms to video technology
FIFA president Sepp Blatter appears to be warming to the idea of using video technology to assist referees. Having previously opposed video replays claiming they would disrupt the flow of the game, he told the Swiss newspaper SonntagsBlick on Sunday that FIFA would consider the introduction of the technology. "I'm not absolutely against it. If the technology is ready to adopt, then I am in agreement,” he was quoted as saying. The issue is set for discussion at the March meeting of the International Football Association Board, the body that determines the laws of the game.

Meanwhile, Blatter, 73, restated his intentions to continue as president in comments to reporters at the CIS and Baltic Cup in Moscow yesterday. He will seek re-election at the 2011 FIFA Congress.

South Korea bid team lobbies Blatter
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon, chairman of the Grand National Party, will meet FIFA chief Sepp Blatter in Zurich on Wednesday to seek support for the country’s 2022 World Cup bid. South Korea, which co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan, is not expected to succeed in its bid campaign. Blatter has voiced criticism of preparations for the last Asian World Cup, citing the lack of coordination between the two organizing committees. Qatar, the USA and Australia are favourites to land the 2022 World Cup if the 2018 competition goes to Europe.

Stars line up for Match against Poverty
France striker Thierry Henry his Real Madrid midfielder Kaká are among the stars participating in the Match against Poverty in Lisbon today. Backed by FIFA and UEFA, the annual United Nations Development Programme match at the Estádio da Luz kicks off tonight. Proceeds from the game will help in the recovery effort in Haiti following the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake. Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal will take charge of a star-studded squad put together by Zidane and Ronaldo as they take on an SL Benfica All-Star XI led by the Lisbon team's trainer Jorge Jesus in the Portuguese capital. Emphasising UEFA's support for the initiative, president Michel Platini said: “This event demonstrates how football can be used in the fight against social ills such as poverty, exclusion and illiteracy."

Ivory Coast, Angola eliminated in Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations favourites Ivory Coast were knocked out of the tournament by Algeria in an extra-time 3-2 thriller on Sunday. Kader Keita's 89th-minute goal looked to have booked the Elephants semi-final berth, but Algeria substitute Madjid Bougherra took the game into extra-time with a last-gasp header. Hameur Bouazza scored the decisive goal. Ghana’s Black Stars reached the last four after defeating hosts Angola 1-0 thanks to a strike by Asamoah Gyan, scorer of the fastest goal at the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup (1 minute and 10 secs against Czech Republic). In today’s other quarter-finals, defending champions Egypt play Cameroon and Zambia take on Nigeria.

South Africa ticketing update
2010 World Cup organizers will give a progress report on the status of ticket sales for the June 11 to July 11 tournament at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Some of the bigger foreign teams are oversubscribed, but ticket sales for games featuring the host nation’s team, Bafana Bafana, have been very slow. FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke, chair of the ticketing sub-committee Horst R. Schmidt and Danny Jordaan, CEO of the organizing committee, will inform reporters on the progress of sales and highlight the next steps in distribution of tickets for the World Cup.

Inter comfortable winners in Milan derby
Inter Milan tightened their grip on the Serie A title, extending their lead over neighbors AC to nine points after a convincing 2-0 derby win at the San Siro. After Diego Milito opened the scoring with a ninth minute goal, Inter - for a while - threatening a repeat of their 4-0 victory in September. Milan were allowed a path after Inter's creative lynchpin, Wesley Sneijder, was sent off on 27 minutes for dissent, but failed to take advantage; Goran Pandev doubled the score on 65 minutes, and Ronaldinho missed an injury time penalty after Inter were reduced to nine men.

Manchester City test
Last week's claim by Manchester City CEO Garry Cook that his club were on course to overtake neighbors United and become "without doubt the biggest and best football club in the world" faces an early challenge on Wednesday when City visit Old Trafford, defending a 2-1 first leg lead in the Carling Cup semi final. Cook's provocative comments added further fuel to an already heated encounter. City forward Carlos Tevez described United captain Gary Neville as a "boot-licking moron" after his brace gave City the initiative in last week's first leg. City are seeking their first major final appearance in 29 years.

Copa Libertadores kicks off
The opening stage of the 51st Copa Libertadores kicks off tomorrow when Venezuela's Deportivo Tachira face Paraguay's Club Libertad. Twelve teams – including Diego Maradona's former-club Newell's Old Boys – face each other in the two-legged preliminary round, vying for a chance to progress to the group stage, which starts on Feb.10.

UEFA executive to discuss Euro 2016 bids
Key items on the agenda for the Jan. 28 UEFA Executive Committee in Valletta, Malta is the Euro 2016 bid process, the experiment with five match officials in the Europa League and UEFA Grassroots Day 2010, which precedes the Champions League final in May. Euro 2016 candidates France, Italy and Turkey are currently finalizing their bid dossiers, which are due with UEFA by Feb. 15. UEFA will confirm the timeline and arrangements for the evaluation and Euro 2016 decision at its meeting this week.

Japan FA team up with Spanish FA
The Japan Football Association has struck an agreement with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in an effort to improve the development of youth coaches with the support of the Spaniards. Three RFEF technical experts start a week of research in Japan today, with the results serving as the basis for the introduction of a new education system for the country’s youth coaches. At a news conference in Tokyo attended by Spanish FA president Angel Maria Villar Llona, JFA president Motoaki Inukai said: “We would like to learn from Spain – who are leading the world of football – and establish a world-standard youth development system in Japan and produce as many talented players as possible.”

Inukai added: “We are aiming to win the World Cup by 2050, which has been stated in our ‘JFA Declaration 2005.’ To make that dream come true, we need to establish a world-standard system, with the development of players as its foundation.

Written by Mark Bisson (mark@worldfootballinsider.com) and James Corbett
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