New coaches make mark as road to World Cup begins

By RAVI UBHA
.c The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) – Three of soccer’s traditional powerhouses have new
coaches. It didn’t take them long to make their mark.

Italy’s Marcello Lippi dropped a star player he long managed, the
Netherlands’ Marco van Basten left out the country’s all-time leading
scorer, and Germany’s Juergen Klinsmann named a new captain.

As part of four World Cup 2006 qualifiers and more than a dozen
warmups in Europe on Wednesday, France – also with a new manager –
begins life without Zinedine Zidane; European champion Greece has a
rematch against the Czech Republic; and England’s Sven-Goran Eriksson
is on the touchline for the first time since a sex scandal almost cost
him his job.

European World Cup qualifying begins in Groups One and Three, with
Romania hosting Finland without injured Roma defender Cristian
Chivu. In the other qualifiers, Macedonia faces Armenia, Liechtenstein
takes on Estonia and Slovakia is at home against Luxembourg. Most
European nations begin qualifying Sept. 4. There also are five World
Cup qualifiers in the North and Central American and Caribbean region
on Wednesday.

Lippi, the cigar-smoking former Juventus manager, didn’t pick Juve
forward Alessandro Del Piero for a friendly at Iceland – and he made
no guarantees about his future.

Considered one of the most gifted players in the game, Del Piero has
disappointed in big tournaments, including Euro 2004, where Italy was
eliminated in the first round.

“Del Piero doesn’t have any particular problem,” said Lippi, who
replaced Giovanni Trapattoni. “It’s just that at the moment, I
believe it’s better that he improves his general condition. He’ll be
taken into consideration again once he’s done that.”

Lippi suprised many by adding forward Luca Toni – the Serie B’s
leading scorer last season with Palermo – and Sampdoria’s Francesco
Flachi, a 29-year-old uncapped player.

Striker Christian Vieri, defender Fabio Cannavaro, playmaker Francesco
Totti and another midfielder, Antonio Cassano, all on the Euro 2004
team, are injured.

“This is the national team of this moment,” Lippi said.

Van Basten, who took over from Dick Advocaat, omitted Patrick Kluivert
in selecting a young squad for a friendly at Sweden. Kluivert, with 40
goals in 79 appearances, recently joined England’s Newcastle.

“Kluivert has had a poor preparation for this season and first has to
prove at his club that he’s scoring and that a spot in the squad would
be a logical choice,” Van Basten said.

With Ruud van Nistelrooy hurt, Roy Makaay could start up front for the
first time in more than a year.

Also injured are regulars Philip Cocu and Clarence Seedorf. Speedy
winger Marc Overmars retired after Euro 2004, and defender Jaap Stam
has retired from international competition.

Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Feyenoord’s Romeo Castelen, both
uncapped, were chosen. The Netherlands reached the Euro 2004
semifinals.

Klinsmann is trying to rebuild a German side eliminated in the first
round of the Euros. Since Rudi Voller left, he’s replaced almost every
official connected to the national team.

One of his first on-field moves was to strip goalkeeper Oliver Kahn of
the captaincy in favor of midfielder and Bayern Munich teammate
Michael Ballack.

Germany, hosting the 2006 World Cup, plays Austria in Vienna.

“I wanted an outfield player as captain, a player who is connected to
all parts of the team and will take the reins in his hands when the
going gets rough,” Klinsmann said.

France’s Raymond Domenech also appointed a new captain – though he
didn’t have much choice. Zidane, the reigning FIFA player of the
year, announced his international retirement last week.

With Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira hurt, veteran keeper Fabien Barthez will
lead the team out in a home friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“I’m aware that a goalkeeper has already a lot to think about, but
it’s going to be him for this match,” said Domenech, Jacques
Santini’s replacement.

Apart from Zidane, defenders Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly and
Bixente Lizarazu have all retired from the national team. The four had
a combined 409 caps.

France, as one of the favorites, was eliminated in the first round at
World Cup 2002 and in the quarterfinals at Euro 2004.

Greece stunned soccer by winning the tournament in Portugal, downing
the Czech Republic 1-0 in the semifinals before edging the host in the
final.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel will be without defender Traianos Dellas in
Prague because of injury. The Czechs won’t have European footballer of
the year Pavel Nedved and fellow midfielder Vladimir Smicer, who also
are hurt for the friendly.

England didn’t change coaches – barely. Eriksson faced criticism from
the British press when it was revealed he and Football Association
chief executive Mark Palios had affairs with a 38-year-old FA
secretary. Palios eventually resigned, although Eriksson was cleared
of any wrongdoing by the FA earlier this month.

England hosts Ukraine in another warmup.

“If we don’t succeed this time, the knives will be out,” captain
David Beckham said about upcoming World Cup qualifying.

Luis Aragones manages Spain for the first time, against Venezuela in
Las Palmas. Aragones, hired to replace Inaki Saez following Spain’s
first-round exit at Euro 2004, included Arsenal’s 20-year-old forward
Jose Reyes.

08/17/04 09:28 EDT

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress