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Bilardo says Argentine football in a sorry state

BUENOS AIRES: Former Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo launched an outspoken attack on the state of the game in his country and the leadership of its football association on Wednesday.

Bilardo, who led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986 and the 1990 final, said it was time for a change at the top of the Argentina Football Association (AFA), where Julio Grondona has been president since 1979.

"I feel shame when I see the state of Argentine football," Bilardo told La Nacion newspaper in an interview.

"The security matter is a disgrace, the standard of refereeing is worrying ... the clubs are in a mess and don't have enough money even to buy grass.

"On the day that Grondona leaves, a lot of problems will be solved in Argentine football ... But if there isn't a change soon, Argentina football will fall apart. It's a disgrace.

"Compare our stadiums to the ones in Spain and you'll see what I am talking about."

Klose bags hat-trick as Bayern rout Cottbus

BERLIN: Miroslav Klose bagged a hat-trick to take his tally of Bundesliga goals to eight as Bayern Munich opened up a three-point lead at the top of the table with a 4-0 win against bottom-side Energie Cottbus on Wednesday.

Klose, the top scorer at last year's World Cup, struck in the 59th and 75th minutes after Cottbus put up a spirited fight for the first hour before the flood-gates opened.

Argentinian defender Martin Demichelis scored with a header on 63 minutes as Bayern took control at Munich's Allianz Arena ground before Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni bagged his fifth goal of the season.

His 69th minute strike and Klose's pair means that Bayern's first-choice strikers have now scored 13 league goals in just seven games to more than justify the 23 million euros spent on the pair last summer.

Woods paired with Howell for opening Cup matches

MONTREAL: World No 1 Tiger Woods has been paired with good friend Charles Howell III for Thursday's opening foursomes at the seventh Presidents Cup.

The United States duo will take on South Korea's KJ Choi and Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern of the Internationals in the last match out at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

Woods and Howell played together on four occasions at the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa, winning twice and losing twice.

"He's a great partner to have because we are friends," Howell told reporters at Royal Montreal. "Maybe in a sense I see Tiger in a little different light. I see him around home and I see him a little bit away from the golf course.

"I feel comfortable playing with the guy but I'm sure everyone else on this team would as well."

Woods's performances at four Presidents Cups do not reflect his status as perhaps the greatest player in history with a win-loss-half record of 10-9-1.

(China Daily 09/28/2007 page19)