A detailed look at South Africa’s hope for a big boost in tourism during the World Cup includes links to tour operators, ticket sales and lodging information. Hotel prices could drop after April10, FIFA’s deadline for releasing unsold inventory (its hospitality arm, Match, has contracts with more than 75% of major hotels for the period).
Section 2 Around the Net
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MLS infatuation Brits can be destructive
Steve Davis writes that “the managers, movers, shakers and deciders in Major League Soccer and in the U.S. Soccer establishment simply have to break free oftheir schoolboy crush on all things UK.” The infatuation leads to the signing of players out of the English second division — the League Championship, about which Davis says, “I’ve […]
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The early impressions of Carlos de los Cobos
New Chicago Fire coach, Mexican Carlos de los Cobos, impressed his players when he knew everyone’s name upon his first meeting with them. “He wasn’t wasting any time. He hit theground running. He had obviously studied our games from the previous season,” veteran midfielder John Thorrington said after a training session in Arizona. “For a […]
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Beckham Academy closure is surprise to Canadian kids
Fallout from the closure of the David Beckham Academy in Carson, Calif., continued. A Canadian under-12 team — 10 boys and seven relatives from Calgary’s Foothills Soccer Club — booked aweek-long trip to Southern California in April only to learn by chance recently in a Daily Breeze story online that the camp had beenclosed last […]
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Why Porto-Arsenal ref was right
Swedish referee Martin Hansson certainly finds controversy. He failed to see Thierry Henry‘s handball on the playthat to the goal that sent France to the 2010 World Cup at Ireland’s expense in November. And on Wednesday he was the referee who handed the ball to Porto’s RubenMicael, whose quick free start led to Falcao‘s winning […]
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Woman charged with manslaughter in ex-Socceroo's death
A 22-year-old woman was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of former Australian international Ian Gray on Monday. Sherryn Davis is accused of supplying heroin to Gray and stealing $3,000 worth of his property, including his laptop, camera and clothing. Gray’s mother, Georgina, believes her son, the coaching director at the Maccabi Hakoah […]
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Dempsey is recovering well
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson says injured American star Clint Dempsey should return to action before the end of theseason, putting him ready for the World Cup. Hodgson said Wednesday that “his progress is good and he is working very hard to recover. The medical staff are very happy with him.” Dempsey damaged his right knee […]
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Death-threat chanting Serb fans charged
Six Partizan Belgrade fans among the thousands who chanted death threats and insults at B92 reporter Brankica Stankovic during a match in December between Partizan Belgrade andUkrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk have been charged by Serbia’s state prosecuto. They also tossed around and punctured an inflatable rubber effigy of her. A recent TV documentary by Stankovicfound […]
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Orlando Pecanha recalls Brazil's defensive innovations
The death last week of Orlando Pecanha at the age of 74 prompted Tim Vickery to look back at the history of Brazil’s defense. Pecanha played inthe central defense alongside Bellini, the team captain, when Brazil won its first World Cup, in 1958 in Sweden. It was Brazil that came up with the idea of […]
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Length of Feilhaber's injury layoff unknown
The ankle injury suffered by U.S. midfielder Benny Feilhaber on Monday while practicing with his Danish club Aarhus was initially suspected to be a severe sprain that wouldsideline him for two weeks. However, scans revealed cartilage damage. Aarhus press officer Christian Haarslov said Feilhaber will be rested for a week and a half and will […]