World Cup Update

Beckenbauer feels Blatter is the man for PresidentZURICH: Bayern Munich president, Franz Beckenbauer, called Sepp Blatter quot;the best man...

Beckenbauer feels Blatter is the man for President

ZURICH: Bayern Munich president, Franz Beckenbauer, called Sepp Blatter quot;the best man we have in footballquot; but stopped short of officially endorsing him in the race against Lennart Johansson for the FIFA presidency. The former Germany captain told Switzerland8217;s Sonnatags Blich Sunday weekly that a year ago he had backed UEFA president Johansson8217;s bid to succeed Joao Havelange because he was the only candidate at the time.

quot;Now the situation has changed. I will certainly not spread election propaganda for Johansson. Blatter is the best man we have in football,quot;Beckenbauer was quoted as saying. Pressed on whether he was now backing the Swiss candidate, Backenbauer said: quot;I will be neutral because I cannot oppose Johansson after voting a year ago to support him. I only hope that Fifa and Uefa can still work together reasonably no matter how the election turns out.quot;

Croat Boksic to leave Lazio

MILAN: German striker,Oliver Bierhoff, has already announced he8217;s moving to AC Milan from Udinese and now Croatian forward Alen Boksic, another World Cup-bound star, will sign a three-year contract and transfer from Lazio, according to reports.

The Corriere Della Sera newspaper reported yesterday that Boksic8217;s transfer was to remain secret through the end of the month, since he is to lead the Roman side when Lazio and Milan must play their second-leg final of the Italian Cup next Wednesday.

French need to reach QF for bonuses

PARIS: French players won8217;t get a centime in bonuses unless the host nation reached the quarterfinal of the World Cup. Each squad player stands to get 50,000 if they make it to the last eight. And from then on, the prizes get bigger and bigger, the daily Le Parisien reported yesterday.

quot;But they8217;ll get nothing if France is eliminated in the group qualifiers, or the second round. If they get to the final, the winnings could quadruple,quot;it was reported.

Japanese starstriker may miss Cup

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TOKYO: Star striker Shoji Jo may Miss Japan8217;s first World Cup final appearance. He sat out a professional J-league game yesterday for an injured hip, raising fears as to whether Japan8217;s new rising star will be going to the World Cup. The team roster for the games against the Czech Republic and Paraguay next month will be announced soon, and they are likely to be the World Cup team.

Jo, 22, has been trying to keep up with practice despite the bruised hip suffered in last week8217;s game, according to the Yokohama Marinos, his J-league team. But he wasn8217;t even among the reserve players in yesterday8217;s game against the Kashiwa Reysol.