8 May 2006

FIGC Chief Carraro Resigns

The president of the FIGC (Italian FA) has announced his resignation over the match fixing scandal. The transcripts detailing conversations between Juventus director general Luciano Moggi and league officials were in fact delivered to the FIGC back in March but only came to light after being leaked in the press last week. Vice President Innocenzo Mazzini also resigned. In a long letter published on the FIGC website Franco Carraro gave the following reasons for his dismissal :

In this period, people within and out of our world feel that I should step aside; they say I am to blame if some members and some clubs in these past few years have violated the regulations, have used tones and behaviours that discredit our world; even if the sentences issued by the State Council, the Court of Appeals of Lazio and the various penal and civil courts have shown that the Federation has always behaved correctly.

We have always acted according to the rules. The only exception was in the summer of 2003 when we resolved, forcing the regulatory procedures, to extend the number of teams in the B series. It was a painful decision, "the lesser of evils" if we consider the atmosphere that had been created and the need to begin the league season on the planned dates. An extraordinary decision allowed by a State law and approved by Coni. With the serious and painful events that are resulting from the material sent to us by the Police Department of Turin and in consideration of the investigations under way in Rome and Naples, I do not feel that the world of football can allow those working in the field and those representing the public opinion to question whether or not the Federal President should continue to exercise his role.

The Federation has many appointments to meet in the upcoming months and needs a top management capable of concentrating on its role and duties.

I am resigning so that the Federal Board, where all the federation Components are present, can discuss the matter in total freedom.

I am sure that the decisions that will be made will be in the interest of football.

Best regards.

Desailly Announces Retirement

Former France captain Marcel Desailly has announced his retirement from football
at the age of 37 :

"I wanted to keep playing and had a proposal to join my friend Youri Djorkaeff (at New York Red Bulls in the MLS)  or to play in Australia but it is not easy for me to move my family."

Desailly, arguably one of the all time great defenders, won a record 116 caps as well as successive European Cups with Marseille and Milan, two scudettos and the World Cup and European Championship with France.

Chimbonda Hands In Transfer Request

"The timing of the request was absolutely diabolical. There is a time and a place to do such a thing, and after a game like this (2-4 defeat against Arsenal) is not that time. I have said to him we will not stand in his way because we cannot afford to have players at this club who do not want to play for us. However, the price is £6m, not a penny less. If anybody wants to pay that, they can buy him. If they don't, he can play in the reserves until his contract is over." - Wigan chairman Dave Whelan

Queudrue Considers England National Team

"I will surprise you, I am in England for five years now and I have never had any French team call. I am 'eligible' to play for the England national team. McClaren has already talked to me about his project but I need to think about it. In a way I could be lucky to play for a great team, but I would feel a little ashamed as France remains my country but I know here people respect me a lot. In France, people almost don't know me. I hope it would change above all if I come back to Ligue 1 soon." - Franck Queudrue his squad before the start of the World Cup.

Juventus Director Moggi Caught At Last

Transcripts from tapped (by Police) mobile phone conversations involving Juventus director Luciano Moggi seem to back-up the commonly held belief that he has been manipulating officials for years. At Napoli, according to the then club owner Corrado Ferlaino, Moggi provided Diego Maradona with a prosthetic penis to bypass urine tests. At Torino he was suspected of providing escorts for referees ahead of Torino's UEFA Cup matches back in the 1990s before joining Juventus who are regularly suspected of benefiting from favourable officiating.

Below is a selection of the transcripts that were published in Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera between Juventus director Luciano Moggi, the Vice-President of the UEFA Referees Commission Pierluigi Pairetto and Juventus CEO Antonio Giraudo.

11 August 2004 : Discussion over referee Herbert Fandel who officiated the 2-2 Champions League qualifying draw between Juventus and Djurgardens

Moggi : But what the f*ck kind of referee did you send us?
Pairetto : Fandel is one of the best
Moggi : Miccoli's goal was valid
Pairetto: No it wasn't
Moggi: It was valid, it was valid
Pairetto: He was in front
Moggi: What are you talking about in front? And anyway, all through the game he messed things up for us
Pairetto: But he's one of the top
Moggi : He can go and f*ck himself and for Stockholm (the return leg) I'm counting on you

(Summer friendlies)

Moggi :  Oh, at Messina send me Consolo and Battaglia
Pairetto :  Eh, I already did it
Moggi :  And who will you send us?
Pairetto :  I think Consolo and Battaglia
Moggi :  Eh, with Cassara, eh?
Pairetto :  Yes
Moggi :  And at Livorno, Rocchi?
Pairetto :  At Livorno Rocchi, yes
Moggi :  And for the Trofeo Berlusconi Pieri, please
Pairetto :  We have not done it yet
Moggi :  We shall do it later
Pairetto :  Ok we’ll do it later

14 August 2004 : Moggi and Juventus CEO Antonio Giraudo discuss Pairetto

Giraudo :  We see immediately what kind of air there is. You have any news of how the atmosphere is there at Sportilia (training centre)?
Moggi :  Good, good with Gigi (Pierluigi Pairetto)
Giraudo :  But it's not like last year?
Moggi :  No, no, with Gigi it's great
Giraudo :  But now we tell him to work hard for this crow, because we cannot go on with this dickhead

24 August 2004 : Discussion over the referee for the Champions League return match against Djurgardens (Juve win 4-1)

Moggi : The ref is Cardozo, right?
Morena : I've got Graham Poll written here
Moggi : Uhm. Where's he from?
Morena: He's English

Moggi then calls Pairetto

Moggi: So it's Cardozo, eh?
Pairetto : Eh?
Moggi: It's Paul Green (appears to confuse Green with Graham Poll)
Pairetto : What?
Moggi: Paul Green
Pairetto : Well something has happened at the last minute, he was sick or
something
Moggi: Find out
Pairetto: Yes, yes. I'll look into it right away

(Note.I believe Morena is Pairetto's secretary).

September 2004 : Pairetto tells Moggi Urs Meier will officiate against Ajax
(Juve win 1-0).

Pairetto : I know that you've forgotten about me but I haven't forgotten about you
Moggi : Go on
Pairetto : I've put a great referee for the game in Amsterdam
Moggi : Who?
Pairetto : (Urs) Meier
Moggi : Great!
Pairetto : Anyway, it was just to tell you this. You see, I remember about you even if you.... (conversation ends)

September 2004 : Pairetto talks with referee Paolo Dondarini who will officiate the Serie A match between Juventus and Sampdoria

Pairetto : You know what you have to do. Make sure you see everything. Even that which isn't there

6 September 2004 : Discussion between FIGC (Italian FA) Vice President Innocenzo Mazzini and Moggi over federation elections

Mazzini : For this asshole (FIGC President Franco Carraro) don' forget that he thinks that, also if he passes like he normally wants, he will win. Instead you must stick it up his arse, don't forget
Moggi: If I tell you let me talk to him, then tomorrow I have the appointment
Mazzini : Ok
Mazzine : On Friday I'll do the referees
Moggi : On Friday I will come too
Mazzini : I told Anto' (Juve CEO Antonio Giraudo) and he told me that he won’t come
Moggi : Let it go, that’s a hybrid environment, the less that someone blends in, the better it is, and it's not worth it to stay far away. I will make one take part or I will take part, or I will send Alessio (his son Alessandro?)

2004 : Moggi and Giraudo discuss signing Ibrahimovic. Moggi is furious after the striker scores a hat-trick for Ajax

Moggi : What the hell, but I specifically told him to play badly
Giraudo: I told him! We had agreed that he would play badly, go see the manager after the game, tell him that he would never play for them again and demand that he be sold to us

2004 : Arranging Delivery of a Car for an Important Friend

Man :  Agnelli's (Juve and Fiat owner) house, good morning
Moggi :  Good morning, I’m Moggi. I need Nalla
Nalla :  Hello Luciano
Moggi :  I need urgently, because we need to do
Nalla :  Yes
Moggi :  For an important friend, a Maserati
Nalla :  Yes
Moggi :  Four-door
Nalla :  Four-door?
Moggi :  Yes. We give you a week’s time, ten days, ok?
Nalla :  Ok

Enzo :  Hello?
Pairetto :  Enzo?
Enzo :  Hello Gigi
Pairetto :  Listen, I wanted to tell you that I practically have the car
Enzo :  Which?
Pairetto :  So when we want to go pick it up there is practically available the Maserati
Enzo :  Come on
Pairetto :  Yes, therefore
Enzo :  Madonna!
Pairetto :  Now when I’m back home tomorrow I will call directly the Royal House

Enzo is thought to be either FIGC (Italian FA) Vice President Innocenzo Mazzini or, according to another source, Vincenzo Mussetto who appears to have no links with football.

Gallas Wants To Leave Chelsea