IFA president Sepp Blatter has been waging a campaign to make soccer players' lives easier, or at least to reduce the number of games they are required to play.
And, as the first round of Europe's Intertoto Cup concluded - a month after the Champions League final - Blatter has been touring the United States and South America, which are hosting the big international tournaments of the year.
But beware of FIFA presidents bearing gifts. Nearly everything FIFA is supporting appears to be adding to the demands placed on players. Blatter proposed last week that Japan and Korea co-host the Confederations Cup in 2001 as a trial run for the World Cup the following year. Nearly everyone was hoping the recently concocted event, scheduled June 24-Aug. 4 in Mexico, would be phased out.
Blatter's plan is to play the World Cup every two years. This sounds like it would mean more games, but Blatter insists there would be less, since ''meaningless'' friendlies could be eliminated and continental championships could take on a dual purpose.
This way, the Copa America, which starts tomorrow in Paraguay, can be used as a qualifier for the World Cup. The tradition of Copa America, the oldest continental tournament in the world, would be wiped out in the name of efficiency.
The international calendar makes sense from a modern business standpoint, but it would devalue other competitions and blur the identity of leagues and tournaments.
Even England's FA Cup, played annually since 1872, could be expendable. Manchester United has qualified for the World Team Championship, another newly created tournament for continental club champions. For United to be involved in the event, scheduled Jan. 5-14 in Brazil, it would have to sacrifice participating in the FA Cup, in which it is defending champion.
Manchester United directors at first declined the invitation to the Team Championship, but now are being pressured to play because of England's interest in bidding against Germany for the 2006 World Cup. United took a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final last month in Barcelona. And if United fails to go to Brazil, the Germans will be the replacement, a huge political and public relations coup.
Ah, but what if the World Cup were held every two years? England could wait until, say, 2008 or 2010 for its chance. Africa could be appeased and the US cash cow could be milked more often.
Low-cost arenas
What price stadiums? The current hysteria for new stadiums has led to some inflated pricing, mostly in the US.
The Columbus Crew's $28.5 million structure is exceptional in the US. Several similar stadiums have been built recently in England for similarly reasonable prices.
In Brazil, the Arena Atleticana was inaugurated last week in Curitiba. The stadium has a 32,000-seat capacity and can be increased to 50,000 should Brazil present a serious bid for the World Cup finals. There are also luxury boxes, elevators, restaurants, accommodations for musical presentations, even a moat, and a transparent policarbonate covering. Total price is listed at 25 million reis, about $20 million.
The national team drew a capacity crowd at the Arena for its 3-0 victory over Latvia Saturday, with goals by Alex, Ronaldo, and Roberto Carlos. Mario Celso Petraglia, president of Atletico Paranaense, said the Arena annually will draw 2 million spectators for 70 events.
New league of their own?
The crowds for the Women's World Cup indicate there is an audience capable of sustaining a league at a level above the current W League. Organizers have talked of starting one in 2001, using this year's event and the 2000 Olympics as foundations.
But they should not be overly ambitious. Starting from scratch, and attempting to promote an on-going league is much different than the one-time, big event World Cup.
Plus, a league already exists, though at the semi-pro level. The W League provides a realistic structure, and could be modified to incorporate greater investment.
Women's soccer has some strong support in New England, and the Boston Renegades show both the limitations and potential of the game.
Renegades owners Tom Bagley and Reidar Tryggestad of Massachusetts Professional Soccer were involved with the country's first successful promotions of women's soccer in recent years, starting with the US-Norway games in the New England Sports Museum Challenge Cup in 1991.
The Renegades started three years ago, with roots in the local club scene. Former coaches Rick Copland and Peter Counsell had been involved with women's soccer since the 1970s and they brought several players from their club, Opus County Younts, to the Renegades. The team attracted nearly 2,000 fans per game in its first season and is averaging 1,400 attendance after three home games this year.
''This has been a prime venue for a women's pro team,'' said Farrukh Quraishi, chief operating officer of the Renegades. ''The players are great role models, intelligent, gregarious, personable. We have some strong teams in the W League and this is a strong foundation to go to the next level.
''I haven't been part of any discussions and I don't know if any plans will be formalized until after the World Cup. But if the US national team players can be distributed around the country, with some international players to supplement them, it would become a very strong league.''
The Renegades reached the W League finals last year and are 7-3 this season, the last two wins under interim coach Peter Bradley, who replaced Copland.
''Rick made significant contributions to the organization and for that we are very grateful,'' Quraishi said. ''But philosophical differences led to a parting of the ways.
''Peter Bradley has a very strong playing and coaching background. He's a teacher with degrees in education and French. And this buys us time to find a permanent coach.''
