World Cup notebook

FIFA to pull plugs on replays

Midfielder Wesley Sneijder gets carried away — by jubilant teammate Dirk Kuyt — after he scored the second goal in the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over upstart Slovakia. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

Associated Press / June 29, 2010

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FIFA will censor World Cup match action being shown on giant screens inside the stadium after replays of Argentina’s disputed first goal against Mexico fueled arguments on the pitch.

Angry Mexico players protested to referee Roberto Rosetti after the screens in Johannesburg’s Soccer City showed Argentina forward Carlos Tevez was offside before he scored the opening goal in a 3-1 victory Sunday.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said yesterday that replaying the incident was “a clear mistake.’’

“This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that,’’ Maingot told a news conference yesterday. “We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played.’’

Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA “infotainment program’’ to fans before the match and could be used to replay match action.

Responsibility for operating the screens falls to South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee, which took charge of the 10 stadiums during the tournament.

Organizers’ spokesman Jermaine Craig said he had spoken to the stadium broadcasting team about the incident.

“The goal was awarded and it happened relatively quickly,’’ Craig said. “In retrospect, maybe it shouldn’t have been shown. It was shown and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that.’’

Maingot said FIFA has not yet received feedback from its officials at the match about a mass confrontation between coaches and players behind the Mexico bench as the teams left the field at halftime.

Italian referee Rosetti was at the center of a melee trying to separate heated conversations that included Argentina coach Diego Maradona.

French boss to quit

French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes said he will quit Friday following France’s World Cup fiasco. France was eliminated at the group stage for the second consecutive major tournament under coach Raymond Domenech, and there were also open conflicts between the squad and team management . . . England’s Football Association told Fabio Capello it will take two weeks to decide whether to retain him as coach of the national team. Capello, who has two years left on his contract, said he met with FA board member Dave Richards and told him he “absolutely’’ wants to stay on despite England’s elimination from the World Cup by Germany. “He told me that he needs two weeks time to decide,’’ Capello said. “I said I can be for the next season the manager of England.’’ Capello led England to nine wins from 10 qualifying matches, but his team exited the second round Sunday following a 4-1 loss — England’s most lopsided at a World Cup.

More English insult

As if getting undressed by Germany in a 4-1 defeat that was its worst in a World Cup wasn’t bad enough, the English players have had clothing and other articles stolen from their hotel rooms. Cleaning staff at the luxury hotel where England stayed in Rustenburg stole uniform shirts, a medal, and even underwear from players, police said.

The thefts were not reported to police until Saturday. Police spokeswoman Junior Metsi said police solved the case within a day, searching the homes of hotel staff.

“Everything that was stolen was recovered and [the thieves] are now behind bars,’’ she said.

Deco ready to go?

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz hinted that midfielder Deco will be available for today’s second-round match against Spain. Queiroz said Monday “we have 11 first-class players at our disposal’’ before mentioning midfielders Deco and Sabrosa Simao specifically. Deco has missed Portugal’s last two matches because of a right hip injury . . . Uruguay’s Diego Forlan, Diego Godin, and Diego Perez trained apart from the rest of their squad, four days before their quarterfinal against Ghana. Godin (injured left thigh) is the main concern for Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez . . . Meanwhile, Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan is nursing an injured ankle and left training wearing an ice pack . . . Barcelona said striker Thierry Henry has agreed to leave the club by mutual consent.