No-play Kalinic is sent packing
WORLD CUP
AS MUCH as both managers say it is not all about Mohamed Salah, all eyes will be on the Liverpool star when he finally makes his World Cup debut tonight.
Salah has not played since Sergio Ramos cynically put him out of the Champions League final in Kiev last month and the footballer of the year had to watch from the substitutes’ bench as Egypt lost their opening game, against Uruguay on Friday.
The ‘Egyptian King’ was desperate to play before failing a late fitness test but Egypt coach Hector Cuper says the forward is ready to go.
“Against Uruguay we thought he was fit until the last minute but now he is ready and I hope he will be fully fit and ready to play,” said Cuper.
“He’s an essential part of the team.”
Cuper puts Salah in “the top 10 players in the world” and was delighted to hear Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov suggest he had a special plan to stop him.
When asked how he planned to stop Salah, who scored 44 goals for Liverpool in his debut season, Cherchesov said: “I trust in my team, I believe in my players and I will give you a simple answer: we are ready to do this and we will do this.”
Russia are full of confidence after their 5-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia on Friday but are wary of the threat Salah poses.
“Every team has players you have to play special attention to,” said Cherchesov. “Mo Salah is the strongest one in the team and we understand this, but we are not playing against one player. We have to take all the players into consideration.”
Russia’s goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, right, has the same thoughts.
He said: “They have another 20 or so players apart from him. They are not just mannequins, they are living beings.” Cherchesov believes Salah can still light up the World Cup. “Salah will get better and he brings happiness to the fans of Egypt. Players like him only make championships better,” he said. And Cuper responded to the Russian’s claims that he had a plan to stop Salah by saying: “Each coach has his own SENEGAL manager Aliou Cisse claims Liverpool star Sadio Mane is already one of the best players on the planet and does not need a big tournament to prove it.
Mane and Co take on Poland today 16 years after making history at their first World Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals in Korea and Japan.
Cisse was captain then but is now in charge, and he is expecting a big strategy according to his philosophy. But it is never about just one player. It’s great that he is concentrating on Salah because we have 10 other players on the pitch.
“Salah is a pleasure to coach because he is very humble and always plays as part of the team. He is an important attacking weapon for us and if we are without him, we miss him.”
Egypt’s veteran goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, who at 45 could become the oldest player in World Cup history if he plays against Russia, joined tournament from his brightest star. Cisse said: “I don’t want to say he could become one of the best players – he’s always already one of the best.
“He plays in an emblematic club in Liverpool, which is one of the best European clubs, Akinfeev in criticising the World Cup ball supplied by Adidas. “There was a lot of criticism about the ball but we cannot change it now,” said Akinfeev. “The sponsor brings in a ball like this and we have to make it stick to our palms.
“Technology is improving and players are scoring from 40 metres.”
El-Hadary said: “This ball is probably better for the outfield players than the goalkeepers. It has some problems, but all keepers are facing the same problem.” and he’s shown that he is top-notch with his club.
“Nobody is really able to mark him or to stop him. At any point he can make the difference with a dribble, with a pass, whatever.”
Poland are back at the World Cup after an absence of 12 years and coach Adam Nawalka insists they are about more than Robert Lewandowski. He said: “Lewandowski is a very important member of the team. “He’s the captain. He’s a star. But we take the approach it’s the team that counts. Hopefully we can present ourselves as the best team.” CROATIA manager Zlatko Dalic has confirmed Nikola Kalinic has been sent home.
The AC Milan striker refused to come on as a substitute during Saturday’s 2-0 Group D win over Nigeria.
He has now been banished from the Croatia squad with Dalic saying the ex-Blackburn forward blamed a back problem for not wanting to play.
“During the Nigeria encounter, Kalinic was warming up and was supposed to come on in the second half,” said Dalic.
“However, he then stated that he wasn’t ready to come on due to a back issue. The same thing happened during the Brazil friendly in England, as well as before the practice session on Sunday.
“I have calmly accepted that, and since I need my players fit and ready to play, I have made this decision.” RIGHTING A RON: The widely-mocked bust of Cristiano Ronaldo on display at Madeira airport has been replaced with a work that boasts a greater likeness to the Portugal star, reportedly at the behest of his family.