Changing Room Chat: Pele not fazed by Obama factor

Published on Tuesday 29 September 2009 23:37

BRAZILIAN football great Pele says he isn't worried that President Barack Obama's star power could help Chicago win the bid for the 2016 Olympics at the expense of Rio de Janeiro.

Rio is seen as a slight favourite ahead of Friday's vote by the International Olympic Committee, but Obama's decision to fly into Copenhagen for the final presentation could swing the ballot in Chicago's favour. Madrid and Tokyo are the other candidates. However, Pele said that Rio "doesn't compete with Obama. We are competing against Madrid, against Tokyo, against Chicago."

The 68-year-old football legend pointed out that Rio is also bringing some big names.

"If they have Obama, we have Lula, we have Pele," he said, referring to Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Obama announced on Monday that he will go to Copenhagen, joining first lady Michelle Obama to support his adopted home town's bid.

Rio also has a charismatic bid team, and is arguing strongly that it is South American's turn to host its first Olympics.

"We have some reason to believe in Rio de Janeiro, not only Rio but South America, because we have never had the Olympics," said Pele.

The boy Smith can't help it

GORDON Smith rarely passes up the opportunity to make his point.

But when the SFA press office said the chief executive would attend the announcement that Glasgow will host the 2010 Cerebral Palsy European Football Championships, media were warned Smith would be "there to talk about the announcement and nothing else".

Imagine our surprise when Smith went on to discuss Paul Hegarty, a forthcoming friendly international, and the conduct of fans at tomorrow night's Celtic v Rapid Vienna match.

German strikers slated by Muller

LEGENDARY Germany forward Gerd Muller has claimed the nation's current crop of strikers would not have stood a chance of playing alongside him in his day.

The 63-year-old, who scored 365 goals in the Bundesliga and 68 goals in just 62 caps for Germany, has criticised Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski ahead of next week's crucial World Cup qualifier with Russia.

"When you see what strikers we have in the national team today – in my day, they would not have even been allowed to even sniff the ball," he said.

TALES FROM THE TABS

HAWICK ROYAL AL-BETS

FOOTBALL found its way back on to the front pages yesterday, with the Sun claiming that a Scottish Cup first-round tie had been fixed as part of a betting sting.

The paper alleges that players and fans of minnows Hawick Royal Albert "cleaned up" after the East of Scotland League side lost 7-0. It is claimed that several bets were placed at 50/1 that Hawick would lose by that particular scoreline, while punters also backed the Borders outfit to concede a penalty – which they duly did when defender Gavin Watson gave one away with a deliberate handball.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman was quoted as saying: "We are investigating a complaint."

Elsewhere, on the back pages, it was all about the build-up to Rangers' Champions League clash with Sevilla and the news that Walter Smith's future at Ibrox remains uncertain.

Former Hearts midfielder Thomas Flogel gave the Record the lowdown on Celtic's Europa League opponents Rapid Vienna and tipped his countrymen to beat Tony Mowbray's men.