Što je bio Kup velesajamskih gradova?
Kad je Dinamo bio na europskom vrhu
Kup velesajamskih gradova, koji je Dinamo osvojio 1967., najveći je trofej hrvatskog klupskog nogometa i po značaju ravnopravan današnjem Kupu UEFA.
Iako to natjecanje nije bilo pod UEFA-inom ingerencijom, već pod nadzorom posebnog organizacijskog odbora (Borda) bilo je uklopljeno u UEFA-in kalendar međunarodnih natjecanja te je po snazi klubova koji su u njemu sudjelovali bilo na kvalitativnoj razini tadašnjeg Kupa prvaka.
Naime, u to je vrijeme samo prvak velikih liga sudjelovao u Kupu prvaka, dok su ostali najbolje plasirani klubovi igrali u Kupu velesajamskih gradova. Jednak je kriterij vrijedio i od 1971., kad je UEFA preuzela organizaciju tog vrlo uspješnog i popularnog nadmetanja i nadjenula mu svoje ime.
S obzirom na današnje UEFA-ine propise, po kojima velike nogometne nacije daju nekoliko svojih najboljih klubova u Ligu prvaka, moguće je zaključiti da je Kup velesajamskih gradova bio jači od današnjeg Kupa UEFA.
Kup velesajamskih gradova zamisao je trojice velikih nogometnih djelatnika, predsjednika Engleskog saveza Stanleyja Rousa, zatim Talijana Ottorina Barrasija i Švicarca Ernsta Thommena. Sva su trojica kasnije postala visoki dužnosnici FIFA-e, a Rous i njen predsjednik od 1961. do 1974.
Najstariji europski kup
Kup je startao tri tjedna prije Kupa prvaka te je stoga prvo ikad pokrenuto klupsko natjecanje za cijeli europski teritorij, za razliku od regionalnih kupova poput Latinskog, Alpskog, Balkanskog i Srednjoeuropskog.
Isprva je Kup zamišljen kao natjecanje reprezentacija gradova koji su održavali trgovačke sajmove, jer je već postojala tradicija odigravanja prijateljskih utakmica prilikom sajmova. Međutim, već su u prvom turniru, koji je trajao od 1955. do 1958. sudjelovali i klubovi Inter, Barcelona, Birmingham City, Lausanne Sports i KB Kobenhavn. U drugom izdanju klubova je bilo i više od gradskih reprezentacija, a pridružili su se Roma, Chelsea, Lyon, Hannover, Ujpesti Dozsa i drugi.
Počevši od 1960/61, Kup velesajamskih gradova postao je redovno godišnje natjecanje za klubove koji su, u pravilu, u državnim prvenstvima zauzeli mjesta iza prvaka. Koliko je zanimanje vladalo pokazuje i činjenica da je 60.000 navijača na rimskom Olimpicu gledalo uzvrat finala 1961. protiv Birmingham Cityja.
Od 1968. u upotrebi je bio i alternativni naziv, Kup doprvaka (Runners'-up Cup), a 1971. je nakon par godina "očijukanja" s organizatorima, UEFA uklopila Kup velesajamskih gradova u svoju paletu natjecanja. Pritom je organizirala i "superfinale" dvaju najuspješnijih klubova u povijesti Kupa, Barcelone i Leedsa. Susret su dobili Katalonci s 2:1 i zadržali pokal u trajnom vlasništvu.
Kup velesajamskih gradova u medijima.
Ugledni svjetski nogometni almanasi, specijalizirani magazini i internetski portali kao www.rsssf.com, footballmondial.tripod.com ili Wikipedia odražavaju značaj Kupa velesajamskih gradova te ga u svojim povijesnim prikazima tretiraju ravnopravno s Kupom UEFA. Dapače, neki ta dva natjecanja u potpunosti poistovjećuju, iako tehnički gledano oni nisu isto. Svi klubovi koji su osvojili ovaj trofej, uključujući Barcelonu, Romu, Valenciju, Newcastle ili Arsenal, ponosno ga navode u svojim "osobnim kartama", ravnopravno s Kupom prvaka, kupova ili UEFA.
S kime se Dinamo sučeljavao?
U sezoni 1962/63, kad je Dinamo prvi puta igrao u finalu Kupa velesajamskih gradova, natjecali su se, između ostalih, i Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Roma, Sampdoria, Porto, Belenenses, Rapid Beč, Celtic, Everton, Crvena zvezda, Vojvodina i Ferencvaros. Većina ovih klubova i danas su ugledni sudionici euro-kupova. Te je sezone Dinamo na putu do finala svladao među ostalima Porto, Bayern i u polufinalu Ferencvaros.
Još je jača bila konkurencija 1966/67, iz koje je Dinamo izašao kao pobjednik. Nadmetali su se ništa manje nego Juventus, Napoli, Bologna, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla, Porto, Benfica, Bordeaux, Nice, Stuttgart, Nurnberg, Eintracht (F), Lokomotive Leipzig, Leeds, West Bromwich Albion, Dundee Utd., Basel, Sparta Prag, Crvena Zvezda, Ferencvaros, Aris i drugi; mnogi od najboljih europskih klubova svog vremena, a i uopće.
Dinamov put do trofeja
U prvom kolu Dinamo je svladao Spartak iz Brna (današnju Zbrojovku) s 0:2 i 2:0 te ždrijebom, s obzirom da tada nisu bili predviđeni jedanaesterci. Idući protivnik je bio Dunfermline s Alexom Fergusonom. Njega je Dinamo svladao s 2:4 i 2:0, dakle temeljem većeg broja golova u gostima.
U trećem kolu nadjačao je imenjaka iz Pitestija (današnji Arges) s 1:0 u gostima i 0:0 u Maksimiru.
Četvrtfinale je donijelo veliki sraz s Juventusom, koji je te godine osvojio talijansko prvenstvo. U Torinu je bilo ohrabrujućih 2:2, a u uzvratu uzbudljivih 3:0 za plave.
Polufinalni dvoboji suprotstavili su Dinamo i Eintracht. Nakon 0:3 u Frankfurtu, perspektiva je izgledala mračno, no u najslavnijem dvoboju u klupskoj povijesti naša je momčad u produžetku postigla pogodak više. Najbolji igrač meča, Stjepan Lamza, teško je ozlijeđen u padu s balkona Vile Rebar tijekom slavlja, no osvojeni trofej pripada i njemu.
U finalu je Dinamo čekala najveća engleska momčad razdoblja između 1966. i 1975., Leeds United. U Maksimiru su plavi slavili s 2:0 pogocima Čerčeka i Rore, da bi na Elland Roadu izdržali veliku "zračnu bitku" i očuvali mrežu netaknutom.
Do danas, to je jedini europski trofej koji je osvojila neka hrvatska momčad, a s obzirom na koncentraciju kapitala i najjačih igrača u bogatim zapadnoeuropskim zemljama, sva je prilika da će "sajamski kup" iz 1967. ostati usamljen - osim ako sam Dinamo ne izvuče iz rukava još neko čudo, kao nedavno u Amsterdamu!
Copyright Ozren Podnar/Soccerphile
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Friday, November 2, 2007
Players Pay For Jakarta High-Jinks
Where to start? The climax of the K-League season has been overshadowed by tales of ‘The four partymen’ –the collective label given to Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-guk, goalkeeper and captain Lee Woon-jae, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma skipper Kim Sang-sik and Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I forward Woo Sung-young.
It was two days before Halloween when reports started to appear in the Korean press that four players had been out drinking in a hostess bar in Jakarta until the early hours of the morning of July 14. The same four apparently did the same on the evening of July 16. On the 15th, three of them started an Asian Cup game against Bahrain, one which Korea lost 2-1. That defeat left the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists on bottom of Group B with one match remaining.
At that time, there were no players named, just pictures of scantily-clad Indonesian girls talking to Korean reporters and pointing at photos. As you would expect, fans were furiously speculating as to the identity of the four who had reportedly been out until 5 am just 36 hours before a vital game.
Song Chong-guk was a favourite. The ex-Feyenoord star has earned somewhat of a reputation, deservedly or not, as a player who enjoys going out and having a good time. Hunky Japan-based striker Cho Jae-jin was another mentioned. It was the old guard who were out on the town however, and after the defeat at the hands of the West Asians, it looked like Korea were out of the competition.
The Bahrain game was a disaster. Leading 1-0 with an early (sleeper) Kim Do-heon goal, Milan Macala’s team took advantage of defensive slips at the end of each half to record a shock win.
In the mixed zone afterwards, Lee Dong-guk complained of predictable and monotonous tactics. The Middlesbrough striker certainly had a new routine of his own and headed back to the same bar the evening after, in an attempt, in the words of goalkeeper Lee, to ‘boost morale.’
Fortunately for the Taeguk Warriors, Saudi Arabia thrashed Bahrain in the final group game to allow Korea to squeeze into the quarters with a narrow victory over Indonesia. It hasn’t been lost on fans that Lee Woon-jae then went on to become the best goalkeeper in the tournament and it was largely down to the Suwon shotstopper that Korea ousted Iran on spot kicks in Kuala Lumpur - perhaps nightlife in the Malaysian capital doesn’t measure up to its Indonesian counterpart. That was the high point of the summer for Pim Verbeek and players. A semi-final penalty shootout against Iraq brought the opposite result though Lee was at his best again while denying Japan in the third/fourth play-off. It may have been his last appearance.
Verbeek resigned and returned to Rotterdam, Lee Dong-guk went to Middlesbrough and the other three came back to Korea to fight for the K-League title and it all went well until South Korean internet site Newsis started sniffing around an Indonesian hostess bar.
On October 30, a Tuesday, the KFA published an official apology on its website after the four players had been named and definitely shamed by an angry media that was in the mood for blood.
They got tears that same evening when Lee Woon-jae and Woo appeared at KFA house to give a press conference. The players, in between sobs and dabbing of eyes with hankies, apologized and asked for forgiveness. Kim Sang-sik issued a statement containing similar sentiments.
Lee was in action the following night in the penultimate round of the K-League play-off series. “I played through my tears,” he said after Suwon lost to a late single goal at the hands of Pohang Steelers. Suwon’s season was finally over and Pohang progressed to the final against Seongnam.
That night Lee drank again but not, this time, in some exotic bar and this time he was with his wife. At 1:30 am, the hero of 2002 was talking to a Sports Chosun journalist on the telephone. “I can’t sleep,” ol’ spider hands confessed. “I am drinking beer with my wife. Because of one moment of stupidity, I have lost everything.”
In a disciplinary hearing on November 2, Lee, like the three others, lost the right to play for the national team for 12 months. As captain, he was banned from KFA-organised tournaments for three years, one more than his drinking buddies.
Talk hasn’t quite turned back to football yet but Pohang and Seongnam do battle in the two-legged title decider on November 4 and 11.
Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile
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Thursday, November 1, 2007
This is the ode to Hel
I’ve never been particularly lucky in love. As a result of a severe lack of confidence, I can only approach women after a skinful of lager when the beer goggles are on. Even Kermit would have turned his nose up at some of the pigs I’ve tried my luck with.
I raised the bar marginally higher when I emailed Helen Chamberlain to ask for a date, but she just blew me off.
I did find fleeting love with a diminutive woman called Dot. But just like the unfortunate Martin Jol, I was dumped via a text message. I’m completely over her now though; I buried her under the patio. After extensive digging I’ve discovered 13/8 for a Tottenham win over Middlesbrough.
Rent-a-quote WAG Cheryl Cole claimed that her ‘husband’ didn’t enjoy his final days at Arsenal as he believed that his foreign team-mates were all ‘talking about him’. I find it amazing that a talented footballer with a loving wife could end up such a paranoid wreck; and Ashley Cole is definitely a talented footballer. The 4/9 for a Chelsea win over Wigan is convenient.
Steve Bruce is definitely feeling the pressure. The potato-headed manger couldn’t bear to watch as Birmingham played Wigan last week; although this is not necessarily an uncommon phenomenon amongst the regulars of St Andrews. Everton can be backed at 8/11 against Birmingham; that’s unusually exhilarating.
It’s no coincidence that Arsenal are producing champagne football after dropping the bitter Lehmann. I believe the morale-boosting team huddle is a major factor in the Gunners’ improved form, or it may just be an opportunity to talk about Ashley Cole. Everybody should be talking about the 6/4 for an Arsenal win over Manchester United.
Sam Allardyce will go head to head with Harry Redknapp at St James’ Park, in a match that the gutter press are labelling ‘Panorama II’. I’ve been investigating the history to this fixture and I’ve discovered that Pompey last won in Newcastle in 1949. The Toon can continue their practical ownership at 11/10.
A member of the Royal family has allegedly been caught up in a sex scandal. I just hope it’s not Charlie, as i have absolutely no interest in hippophilia. One set of Royals who won’t be going down is Reading; they’ll leave Fulham with a point at 9/4.
Aston Villa appear to be certainties at 1/2 against a woeful Derby County. The Villa have looked fearsome on their own patch this season, while the Rams are conceding almost three goals a game on the road. The only money going on Derby will be Freddie Flintoff’s.
Phil Gartside must have had a few jars when he appointed Gary Megson. I’m all for positive discrimination, but this move reeks of desperation. Luckily for Bolton, West Ham have been decimated by injuries. Bolton can sneak a fortuitous draw at 5/2.
Like most people who enjoy a swift couple of beers, I often struggle to undress when I’m the worse for wear. I’ve now patented a machine that takes your shirt off for you automatically; it’s provisionally called ‘The Carragher’. I’m all over the 11/5 for a Blackburn win over a depleted Liverpool.
Manchester City may have started the season impressively, but Sven was on the receiving end of a real spanking at Chelsea last week. To make matters even worse, his team then lost 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. I believe that result was merely a blip; City will explode into life on bonfire night against Sunderland at 8/13.
Being a persistent soul, I’ve decided to ask Helen Chamberlain to accompany me to a small fireworks display. I’ve already bought her a Catherine wheel and a rocket; I just want a banger now. Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City form a 13/1 weekend accer that will more than cover the expense.
Copyright (c) Gerry McDonnell & soccerphile.com
I raised the bar marginally higher when I emailed Helen Chamberlain to ask for a date, but she just blew me off.
I did find fleeting love with a diminutive woman called Dot. But just like the unfortunate Martin Jol, I was dumped via a text message. I’m completely over her now though; I buried her under the patio. After extensive digging I’ve discovered 13/8 for a Tottenham win over Middlesbrough.
Rent-a-quote WAG Cheryl Cole claimed that her ‘husband’ didn’t enjoy his final days at Arsenal as he believed that his foreign team-mates were all ‘talking about him’. I find it amazing that a talented footballer with a loving wife could end up such a paranoid wreck; and Ashley Cole is definitely a talented footballer. The 4/9 for a Chelsea win over Wigan is convenient.
Steve Bruce is definitely feeling the pressure. The potato-headed manger couldn’t bear to watch as Birmingham played Wigan last week; although this is not necessarily an uncommon phenomenon amongst the regulars of St Andrews. Everton can be backed at 8/11 against Birmingham; that’s unusually exhilarating.
It’s no coincidence that Arsenal are producing champagne football after dropping the bitter Lehmann. I believe the morale-boosting team huddle is a major factor in the Gunners’ improved form, or it may just be an opportunity to talk about Ashley Cole. Everybody should be talking about the 6/4 for an Arsenal win over Manchester United.
Sam Allardyce will go head to head with Harry Redknapp at St James’ Park, in a match that the gutter press are labelling ‘Panorama II’. I’ve been investigating the history to this fixture and I’ve discovered that Pompey last won in Newcastle in 1949. The Toon can continue their practical ownership at 11/10.
A member of the Royal family has allegedly been caught up in a sex scandal. I just hope it’s not Charlie, as i have absolutely no interest in hippophilia. One set of Royals who won’t be going down is Reading; they’ll leave Fulham with a point at 9/4.
Aston Villa appear to be certainties at 1/2 against a woeful Derby County. The Villa have looked fearsome on their own patch this season, while the Rams are conceding almost three goals a game on the road. The only money going on Derby will be Freddie Flintoff’s.
Phil Gartside must have had a few jars when he appointed Gary Megson. I’m all for positive discrimination, but this move reeks of desperation. Luckily for Bolton, West Ham have been decimated by injuries. Bolton can sneak a fortuitous draw at 5/2.
Like most people who enjoy a swift couple of beers, I often struggle to undress when I’m the worse for wear. I’ve now patented a machine that takes your shirt off for you automatically; it’s provisionally called ‘The Carragher’. I’m all over the 11/5 for a Blackburn win over a depleted Liverpool.
Manchester City may have started the season impressively, but Sven was on the receiving end of a real spanking at Chelsea last week. To make matters even worse, his team then lost 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. I believe that result was merely a blip; City will explode into life on bonfire night against Sunderland at 8/13.
Being a persistent soul, I’ve decided to ask Helen Chamberlain to accompany me to a small fireworks display. I’ve already bought her a Catherine wheel and a rocket; I just want a banger now. Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City form a 13/1 weekend accer that will more than cover the expense.
Copyright (c) Gerry McDonnell & soccerphile.com
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