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West Ham lodge potential £18m bid for Liverpool's Carroll

Ian McCourt — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:09:19 GMT

• West Ham offer £2m to take Carroll on loan from Liverpool
• A further £16m would be added on to make the deal permanent

West Ham have increased their efforts to sign Andy Carroll by offering to take the Liverpool striker on loan for an initial fee of £2m with £16m added on top of that to make the move permanent provided the Hammers avoid relegation from the Premier League next season.

However, neither Liverpool nor Carroll are keen on such a deal. The Merseyside club are holding out for £20m and would prefer not to loan out the forward, who cost the club £35m from Newcastle 18 months ago. Carroll would like to stay at the club and fight for his place but if he is to be sold, it is thought he favours a move back to the north east rather than London.

Newcastle had a loan bid for the 23-year-old rejected earlier this month while Fulham are also thought to be interested in ending Carroll's stay on Merseyside.

Ian McCourt

London 2012: Brazil v Egypt | Olympic men's football Group C report

Daniel Taylor — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:00:00 GMT

• Brazil 3-2 Egypt
• Rafael Da Silva 17, Damiao 26, Neymar 30 – Aboutrika 52, Salah 76

There are times when playing Brazil is not so much a challenge or a privilege but an ordeal, and for Egypt there were moments in the first half when it looked as though they could do with smelling salts.

By half-time Brazil led 3-0 and the expectation was that they would make it an even more harrowing ordeal after the interval. Oscar, Chelsea's new signing, was the outstanding player and Brazil's three goals, in a devastating 13-minute blitz, had confirmed why so many consider them gold-medal favourites.

What nobody could have imagined at that point was that Brazil — mighty, football-royalty Brazil — would stray so close to throwing it all away. The team in the famous yellow and blue looked unusually vulnerable when, first, Mohamed Aboutrika and then Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt after the interval.

Brazil held out but they had been guilty of extreme carelessness and their future opponents should take encouragement from the evidence of the second 45 minutes. More than anything it exposed the weakness of this team – their defence.

If Brazil were guilty of easing off, it was almost certainly complacency on the back of goals from Rafael da Silva, Leandro Damiao and Neymar. Three-nil after half an hour, Brazil patently have attacking players who could trouble the most accomplished defences. At the same time there is clear evidence they do not pay so much attention to what happens at the other end of the pitch.

They will rather think back to those moments in the first half when they were ruthless in front of goal and it became more apparent why Chelsea have just paid Internacional £25m for Oscar. The 20-year-old was superb, setting up the first two goals, always wanting the ball and given the licence to roam from his starting position on the right of attack.

Oscar is lithe, skilful and has a wonderful appreciation of space. He is fast, too, and tenacious, judging by the way he chased down a long, diagonal ball from the left to set up the second goal, getting the decisive touch in front of the oncoming goalkeeper, Ahmed Elshenawi, then having the presence of mind to turn the ball into Damiao's path for the striker to fire into an exposed net.

Oscar had teed up Rafael nine minutes earlier with another clever, incisive pass that the Manchester United full-back controlled before cutting inside and driving a left-foot shot into the bottom corner. Brazil, in their groove, were showing everything that is admired of them and, when Neymar released Hulk on the left, continued his run into the area and scored with a close-range header, the night seemed to be descending into an exercise in damage limitation for Egypt.

Instead they pulled a goal back through their captain, Aboutrika, seven minutes into the second half. A free-kick into the penalty area was not cleared and, though the goalkeeper Neto blocked Ahmed Fathi's shot, the rebound fell to Aboutrika to fire home.

Now Brazil wobbled. Three minutes later Marcelo did not get enough power on a header back to Neto and Salah was running clear on goal. The substitute took too long to get in his shot, allowing Marcelo to catch up and avert the danger, but he was more clinical with his next effort, a left-foot finish to ensure a nervous finale. Egypt can take dignity in defeat; Brazil were both wonderful and vulnerable.

Daniel Taylor

Team GB at the Olympics: the return of an improbable entity

Barney Ronay — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:43:00 GMT

First competitive appearance of British football team for 41 years sees English and Welsh players draw 1-1 with Senegal

If Danny Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony really is to be the carnival of kitchen sink Britishness the whispers have suggested, London 2012 was fittingly represented the night before its inauguration by the first competitive appearance in 41 years of that improbable entity, the Great Britain football team.

At various times politics, power-brokering and ancient enmities had seemed to obscure the way for a footballing Team GB. But here they were on a mild Manchester evening, a Britannia-themed curiosity of seven Englishmen and four Welshmen singing God Save the Queen in spiffy Stella McCartney uniforms ahead of a breezy opening group match against Senegal in front of a politely enthused 72,000 crowd at Old Trafford. In the end they drew 1-1.

If the Olympics can still claim to be a force for cross-border unity here was evidence in the flesh that sport can still leap the occasional fence. Albeit right up to kick off there was still a lurking question as to what kind of response this un-fanfared conjoining of neighbours would meet. Even the "team" in Team GB has sounded a little forced and cajoling, like an overly nannying stage direction, and as the teams were announced there was the peculiar spectacle of the home players being cheered or jeered depending on their club profile: huge roar for local hero Ryan Giggs; scattered boos for the Manchester City-flavoured manager Stuart Pearce.

In Olympic fashion both anthems were warmly applauded, albeit with Team GB's Welsh contingent retaining the necessary mask of concrete-clad inscrutability during God Save The Queen. And in the early moments there was a sense of something warm, diffuse and quietly celebratory taking place.

It was above all a surprisingly unfraught occasion, less like a football match and more like a particularly impressive sixth form sports day. Before kickoff the pitch-side MC, no less than DJ Spoony, suggested "a nice warm round of applause for both teams" and throughout jarringly unfamiliar gales of family-friendly goodwill wafted around Old Trafford. In the stands nobody swore or howled with inconsolable fury. And as the players trotted about in their frankly terrible kit, looking from a distance like a peleton of dismounted cyclists, the thought occurred that here, finally, was a British football team entirely unbowed by any coddled history of expectation, thwarted hopes or indeed anything much at all.

British amateur teams competed regularly at the Olympics until the Munich Games, but these are the first real, actual professional players to appear under the union flag. They will also probably be the last, so great are the assorted tensions in the wings of Team GB, chiefly the fear of loss of influence within football's governing body Fifa. Which is a shame as in the hours before kick-off Manchester seemed surprisingly hospitable to this footballing flag of convenience, the streets of the Piccadilly area thronging with newbie fans and the procession towards Old Trafford producing an eclectic pageant of mingled union flag-ishness, reminiscent of a high-Britpop music video or an extended Benny Hill credits sequence.

A gaggle of men in kilts and ginger wigs loomed confusingly. A lone white-haired adventurer in a union flag waistcoat marched along like a music hall cockney, while others fearlessly paraded the paunch-hugging contours of the McCartney replica shirt.

Football has often been portrayed as an Olympic interloper, fuelled by the belief the Games should be the pinnacle of those sports involved, whereas Olympic football is a competition for the promising and the youthful. Disapproved of on all sides, Team GB has been duly reverential so far, the sporting gentry of the Premier League pointedly - if briefly - slumming it in the village and players talking with blushing, hopeful optimism about journeys and experiences and all the lads getting on really well.

In this spirit it seemed fitting that it should be Craig Bellamy, a player whose autobiography might at one stage have been entitled Bellamy: The History of a Scoundrel, but who has within Team GB taken on a zealously ambassadorial presence, that scored Team GB's first goal for 41 years. Like a sporting butterfly Team GB may be destined to flutter briefly before disappearing for ever.

Barney Ronay

Capello fires scalding salvo at the FA

Dominic Fifield — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:30:02 GMT

• Capello claims FA was in breach of contract
• Italian unveiled as Russia manager

Fabio Capello has claimed the Football Association was in breach of contract by stripping John Terry of the England captaincy against the Italian's wishes earlier this year, interference that left the then national coach "pissed off" and prompted his resignation from the position he had held for four years.

The 66-year-old, who departed the England job in February, was unveiled as the new Russia manager in Moscow on Thursday after signing a £7.8m-a-year contract that will take him initially through to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

Capello insisted he was "forbidden" to speak about his time with England under the terms of his severance package, but he could not disguise his frustration that he was not in charge of the national team at Euro 2012 and even suggested he would have taken the side further than the quarter-final achieved by his successor, Roy Hodgson.

"If I were with your guys [England] during the European Championships, it would have been even better," Capello said. "We had qualified for the finals and it was only the John Terry story that meant I couldn't go to the finals. On that issue with the English federation [the FA], with my contract, it was put down on paper that the decision as to who would be captain should be made by only the coach. It was down on paper, in the contract, in black and white."

That much is disputed by the FA which is comfortable that no breach of contract occurred. Indeed, a spokesman confirmed: "Fabio Capello's representatives have since acknowledged, in writing, that the FA had the fullest authority in dealing with the matter [of the captaincy]."

Terry had been deposed having been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence – for which he was acquitted at Westminster magistrates court earlier this month – during Chelsea's defeat at Queens Park Rangers last October.

Capello always maintained that the centre-half should retain the armband and was innocent until proven guilty, eventually resigning when the FA insisted Terry had to be stripped of the honour. The Italian's contract with England was due to expire after Euro 2012, for which the team had qualified top of their group, with a settlement reached over the remaining months of the deal. "However, with that contract I had in England, I was forbidden to speak about the English national team," he said. "That's why I cannot tell you anything now. I would like to, but I am bound by that clause in the contract.

"But I'd worked there for four years and, after what happened, I was pissed off, you know, and I wanted to stop. Every national coach works for two years towards a goal – that is the ambition of every coach – but I was not given the opportunity to fight for the Euros with England.

"When you are told this is the goal [and then things change] … If you are always interfered with, you don't feel well. You feel ill at ease and pissed off. I wanted to be the main guy with the national team again and to take a team to Brazil. I wanted that again."

Capello – who rather cryptically went on to add he had actually "achieved everything I had wanted to achieve in England" – had initially hoped to return to management in the Premier League, and had expressed an interest via third parties in the Chelsea position, before the Russian Football Union targeted him as Dick Advocaat's replacement. The former Milan, Roma and Real Madrid manager admitted he will face difficulties communicating with his new players – the language barrier had been an issue while with England – but is confident he will be able to guide Russia to their first World Cup since 2002.

He will be accompanied by five compatriots, including Franco Tancredi and Italo Galbiati who worked with him with England, and intends to spend a large part of the year living in Moscow. Capello's role appears more far-reaching than that enjoyed with the FA, with the Italian also charged with monitoring the progress of Russia's youth teams as a generation of older players who have long been mainstays of the senior side reach the twilight of their careers at this level.

"The goal is the World Cup in Brazil," Capello said. "I believe that Russian players are excellent. They're world class. However, we need to change their mind-set. At this level, it's often in your head. This is a new cycle in my career, but I will try and do my best to train the Russians for Brazil. That is our priority. Doing well there."

He intends to travel to Germany to attend Arsenal's friendly with Cologne on 12 August to speak face to face with the current Russia captain, Andriy Arshavin, whose criticism of the national side's supporters at Euro 2012 has drawn fierce local criticism. The acting president of the Russian Football Union, Nikita Simonyan, confirmed it will be Capello's decision if Arshavin retains the armband.

"I'll speak with him and ask him why this disrespect for fans took place," added Capello, whose first game in charge will be a friendly with the Ivory Coast on 15 August. "As far as his captaincy is concerned, I need to meet him first and understand what kind of situation there is, and what the atmosphere is like between him and the Russian fans. We will talk about his captaincy as well." His first competitive match will be the World Cup qualifier at home to Northern Ireland on 7 September.

Dominic Fifield

John Terry happy to focus on tactics and titles ahead of new season

Tom Dart — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:30:01 GMT

• 'I'm delighted to get back to football,' says Chelsea captain
• Summer outlay of £65m shows ongoing ambition

The taunting banners and raucous jeers were a reminder that the shadow of last season still hangs over John Terry, even on a different continent. But he said on Thursday that he is simply relieved to have swapped courtroom for pitch, abnormal for routine.

The defender produced what seemed like a classic determined Terry performance on Wednesday night as Chelsea lost 3-2 to the Major League Soccer All-Stars in Pennsylvania. He made a mistake that contributed to his side conceding the first goal, only to redouble his efforts and equalise with a powerful header.

"I'm delighted to get back to football, concentrate on what I love doing. I'm very pleased to be here with the side and concentrating on getting fit first and foremost – and cracking away early on in the season. We have got some big games coming up and I'm looking forward to being part of that," Terry said, speaking publicly for the first time since Chelsea knocked out Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals despite his red card.

Two weeks ago the 31-year-old was acquitted of racially abusing the QPR defender Anton Ferdinand at Westminster magistrates court after the case was not proved beyond reasonable doubt but he could still be fined and banned by the Football Association.

Terry is expected to learn in the next few days whether he will be charged by the governing body with using racially abusive language. It had suspended its original investigation into his conduct at last October's match during the police's prosecution.

But pre-season is a time when players instinctively look forward and now he simply wants to talk tactics and titles. The European champions will surely improve on last term's sixth-place finish in the Premier League, especially with the midfield additions of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and now Oscar.

Terry said that the outlay of around £65m on that trio, with more soon to be spent on a striker, shows that the owner, Roman Abramovich, still cares, even after his thirst for the Champions League was finally quenched with the victory on penalties over Bayern Munich.

"Very much so. He's down at the training ground, he's around the hotel, he wants to know what's going on, what kind of training we are doing. It is really refreshing to see and I think it's good for the new players to see that," Terry said.

"You have to [spend]. You look at what other clubs are doing, what Man City are doing, even PSG who I thought were very good the other day [in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in New York]. There is so much money out there. Even after winning the Champions League it is so important that we keep competing. And thankfully we have got an owner who is very much prepared to do that."

Terry's team-mate Frank Lampard said that Hazard could be an all-time great. "He could be a very big player in Chelsea's history if he wants," the midfielder said of the £32m signing from Lille.

Still Roberto Di Matteo admitted after this defeat that it will be testing to find the right balance now that Chelsea have an abundance of devious and speedy playmakers but are clearly deficient up front without a replacement for Didier Drogba.

Chelsea's US tour concludes on Saturday with a game against Milan in Miami, Florida. England face Italy in a friendly in Switzerland on 15 August and Terry hopes to be picked by Roy Hodgson for the side's first game since the same opponents dispatched them from Euro 2012.

"It's encouraging when you take a step back. Obviously being knocked out was disappointing but under Roy it was good. And it's important that I'm here now," Terry said. "Just concentrating on my football."

Tom Dart

Great Britain 1-1 Senegal

Andy Hunter — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:16:10 GMT

• Great Britain 1-1
• Bellamy 20, Konaté 82

This was an opening ceremony with all the hallmarks of a Danny Boyle film. At times sinister, gruesome even, and just when redemption beckoned for Team GB in the form of a statement victory over Senegal, harsh reality struck. Moussa Konaté's goal eight minutes from time punctured what had been an uplifting evening for Stuart Pearce and the nation's commitment to Olympic football, but was a pertinent reminder of the level demanded to win a gold at Wembley.

Any notions of half-hearted commitment to the Olympic ideal from highly-paid professionals were emphatically dispelled as Senegal provided a bruising welcome to the competition from Team GB. Having opened the scoring Craig Bellamy was victim of a horrendous foul from Saliou Ciss that should have brought a penalty and could have resulted in a red card. In keeping with a lenient night from the match officials, Senegal were awarded a goal-kick instead. A melee followed as Team GB understandably reacted furiously to the challenge, but more pain was to come as Sadio Mane slipped Konaté through too easily for the Maccabi Tel-Aviv forward to level with a cool chip over Jack Butland.

There has been cynicism surrounding Team GB's entry into Olympic football competition, blended with suspicion and fear as national associations seek to protect their separate identities but, at Old Trafford at least, that was outweighed by fierce backing for Pearce's team. The stadium had filled steadily throughout Uruguay's unconvincing defeat of United Arab Emirates, and a performance by the South Americans that can only have fuelled British optimism of progression to the knock-out phase, and a sell-out, high-pitched crowd greeted the nation's entry on to such a stage for the first time since the Rome Olympics in 1960.

Pearce has had merely two weeks and one friendly to fuse his 18-man squad and the lack of preparation – a point disputed by the coach – told in Friday's 2-0 defeat against tournament favourites Brazil at The Riverside Stadium. Team GB produced only one shot of note in Middlesbrough, from Craig Bellamy, but were ahead against a strong and dangerous Senegal side with just 20 minutes gone in Manchester courtesy of the Wales international.

Bellamy's fellow Welsh veteran, captain Ryan Giggs, swung over a trademark free-kick from the right. Daniel Sturridge, far more effective deployed as a central striker than out wide, challenged in the area and when the ball dropped kindly for the Liverpool forward he found the far corner convincingly. The emotion with which the 33-year-old reacted to the goal illustrated how much the prize of a gold medal means to these players.

The goalscorer was in effervescent form, sprinting after every cause and demanding total commitment from those around him. He was not disappointed, although Team GB did not require instructions from Bellamy to appreciate the intensity of the occasion as Neil Taylor, Daniel Sturridge and Ryan Bertrand found themselves on the receiving end of several dangerous challenges from Senegal. The Olympian spirit was only evident in the leniency of the referee.

Whether it was the familiar surroundings, responsibility to younger players or simply his enduring excellence, Giggs was instrumental in Team GB's control of midfield in the first half. A quick, inch-perfect free-kick from the centre circle almost produced the team's Team GB performed with a cohesion and quality lacking against Brazil, albeit reflecting the value of a few extra days together, but Senegal were not just threatening in the tackle and should have levelled before the interval. The impressive Tottenham Hotspur centre-half Steven Caulker thwarted a fine run across goal from Sadio Mane, who then squandered a gift to equalise when the goalkeeper Jack Butland sliced a clearance into his path. The Metz forward controlled on his chest, advanced and chipped the advancing Butland. Fortunately for the Birmingham City keeper, Mane is no Andrea Pirlo and his nonchalant clip sailed several feet wide.

second when he released Sturridge over a dawdling defence but his shot from a tight angle flashed wide.

The Chelsea striker did not reappear for the second half, Bolton Wanderers' Marvin Sordell taking his place, and the host nation were clearly aggrieved at the recklessness of some Senegal challenges. Bellamy conducted a lengthy inquest with Ravshan Irmatov, the Uzbekistan referee, as they walked back out for the second half and their conversation resumed within a minute of the restart, the striker booked for leading with an arm into an aerial duel with Saliou Ciss.

Butland redeemed himself with a smart stop from Ibrahima Baldé's shot on the turn and was increasingly the busier keeper as Senegal's adventure improved after the interval. Ciss almost avenged Bellamy's foul in the finest way by cutting inside him to release a swerving shot that Butland theatrically pushed over. From the subsequent corner, Abdoulaye Ba escaped his marker and turned a powerful header goalwards only for the well-stationed Danny Rose to clear on the line.

Rose and Taylor both suffered from Senegal's fondness for leaving a foot in while Joe Allen, part of a well-balanced midfield three alongside Giggs and Tom Cleverley, limped off midway through the second half with a knee injury. Bellamy was fortunate not to accompany his compatriot down the tunnel on a stretcher. Instead, he left to a standing ovation and with a furious word into the eye of an official.

Andy Hunter

Liverpool to face FC Gomel in Europa League

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:26:36 GMT

• Belarusian side through after aggregate win over FK Renova
• First leg on 2 August and second leg, at Anfield, on 9 August

Liverpool will face FC Gomel in the Europa League third qualifying-round after the Belarusian side completed a 2-1 aggregate victory over FK Renova of Macedonia.

Gomel lost Thursday's second qualifying-round second leg 1-0 at home to Renova following a 56th-minute goal from Ersen Asani, but their 2-0 lead from the first leg ultimately proved enough to send them through to a clash with Brendan Rodgers's side.

The first leg, which will be the first competitive game in charge of Liverpool for Rodgers, will take place in Gomel on 2 August, with the return match being played at Anfield on 9 August.

Manchester City's Roberto Mancini frustrated by slow Van Persie talks

David Hytner — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:15:39 GMT

• Manager hints he holds football director Marwood responsible
• Juventus and Manchester United lead chase for Arsenal striker

Roberto Mancini has given vent to his frustration over Manchester City's failure to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal and has made it clear he holds the club's football director, Brian Marwood, accountable.

Mancini is keen to improve his squad and build on last season's breakthrough title triumph and he has targeted Van Persie, who wants to leave Arsenal, as the player to make the difference. The manager wanted to see quick and decisive action from City's transfer market dealers, led by Marwood, but he has been irritated by their more painstaking approach. Manchester United and Juventus are also jostling for Van Persie's signature and they appear to have stolen a march on City.

Mancini spoke out before City's friendly against Arsenal in Beijing on Friday and, although he did not name Marwood, it did not take a detective to pick up on the club's internal tensions. "For this question, speak to the man in charge," Mancini said, when asked about Van Persie. "I am not in charge of this. It is important [to get players quickly] because, after what we did last year, we must continue to win. This year will be harder than last, so we need to improve our team. We have a man who works for this and we hope that they can do a good job."

The climate at City is different this summer. In recent transfer windows the club have paid huge sums to acquire their targets, sometimes paying over the odds and using their financial clout to catch up with the elite in a hurry. But there has been a change of tempo – and not only because there is an acute awareness of the incoming Financial Fair Play legislation.

City are aware that they have to move on some of their unwanted strikers, including Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz and, possibly, Edin Dzeko or Carlos Tevez. Given the players' massive salaries, that is proving difficult and time-consuming.

Adebayor has been close to a permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur for some time, the fee of £5.5m having been agreed between the clubs, but his personal terms have not been finalised. Adebayor has one year remaining on his City contract, which pays him £170,000 a week. Dzeko, who is of interest to Milan and Juventus, gets £4.5m a year after tax.

Mancini does not accept City's more prudent style. To him the business should be simple; he gives Marwood a name or names and the signing follows swiftly. Mancini's position has been cemented not only by the title win but by the new five-year contract he agreed at the beginning of the month, although he has never been slow to voice his anger at what he considers to be unnecessary delays in bringing in players.

City have yet to make a signing this summer and Mancini is fearful that, if United did land Van Persie, he could power them to new heights. City had appeared favourites to sign him but United and Juventus are now the front-runners. All three clubs have had offers rejected by Arsenal, with Juventus indicating lately that they are prepared to go close to the £20m asking price. United will also bid again.

David Hytner

David Cameron joins scramble to placate North Korea after flag fiasco

Esther Addley — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:14:15 GMT

Prime minister says use of South Korean flag at Olympic football match was 'honest mistake' and Locog vows to raise its game

There may be worse diplomatic gaffes to make on the first evening of a sporting tournament watched by hundreds of millions, but it is not immediately obvious what they might be.

On Thursday David Cameron joined IOC president Jacques Rogge and Locog's chief executive in a scramble to placate North Korea after the country's women's football team stormed off the pitch before their opening match when screens wrongly showed the South Korean flag.

The team's fixture against Colombia, only the second event of the Olympics, was delayed by more than an hour as organisers made frantic edits to the offending introductory video, shown on large screens at Hampden Park in Glasgow, and offered grovelling apologies to the notoriously touchy nation.

North Korea's IOC representative suggested that protocol officials should meet with team leaders before each medal ceremony to "check this is your flag or this is your national anthem".

But Cameron said the incident was an "honest mistake", adding: "Every effort will be taken to make sure this won't happen again. It was unfortunate and should not have happened."

There were further headaches for Games organisers on Thursday night as it emerged that the Foreign Office had intervened after a complaint from China. China objected after a display on Regent Street in London featured the Taiwanese flag, rather than the flag of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, the body under which it officially competes. China does not recognise the Taiwanese flag, considering the island an integral part of its territory. The flag was later changed by the Regent Street Association (RSA), which had organised the display.

Organisers were also trying to placate officials from Ukraine and Armenia, after athlete information on an official Games website appeared to suggest the two countries were still part of Russia.

Locog confirmed it had been approached by Ukraine's Olympic committee after the country's foreign minister, Konstantin Grishchenko, tweeted in protest at the "mistakes". A spokesman said the misleading athlete data had been supplied by Russia, with the confusion arising from the changing status of the former Soviet states.

An apology had to be issued to Welsh footballer Joe Allen, who is competing in the all-nations team, after his nationality was listed as English in the official Team GB programme.

Though North Korea's women footballers went on to win their match on Wednesday evening 2-0, coach Ui Gun-sin said victory could not compensate for the mistake."I just want to stress once again that our players' images and names can't be shown alongside the South Korea flag," he said.

"We are angry because our players were introduced as if they were from South Korea, which may affect us very greatly, as you might know."

Relations between the two countries, always tense, have been particularly strained since North Korean artillery shells fired at a South Korean island killed four people in November 2010.

Asked if the error might have been deliberate, Ui said: "That was the question I was going to ask to Locog."

Paul Deighton, Locog chief executive, said: "We have apologised and taken steps to make sure that it absolutely cannot happen again." Rogge said it was "a simple human mistake".

The debacle is embarrassing for Locog given the lengths it has taken to prevent this kind of error, even requiring volunteers at medal ceremonies to memorise the flags of all 200 competing nations.

Asked about the prospect of a repeat of an incident at the London Cup hockey competition last month, during which organisers greeted South Africa's team with the country's apartheid-era anthem rather than Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, Locog's medal ceremony organiser Niccy Halifax said: "It just isn't going to happen. It's not. It's not."

It was not clear whether confusion had arisen due to the similarity of the two Koreas' official IOC names.

The Games' governing commission refers to North Korea as DPR Korea and its southern neighbour as Korea.

Peter Dallas, managing director of Hampden Park said: "Locog has acknowledged that the pre-match video package played was an error by Locog and we have been assured that action has been taken to ensure that there will be no repeat of this embarrassing and regrettable incident."

The mistake is unlikely to provoke fury at home, however, since North Korea's official news agency is not in the habit of reporting embarrassing news about the nation.

The official news agency KCNA's report of the match was to the point: "The female soccer group league matches of the London Olympics were kicked off. A match was played in Glasgow on Wednesday between the DPR Korea and Colombian teams in group C, which resulted in Koreans' 2-0 win."

Esther Addley

'Another reality check for the Glazers'

Stuart James — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:10:16 GMT

Halting of Manchester United's New York IPO has illustrated the unattractiveness to investors – and fans – of the club's model

Another day, another reality check for the Glazers. Manchester United, described as "one of the world's leading brands" in the 231-page registration document filed earlier this month in preparation for the club's flotation on the New York stock exchange, may not be quite as attractive as its owners like to believe.

After a proposed float in Singapore was pulled last year, it has emerged that United's planned initial public offering (IPO) in New York has been temporarily postponed because of volatile US markets. While United and Jefferies, the investment bank signed up to lead the flotation, remain tight-lipped about the process, those that forensically examine the Premier League club's accounts are questioning whether the latest setback is about more than the fiscal shockwaves triggered by another turbulent week in the eurozone.

"Obviously it's a tough time economically but the US stock market has barely changed from where it was when they published the original prospectus," said Andy Green, a financial analyst who writes the "andersred blog" about football ownership and is an adviser to the Manchester United Supporters Trust (Must). "Although it's hard to see inside a process like this, they're obviously having problems, and I get the impression from people that I'm talking to in the market that it's at high risk of being cancelled."

Should that happen, it will put paid to the Glazers' hopes that fresh investment will cover a sizeable chunk of the £423m debt they loaded on to a club that have fallen well behind their Premier League rivals when it comes to competing in the transfer market.

One of the primary reasons for that in the eyes of many United supporters is that the Glazers have taken £500m out of the club, in interest, bank charges and fees, to service the debt. "The latest figures we've got is that they've spent £71m on the debt in the first nine months of the financial year," Green said. "And obviously supporters were hoping that the IPO would lead to an end to a lot of those costs and more money being available to the manager.

"But in the short term, the real question is: if they do have to pull this IPO, what does it say about investors' perceptions of Manchester United? The Glazers have had talks with various parties in the past and never been able to agree on a price and this would be a real slap in the face for them if they take it to the biggest stock market in the world and they can't get it away."

In truth, it would hardly come as a surprise if United's shares prove to be a hard sell. The shares will carry a tenth of the voting rights of the shares the Glazers will issue to themselves and there is no plan to pay dividends. The Glazers, in other words, will remain in complete control and are offering precious little in return.

"It's a tough sell to start with, with very little voting rights, no annual general meetings where you can quiz the management, no dividend. But on top of that obviously there is the question of what valuation they're putting on it, and if they're trying to put a very high price on the club and all those things I've mentioned, then it becomes very, very difficult," Green said.

Must have called on the Glazer family to launch a full flotation, which would no doubt prompt a very different response, in particular from United supporters. Duncan Drasdo, the Must chief executive, said: "Should they choose to do this, with no strings attached, we would support such a flotation wholeheartedly and encourage the global fan base of Manchester United to seize such an historic opportunity to secure a meaningful fan ownership stake where the priorities of the club are the same as the fans – not absentee owners."

Green, however, believes the prospects of that happening are slim. "I don't see [any possibility of that happening in the short term] but I think the trust are right, the Glazers are making a big mistake. They're trying to do this at this huge price and with keeping total control. Actually, there is a natural buyer for these shares if they want to get more money into the club from the outside to get the debt down — the supporter base which they reckon is 600m around the world.

"I'm sure there are at least a million football fans around the world who would like to own a stake in the club. The Glazers are far too short-sighted for that. They're too greedy and too controlling. I do think if this IPO falls apart, that it could be a real turning point because the Qataris, the Red Knights and now the world's institutional investors will all have said to the Glazers: 'No, the club is not worth as much as you think it is.'"

Stuart James

London 2012: UAE 1-2 Uruguay | Olympic men's football Group A

Andy Hunter — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:09:27 GMT

• UAE 1-2 Uruguay
• Matar 23; Ramírez 42, Lodeiro 56

Sometimes ignorance can be bliss, such as when a London 2012 steward at Old Trafford turned to a colleague and asked: "Why do they keep booing Luis Suárez?" Mild-mannered pantomime jeers accompanied the Liverpool striker's every touch, tumble and appearance on the big screens on his return to Manchester United, but they were the least of his concerns as Uruguay secured a fortunate win over the United Arab Emirates.

Goals from Gaston Ramírez and Nicolás Lodeiro, with Suárez involved in both, enabled Uruguay to recover from a goal down and open their Olympic campaign with three points. But the watching Stuart Pearce, coach of Team GB and Group A rivals, will have taken more encouragement than counterpart Oscar Tabárez. The result may have been predictable but Uruguay's triumph was anything but straightforward.

According to Ismaeil Matar, UAE's captain, goalscorer and a striker known as the "Emirati Wayne Rooney", this was the biggest game of his and his team-mates' lives. If so, players accustomed to crowds of 1,000 back home flourished before an Old Trafford crowd that increased steadily towards 70,000 as kick-off time for Team GB approached.

Far from being overawed by the occasion or the opponent, UAE took the game to Uruguay from the start, their fondness for the audacious and at times completely unnecessary flick or back-heel delighting the crowd and unsettling one of the pre-tournament favourites. But there was substance to their performance, too.

Omar Abdulrahman, who plays his football for Al Ain, shredded the Uruguay midfield and defence with a glorious pass with the outside of his left foot to send Matar through on goal. The striker stumbled over his first touch, fortunately taking him around goalkeeper Martin Campaña, but steadied himself to ignore the presence of German Rolin and Liverpool's Sebastián Coates on the goalline and find the bottom corner. The boos for Suárez finally succumbed to chants of "UAE" around Old Trafford.

Ahmed Khalil should have doubled UAE's lead moments later but lost his footing with only Campaña to beat. A merited half-time lead beckoned when Amer Abdulrahman clipped Suárez 25 yards from goal. The resulting free-kick was Uruguay's one impressive touch of the first half; Ramírez sweeping a fine left foot shot into the top corner.

Ali Khaseif, the UAE goalkeeper, was nowhere near Ramirez's strike but made a fine save to deny nightclub bouncer-turned-defensive midfielder Egidio Arévalo as Uruguay took control of the second half. Suárez was to the fore increasingly down the left and it was from his twist inside Mohamed Ahmad that the Copa American champions sealed the win, substitute Lodeiro stealing in before his captain to find the far bottom corner.

Andy Hunter

London 2012 Olympics: men's football, Great Britain 1-1 Senegal – as it happened

Rob Smyth — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:57:00 GMT

A fine late equaliser from Moussa Konate denied Great Britain after an early goal from Craig Bellamy

Rob Smyth

Mohamed bin Hammam provisionally suspended by Fifa for 90 days

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:36:00 GMT

• Lifetime bribery ban was overturned by CAS last week
• Ethics committee investigating more allegations against Qatari

Mohamed bin Hammam has been provisionally suspended by Fifa only a week after his lifetime ban for bribery was overturned by the court of arbitration for sport (CAS).

Football's governing body said in a statement that Bin Hammam, a former Fifa presidential candidate, would be banned for 90 days while its ethics committee collected further evidence over allegations that he tried to bribe Caribbean officials in the run-up to last year's Fifa election.

It will also investigate allegations of financial wrongdoing while the Qatari was head of the Asian Football Confederation.

Bin Hammam has already been suspended for 30 days by the AFC over the latter case.

BBC loses exclusive radio rights to FA Cup and must share with TalkSport

John Plunkett — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:14:29 GMT

UTV Media-owned TalkSport also wins rights to broadcast England friendlies in new six-year deal

The BBC has lost exclusive radio rights to the FA Cup, sharing the world's oldest domestic football competition for the first time with a commercial rival, TalkSport.

It will be the first time TalkSport has broadcast the FA Cup, in a new six-year deal which also includes England friendly internationals.

UTV Media-owned TalkSport has also bagged the rights to broadcast FA Cup games around the world as part of its new global broadcast operation due to launch at the beginning of next season.

The BBC has traditionally had exclusive radio rights to the FA Cup, to the consternation of TalkSport and prompting criticism from the BBC Trust three years ago, which said it was not value for money.

Thursday's announcement of the rights-sharing deal with TalkSport comes after the BBC, in the midst of a cost-cutting process aimed at saving £700m, said it will have to be ruthless over which sports rights it bids for in the future, and saved millions of pounds by sharing its Formula 1 TV rights with BSkyB.

TalkSport programme director Moz Dee said: "It's great for us because it opens up a whole new market for commercial radio and opportunity for sponsors and advertisers who want to be involved.

"It's interesting because is this the start of things to come, where the BBC having exclusive rights to this sort of thing is becoming a little bit more difficult for them, politically but also fiscally.

"The BBC has done a fantastic job with the FA Cup and I am sure they will continue to do so."

The deal also marks the first time TalkSport will broadcast England games outside of the World Cup and European Championships. The BBC retains the rights to all England qualifying matches for the big tournaments.

Unlike the sharing of television football rights, where games are divided up between broadcasters, both BBC Radio 5 Live and TalkSport are free to broadcast whichever games they choose, raising the prospect of going head to head.

TalkSport International will launch in August, having already bought the global rights outside of Europe to all 380 Premier League games, broadcasting them in English, Spanish and Mandarin.

The commercial broadcaster's FA Cup deal is for UK and global rights, including Europe. It also includes the Community Shield and selected England games.

TalkSport chief executive Scott Taunton said: "The opportunity to broadcast FA Cup games internationally has been a key part of our global plans for TalkSport Live and today's rights announcement opens up the European market to us. We are in the process of creating a network of global radio and distribution partners for TalkSport Live."

BBC Radio 5 live controller Adrian Van Klaveren added: "The agreement means we can continue to offer BBC Radio 5 Live listeners the best coverage of matches and tournaments which they really care about. We're delighted that we will continue to capture all the action and drama over the next six seasons."

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John Plunkett

Tottenham hit back over Bale 2012 criticism

David Hytner — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:09:14 GMT

• Club call controversy over Olympic absence 'unacceptable'
• 'Team GB's medical team were in agreement,' claim Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur have shown the depths of their frustration over Gareth Bale's controversial absence from the Olympic Games by describing the criticism he and they have received as "wholly unacceptable and unjustified."

Bale was forced to withdraw from contention for selection by Team GB after he aggravated a back injury as he worked on his fitness ahead of the Games, in which he intended to participate.

Tottenham say the scan results were sent to the Football Association's medical team and it was collectively agreed, to Bale's disappointment, that he would not be fit to feature for Stuart Pearce's team in what stood to be an intensive tournament.

But the controversy was ignited when Bale, having made a quicker than expected recovery, played for Tottenham against Los Angeles Galaxy in Tuesday's friendly on the club's pre-season tour of the United States. He was the game's outstanding performer and scored in the 1-1 draw.

Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, was prominent among the critics when he said Bale could face a ban from playing while the Games were on-going if the FA wanted to make a complaint. The governing body did not.

Tottenham's statement read: "The club considers the recent comment and accusations regarding Gareth Bale's fitness relating to his non-selection for Team GB's men's football team to be wholly unacceptable and unjustified. For the avoidance of any doubt and on a point of absolute clarity and transparency – Gareth sustained an injury as he built up his fitness ahead of joining up with Stuart Pearce's side. MRI scan reports were sent to the FA medical team on 29 June [2012].

"He was subsequently not selected on the basis of this injury and the inability to predict recovery time. This decision was not taken lightly and made only after consultation with Team GB's medical team, who were in agreement after seeing the medical reports. At no time was Gareth made unavailable for selection. Indeed, Gareth made clear publicly on numerous occasions his desire to compete for Team GB and was extremely disappointed on hearing the news he would not be fit to participate.

"He is now focused on and determined to get fit for the season ahead and to this end we have brought out an additional member of our medical team on tour, dedicated to Gareth's recovery. We are dismayed that some have sought to make wrongful assumptions about Gareth's particular situation and that such positive news surrounding his recovery is being highlighted in this manner."

The statement went on to note, pointedly, that Tottenham had been happy to release four other members of their first-team squad. "We look forward to following the progress of our other players in the Games – Danny Rose and Steven Caulker, along with Sandro and Giovani dos Santos."

David Hytner

London 2012: Spain 0-1 Japan | Olympic men's football Group D report

Ewan Murray — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:52:55 GMT

• Spain 0-1 Japan
• Read Paul Doyle's minute-by-minute report

The vast majority in a healthy Hampden Park attendance of 37,726 turned up with the expectancy of being dazzled by the reigning world and European champions. They left having witnessed something else; a terrific Japanese performance which left Spain in the rare position of having received a bloody nose. But for wastefulness from Japan – which at times had to be seen to be believed – the margin of their victory could genuinely have embarrassed the Spanish.

It is difficult to quantify the magnitude or otherwise of an Olympic opening group game but Japan still defeated a team which included David de Gea, Jordi Alba and Juan Mata from the start. Those players, and the remainder of this Spanish squad, will carry the heavy burden of succeeding a side who have made international history in major tournaments.

In Spain's defence, they played the entire second half with 10 men. Iñigo Martínez tugged Kensuke Nagai sufficiently to knock the Japan forward to the ground as he bore down on goal three minutes before the interval. By that stage, Spain were already a goal down.

"With one player less, we were forced to chase the game," said Luis Milla, Spain's coach. "That isn't the style of the Spanish team." So there you have it – perhaps the best way to beat the all-conquering Spanish team is to somehow trigger a bout of indiscipline. Getting a goal in front before such a scenario occurs, of course, may be the tricky part.

Milla conceded there is added heat on his squad, given the recent Spanish defence of the European Championships. "We already knew about this extra pressure to win a gold medal, coming into the games," the coach said. "Everyone at the Spanish FA is delighted to have this pressure."There may be more to come. If Spain fail to win Group D, there is the very real prospect of them meeting Brazil at the quarter-final stage.

Yuki Otsu may have proved Japan's scoring hero but their stars featured elsewhere. Nagai was a constant menace to the Spanish defence while, in midfield, Hiroshi Kiyotake excelled.

"This is still only the first match," cautioned the Japan coach, Takashi Sekizuka. "There are still many games to play. We look forward to playing alongside Spain again in the knock-out round."

Spain's failure to defend a perfectly routine corner from Takahiro Ogihara prompted their demise. Under a weak challenge by the Barcelona full-back Martin Montoya, Otsu calmly slotted home.

The aberration from Martínez followed, it would have a key influence on the second half where Japan probably could not believe how many chances they created and squandered.

De Gea saved acrobatically from Keigo Higashi before Nagai screwed a shot wide in the culmination of a wonderful sweeping move also involving Hotaru Yamaguchi and Higashi.Kiyotake should have had the goal his overall play merited but could not hit the target at the end of a burst from midfield. The Manchester United goalkeeper spread himself to save from Nagai and Yamaguchi shanked an attempt well wide, both in the game's dying stages.

Spain had offered next to nothing by way of a response. Milla's team were sluggish and lacking in invention. "We will treat the last two [group] games like cup finals," the coach insisted. Thankfully for Milla, the Spanish are have proved rather good at them.

Ewan Murray

London 2012: Welsh star Joe Allen listed as English in match programme

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:50:00 GMT

• London 2012 apologises over another nationality gaffe
• Meanwhile, Ukraine issue complaint over online error

London 2012 have apologised for another nationality gaffe after the official Team GB programme listed the Welsh midfielder Joe Allen as English.

Allen, 22, is one of five Welshman who agreed to be involved in the Team GB football squad despite the opposition of the Football Association of Wales, who feared the combined British team could threaten the country's independence.

The Swansea midfielder, a target for Liverpool, is expected to feature in Team GB's opening match against Senegal at Old Trafford.

The other Welshmen – Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Neil Taylor and Aaron Ramsey – were correctly identified in the programme, but under Allen's name the details read: "Nationality: English".

London 2012 said: "We apologise for this mistake and new programmes are now being printed with the correction in time for Team GB's next match."

The error comes a day after the South Korean flag was mistakenly used on a graphic alongside the names of the North Korean women's football team, prompting the team to walk off the pitch at Hampden Park.

Reacting to that incident, Paul Deighton, the chief executive of the London organising committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It was a mistake. It is as simple as that. We have apologised and taken steps to make sure that it cannot happen again. It was simple human error."

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Konstantin Grishchenko, has complained after similar mistakes were made in the official London 2012 biographies of Ukraine-born Russian athletes – with Ukraine listed as a region of Russia.

Grishchenko wrote on Twitter: "I have just ordered our embassy in the UK to contact the Organising Committee to correct the mistakes.

"The word region is a clumsy mistake even from the point of view of English grammar."

The Fiver | Repressed self-loathing and bullying disguised as banter | Rob Smyth

Rob Smyth — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:49:45 GMT

Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving

THE ENGLISHMAN, THE WELSHMAN AND THE GRAUNIAD GLASSHOUSE

It's often said that English people couldn't organise a pi$$-up in a brewery. That's exceptionally harsh on a county that does functioning alcoholism as well as it does repressed self-loathing and bullying disguised as banter. But it does seem England has a problem running an Olympic football tournament, with their main purpose apparently to put the 'ball' in 'balls up'. After the North Korea flag fiasco at neighbours north of the border last night, it seems the programme for tonight's match between Great Britain and Senegal has listed Joe Allen, Swansea's Welsh midfield player, as an Englishman! Disgraceful, right? Bring back hangin'.

Admittedly the Fiver also thought he was English (if he's Welsh, why hasn't such a good player been picked already? What do you mean he has eight caps going back to 2009?) but let's keep that between us two, because it's not often we get to throw stones from our Grauniad glasshouse. The last time was in 1960, coincidentally when Britain last played football at the Olympics. You would think, in an age of frequently insufferable SOCCERHYPE, that this would be a big thing, yet the Fiver hasn't seen the usual signs that denote the presence of an English or British team at a major tournament. There's been no xenophobia, no indiscrimate punching of people who look vaguely foreign and no calls for anyone to be sent home.

That may change as the tournament progresses, because there is a chance Great Britain will break the traditional glass ceiling of the quarter-finals. They should be one of the two teams to qualify from their group, which includes Senegal, a strong Uruguay and United Arab Emirates, and the draw means they can't meet Brazil or Spain – who got a beating from Japan – until the last four. "There is enough quality here," said GB captain and England right-back Ryan Giggs, 17. "There is everything in this squad; youth, experience, enthusiasm, speed, technical ability and a good manager. There is no reason why we can't do well. It is a strong tournament but if we work hard and turn up on the day, I am sure we will be amongst the medals." If they are, there certainly won't be any trouble organising a pi$$-up.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"When I was young, I was a fan of a football team. Sometimes I support Hong Kong, sometimes England, but from now on, because of my friends, I will support Manchester City" – Jackie Chan – yep – proves that City's plan to increase their fanbase in east Asia is on track.

TO ASK OR NOT TO ASK

17 November 2010: "I hope to convince the directors of Juventus to buy me from Liverpool" – Alberto Aquilani.

25 July 2012: "I had the opportunity to go back to Roma last year, and would even have been prepared to take a pay cut to represent my old club's colours again" – Alberto Aquilani.

26 July 2012: "I never asked to leave but I was always pushed by the club. I would like to play for Liverpool" – Alberto Aquilani.

FIVER LETTERS

"Barrie Francis is not alone (yesterday's Fiver letters). North Korea has just announced its leader, Kim Jong-un, has married, so presumably he had signed up to Soulmates too" – Geoffrey Vine.

"Re: Nick Horn enquiring about the Fiver hiring Joey Barton (yesterday's letters). Two half-wits don't make a wit" – Adrian McCrickard.

Send your letters to the.boss@guardian.co.uk. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver.

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BITS AND BOBS

Man City captain Vincent Kompany has signed a six-year deal at the club. "Man City is not just a project of the owners or the people employed by the club – it is also my project," he kerchinged.

Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor is poised for a move to Turkey after being told to cough by Besiktas doctors.

And BOA bigwig Lord Moynihan has criticised Sepp Blatter for suggesting Gareth Bale should be be banned. "I welcome the fact that he has returned from [knack] earlier than expected. I don't agree with Sepp Blatter," he trilled.

STILL WANT MORE?

A young Zlatan and a singalong with Sandro – it's this week's Classic YouTube.

Olympic fever is yet to take grip in Glasgow, writes Ewan Murray …

… but Paul Wilson caught the bug in Coventry.

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OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY = RADIO 1 ROADSHOW

Rob Smyth

Arsenal absentees concern Arsène Wenger before Manchester City friendly | Amy Lawrence

Amy Lawrence — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:33:26 GMT

Robin van Persie is 5,000 miles away from Arsenal's pre-season joust with the champions but he will be on everyone's mind

It seems like a footballing tectonic plate has shifted since the last time Manchester City caught sight of Arsenal. Back in April, Mikel Arteta hammered a match-winner that had the weight of a knockout blow, Mario Balotelli was sent off with his career in England supposedly disintegrating and Roberto Mancini faced the post-match music looking and sounding like a man who knew the season was going up in smoke. If it felt like classic City, little did we know City were about to serve up a classic.

The match, and its consequences, resonated deeply with Arsenal too. After all the talk about being a feeder club, all the wounds of watching a series of players journey north from the Emirates to the Etihad, it was cathartic for Arsène Wenger to demonstrate his team could still pack a punch in this particular relationship.

Everybody knows what happened next, though, which is why the bigger picture for Wenger remains a mind-boggling one. Defeating City over 90 minutes was enjoyable, but attempting to make ground on a team that garnered 19 more points and 19 more goals, and conceded 20 fewer over the course of the season, and is also after your captain, is the kind of challenge that provokes insomnia.

Wenger will not view the result of a pre-season workout against the Premier League champions in Beijing on Friday as remotely significant. Nor should he, when the bulk of his forward players are more than 5,000 miles away, ramping up their fitness at Arsenal's Hertfordshire HQ. Absent from Asia are the two new strikers, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, along with another three internationals whose futures are far from certain, in Nicklas Bendtner, Andrey Arshavin and that man Robin van Persie. Park Chu-young, lest we forget, is on Olympic duty although his importance in Wenger's plans is highly debatable anyway.

Transfer activity may not be frenetic anywhere this summer, but there is still a fair amount to be done in both directions. Moving players on, and raising funds by clearing a few off the wage bill, is a particularly troublesome business. Even Mancini agrees with that as was made clear when he explained how something's gotta give before the next big arrival.

Although Arsenal have gone about their summer dealings more promisingly than during the turbulence they suffered a year ago – the early arrivals of Podolski and Giroud, and the pursuit of Santi Cazorla suggest they have gone on the offensive early – Wenger is not going to have a lot of time for his new squad to gel, particularly in attack. When they get back from Asia, Arsenal have only one more fixture pencilled in, against Köln, which is scheduled just six days before the Premier League kicks off.

Whatever does or doesn't happen with Van Persie, for Podolski, Giroud and possibly Cazorla, there is not a great deal of time to develop combinations with new team-mates. Wenger will hope that by buying players in the mid-20s bracket, they will have the experience to slot in quickly.

Wenger's biggest hopes for the Asian tour are for a bonus player or two to work their way into contention for the season ahead. The most intriguing one is Abou Diaby, a player in whom the manager absolutely refuses to give up on in spite of an injury record that brooks little optimism. Since an horrendous leg-breaker from Sunderland's Dan Smith in an end-of-season game six years ago, Diaby has struggled to maintain regular fitness and he missed virtually all of last season. "You can't imagine how happy I am firstly to have him in the squad," Wenger said, before confessing that this tour is another "decider" for him.

Another Frenchman, Francis Coquelin, has the chance to stake a claim to become a real option as an energetic, defensive midfielder. Kyle Bartley, who gained all sorts of experiences last season at Rangers, is hoping to convince the manager he is ready to provide cover in defence.

On the basis of what he sees in Asia, Wenger will also decide whether a handful of youngsters who made the trip will develop better as a member of the first team squad or out on loan – the Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi, German midfielder Thomas Eisfeld, and English striker Benik Afobe are all in that bracket.

Amy Lawrence

London 2012 Olympics: men's football, Spain 0-1 Japan – as it happened

Paul Doyle — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:27:00 GMT

Minute-by-minute report: Join Paul Doyle for all the latest as the Olympic men's football tournament kicks off

Paul Doyle

North Korea, Korea DPR or Democratic People's Republic? What every country in the world is really called

Simon Rogers — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:28:56 GMT

Our handy guide to every country in the world - and what it's called
• Get the data
• Data journalism and data visualisations from the Guardian

Think you know geography? Presumably the person responsible for the "human error" which saw South and North Koreas' flags mixed up at a preliminary Olympic football match last night thought the same.

London 2012 organisers have apologised and blamed human error for Wednesday's flag mix-up when South Korea's flag appeared alongside North Korea's women's football team on stadium screens as players warmed up before their opening match.

How did it happen? We deal with country flags and names all the time so we perhaps have more sympathy than most when it comes to country names and details. At the Guardian, we call North Korea just that. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) calls it DPR (which stands for Democratic People's Republic of) Korea and South Korea just Korea. Confusingly South Korea's official name - according to the ISO, which makes rules about these things - is Republic of Korea.

And we're not talking about language differences: even in English, countries have different names. Which all adds up to make it difficult for us to draw maps. It also explains why country codes are so important to data journalism - and the IOC has its own codes too, just to confuse things.

Here's some recurring ones:
• Plurinational State Of Bolivia (Bolivia)
• Brunei Darussalam (Brunei)
• Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
• Democratic Republic Of The Congo/Congo, Dem Rep
• Côte D'ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Myanmar (Burma)
• Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya)

So, just to help out - especially if you're on London Olympic flag duty today - here's our definitive list of country official names, what the IOC calls them - and what the Guardian style says we should call them.

And we haven't even started on Team GB - which should really be called Team GB and Northern Ireland. If you're being precise, this is really the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - or, as we call it here, the UK.

In case you get stuck, here's the most up-to-date map of the world we have:

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Simon Rogers

London 2012: Gareth Bale is absent with reason but Games have worth | Paul Wilson

Paul Wilson — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:24:27 GMT

Olympic football feels like such a sideshow in the men's game it is easy to question its merit but Wednesday's women's game in Coventry convinced me of its worth

Gareth Bale has just signed a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur and, despite earlier expressions of support and enthusiasm for participating in Stuart Pearce's Great Britain team in the Olympics, it now appears he feels more answerable to a club that could employ him for a decade or more than a one-off project that will only last a few weeks.

That makes him a realist in most people's eyes but a villain in some others'. As the only sanction Fifa can bring about is to force Bale to sit out the rest of Spurs' pre-season warm-up games for the duration of the Olympics, it is hardly surprising that football associations are not taking up Sepp Blatter's offer of a wrist-slap as punishment. As a Welsh player Bale may one day come to feel, as Ryan Giggs possibly does right now, that opportunities to play on a world stage are not to be tossed aside lightly, but on the other hand the opportunity to prepare for a new season in the warm California sun does not seem such a bad option either. Especially as the American weather appears to cure backache so quickly.

Bale is old enough to make up his own mind, but his situation does highlight the peculiar relationship between leading footballers and the Olympics. Unlike just about every other Olympian athlete, with the possible exception of a few tennis players, basketball stars and (in future) golfers, footballers regard the Olympics as an optional extra. Some are extremely keen, a lot more are indifferent, while many club managers are actively hostile, but it is never the be all and end all for a footballer.

Their career defining moments occur elsewhere, with their clubs or their countries at international tournaments. While few footballers would object to having an Olympic gold among the medal collection, few would swap it for a Champions League medal or a league title. Footballers can take or leave the Olympics, they have higher-profile careers elsewhere, and this fundamentally sets them apart from most of the other athletes in the village, the swimmers, runners and jumpers who spend the four years between tournaments in unglamorous and untelevised pursuit of tiny improvements to try to make their mark when their next three-week opportunity finally comes around.

Football is so well catered for outside the Olympics that it is tempting to wonder why it is included on the programme at all. As many people have said in the past, if your true career goals are elsewhere, not to mention the vast bulk of your income and loyalty, then you cannot be a true Olympian. As someone who watches professional football around the world for a living I must admit I rather lazily subscribed to this opinion myself until recently. What is the point of Olympic football, I wondered, when you can see better players and better games in other competitions, and when the majority of the world's most recognised players are not involved? But professional football is not the whole of football, is it? And more than 99% of the world's most recognised players are men, whereas the Olympics provides a splendid showcase for women to express their talent and competitive nature.

This point was brought home forcibly to me at Coventry on Wednesday night, where I was privileged to see an opening day women's match between Japan and Canada. I did not expect it to be a privilege; my experience of women's football is extremely limited (Bend It Like Beckham just about covers it) and I thought the proceedings might be quite yawnsome after the Premier League season and the European Championships.

I was wrong. I had underestimated the Olympic spirit. The outcome of the match quite clearly meant more to both sets of players than is the case in most of the professional games I go to see, and for that reason alone the action was compelling. The quality of the football was pretty good too – check out Japan's first goal if you don't believe me – but it was quite humbling to realise that before a modest crowd of around 16,000 in a stadium half the length of the country away from the Olympic Park, a number of dedicated athletes were achieving ambitions nurtured for years if not lifetimes.

That's what makes the Olympics work, in any discipline. It is not just every result that counts, every second of participation is precious. Once you understand how much the contest means to the athlete, everything other than the contest becomes irrelevant. The women at Coventry were hardly household names as footballers, but they were true Olympians. Conversely, if you are a household name at football, you will not fit easily into the Olympic ethos.

The men's tournament, with some countries keen to allow their best players to take part and some holding them back, is uneven to say the least. Perhaps Bale's decision to turn his back on it means he is not a true Olympian, but can anyone honestly say they are surprised? Here's the question. Does it follow that all the famous footballers who are still in the Olympics, from Micah Richards to Craig Bellamy, Luis Suárez to Jordi Alba, are true Olympians? Or are they just playing at it?

Paul Wilson

Fabio Capello seals deal to become Russia's new coach

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:40:00 GMT

• Italian reported to be earning up to €10m a year
• 'My goal is to reach the World Cup in Brazil,' says Capello

Fabio Capello has signed a contract with the Russian Football Union to become Russia's new head coach.

The 66-year-old Italian, who resigned as England manager in February, replaces Dick Advocaat, who was in charge as Russia crashed out of the first round of Euro 2012.

Local media has reported that Capello, who has won league titles in Spain and Italy, will earn up to €10m (£7.8m) a year.

Capello oversaw England's disastrous World Cup campaign two years ago, when they were beaten 4-1 by Germany in the second round, but was in charge of their successful qualification for Euro 2012.

"The current contract runs for two years," said the Italian. "And my next goal – to reach the finals of the World Cup in Brazil.

"After I had finished working in England, I was angry, and I wanted to continue working. I really want to achieve your goals and fight for the Cup in Brazil.

"It does not really matter with whom we compete. I now have a new beginning in a coaching career. I'll try to get my philosophy to match that which has brought the Russian national team success, and we will go to the World Cup in Brazil."

Capello has announced his intention to live in Moscow and named Christian Panucci and Italo Galbiati as his assistants.

"The country is huge, with large populations," Capello said. "For advanced players, we need to create all the conditions to prepare them for performances for the national team. This is my most important task. I want to give players the will to win, the desire to always fight for victory. The word 'victory' is, for me, the most important thing in my career."

MLS All Star Game 2012: MLS All Stars 3-2 Chelsea

Graham Parker — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:20:00 GMT

• MLS All Star team beat Chelsea at sold out PPL Park
• Injury time Eddie Johnson goal seizes dramatic win
• John Terry and Frank Lampard score for Chelsea

According to Baxter's Law, the MLS All Stars are the new club champions of Europe. In 1967 Scotland became the first team to beat England following the World Cup, in a game infamous for Jim Baxter taunting the English by playing keepy-up on the Wembley pitch. As the first team to beat the World Cup winners since their triumph, Scottish fans proclaimed their team the new World Champions. So when the MLS All Stars beat Chelsea 3-2 in Philadelphia on Wednesday night - the first defeat for the London side as Champions League holders - a similar selective logic could be heard in some of the more tongue-in-cheek American reactions.

You could hardly blame them. Had the All Stars lost, as they had done last year (and heavily) to Manchester United, fans of the league could have expected to get a fair amount of grief about its "proven" inferiority from their peers - the so called Euro-snob contingent who won't go near the domestic game lest it contaminate their aesthetic appreciation of sides they only see in person in games like these (an attitude that is one of the more depressing aspects of the globalization of the sport). As it was the MLS side won with some character - coming from behind to score twice in the last twenty minutes, including an injury time winner, with many of their starters already off the pitch.

Of course, everyone present understood, or should have understood, that this game was no more a meaningful referendum on the standard of American domestic soccer than David Beckham's omission from the British Olympics squad was. But for all the caveats that each side could have brought to any eventual scenario, it was ultimately still a game that had to be contested like any other and for once it was not Chelsea but their opponents who got the better of the last quarter of the match.

After Chelsea had taken a 2-1 lead on the hour, through a Frank Lampard tap in at the back post, it would have been easy for the All Star team to deflate, especially as the first of the ritual round of substitutions that tend to distort the shape of exhibition games had just taken place. Instead though, with just over 15 minutes left to play, David Beckham, dropping very deep on the right as he sometimes does for LA, hit a long raking crossfield ball for Dwayne De Rosario, who had beaten the Chelsea offside trap and was racing down the left side of the box. From there, the All Star captain cut back cleverly for his DC United club teammate Chris Pontius to slot home. Then, with the game moving into added time and penalties beckoning, Eddie Johnson, the ex-Fulham player now at the Seattle Sounders, shot from just outside the box and saw his shot deflect off Luiz and spin up and over a stranded Turnbull in the Chelsea goal, for the win.

The All Stars had started brightly - and took the lead in the 21st minute, with Landon Donovan misdirecting the defense to cut the ball back deep for Henry in space on the left. The Red Bull man curled a ball into a dangerous spot by the six yard line, where Wondolowski claimed the ball at the second attempt and fired past Hilario, for the type of goal scored off the last man that he's been scoring all year. Speaking to the press at final practice he'd been reminded of his closing in on Roy Lassiter's single-season MLS goalscoring record, and laughingly claimed a goal in the All Star game would "count double". He's been in formidable form all year with league surprise package San Jose and it was nice to see him getting his goal.

As opposed to their game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, against PSG, this was less of a home crowd for Chelsea, who had turned their New York draw with PSG into a celebration of themselves. At the All Star game though, a vocal contingent of Chelsea fans found themselves wedged in one corner of PPL Park, while at the River End, Philadelphia's supporters section The Sons of Ben, ran through their own repertoire with gusto - including a variation of Millwall's "Noone likes us, we don't care" and some baiting of their friends and colleagues who had shown up in Chelsea gear - "You're not English over there..." They also bayed repeatedly for the appearance of the two hometown players Valdes and Farfan, whose eventual arrival drew the biggest cheers of the night from the record stadium crowd.

Just as at PSG though, Chelsea came back from 1-0 down - this time within 10 minutes of Wondolowski's opener. And who should get the goal but John Terry, in his first start of the tour - rising to head home a Lampard corner that had been earned by Benayoun's quick development of a counter-attack. Benayoun looked lively in his time on the field - one of the few Chelsea players looking capable of linking play and raising the mean tempo of the players around him. Other than that there was individual invention and menace in flashes, but a side that Di Matteo claims will be finalized "by the Charity Shield" is still very much in flux. Meanwhile the team that assembled over two days to beat them, was dispersed back to its constituent clubs, never to reassemble, but leaving some lasting pride intact.

Line ups and game stats

Graham Parker

London 2012: North Korea's football team leave pitch over flag gaffe – video

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:13:00 GMT

North Korea's Olympic women's football team refuse to play the game against Colombia after South Korea's flag is mistakenly displayed