New National Teams: Rio Grande do Sul

A national tema of the most Southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul with the capital in Porto Alegre, is as good as any other world's grandee, and can easily become world champion 9if allowed to dispute this title):

RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Keepers:
Diego (Danrlei)

Defensemen:
Roger (Chiquinho)
Scheidt (Andre Luis)
Anderson Polga (Regis)
Bolivar (George)

Midfielders:
Mineiro (Paulo Baier)
Anderson (Tinga)
Ronaldinho (Rafael Sobis)
Daniel Carvalho (Alex)

Forwards:
Christian (Claudio Pitbull)
Josiel (Marcelinho)

Namesakes: Giovanni

There two main namesakes with this name, and both are too famous to confuse them. Giovanni Silva de Oliveira, ex-Santos, ex-Barcelona, now at Olympiakos, is finishing his career. The one who is more actual, is called Giovanni Deiberson. He was raised at Cruzeiro, then also played in Barcelona, and now is a leader of Manchester City.

Talking Smart: Foreign Names

Jakub Dohnálek (Czech.)
[yakub dognalek]

Jan Lecjaks (Czech.)
[yan lets-yaks]

Jan Rajnoch (Czech.)
[yan raynoh]

Jan Štohanzl (Czech.)
[yan shtoganzl]

Jani Lyyski (Fin.)
[yani lyu-ski]

Paulo César Gusmão

Paulo César Gusmão is a new coach of Vasco da Gama. He already coached Cruzmaltino in 2001. Now his task is to save the club from relegation.

Transfers: Carlos Alberto

Werder's midfielder Carlos Alberto who has been failing to adapt in Germany, is probable to return to his native Fluminense. He is supposed to be loaned for one year.

Sacking: Carlos Ischia

Another coach stepped aside from his position in Argentinean Apertura. This time it was Carlos Ischia from Rosario Central. His club is currently the last in the table of the tournament.

Transfers: Augusto Fernandez & Omar Bravo

River Plate's playmaker Augusto Fernandez and forward of Chivas and Mexican national team Omar Bravo are regarded as possible reinforcements by the chiefs of Spanish Deportivo. It was announced by the coach of the club from A Coruña, Miguel Angel Lotina.

New National Teams: Paraná

The shining of the stars born in South Brazilian state of Parana may blind you. Isn't it a perfect squad for winning the World Champion's crown?

PARANA

Keepers:
Rogerio Ceni (Edson Bastos)

Defensemen:
Rafinha (Adriano)
Juninho (Miranda)
Naldo (Marcao)
Belletti (Alessandro Mori)

Midfielders:
Kleberson (Pretto Casagrande)
Jadson (Fernandinho)
Alex (Lucio Flavio)
Tcheco (Thiago Neves)

Forwards:
Dagoberto (Alexandre Pato)
Nilmar (Lima)

Namesakes: Roger

Number one here, with no doubts, is Roger Galera Flores, an incredibly bright playmaker, who played in native Fluminense, Corinthians, Benfica, now in Flamengo. The second popular Roger is Roger Machado Marques, left wing (or fullback) who played 10 years in Gremio, now in Fluminense.

Talking Smart: Foreign Names

Imre Csermelyi (Hun.)
[im-re cher-mey-ee]

Ionel Boghiţoi (Rom.)
[ionel bogitsoy]

Ionuţ Chiricu (Rom.)
[ionuts kiriku]

István Szűcs (Hun.)
[ishtvan siuch] ([siuch] as one syllable).

Ivica Kralj (Croat.)
[ivitsa kral], with "l" mild as in French.

Argentina: Apertura 2007, 14th Week

Tigre - Arsenal 2:0
Martin Morel, Sebastian Rusculleda
Tigre is seriously dreaming of title, which characterizes very well this strange Aperura.

Lanus - San Martin 2:0
Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco
Lanus is first now in the APertura's table.

Olimpo - Banfield 1:1
Sebastian Gonzalez - Christian Lucchetti (pen.)

Colon - Gimnasia de Jujuy 0:1
Gabriel Loeschbor

Rosario Central - Velez Sarsfield 0:2
Pablo Lima, Lionel Rios
Central is unlikely to leave the last position in the table.

Argentinos Juniors - Racing 1:0
Gabriel Peñalba
Argentinos lack only four points to be the first.

Gimnasia de La PLata - River Plate 0:2
Diego Buonanotte, Radamel Falcao Garcia

Huracan - Newell's Old Boys 3:1
Franco Mendoza, Andres Franzoia, Rolando Schiavi (pen.) - Rolando Schiavi (o.g.)

Boca Juniors - Estudiantes 1:1
Martin Palermo - Pablo Piatti
Boca did not manage to beat one of the weakest teams of the tournament.

Independiente - San Lorenzo 1:2
German Denis - Adrian Gonzalez (pen.), Jorge Ortiz
The main candidate for the title lost in principal match, but did not lose the chances to triumph. Denis scores his 16th goal in 14 games.

Juan Roman Riquelme

Juan Roman Riquelme, nominated for the World's Best Player, sparkled interest of one club more. this time its Brazilian Fluminense, strongly supported by their sponsors lately, that dreams of having Argentinean for Copa Libertadores.

New National Teams: Sao Paulo (state)

One of the most powerful national teams at a world championship where the most talented world's players might have been gathered indeed, could be a team of Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. Here are three variants:

SAO PAULO

Keepers:
Marcos - Fernando Enrique - Doni

Defensemen:
Ilsinho - Cicinho - Anderson Lima
Rodrigo - Edu Dracena - Rodolfo
Marinho - Gustavo - Alex Silva
Kleber - Coelho - Rogerio

Midfielders:
Correa - Renato - Marcelo Mattos
Ricardinho - Caio - Rodrigo Taddei
Diego - Ze Roberto - Denilson
Robinho - Marcinho - Gil

Forwards:
Luizao - Ricardo Oliveira - Nene
Luis Fabiano - Jo - Grafite

Brazilian Slavs

In Brazil he number of players of Ukrainian origin is not that big. The main star has been Helcio (Helcio Roberto Alisk) who has been a leading midfielder in many Brazilian clubs. He is 38 now. Another great player is Santos' playmaker Tcheco. He has no Ukrainian blood, but was raised by Ukrainian community in Curitiba, attended Ukrainian church and school and began playing football in local team named "Poltava". The latest information (thanks to DGM) also enlists Rafael Sobis among Brazilian Ukrainians. He said in one of his interviews that he is Ukrainian on his father's side. The rest of Brazilian Slavs (mainly Poles) is as follows:

Marcos Skavinski (Marcao)
Anselmo Vendrechovski (Juninho)
Filipe Kasmirski (Filipe)
William Kozlowski (William)
Leopoldo Markovski (Leo)
Germano Borowicz (Germano)
Marcio Glad (Marcinho or Marcinho Guerreiro)

Of them only the last one returned to his motherland and is playing for Metallurg Donetsk.

Namesakes: Diego

Everything is clear with Diego Ribas da Cunha, Werder's leader, everybody knows him well. There is also notable keeper Diego Costa Silva who made himself a loud name in Atletico Paranaense. Fluminense raised Diego de Souza Andrade, who started with calling himself just Diego, but later added Souza to it. Now Diego Souza is one of leaders in Gremio. He shouldn't be confused with another Diego Souza - Diego de Souza Gama Silva, originally from Palmeiras, now playing for Tokyo Verdy in Japan. And the last one of those who deserve mentioning is one of very talented twin-brothers raised at Internacional, Diego de Lima Barcellos. Funny, but his twin brother is called Diogo.

Talking Smart: Foreign Names

Guadalberto Mojica (Span.)
[mohika]. This surname is often mispronounced in an English manner, with "j" like in "John". Should be like "h" in "Harry".

György Józsi (Hung.)
[diord yozhi]. [Diord] is pronounced as one syllable, "zh" is like "s" in "pleasure".

Gyula Hegedűs (Hung.)
[diu-la hegedush]. [diu] is one syllable, like English "dew".

Henrik Rydström (Swed.)
[rüdstrom]. For the English it obviously would be [roodstrom].

Igor Žofčák - (Czech.)
[igor zhofchak]

Jairo

Jairo, an ex-midfielder of Corinthians with which he became champion in 1990 died in Parana in moto accident. He was 41.

Transfers: Washington

Famous forward Washington, who holds national record of 32 goals scored in one championship, is likely to join Fluminense. 32-year Brazilian, who has been playing in Japanese Urawa Reds lately, shares the list of Flu's possible reinforcements with Leandro Amaral of Vasco, Alex Mineiro and David Ferreira of Atletico Paranaense, as well as Acosta of Nautico.

Argentinean Ukrainians, part 2

It's a sequel to the first part of this megaproject which promises to get prolonged for years, until someone realizes that Ukraine is simply obliged to bring its compatriots back home, even if only in form of football players, as well as to disfruit from the fact that Ukraine is represented in Argentina with huge community the same that Italy and Spain disfruit from being presented there by their communities as well. I hope, everyone enjoyed the 2001 epopee with inviting Camps, Klimowicz, Chatruk and Kmet to Ukrainian national team. The idea was appreciated by the whole world except for the chiefs of Ukrainian football. OK, we'll wait. For now, for those who liked the first part, here is the part number two.

During six years that passed since the documentary on "Ukrainian Four" saw the light, no new Ukrainian players of the level of those four emerged in Argentina. Patricio Camps (35) retired. Julian Kmet (30) hasn't been able to get out of his decline, having traded many teams of the first and second division (now in Ferro). Jose Chatruk (31) after roaming over many famous teams returned to his beloved Racing. Diego Klimowicz (33) obtained Polish citizenship and traded Wolfsburg for Borussia Dortmund. But there have always been other players, whom we shouldn't forget in no way.

First, let's pay tribute to great forward Adrian Czornomaz (39), who was shining during 90s in Independiente and later re-wrote all the records of Nacional B. Played in Austria a little. He was a real star.

Jorge Balanda. A nephew of one of the leaders of Ukrainian community in Argentina, he played in defense of Quilmes for some time, now in Los Andes (Nacional B).

Carlos Marczuk (30). Another native of "Ukrainian" province of Misiones, he played on the right wing of Instituto and Colon, then in Peru (including for Sporting Cristal). Now he returned home and plays in Misiones for Crucero del Norte.

Maximiliano Kondratiuk. A keeper of San Martin from San Juan. This year he burst with his sensational club into la Primera.

Daniel Mielnicchuk. Another keeper who has been balancing for a couple of years between the main squad and reserve of Independiente.

Marcelo Kobystij (35). Several years ago he was a titular defenseman at Huracan, but then descended with his club into Nacional B, now seems to have retired.

Lucas Ischuk. A keeper with a solid reputation. Has experience of playing in the prime league. Now is with Atletico Tucuman.

Carlos Kletnicki. This keeper has been playing for many years now for Gimnasia La Plata. May be a Pole too.

Javier Klimowicz. Another keeper. This one with an interesting career. Several years ago he moved to Ecuadorian league, where became a nation's pet, got Ecuadorian citizenship and may play now for Ecuador.

And now some unique names, which Ukrainians simply are obliged to know about.

Daniel Dobryk (32). A unique player. In River Plate Hernan Crespo had no chances under this Ukrainian forward! What spoiled him his career was his uncontrolled agressiveness. He is known as one of the grittiest and respectful Argentinean players. With the course of time he started playing a playmaker. Now plays in Mendoza for Deportivo Guaymayen. This player evokes special pity for not being regarded by his motherland.

Guillermo Szeszurak (also 30+). This Ukrainian when playing for River Plate was an idol of you know who? Javier Saviola! But his career wans't lucky either and he spent it on playing for the lower leagues clubs, having scored lots of goals. Now he has retired and opened a football school of his own.

Sergio Diduch (30). This forward was raised by Boca Juniors, although did not managed to play for the great club. He spent his career in the league of Honduras, and is stil there as of now.

Ricardo Wisniewski. This forward is still young and had wonderful press some time ago. Now he is in Venezuelan Monegas.

There are more players of Ukrainian origin in Argentina, simply remember them:

Miguel Angel Kosciuk (Los Andes)
Victor Sieracki (Ferrocaril Sud)
Maximiliano Serafinovich (Sporting Bahia Blanca)
Sergio Kaezuk (San Miguel)
Orlando Iwanski (Ituzaingo)
Silvio Rudnicki (Laferrere)
Hernan Kisnaszuk (Barracas)
Flavio Pavich (Acassuso)
Carlos Renyinski (Leandro N. Alem)
Cesar Gaczynski (Excursionistas)
Sergio Mazur
Pablo Derkacz
Gustavo Pysiak

Viva Ucrania!

New National Teams: Pernambuco

Despite its modest size, the hot Brazilian state of Pernambuco with the center in the city of Recife is able to suggest for a World Cup an absolute kill-team. What strikes most is midfield:

PERNAMBUCO

Keeper:
Bosco

Defensemen:
Lucio
Edson
Nem
Cleber Santana

Midfielders:
Josue
Iranildo
Juninho Pernambucano
Flavio Luiz

Forwards:
Araujo
Sergio Alves