All in the game

Compiled by MARY HANNIGAN

Damage limitation: Belgium club acts after offensive chants at Japanese goalkeeper

BELGIAN club Beerschot have been upping the damage limitation efforts after supporters’ treatment of Lierse’s Eiji Kawashima during a recent league game.

The referee temporarily stopped the match after the visiting fans began taunting the Japanese goalkeeper with repeated chants of “Kawashima! Fukushima!” – Fukushima being the nuclear power plant damaged during the earthquake and tsunami in March that left more than 20,000 people dead or missing.

The reaction to the incident bordered on disbelief, not least in Japan, where the Belgian embassy was inundated with complaints. “I do not care about getting heckled,” Kawashima wrote on his website. “Playing here, it is common to be called names or having water poured at me from behind the goal. But at a time when Japan is working hard to fix itself after the great damage, and to use that as a pretext to jeer, is unforgivable.”

Beerschot, based in Antwerp, have responded by introducing “zero tolerance regarding offensive chants” at their own ground, and have asked supporters to contribute to the Red Cross fund for Japan.

This, they probably hope, will help folk forget their initial response to the incident: “There was a mutual incitement of the minds, including by the Lierse goalkeeper, who challenged the Beerschot supporters with gestures and facial expressions. This contrasts with our own goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen, who did not respond to the constant shouting insults by Lierse supporters.”

Right then, he asked for it.

Death notice: Serbian media reacts badly to Europa losses

SO, how did the Serbian press react to Partizan Belgrade's Europa League defeat to Shamrock Rovers and Red Star Belgrade's trouncing by Rennes in the same competition? Not too well, to be honest.

"Serbian football is dead," declared Kuriron its front page, which featured a black obituary-like border. 'We inform friends and fans that after a long and difficult illness, Serbian football died on Thursday, August 25. The burial will take place after the Northern Ireland v Serbia match on Wednesday, September 2."

Blicwasn't a whole lot more upbeat, proclaiming the "collapse of Serbian football" (they did at least give credit to Rovers, "courageous, combative, and above all, smarter"), while Alo described Partizan's defeat as "the biggest disgrace in the history of the club".

At least Partizan and Red Star were in the same boat, so you'd imagine the beloved neighbours had sympathy for each other? Well, no. "Typical Serbian mentality," complained Alo, referring to supporters of both clubs celebrating each other's misfortune. "The saying still applies: 'May the neighbour's cow drop dead'."

Sugar's signal not so sweet: Alan's tweet no dish of day

THERE'S a rather splendiferous website by the name of Whitewhine.com, a "collection of first world problems" as shared by users of Facebook, Twitter and the like. Eg: "Great. It's raining during Caleb's last week of sailing camp. Why do bad things always happen to good people?"

"Dear Cleaning Lady: WHY must you be in the kitchen when I'm hungry and in my bathroom every time I need a pee. You make life very hard."

"I do not understand how families manage to spend just $100ish/week on groceries, berries and avocados alone run us $42 a week!"

Here's another one for them, a tweet from Alan Sugar (right) as he settled down to watch Spurs v Hearts last week: "Can't believe (it), watching ITV4 in the build-up to the game and now lost signal just as kick-off. Dish needs realigning on boat."

In fairness, who wouldn't be browned off when that happens?

Papal pressure

POPE John Paul II might have been an honorary member of Barcelona but after the gift he received on his recent trip to Spain, his successor, Benedict XVI, has been signed up by the "other" side. There's no word on whether His Holiness met the Pope, it might have been that Jose Mourinho was busy.

Taking shape: Croc stadium

IF a club is nicknamed the "Green Crocodiles" and it's building a new stadium, what's the obvious thing to do? Build it in the shape of a green crocodile, of course. And that's what Bursaspor are doing, the 45,000-capacity Timsah Arena now under construction and due to open in 2013. And Timsah means crocodile, naturally. Yes, it looks like a snake to us too, but a reptile's a reptile so it's grand. You have to hope it won't become a trend, though – for example, do Juventus really want to play in a stadium shaped like an old lady? Or Norwich to host games in a giant canary?

Galloway salutes: Rovers' Europa League success

"Hail Hail Shamrock Rovers!"

– A tweet from none other than former British MP George Galloway (right) on Thursday night.

"I'm amazed those countries are in Europe, it will be a logistical nightmare."

– An exhilarated Tony Pulis reacting to Stoke's Europa League draw which put them in a group with teams from Turkey, Ukraine and Israel.

"It will be a long time before I want to get in that Europa League, let me tell you. And if we look like getting in via the Fair Play League, I'm going to boot someone down the tunnel."

– Mick McCarthy's a bit of a Eurosceptic too.

"Does anyone need a gardener? Looking for work."

– Cardiff City's Jon Parkin on Twitter, at a loose end after being dropped from the team.

"The work he has done in the 15 years he's been at the club is the best in Arsenal's history. Yes, he has not won a trophy for six years, but what does that mean? The quality of his side has not been reduced."

– Alex Ferguson simultaneously supporting Arsene Wenger and putting the boot firmly in.

Drogba the one: for Lukaku

ROMELU Lukaku, Chelsea's big signing from Anderlecht, gave a press conference at the club last week and although he spoke openly about his footballing heroes, he was slow to single any one out.

"I had two jerseys of Didier Drogba, one to sleep in and one to wear in the street when I was playing with my friends.

"I had a poster above my bed of Didier.

"I always wore the same boots as Didier. He's like my big brother, I tell him that. I say to him every day that he has to stay for me.

"We had the same style of play and movement and also hair. My favourite number is also 11. Now to be with him is like 'wow!'. Didier came into the dressingroom and I thought 'oh my God'."

If Didier leaves before the transfer deadline you get the feeling Romelu will follow him.

Neville: Not impressed

GARY Neville had a right lash at Glenn Hoddle in his newly-published autobiography, reflecting not too fondly on his time playing for England under the man.

There were too many criticisms to mention, but it was hard to beat the revelations that Hoddle's pre-match routine involved "touching players just over the heart" and asking "the staff to walk around the pitch anti-clockwise during the (1998) game against Argentina to create positive energy. Sadly, it didn't do us much good."

Neville, of course, is now starring on Sky Sports as a pundit and will be on duty for England's game against Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday.

Sitting beside him? Err, yep, Mr anti-clockwise. Awkward.