SWC using 'supermarket' ball

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Johannesburg - Several players are going all out against the new World Cup ball, with more than one comparing it to those bought on a supermarket.

And this time it's not only goalkeepers who are complaining. Strikers, defenders and midfielders are also lashing out at the Adidas ball just a few days before the monthlong tournament is to begin in South Africa.

The ball is called Jabulani, which means "to celebrate" in isiZulu, but not many are celebrating it so far. It's hard to find a player who is happy with it, and those who don't like it are not saving adjectives to describe their feelings.

"It's very weird," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said Sunday. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it's going to be hard."

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar on Saturday called the ball "terrible" and was the first to compare it to those plastic ones bought on a supermarket. Italy striker Giampaolo Pazzini said the same thing, calling it a "disaster."

"It moves so much and makes it difficult to control. You jump up to head a cross and suddenly the ball will move and you miss it," Pazzini said. "It is especially bad for the goalkeepers if it means they concede a goal because they can't judge the trajectory."

Adidas traditionally launches new balls for each World Cup and they usually cause controversy because of the changes prompted by the new technology being introduced. Most of the time the ball becomes speedier and goalkeepers are the ones most affected by it. But this time the livelier ball is causing problems to field players too.

"There is no way to hide it," Brazil midfielder Julio Baptista said. "It's bad for the goalkeepers and it's bad for us. It's really bad. The players try to cross it and it goes to the opposite direction they intended it to go."

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas also expressed his anger at the design of the ball after the European champion's 3-2 friendly win over Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

"It's sad that that such an important competition like the World Cup has such an important element like this ball of appalling condition," he said.

Adidas said the technology on the Jabulani is "radically new," and when it launched the ball in December is said that it would sail true because small dots on the surface would help improve reliability in the air. It said the ball would have "an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions."

FIFA and Adidas did not immediately return messages seeking comment on Sunday.

Adidas has released some promotional materials in which some of its sponsored players praise the ball, including ***a, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech and Frank Lampard. Ballack called the ball "fantastic."

"It happens every time, the players always complain about the ball," said former Brazil great Tostao. "It used to be the goalkeepers only, but now we have the others complaining too. At the greatest competition in the world you would think that the players would like the ball, but that's not the case."

Players were already expecting the ball to be affected by the high-altitude in Johannesburg and some other host cities. A study by Adidas last year showed the altitude will have an impact of up to 5 percent on the ball's speed, meaning a 20-yard free kick will reach the goal line 5 percent faster than it would at sea level.

The ball is made up of 11 colors to represent the players in a starting lineup and the 11 official languages and the 11 communities of the host country.

"That's the ball they chose and we have to accept it," Baptista said. "But it's going to be complicated."

The World Cup begins on June 11 with South Africa playing Mexico.
Click to expand...

http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/TournamentNews/SWC-using-supermarket-ball-20100530

Happens every time!!! Only this time it is not only the 'keepers complaining!
 
You think these highly paid players would be able to play with the tinfoil from their sandwiches rolled up to make a ball!

Two further comments though :

1. Surely Adidas does some sort of testing etc before launching a ball?
2. Surely these players get hold of the ball sooner than two weeks before kick off? Why does the complaining always start so late?
 
Last edited:
LancelotSA said:
You think these highly paid players would be able to play with the tinfoil from their sandwiches rolled up to make a ball!

Two further comments though :

1. Surely Adidas does some sort of testing etc before launching a ball?
2. Surely these layers get hold of the ball sooner than two weeks before kick off? Why does the complaining always start so late?
Click to expand...

1. Yes
2. No, they only get the balls about a month before the time. They play their last 2 or 3 friendlies with the new ball.
 
Read an article the other day on how Jabulani is the most technological ball ever made. Now it turns out to be rubbish :/
 
Stickfigure said:
Read an article the other day on how Jabulani is the most technological ball ever made. Now it turns out to be rubbish :/
Click to expand...

Nope, if you read the article you will see that it still is. It's just that the players are having difficulty with it. Most technologically advanced does not automatically equate to most user friendly. Someone on a tech forum should know that ;)
 
I dunno hey. The more technological it is, the more there is to go wrong. At the end of the day it's the football players who will be using the ball, not us.
 
I watched a bit of the England - Japan friendly today. Lampard took a free kick from about 35 yards out. The ball did some funny things in the air!!! Dip and swerve!!!
 
They always say this before the World Cup I'm sure if you Google it There's an article about all the balls for the past 3 world cups.

I played with the original Jabulani. Its light, I kicked it almost goal to goal and I'm no goal keeper. Its gonna move around on a windy night up here in JHB!!!
But its about the same as other official Adidas soccer balls.

Casius must be pissed that Saudi scored twice through him lol !!!
 
"It's very weird," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano said Sunday. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it. You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it's going to be hard."
Click to expand...

The special edition FIFA 2010 Adidas Tokoloshe football :wtf::p:D
 
LancelotSA said:
You think these highly paid players would be able to play with the tinfoil from their sandwiches rolled up to make a ball!

Two further comments though :

1. Surely Adidas does some sort of testing etc before launching a ball?
2. Surely these players get hold of the ball sooner than two weeks before kick off? Why does the complaining always start so late?
Click to expand...

1. The ball was tested, most players were very happey with it.
2. Not always, it most leagues are contracted to use certain balls, and even some national teams are contracted to use certain balls.


But, the players bitch before every WC, so I expect this to go away soon enough.
 
Meh it happens before every world cup, they will get over it and learn to play with it.

I saw the ball in Sportsmans Warehouse the other day: R999 i was like :O Thats 10X more than what my current soccer ball cost.
 
I think the ball is pretty good...I'd like to see a new brand of ball though
 
Yep, this is the same procedure as last year. Controversy is good publicity.

I think that these new balls are purposefully unpredicatable in the air to increase the goal count and make the games "more interesting".
 
Its just the traditional goalkeeper whine about the ball before every big tournament. It happens everytime.
 
The b*tchn has become a norm.I remember the same thing happened before germany2006.
 
Maybe the ball will work in Bafana Bafana's favour. They scored 5 goals yesterday, breaking their previous 4-0 record. The tokoloshe is werking.
 
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