Former UEFA Technical Dir and Scotland Manager Andy Roxburgh said that China needs to "follow Japan's lead in developing youth talent if the country is to have any hope" of becoming a global football force. Chinese Super League clubs "have made headlines in recent years for spending huge sums to lure foreign stars to East Asia," but Roxburgh said that it will "count for little if the nation does not develop a steady stream of players across age-group levels" (REUTERS, 8/3).
Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court will probe the "corruption inquiry" targeting Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) President Marco Polo Del Nero and his predecessors, José Maria Marin and Ricardo Teixeira. Sports marketing agency Traffic Owner & Founder José Hawilla "is also a defendant in the case." Del Nero, Teixeira and Marin "are all suspected of having committed financial crimes in their various tenures as CBF president" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 8/3).
The Indonesian FA (PSSI) is going to hire referees from abroad to "upgrade the quality of refereeing" in its top-tier, Liga 1. Three referees from Australia and three from Kyrgyzstan landed in Indonesia on Wednesday. They will oversee Liga 1 matches until Aug. 15 (JAKARTA GLOBE, 8/3).
IN ARGENTINA: Argentine third division clubs Deportivo Riestra and Comunicaciones were scheduled to play a five-minute game on Thursday night, "with promotion to Argentina's second tier on the line." The "mini-game, ordered by the Argentine FA, will be the conclusion of a match that was suspended on Monday when fans invaded the pitch" (BBC, 8/3). Argentine third division side San Telmo's assembly on Wednesday "ended abruptly when 20 armed men broke into the meeting and threatened club President Fernando Leiro and another exec, Carlos Ríos" (CLARÍN, 8/3).
