CP - Radzinski blasts CSA for travel

[marcl_19]

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/news_story.asp?id=97274

9/2/2004

EDMONTON (CP) - Although Canadian shoot-from-the-lip striker Tomasz Radzinski is still appealing a fine for criticizing his former English soccer club last month, it didn't deter him from lining up the Canadian Soccer Association in his sights Thursday.

Radzinski, Canada's best offensive threat in Saturday's World Cup qualifying game against Honduras, said it's ``lots of bull and a big pile of crap'' that the CSA doesn't provide overseas players with first-class tickets to fly to Canada for games.

``They should stick their finger out of their ass and actually do something towards the players,'' he said. ``We have examples of guys flying 24 hours . . . in economy class and getting here and playing a game and going back to their club teams. It is just impossible to perform then,''

He said flying economy class ``is just very, very difficult.''

Radzinski complained that players don't know until they get to the airport whether their free upgrades from Air Canada will be honoured on any given flight.

``That is just unacceptable,'' he said. ``The travelling arrangements are just crap.''

Coach Frank Yallop and several players blamed the air travel and lack of preparation time for a shocking 2-0 opening-round loss to Guatemala in Vancouver two weeks ago.

CSA officials said they sympathize with the players, but Canada's $13 million national team budget can't cover any more travel costs.

``We don't have a $40-million budget that U.S. Soccer has,'' said Kevan Pipe, the CSA's chief operating officer. ``We're already putting as much as we can into this.''

He said the CSA buys more expensive economy tickets from sponsor Air Canada on the condition that if there is room on the plane they will be upgraded to business class. But if business class is sold out, they have to fly economy.

Pipe said that arrangement enabled Radzinski to fly first class from England for Saturday's game in Edmonton.

``We're still trying to explore every possible option,'' he said. ``We want our players to arrive relaxed from Europe to Vancouver or wherever. We want them ready, fit and able to play the game. We're certainly cognizant of the fact they have to go back to their clubs in the same type of condition.''

He said flying 12 to 14 players out of Europe first 10 times a year would cost the association $500,000 to $750,000.

``There is no easy solution,'' Pipe said. ``We're doing the very best we can in a very difficult situation.''

Radzinski is still fighting the fine of two week's salary levied against him by his old English Premier League club Everton for spouting off in the media over a contract dispute.

He said he doesn't regret anything he told the British newspaper, but he plans to fight to have the fine quashed or reduced at a Sept. 29 hearing.

``I don't think it was a big outburst,'' he said. ``It was just bad timing maybe and that's why I was got fined. I thought it was really not fair to me after the service I provided to Everton for three years.''

In the article he was quoted as saying that rising teenage English soccer star and teammate Wayne Rooney should leave the Liverpool-based club ``to better himself.''

Rooney was shipped to Manchester United this week for a transfer fee of more than $70 million.

``I think it is good for Wayne that he is leaving because for a young guy with his talent and that great a media attention, he was becoming too big for Everton,'' Radzinski said.

``Now with his move to Manchester United he will just be one of many, many stars on that team and I think it will help with his future career because I think they will leave him a little bit alone. He can have a normal 18-year-old private life now.''

Radzinski ended up turning down a three-year contract offer from Everton and signing with Fulham.

``I am enjoying it. Every single day is a new adventure. The training is fun. It is just a different setting. . . . it's a really good move for me.''

Notes - The Hondurans closed their practice Thursday, but the Canadians - dubbed the Men in Pink - invited media to come out to watch them work. They were wearing pink ribbons to show their support for the Canada Breast Cancer Foundation. . . Honduras has never played in Edmonton previously. . . . Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith declared the week Edmonton Soccer Week. In addition to the World Cup qualifier Saturday, 85 teams from across the province are in the city to compete in the senior provincial championships.

Anyone else find it weird that its the Rat coming out with complaints.....I just flew from Brussels to new yokr (8 hours) and then new york to halifax (2 hours) in economy calss and its really not that bad if you're on a decent airline. Radz get over it and get us into the world cup!

I do however understand where he is coming from....however lets face it, the article is rite, the csa just doesnt have the money that other FA's have

[Moosehead]

``We don't have a $40-million budget that U.S. Soccer has,'' said Kevan Pipe, the CSA's chief operating officer. ``We're already putting as much as we can into this.''

well tell that to your sponsor cibc, that you are jeopardizing getting canada to the world cup over economy/business tickets. I'm suprised on such long journeys that they are not flying business class. It takes a bit of investment and risk to get to the world cup. Where will penny pitching get us by the accountants at the csa if we don't make the world cup? Kiss a lot sponsorship money goodbye if we don't make the world cup. A lot shortsidedness imo such as lack of preparation for this major tournament that is going to come back and haunt us. Think about the big picture Pipe.

[DarnCherry]

quote:They should stick their finger out of their ass and actually do something towards the players

I think he means "pull" their finger out of their ass. I don't know how they'd be able to "stick" their finger out of their ass.

[Moosehead]

quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

I think he means "pull" their finger out of their ass. I don't know how they'd be able to "stick" their finger out of their ass.

give the csa credit, they can do a lot of things out of their ass including talking.

[DJT]

quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

I think he means "pull" their finger out of their ass. I don't know how they'd be able to "stick" their finger out of their ass.

Hehe, well, either way, that is an incredible outburst, saying something like that to the media! Having just read it, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

[DarnCherry]

quote:Originally posted by Moosehead

give the csa credit, they can do a lot of things out of their ass including talking.

I suppose they could stick their arm down their throat and poke their finger out of their asses so that someone could then pull the finger out, but it seems quite a feat. If they could do something that difficult they'd certainly be able to find a way to come up with the cash they need to keep the whiners like Radzinksi happy.

[snake]

how do you drive the CSA crazy?

put them all in a round room and tell them to find the corner.

how do they drive us crazy?

they find the corner.

[seether]

quote:Originally posted by marcl_19

Anyone else find it weird that its the Rat coming out with complaints.....I just flew from Brussels to new yokr (8 hours) and then new york to halifax (2 hours) in economy calss and its really not that bad if you're on a decent airline. Radz get over it and get us into the world cup!

But he wasn't on a decent airline, the article said he was on Air Canada.

[soccerbeast]

quote:Originally posted by seether

But he wasn't on a decent airline, the article said he was on Air Canada.

Radz is totally unprofessional complaining about travel fees when he never bothers to travel to play with the team to begin with.

he"s a [)] I;d be willing to buy him a one way trip back to england

if it meant he wouldn't play for us again. He just looking for an excuse not to play.

[Jarrek]

Does anyone know on average how much more expensive is it to fly business class?

[soccerbeast]

quote:Originally posted by Jarrek

Does anyone know on average how much more expensive is it to fly business class?

Not off hand , but with the Money he makes at Fulham he could pay for his own improved seat if he wants it. I have had enough of him, tell him to take a hike.

[soccerbeast]

quote:Originally posted by Moosehead

``We don't have a $40-million budget that U.S. Soccer has,'' said Kevan Pipe, the CSA's chief operating officer. ``We're already putting as much as we can into this.''

well tell that to your sponsor cibc, that you are jeopardizing getting canada to the world cup over economy/business tickets. I'm suprised on such long journeys that they are not flying business class. It takes a bit of investment and risk to get to the world cup. Where will penny pitching get us by the accountants at the csa if we don't make the world cup? Kiss a lot sponsorship money goodbye if we don't make the world cup. A lot shortsidedness imo such as lack of preparation for this major tournament that is going to come back and haunt us. Think about the big picture Pipe.

Moosehead, lets not blame the CSA for Radz greedy attitude, if he wants better seating let him pay for it himself, I for one wouldn't care if we never see him again if all he cares about is his

own comfort.

[ballboy]

I am a Canadian fan and also an Everton fan. I like Radz as a player but this outburst was not right. This whole travel arrangement thing should be kept behind the doors between the players and the CSA. He has no reason to go public on this.

We don't have a big budget and everyone knows that. Bloody suck it up and get the country into the world cup. I don't know what class of seats did Tony Menezes flew in with but you didn't hear him talk like that... ...and Tony was actually flying in from BLOODY CHINA!

I like Radz as a player but it gets to the point where enough is enough.

[soccerbeast]

Well said ballboy...i think he's just looking for an excuse if we don't

qualify he'll blame the CSA,Air Canada,hell even George W Bush if needed.

[DoyleG]

quote:Originally posted by seether

But he wasn't on a decent airline, the article said he was on Air Canada.

Easy there.[}]

[ballboy]

Everyone will have a different view on this but if he whines as much as he seems to be doing, he better produces enough on the field to back up his antics/mouth.

I like him but it really pains me to see that he seems to be sooo "difficult".

[soccerbeast]

I was just starting to feel good about our chances then he says this.

[Jarrek]

Let's not try to make rash conclusions without knowing the full story. I'm sure if Radzinski scores a couple goals Saturday, most of us will be praising him as our national hero.

[ballboy]

That's right, Jarrek.

As long as he produces on the field and doesn't rock the boat too much, I can take the not-so-good with the goals and victotries.

[Moosehead]

quote:Originally posted by soccerbeast

Moosehead, lets not blame the CSA for Radz greedy attitude, if he wants better seating let him pay for it himself, I for one wouldn't care if we never see him again if all he cares about is his

own comfort.

He is not being greedy, he wants Canadian soccer to be run professionally and reading between the lines I think the whole team is pissed off at how the CSA has organized this world cup campaign in such a amateurish half assed way such poor preparation and not providing reasonable transportation seeing they have crucial game to play and also they important club committments. I think business class in this case is entirely reasonable. Further, for such a crucial tournament for Canada that the CSA would want to make sure everything was in place so we would qualify including ensuring that our players were properly rested. ITS NOT ABOUT BEING RICH OR POOR ITS ABOUT US TAKING ALL STEPS FOR US TO QUALIFY. IT IS ALL ABOUT MAKING OUR FEDERATION PROFESSIONAL AND NOT RUN LIKE A LOCAL SOCCER KIDS CLUB.

Your comment that Rad could pay for the upgrade. Well he probably doesn't have the time to arrange this with the CSA, as the article says if there is room in business class they would be there with their upgrade ticket.

I am not pissed off at Radz, its time the players stood up to the unprofessionalism that permeates their soccer federation.

Incidetally, I would like to know where the CSA soccer management where they stay hotel wise and how they travel.

[sstackho]

This is a great article.

We don't get to hear much about the specifics of funding or costs of running the national teams, and it's something that I've often wondered about.

For a point of comparison, my company had a travel policy that was economy for flights of five hours or less, usually economy (but some room for flexibility) for flights of five to eight hours, and business class for flights of over eight hours.

Business class is expensive. Then again, economy class can be expensive without a Saturday night stay. Pipe makes it sound like the CSA is buying flexible economy tickets, which are generally also expensive. Having Air Canada as a sponsor might give them a discount, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is isn't all that big.

Checking a travel site for flights from Toronto to London for a flight over the November FIFA date - I see $1800 for economy and $6000 for business class. Pipe's calculation of the cost of the Europe-based players' first-class travel works out to about $5000 a ticket.

When money is tight, the CSA's solution (pay economy, get first-class when available) isn't a bad compromise. But Moosehead makes a good point about corporate sponsors making an investment.

Flying sucks, but business class makes it nicer. For those who have to take an overnight flight, business class can mean the difference between getting a decent sleep or not. It would be nice if we could give this to all our players who are giving their time to show up for our country.

[DarnCherry]

Why don't we blame corporate Canada for not forking out the dough instead of the CSA which I'm sure would like to have the dough. Perhaps Mooshead should explain to us how he would go about the getting the money out of corporate Canada?

It's easy to say the CSA should be getting more money out of the sponsors, it's another thing to get the sponsors to agree.

[Moosehead]

quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

Why don't we blame corporate Canada for not forking out the dough instead of the CSA which I'm sure would like to have the dough. Perhaps Mooshead should explain to us how he would go about the getting the money out of corporate Canada?

It's easy to say the CSA should be getting more money out of the sponsors, it's another thing to get the sponsors to agree.

How about getting us to the world cup and then the sponsorship money will come in. We will not get the world cup being ill prepared and having tired athletes.

[The Ref]

I think that once every four years for WCQ the CSA could spring some first class travelling for our players.

[Timotas]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

I think that once every four years for WCQ the CSA could spring some first class travelling for our players.

Agreed 100% - The Ref and Moosehead. This happens only every four years, I think the CSA's main focus should obviously be getting us to the World Cup, and we need our players happy and feeling fit. If flying them first class really makes them play better, then hell, I'm all for it!

And Moosehead, you're right, if we were to get into the World Cup, corporate Canada would be sponsoring our CMNT like mad. The CSA needs to be taking this qualifying a lot more seriously because nobody wants to look back and say WHAT IF.

This whole Radzinski outburst isn't the greatest news for our Nats Team, but hey, maybe CSA will start re-thinking on meeting their national team members needs.