zidane and friends coming to vancouver,toronto,mon

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

I just got back from a press conference at Hershey Center in Mississauga, ON where Zidane was introduced to the Toronto media.

Zizou was definitely there. I was literally 2 feet away from him when he walked to the head table. This puts an end to any concerns I had that this game is a fake.

However, I do have some concerns based on what I saw.

First, the turn out for this press conference was so small (I only got the call about this 2 hours ago....luckily I work down the street). If enough notice was given, Zidane could have been given a proper welcome to the Toronto area. It would not have been hard to get 200-300 people there to see one of the greatest footballers ever.

Also, how could the organizers not think of providing a translator to translate the answers Zizou was giving (he doesn't speak much english so his repies were in French, Spanish and Italian, which is of little use to English only media).

When the Canadian "All-Stars" were introduced, I was surprised not to see the players I was expecting to see. I was under the impression that Rick Titus was putting together a very competitive team of local top talent to play in this match, along with a couple of MNT pool players. What I saw introduced were some very young men. I know the players that Titus was getting organized to face Zidane's team of all stars and, at least, Titus' crew would offer a good challenge. I actually saw them play a practice match about 2 weeks ago and I was pretty impressed with what I saw. I thought the promotors had dropped the crazy idea of giving spots on this team to kids who paid $300 to try out.

I'll say this...I have tremendous respect for the balls that the promotor of this event (Adlani Soccer Ltd) has to have to even try to pull this off. I'll probably buy a ticket but I really hope that, over the next few days, they get their act together and put together a professional event befitting a player of Zidane (and his teammates') stature.

A scheduled reception in Ottawa the the Embassy of the Fifth Republic for tomorrow has been cancelled due to the busy schedule of Zindane.

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by Trillium

A scheduled reception in Ottawa at the Embassy of the Fifth Republic for tomorrow has been cancelled due to the busy schedule of Zindane.

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by Trillium

[kyam]

quote:Originally posted by Trillium

[Drew Shaw]

I wouldn't pay to watch this. I'd go if they were playing the Whitecaps. But a thrown-together "Vancouver" team? That's balls. People going to watch these circus acts, rather than watching local competitive soccer are just holding back the growth of the sport.

This promoter doesn't want to "grow the game", he just wants to make a buck. To grow the game means working with existing clubs in Van, Tor, and Mtl, or expanding full-time teams in Edm, Cgy or Ott.

[Footy]

Man I wish the promoter would confirm already who the "friends' that are actually in Canada and ready to play ! this event is so poorly run I wonder if Zidane knows how bad this event has been run.

[Vancouver Fan]

quote:Originally posted by rick titus

Huge announcement this weekend boyz. Wait till you hear about it! The Italians will love it, and so will the Brazilians!!!

My sources in the Italian community in Vancouver say that Gattuso will not be part of this event. Instead of "loving it" I'm feeling more and more stupid for buying tickets.

[Johnnyranger]

I would say you are too (nothing personal)

I have been doing lots of snooping around and have found out some stuff about this Adlani character.

He has stolen money from people/football groups at least twice inside the soccer community on "big events"

Once a group of teenage players went to a European Trip where Adlani preceeded them a few days and disappeared with the money the day after the team showed up to the Hotel. The guy that was running the soccer school/group/travel team then had to pay for the expenses out of his pocket, a player that did not go on the trip saw this Adlani character in a local sports store and asked for the money back, which was not returned until he was threatened.

This same guy also claims to be the "Coach" that sent Dani Fernandes to Portugal when he had sweet F@#K ALL to do with it (again from Sources)

I don't care who is selling what etc... This Adlani guy is a scam artist. Nowhere on any advertising did it ever Say that Prso, Costacuerta, Barthez, Gattuso, Vierri, and Eto'o would be there. It all said players *like* the aforementioned players would be there.

How is Gattuso who is fighting for his pro life at AC Milan, and just off the Confederations cup going to play!?

How is Barca going to allow a potential transfer target saleable asset to go and play against Semi-Pro and Amateur players!?

This thing has been a scam from the beginning.

Justice would be served if this guy was headbutted in the chest by Zidane

I have only passed along stuff from credible sources that will remain unnamed and only after I exhaustively talked most of the people I could talk to about this.

It's stuff like this that holds back Football in this country...People get all hyped up about these things which are MOSTLY hype and then when the product fails to deliver people get upset and turned off of it. Even the football purists tended to stay away for the most part at BC Place when the Galaxy and Beckham came to play the Whitecaps. The majority of the people there were 12 year old girls that hang underwear ads on their bedroom walls.

I hardly doubt that Phil Anchutz of AEG who owns O2 Arena... would charge 50-100 Pound per seat to have Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Mike Bossy and a few aging current players to play a bunch of local Semi-Pros and amateurs at the O2 Arena in London, and the rest of the rinks in the British Superleague Hockey venue cities. Without proper press conferences, proper advertising, proper marketing etc.

I feel bad for the folks sucked in on this thing, I'd imagine Zizou won't be all that happy about his Canadian experience either, and can't imagine his lasting perception of Canada to be very good either.

Sorry for the scathing post to people that may have been duped, but the Vancouver leg of this thing is looking pretty grim, except for the team that was set to play Zizou and friends, which looks like a good competitive team. I am just passing along info from sources I trust.

[Vancouver Fan]

quote:Originally posted by Johnnyranger

..People get all hyped up about these things which are MOSTLY hype and then when the product fails to deliver people get upset and turned off of it.

This is the first time I remember an event like this being held in the soccer community. When Milan came to play against the 86ers at least we new who was coming and that it was going to be competitive.I think the attendance was about 17000.

On another note, this game is supposed to be a fundraiser for UNICEF. How likely is it that they will see a cheque?

[Richard]

UNICEF will be at the bottom of the list, guess who will be at or near the top. With the high level of uncertainty about the whole business that prevails, no sponsors, poor advance ticket sales and general cynicism about the event I will be surprised if the promoter even covers his costs never mind donating any significant amount of money to charity.

[Grizzly]

Zidane still has skills at Toronto charity game

By Larry Millson, THE CANADIAN PRESS

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2009/06/25/9938626-cp.html

Zinedine Zidane, right, goes up against Theirry Mangwa for a header in a charity soccer game at BMO field in Toronto. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Toronto Star - Adrien Veczan)

TORONTO - Zinedine Zidane showed he still has many of his skills left from his playing days during a charity game in Toronto, and fans at BMO Field showed their appreciation by cheering the French soccer legend during the pre-game ceremonies and whenever he put a deft move on the ball.

Zidane had a few good chances and was a factor in two goals as his charity team, Zidane and Friends, drew 3-3 with the Canadian All-Stars on Thursday before an announced crowd of 10,152 at BMO Field.

"I was taken by surprise when they would call out my name," Zidane said in French at a post-match media conference.

It was the first of three Canadian exhibition matches for Zidane's team, which will follow with stops in Montreal and Vancouver.

Martin Palermo scored twice for Zidane and Friends, while Yannick Lewis added the tying goal in added

time in the second half.

Julian Uccello, Calvin Rosario and Matthew Macri scored for the Canadian All-Stars.

"I would have liked to have scored a goal," Zidane said. "But tonight my role was as a passer."

He did start the play that resulted in the tying goal. He also hit a post and was foiled on another chance when he was in clear but he said that he could not chip the ball the way he wanted to because the artificial turf wouldn't allow him to.

Zidane said that he understood why artificial turf is necessary in some climates.

"I prefer grass, of course," he said. "But I understand in a country like Canada with lots of snow and cold that artificial turf allows the children to have more playing time."

Except for the full south-end stands, which the supporters groups jam for Toronto FC's Major League Soccer matches, there were large stretches of empty seats in the stadium that normally draws capacity of crowds of about 20,000 for TFC home fixtures.

Zidane's team opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Palermo, a big scorer for Boca Juniors in Argentina, headed home a cross from former Toronto FC midfielder Rohan Ricketts, who worked the ball from the left side.

The Canadian All-Stars tied the game in the 15th minute on Uccello's left-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

The goal brought an enthusiastic reception from the filled south stands, and Uccello ran over to the southeast corner to celebrate with the fans.

Palermo scored again in the 39th minute with an assist from Zidane. The French star's shot from just outside the penalty area was stopped by John D'Amato, but he allowed a rebound and Palermo was there to knock it home.

The Canadian All-Stars tied the game 2-2 in the 55th minute on Rosario's goal.

With about 20 minutes left, Canadian All-Stars goalkeeper Matthew Grant stopped Zidane when he was put in the clear.

Zidane later hit the post, then had a strong shot stopped by Grant in the 90th minute.

Macri scored for the Canadian All-Stars in the 81st minute, putting in a rebound after goalkeeper Brian Bowel made a foot save.

Zidane had a part in the tying goal during added time. He passed to his right to Dave Simpson, who found Lewis in front of the goal for the tap in.

Zidane's team will play its next exhibition on Sunday in Montreal at Molson Stadium and will finish on July 4 at Vancouver's B.C. Place.

Organizer Ahcene Adlani hopes the games will also raise between $100,000 and $150,000 for charities, including UNICEF.

Some of the players who were mentioned earlier as possible participants did not play, and Adlani blamed that on a lack of co-operation in Canada from soccer authorities.

"I got some resistance, no one believed me that I could bring these players here," Adlani said. "I cannot do all this myself. I did not have the support of any soccer federation in this country. "

He said the resulting delay meant that some of the players already had other plans .

Zidane's team was made up mostly of players who had played in Europe and the Canadian All-Stars had some players who play in the Ontario Soccer League and Canadian Soccer League.

Zidane, 37, whose parents are Algerian, cost Real Madrid a then world-record 46 million pounds (C$87.3 million) when the Spanish power acquired him from the Italian team Juventus in 2001. He helped France win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

The smooth-passing Zidane's reputation suffered in the final of the 2006 World Cup when he was sent off for head-butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi. He later said Materazzi had insulted him.

The star midfielder still won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

Zidane has played in charity events since retiring after the World Cup.

[Alberto7]

I can't find lineups anywhere on the web. Can anyone who was at the game post them?

[murneytower]

Dear Forum Members,

Notwithstanding Larry Milson's attempt to promote the Zidane and Friends match, overall the Zidane and Friends tour is a joke as well as a ripoff.

I attended the game last night at BMO field in Toronto. With the exception of Zidane, the rest of the players were a bunch of nobodys. The friends are falsely advisertised on the Zidane and Friends website. No Eto'o, Gatuso, Baresi, Costacurta or Giuly. Zidane's friends are a bunch of second rate players that you have most likely never heard of, with the exception of Ricketts and Palermo. Definately not worth the price of admission.

For those of you who still plan on buying ticket, BEWARE that you are about to get ripped off big time. I wouldn't pay more than $25.00 for a match of this caliber. If you are used to watched the European leagues or even MLS, you will find the caliber of the players to be extremely disappointing.

Just my two cents from an educated soccer fan. No offence to the players on the pitch, but the level was no better than a CSL or 4 division match in Europe.

[Mpenza]

Why isn't this surprising?

[Johnnyranger]

<sigh>

Told You so

</sigh>

[Footy]

Shame on the promoter Adlani for never once stepping up to the plate to clear the air that this tour is just "Zidane and NO friends" feel sorry for the folks that got duped by this event. I cant stand this type of promoter glad I held off ! Hey Adlani if you walked before you ran and got sponsorship first maybe this event could work guess no one trusted him.

[Vic]

Man, I just wish the guy was as intelligent and go-to as everyone here. What a loser! Bringing in the three-time leading FIFA World Player of the Year (and all-round great human being) and giving money to UNICEF! How scurrilous. How dare we even let guy's like that in our country let alone give them the power to spend money on the game here. Just the thought of anyone like that mixing with our purebred know-it-all soccer fans is frightening. I pray every day someone is making sure the stink of spending your time and money and actually doing something doesn't catch on.

[Footy]

quote:Originally posted by Vic

Man, I just wish the guy was as intelligent and go-to as everyone here. What a loser! Bringing in the three-time leading FIFA World Player of the Year (and all-round great human being) and giving money to UNICEF! How scurrilous. How dare we even let guy's like that in our country let alone give them the power to spend money on the game here. Just the thought of anyone like that mixing with our purebred know-it-all soccer fans is frightening. I pray every day someone is making sure the stink of spending your time and money and actually doing something doesn't catch on.

[)] no one is knocking Zidane here and his charity ... what we are knocking is the promoter ! get that straight the promoter Adlani sold the event on more than ONE superstar attending. As a promoter he has lied to ticket buyers who wanted to see footballers other than Zidane.

[murneytower]

Perhaps Vic missed my point. Zidane is without question a great player and perhaps some of the proceeds from the tour will be donated to UNICEF. My point was that I, like many other soccer fans in attendance at the game in Toronto, were mislead into believing that we would seeing other well-known stars. I would pay $25 to see Zidane play with a bunch of amateurs. I would pay $100 to see Zidane play with a group of other current and former international star players. Would you be satisfied if you paid top dollar to see U2 or Pink Floyd (or your favorite band) and a coverband showed up instead?

[Johnnyranger]

murneytower has it right.

I may have had the most cynicism of everyone I have read/seen about this event, and my venom is not reserved for the folks involved, the players, Zizou, or the Charities... It is for Adlani and his misrepresentation of the event participants in an effort to sell tickets fraudulently, also under the guise of goodwill to charity, and then when the public see through it, blame it on a lack of support from sponsorship and cooperation from the football federations.

[Vancouver Fan]

People just want value for their money. Who's got $80 to spend on this kind of an event. A retired Zidane,as great as he was, is not enough to get most people interested and Adlani knows this. If he needed support and wasn't getting it then he should have just dropped the whole thing. It would have saved a lot of people a lot of aggravation.

BTW if anyone is looking for a great deal for tickets in Vancouver send me a PM.

[Vic]

Sorry you feel ripped off. How much did you pay? And if I was you I'd get in touch with the guy and state my case and ask for a refund... honestly. I've done it before and it usually works. I'll be paying $25 to see Zidane, and I paid many times that to see him the last time I saw him. I have no expectation of anyone else, Eto'o would have been a great bonus but looks like wrong side of the country for that. I'd probably pay $25 to see him too. I have no problem with whoever else is there, I'm sure they're good enough players and I'm really looking forward to seeing some good Canadian amateurs. I watched 8 year olds the other night and it was an absolutely wonderful game, and if anyone came up and asked for a donation to UNICEF I would have gladly pulled out a twenty.

[murneytower]

Vic. You yourself have stated that you would pay X amount to see star Y. I would describe myself as a consumer who likes to know what he's paying for. This is not like buying a used car where the principle of "buyer beware" and "as is, where is" applies. The bottom line for me is that if I spend $115.00 , I expect to receive equivalent consideration in return.

If you are willing to pay $100 to see a group of kids play, that's perfectly ok. However, I am sure that you would like to know what you are spending your money on before you spend it.

[VPjr]

I am trying to get a hold of a few of the players I know who played in yesterday's game.

Once I speak to them, I'll let you know what I'm told.

From what I've heard up to this point, I'm definitely not impressed. From what I can see, this whole thing has indeed been very handled in a very mickey mouse manner and for the promoter to blame the various soccer associations for not supporting him (namely, not partnering with him) is ridiculous. it is not the CSA's or OSA's job to partner with a promoter who wants to bring this type of event to Canada. Why would they put their necks on the line and why would they take the financial risk? If you don't have the money to do it yourself or can't find sponsors to make it happen, don't do it and don't promise what you don't have the money to deliver.

[Vic]

I remember one mention of saying he got no help from the CSA and didn't realize it would be so tough. Is it more than that? Odd he would go after the OSA.

murneytower, I've heard the same thing at least a few times but it's usually followed or preceded by "first wife" I have no doubt you bought expecting a legion of great players and the event manager opened that door and I hope you contact them and get the partial refund.