Friday's World Cup round-up

Former France captain Zinedine Zidane has criticised coach Raymond Domenech after the 2-0 defeat by Mexico which left Les Bleus on the brink of World Cup elimination.
Zidane, a member of France's 1998 World Cup-winning team, believes Domenech got his selection wrong by demoting Yoann Gourcuff to the bench, depriving the side of a creative spark.
"The coach made the decision but I don't agree with it," Zidane told Mexican television station Televisa. "I am disappointed because France did not have a single shot on goal and that should be the least to be expected. Mexico were superior to France, especially physically."

Captain Patrice Evra said it felt like France were a "small football nation - and it hurts" after Thursday's defeat by Mexico.
"It's a catastrophe, that's all we can say. We are not a great team," said Evra, who was part of the side which suffered an early exit at Euro 2008. "When you are knocked out of the European Championship in the first round and you are also capable of being knocked out in the first round of the World Cup, you just don't want to think about football after that." 

Injured England defender Rio Ferdinand has told his England team-mates: "You can still win the World Cup."
"We still have a great chance of winning the World Cup," Ferdinand told The Sun. "No team can claim to be the outright favourites. There is no one who scares us. I'm sure we'll beat Algeria. I've played with these players for years and know how good they are."

Senior Cameroon players have asked coach Paul Le Guen to reconsider his team selection for the Group E match against Denmark on Saturday.
Defender Song made a substitute appearance against Japan
Cameroon's players are unhappy because Le Guen omitted seasoned campaigners like defenders Rigobert Song and Geremi and midfielder Alexandre Song from the Japan game, which they lost 1-0. 
"What we have seen in recent games, which we think is unfortunate, is that many young fresh players have been introduced into the team at the expense of experienced ones," said midfielder Achille Emana. 

United States captain Carlos Bocanegra said his team will not be underestimating Slovenia just because they lack household names.
The former Fulham defender said: "We have some personal experience against these guys. A few play in Germany, a few in France, just because they're not in the Premier League we're still familiar with these guys. We are not going to take them lightly just because some people might not know the names as well."

Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong is confident his team can win the World Cup in South Africa.
Ahead of Saturday's Group E clash with Japan, De Jong said: "We just have to deliver this World Cup. We have got enough quality to do it." 

Former Tottenham manager Osvaldo Ardiles, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 1978, says he wants to be Australia's new national coach.

Dutchman Pim Verbeek will vacate the position after the tournament and Football Federation Australia is seeking a big-name candidate to replace him.

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Tuesday's World Cup round-up

North Korea has secured legal rights to televise World Cup matches live, according to Asia's broadcasting union - who deny that the communist state had pirated a recording of the opening fixture.
According to South Korean broadcaster SBS, the North's Korean Central Broadcast Service (KBS) aired Friday's 1-1 draw between South Africa and Mexico without permission.
But the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union said North Korea - whose team is competing at the World Cup for the first time in 44 years - had used legal footage "right from the start" following a deal between the union and football's world governing body Fifa.

Meanwhile, North Korea coach Kim Jong-hun bristled at a question from South Korean media ahead of his team's opening match against Brazil. A reporter, speaking in Korean, referred to his nation as "North Korea" in a news conference on Monday - rather than by the country's official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea.
"There's no such country named 'North Korea,' replied Kim. "Next question." 
A question about North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's involvement in team selection was then cut off, with a Fifa official reminding journalists not to ask political questions. 

France's playmaker Yoann Gourcuff - the struggling heir apparent to Zinedine Zidane - is being cast as socially isolated from the core of Les Bleus squad after an anonymous start to the World Cup in their drab 0-0 opener with Uruguay.
"Yo [Gourcuff], I never hear him," said captain Patrice Evra. "To speak to Gourcuff, you have to talk to [Jeremy] Toulalan. It's with him that I see him having a laugh."
There is even speculation that Gourcuff is being ignored by his team-mates on the pitch, with Nicolas Anelka and Franck Ribery allegedly guilty of deliberately not passing the ball to the Bordeaux midfielder.

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo added his voice to the complaints about the wall of sound being made by the vuvuzela trumpets at the World Cup.
"It is difficult for anyone on the pitch to concentrate," he said. 
"A lot of players don't like them, but they are going to have to get used to them. Hardly anyone likes them, but the people who do like them are those who like to blow the instruments and make a racket." 

More than 100 World Cup security stewards have protested in Durban a day before Spain plays Switzerland as they call on Fifa to confirm what they should be paid by contractors for working at the tournament, according to reports.
Armed police looked on as the workers danced, chanted and sang at the peaceful demonstration on Tuesday. Protest leader Sibusiso Mthethwa said the stewards would "protect our visitors" even if their demand for higher wages are not met.

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