New Saudi coach Van Marwijk lured by World Cup adventure

Reuters/Amsterdam New Saudi Arabia coach Bert van Marwijk admitted the salary offer was lucrative but the prospect of going to the next World Cup was an even bigger incentive in taking on the job. The 63-year-old took the Netherlands to the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa and said he was looking forward to the chance of going back to the tournament in 2018 with the Middle Eastern nation. Van Marwijk told Dutch media that he had taken on the job for four reasons: sporting ambition, the fact he could take his own staff along, a one-year contract and a handsome salary. “That I have no need to deny,” he said after agreeing to take on the post. “Saudi Arabia is a leading football power in Asia and has the real potential to qualify for the World Cup. That is my biggest driver. They came close to qualifying for the last two finals and I would like to make that breakthrough now.” Saudi Arabia must go through two rounds of qualification if they are to gain a place in the 32-team tournament in Russia. They have started the first phase in a five-team pool and after beating Palestine 3-2 in their opening Group A game in June, next play East Timor in Jeddah on Sept 3 in Van Marwijk’s first game His initial contract runs for the first phase of qualification which ends in March and should he lead the Saudis to the next round, Van Marwijk will renegotiate the deal. Saudi Arabia competed at four successive World Cup finals from 1994. Bassong, Matip back for Nations Cup qualifier Cameroon have recalled Sebastien Bassong and Joel Matip to their  squad for next month’s African Nations Cup qualifier away to the Gambia, the Cameroon Football Federation said. Norwich City central defender Bassong missed out on the last World Cup for the Indomitable Lions while Schalke 04’s Matip has not played for his country since the finals in Brazil. Cameroon coach Volker Finke has picked a squad of 23 players for the match in Banjul on Sept 6. It is the second qualifier in Group M for Cameroon, who needed a late winner to beat Mauritania 1-0 in their last qualifier in June.  The German-born coach continued a policy of drafting in young talent by picking 19-year-old Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper Andre Onana, who has yet to play a senior game, and the 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Felix Eboa Eboa, who has had one game at reserve level for the French champions. Moenchengladbach fans threaten boycott Borussia Moenchengladbach fans are threatening to boycott the derby aganinst Rhine rivals Cologne on September 19 because of ticket purchase requirements imposed after the incidents during the previous edition in February.  Moenchengladbach fan groups are furious that they must now register their name, address and date of birth when they purchase a ticket. “In our view it’s not right that we have to register weeks before a match and that all fans should be punished despite refusing to be drawn by the provocation (during the previous match against Cologne),” a statement from one of the concerned fan clubs read. February’s game was overshadowed by numerous incidents with some thirty of Cologne’s extreme ultras fans invading the pitch at the end of the game to try and provoke rivals in their stands. Moenchengladbach sporting director Stephan Schnippers dismissed the idea of a boycott as “not a good choice”.  In September 2014, the same derby, considered one of the most hotly contested in Germany resulted in 77 injuries leading to 93 arrests. Moenchengladbach have endured a tough start to the season, they are pointless after two matches having scored just one goal and conceded six.