The sole exception was a brief post-match managerial interview with the host broadcaster, Pitch International. While Renard took a 75% pay cut to take charge of France Women in March, Mancini’s defection has annoyed, not to mention puzzled, many Italians.Ī television crew had duly flown in from Milan to quiz him on the matter but journalists were informed that the Saudi government – specifically the Ministry of Sport – had decreed that Mancini and his players were not allowed to speak to the media here. With the Sunderland winger Jewison Bennette causing Mancini’s men all sorts of problems, it was turning into a frustrating night for Hervé Renard’s successor. Memories of Saudi Arabia’s landmark World Cup group stage win in Qatar last November were fading fast as they trailed 2-0. Once inside the ground an extremely familiar, immaculately manicured figure could be seen standing, contemplatively, in the home dugout normally occupied by Eddie Howe.īy half-time Mancini was probably relieved the 52,000 capacity arena was barely a tenth full. The original idea was for the demonstration to be held in the stadium’s precincts between the statues of Sir Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer but club officials asked that the protesters remain outside St James’ perimeters. Accordingly the lobby group NUFC fans against Sportswashing staged a small, peaceful, pre-match protest across the road from the ground calling for the release of political prisoners on death row in jails in Riyadh and Jeddah. Given the Kingdom’s atrocious human rights record the scheduling of these fixtures has raised awkward questions regarding the Saudi regime’s precise agenda. It was also Roberto Mancini’s first game as the Green Falcons manager and, given that it ended in a 3-1 defeat, the former Italy and Manchester City head coach clearly has his work cut out.Īnyone who regards it as somewhat peculiar that Saudi Arabia are playing two games in north-east England – the second is against South Korea here on Tuesday evening – is almost certainly unaware that Newcastle United is 80% Saudi Arabian-owned. Saudi Arabia were, after all, designated by Fifa as the “home” team in a friendly against Costa Rica intended as a warm-up for January’s Asian Cup in Doha. When giving someone a home address, ticos usually say something like, “It’s the blue house just south of where the cow is tied up,” or “It’s 500 meters north of the big tree.On a balmy September night it was as if a part of the Middle East had been transplanted to Tyneside. So people simply get accustomed to giving directions via landmarks. 19. There are usually no street names or addresses. The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s seven Blue Zones, a place where people live longer and happier lives, and has a high concentration of people over age 100. 18. Costa Rica has an exceptionally high life expectancy of 79, one of the highest in the world.Īnd receives international praise for its modern healthcare system, where it’s ranked 36th in the world by the World Health Organization (WHO). Pura Vida is used regularly by the locals when asked how they are or in passing to say hello or goodbye. Pura Vida is a happy, feel-good expression. The country is home to over 52 species of hummingbird. 16. You could easily call Costa Rica the unofficial hummingbird capital. 15. Ice cream flavors in Costa Rica are interesting and sometimes slightly weird.įlavors include coconut, goat cheese, wild blackberry, peanut, sour cream, chipotle blueberry, chocolate almond, and more.
0 kommentar(er)
