JEDDAH, 20 August 2003 — Prince Sultan ibn Fahd, chief of the Youth Welfare Presidency and chairman of the Saudi and Arab football federations, has said that the Kingdom plans to form a national team capable of taking Saudi Arabia to the World Cup finals in 2006.
Speaking to Ainawi magazine published in the United Arab Emirates, the prince said that the majority in the new team would be new players. “The first phase of the plan has already started by setting up the team, with most of them being new players. We’ll train them in accordance with a specific program,” he added.
Prince Sultan underscored the performance of Saudi referees at national and international levels and deplored the campaign to cast doubt on their abilities. He said the Arab championship competitions have been programmed in coordination with African and Asian football federations.
He said the Saudi youth team was making intense preparations for the Youth World Cup finals, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates.
Eriksson and FA Hold Talks With Campbell
England Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson threw a comforting arm around Arsenal defender Sol Campbell yesterday following the troubled center back’s rash of disciplinary problems.
Eriksson said he and English Football Association chiefs had held a lengthy heart-to-heart meeting with Campbell on Monday at England’s training camp.
“We had a long chat with Sol,” Eriksson told reporters. “I think he has been extremely unlucky lately, at the end of last season and at the beginning of this season. And of course he can’t be that happy about that.”
Campbell, who has pulled out of the squad for today’s friendly against Croatia with a shoulder injury, was sent off against Everton on Saturday, the opening day of the premier league season.
