World Cup players going mad over the official match ball, JABULANI
'super perfect' Jabulani
FIFA's official match ball for this year world cup edition, Jabulani, has been criticised severely by players and team official (especially the coach).
The ball is constructed using a new design, consisting of 8 thermally-bonded panels. The ball is textured with grooves, a technology developed by Adidas called ''GripnGroove'' intended to improve the ball aerodynamics.
The design of the Jabulani has 11 colors to honor those 11 languages, in addition to the 11 communities of South Africa and and the 11 players on a team. The 11 colors also honor the fact that this is adidas’ 11th FIFA World Cup ball.
The ball took 4 years of design and development in Loughborough University, UK before being launched by the company.
However, despite the high expectation that the ball will fit for the tournament, the 'super perfect' Jabulani still get slammed and condemned by the players.
Here are some of the criticism on Jabulani :
- England's Emile Heskey claimed that the ball contributed to his bad miss and poor display against USA and said that goalkeeper, Tim Howard was lucky to save his shot.''The ball swerves and moves around'' - Emile Heskey
- Robinho, Brazil sensational striker, went so far as to condemn the designer, saying ''for sure the guy who designed this ball never played football''.
- USA goalkeeper, Marcus Hahnemann has a special quotes for the inventor of the Jabuani.''Technology is not everything. Scientist came up with atom bomb, doesn't mean we should have invented it!'
- Goalkeepers Julio Ceasar of Brazil, Iker Casillas of Spain, and Gianluigi Buffon of Italy, have complained about the ball and claimed that the ball is unpredictable and hard to control.
- Nemanja Vidic, Serbia's captain, said '' I think that it is not easy to control the ball in the air,'' after his side was punished with a penalty kick due to unintended handball by Kuzmanovic. '' Its very quick, more in the air than at the feet. I think if the ball hits the ground you get good control. But all the teams have problems with the ball so it is not an excuse.''
- Many players have criticised the ball, branding it a ''beachball'', ''inadequate'' and like one purchased in a supermarket among other complaints.
And i am sure that we all saw the howler made by England's Robert Green and Algeria's Faouzi Chaouchi. This is World Cup for God sake!!! schoolboy errors are unforgivable.
Green, however, refused to reflect his mistake to the ball. He owned up to his blunder.
sobs sobs..... sorry mr capello....
On the other hand, Algeria's coach Rabah Saadane blamed the ball and the turf for his team's loss.
Just don't expect FIFA to change their ball midway through the competition. In fact, a gold version of the ball, called Jo'bulani, will be used in the final on July 12. The only teams able to feel the 'perfectness' of the ball will be the two team who made it to the final.
the great ball of Jo'bulani
