WTF?

Talk about muddying the waters. Sepp Blatter now says that FIFA will allow matches to be played at altitudes above no more than 3,000 meters (9,840 ft.). This amends the previous limit of 2,500 meters (8,200 ft.), which was implemented just one month ago. The big cheese had this to say:

This turned out to be a huge political discussion on a subject that was solely aimed at protecting players' health. We do not want to keep people from playing football at altitude ... (but) we do not want casualties on the field.

The new ruling would allow Colombia to play in Bogota and Ecuador to play in Quito. But for Bolivia and Peru, there's nothing left but to continue citing CONMEBOL's own medical panel who insist that playing at altitude causes "no major problems" provided there has been a period of acclimatisation.

Let's see if Peru ignores the ruling by playing their World Cup qualifiers in Cuzco, a mountain town situated 3,400 meters (11,155 ft.) above sea level. Now that would be pretty cool.

FIFA eases altitude restriction [Denver Post]

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Halftime In Germany

The annual Bundsliga winter break is upon us (I can sense there's a little jealousy coming from EPL coaches), so let's take a look and see what's been left under the Christmas tree.

• Werder Bremen will celebrate holidays in style as "Autumn Champions" after beating VfL Wolfsburg Sunday. They top the table on goal-difference over Schalke 04, 25 goals to 12. Bremen have scored an amazing 44 goals in seventeen matches. Things are still tight at the top after the first two spots with Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart both within five points. I imagine that Bayern keeper Oliver Kahn owes somebody some money right now. We already know what the guys over at The Offside think of him. And won't we miss him when he's gone? [Townsville Bulletin, The Offside, CNN]
• BV Borussia Dortmund have parted company with their Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk in the wake of Sunday's 2-1 home defeat against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Sunday's loss left Dortmund ninth and two places below their finishes in Van Marwijk's previous seasons, and fans made their displeasure known. Ottmar Hitzfeld was the first choice to replace him but declined the offer, wishing to stay in his position as a television analyst. Former Bremen, Bayern and Leverkusen midfielder Jurgen Rober was named as the new coach yesterday. [Reuters]
• Hamburger SV have announced that Thomas Doll will remain their coach despite leading them to just one victory in 17 Bundesliga games this season. "We are convinced we will be able to avoid relegation with the current staff," said chairman Bernd Hoffmann. Doll, whose side lie 17th place with 13 points heading into the winter break, added: "I am grateful for the trust put in me by the board." [Reuters]
• Bayern midfielder Julio dos Santos, just days after joining VfL Wolfsburg on loan until the end of the season, broke his fibula and tore ligaments in his right leg. He'll be out for at least ten weeks. The German champions signed dos Santos for $2.6M from Paraguay's Club Cerro Porteno a year ago. The Paraguayan international is seen as a possible long-term replacement for Michael Ballack. So far he has had few chances in the first team, making just five appearances in the Bundesliga and two in the Champions League. His contract at Bayern runs until the summer of 2009. [Bayern Munich official site]
• Two high profile Americans get a chance to lick their wounds. Borussia Monchengladbach copy cats Hamburg and backs their man. [Yanks Abroad, Sporting Life]
• Bayern held it's annual Christmas party over the weekend. Let's hope that our favorite drunk driver gave the keys to someone else that night. [Bayern Munich official site]

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What Are Spain's Drunk Driving Laws Like?

Our favorite drunk driver is in the headlines again. Thankfully, it wasn't for hitting the sauce and trying to drive home. Claudio Pizarro is quitting the Peruvian national team, not for good though. He'll come out of his 'retirement' as soon as his country's FA put in a coach that meets his approval.

If you're looking for a quote of the week candidate, Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has a beauty about half way through the article.

Pizarro quits Peru's national team; headed for Sevilla? [Living in Peru]

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99 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall . . .

While I'm all for team building exercises, but going to Oktoberfest? After seeing Claudio Pizarro arrested for drunk driving last week after drinking at the annual beer festival, I didn't think I'd see Bayern taking the whole team out for some beers. I understand that the festival is important to Bavarian life and culture and that it's a team tradition to go every year. But it just seems strange.

The most interesting thing about this might be the photo gallery the team has set up on it's website showing players, coaches, and management enjoying a liter or two. Notice that of the 21 pictures in the gallery, not one of them is of Pizzaro and his family. You can see the missing picture here.

Make's you want to go rent National Lampoon's European Vacation, doesn't it?

Beers all round [FC Bayern Munich official site]

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How Do You Say "One Too Many" In Spanish?

I guess there's a downside to living and working in Munich, Germany. One of the best Peruvian players of his generation had a little trouble counting backwards from 100 last Saturday after their league win. Hey, I don't even think he can't count past ten in German.

Today's news comes on the heels of Claudio's threats to leave Bayern if they don't renew his contract. He sure knows how to negotiate, maybe next time he'll put somebody in the hospital. That'll get Bayern to offer up a big money contract, don't you think?

Oktoberfest visit proves costly for Pizarro [Fox Sports]
Pizarro considers Premiership move [Euro Sport]

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