Kadhafi Junior Explains Juventus Link-Up
MILAN, Jan 10 (AFP)
The son of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi believes that his new business link-up with Italian first division club Juventus could help Libya qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday.
Al Saadi Kadhafi, who said he hoped to expand his interest in the Turin club to 20 percent, also revealed he was set to appoint former Genoa coach Franco Scoglio, who has experience in Tunisia, as coach to the Libyan national team.
On Tuesday it was announced that the Lafico (Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company) group of the Kadhafi family had reached an agreement to take a 5.31 percent stake in the club which was floated on the Italian stock market.
And Kadhafi junior, 28 and himself an accomplished footballer, believes that as well as cementing links between the two countries it will help his country's football development.
Speaking to the paper at the Football Expo in Cannes, France Kadhafi said: "The current deal is not just a financial operation. Libya believes in sport and in youth and Juve will help us develop the enormous potential of our football, including structures, facilities and technology.
"We are very keen to qualify for the 2006 World Cup and on Friday I will be in Milan to sign a four-year contract with Franco Scoglio who will coach our national team."
Scoglio would replace another Italian Eugenio Bersellini who was recently sacked.
Al Saadi Kadhafi, like his father a colonel in the Libyan army, cited the historic relations between his country and the Agnelli dynasty which founded the Fiat car company and owns a majority shareholding in Juventus.
In 1976 Lafico took a stake in Fiat. "We have excellent relations with the Agnelli family," said Kadhafi.
"Our actual stake is only a starting point and eventually we would like a 20 percent share in the club - Juve needs the extra investment and we believe we have made an excellent investment."
A picture of Al Saadi kicking a football in a Juventus shirt some years ago was presented as evidence of his leanings towards the club known in Italy as the 'vecchia signora' (old lady).
Declaring himself a fan of Dutchman Edgar Davids and Gianluca Zambrotta but not of Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, Kadhafi said he still regretted the departure of Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, whose parents are Algerian immigrants, to Real Madrid in the summer.
"Juve have always had excellent players. Look at (Michel) Platini, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane. But Zidane joining Real Madrid upset me as a fellow Arab and a Muslim even if I back the club's decision to take a new direction," said Kadhafi.
