Nice to see prejudice is a one way street when it comes to soccer in Israel. Beitar Jerusalem midfielder Derek Boateng was subjected to racial abuse that would have made Lazio fans and Spain coach Luis Aragones proud. The abuse was dished out by his own fans who were furious at Beitar’s exit from the Champions League.

Beitar supporters are known for being extremist, right-wing ultras. Their racialism is usually directed at Arabs. Unfortunately for Boateng, he caught it full blast. Here’s the video.

Besides the monkey noises, Boateng was subjected to chants of “Derek Boateng is a monkey” and “Derek Boateng is a son of a bitch”. Other reports have noted that chants of “nigger” were also thrown in. I don’t speak Hebrew but the reports I’ve seen seem to confirm each other and the one translation we were given also confirms what has been reported so far**. The hate continued until the fans were confronted by the team captain and another Israeli international.

The story gets stranger … no, more fucked up. Boateng came out and denied the incident took place. Apparently, the club threatened to sack him after he made gestures to the fans in response to the abuse. Ghanaian news sites are calling him a compulsive liar for trying to cover up the situation. The guy can’t win for trying. It’s unclear what his contract situation is but he needs to get away from Beitar as soon as possible.

** It would be good to get another first-hand translation in case I’m missing some other insults.

I’ve tried to track down the story Real Sports did on Beitar and their ultras but I’ve had no luck so far.

What the hell is wrong with Cameroon’s Andre Bikey? You have to see this to believe it.

Here’s a better view without sound. The foul happened in the 90th minute and now he’s ruled out of Sunday’s ACN final against Egpyt.

Oh did we forget to mention that the medic was helping an injured Cameroon player? That would be a teammate of Bikey’s. Apparently he doesn’t believe in that new medicine. He’s like school on a Saturday. No class.

Let’s get the soccer roundup out of the way. Go here for weekend scores. The short of it: West Pork’s screwed. ManUre maintainted their lead at the top by beating Charlton 2-0. Chelsea remain six points back after a 3-0 win against Middlesborough. Hilarity of the weekend: Sheffield United 2 – Spurs 1.

Yo’ Mama Ain’t Got Nuthin’ To Do With Me

Newcastle United and Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins was confronted by a mob in an airport in Lagos, Nigeria after missing Nigeria’s match with Ghana on Tuesday which they lost 4-1.

Martins tried to explain that he skipped the match to attend to his sick mother but the crowd wasn’t having it.

…The soccer fans literally held Obafemi hostage demanding to know why he was not in London for the match.

The fans had argued that if the former Inter Milan striker had played the match, the Super Eagles would not have been disgraced.

As at the time the fans quizzed him, Nigeria were three goals down.

The visibly angry fans asked: “Why are you not playing? If you were there, you will have scored at least one goal by now and Ghana will not have that the courage to play us out.”

Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel claimed he was forced to play after being pressured by the Nigerian FA and family threats. He played against orders from Chelsea doctors and manager Jose Mourinho. Mourinho was reported to have been furious and Chelsea have made complaints to FIFA.

Nigerians don’t play when it comes to their soccer. Ghanians sure do. In the words of Pork-o-potamus X, “Only with Africans…Whether in Africa or Africans in London, mayhem.

I Don’t Know What You Come To Do But I Come To Pray

That’s all you have left if you’re an England fan. They suck enough to put a Tijuana donkey show performer out of business. England’s pathetic showing in their Euro 2008 qualifier loss against Spain on Wednesday once again proved that Second Choice Steve McClaren knows much more about dental hygiene than he does about soccer.

Middlesborough chairman Steve Gibson blamed Premiership clubs for his former manager McClaren’s obvious lack of sense.

What chances are English footballers getting at major clubs? Steve can only work with the tools he’s given. The Liverpools and the Arsenals – what are they contributing at national level?

What’s Boro contributing at the national level besides mediocre football and Stewart Downing? He and Joey Barton are exactly what England needs to save its Euro 2008 campaign. I suppose Gibson doesn’t remember Boro losing 7-0 to Arsenal or a fan throwing his season ticket at McClaren in disgust. I’m sure it has nothing to do with his lack of coaching sense or the FA’s abidcation of its duty to run football with some level of competence.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger shot back at Gibson:

England were behind in developing players for years but they have worked hard to rectify things.

France started that in 1974. They won the European Championship in 1984 because we had an exceptional player [Michel Platini]. Then they won the World Cup in 1998 and reached the World Cup Final in 2006. That work began in 1974. It shows that the work takes 20 years.

The only thing I can say is that whenever England do not win it is always my fault, even when I am not at the game.

To put players in my team who are not good enough would not strengthen the England team but weaken the Arsenal team. I’m not at fault for England’s frustrations.

England is now third in their group behind Russia and Croatia with an upcoming match on March 24 against Israel. If they lose, they’re pretty much done. There will be a bunch of hand-wringing and moaning and then they’ll pick another incompetent English manager to make sure they don’t qualify for the World Cup in 2010.

Lassana Diarra Has Two Fathers

It’s great to see such an open-minded team.

Arsenal Finds More Young Boys For Wenger

Arsenal has linked up with the Colorado Rapids in an effort to expand their brand in the US and search for young talent. Wenger stated that the Arsenal board informed him the link was not a precursor to a club takeover. He did not deny that he was planning slumber parties for Rapids players at his home.

Changes Afoot At Liverpool

Liverpool’s new American owners have already started the changes at Anfield by introducing a new crest which better symbolizes the true nature of the club and its fans.