Welcome to another week of Football Circus where we attempt to round up a few bizarre stories from the world of football. This week features Pele's son, Clarence Seedorf and a classic animal pitch invasion.

Pele's Son makes Debut

Sons who emmulate their fathers' onfield achievements are a rarity in football. Unfortunately there are more Jordi Cruyffs to be found than Paolo Maldinis.

However sixteen year old Joshua perhaps faces the biggest challenge to emmulate his father in comparison to his fellow son-of-a-footballer counterparts. He is afterall, the son of the great Pele.

Joshua last week made his debut for Brazilian outfit Santos in an Under-17 tournament.

Santos was the same club that Pele himself began his career at. 

Delighted with Joshua's debut, Pele stated "What a thrill it will be to see him playing for my club!".

The Brazilian legend was 55 when Joshua and twin Celeste were born in 1996.

God bless Viagra eh?

Seedorf shown Red for Walking in Wrong Direction

Brazilian referee Philip Georg Bennet came under fire this week as he sent off Botafogo midfielder Clarence Seedorf for not leaving the field of play in the direction he desired.

The confusing decision came during Botafogo's match at home to Madureira.

Dutch veteran Seedorf was on his way off the pitch, heading towards his own dugout when Bennet summonsed him. 

Bennet insisted that Seedorf move towards the far touchline instead.

Seedorf failed to see the problem and questioned Bennet's reasoning, causing Bennet to produce the first yellow card.

Seedorf then turned away and ran towards his own bench in attempt not to delay the match further only to be be booked for a second time and shown red.

Botafogo fans were furious with the decision, however the blow was softened by the fact that Seedorf himself had put his team 2-1 up prior to the incident and this proved to be the winning goal.

It had been over 800 games since Seedorf was last sent off and only his second ever sending off of his career.

Snakes on a Pitch

The Mohun Bagan and Pailan Arrows match in the Indian I-League saw a pitch invasion of a different kind last week.

Whilst fans were satisfied to remain in the stands of the Kalyani Stadium and enjoy an entertaining 3-2 Mohun Bagan victory, more than a dozen poisonous snakes somehow made their way onto the pitch.

How the snakes were entered the stadium is yet to be determined.

Sunanda Dhar, chief executive of the I-League, has confirmed that approrpiate action will be taken to ensure such an incident does not take place again.

 He would not confirm whether or not the Kalyani Stadium would be banned as a venue.

Italian Football Story of the Week

 - Balotelli Loved Up

Italian striker Mario Balotelli has told Vanity Fair magazine that his new found love with Belgian model Fanny Neguesha is responsible for his apparenent serenity.

Balotelli was quoted to state "Am I in love? Yes", "Thanks to Fanny I have rediscovered the balance that I need in my work. She puts our relationship first and foremost, so there are no distractions or rows before games".

It would seem that Fanny has indeed had a positive affect on Super Mario, with the striker in fine form for both club and country since joining A.C. Milan in the January transfer window.

Football Related Recommendation

Football Weekly - A highly entertaining weekly football podcast hosted by the Guardian and presented by former Football Italia host, James Richardson.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/footballweekly

Non-Football Related Recommendation

Tom Byrne - Artist

http://www.artisttombyrne.ie/

Sting Operation in Brazilian League Game

There was a buzz around the Moisés Lucarelli stadium on Saturday leading upto the game between hosts Ponte Preta and Atletico Sorocaba. But it was not due to fans’ excitement building prior to the São Paulo league encounter.

Rather, a swarm of bees had taken it upon themselves to attach themselves to one of the crossbars. 

Kick-off was delayed as exterminators hurridly attemped to dispose of the bees by using a bin bag and a makeshift flamethrower.

Ponte Preta went on to win the match 2-1 following the fifteen minute long fiasco.

Football Circus attempted to contact Ponte Preta for comment on the incident, however we were advised to mind our own beeswax.

Wolves Keeper Left Howling

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Nigerian goalkeeper Carl Ikeme will miss the duration of the season following a half time fit of rage.

Ikeme horribly miscontrolled a back pass from defender David Davis during the first half of his side’s 2-1 victory at home to Bristol City. The ball subsequently rolled into his net, giving City a 1-0 half time lead.

Manager Dean Saunders let his feelings about the matter be known in the dressing room, causing Ikeme to punch the tactics board in frustration.

Ikeme’s actions have left him with a broken hand and Wolves now face a goalkeeping crisis going into their final games, with Wayne Hennessey also out through injury.

Eto’o Wanted Dead by Cameroon Football Federation?

Former Barcelona and Inter Milan star Samuel Eto’o has alleged that the Football Federation of his home nation, the F.C.F., want him dead.

Champions League winning striker Eto’o’s shocking comments come on foot of accusations of corruption within the F.C.F. and a conflict between the two parties has reached boiling point.

Despite trying to focus on his current club Anzhi’s Europa League campaign, Eto has revealed that armed security now reside with him for protection purposes, such is the extent of his fear.

“I live with a group of gendarmes and one sleeping in front of my door. I do this not out of snobbery, but for my own safety” he stated.

Italian Football Story of the Week

Italian international Antonio Cassano has named his newborn son ‘Lionel’, in tribute to Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

Cassano is of the belief that Messi is the ‘most important player in history’ and found it fitting to name his new baby after his hero.

Carolina Marcialis, Cassano’s wife, took some convincing to come round to the idea, however eventually succumbed to the Italian striker’s wishes to name the child Lionel.

Messi, five years Cassano’s junior, has since texted Cassano to thank him and congratulate him on his new arrival.

Football Related Recommendation

You may recall the last Football Circus blog, wherein we highlighted Nicklas Bendtner’s recent woes - “Loan club Juventus have announced that they have not sold a single shirt bearing his name since his arrival at the start of the season”.

Talksport Radio in the UK also picked up on this news and took it upon themselves to order a ‘Bendtner’ shirt directly from the Juventus club shop. The prank call can be heard at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-iQCax63Y4

Non-Football Related Recommendation

https://hailocab.com//

Welcome to Football Circus, a blog which bids to round up some of the most bizarre and nonsensical football stories from around the globe. So without further ado, we’ll move onto the first blog.

Brazlian Keeper jailed over Murder

A Brazlian footballer has been sentenced to twenty two years in prison following the murder of his ex-girlfriend.

Former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes is said to have ordered the murder of Eliza Samudio.

Police reports claim that two of Fernandes’ friends, one of whom is a former policeman and has been setenced to fifteen years in prison for his part in the crime, strangled Ms Samudio before feeding her cut up body to dogs.

A dispute over child maintenance payments is thought to have triggered the fallout between Fernandes and Ms Salmuido, leading up to her eventual murder.

So it would appear that Adriano may in fact not be the most troubled former Flamengo star around. Speaking of whom…

Sadriano

Qingdao Jonoon, a Chinese Super League outfit, have turned down the opportunity to sign 31 year old former Brazil international Adriano, on the basis that he is too unfit.

Adriano has been unable to find a club since being let go by Flamengo last year after not playing a minute of football having rejoined the side months earlier. 

The striker has been unable to curtail his party lifestyle and his fitness has been severely affected.

Qingdao Jonoon chairman Tan Xu stated “(Adriano’s) physical condition is not suitable for play’.

The Bender to end all Bendtners

Juventus’ on loan Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner’s recent drink driving charge was not the last bad news the Dane received in recent weeks.

Unfortunately for Bendtner, he seems to have become a laughing stock in his native Denmark following his arrest and suspension from driving. Copenhagen shops have reported huge sales of a toy set which contains a figurine of the player, a toy car and a beer bottle fridge opener.

But the humiliation doesn’t stop there. Loan club Juventus have announced that they have not sold a single shirt bearing his name since his arrival at the start of the season.

Surely Arsenal will welcome him back this summer with open arms. Right?

Italian Football Story of the Week

Maurizo Zamparini has made his 27th managerial appointment since becoming president of Palermo in 2002.

Bizarrely, the latest man to take over the reigns is Giuseppe Sannino; the same manager whom Zamparini sacked after just three games in charge at the start of the season.  

The mind boggles even further when you consider that after Sannino was sacked back in September, Gian Piero Gasperini took over. He too was subsequently fired and Alberto Malesani then took over for a grand total of 19 days. Lost yet?

Following Malesani’s 19 days at the helm, Zamparini moved to re-sign Gasperini as manager. Gasperini’s second spell in charge last 16 days.

And we thought Roman Ambramovich was a tyrant.

Football Related Recommendation

The Secret Footballer (Guardian Books)

Decent(ish) read. Gives a somewhat insightful view of the life of a footballer. A little mundane at times but the ‘Secret Footballer’ has a refreshing take on life at the top level of the English game. Well, that is if he in fact is a footballer.

Non-football Related Recommendation

Foals - My Number