Thursday, February 28, 2008
Fergie was tempted to go abroad
Sir Alex Ferguson admits that in the past he has contemplated the possibility of managing abroad, but the draw of Manchester United has always proved to be too strong.
The Red Devils boss has ruled over Old Trafford for 21 years, steadfastly refusing to enter into negotiations with any other club during that period.
However, as he prepares to face Roy Hodgson's Fulham on Saturday, he admits that he sometimes envies the globe-trekking exploits of his opposite number.
Education
"Roy Hodgson has done what a lot of us would love to have done, go abroad and work abroad," Ferguson told the League Managers' Association.
"I always remember Bobby Robson saying that the best thing he ever did was go to PSV, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.
"He was out of the country for maybe 10 or 12 years. Working in different climates with different cultures definitely broadens your education.
"I remember meeting Roy Hodgson in Malmo in 1987 when I had just joined Manchester United. Malmo were playing Ajax in the European Cup and Roy was at the game.
Incredible
"Over the years he has gone to Inter Milan, Switzerland, Finland, Udinese, Blackburn etc... it's incredible all the teams he has managed.
"You can see when he's interviewed that he knows what he is talking about.
"Sometimes I used to say to myself 'I'd love to have tried managing abroad sometime' but then it was difficult for me.
"My choices were cut off simply because I was the manager of Manchester United which is amazing and you don't leave Manchester United."
Relaxed
United go to Craven Cottage at the weekend in fine form and will be looking to close the three-point gap to current leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
After a comprehensive 5-1 hammering of Newcastle last time out and with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez currently firing on all cylinders, it is little wonder that Ferguson believes he has the quality in his squad to catch the Gunners.
"The players have that joy of being at a club with a lot of ambition," he said.
"We work hard at making sure that they are relaxed in that respect with a responsibility to use their talents all the time to express themselves.
"We are fortunate in that it is easier for them than a lot of other players because they are exceptional talents."
Taylor - I meant him no harm
Martin Taylor has broken his silence over the tackle on Eduardo da Silva that left the Arsenal striker with a broken leg.
Taylor was sent off after mis-timing a challenge in the early stages of Birmingham's 2-2 draw with The Gunners on Saturday.
The Blues defender has stressed that he did not intend to hurt the Croatian, and has revealed details of his visit to see Eduardo in hospital.
Taylor also insists nothing would give him greater pleasure than to see Eduardo back scoring goals for Arsenal.
"I will be really happy on the day when I see he is back in the Arsenal and
Croatia line-up and when he is scoring goals again," Taylor told The Independent.
"The injury was terrible enough. When he gets back to fitness and he puts the ball in the net for Arsenal for the first time, we will all feel much better.
"People will be able to see that accidents like these are the nature of football and you can recover from it.
"I went to see him on Saturday but, unfortunately, he was still recovering from an operation, so first thing on Sunday morning I went to the hospital."
Worried
Taylor admits he was worried how the striker would react to his visit, especially as he had heard the magnitude of injuries such as Eduardo's only start to dawn on the patient after they undergo surgery.
He explained: "I was mindful of this and I thought maybe he wouldn't want to see me, which would have been fair enough because of the trauma.
"Although there was a language barrier, I just said that I didn't mean him any harm at all and that I hoped he made a quick recovery.
"He took it on board and nodded. I was just really glad we could communicate.
"He is obviously a really strong man. Since then, I have read in the papers that he would be happy for me to visit him. That's something I'd like to do."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Eduardo out of hospital
Eduardo da Silva has been released from hospital to continue his recovery from a broken leg at home.
The Arsenal striker suffered the horrific injury when he was caught by Birmingham's Martin Taylor in the 2-2 draw at St Andrews on Saturday.
He has spent the last four nights in a London hospital but the club has now confirmed that he has been allowed to leave.
The Croatian is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines and is certain to miss the rest of this season and Euro 2008 in the summer.
Arsenal are predicting that he could be back in action in nine months.
Kenny hands Boro late win
Middlesbrough will meet Cardiff in the FA Cup quarter-finals after Paddy Kenny's own goal gave Gareth Southgate's men a 1-0 extra-time win over Sheffield United.
The game looked destined for penalties but with just six minutes of extra-time remaining Mido's deflected shot came back off a post and trickled over the line off the hapless Kenny.
It was cruel on the Blades who defended brilliantly throughout, and could have nicked the game in the last minute of normal time when James Beattie stabbed wide from close-range.
Afonso Alves made his first start in Middlesbrough colours and could have easily scored, but the Brazilian was denied by two smart saves from Kenny before he was withdrawn in the second-half.
With Gareth Southgate's side needing replays in each round of last season's competition before going out in the quarter-finals at the second attempt at Manchester United, and the Blades having drawn their last six matches, the chances of the tie ending after 90 minutes always looked remote.
However, had Alves had his way, Boro could have been all but home and dry by the time the whistle brought an end to the first half.
Opportunity
The Brazilian could barely believe his luck when nine minutes into his full debut, he ran unmarked onto Fabio Rochemback's corner in front of goal.
A square connection would have seen the ball fly into the net with Kenny stranded, but his glancing touch simply sent it wide of the far post and let the visitors off the hook.
But a man who scored 49 goals in as many games for previous club Heerenveen was never likely to dwell on that miss or to have to wait long for another opportunity, and his chance duly arrived 10 minutes before the break.
Matthew Kilgallon was booked for his trip on Alves 30 yards out, but it was Kenny who had to pick up the pieces and the South American blasted in a dipping, swerving free-kick which the keeper did well to parry.
Downing had earlier gone close to celebrating his signing of a new five-year contract in style when he exchanged passes with Rochemback and then dragged a right-foot shot just across the face of goal.
However, it was in the unlikely shape of full-back Young that Boro threatened as the half drew to a close, the defender seeing a stabbed close-range effort turned away by Kenny's foot before shooting into the side-netting in injury time.
Kenny had to come to the rescue once again on 65 minutes, clinging on to Alves' driven shot under extreme pressure after Julio Arca had broken from his own half to feed the striker.
Alves' evening came to an end on 73 minutes as he made way for Tuncay, but the visitors sensed their opportunity and mounted a strong finish with Beattie again prominent.
Agonisingly wide
The former Blackburn striker fired agonisingly wide from Gary Speed's low cross in the final minutes of normal time, but the tie was destined to go another half-hour.
Kenny once again kept his side in it with a fine double save from Downing and Tuncay seven minutes into extra time, but it was he who ultimately handed Boro their place in the last eight through a cruel twist of fate.
Mido's shot reared up off the prone Morgan and looped up on to the post, and as it dropped towards goal, the keeper could only palm the ball into his own net.
Worldwide tribute to Di Stéfano
On Sunday 17 February, the football world paid tribute to Alfredo di Stéfano in recognition of his brilliant career. A statue bearing his likeness was unveiled at Valdebebas and UEFA President Michel Platini will presented him with the UEFA Presidential Award.
Koeman: “We can surprise Barça”
Ronald Koeman is not counting out a surprise from Valencia at the Camp Nou even though he has to admit that Barça is the better football team at the moment.
Valencia coach Ronald Koeman has spoken to the press in Barcelona and has analysed elements of the Copa del Rey semi final on Wednesday at the Camp Nou. Koeman admits that Barça are back to their best, but neither is this the same Valencia that lost 3-0 at home to Rijkaard’s side. “Barça are favourites because they are on form and have players back. They are also in good spirits after regaining so much ground in the league, but the Cup is different. It is a very important game because we both want to get to the final. We are not discounting the opportunity of playing a good game and causing a surprise. Also this is a very different Valencia to the one that lost 3-0 in the league. We were going through a very bad spell back then and we have improved a lot in our latest games”.
Hard to stop Messi
Koeman was asked about Messi, often considered the biggest danger in the Barcelona squad. “We can’t condition our defence because of Messi’s presence. He is a very difficult player to stop because he gets past up to three players, but we mustn’t get obsessed with him. Barça have also recovered Eto'o, the defence is playing well, there are a lot of possibilities in midfield… We have to remember that this is a two-legged affair and plan this Wednesday's game right”.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Lets look at some legends- Kevin Keegan
Born: 14/02/51
Country: England
Played For
-Liverpool
-Scunthorpe Utd
-SV Hamburg
-Southampton
-Newcastle United
-(manager) Newcastle United
-Fulham
-Manchester City
Bill Shankly's £35,000 swoop for Keegan from Scunthorpe in May 1971 proved one of the shrewdest transfer moves ever. He was signed as a midfielder and potential replacement for long-serving Ian Callaghan. But Keegan's sparkling display up front in a pre-season practice match persuaded Shankly to plunge him into his debut alongside John Toshack in attack at the start of the 1971-72 season.
Keegan scored after just 12 minutes, Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 and another epoch in Anfield history had begun. The confident recruit, born in Armthorpe near Doncaster, hit big-time football like a whirlwind. He swiftly won England under 23 recognition with the first of 63 full caps coming within 18 months as he soared to pop star status.
His potent, trophy-capturing alliance with Toshack became feared throughout England and Europe before Keegan joined Hamburg for £500,000 in 1977, going on to become European Player of the Year twice. He scored 100 Liverpool goals and said farewell by helping to win their first European Cup with a 3-1 conquest of Borussia Moenchengladbach in Rome. Later he played for Southampton and Newcastle - whom he also managed - received an OBE and in 1999 became England manager.
Monday, February 25, 2008
You are all invited to the france-nike wedding,the couple is registered for £320m
A shirt worth its weight in gold. Litterally. Latest news on Friday: France has officially changed its team sponsor. Yup, no more Adidas for Les Bleus, enter Nike. The contract (which should run from the period of 2011 to 2018) has apparently been reported to amount €320m (£240m) for the period of 7 years, making the French blue shirt the most expensive ever in the history of football.
So, in three years’ time no more three-barred stripes for the Frenchies (2008 Adidas France jersey featured right), but a nice little Nike ‘checkmark’ instead. The change, which brings an end to the 40+ years relationship between the French Football Federation (FFF) and the German sports apparel manufacturer, has been motivated essentially by… money (well, what else could it be really?). The Nike-FFF contract has been valued to €42.6m a year, i.e. £32m and four times as much as what Adidas were previously paying the French federation. Want some more numbers? That’s €12.5 more than what Nike was offering the English FA, and triple the amount what they are paying the Brazilian federation or what Puma is paying the FIGC (Italian federation).
“It will be a great opportunity for Nike to ‘catch up’ on the notoriety battle with Adidas” declared Fabrice Ducceschi, general director of Nike France. Indeed, according to the latest studies, Adidas is recognized by over 60% of the French population, against only 42% for Nike. FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes is quite satisfied with the operation: “I think it can safely be called a success. The operation will have a positive domino effect on the entire structure of French football, from the national team to the amateur clubs. We will now be able to adequately finance the war on doping and violence, as well as the youth academies throughout the country“.
It’s a big blow for Adidas, despite the sports company managed to retain contracts with the German and Mexican football federations. As a small consolation, Adidas’s presence within Les Bleus will not disappear completely however: they still maintain individual sponsorship deals with Patrick Vieira, Karim Benzema, and Samir Nasri.But speaking of super business deals, earlier this month the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionel) had announced the renewal of their TV rights contract with premium pay television channel Canal+ and and telecom service Orange: €668m per season for a period of 3 years.
You can say what you want about Ligue 1 football and the level of play in France, even boring 0-0 draws are quite expensive in the end.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Lets look at some legends-George ("The belfast boy") Best
Born: 22 May, 1946
Country: Northern Ireland
Played For
-Manchester United (1963-74)
-Stockport County (1975)
-Cork Celtic (1975-76)
-Los Angeles Aztecs (1976+1977+1978)
-Fulham FC (1976-77)
-Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1979+1980)
-Hibernian FC (1979-80)
-San Jose Earthquakes (1979-80+1981)
-A.F.C. Bournemouth (1983)
-Brisbane Lions (1983)
George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) is widely acknowledged to have been one of the greatest football players of all time, remembered for his halcyon days with Manchester United F.C.. He played for the Northern Ireland football team, but their failure to reach the final rounds of the World Cup denied him the ultimate global stage.
At the age of 15, Best was discovered in Belfast by Manchester United scout Bob Bishop, whose telegram to United manager Sir Matt Busby read: "I have found a genius". His local club Glentoran had previously rejected him for being "too small and light". Best was subsequently given a trial and signed up by chief scout Joe Armstrong in 1961. He turned professional and made his debut for Manchester United in 1963 against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford. He became world-famous at the age of eighteen when he scored three goals in a European Cup match against Benfica in 1966, and scored in United's European Cup final win against the same club in 1968.
He made 466 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions, scoring 178 goals (including six in one game against Northampton Town). Best was United's top scorer for six consecutive seasons. During this run he also topped the first division scoring charts in 1967-68 with 28 goals, remarkable for a player who was not an out-and-out striker. In 1974, the 27-year-old Best was sacked by United for excessive drinking and persistent failure to attend training sessions and matches. His last competitive game for the club was on 1 January 1974 against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
Over the next decade, Best drifted between several football clubs including spells in America, Scotland and Australia. He played for three clubs in America: Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and San Jose Earthquakes; he also played for the Detroit Express on an European tour. At San Jose Earthquakes, the club was owned by Milan Mandaric with whom George developed a close relationship over the years. Throughout 2004 George was often seen with Milan at the club he runs, Portsmouth FC. In 1983 George finally retired from the game, at the age of 37. His last games as a professional were with third division A.F.C. Bournemouth.
He was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland, scoring nine goals. He played mainly as a winger and was known for his dribbling skills and passing. Many say it was a shame that Best never got to perform on the world stage due to Northern Ireland's lack of success. Best called for a United Ireland soccer team on more than one occasion. On 15 May 1971, Best scored the cheekiest and arguably the most famous 'goal' of his career at Windsor Park in Belfast against Gordon Banks. The English goalkeeper was about to kick the ball downfield and dropped the ball towards his left foot. However, Best had anticipated the move and, with his right boot, knocked the ball up in the air behind Banks. The famous duo both scrambled towards the net but Best outpaced Banks and headed the ball into the empty goal, to the delight of the home supporters. His effort was disallowed for ungentlemanly conduct by a referee whose back had been turned away from the incident, but even this untimely and incorrect intervention did not spare Banks the embarrassment of having been outwitted.
Diego Maradona has frequently named Best as his all-time favourite player, and Pelé once stated that Best was the best player he ever saw play. He also named him as one of the 125 best living footballers in his 2004 FIFA 100 list.
In 1988, a testimonial match was held for Best at Windsor Park, Belfast. Amongst the crowd were Sir Matt Busby and Bob Bishop, the scout who discovered Best, while those playing included Ossie Ardiles, Pat Jennings and Liam Brady. Best scored twice, one goal from outside the box, the other from the penalty spot.
Premier League preview
Gunners have the chance to move eight clear
Arsenal have the opportunity to open up an eight-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League title race.
With the Gunners travelling to Birmingham for Saturday's early kick-off, live on Sky Sports 1, and United's trip to Newcastle not kicking-off until 5.15pm, Arsene Wenger's men could strike an important psychological blow over their rivals.
And they are certainly in need of redressing the balance, having been on the wrong end of a 4-0 thumping at Old Trafford in last weekend's FA Cup fourth round meeting.
Alex McLeish's men have already frustrated Arsenal once this season, securing a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium, and are in desperate need of the points as they are only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
United, meanwhile, travel to the North East expecting a sterner test than in their last meeting with the Magpies.
Capitulation
Sir Alex Ferguson's side romped to a 6-0 win over the hapless Toon Army at Old Trafford last month prior to Kevin Keegan's return as manager.
Keegan is yet to taste victory in his second spell at the helm and witnessed a worrying second-half capitulation at Aston Villa last time out.
Liverpool swiftly brushed aside the criticism from their FA Cup humbling at the hands of Barnsley with a memorable 2-0 triumph over 10-man Internazionale.
Rafa Benitez urgently needs his players to transfer their European form to the domestic scene with Middlesbrough the next visitors to Anfield.
The relegation battle remains full of tension, with just 10 points between 12th-placed Boro and second from bottom Fulham.
Derby boss Paul Jewell makes an emotional return to the JJB Stadium with Wigan scrapping for survival and The Rams already doomed to the drop.
Fellow strugglers Fulham have a London derby to look forward to as they welcome inconsistent West Ham to Craven Cottage.
Sunderland, somehow, have conspired to be even more hapless than Derby on the road and make the testing trip to Fratton Park to tackle European hopefuls Portsmouth.
Seven consecutive defeats have sent Reading plunging into the bottom three, and they must quickly stop the rot which has set in as Aston Villa travel to the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.
The Lancashire derby at Ewood Park promises to be a heated affair, with Blackburn having not tasted victory since their 2-1 triumph over Bolton in the reverse fixture back in January.
Gary Megson's men will be determined to redress the balance, with local pride at stake alongside three precious Premier League points.
Brown upsets Fergie
Wes Brown has cast doubts over his future at Manchester United by upsetting Sir Alex Ferguson with his wage demands.
Contract negotiations between the club and the England international have been ongoing for some time now, with Brown continuing to be reluctant to commit his long-term future to the Red Devils.
As a first-team regular and full international the defender feels that he is entitled to more than the £45,000 a week offer currently on offer and is reportedly determined to either hold out for a deal closer to £55,000 a week or go and find a club who will meet his demands.
United boss Ferguson is far from impressed by the player's current behaviour, but does admit that it is possible his full-back has been unduly influenced by his agent.
Depressing
"Players of today live in their agents' pockets," he said.
"It's a situation which depresses me at times, it really depresses me.
"Wes has been with us since he was 12, but I don't think that matters these days.
"Players' agents live their lives for them and if you are happy to go along with that, you get the situation you have got just now.
"But Wes knows this and the other players have told him.
"We wouldn't have made the offer if we hadn't had faith in him.
"It's in his hands. It's amazing really given that he has had such a good season and has had such a good run of games while Gary (Neville) has been injured."
Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing is on the verge of signing the new five-year contract he agreed last week.
The England international had looked set to leave the Riverside during the recent transfer window, but having risen through the academy ranks at Boro he eventually decided to remain at his hometown club.
Legal technicalities have meant that the deal is yet to be officially completed, but Boro boss Gareth Southagte has assured supporters that the player is expected to sign in the next few days.
Lets look at some legends-Gerd ("Der bomber") Müller
Country: Germany
Gerd “Der Bomber” Müller (born November 3, 1945 in Nördlingen) was a former West German football player.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances and 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games, he was by far the most successful striker of his day and perhaps any other. His nicknames are “Bomber der Nation” (the nation's Bomber) and “kleines dickes Müller” (short fat Müller, declension intentionally wrong).
Müller was short, squat, awkward-looking and not notably fast; he never fit the conventional idea of a great footballer, but he had lethal acceleration over short distances, a remarkable aerial game, and uncanny goalscoring instincts. His short legs gave him a strangely low centre of gravity, so he could turn quickly and with perfect balance in spaces and at speeds that would cause other players to fall over. He also had a knack of scoring in unlikely situations.
Played For
1964-1979 Bayern Munich
1979-1981 Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Bayern Munich
Born in Nördlingen, Germany, he began his football career at the TSV 1961 Nördlingen. Müller joined FC Bayern München in 1964 where he teamed up with future stars Franz Beckenbauer and Sepp Maier. The club, which would go on to become the most successful German club in history was then still in the Regionalliga Süd (Regional League South), which was one level below the Bundesliga at the time. After one season, Bayern Munich advanced to the Bundesliga and started a long string of successes. With his club, Müller amassed titles during the 60s and 70s: He won the German Championship four times, the German Cup four times, the European Champions' Cup three times, the Intercontinental Cup once, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup once. A supremely opportunistic goal-scorer, he also became German top scorer seven times and European top scorer twice. Müller scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches for Bayern Munich, almost 100 goals more than the second most successful Bundesliga scorer, Klaus Fischer. He also scored 66 goals in his 74 appearances at European cups, still a record. He is also one of the very few players of 50 or more caps to score more goals than he has games played. Not even Pele can claim this distinction.
The National Team
Müller scored 68 goals in 62 games for Germany. His career in the national team started in 1966 and ended on July 7, 1974 with the win of the World Cup at his home stadium in Munich. He scored the winning goal for the 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the final. His four goals in that tournament and his ten goals at the 1970 FIFA World Cup combined made him the most successful FIFA World Cup striker at the time. His record of scoring 14 goals in World Cup finals stood until the 2006 tournament, coincidentally held in Germany, when it was broken by Brazil’s Ronaldo on June 27, 2006 playing against Ghana; Ronaldo has played in four World Cups and scored in three. Müller also participated in the 1972 European Championship, becoming top scorer with four goals and winning the Championship with the German team.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
After his career in the Bundesliga he went to the USA, where he joined the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League in 1979. He played three seasons with this team, scoring 38 goals, and once reaching, but losing, the league final.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Kaka looking for Anfield switch?
AC Milan’s Brazilian midfielder Kaka has hinted at a switch to the Premiership is not out of the question, with Liverpool being mentioned amongst the limited list of clubs worthy of his extraordinary talents.
“I think I’ll remain in Milan for the rest of my career,” the 25-year-old told the Daily Mail.
“I’ve adapted to life here and am settled in the city. I don’t see myself in another place, but you never know what will happen.
“It would be impossible to play for another Italian club after Milan,
The draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals has taken place at Soho Square.
It is another all Premier League tie for Manchester United as they drew Portsmouth in the last eight.
Holders Chelsea are again up against Yorkshire opposition as they face a trip to Barnsley.
League One Bristol Rovers have been handed a home tie against Championship side West Bromwich Albion.
The winners of the Sheffield United/Middlesbrough replay will host Cardiff City.
Draw in full:
Sheffield United or Middlesbrough v Cardiff
Manchester United v Portsmouth
Bristol Rovers v West Bromwich Albion
Barnsley v Chelsea
Ties to be played 8th & 9th March
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Paolo Maldini completes 1000 games for Italy and AC Milan
Last Saturday night in Parma (0 x 0), the legendary AC Milan captain, Paolo Maldini, celebrated his 1000th appearance for club and country. He came on as a 70th minute substitute for Marek Jankulovski.
“I hope my legacy will be one of absolute respect for the sport and opposition. This respect has been recognised by the fans, as I have never been insulted or jeered in any particular fashion.
I did not create a personality or character that is separate from how I am in real life and this was appreciated by fans.”
Source: Football Italia.
“I would like to dedicate this achievement to my family, in particular my mother who has followed me all these years and has always stayed close.”
Source: Reuters.
He has played 23 years for the same club, which is a milestone in and of itself. He has been the Milan captain since 1997, and was the Italy captain from 1994 to 2002. In both instances, he succeeded Franco Baresi. When he retires in May, Italian calcio and world football will commemorate a player for the ages: Paolo Maldini.
Total Appearances, Red Cards, and Goals
-126 for the Italian National Team (He was the captain 64 times).
-874 for AC Milan, where he debuted in January 1985 as a 16 year old against Udinese.
-According to GFDb, since 1999, he has had only 1 red card. (To the best of my knowledge, he was never red carded playing for Italy).
-He has scored 43 goals in his career.
Champions League Statistics
This year's edition of the UEFA Champions League will be held in Russia at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. The Luzhniki Stadium is the largest stadium in Russia and can hold a capacity of up to 84,745 spectators.
And before we get to the final, let us look at some of the statistics of past winners and top goalscorers.
All-time goalscorers
1. Raul (59 goals)
2. Andriy Shevchenko (59 goals)
3. Ruud Van Nistelrooy (57 goals)
4. Alfredo Di Stefano (49 goals)
5. Eusebio (47 goals)
Most trophies won
1. Real Madrid (9)
2. AC Milan (7)
3. Liverpool (5)
4. Bayern Munich (4)
5. Ajax Amsterdam (4)
Previous 9 years winners
1998/99 – Manchester United
1999/00 – Real Madrid
2000/01 – Bayern Munich
2001/02 – Real Madrid
2002/03 – AC Milan
2003/04 – Porto
2004/05 – Liverpool
2005/06 – Barcelona
2006/07 – AC Milan
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Manchester United Wipe Old Trafford Turf With Arsenal-without Ronaldo
Manchester United overwhelmed (and that’s understating it) Arsenal at Old Trafford with a thumping 4-0 win in the 5th round of the FA Cup. It was a comprehensive win with Manchester United clearly dominating from start to finish. The game brought back memories of Fulham and Roma from last season, and had Rooney put his finishing boots on (although it’s hard to fault the man after his efforts in the game), it could have been much more humiliating for Arsenal.
Manchester United dominated so completely that it’s hard to know where to start praising them - Nani for his assists (and the best finish of the game), Anderson for his midfield dominance (where was Fabregas?), Rooney for his tireless running, Carrick for his pin-point passing, Park and Fletcher for their 150% effort, Evra for his bombing runs, Brown for his crunching and timely tackles, the Wall that is Rio and Vidic…even Edwin van der Sar had his moment, although it was for making the Old Trafford faithful laugh with his quick thinking instead of any memorable saves.
Arsenal were under-strength, and we’d already had Arsenal fans getting their excuses in (I’m kidding David ) but the manner of their defeat and the way they got overrun was surprising. Wenger is one of the best managers and he’ll need everything he has to get his players focused and ready for Milan next week - not to mention to ensure that their Premier League title challenge isn’t derailed by the loss of momentum suffered in this loss.
A word for Armand Traore - Arsenal have a gem of a player on their hands; good in attack, (relatively) solid in defence and a great temperament. He’ll do well for Arsenal in the long run, and I hope that Wenger gives him more games this season and the next.
As for United - Ronaldo and Giggs will return for the Lyon fixture but tonight, it’s all about the young boys, the expensive buys Fergie has made in the last 4 years following his policy of buying the best kids - Rooney, Nani and Anderson, take a bow, you’ve done your fans proud.
United have rallied in the best possible way after losing to Manchester City at home, and to do it against their main rivals for the Premier League title, and to batter them on the pitch (figuratively speaking) so comprehensively for the full 90 minutes would have done wonders for the team’s morale.
Manchester United vs Arsenal
FA Cup (Round 5), Saturday February 16
Manchester United and Arsenal meet in the FA Cup for the 4th time in a decade on Saturday. Widely considered to among the best the Premier League has to offer, the two European giants are in a neck-to-neck battle for the Prem title this year, which sets up the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford for an almighty battle indeed. Red Devils and Gunners fans alike are salivating in anticipation for this showdown, which promises much entertainment even for the neutral fan.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Manchester Unted Munich Kit
Recently Manchester United and Manchester City hooked up in a Premier League game that would pay tribute to the Air Munich disaster. Well over at EPLTalk, our friend The Gaffer did a wonderful representation on the kits worn by both teams. However here I will focus on Man U as they were technically the ones in mourning.
Going with a retro kit is always a great idea. When it comes to this particular date in history I think playing in the same kit (with today’s technology) is a great choice. Solid red with a white V-neck collar. What else can you ask for. Simplicity was not a fashion statement in the older days, it was the cheapest way to have a kit and represent your team. I like it and wish other clubs would go back to the simplicity, but with kit manufacturers and sponsors that will never happen. Unless it is a tribute to the fallen or history. 4 out of 5 stars for me…classic kit for a classic occassion.
The most expensive text message in the world
All of us must be wondering what Cristiano Ronaldo will do with all the money he got from Manchester United? Well, Ronaldo did splash out on a new car in fact he splashed out on Ł875.000 worth of a new car, custom made Bugatti Veyron. Unfortunately when you do buy such a set off wheels there is a waiting list and not even being Cristiano Ronaldo will shorten the 12 months waiting period.
But Ronaldo has also been splashing out on texts. It seems he is prone to texting during training and Ferguson is not pleased. Fergie introduced a Ł2000 on-the-spot penalty for anyone caught texting during the training sessions and Ronaldo got caught 4 times already. Ł8000 in fines! In one day! Now we know he has plenty of money, but still if anything will cure him off this habit Ł2000 a pop will.
Premier League Look Abroad
Clubs set to play additional match overseas
The 20 Premier League clubs are reported to have agreed in principle to a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.
Under the proposal, matches between two Premier League sides could be staged in the Far East, Australia and the USA.
The League have called a news conference for this afternoon where it is expected they will confirm they are to explore the proposal of playing games in some of the world's largest cities.
A meeting of the 20 clubs are said to have agreed in principle to the plan. It is understood that the proposed overseas matches would not be the final fixtures of the season.
The idea would be to cash in on existing interest in the Premier League around the world, and the extra money generated from TV would be split equally among the 20 clubs.
The details of how the system would work have yet to be finalised but it would mean each club playing 39 games, with a draw to pick out each side's overseas match.
There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other.
And under the proposal, points earned in the overseas game would count towards the final league position.
The 20 Premier League clubs are reported to have agreed in principle to a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.
Under the proposal, matches between two Premier League sides could be staged in the Far East, Australia and the USA.
The League have called a news conference for this afternoon where it is expected they will confirm they are to explore the proposal of playing games in some of the world's largest cities.
A meeting of the 20 clubs are said to have agreed in principle to the plan. It is understood that the proposed overseas matches would not be the final fixtures of the season.
The idea would be to cash in on existing interest in the Premier League around the world, and the extra money generated from TV would be split equally among the 20 clubs.
The details of how the system would work have yet to be finalised but it would mean each club playing 39 games, with a draw to pick out each side's overseas match.
There would be a sporting criteria, such as league position, to decide which clubs play each other.
And under the proposal, points earned in the overseas game would count towards the final league position.
Ronaldo's career virtually over......
Bad luck just seems to never end for Ronaldo. The first reports, released by SkySports just after the game, seem to suggest the Brazilian striker’s left knee suffered a crack in the rotulean tendon, something which at the age of 31, may put Ronaldo’s career seriously at risk (Gazzetta is talking about 9-12 months recovery time). At the end of the day it’s the piece of news that really stands out, making Livorno’s very good performance (and the draw obtained at the San Siro that comes with it) seem much less important.
Ronaldo’s diagnosis is very clear. Milan’s head of medicine Jean-Pierre Meersseman revealed: “After Ronaldo’s injury we decided at once to transfer the player to the Galeazzi hospital in Milan [one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in Europe]. There’s little to say about the seriousness of the injury - unfortunately they confirmed that it was a rupture to the tendons of his left knee. He will definitely need surgery. We are all distraught at what’s happened“. Recovery times for an injury like this span from 9 to 12 months.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
England 2008-10 Away kit
Well after much anticipation the newest Away kit for England has been unveiled…wow…this is not what I was expecting at all. With all the hype surrounding the kit I thought it would be more of a classic looking kit and less of a train wreck.
Let’s start with what I like about the kit. Having the “Three Lions” crest in the center is a shot back to the older days. It’s a nice touch, and sticking with the solid red has become a staple for England’s away kits. Aside from those I could not find much that I liked with it.
On the other hand I did find a few things I did not like about the kit. With the crest in the center of the kit, why did they leave the Championship star on the left by itself? It looks horrible and out of place over there. Add the blue and white markings and it looks like Umbro didn’t even try with this kit. To me this is a horrible excuse for a kit, and I hate the fact that we must look at this for 2 years before they release the next away kit. 2 out of 5…I am at a loss for words
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Nike's mercurial vapor IV
Nike’s Mercurial Vapor IV shoes are supposed to be one of the lightest pairs of football boots ever made - but do they really help players run faster?
Last month, Cristiano Ronaldo recorded his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle, scoring all three goals in the span of 40 minutes in Manchester United’s six-goal second half.
Nearly three weeks later, he scored two goals in four minutes against Portsmouth, the second coming on a free kick that Sir Alex Ferguson said was the best free kick he’d ever seen in the Premier League.
Not that he needed anything to make him even better, but it may well be the shoes.
The boots in question are Nike’s new Mercurial Vapors IV, one of the lightest pairs of boots they’ve ever made. By now, you’ve probably seen highlights of his barrage of goals over the last month many times, and you may have also seen the footage of him in the shoes racing a Bugatti Veyron, one of the fastest cars in the world.
And two days before Ronaldo’s hat trick against Newcastle - which came the first time he wore the shoes in a match (guess he needed a half to get used to them), two of the fastest players in the Premier League, and two of England’s brightest talents, tested out the shoes in a test of speed and skill, as Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon and Aston Villa attacker Gabriel Agbonlahor faced off on a 45-meter track to see who was fastest to the ball and with the ball.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Football transfer fee records
Looking at Chelsea’s massive spending in the last three years, it got me thinking about Madrid when they picked up Zidane and Figo for mammoth prices, and United when they brought in Veron and Rio and Rooney for big, big transfer fees.
So I dug up some stats, and as expected, while Chelsea have not broken any all-time records (thank Madrid for that), they have bought their way into the Premiership record books.
Let’s take a look:
Top Five English Premiership Transfers
Andriy Shevchenko - 30(?) mil pounds - AC Milan to Chelsea
Rio Ferdinand - 30 mil pounds - Leeds Utd to Manchester United
Juan Sebastian Veron - 28 mil pounds - Lazio to Manchester United
Wayne Rooney - 27 mil pounds - Everton to Manchester United
Michael Essien - 24.5 mil pounds - Lyon to Chelsea
Top Five All-Time Transfers
Zinedine Zidane - 44 mil pounds - Juventus to Real Madrid
Luis Figo - 37 mil pounds - Barcelona to Real Madrid
Hernan Crespo - 35.5 mil pounds - Parma to Lazio
Gianluigi Buffon - 32.6 mil pounds - Parma to Juventus
Christian Vieri - 31 mil pounds - Lazio to Inter
With the current slump in transfer market prices, I doubt that anyone would command a 30 mil fee like before. Ronaldinho and Rooney both would, but it’s very, very difficult to see them leaving their clubs.
So I dug up some stats, and as expected, while Chelsea have not broken any all-time records (thank Madrid for that), they have bought their way into the Premiership record books.
Let’s take a look:
Top Five English Premiership Transfers
Andriy Shevchenko - 30(?) mil pounds - AC Milan to Chelsea
Rio Ferdinand - 30 mil pounds - Leeds Utd to Manchester United
Juan Sebastian Veron - 28 mil pounds - Lazio to Manchester United
Wayne Rooney - 27 mil pounds - Everton to Manchester United
Michael Essien - 24.5 mil pounds - Lyon to Chelsea
Top Five All-Time Transfers
Zinedine Zidane - 44 mil pounds - Juventus to Real Madrid
Luis Figo - 37 mil pounds - Barcelona to Real Madrid
Hernan Crespo - 35.5 mil pounds - Parma to Lazio
Gianluigi Buffon - 32.6 mil pounds - Parma to Juventus
Christian Vieri - 31 mil pounds - Lazio to Inter
With the current slump in transfer market prices, I doubt that anyone would command a 30 mil fee like before. Ronaldinho and Rooney both would, but it’s very, very difficult to see them leaving their clubs.
Here’s a complete list of all confirmed transfers in the English Premier League in January 2008
Last Updated: 1st February 2008
Arsenal
In: Luke Freeman (£200k, Gillingham)
Out: Mathew Connolly (undisclosed, QPR), Lassana Diarra (£5.5m, Portsmouth), Fran Merida (loan, Real Soceidad), Mark Randall (loan, Burnley), Kieran Gibbs (loan, Norwich)
Aston Villa
In: Wayne Routeledge (£1.5m, Tottenham)
Out: Chris Herd (loan, Port Vale), Zoltan Stieber (loan, Yeovil), Stephen O’Halloran (loan, Southampton), Tobias Mikaelsson (loan, Port Vale), Gary Cahill (£5m, Bolton)
Birmingham City
In: James McFadden (£5.75m, Everton), David Murphy (£1.5m, Hibernian), Mauro Zarate (loan, Al Saad)
Out: Krystian Pearce (loan, Notts County), Martin Taylor (loan, Norwich), Rowan Vine (£1m, QPR), Neill Kilkenny (loan, Leeds), Olivier Teliby (released), Asa Hall (loan, Shrewsbury), Sone Aluke (loan extension, Aberdeen), Neil Danns (£600k, Crystal Palace), David Howland (loan, Port Vale), Mat Sadler (£750k, Watford), Krystian Pearce (loan, Port Vale), Artur Krysak (loan, Gretna)
Blackburn
In: Jonathan Flynn (undisclosed, Ballymena Utd)
Out: Eddie Nolan (Hartlepool), Robbie Savage (£1.5m, Derby County), Peter Enckelman (loan, Cardiff City), Mark King (free, Accrington), Andy Taylor (undisclosed, Tranmere), Paul Gallagher (loan, Stoke), Rostyn Griffiths (loan, Gretna)
Bolton
In: Tamir Cohen (undisclosed, Maccabi Netanya), Gretar Steinsson (£3.5m, AZ Alkmaar), Matt Taylor (£5m, Portsmouth), Gary Cahill (£5m, Aston Villa), Grzegorz Rasiak (loan, Southampton)
Out: Gary Speed (loan, Sheffield United), Leslie Thompson (loan, Torquay), Nicolas Anelka (£15m, Chelsea), Gerald Cid (free, Nice), Lubomir Michalik (undisclosed, Leeds), Przemyslaw Kazimierczak (undisclosed, Darlington)
Chelsea
In: Franco Di Santo (£3.4m, Audax Italiano), Branislav Ivanovic (£9m, Lokomotiv Moscow), Nicolas Anelka (£15m, Bolton)
Out: Ryan Bertrand (loan, Norwich), Anthony Grant (loan, Southend)
Derby County
In: Danny Mills (loan, Manchester City), Emanuel Villa (£2m, UAG Tecos), Laurent Robert (free), Robbie Savage (£1.5m, Blackburn), Hossam Ghaly (loan, Tottenham), Mile Sterjovski (undisclosed, Genclerbirligi), Alan Stubbs (free, Everton), Roy Carroll (free, Rangers)
Out: Steve Howard (£1.5m, Leicester), Robert Malcolm (loan, QPR), Jon Macken (undisclosed, Barnsley), Mo Camara (loan renewal, Norwich), Lee Holmes (loan, Walsall), Matt Oakley (£500k, Leicester), Andrew Griffin (£300k, Stoke), Stephen Bywater (loan, Ipswich), Lewin Nyatanga (loan, Barnsley)
Everton
In: Dan Gosling (£1.5m, Plymouth), Manuel Fernades (loan, Valencia), Anthony Gardner (loan, Tottenham)
Out: Lukas Jutkiewicz (loan, Plymouth), Scott Spencer (loan, Yeovil), James McFadden (£5.75m, Birmingham), Patrick Boyle (loan, Crewe), John Paul Kissock (loan, Gretna), Alan Stubbs (free, Derby), Anderson de Silva (undisclosed, Barnsley)
Fulham
In: Brede Hangeland (undisclosed, FC Copenhagen), Leon Andreasen (undisclosed, Weder Bremen), Eddie Johnson (undisclosed, Kansas City Wizards), Jari Litmanen (free, Malmo), Toni Kallio (undisclosed, BSC Young Boys), Paul Stalteri (loan, Tottenham)
Out: Collins John (loan, Watford), TJ Moncur (loan, Bradford), Steven Davis (loan, Rangers) , Tony Warner (loan, Barnsley)
Liverpool
In: Martin Skrtel (£6.5m, Zenit St Petersburg)
Out: Ryan Flynn (loan, Hereford), Robbie Threlfall (loan, Hereford), Craig Lindfield (loan, Chester City), Jack Hobbs (loan, Scunthorpe), Mohamed Sissoko (£8.2m, Juventus), Lee Peltier (undisclosed, Yeovil), Besian Idrizaj (loan, Oldham)
Manchester City
In: Nery Castillo (loan, Shaktar Donetsk), Felipe Caicedo (£5m, FC Basel), Felippo Mancini
Out: Shaleum Logan (loan, Grimsby), Danny Mills (loan, Derby), Marc Laird (undisclosed, Millwall), Mathew Mills (loan extension, Doncaster), Chedwin Evans (loan, Norwich City), Georgios Samaras (loan, Celtic), Ousmane Dabo (undisclosed, Lazio), Ishmael Miller (£900k, West Brom)
Manchester United
In: Manucho (undisclosed, Petro Athletico), Fabio Silva and Rafael Silva (£5.2m, Fluminese).
Out: Kieran Lee (loan, Queens Park Rangers), Adam Eckersley (free, Port Vale), Michael Barnes (loan, Chesterfield), Fraizer Campbell (loan, Hull City), Phil Bardsley (£2m, Sunderland), Darren Gibson (loan, Wolves), Jonny Evans (loan, Sunderland), Ryan Shawcross (£1m-2m, Stoke City), Lee Martin (loan, Sheffield United), Febian Brandy (loan, Swansea)
Middlesbrough
In: Afonso Alves (£10m+, Heerenveen)
Out: Andrew Davies (undisclosed, Southampton), Adam Johnson (loan, Watford), Jonathan Woodgate (£8m, Tottenham), Josh Walker (loan, Aberdeen), Mathew Bates (loan, Norwich), Ben Hutchingson (undisclosed, Celtic)
Newcastle United
In: Ben Tozer (£1m, Swindon), Wesley Ngo Baheng (undisclosed, Le Havre), Tamas Kadar (£900k, Zalaegerszegi)
Out: Mathew Pattison (loan, Norwich), David Rozehnal (loan, Lazio)
Portsmouth
In: Danijel Subotic (undisclosed, Basle), Adda Djeziri (£125k, Boldklubben Frem), Lassana Diarra (£5.5m, Arsenal), Lucien Abey (loan, Lens), Milan Baros (loan, Lyon), Jermain Defoe (£9m, Tottenham)
Out: Martin Cranie (loan, QPR), Matt Taylor (£5m, Bolton), Djimi Traore (loan, Rennes)
Reading
In: Marek Matejovsky (£1.42m, Mlada Boleslav), Jimmy Kebe (undisclosed, Lens)
Out: Scott Golbourne (loan, Bournemouth), John Halls (loan, Preston NE), Ben Hamer (loan, Brentford), Graham Stack (loan, Wolves), Simon Church (loan, Yeovil), Hal Robson-Kanu (loan, Southend), Alex Pearce (loan, Norwich), James Henry (loan, Norwich)
Sunderland
In: Jonny Evans (loan, Manchester United), Jean-Yves Mvoto (undisclosed, PSG), Phil Bardsley (£2m, Manchester United, Rade Prica (£2m, Aalborg), Andy Reid (£4m, Charlton)
Out: Billy Dennehy (loan, Accrington), Graham Kavanagh (loan, Sheffield Wednesday), Stanislav Varga (loan, Burnley), Andy Cole (loan, Burnley)
Tottenham Hotspur
In: Chris Gunter (£2m, Cardiff), Jonathan Woodgate (£8m, Middlesbrough), Alan Hutton (£9m, Rangers), Gilberto (undisclosed, Hertha Berlin)
Out: Andy Barcham (loan, Leyton Orient), Ben Alnwick (loan, Luton Town), Philip Ifil (undisclosed, Colchester), David Button (loan, Grays Athletic), Hossam Ghaly (loan, Derby), Lee Barnard (undisclosed, Southend), Wayne Routeledge (£1.5m, Aston Villa), Anthony Gardner (loan, Everton), Paul Stalteri (loan, Fulham), Jermain Defoe (£7m, Portsmouth)
West Ham
In: Christian Dailly (free, Rangers)
Out: Hogan Ephraim (undisclosed, QPR)
Wigan
In: Wilson Palacios (undisclosed, Deportivo Olimpia - was previously on loan at Birmingham City), Maynor Figuera (loan, Deportivo Olimpia), Erik Edman (undisclosed, Rennes), Antonio Valencia (undisclosed, Villareal), Marlon King (£5m, Watford), Erik Hagen (loan, Zenit St Petersburg)
Out: Fitz Hall (£700k, QPR), Denny Landzat (£1m, Feyenoord)
Friday, February 1, 2008
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