Ferguson's landmark matches in a glittering quarter of a century at Old Trafford
Sir Alex Ferguson celebrate 25 years as Manchester United manager on November 6.
We look at the landmark matches in Ferguson's time at Old Trafford.
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| Glittering career: Ferguson |
GAME 1 - Oxford 2 Manchester Utd 0 (November 1986)
It is a measure of how long Ferguson has been in charge that the Manor Ground no longer exists and Oxford have crashed out of the league and come back again.
John Aldridge scored a penalty and Neil Slatter added another in a deserved win for the hosts.
GAME 10 - Manchester Utd 4 Newcastle 1 (January 1987)
Peter Jackson gave the Red Devils a fast start with a flying header - past his own goalkeeper.
Norman Whiteside added a second and though the Magpies pulled one back, Frank Stapleton and Jesper Olsen completed victory in a match notable for Kevin Moran being forced off after swallowing his tongue.
GAME 50 - Manchester Utd 2 Bury 1 (November 1987)
A League Cup fourth-round tie but this was in the days before players were rested.
Brian McClair and Norman Whiteside scored in an unconvincing win.
United were knocked out in the next round and despite a second-place finish in the league, Ferguson had already decided major changes were needed.
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| Magic moments: Eric Cantona scores against Nottingham Forest |
GAME 100 - Manchester Utd 2 Nottingham Forest 0 (December 1988)
The pre-glory era was in full swing, with Fergie's Fledglings and Ralph Milne, who scored in this game, added to the mix.
Jim Leighton had been installed as keeper, Mark Hughes had been brought back from Barcelona and teenager Lee Sharpe was playing at full-back.
GAME 250 - Manchester Utd 0 Liverpool 0 (October 1991)
Two trophies already bagged, Peter Schmeichel in goal, United's first title-winning side beginning to take shape, even if there was some nasty pain to experience at the end of this season as Ferguson's team collected one point from four games in eight days to hand the title to Leeds.
GAME 500 - Manchester Utd 2 Manchester City 1 (February 1996)
Now United are on a roll. Title drought over, a double won, the 'Class of 92' about to prove you can win anything with kids and Eric Cantona's ban served. Sharpe on target in this one after the Frenchman had converted a penalty. Another step towards another double.
GAME 750 - Manchester Utd 5 Anderlecht 1 (September 2000)
Andy Cole bags a hat-trick as United begin another European odyssey, their thrilling triumph over Bayern Munich in the Nou Camp and the treble it sealed as well still only 16 months old.
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| Magic moments: Eric Cantona scores against Nottingham Forest |
GAME 1,000 - Manchester Utd 2 Lyon 1 (November 2004)
Ferguson's place amongst the managerial greats is already assured, although arguably the best is still to come.
He did not know it at the time but United are heading for a fall.
Twelve months after Ruud van Nistelrooy headed home the winner in this landmark game, they would be out in the group stages, Roy Keane would be sacked and Vodafone would quit as sponsors.
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| Landmark game: Ruud Van Nistelrooy heads home against Lyon on 2004 |
GAME 1,250 - Manchester Utd 1 Everton 0 (January 2009)
Somehow fitting Cristiano Ronaldo, who as much as anyone launched United into their present golden era, should score the only goal from the penalty spot.
United were on their way to completing another hat-trick of titles but they were about to encounter an improving Barcelona team who would go down as one of the greats.
Courtesy: Dailymail.co.uk/sport/football
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Friday September 30, 2011
Sir Alex Ferguson anniversary
Following Ferguson's fortunes
When Alex Ferguson took over as Manchester United manager on November 6, 1986, he inherited a slumbering giant, slumped in the relegation zone and without a league title in 19 years.
For an eight-year-old at the dawn of an obsession, the heady days of Best, Charlton and Law I'd been sold on were nowhere to be seen. This was Liverpool's world, and not even the god they called Bryan Robson could do anything about it. Something had to give, and with the departure of Ron Atkinson came a no-nonsense Glaswegian, tasked with returning our club to former glories.
He came in a grey suit, face flushed, and with a reputation for taking no prisoners. Here was a man bred on the raw streets of Govan, who'd clawed his way up to play for Rangers, then broken the Old Firm monopoly with Aberdeen as a manager. The days of United's legendary 'social club', of lager-soaked afternoons and hungover training sessions, were as good as over.
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| Did he knew at this inaugural press conference that he will be at Old Trafford for 25 years? |
Players went out, players came in, and with a runner-up finish in the 1987-88 season Ferguson had us believing we were in en route to the title. Big signings like Steve Bruce and Brian McClair strengthened his squad, and when Ferguson seduced our beloved Mark Hughes to return from Barcelona in 1988, it was beginning to look like United had a team capable of ending of the wait.
This is the one, we thought. But by the time The Stone Roses had released their eponymous debut album, in March 1989, United's challenge was over on all fronts. Seven defeats in the run-in saw Ferguson's team finish 11th in the league, and prompted calls for his head. It was the same old story for United fans, but at least Michael Thomas was on hand to break Liverpool hearts at Anfield as Arsenal stole the title.
Whether Ferguson's next season was really 'make or break' will be debated long after he's gone, but there's no doubt United's FA Cup success in 1990 came as a huge relief to everybody concerned. Unlikely heroes in Mark Robins and Lee Martin made it possible, while Ferguson revealed his ruthless streak by dropping good friend Jim Leighton for the final replay against Crystal Palace. Leighton never spoke to him again, but Ferguson slept soundly with his first major trophy.
A Hughes double beat Barcelona to win the Cup Winners' Cup in 1991, but still we waited for the all-important title. It should have come in 1992, when the stars aligned to give us Ryan Giggs and Peter Schmeichel, but somehow Ferguson's team conspired to gift Leeds the glory. Little did our bitter rivals know they were about to give us something far more valuable in return.
Ferguson had the raw materials, but what he lacked was inspiration. It came in the form of Eric Cantona, a swaggering ode to footballing expression who instilled a new belief in everybody around him. I saw him first at Stamford Bridge, in late December 1992, where he volleyed his first United goal and commanded the turf like a bullfighter.
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| Sir Alex Ferguson unveiling Mark Hughes to the press from FC Barcelona |
Collar up, chest puffed, Cantona was equal parts athlete, artist and rock star. For just £1.2 million, he was all ours.
And so, as the Premier League era arrived to transform English football overnight, so United finally stole a march. Ferguson was on the verge, and when two late headers from Bruce earned his team a dramatic 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday in April 1993, United's manager dropped to his knees in cathartic celebration. Soon after, the 26-year wait was over, and chants of "Championes, Championes" met United wherever they went.
The evolution of Ferguson's team next took in Roy Keane, a snarling warrior who commanded the highest standards from everyone around him. A leaner, meaner United won the Double in 1994, but suffered a spectacular comedown as Cantona leapt into infamy at Selhurst Park the following season.
As design would have it, Cantona's second coming coincided with the launch of a new generation. David Beckham, the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt were the kids you couldn't win anything with, but nobody told Ferguson. United won the Double, and Cantona scored the only goal in no fewer than six 1-0 wins - including the cup final.
A season later, and with another title to his name, The King walked away from Old Trafford the most worshipped player in United's recent history, perhaps ever.
United felt his loss. Arsenal hunted Ferguson's team down on the way to the Double in 1998, and under Arsene Wenger were widely billed as a team ready to rule for decade. Wenger was the future, Ferguson the past, they said. And then came the year that will forever define him.
To live through the 1998-99 season as a United fan was to stroll through the gates of football heaven to be met by an open bar. The Keane-inspired win at Juventus; the Giggs winner against Arsenal; the incredible comeback in Barcelona. It was the stuff of implausible Hollywood endings played over and over, and it culminated in a climax so preposterously fantastical it's hard to believe it really happened. "Who put the ball in the German's net?"
From there, with his European dream realised and Sir Matt Busby finally emulated, Ferguson set about collecting more titles. Then he announced his retirement. Then he cancelled it on the advice of his wife.
The road to the glory of the 2007-08 season was brought about courtesy of the signings of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo several years earlier. One as precocious as the other, they were helped by a cast-iron defence to Moscow, where a Champions League triumph against Chelsea once again proved the Ferguson doubters wrong.
In the three years since, Ferguson has taken United to a record 19 titles, but his teams have twice been eclipsed by the brilliance of Barcelona in Europe. The man himself is humble enough to accept the gulf in class that separated Xavi, Messi and co from his 2009 and 2011 editions. As he approaches his 25th anniversary at Old Trafford, and his 70th birthday, Ferguson burns to redress the balance, and you wouldn't put it past him.
This is the manager who knocked Liverpool off their perch, tipped Kevin Keegan over the edge, out-gunned Wenger, and stood up to Roman's empire. The manager who signed Cantona, Keane, Rooney and Ronaldo, and played alchemist with a group of young players who went on to deliver unprecedented success to a manager who trusted them.
He's an obstinate, volatile dictator, and he'll be shooting them down until his very last breath. But at the same time he's a nurturing, romantic old fool with a wicked sense of humour, whose unfailing passion the game has made him an institution. Love him of loathe him, English football just wouldn't be the same without him. And if you truly despise him, tell me honestly you wouldn't welcome him as the manager of your club next season.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Gary Pallister interview
A man for all seasons
On November 6, Sir Alex Ferguson will celebrate 25 years in charge of Manchester United. He has some way to go to match the tenures of the likes of Fred Everiss, Guy Roux, Willie Maley and Bill Struth but, in the modern era and at so famous a club, it is an achievement that cannot be overstated.
"I don't think anybody would expect a manager of a football club to last 25 years, especially one the size of Manchester United, but I think this guy showed from a very early age in his managerial career that he was a bit different from everybody else," Gary Pallister tells ESPNsoccernet. "To do what he did with a club the size of Aberdeen and break the stronghold of the Old Firm up in Scotland marked him out as somebody a little bit special. Fortunately it was Manchester United that thought so and managed to secure his services."
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| Sir Alex Ferguson during his early days at Old Trafford |
Pallister was there to witness Ferguson's transition from his early years at Old Trafford, as he toiled against persistent setbacks to wake a sleeping giant, to an era of dominance that was to see Manchester United established as the Premier League's foremost club. It could all have been different.
Ferguson had led Aberdeen to a Cup Winners' Cup triumph over Real Madrid and won the Scottish league title on three occasions, achievements that owed much to their manager's excellence in the fields of fitness and psychology. When he arrived in Manchester following the dismissal of Ron Atkinson, though, he inherited a squad whose fondness for the party lifestyle was undermining progress. It was not a culture shock, as such - Ferguson had been well aware before taking charge - but his task, it became clear, was renewal from top to bottom, and many outside the club thought he would be denied the chance to achieve it.
The story often told is that, had Mark Robins not rescued the team in their FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest in January 1990, chairman Martin Edwards would have ended Ferguson's reign after little more than three years. Those connected with the club have always denied that was the case.
"Everybody said if we got beat he was going to lose his job but I think they'd seen what he was doing with the structure of the club," Pallister says. "Not just what he was doing with the first-team but how he was building up the scouting network, how he was working with the youth system in the club and clearing out a lot of deadwood from the place - revitalising the whole club.
"I think the work ethic is one of the great things you see in the manager. He's one of the first into work and one of the last to leave - well, he is the first into work and probably the last to leave. You don't see him trying to take any kind of shortcuts. He's hands-on with everything from the youth system to the canteen to the bloody kit man. He's wanting to know what's going on all the time. Everybody sees that work ethic that he's got when they're around him and understands why he is so successful."
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| Gary Pallister, whose signing broke the British transfer record, played for Man Utd from 1989 to 1998 |
Ferguson has benefitted from fostering a sense of continuity at the club - the likes of Brian McClair, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Mike Phelan are among the former players to have been given backroom jobs - but that approach predated his arrival. Bobby Charlton was appointed to the board of directors in 1984 to add a club man after the stepping down of Sir Matt Busby, and the former England star was instrumental in Ferguson's appointment; he may also have been instrumental in ensuring the chairman did not lose faith. "I'm sure people like Martin Edwards would have spoken to Bobby in private moments and asked him what he thought," Pallister says. "He'd been under Sir Matt and played under Sir Alf Ramsey and he'd seen how great managers had worked. I think he maybe saw similarities in that."
Patience paid off. Having invested heavily in the summer of 1989 in Pallister, Paul Ince, Danny Wallace, Neil Webb and Mike Phelan, and with Robins' famous assistance, United went on to lift the FA Cup in 1990 and end the trophy drought that would otherwise have stretched into a fifth year.
"You'd look back now and think it was pennies but at the time all those signings represented a lot of money and that brings a pressure all of its own, I think," Pallister says. "Because of the amount of cash that was spent you would expect some kind of instant success. Fortunately we did win the FA Cup and that gave the chairman a bit of relief, and gradually we reached the holy grail of winning the title."
That first league title under Ferguson, finally delivered in 1992-93 after a near miss in the previous campaign, was as much a triumph of man-management as anything else. He had taken the brilliant but volatile Eric Cantona from Leeds, the 1992 champions, and the Frenchman had provided the orchestra with its conductor. For that, Ferguson was prepared to make some concessions.
"His man-management is second to none," Pallister says. "That's absolutely top-class, and it's a prerequisite for any manager who's going to be successful in the game to get the best out of the players. Certainly in my time maybe Eric got a little bit more... well, I don't think he ever suffered the hairdryer. I think he was the only player that never did.
"You're managing temperaments and egos - different characters. We're all different. Eric, after the Crystal Palace episode, decided he was walking away from football and the gaffer went out to France, found him, spoke to him and managed to change his mind. To be honest, if he hadn't done that, I've no doubt Eric would've walked away from football. I think he's that kind - once he'd made up his mind on that, he wasn't for changing, but the manager did change his mind. I don't think he'd have done that for every player, but Eric was a bit special and I think at that exact period of time somebody needed to put an arm around his shoulder and say, 'Let's get through this'."
This yielding to the needs of the occasion has been central to Ferguson's continued success. Though a manager of strong principles, his approach has not been encumbered by a clinging to the past.
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| Gary Pallister backing Steve Bruce |
"He's got old fashioned values. He takes from old-fashioned managerial styles - he picked up the best pieces from people he worked under as a player and brought them into his management - but he moves with the times. He was one of the first with the diets, fitness coaches, working on peripheral vision - brought people in to help with that. I think he takes everything on its merits and if he can improve the team then he'll do that. He's into all them kind of things. He's not blinkered in the respect that there's a kind of managerial style that's going to work forever. I think he's flexible with what he learns and what he's picked up over the years and he puts that all together in the package that is Sir Alex Ferguson."
Even now, two months shy of his 70th birthday, Ferguson refuses to lean too heavily on the familiar, and his appetite for more shows no sign of abating. Recent signings have placed the emphasis on youth, and Pallister expects the manager to see them through to maturity.
"He's putting together another terrific team and he's enjoying the challenge that's coming across from his neighbours in Manchester, even though he'll be stung by the 6-1 defeat," he says. "He's tried to walk away before and I think he'd have missed it too much. I certainly believe that, as long as he's fit and healthy and he's got that burning desire to carry on winning things, he's going to stay in the job. You're waiting for that candle to burn out that is his desire. When you see it now, you don't see it fading."
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Don't jump the Gun! Ferguson warns Solskjaer against a swift return to England
Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against heading straight back to England so soon after his Norwegian title success with Molde.
Ferguson always felt Solskjaer was the most likely of his long-serving members of his Manchester United squad to become a coach.
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| Watch it: Ferguson is warning Solskjaer not to rush over to England and coach |
The long-serving United boss offered Solskjaer the opportunity to coach the reserve side at Old Trafford when he retired from the game in 2008.
After a two-year apprenticeship Solskjaer returned to his former club Molde in December, triggering an instant reversal in fortunes to a team that finished last season in 11th spot.
At the weekend, he was confirmed as a league champion, the 38-year-old clinching Molde's first title in their 100-year history.
The achievement brought an immediate link to the present vacancy at Championship outfit Portsmouth, and a more obvious suggestion he could eventually replace Ferguson at United.
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| The main man: Solskjaer has already had success as manager with Molde |
However, the Scot believes a man who will forever have a place in Red Devils' folklore due to his injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final, should enjoy his time at home before opting to make a return to England.
'It is possible (he could return as boss in England),' said Ferguson. 'It just depends when.
'I don't think he should rush into it because experience is good and the experience he has got at Molde is a very good one.
'He comes from the area. His wife and family are all back home there.
'He has won the championship and there is no need to hurry.
'The time will come and the timing will be important but he is easily capable of coming into English football.'
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| Glory goals: Solskjaer scored 125 goals for United including the winning goal in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich |
Ahead of his own side's Champions League encounter with Otelul Galati at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Ferguson recalled how Solskjaer made such a positive impression during his own 366-game career at United, which yielded 125 goals in addition to the one he is most famous for.
'My knowledge of Ole as a student of the game is quite clear; every game he played and every training session he took part in he always wrote it all down,' said Ferguson.
'That tells you his dedication to learn the game and also his attention to meticulous detail.
'That gives him a great start because you need dedication and sacrifice to go into management these days.
'He was a great player and a very nice person. Players will respond to him.'
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| Testimonial: Ferguson congratulates Solskjaer for his service to United |
'All the players have been in touch. I texted him on Saturday thinking he had won the league but he was playing on Sunday.
'It is a great achievement considering this is his first year.
'He had a great spell with our reserve team so he wasn't coming into the job blind but it is fantastic news.'
Courtesy: Dailymail.co.uk/sport/football
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Juventus to release Del Piero in summer
Del Piero
Juventus have announced that club legend Alessandro del Piero will leave the Turin club at the end of the season.
The striker has been a fixture of the team since joining from Padova as a teenager in 1993.
Now 36, Del Piero holds the record for the most appearances for Juventus, and is the leading scorer in their history.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli confirmed that Del Piero will not be offered a new deal at a shareholders' meeting.
"The unique link between the old Juventus and the new Juve is our captain, Alessandro Del Piero," Agnelli said.
"He wanted to stay with us for one more year, and this will be his last season wearing the black-and-white jersey."
Del Piero has previously stated he would not play for another club than Juventus, but has not yet made any comment on whether the news would lead to his retirement.
Del Piero has won five league titles with the club, as well as the Champions League in 1996. He also remained loyal to the club when they were rocked by a match-fixing scandal and demoted to Serie B for the 2006-7 season.
Courtesy: Eurosports.com
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Arsenal mutiny! Wenger admits 'half the dressing room' wanted to quit Gunners in the summer
Arsene Wenger has claimed 'half the dressing room wanted to leave' Arsenal this summer and the hangover could be behind their poor start to the season.
Sunday's 2-1 win over Sunderland lifted Arsenal back into the top half of the table, but the Gunners are 12 points off the pace at the top of the table already and face a fight to reach the top four.
Their early season struggles were highlighted by the shocking 8-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, coming on the back of a summer that saw key midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri sold despite Wenger's insistence he wanted them to stay.
'It was a very difficult summer because half the dressing room wanted to leave,' Wenger said on French radio station RTL.
'You're preparing for a season where you don't know who's going to come in, the players who are staying are asking themselves what's going on at the club, you've got a pre-season tour of Asia.
'It was extraordinarily difficult. What saved us is that we're a club that are extremely solid and united. Other clubs would surely have gone to pieces in those circumstances.
'What people forget is that we lost three key players because we've also lost [Jack] Wilshere. Three who were important in our midfield. Nasri, Fabregas and Wilshere have all been lost and they were the basis of our midfield last season.
'We've had to reconstruct our midfield entirely because Wilshere won't be back until January. Still, we've disappointed this season so far, given what's expected of us, but I think we're on the up again. The problem is you can only climb the table slowly. We're not too far away in terms of points from fourth place. We're too far away from the top two.'
Wenger admitted that simple economics meant that players wanted to leave Arsenal because there was more money on offer elsewhere.
'It's not that [players have to leave to win titles],' he said. 'The problem isn't that. Frankly, if you compare what Manchester City have won in the past and what Arsenal have won, then you don't go to Manchester City to win titles. Players go to Manchester City because they pay much better than Arsenal.
'They are a force clearly, because they have exceptional financial clout, so it's not surprising what they've done.'
Now the Frenchman is facing questions over the long-term future of Fabregas' replacement as captain, Robin van Persie, who insists he is committed to the club but is yet to agree a new deal with 18 months left on his existing contract.
'For me being professional means that right up until the last day you are at a club you give 100% to that club,' added Wenger.
'I'm not asking myself whether Van Persie is going to extend his contract in 18 months' time. For me what is important is that he plays well for us (against Marseille) on Wednesday. After that the next match. That's how I think.
'He's scored 28 goals in 34 games, so they're exceptional statistics. He's got a contract for another 18 months and he's a man who is attached to our club. I'm not especially thinking about losing him.'
Courtesy: Dailymail.co.uk/sport/football
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Friday September 30, 2011
Game in Spain: Messi the natural wonder that needed Guardiola's magic touch
There are few insights into Lionel Messi’s world, owing to him being as bad at interviews as he is brilliant at taking the ball around four defenders and sending it past the goalkeeper.
He’s a genius so you’re on to a loser asking him how he does something. He doesn’t know, he just does it. There are also few clues to his personality in the dressing room, though team-mate Gerard Pique, in an interview in El Pais earlier this year, shed some light.
'Today I changed the battery in his mobile phone and he didn’t even notice. He was wandering around the dressing room asking for a phone charger, saying: "I’ve only just charged it and it’s already flat again",' Pique said.
The image of Messi letting Pique have some fun at his expense, or not even noticing that he was, is not difficult to conjure up.
'What strikes you about him is that he is ridiculously normal,' Pique added. 'It seems impossible that he would be so natural and at the same time still have the same desire to be the best and help the team win as he had when he was 15 years old.
Without the ball at his feet Barcelona’s No 10 never stands out at the club’s Joan Gamper Ciutat Esportiva training complex. At the Nou Camp on match days when the players finish their pre-match warm-up and team huddle, most sprint off the pitch and down the tunnel - Messi usually ambles.
There is something brilliantly understated about him that means the weight of expectation never tells. But that same understated nature would mean he is unlikely to ever try running a team.
He is increasingly listened to at Barcelona when new signings are picked out. He wanted Javier Mascherano and he duly arrived. But the directionless drifting of Argentina in-spite of his genius show he cannot skipper the boat. This is why Pep Guardiola remains so important to him at Barcelona.
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| The catalyst: Messi's form has skyrocketed under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola |
Of all the Messi statistics that emerged this week to mark him becoming the club’s second highest goalscorer of all-time at 24, one paid almost as much tribute to his manager as it did to him.
Messi scored his 100th goal in a Barcelona shirt in January 2010 in his fifth season at the club. He has scored 94 goals since then, just one year and eight months later.
It took him five seasons to clock up his century and less than two seasons to be within touching distance of doubling it. Vital to this was Guardiola replacing Frank Rijkaard and moving Messi’s position on the pitch.
In Messi’s last season before Guardiola arrived he scored 16 goals in 40 games. He had never topped 20 goals. Along came Pep and in the first season of the new era he hit 38 in 51 matches. The important switch came midway through that first campaign when - despite having Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry - Pep played Messi through the middle.
He had experimented with the plan at various times but in May 2009 he gave it the acid test when in the Santiago Bernabeu he played Messi centrally with Henry and Eto’o wide. Real Madrid were torn apart losing 6-2 with Messi scoring twice.
From that moment on Guardiola has rarely veered from playing Messi at centre-forward albeit in the withdrawn version of the position the Spanish refer to as the 'false nine'.
In the two subsequent seasons he has scored 47 and 53 goals. If he carries on at his current rate of 1.4 goals a game he could finish the season with 91 goals.
Had Jose Mourinho taken the reins at Barcelona in 2008 who knows what he would have happened to Messi. Mourinho may also have switched him to the middle, though it seems more likely he would have played him wide in a front three with a slightly more robust forward through the middle.
The idea that the most talented players need to play wide in order to find space is turned on its head by Guardiola. It’s the wide players that need to open the space up for the talented player to play through the middle.
That is exactly what Eto’o and Henry were doing in the second half of the 2008-09 season and now Spain’s all-time top scorer David Villa makes the same sacrifices along with Pedro as Guardiola fine tunes again and both Messi and Cesc Fabregas enjoy the space created.
It would be ridiculous to say Guardiola is the reason for Messi’s incredible goal stats. He would have flourished under any other coach, no doubt, but for such perfect figures, everything needed to be right. Guardiola’s adjustment - even though it meant playing great goalscorers such as Henry, Eto’o and Villa out of position - has been inch perfect.
That and Messi’s ability to remain oblivious to the fact that he is the best player on the planet have him well on the way to becoming the best player of all time.
Oldies but goodies
After last week referring to substitute Kaka as an ‘underworked millionaire’ it’s only right to mention his superb performance in Real Madrid’s demolition of Ajax.
The days of Kaka looking on from the sidelines may be over.
'Before, the pitch looked big and the game looked difficult, now it looks smaller and I go out to enjoy myself again,' he said, relieved to have finally put his injury problems behind him.
A day after Kaka’s outstanding performance Frank Lampard found the net from the edge of the area for Chelsea and so converted the 100th Champions League goal scored at the Mestalla, just as he had scored the 100th Champions League goal scored at Stamford Bridge.
Neither player looked remotely close to taking their final bow on football’s main stage.
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| Kaka celebrates scoring in the Bernabeu |
Courtesy: Dailymail.co.uk/sport/football
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Adebayor issues Arsenal apology
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| Adebayor taunting Arsenal fans while at Man City |
Emmanuel Adebayor has issued an apology to the Arsenal fans after he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of them while playing for Manchester City in 2009.
Adebayor was given some rough treatment by the Gunners' faithful for his decision to leave the club for City and netted twice for his new club in a 4-2 win. However, it was his celebration for his first goal that caused consternation as he sprinted towards the away fans before sliding on his knees in an act that police described as inciting the crowd in a negative fashion.
The Togo striker escaped with a two-game suspended ban for improper conduct, but was banned for three games for violent conduct as he stamped on Robin van Persie's face in the same game. Now at Arsenal's arch-rivals Tottenham on loan, Adebayor is set to face his old side again in the North London derby this weekend and has attempted to diffuse a volatile situation before it begins.
"What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal. Sometime the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings," Adebayor told talkSPORT. "I regret what I have done and I say sorry to everyone but at the end of the day sorry doesn't change anything. For me it's over.
"I'm looking forward to playing against Arsenal again on Sunday but believe me, if I have a chance to score, trust me I will score but as for the celebration, never in my life will I do something like that again.
"It will be a funny game [on Sunday], it'll be fantastic. I have a chance to play against Arsenal again, the club that gave me the chance to be where I am today. I have a huge respect for the club."
Adebayor has scored three goals in three games since joining on loan from City and admits that he is enjoying himself at White Hart Lane.
"I'm having a good time at training every day," Adebayor said. "We're having a big laugh and I find myself already in the squad as if I have been playing for Tottenham for ages.
"We defend together and we attack together. We have a lot of good players, Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Luka Modric, they're all fantastic players."
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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De Gea warned over stolen doughnut
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has found himself in a sticky situation after being warned for allegedly eating a Krispy Kreme doughnut at a local shop without paying for it.
De Gea, who joined United this summer from Atletico Madrid, earns around £70,000-a-week but apparently decided that he wasn't willing to shell out £1.19 for the sugary treat and, according to the Sun, ate it in store, before attempting to leave.
The Spaniard was tackled by security staff, who showed him CCTV footage of the incident in the store's "stop and search" room.
A source told the paper: "They [De Gea and his two friends] weren't very subtle. They swaggered in chatting loudly in Spanish. The security guards who monitor the CCTV watched two of them take a doughnut each out of the Krispy Kreme cabinet. Incredibly, they then appeared to try to leave without paying - or buying anything else for that matter."
De Gea avoided a jam as he was given warning and police were not called to the scene. On Thursday night a Tesco spokesman said: "A customer was spoken to by our security team and the issue was resolved."
Courtesy:ESPN Soccernet
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Manchester City line up Robin van Persie to replace Carlos Tevez
• Robin van Persie a target for Roberto Mancini
• Manchester City manager lays down law to
• Manchester City manager lays down law to
players
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| Will Man City snap another Gunner? |
Robin van Persie is prominently in Roberto Mancini's thoughts as Manchester City plan for life without Carlos Tevez and reluctantly prepare to take a huge financial hit on the Argentinian.
The potential availability of the Arsenal captain, who is in the last two years of his contract and showing no desire to negotiate new terms, has been discussed at Eastlands, with the Dutchman already under consideration even before the controversy that has left Tevez a pariah at the club.
Mancini believes City will be fortunate to get £20m in the January transfer window for a player they valued at more than twice that amount in the summer. The club's owners in Abu Dhabi are clinging to the belief they can still get close to their original asking price but, in Manchester, they think that unlikely in the extreme given that those sums of money, with a £250,000-a-week salary also to be taken into account, put off potential buyers in the last window. One senior figure has acknowledged Tevez's value "is on the floor". Likewise, the player's camp are confident a £20m bid will persuade City to sell and that it could be even less.
After that, City's information is that Van Persie, 28, can be prised from Arsenal on an increasingly well-trodden route that has seen Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Touré, Gaël Clichy and Samir Nasri make the same journey in recent years.
As Tevez began his two-week suspension, Mancini summoned his players to a team meeting before Thursday's training session to make it clear he would not tolerate any more of the kind of indiscipline that has fractured his relationship with the former captain.
There continues to be no sense of contrition from Tevez, despite the perhaps over-optimistic view from Abu Dhabi that there could be an apology and a reconciliation, and the club have begun the process of interviewing the players who were alongside Tevez on the bench at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena on Tuesday, when he apparently refused to play. Mancini's coaches have already sustained his complaints but the Tevez camp hope the players in question – Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner, Pablo Zabaleta and Joleon Lescott – will be reluctant to give evidence against him. Tevez's understanding is that the players, unwilling to go against one of their own, will cite the noise inside the stadium as why they cannot be clear what happened.
Mancini's preference is that the club, investigating a possible case of gross misconduct, do not terminate Tevez's contract, primarily because of the distraction a long, drawn-out affair, possibly heading to the courts, could cause. However, it is a reflection of how he has come to regard Tevez that his thinking is, in part, influenced by something more personal. Mancini, quite simply, does not want Tevez to become available on a free transfer because it would make it easier for the player to secure the big-club move he craves.
The manager would rather Tevez be isolated, training with the youth-team or on a one-on-one basis with a fitness coach, and then sold in January, albeit for a cut-price fee. For City, however, it is not straightforward. Uppermost in their thoughts is that ostracising the player could give him grounds to claim constructive dismissal.
City also have to be mindful that player contracts have been altered in the last few years to protect Professional Footballers' Association members, and the union would almost certainly appeal on Tevez's behalf if he were sacked. The club intend to fine Tevez two weeks' wages, around £500,000, but if they want to increase that amount they have to put it to the PFA for approval. The maximum is a six-week fine and with Tevez denying any wrongdoing and sticking to his story that it was "a misunderstanding", the PFA will be obliged to defend him even though their own chairman, Clarke Carlisle, has described what happened in Munich as "inexcusable".
The case is now out of Mancini's hands and assigned to the club's legal and HR departments, with the manager under instruction not to comment at Friday's press conference. A decision will come next week.
In the meantime there are threatening to be ramifications for Tevez with the Argentina national team. Tevez was left out of the last squad, with the coach Alejandro Sabella's explanation corroborating Mancini's account that the player is out of shape. Sabella spoke of someone who was "not fully fit … not training well at the moment and (had) put on a bit of weight", and will almost certainly exclude him for their forthcoming games.
Carlito's way Carlos Tevez has options if he leaves Manchester City but none are ideal England Clubs such as Chelsea would be able to afford Tevez's wages but could see the striker as a troublemaker and Tevez has said playing in England means he is too far from his family
Italy Tevez has been linked with a move to Internazionale in the past but they signed Diego Forlán in August and are unlikely to want to sign another striker on big wages.
Spain Real Madrid and Barcelona, Spain's two biggest clubs, are blessed with talent and have no need to sign Tevez.
Argentina Tevez has expressed a wish to return home but clubs in Argentina would struggle to afford his wages.
Middle East Plenty of money available in places such as Dubai but it is hardly the Champions League.
Courtesy: Guardian.co.uk/football
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Manchester City's Edin Dzeko apologises to Roberto Mancini
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| Dzeko furious with Mancini after his substitution in Munich |
• Bosnian says sorry for outburst over substitution
• Striker set to play at Blackburn Rovers
• Striker set to play at Blackburn Rovers
Edin Dzeko has apologised to Roberto Mancini and his Manchester City team-mates for his part in the controversy that overshadowed the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
"I know my reaction [to being substituted] was bad and I have spoken to the guys and to the coach," Dzeko said. "I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said that everything is OK and that we have to be positive for the next game."
Mancini has put Dzeko back into his plans for Saturday's trip to Blackburn Rovers. The manager had said the former Wolfsburg striker would "spend the next game sitting next to me" because of his response to being replaced 10 minutes into the second half at the Allianz Arena.
"I was unhappy because we were 2-0 down and I wanted to win the game," Dzeko said. "It was something special for me to go back to Germany, where I played for a long time, and I wanted to do well and wanted the team to do well. Things didn't go well for us. That is why I was extra frustrated."
The Bosnian directed a sarcastic thumbs-up in Mancini's direction before becoming embroiled in an angry exchange. Mancini later said he was "furious" with the striker and he reiterated at a team meeting on Thursday that he would not tolerate any more of his players disputing his decisions. The club have decided not to fine Dzeko but he has been warned about his conduct and is hoping to make amends at Ewood Park.
"Everyone has had a sleep and a rest after the Bayern game and we know we could have done better but it is football and you cannot win every game," he said. "Bayern Munich is behind us, we are feeling positive and looking forward to the next game. That is our new target.
"I remember last year when I scored there [at Blackburn] and we won. We had great support from thousands of City fans and we hope to make them cheer again on Saturday."
Courtesy: Guardian.co.uk/football
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'We're not scared of Manchester City because of our fantastic team spirit' - Blackburn striker Yakubu relishes Ewood Park clash
Nigerian international hails under-fire manager Steve Kean and points to his former boss at Middlesbrough Steve McClaren as inspiration for the Scot in trying circumstances
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| Steve Kean gives an hi 5 to the Yak |
Blackburn Rovers striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu believes the Premier League strugglers can rub salt into Manchester City wounds thanks to the team spirit in the first-team dressing room at Ewood Park.
Yakubu believes camaraderie can enable Rovers to overcome the odds on Saturday against high-flying City, whose unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign has been overshadowed by Carlos Tevez’s apparent refusal to play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
“I am looking forward to playing against Manchester City even though they have so many quality players,” Yakubu told Goal.com.
“In the Premier League it is possible for any team to beat any other team. Man City are certainly not a team that we are scared of because we have very good players and a fantastic team spirit.
“They have plenty of good players but this is football and all we can do is concentrate on playing as a team, working hard and then we could get what we are looking for. It will be tough but I think we will be fine against them.
“We know it will not be easy but I am certain that we can get a draw or even beat them and that is what we are looking for.”
The Nigerian scored twice on his Rovers debut to ease the pressure on under-fire manager Steve Kean in a thrilling 4-3 win over Arsenal at Ewood Park two weeks ago and he is bullish about his team’s prospects of pulling off another shock victory on Saturday.
“That Arsenal game showed what we can do as a team,” the 28-year-old Yakubu said. “It was an unbelievable debut for me because I scored a couple of goals and we gained three points but we must not stop there.
“We want to build on that victory against Man City to get some more points. We showed against Arsenal that we are all right behind the manager. Our team spirit was obvious because of the way we came back after they took the lead.
“The manager has been brilliant with us and I just want the fans to stick with us and give him a chance. He will give them what they are looking for and everything will be fine.
“He wants us to go out there and play and our team spirit is really, really good and that is very important because then we will go out there and give everything we can and work hard as a team.
“He is a very good manager to work with. The manager is a really, really positive manager and he makes sure that he never puts the players under pressure. He just wants to make sure that the players are in the right frame of mind to go out and do their jobs to the best of their abilities.”
Before the Arsenal game, hundreds of Rovers fans took part in a demonstration calling for Kean to be sacked following a disappointing start to the season but Yakubu has every faith in his manager’s ability to silence his detractors.
“I know fans have criticised him but he appears to be a very strong person so I am sure that he can deal with it and wherever you go there will often be people who are against you and people who support you,” said Yakubu, who made a £1.5 million move from Everton last month.
“I know from my own experiences that anything is possible. When I was at Middlesbrough and even when we were struggling in the league we did well against the biggest and best clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
“We beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Riverside at a time when some fans said that they did not want Steve McClaren to be the manager and we ended up at the Uefa Cup final that season with him. That just shows that anything can happen in football. I will never forget that.
“We felt really bad that we did not get a draw up at Newcastle last weekend but in football you do not always get what you want or what you deserve. But we are ready for the Manchester City game. It will not be easy but we will be fine.”
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| Yakubu celebrating his first goal for Blackburn against Arsenal |
On a personal note, the brace against Arsenal demonstrated that Yakubu has regained the goal-scoring touch that earned him an £11 million move from Middlesbrough to Everton and saw him prosper on Merseyside before he was ruled out of action for nine months with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
“I did not play for almost a year and it seemed to take ages for me to come back but I am determined to make up for lost time with Blackburn as I now feel 100 per cent fit,” Yakubu said.
“When I was injured for so long I did not worry because I never get worried. I always knew that I would make a recovery and that I would get back to peak fitness if I worked hard with the medical people and out on the training ground which is what has happened.
“I have settled in very quickly at Blackburn. It helps a lot that I have been playing in England for the last eight years because I am used to the Premier League. I am still getting used to playing with my new team-mates but our understanding is getting better every day which is good.”
The former Portsmouth forward has no hard feelings towards Everton despite being deemed surplus to requirements.
“It is a shame that I was injured at Everton because it is a great club but I just felt that the time was right for me to leave Goodison,” he concluded.
“I had four years there and I was privileged to work under a great manager in David Moyes and to play with some great players. But for me it was the right time to leave and now I am just aiming to do my best for Blackburn.
“It has not been the best of starts to the season for Blackburn because we have been playing really, really well but not getting the points we have been looking for. We were really unlucky when we were beaten by Everton.
“But I am still confident that we will be in the top half of the division when the season finishes. That is a reasonable target as long as we play as well as I know we can do.”
Courtesy: Goal.com
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Megabucks Anzhi planning raid on England for Capello, Lampard and Gerrard, confirms Carlos
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| Capello might be on the move to Anzhi |
Brazilian defender Carlos, 38, has been appointed a player-coach for Anzhi and immediately began talks with his bosses about transfer targets and who should take over as boss following the sacking of Gadzhi Gadzhiev.
Billionaire Russian owner Suleyman Kerimov wants Capello to take over after leading England at next summer's European Championship and Carlos said: 'I am having dinner with the president tonight and we'll speak about signings and coaches for next season.'
Anzhi are prepared to leave Carlos and fellow coach Andrey Gordeev in charge till the end of the Russian season if results improve but will then try to lure a top manager and players to match the calibre of Samuel Eto'o, who was signed from Inter Milan for £21million in August.
England midfielders Steven Gerrard, of Liverpool, and Chelsea's Frank Lampard are at the top of their wish list.
'We will talk about names like Lampard, Gerrard and (Robert) Pires,' said Carlos. 'In terms of coaches, there are several names, such as Capello, (Guus) Hiddink, (Vanderlei) Luxemburgo and (Luis Felipe) Scolari.'
Anzhi are also taking advice from former West Ham and Chelsea boss Avram Grant, who may be offered a more formal role.
Courtesy: Dailymail.co.uk/sport/football
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Thursday September 29, 2011
Wenger can take heart from Fergie
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| Arsene Wenger is now moving backwards, while Ferguson goes from strength to strength |
An illustrious manager teeters on the brink. Questions surround a man whose decisions once brooked no debate: is the revolutionary yesterday's man? Have his players lost their belief in him? Has his Midas touch in the transfer market deserted him? Is his future a depressing routine of diminishing returns before he retires, possibly not of his own volition, with his reputation reduced?
For Arsene Wenger in 2011, read Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005. The participants in the Premier League's longest-running and, at times, most vituperative rivalry can seem two halves of a whole, whether with implausible complaints, a penchant for attacking football energised by a youthful core or a distinct winning habit. Ferguson was sympathetic after Manchester United beat Arsenal 8-2, perhaps sensing the similarities with his own plight six years ago.
He was 63 and finishing his 19th year at Old Trafford when his problems mushroomed; Wenger is almost 62 and has just completed 15 years at Arsenal. Each suffered from the arrival of a moneyed contender. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea disturbed the duopoly at the top of the Premier League, now Manchester City's cash has meant Arsenal's top-four status is no longer guaranteed.
The Champions League has presented worries for both. In 2005-06, while Arsenal reached the final, United propped up their pool, scoring a mere three goals. The Gunners' current concern is less qualifying from their group than ensuring another invitation to Europe's most exclusive private party.
The greatest humiliations occurred on the domestic stage, however. Shipping eight goals at Old Trafford may have been the nadir for Arsenal - although conceding four at Blackburn might be more damning - while the low for Ferguson was a 4-1 thrashing at Middlesbrough. Defensive disasters are a common denominator. In the awful autumn of 2005, it was a moot point whether Mikael Silvestre or Rio Ferdinand was turning in the more incompetent performances, a battle that is being re-enacted by Laurent Koscielny, Johan Djourou and, against United, Carl Jenkinson.
Recruits at the back provided no immediate improvement. Patrice Evra's United debut was so traumatic he had to be replaced at half-time, while Nemanja Vidic could also be considered a slow starter. More recently, the one-paced Per Mertesacker struggled at Ewood Park while left-back Andre Santos' grasp of the offside trap appeared hazy at best.
Managers responsible for outstandingly astute signings were starting to have their acumen questioned. Ferguson had acquired David Bellion, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Liam Miller and Dong Fangzhou over the previous couple of years. Now, whether or not his summer additions succeed, Wenger is burdened by Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci as well as the declining Tomas Rosicky and the home-grown, but unconvincing, Djourou. Like the United misfits, they are not of the calibre the club requires.
The criticisms are familiar. The manager is deemed to have an excessive faith in young players who appear unlikely to realise their potential, while some senior professionals waste their talent. Viewed retrospectively, it is easy to forget that Ferdinand occupied the same place in United affections that Andrei Arshavin does at Arsenal now; that some found Cristiano Ronaldo an endless source of frustration and most felt Darren Fletcher was nowhere near good enough. With a creative inspiration absent for much of the season - Paul Scholes then and Jack Wilshere now - it gave a more mundane look to a side which had offered more fantasy.
It hardly helped that there was a leadership void, even if Cesc Fabregas left Arsenal on amicable terms while Roy Keane's exit from Old Trafford was rather more explosive. Nor, indeed, is it easy when Chelsea have a habit of luring transfer targets to Stamford Bridge - many of Mourinho's men had been identified by Ferguson while Wenger was and remains an admirer of Juan Mata.
An all-powerful club seemed to have lost its pulling power. Moreover, the personnel problems seemed a constant, on or off the pitch. Carlos Queiroz became a lightning rod for Ferguson's detractors, not least because Keane was no fan, while an oft-voiced theory is that Wenger should shake up his long-serving backroom team.
Obstinacy, however, is a characteristic shared by the Frenchman and the Scot. It has often served Ferguson well, indeed United's most vital victory of the campaign came with a goal from the much-maligned Fletcher, defeating Chelsea the week after the humiliation at Middlesbrough. It was a hard-fought but rarely fluent display, showing the pragmatic side of Ferguson; Wenger, in comparison, can seem too much of a purist for his own good.
There are other differences in the historical match-up: in 2005-06, United never dropped out of the top six, finished second, and won a trophy, the Carling Cup; Arsenal would settle for all three now. The seeds of a remarkable renaissance were also planted. Ferguson made four crucial buys - Edwin van der Sar and Ji-Sung Park in the summer of 2005 followed by Evra and Vidic in the following January - and if it is unlikely Mertesacker and Santos will have the same impact, it is not unrealistic to expect them to improve. Over the course of their contracts, players like Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should offer much.
Ferguson plotted an idiosyncratically controversial path back to the top, falling out with the ultra-reliable Ruud van Nistelrooy, and held many a grudge against those who thought he was finished during those dark days, but his subsequent success cemented his legend. Wenger may not scale such heights again, but the lesson from history is that, no matter how unpromising their position, underestimating an all-time great can be a major mistake.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Osgood leads Chelsea rout
Jon Carter rewinds to 1971 and the scene of the biggest ever win by a British club in Europe.
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| Chelseá sqaud after the 1971 win |
Current Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is known to favour two things above all else for his club. Firstly, the Russian billionaire wants the Blues to play attacking football, while he is also keen for them to pick up European silverware. In 1971, the Blues must have been a vision of perfection in his eyes as they had landed the European Cup Winners' Cup and began their defence of the trophy by beating Jeunesse Hautcharage 21-0 over two legs, with the second an incredible 13-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Having downed the great Real Madrid 2-1 in a replay in Greece to land their first European title - the 1971 Cup Winners' Cup - Chelsea were a new force to be reckoned with on the continent. Based on the defensive solidity of captain Ron 'Chopper' Harris and the goals of striker Peter Osgood, the Blues were described as an ''expressive, glamorous and often self-destructive side'' and had picked up their first FA Cup trophy in 1969-70 to propel them to the top of the English game after several near misses.
However, Chelsea's exploits in Europe before 1971 were nothing to shout about. They had won the First Division in 1954-55, but were denied their rightful place in the inaugural European Cup by pressure from the Football Association and Football League, who wanted to place more emphasis on domestic efforts and persuaded the London club to withdraw from the competition.
It would be a decision that Chelsea would come to regret as they were not seen back in European football until their first FA Cup win allowed them passage into the Cup Winners' Cup in 1970-71. With wins over Aris, CSKA Sofia, Club Brugge and then English rivals Manchester City in the semis, the Blues gave their fans their first major European final, against Madrid, which they won.
With the shoots of a European history beginning to blossom, hopes were high for the current champions when they were drawn against a club from Luxembourg, based in the south-western town of Hautcharage (and a population of around a thousand people) the following season.
Few from England (if any) had ever heard of Jeunesse Hautcharage, and the history of Luxembourg clubs in Europe was not distinguished. Double figures were not an unusual sight when the country's top teams came up against the cream of Europe's crop and one of their most successful teams, Union Luxembourg, had embarrassingly lost 13-0 to Cologne in 1965. Such results would befall clubs from the Luxembourg top flight regularly, whereas Jeunesse Hautcharage were a lower-league side who had caused a major shock by winning the Luxembourg Cup. Their portents were not good.
The Guardian, while more preoccupied with the news of Arsenal's draw against a Norwegian amateur side in the European Cup, led with the headline 'Easy draws for the British clubs' and asserted that Chelsea's simple fixture ''should see them into the last-16''.
And so it proved. The 8-0 first leg result in Luxembourg was labelled as ''more of a massacre than a match'' by the Daily Mirror's Nigel Clarke and saw Osgood claim a hat-trick. It took just three minutes for 'Ossie' to get off the mark as he brought the ball down with expert skill to slam past goalkeeper Lucien Fusilier. A few minutes before half-time, Osgood completed his hat-trick and Clarke asserted that ''it was only the enthusiasm of the amateurs, inspired at times by a splendid brass band, that kept them running.'' A first-half brace from Peter Houseman and one from John Hollins made it 6-0 by the break and Tommy Baldwin and David Webb added two more in the second-half. Unusually, Chelsea boss Dave Sexton was subdued after the match, claiming only that he was ''pleased to have got eight goals away from home.''
But, ahead of the visit to Stamford Bridge, Jeunesse Hautcharage had more on their plate than just the scoreline. According to author and football historian Cris Freddi: ''As well as the three Welscher brothers, one of their players wore glasses, one of their substitutes was just 15, and Guy Thill was born with only one arm!''
The Luxembourg minnows were never in with a shout of even making the game interesting. Osgood struck again with two in the first five minutes, while Alan Hudson, Hollins, Webb and Harris made it 6-0 again at the half-time. Goalkeeper Fusilier was left wounded with three stitches in his eyebrow after a collision with Osgood, who then bagged a second-half hat-trick alongside two from Baldwin and one from Houseman.
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| Peter Osgood known as Ossie, the goal machine |
Osgood had wanted to better the eight goal haul by AC Milan's Jose Altafini (also against Luxembourg opposition, Union, in 1962-63) and had bet goalkeeper Peter Bonetti that he would score six to add to the three from the first leg. But, while he became the fourth Chelsea player to score five goals in a match (after George Hilsdon, Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Tambling) he could not muster the important sixth.
The Daily Mirror took the chance to laud the feat with the headline: 'Chelsea goal kings of Europe', instead of focusing on holders Leeds' embarrassing exit from the UEFA Cup at the hands of Belgian minnows Lierse SK, despite the Yorkshire club holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg. For Chelsea, it was an incredible feat and one that went down in their history, although the 21-0 aggregate scoreline did not do the brave players of Jeunesse Hautcharage justice.
Chelsea's delight, though, would soon turn to despair as they discovered that not all minnows in European football go down quite so easily.
What happened next? Chelsea went on to lose their Second Round match to another tiny team, Sweden's Atvidaberg. It was one of the biggest shocks in European football history as they held on at home for a 0-0 draw and then pinched a goal to draw 1-1 at Stamford Bridge and progress on away goals. Chelsea's standalone record of handing Jeunesse Hautcharage the largest ever aggregate defeat in UEFA competition did not last long as Feyenoord Rotterdam achieved the same aggregate score against US Rumelange: winning first leg 9-0 and second 12-0 in the 1972-73 UEFA Cup. Eventually, the name of Jeunesse Hautcharage disappeared as the club amalgamated with Union Sportive Bascharage in 1997, to form UN Kaerjeng 97. Chelsea would have to wait until 1998 to pick up another European trophy, winning the Cup-Winners' Cup for a second time against Stuttgart, before they added the UEFA Super Cup a couple of months later.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Carlos Tevez suspended and fined £500,000 by Manchester City
• Tevez suspended for a fortnight following incident at Bayern
• Striker loses two weeks' wages as City back Roberto Mancini
• Striker loses two weeks' wages as City back Roberto Mancini
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| Bemused Tevez |
Carlos Tevez has been suspended by Manchester City for two weeks after Roberto Mancini made it clear to the club's chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, that the player has no way back following his apparent refusal to take part in their Champions League tie at Bayern Munich.
A furious Mancini told Tevez to "go back to Argentina" during their dressing-room confrontation after the 2-0 defeat and the club's owners in Abu Dhabi have backed the manager after he said the striker must never play for City again.
"Manchester City can confirm that striker Carlos Tevez has been suspended until further notice for a maximum period of two weeks," the club said in a statement. "The player's suspension is pending a full review into his alleged conduct during Tuesday evening's 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. The player will not be considered for selection or take part in training while the review is under way." The club wanted to suspend Tevez for longer but were restricted by Premier League guidelines.
The club's lawyers are now scrutinising Tevez's contract to determine what more action they can take and, specifically, whether he was guilty of gross misconduct by refusing to come on as a second-half substitute at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. Tevez, in a remarkable change of direction, now denies this, blaming a "misunderstanding" presented by language issues.
The process is not going to be particularly quick, with City acutely aware of the importance of going through the appropriate channels to cover the club should the dispute develop into a legal battle. They are so determined to present a watertight case they intend to interview everyone who was in City's dugout when the controversy flared up.
Tevez may be required to attend a formal disciplinary hearing and will almost certainly be fined two weeks' wages, the maximum amount permitted. As the highest earner at the club and in the Premier League, that amounts to £500,000, the biggest fine ever meted out to a player in English football.
Tevez had issued a statement through his advisers earlier in the day apologising to the club's supporters but denying he had refused to play, blaming "confusion on the bench". However, that is undermined by his interview directly after the match, when he admitted going against his manager. His new version of events has been ridiculed behind the scenes at the Etihad Arena, where there is the sense of compelling evidence in Mancini's favour.
City have already compiled a dossier of Tevez's previous misdemeanours and are keeping all possibilities open as they contemplate what to do with a player who would ordinarily be valued as one of the club's main assets. The top-end option is to terminate his contract and launch legal action. High-level sources at the Premier League believe Tevez is "sackable" and Jim Boyce, the vice-president of Fifa, has said his organisation would then investigate imposing a worldwide ban on the Argentinian.
"If he has done what has been said, and it appears there is no doubt about it, I think his club would be better off with him not being part of it," Boyce said.
"If Manchester City prove it, write to Fifa and state the exact circumstances, I believe Fifa should have the power, as they do for drugs-related cases and other cases, to ban the player from taking an active part in football. I would have no problem with that whatsoever. It hasn't occurred before, but I think what happened [with Tevez] was despicable."
Mancini spent a long part of the day discussing the matter with Mubarak and asked for a suspension to be invoked that would mean Tevez was not allowed at the stadium or the training ground. The players were on a day off but report for duty on Thursday and Mancini has told Mubarak he will not accept Tevez being involved in first-team sessions.
The most likely outcome is that Tevez will be sold for a cut-price fee in the January transfer window. Until then, however, Mancini will push for him to continue to be left in isolation, his career on hold after one controversy too many for the former West Ham United and Manchester United striker, who is now openly reviled by supporters of the city's two clubs.
Courtesy: guardian.co.uk/football
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Interview with Mateja KezmanKezman back in the big time
When Mateja Kezman lines up for BATE Borisov against Barcelona on Wednesday, the Serbian striker will inch himself a little further back into the European football consciousness. Now 32, the route Kezman's career has taken resembles that of a round-the-world tour crossed with a Himalayan expedition. Belarus may seem an unlikely place for a renaissance, but having signed a contract with the club until the end of the year, Kezman is delighted with his rebirth.
"It's amazing to be back in the Champions League. I didn't think it would happen," Kezman, undoubtedly the most familiar face in a BATE side which joins Czech champions Viktoria Plzen as the darkest of dark horses in a Group H that also features AC Milan, told ESPNsoccernet.
"It's great to be able to play at the Nou Camp and San Siro. It's a great chance to show people you're still alive and can still play football. I'm really happy to have this opportunity, and I'm trying to enjoy it. I think I started well against Plzen, and if I can keep that kind of level, I'll look for a club that can match my ambitions. A middle-sized club in a league like Spain or Russia, and try to play one or two more seasons before I go back home."
'Home' for the nomadic Serbian forward remains Belgrade, the former Yugoslav capital where he was born, and a city which did so much to shape him. "When I was around ten, the country started to disintegrate. It wasn't easy. But because of the way I grew up, that formed my attitude, my character. That's why I always fight on the pitch, because you had to fight to survive to get out of the street," he said. "You had to be strong. The whole of Belgrade was a kind of ghetto at that time. I lost friends and people around me because of the way they grew up. Football helped me get out of the place where I grew up and survive."
In Kezman's case, the game did that in a literal sense. After Belgrade-based FK Zemun, where his father had been a goalkeeper, failed to realise the young forward's potential, the 17-year-old Kezman took the brave decision to drop down a division and join Radnicki Pirot, some 300km from the family home. Three moves in 18 months brought him back into the top flight and closer to Belgrade before his boyhood sweethearts, Partizan, finally took notice.
"I had an offer from Red Star. I didn't want to go there. I didn't see myself playing for Red Star - it's not possible," said Kezman, who worshipped Predrag Mijatovic among the Partizan hard core in the South Stand before becoming a player. "Thankfully, a couple of weeks later, Partizan came in for me. It was the happiest day of my life. After my first training session, I took my shirt home and slept with it. I was crying, because it was so incredible to be part of the club I loved."
The affair would last just two seasons though, broken off in large part because of Kezman's own efforts. His decision to eschew his family's penchant for saving goals to score them instead - "When I played the first time, my dad told me, 'My son, go up and score goals. Don't stay here because it's such a difficult job'" - proved astute. A record of a goal every other game and the crown of the league's top scorer of 1999-00 caught the eye of PSV Eindhoven, and the freshly-capped international was off to the Netherlands where a couple of weeks before he had been sent off for Serbia and Montenegro less than a minute into his competitive debut at Euro 2000. That disappointment would not prove an ominous portent, however, as the new €11.3m arrival - still the second biggest transfer fee paid by a Dutch club - put the experiences of his youth to good use.
"I was a big star in my country, but when I moved to Holland, people didn't even know in which position I played. I had to start from zero," said the striker, whose admirable determination to quickly learn Dutch earned him respect in his adopted homeland. "The first few months were difficult. But we played against Manchester United in the Champions League - I played well, scored a great goal, and that changed my life in Holland. I'd been criticised before that, and afterwards, I started to get confidence, and just scored so many goals."
In his days with PSV Eindhoven
The first two campaigns brought almost 40 league goals in some 60 outings. Impressive, but not as jaw-dropping as when he found the net 66 times in 62 matches in the following two seasons. "It was crazy" admits Kezman himself - to finish the Eredivise's top scorer both times. The 35 he netted in 33 matches in 2002-03 was the highest tally since Marco van Basten had struck 37 in a season for Ajax, a spectacular success Kezman puts down to the arrival of Guus Hiddink at PSV at the start of the campaign. "That man is like my father. He's the only coach who got everything out of me, all my positive things. We had a fantastic team with [Arjen] Robben, [Mark] Van Bommel, Park Ji-Sung, Dennis Rommedahl. I was happy, I had so much confidence. It was the best time in my life. I was also happy off the pitch. It's a great club, the people are great. Sometimes all the pieces just fall into place, and you explode. That happened in Eindhoven."
However, it did not quite happen, for a number of different reasons, at the six clubs that separate PSV from BATE in the Kezman odyssey. His first stop, Chelsea, brought him a Premier League winner's medal at the end of his first season, but it also brought another move. "All pre-season we'd played 4-4-2 and I think I scored five goals in three games - it was fantastic. Didier [Drogba] and I worked perfectly. But we played Manchester United in the first game in the league. [Jose] Mourinho was a little afraid so we played just one up front, we won 1-0 and after that, he didn't change back to 4-4-2," explained Kezman.
"A striker without confidence can be a completely different player. You move to another club, and people are wondering whether you can still play football. Fernando Torres has the same problem. He certainly hasn't forgotten how to play football. It's just that things are not going perfectly for him at Chelsea. You have to be lucky sometimes to find the right club to allow you to explode."
Kezman's empathy for Torres is all the more understandable given they were teammates at Atletico Madrid, linking up effectively for a single season before the Kezman family was - reluctantly - packing up once more. "I'd planned to stay. I bought a house. Then two days before the end of the transfer window, Fenerbahçe came in with an offer you get once in your life. I took two days to think about it, and finally decided to take the money. I talked to my family and decided to accept it because it was really unbelievable."
Three years in Istanbul not only allowed Kezman to inflate his bank balance, but also top up his self-belief with the Turkish title. That careful reconstruction, though, was quickly demolished by a disastrous switch to Paris Saint-Germain, a massive let-down for a man who had watched the great PSG side of the mid-90s of Rai, Leonardo et al, and who had even paid part of his own transfer fee to move to the French capital.
"The three years in the Paris were the worst of my life," said Kezman, who became a political football kicked between the PSG board and coach Paul Le Guen before leaving the club "on good terms" late last year. "I had no motivation. I was dead as a player. If I'd stayed, there would have been more problems. I'm really happy for the club and the fans that Qataris are investing. I still have a lot of friends there. Personally, it was good. I made friends, I learned French, but as a footballer, it was the lowest point in my career."
Clubless in mid-season, Kezman sought gainful employment elsewhere, though few would have predicted a move to join Nicky Butt at South China AA. "I ate a lot of seafood - I love sushi, and Hong Kong's Japanese food has a great reputation. Hong Kong's a great city. For me, after New York, it's the best city I've visited. There's so much energy."
That vibrancy certainly seems to have reinvigorated Kezman, whose purposeful display as BATE's lone striker in their 1-1 draw with Plzen in their Champions League group-stage curtain-raiser suggested the forward's ambitions of performing again on a bigger stage - and even on the international scene - are not mere flights of fancy.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Tevez 'refused' to play for City
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| Tevez refuses to obey Mancini's orders |
Roberto Mancini has claimed striker Carlos Tevez refused to come on as a substitute for Manchester City in their 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Mancini turned to Tevez in the second half of City's European match at the Allianz Arena as his side trailed 2-0 following a first-half brace from Bayern forward Mario Gomez.
But, speaking after the defeat, the Italian coach has said Tevez, who was linked with a move away from the club in the summer although a transfer failed to materialise, would not enter the fray when Mancini looked to alter City's fortunes.
Mancini said: "He just refused to go on. I don't know why. I cannot be happy with this situation. Would something like this happen at Bayern Munich, AC Milan or Manchester United? I am the manager. I decide everything.
"I have helped him every time for two years, he has wanted to leave but I still picked him. The thing is there were still 30 minutes until the end of the game. We could still change it. Carlos didn't play at the start of the season because he has not had a pre-season for three years. He was not ready to play.
"If it was another player maybe this could happen but for a player to refuse to go on in an important game like this is not right."
When asked if he had any explanation for Tevez's behaviour, Mancini said: "It is impossible. I asked him to go in and help with the team. We have 11 players. Maybe he was disappointed because he didn't play (from the start)."
City boss Mancini went as far as to suggest Tevez, who left Manchester United for City in 2009, will not play for the club again. Mancini said: "If I have my way he will be out of the club.''
Pressed further on if Tevez was finished at City, Mancini said: "I don't decide this, but if I did, then yes. I helped Carlos for two years but I cannot accept this behaviour.''
Tevez, speaking through an interpreter, gave little away. In an interview with Sky Sports News he said: "I have been professional during all my time here. Last season I was the top scorer and I wanted to leave for family reasons - but I keep trying to do my best.''
The mood contrasted starkly with Bayern who are top of the group with six points from two games thanks to victory courtesy of two goals by Mario Gomez.
After a good opening by City, the Bundesliga leaders took control and were ultimately good value for their victory. Manager Jupp Heynckes said: "We chose the right time to score and then played very confidently.
"At the beginning of the game we were nervous and we did not do ourselves justice. We changed midway through the first half and came into the game. Franck Ribery has given a world-class performance, Bastian Schweinsteiger also.
"In the second half we played as a unified team. At the moment we have not only a great team spirit, but also act in harmony, a good foundation and outstanding individuals.''
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge concurred, saying: "This was a very good game from us. Manchester City also played very well in the first 30 minutes to show that they are a strong team.
"We played mainly in the second half, totally in control. It was a great team performance, with Franck Ribery and Jerome Boateng playing really strong.''
Goalscorer Gomez said: "Manchester ran the ball well at the beginning. We were perhaps a little nervous, which is really inexplicable, because we are actually in a good phase. As a team we have from the 30th minute done well and ultimately deserved to win. I have not played outstanding, but scored two goals.''
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Tevez issues denial, blames 'misunderstanding'
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| Head for Head clash between Carlito and Roberto |
Carlos Tevez has issued a statement claiming that he "never refused to play" against Bayern Munich and that his "position may have been misunderstood".
Tevez's tumultuous Manchester City career looks to have come to a close after manager Roberto Mancini said he had "refused to go on" as a substitute during the 2-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night. "If I have my way he will be out of the club," Mancini added.
Tevez, speaking through an interpreter, had responded to the accusation by saying he had been "professional during all my time here", but in a further statement on Wednesday morning he went a step further by denying the claims and saying he was willing to play on for City.
Tevez said: "I would like to apologise to all Manchester City fans, with whom I have always had a strong relationship, for any misunderstanding that occurred in Munich. They understand that when I am on the pitch I have always given my best for the club.
"In Munich on Tuesday I had warmed up and was ready to play. This is not the right time to get into specific details as to why this did not happen. But I wish to state that I never refused to play.
"There was some confusion on the bench and I believe my position may have been misunderstood. Going forward I am ready to play when required and to fulfil my obligations."
ESPNsoccernet contacted Tevez's representative Kia Joorabchian by text in the wake of the incident to ask if there was an explanation for the forward's refusal to play, but Joorabchian simply replied: "He didn't!"
In his press conference after Tuesday's game, Mancini said he would speak with chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak to determine whether Tevez will remain at the club.
"In the next days, we will speak with Khaldoon," Mancini said. "It is normal. He is the chairman. He decides everything. If I decided, yes [he would leave]. He wanted to leave last year. I helped him for two years every time. He refused to play. I cannot accept this behaviour from him. I decide the substitutions, not Carlos.
"Do you think at Bayern Munich one player can play like this? Or Milan or Manchester United? No. There were 30 minutes to the end. There was time to change the game.
"Carlos didn't play at the start of the season because he didn't do a pre-season for three years. He is not ready to play."
Edin Dzeko also appeared to be angered when he was substituted ten minutes into the second half, and Mancini warned the striker that such behaviour will not be tolerated again.
"This is the last time one player leaves the pitch and moves his head like this," Mancini said. "I can understand a player is disappointed, I can understand inside he can be upset if he thinks he has played well, but I am the manager. I decide everything."
He added: "I should be unhappy with this performance, not Edin, but he played a poor game. If you play every three days, it is impossible that one player can always play well and that he can always stay on the pitch for 90 minutes."
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Tuesday September 27, 2011
England: Sir Alex Ferguson claims football has sold soul to TV 'devil'
• United manager feels broadcasters control fixture list
• Ferguson says TV should pay more for Premier League
• Ferguson says TV should pay more for Premier League
rights
Sir Alex Ferguson has accused football of selling its soul to television and claimed that broadcasters do not pay enough money given the amount of control they exert over the game.
The Manchester United manager used his first in-depth BBC interview for almost a decade to berate the corrosive influence of television on the fixture list, despite the hundreds of millions of pounds it contributes to Manchester United's bottom line and its centrality to the business plan of the club's controversial owners.
"When you shake hands with the devil you have to pay the price. Television is God at the moment," said Ferguson, who agreed that broadcasters had "too much power". "It shows itself quite clearly because when you see the fixture lists come out now, they can pick and choose whenever they want the top teams on television," he added.
"You get some ridiculous situations when you're playing on Wednesday night in Europe and then at lunchtime the following Saturday. You ask any manager if they would pick that themselves and there'd be absolutely no chance."
Ferguson also said that broadcasters should pay more for the rights to live football, given the Premier League sold its product to more than 200 countries. "When you think of that I don't think we get enough money," he said.
The Premier League secured around £3.5bn from its most recent round of television deals, which run until the end of next season. About £2.1bn was generated from domestic rights sales, including about £1.8bn for live rights from BSkyB and ESPN, and £1.4bn from overseas broadcasters.
BSkyB refused to comment on Ferguson's observations but sports broadcasting insiders pointed out that Ferguson's views did not reflect the fact that each club must be shown live a minimum of 10 times and a maximum of 26, nor that other factors affected the scheduling of matches. They include policing issues and the ongoing tussle over the fixture calendar between domestic football bodies, Uefa and Fifa.
"Sir Alex's comments always have to be taken seriously – he is a very wise and experienced football man," Brian Barwick, a former FA chief executive and controller of sport at ITV, told the BBC.
"But on this one, I do think Manchester United have almost had a lion's share of TV revenue over a period of time and it has helped build a fantastic stadium in Old Trafford and helped build Sir Alex's teams with star players." Others pointed to the explosion in broadcasting income over the past two decades and the degree to which it drives Manchester United's commercial strategy, which relies on international TV exposure to drive its global sponsorship strategy.
Under the Premier League's distribution formula, which includes an equal share plus a merit payment and facility fees depending on the number of times each club is shown, Manchester United earned £60.4m from domestic TV last season.
The club's most recent financial results, to the year ending June 2011, showed that media income amounted to the club's biggest revenue stream, bringing in £119.4m. Commercial income, increasingly driven by overseas exposure on TV, rose to £103.4m from £81.4m the previous year.
The global reach afforded to the club by TV has been claimed as a major driver behind the plan to float a minority stake in Manchester United on the Singapore stock exchange.
The Football Supporters' Federation backed Ferguson's stance, albeit for different reasons. "The contract with Sky and ESPN ought to leave more control with the Premier League over the fixture calendar," said its chairman, Malcolm Clarke. "They should try and minimise the disruption to the number of matches being played on Saturday at 3pm. And they should be trying to minimise the number of long journeys for supporters on a Monday night.
"If you gave the Premier League more control, it might reduce the value of the rights in the marketplace but that should be a price football is prepared to pay."
Despite Ferguson's comments, there is no suggestion that the Glazers are planning to try to break away from the Premier League's collective selling model in order to maximise revenues.
In contrast to Spain, where the big two clubs do their own deals with television companies, the Premier League's income is shared out on a more equitable basis. Real Madrid recorded £129.9m in media revenues and Barcelona £145.8m, according to to the 2011 Deloitte Money League. United were the Premier League's highest earners last year, with and Blackpool the lowest with £39.1m.
The Glazers are believed to be convinced of the merits of the collective model but are determined to better exploit the limited rights that clubs have within their control by signing deals with international telecom and media companies.
Courtesy: Guardian.co.uk/football
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England: Redknapp looks to end long wait
Redknapp exchanging pleasantries with Wenger
Tottenham meet Arsenal at White Hart Lane on Sunday and, with Arsene Wenger's men having suffered a dismal start to the campaign, it is Spurs who go into the meeting as favourites.
At this early stage of the season, Tottenham have a game in hand on their arch rivals and a two-point advantage and, although Redknapp is keen to put things into perspective, he hopes Spurs can finish above Arsenal for the first time since 1994-95.
"I think we can overhaul Arsenal," he said in the Daily Mirror. "It will be tight but I would never write Arsenal off. Sometimes when things go wrong, you know what it is like - everything goes wrong.
"There is nothing that you can do right. Arsenal have had one of those starts - two own goals, you name it - but they have got good players."
Wenger is currently enduring the most miserable spell since his arrival in England in 1996. The Frenchman, after dispelling doubts when first named Arsenal boss, had always been held in the highest esteem both by Gunners fans and the English press, but recently his reputation has come under fire.
Redknapp said: "I can understand what Wenger is going through. It must be a nightmare for him because he has never had it before.
"I have always said that when Arsene first came here all the other coaches were condemned. People said that we were all jumping around like idiots and that Arsene was just sitting there like a chess grandmaster.
"It was as if he was a professor of chess sitting there as if he was studying every move while these other idiots are shouting and screaming, but if you were winning every game of course you could sit there with your hand behind your head asking your number two: 'What's the score? Three-nil? Oh, wake me up when we get four!'
"Now? Suddenly you get beat and he is jumping around like the rest of us! But he is a fantastic manager. He is top class. He knows the game and they will be bang in there again. He is one of the best in my opinion."
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Wilshere facing five month wait
Jack Wilshere a doubt till February
Wilshere has been recovering from a stress fracture and Arsenal medical staff hoped the problem would heal itself with the help of a protective boot. However, the club confirmed late on Friday evening Wilshere's ankle failed to respond to the treatment and he would need surgery.
Having gone under the knife on Monday, he said on his Twitter account: ''Had my operation and all went well! I am feeling good will spend the night in hospital to monitor me but apart from that I am happy!''
It had been thought that he would be out until Christmas, but a statement on the Arsenal website read: ''The initial indications are that the surgery has been successful and Jack will now undergo a prolonged period of rehabilitation. It is envisaged that Jack's rehabilitation will take a period of four to five months.''
Wilshere added: ''I've had my operation this morning and all went well. My ankle is little bit sore, but I'm already looking forward to working hard to get fit and playing again.
''I would also just like to say thanks for the many messages of support I have received from you - the fantastic Arsenal supporters. See you all soon at the Emirates.''
The England midfielder has been troubled by his ankle throughout the summer, having sustained the original knock in the Euro 2012 qualifier between England and Switzerland in June, and then aggravating it in a pre-season game a month later.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Germany: Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge blasts free-spending clubs ahead of Manchester City clash
The Germany legend has hit out at clubs whose mega rich owners are using their wealth to make their way to the top of European football, suggesting that it is not sustainable
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has hit out at clubs who he believes are not shaping up to adhere to Uefa’s forthcoming Financial Fair Play rules, stating that those like Champions League rivals Manchester City are climbing the ladder thanks to wealth alone.
The German league has been seen as one of the most financially responsible in recent seasons, and the Bavarians' chairman is happy that Uefa president Michel Platini is implementing rules to try and make the playing field more level, insisting that the game is currently unfair.
Rummenigge, whose team face Manchester City on Tuesday, told DRadio: “In the words Financial Fair Play really lies the truth. It seems obvious at the moment that there is financial unfair play. And it is quite clear: we have a world in which the Arabs, Russians and Italians play a dramatic role.
“Because of their wealth they can make transfers and accordingly can improve the quality of their teams, and I think that cannot be the way of the future.”
He also commented on the false economy of splashing millions on Europe’s elite in order to make a profit in the future.
“When a Manchester City, Chelsea or Inter or Milan can make large transfers, the princely sums they pay suggest that at the end of the day they are on par with the second division in Germany,” he said.
“Everything is so expensive: the transfer fees, salaries, and all. And that led to Uefa finding that over 60% of all professional clubs in Europe are taking financial losses”
He also suggested that he had doubts over how these clubs would meet the rules put in place by Uefa, stating: “The sheikhs who own these clubs have promised Michel Platini that they will ensure that the rules are adhered to. We are now - it has to be said perhaps even more - in a test phase. In this test phase, the clubs must change.
“Especially the clubs that have recorded very high losses every year. And there are candidates that give the impression that they are ready.
“Inter, for example. Milan are also holding back very much in terms of spending money. Accordingly, I can imagine, they are well on their way to meeting these criteria. For other clubs I don't have as much faith.”
Courtesy: Goal.com
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England: Dimitar Berbatov could make a European return for Manchester United
• Berbatov poised to line up against Basel at Old Trafford
• The Bulgarian has not scored in Europe for almost three
• The Bulgarian has not scored in Europe for almost three
years.
Dimitar Berbatov sweating it out with Michael Owen
It is almost three years since his last Champions League goal and his mantle as fourth-choice striker is under threat from Michael Owen, yet Sir Alex Ferguson has denied he needs to repair Dimitar Berbatov's confidence ahead of Manchester United's encounter with Basel.
Berbatov has been frequently overlooked on the big occasions by Ferguson, notably the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley in May, and may be required for United's opening home game in Europe this season. Wayne Rooney is a confirmed absentee with a hamstring injury, a problem with potential repercussions for England's Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on Friday week, so too Javier Hernández with a dead leg he sustained at Stoke City on Saturday. With Danny Welbeck also easing his way back from a hamstring tear it would represent another slight on the £30.75m striker not to be selected ahead of or alongside Owen, Federico Macheda or Mame Biram Diouf.
The 30-year-old has started United's last two matches, the draw at the Britannia Stadium and the Carling Cup win at Leeds United, and perhaps that explained Ferguson's irritation when pressed on Berbatov's contribution to the Champions League campaign. "Of course he's got a part to play. He's one of our squad members and they've all got a part to play," the United manager said. "There are a lot of games in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carling Cup. It's an exhausting season unless you use your squad."
Ferguson utilised his resources in the opening group game at Benfica but left Berbatov on the bench throughout the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light. He dismissed claims that his handling of United's record signing may now include restoring the confidence of a forward who has not scored in the Champions League since a brace against Celtic in October 2008.
"I don't have to reassure him," he added. "He knows his place in the squad, and that applies to many players like Mame Diouf, Macheda and Michael Owen, they're not playing regularly either. We've had six league games and the ones against Benfica and Leeds. It's only early doors. There's plenty of time."
The United manager was unable to put a timeframe on Rooney's recovery from the injury he sustained in training on Friday, when Michael Carrick and Jonny Evans also suffered knocks that kept them out against Stoke. Evans and Chris Smalling will both be missing against Basel due to respective ankle and groin injuries, and though Ferguson expects Hernández to be fit for the Premier League game with Norwich City on Saturday, the diagnosis on Rooney is uncertain. "He's not playing tomorrow," said Ferguson. "It's difficult to assess a hamstring but I hope we get him back quickly. He did a bit of jogging this morning but that's all. It's difficult to say." The Scot also revealed he does not expect Nemanja Vidic to return from a calf injury until after the impending international break.
In contrast to his downbeat assessment of Berbatov's role at Old Trafford, Ferguson was effusive in his praise of Ashley Young following his £16m move from Aston Villa in the summer. The England international claimed the constant challenge of playing for United had already brought an improvement in his game and that it would be a "dream" to make his Champions League debut against the Swiss side.
Ferguson added: "Ashley has brought a great awareness of the game and fantastic endurance from box to box, which is something we've enjoyed from Ryan Giggs for many years. He has integrated very well and there is a good application in his training. He's done very, very well."
Basel currently top Group C courtesy of a 2-1 home win over the Romanian champions, Otelul Galati, in their first game and have lifted the Swiss title for the past two seasons under the management of Thorsten Fink, the former Bayern Munich midfielder who came on as a late substitute against United in the 1999 Champions League final. It will take more nights like Barcelona, and not defeats in the final by them, however, before Ferguson considers this a golden European age for his club.
The United manager said: "I think the Champions League is the best competition in the world, better than the World Cup and the European Championships. But it's not a golden period for us because we've lost two finals.
"We've been consistent in the Champions League and our form away from home has been outstanding. I hope we can do better this year and win it because that's the aim of this club all the time."
Courtesy: Guardian.co.uk/football
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England: Dirk Kuyt frustrated after losing Liverpool starting place
• Holland international disappointed at being dropped
• Kuyt believes Liverpool squad is strongest since 2006
• Kuyt believes Liverpool squad is strongest since 2006
Dirk Kuyt not happy with bit role under Dalglish
Dirk Kuyt has spoken of his disappointment at losing a regular starting place at Liverpool but accepts the club had to improve competition for places to challenge for honours once more.
The Holland international has started only half of Liverpool's six Premier League games this season as the manager, Kenny Dalglish, seeks to integrate the £20m summer signing Jordan Henderson into the team and utilises his options up front. Kuyt's absence has surprised many given his form under Dalglish last season and contribution this term, and the 31-year-old admits it has been difficult to adapt to his changing role.
"I'm disappointed to be out of the team," said Kuyt, who returned to the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday having started and scored against Brighton in the Carling Cup. "From childhood, I've always been disappointed when I'm not in the team because I'm desperate to be involved and make a good contribution. But it also makes me very determined too. I need to continue to prove myself, train as hard as possible and, when I do play, make sure my performance is of a high standard."
Despite the personal cost, the former Feyenoord striker admits Liverpool's squad now has the depth he encountered upon his arrival at the club in 2006 and required substantial investment following the final draining years under the former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
He added: "Competition is tough now but it's brilliant for the club that there are so many players to choose from now, top-class international players. The players realise at the end of the day you need more than 11 good players to be successful.
"When I first arrived here we had a very good, big squad but for the last two seasons before this one, we haven't had the depth that we did in the first three seasons. Someone like Craig Bellamy is a strong addition to what is already a very strong squad, and that can only be good for the team. We definitely have better quality now and more players to choose from as well. I think with the signings we've made, we have a great squad now so we should be ambitious and have confidence in ourselves."
Henderson has yet to convince that he merits a place in the team ahead of Kuyt but his fellow midfielder Lucas Leiva, who overcame a difficult start to his own Anfield career before establishing himself, insists the former Sunderland player simply needs time to adapt to his summer transfer.
Lucas said: "I don't blame the young players because I have been in their position for a few years. He is English and has already adapted to the Premier League. But to change your club and move to a big place like Liverpool is difficult. I think he is playing well. He will get confidence when he gets more minutes and understands the role he needs to do more.
"We just have to keep encouraging him and give him the confidence to keep improving. We can see he has the attributes to be a good player but he is still very young and we just have to give him time and be patient. Then we will see he is a good player. We can see in training that he likes to work hard and that is the main thing. As long as you are working hard every day, your opportunities will come. He will be ready to show his best form if we don't rush him and give him time to settle."
Courtesy: Guardian.co.uk/football
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Friday September 23, 2011
England: Hargreaves slams Man Utd treatment
 |
| Sir Alex Ferguson and Owen Hargreaves in the good old days at Man Utd |
Owen Hargreaves has made revelatory claims regarding the medical treatment he received at former club Manchester United after making a dream debut for rivals Manchester City in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.
Hargreaves made the move to Eastlands on a free transfer this summer, having played just a handful of minutes for United in the previous two seasons due to recurring injuries. The midfielder claims a number of specialists have since confirmed United administered the wrong treatment during his recovery from a knee complaint, leaving the England international to feel as though he was "made out of glass".
He told The Guardian: "I've had to be a guinea pig for a lot of these treatments. But when you're left to try to make something of a difficult situation, it's not really an option to say: 'Let's sit it out and rest for six months.'
"I'm not a guy who wants to bitch and complain. I was trying to make the most of it, but it deteriorated over the season and we had to do these injections. My knee, my tendon, was never the same. They said my tendon was good, but it felt like I was made out of glass.
"With hindsight it's a lot easier. And, yes, the injections I had I probably should not have had.
"We treated it and it got significantly worse through the injections. That obviously had a huge impact. Basically, I was left to pick up the pieces, which was incredibly frustrating.
"They said it [the injections] would help and that I wouldn't have any side effects. That obviously wasn't the case and, if I'd known I could have had a reaction like that, I wouldn't have done it. It's my career - I'm in it.
"I'm trying to get all this information. I'm hearing about tendons and, before, I didn't know anything about tendons. I mean, I knew I had one, but I didn't know its real function. It was a s*** position to be in, to be honest."
Hargreaves also claims United manager Sir Alex Ferguson forced him to make a comeback from his original injury before his body was able to withstand the rigours of a full match. The 30-year-old lasted but a few minutes in his long-awaited return against Wolves before being taken off, leaving Hargreaves to wonder if he'd ever play in the Premier League again.
"I started that game with two muscle injuries but I should never have been in that position to begin with. I was just going to try to get through 45 minutes because that would have been a start. But I didn't even last five. I wasn't surprised.
"I'd said to them that I had a hamstring problem, which I obviously did. I said: 'I think I've got a bit of a problem here.' I was surprised it didn't go in the warm-up, to be completely honest.
"People at times must look at it from a distance and say: 'S***, he's made out of glass.' But I don't know many people in the world who could do any sporting event with two muscle tears.
"There were 70,000 people there and, if I had walked away from the game, it would have looked like I didn't want to play. I thought: 'I'll try to play, I just won't sprint.' I know it sounds comical."
Despite the stunning remarks, Hargreaves says he wishes United's next crop of players success as the two Manchester clubs battle it out for glory this season.
"United are one of the biggest clubs in the world with Barcelona and Real Madrid. They have a lot of wonderful people there. I'm sad for myself that I wasn't able to play a bigger part there.
"I really envisaged it going differently but it didn't materialise the way I anticipated. They've moved on now and they've got a wonderful group of players.
"The young guys who are coming through look great. So I'm happy for them as well.
"But this is a new chapter in my life. The guys here [City's medical staff] have been great so far. I've been here three weeks and you can already see the difference. I knew it was all there. It was just a matter of doing things right," said Hargreaves.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Fergie defends United medical staff
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| Sir Alex Ferguson laughs off Owen Hargreaves allegations |
Sir Alex Ferguson has backed Manchester United's ''brilliant'' medical staff after Owen Hargreaves hit out at the treatment he received during four injury-plagued seasons at Old Trafford.
Hargreaves, who made an outstanding goalscoring debut for rivals Manchester City on Wednesday night, claimed he felt like a ''guinea pig'' as he was given several injections which he believes actually hindered his recovery.
But the United manager responded on Friday, saying that although he did not know the specifics of Hargreaves' treatment, he had complete faith in the club's doctors.
''We're trying to analyse all the stuff he has said and there will be a statement later to address that,'' Ferguson said. ''As far as I am concerned my medical staff is one of the main reasons why we have been so successful over the last few years.
''Do you think we would be successful if they were not 100% brilliant? Our doctor and his five physios are fantastic - that is my opinion and that is more important than what anyone else has to say about it.''
Hargreaves suffered from persistent tendinitis while at United, resulting in the player undergoing double knee surgery during the 2008-09 season.
Following the operations, Hargreaves played just six minutes of first-team football as he battled to regain fitness and was eventually released by United at the end of the last campaign, joining City soon after.
City manager Roberto Mancini opted to tread a delicate path although he confirmed Hargreaves is now pain free.
''There are no problems, apart from a bit of tiredness,'' Mancini said. ''He has been out for two years, which is a long period. He has worked hard for the last six months in Canada. And I hope it has solved all his problems.
''I don't think they (United) got it wrong. I just hope he will be lucky in the next two years. After something like this, it can happen that after one or two games he might have a problem with his ankle or hamstring or something.
''But I remember him very well when he played for United and Bayern. He was an incredible midfielder. United paid £17 million for him and he is 30 years old. On top form he is one of the best midfielders in Europe.''
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Tottenham to open talks next week with Luka Modric over new £80,000-a-week contract
Playmaker earns only £45,000-a-week and will be offered improved deal by chairman Daniel Levy following summer transfer saga which saw £40m bid from Chelsea rejected
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| Luka Modric's power |
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is due to sit down with the Croatian playmaker's representatives to discuss a pay rise that would nearly double his current £45,000 weekly salary and make him the club's top earner.
Chelsea made repeated attempts to sign the wantaway midfielder over the summer but Levy stuck to his claim that Modric would not be sold “at any price” despite a whopping £40 million bid in the final days of the transfer window.
Modric, 26, angered people within the club by trying to engineer a move to Chelsea by giving interviews in which he described his “dream” of moving to Stamford Bridge and questioned Tottenham's ambition.
He further upset supporters by refusing to play against Manchester United in August as he tried to force a move to Chelsea, who were believed to be ready to offer him a £130,000 weekly salary.
Tottenham are wary of appearing to reward Modric for his actions over the summer but understand the Croatian deserves to be paid a salary that reflects his ability and importance to the team. The club's top earners are William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart on around £75,000-a-week and Modric can expect to be offered a deal that makes him the highest paid player at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham sources have told Goal.com a new deal would "essentially be a pay rise" and the club are not looking to change any other terms of his contract.
His current contract runs until 2016 and Modric has claimed a “gentleman's agreement” was reached when he signed the deal last summer to allow him to move to a bigger club.
Spurs are adamant that no such agreement was struck and Levy is keen to build bridges with the star. The Spurs chief personally spoke to Modric three times during the summer to spell out that the midfielder would not be granted his wish of a switch to Stamford Bridge.
Modric claimed his head was not right when he tried to pull out of Tottenham's clash with Manchester City last month but has returned to his best form since the transfer window closed, scoring a stunning strike in last weekend's 4-0 victory over Liverpool.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp believes Modric was badly advised during the summer and has urged Levy to offer a new deal as soon as possible.
“If he is worth £40 million then life tells you that you have to be paid accordingly,” Redknapp said earlier this week.
“You have to look after the boy and I am sure we will do that. Hopefully, his future is here.
“This is a big club, a good club, I am sure the chairman will sit down and talk to him. We have got to convince him that his future is here and make it right for the boy, which is only fair and I am sure he will.”
Courtesy: Goal.com
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Spain: Cesc Fabregas presence makes me play better, says FC Barcelona's Xavi
The midfield maestro is full of praise for his new team-mate, and adds that the Qatar sponsorship deal is in the best interest of the club
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| Xavi Hernandez in his element |
FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi has praised Cesc Fabregas as he feels the former Arsenal ace's arrival has helped him further improve his game.
There were doubts about whether the two could play in the same team when Fabregas returned to Camp Nou this summer, but the long-serving 31-year-old is very pleased with the way things have been going so far.
"I think Cesc makes my football better and feel that we complement each other very well," Xavi was quoted as saying on the club's official website.
"If he goes up I stay back and cover for him or vice versa. I am very happy on the pitch and so is he. We have shown that many times this year."
The playmaker then went on to discuss FC Barcelona's sponsor deal with the Qatar Foundation and feels the agreement is in the best interest of the club.
He added: "The club has needs and the Qatar publicity helps. Qatar is clearly developing as a country and its foundation is trying to do good for everyone. I think it’s good for their image and also for ours."
The sponsorship deal with the Qatar Foundation is one of several points on the agenda that will be discussed by the club's general assembly on Saturday.
Courtesy: Goal.com
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Europe: August Intl. Friendly set to be Scrapped by UEFA
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| UEFA President Michel Platini |
The European clubs and leagues look to have won the first round in their battle to cut down the number of international friendlies after demanding the fixtures only take place as double-headers and that the much-maligned August games are scrapped.
The news comes as a blow to even major football nations like England, where the FA relies on friendly games to sustain TV contracts and bolster its finances, but clubs have long expressed opposition to encounters derided as 'meaningless'.
Earlier in the week, the 53 national associations held a full strategy meeting over two days and the findings were discussed a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Cyprus on Thursday.
A UEFA statement following the meeting read: "The overriding support was for a calendar made up only of double-headers and no single friendly dates, in particular in the month of August, which would help to streamline the competition calendar for national teams and help avoid clashes with domestic leagues.
"The process of consultation with the various involved parties is continuing with the objective of finding a common European calendar recommendation to FIFA."
The clubs and leagues are determined to go a step further, however, demanding that only six double-headers take place across a two-year cycle. That would mean a maximum of 12 qualification and friendly games played over the cycle, and would therefore leave national sides with space for just one or two friendlies per year. UEFA has yet to agree to the proposal.
UEFA also outlined its determination to have fan representation: "The Executive Committee also received an update on the work of the Club Financial Control Panel, including the introduction of the requirement for clubs to have a Supporter Liaison Officer in order to establish a closer contact with the fans. A first workshop for the Supporter Liaison Officers will be held in mid-October in Germany."
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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Thursday September 22, 2011
Italy: Claudio Ranieri confirmed as new Inter Milan coach
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| Claudio Ranieri in his last days at AS Roma |
Claudio Ranieri has been confirmed as the new coach of Internazionale and has vowed to "wake up the team".
The former Valencia, Chelsea and Roma manager has signed a contract to June 2013 to replace Gian Piero Gasperini, who was sacked on Wednesday after three months in charge.
Ranieri told Domenica Sportiva: "Inter are a great team. They have had a bad start to the season and I will have to talk to the team to understand why that was.
"I will have to bring enthusiasm and a change of gear in order to wake up the team. I cannot promise that we will win this or that but I believe this team has a lot to give and we must prove it."
Tuesday's humiliating 3-1 defeat at newly promoted Novara – Inter's fourth defeat in five games – proved to be Gasperini's final act in charge. But Ranieri praised Gasperini's efforts despite his short tenure at the club.
"Gasperini wanted to bring his ideas and make them work at all costs but he didn't manage to do it," the 59-year-old said. "I will try to make this team play as it knows how, with all of its strength.
"Gasperini didn't make a mistake and we have to say well done because he tried everything to make his ideas work."
Ranieri's first game in charge will be at Bologna on Saturday before a trip to Russia to face CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.
A statement from Inter said: "All of Inter has the pleasure of welcoming Claudio Ranieri and his staff. Ranieri will guide today's training session and will be unveiled tomorrow to the press."
Ranieri had been out of a job since leaving Roma in February.
Courtesy: guardian.co.uk/football
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England: Pallister: United's case for the defence
Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister
Defenders are the unsung heroes of football clubs across the land. While a match-winning goal will be etched into a fans' memory for a lifetime, a match-saving tackle will be quickly forgotten. The richer the attacking talents of a team's frontline, the more overlooked the personnel making up their backline are likely to be, which is why the achievements of Manchester United's defensive icons are all the more admirable.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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| Ralf Rangnick looking pale |
Ralf Rangnick has left his position as Schalke coach due to health reasons.
Rangnick, 53, took charge of Schalke in March this year but, as he suffers with chronic fatigue syndrome, he has decided he can no longer continue in the job.
In a statement on the club's official website, he said: "After long and careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I need a break.
"Making the decision has been terribly difficult but my current energy levels are not enough to succeed and to push the club forward. This decision has been made in the best interests of the team and I wish them well for the rest of the season."
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt added: "The decision by Ralf Rangnick should be held in the highest esteem. We are also of the belief that health should always take precedence over all professional goals and challenges."
Prior to taking on the Schalke job, Rangnick had enjoyed a hugely successful four-and-a-half-year spell with Hoffenheim in which he took the club from the third tier to the top-flight. He resigned in January after defender Luiz Gustavo was sold to Bayern Munich without his consent.
Schalke currently lie ninth in the Bundesliga having taken nine points from their opening six games.
Courtesy: ESPN Soccernet
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England: Owen Hargreaves scores as Manchester City ease past Birmingham City
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| Owen Hargreaves in a Man City shirt |
For Owen Hargreaves, it is difficult to imagine his comeback could have gone any better. His career has endured more miseries and been written off more times than he will care to remember but, finally, there is clear evidence to suggest he is at the point of re-establishing himself as a formidable opponent.
Hargreaves, 30, did not merely outdo expectations, lasting 57 minutes of this third-round Carling Cup tie when the original plan was to come off at half-time, but he announced his arrival as a Manchester City player with a moment that demonstrated why his new employers have decided he can play a significant part in their campaign to catch, then overhaul, Europe's elite clubs. The opening goal was a peach and it came from his right boot, at a distance when not every player would have had a belief in their ability to score.
Hargreaves was undoubtedly helped by the fact Birmingham were poor opponents. Nonetheless, he played with a confidence that made it seem almost a trick of the mind that at Manchester United there was a genuine feeling that the lights were about to turn out on his career.
"He's a fantastic footballer and he can become an important player for us," Roberto Mancini, the City manager, said afterwards. "It wasn't easy for him [psychologically] after so many years out, but he played well and scored a fantastic goal. If he can carry on playing often, training often, and become the player he was, it can be important for the England team too."
The road back has been long and tortuous but Hargreaves looked sharp, bright and as quick into the tackle as ever. Most importantly, he looked fit. When he left the pitch it was to a standing ovation and, before that moment, the home supporters audibly made the point that Sir Alex Ferguson may come to regret releasing him.
A long way to go until then, of course, but the mood was understandably light on a night when Mancini's experimental team had little problem moving into the fourth round and Hargreaves was not alone in terms of reflecting on a satisfying evening's work. Here, too, was Kolo Touré's first match since his six-month ban for taking a prohibited substance came to an end.
Alongside him Stefan Savic, the £6m signing from Partizan Belgrade, had a capable first start. Abdul Razak, a 19-year-old from Ivory Coast, patrolled the centre of midfield before succumbing to cramp. Wayne Bridge was in from the wilderness to play as a left-winger, with another full-back, Pablo Zabaleta, on the opposite side. Nedum Onuoha's presence at right-back emphasised that the Garry Cook affair will not be held against him.
With so many changes, it was probably inevitable that this would not be a performance totally in keeping with the slick and fluid football that Mancini's first-choice team have put together so far this season.
There was also the suspicion at times that Mario Balotelli and particularly Carlos Tevez were not going at full pelt. Balotelli, however, did take his goal with clinical precision, angling a left-foot drive into the bottom corner after Aleksandar Kolarov's low centre.
Two-nil up at the interval, the second half was a mere formality and Birmingham were left to reflect on the moment, shortly before Balotelli's strike, when City's debutant goalkeeper, Costel Pantilimon, made a hash of dealing with a free-kick and Curtis Davies's overhead kick was cleared off the line. Pantimilon, a Romania international on loan from Timisoara, is 6ft 9in – except for crosses, it seems, when he looks 5ft 8in. But that was really the sum total of Birmingham's challenge and their tepid efforts made it the perfect evening for Hargreaves to take his first steps back.
His goal was a beauty, too. Hargreaves has always been a sweet striker of the ball and this was a wonderful connection, arrowing his right-foot shot past Colin Doyle. It was a moderate goal celebration, as if he knew there were still challenges to overcome, but it still felt like a moment of great significance.
Birmingham looked defeated from that moment and by the end Mancini had brought on a 16-year-old, Karim Rekik, followed by the 20-year-old Luca Scapuzzi.
In between, the brooding Tevez ran clear only for Doyle to thwart him. Tevez's body language was all wrong but, for another former United player, it was a much more profitable evening.
Courtesy: guardian.co.uk/football
