In their owns words/Opinions-Interviews

Copa-Taking chances makes the difference, says Bielsa :rolleyes:

Reuters

Wednesday July 14, 2004


By Brian Homewood

PIURA, Peru, July 13 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa said his team reaped the rewards for taking their chances in their 4-2 win against Uruguay on Tuesday while they paid the price for missing them in their 1-0 defeat by Mexico.

"The team was more effective compared to the game against Mexico," said Bielsa, whose side avoided a possible quarter-final against Brazil by beating their neighbours and finishing second in group B of the Copa America.

"We took most of the chances we had, our control of the ball was adequate," he said.

"There are no magic answers in football. Sometimes similar situations generate different consequences. This game was similar to the one against Mexico. The difference is that we scored in this one and we didn't against Mexico."

Bielsa has been under pressure because of recent lacklustre performances by his team and there is speculation he may not survive a poor Copa America.

He enjoyed a respite when his side hammered Ecuador 6-1 in their opening match but the heat was back on again after Saturday's loss to Mexico. His team now face hosts Peru in next Saturday's quarter-final in Chiclayo.

Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati, whose team played for 55 minutes with 10 men after defender Joe Bizera was sent off, was delighted with the improvement his side have shown in the competition.

His team have made the quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams and may have to play world champions Brazil depending on the final results in group C on Wednesday.

Fossati, who took over in April, lost his first two games in charge, both World Cup qualifiers, and his side conceded eight goals in the process.

"After playing (Argentina) in these circumstances, we can leave with our heads held high, be confident for the next stage and hope for a bit more luck with the refereeing," he said.

"We gave everything, just as a Uruguayan should when he's wearing his country's shirt, but without going over the top.

"I was happy with our attitude, tactical discipline and effectiveness in attack. Six goals scored in three games looks quite good to me."

Gomez to stay with Ecuador :)

Wednesday, 14 July 2004


Ecuadorian Football Federation president Luis Chiriboga has stated coach Hernan Dario Gomez will stay in his job despite an unimpressive Copa America campaign.
The country failed to land a single point in the competition that also included a 6-1 mauling at the hands of favourites Argentina.

Gomez was not too downhearted on his side as Ecuador also intended to use the tournament as an opportunity to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the next World Cup.

"The objective is to qualify for the World Cup Germany 2006 so Gomez will not be going anywhere, he will keep on working as the coach of Ecuador," said Chiriboga.

On the other hand Gomez said before leaving Peru: "The Copa America wasn't our priority, we are working for getting Ecuador qualified to the World Cup."

"The Copa America has been good as we have learned things that will help us work better in future. Now I know what kind of things I don't have to do."



Basically the same as Chiles philosophy !!!! ;) :cap:

COLUMN-Copa offers top-class football without the frills :thmbup:

Fri 16 July, 2004 10:30

By Brian Homewood

PIURA, Peru, July 16 (Reuters) - It is a long way from the futuristic Luz stadium in Lisbon to the Miguel Grau stadium in the Peruvian desert town of Piura.

The latter, with its modest 25,000 capacity, has no giant screens, no mini-theme parks outside with giant, inflatable trampolines and no stalls offering official merchandise.

It does not even have numbered plastic seats, most of the crowd instead sitting on concrete steps, and the only ways of getting there are walking, taking a creaking yellow taxi or a three-wheeled Peruvian-style tuk-tuk.

Yet the football played at the Miguel Grau in the Copa America, including Argentina's 4-2 win over Uruguay in a full-blooded River Plate derby, was arguably as good as anything served up in the more glamorous surroundings of Portugal at the European championship the month before.

In many ways, it is a relief to be spared the endless commercial propaganda and middle-of-the-road 80s hits blasted over the public address systems before games in Portugal.

The Copa America is the third continental championship this year, Africa having staged its Nations Cup in Tunisia in January and the European championship taking place last month.

In the Copa, the standard of play is similar to Europe but with a no-frills infrastructure. Its little eccentricities put it apart from the other two tournaments, seemingly taking away some of its appeal outside the region.

These include the double bill format, in which two matches from the same group are held in the same stadium on the same evening, the presence of two guest teams from outside the region -- this year Costa Rica and Mexico -- and the absence of a qualifying competition.


SAME CONTINENT

The Copa also has to compete against another competition in the same continent -- the World Cup qualifiers.

Here, the continent's 10 nations play each other home and away over two-and-a-half years, making it a genuine South American championship. As a result, some nations prefer to use the Copa to experiment.

World champions Brazil have decided to rest top players such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Roberto Carlos and Cafu while Paraguay have brought their under-23 team and are using it as a warm-up for next month's Olympics.

But the competition is anything but glorified practice sessions.

Most other teams have brought virtually full-strength line-ups, the standard of play has been high and there was not a single goalless draw in the 18 first stage matches.

At the same time, the siege mentality which dominates in Europe has been largely absent.

It is hard to imagine teams such as England following Mexico's example by allowing local schoolchildren to watch their training sessions and then sign autographs for them while simultaneously giving interviews to the media in the car park.


DELIGHTED FANS

The local organising committee's decision to spread the competition around six provincial cities in such a huge country has created a logistical nightmare for the media but has delighted local fans, who have never had the chance to see top-level international football before.

The matches in Piura attracted hundreds of curious onlookers outside the stadium who did not have tickets but simply wanted to get close to the big event. The inhabitants are proud of their newly-reformed and simple, but tidy, arena.

Peru has not offered the fancy wrapping that Portugal provided but the basics have all been there: decent playing surfaces, acceptable training facilities -- usually local private schools -- and comfortable hotels for the teams.

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa said: "We've all had the feeling that the public here is friendly and the hosts have been generous."

Argentina defender Juan Pablo Sorin, who has ample experience in Europe, said: "The European championship has a fantastic infrastructure which we don't have.

"But I'm Argentine. I'm proud to be Latin American. I like to get to know the rest of the continent and these people are our brothers."

:thmbup:

Pinto suffers having to face homeland



TRUJILLO, Peru, July 16 (Reuters) - Costa Rica's Colombian coach Jorge Luis Pinto said on Friday that he was not looking forward to facing his own country in Saturday's Copa America quarter-final.

"Today, I'm with Costa Rica and I'm going to do everything necessary to beat Colombia, that's my duty," he said.


"It hurts because it's my country, but I have to do it all the same."

Pinto refuted the idea that the game was a personal battle between himself and Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda.

"It's not a duel, it's a professional engagement," he said. "Colombia are a team who like to play good football and we're going to put on a good game."

Pinto took over only three weeks before the Copa, replacing former United States coach Steve Sampson who resigned after Costa Rica scraped past Cuba on away goals in a preliminary round World Cup qualifier.

Costa Rica went into the quarter-final as the second best third-placed team when they beat Chile 2-1 on Wednesday with a goal by Andy Herron in the fourth minute of injury time.

Pinto said that defenders Mauricio Wright and Leonardo Gonzalez would both face late fitness tests.

Wright, who scored the equaliser against Chile, had a bruised ankle and Gonzalez picked up a knock on his right knee, Pinto said.

Chevanton explains Monaco choice :veiled:

Saturday, 17 July 2004


Javier Chevanton has stated he joined Championnat outfit Monaco due to the size of the club although Didier Deschamps was also a big lure.
The Uruguayan ace, who joined along with compatriot Diego Perez on Friday, is keen to land trophies and be successful with his new club in France.

Chevanton is particularly looking forward to playing in the UEFA Champions League with his new colleagues following a spell in Italy with Lecce.

"I chose Monaco because they are a great team, and they have a coach, Didier Deschamps, who has won everything you can win in football," explained Chevanton to L'Equipe.

"People said a lot of good things about Monaco, and two weeks ago, when I had the chance to have a phone call with Didier, I was completely convinced.

"I am proud of my choice and I came here to learn alongside him and my new team-mates. I want to improve. I want to win a league title.

"Also there is the Champions League. After knowing the Italian league, it is also interesting to discover another high level league."

Bielsa: Tevez gamble paid off

Sunday, 18 July 2004

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa has admitted he took a huge gamble by introducing matchwinner Carlos Tevez against Peru on Saturday.
Bielsa felt his side were on top when he took the decision to remove Andres D'Alessandro in the 58th minute, but the decision paid off as Tevez curled home a superb free kick just two minutes later to secure the quarter final win.

"When I made the change, I had my doubts," said Bielsa.

"I thought the team was in its best part of the game and I wasn't sure it was in our best interests - but I went ahead and did it anyway."

Bielsa has admitted his side were pushed all the way by Peru, but felt their greater class was the deciding factor.

"They were tackling harder than usual and they were very difficult to play against," Bielsa said.

"The first half hour was very static ... but in the end, the score was justified and we deserved to win."

Peru coach Victor Zegarra felt his side paid for their lack of a cutting edge, saying: "It was a game that either team could have won.

"We just couldn't score. We played as well as Argentina did the entire match."

Scolari keen to coach Brazil again :confused:


July 18, 2004

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari revealed that given the opportunity he would love to return to manage Brazil whom he lead to the 2002 World Cup title.

Scolari told the O Globo that for the moment he was concentrating on the task of leading Portugal to Olympic glory and the 2006 World Cup finals after their runners-up spot at Euro 2004.

But the call of his native Brazil, five time world champions, would be difficult to resist.


"When I was in Brazil, I didn't think about the national side. I thought that it would never be my turn. But after being with that side, to have worked with that group (of 2002), I think that if one day I got another chance, yes, I would return. But now I'm not working for that," said Scolari.

"If that happens one day, great. And if it does not happen, I think that I've already contributed to the side, and believe that the team have also given me something as well."

Despite Portugal's surprise 1-0 loss at home to outsiders Greece in the European championships Scolari believes they have a good chance of Olympic gold and advancing past the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

"I think that the Portuguese team has a good future. The Olympic team has been reinforced with three over-23 players which have increased our chances a lot. I hope that Portugal get past the first rounds."

"Portugal obviously have a chance in 2006. But it's not because they reached the European finals that they can already be considered one of the best teams in the world.

"We can't become distracted from the qualifiers. Portugal are very good but you can't forget that everyone wants to qualify."

Paraguay coach critical of referee :eekani:

Monday, 19 July 2004

Paraguay coach Carlos Jara castigated the referee after his side crashed out of the Copa America quarter finals to Uruguay.
Jara's team were beaten 3-1 in Peru despite taking an early lead and they were ultimately sunk by a double from Dario Silva.

But Jara feels Paraguay were unjustly denied two penalties by Argentine official Hector Baldassi, who also sent off Uruguay's Gustavo Varela.

"The referee saw two clear penalties for Paraguay but he didn't award them," said Jara.

"There was a foul against Humberto Paredes and another one against Edgar Barreto and the referee didn't give us those penalties."

Despite the defeat, though, Jara was satisfied with his team's performance at the tournament which is serving as a preparation for next month's Olympic challenge.

He added: "I think that the performance of Paraguay in the Copa America is positive.

"We took advantage of our participation in this Copa America and we showed that we are in a good condition.

"My players gave their best and I feel very proud of them.

"We played face-to-face against Uruguay in the same way we did against Brazil. Unfortunately, two mistakes made us lose the match.

"Uruguay surprised us because they took advantage of the free spaces that we left for them."

Copa-Uruguay rediscover identity at the Copa America



By Brian Homewood

LIMA, July 21 (Reuters) - Uruguay, who arrived at the Copa America discredited and dejected, won back their identity by reaching the semi-finals, coach Jorge Fossati said after the side's penalty shootout defeat by Brazil on Wednesday.

"We have rediscovered our identity, we have rediscovered our football and now we can be more optimistic with the (World Cup) qualifiers," Fossati said after his team drew 1-1 with Brazil over 90 minutes but lost 5-3 on penalties.

Thursday, July 22, 2004

Gonzalez wants belief in Argentina


LIMA, July 22 (Reuters) - Argentina forward Cristian Gonzalez is delighted to be in the Copa America final and hopes that their performances have finally won back public confidence in the team.
'What we really want is to be able to connect with our people again,' Gonzalez told reporters.


Argentina are still suffering the effects of their dismal performance at the last World Cup when they arrived as favourites and were knocked out in the first round.

Since then, they have played most home matches at a half-empty River Plate stadium and coach Marcelo Bielsa has been insulted and jeered by supporters.

Argentina's performance at the Copa, reaching the final with a 3-0 win over Colombia on Tuesday, has done much to restore their credibility.

They face arch-rivals Brazil in Sunday's final in Lima but they will have to wait until October for the acid test of their popularity - their next home game against Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier.

Argentina last won the Copa in 1993 but Gonzalez said he did not see winning the title as a means of making up for their experience at the World Cup.

'Obviously, it's not a good memory but it's there and life goes on,' he said.

'There are four or five players still left from that team, the coaching staff as well.. but we're not looking on this as our revenge.'

Although only 29, Gonzalez does not expect to play in another Copa America final.

'Maybe this is the last chance I'll have to play a final with Argentina, at least in the Copa America.

'This is one of the few opportunities that is left to me and I don't want to let it slip by,' he said.

'So I'll do anything I can to achieve it (the title).'

'The will to win, the determination that you have when you wear this shirt makes the pain and tiredness go away.'

He added: 'If I didn't see myself as a champion, I'd stay here in the hotel; it's not every day that you play a final wearing your country's shirt. I have full confidence in myself and in all my team-mates.'

Bielsa promises :rolleyes: to attack Brazil in Copa final



By Javier Leira

LIMA, July 22 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa promised his side will attack Brazil in Sunday's Copa America final and said he was not worried about how his opponents would play.

"We're going to attack with six players as usual, which is convincing proof of our own style," Bielsa said.

"We will try to play in the opponents' half. I'm ignoring what Brazil are going to do but I'm very clear about the convictions of my own team."

However, Bielsa added that Argentina's performance would be built on the basis of a strong defence.

Argentina went through the quarter and semi-finals without conceding a goal and have only let in four in the whole tournament. At the other end, they have scored 14.

"The effectiveness of our defence has to be given some credit," he said.

"We've hardly had any chances created against us.

"Defending well pre-supposes tranquillity to go after the opponents' goal. Teams attack well once they defend well.

"If the defence is good, the forwards are not under so much pressure."

Bielsa rejected the idea that Argentina will start as favourites against a Brazil side who have rested several of their top players.

"Making a team favourite is a psychological tool which overloads the responsibilities of one side and lightens those of the other," he said.

Bielsa: We deserved to win :proud:

Monday, 26 July 2004

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa says that his side outplayed Brazil in the Copa America final and deserved to win the match.
Argentina were twice pegged back in a dramatic 2-2 draw in Peru, but they lost out to their arch rivals as Brazil triumphed on a penalty shoot-out.

Bielsa thought that his side played the better of the two and did not deserve to lose.

"Argentina played better than Brazil in the first and second half and deserved to win the match and the title," said Bielsa.

"I am not going to say that it's not fair that Brazil won the cup because they did their job and performed better in the penalty kicks.

"But I think that Argentina deserved to win the final match because we created many more chances to score."

Asked if Argentina were unlucky after Brazil scored twice in injury time of both halves, Bielsa commented:

"After the match I talked it over with my players and we asked ourselves what else we could have done to avoid what finally happened.

"Sometimes there are some teams that turn over a result because they deserve it and some other times they do it in a fortunate way and this was one of those moments, everyone saw it."

Argentina Were Irritating Us - Parreira


7/26/2004 1

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was delighted after his side beat Argentina on penalties to win the Copa America.
"It’s not any team which gets a result like this, we never gave up, it was a lesson for everyone," he said.

"Nobody messes with Brazilian football, five-times champions of the world.

"It’s a game we will never forget -- nor will our opponents.

"There was some gamesmanship as usual and we were very happy with this young team’s powers of reaction.

"They were winning the game, there were five minutes to go ... they were tapping the ball around, deliberately trying to get fouls.

"It’s a technique which irritated us."

Newell's aim to pair Ortega with Jardel

Tuesday, 03 August 2004

Newell's Old Boys are hoping to follow up the capture of Brazilian striker Mario Jardel by landing Ariel Ortega.
Jardel completed a move to the Argentine side over the weekend after his contract expired with Bolton Wanderers.

The former Porto marksman struggled to adapt in The Premiership and also undertook a loan stint at Ancona in the second half of last season.

With Jardel on board, Newell's are now putting together a package to end Ortega's footballing misery.

Ortega is still in dispute with Turkish side Fenerbahce but Newell's are prepared to fork out a fee to bring the playmaker back to his homeland.

"I know that Ortega has already agreed his contract with Newell's," said the club's coach Americo Ruben Gallego.

"Now the only thing that we are waiting for is to let the president negotiate with Fenerbahce."

Ortega's agent Juan Berros confirmed the former River Plate star will sign for the Rosario side if his wrangle with Fenerbahce is resolved.

Berros said: "He has his personal contract with Newell's signed because he is a player out of contract.

"Newell's are going to ask for the international transfer and then will start to negotiate with Fenerbahce.

"The president of Newell's has told me that he is going to offer $6 million as part of the indemnity that Fenerbahce are claiming since Ortega left Turkey.

"If the problem is resolved Ortega will play for Newell's in the next season."

Jardel is hoping Newell's can tie up their move for Ortega as he is relishing the prospect of forming a partnership with the Argentine.

"I have been with Ortega in the hotel and to tell the truth I was surprised because he is a mega star in the world," said Jardel.

"I am very happy to have the chance to play with him because he is a player of great quality."

Forlan: I want to stay

Thursday August 05 2004

Manchester United forward Diego Forlan says he will only leave the Red Devils if manager Sir Alex Ferguson throws him out of Old Trafford.

Forlan has been involved in constant speculation with a move to various clubs in the last few weeks, with the latest rumour being that he was on his way to Spanish team Levante on a year-long loan.

Ferguson, however, dismissed this latest gossip linking the Uruguayan with a move away from Manchester on Wednesday.

The former Independiente player, who was also linked with Atletico Madrid while on Copa America duty last month, claims he is unperturbed by the gossip mongers.

"I read things or hear what people are saying but that doesn't mean it is true," he said.

"I am still here and I have two years left on my contract. I am a Manchester United player and I am happy to be here.

"Only one person will decide if I am going to leave or not and that is the manager. When he comes and tells me I have to go, I know I will be going. Until then I won't even think about it."

Forlan has scored 17 goals in 95 appearances since his £7million transfer two-and-a-half years ago, but is adamant that the United faithful have yet to see the best of him.

He claims a regular run in the first team in the same manner that was afforded him at his last club is sure to see him shine at the FA Cup champions.

"I get better when I play quite a few games on the trot," he said.

'Playing once in a while is not the same as playing every game. When I was at Independiente, I was playing in every match and that builds your confidence."

Maradona wants presidential help to flee clinic



BUENOS AIRES, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Desperate to return to Cuba after a major health scare, soccer great Diego Maradona wants Argentine President Nestor Kirchner to help free him from a psychiatric clinic where he is being held against his will for drug addiction.

"He wants to go to Cuba but the courts won't let him," his doctor Alfredo Cahe told Radio 10 on Friday. "He wants me to talk with the President so he sees the extent of his recovery and what he is capable of doing when asked."

Maradona's family forced him to enter a private clinic on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in May for cocaine addiction treatment after he was rushed to intensive care in April with a swollen heart and breathing problems.


Maradona, 43, has spent much of the past four years undergoing a drugs rehabilitation programme at a spa in Cuba, which he considers a second home. He is less enamoured with the Argentine clinic he is currently trapped in.

"In this clinic one person thinks they are Napoleon, another thinks he is (liberation hero) General San Martin ... And they don't believe I'm Maradona," the former World Cup winner told relatives during a recent visit, according to local sports daily Ole.

President Kirchner's office was non-committal, saying no formal request had yet been received from the former World Cup winner -- considered one of the most gifted players in the history of soccer.

Recoba Praises Inter's Transfer Market

8/8/2004

Alvaro Recoba of Inter had words of praise for his club's transfer market activites over the past weeks.
The Uruguay forward stated today: "The partnership with Adriano works because I move as a second striker while he plays as a first striker in front of me. We are all calm, the club worked well on the market; we know that there aren't any better players around than here. We have a team that can aim for the league and Champions League."

AGAINST PARAGUAY A DRAW WILL BE ENOUGH,
BUT GENTILE WARNS:

"I WANT TO WIN"


Volos August 17, 2004
All they need is a draw to advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow evening against Paraguay at the Karaiskaki stadium in Athens (8:30 pm local time, 7:30 pm in Italy). But Claudio Gentile does not want to make any easy calculations and assures that his team will go out to win.
The coach of the Olympic team wants to finish first in the group standings and to do this the team has to beat Paraguay and then see what happens between Ghana and Japan.
Same lineup, same module, with the only doubt regarding Matteo Ferrari who has a problem with his left ankle. The decision will be made only at the last minute: his substitute could be Bovo but the coach would like to recover Ferrari and confirm the lineup of the first two matches. Against Paraguay, Gentile will count a lot on Pirlo: "He has to grow, we are expecting a lot from him because he is our fundamental point of reference".
And on Paraguay: "It is a technical team - said Gentile - but the pace will probably not be a fast one. Even if I like the Olympic village a lot, I want to win the round and go to Salonicco. It is a matter of prestige to finish first".

Scolari admits Brazil desire

by Francisco Acedo -

18 Aug 2004

Portugal Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed he wants to resume as Brazil manager in 'four or five years'. :drunk:

Scolari recently led Portugal to the final of Euro 2004 and insists he is still fully committed to the European nation.

However, the 55-year-old coach, who took Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002, admits the lure of leading his country once again is too strong to turn down.

"If I am selected, invited by the Brazilian national team, I will accept," he stated.

"But it will be some years from now, some four or five years from now."

Scolari is currently focused on qualifying Portugal for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, and believes his team has a real chance of winning the tournament after their heroics earlier in the summer.

"Portugal's chances at the World Cup are excellent," he continued.

"After having reached the first final in their history at the European Championships, the Portuguese people began to believe in us. It was just what we needed.

"The crop of players is excellent, and I have gained morale for coaching as I wanted."

Wenger Blasts Brazil :doh:

8/20/2004

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has blasted Brazil for playing Edu and Gilberto in this weeks friendly with Haiti.
The Frenchman is furious having given Edu a three-week holiday in order for him to recover from the Copa America.

He was then due to return to London on Tuesday, but instead played 70 minutes of Brazil's friendly, which they won 6-0.

"Edu played for 70 minutes and I think that is disrespectful to the player and to the club," Wenger told The Evening Standard.

"Brazil have 200 players who could have played against Haiti - a match in which they were winning 6-0 after an hour! I try to help international managers and I try to understand as much as I can. I cannot understand this case."

"As for Gilberto playing, it is their judgment. He was genuinely injured at Everton and, at half time, I wanted him to come off but he wanted to carry on," he continued.

"They forced him to travel and, okay, that is a rule. They decided to play him and, as it was a friendly, I find it a bit surprising. But what they did with Edu was unprofessional."

Ancelotti:"Parreira is wron :o

]Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has criticised Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira for saying the Italian club's Brazilian players will never represent their country again.

Milan refused to free Cafu, Dida and Kaka to play in Brazil's friendly with Haiti, which the world champions won 6-0.

Bayern Munich also stopped Ze Roberto and Lucio from playing, and consequently all five players have been snubbed for all future internationals by Parreira.

Ancelotti commented on the decision: "It seems to me he has been wrong. It has been an unreasonable choice and being angry with players is a nonsense.

"Milan cleared the decision which has been taken by the club and not by the players, and the choice has been according to a rule the Brazilian federation knows very well."

Arsene Wenger also criticised Parreira for playing the Arsenal pair of Edu and Gilberto in the much maligned friendly.

Heinze in soup with Ferguson

Daniel Taylor
Wednesday August 25, 2004
The Guardian

Gabriel Heinze, Manchester United's costly yet elusive summer signing, is running the serious risk of causing irreparable damage to his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson after the latest breakdown in contact between the Argentinian international and his increasingly irritated manager.
Since learning Heinze was taken to hospital after Argentina's 4-0 defeat of Costa Rica in the Olympics on Sunday, Ferguson revealed last night he had been desperately trying to get hold of the £6.9m signing, only to discover the defender has not left his mobile number with anyone at the club.

Subsequent attempts to contact him via his agent and the Argentinian football authorities have also failed and an exasperated Ferguson was still in the dark about the seriousness of Heinze's injury until he switched on his television yesterday to see him back in the Argentina team. Although initially relieved, Ferguson is livid that Heinze has not contacted his new employers.

"We understand he got an injury but nobody from Argentina has even been in touch," said Ferguson, making little attempt to conceal his irritation ahead of tonight's Champions League qualifying tie against Dinamo Bucharest. "We read that it's a hip injury and that he was taken to hospital, so it was obviously a concern. But we haven't been able to get hold of him."

I truly believe Sir Ferguson needs a COLD shower !!!!!! :excited:

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

'Cry for me, Argentina' - Maradona


BUENOS AIRES, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Former Argentina captain Diego Maradona broke down in tears during a television interview on Tuesday as he talked about his frustrations over his treatment for cocaine addiction.
After three months confined to a psychiatric clinic on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona is fighting to obtain a judge's permission to leave Argentina and resume treatment in Cuba.


'I'm old enough and have enough decision-making power to know what to do with my life,' the 43-year-old said in an interview with Canal 9.

As tears streamed down his face, Maradona said he felt like he was losing his battle with the judge.

Sporting a blue pin-striped suit and a healthy glow, Maradona spoke about his 'illness', his preferred term for the cocaine addiction that led to heart problems and 10 days in intensive care last April.

Maradona said he first tried drugs in 1982, when his soccer career was flying. 'Once you are in, you can't get out.'

He said he preferred treatment in Cuba, where he has lived for most of the last four years, because he had less hassle from the media and could play golf on good courses.

Maradona, who weighs '90 kilos (198 pounds) and a bit', said he was trying to diet.

But he showed he still had a few of his old soccer skills as he balanced a ball on his forehead for the TV audience.

Cruyff: Barcelona have too many Brazilians :hangover:

tribalfootball.com - August 29, 2004

Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff has criticised the club's policy of signing Brazilians.
"Barcelona have already had a bad experience from signing too many players from the same country," said the Dutch great. "Now they're doing it with Brazilians.

"It's not possible to have success with so many players from the same country.

"I'm not judging the players individually, but success comes from the finer details and the morale of the team is very important. Sincerely, I see too many Brazilians at Barcelona."

Barcelona coach: Number of Brazilians not a problem :party:

tribalfootball.com - August 30, 2004

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has rejected criticism from Johan Cruyff that his squad comprises of too many Brazilians.

Cruyff is concerned that having so many players from one country could lead to creating cliques inside the dressing room and affect the players' morale.

"Txiki (Begiristain) and I considered the signings as people and we did not pay attention to their nationalities," said Rijkaard. "I believe that we have exceptional sportsmen.

"All the Brazilians we have are number one at a personal and a soccer level; Edmilson is a professional of very many qualities, with a winning mentality that goes to help the team greatly; Motta has grown here and understands perfectly what Barcelona is about and I do not believe that we need to discuss the quality of Belletti and Sylvinho.

"I am very happy with them and I believe that they are going to help us a lot."

Santa Cruz accuses Bayern coach of stifling creativity :eekani:



ASUNCION, Sept 1 (Reuters) -

Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz on Wednesday accused his club coach Felix Magath of stifling creativity.

"It seems that nice moves, a little dribble or a run forward with the ball under control are not exactly things which please the coach," the Paraguayan international told reporters in his homeland. "But I'm not going to change my attitude."

"I'm not going to start kicking opponents or throwing myself to the ground just to please this person (Magath)."


Santa Cruz, who joined Bayern as a teenager from Olimpia and is now in his fifth season at the club, added he could always leave and join another club if Magath was not satisfied with his performances.

Santa Cruz has been given more chances to start matches for Bayern following an injury to Peruvian Claudio Pizarro.

Paraguay face Venezuela at home in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

Argentina are not unbeatable, says Peru captain Solano :nerd:

LIMA, Sept 1 (Reuters) -

Peru captain Nolberto Solano said on Wednesday that World Cup qualifying opponents Argentina were not unbeatable.

Argentina have beaten Peru twice in the last two months and could field up to seven members of the Olympic team which took the gold medal in Athens by winning all six games without conceding a goal.

Marcelo Bielsa's team also reached the final of the Copa America in Peru in July, knocking the hosts out in the quarter-finals, and only lost to Brazil on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Peru face them again in Lima on Saturday.

"They're a team who always want to win. Their players are never satisfied," Solano told reporters.

"But we have our strong points and with a lot of optimism and determination, we can do it (beat them).

Argentina are second in the South American World Cup qualifying group with 12 points from seven games while Peru are seventh with nine points.

"We have to play with intelligence and try to stop them getting the ball," Solano said.

"If we get caught out of position and leaving spaces, they're going to make things complicated."

Bayern Issue Lucio Threat Denial

9/4/2004

Bayern Munich have issued a media release following reports of a public disagreement between Brazilian defender Lucio and coach Felix Magath.
Lucio, a new-signing from Leverkusen, was furious at being substituted in the 4-1 defeat at his old club on Saturday, and was quoted in the German media on Thursday expressing displeasure at the outcome.

However, Lucio has since met with Magath and denied that the quotes attributed to him were factual.

Today, the club has published a press release on its official Web site that reads as follows:

"On the afternoon of Friday 3 September 2004, talks were held between FC Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath and first-team player Lucio.

The reason for the talks were a number of statements published on Thursday and attributed to the player.

Lucio distanced himself from the statements and assured the coach he had never issued any threat or anything similar. He was simply extremely disappointed at his substitution in the Bundesliga fixture against Leverkusen.

The coach and the player have no fundamental disagreements.

FC Bayern Munich AG

Marcus Hörwick
Media Director"

Overcrowded calendar killing football says Spain's Baraja



MADRID, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Spain midfielder Ruben Baraja says that unless urgent action is taken by the sport's governing bodies the overcrowded football calendar will end up destroying the game as a spectacle. :eekani: :undecide:

"What the authorities are doing at the moment is complete madness," Baraja was quoted as saying in Spanish sports daily Marca on Tuesday.

"I think the way they are treating players is totally unfair... in the end they are going to kill football."

The Valencia midfielder, who played a total of 64 matches last season and has taken part in nine games in the last 21 days, said that players were unable to perform at a top level because of the endless succession of domestic, European and international fixtures.

"In the end you will see players performing well below their usual level and that will be bad for everyone: for the players themselves, the fans and the authorities."

Baraja cited the experience of club colleague Roberto Ayala as an example of what would happen to players who were given no time to recover from one season to the next.

Following an exhausting double-winning season with Valencia, the Argentine defender spent three months playing in World Cup qualifiers, the Copa America and then the Olympics, only to end up having to undergo surgery to deal with damaged knee ligaments.

"The abuse of players has gone far enough," said Baraja. "All of us want to play, but when we are abused then things like the Ayala injury are bound to occur."

Baraja's club are at present involved in a club-versus-country row with Argentina over midfielder Pablo Aimar.

The Primera Liga side refused to allow Aimar to join up with the South Americans for their recent World Cup qualifier with Peru saying that the midfielder was still suffering from the after-effects of a groin injury.

The decision prompted a strong response from Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa who accused Valencia of violating the rules on making players available for international matches.

"We went through all the necessary procedures, but they didn't send him, they ignored the regulations and I don't know what will become of this situation," he said.

Germany Will Want Revenge - Ronaldinho

9/7/2004

Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho believes that Germany will be out for revenge when the two teams meet in a friendly on Wednesday.
It was Brazil who defeated Germany 2-0 to lift the World Cup in 2002, and Ronaldinho said: "The game against Germany is going to be hard as they will be trying to get revenge after the final of the last World Cup. Even though it is a friendly it is going to be a hard match as if there are three points to win.

"I am very happy because little by little and thanks to my play with Barcelona I am finding my space in world football, but still there is a lot for me to learn.

"It will be nice to play in the Olympic Stadium, the pitch that will host the final of the 2006 World Cup."

Tevez Tempted By European Move

9/9/2004

Boca Juniors striker Carlos Tevez has admitted that the idea of playing in Europe excites him, amid reported interest from Atletico Madrid.
"I am very happy and contented at Boca, but for me it is more and more difficult to reject millionaire offers from Europe," he said.

"I am committed to stay with Boca until the end of the season. But after that, I do not know."

Tevez was the top scorer for Argentina at the recent Olympic games in Athens.

Klinsmann Proud Of Brazil Draw 09/09/04
Die Mannschaft manager Jürgen Klinsmann was quite happy Thursday morning after a spirited performance against Brazil – one that had German papers raving.

"The most important thing is the fact that the players are growing together as a team," he said. "You can see the bonding that is going on and with everyone sharing the one major goal that we have before us.”

"We were mentally right and the way my players set about their task of playing Brazil makes me confident for the future."

However, Klinsmann was not in the mood to lay the praise on so thick as the reporters he was talking to.

"The team saw what is possible if they all pull together and play a fast moving and aggressive game," he concluded. “It was fun to watch, but there are still some things we need to work on."

Veron calls for calm as Inter prepare for German test ;)


September 14, 2004

MILAN, Italy (AFP) - Inter Milan's Juan Sebastian Veron has urged his team-mates not to reach for the panic button just because their first game of the new Serie A season didn't go according to plan.

Inter begin their Champions League campaign at home to Werder Bremen on Tuesday and the mercurial playmaker is appealing to his colleagues to forget their disappointing draw at Chievo and focus fully on the German champions.

"We have only played one game. We're only at the start of the season and if we get depressed now then we should stop playing football," said the mercurial Argentina international, who is on a year-long loan from Chelsea after failing to hold down a regular place in England.

"You need to have a bit of patience and we will continue working hard to improve. We must concentrate on the task ahead and put behind us the last match."

The weight of expectation has often weighed heavily on Inter's shoulders, especially as wealthy owner Massimo Moratti has splashed out heavily in the transfer market in recent years.

But Veron insisted the perennial underachievers, who booked their place in the Champions League thanks to an impressive win over Swiss side Basel in a two-legged qualifier, would not let Saturday's 2-2 draw in Verona dent their confidence.

"When everyone showered us with compliments after beating Basel we didn't get excited, and we're not getting down about the draw with Chievo," said the former Lazio and Manchester United midfielder."

If Inter are in a flap after drawing their opening match, then Bremen must be apoplectic having suffered a disastrous start to their title defence.

Beaten just four times in the league last season, Bremen have already lost two of their first four Bundesliga matches and sporting director Klaus Allofs has warned the players that they cannot rest on their laurels.

"If we carry on like this we won't win any more matches," said the former Germany international after Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach.

"Everyone in the team has to understand that this type of showboating cannot continue and we must forget what happened last season."

The team, based in the north-west of Germany, have been severely weakened by the sale of striker Ailton to German rivals Schalke 04. The Brazilian was the league's top scorer last season with 28 goals.

The club signed Angelos Charisteas to replace him, but the scorer of the winning goal for Greece in the Euro 2004 final against Portugal, has spent more time on the substitutes' bench than he would have liked and is reported to be considering his future.

Bremen, whose last appearance in the Champions League was in the 1993/04 season, have never played Inter in a European club competition before.

Inter, European champions in 1964 and 1965, were knocked out after the first group stage of last season's Champions League despite winning their first two games against Arsenal and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Argentina coach Bielsa runs out of energy :sleepy:



BUENOS AIRES, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Marcelo Bielsa ended his six-year spell as coach of Argentina because he ran out of energy, he said on Tuesday.

"I realised the amount of energy which is absorbed by the various tasks which are involved in being coach of the team... and that I didn't have this energy any more," he told a news conference.

"It seemed to me that, at this stage of the work, I cannot afford the absence of energy, so I matured the decision to disconnect myself from this job."


Bielsa, often criticised for his team selections, added: "I've always tried to interpret the preferences of the Argentine supporters and satisfy them."

Bielsa's sudden resignation surprised Argentines because it came at one of the brightest moments of his reign.

The coach had survived first-round elimination at the 2002 World Cup, followed by a difficult two years in which he was jeered and insulted by the crowd at home games.

Having weathered the storm, he took a new-look side to the final of the Copa America in July and last month won the Olympic soccer gold medal with an under-23 team including several players he had already blended into the senior side.

Argentina then went on to beat Peru 3-1 away in a World Cup qualifier ten days ago to leave them second in the South American group and comfortably on their way to claiming a place at the 2006 tournament.

"The decision began to take shape after we came back from Lima in the last game," Bielsa said.

"If our situation in the qualifiers had not been favourable, I would not have taken this decision. This seemed to me to be the ideal moment."

"We have consolidated a variation in the make-up of the squad, we have united two generations. It appears to me that part of the job, which was to bring together two generations, has been completed. The national team is on the right track."

He added: "To be coach of the national team brings passion, because it is one of the most important national teams in the world.

"I went through what all coaches go through and criticism is part of the job. Argentina has a group of players who are capable of producing a lot and you have to be up to the demands."

Bianchi rejects Argentina job

by Simon Fudge - Last Updated 16 Sep 2004


ArgentinaJose Nestor Pekerman looks set to become the next manager of Argentina (CONFIRMED ALREADY !!!!!)after Carlos Bianchi turned the offer to succeed Marcelo Bielsa.

Bielsa resigned from his post with the South American giants after claiming he had no energy to continue in the job.

His resignation surprised many in Argentina following a successful summer of leading the country to a runners-up spot in the Copa America in Peru and a gold medal triumph at the Athens Olympics last month.

With Bielsa stepping down, Argentina president Julio Grondona quickly turned his attentions to former Boca Juniors boss Bianchi (pictured) as his top candidate.

However, a meeting between Grondona and Boca Juniors vice president Pedro Pompilio - who was representing Bianchi - failed to bring an agreement.

It is thought that Bianchi does not want to return to coaching until 2005, with speculation suggesting he is eyeing a return to La Bombonera, as his son running as a vice presidential candidate in next year elections at Boca Juniors.

Grondona was disappointed that Bianchi refused to accept the role as national boss.

"I am really sorry that Bianchi didn't accept to be the coach of the national team," Grondona said.

"He didn't accept because of personal problems. He said that he didn't want to work again at the moment.

"We did all what we could, but he said no from the first moment."

With Bianchi ruling himself out of the running, reports in Argentina suggest that Pekerman will be appointed to the post, with his assistant though to become Julio Olarticoechea.

Grondona thinks Pekerman has the capabilities of leading the South Americans to the World Cup finals in Germany 2006, despite leaving a position as youth team director with the Argentine FA in October 2002.

"I think that it's not necesary to talk about the profile that Pekerman has as a coach," Pekerman said.

"We all know all what he has done for Argentinian football. Nearly all the players that are playing currently for the national team have first played for the youth teams that Pekerman made win so many titles.

"Maybe we can make those victories continue now with the major national team."

Pekerman the ideal choice to lead Argentina



By Rex Gowar

LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) -

Argentina's new coach Jose Pekerman appears the ideal choice to carry on where Marcelo Bielsa surprisingly left off when he resigned on Tuesday.

Bielsa had built a young, attack-minded team brimming with talent which looks poised for great things provided the job is continued by a man with a similar approach to the game.

Pekerman shares Bielsa's footballing philosophies of attacking football and fair play.

As coach of Argentina's under-20 team from 1994 to 2002, he helped develop many of the players he will coach in the senior side.

Pekerman masterminded a period of considerable success in Argentine soccer that only fell short at the ultimate hurdle -- the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan in 2002.

He steered his country's under-20s to three world youth titles between 1995 and 2001 but then watched from the sidelines as Bielsa failed to bring home the biggest crown.

Most of the players now regarded as the future of Argentina's national team will have passed through the hands of Pekerman and his former assistant Hugo Tocali, now in charge of the juniors.

Pekerman's credibility is such that he could have taken over the national side much earlier.

He succeeded Daniel Passarella as director of all national teams in 1998 but did not feel sufficiently qualified to handle the senior side despite his inspirational successes with the boys in Qatar in 1995 and Malaysia in 1997.

Instead, he brought in Bielsa and his choice seemed vindicated by a team with a fine attacking game admired around the world.

Argentina travelled to the 2002 World Cup as favourites but there they ran into problems that Bielsa, stubbornly sticking to his trusted tactics, failed to overcome.

AIMAR EXAMPLE

Bielsa opted for experience in his World Cup squad and only included one Pekerman protege, midfielder Pablo Aimar who was in the World Youth Cup-winning side of 1997.

Yet Aimar turned out to be Argentina's biggest success in Japan while the country rued Bielsa's decision not to also include Javier Saviola and his new Barcelona team mate Juan Roman Riquelme, one of the victorious 1997 squad.

Following the tournament, Pekerman was again in line to take over the senior side as many felt Bielsa would not survive such a big failure.

Instead, Peckerman left his post at the Argentine Football Association and Bielsa's contract was later extended.

Bielsa struggled to regain credibility with the Argentine public but finally did so last month when he led the under-23 side to the nation's first Olympic gold medal in soccer.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Pekerman was a journeyman footballer who played in midfield for Argentinos Juniors in the early 1970s, at the time when a young Maradona entertained the crowds at halftime with his ball juggling skills.

His one big break was a transfer in 1975 to Colombian club Medellin.

But injury curtailed his career and on his return to Argentina, Pekerman made ends meet driving a taxi and doing other part time jobs before beginning his coaching career in 1982 with the junior teams at Argentinos Juniors.

In 1990, he joined leading Chilean club Colo Colo as coach of their juniors teams, staying until December 1993. :proud:

Less than a year later, Pekerman was chosen from a short list of four to take charge of Argentina's junior teams.

After ending his association with the AFA two years ago, Pekerman joined the Argentine revolution at Spanish second division club Leganes in August 2003 where he was been brought in by the new owner, Argentine music tycoon Daniel Grinbank.

He resigned the following February, one month after Grinbank ended his involvement, forcing the club into cost-cutting measures which also resulted in the departure of coach Carlos Aimar and several members of the playing staff.

Uruguay soccer coach apologises for gay outburst :dazed:


September 17, 2004


MONTEVIDEO (AFP) - Uruguay football coach Jorge Fossati apologized after coming under fire for stating that he would never call up a homosexual player to the national side.

"I never intended to hurt anybody, but if some people were offended then I publicly apologise. I simply gave my answer to a question I was asked," said the 53-year-old Fossati who was even questioned by a judge over his remarks.

Fossati said in an interview in the Uruaguayan daily El Pais: "Sincerely I believe that a homosexual player should not be in a professional group.

"There are certain norms that have to be safeguarded. A gay player would be a disrupting influence among men.

"He has very different habits from the other 25," he added.

His comments have led to a storm of protest from Uruguayan associations favourable to sexual diversity.

In a joint statement issued by the groups Wednesday they slammed Fossati as "ignorant and chauvinist," adding that they were "deeply worried by the irresponsibile and homophobic statements made in public."

After being quizzed by the judge, the coach said he was confident the matter was now closed.

"The judge and prosecutor perfectly understood my position and it seems to me that the matter is finished."

Maradona blasts Real's Galacticos

20/09/04


Diego Maradona has written off Real Madrid and claims Arsenal are the best team in Europe.

"The Galacticos aren't more than a band of stray dogs," Maradona said as he left for Cuba, where he is to continue his treatment to recover from drug addiction.

After watching Real's Champions League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen, Maradona said: "I felt embarrassed watching them.

"Roberto Carlos didn't know what was he doing on the pitch and Beckham was just looking for the flashes. All of them just wanted the match to finish. That's not football."

And he recommended that the Spanish team sign Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano. "He's a monster, with him Real Madrid would be a real team," he said.

And Argentina's World Cup-winning skipper added: "I do like Arsenal a lot, they're the best in Europe. And Thierry Henry is a 'Maradonian' player."

Venezuela no longer a dead chicken, says Brazil coach



RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has praised the improvement shown by next month's World Cup qualifying opponents Venezuela and says they can no longer be considered "a dead chicken".

The world champions play in Maracaibo, where they won 6-0 on their last visit four years ago, on October 9 and will be defending an unbeaten record against Venezuela in full internationals.

But Parreira warned on Monday that Venezuela, who have won three out of eight matches in the 2006 World Cup qualifying competition, are a vastly improved side.

"Without wanting to cause panic, Venezuela have improved a lot, they're not a dead chicken any more," he told the Brazilian Football Confederation's official website.

"It's no longer the Venezuela that would go on to the field, concede six or seven goals and lose easily.

"They're much more confident, much more sure of themselves, they've already won three games in the competition, they've put in some good performances and so we have to take the game seriously," said Parreira.

"If we do that we will bring home three points."

Brazil, who beat Bolivia 3-1 in their last match, lead the South American World Cup qualifying group, which is nearing its halfway stage, with 16 points from eight games.

Venezuela are sixth with 10 points and still have a good chance of qualifying for their first World Cup finals. The top four teams go straight to Germany and the fifth will play off against the winners of the Oceania region.

Juninho: Celtic can help me back into Brazil team

tribalfootball.com - September 29, 2004

Juninho hopes success with new club Celtic can lead him back into the Brazilian national team.

The midfield dazzler said: "I'm enjoying my football at Celtic and the fans have been great.

"Obviously I want to help bring success to the club and perform at a high standard during my time in Scotland.

"To be honest, I still hope to be involved with the Brazil national team and it would be wonderful to make the squad for the World Cup Finals in Germany.

"That is a long-term target, though. All I'm concentrating on at the moment is playing well against AC Milan and helping Celtic."

Veron Praises Cambiasso

9/29/2004

Inter won three important points in Brussels on Wednesday night to reach top spot in Group G and edge closer to qualifications for the next round.
Juan Pablo Veron, who believes that the team must continue on the same road, had words of praise for his team mate Cambiasso. The former Real Madrid played a great game and was one of the best players on the field.

"Cambiasso’s presence helped us to attack more as he placed himself in front of the defence. He covered our backs and we felt more relaxed. Now we have 6 points, but we cannot be too calm. We must continue to work and remain humble and united."

Fernando Cavenaghi hopes to win a call-up to the Argentina national team.

The Spartak Moscow ace hopes the appointment of Jose Pekerman will increase his chances of breaking into the national set-up.

"With the new coach in the national team I have new expectations. I hope that Pekerman remembers me from when I played for the national youth team," said Cavenaghi.

"Bielsa had chosen other players, he preferred Hernan Crespo but I don't have anything to say about that. I can't make any criticisms on Bielsa, he did a great job".

Cavenaghi is enjoying life in Russia after his summer move from River Plate

"It's a great league. There are many competitive teams," added Cavenaghi.

"It's true that I am very far from Argentina, it's not the same to play in Russia than in Europe but I think that I have the same chances as other players for being called to the national team".

Romario says he is Brazil's best since 1970 :D

By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 30 (Reuters) -

Former World Cup striker Romario said Thursday that he considers himself to be Brazil's most important player since 1970.

"This will probably cause another controversy and I'll probably get a good hiding for saying it, but, yes I consider myself (to be the best)," he said when asked the question at a media conference on Thursday.

Romario, still playing for first division Fluminense at the age of 38, announced that he would reunite Brazil's 1994 World Cup winning team for a match in Los Angeles on November 10 to mark his international farewell.

Although he has never officially announced his international retirement, Romario has not been picked by his country since captaining the side which lost 1-0 to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier three years ago.

Brazil will face a Mexican team in a match which will also be used as a tribute to former Mexico goalkeeper Jorge Campos, famous for wearing outrageous luminous kits and occasionally playing as a striker.

"I thought this would be the right moment as it is 10 years since we won the fourth world title," said Romario, who scored five goals in the 1994 tournament.

"It's a unique opportunity to reunite the gang," he added.

1,000 GOALS

Romario, who has played little first team football this year, said he still had no intention of retiring, although he admitted it was now almost impossible to reach his target of scoring 1,000 goals in his career.

"It's difficult for anyone who has played football for a long time to stop, but I know this moment will arrive," he said.

"The last two years haven't been very positive and it would be almost impossible (to reach 1,000 goals)," added the former PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Valencia striker, who claims his tally -- which critics claim includes youth team games and other non-official matches -- stands at 908.

Romario, who recently asked Fluminense coach Alexandre Gama to leave him out of the team because he did not feel match fit, said that he was now having difficulty getting back into the side.

Fluminense have enjoyed a seven-match unbeaten run in his absence and Romario has been left out of the two matches played since he was declared fully fit again.

"I'm ready when they need me," he said. "I'm not injured and I'm not playing -- so I've been dropped. But I'm going to keep trying.

Pele disgusted by the state of Brazilian soccer :(

Suggesting a strike to protest non-payment of wages, all-time great Pele lambasted the overall condition of soccer in Brazil. "Some players don't get paid for three or four months and nothing happens," he said, noting that a work stoppage might be the answer. Pele also said the country, set to host the 2014 World Cup, isn't close to being prepared.

Robinho wants to stay at Santos


RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Santos forward Robinho, one of the few of Brazil's top talents still playing for a club in his homeland, is in no hurry to make the move to Europe.
'There have been offers but none has been good enough for me and for Santos,' the 20-year-old told the Estado News Agency in an interview published Monday.


'My dream is to play in Europe like anyone else. I want to show my playing ability to the Europeans and be successful there like I am here but I'm not in a hurry to leave Santos.'

'This is my home, I feel happy here, I'm well-paid, Santos pay on time, I play in a good team and I have an excellent coach (Vanderlei Luxemburgo).'

Robinho burst on to the scene when he helped Santos win their first Brazilian championship title as an 18-year-old in 2002.

His cheeky dribbling and his physique quickly led to comparisons with Pele, who spent 17 playing years at the same club.

Robinho's career took a downturn at the start of the year when he was in the Brazilian under-23 team which failed to qualify for the Athens Olympics.

He was photographed dropping his shorts before the Olympic qualifying tournament and was later criticised for being overconfident.

'They ended up saying the joke was the reason for our defeat. But we lost because we were meant to lose,' he said.

'I was wrong to joke around in front of the media. I've learned my lesson.'

Robinho has since rediscovered his best form and scored 19 goals in helping Santos to second place in the Brazilian championship.

'My target is to be at the 2006 World Cup but to do that, I'll have to work hard here at Santos,' he said.

He added that he would not change his often irreverent style, which has angered opponents so much that some have publicly threatened him.

'I've always dribbled and I will continue dribbling,' he said.

Robinho, a former ball boy who was singled out for praise by Pele several years ago in the club's youth divisions, added: 'I didn't imagine it would all happen this quickly. I got into the team at the age of 17 and won the Brazilian championship at 18. I can't complain.'

Pekerman gives us freedom to play, say Argentina trio



By Luis Ampuero

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Argentina's players appear to be getting more freedom to perform under new coach Jose Pekerman than they did during the six-year reign of his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa.

Pekerman takes charge for the first time in Saturday's World Cup qualifier at home to Uruguay and next Wednesday's match in Chile.


"Pekerman's game is more Argentine and less European," striker Carlos Tevez, 20, said on Wednesday.

"Pekerman gives you the confidence and freedom to play," added the Boca Juniors player, who is considered the most exciting of his country's new generation.

Bielsa, who surprisingly resigned last month with his side playing some of the best football since he took over, was occasionally criticised for stifling their freedom of expression, a traditional part of the Argentine game.

Pekerman, who coached the under-20s for eight years and won three World Youth Championships, is renowned for a more open approach.

Tevez was given his international debut earlier this year and many felt Bielsa waited too long before introducing a player who flourished as an 18-year-old.

Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, who only managed a brief look-in under Bielsa, also appeared to be enjoying new-found freedom.

"He (Pekerman) is going to try and do the same as he did with the youth teams, trying to make sure that we enjoy ourselves and, above all, thinking about winning," said Riquelme.

Monaco forward Javier Saviola, controversially overlooked during most of Bielsa's reign, agreed with his two team mates.

"Pekerman lets the players play a little more freely and this maybe benefits some more than others," he said.

"I learned to mark more with Bielsa...and Jose gives me more freedom."

[COLOR=Teal]Australia coach Farina calls FIFA ruling a joke :howler:



By Greg Buckle

MELBOURNE, Oct 8 (Reuters)

- Australia coach Frank Farina says the decision by world soccer's governing body FIFA to allow Solomon Islands striker Commins Menapi to play in Saturday's Confederations Cup first leg qualifier is a joke.

Menapi scored two goals in a 2-2 draw against Australia in the combined Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying tournament in Adelaide in June and he also received two bookings in the competition.

The Socceroos topped the six-team event with Solomon Islands in second place, both sides qualifying for the Confederations Cup two-leg playoff series in Honiara on Saturday and Sydney on Tuesday.

"They (Solomon Islands) are saying he (Menapi) has been cleared but it's an absolute joke. It's all very clouded over," Farina told reporters in a teleconference from Honiara on Friday.

"They are saying they have approval for him to play. How can that possibly be the case when this is basically the final of that Adelaide tournament? Two yellow (cards) and you are normally suspended.

"We would like to see in writing that FIFA have approved that he can play. We don't seem to have that.

"So that is something that if they do allow him to play, maybe they (Solomon Islands) will get in trouble for it later on."

WORLD CUP

Australia and Solomon Islands also proceed to the qualifiers in September next year for the right to represent Oceania in a World Cup playoff series against the fifth-ranked South American team.

OFC acting general secretary Tai Nicholas said on Friday the confederation would send written confirmation of Menapi's status to both teams before Saturday's game.

"The advice we received from FIFA verbally in Zurich was because he was suspended in a World Cup qualifying match, he can serve his suspension in the next World Cup qualifiers," Nicholas told Reuters.

"We'll get written clarification now from FIFA," Nicholas added in a telephone interview from Auckland.

"I thought my word was good enough but obviously not."

Nicholas said he had sent verbal confirmation to OFC staff in Honiara and they had passed on the news to Australia and Solomon Islands.

"But obviously Australia is not happy so we will get written confirmation."

Australia have been hit by injuries to strikers Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and John Aloisi although Kewell and Aloisi are hopeful of recovering from leg strains in time for Tuesday's second leg.

The playoff winners will represent Oceania at next year's Confederations Cup in Germany alongside Brazil, Tunisia, Greece, Mexico, Argentina, Japan and the hosts.

Carrasco In Spectacular Fix Claim :stress: :irritate: :stress: :dazed:

07/10/04

Former Uruguay manager Juan Ramon Carrasco has asserted that the national team had a 2001 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying 1-1 result arranged with Argentina in advance.
"The result was arranged by both teams before the match because Argentina had already qualified and Uruguay needed a point to reach the playoffs,” he claims. "Thanks to that result Uruguay played off against Australia and reached the 2002 World Cup finals.”

"Everybody in Uruguay knows this,” said Carrasco. “Maybe in Argentina they say they do not know anything, but I am sure they do."

Samuel surprised by Real

by Patricio Figueroa - Last Updated 10 Oct 2004

Real Madrid's big money summer capture Walter Samuel has revealed he is still adapting to life in La Liga and is surprised by how teams play the Spanish giants.

The former Roma defender joined Real in the close season and as yet Los Galacticos have struggled in the league and displayed indifferent form in Europe.

Real are currently eighth in La Liga with three wins from their opening five games, although in Europe they avenged their thrashing by Bayer Leverkusen to come from behind to beat to his former club on Tuesday.

"When I came to Real Madrid I maybe had a different picture, but the thing is that all the teams want to defeat us and play as if it was the last game in their lives," explained Samuel.

"I don't feel well because now it seems to be that I don't know how to play football anymore. I am not interested in convincing the supporters with words, I want to demonstrate that on the pitch.

"I hope to adapt to this football as soon as possible. I will adapt to my team-mates and everything will improve. I am sad because I arrived here with a big expectation but things haven't gone well for me yet."

Samuel will come around soon enough..So I hope for the good of my Merengues !!!! :cap:

Ronaldo: "Romario pretentious"

Ronaldo labelled his former Brazil striking partner Romario as pretentious on Tuesday after the 1994 World Cup forward's description of himself as the team's most important player in 34 years.



Alex comes in for Kakà

"I think it's very pretentious for a player to call himself the best," Ronaldo said. "I don't have this habit."

Romario, who scored five goals in 1994 as he led Brazil to their fourth world title, sparked the controversy two weeks ago.

"This will probably cause another controversy and I'll probably get a good hiding for saying it, but, yes I consider myself (to be the most important since 1970)," he said at a news conference.

Ronaldo's reply came after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced that he had overtaken Romario's total of 55 goals in full internationals by scoring twice against Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier last Saturday.

The CBF said that Ronaldo was now the team's second highest goal-scorer with 56 and was closing on Pele's total of 77.

Zico is fourth with 52.

However, the CBF said the order changed when matches against club and representative elevens -- which have often been used in the past as official totals in Brazil -- were included.

Pele scored 95 goals in the latter category, followed by Romario (70), Zico (67) and Ronaldo (65).

Ronaldo, who once caused controversy when he was quoted as saying that Pele's total had to be revised downwards, said he was not obsessed with reaching the legendary player's target.

"It's not my intention to be better than Pele," he said.

"I want to be Ronaldo. I just think about playing well and scoring goals."

"The numbers are there for whoever wants to analyse them," he said. "I don't have the idea of being the best in the world."

Ronaldo is hoping to add to his total when Brazil face Colombia in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.

Brazil, unbeaten after nine games, lead the South American group with 19 points and Ronaldo is leading scorer with nine goals.

Ronaldo and Romario were set to play alongside each other in the 1998 World Cup but Romario was ruled out of the tournament with a nagging calf muscle injury.

The 38-year-old Romario still plays for Fluminense and intends to end his career next year.

Pekerman says: "Chile stopped Argentina playing".



SANTIAGO, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Jose Pekerman said that Chile prevented his team from playing their normal game in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.

Argentina were unable to find the flowing football which enabled them to beat Uruguay 4-2 last Saturday and had to settle for goalless draw.

"I think Chile played a great match," Pekerman told reporters. "They put is under pressure in the first half and we had some difficult moments. We couldn't find the ball."

Pekerman added: "We wanted to play the same way we did in the last match but we couldn't, partly because of our opponents and partly because we weren't comfortable."

Ronaldo dismisses big-headed Romario :dielaugh:

Stuart James

Thursday October 14, 2004

The Guardian

Ronaldo has labelled his former Brazil team-mate Romario "pretentious" after the 1994 World Cup forward claimed to be the country's most important player since 1970. "I think it's very pretentious for a player to call himself the best," said the Real Madrid striker. "I don't have this habit."
Romario sparked the controversy when he remarked "I'll probably get a good hiding for saying it but, yes, I consider myself [to be the most important since 1970]."

Ronaldo's riposte came after he overtook Romario's total of 55 international goals by scoring twice against Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier last Saturday. He is now Brazil's second highest scorer of all-time, behind Pele, who finished his international career with 77 goals.

Two people nearly killed when a furious Romanian football fan threw his TV set out of the window refused to help police press charges because they said the national team had played so badly they understood how he felt.

Ghita Axinte from Pascani in eastern Romania said he was so angry at Romania's defeat against the Czech Republic that he grabbed the TV and threw it out of the window, narrowly missing two of his neighbours on the balcony below.

Neighbour Radu Demergiu said: "At first I was shocked at my neighbour, he could have killed us. But when he told me he had been watching the football I completely understood."

Veron:"Adriano has got everything"

http://www.worldfootballers.com/news.php?id=116

Mauro Silva: Racism Is Not Rife :nerd:

11/18/2004

Mauro Silva believes that racism is not rife in Spanish football :eekani: and it everyone should be careful to assume that because of the actions of a minority.
The Deportivo veteran chose his words carefully as he entered the debate following the chanting during Spain’s 1-0 win over England on Wednesday.

"It is not possible to generalise because of the behaviour of few isolated people like those in the Bernabeu," he explained.

"Sportsmen have the opportunity to show the good values in society because we are examples for many youngsters.

"We have to be careful to say things that could cause problems or hostility."

Helguera Defends Samuel

11/26/2004

Ivan Helguera has leapt to the defence of beleaguered team-mate Walter Samuel after the Argentinian’s poor start to his career at Real Madrid.
The Spanish international believes that the former Roma star will win over his detractors when he finally settles into life in his new surroundings.

"Samuel is a great player," enthused Helguera. "He will win over the fans and earn their support.

"He has not had much luck with a few of the mistakes, but that can happen to anyone. There are a lot of players that have started slowly and have then won over the supporters."

Samuel made a disasterous start at Madrid with a glaring mistake in the Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen before sent off in his domestic debut as Madrid went down at Espanyol.

In recent weeks he has incurred the wrath of his own fans when he was whistled after a glorious gaffe that allowed Albacete to equalise and then saw a header fly towards his own goal allowing Leverkusen to take the lead in midweek.

Brazil or Sweden job interests me: Eriksson

Dec 04, 2004

http://www.wldcup.com/pictures/2004_12/19104_27577_0.jpg
England manager Sven Goran Eriksson said when his contract ends in 2008 he would be interested in coaching either Brazil or Sweden.

England manager Sven Goran Eriksson said when his contract ends in 2008 he would be interested in coaching either Brazil or Sweden.

He also said he would consider going into club management once more though his priority is to lead England into the final of a major competition.

"After my contract ends I will be 60 but I would like to be a manager for a club once more," Eriksson said in comments that appeared in Saturday's edition of The Sun.

"But there are lots of jobs I can take - maybe manager of Sweden or Brazil. Those are two jobs that I would like very much."

Eriksson is confident England can better their last-eight appearances at the 2002 World Cup and this year's European Championships.

"This team can do better than the quarter-finals. We can reach a final - maybe in one-and-a-half years from now," said Eriksson. "We have to believe we can win it but must have more time training together before internationals.

"We must be together for at least a month before a big tournament and the reason I am still in this job is I believe England can do it."

Eriksson is on a money-spinning Football Association contract worth around three million pounds (4.35 million euros) a year and admits that only in the world of football is he worth that much.

"If you ask if I am worth the salary, the answer is no'. But in the world of football I am worth it - and I am not complaining," he said.

Maradona itching to leave :nasty: Cuban drug rehab clinic

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 7 (Reuters) -

A relaxed and lucid Diego Maradona said on Monday he was waiting for doctors' approval to permanently bolt the Cuban drug rehabilitation clinic he has been "shut inside" for more than two months.

"I went there to reaffirm what I had done in the clinic here in Buenos Aires, and I'm waiting for the doctors to give me permission to leave so I can get to work," Maradona said in a televised interview on Argentina's Telefe channel.

Maradona returned to Argentina on Sunday night to spend the end-of-year holidays with his family. Since late September he had been in treatment for cocaine addiction in Cuba, where he has spent much of the last four years.

Maradona's family forced him to enter a psychiatric clinic outside Buenos Aires after he was rushed to hospital in April with heart and breathing problems, spending 10 days in intensive care while throngs of fans held vigil.

On Monday evening, the soccer great attended his eldest daughter's high school graduation in a Buenos Aires suburb. Police blocked roads leading to the school until Maradona's vehicle had safely cruised away.

Maradona, who rose from abject poverty to lead Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, said his daughter's graduation "is the first in the Maradona family."

Sporting a goatee beard a wearing casual shirt and trousers as opposed to his usual jogging suits, Maradona said he wanted to assure people he was doing well.

He looked in good spirits, laughing at the TV show's impersonators of famous soccer figures and of Cuban President Fidel Castro, who is Maradona's personal friend.

Asked when he might coach Argentina's national team, Maradona simply shook his head in response.

"When I was dying, the doors of the AFA (Argentine Football Association) were open for whatever I wanted to do. Now that I'm alive, they don't even call me on the phone to say 'Merry Christmas, Happy New Year,'" Maradona said.

Pellegrini Wary Of Egaleo

12/15/2004

Villarreal manager Manuel Pellegrini is wary of Greek side Egaleo ahead of Wednesday evening's UEFA Cup tie.
"I saw them play in Belgrade, and it seemed to me a set that defended with a good treatment of the ball," said Pellegrini, referring to a November match in which Egaleo succumbed 4-0 to Partizan.

"Partizan did not create a single chance against them in the first 45 minutes, and the only goal was the consequence of an own goal. In the second half they were opened a little more and then so many [goals] came. From the match that I saw, it did not seem to me a team that played back a lot, although it's true that they did not have much of an attack." :eek:

Ortega wants to play at 2006 World Cup


Argentina forward Ariel Ortega, who helped his club Newell's Old Boys win the Apertura championship only three months after ending a 19-moth soccer exile, said on Wednesday he wants to play at the 2006 World Cup.
'I'm going to get it everything I have in the pre-season to fulfil my dream of playing in Germany,' he said. 'It would be my fourth World Cup.'


The 30-year-old, famous for his trickery and infamous for his play-acting, joined Newell's in September after FIFA brokered an agreement in which Turkey's Fenerbahce agreed to release him for 3 million euros ($3.99 million).

Ortega had previously been ordered to pay $11 million to Fenerbahce after walking out on them in February 2003, failing to return after playing for Argentina in a friendly in the Netherlands.

'I went through a bad time,' said Ortega, who has played 86 matches for Argentina and scored 17 goals. 'The thing I most like doing in life is playing football.'

Ortega scored three goals - two penalties and a superb individual effort - during Newell's campaign and his presence appeared to galvanise the team and the fans.

Blatter vents anger at racist fans :nono:

Timothy Collings

ZURICH, May 19 (Reuters) - Racist soccer spectators should be identified in the crowd and then shamed in public in the middle of the pitch while the match they have tarnished is suspended, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Sunday.
In a proposal put forward during a news conference after this year's final two-day executive committee meeting of world soccer's governing body, Blatter also said racist hooligans should be banned for life from attending matches.


The FIFA president was speaking on the eve of Monday afternoon's disciplinary committee meeting at which the outbursts of racist chanting during last month's friendly international between Spain and England will be considered.

Details of the sanctions to be exercised against the Spanish soccer federation are expected late on Monday.

Blatter said it would create a dangerous precedent if the players were encouraged to leave the pitch with the approval of the referee when there were outbursts of racist chanting.

'I cannot say what kind of sanctions we should expect because I do not interfere at all with the disciplinary bodies of FIFA,' he said.

'But I believe you could stop the game, identify the people involved in this kind of foul situation and then take them to the middle of the field to be booed by the rest of the spectators.

'I know that in Britain, you have the video cameras at the matches and you could therefore do this. You could identify them and send them into the middle of the field in front of the public.'

Blatter said this public humiliation of racist hooligans should be followed by a life ban from all stadiums.

But he added: 'We are not a runaway jury here and I can only say that the only people who should stop a game are the referee or the match commissioner.'

Blatter's proposal came after he had also expressed serious concerns at the risk of burnout faced by top international players and the over-exposure of soccer with too many games, in general, and too much football on television.

He said that FIFA had decided that all major national leagues, including England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, would have to end their competitions before May 14, in 2006.

This, he said, would give the top players a chance to rest and recuperate before the World Cup finals in Germany kick off on June 9.

Tevez: Maradona better than Pele


RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has immediately walked into a potential storm after arriving in Brazil to join Corinthians by telling his hosts that he considers Diego Maradona to be better than Pele.
'I know that Brazilians think Pele is the best but I'm Argentine and I think it's Diego Maradona,' the 20-year-old forward, regarded as one of his country's top players, told Globo television.


Tevez's £9million move from Boca Juniors to Corinthians is a record transfer between two South American clubs.

The transfer was made possible after Corinthians signed a controversial £17.5million partnership deal with London-based group of investors MSI.

Tevez arrived in Brazil on Sunday night, two days after scoring in his last game for Boca Juniors as they beat Bolivar 2-0 to win the Copa Sudamericana.

He underwent a medical on Monday and was officially presented to the club at a dinner on Monday night.

He is due to fly back to Buenos Aires for Christmas and will joining the team for pre-season training in January.

The great escape :moan:

Dominic Raynor

The corruption and poverty that permeates Brazilian football already drives the country's choice talent abroad, but a worrying trend of high-profile kidnappings in South America is set to accelerate their exodus.

Brazilian wunderkind Robinho is latest to suffer at the hands of hostage-takers, who until recently have concentrated their efforts south of the border in Argentina.


The 20-year-old is attempting to get his life as a football star back into perspective after his mother was finally freed by her captors this weekend, over one month after she was snatched from a family barbecue.

Marina Lima de Souza, 43, was kidnapped on November 6 from a party in Praia Grande, a working class area near Sao Paulo, at gun point and bundled into the boot of car. A distraught Robinho withdrew himself from the Santos playing staff and jetted home to be with his family.

His mother was returned 40 days later and Robinho returned to his club's starting line-up just in time to clinch Santo's second Brazilian championship in three years, with a 2-1 victory over Vasco da Gama on Sunday.

However, the domestic pinnacle of achievement was brought into sharp focus by the events that affected his family and now Santos' top goalscorer is keener-than-ever to leave Brazil.

Real Madrid are leading the chase for the latest Brazilian prodigy to be labelled the 'new Pele' - although this time it does seem to have at least some substance as Pele has said he was reminded of himself when he first saw Robinho - and his high-profile switch to one of Europe's glamour clubs is thought to have been at least part of the reason for his mother's abduction.

On the day the news of his proposed multi-million pound transfer broke Robinho was put on alert about the dangers of his high profile. However, his mother had ignored advice about precautions and was taken hostage one day later by two gunmen, who locked other guests in the bathroom while they made their escape.

Brazilian media report that Robinho's mother was only returned after a ransom of some hundreds of thousands of pounds was paid to her kidnappers.

The plight of Santos's top-scorer illustrates a growing problem for South American players, whose high salaries can attract unwelcome attention from the gangs infesting the favelas where many of them, including Robinho, were born.

There are already 83 kidnappings registered in the Sao Paulo area this year and now footballer's families have joined the ranks of rich business men who were the typical targets.

Although the last high-profile kidnapping came back in 1994, when Romario's mother was seized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian authorities, and of course the players, are worried that events may mirror those across the border in Argentina, where the problem has become pandemic.

Since Argentina's economic crash nearly three years ago there have been a number of famous kidnap victims - including the father of brothers Gabriel and Diego Milito and the younger brother of Boca Juniors star Juan Roman Riquelme, all of whom have since left for European clubs.

Robinho is eager to escape before hostilities increase in Brazil as his spokesman Wagner Ribeiro confirmed: 'He wants to settle his professional future because he wants to live a normal, quiet life and the only way to do that is to leave Brazil.'

Unfortunately abduction is only the most unpalatable reason on the top of an extensive list of reasons for Brazilian footballers to quit their native country.

The financial instability is such that even the biggest clubs struggle to stay afloat. Rio de Janeiro club Flamengo, the most popular team in Brazil, maxed out with debts of over £50million in 2002 - a sum that is simply incomprehensible in the struggling Brazilian economy.

However, football does not lack access to finance, funds from mass ticket sales (The Maracana stadium, built in 1950 is still the world's largest with a 103,045 capacity) and merchandising it is simply mismanaged at the top level. The clubs' non-profit amateur status means that finances are not subjected to public scrutiny and a such the fat cats, or Cartolas,, can cream off the top.

The legendary example is that of Vasco da Gama, who squandered a '100 year' investment of £18million by the Bank of America within two years. The bank invested its cash in 1998, three years later the club owed star player Romario £3.4million in back wages, and the same out-of-pocket player is reported to have had to dip into his own coffers to pay his colleagues so that Vasco could field a team.

But it is not just for economic reasons that Brazilians are lured to foreign leagues. Many players end up in minor league such as Albania, Macedonia, the Faeroe Islands and India.

The Cartola's grip on football is such that it has resulted in allegations of corruption and match-fixing that, after a series of government investigations, ultimately resulted in the reorganisation of the Campeonato Brasileiro in attempt to combat it.

In short, the conditions of work are such that practically any club in Europe offers a better living, and the talismanic value attached to Brazilians, who may or may not be better than the local-based players, means there is no shortage of takers.

Indeed there have been scandals of underage players being sold to European clubs and FIFA have prosecuted a number of Brazilian players for undertaking transfers on the back of forged passports, claiming EU citizenship.

Brazilian's seem desperate to jump ship, and a wave of high-profile kidnappings provides one more reason to do so.

Zanetti Invites Samuel To Join Inter ;)

1/3/2005

Inter skipper Javier Zanetti is attempting to lure his Argentine national team companion Walter Samuel to Milan.
“All I can say is that Inter are a great club, and one has a great time here. He is one of the best defenders in the world,” said Zanetti.

Samuel is not having an easy time at Real, but Zanetti believes this does not cancel ‘El Muro’s’ grandeur.

”His difficult start in Madrid should not deny his quality. He is a world-class defender, but like all defenders he suffers when the team plays below par,” he said.

Samuel has repeatedly stated that he wants to stay in Madrid despite his difficult start.

Riquelme Wants Boca Return

1/10/2005

Juan Román Riquelme has revealed that he wants to end his playing days back at Boca Juniors.
The Argentinian midfielder is currently enjoying a successful two-year loan spell at Villarreal from Barcelona, but is thinking about his future.

After joining Barça he was a regular in the side for one season before Frank Rijkaard took over and decided that he could do without Riquelme as he was a non-EU player.

But Riquelme is not only thinking about what to do when his time at El Madrigal ends in the summer, he is also concentrating on the final days of his career.

"Every player that has been in Boca has the will to return some day," said Riquelme.

"I always think that I will end my career in Boca because that club is like my home.

"I know that many parts of the press is talking about how I played against Barcelona, but I really don’t pay attention too much to that because that is my work, I have to give the best from me to my team.

"I had many good moments at Boca and that was because the club had patience and gave me support. I don’t know where my future will be after Villarreal, I only know that I’m contracted to Barcelona until 2007."

Friday, January 14, 2005

Romario tells Pele to 'put a shoe in it' :eek:


RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Former Brazil World Cup forward Romario told Pele to put a shoe in his mouth on Friday after he suggested the 38-year-old should retire.
Romario, who is 39 at the end of the month, said he was 90 percent certain to continue his career with Vasco da Gama.


'When Pele's quiet, he's a poet,' the outspoken 1994 World Cup winner told reporters on Copacabana beach after training for a beach soccer match at the weekend.

'But he just talks shit. On the field, he was the greatest player in history, he was our king. But he should put a shoe in his mouth.

'He should look after his own life. I don't stick my nose into his affairs, so he shouldn't stick his into mine.'

Romario also poked fun at Pele's famous habit of getting predictions wrong.

'When he says something, either it doesn't happen or the opposite happens,' he said.

Romario has launched verbal attacks throughout his career and has fallen out with personalities such as former Brazil captain Zico and former national team coach Mario Zagallo.

In October, he described himself as Brazil's most important player since the 1970 World Cup, a comment which brought an angry response from Ronaldo.

Romario has been without a club since he was fired by Fluminense in October, following a season in which he has struggled for match fitness, clashed with his coaches and been involved in controversy about his much-publicised privileges.

But he is widely expected to have a swansong with Vasco, the club where he began his career.

'I'm training and it's 90 percent certain,' he said. 'There are just a few things to settle with the club.'

Romario apologises :nervous: to Pele over shoe outburst


RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Former World Cup forward Romario apologised to Pele on Saturday for telling him to put a shoe in his mouth.

"I would like to take this chance to apologise to Pele for what I said," he told reporters before taking part in a friendly match in Rio de Janeiro. "I didn't mean to say what I said. He's still the King."


The controversy began earlier this week when Pele was reported as suggesting that Romario, who will be 39 at the end of this month, should retire now to avoiding blighting a career which includes winning the 1994 World Cup.

On Friday, Romario hit out at Pele and said he was 90 percent certain to sign a deal with Vasco da Gama, the club where he began his career.

"When Pele's quiet, he's a poet," Romario told reporters on Copacabana beach after training for a beach soccer match. "But he just talks shit."

"On the field, he was the greatest player in history, he was our king. But he should put a shoe in his mouth."

Romario has been without a club since he was fired by Fluminense in October, following a season in which he has struggled for match fitness, clashed with his coaches and been involved in controversy about his much-publicised privileges.

Earlier on Saturday, Pele tried to defuse the situation.

"I'm a Romario fan," said Pele from Spain where he spoke before Real Madrid unveiled their Danish signing Thomas Gravesen.

"I don't know what they told him but it's true that I was asked in an interview when the time to retire was and I said when you are at the top of your career," he said.

"Although I could have played on longer I left Cosmos, Santos and Brazil when I was a champion. Romario misunderstood what I said and got upset. I apologise if he took it the wrong way. He's small and highly strung, but I've got nothing against him."

HOLLOWAY REVEALS BRAZILIAN INTEREST

Queen Park Rangers Manager Ian Holloway has revealed QPR are working to bring Brazilian players to Loftus Road for next season.

Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning captain Dunga has links with the club - and Holloway could be able to call on South American stars if he is in charge for 2005-06.

Holloway said: "There are some exciting players [in Brazil] that we might have lined up for next season.

"It would be great if we could get them."

Maradona praises Greece's 'miracle'


ATHENS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Diego Maradona has praised Greece's surprise European championship win calling it a miracle that 'is good for football'.
One of the greatest footballers of all time, the Argentine arrived in Athens on a mystery trip early on Thursday but has remained out of sight for more than 24 hours.


He briefly spoke to reporters at the airport before being rushed off to a central Athens hotel he has since not left.

'Greece beat everyone. It was a miracle and it is good for football when small teams do so well. They shake things up,' Maradona said.

Outsiders Greece managed one of the biggest upsets in international soccer history when they won the 2004 European championship in Portugal with victories over holders France, favourites Czech Republic and the hosts in the final.

Wearing a blue jacket and jeans and sporting long hair and a moustache, Maradona cut his drug rehabilitation in Cuba short to fly to Athens.

Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning captain has been battling cocaine addiction for the last four years at a spa on the Caribbean island.

Looking extremely overweight and tired, Maradona did not say how long he would remain in Greece.

'I am just happy to be back in Greece after so many years,' he said before getting into a car.

Maradona played in Greece only once when Napoli met PAOK Salonika during the 1988-89 UEFA Cup tournament which his former Italian club went on to win.

Argentina's 2002 World Cup captain Juan Sebastian Veron does not expect to play for his country again while Jose Pekerman is coach. 'I don't think I can play in the national team again. Pekerman has his players and his ideas and it looks to me like I'm not among them,' Veron said. The former Manchester United midfielder is now on loan at Inter Milan from Chelsea.

Chile striker Pinilla buries hatchet with coach

SANTIAGO, Feb 8 (Reuters) -

Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla says he has buried the hatchet with coach Juvenal Olmos in time for Wednesday's friendly at home to Ecuador.

Pinilla said last month that he would in future think twice about playing for his country after originally being left out of the squad.

The Sporting Lisbon player, however, said on Tuesday that he was happy to be included as a last-minute replacement for the injured Marcelo Salas.

"I had some problems (with the coach) but that has been cleared up," Pinilla told reporters.

"I have a special affection for the red shirt. If I have to make sacrifices for the national team, I'm ready."

Last year, Olmos briefly fell out with midfielder David Pizarro. The Udinese playmaker was dropped for the World Cup qualifiers in October against Ecuador and Argentina because of indiscipline before being recalled to face Peru in November.

Vergara says Guadalajara can win the double

MEXICO CITY, Feb 11 (Reuters)

- Guadalajara's flamboyant president Jorge Vergara has predicted that Mexico's most popular club can with both the Mexican championship and Libertadores Cup in the first half of the year.

The Chivas advanced to the group stage of the Libertadores, South America's most prestigious club competition, with a crushing 5-1 win away to Peru's Cienciano at 3,300 metres above sea level in Cusco on Wednesday.

However, they have picked up only four points in their first four games of the Mexican Clausura championship and face a difficult match at UANL Tigres on Saturday.

"I think we can win the two leagues (championships), it's a question of talent and attitude and we've got them both," Vergara told Mexican media on Friday.

"On Wednesday, we saw what the team can do. We wiped Cienciano off the map and, despite their supposed advantage of altitude, we looked as if we were the home team."

"On Saturday, I'm confident we'll beat the Tigres, 2-0 at least, and we're going to win in Chile as well," he said, referring to the Libertadores match against Cobreloa on Wednesday.

Vergara, who also owns Costa Rican club Saprissa and is the driving force behing the new MLS club Chivas-USA, bought Guadalajara in 2002, promising to turn it into the most successful club in Latin America.

He frequently publishes full-page advertisements in Mexican newspapers bragging when his side win. However, the Chivas, who field only Mexican players, have yet to win a competition under his presidency.

Zanetti out to break Inter spell

Friday, 25 February 2005
By Jim Wirth

Team captain Javier Zanetti has been giving FC Internazionale Milano the benefit of his experience on the right side of defence or midfield for a decade since joining the Serie A club from CA Banfield in his native Argentina before the start of the 1995/96 season.


'It Trattore'
The 31-year-old Zanetti, nicknamed 'Il Trattore' - The Tractor - has been a star for Inter, with the highlight of his time in Milan coming in 1997/98 when he won the UEFA Cup. However, a 1-1 draw at FC Porto this week has raised hopes that the one-time bricklayer might yet win his first UEFA Champions League crown.

uefa.com: You have been at Inter for almost a decade. Have you never been tempted to go elsewhere?


Javier Zanetti: I've had many offers to leave but I've always stayed at Inter as they've always treated me very well. Since day one, they made me feel at home, and I have a great relationship with the supporters and all the people at the club. People tell me that I've become a bit of a modern icon, I only say it with all modesty but I'm very proud to have become captain of this club. A club with a great tradition.

uefa.com: How have you enjoyed being coached by Roberto Mancini since he took over at Inter?

Zanetti: He loves proper football that's played well, and players with strong personalities. He was a great player and he's trying to pass that message on to this hard working squad. We all want to play a role in Inter's history. In the past he was a team-mate of many of the players in the squad, both at [UC] Sampdoria and [S.S.] Lazio, but that doesn't matter now. When the time comes to make a decision, he doesn't let that get in the way.

uefa.com: Inter remain unbeaten in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League this season. How have things changed since the last campaign?

Zanetti: This season many good new players have joined the club and we're all working towards understanding what Mancini wants from us. We now have a solid platform to work from and that's an important part of our aim in writing a glorious page in Inter's history.

uefa.com: You have been playing alongside your Argentina team-mate Juan Sebastián Verón at Inter. How has he been settling in?

Zanetti: He's very important. Seba has been outstanding so far. You only have to see how much attention the opposition pay him - he's our playmaker, and he's always desperate to get the ball and make the team play.

uefa.com: Inter have not won a Serie A title since 1989 or a European trophy since 1997/98. Do you feel pressure as a result of that?

It's been a long time since the club last won a trophy and that's created even more pressure on us during key moments




Zanetti: Every player who arrives at Inter is aware of our duty to win everything. We have extra pressure because of this. It's been a long time since the club last won a trophy and that's created even more pressure on us during key moments. We want to put that behind us now and finally come away with something for once.

uefa.com: Although you have not lost a game all year, Inter are still eleven points adrift of the top of the Serie A table. The Champions League looks like your best chance of winning a trophy. How do you see it?

Zanetti: Now, it's all or nothing. Only the best 16 remain. The task is simply to win. It will be very difficult but we just have to take each game as they come starting with Porto.

Robinho, O Rei?
The most anticipated matchup of the Paulista tournament ended up being a forum for Robinho to flex his muscles in front of the entire soccer world. The Brazilian phenomenon outclassed, outplayed, and outscored his Argentine counterpart in a matchup of the two most exciting and talented young forwards in all of South America. So much so, that both Argentine and Brazilian media outlets called this game Tevez vs. Robinho. It was a matchup that transcended two teams. It became a matchup between two individuals, and the results were made known by the Brazilian media.

Robinho simply played one of the best games of his career on Sunday, as Santos demolished their Paulista nemesis Corinthians. It was one of the most satisfying victories for the Peixe over their rivals, as the Brazilian striker scored on two occasions and assisted on another. Meanwhile Corinthians’ most prized acquisition, Carlos Tevez, touched the ball a few times and could do very little against a team that was inspired to win. The cover of The Lance mentioned how “Robinho did the samba around the Corinthian defense, while Tevez suffered with Santos. Round four goes to Robinho.

One thing that must be noticed is that this was the seventh week of the Paulista tournament, not the final of the Copa Libertadores or an Argentina- Brazil matchup. If you were to add up these, the boy from Fuerte Apache in Buenos Aires would have a commanding 3-1 lead. I refuse to take that route because the game had other protagonists, and it would denigrate the entire team effort put forth by the santistas.

With the way this game transpired, this would be one of the ideal storylines that could develop throughout the duration of the Brazilian tournaments the rest of the year.


Juan Arango

Ronaldo Has Lost Focus, Says Brazil Coach

2/28/2005

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has criticised Real Madrid striker Ronaldo.
"I believe that in football you must put everything to one side and focus on training," he said.

"But if you are distracted, like Ronaldo and his wedding, which was postponed three times, then you will lose the centre of your focus."

Underused Pinilla wants out of Sporting Lisbon at end of season

March 1, 2005

LISBON (AFP) - Chilean international striker Mauricio Pinilla wants to leave Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon at the end of the season unless he is given more time on the pitch, his lawyer said.

"As things stand now, there is no possibility that Pinilla will stay at Sporting," Rocco Dozzini told Lisbon-based Radio Renascenca, adding the 21-year-old needed to be used more often to develop his skills.

"There is a very important club in Italy that wants Pinilla," he added.

Dozzini said he had attempted to negotiate Pinilla's exit before the end of the transfer window period in January but Sporting officials did not show any interest in the offers he had on the table for the player at that time.

Sporting signed Pinilla in July from Italian outfit Chievo in a four-year deal reportedly worth one million euros (1.3 million dollars).

At the time the player was on loan with Spain's Celta Vigo where he had failed to shine.

Sporting Lisbon own 50 percent of the player while Chievo retain the other half.

The Arggie from ManU

Gabriel Heinze has paid testament to the quality at Manchester United, admitting that his opinion of Wayne Rooney changed the moment that he saw him in match action.
The Argentine defender has probably been United's outstanding performer this year, but believes that the talent of the likes of Rooney and Rio Ferdinand suggest big things are to come.
"People had better understand that this is a totally sensational team I'm playing in," Heinze told The Sun.
"We are only just getting to know each other and I can tell that this is going to be a team which will win one of the great prizes in England and Europe when we are fully established.
"This is a tremendous group, full of superstars with a down to earth attitude and that is very rare.
"I also look around me and see players that are hungry to do great thing individually and as a team."
Heinze confesses that his first opinion of Rooney was not that great - but adds that it took very little time for the England star to win his admiration.
"The strange thing is when I first went out on to the training pitch with Wayne I wasn't that impressed.
"He seemed very laid back and quiet and not what I expected.
"Then from the very first match we played together I totally ripped up my opinion and realised we are talking about a player with world pedigree, a born maker and scorer of goals."

Marcos blasts Robin Hood team Palmeiras

SAO PAULO, March 14 (Reuters)

- Brazil goalkeeper Marcos launched a public attack on his Palmeiras team mates on Monday over their inability to beat supposedly inferior opponents.

"It's the Robin Hood team," he said following a 2-1 defeat by lowly Portuguesa at the weekend. "We love giving a helping hand to anyone who is in a difficult situation."

"It was clear that this was going to happen because ever since last year, Palmeiras have adored helping teams who are doing badly," added Marcos.

The Palmeiras keeper was an ever present as Brazil won the 2002 World Cup and on Friday he was recalled for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay.

Portuguesa, 18th in the 20-team Paulista championship, had won only one of their previous 11 matches in the competition before their win at the weekend.

Marcos remembered home defeats against relegation-threatened Guarani and Flamengo that all but ended Palmeiras's title challenge in last year's Brazilian championship.

Their Copa Brasil run was also ended by lowly opponents after a semi-final defeat by second division Santo Andre.

"We helped Guarani, we helped Flamengo, we helped Santo Andre," he said. "So why not help Portuguesa as well."

Ecuador coach furious over club-versus-country clash

QUITO, March 17 (Reuters) -

Ecuador coach Luis Suarez is furious with local club LDU, accusing them of disrupting preparations for a World Cup qualifying match by rearranging a club tie.

"We had planned a training schedule, taking into account the necessities of the club, but at the last minute, LDU have wrecked it," he told local media on Thursday.

Suarez, whose team are at home to Paraguay in Quito's Atahualpa stadium on March 27, said he had planned to assemble his squad on Sunday to start preparations.

But his plans were thrown into disarray when LDU, who are also involved in the South American Libertadores Cup, re-arranged a league match at home Liga de Loja for Monday.

"It looks like we'll have their players, perhaps, on Wednesday," said the Colombian, who replaced his compatriot Hernan Dario Gomez as coach last year.

The squad is due to be named on Friday and LDU, one of the country's biggest clubs alongside Deportivo Quito, El Nacional, Deportivo Cuenca and Barcelona, routinely contribute several plaeyrs.

Ecuador, who are attempting to qualify for their second successive World Cup, are fourth in the 10-nation South American qualifying group with 16 points from 11 games.

They are also away to Peru on March 30.

Peru must show no fear against Brazil, striker says

LIMA, March 23 (Reuters) -

Peru say they are not afraid of world champions Brazil and will face them as equals when they travel to Goiania for Sunday's World Cup qualifier.

"We know they have a team full of great players but we have to face then without trembling, without fear," PSV Eindhoven striker Jefferson Farfan told reporters.

Fullback Juan Vargas, who scored a superb individual goal for his Argentine club Colon at the weekend, added: "Everyone has come with a winning mentality, it is a difficult match but not impossible. It doesn't scare us."

Captain Nolberto Solano said that the club form of European-based players such as Claudio Pizarro was encouraging but not enough.

"The attack gives us a lot of confidence but we will have to work as a team and be solid."

Brazil have never lost a World Cup qualifier at home and their last two meetings with Peru have both ended in 1-1 draws.

Peru, whose coach Paulo Autuori is Brazilian, are seventh in the 10-nation South American qualifying group with 13 points from 11 games.

They also face Ecuador at home on March 30.

Brazil players blame heat for lacklustre display :eek:

GOIANIA, Brazil, March 27 (Reuters) - Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira criticised his team for lacking inspiration in Sunday's 1-0 World Cup win over Peru, while the players blamed the heat for their mediocre performance.

Parreira, who rarely attacks his side, lost patience after the five-times world champions left it until the 74th minute to score. It was their first goal in four hours 29 minutes of competitive football.

"The team lacked happiness and inspiration," said Parreira. "Given the quality of Brazil's players, we should have created a lot more scoring chances than we did.


"The team was slow and heavy. We got it wrong by playing down the middle and we made it easier for Peru to mark us."

Ronaldo, who missed an open goal but supplied the pass for Kaka's winner, said the players suffered in the afternoon heat of Goiania.

"The players who come from Europe are not used to this weather," said the Real Madrid player, who was jeered at one stage by the 50,000 crowd at the Serra Dourada stadium.

DIFFICULT HEAT

Midfielder Emerson echoed Ronaldo's comments. "The heat was an added difficulty," he said.

Brazil fullback Roberto Carlos criticised Peru for what he claimed was an over-cautious approach.

"All our games are difficult, like this one. All our opponents stay back," said the Real Madrid player, who was exasperated at the crowd's impatience.

"When we win 1-0 here in Brazil, it appears that it's worth nothing."

The crowd's attitude also upset Parreira, especially when they jeered Ronaldo.

"The supporters forget very easily about everything he has done for the national team," he said.

"He's one of the world's top forwards. We're lucky that Ronaldo is Brazilian."

The win kept Brazil second in the 10-nation South American group and firmly on course for the 2006 finals in Germany.

"The three points were very important," said Parreira. "We've got away from the mid-table pack and are in a comfortable position."

Alberto issues Owen apology

April 1, 2005

LONDON (AFP) - Carlos Alberto has apologised to Michael Owen after branding the England striker a "midget" who should clean England captain David Beckham's boots.

Azerbaijan boss Alberto had been angered by what he believed were comments made by Owen in the run-up to Wednesday's World Cup qualifier where the Real Madrid striker allegedly said England would score eight goals, the same number the former Soviet republic conceded against Poland, and he himself would net five.

However, Owen said he would never be so disrespectful and denied all knowledge of the comments Alberto had attributed to him.


England won 2-0 at Newcastle's St James' Park with goals from Owen's former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard and Beckham to stay on course in their bid to reach next year's finals in Germany.

"I see Owen claims he did not say those things," Alberto, captain of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning team, told Friday's edition of The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling daily newspaper. "If that is the case then I accept his apology and apologise back to him.

"I believed he had promised to score five against Azerbaijan and that made my players and me very angry.

"I was still very upset after a match in which Owen did not look like scoring even once and that is why I said those things.

"But now, for me, it is finished."

Alberto's outburst came after Wednesday's game where he said: "This man - what's his name? The number 10, the small one who doesn't play in the Real Madrid first team - said that if Poland beat Azerbaijan 8-0, England should score at least eight and he'd score five of them.

"But he must respect everyone. Who is Michael Owen anyway? What has he ever won in football? He plays for Real Madrid but he is always on the bench.

"I have a history in football but what is the history of this guy, this midget?"

Owen replied by insisting: "If he (Carlos Alberto) checks my pre-match quotes he will realise that I never said anything about scoring five goals - I would never be so disrespectful.

"He would, though, be perfectly within his rights to criticise my performance - I've certainly had better games in an England shirt.

"Fortunately I am a mentally strong person and believe I will learn from the experience and continue to improve as a player and person because of it."

Chile striker Pinilla unhappy with coach's advice :dielaugh:

SANTIAGO, May 3 (Reuters) -

Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla has told the national coach to stay out of his private life after Nelson Acosta suggested he cut down on his nightlife.

"I don't want Acosta interfering with my private life," the Sporting Lisbon player told Chilean media.

"I've got other people to look after me and give me advice. Let him just worry about what I do on the field," said Pinilla, who scored a hat-trick against Braga in the Portuguese league at the weekend.


Acosta, who replaced Juvenal Olmos as Chile coach last week, said on Monday he was worried about the 21-year-old's lifestyle.

"He's a young player and he doesn't need to talk so much," Acosta said. "This is an important phase, for him and the national team."

"He should be concentrated on his game, get some rest and behave himself. He has his whole life to clown around....If he doesn't take this chance, it's bad for the player and bad for the country."

Pinilla has been a regular in the Chile side although he was suspended for a game against Brazil last August after pulling his shorts off and putting them on his head as he celebrated scoring the winning goal away to Venezuela.

Chile are eighth in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with 14 points from 13 games. They have failed to win their last seven qualifiers.

The top four teams qualify for the World Cup and the fifth plays off against the winners of the Oceania region.

Romario furious following Vasco's heavy loss to Palmeiras

By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 19 (Reuters) - Veteran striker Romario slammed his team after they were routed 5-2 by Palmeiras in the Brazilian championship at the weekend.

The 39-year-old former Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven and Brazil player scored both Vasco's goals, taking his tally in the tournament to four, but was powerless as Palmeiras scored five times in the last half hour.


"We looked like a small team, who like to suffer," he told reporters. "I'm not used to losing like this."

Romario opened the scoring with his second touch of the game when he fired home a loose ball following a corner in the 19th minute.

Former Vasco midfielder Pedrinho levelled on the hour, then midfielder Marcinho scored a 20-minute hat-trick for Palmeiras.

Romario pulled one back with another rare touch of the ball and Correa completed the rout in injury-time.

Vasco dropped to 18th in the table with eight points from the same number of games while Palmeiras climbed to 13th.

Botafogo stayed top despite losing 1-0 to Sao Paulo, who rested several first-team players ahead of their Libertadores Cup semi-final first leg tie against Argentina's River Plate on Wednesday.

Debutant Paulo Mattos scored the winner goal in the 75th minute.

Brazil's other Libertadores semi-finalists Atletico Paranaense stayed bottom after drawing 1-1 at Flamengo, despite having Durval sent off after 24 minutes.

Paranaense, who have only two points, went ahead with a Fabricio free kick early in the second half but were pegged back by a Renato penalty.

Ponte Preta, who beat Goias 2-0, and Fluminense, 3-0 winners over Internacional, moved within one point of Botafogo.

Corinthians are a further point behind in fourth place after winning 4-2 at Brasiliense to record their fifth straight win since Marcio Bittencourt replaced Daniel Passarella as coach.

Former Brazil striker Edmundo scored two goals and missed a penalty as Figueirense drew 3-3 with Paysandu.

In the Fans Opinions ............. Heinze voted Man United Player of Year by fans ..... :cap:

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze has been voted Manchester United's Player of the Year by fans.

Heinze, who took a third of the votes by 17,000 United fans, is the first defender and first non-European player to win the trophy named after the late United manager Matt Busby.

The 27-year-old, who helped Argentina to the Confederations Cup final against Brazil in Germany last month, beat young strikers Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, United said on their official website.

The accolade comes after his first season following a 6.9 million pound ($12 million) transfer from Paris St Germain 12 months ago.

Robinho ready to renounce millions to join Real Madrid :D

July 12, 2005

SAO PAULO (AFP) - Brazilian international Robinho insisted that he is ready to give up the millions that are due to him financially in order to secure a move to Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old Santos striker is desperate for a move to the Spanish capital but his Brazilian club have refused an offer from Real.

And Robinho said that he is willing to waive the estimated 7 million euros (8.5 million dollars) which would be due to him.


"If I have to give up what's due to me to play in Real Madrid that's no problem," he told radio here. "I'm young and have all my career ahead of me."

The player's lawyer Wagner Ribeiro added: "Robinho wants to be freed so much that he said that. It's a sign of desperation. I've spoken to him and he wants to give up his rights."

Ribeiro, meanwhile, denied reports that Real Madrid had increased their offer.

"The last conversation that we had with Real Madrid date from July 3. The offer remains the one that everyone is aware of - 21 million euros (25.6 million dollars)."

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira is adamant that with Robinho under contract until 2008 any club that wants to sign him will have to meet a 50 million dollar penalty clause for the player.

Teixeira has already said he will free Robinho after the 2006 World Cup.

As a sign of protest Robinho - whose mother was kidnapped but subsequently rescued earlier this year - is refusing to train with his club, insisting that he can no longer get his head around playing in Brazil.

Romario :stress: denies :eek: taking coach's role at Vasco

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 14 (Reuters) - Former Brazil striker Romario has denied reports that he has effectively taken over the coach's role at Vasco da Gama from Dario Lourenco.

Brazilian newspaper reports on Wednesday said Romario had given a team-talk and then picked the two teams at a training session earlier this week while Lourenco remained silent on the sidelines with his back to the pitch.

But the 39-year-old forward, who admitted he had fallen out with the coach the previous week, said he was merely performing his role as captain of the struggling team.


"What happened on Tuesday was simple," he told reporters. "Dario brought us together before the practice and picked the teams. I, as captain and the oldest, felt it was my obligation to speak to the group and tell them about the importance of winning on Sunday."

Romario, Vasco's second-top scorer this season with four goals, missed Sunday's 4-2 defeat at home to Internacional after clashing with Lourenco, who is widely expected to lose his job if his team lose to arch-rivals Flamengo at the weekend.

Vasco are 20th in the 22-team Brazilian championship with nine points from 11 games and trail Flamengo on goal difference.

"We had a misunderstanding," said Romario, who also missed a week's training. "Something happened which he thought was wrong and I said I didn't agree. So I stayed away to cool off."

Ronaldo set to close door :dazed: on Brazil career after 2006 World Cup

July 20, 2005

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) - Star striker Ronaldo says he could call it a day for Brazil after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"It'll be my fourth World Cup and I have to let younger players take their chance," said the 28 year-old who won the Cup in 1994 and 2002 but lost in the 1998 final to France.

"I've four more years on my contract with Real Madrid and then I'll finish my career," he added Wednesday.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira agreed with his striker.

"I respect his decision. I think he's right. If he does go he will go when he's at his peak," said the coach who is looking forward to guiding Brazil to a sixth World Cup and second under his management after the 1994 triumph.

Ronaldo was an unused substitute during the 1994 World Cup, had a mystery illness during the 1998 final but scored twice in the win over Germany in 2002.

The coaches that conquered America



(FIFA.com) 05 Aug 2005

As Latin America's most coveted club competition, a Copa Libertadores title is a prestigious achievement for players and coaches alike. Victory for Sao Paulo in the 2005 edition enabled Paulo Autuori to join Carlos Bianchi and Luiz Felipe Scolari as the only coaches to have won the continental title with two different teams.

Read on as FIFA.com takes look back at the astute tacticians who have made history by leading their sides to glory in the continent's premier club competition.
The Viceroy and two Brazilians
As well as being one of the three coaches to have won the Libertadores crown with different clubs, Argentine Carlos Bianchi has also landed the most titles, after leading Velez Sarsfield to glory in 1994 and repeating the feat three times with Boca Juniors. His first taste of victory came when Velez Sarsfield, inspired by the legendary Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, downed Tele Santana's all-conquering Sao Paulo in a penalty shoot-out in the Morumbi, a stadium where Bianchi would go on to celebrate two further Copa victories.

Later, at the helm of Boca Juniors, Bianchi would bring out the best of a side that included influential playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme to secure back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001 against Brazil's Palmeiras and Mexico's Cruz Azul respectively. Curiously, 2001 was the only time Bianchi was able to hoist the cup in front of home supporters, having had to play the decisive second leg away from home on every other occasion. The 'Viceroy' returned to the Buenos Aires club in 2003 for his second spell in charge and led Boca to further continental glory with their 5-1 aggregate victory over Santos in that year's final.


"Let's just say I have enjoyed each one differently. With the passing of time, your celebrations are perhaps not the same. You never know in advance how you will react to such an achievement," Bianchi said at the time. Asked for the secret of his success after his fourth Copa triumph, the strategist would only say: "One victory is never enough for my teams. They always want more." In fact, the coach's haul could have been even more impressive had he not surrendered his record of never having lost a Libertadores final the following year, when Colombia's Once Caldas consigned Boca to the runners-up spot.

The feat of winning the Copa Libertadores with different clubs was first achieved by Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Gremio Porto Alegre and Palmeiras to victory in 1995 and 1999 respectively. Strangely enough, the coach was not the only thing these two sides had in common: the Brazilian Paulo Nunes and Paraguayan internationals Francisco Arce and Catalino Rivarola formed the backbone of both teams after being reunited with their former boss at Palmeiras. In a further coincidence, on both occasions Scolari and Co overcame Colombian opposition, Atletico Nacional in 1995, and Deportivo Cali four years later.

Gremio's outstanding player in their 1995 triumph was striker Jardel, the tournament's top scorer that year and man-of-the-match in the final. Meanwhile for Palmeiras, the key figure in their penalty shoot-out win over Deportivo Cali was goalkeeper Marcos. "The satisfaction of a job well done is the same, but there is a different feeling with each victory. What these differences are, well, I'd rather keep them to myself," the coach said after his triumph in 1999.

Autuori, meanwhile, had already won the title in 1997 with Cruzeiro before he lifted this year's Copa with Sao Paulo. The Brazilian's twin triumphs also had a common denominator of their own: on neither occasion was Autuori club coach at the start of the victorious campaigns. "The circumstances and the faces are different, but the feeling is just the same," the coach said after their final victory this year over Atletico Paranaense. "It's a prestigious title to win but it doesn't make me better than anyone else either as a coach or as an individual, just as losing would not have me a lesser person," he added.


Home sweet home
As well as the aforementioned trio, there have been eight other coaches who have won the Copa Libertadores on more than one occasion with the same club. The first to do so was the Uruguayan Roberto Scarone, who led Penarol of Montevideo to the first two editions of the trophy in 1960 and 1961. He came close to emulating that feat with another Montevideo side Nacional in 1967, and with Peru's Universitario de Deportes in 1972, but had to settle for runners-up spot on both occasions.

Luis Alonso Perez, better known as Lula, harnessed the formidable skills of Pele and Coutinho to guide Santos to successive wins in 1962 and 1963. Then Manuel Giudice's Independiente de Avellaneda put an end to the Paulistas' run, themselves taking back-to-back titles in 1964 and 1965.

Osvaldo Juan Zubeldia became the next Argentine coach to write his name in history of the competition, steering Estudiantes de La Plata to three straight wins between 1968 and 1970. Only Nacional de Montevideo prevented them from making it four, beating the Pinchas in the 1971 Final.

The following year it would be the turn of Pedro Dellacha's Independiente to begin a sequence of Copa triumphs that would earn them the deserved nickname Rey de Copas (The Cup Kings). Dellacha was at the helm in 1972, when the sequence began, though he was not at the club to see the team he had created win again in '73 and '74. However, he returned to the Rojo in 1975, when they capped the most successful era in the club's history with their fourth successive title. Another Argentine who tasted double continental glory was Juan Carlos 'Toto' Lorenzo, who led Boca Juniors to their first and second titles in 1977 and 1978.

Also noteworthy was the achievement of the Luis Alberto Cubilla. Not only did the Uruguayan win the Copa while in charge of Olimpia de Paraguay in 1979 and 1990, he also led his side to runners-up spot in 1989 and 1991. The final member of the list is the Brazilian Tele Santana, whose Sao Paulo team lifted the continental crown in 1992 and 1993 with an intoxicating brand of football. Only Carlos Bianchi's Velez Sarsfield side prevented Santana from making it three in a row with Sao Paulo in 1994.

Ronaldo: I Won’t Ask For Brazil Rest Again...

9/3/2005

Brazil striker Ronaldo says he will never ask to be left out of the squad again.
The Real Madrid hit-man requested to be rested for the recent Confederations Cup. He missed that tournament but was also dropped for the World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Paraguay.

"I don’t want to be rested again, I always want to be with the Brazil team," he said.

"After the Confederations Cup, I’m not thinking of asking to be left out of any national team game.

"It wasn’t worth it because of the punishment and the bad feeling which was left. I’m sure that everyone else who is here also wants to stay in the team for ever."

Brazil face Chile on Sunday.

Marquez threatens to boycott Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Mexico defender Rafael Marquez has threatened to boycott the team and not play the World Cup if coach Ricardo La Volpe is sacked, local media said on Sunday.

Other players said they would follow Marquez's lead following Saturday's 2-0 defeat away to the United States in a World Cup qualifier.

The owners of the country's first division clubs are due to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the administration of Mexican Football Federation (FMF) president Alberto de la Torre.

There is speculation that they could vote to throw him out of office, which could open the way for a change of coach.

Although La Volpe has De La Torre's full backing, a replacement could prefer another candidate, such as former Real Madrid and Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez.

"If they take the decision to sack La Volpe, I will pull out of the World Cup," Marquez was quoted as saying by the Notimex news agency.

"This group is completely united and we want to support Ricardo and the job he has done," said the Barcelona player. "I'm with La Volpe and De La Torre."

Midfielder Gerardo Torrado agreed with Marquez, while goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and striker Jared Borgetti also gave him their support.

"We're a group and that's how we think," Torrado told the daily newspaper El Universal.

"But I don't think it will come to that. The (club) presidents are aware that the team is playing well, that a good job has been done and that the team has improved greatly with Ricardo."

Mexico, who have beaten both Argentina and Brazil in competitive internationals under La Volpe, still need one more point to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in Germany and are at home to Panama on Wednesday.

Saturday's defeat in Columbus was the first in Mexico's 15-match World Cup qualifying campaign.

I realize this is not news from Concacaf, but since LaVolpe is argentinian...and a stupid sore looser !!!! :howler:

Brazilian midfielder Senna eyes Spain call-up :eek:

MADRID, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna, who is eligible to play for Spain, is banking on his superb domestic form for Villarreal this season catching the eye of national coach Luis Aragones.

Senna, who was born in Sao Paulo but has been granted Spanish citizenship, has been one of Villarreal's best players and won widespread praise for his dynamic performances in the centre of midfield.

"It is a dream of mine to play for Spain," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying in sports daily Marca on Tuesday.

"I'm working full out in the hope that I'll get a call from Luis Aragones.

"In Brazil, there is a lot more competition and it would be more difficult to be called up, that's why I would be so excited to hear from Luis Aragones."

The former Corinthians player joined Villarreal from Sao Caetano in 2002 and has become an integral team member under coach Manuel Pellegrini.

He was suspended for 60 days last year after testing positive for two banned substances in a drugs control carried out after an Intertoto match against Atletico Madrid.

Foreign-born players have often played for Spain. Brazilian-born defender Donato made 12 appearances for the national side between 1994 and 1996 and Argentine-born striker Jose Antonio Pizzi won 24 caps in the mid 1990s.

The great Alfredo di Stefano, who was born in Buenos Aires and played for both Argentina and Colombia, scored 23 goals in 31 games for Spain between 1957 and 1961.

Robinho admits to difficulties after move to Real Madrid

MADRID, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Real Madrid's Brazilian international forward Robinho said he was finding it harder than expected to adjust to Spanish football.

"It's been tough (to adapt) because it has been a very big change and I've barely had time to get to know what has been a completely new world for me," Robinho told Spanish sports daily Marca on Sunday.

The talented 21-year-old was hailed as the club's most exciting new signing when he joined Real for $30 million from Santos in the close season.

Although he made a sparkling debut when he came on as a substitute to set up the winner in Real's 2-1 victory over Cadiz in the first game of the season, he made little impact in subsequent matches.

Real boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who also coached Robinho at Santos, has since decided to ration the youngster's time on the pitch in an attempt to help him acclimatise to Spanish football.

Robinho remains confident that he will eventually adapt and make a success of his move to Real.

"If Luxemburgo thinks it is best for me to be on the bench then that is what is best," he said. "I will regain my form little by little...It is nothing more than a question of time."

Some commentators believe that the Brazilian has suffered because of his slight build and lack of power, but Robinho said he was anxious not to change his physique because it might affect his style of play.

"I worked hard to strengthen my body and gain more muscle when I was at Santos," he said. "But gaining weight worries me because I don't want to lose my agility."

Uruguay's Lugano says Australia tougher than Argentina *** :jester:

MONTEVIDEO, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Uruguay defender Diego Lugano believes next month's World Cup playoff rivals Australia will be tougher opponents for his side than Argentina.

"Physically they're very strong, they've improved a lot and they've been wanting to go to the World Cup for a long time. That's a big factor," said Brazilian-based centre half Lugano on Thursday.

"It's going to be more difficult than Argentina."

Uruguay beat second-placed Argentina 1-0 in Wednesday's qualifier to clinch fifth position in the South American group and earn the two-legged playoff against Australia for a berth in next year's finals in Germany.

Australia and Uruguay also met in a playoff in 2001 when the South Americans won 3-1 on aggregate.

Previously, Australia fell at the last hurdle to Scotland, Argentina and Iran.

Uruguay host the first leg on November 12 with the return in Sydney four days later.

Eugenino Figueredo, the Uruguayan Football Association president, said on Thursday that he wanted to bring forward the Montevideo leg by one day to allow more time between the two games.

***One thing is certain...They cant bribe the Aussies !!!!! :veiled:

Argentina refused to :nasty: swap shirts says Lampard

November 14, 2005

LONDON (AFP) - Frank Lampard has revealed that Argentina players refused to swap shirts after England's 3-2 friendly win in Geneva on Saturday.

England won an exciting encounter thanks to two late headers from striker Michael Owen but by that stage an off-field row was already developing after Argentine players were accused of singing anti-English songs on their team coach as they entered the stadium.

"You have to try to keep a cool head against these teams because they do try to wind you up," Chelsea midfielder Lampard, who was booked against Argentina, told Monday's edition of the London Evening Standard.


"I thought we did that well. There were some cool heads among the players after the win, happy heads but cool.

"I didn't swap shirts at the end. They didn't seem too willing to do it for some reason. If there's any needle between the two sides it's not from us. This win did mean a lot, though. You could see the way we celebrated the goals and the way the bench got excited.

"It's always special to beat Argentina but the main reason was that we've taken a bit of criticism this season and sometimes rightly so," added Lampard of a campaign which has seen England lose 1-0 to minnows Northern Ireland.

Matches between England and Argentina have often generated their fair share of controversy. On their way to winning the World Cup on home soil in 1966, England beat Argentina 1-0 in the quarter-finals in a match where the South Americans' captain Antonio Rattin was sent-off.

So incensed was then England manager Alf Ramsey by what he regarded as the losers' over-physical approach, he stopped his players from swapping shirts and later branded the Argentina team "animals".

Uruguay's Montero reportedly quits internationals



MONTEVIDEO, Nov 16 (Reuters) -


Uruguay captain Paolo Montero was reported to have quit international football after the South Americans lost to Australia on penalties in their World Cup playoff on Wednesday.

Australia won the second leg 1-0 after extra time in Sydney, cancelling out Uruguay's win by the same score in Montevideo the previous Saturday, and won 4-2 on penalties.


Former Juventus defender Montero, who has symbolised Uruguay's tenacious if ruthless approach to the game, limped out of the match late in the second half with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

"This group deserved to go the World Cup," he was reported as saying before nodding when asked if it was his last international.

The 34-year-old, winning his 61st cap, previously announced his international retirement after the 2002 World Cup but changed his mind last year.

His return revitalised the team following heavy World Cup defeats by Venezuela, Peru and Colombia and helped them finish fifth in the 10-nation South American group and earn a playoff against Australia.

The match was played at 700 in the morning local time, giving millions of Uruguayans a sombre start to the working day.

Most people accepted the defeat with an air of resignation just as they recognised that Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, are no longer a major force.

Uruguay's decline is symbolised by the plight of leading clubs Penarol and Nacional, who won eight Copa Libertadores titles between them between 1960 and 1988, but are now routinely knocked out in the first round.

The national team, meanwhile, has only qualified for two of the last five World Cups.

Television commentators suggested that the turning point came in the first half when Australia defender Tony Popovic appeared to elbow Alvaro Recoba, but escaped with only a yellow card rather than a red.

Australia coach Guus Hiddink almost immediately replaced Popovic with Harry Kewell, who played a significant part in the only goal when he mis-cued his shot and the ball fell kindly for Marco Bresciano to fire home.

President Tabare Vazquez was among the Uruguayans to suffer in front of the television.

"As you'll probably understand, we're not in the best of moods to start the day and although it was a simple game of football, we know that it hurts the Uruguayans when the Sky Blues didn't achieve what they've set out to," Vazquez told reporters. "But life goes on."

Juninho backs Downing

Former Middlesbrough player Juninho has backed Downing to become one of the best players in England. The young winger is currently trying to battle back from injury in time to make a bid for the World Cup squad next summer. The Brazilian ace knows all about one of the best players to come out of the North East in recent years and is convinced he will shine.

“Before I came to Middlesbrough for a third time, I’d heard about Stewie,” said Juninho from his Sao Paolo home for the new Boro book Riverside X. “I knew he was going to become a very good player, and my opinion didn’t alter when I saw him in the flesh. There have been people like Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Steve McManaman. They have all become great players, and Stewart Downing can follow them. People talk about players with ability. They believe in them. He’s got a great chance to be one of the best.”

Downing has only featured in four games so far this season but remains confident of pushing himself into Sven’s plans. Juninho also shares his confidence that he can return and do well for Middlesbrough.

“In England, it’s not normal to see boys with very good technical ability performing at the highest level,” he said. “He has these attributes and it will not be long before he’s back on the pitch.”

Meanwhile Middlesbrough player George Boateng appears to be close to signing a new deal with the Teesside based club. The Dutchman is out of contract come the end of the season. The players’ agent, Sigi Lens, says that things are now looking very positive indeed for the player staying at the Riverside. The thirty year has already edged past one hundred appearances for Middlesbrough.

“We are still talking and hopefully something will be done by the end of this month or the beginning of December,” Lens told skysports.com. “Nothing was happening at first, but now we are talking positively and are closer than ever. As I said something should be in place by the start of December, but almost certainly it will be in done before January. The club are keen for George to stay, the fans love him and George has always said he wants to stay with the club.”

Former Colombia referee admits offering bribe to swing match result

By JAIRO ANCHIQUE, Associated Press Writer
November 22, 2005


BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- A former referee admitted Tuesday he attempted to bribe a match official to swing a Colombian soccer game this weekend.

Jhon Fernando Mosquera told Caracol radio he telephoned referee Eder Vergara last Saturday and offered him $6,500 to help ensure that America de Cali defeats former Libertadores champion Once Caldas in a Colombian first division semifinal.

Mosquera, himself a referee until 2002, said his offer was turned down.


"I work with a gambler, but I'm not involved with any club," he said in the radio interview. "I was going to earn a commission, but he (Vergara) didn't accept."

The Colombian soccer federation said Tuesday it had opened an investigation into the case, while Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos asked the attorney general's office to begin its own probe.

Mosquera's confession came after Juan Pablo Forero, the head of the soccer federation's refereeing committee, on Monday disclosed that Vergara was among two referees who reported being offered money.

Vergara has been replaced for Sunday's America de Cali-Once Caldas match.

Mosquera, who refused to identify his accomplice, said it was the first time he had tried to bribe match officials. "What I did isn't that serious; if you kill or steal from somebody, well that's serious," he said.

Colombian soccer has a troubled history.

Drug cartels acquired majority stakes in many clubs in the late 1980s and early 1990s, exposing them to widespread corruption.

Players are regularly the target of threats and violence. The most infamous case is that of Colombian defender Andres Escobar, who was shot to death after scoring an own goal against the United States in the 1994 World Cup.

No room for Brazil egos :nasty: at World Cup, says Parreira

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has told his players to leave their egos at home when they attempt to win their sixth World Cup in Germany next year.

"If we can't control the egos of these players, then Brazil will certainly not win the Hexa (sixth world title)," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"This is our big challenge, to bring together players who are international stars and convince them to work towards this common target."


Parreira also warned against the dangers of being considered hot favourites.

"A lot of favourites didn't win the title, such as Hungary in 1954 and the Netherlands in 1974," he said.

"It will be 14 European teams against Brazil and Argentina.

"Everyone will especially be against Brazil because if we win a sixth title, that's going to put a big difference between us and the rest and they'll need 200 or 300 years to catch up."

Ousted Luxemburgo criticises Real's lack of patience

MADRID, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Sacked Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has criticised the Primera Liga club for failing to support him through a difficult period.

"When I arrived here I thought we were taking on a project together," Brazilian Luxemburgo read from a written statement on Thursday.

"I thought that in Europe they had more respect for projects, that did not depend on one result."

Luxemburgo, sacked last Sunday after 11 months at the helm, said the seeds of his downfall were sown in Real's 3-0 home defeat to champions Barcelona last month.

Although the result was bad enough it was the manner in which Barca romped to victory in the Bernabeu that proved particularly damaging.

"I never thought that losing a 'clasico' against Barca would create such instability in a club as big as Real, and put the coach's job in such danger," he said.

"Although I am disillusioned by this turn of events it has shown me how this club works."

Luxemburgo, who has been replaced on a caretaker basis by youth team coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro, felt that if the club had shown more patience he would have been successful.

"I had expected to have good times and bad times as happens with other clubs who go on to win titles," Luxemburgo continued.

"We were in a bad situation but I knew that within three weeks we would have had all our players back in training. I was surprised when the club did not seem to understand this.

"I have always said I thought we would win the league because I knew the team would develop and grow. I was sure we would win at least one of the titles we were aiming for.

"I never thought it would all be cut short like this." Luxemburgo, the fifth coach Real have had in two and a half years without a major trophy, left the club in fourth place in the Primera Liga six points short of leaders Barcelona.

They have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League and are in the last 16 of the King's Cup.

hehehehehe the Biggest Turd of them ALL !!!!!!

Chilavert Wants Uruguay Job :eek:

12/7/2005

Former Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert has expressed his desire to coach the Uruguayan national team.
“If they call me I will sit down to negotiate, because I think Uruguay has great potential. Like any coach I would love to coach the Uruguayan national team”, he said.

Chilavert represented Uruguayan giants Penarol back in 2003, leading them to the National Championship.

The Paraguayan, who still holds the record for being the goalkeeper who has scored the most goals in the history of the world game also stated that he would be interested in taking charge of Penarol.

Argentina's games will all be finals says Pekerman

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Argentina's matches at next year's World Cup in Germany will all be finals, said coach Jose Pekerman after his team were drawn in one of the toughest groups.

Friday's draw in Leipzig put Pekerman's team in Group C where they will meet Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro and the Netherlands in that order.

"We will play all finals," Pekerman told the daily La Nacion in Buenos Aires where he watched the draw on television. He was the only coach of the 32 teams not to attend the draw because he had just had surgery on a broken hand.

"One knows that in World Cups the team has to be ready from the start," Pekerman said.

"But you also have to acknowledge that it's not the same to face the strong teams at the beginning rather than as the tournament progresses.

"This means that all our matches will be finals from the first day," he said.

"We're convinced we have to get to the World Cup in the best form. This is a priority factor with the coaching staff," Pekerman added.

"We got a demanding group because all the teams in it are going through a good spell.

"For example, Ivory Coast are the best team in Africa and they have players who shine in Europe." Veteran defender Roberto Ayala was happy with the group, saying: "It's very good, maybe the most complicated but interesting so we can go gathering strength.

"We know the quality of the Dutch players (and) Serbia & Montenegro almost knocked Spain out in the European qualifiers," said Ayala, going to his third World Cup although he did not play in Japan in 2002 because he was injured warming up for Argentina's opening game against Nigeria. "We want to be candidates but not beforehand, rather when the World Cup starts and advance match by match because we have virtues and we don't want what happened to us in the 2002 World Cup," said Ayala.

Argentina went to the last tournament in Asia firm favourites to win the trophy for the third time only to go out in the first round after finishing third in the toughest group including a 1-0 defeat by England.

Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association, played down the difficulty of the group.

"This group is certainly less difficult than that of four years ago," he said in Leipzig.

"We can't qualify it as a group of death when there is Serbia & Montenegro, who are a new team, and Ivory Coast who are also playing a World Cup for the first time.

"Holland on the other hand are first rate rivals."

Expect another Chelsea classic, says Ronaldinho


By Mitch Phillips

LONDON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - World and European Player of the Year Ronaldinho says fans should expect another classic when his Barcelona side take on Chelsea in the choice tie of the last 16 in the Champions League.

At the same stage last season Chelsea recovered from a 2-1 first leg deficit to win the second 4-2 in a superb match and advance 5-4 on aggregate.

The tie was also notable for the row between coaches Frank Rijkaard and Jose Mourinho which led to the latter getting banned for two games.

"It will be another top contest between two coaches with high tactical awareness, we should expect something good," said Ronaldinho.

The Brazilian said he felt last season's off-pitch antics played no part in the result. "It was our own mistakes that let us down," he said.

"To go 3-0 down after 20 minutes is not normal by today's standards. We kept chasing the game, we scored two goals and then suffered another goal. It was a completely unique match."

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was also keen to play down the coaches' row, which led to the retirement of Swedish referee Anders Frisk who received death threats following Mourinho's claim that he spoke to Rijkaard at halftime in the first leg.

FANTASTIC FOOTBALL

"I've always been on good terms with their president so we will put all non-football issues behind us and look forward to some fantastic football in February," he said.

In another mouth-watering Anglo-Spanish encounter nine-times champions Real Madrid take on Arsenal for the first time, a match-up welcomed by Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein.

"Pure show business," he said. "It's a huge game and very exciting.

"We would have loved to have played them in the final and we would love to get to Paris as a lot of our boys know the way there very well. But now we'll have to do it the hard way."

Last season's runners-up AC Milan face Bayern Munich in another heavyweight showdown. "Bayern are a great team and a great club, so it's a shame we have to play them so early on," said vice-president Adriano Galliani.

GOOD TRADITION

"But we have a good tradition against them. We beat them in the semi-finals back in 1990 (when Milan went on to win the final), so let's hope we can progress."

European champions Liverpool face Benfica, who advanced at the expense of Manchester United in the group phase.

"The press will be looking on us as favourites so it's a reverse of the situtation we had from the quarter-finals on last year," said Liverpool secretary Bryce Morrison.

Olympique Lyon, knocked out by PSV Eindhoven on penalties in the quarter-finals last season, have a chance for revenge after again being paired with the Dutch.

"We are happy to play them again and hope to change the result this time," said Marino Faccioli, director of football at the French league leaders.

"They've lost some players but the team still has the same organisation."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas added: "The fact that there are several clashes between favourites is good news if we do qualify because if means that some of the big names will be gone."

Inter Milan president Giacinto Facchetti said of his side's meeting with Ajax Amsterdam: "I would be lying if I said I wasn't happy.

"We could have got Chelsea or Bayern, but it would be a serious mistake to underestimate Ajax who are a good team with some interesting young players."

Juventus also fared well, being matched with Werder Bremen. "I would say we'll come into the tie as slight favourites, but we'll still have to be very focused," said Juve president Roberto Bettega.

"We all know about the physical challenge and the aggression of German football."

Pekerman: “Riquelme Would Be More Valued In Brazil”

12/22/2005

Two days after Ronaldinho Gaúcho picked up his second worldbeating trophy in Switzerland, the current Argentinean Coach, Jose Pekerman, swore that Riquelme (Villarreal) would be valued much higher if he played, like Carlitos Tevez, in Brazil.

“If he played over in Brazil he’d be known as ‘Riquelminho’ and everyone would rate him as one of the three best in the world” the Albiceleste tactician commented. “His cold, clinical assistances and his shot are phenomenal. He’d be better rated in Brazil – I have no doubt.”

“In our country he’d get massacred by critics and football followers if he went for ten minutes without a touch on the ball, but there [Brazil] it’s not like that.” Strange words that leave a lot of room for interpretation: is this criticism of Argentina, praise for Brazil, or a sideswipe at Tevez being ‘overrated’?

Pekerman went on to defend his first choice ‘Diez’ from critics who prefer other candidates. “Players like Riquelme are few and far between. He’s got an idiosyncratic style – a bit like Alonso or Bochini. Aimar has a different approach”.

Pelé: “I Don’t Like Being Called Pelé”

The name Pelé may almost be synonymous with the word ‘football’, but the ‘Rei do Futebol’ isn’t exactly fond of a nickname that is basically associated with one person.


“Pelé isn’t my name”, insisted a rather touchy Pelé to German magazine ‘Bild’. “My name is Edson and I really don’t like people calling me Pelé. I didn’t want, and have never liked this nickname”

“It sounds like some sort of baby language in Portuguese, whereas Edson is reminiscent of Thomas Edison, the inventor”.

He went on to reveal that he even got into a fight with the schoolmate who came up with the sobriquet of Pelé.

“One of the other kids at school used to get on my nerves by calling me Pelé, until one day I had enough and went after him. I was a good pupil, but that cost me two days of suspension.”

A love-hate relationship, no doubt, as Pelé has had to keep the moniker due its financial clout in marketing. So, on the off-chance that you bump into ‘O Rei’; it’s Edson, please.

Roberto Carlos says he has no plans to leave Real

MADRID, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Brazil defender Roberto Carlos says he will not leave Real Madrid until he wins another trophy.

"I'm not concerned about whether or not other clubs are making offers for me," the 32-year-old left back told a news conference on Saturday. "I'm happy in Madrid and happy in Spain.

"If I get an offer to leave I will let people know but now isn't the right time as we have to work hard and keep battling away. I've got five months to help this club win something.

"I'm not leaving Real Madrid without winning another trophy. If I can I will stay on next season and continue trying to make history with Real Madrid."

Roberto Carlos is one of the longest serving members of the squad but the Spanish media has reported that he may leave at the end of the season, a year before his contract expires.

The Brazil international said he was annoyed with speculation on his future and with reports about a rift between him and Spanish players at the club.

"I'm pretty upset about it all as some journalists have gone too far and what they say has an impact on the fans. But I can deal with it," he said.

Roberto Carlos has won three league titles and three European Cups since joining from Inter Milan in 1996. He has been a fixture at left back for the last 10 seasons.

Fabiano apologises :mute: after saying he wanted to quit Sevilla

MADRID, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Striker Luis Fabiano has apologised to Sevilla for telling reporters on Tuesday he wanted to leave the club.

"I am unhappy at present because I am not scoring goals and I blame this for my stupid outburst," the Brazilian told the club's radio station.

"I ask everyone to forgive me - the president, the coach, my colleagues and above all the fans. I want to prove that I can triumph in Europe at a big club like Sevilla." Fabiano has found the net only once in the league this season and been restricted to just five starts.

The former Brazil international signed a five-year contract in July after moving from Porto, the club he joined from Sao Paulo in 2004.

He made his name in 2002 when he was joint top scorer in the Brazilian championship with 19 goals in 23 games, and topped that in 2003 with 29 in 34 games.

Sevilla, who play Cadiz in the King's Cup later on Wednesday, are seventh in the Primera Liga.

Corinthians: Tevez Returns and Replies to Criticism


After a four-day sojourn down in his native Argentina, Carlitos Tevez is back at Corinthians. The number 10 denied charges that he’s receiving differentiated treatment at the Parque São Jorge club and displayed a willingness to play – though a preference to sit a couple more games out in order to get back to peak form.


Tevez denied that his absence from the squad against Portuguesa Santista – a 5-1 drubbing that showed that the Alvinegro team is far from being ‘El Apache’ and ten others – was proof of the supposed privileges meted out to the striker due to his star status.

“I don’t think I have extra privileges. When we played in Rio, Roger was given a day’s leave, and this time it was my turn to take care of some family problems in Buenos Aires. Nothing else” explained Carlitos.

The controversy started when Tevez asked to be rested in Corinthians’ debut against Noroeste in Bauru, but ended up playing against his wishes – and the team lost. Tevez is still claiming that he’d perform better if he’s given the next game off to work on his match fitness.

The next game will be at city minnows Juventus, this Thursday, and Carlitos has already made his preference crystal clear. “I’m still not in the best of shape, but I’m not going to ask for anything this time around. The Coach can decide, and I’m here to follow his lead” added ‘El Apache’.

The news that Santos playmaker Ricardinho is ever-closer to a Parque São Jorge return pleased the Argentinean. “He’d really be useful to Corinthians, and, if he arrives, I’ll be very happy to play alongside him”. Tevez had previously expressed his admiration for Ricardinho’s game at the 2005 Players Awards held in Rio at the end of last year.

Argentina coach applauds rebel Riquelme

MADRID, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Jose Pekerman says soccer needs 'rebels' like Villarreal playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme who stay true to their footballing principles.

"It is rare to see a young player stand by his way of playing when it is often far easier to just go along with what you are told to do," Pekerman told sports daily AS on Wednesday.

"In this sense Riquelme is a rebel and there are not enough rebels like him around."

Pekerman, who is visiting Spain to check the form of Argentine players before the World Cup, has made the 27-year-old central to his plans for Germany.

But the gifted midfielder has suffered in the past from accusations that he is too slow.

Pekerman continued: "You can make people run faster, get them to pressure the other side, alter the strategy...but one thing that never changes is the vision. You don't need to run quickly to have this.

"I always thought he would be a success because he was a good footballer who stuck to his principles.

"He didn't have a good time at Barcelona but it gave him the desire to want to do well in Europe and prove himself there.

"I have a lot of confidence in him."

Riquelme joined Barca from Boca Juniors for 11 million euros ($13.53 million) in July 2002, but never lived up to expectations and was loaned out to Villarreal when Ronaldinho was signed at the start of the 2003/4 season.

Under Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini, however, he has enjoyed a return to form and in June 2005 signed a four-year contract to make his loan move permanent.

He is currently Villarreal's top scorer in the league with nine goals.

Argentina are drawn in Group C in Germany with Netherlands, Ivory Coast and Serbia & Montenegro.

Feb. 1, 2006
Beckham: Robinho starting to show his class

MADRID, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham has praised the return to form of team mate Robinho, saying the Brazilian forward has a great future.

'It's important to see Robinho doing well because when he first arrived here everyone was questioning whether he would make it or not,' the England captain told sports daily Marca on Wednesday.


'But playing as he is at present you can see he is going to be a great football player.

'He is enormously skilful. He just needed a little confidence to get back on track again.'

The Brazil international was hailed as the club's most exciting signing of the close-season when he arrived in a blaze of publicity in a $30 million transfer from Santos.

Despite dazzling on his debut against Cadiz on the opening day of the season, however, he failed to impress in his first four months in a side that was struggling for form as a unit.

The sacking of compatriot Vanderlei Luxemburgo as coach at the beginning of December did not augur well for the 22-year-old, but new boss Juan Ramon Lopez Caro appears to have helped Robinho rediscover his touch.

With the side now unbeaten in eight league and cup outings, Robinho has been one of Real's most dangerous players, scoring in his last three matches.

Another key ingredient to Real's changing fortunes, according to Beckham, has been the influence of the new coach.

'I said that the first two months under Lopez Caro would be very tough, because we knew he would make us work hard to get us back in shape.

'Now we have done that and you can see the results in the games we have played, but we need to continue improving. The league looks difficult to achieve but we are still alive in two great competitions, the King's Cup and the Champions League.

'Lopez Caro has asked me to play wider on the right similar to how I played at Manchester United. The systems don't worry me too much but I am now enjoying myself again.'

3/13/2006

Messi Better Than Rooney - Riquelme

Villarreal playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme believes his fellow countryman Lionel Messi is superior to Wayne Rooney.
The Barcelona star and the Manchester United striker are two of the best upcoming players in the world game, but Riquelme believes that Messi has the edge.

"I do not believe Rooney is as good as Messi," he said. "Rooney is a very good young player but he is not Lionel Messi.

"Messi will shine at the World Cup because he is showing great form this season and playing great football. He is different to the rest.

"I like his play a lot and I think he is on the road to becoming one of the best players in the world."

Solano says he wants to make Peru return

LIMA, March 15 (Reuters) - Midfielder Nolberto Solano said he would be happy to return to the Peruvian national side under new coach Franco Navarro.

The 31-year-old Newcastle United player quit the team last year after a fallout with former coach Freddy Ternero, who Solano claimed had made him a scapegoat after the failure to qualify for the World Cup finals.

"I'm dying to wear the red and white shirt again, of course I'd like to," he told Peruvian radio.


Navarro became their third coach in less than a year when he was officially presented on Monday and said the door was open for both Solano and another stalwart, midfield playmaker Roberto Palacios, to make their returns.

"I wish Franco all the best," Solano added. "I know him well, but I don't agree with short-term projects. If the FPF (Peruvian federation) want to be coherent, they need to give him a long time.

"We can't go on the same way, I'm tired of the same old story."

Peru's last World Cup appearance was in Spain in 1982.

Edmundo blames ball, soap opera :ass: after Palmeiras held 0-0 :dielaugh:

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 16 (Reuters) - Former Brazil striker Edmundo blamed the ball and a soap opera after Palmeiras were held to a goalless draw at home by Rosario Central in the Libertadores Cup.

The veteran player, known for his explosive temper, missed an open goal late in Wednesday night's Group Seven game after appearing to misjudge the flight of the ball.

"Unfortunately, other people impose things on us and the players have to do what they're told," he said. "That's the case with this wretched ball.

"We didn't play well but we didn't have much of a chance. You haven't got a hope because of this ball. You try and control it and it always does something unexpected. I think someone's having a laugh," he told reporters.

The 1998 World Cup striker was also angry when the match, scheduled to kick off at 9.45 p.m. local time, began nearly 15 minutes late.

"It's mad to play at 10 o'clock. People don't think about the players or the supporters. We'd done our warming up but the game only began after the soap opera had finished," he said, blaming television for the delay.

The 1999 champions are second in the group with five points from three games, one behind Colombia's Atletico Nacional. Cerro Porteno of Paraguay are third with four points and Argentina's Central bottom with one.

Edmundo, part of the Palmeiras team which won the Brazilian championship in 1993 and 1994, returned to the club this year.

Corinthians: Mascherano “We Need To Cope With Pressure”

Corinthians’ current squad, largely composed of talented but young and relatively inexperienced players, is finding it hard to cope with the pressures surrounding the demand for Libertadores success now that the team has been spruced up for that express purpose.

Argentinean defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano has blamed the relatively skittish football offered in the slim 1-0 over Tigres at Pacaembu. “I come from a club [River Plate] which is also subject to a lot of pressure about Libertadores.”

“The squad needs to learn how to use that pressure, directing it towards the rivals rather than letting it eat us up. We’ve simply got to learn how to cope with that pressure without crumbling or spurring our opponents on with displays of nervousness.”

“If not, these things can be fatal. At the start of the game against Tigres we were extremely nervous. The pressure coming from or own terraces made us nervous and if you’re nervous it’s much more difficult to play together as a team.”

Argentina's Sorin mystified by fallout with Veron

BUENOS AIRES, April 6 (Reuters) - Argentina captain Juan Pablo Sorin does not know why midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has apparently fallen out with him.

Sorin, who plays for Villarreal, was involved in several ugly clashes with Veron, who plays for Inter Milan, in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg.

The pair had to be separated at halftime when Veron moved towards Sorin in the players' tunnel.


The incidents, replayed numerous times on Argentine television, fuelled speculation that Veron believes Sorin is behind his exclusion from the Argentina team.

Veron, whose poor form was widely blamed for Argentina's shock first-round exit in Japan and South Korea four years ago, has not been picked since Jose Pekerman took over as coach in October 2004. Sorin has been made captain by Pekerman.

"I don't pick or leave players out of the national team," Sorin told the sports daily Ole in an interview.

"I think that idea belittles a coach (Pekerman) who has won the World Youth championship three times. It's completely absurd.

"I haven't had any problem getting on with any player in the Argentine team. I've always got on well with everyone.

"If anyone has a problem with me, my telephone is always on the hook. He could have called me but he didn't," said Sorin, without mentioning Veron by name.

"I don't know what was behind it all. You'd have to ask him. I was surprised by his reaction....to be honest, I didn't understand it."

Sorin praised playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, his team mate at club and international level after Villarreal reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time with a 1-0 win over Inter.

"He's a player who controls the rhythm of the team and can open up the horizon at any moment. I hope he can play that sort of match for the national team."

Brazil not guaranteed to host 2014 World Cup - Blatter

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 13 (Reuters)

- Brazil still has a long way to go before it can host the 2014 World Cup, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in an interview on Thursday.

He also told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that the country does not currently have a single stadium up to World Cup standards.

South America is due to stage the 2014 tournament under the new system, beginning in 2010, in which FIFA rotates the tournament between continents.



The 10 South American federations have already decided to back Brazil as their only candidate.

But Blatter said that did not necessarily mean that the tournament would be in Brazil, which previously staged a World Cup in 1950.

"There's still a long way to go before Brazil can host a World Cup," said Blatter.

"Today, it's just an idea which, with the support of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has started to become a sort of project. But there's a long way to go before winning the approval of the FIFA Congress in 2008."

"For the time being, I don't think Brazil has a stadium for the Cup," added Blatter, who said he had visited stadiums in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre.

Blatter suggested that other countries could launch joint-bids.

"We know the South American federations have already said that there will be only one candidate and that candidate will be Brazil," he said.

"But why not have a joint bid between Argentina and Chile? The problem is that, even being the only candidate, Brazil has to reach the standards, which are of a very high level.

"The Cup will only be in Brazil if they are reached."

Riquelme Reveals United Admiration ....

Thursday April 20th 2006


Villareal playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has expressed his admiration for potential summer summer suitors Manchester United. “I follow English football a lot on television,” Riquelme said in the Daily Express. “I have a clear idea of what the Premier League is like: it is very strong.United have a team crammed full of stars. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo have a great future, they are almost there already; and Old Trafford is one of the historic stadiums in world football.”

Riquelme confident of ending Arsenal's record run

LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Villarreal's inspirational Argentine midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme is convinced the Spanish side can do what no-one has managed in the last nine Champions League games against Arsenal - score a goal.

Villarreal go into Tuesday's semi-final second leg at El Madrigal trailing 1-0 and needing to end Arsenal's record run of not conceding to have a chance of reaching the final in their first year in Europe's top club competition.

"The first leg gave us the belief we will score against Arsenal," Riquelme told UEFA.com. "With hard work, confidence and discipline we will be fine.

"Our confidence has certainly not been dented by the first-leg result. I have said already that I like the way Arsenal play... but they have weaknesses - the same ones which every attack-minded team has.

"I'm sure that they will concede more than one at El Madrigal. That record has to come to an end some time. I don't know one team that has stopped conceding goals in Europe forever."

Riquelme has been the driving force behind Villarreal's remarkable run and will have to continue that form to unlock a defence that comfortably withstood the best efforts of Real Madrid and Juventus in the last two rounds.

However, Arsenal suffered a defensive blow on Monday when much-improved Swiss centre back Philippe Senderos was ruled out of Tuesday's game with a knee injury, paving the way for the return of England centre back Sol Campbell.

Whoever takes to the field for the Londoners, however, captain Thierry Henry says the remarkable clean-sheet run has been built on more than just the back four and goalkeeper.

"This is a team achievement," he said of the run that is a record for the Champions League and equal best in any European competition, matching Ajax Amsterdam's nine-game run en route to winning the Cup Winners' Cup in 1987.

"Everyone is chasing lost causes and defending really well."

Corinthians: Kia “Tevez & Nilmar Will Stay Here”

MSI boss Kia Joorabchian has denied the grapevine rumours that Nilmar and Tevez are off to the old world as soon as the Libertadores is over in August. After recent slip-ups from MSI in the Vágner Love and Rodrigo signings, the fans are suspicious of the Anglo-Iranian.

“I haven’t seen Tevez giving an interview where he said that he’d be off to Europe after the World Cup. He’s always said how happy he is here, but when you have the world’s best player in your club then the big teams from Europe will come knocking. It’s normal.” exaggerated Kia.

Regarding gossip that Lyon are unhappy with plans to pay for Nilmar in instalments, the exec was crystal clear as to Corinthians’ position. “This story that we’re trying to parcel out the payment to Lyon is completely unfounded. All we want is to be able to pay 5 million Euros now and the other 5 million on the 29th June – one day before the loan deal expires”.

The ironic thing is that Kia himself may be the objective of a transfer – or so he told waiting journalists. “Somebody, whose name I can’t reveal, called me recently and asked me if I’d like to help the club. It was a personal offer – nothing to do with MSI.”

This would dovetail with secondary rumours that see Corinthians’ eighty-year old President, Alberto Dualib, as pressing (alleged) MSI backer Boris Berezovski to get rid of Kia as the two have been involved in mutual backstabbing since Kia refused to pay Dualib’s niece a commission.

Nevertheless, Kia immediately brushed off the offer. “That’s not going to happen. I’m really happy here and want to stay”, said the man who’s on the verge of marrying a local Brazilian lawyer. Could it be that both Kia and Tevez are both just sending up a smokescreen?

After all, Tevez reportedly commented in Buenos Aires that he dreams of playing in Europe one day, and that the Spanish league would probably be the one best suited to his style and upbringing. In the world of football anything’s possible: perhaps even Kia and Carlitos in the same Spanish club – but which one?

Argentina's Tevez says Chelsea are interested in him

BUENOS AIRES, May 16 (Reuters) - Argentina forward Carlos Tevez has said that English champions Chelsea are interested in signing him.

"Chelsea have the intention of taking me," Tevez, who plays for Brazilian champions Corinthians, said in a television interview. "There's a reason they came to watch me."

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho watched Corinthians lose 3-1 at home to Argentina's River Plate in a South American Libertadores Cup match two weeks ago.

However, Tevez, regarded as the outstanding player in last year's Brazilian championship, added he was happy at Corinthians and with the way the club's fans treated him.

"It's very difficult to leave them," he said. "They have a lot of affection for me and my family."

The 22-year-old, who is in Argentina's World Cup squad, joined for a South American record fee of $18 million in December 2004, shortly after Corinthians signed a partnership deal with London-based Media Sports Investments (MSI).

MSI president Kia Joorabchian has denied that Tevez is for sale. He said at the time that Mourinho's visit had nothing to do with Tevez and the Chelsea coach had been on holiday.

Chelsea have also said that they have not made an attempt to buy Tevez.

"We have looked at him and he is a good player and does a good job but all the reports of linking us with bids are not right," Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon told the club website last weekend. "I would be surprised if I saw him in a Chelsea shirt this season coming."

Pele says England can cope with Rooney loss

AFP
May 18, 2006

LONDON (AFP) - Pele believes England can reach the final of this year's World Cup even if striker Wayne Rooney fails to recover from injury.

The Brazil great, himself three-times a World Cup winner, has told English fans not to despair ahead of the start of next month's finals in Germany, citing his own experience as proof that an injury to one player need not prevent a team from winning the trophy.

Rooney remains set to travel with the England squad but the 20-year-old Manchester United forward will likely miss most of England's group stage matches at least, after breaking a foot bone just six weeks before the tournament.

"I think in the last four years, there is no doubt England have improved a lot," Pele, in Britain to promote his autobiography, said Thursday.

"In the last 10 years they have been the best organised team and have a good chance to get to the final, no doubt.

"Unfortunately for England they have a problem with Rooney having broken his foot. He is a fantastic player and is a big loss for England. He is very important for the team.

"Who in England has the same level to replace him? England do not have anyone at the same level at the moment.

"This is a big problem but even without him I think England are a very strong team for this World Cup."

Pele burst onto the international stage in Sweden in 1958 when, as a 17-year-old, he starred in Brazil's first World Cup final win.

Four years later he was a member of the squad that defended the trophy in Chile before taking a leading role in the 1970 World Cup-winning team in Mexico - perhaps the great team ever to claim the title.

But Pele had plenty of injury setbacks along the way. His semi-final hat-trick and goal double in 1958 came after a knee injury had ruled him out of the opening games.

And in Chile a groin problem limited him to just two appearances. Then, in England in 1966 - when the hosts' win gave them the World Cup for the only time thus far - Pele was relentlessly fouled by opponents on the way to Brazil's surprisingly early exit.

So it was no surprise that former forward Pele, now 65, backed England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in the Swede's decision to take Rooney with him to Germany.

"I think it is (right) because it will give confidence to the team. If the doctor thinks he can be recalled, I think it is good, it makes sense for the team and the group.

"In my first World Cup I did not play the first games in Sweden because I was injured. But then I came in and the same could happen to Rooney.

"What he has is a little more complicated than what I had. I twisted my knee, he broke his foot, but today the new technology and medicine is much better than before.

"I think Rooney is very important for the competition."

Meanwhile Eriksson has shed his image as a dour yet consistent selector by including Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott in his World Cup squad. The 17-year-old has not played first-team football since joining the Gunners from Championship outfit Southampton in January.

But Pele, who knows better than most what it is like to go from near obscurity to global stardom in a short space of time, said there was no way his situation was comparable to that of Walcott.

"Nobody has seen him play, even his team-mates have not played a game with him. It was different for me because when I was 16 I played in a tournament against Argentina, so when I was at the World Cup I had played several games.

"When I went to Sweden I had a little bit of experience even though I was the youngest player.

"He has never played. It is difficult to say something about how he is going to perform but he was selected because he is a good player.

"It is very difficult to say what is going to happen because he does not have the experience."

A clearer indication meanwhile of Rooney's fitness will emerge on May 25 when he is due to have a scan on his problem foot.

Pele: I Could Have Joined Real Or Man Utd

Brazil legend Pele has revealed that he spurned a host of European clubs, including Real Madrid and Manchester United, to stay at Santos.



The Red Devils made an approach in 1968, but Pele was happy to remain with his domestic outfit.

He told The Guardian: "I even had a proposal from Manchester United.

"I said no to every team that asked me. Real Madrid was the best team who wanted me. They were a very good team but I didn't want to leave Santos."

Pele also revealed that he could have joined Milan or Juventus.

Bruce Arena: We're just `dumb Americans' :happy:

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer




HAMBURG, Germany (AP) -- Bruce Arena and the U.S. soccer team quickly settled into the role of World Cup outsider.

A few hours after arriving in Germany on Friday, the American coach was questioned on his policy of allowing families to spend time with players during the tournament at the team hotel, rather than have the squad sequestered in an isolated location, as many World Cup coaches choose to do.

"We were told we were stupid and crazy and ignorant in Korea, as well, with the families, so we'll just accept that as being dumb Americans," Arena said.

Arena also was asked whether he thinks his team is a target for terrorists.

"I'm not in that business of planning terrorist attacks," he said. "I don't believe so. I think we are in a very safe environment."

Arena, captain Claudio Reyna and defender Steve Cherundolo appeared at a news conference and discussed the team's first-round games against the Czech Republic (June 12), Italy (June 17) and Ghana (June 22).

Cherundolo, who plays for the German team Hannover 96, deftly answered questions in English and German. He said the nation already is transfixed by the tournament, which opens June 9.

"It's the topic in all of the street bars and cafes," he said. "There is really nothing else to talk about at the moment, except for the World Cup, and that's what's going to be so special."

Reyna, who played for Germany clubs from 1994-98, begged off answering in the local tongue, saying it was too early in the day after the overnight flight.

Three hours later, the Americans went through their first workout at Norderstedt, the training camp of the local Bundesliga team, Hamburger Sport-Verein. Asked why he had his players practice so quickly after the long flight, Arena responded with a mocking answer.

"We don't know what we're doing. We figured we could come in here and maybe practice a couple of times before the opening game," Arena said. "Why not? Just go out and break a sweat a little bit, get the travel out of them. Try to get their bodies adjusted to new times zones. ... I thought it was an interesting concept to practice, but perhaps I'm wrong."

Hamburg, a cool northern port, is where the Beatles got started here in the early 1960s, playing clubs in the red-light district -- the Reeperbahn.

"It has everything you could want and maybe too much," Arena said. "We understand that, and we have to have the right discipline inside our team to deal with the, hopefully, many days in Hamburg."

After the United States stayed in France's Beaujolais countryside during the 1998 World Cup and finished last in the 32-nation field, Arena chose to base the team in Seoul during the 2002 tournament. Four years later, he picked another downtown hotel attached to a mall -- one store is selling U.S. soccer smoothies with berries and cocoa, and a candy store had an American flag posted with the words "We're pleased to see you!" printed across.

"I think it suits our lifestyle, our mentality," Arena said. "I want our players to enjoy the World Cup. The way Americans enjoy living every day is to get out into the culture, do things, and not being locked up out in the country."

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who lives in Germany, traveled ahead of the charter flight. Several West Coast-based players spent their days off this week at Reyna's home in Westhampton Beach, N.Y.

"It was very relaxing, very good," Reyna said. "Before such a major event, it was nice to kind of hang out with guys on the team."

The approach of the World Cup is noticeable throughout town. Giant luminescent pipes forming soccer goals have been erected along the swan-filled lakefront and other spots, a project by illumination artist Michael Batz called -- what else? -- "Blue Goals."

"It's a really big deal," Cherundolo said.

Nicolás Leoz: "I want a South American champion and, if it is not possible, then Spain":flirt:

24 / 05 / 2006


The president of the South American Football Confederation, Dr. Nicolás Leoz, obviously wants and expects that victory in the World Cup in Germany will go to one of the four CONMEBOL associate countries, present in the final phase and "If it is not possible, then Spain".
In an interview with EFE at CONMEBOL headquarters on the outskirts of Asunción, Leoz , who this month celebrated his 20th years as head of South American football, remembered that "Now we have nine World Cups and Europe, eight. If we win this World cup we will be ahead by two".
Without forgetting his roots as son of a Spaniard, the head of the CSF affirmed: "What I think and what I want is that a South American country be the champion, but I have already said it several times, if not South America, then Spain. It can be the pleasant surprise of this World Cup".

As it is logical, Leoz includes Brazil and Argentina among the favourite countries to win the title, and he hopes Ecuador and Paraguay complete a great championship, although he notes the difficulties the four countries could have in the first phase.
"All the groups are difficult. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay or Ecuador ; all have difficult groups. Apparently Brazil has the easiest, but only apparently. 32 teams arrive at the final phase, all with the same possibilities", he added.

Argentina will be measured against Holland, Serbia-Montenegro and Ivory Coast; Ecuador will play against the host, Costa Rica and Poland; Brazil against Croatia, Japan and Australia, and Paraguay will look for the pass to the round of 16s against England, Sweden and Trinidad and Tobago. "Unfortunately, only 16 will remain and I hope no South American team stays behind", Leoz expressed.

On the Guarani selection, Leoz considered that none of its rivals are easy. "England is considered as the European power of the moment, but I have the premonition that Paraguay can perform well in that match". Then it will face "Sweden in Berlin, a very, very strong team that is ascending a lot and Trinidad and Tobago will not be easy either", he added. "It has to win against England or Sweden, or at least tie with both, to have it easier", he commented.

For Leoz, Brazil "Has good players, but it should not neglect the first phase. When they had the best team in their history, that I remember, in Spain 1982, Italy beat them at a Spanish stadium. They had a great team and now they have something similar".
He pointed out that to arrive in a World cup as favourite, brings problems "Like it happened to Brazil in 1966, they liquidated Pele". Also he bets that Argentina "Has a very, very good team, that may go with modesty, which is good, but they have big values".

He pointed out "Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robinho or Kaka", as possible World Cup stars. "It can also be the consecration for Argentinean players such as Messi, or Corinthians forward Carlos Tévez. Argentina has many good footballers such as Riquelme".

Besides his hopes for a surprise by Spain, Leoz pointed to other European countries with more possibilities "Of course Germany, and always countries such as England, Italy, France or Holland", although he exclaimed: "Too bad we can't have a Brazil-Argentina final". Nevertheless, he affirmed he hopes to see a CONMEBOL team in the final on July 9, day in which the organization (CONMEBOL) turns 90 and admitted "It would be a good birthday gift".

He praised the organization on the part of the committee that Franz Beckenbauer presides, when affirming "The preparations are really stupendous, if we look at the details, they are wonderful, which demonstrates the organizational capacity of the German people".

"I believe that it will be an exceptional world championship", Leoz said and discarded the possibility that the acts of violence registered during the last months in South American stadiums could be repeated in Germany 2006.
"I don't believe that those acts will be repeated in the World cup, because of the adopted security measures. It is work by serious and responsible people, with the backing of UEFA, with (Lennart) Johansson as head", he concluded.

Santa Cruz Hopes To Face England:party:

Roque Santa Cruz returned back to training with the rest of Anibal Ruiz’s Paraguay squad yesterday after overcoming (what are hoped to be) the last few aches and pains of his right knee injury.

The Bayern Munich man was given a shot in the arm by the Coach, who gave him a place in the first eleven – although coming on for first choice Nelson Cuevas – in a recent kickaround that saw him play 21 minutes without limping.

He hopes to be ready to help Ruiz make good on his promise to beat England in the debut match, although he recognises that “England are an adversary who are worthy of respect, but when it comes to the match it’s eleven against eleven."

Roque also expected to see the team finally click together in the week that remains until the curtain is raised in Germany. "It’s true that we have to improve some things, but we’ve got a week and I know that we can do it".

Crespo “I Hope This Is My World Cup”:angel:

Hernán Crespo is settling down into the Albiceleste rhythm after putting an awkward season at club level – the constant battle to get a first eleven place at Chelsea exasperating the Argentine at times – and recent stomach cramps behind him.



“I know that no one player is indispensable, but I want to play the maximum amount of minutes possible. In the run up to 2002 I was a first choice and two days from the start I was looking from the outside in” reasoned the man who always figures on the summer transfer lists.

"I feel fine alongside (Javier) Saviola, with (Carlos) Tevez and (Juan Román) Riquelme. It would have been perfect if I could have started scoring against Angola, but I really hope that this is my World Cup ", said the Chelsea striker.

“Last time everything was really stirred up by what was happening at home [the collapse of the Argentine economy had led to strife and deepening poverty in the once-great South American nation] and we couldn’t concentrate. It was a crazy time, but now we’re in the right state to make a bid for the Cup.”

Argentina's Tevez plays down role of individual

Tue Jun 6, 2006


HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, June 6 (Reuters) - Argentine striker Carlos Tevez says a player cannot look back on a World Cup with pride in his own form unless his team also does well.

"It's very difficult for you to leave a World Cup feeling satisfied with your own individual performance," Tevez said on Tuesday. "It has to be your World Cup for you to be pleased."

When Argentina won the second of their world titles in Mexico in 1986, inspirational captain Diego Maradona's influence made it "his" World Cup but that is unlikely to be repeated.


Tevez told reporters at Argentina's tournament base that he hoped to have a big impact at the finals even if any success ultimately depends on the efforts of the team.

"I dream, I get up, go to bed, train thinking it could be my World Cup. But here there's a team and it's in the team that you have to think first," he added.

Argentina are preparing for their opening Group C match against Ivory Coast in Hamburg on Saturday. They also play Serbia and Montenegro and Netherlands in the first round.

Tevez, the outstanding player in Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning team, is seen by compatriots as potentially having a great World Cup.

A big talent once dubbed the "new Maradona", he inspired Corinthians to the 2005 title during his first year in Brazil.

We must not get carried away, says Delgado :cap:


GELSENKIRCHEN, June 9 (Reuters) - Striker Agustin Delgado, one of the goal-scorers in Ecuador's 2-0 World Cup win over Poland on Friday, said his side must keep their feet on the ground after the surprise result.

"We can celebrate a victory but we must concentrate also on the next Group A match (against Costa Rica on Thursday)," Delgado told German television.


"We worked hard and got our reward. The two goals were our reward. We have taken a big step forward.

"The country will be celebrating but we will continue to work to give them more happiness."

The capital Quito was almost deserted as thousands of workers headed home early to watch the match, which was played in the afternoon Ecuador time.

The government declared half a day's holiday to allow Ecuadoreans to watch the game live. In the morning, many people arrived at work wearing the team's yellow jersey under their jackets and sweaters.

Drivers celebrated victory later with the national flag perched on their cars while honking their horns through the streets of Quito.

Poland coach Pawel Janas said his team had been beaten up.

"We are not in a comfortable situation going into the German game (on Wednesday)," said Janas.

"We have to pull ourselves together because today we have been beaten up both emotionally and physically."

Janas hinted he would make changes against Germany but would not elaborate.

"For sure not everybody played as I wanted them to," he said.

"I don't want to comment now. We will analyse what happened."

Midfielder Jacek Krzynowek acknowledged Poland were poor.

"We did not play well," he said. "Everyone saw that.

"We must look forward and concentrate on the match against Germany. Our opponents maybe had two chances and they scored with both."

Take us seriously, says Ecaudor's Tenorio

By Justin Palmer

BAD KISSINGEN, Germany, June 11 (Reuters) - Forget its volcanoes, Andean peaks and the Galapagos Islands, the world will know Ecuador for its football after the World Cup, according to striker Carlos Tenorio.

Ecuador have barely caused a ripple on the world stage but made many sit up and take notice when they defeated Poland 2-0 in their Group A opener on Friday.


Tenorio, who scored the 24th minute goal with a header that set the South Americans on their way to victory in Gelsenkirchen, said Ecuador were serious contenders to reach the knockout stage in their second World Cup.

"Somebody always causes a surprise. Nobody is here to lose," Tenorio told Reuters on Sunday. "After this World Cup the world will know more about Ecuador players and what we can do."

The shock defeat of the Poles was greeted with delirious celebrations in the capital Quito and Tenorio said they had shown they would not roll over and allow Germany and Poland an easy passage from the group.

"Football is very, very different now the tournament has started, you cannot play with your mouth, you need to play 90 or 95 minutes and maybe then you can talk. People think we can lose 10-0 to teams like Brazil but now that is impossible."

SURPRISINGLY FEW

South American players are a common feature around the leagues of Europe but surprisingly few Ecuadorean players ply their trade on the continent.

Attacking fullback Ulises De La Cruz, who is with England's Aston Villa, and Luis Antonio Valencia (Recreativo Huelva, Spain) are the only two of the 23-man squad to play in Europe.

Menorio, who plays in Qatar, said it was only "bad luck" that Ecuadorean players had not earned moves to European sides.

"Maybe this will change after Germany," he said. "We have some very talented players."

Tenorio, whose international career has suffered from his decision to move to Qatar's Al Sadd, is hoping his performances will bring offers from other clubs.

"I have played for three years there (in Qatar). I want a change but the team do not want to sell. I have to honour my contract (two further years)."

Tenorio skipped training on Sunday after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury against Poland but the 27-year-old is confident of lining up against Costa Rica.

Kaviedes pays tribute to Ecuador's Spider-Man

By Patrick Graham

HAMBURG, June 15 (Reuters) - Striker Ivan Kaviedes cemented his superhero status among delirious Ecuador fans by donning a Spider-Man mask to celebrate his goal against Costa Rica in their Group A clash on Thursday.

Television pictures flashed around the globe showed Kaviedes celebrating in comic-book style after he scored the third goal in the South American side's 3-0 win, which assured Ecuador of a place in the second round.

But the 29-year-old targetman said there was also a serious side to his celebration -- a tribute to former international Otilino Tenorio, who died last year at the age of 25 in a car crash.

"We were having a good time and we had the feeling that Otilino was with us out there today," said Agustin Delgado, the scorer of Ecuador's second goal. "He always made us laugh."

Brazil are vulnerable, says Aussie skipper Viduka

by Robert Smith
June 16, 2006

OHRINGEN (AFP) - Brazil showed in their hard-pressed 1-0 World Cup win over Croatia that they are vulnerable, Australian skipper Mark Viduka has said.

Australia shape up to the might of the five-times champions Brazil in their second match in Group F in Munich on Sunday, but Viduka is taking heart from what he saw of the Brazilian opening performance against Croatia in Berlin last Tuesday.

"The game against Croatia showed that they are vulnerable in places," Viduka told reporters at team training.


"I thought Croatia should have got something out of that game, I thought they were the better team."

Viduka was asked if Australia could exploit the Brazilian defence out wide as Croatia did down the flanks.

"I don't know what to expect on Sunday, but they are not superheroes or anything like that, they're people like us and why not?" he said.

Viduka said it was a concern that Australia gave away four yellow cards in their exhilarating 3-1 win over Japan last Sunday.

"That's a bit of a concern for us, because a few of them were given out quite lightly, but we have to keep every man available for every game and we'll see how (coach) Guus Hiddink is going to re-arrange the team," he said.

Viduka said every game at the World Cup was a crunch one for the Australians, making their first finals' appearance in 32 years.

"You saw in the Japan game it was end-to-end stuff, in these games it's not like a league or anything, you have to go for it and that means you could vulnerable as well. I think we have to go for it (against Brazil)."

Viduka said the manner of Australia's win over Japan, with their three goals coming inside the last eight minutes in energy-sapping heat in Kaiserslautern, had given his team a massive lift in confidence.

"To get the three points in the first game against Japan and in the manner that we did do it gave everybody a big high afterwards," he said.

Australia travel to Munich later Friday.

Bring on Argentina says Germany's Ballack

AFP
June 25, 2006

MUNICH (AFP) - Germany captain Michael Ballack says the host nation are playing so well that they should not fear any team at the World Cup - including their next opponents Argentina.

After defeating Sweden 2-0, Germany face off against Argentina in a quarter-final in Berlin on Friday and Ballack is in a bullish mood.

"Along with Argentina we have made the best impression so far. We do not need to hide," Ballack said Sunday.

"We are meeting a terrific opponent and they deserve the utmost respect but we have to look at our game.

"We are playing well and will continue to play our game whoever comes along. If there is a team that is better then fair enough.

"But if we play like we can then we have a chance. On current form we do not need to fear anyone."

Germany benefitted from two Lukas Podolski goals in the first 12 minutes as they defeated ten-man Sweden on Saturday but Ballack expects a tougher game from Argentina.

"That was the best game Germany have played for a long, long time - particuarly in the first half," Ballack declared. "It is not possible to play better than we did in the first half hour.

"We have gained a lot of confidence from the Sweden win but Argentina is the next obstacle.

"They are of a higher calibre because they are one of the favourites for the title."

Argentina reached the quarter-finals with a 2-1 extra-time win over Mexico on Saturday.

Argentina and Germany met twice last year with both matches - a friendly in Dusseldorf and a group match at the Confederations Cup - ending 2-2.

World-Blatter says ref could have yellow card himself :pp


NUREMBERG, June 25 (Reuters) - FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the referee could have been yellow-carded himself after sending off four players and handing out bookings to eight others in Portugal's World Cup 1-0 win over the Netherlands.

Each team finished with nine men after Russian referee Valentin Ivanov took centre stage in Sunday's second-round match, creating a World Cup finals record for red cards in one match.

"I consider that today the referee was not at the same level as the participants, the players. There could have been a yellow card for the referee," Blatter told Portugal's SIC television channel.

"This was a game of emotion, with exceptional drama in the last instant, with a deserved winner.

"It was a great show with intervention by the referee that was not consistent and (had) lack of fair play by some players."

French official blames Blatter:embarass: for 'catastrophic' refereeing

AFP
June 27, 2006

BERLIN (AFP) - A leading French referee has slammed the "catastrophic" officiating at the World Cup and blamed FIFA President Sepp Blatter for putting politics before football in choosing referees.

"They have selected the best teams from each continent, but not the best referees," said Bernard Saules, the president of the French national union of referees (UNAF).

"It has been a catastrophe from the start. FIFA and Mr Blatter have introduced some political shenanigans into the choice of the referees to keep this or that country happy, and this is the result," he told AFP.

"The best referees come from Europe, but only nine out of 26 of the referees at the World Cup are European," added Saules, though, with that number the Europeans have the largest proportion of referees at the tournament.

"It is alright to bring along the referees of average standard for minor international competitions, but not the World Cup."

However, two of the most heavily criticised referees at football's showpiece have been Graham Poll of England and Russia's Valentin Ivanov.

Saules said he attributed their errors to the fact that the referees were now required to be too close to the action, meaning officials were chosen more for their physical condition than their judgement.

"The referees are in perfect physical condition, but the closer they are to the ball, the less they can see.

"The referees (for the World Cup) are made to train as if they were in the army every day. They are running too much and I am not sure that is the best thing."

The French official said he believed video could help clear up contentious decisions, although FIFA says it has no plans to introduce the technology.

"I think it will help, but FIFA don't want to have anything to do with it," Saules said.

"But their reasoning just doesn't hold any water. It's like saying that we have got it wrong and we are going to carry on getting it wrong."

FIFA President Sepp Blatter criticised Ivanov's handling of Portugal's stormy 1-0 win over Netherlands in which the Russian showed a World Cup record four red cards and 16 yellow.

"The referee's actions harmed what could have been an excellent football match," Blatter said.

The referees' committee is due to meet on Wednesday to name the officials for the quarter-final matches.

Argentines lament rub of the green after World Cup loss

by Chris Wright
June 30, 2006

BERLIN (AFP) - Argentina lamented their poor luck after losing their World Cup quarter-final to Germany on penalties, a loss which saw coach Jose Pekerman resign amid mutual ill-feeling which boiled over at the end.

"It's a defeat which hurts badly," said veteran striker Hernan Crespo.

"At no time were Germany better than us - and that makes it harder to take. We don't deserve to be going home so early."

Skipper Juan Pablo Sorin said: "I think the Germans got lucky with it going to penalties, which is a lottery. It was very frustrating as we gave it all we had. We matched Germany, in Germany, for 120 minutes and you can't ask for much more than that."

For scorer Roberto Ayala, whose 49th-minute header looked to have secured a win until ten minutes from the end when Miroslav Klose levelled, "it was a black day for Argentina."

Ayala was desolate after German keeper Jens Lehmann saved his spotkick.

"It will take a lot of time for the hurt to go," the 33-year-old Valencia star told reporters after he failed to book a semi-final date which would have taken him level with Diego Simeone's record 106 caps for Argentina.

Midfielder Esteban Cambiasso was in tears after his spot kick was saved by Lehmann.

"How can it end like this? It's a terrible way to go out," stammered the Inter Milan star, who has had a terrible past few months struggling with a personal problem.

Striker Carlos Tevez concurred.

"It's a defeat which really hurts badly, especially as we gave all we could out there. But that's football, especially when it comes down to spotkicks," said the Corinthians attacker.

The players were circumspect on the fisticuffs at the end which saw German team manager Oliver Bierhoff charge that German defender Per Mertesacker was kicked after the shootout, apparently by Argentinian defender Leandro Cufre before another Argentinian defender Gabriel Heinze joined the fray.

Crespo was the most forthcoming, while remaining diplomatic.

"We basically didn't appreciate the way they (the Germans) were jumping up and down during the penalties. I don't want to make too much of it but there was a lot of tension," said the Chelsea forward, whose future clubmate Michael Ballack insisted that he had not seen what had provoked the storm.

Cambiasso and Maxi Rodriguez also played down the incident, which FIFA is investigating.

"It's logical there was some frustration which spilled over at the end, but I'm not here to say who was at fault," said Cambiasso, while Rodriguez insisted: "It was nothing really - it's not worth saying much about it."

Pekerman also played down the scenes.

"I think it was a spontaneous situation arising from a very emotional moment," he explained.

Press conference by FIFA President in Berlin

Blatter reiterates wish that the 2014 World Cup be in Brazil

05 / 07 / 2006



On July 4, FIFA president Joseph Blatter reiterated his desire that the 2014 World Cup take place in Brazil, the South American country that has shown a big interest in organizing the event and has the support of CONMEBOL.
The FIFA president explained that Brazilian authorities will now have to respond to a series of conditions to demonstrate that they are capable of housing an event of such proportions as the World Cup.
Another aspect in favor of the Brazilian candidacy is that it has the full backing of the South American Confederation, Blatter indicated in his round with the press in Berlin.

Blatter showed to be very favorable to the idea that the World Cup return to South America, a continent that has won 9 out of the 17 disputed championships. The head of FIFA said he subordinates the decision to the need for Brazil to present a fully guaranteed candidacy.

Scolari seems to be on route to Chile for vacations...Chile in winter ??? and why would he mention it to the Chilean media ?? He's probably headed to the other side of the world instead !!! :cap:

Parreira: "whoever assumes has to think South Africa 2010":thumbsup:

05 / 07 / 2006

Brazilian coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, assured that whoever assumes the position as coach of the five time world champion team, has to begin to think about the Cup of 2010. In a collective interview given in Río de Janeiro a few hours after arriving in Brazil, after the elimination from Germany 2006, Parreira said that his continuity as coach will depend on the meetings that he will have in the next days with leaders of the Brazilian Football Confederation.
"I already made the decision, but I will only inform it when president Ricardo Teixeira returns", the trainer assured when refusing to answer if he will submit his resignation. Nevertheless, he admitted that, "whoever takes command of the ship", has to think about South Africa 2010. According to Parreira, he or any other coach commanding games of the national team, will have to reflect on a renovation of players for the next World Cup. "I believe it is time to begin to plan for the Cup of 2010. That was the coach?s answer when asked about the renovation of the team.

"I still remember that in my first interview when I assumed the national team again, in January of 2003, they already asked me if there would be renovation. The answer is that we arrived in Germany with 50 percent of the team renovated" he said. He also said that he hopes the national team eliminated in Germany 2006 is also remembered as well as those that disputed the Worlds Cup of 1982 and 1986 and which were also eliminated, but that they marked a generation. "I wouldn?t say that I expect that for this national team, but for this generation. It will be remembered as a conquering generation. It completed a victorious cycle. It is evident that the match against France will be marked and a long time will pass before it is forgotten", he assured.

On the elimination of Brazil in quarter finals, Parreira said to be sad and frustrated, but not sorry about anything he did. He added that to lose is also part of the game and that he cannot forget all that has done for a match. He attributed the harsh reactions in Brazil about the elimination to "the culture of victory" and remembered that, in a recent interview, 64 percent of the Brazilians approved of his work as coach. "I never saw a coach lose the World cup and be praised. That will never happen. I am sad and frustrated, but that is part of life for those who are in the fight", he concluded.


Source: EFE

Ronaldo says he wants to leave England :excited:

AFP
July 8, 2006

LISBON (AFP) - Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, a hate figure in England after his involvement in Wayne Rooney's sending-off at the World Cup, said he wants to leave the country.

"To be honest it is difficult to stay in England after they way they have treated me because I didn't hurt anyone," he told Portugal's SIC television when asked if he was joining Spanish giants Real Madrid next season as has been reported.

"They are making a big deal out of nothing and I don't know why. It's difficult to live in a country where they practically don't want me. In the coming two or three days I will reach a decision," he added.

Ronaldo was speaking to the station after Portugal lost 3-1 to host nation Germany in the World Cup third-place playoff.

The player said he was disappointed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and other club officials had not stood up for him in recent days.

"They should have defended me and no one defended me. I can't stay on under these conditions. I don't want to stay at the club," the Lusa news agency quoted him as saying.

The English press has run a concerted campaign against Ronaldo after he was blamed by some England players for encouraging the referee to send off Rooney, his teammate at United, during the World Cup quarter-final.

Rooney denied he stamped on the groin of Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho, but Ronaldo appeared to urge Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo to brandish a red card.

He also appeared to wink in the direction of the Portugal bench after Rooney was dismissed.

With Rooney absent, England went on to lose in the penalty shootout as Ronaldo scored the decisive spot kick.

The England striker was banned for two international matches for his sending-off.

Ronaldo, 21, has protested his innocence and claimed immediately after the England game that he and Rooney remained friends, saying they had exchanged text messages.

The Portuguese striker was booed by sections of the crowd at subsequent World Cup matches.

Last November Ronaldo extended his contract until 2010 with Manchester United, whom he joined from Lisbon-based Sporting for 12 million pounds (17.3 million euros or 22.1 million US dollars) in 2003.

Laura Bush: Soccer is new to US

AFP
July 13, 2006

STRALSUND, Germany (AFP) - US First Lady Laura Bush has explained the winless US flop at the World Cup by saying that soccer has yet to catch on in the United States.

"Americans really are just learning about soccer. It's a new sport to the United States. I guess you can tell it's a new sport by the way our team plays," she said during a visit here.

Bush, here for talks between US President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that she and her husband had watched the dramatic final that saw Italy triumph over France.

"We watched the games when the US played, but we also watched the finals between France and Italy at the White House. My husband and I watched those games together," said the first lady.

"I guess we did not do very well, but we did play Germany, and I think that's when we lost, isn't it, the last time when we were out," she said. The United States played the Czech Republic, Italy and Ghana, but not Germany.

"You know, Americans really don't know that much about soccer. And the World Cup still was very interesting to Americans. Americans watched," she said.

Interesting .......

Brazilian flops all guilty, says Juan

AFP
July 16, 2006

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Brazilian defender Juan admitted that the whole team feels guilty for their World Cup flop in Germany.

Juan told Globo TV that everyone shares responsibility for the former champions' failure to get beyond the quarter-finals where they were defeated by France.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, skipper Cafu, veteran defender Roberto Carlos as well as Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho were all singled out for particular criticism for the fiasco which befell the 2002 winners who had been expected to cruise to another World Cup.

"The level of responsibility of Parreira is equal to ours and everyone feels a little guilty," said the Bayer Leverkusen player.

Nicolás Leoz: "Brazil is the first option for the World Cup 2014":lazy:

22 / 07 / 2006



The president of the South American Fottball Confederation, Dr. Nicolás Leoz, said yesterday that Brazil has the first option from South America, to organize the the FIFA World Cup of 2014. Leoz reaffirmed this, after an interview with Colombian vice-president, Francisco Santos, who is in charge of promoting Colombia as a candidate for World Cup 2014.
"The first one is Brazil that has presented the formal application and was supported by the 10 countries of South America", Leoz specified and remembered that Colombia lost the opportunity in 1986, when aluding to economic reasons, the government of then president Belisario Betancur, didn't support the event.

In his turn, Colombian vice-president Francisco Santos, said that the government will fight, even in the diplomatic front and "We agreed (with Nicolás Leoz) that it is necessary to take some formal stepts". He clarified that Colombia is looking for "a window" to enter into the competition to be host country of the Football World Cup.

8/7/2006


Aguero Not Obsessed With Starting Spot

Atletico Madrid's Argentine whiz Sergio Aguero has given short shrift to speculation on whether or not he will start regularly, given the presence of Mista, Torres and Kezman among the ranks.


Aguero, who has been one of Atleti's stars during their trip to Shanghai, said he was satisfied with his performances, and that of the team.

"I came to a great club to achieve some great things, and am satisfied with the pre-season," he said. "We have been together for only a few days, but we can already see the results of our daily work."

"It is important to go step by step, because there is still a lot to do," he continued. "On a personal level, I am very satisfied with my goals, but the important thing is that the team wins."

However, he admitted that it would be difficult to hold down a regular first team spot, given the quality and competition: "There are players with a lot of quality in this team, and I am not too bothered about a starting spot. Every player wants to play, but we also have Torres, Kezman and Mista for the places up front. I am here to help the first team, and it is the coach who must select the starting eleven."

He then went on to praise skipper Torres: "I have seen him on television, and know a bit about the way he plays. He is a very important player, with vision and power."

Ronaldinho defends :mute: Eto'o for walking out on Cup victory

MADRID, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Ronaldinho has defended his Barcelona team mate Samuel Eto'o for his decision not to celebrate Sunday's victory in the Spanish Super Cup after being replaced by new signing Eidur Gudjohnsen at halftime.

The Cameroon international, top scorer in the Spanish league last season with 26 goals, left the Nou Camp before the end of Barcelona's 3-0 victory and did not pick up his winner's medal.

"What happened is understandable because he's the sort of player that wants to be on the pitch all the time and if he isn't he's unhappy," Ronaldinho told reporters on Monday.

"It's better that he's like that than if he didn't mind not playing and we all hope that he continues to retain the same hunger to play.

"Anyway these things are best sorted out in the dressing room."

Barca coach Frank Rijkaard had also played down the incident in his post-match news conference on Sunday.

"It is true he left early," he said. "After a match emotions are running high and it is better to sleep on it and talk about it the following day."

The Spanish and European champions picked up where they left off last season with a scintillating display against King's Cup winners Espanyol. A neat header from Xavi and two well crafted goals from Deco allowed them to ease their way to a 4-0 aggregate win over their city rivals.

"Barca played well and there were some moments of spectacular football," said Rijkaard. "But it was only one game and we have to keep working hard. I'm very pleased that Barca made such a good impression, though."

Barca will have a chance to add a second trophy to their collection when they play UEFA Cup winners Sevilla for the European Super Cup in Monaco on Friday.

San Lorenzo coach ashamed by seven-goal Boca drubbing :howler:

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 28 (Reuters) - San Lorenzo coach Oscar Ruggeri said he was ashamed by his team's 7-1 drubbing at home to Boca Juniors on Sunday.

"I apologise to all of our fans who came to the match," said the former Argentina defender. "I don't have any explanations or answers to give them at the moment."

"All that I can say at the moment is that we're all very ashamed."

San Lorenzo, who reshaped their squad at Ruggeri's request in the close season, had taken seven points from their first three games in the Apertura championship before Sunday's mishap.

Ruggeri, a rugged central defender during his playing days, won 98 caps for Argentina but has had a patchy coaching career.

He quit Mexico's UAG after losing his first six games in early 2003 and resigned less than four months into his job at Independiente after being jeered and insulted by fans at a home game.

In 2004, he went to Spanish second division club Elche but was fired after 20 games.

He returned to Mexico and joined America, the country's richest club, and this time lasted only six games. He took over for a second stint at San Lorenzo earlier this year.

Boca coach Alfio Basile was delighted with his team's 10th successive league win.

"They played really well," said the gravel-voiced coach, who leaves on Sept. 14 to take over as coach of Argentina.

"This was one of our most spectacular wins in recent tournaments.

"We were never just satisfied with a straight win, we didn't stop playing football at any moment and we kept on trying to score goals until the last minute."

Argentina coach Basile would like 4-0 win over Brazil

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Argentina's new coach Alfio Basile said he would settle for a 4-0 win over Brazil in his first match in charge on Sunday.

"I would like us to score four goals and them to score none," the gravel-voiced coach told reporters on Wednesday after being asked what he expected from the friendly in London.

Basile, who coached Argentina from 1991 to 1994, officially begins his second stint on Sept. 15 and is still in charge of club side Boca Juniors.


He agreed to lead Argentina against Brazil after the game was arranged at short notice.

"It's always special against Brazil," said Basile at Buenos Aires airport before catching his flight.

"It's not a personal landmark because I've got 800,000 matches behind me, but it's important for the national team."

Basile said he could not comment on whether he would field Corinthians pair Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez.

Tevez walked out on the Brazilian club after playing against Botafogo on Aug. 20 while Mascherano, sent off against Gremio on Sunday, skipped training on Tuesday.

"Until I see them and talk to them and watch them practice, I can't say anything," said Basile.

He also shrugged off claims that his forward line lacked height after he picked Sergio Aguero, Tevez, Javier Saviola and Lionel Messi amongst the strikers.

"I like short players," he said.

Tevez says he chose :thumbsup: West Ham for experience



By Rex Gowar

LONDON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Carlos Tevez chose West Ham United over bigger English clubs because he could get more regular football with them, the Argentina forward said on Saturday.


"West Ham is a team where I can get a rhythm of playing, see what English football is all about," the World Cup striker told a news conference on the eve of Argentina's friendly against Brazil at Arsenal's Emirates stadium.

He said he was not looking any further than West Ham despite media speculation the move was simply a stepping stone to bigger things in England or Europe.

"First I want to do well for West Ham. I'm not concerned about playing in a big club. I just want to play," said Tevez, who along with Argentina team mate Javier Mascherano joined the Premier League club from Brazilian side Corinthians on Thursday.

"It's going to do me a lot of good to play in this league."

LONDON RIVALS

West Ham's bigger London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea were interested in Tevez and holding midfielder Mascherano but the striker said the West Ham option was the best.

"The two (others) were interested but they had three or four forwards in my position. What I need is to play, get rhythm," Tevez said.

"From the moment I arrived (on Thursday) the most concrete thing was West Ham and the most convenient for me."

He said he was not putting a time on his stay at West Ham, saying he needed to adapt to English football which he described as "not easy".

There were no official figures for the double transfer, raising speculation in the media over the full details.

Corinthians are owned by the MSI investment group that is believed to be trying again to buy into West Ham after a bid came to nothing last year.

The pair left Corinthians under a cloud after falling out with the club and fans but Tevez, who had a contract with the Brazilians until December, said there were no hard feelings.

"There's no resentment with Corinthians, with the people who supported me," Tevez said.

"Sure, I didn't want to go out like that but the circumstances and promises not respected were the motive.

"The directors showed a lack of respect towards me which is why I stopped going to training."

West Ham's Tevez: I want to rule Premiership

tribalfooball.com - September 04, 2006

New West Ham United signing Carlos Tevez wants to be "king of the Premiership".
The Argie ace told the People: "I need to play at West Ham for a year to get used to the pace of the game and to get to know English football.


"There were many teams interested in me but they already had a lot of players in my position so West Ham was my best option.

"For now I am thinking only about West Ham and not where I'll go beyond that. I am convinced I will adapt quickly to the style of play of my new team. It's my duty because I have seen how enthusiastic the fans are about my arrival and I can't let them down.

"Any footballer would want to play in the Premiership because of the type of football here. It is very quick, very fast and very elegant.

"My objective is to be the king of the Premiership and endear myself to all the fans of all the clubs. It's my dream to be a huge success here.

"People talk about the toughness of the English league but they clearly do not see many games from Brazil and Argentina because they kick you all over the place in the lower leagues."

Tevez claimed he was forced to leave Corinthians after they broke their promises to him. He added: "I didn't want to leave because I really enjoyed the people I worked with, but the directors made promises and then didn't honour their agreement so I had to leave."

Roberto Carlos announces end of Brazil career

AFP
September 6, 2006

MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos has said the arrival of younger, fitter defenders in the Brazil national team had spelt the end of his international career.

And the 33-year-old said he would not be following in the foosteps of former teammates Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo, both of whom returned from international retirement to play again for France and Portugal respectively.

"With me, a return is not possible," the veteran dead ball specialist told reporters at a press conference Wednesday.

"Brazil can now count on the likes of Marcelo (Fluminense) and Gilberto (Hertha Berlin) and they are both very good players.

"Now, the days off are precious to me."

Roberto Carlos, who has solicited interest from Fenerbahce in Turkey and English champions Chelsea, seemed a shadow of his former self at the World Cup.

He emerged from the tournament having faced criticism for his lack of intervention before Thierry Henry's goal which handed France a 1-0 win and ticket to the semi-finals.

However he said he had been unjustly criticised.

"I've played for Brazil for 15 years, we've lost 16 games and I've been world champion," said the Brazilian.

"Now I just want to concentrate on Real Madrid. My family's been missing me a lot since the World Cup."

Mascherano pledges to stick with West Ham

AFP
October 6, 2006

LONDON (AFP) - Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano has vowed to ignore calls from his national coach Alfio Basile to quit West Ham.

Mascherano has endured a nightmare start to his West Ham career following his surprise move to the English Premiership club in August.

Alan Pardew's side have yet to win since Mascherano and his international teammate Carlo Tevez arrived from Brazilian side Corinthians.

Mascherano was dropped for West Ham's last match, a home defeat against Reading, amid suggestions that he and striker Tevez, who has yet to score for the club, had unsettled the rest of their new team-mates.

But he is happy to stay and fight for his place and told the London Evening Standard: "I came with the idea of staying a long time. I think when you arrive, and more so in a club like this, you need time to adapt, to get to know it all."

Basile is keen for the pair, both key players for Argentina, to leave London already because he claims they are playing with no enthusiasm and does not want their troubles to affect the national team.

West Ham have lost their last five matches, including a UEFA Cup first round exit against Palermo, and Mascherano has been linked with a move to Italian club Juventus in the January transfer window.

"Maybe the first year is just about getting to know it. My idea is to stay a long time," added Mascherano.

"It's not right for a player to spend a year in one country, another year in another, another in another, that's too hard.

"Not just in terms of football, but the life you lead, for your family, everything. I want to be here for a long time."

Pele hands his backing to Brazil coach Dunga

DUBAI, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Pele backed Brazil's new coach Dunga to succeed in his job despite his inexperience in the role.


'I have confidence in Dunga's capabilities, I think he has everything he takes to be a great coach,' Pele told the Brazilian Football Confederation's (CBF) official website.

'I think his success will depend a lot on the luck factor, which is also important in football.'

Pele, who was visiting the team in Kuwait on Friday ahead of Saturday's friendly international, felt last month's 3-0 friendly win over arch-rivals Argentina gave Brazilian fans a boost following their quarter-final exit at the World Cup.

'This was very good,' he said. 'After the World Cup failure ... he has already brought some happiness back to the supporters by beating Argentina. So, he's already shown that he has luck.'

Dunga, who captained Brazil at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, was named as a surprise replacement for Carlos Alberto Parreira in July even though he had no previous coaching experience.

He has already started a re-building job and has made top players such as Kaka start on the substitutes' bench.

'There are always going to be transitional periods, the important thing is that it happens gradually in the way Dunga is doing,' said Pele.

Dunga has placed a big emphasis on team spirit and commitment, something many feel was missing from Brazil's World Cup squad.

'I often quote Pele as an example, as there was a day when he sat on the bench,' Dunga said.

'I tell the players that if Pele can sit on the bench without causing problems, then nobody else has the right to be any different.'

Brazil are unbeaten in three games under Dunga, a record they are comfortably expected to continue against Kuwait on Saturday.

Dunga said he was not taking for anything for granted, however.

'They are not a team which is prominent in terms of world football but they will have a lot of motivation and will create a lot of problems for Brazil,' he said in a televised interview.

Brazil beat the United Arab Emirates 8-0 on their previous visit to the region last year.

Valderrama does not want foreign coach for Colombia

BOGOTA, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Former Colombia captain Carlos Valderrama said he was against the idea of a foreigner coaching the side.

Argentine Marcelo Bielsa and Brazilian Paulo Autuori are among the favourites to replace Reinaldo Rueda.

"I don't like it, I think there are Colombian coaches who are capable of leading the national team," Valderrama told reporters on Tuesday.

Rueda is still officially in charge even though he has been put on unpaid leave for three months.

The national federation has been actively looking for an alternative but Rueda is also one of three Colombians in contention for the job along with former coach Hernan Dario Gomez, now with Guatemala, and Jorge Luis Pinto.

(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta)

Valderrama does not want foreign coach for Colombia

BOGOTA, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Former Colombia captain Carlos Valderrama said he was against the idea of a foreigner coaching the side.

I agree 100% with El Pibe ... Fifa SHOULD make it a rule for National Team Coaches to be National Citizens of the Country they Coach !!!!

I hope in Chile once Acosta is gone that we never PICK-up a foreigner for that position..There are so many qualified/ready persons within Chile for the Job that it would be a shame if it wasnt that way.

:cap:

Pizarro refuses :hopefull: to play for Peru under present coach

LIMA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Peru striker Claudio Pizarro said on Tuesday that he would no longer play for his country as long as Franco Navarro remained coach of the team.

"I've sent a letter to the directors of the federation informing them that while this coach continues I will not play for the national team," Pizarro said in an interview with the RPP radio station.

"So, I've asked them not to pick me for the upcoming games. That's my final say in the matter," said the Bayern Munich striker, speaking from Germany.


Pizarro's decision follows controversy after he played in only one of Peru's two friendly internationals against Chile earlier this month.

Chile won the first match in Vina del Mar 3-2 on Oct. 7 and the return 1-0 in Tacna on Oct. 11.

Pizarro returned to Germany after the first game, saying he wanted time to train for Bayern Munich's match at home to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga last weekend.

Pizarro scored one goal and set up another as Bayern won Saturday's game 4-2.

The player said he had the full agreement of Peruvian football federation directors and did not understand why the issue had raised such controversy.

"I haven't quit the national team, I'd never do that, but I don't believe in the current process," he said.

Navarro, a former Peruvian international forward, took over as coach earlier this year and has failed to win any of his five games in charge.

Peru, who last played at the World Cup in 1982, have drawn with Trinidad & Tobago and Ecuador and lost at home to Panama as well as suffering the two defeats by Chile.

Argentine FA apologise for Gimnasia's :nono:rough play

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona has publicly apologised for the rough play of Gimnasia-La Plata in Thursday night's Copa Sudamericana match against Colo Colo of Chile.

Grondona, in a letter which was sent to the Chilean football league and published on its Web site, said he was ashamed of the behaviour by the Argentine team, who had two players sent off for shocking tackles.

"This is a letter which I never wanted to write, but nobility obliges me," said Grondona.

"I could not avoid a painful feeling of shame," he said. "The elemental principles of fair play, for which we struggle on a daily basis, should never be overlooked in favour of the result.

"To remain silent would be to condone something we repudiate and reject."

Colo Colo won Thursday night's quarter-final second leg 2-0 to complete a 6-1 aggregate victory.

As Gimnasia lost their heads, striker Sebastian Dubarbier was sent off in the 71st minute for an ugly tackle from behind on Alvaro Ormeno.

Juan Cuevas followed in the 89th minute for a two-footed lunge on goalkeeper Sebastian Cejas.

In the first half, striker Santiago Silva head-butted an opponent in the chest but escaped with a yellow card.

The Argentine media also criticised Gimnasia's tactics.

The game was surrounded by tension after the previous week's first leg in Santiago was abandoned in the 86th minute when a Gimnasia player was hit by a lump of concrete thrown from the crowd.

Colo Colo's 4-1 win stood, despite Gimnasia's demands that they be awarded the tie.

Gimnasia were involved in controversy on Sept. 10 when their Argentine league match at home to Boca Juniors was abandoned at halftime after the referee said that club president Juan Jose Munoz had threatened him in his dressing room.

Munoz, who denied the allegations, was suspended for six months from his position on the AFA's executive committee but allowed to continue in his role as Gimnasia president.

Two weeks ago, Gimnasia crashed to a 7-0 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Estudiantes in the La Plata derby. (Writing by Brian Homewood in Rio de Janeiro)

Ronaldo frustrated :scream: by bench role at Real Madrid

MADRID, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Brazil striker Ronaldo says he does not understand what he has to do to earn a return to the Real Madrid starting line up under coach Fabio Capello.

"The worst thing about not playing is not having the confidence of the coach and not knowing how to win it back," Ronaldo said in an interview with Spanish daily ABC on Friday.

The 30-year-old international was Real's top scorer with 14 league goals last season despite suffering a number of niggling injuries.

But with Capello now installed as coach, Ronaldo has lost out to Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, with the Italian rigidly adhering to a system that plays with one out-and-out striker.

Ronaldo underwent a minor operation on his left knee after the World Cup finals and missed the start of the season.

But since then he has only played 100 minutes in the league and the Champions League, has yet to score a goal and has yet to start a game.

GOOD SHAPE

"I don't know what the criteria are to win a place in the starting line up. I am in very good shape, with my weight and everything. What I have to do is to try and prove it," said Ronaldo.

"Capello doesn't have faith with me at the moment. If he did he would have played me more."

Sporting director Predrag Mijatovic urged Ronaldo to be patient, saying he was still part of the club's plans.

"It is up to the player because the coach has already said he wants him in his plans," Mijatovic told Spanish media.

"I am sure he will have more opportunities to demonstrate his abilities in the near future."

After a close season of speculation over Ronaldo's future with the nine-times European champions, the player reiterated his desire to see out his contract with the club, which ends in 2008.

"I expect to complete my contract here and then to have two years more in Brazil or the United States. I will retire at 35," Ronaldo added.

"I am a fighter and this is the moment to do battle. It is a small problem compared to others. I am happy when I play football... and at the moment I am not playing much."

Real, who are third in the standings, are at home to Celta Vigo in the league on Sunday.

Ronaldo still needs to lose weight says Capello

MADRID, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Real Madrid striker Ronaldo still needs to lose more weight before he can attempt to return to top form, his coach Fabio Capello said on Saturday.

"He is working hard in training and achieving an acceptable level of fitness. He has lost a lot of weight but there is still a little more to come off before he can return to be the player everyone knows," Capello told a news conference.

"If a player isn't in good shape he won't play. Everyone thinks they look good in the mirror in the morning but I watch how they perform in training. He will get games but he needs to be fit."


Capello was responding to an interview with Ronaldo in the Spanish press on Friday, where the Brazilian international spoke about his frustration at his lack of first team opportunities.

Ronaldo underwent a minor operation on his left knee after the World Cup finals and missed the start of the season.

But since then he has only played 100 minutes in the league and the Champions League, and has yet to score a goal or start a game in those competitions.

"I don't know what the criteria are to win a place in the starting line-up. I am in very good shape, with my weight and everything. What I have to do is to try to prove it," said Ronaldo.

"Capello doesn't have faith in me at the moment. If he did, he would have played me more."

Ronaldo is in the Real squad to face Celta Vigo in the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Maradona :lazy: says time for Sanchez to coach Mexico :stoned:

MEXICO CITY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Former Argentina captain Diego Maradona said on Friday it was time for former Real Madrid striker Hugo Sanchez, considered Mexico's best-ever player, to coach the national team.

On a visit to Mexico 20 years after lifting the World Cup there, Maradona said Sanchez was the ideal candidate to put together a Mexican squad capable of succeeding on the world stage, where they have been constant under performers.

"The time has come for Hugo," Maradona said. "For me, in my way of seeing things, he is the number one candidate." :yuck:


Mexico's soccer federation is only days away from picking a new coach to replace Argentine Ricardo La Volpe, who stood down after the World Cup in Germany.

Americo Gallego, another Argentine and currently the coach of Mexican club Toluca, and Sanchez are the favourites for the job.

Sanchez, who won five consecutive league titles with Real Madrid in the 1980s alongside the likes of Emilio Butragueno and Michel, currently coaches Necaxa.

Sanchez, who was five times the top scorer in Spain's Primera Liga, and La Volpe often traded barbs when the Argentine headed Mexico's national team, with the outspoken striker openly saying he wanted La Volpe's job.

Bayern's Magath heaps praise on two-goal Pizarro

By Douglas Busvine

MOSCOW, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath heaped praise on Claudio Pizarro after the Peru striker headed their first goal and added a spectacular long-range strike in Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw at Spartak Moscow.

Although Bayern remain Group B leaders, Magath lamented having to settle for a draw after a late Radoslav Kovac equaliser allowed Inter Milan to close the gap at the top of the group to two points with a 1-0 home win over Sporting Lisbon.

However, Bayern, with 11 points, need only draw with Inter in their final group game in Munich on Dec. 5 to top the group.

The German side went behind to a swerving 16th-minute free kick by Ukraine international Maksim Kalinichenko -- the first time skipper Oliver Kahn has had to pick the ball out of his net in this season's European campaign.

Pizarro struck back six minutes later with a glancing header from a cross by left back Christian Lell with Spartak's third-choice goalkeeper Alexsei Zuev rooted to his line.

The highlight of the match came in the 39th minute when Pizarro, surrounded by six Spartak players, unleashed a fierce 25-metre drive into the top corner of Zuev's goal.

"Those goals showed his qualities -- he is a tough man to mark," Magath said. "A headed goal and a 25-metre shot -- it just goes to show that Claudio Pizarro can look for goal from almost any position."

"It was perfect," Bayern's Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel said. "The ball was swerving away from the goalkeeper as it went in. It was a great goal."

Playing in unusually mild weather on an artificial surface, Bayern were dangerous on the break despite fielding an under-strength team lacking Germany fullback Phillip Lahm, who was rested, and a string of injured players.

Having thrashed Spartak 4-0 in their home match, Bayern became slack at the back in the second half, allowing Kovac to level in the 72nd minute by jabbing home from a corner.

"What I missed in the second half was that, leading 2-1, we didn't control the ball and tried to score a third goal too quickly," Magath said.

The match extended Spartak's winless streak in the Champions League to 22 games, a record, but coach Vladimir Fedotov was pleased his team held up well against one of Europe's top sides.

"This is the first time we've played in the Champions League in four years -- it's a different level. But we have picked up a lot of experience," the veteran coach said.

Although Spartak, with just two points from five games, are out of the Champions League, a win against Sporting in Lisbon would be enough for the Russians to qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Nov. 26, 2006

Ronaldinho fulfils boyhood dream with overhead (chilena) goal

MADRID, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Ronaldinho said that he fulfilled a childhood dream by wrapping up Barcelona's 4-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday with his spectacular overhead kick three minutes from time.


Lurking in the Villarreal area, the Brazilian controlled a lofted pass from Xavi with his chest, swivelled round with his back to goal and then fired a stunning bicycle kick (chilena) over the head of keeper Mariano Barbosa and high into the net.


'I didn't really think too much about it because it just happened on the spur of the moment,' said the 26-year-old who had scored Barca's opener from the penalty spot.

'When I controlled the ball it stood up just right and everything else worked out perfectly.

'Ever since I was a young boy I've dreamed of scoring a goal like that.

'I'm never going to forget this goal. Now I have to try for my other dream goal which is to score from the halfway line.'

The Nou Camp gave Ronaldinho a standing ovation after the goal, while Barca coach Frank Rijkaard admitted had left him gasping in admiration.

'Ronaldinho's second goal was the sort of marvel that provokes strong emotions from Barcelona and all football fans alike,' said the Dutchman. 'This sort of performance will help strengthen the side in matches to come.'

Barca keeper Victor Valdes said he had been the victim of similar goals in training.

'He's scored some like that against me in practice games and it's a nightmare,' he told reporters. 'It is no accident.'

Barca's emphatic win put them four points clear at the Primera Liga, with second-placed Sevilla travelling to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

World Cup was not defensive, says Parreira

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira on Wednesday refuted the suggestion that this year's World Cup in Germany was defensive.

Parreira, who led a disappointing Brazil side that went out in the quarter-finals against France, said teamwork had prevailed rather than individuals.

"The World Cup was not horrible, it was different," he said during a speech at a Congress in Rio de Janeiro.


"A lot of people have asked questions about the quality of the football at the World Cup. But it was the collective side which prevailed.

"Most of the teams played in a compact formation, with the defence and the midfield close to each other.

"The football was not defensive, it was a case of teamwork prevailing."

Parreira bombarded his audience with statistics but said there were no major tactical innovations in the tournament.

He has been criticised for being overcautious and failing to get the best out of Brazil's talented team, who started as hot favourites to win a sixth world title.

However, Parreira, who has taken on the job of coaching 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, avoided talking about Brazil's performance apart from a brief reference to media criticism.

"There's a Spanish proverb which says that talking about bulls and bullfighting is not the same as standing in the middle of the ring," he said.

11/12/2006 13.53


I’m Ready For Real – Higuain

River Plate striker Gonzalo Higuain is hopeful that he will complete a move to Real Madrid in January.


The Spaniards are keen on signing Higuain and Boca Juniors starlet Fernando Gago as they look to beat off interest from other clubs to bag two of the hottest young South American talents.

Real have yet to agree a fee with River, but the Argentine club’s finance chief, Hector Grinberg, will reportedly arrive in Madrid today to discuss a price, despite their reluctance to sell.

"I don't believe the trip made by Grinberg will finish empty-handed," said Higuain.

"I feel the great support of the fans of River. But I am young and I need to look after my best interests. Madrid is an opportunity that not everyone receives. It is obvious I am now ready to make the jump to Europe."

Higuain is half French, with Les Bleus and Argentina both currently involved in a battle for his international services.

Millonarios coach blasts players for selfish attitude

BOGOTA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Millonarios coach Juan Carlos Osorio launched an astonishing public attack on his players on Thursday, saying they were more interested in their financial problems than reaching the Colombian championship final.

Osorio was furious after his team lost 4-0 to Independiente Medellin on Wednesday and finished one point behind Cucuta in their semi-final group. Cucuta drew 0-0 with Atletico Huila and will face Tolima in the two-leg final.

"I saw a team short of attitude, more worried about the financial aspect than the football aspect," he told El Tiempo newspaper. "I can't accept this lack of professionalism."


Osorio said some players had been to a cash dispenser before the game to look at their bank statements and see if they had been paid their wages.

"It's the first time in my life I've had to face a situation like this. It was an incredible thing to do on the part of players who had the chance to go to a final."

Millonarios briefly became one of the world's richest clubs when Colombia staged a pirate league in the 1950s and players such as Alfredo di Stefano lined up for the team.

They have won a record 13 titles, the last in 1988, but have recently been hit by financial difficulties.

Millonarios captain Juan Carlos Quintero denied that the players were influenced by financial problems against Medellin.

"The bad attitude and bad performance had nothing to do with the financial matters," he said. "The players feel as bad as anyone else."

Romario confirms Vasco link

December 26, 2006

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (TICKER) -- Brazil legend Romario has confirmed he is hoping to re-join Vasco da Gama next year for a fourth spell with the Rio de Janeiro club.

The 40-year-old has desperately been seeking a new employer in a bid to score the 13 goals that will take him to the historic 1,000 mark, and is expected to return to the side where he started his illustrious career 21 years ago.

However, Romario may be thwarted in his attempts to sign for the Brazilian giants because of a FIFA rule that prevents a player appearing for more than two clubs in a one-year period.

But the former Barcelona star, who has already played for Miami FC and Adelaide United this season, remains confident he will be turning out in a Vasco da Gama shirt in 2007.

"I have already spoken to Eurico (Miranda, Vasco president) via telephone and he told me Vasco's doors are open," Romario told Esporte Record.

"If there is no legal problem, I'm sure I'm going to Vasco."

Cavenaghi "proud" of Deportivo La Coruna interest

tribalfooball.com - December 31, 2006

Spartak Moscow striker Fernando Cavenaghi wants a move to Spain during the January market.
The Argentina international is available for £6 million from Spartak and is a confirmed target for Deportivo La Coruna.

"Cavenaghi is proud that Deportivo are paying attention to him," said the striker's agent, Nestor Sivori. "Depor have confirmed to us they're interested, we're just waiting for the papers.

"They want to take him on an 18 month loan with a purchase option."

03/01/2007


Pellegrini Wants Barcelona's Saviola :thumbsup:

Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini wants Barcelona striker Javier Saviola to make up for important absences in attack.

The Argentine has been on the fringes of the Barcelona first team despite the injury to Samuel Eto'o, and with the Cameroon international set to return later this month, there is little chance of him getting games except for in the Copa del Rey.

"Saviola's situation, not being able to play, is bad for football," said Pellegrini. "I don't know the reasons why he isn't playing for Barcelona, but he is a player of great quality who would succeed anywhere he goes."

A loan deal is for the rest of the season is what Villarreal are looking at, and Saviola is not opposed to the idea. However, Barcelona are expected to put their foot down as they keep Saviola as cover in case they run into more injury problems as they challenge for major honours.

Barcelona are more likely to agree to a sale, with Saviola in the final six months of his contract. A transfer fee in the region of 5 million Euros is expected to complete the business. However, in this case, it is Saviola who seems to be unwilling to tie up his long term future when he can negotiate a Bosman move in the summer.

It is understood that Barcelona might agree on a loan deal if Villarreal agree to cover Saviola's pay-cheque for the entire season.

Espanyol's Zabaleta denies AC Milan contact

tribalfooball.com - January 05, 2007

Espanyol midfielder Pablo Zabaleta snapped at reporters yesterday quizzing him about interest from AC Milan.
"I do not know anything. Nobody has commented to me about this and the only thing I know is what is coming from the press. The only thing that I can say is that I signed a contract for five years with Espanyol and I only think about growing and winning things for this club," said the Argentine.

Coach of Colo Colo, revelation team in South America in 2006

Claudio Borghi: "The player must have trust"

12 / 01 / 2007


INTERVIEW: JORGE BARRAZA
(CONMEBOL Magazine #99)

Almost all coaches worldwide complain of "the football you don't see". Borghi has a better luck. He watches Colo Colo once or twice a week. This runner-up of the South American is a jewel that will pervade in everyone's memory.

What's the recipe to play football as well as Colo Colo?
To have good players. I never do as a coach what I didn't like to have done to me as a player, i.e. bothering or annoying the footballer, asking him to do something which he is not prepared for. We work mainly upon trust, enforcing the good points and correcting what's wrong. We've been able to make the player feel free, despite all the existing pressures. It hasn't at all been very easy, but now they have confidence in their play and the coach passes to a second plane.

You must let their wings grow.
Suazo doesn't feel the marking. His aim is to convert. Then, you cannot ask the striker to start running after somebody, if he does not feel it. I try to convince the fellow in charge of running, that he has to help him. That's how we've made it possible for everybody to actually feel what he has to do.

"I want to give Bolivia a game identity" :thumbsup:

26 / 01 / 2007


After spending 15 seasons in Portuguese football, Erwin Sánchez returned to Bolivia to bid farewell as a player, but when he was about to hang his boots, he was asked to coach his country's National Team. "The Gunner", who had driven Boavista to their first title in the League, during the 2001-2002 season, accepted the challenge of restoring the Bolivians the smile they had lost after their failures in the latest Preliminaries.

Gallardo the key to PSG victory says team mate Kalou

PARIS, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain forward Bonaventure Kalou believes Argentine playmaker Marcelo Gallardo will be the team's key player when the Ligue 1 strugglers travel to arch-rivals Olympique Marseille on Sunday.

"His arrival is a good thing for the club. He is kind of player we were missing in the squad," the Ivory Coast international told OM's Web site on Saturday.

The former Argentine international, who played in Ligue 1 with Monaco from 1999 to 2003, joined the Paris side from River Plate during the January transfer window.

Paris St Germain, who were humbled 3-1 by Marseille at Parc des Princes earlier this season, are 16th in the standings.

Fourth-placed Marseille, who trail third-placed RC Lens by one point, will have an eye on the top three, four days after beating Olympique Lyon 2-1 in a French Cup last-16 tie.

"We come here to bring something back home but it will be hard," said Kalou.

"Marseille are one of the most dangerous teams of the moment."

The match, with 1,100 PSG fans travelling to Provence, will be heavily policed.

"Security measures will be reinforced in and around the Stade Velodrome," said the police authorities.

Some 500 police officers and 680 stewards will be mobilised for the game due to kick off at 2000 GMT.

Gillett targets Liverpool fans in Latin America :thumbsup:

By Jeffrey Goldfarb

LONDON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. sports tycoons buying Liverpool see opportunities to build the Premier League club's following in Latin America and will be cautious about spending too much on players, one of them said on Tuesday.

"We've got a Spanish coach and a number of Spanish players, and I think we can grow our fan base in Central and South America and Mexico," George Gillett told Reuters in a telephone interview, noting that his partner in the deal, Tom Hicks, has large investments in Latin American cable.

Liverpool, the five-times European Cup winners, already have many supporters in Asia but are still behind major rivals Manchester United when it comes to overseas interest.

Gillett and Hicks, who both own U.S. sports teams, said earlier on Tuesday they would pay 5,000 pounds per Liverpool share and purchase the club for 219 million pounds ($428.5 million), including debt.

They plan to finance a new 60,000-seat stadium and are contemplating selling the naming rights to help pay for it. At the same time, Gillett said, they will be cautious about overspending as owners.

"In the history of sports, it's been proven time and again that teams that are bought and built with money aren't sustainable," said Gillett, who has owned TV stations, ski resorts and meat and poultry processors.

"The last time the Yankees won was 2000," he said, referring to the U.S. baseball powerhouse owned by George Steinbrenner who are repeatedly accused of paying top dollar for the best players at the expense of teams that cannot afford to do so.

"It's not just about spending money," Gillett said. "We believe in the Rafa (Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez) concept. That doesn't mean going out and being crazy with expenditures. It's finding the right people with the right mix and the right skill sets and different ages."

TICKET PRICES

Gillett and Hicks also left open the possibility of raising ticket prices with Liverpool seats comparatively cheaper than some other top-flight teams.

"We know the facts," Gillett said, referring to the disparity in ticket prices. "I don't think we've come to a conclusion on that, though."

The pair sealed the deal for Liverpool after rivals Dubai International Capital withdrew a bid last week. Gillett credited his partner for the victory.

"When we added the Hicks family to our bid, we overcame apprehensions (Liverpool management) may have had about a single family, no matter how wealthy, competing in the new Premiership," Gillett said, adding that they did have the higher bid.

The duo join compatriots Malcolm Glazer and Randy Lerner in owning English soccer clubs, but the growing roster of Americans can present its own cultural stumbling blocks.

Gillett, for example, was quickly criticised in UK media for using the word "franchise" to describe Liverpool during a news conference on Tuesday.

"I understand it's a club," Gillett said. "I used franchise incorrectly at the news conference, but in later interviews corrected myself."

Milan coach Ancelotti delighted by Ronaldo's debut

ROME, Feb 11 (Reuters) -

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was delighted with Ronaldo's debut in a 2-1 win over Livorno on Sunday.

The three-times FIFA World Player of the Year, who Milan signed from Real Madrid for 7.5 million euros ($9.7 million) last month, gave a lively performance after coming on for the final 30 minutes of the Serie A match at the San Siro stadium.

"He played for half an hour, created three chances, looked dangerous from long range and did very well to free himself from his markers," Ancelotti told Italy's Sky television.

"He must improve his physical condition, but I believe he will be very important to us."

Ronaldo, who played for Milan's city rivals Inter from 1997 to 2002, received an ovation when he replaced fellow Brazilian Ricardo Oliveira.

Czech midfielder Marek Jankulovski scored Milan's winning goal five minutes later, but the Brazilian went close to grabbing a third with a dipping shot that visiting keeper Marco Amelia dived to push round his post.

"He is an incredible talent. At the moment he only shows it in flashes, but basically he's the same player he always was -- very fast, powerful, quick to react, and has wonderful technique," Ancelotti said.

Ronaldo, whose last competitive appearance dated back to Real's 2-0 defeat to Deportivo Coruna on Jan. 7, agreed there was plenty of room for improvement.

"It went really well," he said. "I've still got a lot to learn from this group of players, but I'm pleased with the start I've made. Sooner or later the goals will come."

Rincon declares innocence of money laundering charges

March 16, 2007

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Former Colombian striker Freddy Rincon declared his innocence Friday on charges of money laundering for a childhood friend and cocaine kingpin, accusations which led Interpol to issued an alert for his arrest and eventual extradition to Panama.

"To the Colombian people, who today have heard negative news about me, I ask them to please wait for positive news when I've had a chance clarify my legal situation," Rincon said in an interview Friday with Colombia's RCN Radio from Brazil, where he makes his home.

Rincon, who resigned this month as coach of a small club in Sao Paulo state, did not say whether he would surrender to authorities in Panama.

A Brazilian Federal Police spokeswoman, who because of departmental regulations would not identify herself, said Interpol's Brazilian office has not received any request for Rincon's capture. She said she has been told by her superiors to refer all queries to Interpol Colombia.

The former captain of Colombia's national team is charged by prosecutors in Panama of laundering money for Pablo Rayo-Montano, arrested last year in Brazil as part of a five-country international narcotics investigation coordinated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Rincon told RCN he met with Rayo-Montano in Brazil, but said he had no idea that his childhood friend from the Pacific port city of Buenaventura was involved in drug trafficking.

"It's true we've been friends since infancy, and here in Brazil I met with him, but I never asked him about his business dealings," Rincon said.

On Thursday, Interpol issued a worldwide notice requesting Rincon's capture at the same time that authorities in Colombia seized five homes and apartments belonging to Rincon and which they say were used as a front for Rayo-Montano's smuggling ring.

Rincon did not say how he planned to refute the charges against him, but said he aimed to restore "my family's tranquility and be able to continue my life with absolute normality."

Shortly after Rayo-Montano's arrest in May, Rincon acknowledged investing US$200,000 in a fishing company based in Panama but said he had no knowledge it was controlled by the drug capo's organization.

"Sadly, it was the worst investment I ever made in my life,":thmbdown: Rincon said at the time.

Rincon scored 17 goals in 84 appearances for Colombia's national team, leading it to three World Cups -- in 1990, 1994 and 1998.

His most famous moment was a last-minute goal off a pass from Carlos Valderrama, against West Germany to draw 1-1 and send Colombia to the second round of the 1990 World Cup. The draw with Colombia was the only match West Germany failed to win on its way to the championship.

Romario says his 998 goals include unofficial games


RIO DE JANEIRO, March 20 (Reuters) - Former Brazil striker Romario, on the verge of scoring what he claims will be the 1,000th goal of his career, said on Tuesday that his total included goals scored in non-professional matches.

"I've never hidden this," said Romario, who took his tally to 998 with a hat-trick in Vasco da Gama's 6-2 win over Boavista on Saturday.

"I never said that all those goals were scored in competitive or professional games. I'm also aware that some of the goals were scored in festive games," the 41-year-old told reporters in Brasilia where his side play a Copa Brasil tie on Wednesday.

"But I've scored them and I can prove it," he added.

"These numbers are not mine, I never had the time to count them myself. The counting was done by professionals. If I'd counted them myself, there would be around 3,000."

The Brazilian media have long questioned Romario's total, which is published on Vasco's official Web site. The tally includes 77 goals scored at youth level and numerous others from testimonial games and club friendlies.

Romario has said his dream would be to score the 1,000th goal on Sunday, when Vasco face arch-rivals Flamengo at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, his favourite stage.

:eek: Botafogo coach blames :nono: ball boys after defeat

LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) - Soccer news in brief from around the world:

Botafogo coach Cuca blamed the ball boys after his side went down to a shock 2-1 defeat against America-Rio de Janeiro in the Carioca championship in Brazil.

"The ball boys took a very long time to put the ball back into play and the referee let them get away with it," :ass: he told reporters.


"There were no balls....and the stretcher did a lap of honour before coming onto the field."

* Brazil won the South American under-17 championship, beating hosts Ecuador 5-2 to finish top of the final stage with 13 points from five games. Midfielder Lula, who opened the scoring, finished as top scorer with 12 goals.

Colombia, Argentina and Peru also qualified for the World under-17 championship.

FIFA chief: Soccer jeopardized by violence, corruption, financial agendas

By SHEILA NORMAN-CULP, Associated Press Writer
March 26, 2007

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- FIFA is turning a profit at an unprecedented rate, yet soccer's governing body appears to be making little headway toward wiping out the violence and corruption that threaten the integrity of the sport.

Faced with this paradox, FIFA president Sepp Blatter says soccer must embark on an ambitious plan to rescue itself.

"We have come to the crossroads of football," he declared Friday after two days of meetings of FIFA's executive committee. "Our football is ill and we must find medicine to give to our sport."

That warning came during a news conference in which FIFA revealed that its finances had dramatically improved over the last four years, buoyed by the financial success of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Since the World Cup -- watched by a cumulative audience estimated at 26.3 billion -- soccer has seen a series of violent episodes, including riots in France, a brawl between Arsenal and Chelsea at the English League Cup final and the death of an Italian policeman at a match in February. Valencia defender David Navarro was suspended for seven months for his part in a brawl at a European Champions League match.

"Where is football going if players are at each other's throats?" Blatter said. "If the players are not educated, if the coaches don't place a minimum of discipline on them, there is cause for worry."

Blatter also vowed to return integrity to the sport following the refereeing or corruption scandals that plagued Germany, Italy and other nations last year.

"We need to help the referees, they are the guardians of ethics," he said.

The vast sums of money involved in international soccer have likely led to some of the sport's ethical problems, the FIFA president opined.

"In French, we say 'Money makes people go mad.' There is some truth to that," Blatter said.

But he said there was no excuse for wealthy clubs locking up talent by handing out contracts to more than 30 players when only 11 men take the field.

Soccer's future will be key topic during the FIFA Congress in Zurich in May. FIFA may also consider plans to limit the number of foreign players that clubs can field -- a move Blatter predicted would ignite an outcry from coaches.

Blatter expressed pride in FIFA's improved financial situation -- it's equity has gone from negative $10.9 million in January 2003 to a $617 million surplus in December.

"Five years ago, they wanted to send me to jail and now I am getting a round of applause," Blatter said. "So you see how things can change."

FIFA had $749 million in revenue last year, with expenses of $500 million. The 2006 World Cup in Germany produced a $207 million profit, of which FIFA received $60 million. FIFA paid $49.6 million in salary and benefits for 2006.

The organization is so wealthy that its new gleaming glass and stone headquarters in the hills overlooking Zurich, which cost $200 million to build, has already been fully paid for even before its formal dedication in May.

One major FIFA worry seems to have evaporated. In December, the organization expressed concerns about the pace of stadium construction in South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Blatter said Friday that FIFA was fully confident in South Africa's ability as a host and downplayed that country's crime rate.

"Have a look at the big capitals or cities around the world -- there you will have crime rates above those in South Africa," he declared.

South Africa has promised to spend $1.2 billion to tackle security and transportation issues, Blatter added.

Santos accept exit for AC Milan target Ze Roberto

tribalfooball.com - April 01, 2007

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira admits defender Ze Roberto could return to Europe in June.
The former Bayern Munich wing-back is being linked with a move to AC Milan and Teixeira said: "We know that we will have to make a huge effort in order to keep him and that it will be difficult."

Santos confident keeping Atletico Madrid target Cleber

tribalfooball.com - April 01, 2007

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira is confident of resisting any bid from Atletico Madrid for star winger Cleber Santana.
Atletico directors have been in Brazil in recent weeks to discuss a fee for the exciting flanker, but Teixeira says: "He has a contract with us until 2010. Therefore we are calm about him remaining here."

Crespo pleads with Chelsea to not recall him

tribalfooball.com - APRIL 1, 2007

Inter Milan striker Hernan Crespo has pleaded with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to let him stay in Italy.
"If I receive an offer to stay at Inter and end my career here, then I will put pen to paper tomorrow," said Crespo, whose contract is still owned by Chelsea.

"I hope everyone has their ears open to hear my call. If Abramovich listens to me and to Massimo Moratti, then we can all reach a suitable agreement.

"Last summer Abramovich gave me this opportunity to come back to Inter and he did that to make me happy, as a favour. I hope we can reach the same conclusion this coming summer. I have already given my all to Chelsea and hope to stay with the Nerazzurri."

Jorge Luis Pinto, Colombia's Coach

"There can be no doubt, Colombia will go to the World Cup" :mute:

03 / 04 / 2007


INTERVIEW: JORGE BARRAZA
(CONMEBOL Magazine #100)
Jorge Luis Pinto has two impressive characteristics, his career and the security with which he deals with every subject. He is respectful without eluding names or questions.

Every coach dreams of directing his country's national team. You've now set foot on that ship. What does it mean for you? Is it a great joy or a tremendous responsibility?
Both are a great honour, a dream come true and a tremendous responsibility, as a President has, when he gets to that office.

Are you worried about the present situation of Colombian football?
Yes; because I feel my responsibility and I'm conscious of what's happening, because I know them too well.

Are you worried on account of the level you see?
No, I'm not worried, because the Colombian people need to be happy and that's for the team to compete, to play well the Preliminaries and go to the World Cup. Sometimes it is not so easy to manage this process, especially due to timing. If it were only a matter of work, I wouldn't have any problems, but I'm concerned about the time to work the players must have to be adapted to a style, a basic concept and a philosophy of the game.

We have just heard an opinion that said: "Pinto is a man who works very well, but he will have to face some problems, because he needs time to organize his teams", That is the least you find in a national team. You'll be receiving your players three days in advance.
Yes, you may be right. Everybody say three days in advance, but many of them arrive five, six or eight days in advance. What the coach instills into his men during that short term is also important. The national team player is more mature. He's conscious of what he hast to do and assimilates the coach's rules more easily. They have a good basic formation, that's why they are in international football and the élite. You don't have to start from cero with him, and everything is done more quickly.

Have you spoken with your players already?
Yes I have, and I am speaking. I'll always speak with them.

With whom for example?
With everybody. I don't discriminate. The national team's door is open for all the Colombian footballers from outside or inside the country. I'm not against any of them, provided they have top performances and are committed to fight for Colombia's shirt.

Do you see any decline in the appearance of new figures?
No. There are many of them, because now we have Colombian players abroad and experienced. In the latest Preliminaries, there was no new team and we needed three or five key players to shape that new squad. As to the rest of the players, we have to find them in the new generation, who if they are not so talented as those of the past, like Asprilla, "Tren" Valencia or others, have international experience. They have been in juvenile world cups, South Americans, etc.

Let's make it clear. Four or five players of the latest Preliminaries and youngsters form the latest groups.
The U-20 champions, for example, or those that were third in the 2003 Arab Emirates World Cup?
Exactly. The rest has to come out from there.

Who would those four or five basic players be?
Miguel Calero, who had experience in the past, Yepes... Perhaps Ramiro Córdoba, Luis Perea, we'll see. And other two that might be added. The others must belong to these two last generations.

What do you like best of the present Colombian football panorama, from what you see, what is more attractive to you?
There are very good defenders, coming from an extraordinary generation in midfield and as forwards. I can put Radamel Falcao García, Hugo Rodallega, Wason Rentería, David Ferreira, Álvaro Domínguez, Cristian Zapata, Equivaldo Mosquera. Colombia needs a new team.

What about Sergio Herrera, the striker?
He can come too, although he didn't have much continuity in Saudi Arabia. When all of them get into their level of playing and can compete with the international team where they play, I think we'll be getting an extraordinary generation. I have no fear in that respect. All you have to do is to prepare them tactically and collectively.

In these two last South Americans, we saw a brilliant generation, that of 2005 U-20 and the more modest one of 2007 Paraguay. How do you analyze that?
It's a generational matter and not about the work performed. The previous South American group was excellent and I place the future of Colombian football upon it. From Paraguay's tournament, you can extract some players, though they didn't have so many cracks.

Do you think you can assure the Colombian public that they will be fighting for a berth in the World Cup?
Yes. We have trust and conviction. That does not mean that we trust implicitly upon our luck, because if we don't work hard, we'll never get there.

How far do you risk, to say we'll get a berth?
I have no doubt about it. Colombia will go to the World Cup

Do you like to play in Bogotá?
In Bogotá and Barranquilla, though I prefer Bogotá for many reasons. In many places of South America they are afraid of the altitude. We have to take advantage of that condition, like those of the "south" who have cold winters. Down there it's very cold and they feel fine. It's not easy to play with such low temperatures.

What's your opinion on the South American scenario for the upcoming Preliminaries?
I see the teams are getting well prepared. I see Chile wholly absorbed in the work, and also Uruguay, much more prepared than before and improving. The ones I see less are the ones who have the advantage of being the two powers, Brazil and Argentina. I don't see them working so hard, like Chle and Uruguay.

When you evaluate yourself and say. Well, there is a berth for five teams. Who do you consider to be inside?
Probably Brazil and Argentina. They are one step above the rest. From there downwards, there are five or six squads that can fight.

Why Brazil and Argentina?
For their maturity and the quality of their players. Simply because they manage the football world. Nobody can qualify without working. Nobody. Remember that Argentina with the footballers' generation they had in 1969 and 1970 were eliminated from Mexico's World Cup by Peru. It's not a question of having players. Work is very important.

How do you see the world football panorama?
I see all the world Leagues. I love the football profession and I daily watch one or two matches of each League, and also a lot of South American football. I think football is at present mainly concerned with knowing who will win, either tactics or technique. If we go to the past. The winner is tactics. Talent lost to tactics, like in the case of Brazil. We saw what happened in the latest World Cup, tactics defeated the talent. Although I saw a balance among teams like those of Italy and France. This World Cup and these Preliminaries may have this conjunction of talent and tactics. I consider that playing wtih both, results in a great balance.

If you had to describe Jorge Luis Pinto as coach, what would you say?
I'm a tactical technician, but I do not put talent aside and I like my teams to be aggressive in every sense.They must evince a great defensive aggressiveness, and a great offensive aggressiveness, with dynamics in the game. I like the football I've always played. I like the German footballer's dynamics, and the Italian player's tactics...

That is to say, there's a great difference with the Colombian school of "Paco" Maturana, "Bolillo" Gómez...
I don't know for certain, but we're different in something.

Does Colombia have another way of playing?
Well, yes. I want a dynamic, aggressive and frontal team.

Do you like the players or the teams?
The teams. I like the star to be at the team's service.

The people keep on expecting the same thing from football; the individual heroes, the stars, but football has turned collective. Consequetly, you don't see those stars and people say football is poor...
No; football is not poor. To the contrary. Today, it is more complicated for the player, because he is subject to external pressures in the field, at a great speed and a rival's hard opposition... That is why I like the Argentine players; they love their shirt, and they are talented and tactical.

During his introduction as coach, Pinto with Luis Bedoya (right) and Ramón Jesurún, President and Vice-President of Colombian Federation.

Is the mixed player coming to light?
Yes. For example, the Italian Andrea Pirlo. He is mixed in his commitment, talent, technique and has no tactical compromise.

What do you think of the Copa América?
It's going to be very good. I think all the teams will be bringing their best players. It's an extraordinary opportunity for South American football, because there will be a strong motivation. I'm going to define my team now and it's tremendously important to start working. It's an excellent tournament, considering the proximity of the Preliminaries.

What is the coach's degree of importance in a football team?
There are moments when it can be of one hundred per cent. At other times, it can only be thirty, but he is very important.

When you say "today my team has played well". What have they done?
They played well with the ball, because to play football well, they have to be on good terms with the ball. A team that only considers tactics has not played well They have to be sure in defense and play during the ninety minutes. Sometimes you can win a match defending and resisting, but that's not playing well.

Who win the matches, who are predominant?
Nobody has won a war merely in defense. And strategic football was born during a war.

JORGE LUIS PINTO AFANADOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE OF BIRTH:16, December, 1953, in San Gil, Santander, Colombia.
PROFESSION: Physical education professor and football coach (was not a professional footballer).
CLUBS: Unión Magdalena (1979 as assistant coach, and 1988-89 and 1994-96 as coach), Colombian national team (1979 as assistant to Vidinic), Millonarios (1984-85 and 1998-99), Independiente Santa Fe (1986-87 and 1992-93), Deportivo Cali (1990-91), Alianza Lima (Perú, 1997-98), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica, 2001-02), Junior (2003-04), National Team of Costa Rica (2004-05), Cúcuta Deportivo (2006), National Team of Colombia (2007).
TITLES: Peruvian champion with Alianza Lima (1997), Costan Rican champion with LD Alajuelense (2002 and Central-American Cup 2002), Colombian champion with Cúcuta Deportivo (2006), with the National Team of Costa Rica (UNCAF Cup 2004).

08/04/2007


Zamorano: "Madrid Needs A Coach Like Michel, Schuster Or Hugo" :thumbsup:

Ex-Real Madrid striker Iván Zamorano has joined the crowd of those who feel that Fabio Capello’s style is the wrong choice for the White House.

Speaking in an interview with Spanish broadcaster ‘Antena 3’, the idolised Chilean ex-player preferred ex-Merengue men like Michel (currently at Real Madrid B), Hugo Sánchez or Bernd Schuster for the job.

“Many times the Coaches that train Real Madrid don’t feel or don’t understand the way that Madrid fans feel about how their team should play football”, he argued.

“A Coach like Michel, Schuster or Hugo Sánchez is exactly what Madrid is crying out for as they understand exactly what it means,” stressed Bam Bam.

Zamorano played for Real Madrid from 1992 to 1996 before transferring to Inter Milan and carved a place in fans’ hearts with his partisan attitude and devotion.

While at Real Madrid Zamorano won one Liga, one Copa del Rey, and one Spanish Supercup titles. In 1995 Zamorano helped Real Madrid win the Spanish League title scoring 27 goals – including a hat-trick against FC Barcelona.

All in all, Zamorano appeared 137 times for Real Madrid, scoring 77 goals – a scoring effectiveness still missed :party: by a large swathe of the Merengue faithful.

April 9, 2007

'Getting 1,000th goal not a distraction' - Romario

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 9 (Reuters) - Former Brazil striker Romario denied on Sunday that his quest to score the 1,000th goal of his career was disrupting his team Vasco da Gama.

The 41-year-old, who has scored 999 goals according to his own calculations, also suggested that team mate Leandro Amaral should play for a smaller club after saying the expectations and pressure were affecting the side.


'I'm used to playing for big clubs, I've done it all my life,' said Romario, who watched his team's 2-1 defeat at Cabofriense from the stands.

'Vasco is a big team and people have to get used to the pressure.'

'Of course, responsibility is a problem for some players and if he (Leandro Amaral) says it's a problem, he should go and play for a smaller club.'

'Of course, I'm not getting in the way,' he added. 'If somebody is not happy, they should ask to leave and that goes for the coach as well.'

Romario did not play on Sunday because the game was not at the Maracana stadium, where he wants to reach the milestone.

He did not comment on a report in the Dutch newspaper De Volksrant which said he had already scored 1,000 goals.

The newspaper reported that Romario has omitted a goal he scored in August 1990 for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in a friendly match against amateur side Nieuw Buinen.

Romario openly admits that his count includes goals scored in youth team, friendly and testimonial games.

Vasco have lost their last three matches, including a 2-1 defeat by second division Gama in the Copa Brasil last week.

Gremio chief reveals Man Utd, Liverpool vying for Pezzini

tribalfooball.com - May 11, 2007

Manchester United and Liverpool are among European heavyweights chasing Gremio midfielder Lucas Pezzini.
Your Ad Here

The 20 year-old Brazil international is wanted by the world's biggest clubs and it broke this week in Sao Paulo that Liverpool have made a breakthrough in talks over the holding midfielder.

However, Gremio vice-president Tulio Macedo rapped last night: "We have still not sold nothing to nobody, neither to Liverpool neither to AC Milan? or Palermo, Fiorentina, Manchester United: all the clubs that are interested in Lucas.

"We will have bigger developments in the next hours, I do not know how much we want for him - but I cannot deny that Lucas is close to leaving our club."

25/05/2007


Kaká Would Like To Play For Real Madrid - Robinho :thumbsup:

Robinho has revealed that Kaká has admitted that he could be tempted by a move to Real Madrid as he would love to play for the Spanish giants.


Reports throughout the season have linked the AC Milan star with a move to the Bernabéu and now his close friend has added more fuel to the fire.

Despite the rumours, Robinho believes that the new European champions would be reluctant to let one of their most important players leave this summer and tipped his compatriot to win the Ballon D'Or

"Kaká likes Real Madrid very much," the 23-year-old explained. "He told me he would like to play here, but I don't think Milan will easily let go of such a good player.

"Real Madrid would benefit from him. I'm sure he'll win the Ballon d'Or this year. He's also an excellent guy on and off the pitch. He is a fantastic player."

An inconsistent run of form earlier in the season saw Robinho left on the bench by Fabio Capello and he was quoted as stating that he may have to leave Madrid in order to play regularly.

The upturn in both his personal performances and the results of the team, however, have seen the former Gremio forward have a change of heart.

"I said I would reconsider my future if I was kept on the bench, but everything's changed now," Robinho continued. "I'm happy. My hard work and drive have made the coach realise I can play on this team.

"I hope to keep showing the joy I feel when I play. I'm scoring and fighting hard on the turf and I think Capello finally has faith in me. He sees I'm doing my best for this team."

Stories in the Spanish and Italian media have claimed that Ronaldo has been trying to tempt Robinho to join him at AC Milan, but the Madrid player will not be swayed.

"Ronaldo is a good friend, but he has no power over me," he said. "I want to see my contract through because I'm happy at Real Madrid."

After moving to the Bernabéu. Robinho was accused by some of being too lightweight for the rigours of the Spanish league but he has been working hard to increase his physique.

"I've gained 13 to 15 pounds of muscle since I joined Real Madrid and I haven't lost my speed, which is my strongest asset," he stated. "I feel better this season. I don't trip and fall so much anymore."

River president decries poaching of players

By Fiona Ortiz

BUENOS AIRES, May 25 (Reuters) - FIFA is not doing enough to prevent wealthy clubs from poaching young players from training schools in countries such as Argentina, the president of River Plate says.

Jose Maria Aguilar, a lawyer who has presided over River Plate for more than five years, said he and the Argentine Football Association had sent complaints and proposed changes to FIFA.

"The policy as it is doesn't go far enough, it should be much more severe," he told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

Aguilar said FIFA's rule that players could not be transferred internationally until they reached the age of 18 was routinely being broken.

"The way it happens is a club from a Spanish city contracts a woman to cook and by coincidence she has a 14-year-old football genius son," he said. "They are stealing our players."

River invested huge amounts in training young players, he said.

Underneath the stands at River's Monumental Stadium in northern Buenos Aires, the club has a primary and secondary school, gymnasiums and a dining area. The club even has a hotel where potential future players from the provinces can live while training.

Aguilar said club trainers were looking at younger and younger boys, taking on children as young as eight in their schools.

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Argentina is one of the richest sources of young players in the world and River are generally regarded as having one of the best youth development programmes in the country.

Javier Saviola, Pablo Aimar and Andres D'Alessandro are among the leading players River has sold to European teams.

Aguilar said he was staying put as River's president despite a dismal sequence of results that triggered a spate of fan violence, threats against his life and mountains of bad press.

The team have not won a championship for more than two years and were eliminated from the Libertadores Cup in the first round after humiliating home and away losses to Caracas FC of Venezuela.

The bad performances led coach Daniel Passarella to tell local reporters on Friday that he would step down in December if he did not turn things around.

"I'm undoubtedly going through my toughest moment as club president. But I'll recover when the club is back in order and we start to win a game," Aguilar said.

"It's not the right moment (to step down). I feel very backed up by the board of directors...in the fight against people who want my head."

The team's stadium has been closed for two games because of riots in the streets by angry fans after they lost to Estudiantes last weekend.

RIVAL GROUPS

It is the second suspension at the stadium this year due to violent clashes between rival groups within the club.

"River undoubtedly has a big problem. But we have the directors, the technical team, the players and we need to look to find out why we haven't reached our objectives," Aguilar said.

He said the club had spent $2 million to make the stadium more secure so that the courts would let them reopen.

River have spent a lot of money on luring players from other big teams but Aguilar said the team would now start prioritising bringing up players from lower divisions within Argentina.

He said the team would sell two or three players but gave no names.

"There are many conversations about different players in the club but concretely, today, there is no offer (from another club)," he said.

He said he wanted to keep midfielder Victor Zapata, whose contract is up at the end of June.

He also said Romanian club Steaua Bucharest had sent a fax saying they were interested in talented midfielder Fernando Belluschi and would send a representative.

(Additional reporting by Luis Ampuero)

Andean nations protest FIFA high-altitude ban



By Carlos Quiroga

LA PAZ, May 28 (Reuters) - Andean countries vowed on Monday to fight a ban by FIFA on high-altitude soccer matches, with Bolivian President Evo Morales saying the measure discriminated against mountainous nations. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


The move by world soccer's governing body to set a limit of 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) above sea level for international games is a blow for Bolivia, which has the advantage of playing home World Cup qualifiers at 3,600 metres in La Paz.

"We cannot allow discrimination in soccer, we cannot allow ... exclusion in the world of sport," Morales said after an emergency meeting with his cabinet and soccer chiefs in the Andean nation, which last qualified for the World Cup in 1994.

The measure, announced by FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Sunday, also drew criticism from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

The Andean Community of Nations (CAN), a trade bloc representing the four countries, issued a statement attacking the ban and urging national soccer federations across the region to lobby for it to be overturned.

Announcing the rule change, FIFA's Blatter said games at high altitudes were a health hazard and distorted fair competition, but critics played down the health risks and some said hot weather could be just as dangerous.

"As far as I can remember, no one's ever died during a soccer match at high altitude," Ecuador assistant manager Armando Osma said in a statement from its soccer association.

"We'll defend to the death our right to play football at altitudes above 2,500 meters, and the right to play in Quito," federation chief Luis Chiriboga told local media.

Ecuador played in the last two World Cups on the back of their performances in Quito at 2,800 meters and have not lost at home in nearly six years.

FAMOUS VICTORIES

Bolivia's Morales, a soccer fan who sometimes amuses his supporters with impromptu kickabouts, said he would send a diplomatic mission to Switzerland to press FIFA to reconsider what he described as "a ban on the universality of sport".

Bolivia have enjoyed famous wins over Brazil and Argentina in the highland city of La Paz and were runners-up to the Brazilians when the nation hosted the Copa America in 1997.

A top official at the South American confederation told Reuters that while individual countries could complain about the new rule to FIFA, the region's governing body had to obey it.

Francisco Figueredo, the group's executive secretary, said it would not stop any South American country hosting internationals because they all had suitable stadiums below the 2,500-metre mark.

Elsewhere in the Andes, Colombia's capital Bogota lies at about 2,700 metres, although the Colombians have preferred to stage matches in the steamy Caribbean port of Barranquilla.

Peru had planned to play home games at high altitude in the Andean city of Cuzco following their poor showing in the capital Lima, their traditional venue.

Former Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo said the decision was "wrong" and suggested if FIFA wanted to be fair it should also ban internationals at venues where temperatures are very high. :thumbsup:

"It's not the same as playing in Bogota, Quito or La Paz ... but it's no good playing at high temperatures," he told Reuters.

(Additional reporting by Daniela Desantis in Asuncion, Luis Ampuero in Buenos Aires, Gideon Long in Lima and Alonso Soto in Quito)

That Bilardo guy is an idiot.

Bolivia & Ecaudor both used to play their games at 12:00PM the hottest part of the day on purpose in alititude just for an extra advantage, before Fifa banned that.

I'm not sure if Ecaudor did this but I remember there was a Bolivian guy playing Portugal & they only called him for the away games, because he spent so much time away from Bolivia he could no longer adapt prorperly when he came back.

I'm not a fan of Fifa, and I don't know why they made this decision all of a sudden, but I don't think it's the wrong one at the National Team level. They all do have adequate stadiums where they can play.

Bilardo an idiot ????

He Knows more about Football than the entire poster base of Xtratime !!!!

Brazil has the 'right' :neutral: to host 2014 World Cup, says Lula

AFP
June 4, 2007


BRASILIA (AFP) - Brazil has the "right" to host the 2014 World Cup because of its rich footballing heritage and the fact that the last tournament held there was in 1950, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday.

Brazil, five-time World Cup winners, are the sole candidates to host football's showpiece finals in 2014 that have long been earmarked for a South American country.

"Brazil, because it has the world's best football and because it organised its last World Cup in 1950, has the right to host the World Cup," the president said in his weekly radio broadcast.


Three other World Cups have been held in South America: Uruguay 1930, Chile 1962 and Argentina 1978.

World footballing chiefs had clearly signalled their preference for Brazil in recent months, saying they were prepared to hold an accelerated process if only one candidate was ready to host the finals in 2014.

But the Brazilian bid has faced sharp criticism at home amid warnings that the country's infrastructure is not up to scratch.

6/15/2007


Riquelme Hailed For Boca Success

According to Boca Juniors right back Hugo Ibarra Juan Roman Riquelme is much of the reason why their club has one hand on the Copa Libertadores title, after crushing Gremio 3-0 in the first leg in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

The former FC Porto player stated: “He [Riquelme] is playing in the same level that he played under Carlos Bianchi. Now he has added experience from Europe, and he’s a reference for the younger players."

Ibarra also commented on Gremio, who they must face again in the second leg in Porto Alegre on Wednesday.

"They are a compact side in the middle of the pitch and at the back, that’s why it was so difficult for us to attack at the beginning," he said.

"But luckily we were able to score a goal through Palacio and that made us calmer.

"They [Gremio] are tough, and they battle in every sector of the pitch, and they try not to let you play.

"After their sending off [Sandro Goiano] we could relax more and we pushed to the attack, knowing we could score more goals."

On the second leg, he said: "Surely they will go out to win the match. Boca has to have the same tranquility as in the first match.

"It is important not to lose the ball. Boca should take advantage of the open spaces that they are likely to give us."

6/24/2007


Kaka's Dream Impossible Given Berlusconi's Plans - F. Capello

Fabio Capello believes that Real Madrid have simply no chance of snatching Kaka away form AC Milan. He also spoke, once again, about his pride over the La Liga triumph.

On winning the title this season he said: "It was important that we showed we could win.

"When I came here, it was a very difficult moment for Real Madrid, as it had been three years without winning.

"The public has credited our work, and celebrated with us in Cibeles. I am very proud because the team understood that they needed to take the pitch ready to die.

"We encountered some different moments, but we came through them.

"Yes, there was also criticism, but all is well that ends well."

Don Fabio has also insisted that Real Madrid's chase for Kaka is in vain.

"Is is an impossible dream if you know Silvio Berlusconi," he told AS during an interview.

"He wants Milan to be the best team in the world, and is counting on Kaka to help achieve that.

"Before this, that world class image was the beautiful face of Paolo Maldini. Now, it is Kaka's funciton."

Copa-Colombia not finished yet, says coach

By Luis Ampuero

MARACAIBO, Venezuela, June 29 (Reuters) - Colombia will not sink beneath the waves despite a 5-0 drubbing by Paraguay in the Copa America, coach Jorge Luis Pinto said on Friday.

"This is not a catastrophe. A catastrophe is when you can't control the circumstances, such as the climate, the sea...This is not what is happening at the moment," he said.

"We haven't been destroyed, neither in a footballing sense, nor a tactical sense nor in our morale. We lost but the world hasn't ended," he told reporters.

"We're not down yet, we're going to react."

Colombia dominated the early stages of their opening Group C game on Thursday and Alvaro Dominguez missed a 28th minute penalty. Paraguay went ahead two minutes later and the Colombians fell apart in the second half.

Curiously, Colombia's defence had been their strong point in the run-up to the tournament conceding two goals in six games.

Their next match is on Monday against tournament favourites Argentina, who began with a 4-1 win over United States.

"We will make changes. We may vary the style of play and the players," said Pinto.

Pinto also compared the match to Colombia's 5-0 win over Argentina in a World Cup qualifier in 1993.

"On that occasion, we weren't that good and Argentina weren't that bad," he said, "This game (against Paraguay) reminds me of it."

08/04/2007


Zamorano: "Madrid Needs A Coach Like Michel, Schuster Or Hugo" :thumbsup:

Ex-Real Madrid striker Iván Zamorano has joined the crowd of those who feel that Fabio Capello’s style is the wrong choice for the White House.

Speaking in an interview with Spanish broadcaster ‘Antena 3’, the idolised Chilean ex-player preferred ex-Merengue men like Michel (currently at Real Madrid B), Hugo Sánchez or Bernd Schuster for the job.

“Many times the Coaches that train Real Madrid don’t feel or don’t understand the way that Madrid fans feel about how their team should play football”, he argued.

“A Coach like Michel, Schuster or Hugo Sánchez is exactly what Madrid is crying out for as they understand exactly what it means,” stressed Bam Bam.

Zamorano played for Real Madrid from 1992 to 1996 before transferring to Inter Milan and carved a place in fans’ hearts with his partisan attitude and devotion.

While at Real Madrid Zamorano won one Liga, one Copa del Rey, and one Spanish Supercup titles. In 1995 Zamorano helped Real Madrid win the Spanish League title scoring 27 goals – including a hat-trick against FC Barcelona.

All in all, Zamorano appeared 137 times for Real Madrid, scoring 77 goals – a scoring effectiveness still missed :party: by a large swathe of the Merengue faithful.


BamBam hit the Coach on the head..Didnt he ????? :cap:

Referees afraid of big teams, says Colombia coach

And I AGREE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:notlist:

MARACAIBO, Venezuela, July 3 (Reuters) - Colombia coach Jorge Luis Pinto said Copa America referees were afraid of the big teams after a controversial penalty was awarded for Argentina against his team.

"That would not have been a penalty anywhere else in the world, it was a 50-50 ball," Pinto said after Monday's 4-2 defeat.

"The referees are not respectful, the big powers have advantages compared to the smaller ones.


"I could sit here and we could watch the whole match again and I will show you what I'm talking about.

"I coached Costa Rica at the last Copa America and it was the same thing."

Colombia took an early lead but Argentina equalised with a controversial penalty awarded for an alleged foul on Lionel Messi.

Argentine media also complained that Brazilian referee Carlos Simon failed to send off two Colombian players for reckless challenges in the first half.

There have been a series of other refereeing rows in the last few days.

Peru said they should have had a penalty during their 2-0 defeat by Venezuela and were angry after Pedro Garcia was sent off in the 15th minute.

On Sunday, Brazil were awarded a penalty against Chile for an apparently innocuous challenge on Vagner Love.

Robinho converted in the 36th minute to set Brazil, who had not previously created a chance in the game, on their way to a 3-0 win.

U.S. referee Baldomero Toledo was criticised for failing to clamp down on some vicious Uruguayan tackling in their 1-0 win over Bolivia on Saturday.

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Puerto La Cruz)

7/3/2007


Roma Would Be My Ideal Team – Santa Cruz

Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz, talks about his possibility of joining AS Roma…

Santa Cruz began speaking about his current situation at Bayern Munich.

“I am looking for a different club as I won’t continue with Bayern Munich anymore,” he said.

“My contract will expire next year but I am allowed to rescind it."

He insisted, though, that he was not leaving to avoid competition with Luca Toni: "I am not inferior to Toni, and I can assure you that time will tell."

Then Santa Cruz revealed his desire to play in the Serie A: “My manager has said that two English clubs are keen to sign me. However, I would like to play in Italy.

"I really like Totti’s Roma, it’s a club that plays a modern and aggressive style. It would be my ideal team, that’s for sure.

"If not Roma then AC Milan could be an idea. I remember that two years ago, Cesare Maldini mentioned my name to the club’s leadership.

"What a dream it would be to play with AC Milan, especially if you consider that I would team up with Ronaldo up front.

"I’d say, hand me a contract and I would pen it straight away."

Dunga's Brazil to abandon the beautiful game

July 6, 2007

PUERTO LA CRUZ, Venezuela (Ticker) -- Brazil coach Dunga is ready to dump what Pele called "o jogo bonito" - the beautiful game - and win ugly to progress at the Copa America.

Brazil faces Chile on Saturday with a place in the quarterfinals on the line, and Dunga's only focus will be on the result, not the way the game is played.

"The teams that play expansive football never beat efficient teams," said Dunga, who captained the 1994 World Cup-winning Brazil team that was accused of betraying the entertaining traditions of Brazilian football.


"For me the jogo bonito is the efficient one. Our team has technical quality and at the same time they play efficiently, because we need that balance.

"The best (tactic) is to defend and keep a proper grip on our opponents while at the same time building good attacks." :doh:

Brazil will aim to put its indifferent first-round performance in the tournament behind it in Saturday's game.

Dunga's men have struggled through the group phase and have Robinho's goals to thank for their progress.

The Real Madrid striker scored all four goals in Brazil's three Group B games - including a hat trick against Chile - to help the defending champions into the last eight.

"Everybody is trying their best, but we must all get better," said Robinho, who is also the tournament's top scorer.

Dunga is becoming increasingly frustrated with the team's reliance on Robinho and has called on his players to stand up and be counted.

"Robinho is a great player, but he can't do everything for himself," said the coach. "He needs support. The team is improving one step at a time and I'm confident we will show our value."

The only doubt for Brazil is defender Maicon, who injured his left shoulder in the 3-0 win over Chile.

"He has a 50 percent chance of playing," said team doctor Jose Luis Runco.

July 15, 2007

Basile unhappy over kickoff time for final

MARACAIBO, Venezuela, July 15 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Alfio Basile has criticised organisers of the Copa America over the kickoff time for today's final against Brazil.


The match will start at 1705 local time (2105 GMT) when the tropical sun is still burning and is due to finish in daylight. Temperatures in the steamy oil city are regularly over 32 Celsius in the late afternoon.


'I think it will be a slow game because of the time,' he said. 'In our country, it was below zero when we left to come here. It's not going to be an end-to-end match.

'The heat is incredible, it's 40 Celsius,' added the gravel-voiced coach, who himself has defied the heat by wearing his so-called lucky jacket on the touchline at every game.

'In the evening, it's beautiful for playing football and it's better for the public because the game is played at a faster pace.

'I suppose this has to do with money,' he added. 'But the players would suffer less in the evening, they would develop their game better. It would be better for Brazil and Argentina.'

With Argentina favourites to win their first title for 14 years, Basile appealed for the importance of the match to be kept in perspective.

'There's no need to dramatise,' he said. 'I know about the importance of the game, the public, about taking the cup back home to our people. But it's not a matter of life or death. It's a football match.'

Basile, whose team have scored 16 goals and won all five games on the way to the final, said Argentina would stay faithful to their passing game against the physical Brazilians.

'The only way to play football is by having the ball in your possession and knowing how to use it,' he said. 'And we mustn't go onto the pitch worrying about how long it is since we have won anything.'

Basile also remembered his previous stint in charge, when he won the Copa America in 1991 and 1993 but then saw his team knocked out by Romania in the second round at the 1994 World Cup.

'On that occasion, I had to leave the country in a helicopter,' he joked. 'We had a great team, it was good enough to have won the Cup but it didn't happen and that was a frustration.

'The years went by, I always dreamt I could coach the team again and here I am.'

Baptista pinpoints Brazil's Copa success

July 16, 2007
MARACAIBO, Venezuela (Ticker) -

Julio Baptista has revealed Brazil's secret in winning the Copa America final against bitter rivals Argentina was to stop Juan Roman Riquelme.

The Real Madrid forward, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal, scored Brazil's first goal in its 3-0 victory over Alfio Basile`s side to claim the crown for the eighth time in its history.

Baptista has admitted the result could have been different had Brazil not stopped Argentina`s talismanic playmaker from controlling the game.

He said: "We did not allow Riquelme to turn and play in front of our goal with the possession of the ball. We did not leave empty spaces for him. Every time he dominated the ball, one or two of our players were close to him."

Brazil started this year's competition in disappointing fashion with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, but midfielder Elano believes the loss was crucial to give it the kickstart needed to win the tournament for the fourth time in the last five outings.

"Since that defeat to Mexico the team found the necessary balance to work towards the title," Elano said.

Brazil boss Dunga arrived in Venezuela under fierce criticism from fans and local media over his decision to allow key players Ronaldinho, Kaka, Lucio, Ze Roberto, Ronaldo and Adriano to skip the tournament.

But, despite the achievement, Elano refused to take a swipe at those who doubted the national coach.

"Criticism, as well as the title, will be part of the past tomorrow," said Elano. "A lot of people said a lot of things. What they have to remember is that we are a family and some criticism affects people close to us."

Left-back Gilberto added: "The biggest problem is that most of the Brazilian people believe we play in the national team for the money and that's not true. We proved the contrary by winning this Copa America. The players are exhausted after their European leagues but we played great in this tournament.

"We went to Venezuela to defend our country, our colours. Brazilians have to think a little bit before criticizing."

Argentine mininster criticises anti-hooligan measure

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 2 (Reuters)


- Argentine soccer's latest attempt to curb hooliganism was criticised on Thursday by Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez.

Fernandez said that a decision to reduce the sale of tickets to visiting fans would not necessarily keep out the troublemakers.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) ruled on Tuesday that clubs will only be allowed to use 50 percent of the capacity of the away fans' sections unless these are all-seater.

"Nobody can guarantee that the ones who cause trouble will not be in that half," said Fernandez in an interview with the radio station America.

"The solution is to find the guilty ones, not deny the fans the chance to watch their team.

"Reducing it by one half is not going to reduce the problem by one half. There aren't thousands of them (troublemakers), there are 30 or 40. If we believe in magical solutions, we're wrong."

Fernandez said the government had not been consulted over the AFA's decision, taken after a meeting with the Buenos Aires provincial government's agency for safety at sports events

8/8/2007


Milan Not Inferior To Inter, Insists Ronaldo:flirt:

Milan striker Ronaldo insists that the Rossoneri are favourites in all competitions, despite some negative emotions at the club following the display in Moscow.

That Milan disappointed against PSV Eindhoven and Lokomotiv Moscow, and the fact that Inter Milan have managed to do much better business in the summer, has led to many pundits declaring the Nerazzurri as the strong favourited for the Scudetto.

"We won’t start below Inter in the pecking order," argued El Fenomeno. "On the contrary, we have the advantage as we have such history and so many great champions in the squad.

On young compatrion Alexandre Pato, the club's only signing thus far, he said: "I think he’s ready for Serie A.

"There are no hard and fast rules that state a player can’t play here if he doesn’t weigh enough or is too young - it’s all to do with what he can do with the ball."

David Suazo and Christian Chivu have been two quality players signed by Inter, while Milan have yet to sign a single player who will be available to Carlo Ancelotti for the start of the season.

9/9/2007


Cuper Asks Fans To Be Patient With Pavone

After the match against Espanyol, Real Betis manager Hector Cuper asked the club’s fans to be patient with Mariano Pavone, who is beginning to adapt to life in La Liga. Ariel Ibagaza and Pablo Aimar gave their accounts on how Cuper has helped young Argentines adapt to Spanish football.


Cuper, who brought in the Argentine striker from Estudiantes de La Plata at the end of last season, told reporters that he has recently seen a big improvement in the player, who seems to be adapting himself to Spanish football.

The manager is renowned for helping young Argentines adapt to Spanish football, after having already helped the likes of Pablo Aimar and Ariel Ibagaza.

Ibagaza, who returned to Mallorca this season, declared, “to arrive from the Argentine league, being a player who was dedicated to distributing the ball was complicated.

“For a centre back, for instance, it is much easier, but for a footballer who plays in the midfield or up front it is different. Here the ball goes from one side to the other with a brutal speed, so you need time to go step by step. You practically need to play one season, before giving your best level.”

Aimar, who now plays for Real Zaragoza, told reporters that the presence of Cuper on the bench of Valencia was important for his quick adaptation to the Spanish league.

“The temperament and the patience of the manager is fundamental so that you don’t lose your confidence, and the style of football implied is also important, so what is taught in the change room can often help you perform better,” he said.

Aimar affirmed “Cuper helped me a lot. The manager is very important in helping young players adapt to Spanish football. He always gave us advice on how football is played here, but more than anything he helps you become more calm with things.

“When things didn’t go well he said the good times will soon arrive, and he gave us confidence, so that we wouldn't lose this.”

Maradona bored with Argentina's passing game :scream:

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 19 (Reuters)

- Diego Maradona criticised Argentina's style of play on Friday, saying there were too many backward passes.

Argentina have adopted a patient passing game under coach Alfio Basile, centred on playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, but Maradona said that too often the ball went backwards.

Basile's team have won their first two matches in the 2010 World Cup qualifying competition, 2-0 at home to Chile on Saturday and 2-0 in Venezuela on Tuesday, but the 100 percent start was not enough for Maradona.

"The team has not left me satisfied," he said in a television interview. "I'm tired and bored of watching them pass the ball backwards."

"They gave it to Riquelme, he played it backwards, they gave it to (Javier) Mascherano, he played it backwards, it's no good at all," he said.

"If you're beating Germany or Brazil 2-0 in a final, then that's fine, but not here."

He added: "I'm moderately satisfied with the six points but nothing more."

:sweeteye: Roma's Pizarro says players take too many supplements :sob:

MILAN, Oct 27 (Reuters)

- AS Roma midfielder David Pizarro has said players take too many pharmaceutical supplements in the modern game.

A debate has raged in Italy for several years about the legality of supplements after Juventus were discovered to have used several substances such as creatine to help players recover fitness during the 1990s.

Endless court proceedings failed to come to a proper conclusion and an Italian judge is now investigating the use of vitamins throughout soccer to see if any banned substances were used and if any deaths can be linked to the cases.

"Yes it is true (players take too many pharmaceuticals) and I talk in general. It happens because we play too many games and we always need to recover," Chilean Pizarro told Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday.

"You could say no, but then you stay outside the squad," he said.

Hitzfeld laments Bayern's "pretty football"

by Ryland James
December 9, 2007
BERLIN (AFP) -

Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld regretted his side's desire to "play pretty" rather than picking up the three points which would have guaranteed them top spot in the Bundesliga at Christmas.

Despite dominating both possession and territory, Bayern were held to a surprise 0-0 home draw by ten-man Duisburg on Saturday, but stayed top of the league after second-placed Werder Bremen stumbled 4-3 at Hanover.

Bayern's star-studded attack including midfielder Franck Ribery plus strikers Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni - summer signings worth 49 million euros (71.8 million US dollars) - could not break down the guests' defence which has leaked 25 goals already this season.

Even though they had striker Mohammadou Idrissou sent off nine minutes from time, the draw moved Duisburg up to 16th in the league - third from bottom - and means Bayern now have a two-point lead at the top.

Despite captain Oliver Kahn's pre-match insistance Bayern had to dominate Duisburg to prove their mettle as Bundesliga winners, the home side are stuttering after winning just two games in the last seven.

"We showed no passion, we wanted to win the game by playing pretty stuff," said Hitzfeld.

"Naturally, I'm disappointed with the result, we wanted to win and make sure of first place over Christmas.

"But it's our own fault. We found it very difficult, especially after we again failed to take our early chances.

"Duisburg grew in confidence and solidity at the back.

"They defended well with ten men, we couldn't find any gaps, and we never found the spark to prise them open.

"At the end of the day we lacked precision, there were too many misplaced passes.

"I wasn't happy with the first half.

"We showed no passion, we wanted to win the game by playing pretty stuff.

"We were too static, there wasn't enough movement, our body language gave off all the wrong signals.

"The second half was OK. We got up and at them in the second half, there was a lot more passion about us.

"We tried everything, we put them under a lot more pressure, there was much more action in the box, but we failed to take our chances.

"Duisburg deserved their point, we have to grit our teeth and wave goodbye to two points."

Bayern have just two games left before the Bundesliga begins it's winter break.

Their final league game of 2007 sees them take on Hertha Berlin in the German capital on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium and then play Greek side Aris Salonika in the UEFA Cup on December 19 at the Allianz Arena in a group game.

Carlos Caszely...GRANDE CHINO !!!!!!!!!!

"Football used to be much slower, though more violent"

10 / 12 / 2007

http://img.conmebol.com/csf/pub/articulo/2007/fotos/dic10.ccaszely-tapa_160x232.gif

Caszely always smiles when the ball is near him. He managed it very well over the pitches worldwide, aiming at the goal with his eyes. He was three times the striker of the Chilean championship and the 1973 Libertadores Cup.
Photo: El Gráfico Chile

INTERVIEW: JORGE BARRAZA

A crack in the days when the skilful ones were less protected, Colo Colo?s former forward and the Red has preserved his protagonic role in his throne of untouchable idol.

What are you up to, master?
As usual, I'm closely connected with football, watching the games, sometimes listening to the radio, to be updated in my press-work, which I enjoy so much.

Where are you working at present?
In Channel 13. They have the exclusive broadcast of the World Cup Preliminaries and that gives me the opportunity of being close to the Chilean National Team.

Do you like your job?
Yes, it's a way of keeping connected with football, the most beautiful sport worldwide that allows you to continue visiting different countries and to get in touch with old friends and those who were your rivals in the pitch and today are very good friends outside.

Now, that you are on the other side of the counter, what do you think about the journalists?
I see them as I always did, as people who wanted to play football and couldn't.

But do you find yourself at ease inside the press environment?
I like what I'm doing. I love it. I have very good friends in the press world, though there is nothing better than playing football. It's a game, in the open air. You get to know the world and discover different ways of thinking and living. It?s something wonderful

1/4/2008


Verón Hits Out At Former Boss Simeone :nasty:

Speaking after his first training session with new Estudiantes manager Roberto Sensini, Juan Sebastián Verón had some choice words for former manager Diego Simeone.

Sitting alongside his father Juan Ramón Verón and his new boss Roberto Sensini, La Brujita spoke of how he felt the Estudiantes players and supporters deserved more respect from Diego Simeone in the manner of his departure.

"We deserved for him to be sincere with us," Verón told the gathered press.

"I do not believe that anybody resigns from their work without knowing that they have another opportunity for the future."

Later on the press conference, Verón indicated that he does understand why Simeone would want to take charge at River, but is just annoyed with the way in which he went about achieving it.

"Nobody doubts that is important to manage Boca or River, but the supporters and the players deserved for him to leave in the correct manner. Each one chooses their ways and he did not know to handle the situation.

"No matter how hard he hurts, it is always necessary to go with the truth.

"He is a technician with ambition, he works very well and he achieved our first victory in 23 years, which will go down in history. Through all of that, people and this group gave him much and therefore we feel he did not finish in the best way."

Verón was asked what his own personal relationship was like with Simeone, to which he offered a short response.

"The relationship was never idyllic, but there was a union to want to win."

Finally, he welcomed new manager Roberto Sensini to the club, having previously played with the former centre-back at Parma and Lazio in Italy.

"We welcome Sensini and assistants, and hope they have luck."

1/20/2008


Pellegrini: I Loved How The Team Played :thumbsup:

Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini was delighted with his team’s outstanding 3-0 victory over rivals Valencia at El Madrigal on Saturday.

Pellegrini declared to the local press that he "loved" his team’s performance against Valencia, and that he was expecting a display of that sort before the match.

"I was very confident that we would play a very good match. The four goals against Depor took heaps of pressure off us from scoring goals, and I thought that today we would continue that, and that was exactly how it was," he affirmed.

He also spoke about rivals Valencia, who he feels are in a "very complicated situation," although they "played well" in the second half against Atletico Madrid days earlier.

The Chilean praised the security his defense demonstrated against Valencia, and the fact that they could have gone into the break with a bigger advantage, after the two goal-bound efforts that came off the posts.

"I loved how the team played. Today I saw a great Villarreal side, and that was much of the reason why Valencia played poorly," he stated.

Gregory Sica

Gareca quiere que la blanquirroja se torne crema

http://www.peru.com/futbol/AutoNoticias/FutbolPortada/2008/01/21/ImagenNoticia147455.jpgLima) El técnico Ricardo Gareca calificó como un orgullo que sus jugadores de Universitario de Deportes sean convocados a la selección para el partido ante Bolivia.

El estratega argentino sostuvo que no pondrá ninguna traba para ceder a algunos de ellos para el combinado patrio dirigido por José Guillermo del Solar.

“No habrá ningún problema. Para nosotros sería un orgullo y un gusto que haya jugadores en la selección. Me gustaría sí que la cosa fuera pareja y haya un orden. Nosotros no vamos a poner problemas. Sería una satisfacción que un jugador de la U esté en la selección peruana”, manifestó el ‘Tigre’.

Sobre la advertencia de Fano de revelar cómo


era su verdadera relación con Gareca, el técnico extranjero dijo que no podía opinar al respecto.

“Seguramente llegado el momento hablará. Voy a hablar solamente lo que me pregunten respecto a mí, puedo decirle que siento yo, no lo que sienten mis jugadores. Tengo claro las cosas que hago y declaro”, advirtió.

Gareca negó que haya conversado con los dirigentes la posibilidad de permanecer por más tiempo al mando del equipo estudiantil. “Nunca hablamos de extensión de contrato, en ningún momento. En la ‘U’ no se hace lo que yo quiero. Soy un empleado y me adapto a determinadas cosas. Con la comisión directiva tengo un excelente diálogo”, sentenció.

1/25/2008


The Tie Is Still Wide Open - Pellegrini :thumbsup:

Manolo Pellegrini claimed that his prediction that Villarreal's Copa del Rey quarter final with Barcelona would be won in the second meeting was proved to be right.

The Yellow Submarine were held to a goalless draw at home by the Blaugrana on Thursday in a game that saw both side have chances to give themselves an advantage.

"Both of us knew that the tie would be won over 180 minutes and that did not mean that either of us would give anything away," Pellegrini said.

"The tie is still open and I think that the second leg will be a very similar game to this one.

"A major thing is that they did not score a goal against us.

"I think the match was quite even as we were superior in the first half and Barça were in the second half.

"There was not a lot of space given by either team and Valdés made tow good saves as did Diego López."

Pellegrini praised Barça for their style, but also stated that he was pleased with the way his own team had performed in all areas.

"We have played against a great team, the side that controls and moves the ball better than anyone in Spain in my opinion and I am satisfied with my players," he continued.

"We were good in defence and in attack."

Hala Submarino ...Sink the :embarass: Cules !!!!!!

1/30/2008


Bielsa Proud Of Young :thumbsup: Chile Players

Chile coach Marco Bielsa was a happy man after watching his young and inexperienced team defeat South Korea 1-0 at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday night.

http://goal.com/images/22849_news.jpg
zoom - galleria

A second half goal from Gonzalo Fierro gave the South Americans the win on a freezing night in the Korean capital.

“It was a tough and equally-balanced game,” the Argentine told reporters after the match. “In the second half, Korea changed formation to 4-3-1-2 and became more attacking and made it difficult for us.”

Chile drew 0-0 with Japan four days earlier.

“We are improving in games but it is still not enough. We were better going forward than in the Japan game.”

“The pleasing thing is that the average age of the team is 23 and for many of them, this is their first appearance on the international stage. It is good for these players to play in Asia."

2/1/2008


Pellegrini - We Lost :eek: To An Illegal Goal:thmbdown:

Manuel Pellegrini was stunned to see his Villarreal side lose to Barcelona in Camp Nou in what he believed was a goal that should never have been allowed to have stood.

The Chilean coach could not understand how the linesman did not give Thierry Henry offside as he nodded home Deco's free-kick to win the tie for the Blaugrana.

After a goalless first leg and a tight game on Thursday, Pellegrini was disappointed that the teams were split by such an important decision.

"The difference has been an illegal goal," he said. "I say things like they are because Henry was a metre-and-a-half offside.

"I feel helpess when we concede a goal that is illegal. It is a move that is too clear to have allowed it to stand."

Pascal Cygan was then sent off two minutes after when he fouled Messi twice in quick succession, but Pellegrini still thought his side could draw level.

"We knew that Barcelona were going to create chances, but with a player less we have made things even more complicated for ourselves," he explained.

"We know that Messi is a difficult player to stop, but I think that only real difference between the teams was the goal.

"But we have been knocked out by a great Barcelona team."

After making a double substitution just after the break, Pellegrini was unable to bring on Nihat in the second half as Marcos Senna picked up a knock and had to go off.

"We had faith that we could take something on a counter-attack and draw level, because although Barça had a lot of the ball they did not clinical," he continued.

"However, we were unable to bring on Nihat and that was a setback.

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

2/11/2008

Racing Coach Thinks Improvement Will Come


Racing Club coach Miguel Micó believes that his young team will improve as the season goes on after watching them draw 1-1 with Olimpo Bahia Blanca in their Argentine Clausura opener.


Javier Páez gave Olimpo the lead with eleven minutes remaining, but Racing fought back to rescue a point; veteran striker Facundo Sava scoring with six minutes left after some good work by Sebastián Arrieta to set him up.

Micó was content to have secured a point, but was unhappy with the general display of his side.

"This it is a young squad and sometimes the anxiety causes us to commit errors", he told Olé

"It is necessary to continue working to improve and to not look for excuses".

Racing put in an atrocious performance in the first half, but there was a marked improvement in the second period after the introduction of the returning Maxi Moralez at the interval, and Micó recognised the effect that the attacking midfield will have on his side.

"We knew that with the arrival of Maxi Moralez our football was going to improve. With him in good shape, and other players recovering, the team can change.

"We know that we must improve, but only one game has been played, although it is going to be a hard championship. We know this and for that reason we must work hard."

Micó was forced into playing three players under the age of 21 in Diego Menghi, Gabriel Mercado and Gonzalo García in defence due to injury worries and the general small size of his squad, and believes that it is important to trust in the younger players.

"They are young and we did not have another alternative because Frank Sosa could not play. I have much confidence in them and all the young players. It is necessary to work with what we have and not look for excuses," he concluded.

2/14/2008 9:35 AM

Simeone: We Committed Errors So We Lost

Speaking after River Plate's 2-0 loss to Universidad San Martin in their opening Copa Libertadores group match, coach Diego Simeone stated that he felt his team made it too easy for their opponents by making errors at vital points in the match.

Simeone did not speak to his players or his coaching staff for some time after the game had ended as he needed to gather his thoughts after an embarrassing defeat against the Peruvian side.

He spoke to the press fifteen minutes after the final whistle, but was in a visibly blunt mood as he explained the result.

"Each game of full of details and they knew to take advantage of them and for that reason they won. The team that commits errors, loses; we committed errors," he told reporters.

Simeone indicated that this result does not threaten their chances of qualification from the group as "we are still at the beginning", but does feel that it is now imperative that they "add points" in their next game against Club América of Mexico on the 27th February.

When asked if he was worried by the performance, Simeone would not get any specific details, stating that "I will speak to the players about that," but did concede that they "must improve".

Simeone felt that Roberto Ovelar opener in the 15th minute made their game-plan difficult, stating that "the first goal arrived earlier than he had hoped or imagined it would", although he felt that "the team improved as the game went on" and believes that "although the team didn't play a good match, we could have drawn".

He stated that he was not surprised by San Martin's performance as "they have interesting players... Leguizamón and Del Solar have great technique".

Simeone concluded the short interview with a summary of his team's performance.

"We played ok, but not as we wished to before the game. Obviously, when you don't play well you don't get the result."

2/21/2008 11:47 AM

Riquelme: We Deserved A Win :nerd: :nerd: :nerd:

Speaking after Boca Juniors drew their opening Copa Liberatdores game with Union Maracaibo on Wednesday, playmaker Juan Román Riquelme expressed his belief that their performance deserved a victory.:dielaugh:


A 83rd minute strike from midfielder Sebastián Battaglia rescued a point for Boca just three minutes after Maracaibo had taken the lead through Miguel Mea Vitali, but Riquelme felt that a draw was an unjust result.

"We deserved a triumph," he told Olé.

"We were superior, but it is important not to lose when the possibly to win is not there."

Boca dominated much of the possession and Riquelme believes that they game would have been a different story if they had "scored the first goal".

Strikers Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio missed a number of chances to score, but Riquelme refused to criticise them.

"I have the luck to play with two of the better forwards of Argentine soccer," he affirmed.

A Venezuelan fan made his way onto the pitch to embrace Riquelme during the game and despite the security risk, he was flattered to receive the adulation of the locals.

"He is not an intruder, just another person like all of us. That they demonstrate affection towards me is important for me."

Finally, Riquelme stated his support for the other Argentine clubs involved in the Libertadores and wished luck to San Lorenzo ahead of their game with Cruzeiro on Thursday.

"Hopefully San Lorenzo can win their game. It would be good if all of the Argentine teams could progress past this stage," he concluded.

2/23/2008 9:44 AM

San Lorenzo President Optimistic Of Improvement

Despite San Lorenzo's poor start to 2008, club president Rafael Savino is hopeful they can get back to winning ways in the coming weeks.

Thursday's 0-0 draw with Cruzeiro in the Copa Libertadores meant that San Lorenzo have drawn one and lost three games since the turn of the year and although Savino admitted that this was not the start to the season they were looking for, he believes they will still come good.

"Nobody was waiting for these results," he told Radio Latina.

"I am optimistic that we are working to solve the problems. It is not possible to be calm, but I am not worried too much either."

Next up for San Lorenzo is a trip to El Monumental to face River Plate on Sunday and although he does not want to put pressure on the players, Savino feels they cannot afford to lose another game this early in the Clausura.

"The last thing we wanted was a Clasico right at the start of the championship. We do not begin to think of losing once more."

As his time on air drew to a close, Savino wanted to get a message out to the San Lorenzo supporters in regard to the team and the financial state of the club.

"[The fans] wanted us to sign these players and keep Ramon Diaz as coach. There was a general consensus to form a good team to play in Libertadores.

"We are a little tight, but our partner does not worry about the economic side. He had planned for it," Savino concluded.

3/7/2008 8:57 AM

Verón: We Are Playing River, Not Simeone :D

Estudiantes midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón believes that his teammates are determined to defeat River Plate on Sunday, not to get one over on former coach Diego Simeone, but to establish themselves as title contenders.

Estudiantes come into the tie in third place in the Clausura championship, one point off the top and two points clear of River, who currently lie fifth after four games of the nineteen game season.

Verón feels that a victory over one of Argentina's biggest clubs would solidify Estudiantes as serious title challengers and does not see the game as an opportunity to get revenge on Simeone.

"I know clearly that Estudiantes are going to play against River, not against Simeone. If nothing else it will be an interesting match because both of us have aspirations to win the championship," he told Olé.

We know that the game is worth more than three points because both teams are near the top and to win to against a great team is always more rewarding."

La Brujita still believes that Simeone is an excellent coach, but stated that he was disappointed with the way Cholo left Estudiantes at the end of Apertura.

"[Simeone] is a good coach. I have a desire to win and I liked the way he worked towards that. All that happened was that we did not agree as friends, on the one hand, and in fact we always realised this would be the case. And on the other hand, I believe that as group we deserved an explanation for his exit. Now it is a thing of the past."

After their win against Danubio in the Copa Libertadores in midweek, Estudiantes coach Roberto Sensini stated that Verón's performance confirmed him as the best player in Argentina. Verón was pleased to have received such praise and reciprocated Sensini's kind words.

"Yes, I thank him for that, but he is a friend... and he is my coach, so I'd expect him to say that. He trying to give me extra responsibility. We have know each other a long time and we have a great relationship. For me, Sensini is the best coach in the country."

Finally, Verón was asked about the large number of Estudiantes fans who travelled to Uruguay to support the team in midweek.

"We know the Libertadores means a lot to the supporters. It was enough to see the amount of people who accompanied us to Montevideo... that was impressive. That our fans followed us all that way for a first round match that did not define anything is incredible. Because of that, the win was for them as well, without a doubt," he concluded.

I'm with Verón :D

3/12/2008 3:40 AM

Agüero Is The Best In Europe - Basile

Alfio Basile has heaped praise on Sergio Agüeroas he claimed that the striker is the best player in Europe at present and remains confident that he can be a true star at the World Cup Finals in two years time.

The Argentinian coach has included the Atlético de Madrid forward in his latest squad, for the friendly against Egypt and explained that he been very impressed by the player's form in Spain.

"Agüero is dazzling, he is the best that there is in Europe at the moment. There is still a long way to go before the World Cup and therefore we have to hope that he continues along the same path," Basile explained.

One player that the trainer will be without is Lionel Messi after the Barça star tore a thigh muscle recently and Basile explained how the Argentinian Football Association is keeping in touch with events.

"Leo is very upset about his injury.We are all trying to help him though. We are in constant contact with the doctors, the coaches and his father. If all goes well he will be in Buenos Aires on Friday as part of his recuperation," he continued.

Finally, Basile explained that his main task against Egypt was to find a player to fill the boots of the absent Juan Román Riquelme and that some experimenting will take place.

"Riquelme is a fundamental player because he controls the team: It is difficult to find a replacement for him. Now I am going to test some of the boys that I have here. We will test a few things out," the coach concluded.

5/31/2008
Agüero: I'll Never Play For A Team That Starts With 'R' :dielaugh:

Atlético Madrid striker Sergio 'Kun' Agüero explained his 'R-phobia' to Marca today, outlining why he will never find himself at Real Madrid, among others...

The young Argentine arrived at Atleti from Independiente, and it is with his boyhood club that his heart lies.

So fervent is his support for Los Diablos Rojos, in fact, that he explained why he can't stomach the letter 'R'.

"I am a fan of Independiente, and the first thing about that is to hate Racing. And in Argentina I'd play for Independiente, not another team. I won't play for any club starting with the letter 'R'!"

Indeed, this isn't the first time that the 19-year-old has stated that he's looking to end his career back in Avellaneda.

"I already said, I have eight or nine years left [in Madrid] and at 28 I'll go back to Independiente. I'm always talking to [Diego] Forlán about my team and my desire to return."

Independiente's fortunes of late have not been the best, with Agüero ruing a pair of derby draws for his old side. However, the Rojos are comfortably mid-table - with Racing near the bottom of the Clausura.

Argentina coach Basile unimpressed by Euro 2008 :hopeful:

BUENOS AIRES, June 12 (Reuters)

- Argentina coach Alfio Basile has not been impressed by Euro 2008.

“I don’t like the European championship,” he told a news conference on Thursday.

“As always, the Europeans play firstly to qualify. I don’t have a favourite but I always believe in the major powers.

“Spain had a good win but they don’t have the history which Germany and Itay have.”

Basile, whose team face Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday and visit Brazil three days later, said he would not be fooled by Brazil’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Venezuela last Friday.

“It’s not usual for Brazil to play like that, and it was a day when everything went well for Venezuela,” said Basile, who has been on the wrong end of two 3-0 defeats against Brazil since taking over as coach after the 2006 World Cup.

“I imagine (Brazil coach) Dunga feels terrible, he probably feels like jumping into a helicopter and flying off.”

Kaka Optimistic Beckham Will Stay With Milan

Milan welcomed David Beckham to the Serie A on the weekend, as the Rossoneri traveled to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to face the Giallorossi in an entertaining affair that ended 2-2.

The star-studded Milan line-up that consisted the likes of Beckham, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Pato, Paolo Maldini, Gianluca Zambrotta and Andrea Pirlo, just to name a few, were unable to get the better off their Roman opponents, thanks to a brace by Mirko Vucinic, as it ended all square.

Since the completion of that clash, many have given their thoughts on the club’s performance, as well as Beckham’s presence in the contest, and the Brazilian superstar Kaka is the latest to do so, in an interview earlier tonight.

“I hope that Beckham’s stay in Milan lasts more than two months,” Kaka declared in a press conference at the Fifa World Player of the Year awards in Zurich.

“I do not know the exact terms of his contract, but it would be a great move that would benefit both he and the club.

“I would like Beckham to remain with us for six months, and even for some years,” he added.

“Against Roma he demonstrated his ability to sacrifice for his team mates, thus proving his great quality, and for this reason and more, I want him to remain with us,” Kaka concluded.

For the record, Cristiano Ronaldo took home the FIFA World Player of the Year award for 2008, with the Rossoneri attacker coming in a respectable fourth position.

1/13/2009

Scolari: I Don't Care If Chelsea Sack Me :flirt:

The Blues' under-fire boss is completely unconcerned by speculation over his future.

Following Chelsea's mauling at the hands of Manchester United on Sunday, people are beginning to ask, "Is Luiz Felipe Scolari really the right man for the Blues?"

The board at Stamford Bridge seem to be mulling over the same question, and it is thought that another change of management will ensue if is no new silverware in the London club's trophy case by the end of May.

But Scolari is totally indifferent to whether or not he remains with the Pensioners - although the Brazilian stressed that he is perfectly content with his current situation, despite the on- and off-field issues.

“I don’t care. If I lose my job, I have another job. Maybe tomorrow, maybe after one year or two. I’ve worked for 25 years, so no problem,” he said in The Sun.

“I like Chelsea. I like Cobham, where I live, I like the school my son is at, I like my job here, the people, even the press. It’s not a problem for me. I like every day in London.

“But if I go back to Brazil, I will like Brazil the same. When I was in Kuwait, I loved Kuwait. I had three fantastic years in Saudi Arabia. I love life, finish. If I lose or not lose my job, I will be the same.”

Chelsea now sit four points adrift of the Premier League leaders, Liverpool, and they face Southend United this evening hoping to squeeze through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Maradona blasts rules for FIFA awards

Created: 2009-1-17


DIEGO Maradona labelled the rules for FIFA's World Player of the Year vote as "stupid" after he was banned from choosing Lionel Messi.

"I had to choose somebody else, knowing that Lionel Messi is the best player in the world," the Argentina coach told reporters on Friday, adding that he had voted for Manchester United and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo instead.

Maradona said the rules banned coaches from voting for players from their own country.

"Whoever thought that up is stupid," he said. "It's incredible, I voted for Ronaldo when I wanted to vote for Messi but I couldn't."

Ronaldo was named FIFA World Player of the Year on Monday while Messi was second and Fernando Torres third.

The FIFA award is based on votes by the national team coaches and captains of the 208 member associations of world soccer's governing body.

Maradona was speaking after a two-week trip around Europe in which he visited a number of Argentina's top players, their clubs and coaches.

Maradona heaped praise on Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho. "He's a sensational person," Maradona said. "He's somebody I look up to."

Maradona also thanked Barcelona president Joan Laporta and coach Pep Guardiola, saying they had agreed to release Messi for the friendly against France on February 11.

"They behaved like gentlemen and opened Barcelona's doors to me after a long time," he said. "Laporta and myself want the best for Messi."

"Both (Guardiola) of us completely agree that Messi should do his best for Barcelona and for the national team," he said.

If Kaka Moves To Manchester City, Football Is Dead :lazy:


AC Milan are the most internationally successful club in world football, with a prestige, history, class, and honour that most other teams can only dream of. Seventeen Scudetti, seven Champions League titles, three Intercontinental Cups, a never-ending list of past and current legends, including Rivera, Altafini, Baresi, Maldini, Van Basten, Ronaldinho - you could spend all day talking about the magnificent Milan.

Compare the Rossoneri to Manchester City. Two English league titles (in 1937 and 1968), and one European Cup Winners Cup in 1970, and that is pretty much the club’s history. The Citizens have not won a major honour for 40 years, nor have they even challenged, even dropping down to the third tier a decade ago, while their past greats such as Colin Bell and Francis Lee, despite being superb players, are hardly household continental names.

Milan are currently third in Serie A, with a realistic chance of fighting for the Scudetto. The most dominant club in the Champions League this decade, the Rossoneri are almost certain to return to Europe’s premier cup competition next season, and fight to win it. Meanwhile, Manchester City are floundering down in 15th place in the Premier League, just two points above the relegation zone. There is no hope of making the Champions League next season, while their only realistic chance of qualifying for Europe at all, will be to win the UEFA Cup this season.

Milan is one of the most revered cities in Europe, a capital of design and fashion, with culture, art, nightlife, and much, much more. Manchester, meanwhile, located far, far away from the centre of Europe, boasts nothing of cultural note, and hardly catches the eye like Milan, or even London, does.

So how could it be then that one of the world’s greatest footballers could possibly move from the prestigious Milan to the plastic Manchester City?

The simple answer is: money.

The English Premier League, with its billionaire foreign owners, propaganda marketing, and obscene television deals, has already done enough to destroy the splendour and tradition of the beautiful game, and if this Kaka deal passes through, it will be the death of football.

This time, there may be no return.

Some of the financial figures being banded around are quite horrific. Kaka will earn €15m a year after tax, while Milan will reportedly receive a transfer fee in excess of €112 million. What has the world come to?

I must point out before I get floods of complaints from Premier League apologists that I have no grudge against English football. This is purely a moral stance against the direction the Premier League has taken over the past four or five years, specifically since Roman Abramovich entered onto these shores, and helped turn football into a circus.

With the world financial crisis, there was some hope in my mind that football, and the Premier League in particular, may take a step backwards and begin to regain some of its purity and soul, but the imminent Kaka deal emphatically suggests otherwise.

Milan should not escape criticism though. They have been tempted by the devil and, like Adam, they could not resist the juicy-looking apple. The second symbol of Milan, after Paolo Maldini, has been sacrificed for a pot of dirty money. What will the Milan fans at San Siro do tonight to protest? It should make interesting viewing.

Michel Platini is the President of UEFA, and he needs to immediately lay out laws to prevent rich owners from spending what their clubs, as businesses, do not make. Whether this will be possible remains to be seen, and it probably is already too late.

The day the transfer of Kaka to Manchester City goes through will be marked down in history as the day football died.

What are your views on this topic? If Kaka moves to Man City, if football dead? Do you disagree with the author and believe that this is a good thing for football? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think.

—Carlo Garganese, Goal.com

I totally disagree with the views of Garganese...This is a free society and all SPORTS are in the same boat...The HIGHEST Bidder will always get what he's after...and Kaka is really no exeption !!!!

I personally wouldnt pay one fourth of the monie$ being thrown around here for the man, but again...If someone is willing to pay those ridiculous prices..more power to them..

And football, basketball, hockey etc etc etc etc... will not be dead by any means !!!

:)

1/16/2009

D'Alessandro: I Dream Of The World Cup

Internacional playmaker, Andres D'Alessandro, admitted that it would be a dream come true to participate with Argentina in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa...

Argentine midfielder Andres D'Alessandro, who plays for Internacional of Porto Alegre, admitted that he "dreams of playing in the next World Cup," but he understands that in order to reach his objective, he has to be in his best form with his Brazilian club at all moments.

"If one plays well in the local tournament, and in the other competitions, the opportunities will be there. I dream about this, to play in the World Cup with the national team," stated D'Alessandro, to Gazeta Esportiva on Friday.

The former River Plate, San Lorenzo, Wolfsburg, Portsmouth, and Real Zaragoza player was called up by former national team coach Alfio Basile, as soon as he joined Inter last year, but he wasn't given an opportunity to play.

D'Alessandro knows that he has to concentrate on playing well in Brazil, and doing so will possibly present him with greater possibilities with Argentina: "I want to be a protagonist at Inter. But the important thing will be to think about the group, more than personal goals."

The exciting playmaker played a key role as Internacional lifted the Copa Sudamericana for the first time last year.

If Kaka Moves To Manchester City, Life Goes On :thumbsup:


In yesterday’s Calcio Debate a point was made concerning the fact that the sale of Kaka to Manchester City would be the death of football, and that money is destroying the game. I disagree with this statement in part, but I do see money as a piece of the puzzle that is slowly chipping away at the beautiful game, and turning a life long passion into a commercial business.

In case you have been living under a rock and know nothing about the transfer market saga that has unfolded in the past few days, here is the shortened version of the situation. Premier League club Manchester City is currently in talks to poach Kaka from Milan for a price that could easily buy a whole team of famous names. The newly rich Citizens have been searching the market for the next star that will arrive in England to follow in Robinho’s footsteps, and the Brazilian was one of the main players they were keen on.

After reports concerning a staggering offer of €100 million, the Eastlands club have increased their offer to an insane €271 million bid (including his wages and the transfer fee) for the midfielder. Following an offer of the largest amount in the history of football, it is believed that the Rossoneri are willing to accept the unimaginable sum for one of the greatest players in the world today.

The imminent sale of a champion for such an incredible amount is not a turning point in football terms, or an ending to the modern era of the sport. The game has been a business for a while now, and this will go down in history as yet another of the world record breaking amounts that was paid by one club to another for a player of great quality, but it will by no means be the last of its kind.

The sale will see a player move to another league, but the one he left will not lose its edge or collapse as a result of his loss. The game may lose some fans that will be disappointed with Kaka’s move, but the interest will to waver, and the popularity of the game in general will not suffer a great deal. The idea of a player playing with heart for the team that he loves, as opposed to a paycheck, may be dying, but the sport of football is thriving.

The fact is that the potential Kaka sale is causing such a sensation because he is a well-liked and humble player that has always displayed admirable qualities in his personal and professional life. The rumoured sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in the summer did cause a stir, but it was not to the same degree as that of the current news suggesting that Kaka is already virtually a Man City player.

There is simply a massive difference between teams such as Real Madrid, Milan, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, versus Manchester City, Udinese and Sevilla. Though Manchester City may have all the money in the world, and a plan to turn that financial power into trophies and staying power, it is too much of a gamble for a player of Kaka’s talent and ability to give up a career at one of the world’s biggest and best clubs in exchange for a truckload of money. Success takes time and patience to create, and a player of Kaka’s quality should not sacrifice the prime of his career on a new project at a smaller club, but it seems as though money has been the deciding factor once again.

I used to cringe at the thought that everybody has a price, believing that players such as Paolo Maldini, Steven Gerrard and Raul were simply not for sale, but I put Kaka into that category not so long ago, after enjoying his many years spent at the Rossoneri while helping them to Champions League glory on two occasions.

I have to admit defeat however, as it seems that one of the loyal players and a club that I have always respected are about to part ways over the very thing that is tarnishing the image of the world game, money. Although investment in football is crucial, loyalties and feeling part of a team is taking a backseat to the agent and owner driven commercialism that is sweeping into the sport at an alarming rate. Players want bigger pay days and owners want to boast the financial clout of their team.

If the sale of Kaka to City were to go through, as it seems that it might, then life will go on at Milan, and the team will learn to play without the Brazilian. The presence of Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf in the team means that there is certainly no shortage of talent in the midfield, and with the amount of money that seems to be on its way to the Rossoneri bank, they can certainly splurge on a few world-class replacements for the former Sao Paolo player.

What are your views on this topic? If Kaka moves to Man City, if football dead, or will the game go on as it always has after a major transfer? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think.

—Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com

Play me or let me go, unhappy Saviola tells Real Madrid :mad:

MADRID, Jan 24

- Javier Saviola wants Real Madrid to decide whether to play him or let him leave, the Argentina striker said on Saturday.

“It’s a difficult situation. You have to be very strong mentally because as each game goes by without playing you are destroyed a little more psychologically,” the 27-year-old told sports daily Marca.

“I spoke to (coach) Juande (Ramos) to find out where I stood. I told him I needed to play and if I wasn’t in his plans to notify the management to allow me to go during the January transfer window because this situation is intolerable.”

Saviola left arch-rivals Barcelona in 2007 after falling out of favour with then-coach Frank Rijkaard.

He found himself in a similar situation under Bernd Schuster last season as Real won the Primera Liga title and little has changed in recent months.

Saviola has started once in the league this season despite Ruud van Nistelrooy being ruled out with a serious knee injury and Robinho leaving to join Manchester City.

PATIENCE TESTED

“My patience had run out last summer,” said the striker. “I spoke to Schuster to find out if he was really counting on me for this year and he said he was. He advised me to stay.”

Schuster was replaced in December by Ramos, the man Saviola played under while on loan at Sevilla in season 2005-06, but the player has yet to feature in a league game under the new Real coach.

“The club imposed a series of conditions for me to be able to go in January even though they said they still counted on me but it has all been thrown in the air by the resignation of the club president last week,” said Saviola.

“Now the board say they do not want to tamper with the team.”

New signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar has recently joined Raul and Gonzalo Higuain ahead of Saviola in the Real pecking order.

1/24/2009

Gianluigi Buffon: If I Was Kaka I :thumbsup: Would Have Gone To Manchester City

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has dropped a bombshell by stating that, if mega-bucks should come his way, he would be happy to grab them.

Juventus fans will be having sleepless nights from now on after Gianluigi Buffon revealed he would have joined Manchester City if he was in Kaka's shoes.

The Italian goalkeeper may not have to be in Kaka's boots to join City though, as reports suggest the cash-rich Arab-owned club are still keen on landing him. What's worse is that Buffon has openly admitted he would leave Juve if such a mega-offer was to come his way.

"I know that teams are also clubs but I would have left if such a fantasy offer came my way," Buffon told La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"All this talk about me leaving has been going on since I was 23. I am a football man and I know how to calculate things."

Juventus have been flying high this term and they are currently second in Serie A, three points behind bitter rivals and league leaders Inter. The goalkeeper will make his return from injury against Fiorentina later tonight, and he is happy with the Old Lady's good form.

"I am proud of our second place and the extraordinary comeback our team has achieved," continued Buffon.

"I am feeling fine; I wasn't suffering from a back problem - I had the flu."

River Plate’s 100-kilo striker told to lose weight :happy:

BUENOS AIRES, March 3 (Reuters) - River Plate’s new signing Cristian Fabbiani, a cult figure nicknamed The Ogre by supporters, has been told to eat less by his coach after officially passing the 100-kilo mark.

The 25-year-old, who owes his nickname to an apparent likeness to the animated film character Shrek, has also been left out of the trip to Lima to face Peruvian champions Deportivo San Martin in the Libertadores Cup on Thursday.

Fabbiani’s weight has been one of the talking points of the season with his mother giving television interviews on her son’s dietary habits.

Although he initially laughed off the comments, the matter became more serious after River Plate lost 5-1 to San Lorenzo on Sunday.

“I’ve told him that even if he eats salad, if he eats three bowls of salad, it’s the same as eating something else,” said coach Nestor Gorosito in a radio interview.

“Because a cow eats grass and it’s a cow, it eats all day and it’s a cow.

“Fabbiani needs to accept responsibility and lose weight. I don’t need him to go down to 92 or 93 kilos, but he has to get down to 97 and at the moment he’s a hundred and a bit.

“We want him to play 90 minutes, not just half an hour.”

Fabbiani, who alternates moments of brilliance with others of near-disaster and produced one of the misses of the Apertura championship last year, made an instant impact after joining River from Newell’s Old Boys.

In two short substitute appearances, he set up an injury-time winner in a Libertadores Cup match against Paraguayan side Nacional, then scored in a 2-1 win at Rosario Central in the league.

He promised he would be ready to play 90 minutes against leaders Arsenal in the Clausura championship on Sunday.

“It’s my physique and I can’t change it much. But I’m going to play Sunday, I’m not going to get left out of the team again and I’m going to put an end to all this,” he said.

He is a naturally big guy, big boned shall we say but there is no excuse for that gut he has on him. He can play a bit too just a bit of a lard though.

Hehehehehe His Uncle,,,a real good personal friend of mine..was the same when young...never so heavy,,,but always overdoinn the prohibited...but the sonofagun could score....I never forget one nite in Tampa...Oscar overdoing it with us and the party scene...the next day he scored 5 goals Vs the California Surf.....Cristian is Big O's nephew...It runs in the family blood !!! :cap:

Maradona saddened after Boca fans label him a traitor

AIRES, March 18 (Reuters)

- Being labelled a traitor by fans of his favourite club Boca Juniors had been deeply upsetting, Argentina coach Diego Maradona said on Wednesday.

“It hurt me in the soul that they have branded me a traitor but I can’t do anything about it,” he told Radio Mitre.

The insults followed Boca playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme’s decision last week to quit the Argentine national side, saying that he could not work with the coach. Riquelme was upset that Maradona made public comments about his playing style.

Before Sunday’s game with Argentinos Juniors, Boca fans gave Riquelme a rapturous ovation and some banners described Maradona, who has always been treated as a hero at the club, as a traitor.

“I don’t blame the supporters, they have the right to support whoever they want,” said Maradona.

“I can’t do absolutely anything about it apart from continuing on my way.

“I’ve explained that I wanted Riquelme in my team but they have seen it the way they choose to see it.”

Maradona, who has his own box at the Bombonera stadium, said he would return to the arena and was not bitter with the supporters.

“Of course, I’ll return. The last thing I would do in my life would be to get angry with the Boca public.”

Ronaldo: Real Madrid Will Beat Barcelona 2-0 :D

Goal.com

If there’s one player who knows all about El Clasico, it is Ronaldo.


The Brazilian goalscoring sensation played in eight editions of the fiery Spanish derbi altogether, two with Barcelona and six with Real Madrid, scoring five goals in total (one for Barca and four for Madrid).


Having left Los Blancos for Milan back in 2007 and now resurrecting his career at Corinthians, where he has already scored nine goals in 11 games, O Fenomeno left no doubt as to where his allegiance lies when he was asked to predict the outcome of this Saturday’s showdown.


“Barcelona are a great team who are fighting for everything, but Madrid have always had this tradition of a fighter and they will push Barca for the title right until the last minute,” he said in a phone interview with AS.


“For this reason, I believe Madrid are going to win because it’s vital to them and because it will be played at the Bernabeu, a ground that puts a lot of pressure on opponents, and even more so if you are Barca. It will be a great atmosphere.”


When pressed for the scoreline and who he thinks will be the heroes of the night, Ronaldo said, “ Madrid will win 2-0, with goals from Raul and Sergio Ramos, who will score with his head from a corner.”


The 32-year-old then admitted that he will be watching the game: “Of course I will be watching from Brazil . My heart is with Real Madrid. I feel like a Madridista still and I have a son who is also a Madridista.


“Both of us are going to cheer Madrid on for the victory. Hopefully, the win will lead them to the league title at the end.”

Cambiasso: I Wanted To Embrace The Inter Fans

Goal.com

Inter had already mathematically won the Scudetto after Milan lost to Udinese on Saturday, but celebrated by defeating Siena 3-0 at the San Siro in front of their fans.

Esteban Cambiasso opened the scoring and celebrated by running with his arms wide open and explained his action after the match.

"I wanted to embrace all the supporters, the same way they have done with us," the midfielder was quoted as saying by the Corriere dello Sport.

"We wanted this victory, the squad deserved it, even if it was no longer important for the Scudetto."

Inter partied into the wee hours of the morning after Milan's defeat the previous evening, however still managed to put in a good performance against the Tuscan side.

"Happiness can put an extra spring in your step," mused the former Real Madrid player. "We went to bed late, but fortunately we had to play late as well."

Marcelo Bielsa: Chile Put On A Good Display

The coach affirmed that his side performed well in all aspects of their game and that is why they claimed maximum points...

7 Jun 2009


Chile may have picked up three valuable World Cup qualifying points, but the coach stated that the significance of the victory will only be known after their match with Bolivia next week.

"When the double round that we are playing ends things will be more clear," said Bielsa.

"During such a long qualifying campaign teams have streaks, positive and negative ones, so to come to an early conclusion is not advisable. The match we have against Bolivia has the same value as this one and we have yet to play it."

Bielsa, who has transformed Chile into a forceful unit, was delighted with the victory; according to him, the match was always going to be tough due to "the quality of our rivals and because we were playing away from home".

Finally, Bielsa claimed to be happy with the performance of his team in all aspects of their game. 'El Loco' was particularly impressed with Chile's defence.

He said, "In the back line we defended well. It wasn't easy to deal with the capacity and strength of Paraguay, but on the other hand we created several goal scoring opportunities to have deserved the win."

Pellegrini: Real Madrid Are Building A Great Team

Goal.com
Jun 12, 2009

Manuel Pellegrini is excited by the squad being built at Real Madrid and believes that any player in the world would want to join the club this summer after what has already happened.

Los Merengues' new boss will be able to include Kaka and, shortly, Cristiano Ronaldo, in his team as well as a number of othe star names that are set to be signed.

For Pellegrini it is all about moulding a squad that can complete on all three fronts next term and he is delighted to have a board willing to make such huge investments.

"This is an important time for Real Madrid. A capable man like Florentino Perez has taken over the Club and has been joined by Jorge Valdano, someone who has always been associated to all areas of the football world," the club's website quotes him as saying.

"They are building a great team, so it's natural for many players to want to sign for Real Madrid.

"We don't have a specific number of reinforcements we have to make. We are trying to come up with a versatile squad. Real Madrid will play in three championships next year and should not leave any one of them aside.

"I'd rather not talk about future signings because it wouuld all be speculation at this stage. There are many good players that could sign for Real Madrid."

Maradona planning TV, Internet channel

MEXICO CITY (AP)

—Diego Maradona is preparing to launch his own television and Internet channel.

A company identified as On & Off Holdings said Thursday the launch will take place next week, though it offered few details and did not say exactly where or when the channel could be viewed. It did not explain the format.

Maradona has been widely criticized as the coach of Argentina, which struggled to qualify for this year’s World Cup in South Africa. However, he is no stranger to television. In 2005 his Argentine talk show “La Noche del 10 (The Night of the No. 10)” soared to unexpected popularity.

Disorder Reigns At Both Boca And River

Goal.com

Ahead of River Plate’s clash with Colon, Ariel Ortega has broken his silence surrounding the incident which led to him being axed from the squad last weekend.


The 35-year-old midfielder admitted suffering a relapse of his alcoholism which led to him meeting up for the squad a day late. Ortega used a radio interview to beg the press to focus their attention on his problems and leave the footballer’s family alone.

“I’ve always had respect for journalists and the job that they do. There is one out there though who is following my family around to see if they are visiting me in hospital. I have never lost my temper with the press even though they often get things wrong about me. The thing that worries me more however is when I see them put the names of my family in the newspaper.”


The troubled former Argentina international has had a fraught relationship with the press as his problems with alcohol have provided many sensational stories.