FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he has unfinished business as the head of soccer’s world governing body and that he is still full of energy.The Swiss, who is vying for a fourth term as FIFA president, was in Kuala Lumpur to meet the head of the Malaysian FA, Sultan Ahmad Shah, as he continues to canvas support for the upcoming June elections.”I feel still full of energy and I’ve not yet finished my work in FIFA,” Blatter said.Blatter, 75, is currently the only candidate for the role, however reports suggest Asian Football Confederation head Mohamed Bin Hammam is due to announce his intention to challenge Blatter.However in his 13th year as FIFA president, Blatter was not concerned by the competition. “I have support from different Asian associations, but I must have the support from the whole family of FIFA,” Blatter said.Blatter also hinted that FIFA are more likely to award a World Cup finals to a single nation.His comments came after the Association of South-East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) announced their intention to make a joint bid to host the tournament in 2030.”The idea is a very good one but the realisation is not easy,” he said. “The principal of the World Cup which has been admitted – and especially after the World Cup 2002 – when we had two organising committees.””If there’s a single country able to organise the World Cup, preference shall be given to these single countries.”
Tottenham’s chances of progressing to the semi-final stage of this season’s Champions League are minimal following a determined ten-man performance in Madrid which ultimately ended in humiliation. Captain, Michael Dawson, revealed that Peter Crouch, the striker whose two early challenges saw him dismissed within 15minutes, has apologised to his team-mates and conceded that, “we went out there to give our all and it didn’t go to plan.” Crouch’s exit not only left his side with a numerical inferiority, but also demonstrated a tactical conundrum that is troubling a number of Spurs fans.
It was difficult for the Lilywhites to create anything that was not a result of Gareth Bale’s ingenuity, and struggled without an offensive target until van der Vaart was replaced by Jermain Defoe in the second-half. Although the nature of the tie has been significantly altered by the premature removal of Crouch, and perhaps Tottenham’s midfield would have been afforded greater freedom to be creative in Crouch’s presence, the first-leg at the Bernabeu raised a few questions about Spurs’ best formation for deploying van der Vaart and Modric whilst also incorporating Bale.
I’m not saying Harry Redknapp faces a dilemma on the scale of Lampard and Gerrard – which has somehow existed as a scapegoat for most of England’s disappointments since the turn of the century – but Tottenham do seem to perform better when Modric is positioned deeper and van der Vaart is allowed the freedom behind a striker. The best example of this is perhaps the 3-1 defeat of Internazionale last November when Modric was allowed considerable time and space on the ball and was able to control possession as well as instigate attacks.
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It isn’t always easy for an offensive-minded player to restrict their innovation, but the Croatian’s discipline in the role was creditable, and it is worth mentioning that it was his run from deep that created the first goal. Modric’s inventive dummy was followed by a precise through-ball for van der Vaart, who finished emphatically. The move was only able to encourage a chance for the Dutchman due to the venture forward from Modric, as once his side-step got him past the Inter midfield, one of the central defenders was forced to step forward, which allowed van Der Vaart the room to unleash a shot at goal.
Following his first ever Spurs training session last September, van der Vaart in fact singled out Modric for special praise, saying, “you can always play good players together, and today it was nice to play with Modric, for example. He’s a good player.” What’s more, Modric has recently praised the impact van der Vaart has made during his seven months at White Hart Lane, and proclaimed, “Rafael’s arrival has given us great motivation, he’s proven to be a really great player. We were playing well before we bought him, but since he arrived we have started playing better.”
I personally don’t believe Tottenham have any significant strategic concern regarding two of their most valuable assets. Barcelona are proof that a team of offensive players can work efficiently in tandem, and Harry Redknapp will possibly look at the Iniesta-Xavi axis as inspiration for positioning his two stars. It is believed that van der Vaart’s exceptional displays in his first season at Spurs are largely a result of the freedom Redknapp provides his most creative players, and the Dutchman has previously conceded as much. With Sandro beginning to instill confidence in his abilities with the Spurs supporters and Tom Huddlestone soon to return from injury, Tottenham can afford to allow Modric and van der Vaart to roam in the opposition half because undoubtedly, this partnership could be the difference between Champions League and Europa League qualification with just eight Premier League games remaining.
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Can Fergie complete a double this weekend? His horse What a Friend is 11/1 to win the Grand National. Make sure you don’t miss out on the biggest betting event of the year!
Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross praised manager Tony Pulis after his side reached their first FA Cup final on Sunday.Stoke thrashed Bolton Wanderers 5-0 at Wembley and qualified to meet Manchester City at the same stadium on May 14.
But it was Pulis who Shawcross singled out for special praise after the match.
“He’s been a legend for a long while,” Shawcross said.
“He’s done so much for the club to take us to where we were.”
“When I first joined we were struggling in the Championship and for him to take us all the way to the FA Cup final and hopefully a top 10 finish (in the Premier League) is massive.”
“He doesn’t get enough credit for it, he’s got very good man management and he’s a very good manager.”
Jermaine Pennant, who set up Stoke’s third goal for striker Kenwyne Jones after half an hour,
also praised the organisation of the Potters.
“It’s a massive day, it’s a massive victory,” Pennant said.
“It just shows how much the club is pushing forward and much people have invested in the club.”
“Everyone behind the scenes has worked hard to get here and people talk about our game play but to win 5-0 in the semi-final, you’ve got be doing something right and we can play football too.”
“We are not as bad as what people think.”
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Pennant said he was looking forward already to the showdown with Manchester City on May 14.
“Yeah, it will be great. I’ve played in finals but never actually played in a FA Cup final so it is going to be a great moment for me as well,” he said.
“Like I say, it is the first time Stoke have been in the FA Cup final so it is going to be a great moment for all the players.”
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has declared his side’s triumph in this year’s La Liga was the toughest campaign he has been involved in.Barcelona secured their third successive La Liga crown on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw at Levante.
The point they secured gave the Catalans a six-point advantage over bitter rivals Real Madrid with two games to play, but Pep Guardiola’s men claim the title because of their superior head-to-head record against Real.
Valdes, 29, has won five Primera Division titles with Barca, but rated this one the most difficult of them all.
“We have fought as hard as we can and we deserve it,” Valdes said.
“It has been a very difficult year and the fans know that. Today we can celebrate to the maximum. It has been a hard-fought title and now’s the time for celebrations.”
“It has been very hard. Of the ones I’ve won I’d say it’s been the hardest league of all.”
“It has been very tough in terms of the media, but we have managed to isolate ourselves very well.”
“Now we can celebrate in Barcelona.”
Club skipper Carles Puyol said the club would celebrate the victory, but would swiftly turn their attention to the Champions League final against Manchester United at Wembley on May 28 as Barca look for their third European triumph in five seasons.
“Now is the time to celebrate because the league is an important title,” Puyol said.
“Afterwards we can rest and prepare for the final at Wembley.”
Malian midfielder Seydou Keita, who scored Barca’s goal at Levante, echoed his skipper’s sentiments and said the team’s focus would move quickly to United.
“It is a very important day for Barcelona fans,” Keita said.
“Now we have the Champions League final to come, which is very important for this club.”
They say that you should never go back in football, no matter how romantic a move it will be, it is more than likely that it won’t work out in the long run. There have been plenty of players and managers who have returned to their former club only to come to regret that decision. However, that doesn’t stop Premier League stars failing to learn from others’ mistakes and getting swept up in the romance of a return to old pastures. Tottenham and Newcastle seem to be two of the main culprits of this, but there are lots of other clubs who have fallen foul of a failed return, too. Most recently there has been talk of a return to Liverpool for ex-manager Rafa Benitez, but there’s only one way that could go, surely? Anyway, here’s ten of the most disastrous returns in football.
Click on Robbie Keane below to see the TOP TEN
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Pick over a current world eleven? Easy. Decide upon the worst FA Cup final suit in the history of Wembley clashes? No problem. Choose from a list of classic football video games and identify a winner? Impossible.
I thought this was going to be the most fun article ever. The idea of smashing out hours of qualification drama on FIFA: Road to the World Cup with a fledgling Trinidad and Tobago side and once, just once winning the league title on Pro Evolution Soccer 5 sounded incredible.
Alas, my task was a little tougher than I thought it might be. Can I justify including Steven Gerrard’s Gameboy Advance game in the list, even though no one will have heard of it? Can I possibly get a mention in for ‘Michael Owen’s World League Soccer’ and the painstaking banter between the forgotten Peter Brackley and Ray Wilkins every time there is a lull in play?
I know I can’t possibly please everyone, but all of the games on this list are absolute masterpieces, one way or another- let me know your favourite…
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10: FIFA Street (2005)
Presumably inspired by the Nike advert from the 2002 World Cup, FIFA Street was EA Sports’ attempt at trying to bridge the gap between themselves and the phenomenally successful Pro Evolution Soccer series.
Released in between their 2005 and 2006 editions, the game never really took off, and was a little too complicated, however there was enough about it to admire its inventiveness. Putting Peter Crouch on the front cover, however, was not the smartest move in the world…
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9: FIFA 2000 (1999)
By the turn of the century, the FIFA series was almost untouchable. Helped by a number of turkeys released around the same time, such as; ‘Michael Owen’s World league Soccer’ and ‘This is Football’, the game franchise was a significant force to be reckoned with. This edition, released in October 1999 managed to pack in the first comprehensive season mode and the ability to unlock classic teams.
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8:World Cup Italia 90 (1990)
Not quite the game that started it all off, but one of the first attempts to try and tie in a major tournament with a video game release. Sega’s Mega Drive was not renowned for its sports simulators, however there was much here that later games would build on.
The interface is very reminiscent of arcade soccer games that adorned cinemas, leisure centres and airports throughout the 1990’s, and for a game that is over 20 years old, the concept and graphics hold up well.
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7: FIFA RTWC (1998)
Back when I first acquired a football game for the PC, my main requirements were that the goalkeeper could get sent off and that you could give every player on your side a peroxide blonde haircut in tribute to the Romanian side that donned the look in that year’s World Cup.
Sadly, the holy grail of the goalkeeper getting sent off was still some years away, however this game remains very close to my heart. A meticulous qualification process was available to those with patience, and the database of players and teams from across the world was unrivalled. The commentary of Des Lynam, Andy Gray (R.I.P) and John Motson was also world class.
6: Pro Evolution Soccer 2 (2002)
Who would have known that a game which referred to West Ham as ‘Lake District’ would go on to be such a major success? The Japanese company, Konami, were responsible for the creation of the Pro Evolution Soccer (Winning Eleven) Series and in the early years of the PS2 implementation, rose to become FIFA’s biggest rival.
Games snobs initially refused to play PES because of the lack of licencing on any of the top sides or players, however the addictive nature of the series took off, even with a control system which was in direct contrast with its rival.
Played now, the game feels very dated, but the framework for success was laid here for more illustrious successors.
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5: Championship Manager 2 (1995)
Before the 2004 Eidos/ Sports Interactive split put paid to this top selling franchise, Championship Manager, was a humongous hit for football fans. Like Sensible Soccer, it was the first game of it’s kind with creators Paul and Oliver Collyer, designing the game from the confines of their bedrooms.
Starting slowly, the series exploded with the release of Championship Manager 2. Implementing many of the key features which adorn management games today, the 1995 release remained popular even after more updated versions were made available.
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4: FIFA 2010 (2009)
When the Playstation 3 finally hit shelves in the first quarter of 2007, the big question surrounded how EA Sports and Konami would deal with the transition from PS2 to PS3.
FIFA games from the early noughties had become formulaic and to be honest, pretty dull. As always they were a visual treat, but the ability to bend the ball in on the volley from 40 yards every game quickly became mundane.
When PS3 came along, everything changed. Konami struggled to transfer the fluidity of the PS2 hits when developing a visually more impressive product for the new console. EA Sports were quickly ahead, learning from many of the mistakes they had made in the PS2 era.
FIFA 2010 was an amalgamation of the best parts of the franchise’s visually stunning past, and the addictive playability that had contributed so much to the success of EA’s rivals.
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3: Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (2006)
I once sat down with a friend at university and had a race to 100 (ish) wins on ‘Pro Evo 6’ over the course of a term. It was the sort of titanic tussle that I will look back on with my grandchildren and explain how I gave away a 35-6 lead and recovered from being 95-70 behind to draw level at 99 apiece.
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There was something about Pro Evo 6 that compelled you to keep playing. It had neither the technical wizardry of recent FIFA Playstation 3 versions, nor the endearing loveableness of earlier Konami incarnations, but it was just so damn addictive.
Despite drinking enough Red Bull to believe that Tal Ben Haim might actually be a decent central defender, taking the shoulder buttons out of my controller because I believed it made Michael Ballack run faster, and not showering for three days I eventually lost the series 105-103. Needless to say, I struggled with the ladies that term…
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2: Football Manager 2005 (2004)
After being the product of the Eidos/ Sports Interactive split in 2004, Football Manager has set new standards for sport’s management games. Quite simply, the level of detail and control afforded the armchair fan is insane.
Sports Interactive have done particularly well in creating a consistent interface across each edition which they still release on an annual basis. The biggest advantage over competitors, however was the introduction of the network game, linking armchair fans all over the world. Millions of courses, degrees and exams have been failed the world over as a result of this particular feature.
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1: Sensible Soccer (1992)
When I took a straw poll of my friends’ favourite games on this list, Sensible Soccer was the first name on everyone’s lips.
When you look at the game’s level of invention, it is not hard to see why it remains such a popular title. Originally released for the PC, later 3D versions were released, however, it was this basic, birds eye view of the football pitch that initially won over fans.
The 1994 release of The Sensible World of Soccer was later named as one of the ten most important video games ever created by a Stanford study. Most uniquely, SS managed to transfer it’s charms across all platforms and systems- a feat that both FIFA and PES have yet to manage.
Six players have been provisionally suspended from Mexico’s national football squad after they tested positive for a banned substance.Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, defensive pair Francisco Rodriguez and Edgar Duenas and midfield duo Antonio Naelson and Christian Bermudez all returned positive tests for clenbuterol while Ricardo Osorio – also suspended – had already been ruled out of the tournament due to a medical condition, prior to the finding.
Mexico are participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this month, with all five players banned from taking any part in the country’s clash with Cuba on Thursday.
Mexico will now play the rest of the competition with 17 players left in the squad and the players could be hit with bans of up to two years if found guilty.
“What the federation must do is analyse the case and determine what happened,” Mexico Football Federation general secretary Decio de Maria said.
“I repeat, there is no responsibility or negligence about this matter, I hope this is an accident and we have to demonstrate it to solve this.”
New Bayer Leverkusen manager Robin Dutt has declared his intent to win the title ahead of the new Bundesliga season.Dutt, who lead Freiburg to a ninth-placed finish last season, has replaced former boss Jupp Heynckes who has headed to Bayern Munich.
And despite Leverkusen automatically entering the group stages of the Champions League after last season’s second-place finish, Dutt will not be happy unless his side improve again this season.
“I didn’t come to Leverkusen to turn a second-placed team into a fourth or fifth-placed team,” Dutt said.
“We must aspire to improve even further. If we don’t get into Europe, we’ll have had a bad season. If we get into the Europa League, it’ll be average. If we make it into the Champions League, it’ll have been a good season.”
“If we can win a title, it’d be fantastic.”
Leverkusen have returned to training more than six weeks out from the start of the new season, but Dutt is keen to have plenty of time with his players as he looks to implement a new game style.
“I decided long ago that I wanted to integrate the existing concept into a system which will allow us to be more flexible. It’ll make us less predictable,” he said.
“Six weeks is absolutely normal for me. It’s actually not that long for a coach considering not all the players are there to begin with.”
Leverkusen joined newly promoted Augsburg as the earliest sides to start their pre-season in Germany.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera has joined Galatasaray from Lazio on a five-year contract, for a fee of 6.75 million euros.The 25-year-old joined Lazio in 2007 from Nacional of Montevideo, but initially found life difficult with the Rome outfit, where he was even benched in favour of veteran Marco Ballotta.
However, he displaced Juan Pablo Carrizo in goal during the 2008/09 season, going on to become an integral part of the side.
Managing to transfer his form to the international stage, Muslera has won plaudits worldwide following his performances in this month’s Copa America.
The goalkeeper has penned a long-term deal with the Turkish club, where he will pocket two million euros a year, and compete with Aykut Ercetin for the role of Galatasaray’s first-choice shot-stopper.
In other transfer news, Fulham have signed Czech midfielder Marcel Gecov from Czech side Liberec.
Gecov’s agent Jiri Mueller said on Wednesday the 23-year-old defensive midfielder signed a two-year contract after undergoing a medical, and Fulham have an option to extend the initial deal for one more year.
Liberec spokesman Lukas Vana said the formalities over the 500,000 pound transfer were expected to be concluded shortly.
Europa League champions FC Porto have continued to strengthen for the new season with the 13 million euro acquisition of versatile Brazilian Under-20 international Danilo Luiz da Silva.
The 20-year-old, who can play at right-back or in midfield, arrives from Santos FC on an undisclosed fee fresh from helping his club win the Copa Libertadores.
Danilo will arrive in Portugal after the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia, where the America FC youth product will represent Brazil, having been part of the side that retained the South American title in January.
Danilo is Porto’s sixth signing of the summer – wingers Juan Iturbe, Kelvin de Oliveira and Djalma Campos, goalkeeper Rafael Bracalli and striker Kleber Pinheir having previously joined the club now coached by Vitor Pereira.
Porto take on Barcelona in the UEFA Super Cup on August 26 in Monaco and will begin their UEFA Champions League campaign in the group stage.
In the Championship, former Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Hull midfielder George Boateng has signed a one-year deal with Nottingham Forest, rejoining former manager Steve McClaren.
Boateng, 35, spent last season with Greek club Skoda Xanthi.
2 years ago it was considered blasphemy. Only the odd, slightly mad or slightly too drunk, radical Arsenal fan would suggest that Arsene Wenger should go. The suggestion would be met with cold stares and cold shoulders along the Holloway Road. Nobody questioned the leadership of Professor Wenger.
That was four years after Arsenal’s last silverware, the barren spell has grown to six and the unrest is more widespread. Disillusionment was so rife by the end of last season you would think Arsenal were heading for relegation. The players made a lap of honour to an abandoned stadium. They were dark times for the Gunners.
The problem, most Arsenal fans believe, is Arsene Wenger’s inability to improve his squad in the right areas. The problem seems so clear, the solution so simple. This is the cause of such frustration.
A centre-back, a goalkeeper and a striker that isn’t Nicklas Bendtner is all that’s required, yet summer after summer, Wenger signs a couple of promising youngsters and leaves the same gaping holes in his squad, ready to be exposed by another gruelling season.
This summer is unravelling much like those before, despite Samir Nasri challenging Wenger to show ambition in the market, he has signed the 19 year-old Charlton right back Carl Jenkinson and Lille’s Ivorian striker Gervinho (who may, finally, be the Bendtner replacement).
After six years without a trophy, it is fair to ask the question, would it be a backward step for Arsenal if Arsene Wenger left?
I believe it would, I believe that what Arsene Wenger manages to squeeze out of his squad every season is phenomenal. Everything about Arsenal football club screams Wenger, those are his players, many of them nurtured by him and his staff, it is his squad, his stadium, and the fans watch his football. (The Emirates fans are known for booing the long ball). Attempting to place another man into the perfectly Wenger shaped driving seat at Arsenal would be a painful, destructive process.
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To the layman the squad looks thin, in recent years it has often looked worryingly thin in August only to surprise everyone, except Wenger himself, by still challenging for the title in February. Another man would no doubt feel the need to throw serious money at it. And whilst perhaps Wenger should too, he has shown his squad to be capable of competing with the best ever since he took control at Arsenal.
Replacing Wenger would take Arsenal back to the foetal position, a huddle of cub scouts missing their akela. There are no leaders in that group, no brave John Terry’s. There is a footballing philosophy, one that has driven Wenger’s transfer dealings for years. Pace and passing, pace of passing, either way, he has built a team to play a certain way, to replace him would be suicide, bringing in a non-believer would negate this team’s ability.
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It makes sense to call for Wenger’s head, it is the role of football fans to be fickle and scathing and constantly demanding, irrespective of what has come before. Arsene Wenger has not won a trophy in six years, and even though he has provided Arsenal with 13 years of fantastic football, it is inevitable and essential that he be questioned. He is a long way from his invincibles.
He is however, the beating heart of Arsenal football club, he is the one constant from the doubles at Highbury to the big European nights at the Emirates, Wenger has presided over it all. Arsene may be a stubborn man, refusing to compromise his own beliefs, but his beliefs are now so intertwined with Arsenal football club, it would be disastrous to separate them.
It is easy to call for a replacement and then impossible to think of one who would be an improvement. It may be a frustrating time for Arsenal fans but it is only because Wenger himself has lifted their expectations so high.