Megson Latest Victim In Relegation Battle

as seen on Sports Pundit

Gary Megson was sacked as manager of struggling Bolton on Wednesday, as the English Premier League’s relegation candidates gear up for an almighty battle.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4419/

'Tis The Season To Be Jolly, Not Sorry

as seen on The Roar

Amidst the festive season frivolities have been a number of stories, which surely must remind famous, young sportspeople about the dangers of taking their Christmas and New Year celebrations too far.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/31/tis-the-season-to-be-jolly-not-sorry/

Lowry In Talks To Extend Loan

as seen on 442

SOCCEROO Shane Lowry is set for talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill about extending his loan deal at Championship club Plymouth Argyle.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119515,lowry-in-talks-to-extend-loan.aspx

Emperor's Final Spot For Josh

as seen on 442

JOSH Kennedy helped Nagoya Grampus closer to AFC Champions League qualification after reaching the final of the Emperor's Cup with a shootout victory over Shimizu S-Pulse.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119464,emperors-final-spot-for-josh.aspx

Moore Tipped For Perth Move

as seen on 442

SOCCEROO Craig Moore could be set for a January loan move to Perth-based Scottish Premier League club St Johnstone, according to reports in Scotland.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119462,moore-tipped-for-perth-move.aspx

Injury Fear For Cahill

as seen on 442

POMMYROOS WRAP: Socceroo Tim Cahill limped off with an ankle injury in Everton's 2-0 victory over Burnley in the English Premier League on Monday.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119463,injury-fear-for-cahill.aspx

Could Fabregas Lead Arsenal To The Title?

as seen on Sports Pundit

The constant twists and turns in this season’s English Premier League campaign have suggested the title race could be a three-horse race.

Chelsea’s recent indifferent form and upcoming issues minus several African stars coupled by Manchester United’s injury woes in defence, have offered third-placed Arsenal a glimmer of hope.

The Gunners have been very impressive this term, but the weekend’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa highlighted the key to their hopes. Cesc Fabregas.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4408/

Festive Woes For Vin and Brett

as seen on 442

BRITROOS WRAP: Socceroo Vince Grella continues to battle a thigh injury which forced him out of Blackburn's 1-1 draw at Wigan in the English Premier League overnight.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119408,festive-woes-for-vin-and-brett.aspx

Five Must-See Football Matches This Xmas Season

as seen on Sports Pundit

It is time for a special Christmas edition of the weekly round-up of which football matches to keep an eye out for over the extended festive season.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4392/

Where To Now For Those Who Missed Out?

as seen on The Roar

January’s Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait is not only an opportunity for Australia to seal qualification, it’s also a chance for fringe players to push their cases for World Cup selection.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/23/where-to-now-for-those-who-missed-out/

Five Great Moments In Lionel Messi’s Brilliant 2009

as seen on Sports Pundit

Barcelona and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi capped a wonderful year when he was awarded the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year. And it was a year full of many highlights.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4375/

Frustration For Toffee Roos

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROOS WRAP: Socceroos Tim Cahill and Lucas Neill endured another frustrating afternoon as Everton could only draw 1-1 with Birmingham City in the Premier League.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119235,frustration-for-toffee-roos.aspx

Schwarzer's Clean Sheet Joy

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

ENGLISHROOS WRAP: Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer kept a clean sheet to help Fulham record a memorable 3-0 win over Manchester United in the English Premier League.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119193,schwarzers-clean-sheet-joy.aspx

Valeri Back To His Best

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROOS WRAP: Socceroo Carl Valeri marked his return to the Grosseto side in style with a goal in their 2-1 win over Frosinone in Italy's Serie B.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/119192,valeri-back-to-his-best.aspx

More Of The Same & It's Time For Mitchell To Go

as seen on The Roar

Mark my words, Perth Glory will miss the A-League finals if they keep playing the way they are. And it seems big-spending owner Tony Sage knows it too, after threatening to walk out on the club if they missed the top six, but he needs to take more decisive action to arrest the slump.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/19/more-of-the-same-so-its-time-for-mitchell-to-go/

Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

as seen on Sports Pundit

With the weekend ready to roll, it is time for another edition outlining what to keep an eye out for over the next few days in the world of football.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4354/

Chelsea's Woes Offer Red Devils Hope

as seen on Sports Pundit

Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday meant they ended a four-match winless streak, effectively averting a mini-crisis.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4349/

Did Your Team Win At The Draft Table?

as seen on The Roar

So your AFL club picked up Joe Bloggs, John Smith and Joey Joey Junior in this year’s National, Pre-Season and Rookie drafts. What do you make of it? It is hard to know.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/17/did-your-team-win-at-the-draft-table/

Bayern Munich Suddenly Title Favourites

as seen on Sports Pundit

After appearing in crisis earlier this season, Bayern Munich have moved to within two points of leaders Leverkusen and could lead the Bundesliga table at the winter break.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4335/

Emerton On Treatment Table Too

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

SOCCEROO Brett Emerton has followed Vince Grella into the Blackburn Rovers casualty ward after limping off in their 2-1 defeat against Birmingham City overnight.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118965,emerton-on-treatment-table-too.aspx

Argyle Boss Wants To Keep Lowry

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

NEW Plymouth boss Paul Mariner has expressed his desire to retain the services of on-loan Socceroo Shane Lowry from Aston Villa.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118964,argyle-boss-wants-to-keep-lowry.aspx

Skipper's Sympathy For Crocked Grella

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

BLACKBURN skipper Ryan Nelsen has offered support to injured Aussie Vince Grella following his latest injury blow to plague him since joining Rovers.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118963,skippers-sympathy-for-crocked-grella.aspx

Bresc Strikes In Win Over Milan

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROO WRAP: Socceroo Mark Bresciano scored a goal and provided the assist for another as Palermo recorded a memorable 2-0 win at AC Milan in the Serie A overnight.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118787,bresc-strikes-in-win-over-milan.aspx

Goal Joy For Aussie Wezza

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROOS WRAP: Young Australian James Wesolowski scored his first senior goal as Hamilton Academical defeated Aberdeen 2-1 in Scotland’s Premier League.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118726,goal-joy-for-aussie-wessa.aspx

Injury Worry For Grella

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

ENGLISHROOS WRAP: Socceroo Vince Grella worryingly limped off before half-time as Blackburn Rovers drew 0-0 with Hull City in a scrappy Premier League match overnight.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/118725,injury-worry-for-grella.aspx

Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

as seen on Sports Pundit

The weekly ritual continues, with another weekend showcasing five brilliant football matches you must tune into.

http://www.sportspundit.com/article/4301/

Now We Know Our World Cup Opponents, Let's Prepare

as seen on The Roar

It’s been a week since the World Cup draw revealed Australia’s group opponents in South Africa to be Germany, Serbia and Ghana. And with just over six months to go, it is time for the FFA to sit down and organize lead-up matches so the Roos can give the World Cup their best shot.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/11/now-we-know-our-world-cup-opponents-lets-prepare/

Was Gary Ablett Out Of Line Meeting With Gold Coast?

as seen on The Roar

Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett Jnr has copped some criticism this week after he was spotted at a Broadbeach apartment complex prior to a ‘secret’ meeting with Gold Coast officials.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/12/10/was-gary-ablett-out-of-line-meeting-with-gold-coast/

Real Shouldn't Ignore Ronaldo's Petulance

as seen on Sports Pundit

Spanish giants Real Madrid have not reacted to star man Cristiano Ronaldo’s petulant display which saw him sent off in the weekend’s 4-2 La Liga win over Almeria.

The Portuguese midfielder, who was a world record transfer signing by Real in the off-season, was the centre of attention in an unbelievable 10 minutes towards the end of Saturday’s contest.

First, Ronaldo controversially won Real a penalty with scores locked two-all, before failing to convert the kick only for teammate Karim Benzema to score from the rebound.

But rather than celebrate with Benzema, Ronaldo trudged off petulantly in frustration at his missed chance, walking alone back past the halfway mark while his teammates enjoyed the moment with the Bernabeu crowd.

Minutes later, though, Ronaldo got on the scoresheet when he met Gonzalo Higuain’s cross to make it 4-2.

Ronaldo opted to celebrate this time but took it too far when he removed his shirt, which attracted the attention of the referee who brandished a yellow card to the former Manchester United man for the act.

And just moments later, a frustrated Ronaldo had a second yellow card and was off after a tussle and kick with Almeria’s Michel. The Portuguese man had been frustrated all day by shirt tugs and niggly tackles but reacted the wrong way, getting himself sent off.

And while Ronaldo has impressed the locals with his skills and goals since his arrival at the Bernabeu, this display was hardly one to remember.

Interestingly, Ronaldo’s time at Manchester United came to a slightly uneasy end with the midfielder frustrating fans at Old Trafford with some of his behaviour seen as selfish. More displays like this at the Bernabeu, could see him follow a similar path.

Nevertheless after the game, Ronaldo’s Madrid teammate Benzema defended his actions when he told reporters, “He told us he was really sorry in the changing room. It is the type of thing that can happen to anyone.

“Surely he was disappointed for missing the penalty, but he is a great professional and he wants the team to win.”

And Real boss Manuel Pellegrini also came to Ronaldo’s defence, stating, “It wasn’t bad sportsmanship and he doesn’t have a problem with anyone else nor is he selfish.”

But Real striker Higuain saw it differently and revealed, “I saw Cristiano was not celebrating Karim's goal. It was a great comeback in the middle of a crazy game and we all should be celebrating.”

Ronaldo, himself, fronted the press to claim about his sending-off; “I am human and have my faults too. It was an instinctive reaction and I have apologized to my teammates.”

And he also commented on his non-celebration after Benzema’s goal, revealing, “I am a perfectionist but the good thing was Karim managed to score.”

Nevertheless, whatever way Real want to look at it, Ronaldo’s actions clearly speak louder than their words. It was a petulant and sulky display from Ronaldo which showed him as egocentric rather than a team player.

And Manchester United fans could tell Real Madrid a story or two from past experience and they’ll acknowledge Ronaldo’s attitude needs to be monitored.

For now, though, Ronaldo remains one of the world’s best players and Real are happy to stand by their man.

But have they let him off the hook too lightly and will this be the beginning of the end?
Click here to read the story on Sports Pundit

Vido Eyes Up German Revenge

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

Socceroo Dario Vidosic has revealed his excitement at the prospect of facing the nation where he plies his trade at next year’s World Cup.

The 22-year-old forward, who currently plays for German Bundesliga club FC Nurnberg, admitted on the club's official website he couldn't hide his excitement after Friday's World Cup draw pitted Australia against Germany.

"It's great! This is a big thing for us," Vidosic said.

"Of course the Germans are the favourites," he added. "It's a tough group, Ghana was undefeated in qualifying.

"But in 2006 we made the last sixteen, so we have much self-confidence and believe in our chances."

And the Aussie added he had pencilled in the June 13 date with Germany into his calendar, with an extra incentive.

"Maybe (we can beat Germany) and get revenge for 1974," Vidosic added.

The Socceroos faced East and West Germany in the 1974 World Cup group stage, with Australia losing both games.
Click here to read the story and comments on 442

Valeri Set To Stay At Grosseto

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

Socceroo Carl Valeri is on the verge of agreeing to terms on a new contract with Serie B club US Grosseto, according to reports in Italy.

The 25-year-old Canberra-born midfielder has been out of favour at Grosseto for the last two months after a contractual dispute erupted between him and the club in early October.

It is believed with Valeri's current deal set to expire at the end of this season, Grosseto curiously demanded he extend the contract or not play. Valeri has been clear in the past about his wish to move on from the Serie B club to a bigger side.

But Valeri returned to the Grosseto squad as a substitute in the weekend's win over Ancona and now according to local website ViviGrossetoSport he is set to sign a deal with the club for a further two years.

In an interview with TuttoMercatoWeb last week, Grosseto sporting director Andrea Iaconi revealed: "We are negotiating the renewal of his contract and he is expected to sign in a few days."

Iaconi also insisted in the interview that Valeri would not play until he signed along the dotted line, which appears to not have been the case with no deal officially confirmed before Saturday's game.

Valeri has previously expressed his desire to step up to the next level and leave Grosseto at the season's end and the Serie B claim any transfer will depend on the market.

Serie A clubs Cagliari and Chievo Verona were linked with Valeri in the last European summer.

Click here to read the story on 442

Kewell Strikes Again For Gala

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROO WRAP: Socceroo Harry Kewell continued his goalscoring form with his 12th strike of the season in Galatasaray's 1-1 draw with Istanbul BB in Turkey's Super Lig.

The Australian converted Ugur Ucar's hopeful long diagonal ball in the 56th minute to give Cimbom the lead only for Istanbul BB to grab a dramatic injury-time equaliser to set off protests from the hosts.

Ugur launched his long cross into the Buyuksehir box with Kewell getting their first ahead of opposition keeper Kenan Hasagic and defender Rizvan Sahin to nod his header into the empty net on the bounce.

Galatasaray skipper Arda Turan was twice denied by the woodwork as the hosts tried to double their advantage.

They failed to do so and soon were trying to wind down the clock, with Kewell booked after an incident near the corner flag where his protests at a refereeing decision weren't taken lightly.

And the Aussie had more to be unhappy about later on when Hasan Durtuluk fired in a shot from the edge of the box which beat the Cimbom keeper to help Istanbul BB to a share of the spoils.

The result means Galatasaray missed the chance to go top of the Super Lig table with that honour going to James Troisi's Kayserispor.

Troisi was an 88th minute substitute for Kayserispor as they defeated Bursaspor 3-0 to move into top spot.

Elsewhere in Turkey's Super Lig, Bruce Djite got more game-time as a 64th minute sub in Genclerbirligi's 2-0 win over Denizlispor while Mile Jedinak put in a full shift as Antalyaspor drew 1-1 at Gaziantepspor.

In England's Premier League, Socceroo Tim Cahill was the hero for Everton with a late equaliser in their 2-2 draw with high-flying Tottenham.

The Aussie was slightly overshadowed, though, by Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard who saved a dramatic late penalty.

Prior to that, on 86 minutes Cahill had equalised for Everton after trailing by two goals. The Australian stooped to meet Leighton Baines' shot-cum-cross for the goal.

Fellow Aussie Lucas Neill put in a full shift for Everton, playing most of the game in central defence after an early injury to Joseph Yobo.

But Neill was found wanting for Spurs' second goal when Michael Dawson got free of the Aussie to head in Niko Kranjcar's corner.

Elsewhere in the EPL overnight, Mark Schwarzer kept a clean sheet helping Fulham move into the top half with a 1-0 win over Sunderland at Craven Cottage.

In Italy's Serie A, Mark Bresciano missed Palermo's 2-1 victory over Cagliari due to injury. The result was a crucial one for the Sicilians who've recently slid down the table.

In the Dutch Eredivisie, David Carney was a late sub as FC Twente retained top spot with a 4-3 win at NEC Nijmegen. Nikita Rukavytsya wasn't involved.

In Greece's Super League, former Australia youth international Apostolos Giannou played a full game for Kavala as they lost 1-0 at Ergotelis. Zeljko Kalac did not play.

In Scotland's Premier League, James Wesolowski had a good game as Hamilton beat Hearts 2-1. Wesolowski had an early volley go narrowly wide before setting up a goal. Fellow Aussie Trent McClenahan played a full game for Accies.

In Switzerland's Super League, Aussie veteran Scott Chipperfield missed FC Basel's 3-2 win over Bellinzona through injury.

In Denmark's Superliga, Nathan Coe was overlooked again as Randers claimed their first win of the league season with a 2-1 triumph over fellow strugglers HB Koge.

In Croatia's Prva HNL, Australian-born defender Daniel Georgievski's NK Medimurje lost 4-1 at home to leaders Dinamo Zagreb.

In Korea's K-League Final, Sasa Ognenovski's Seongnam Ilhwa were beaten 3-1 by Jeonbuk Motors who claim the title. Ognenovski played a full game for Seongnam but was powerless to stop Jeonbuk's star man Lee Dong-Gook.

In lower tier European leagues, Matt Spiranovic got a full game for Nurnberg II as they beat Stuttgarter Kickers 3-1 in Germany's Regionalliga Sud.

In Turkey's Lig A, Ersan Gulum played a full 90 in Adanaspor's 4-2 win at Kartalspor and in Italy's Lega Pro Prima Girone B, Adrian Madaschi's Portosummaga lost 2-1 at Cosenza.
Click here to read the story on 442

Grella So Close To Winner

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

EUROROOS WRAP: Vince Grella came close to heaping more misery on Liverpool with a late effort as Blackburn Rovers held the Reds to a 0-0 draw.

Grella and Brett Emerton both played the full 90 minutes of the contest, with Grella almost proving an unlikely hero late when he volleyed just wide of the post.

Grella was industrious in his usual holding midfield role while Emerton was full of energy on the right side of midfield.

Elsewhere in the EPL, Richard Garcia had a difficult time as Hull City crashed to a 3-0 loss at Aston Villa.

Garcia put in a full shift for the Tigers but failed to really cause Villa any problems.

In Scotland's Premier League, Scott McDonald continues to press his case for a Socceroos recall after scoring the opener in Celtic's 3-0 win over Aberdeen.

The Aussie had a few opportunities in the first-half including an angled effort on 28 minutes which was wide, before netting on 39 minutes.

Celtic's German wing-back Andreas Hinkel advanced forward before setting up McDonald, with the Aussie sweeping the ball home from close-range to score his 12th goal this season.

McDonald was substituted on 68 minutes with Georgios Samaras grabbed a second-half double to seal the points which keeps the Bhoys top of the SPL table.

In Germany's Bundesliga, Dario Vidosic was rested while Matt Spiranovic was again absent as struggling FC Nurnberg crashed to an emphatic 4-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund.

In Turkey's Super Lig, Socceroos back-up keeper Michael Petkovic played a full game but was beaten twice as Sivasspor drew 2-2 at Kasimpasa.

In Croatia's Prva HNL, former Socceroo Josip Skoko put in a full shift helping Hajduk Split claim their third win in a row with a 2-1 triumph at NK Zadar.

Elsewhere in Europe's lower tier leagues, Socceroo Carl Valeri was back in the Grosseto side after his contract row with the club, appearing as a 55th minute sub in their 2-0 win over Ancona in Italy's Serie B.

Earlier this week, Grosseto sporting director Andrea Iaconi confirmed Valeri would not play for the club until he signed a new contract with them and while nothing official can be revealed, it seems the parties may have agreed terms.

In Greece's Beta Ethniki, promising Aussie Nathan Burns wasn't part of AO Kerkyra's 2-1 loss at Rhodos AS after missing training due to injury during the week. The loss was league leading Kerkyra's first for the season.

In England's Championship, Rhys Williams was back in the Middlesbrough side after suspension, as Gordon Strachan enjoyed his first victory in charge with a 5-1 win at QPR.

Aussie stopper Brad Jones played a full game for Boro along with Williams, who reverted back to his right-back position.

Elsewhere in England's second tier, Nick Carle was an 84th minute sub in Crystal Palace's 3-0 home loss to Doncaster, Adam Federici kept a clean sheet in Reading's 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday and Shane Lowry put in a full shift as Plymouth lost 1-0 to Sheffield United.

In England's League One, Socceroos defender Patrick Kisnorbo remains out of the Leeds side with injury, but Neil Kilkenny continues to get game-time playing 63 minutes in their 2-2 derby draw with Huddersfield.

Kilkenny almost produced a moment of inspiration just before the hour mark when the threaded a lovely ball in for Jermaine Beckford, but his effort was smothered. Leeds remain top of the division.

Elsewhere, Gareth Edds played a full game as Tranmere continued their revival with a 1-0 win over Brentford, while Michael Theoklitos was overlooked for Norwich's 2-0 win over Oldham and Jamie Young was an unused sub as Wycombe won 2-1 against Stockport.

In England's League Two, young Aussie goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis played another full game for Accrington Stanley, helping them defeat Torquay 4-2.

Elsewhere, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff put in a full shift in Shrewsbury's 1-0 loss at Scott Guyett's Bournemouth while, Lincoln's Chris Herd (on loan from Aston Villa) played a full game in a 0-0 draw at Crewe and Aldershot's Oliver Bozanic (on loan from Reading) was a 60th minute sub in their 1-0 win over Chesterfield.

In England's Blue Square Premier League, James Meredith played another full game helping York City win their eighth consecutive match, 2-1 over Wrexham to solidify their grip on third spot.

In Germany's 3rd Liga, former Adelaide United man Milan Susak played a full 90 for SpVgg Unterhaching as they lost 2-1 at Wehen Wiesbaden.

In Scotland's Cup, Erik Paartalu helped Morton through playing a full game in their 1-0 win at Dumbarton, while in Division One, Ryan McGowan played 90 minutes as Ayr United beat Dunfermline 1-0.

In Japan's J.League, Joshua Kennedy's Nagoya Grampus drew a blank on the final day of the season drawing 0-0 at Shimizu S-Pulse to finish the season 9th.

Elsewhere in Japan, Eddy Bosnar was an unused sub as relegated JEF United lost 2-0 at Gamba Osaka, confirming their last place finish.
Click here to read the full story on 442

Holman Reserved On Cup Draw

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

Socceroo Brett Holman has admitted he is coy about Australia’s hopes at next year’s World Cup after examining this morning’s draw.

Holman missed the live coverage of the World Cup draw on Friday as he was part of the AZ Alkmaar side which lost 2-1 at home to Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Speaking to the AZ website, Holman revealed he'd taken a look at the draw after Friday's Eredivisie match - but he was hardly overjoyed.

"I've just seen the draw. Am I satisfied with opponents Germany, Serbia and Ghana? All teams are good at the World Cup," Holman said.

"It's just fun to be selected and part of it. Germany has a great history in terms of World Cups, so that might be a nice meeting. About our chances I can say little but everything looks rosy and we will enjoy South Africa."

Meanwhile, AZ's loss to Vitesse on Friday means the champions have now lost seven games this Eredivisie season and are 16 points off the pace, down in sixth.

AZ had taken an early lead through Moussa Dembele in wet conditions in Alkmaar but the hosts were left to rue missing a number of first-half chances as Vitesse scored twice early in the second stanza to claim the points.

Holman admitted after the loss: "This is a very bad feeling. We were simply not bright enough, in my opinion anyway.

"We wanted it more, but couldn't manage it because of the circumstances. The field was slippery. Therefore it was difficult to play good football.

"We seemed to have more difficulty with the wet ground than Vitesse. I struggled to stay upright. It was definitely not my shoes as I wear big spikes, yet often I slipped out. That was very annoying."

Holman acknowledged Ronald Koeman's men were frustrated by their failure to double their advantage in the opening half.

"At 2-0, it's game over. We could've made it easier for ourselves," he said. "Jeremain Lens had a great chance to make it 2-0 after an excellent throughball from Rasmus Elm.

"If that chance goes in, the battle is over. That is very sour."

Holman and AZ now must turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League where they meet Belgian champions Standard Liege this Wednesday.

While AZ are out of contention for the next phase of the Champions League, a midweek victory in Liege would enable the Dutch champions to claim third spot in Group H and a shot at the Europa League.

Holman added: "On Wednesday we must turn it around. It's all or nothing. This duel with Vitesse, we must forget as soon as possible."
Click here to read the story and comments on 442

Time For Valeri To Quit Unprofessional Grosseto

as seen on The Roar

Socceroo Carl Valeri’s Italian club Grosseto have been tight-lipped since his contract row with the Serie B side emerged in early October. But this week Italian football website TuttoMercatoWeb landed an exclusive interview with Grosseto sporting director Andrea Iaconi and quizzed him on the situation which appears as footballing blackmail.

Valeri’s World Cup hopes have been threatened by the dispute which has seen him not play for Grosseto since October 3, missing their last seven fixtures. And we know Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek’s stance on regular game-time.

It is believed the row began when Grosseto asked Valeri to commit to signing a new contract with the club with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.

But before all this began the Socceroo had freely admitted in the Australian press his desire to move to a bigger club next season.

There had been reported interest from Serie A pair Chievo Verona and Cagliari last European summer, although any move at that time would’ve seen Grosseto demand a transfer fee as Valeri obviously was still under contract.

So with Valeri declining the prospect of a new deal at Grosseto the club responded by enforcing a ban on him that he doesn’t play until he signs.

And it is that sanction which has been met with criticism, with some journalists labeling it blackmail.

It’s hard to fathom a club could do this to a player who has spent four years with the side, playing over 100 games for them and even captained them in the past, but that is exactly what Grosseto have done.

It is understandable that if Valeri wants to leave that the club would like to make a profit out of his sale, but dropping him from the team rather than trying to make a sale in January whilst he’s still contracted is rather unprofessional.

So after weeks of tight-lipped public relations and the same old lines being repeated by Grosseto staff, Iaconi fronted TuttoMercatoWeb to enlighten us on Valeri’s situation.

And Iaconi began with the typical line of the last few weeks, stating, “We are negotiating the renewal of his contract and he is expected to sign in a few days.”

Therefore, the interviewer asked ‘so now he’ll be reinstated to the team then?’ with Iaconi responding, “No, he is not out of the red.” Clearly indicating the situation is no closer to being resolved.

The interviewer then pondered ‘so until he renews, he won’t play?’ with Iaconi steadfastly responding, “Yes.”

Valeri’s national team predicament was then raised with it asked if his club situation was detrimental to his Socceroos hopes and Iaconi replied, “I think so. So I say that sooner or later he must sign.”

The interviewer then posed to Iaconi, ‘isn’t that a form of blackmail?’

Iaconi replied, “No, we own many young people and we prefer them to play. If a player is to go, we seek to enhance our own. It is not malice, it is the policy of the club.”

Indeed, whatever the spin Iaconi and Grosseto want to put on it, this is clearly a very complicated and unprofessional matter of business. It’s a situation unheard of in other places of the world.

For Valeri, it is an unfortunate turn of events after serving Grosseto so well. The Canberra-born midfielder’s World Cup hopes really do depend on the outcome of this situation.

Valeri is probably battling Turkey-based Mile Jedinak for a spot in the 23-man squad and the latter continues to impress at Antalyaspor with two goals last weekend.

But it is not only the 2010 World Cup which Valeri must worry about, but also his career in the game as he’s stated he wants to go to the next level and doesn’t believe that’s possible at Grosseto.

But with Grosseto holding him to ransom and not offering him a game he desperately needs to find a club, and fast for the sake of his World Cup hopes, putting his bid to find the ‘ideal’ club at risk.

The January transfer window could be his chance to escape Grosseto and a permanent move here would suit both parties.

Iaconi did admit that if there was interest in Valeri in January, Grosseto would take a look at it. But judging by their recent behaviour there’s no guarantees.

On the other hand, if Valeri was to sign a new deal at Grosseto it would put at risk his hopes of finding a club next summer when he might’ve been available as a free agent.

For Valeri, these are matters he hardly wants to be worrying about right now.

The best thing for him would surely be to get away from the complicated mess at Grosseto and find a new club in January (perhaps on loan like Jedinak has) so he can focus on what he does best, playing football.
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Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

as seen on Sports Pundit

As another weekend of football fires up, here is the latest guide to the essential viewing from Europe’s best football leagues.

Sports Pundit’s Game of the Week
Juventus v Internazionale
Italian Serie A
Saturday, 8.45pm (CET)

The derby d’Italia takes on special importance on Saturday with many Italian journalists claiming a Juventus loss could see Inter claim the title already. Indeed, leaders Inter are some 8 points clear of third-placed Juventus and heading for another Scudetto.

Juventus have produced some indifferent form of late and the Old Lady clearly needs to raise their game against the Nerazzurri. Inter, on the other hand, go from strength to strength domestically and while last week’s win over Fiorentina hardly flattered they keep getting the job done...continued with 4 more must-see matches.
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Rhys: Boro Can Still Go Back Up

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Socceroo Rhys Williams still believes Middlesbrough can gain promotion back to the Premiership despite the club’s recent slide down the table.

The 21-year-old Australian was part of Burnley's successful promotion campaign late last season and claims Boro can emulate their example.

"My experience from last season at Burnley is that if you go on a run then anything can happen. Burnley didn't have the best of starts because they didn't win any of the first four games," Williams said.

"But this is a league where everyone drops points, and Burnley showed that if you go on a run, you keep climbing the table. They lost only two of the last 17 games and earned promotion on the back of it."

Boro started this campaign brightly but have struggled in the midst of a change of manager having not won in their last five in the league.

Williams added: "We know that things haven't been going our way.

"The gaffer has told us that we get nervous when we go into the lead, and that's what happened again on Saturday (a 2-2 draw at Peterborough). But we know what we need to do if we are to improve, and that's the big thing.

"If we can concentrate for 90 minutes and shut teams out, then we can get back to where we were at the start of the season when we were smashing teams.

"Then we can think about going on a run."

Middlesbrough go to fifth-placed QPR on Saturday in the Championship.
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World Cup Draw; Who To Avoid

as seen on Sports Pundit

FIFA have announced the top eight seeds and the four pots for Friday’s 2010 World Cup draw, so here’s Sports Pundit’s guide for who to avoid and who to get.

Pot 1 (seeds)

South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England

Pot 2 (Asia, Oceania and North/Central America)

Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Honduras

Pot 3 (Africa and South America)

Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay

Pot 4 (Europe)

France, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia

When is it?
The draw for the 2010 World Cup finals takes place in Cape Town this Friday at 19:00 UTC+2.
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Aussie Pair Hold Nerve In Thriller

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EUROROO WRAP: Socceroo Brett Emerton scored for Blackburn and then held his nerve in the penalty shootout as Rovers reached the Carling Cup semi-finals with victory over Chelsea overnight.

Blackburn's Australian pair Emerton and Grella both took spot-kicks after the game had ended 3-3 after 120 minutes with both coolly converting, as goalkeeper Paul Robinson heroicly led Rovers to a 4-3 shootout victory.

Earlier Blackburn took a first-half lead through Nikola Kalinic before Emerton flashed a 20-yard effort just past as Rovers sensed an upset against an understrength Chelsea side.

Chelsea rung the changes at the break and sub Didier Drogba immediately scored before Salomon Kalou gave the Blues the lead on 52 minutes.

Grella came off the bench for Blackburn on the hour mark and minutes later Rovers were level when Emerton's swirling cross fooled Chelsea keeper Hilario and sailed straight in through the Portuguese's legs.

Benni McCarthy scored a 93rd minute penalty in extra-time before Paulo Ferreira sent the game to a penalty shootout with a late, late equaliser, but Rovers ultimately won out with Michael Ballack and Gael Kakuta failing from the spot.

In the Europa League overnight, Scott McDonald played a full game for Celtic as they recorded a 2-0 win over Hapoel Tel-Aviv but were still eliminated from the competition.

McDonald had a few early chances finding the net in an offside position on 4 minutes before drawing a good save from Hapoel stopper Vincent Enyeama on 20 minutes after Aiden McGeady's good work.

On 22 minutes, McDonald cleverly took a quick free-kick which allowed McGeady to race forward and set up Georgios Samaras for the opener.

Quarter of an hour later, McDonald found space in a dangerous area and evaded Enyeama's challenge before crossing for Samaras who saw his header rebound back off the post.

Barry Robson's grabbed Celtic's second with a curling free-kick before McDonald missed a late sitter.

Elsewhere, David Carney played a full game as FC Twente lost 1-0 at home to Fenerbahce, while Tim Cahill also put in a full shift as Everton won 1-0 at AEK Athens.

In Korea's K-League grand final, Sasa Ognenovski was back for Seongnam Ilhwa after suspension as they drew 0-0 at home against Jeonbuk Motors in the first-leg played in front of over 21,000 supporters.

Ognenovski, who had been suspended for a stomping offence in Seongnam's first playoff a fortnight ago against Incheon, played a full game in the goalless stalemate.

The return-leg in Jeonbuk will be played on Sunday and Seongnam boss Shin Tae-Yong said, "We are ready to play the second leg and have all our key players. It will be an exciting match."
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Wes: Game Time Has Revived Me

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Scotland-based young Aussie midfielder James Wesolowski believes he’s finally getting into some good form as a result of an extended injury-free run.

The Sydney-born 22-year-old has had a luckless run with injuries in the past including two broken legs and a broken ankle in his fledgling career.

But after moving on loan to Scottish Premier League club Hamilton Academical from Leicester City early this season, Wesolowski has managed to have a good run.

Wesolowski told the Daily Record: "I'm enjoying life living in Glasgow and playing for Hamilton.

"I've played 15 games in a row which is probably the most I have ever played because of all the bad injuries I've suffered in my career."

The former Northern Spirit junior has impressed in Scotland as a tough-tackling, combative midfielder this term, after a brief stint on loan at Dundee United last season.

Hamilton aren't having the easiest of seasons,languishing in tenth on the table with 10 points from 13 games, leaving them just two points off bottom spot.

But Wesolowski believes the weekend's 1-1 draw at St Johnstone signified a positive change for the Accies, although he still insists his side need to win these kinds of games.

"Now we've turned the corner and the manager has us playing better," Wesolowski added.

"We knew this would be a very difficult game and that's how it worked out. It was a tough pitch to play on which didn't really suit our style.

"But we can't use that as an excuse. We didn't play at our best so it was good to get a point that could prove to be the difference come the end of the season."
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Kilkenny Strikes Again For Leeds

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UKROOS WRAP: Aussie midfielder Neil Kilkenny scored again as Leeds United maintained their promotion charge with a 2-0 win at Oldham in England's League One.

Kilkenny, who formerly played with Oldham, scored from Max Gradel's left-wing cross on 37 minutes to give Leeds the advantage, before Luciano Becchio's second-half sealer.

The Beijing Olyroo was making his sixth consecutive start for Leeds after a slow start to the campaign, while fellow Aussie Patrick Kisnorbo missed out with injury although he's expected to return on the weekend.

But Kilkenny, who has now scored three goals in his last five appearances for United, was the story of the night with a fine display in midfield.

On 13 minutes the 23-year-old Aussie threaded a trademark throughball for David Prutton who was clear on goal, but the offside flag was raised.

Minutes later Kilkenny was at it again, when he precisely picked out Jason Crowe but his shot missed the target.

Leeds continued to attack but Oldham stopper Darryl Flahavan was proving hard to beat, until Kilkenny cruised into the six-yard box to bundle home Gradel's cross on 37 minutes.

Kilkenny tried his luck again just before the break with a long-range effort but it wasn't until late in the contest that Leeds sealed the points courtesy of Becchio's 82nd minute strike.

Leeds now have won five consecutive League One matches without conceding a goal and are six points clear on top of the League One table.

Elsewhere in League One, Gareth Edds played a full game as bottom-club Tranmere drew 3-3 at Huddersfield.

In League Two, on loan Liverpool youngster Dean Bouzanis kept a clean sheet in his first full 90 minutes for Accrington Stanley as they won 2-0 at Burton Albion.

Elsewhere, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff put in a full shift helping Shrewsbury defeat Rotherham 2-0, on loan Reading winger Oliver Bozanic was an 86th minute substitute for Aldershot as they won 5-2 at Dag & Red while Scott Guyett's Bournemouth slipped off the summit after a 1-1 draw at Daniel Leach's Barnet.

In the Blue Square Premier League, former Derby County youngster James Meredith played a full game for York City as they won 1-0 at Rushden & Diamonds to continue their own promotion charge.
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Draftees Heading Interstate Can Be A Lottery

as seen on The Roar

You could see the emotion etched on young indigenous player Lewis Jetta’s face the moment it was announced he was heading to Sydney as pick number 14 in last week’s AFL Draft: “I’m leaving home, not for the home of footy, but the rugby-loving big smoke of Sydney?”, seemed to be his stunned initial reaction.

Indeed, it’s a tough system the AFL Draft, but these youngsters know exactly what they’re getting themselves into when they put their names up for selection.

In Jetta’s case, it had been touted in the Perth press that the Swan Districts product could be picked up by local club West Coast with their first pick at number 7, but after that didn’t occur the 20-year-old might have hoped to head to Victoria where his first cousin Neville and second cousin Leroy currently play with the Demons and Bombers respectively.

Instead, he’s been swiftly flown off to Sydney away from family and friends to join the Swans.

And Jetta faced the media on Monday for his first session in the spotlight where he confidently claimed he was always better than cousin Neville and that Sydney’s gameplan would see him use his lightning-fast pace to feed off mentor Adam Goodes.

It was all lighthearted stuff but it clearly showed this was a youngster with a lot to learn.

But he’s not alone with over 30 youngsters having to head interstate from this year’s national draft.

The 2009 Rising Star winner Daniel Rich is an example of someone getting it right, but there are many less-publicized examples of those who couldn’t handle it and some rather more-publicized examples of those who headed home after a few years.

Indeed, Chris Judd is the obvious case, while there’s many more such as Scott Thompson, Jason Gram, Des Headland, Tyson Stenglein, Daniel Chick, Adam McPhee, Stephen Gilham, Robbie Warnock, Bradd Dalziell, John Meesen, Nick Davis, Henry Playfair and Daniel Motlop.

On the other hand, there are obviously many more examples of players who’ve settled interstate and gone onto enjoy fruitful careers at that club.

And actually during Foxtel’s draft coverage there was a story on Brisbane’s Victorian-born midfielder Luke Power, where his parents spoke about his initial years at the Lions and how he phoned them daily telling them how he desperately wanted to come home.

Instead, he toughed it out, broke into the Brisbane team and went onto play a major role in their three premierships before becoming a co-captain at the Lions in 2007.

Nevertheless, the point is young players getting homesick does happen and it is a risk at the draft table with these youngsters getting whisked away at such an early age.

And while Nathan Buckley’s now infamous new kicking test at the draft camp measures the skills of youngsters, there is no such test for homesickness. Indeed, it is something you can’t predict.

So it is about clubs helping these youngsters settle in and adjust to life away from family and friends.

These draftees obviously need somewhere to live for a start, but then there’s also finding new friends and hobbies to keep them busy, as well as the adjustment in terms of independence.

Brisbane are a club who’ve been successful in this department with the aforementioned duo of Rich and Power along with West Australian Simon Black and Victorian Jonathon Brown, who’ve both had trade attention from other home-state clubs at times in their careers.

It’s a problem non-Victorian clubs inevitably face a lot and there have been salary cap concessions in the past for these clubs to ensure they can retain non-local players.

Nowadays a lot of those concessions have been drawn back, so clubs must find new resources outside the salary cap to face this challenge.

I’m led to believe in the case of Jetta, who has lived in Bunbury (175 kilometres south of Perth) all of his life, his parents will make the move to join him in Sydney but that isn’t always possible.

Indeed, clubs must tackle these challenges otherwise they risk wasting a pick at the draft table should they let a talented interstate player cruise along frustrated and longing for home in their early AFL years.

That in itself poses the question of the wisdom of drafting players from interstate and whether clubs should prioritize selecting locals, although that’s another debate altogether.

But the main thing clubs want is to see talent reach its full potential under their guidance.

And obviously that is a challenge but just one of many challenges for clubs in the curious system that is the AFL Draft.
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Europe’s League Leaders Pull Away

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It wasn’t your typical weekend in the top European leagues as the odd slip-up here and there allowed a number of domestic leaders to pull away from the rest.

There were plenty of interesting developments in the title races in Italy, Spain, England, Germany and France so have a read...continued
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Mile Pushes For Roos Spot

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Aussie Mile Jedinak showed a glimpse of what he can offer the Socceroos by scoring a double in Antalyaspor's 2-0 win over Genclerbirligi in the Turkish Super Lig.

The 25-year-old midfielder struck twice in similar circumstances in the first-half on Sunday's Super Lig clash, to take his season tally to six goals in all competitions in Turkey.

It didn't take long for Jedinak to make his mark on Sunday, scoring after just three minutes when he nodded on a long free-kick.

The goal was very similar to one he scored against Kasimpasa earlier this season suggesting he's a real threat from set-pieces.

The former Central Coast Mariner almost had a second not long after when he was first to a right-wing cross into the box but his control let him down and Gencler keeper Serdar Kulbilge pounced.

But on 45 minutes, Jedinak wouldn't be denied when he found plenty of space in the box after a long ball forward, allowing the Aussie time to control before lashing in a fine right-foot volley.

Meanwhile, Bruce Djite came off the bench for Genclerbirligi on 61 minutes and forced a low save out of Antalyaspor stopper Omer Catkic after a nice left-foot snapshot...continued with a full weekend Aussies Abroad wrap
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Macca Misses Out On Hat-Trick

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Socceroo Scott McDonald spurned a great chance to score a rare hat-trick overnight by missing a late penalty as Celtic eased past St Mirren 3-1 in the SPL.

The out-of-favour Australian Socceroo had an eventful day, somehow ending up with his name only once on the referee's scorecard.

After putting an early volley over, McDonald made amends for the miss when he shot across his body and past St Mirren keeper Paul Gallacher on 38 minutes.

But the goal was given as an own goal by the referee, after McDonald's shot took a slight deflection off former Sydney FC trialist Chris Innes. It certainly seemed one for the dubious goals panel.

Georgios Samaras doubled Celtic's lead four minutes before Michael Higdon reduced the deficit just on half-time.

But McDonald sealed the result for the Hoops on 61 minutes and this time his goal wasn't in doubt.

The classy Aiden McGeady did well down the right to set up McDonald at the front post for a close-range finish past Gallacher.

And the Australian might have had another late on from the penalty spot after a confusing incident.

Innes blatantly handballed in the box and was given a yellow card by the referee, who mistakenly thought it was the defender's second booking prompting him to send him to stands.

But the ref realized his error and recalled Innes with McDonald eagerly waiting to take the spotkick.

And after all the confusion, McDonald saw his effort from the spot saved by Gallacher before the Saints stopper blocked the Aussie's follow-up shot.

Speaking after the game, McDonald rued the miss but claimed the two goals. "Someone told me that the first goal was an own goal and I gave him a strange look," he said. "It took a little nick off him but it was going in.

"The missed penalty will ruin my night even though it was a good performance. But the second save was very good. It is nice to get two goals, especially at Celtic Park.''

Celtic return to the summit of the Scottish Premier League after Rangers slipped up 1-0 at Aberdeen and the Aussie acknowledged the Old Firm were struggling for consistency this term.

"Consistency is the key in this league. There is none of that going on," McDonald admitted. "Ourselves and Rangers keeping giving each other a lifeline. It's us one week and them the next.

"One club is in turmoil one week and then it is the other. If we had had a good run in the league then by now we would be away from the rest.''

Elsewhere overnight, Brett Holman was another Aussie to find the back of the net, helping AZ Alkmaar claim a 2-0 win over VVV Venlo in the Dutch Eredivisie.

With his side leading 1-0, Holman ran onto a headed ball forward just after the break and produced a nice shot into the top right corner for his goal.
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Harry's Gala Lose Touch With Loss

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Socceroo Harry Kewell's goalscoring run ground to a halt overnight as Galatasaray were beaten 1-0 by Bursaspor in a fiery clash in the Turkish Super Lig.

The 31-year-old Australian had scored 6 goals in his last 8 appearances in all competitions for Cimbom, but he couldn't break through as Bursaspor move above Galatasaray into second spot in the Super Lig table.

But Bursaspor were good value for their win with the majority of opportunities falling their way including first-half chances to ex-Perth Glory man Ivan Ergic, who hit the crossbar, and Volkan Sen, who smashed a shot into the side netting.

Twelve minutes into the second-half Volkan Sen broke the deadlock for Bursaspor with a well-timed volley which went in off the post past Cimbom stopper Leo Franco.

Galatasaray then went about rescuing a point from the contest with Kewell trying to work a neat one-two with Abdulkader Keita, but the Aussie's touch let him down in the box and Bursaspor keeper Dimitar Ivankov swooped.

The visitors couldn't muster any decent opportunities, although the game did finish with some controversy after Bursaspor's Ozan Ipek was sent off for a late challenge on Sabri Sarioglu, with sideline staff getting involved in a scuffle.

Galatasaray skipper Arda Turan then furiously expressed his frustration with the referee after the final whistle and received a yellow card for his protests, with Kewell having to intervene and restrain the Turkish international.

The weekend could get worse for Galatasaray, who could drop as low as fourth if champions Besiktas win at Michael Petkovic's Sivasspor on Sunday. Leaders Fenerbahce can extend their advantage when they host Kasimpasa on Sunday too.
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Welcome To Voss's Second Chance Saloon

as seen on The Roar

The Brisbane Lions’s decision to select Matt Maguire with the final pick of Thursday’s AFL Draft was great news for the likeable ex-Saint. But for Brisbane, it was yet another recycled player to join Michael Voss’s list as the Lions chase premiership glory by an unprecedented method.

Back in October’s trade week, Voss was extremely active luring north the likes of Brendan Fevola, Amon Buchanan, Brent Staker, Andrew Raines and Xavier Clarke. And with Maguire now joining those ‘recycled’ players at the GABBA, it makes for quite the list.

But it has occurred on the back of a revelation from Voss who was in attendance at this year’s AFL Grand Final.

Speaking after trade week, Voss revealed, “When I looked at the grand final I saw two very, very good football teams and immediately as a coach when you are sitting in the stands you think, ‘gee can we get there with the list that we have got’?

“Can we compete against these guys tomorrow if we had to? And honestly, at that particular time I didn’t think we could.

“Our plan coming into trade week was about trying to find the players who will help us get to that next level and I think we have accomplished that.”...continued
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Five Must-See Football Matches This Weekend

as seen on Sports Pundit

As the weekend revs up, here is another guide to the essential viewing from Europe’s best football leagues over the next few days.

This weekend's edition includes derbies from London, Liverpool and Genoa as well as Spain's El Clasico and the clash of the big two in Greece...continued
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Rafa's Reds Gone, Louis' Bayern Survive

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Rafa Benitez’s darkest chapter at Liverpool just got worse after the Reds were eliminated from this season’s Champions League, while Louis van Gaal’s Bayern live another day.

These two managers make for interesting reading, as the pair currently hold posts at two of the biggest clubs in Europe, where success is demanded and failure to deliver such expectations yields unprecedented amounts of pressure.

Indeed, following Fiorentina’s 1-0 win over Olympique Lyon on Tuesday, Liverpool were mathematically out of the running for the top two in Group E, and thus eliminated.

Liverpool boss Benitez has been under plenty of pressure with this elimination always likely after a slow start. But combine that with the Reds league woes and it’s clear the Spaniard is struggling for fans.

Van Gaal, similarly as a foreigner in a big European league, is under pressure in Bavaria.

The Dutchman hasn’t convinced since arriving in Germany, but his side’s 1-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday means they remain in the Champions League hunt...continued
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Neill: I've Got My Work Cut Out

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Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill has admitted he’s got plenty of work to do to ensure he gets a regular game at new club Everton in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup.

The 31-year-old Australian, who played a full game at right-back in Saturday's 3-0 loss at Old Trafford, has made six appearances (four starts) for Everton since joining as a free agent in September.

Neill hasn't nailed down his spot in the Toffees' side yet but told the Everton website: "It's always nice to play.

"I've just to keep working in training and when you get the chance to play you've got to try and put a good workload in.

"It's not up to me to decide if I've done enough to stay in for the next game but I hope I've put something in the manager's mind to keep getting picked."

The former West Ham man faces stiff competition to claim the right-back position on a regular basis with Tony Hibbert, Johnny Heitinga and currently injured captain Phil Neville all capable of playing the role.

"It's a friendly rivalry and kind of good for the manager because he's got the choice of various players to play in the positions," said Neill.

"Of course he doesn't have Johnny and I for European games, that's something which will come in January when hopefully we'll be knocking on the door for places in Europe and the League."

Neill was kept busy at Manchester United on the weekend with Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs down the left, but the Aussie hopes his Everton side can now bounce back after Saturday's loss.

The Toffees are struggling down in 14th this season but can improve their league standing in a catch-up fixture at Hull City on Wednesday.

Neill added: "We move on now. We have to be positive. We created chances at the end of the game at Manchester United and we will have to create those chances at Hull.

"We've got to bounce back. That's what it's all about now. No-one expected us to win at United. We came and tried but it didn't happen.

"Now we move on and Hull away is definitely a game that we need to win and push ourselves up the table."
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McPhee Will Be A Free Hit At The Dockers

as seen on The Roar

At first glance it’s tempting to agree with the chorus of criticism from the likes of AFL commentator Dwayne Russell and Herald Sun journo Craig Hutchison directed at Fremantle’s decision to recruit Essendon’s Adam McPhee.

McPhee is expected to join the Dockers on a three-year deal in the pre-season draft, becoming the fourth Essendon player to head to Freo since ex-Bombers man Mark Harvey took over as coach in 2007.

But at 27-years-old the 2004 All-Australian and Essendon Best & Fairest winner hasn’t been at his best in the last few years although he still remains a good AFL player.

And ironically McPhee actually began his AFL career at Fremantle before heading to Melbourne only to return west well into his twenties, much like Peter Bell and Heath Black have before.

Add to that with Freo’s inglorious recruitment history and the fact that they’re supposed to be following a youth policy right now, and it seems signing up McPhee is a bad call.

Earlier this week, Hutchison was scathing in his assessment of the move writing, “The hard, cold, brutal truth for Fremantle is that Gold Coast, now, is closer to a premiership than the flailing Dockers.

“And the three-year offer to Adam McPhee does little but remind us all just how bad the Dockers have been built.”

Basically, it seems the Dockers are making the same old mistakes again.

Indeed, jumping to that conclusion is easy to do because the Dockers have a history of dodgy recruiting policies and failing to follow through with plans.

But that assumption is based on history rather than what is happening now and Fremantle insist recruiting a 27-year-old like McPhee is part of their ‘youth policy’.

Fremantle assistant coach Chris Bond explained this week, “The plan was made in 2008 what we wanted to do. We got 14 new players last year in the national and rookie draft.

“We will take eight players in the national and rookie drafts this year. And we have said all along if there was a chance to get a player in the pre-season draft – and hopefully Adam McPhee falls our way – we are getting him for a free hit.”

There’s no doubt Fremantle have firmly promoted youth since that decision in 2008, with the club becoming the first since the Brisbane Lions in 2005 (who were re-building after their golden era) to have 11 debutants in one season.

And they enjoyed some good success with that policy in 2009, with debutants Stephen Hill, Nic Suban, Hayden Ballentyne and Greg Broughton all looking capable of enjoying long AFL careers.

And doing the sums on Bond’s previous quote, considering their turnover in the last two seasons, the Dockers could field a whole 22-man side of first or second-year players in 2010.

But blindly throwing youngsters into the pressure cooker of AFL footy isn’t ideal. For every success, there’s a failure, and exposing some of the strugglers to loss after loss can burn them for ever.

Indeed, there’s more to developing a good footballer than just blind faith and that’s where McPhee’s recruitment comes into it.

This is a very young side who could do with an experienced player or two.

We shouldn’t forget McPhee is a pretty good AFL player who will help the Dockers stay competitive whilst they blood the youngsters. Avoiding demoralizing, weekly losses is important for young sides.

And players like McPhee have a role to play in development by setting the standard and leading by example and with experienced types well and truly outnumbered nowadays at Fremantle, the recruit will be handy in this facet.

The Dockers will hope to replicate Hawthorn’s 2008 Premiership success after their concerted youth policy in the preceding years, but it shouldn’t be ignored that the Hawks struggled in 2009 when experienced players like Trent Croad and Shane Crawford were absent.

Hutchison does point out McPhee’s arrival will mean whenever he plays one youngster will have to miss out, but in a weak, youthful side such as the Dockers, opportunities will be fairly readily available anyway for the rookies.

Nevertheless it is easy to think the Dockers just never learn, but ignoring their inglorious past, there’s more to this story than meets the eye in the context of where they are and what they are losing (very little).

The Dockers have a fresh-faced youthful list right now and adding an experienced body like McPhee will help.

And while some critics believe McPhee won’t prove a hit at Freo, the Dockers know he is after all just a ‘free hit’.
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Rubin Kazan Create History In Russia

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Tatar upstarts Rubin Kazan have this weekend become one of the great footballing stories by becoming the first non-Moscow club to claim the Russian Premier League title in successive seasons.

Rubin drew 0-0 with Zenit St Petersburg on Saturday, while their closest rivals Spartak Moscow lost 3-2 to CSKA, to hand the title to the Kazan-club with one game to spare.

The little-known club, who were only promoted to the top flight in 2003, have produced a brilliant campaign on the back of last season’s surprise title victory.

BACK-TO-BACK JOY
The extent of their achievement is all the more clear considering at the start of the season few critics offered them any chance of retaining their title.

But Rubin kept most of the key members of their 2008 title winning squad together and under the guidance of Turkmen boss Kurban Berdiyev managed to keep the championship out of Moscow for another year.

Russian international and Rubin skipper Sergei Semak commented, “This title means much more for us than the first.

"We had to fight probably three times harder than last year. This time our main rivals were chasing us to the very end.Rubin's linchpin Semak could depart

"We also had to prove that last year's win was no fluke. We showed a great team spirit and comradeship."

RUBIN'S DANCING BOSS
Rubin’s manager Kurban Berdiyev was so overjoyed by his club’s victory he was seen on Russian TV dancing a restaurant.

And a joyous Berdiyev later laughed off his embarrassment, saying, “In my youth, after victories we would gather at a restaurant - not all of us drank, but everyone danced.

"When I learned that they had shown me on television, I nearly died of shame."

And while Rubin’s joy will go on for some time, a repeat of their success in 2010 looks unlucky with a player exodus expected to finally occur in the close-season.

PLAYER EXODUS ON THE CARDS?
Argentine striker Alejandro Dominguez, who contributed 16 goals this term, is all but certain to leave Russia with his family unsettled, while young sensations Aleksandr Bukharov and Alexander Ryazantsev along with club stalwart Semak could be lured away.

Rubin president Alexander Gusev revealed, "We have offers from Russian and foreign clubs for almost all of Rubin's leading players.

"Our main task is to keep the backbone of the team. It won't happen for everyone - Dominguez, most likely, will leave."

Indeed, repeating their unprecedented title success, and keeping the title out of Moscow again, could prove very difficult for Rubin. But history will now show, they’ve done it before.

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