Fuller arrested, Carroll charged over assaults
February 8, 2010
Ricardo Fuller, the Jamaica striker who plays for Stoke City in the English Premier League, has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a man in a nightclub at the weekend, police said on Monday.
Staffordshire Police said a 21-year-old man had suffered minor facial injuries that did not require hospital treatment following an incident in a nightclub in the Stoke area at around 0100GMT on Sunday.
Fuller, 30, has not been charged with any offence and was bailed until next month pending the outcome of enquiries by the police, who have appealed for witnesses.
Newcastle striker Andy Carroll, meanwhile, was charged on Monday with assault over an incident in which he allegedly attacked another man in a nightclub in the city in December.
He will appear in court on February 25. If convicted, the 21-year-old could, in theory, receive a prison sentence of up to six months but would be more likely to be fined and ordered to do community service.
LONDON (AFP)
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Van der Sar close to pen improved contract
February 8, 2010
Edwin van der Sar is set to sign a new deal at Manchester United. The Dutch goalkeeper will pen a new, £90,000-a-week contract this week, according to the Daily Express.
Van der Sar’s current contract is due to expire this summer. The 39-year-old shot stopper had delayed agreeing to the fresh deal while he monitored the health of his wife Annemarie, who suffered a brain haemorrhage two days before Christmas.
But Annemarie is well on the way to a full recovery back in Holland and Van der Sar can now turn to his own future at Manchester United.
Last month, Sir Alex Ferguson said he hoped that Van der Sar would extend his stay at Old Trafford.
“Edwin makes a big difference, it is not just his saves, it is his composure and use of the ball.
“I know there are a few young keepers out there doing very well but Edwin is the best in the league just now.”
The Daily Express reports that Van der Sar is close to committing himself to United for another 12 months by signing a new £4.7million contract.
Van der Sar joined the Red Devils in 2005 from Fulham.
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‘Italy is tougher than Spain’-Ibrahimovic
February 8, 2010
Zlatan Ibrahimovic left Internazionale this summer to join Barcelona. Although the Spanish league is rated higher than the Italian league, the Swedish striker believes it’s harder to score in Italy than in Spain.
Ibrahimovic spent five years in the Serie A. He finished Capocannoniere in his final season with Inter, scoring 25 goals in 35 games in Serie A. In total, Ibra managed to score 80 goals in 142 Serie A matches.
“In Italy they give you three or four chances in one game and you have to be ready not to make a mistake,” Ibrahimovic told El Periodico.
“You can go 80 minutes without touching the ball, but you know that in the end a chance will arrive.
“And you can’t miss it because they will judge you on that chance. For this reason, Italians hold strikers like Inzaghi and Trezeguet in high regard because they are people capable of scoring with only one goal scoring chance.â
Ibrahimovic then reflected on the differences between Italy and Spain.
“Here at Barca it seems like I have returned to the time I spent with Ajax. In Italy, they aren’t interested in good football.
“They only need a 1-0. Nothing else counts other than the victory. And if someone thinks about playing good football, they tell you: âYes, you have played well, but you haven’t won anything, right?
“Good football doesn’t count for anything to them. If you won 1-0 at Ajax then the fans would whistle you. ‘How is it possible?’ I asked myself. Because the people want good football. They want a spectacle.
“In Italy they wanted to imitate the Guardiola model, but it’s not so easy. He thinks like a player. He is very active. He participates a lot in training. In the past I had Coaches who were more passive, people more used to commanding than explaining things.
“Pep is not a policeman who gives orders, a dictator who imposes duties. He is more of a professor who instructs. Capello, Mancini and Mourinho weren’t so active. Capello and Mourinho explain things to you with a blackboard. Pep goes on the pitch. He was a great player and he knows what a footballer is thinking. He lives for football, 24 hours a day.”
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Gerrard urges Reds to keep momentum
February 8, 2010
Steven Gerrard hopes the win over Everton can inspire Liverpool to beat Arsenal on Wednesday. The Reds skipper has urged his teammates to build on their victory in last Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
Liverpool’s recent results have increased their hopes on securing a top-four Premier League finish. The Reds produced another battling display to sink Everton on Saturday (1-0).
Gerrard was pleased with the result and performance, especially as Liverpool had to play most of the game with ten men following Sotirios Kyrgiakos’ sending-off.
The talismanic captain is now hoping to take that form into Wednesday’s clash with struggling Arsenal.
“You always enjoy beating your local rivals but it was the way we did it that was really satisfying, particularly after losing a man after half an hour,” Gerrard told the Liverpool Echo.
“I thought we showed fantastic character, a great attitude and I also thought we played some decent stuff at times. I thought it was a fully deserved win.
“You could see what it meant to everyone on the pitch at the end and it was the same again in the dressing room afterwards; everybody is still on a high.
“Now we have got to take that high into the next game. It’s a tough one, Arsenal away always is. But we have used beating Everton as a platform in the past and we’ve got to do it again.
“We want to extend our run and go on to better things.”
The results of Manchester City (2-1 loss to Hull City) and Tottenham Hotspur (goalless draw against Aston Villa) made Liverpool’s day even better.
Rafael Benitez’s men now occupy for the final Champions League spot but Gerrard does not want complacency to creep in.
“We know there is a long way to go and we want to make sure we are in the top four at the end of the season,” he stated.
“It’s performances like this that will get you in there. We have got to try and keep this run going, as we can’t afford any slip-ups.
“There is pressure coming from Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
“There are a couple of very tough games coming up but if we can show what we have done in the last six games, I don’t see why we can’t maintain it.”
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Fabregas rejects new Arsenal deal; eyes Barca move
February 8, 2010
Cesc Fabregas has rejected a new contract at Arsenal. The Gunners offered their Spanish captain a weekly wage of £127000 but Fabregas wants to join Barcelona next summer.
Spanish newspaper Sport suggest that Fabregas’ return to the Camp Nou is about more than just “purely economic issues.” He has made his desire clear to his representatives and is simply waiting for both clubs to sort out the transfer.
Barcelona are reportedly willing to pay €50 million to Arsenal for the 22-year-old midfielder.
Sport also reports that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is realistic over the move and knows he is unlikely to lure Fabregas to the Spanish capital.
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Higuain set to sign new contract
February 8, 2010
Gonzalo Higuain is close to signing a new contract at Real Madrid.
The Argentine striker has an excellent season and scored a goal to seal the triumph over Espanyol (3-0), on Saturday. Real is set to reward the 22-year-old forward with a new, improved long-term deal.
Higuain has been one of Real’s most consistent performers over the past two seasons, and this season he has netted 14 goals in all competitions.
AS reports that the club chose to offer the Argentina international improved terms to ensure parity of earnings between him and colleague striker Karim Benzema.
Sporting Director Jorge Valdano has commenced negotiations with Higuain’s representatives, and it’s reckoned that both parties will be in a position to make an announcement over the next few days.
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Juve’s Diego remains positive
February 8, 2010
Diego insists Juventus are not far away from turning their season around despite another disappointing result against Livorno (1-1) on Saturday.
The Bianconeri haven’t won for more than a month and have yet to win under new manager Alberto Zaccheroni.
“I am optimistic. We have to be. I have seen signs of recovery,” Diego explained.
“As for me, I am missing goals, like the rest of the team. But I feel good, though. I am moving well with and without the ball, taking free-kicks and crossing.
“My job is that of making important assists for my team-mates and playing for the team.
“We had difficulty in the first half against Livorno, but things went better after the interval. It only takes one victory to turn things around, but in my opinion we aren’t lacking much.
“We have to continue doing what we have done in the last week, working hard with a smile on our faces. We have to be strong psychologically and not get disheartened,” Diego concluded.
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Kaka promises more after ending barren run
February 8, 2010
Real Madrid’s Brazilian superstar Kaka believes he is yet to show his best form since his 68.5-million-euro move from AC Milan after scoring for the first time in three months in his side’s 3-0 home win over Espanyol on Saturday.
Kaka, 27, was a prolific scorer with AC Milan but has found goals hard to come by since joining Real in the summer with the goal against Espanyol only his fourth league strike of the season and his first since he netted in the 3-2 derby win over Atletico Madrid back on November 7.
Kaka had his season interrupted by five weeks out with a groin injury picked up before Christmas, but the Brazilian international believes he is starting to get match sharpness back.
“I am feeling better and better and you can see that on the pitch,” said Kaka. “First of all I had the groin injury that stopped me playing like I wanted to but now I am better and feeling good.
“It is always important to score and, besides helping the team, it gives you confidence.”
Kaka scored Real’s second goal on 29 minutes following up after Raul’s initial shot was saved and could have had another in the second half only to be denied by the post.
“After a month and a half out it is difficult to ask for more (from Kaka),” said Real coach Manuel Pellegrini. “He will get back to his top level soon and is a very important player for us.”
Cristiano Ronaldo completed his two-match suspension against Espanyol and Kaka said that while Ronaldo is an important part of the side, Madrid were far from a one-man team.
“Cristiano is a key player but the team can’t depend on one player,” added the Brazilian. “We are playing better with each game and we want to continue in this vain.
“We can’t drop any points and we just have to keep winning and hope Barcelona drop points.”
Unbeaten leaders Barcelona stayed five points ahead of Real after beating Getafe 2-0 on Saturday despite playing 65 minutes with ten men.
Along with the form of Kaka, Real were boosted by the return to fitness of Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, who made his first appearance after three weeks out with a leg injury.
Higuain scored in the final minute to make it 3-0 with his 12th goal of the season and believes Barca could drop points with some difficult games coming up notably next weekend at Atletico Madrid who beat them 4-3 at the Vicente Calderon last season.
“Last year Barcelona slipped up there (at Atletico Madrid) and dropped points,” said Higuain. “Up until now they have not lost a single match but now the tricky games are coming up and we will see what happens.”
MADRID (AFP)
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Europeans baffled by fuss over Terry’s private life
February 8, 2010
Michel Platini’s Gallic shrug said it all. “I’m not bothered. What do you want me to say?” he said.
The UEFA President and former France captain had just been asked for the third time in a few minutes on England coach Fabio Capello’s decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy because of something which happened off the field.
Platini was speaking in Warsaw at a news conference and was supposed to be talking about the qualifying draw for Euro 2012, an event which involved all 53 of UEFA’s associations.
Instead, he found himself fielding questions on the internal problems of one single member.
“We have 52 other associations in UEFA. Everybody has their own way of doing things…Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Norway, Malta, Cyprus. The problem of the English is not the problem of Italy, of France.
“You have some funny problems in England, but fortunately you have an Italian to sort them out.”
Platini’s indifference is a fair reflection of what Europeans feel on the whole Terry saga.
Players’ private lives are generally not subjected to media scrutiny elsewhere in Europe and it is the amount of publicity dedicated to the matter, rather than the alleged incident itself, which has made headlines on the continent.
In many countries, the captaincy is not even a big deal, just a symbolic role which involves a few pre-match niceties and bonus of lifting the trophy should the team happen to win a competition — not a very likely contingency in England’s case judging by their failure to add to their 1966 World Cup win.
PHOTO: UEFA President Michel Platini answers questions during a news conference at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw February 6, 2010. REUTERS/Peter Andrews
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Euro 2012 qualifying draw throws up England v Wales
February 8, 2010
The Euro 2012 qualifying draw in Warsaw got off to a mixed start with a less than tuneful performance from a Polish boyband.
However, when we finally reached the main event, those famous coloured balls did not disappoint with Andriy Shevchenko (who surely should have been voting in Ukraine’s election) helping dish out some fabulous encounters like England v Wales. Germany, Turkey and Austria are in the same group while Denmark, Norway and Iceland will also all meet.
Here’s the full draw. What do you reckon? England in the group of death? Interestingly, Armenia were switched from the same group as Azerbaijan on political grounds.
Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Ireland, Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra
Group C: Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands
Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg
Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino,
Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta
Group G: England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro
Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland
Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein
PHOTO: Construction work continues at the Olympic stadium in Kiev December 11, 2009. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
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