• Home
• Archives
• LiveScores
• LeagueTables
• Trophies

News Feed

Get off Terry´s back, snaps Wilkins

John Terry has suffered enough abuse over his alleged extra-marital affair and it is time for fans to stop jeering the Chelsea skipper, insists Blues assistant manager Ray Wilkins.

Terry has been subjected to relentless boos and jokes about his well-publicised alleged liaison with former team-mate Wayne Bridge’s ex-partner by supporters of Chelsea’s opponents – not to mention England fans after he was stripped of the international captaincy in the fall-out.

“I would like to think it’s over,” Wilkins said of the abuse.

“It’s served it course. But it’s happening and John’s just getting on with the situation.

“I’m obviously not too happy about it but there’s nothing whatsoever I can do about it, unfortunately.

“I think he’s dealing with the situation in the only way he possibly can: getting on with his football and committing himself to the cause.

“He’s an exceptional captain and we’re delighted to have him on board. He leads these players on the pitch in a fantastic fashion.”

Terry had a rare moment of cheer on Sunday as he inspired Chelsea to a 2-0 win over Stoke City in the FA Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.

The centre-half set up the first goal for midfielder Frank Lampard in the 35th minute and headed in his England colleague’s corner in the 67th to earn Carlo Ancelotti’s side a Wembley semi-final against Aston Villa.

Terry was subjected to jeers throughout by the Stoke fans and pointed out his captain’s armband to them as he celebrated his goal.

“I think he was just taking a litle bit of stick from the Stoke supporters and he just demonstrated in that fashion,” Wilkins said.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis said Terry had to come to terms with his treatment, be it from opposing sides’ supporters or even England fans.

“John will have to accept that he’s going to take stick,” the Potters boss said.

“He took stick from England supporters the other night, but he’ll get over that. If England go to the World Cup and do brilliant and win it and John’s part of it, then he’ll be a hero.”

Meanwhile Wilkins said FA Cup holders Chelsea were determined to retain their trophy and were not taking the competition lightly, despite them gunning for a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble.

The holders have qualified for the FA Cup semi-finals in nine of the last 17 seasons and are bidding for third final in four years.

“We class the FA Cup as a massive competition for us. The FA Cup is high on our list,” the former England captain said.

England midfielder Joe Cole was an unused substitute as the Blues saw off Stoke, amid speculation that he may consider a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Cole’s contract expires at the end of the season. Negotiations have made little progress and he is free to talk to other teams and sign a pre-contract agreement, possibly with one of Chelsea’s Premier League title rivals.

He has made just 11 Premier League starts this season and is still to hit top form following his return from a serious knee injury.

“We are very fortunate that we have a superb squad of players. Carlo has a very difficult task in actually picking a side becuase everybody merits a place in our team,” Wilkins said.

“Joe’s been through a traumatic time with his knee, and you get highs and lows coming back from those injuries. But there’s no doubt that Joe will play many more times for Chelsea.

“That’s between Joe and the club whether that contract is signed but that will be done towards the latter stages of the season.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: aston villa, boos, Carlo, carlo ancelotti, colleague, England, england fans, england supporters, extra marital affair, former team, frank lampard, jeers, Joe, Joe Cole, John, john terry, london, potters, premier league, rare moment, ray wilkins, skipper, stamford bridge, team mate, tony pulis, wayne bridge, Wembley

Related posts

• Wilkins salutes Chelsea´s focus (0)
• Chelsea seek to silence sceptics with Cup progress (0)
• Terry´s England captaincy questioned after ´affair´ (0)
• Terry thanks Chelsea´s fans for backing (0)
• Terry reveals soft, family values side (0)
• Terry reveals Roman rule kept him at Chelsea (0)
• Terry dropped as England captain (0)
• Terry denies Makelele´s Mourinho accusation (0)
• Return of Ranieri offers Chelsea benchmark (0)
• Rampant Chelsea thrash Bolton to reach quarter-finals (0)
• On eve of battle, Ancelotti under no illusions (0)
• Money is not everything, says Drogba (0)
• Hull apply the brakes to Chelsea title charge (0)
• Drogba unwilling to relinquish Chelsea top spot (0)
• Chelsea´s Ancelotti still has work to do (0)

Boos ring out as Real crash out of Spanish Cup

Real Madrid crashed out of the Spanish Cup on Tuesday as they could only manage a 1-0 victory at the Bernabeu over third division Alcorcon, who went through to the last 16 with a 4-1 aggregate score.

The loss extended 17-time winners’ Real’s drought in the competition dating back to 1993.

The Real supporters had booed the players off at half-time while there were cries of ‘Pellegrini resign’ at the coach Manuel Pellegrini, especially when the 56-year-old Chilean replaced Real’s most impressive player on the night Frenchman Lassana Diarra with over 20 minutes remaining.

Pellegrini, who took over in the close season after an impressive spell in charge of Villarreal, had started with four strikers including Kaka, Real icon Raul and former Manchester United star Ruud van Nistelrooy.

However, they failed to have the impact he wished and it wasn’t until the 81st minute they scored, through Dutch attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.

Pellegrini tried to justify his substitution of Diarra.

“I could have been selfish because I knew that changing ‘Lass’ wasn’t going to please,” said Pellegrini.

“But it was important that the player didn’t injure himself. I think about the player and the team before myself,” said Pellegrini who admitted they weren’t up to the task on the night.

“We did what seemed necessary but the away result was heavy,” he added.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: alcorcon, bernabeu, boos, crash out, drought, frenchman, impressive player, lassana, manchester united, manuel pellegrini, rafael van der vaart, raul, real madrid, ruud van nistelrooy, spanish cup, strikers, time winners

Related posts

• Kaka, the Brazilian´s brains of the new Real Madrid (0)
• Higuain keeps Real’s Galacticos on their toes (0)
• Van Nistelrooy still hopes to play at Real (0)
• Stoke reveal Ruud interest (0)
• Spain coach opens World Cup door for Guti (0)
• Ronaldo says he is not Real Madrid´s ´saviour´ (1)
• Ronaldo hopes to play in ´clasico´ (0)
• Real Cup-hijacked by third division minnows (0)
• Play Fantasy Football manager with Real’s Pellegrini (0)
• Pellegrini presented as new Real coach (0)
• Lyon closing in on Real´s Van Nistelrooy: report (0)
• Liverpool agree to sell Arbeloa to Real Madrid (0)
• Guti ‘wants out of Real Madrid’ (0)
• Great teams evolve … they’re never bought off the shelf (0)
• Fran: ‘Real depend on Ronaldo’ (0)

Podolski: I can understand boos

Cologne striker Lukas Podolski admitted the fans had every right to jeer following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Hannover.

The Germany striker has called for crisis talks after Cologne slumped to 15th in the table, just one place above the bottom three.

“We have all got to question ourselves, me included,” he said.

“We have a week and we have got to try to get our self-confidence back by discussing things.

“Otherwise, there’s no point even going to (Hertha) Berlin. We may as well stay here.”

Podolski joined Cologne from Bayern Munich for a club-record fee of 10million euros in the summer, but has yet to live up to the high expectations placed on his shoulders.

Around 45,000 fans turned up at the Mungersdorfer Stadion again, but were sent home disappointed with another lacklustre performance from their side.

“I can understand the fans’ disappointment,” said Podolski. “We were weak and deserved to lose. We showed absolutely nothing.

“You could see that our opponents mastered us and we did not play as a team. You cannot win games like that.”

Cologne travel to the capital next weekend for a true relegation battle with bottom club Hertha Berlin, who have won one game all season and are currently five points from safety.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Bayern, bayern munich, boos, bottom club, cologne, disappointment, five points, game, Germany, hannover, hertha berlin, high expectations, lacklustre performance, Lukas Podolski, mungersdorfer stadion, opponents, relegation battle, self confidence, shoulders, striker

Related posts

• Stuttgart stay in German title race with win at Schalke (0)
• Podolski targets derby victory (0)
• Bayern confident in Toni for Sporting clash (0)
• We won´t leave Hoffenheim in peace, says Klinsmann (0)
• Sentiment on all sides in Podolski’s Cologne move (0)
• Schumi helps to buy Poldi back from Bayern (0)
• No room for error in four-way Bundesliga race (0)
• Klose out for six to eight weeks, say Bayern (0)
• Klinsmann sacking has helped Bayern: Podolski (0)
• Goals a priority for Gomez (0)
• Dropped Frings blasts Germany coach Loew (0)
• Defeats give Wolfsburg advantage, admits Klinsmann (0)
• Bayern target leaders Wolfsburg (0)
• Wolfsburg baying for revenge against Dortmund (0)
• We´re players, not pop stars, fumes Hoffenheim boss (0)

Ibra needs more than jeers to prove his worth

Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic ignored the predictable boos on his first return to Inter Milan without answering the sceptics who still doubt his ability to finally make a mark in Europe.

Wednesday’s 0-0 draw in the Champions League Group F opener prompted more questions than answers for both sides, even if Barca shaded the contest in terms of chances and technical ability.

Swede Ibrahimovic hopes his pre-season swap deal with Samuel Eto’o can turn him into one of the most feared strikers in the continent after invariably flattering to deceive for Inter in the Champions League.

His talents in domestic soccer are undoubted, given he inspired Inter to three Italian titles, and he was fully prepared for jeers from parts of the San Siro.

“Some whistled, it’s normal when you lose a player you did not want to lose,” he told reporters. “With a bit of luck I could even have scored.”

In truth, Ibrahimovic snatched at a good early chance and generally failed to impose himself despite some tidy link-up play.

“I’m very happy, in my opinion we have players better than Inter,” he said.

Eto’o, who scored the opener when Barca beat Manchester United 2-0 to lift the trophy last May, put in a similarly indifferent performance as Ibrahimovic against his former side.

“It was difficult for him. But he worked hard for the team and that’s why I like Samuel,” Inter coach Jose Mourinho told a news conference after refusing to comment on Ibrahimovic’s display.

PHOTO: Inter Milan’s Walter Samuel (R) challenges Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Barcelona during their Champions League soccer match at the San Siro Stadium in Milan September 16, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Source

Tags: alessandro bianchi, Barcelona, boos, champions league group, champions league soccer, Europe, ibra, inter milan, italian titles, jose mourinho, Manchester, manchester united, reuters, samuel eto, samuel eto o, San, san siro stadium, sceptics, Siro Stadium, strikers, swap deal, swede, technical ability, walter samuel, zlatan ibrahimovic

Related posts

• Who will win the battle between Ibra and Eto’o? (0)
• Mourinho banking on born winner Eto´o (0)
• Moratti awaits Inter reaction (0)
• Inter go through but where’s the champagne football? (0)
• Ibrahimovic – Europe’s biggest enigma (0)
• Are Inter struggling in Europe because Serie A is too easy? (0)
• Will Ibra-Eto’o swap actually happen? (0)
• Why are Barcelona paying so much for Ibrahimovic? (0)
• nter draw while Beckham forced to wait for Milan start (0)
• Barcelona´s Guardiola upbeat about new season (0)
• And then there was one… the Special One (0)
• No approach yet for Vieira, says Mourinho (0)
• I´m here to win the Champions League, says Eto´o (0)
• Ibrahimovic keen to learn Barcelona ways (0)
• Eto’o’s arrival could change Inter’s entire approach (0)

Strachan future in doubt after title heartbreak

GLASGOW (AFP) – Celtic boss Gordon Strachan faces a make-or-break few days as he ponders his future after failing to lead his side to a fourth successive Scottish Premier League title.

Strachan dodged questions in the immediate aftermath of Sunday?s disappointment and did nothing to quell rumours about his long-term future.

The former Scotland midfielder had been heavily linked with the Sunderland job when it was occupied by Ricky Sbragia.

But following Sbragia?s decision to quit after the Wearside club secured their Premiership survival, the speculation is set to go into overdrive now the job is vacant.

Strachan has never said he wants to leave but he may conclude that he has taken Celtic as far as he can.

He cut a disconsolate figure after the 0-0 draw with Hearts and the boos that echoed around Parkhead at the final whistle won?t have sat easily with him, in a week he has praised the support.

If he does stay, he will have to replace the departing Shunsuke Nakamura and address the goalscoring problems which were highlighted by consecutive 0-0 draws when it mattered most in the final two games of the season.

But will he have sufficient funds to do so?

Title failure means Celtic must win two qualifying matches to reach the group stages of the Champions League.

As Rangers found out after losing a qualifier to FB Kaunas last summer, missing out on the money-spinning potential of Europe’s elite competition can have a devastating effect on club finances.

Strachan had the chance to become the first Celtic manager since the legendary Jock Stein to win four Scottish titles in a row but his side failed at the final hurdle against Hearts.

Before Sunday, he had won three league titles in three years. An unblemished record perhaps but not enough to convince many amongst the Parkhead support.

There was still a mood of expectancy around the ground prior to kick-off. But that was soon wiped out when news filtered through of Kyle Lafferty?s early opener for Rangers against Dundee United.

That moment seemed to suck the life out of Celtic?s title bid and despair from the stands spread onto the pitch.

Strachan admitted as much in a post-match press conference, which lasted less than two minutes after he refused to take questions from the assembled media.

He admitted: “We weren’t up to the challenge of winning a fourth one. It’s disappointing but we will analyse it later on but we only have ourselves to blame. In certain areas we weren’t as good as we have been in the past three years.”

Tags: boos, club finances, Dundee, dundee united, elite competition, Europe, Glasgow, gordon strachan, group stages, hurdle, jock stein, kyle lafferty, league titles, midfielder, overdrive, Ricky Sbragia, rumours, scotland, Scottish Premier League, scottish titles, Sunderland, two games, unblemished record, Wearside, whistle

Related posts

• Celtic search for new boss after Strachan quits (0)
• Nakamura non-committal about future (0)
• Strachan quits as Celtic manager (0)
• Scottish rivals locked in familiar struggle (0)
• Scotland boss Levein gets scout wish (0)
• Samaras confident Celtic can edge soccer title (0)
• Rangers throw away chance to go top (0)
• Rangers see chance to close gap in clash with Celtic (0)
• Rangers hand Motherwell six of best (0)
• Novo never lets us down says Rangers´ manager (0)
• No need for sleeping pills, says Strachan despite draw (0)
• Injured Nakamura set to miss Cup tie (0)
• Whittaker issues Ibrox rallying cry (0)
• Title won´t be decided by Old Firm duels, says Strachan (0)
• Strachan upbeat despite Celtic stumble (0)

Beckham faces up to life on the boos

LONDON (AFP) – David Beckham admits he will be targeted by angry Los Angeles Galaxy fans when he returns to the Major League Soccer club from AC Milan later this year.

Beckham agreed a deal to extend his loan with Italian team AC Milan until the end of the Serie A season in an attempt to stay in England coach Fabio Capello’s plans.

The former Manchester United star is desperate to play in next year’s World Cup in South Africa and believes he must play at the highest level possible to fulfil his dream.

But Beckham still has commitments to Galaxy and will return to California to play for the American side between July and October.

The 33-year-old knows he is in for a hostile reception in some quarters for his perceived snub of LA.

"I’m sure there will be a certain amount of criticism because people won’t understand why I want to stay here but we will have to see," Beckham told Sky Sports News.

"Real football people will say ‘He’s passionate about playing for his country and knows what he needs to do to have the chance of playing in the World Cup’.

"To make myself available for 2010 I know what I have to do. The manager (Fabio Capello) always said I need to play at the highest level and this is one of the highest in Europe.

"Nothing is guaranteed in life and we have a lot of young players coming through, but I need to make sure I’ve given myself the best chance to be involved in it."

Asked if he would definitely retire after the World Cup in South Africa, Beckham added: "No, I love playing for my country and I want to play as long as possible. I will be 35 by then but we will wait and see.

"A lot of people doubted me when I came back to play here, saying I wouldn’t get a game or any time on the pitch. Hopefully I’ve surprised a few people and I feel I’ve got a good few years left in me."

Written by: AFP

Tags: ac milan, boos, California, coach fabio capello, commitments, David Beckham, England, england coach, Europe, fabio capello, Galaxy, hostile reception, italian team, london, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, Manchester, manchester united, Milan, MLS, quarters, quot, Serie A, Sky Sports, sky sports news, snub, soccer club, South Africa, World Cup

Related posts

• World Cup dream behind Beckham´s Milan stay (0)
• Lalas raises fears over Beckham´s Galaxy future (0)
• Beckham confirms Milan switch (0)
• Beckham re-signs on loan with AC Milan (0)
• Beckham dedicated to US impact and World Cup dream (0)
• Milan closer to Beckham deal, says Galliani (0)
• Beckham would honour Galaxy deal says coach Arena (0)
• Beckham will play minder for fiery Rooney (0)
• Beckham to play on beyond 2010 (0)
• Beckham ready to snub Premiership for Milan return (0)
• Beckham hoping to add experience to England (0)
• Ancelotti remains hopeful of Beckham deal (0)
• LA Galaxy Bruce Arena relieved over Beckham-Milan resolution (0)
• Donovan to return to Galaxy next week (0)
• Beckham’s return to AC Milan confirmed (0)