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.

Tags: announcement, Argentina, Argentine, colleague, competitions, consistent performers, Director Jorge Valdano, earnings, few days, Gonzalo, Jorge Valdano, Karim Benzema, MADRID, negotiations, new contract, parity, position, Real, real madrid, striker, triumph, two seasons

Upset Mourinho: ‘Nobody respects Ferrara’

January 29, 2010

Jose Mourinho’s Internazionale reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia on Thursday night, knocking out Juventus: 2-1. Afterwards, the Portuguese manager backed under fire Juve coach Ciro Ferrara who is expected to be axed on Friday after a dismal run.

“We are men, we have families,” said Mourinho to support his colleague. “It’s not nice all this talk of every other coach.

“I don’t like the atmosphere around him.

“Ferrara deserves respect. If the club decides to make a change, we know that is part of our job, but at least while we are still on the bench and working we deserve respect.

“Right now nobody is giving Ferrara respect. Nobody. But I respect him.”

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc didn’t exclude a dismissal of Ferrara. “We are very disappointed, as we have failed at another of our objectives for the season,” said Blanc after the match against Internazionale.

“Tomorrow (Friday) we will make a decision and when we have made it, we will let you know.”

Ferrara remained calm as usual after another setback. “I have not been told of anything. I will be conducting Juventus training tomorrow, as per usual,” Ferrara stated.

Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon rued the Bianconeri’s ‘unlucky period’. “We wanted to win this evening, and did not deserve to lose,” the Italy international said.

“But Inter also did not deserve to lose.

“Unfortunately, the team has been unlucky in this period, but we are trying to rectify this.”

The 32-year-old goalie picked up a red card in last Saturday’s match against Roma (1-2 loss) and will miss the game against Lazio this weekend.

Tags: atmosphere, bench, bianconeri, ciro ferrara, coach, colleague, coppa italia, dismal run, Ferrara, game, gianluigi buffon, internazionale, Italy, Jean-Claude, Jose, jose mourinho, last saturday, lazio, respects, semi finals, setback, thursday night

Red Bulls’ Stammler gets good word from Haiti

January 28, 2010

With all of the bad news coming out of Haiti the past two weeks, New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler recently received good news on not one, but two fronts.

Personally and professionally, Stammler received a text message from Gerald Oriol, his main contact in Haiti for his Sporting Chance Foundation, saying he was alive and well.

The other good news also came out of Port-of-Spain. Not only did the water well the foundation created for citizens survive the earthquake, it was being utilized by more people than Stammler and his foundation members could have imagined.

Stammler said Oriol texted: “he was well and his family was well.”

“He had just been spending the last two days burying bodies, trying to get that taking care of so disease wasn’t spreading and they wouldn’t have that additional worry to be thinking about,” Stammler said recently.

Stammler was quite relieved.

“It’s one thing being a friend and a colleague,” he said. “So we were worried about him. Selfishly, he is a big part of our efforts at the Sporting Chance Foundation. Without him, we’d have to start back at square one. So we are definitely thankful he made it and is going to be working with us.”

Oriol, who is handicapped and is wheelchair bound, works for the local water company.

“He is so connected in Haiti,” said Red Bulls vice president of communications Andy McGowan, who traveled with Stammler to Haiti in December. “He knows how to get things done.”

Stammler also was happy to hear the well was working and being used during the crisis.

“It’s nerve-wracking because we just finished in September,” he said. “They really started using it in October and three months later they have a tragic earthquake. It’s pretty nerve-wracking to think that our efforts went for naught. It survived.”

Port-au-Prince citizens usually have to pay one gourd — the equivalent of 2 1/2 cents — for a 5-gallon bucket of water.

“Right now we just want to help out,” Stammler said. “Everyone gets it for free right now. Just want to make sure everyone gets the proper hydration to get through this tough time.”

Stammler was impressed how popular the well was when he visited Port-au-Prince in December.

“The well had a line 15 deep of young adolescent girls waiting to get their five-gallon bucket of water,” he said. “I would be interested to see what it is now. I’m sure there are other people coming from other neighborhoods to get their hands on some good water. (It’s) definitely a proud thing for the Sporting Chance Foundation. I think it re-energizes us to do more wells. They’re kind of costly. But I think it just proves the importance they have it in the community.”

An average well costs about $20,000 to build, although the foundation was able to get one dug for $10,000.

The foundation (www.sportingchancefoundation.org) has raised more than $10,000. “Which is pretty good for us,” Stammler said.

In between training with the Red Bulls and traveling to La Manga,Spain, for two weeks of pre-season preparation and running the foundation, Stammler has managed to watch some Haiti updates and news.

“My days have been long and busy, just dealing with fundraising,” he said. “There’s a lot of different organizations trying to get involved that want to do their part from schools in the New York City area to soccer clubs in Columbus, Ohio.”

Stammler said the foundation has received “very generous e-mails from people who want to help out in some way. We’re trying to extend our network right now and try to get people involved who we wouldn’t have access to otherwise. It’s all going to the same place, which is the most important thing. We’re all pulling together to make a difference.”

Haitian soccer suffered the most devastating loss in its history when 30 members of the country’s football federation died during the earthquake. An undetermined number of players also perished. The dead, which died at the federation’s offices in Port-au-Prince, included administrators, referees, coaches, players, office staff and medical personnel, Caribbean Football Union senior vice president Horace Burrell said.

Among those killed were coach Jean Yves Labaze, who directed Haiti to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2007, and Alix Avin, a well-known professional club coach

“Words cannot describe what I have seen in Haiti,” Burrell said in a report to FIFA vice president and CONCACAF president Jack Warner. “It is heartbreaking.

“The situation down there is grim, it’s frightening and it is going to take a very long time to turn things around,” Burrell added. “They will need the help of not only the Caribbean, but the entire world, to help them rebuild.

“You have hundreds of thousands of people milling around aimlessly, not knowing what to do, not knowing where the next meal is coming from, or where they are going to get any water; all of whom appear hopeless and very sad.”

Burrell met with Haitian Football Federation president Dr. Yves Jean Bart, who was the lone survivor at the organization’s headquarters.

By Michael Lewis

Tags: bad news, bucket of water, colleague, foundation members, gallon bucket, midfielder, naught, new york red bulls, port au prince, port of spain, seth stammler, sporting chance, text message, three months, tragic earthquake, water company

Red Bulls’ Stammler gets good word from Haiti

January 27, 2010

With all of the bad news coming out of Haiti the past two weeks, New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler recently received good news on not one, but two fronts.