Donovon keen on longer Toffees’ stay

January 19, 2010

Forward Landon Donovan has admitted there is a chance he could extend his stay at Everton if all parties, including parent club LA Galaxy, are in agreement.

The USA international has linked up with the Toffees on a 10-week loan spell and is due to return MLS outfit, LA Galaxy, in mid-March.

He has made a fine start to his Premier League career, catching the eye in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal and 2-0 victory over Manchester City.

Donovan has enjoyed his time in England far more than an unfulfilling stint with Bayern Munich last season and would be open to a longer deal.

“I’ve been made to feel so welcome and when you’re welcome like that you don’t want to let anyone down. It’s a sharp contrast to how I felt last year when I was at Munich,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“It’s a little more individual and selfish there. Here they make you feel part of a family and you keep going because you don’t want to let anyone down.

“The future is out of my control. I want to enjoy this experience. That means I show up for training and I’m ready. I show up for the game and I’m ready.

“But who knows what will happen in the future. Football’s funny and you never know what could happen.

“If I look back after 10 weeks and say I really want to stay then maybe I can make that happen. If I say OK it was good, but I’m ready to go then I can go, but for now I’m taking it week by week.”

Saturday’s clash with City was Donovan’s home debut and he admits it was a joy to play in front of the Goodison Park crowd.

“The atmosphere completely surpassed what I thought,” he added. “I guessed if we scored a few goals or were winning they’d be loud, but it was from minute one. They really push you on.

“At points you get a bit tired but then you hear them and it helps them keep going.

“There are little parts that are still frustrating me and only coming back, my touch and in front of goal. The first two weeks I’ve felt better and sharper every day and I know there’s more to me.”

The versatile Donovan has been impressed by the performances of his team-mates, particularly midfield pair Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini.

“I’m enjoying playing right wing. It’s an easy job on the right wing when Phil Neville is behind you. My ears are getting a little bit worn out but I love it,” he said.

“Steven Pienaar was fantastic in the centre of midfield. Tim Howard had said he might play there against Man City and I wondered if he could but my question got answered. He was fantastic in there.

“Not only do him and Marouane Fellaini run, compete and look good on the ball. What people don’t see is how much they lead and keep talking.”

Everton have risen into the top half of the table on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run and Donovan has already seen enough to tip David Moyes’ side as possible UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

“When I was younger it was about me doing well. Me scoring, and me being the centre of things – but now I get joy out of winning,” he said.

“When you play like we did against Manchester City and feel part of something bigger it’s so much fun.

“I haven’t been here that long but the way we’ve played at the Emirates and then against City – let’s be honest we should have won there.

“The beauty is that they’re not two fluke performances. I can imagine if this team if healthy for a good season would be a good contender for the top four.”

Tags: arsenal, atmosphere, Bayern, clash, crowd, David Moyes, Donovon, emirates, England, everton, game, Goodison Park, home debut, la galaxy, landon donovan, league career, Liverpool, liverpool echo, man city, manchester city, mid march, MLS, Munich, phil neville, premier league, steven pienaar, stint, time in england, toffees, USA, usa international, victory

Switzerland win FIFA Under-17 World Cup

November 16, 2009

Debutants Switzerland were crowned Under-17 World Cup champions here on Sunday when they defeated hosts and defending champions Nigeria 1-0 inside a packed Abuja National Stadium.

Haris Seferovic gave Switzerland the title courtesy of a 63rd minute header.

The Swiss were impressive leading to this championship game, and did well to contain the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, before they dealt the killer blow through Seferovic to the disappointment of the 60,000-strong crowd.

Nigeria were overwhelming favourites to win their fourth Under-17 World Cup, particularly on the back of the full international team’s dramatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in South Africa 24 hours earlier.

Spain took third place when they defeated Colombia 1-0.

Isco scored the winner in the 75th minute after Spain struggled to translate their dominance into goals.

Nigerian striker Sani Emmanuel was picked as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. He scored five goals, all as a substitute.

LAGOS (AFP)

Tags: abuja national stadium, championship game, crowd, debutants, disappointment, dominance, eaglets, Emmanuel, favourites, hosts, killer blow, minute header, nigeria, sani, South Africa, swiss, world cup champions

Burley´s future in the balance after Scotland surrender

November 15, 2009

George Burley admitted his future as Scotland coach is in the balance after the Tartan Army called for him to resign during the dismal 3-0 friendly defeat against Wales.

Burley’s side slumped to their third successive loss as goals from David Edwards, Simon Church and Aaron Ramsey in the opening 35 minutes sparked a furious response from the travelling fans.

Former Hearts and Ipswich boss Burley had received a vote of confidence from the Scottish FA despite his failure to lead the team to next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

But the abject manner of Saturday’s defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium raised fresh doubts about Burley’s ability to get the job done.

Burley knows SFA chief executive Gordon Smith will come under pressure to sack him and, asked if he would still be in charge for the March friendly against Czech Republic, he said: “Well, that’s up to other people, isn’t it?

“I’m just thinking about this game, it wasn’t good enough, we’ve got to do better and we were beaten too easily.

“As far as positives for this game, I couldn’t pick one out, whereas in the other games we had been going in the right direction. We’ve got to assess it again.

“We started well but we just switched off and, in that spell, we conceded three goals. It’s not an easy one to take.

“As a manager, you are disappointed by a defeat. I’ve got a squad of players that I’m utilising, I’ve got a squad of players out there and we didn’t perform.

“It’s one of those areas where you’ve got to look at it and move on. The first half wasn’t good enough, it was shocking the way we conceded the goals, so that’s something that’s got to be better.”

Burley conceded he couldn’t blame the 4,000 Scotland fans who travelled to south Wales for turning on him after such a poor performance.

“I’m not surprised,” he said. “If you are a manager and your team performs like that, you are going to get stick from the crowd because the performance wasn’t good enough.

“We folded like a pack of cards. It was shocking defending after that, conceding three goals and we never recovered.

“It was a very poor display and we never really got going. We made the six changes but it didn’t really change too much. The first half was terrible and that’s something we can’t afford to let happen.

“It’s not a favourite venue for Scotland. I lost here 3-0 on my debut and the last time we played here it was 4-0. Overall, there is no excuse because that performance wasn’t good enough.”

Burley has now won just three games in 14 attempts and said: “That’s where we are as a country, as a group of players, as a team.

“I can’t go and bring other players into the squad. I’m picking the best squad of players, working together with them and trying to get the best out of them. That’s all I can do as a manager.”

As for his defensive pairing of Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell – who have also been criticised for their displays with Celtic this season – Burley said: “It’s a team, not (about) picking out individuals.

“Maybe one or two players are finding it hard at club level but, as a team, it wasn’t good enough.

“And it was all the way through. Every department, especially in the first half, didn’t function. That’s something you can’t afford to happen.

“I can’t put my finger on one area because all areas were poor.”

CARDIFF (AFP)

Tags: cardiff city, chief executive, crowd, david edwards, george burley, going in the right direction, gordon smith, pack of cards, poor performance, scotland coach, scotland fans, scottish fa, South Africa, South Wales, vote of confidence, World Cup

Benitez hands Ferguson another lesson

October 27, 2009

A game between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of football’s great fixtures and it has recently been given additional spice by a number of clashes between the managers.

Much has been said and written about the verbal jousting between Rafael Benitez and Alex Ferguson and at the moment the Scot is losing both on and off the field.

Ferguson is by far the most successful manager in the Premier League but Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool suggests he is now helpless and out of ideas when he crosses swords with his Spanish opponent, who was calm and collected before the game.

Ferguson said after the match there was a “wounded animal aspect to the game” given Liverpool’s recent poor run but their victory may also have been the result of a growing confidence among Benitez’s side when it comes to meeting United.

After losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool last season, United needed a different approach when visiting Anfield on Sunday but their display was a case of déjà vu.

The game was won by Liverpool’s team effort, by the passionate Anfield crowd but also by Benitez’s ability to rediscover United’s weaknesses (Rio Ferdinand?).

PHOTO: Liverpool’s manager Rafa Benitez (L) and his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson gesture during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, October 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Source

Tags: alex ferguson, anfield, clashes, counterpart, crowd, English Premier League, english premier league soccer, Ferdinand, Ferguson, gesture, Liverpool, Manchester, manchester united, northern england, opponent, Phil Noble, rafael benitez, reuters, rio ferdinand, Scot, spice, swords, team effort

Wolves boss backs star striker to get goals

October 24, 2009

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has backed Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to score goals in the Premier League. The double Golden Boot winner went into today’s derby against Villa without a goal this season.

But the 23-year-old looked sharp in the 1-1 draw at Everton last weekend as he made his first start since the opening game of the season. And he was determined to make up for lost time at his sixth time of asking today after a hamstring injury.

“Sylvan’s a goal threat and he’s getting closer,” said McCarthy. “He had two or three good attempts at Everton – not clear-cut chances – but good attempts he made himself. He’s had one real chance – against Portsmouth – but even then there were loads of bodies in his way and it came at him really quickly.”

“He’s not had a clear-cut opportunity when he was nailed on to score. He’s getting sharper and I thought he and Kevin Doyle were excellent at Everton.”

McCarthy believes £6.5m record signing Doyle has already proved value for money. “I knew what I was getting with Doyle and he’s been every bit as good as I thought he would be and more,” he said. “He’s a great lad around the place. I’d agree with Steve Bull – he could be our most value for money signing.”

“I can see why he’s developed a rapport with the crowd because he’s played well and he’s scoring goals.”

And with Doyle in hot form having hit three goals, McCarthy believes Wolves have an added goal threat with Michael Kightly and Chris Iwelumo also fit again.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: 5m, attempts, boss, chris iwelumo, crowd, everton, game, golden boot, kevin doyle, lad, Michael Kightly, mick mccarthy, money, Portsmouth, premier league, scoring goals, sixth time, star striker, Steve Bull, wolves

Megson: Cahill not for sale

September 29, 2009

Bolton manager Gary Megson is determined to hang on to highly-rated defender Gary Cahill, admitting it would be “suicide” to cash in on him.

The 23-year-old has forced his way onto the fringe of Fabio Capello’s England squad after numerous stand-out performances for Wanderers since his £5million move from Aston Villa in January 2008.

Capello was in the crowd to watch Bolton’s 2-1 victory at Birmingham on Saturday and Cahill has already been linked with Manchester United, Tottenham, AC Milan and Juventus.

The centre-back has twice been called into the national squad to cover for injuries but could earn a place on merit when the Italian coach makes his selection for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.

Megson moved quickly this summer in getting Cahill to sign a new three-year contract, removing a reported £8million release clause, and has no intention of letting his defensive lynchpin leave.

“This club got itself into a nightmare scenario over Gary,” said the Wanderers boss.

“There was a set fee that he could have gone for. We did brilliantly in the summer to get rid of that and we’re in a position now where we don’t have to sell him.

“Football-wise it would be suicide to sell him in January.”

Megson knows the damage losing key players in the winter transfer window can do after selling Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea for £15million – although he used some of that cash to buy Cahill three weeks later.

“Selling real assets in January is a nightmare,” Megson told the Bolton News.

“We’ve been there before with Nicolas Anelka, didn’t win in 10 games and escaped relegation only by the skin of our teeth in the last five games.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: ac milan, belarus, Birmingham, Bolton, CHELSEA, crowd, England, england squad, fabio capello, five games, forthcoming world, fringe, Gary, Gary Cahill, gary megson, intention, juventus, Manchester, manchester united, Milan, Nicolas Anelka, nightmare scenario, real assets, skin of our teeth, ukraine, Wanderers, world cup qualifiers

Storrie: I won’t quit

September 27, 2009

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie has confirmed he will stay with the club, and admitted it would be “daft and stupid” to sack manager Paul Hart.

Pompey missed a host of chances in a 1-0 home defeat against Everton yesterday – their seventh successive setback, and remain anchored to the foot of the table.

Today’s newspapers have suggested time is not on Paul Hart’s side, with former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan one of the names to be linked to the club.

However, Storrie believes Hart can turn things around.

He said: “It’s okay people saying ‘go and change things’ but look at the performance yesterday, and the support.

“It was a very strong performance we think we can build on for the future. You’d be daft and stupid to change it.”

Meanwhile, Storrie remains optimistic the spending power of new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim will soon make the squad stronger.

He continued on Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek: “He’s said there’s £50million coming, publicly at a meeting to supporters on Friday night.

“Sulaiman showed the board documentation to say the money’s there. We hope it all comes to fruition in the next few days.

“We can only go by what he’s told the fans and what we’ve seen.”

Storrie has ended speculation he will leave the club, adding: “Making sure the club is sound and the finances come in has always been the main issue for me,

so I’m very happy to stay and continue being at a club I’ve enjoy being at for the last seven years.”

He appreciated Pompey fans singing his name at yesterday’s game, adding: “It makes you feel quite humble, to be honest – they didn’t need to do it but I appreciate it very much.

“If they feel like that I want to be there to continue to help and wouldn’t walk out on the club.

“It’s been a hard eight or nine months but I thought we played extremely well yesterday and were unfortunate not to win.

“Then the crowd chant your name – it makes you think ‘this doesn’t happen to many chief executives’.”

Storrie admitted the Hampshire club’s financial problems prevented the club from being able to replace quality players such as Peter Crouch, Sylvain Distin and Nico Kranjcar during the transfer window.

He explained: “There’s been a massive change and we’ve had to bring players in at the last minute but the performance yesterday was the best for some while.

“We’re confident the players will turn it around – and they are too.”

Storrie refuted suggestions the new arrivals are not good enough for the Premier League.

He explained: “All the players we’ve brought have either played in the Premier League, come from the Premier League, or played in top leagues in Europe.

And he remains convinced the club will maintain their top flight status, despite making the worst start in Premier League history.

He added: “We’re still hanging in there and hopefully this finance will mean the hard work over the last six or seven months will come to fruition and we’ll be strong.

“We’re confident – if you see players’ heads down you’d be worried or not creating chances, but we should have had something in five out of the seven games.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: al fahim, boss, chief executive, chief executives, crowd, Europe, friday night, fruition, gordon strachan, Nico Kranjcar, nine months, paul hart, Peter Storrie, pompey fans, Portsmouth, premier league, prob, radio five live, setback, seven years, speculation, spending power, sulaiman

Kiwis itching to spoil South Africa´s party

June 16, 2009

RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AFP) – Nobody likes being a party pooper – unless you happen to be a New Zealander and tackling Confederations Cup hosts South Africa in a make-or-break Group A tie here on Wednesday.

A win for Ricki Herbert’s All Whites would leave South Africa with the unenviable task of having to beat Spain – something surely not even their most ardent supporter President Jacob Zuma would suggest was remotely possible.

The history books tell you the Oceania champions are unlikely to spring an upset – ranked a modest 79th in the world they have failed to pick up a point in six matches from two previous Confed Cup appearances.

They were like rabbits caught in the spotlight in the 5-0 rout by Spain, but even so captain Tim Brown refused to discount a shock.

“Hopefully we can turn around after the Spanish game and create history by causing an upset,” he told an eve-of-match press conference Tuesday.

“We’re not under any pressure, we can play with freedom, perhaps unlike South Africa.”

Herbert, who played for New Zealand at the 1982 World Cup finals, described the game in Rustenburg as “huge” for South Africa, who were left stunned after being held to a goalless draw by Iraq on Sunday.

“They’ll be looking to win after Iraq and will be under a lot of pressure.

“We are still looking for our first point, maybe we have a chance to get it tomorrow.”

He said New Zealand would play to their strengths.

“One of those is set pieces. Most people saw in the friendly against Italy that set pieces were successful for us. We’ll continue to look to dominate areas like that if we can.”

He said the side had reviewed the Spanish rout but despite leaking five goals he insisted there would be no drastic changes to his back line.

“I’ll be interested to see how other teams do against Spain,” he smiled.

“No one will be prouder than me if we can get something from tomorrow’s game. There’s a good atmosphere in the group. There will be lots of noise and a big crowd and that’s what we like.”

Forward Shane Smeltz believes the fact that South Africa must go for broke could play to their advantage.

“The South Africans will try to get at us, perhaps that will give us the opportunity to get at them.”

Tags: ardent supporter, captain tim, Captain Tim Brown, confed cup, confederations cup, crowd, drastic changes, Eve, history books, Iraq, Italy, jacob zuma, New Zealand, new zealander, Oceania, party pooper, President Jacob Zuma, rabbits, Ricki Herbert, rout, rustenburg south africa, shane smeltz, South Africa, south africans, Spain, spanish game, tim brown, World Cup, world cup finals, zuma

Booing France “a form of racism” – Domenech

June 4, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – France coach Raymond Domenech on Thursday said the jeering of his players during their 1-0 friendly defeat to Nigeria on Tuesday was “a form of racism”.

The 1998 World Cup winners were whistled at throughout by a less than appreciative St Etienne crowd, who reserved most of their ire for players from local rivals Lyon.

“It’s a form of racism, whistling at players because they don’t belong to your club,” said Domenech, himself a former Lyon player, whose side take on Euro 2008 semi-finalists Turkey in another friendly in Lyon on Friday.

“I’ll never stomach it, like I’ll never stomach the other forms of racism.

“The other (whistles) are understandable (due to the defeat), but the whistles when (Lyon players) Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou came on I will never accept. It’s absurd and it always will be.”

Benzema, 21, has endured a disappointing season, having seen his club side fail to win the French title for the first time since 2001 and struggling to nail down a starting place in the French first XI.

Domenech revealed that, although Benzema had shrugged off the incident, he had clearly been unsettled by it.

“Karim was affected,” the French coach said. “At 20 or 21 it’s not always obvious. He pretended not to be, he said the opposite, but it’s clear to see, he reacted in a different way.

“I felt that he was really affected. You can be prepared for anything, but when it happens it’s never as you expect.”

France’s unconvincing start to their World Cup qualifying campaign means they are currently two points behind leaders Serbia in European group seven with five games remaining, and Domenech believes the only way to get the fans back onside is to produce some better performances on the pitch.

“It’s up to us to have the attitude and the performances to make sure people don’t have to react,” he said.

“The players always want to react, to play well, to perform.

“They were a bit shocked (against Nigeria) and we cannot play in the same way again. I hope they have learned their lesson. If we make the same mistakes twice, it’s a concern.”

France’s World Cup qualifying campaign resumes on August 12 with a trip to perennial whipping boys the Faroe Islands, followed by a home encounter with second-bottom Romania on September 5.

Tags: crowd, european group, faroe islands, five games, forms of racism, France, france coach, french coach, french title, Karim, Karim Benzema, Ligue 1, Lyon, nigeria, PARIS, pitch, raymond domenech, rivals, Romania, semi finalists, sidney govou, st etienne, Turkey, whistles, World Cup, world cup winners

National associations handed fines by FIFA

May 16, 2009

Four national associations were handed considerable fines by world governing body FIFA. Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece and Poland will have to dig into their wallets.

The Bosnian federation will have to pay 32.800 Euro for fireworks and crowd disturbances during their World Cup qualifier in and against Belgium. The hosts in turn, were handed a 8.330 Euro fine for allowing the troubles to happen in the first place.

Bosnia-Herzegovina even risk point deductions or even elimination from the tournament if their fans misbehave again.

Fireworks were also the reason for FIFA to hand Poland a 16.600 Euro fine. Polish fans threw fireworks during the World Cup qualifier against Northern-Ireland on March 28th.

Greek fans that entertained themselves by aiming laser pens at opposing players in the match with Israel, earned their national association a 16.600 Euro fine as well.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda