Bordeaux´s vintage Blanc whets French palates
February 6, 2010
Six points clear and hurtling towards a second straight league title, life is rosy for fans of Bordeaux – but a bitter twist may be on the menu if coach Laurent Blanc proves irresistible to the palates of those who pick the national coach.
Saturday’s trip to Rennes, who are chasing a top six finish, may prove to be less of a challenge in the overall scheme of things than fending off the high regard in which Blanc is clearly held by the French Football Federation.
The FFF, having last month confirmed they want a new man at the helm of the national squad after the World Cup in place of Raymond Domenech, are keen admirers and Le Parisien daily on Thursday was trumpeting that a deal was in the offing.
A spokesman immediately denied the story after the paper reported that an agreement was “more than probable.”
Le Parisien indicated that 44-year-old Blanc, who won 97 caps and who was a star of the French 1998 World Cup-winning and Euro 2000 winning side (though he missed the final of the former through suspension), had met a “very high-ranking federation member during January.”
Despite their swift move to rebut the story the FFF have made it clear that they expect to name their man by May 20.
“Out of respect, this should be done before the World Cup,” FFF head Jean-Pierre Escalettes said after a meeting of the FFF federal council last week.
Marseille’s Didier Deschamps, skipper of the 1998 and 2000 sides, is another name in the frame.
A decision on May 20 would at least allow Bordeaux to seal their title dreams.
For the meeting with Rennes Blanc will send in the heavyweights after resting several key men in the midweek league cup success over second division Sedan.
That was as much as a punishment as anything given last weekend’s disappointing goalless draw with struggling Boulogne.
Argentine defender Diego Placente will miss the Rennes game after being allowed to visit his homeland for the birth of his second child.
Trying to keep pace with Bordeaux are surprise package Montpellier, one of Blanc’s former clubs and who last week showed their form was no flash in the pan by beating Marseille.
Now the southerners travel to Boulogne, four points from safety but who can take heart from their draw with Bordeaux.
Third-placed Lille, a solitary point clear of Champions League survivors Lyon, have a trip to Nice, mired in the bottom five.
Lyon must for now put aside thoughts of their impending tussle with Real Madrid to ensure they stay just about in touch with Bordeaux with a win on Sunday at Toulouse.
Nine points off the pace in the title race, Lyon go up against a Toulouse side beaten right at the wire in midweek by Marseille in the league cup semi and who are doubly keen to bounce back from that disappointment as last year they lost in the semis of the French Cup.
“It’s cruel to go through that two years in a row,” said coach Alain Casanova, who nonetheless knows that victory over Lyon would mean six league wins and a draw since the turn of the year.
Three points would also move the southerners from “la ville rose” to within four points of Lyon.
“We’ll be out to overcome our (Cup) frustration and use our anger to propel us to three points,” warned Casanova.
Monaco and Auxerre are level on points with Lyon and away wins at strugglers St. Etienne and Grenoble respectively would see them go joint second with Montpellier if the latter came a cropper at Boulogne.
Paris St Germain, once again nearer the drop zone than the Champions League placings, badly need a win at home to Lorient – three points better off – while Marseille host Valenciennes on Sunday aiming to close a four-point gap on the top three.
Fixtures (1800 GMT unless stated):
Boulogne v Montpellier, Grenoble v Auxerre, Lens v Le Mans, Nice v Lille, Paris SG v Lorient, Sochaux v Nancy, Rennes v Bordeaux (2000)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Monaco (1600), Toulouse v Lyon (1600), Marseille v Valenciennes (2000)
PARIS (AFP)
Tags: cup success, didier deschamps, diego placente, euro 2000, federation member, fff, french football federation, heavyweights, laurent blanc, le parisien daily, national coach, palates, raymond domenech, scheme of things, six points, straight league, swift move, winning sideRelated posts
Zidane: I dream of managing Real Madrid
January 14, 2010
France legend Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he would one day like to manage Real Madrid, and has also praised the impact of the club’s current star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Zidane, now working as an advisor to Real president Florentino Perez, admitted in an interview with Iznews in China that he has enjoyed life back at the Bernabeu since re-joining the club seven months ago.
“It is a great pleasure to work alongside Florentino Perez, who wants to make another team make history,” Zidane said. “Right now, I am learning and Florentino has given me great freedom to learn all the aspects of Madrid. My dream, some day, is to be manager of the club.”
The 1998 World Cup winner hailed the impact of world record signing, a tag the Frenchman garnered himself after moving from Juventus to Real for €78 million in 2001, Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He fascinates me as a player and it surprises me that he adapted to the Spanish League so quickly,” Zidane said.
“I feel that is a special player, because with his belief, he has infected the rest of the team. It is almost inconceivable all that Cristiano has achieved already, at his age.”
Zidane, widely considered the best player of his generation, was also happy to heap praise on Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona, and the current FIFA World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi.
“I really like Iniesta, for his collective sense of play,” the Frenchman added. “But Messi is special, there is only one. When he gets the ball, everyone knows what is sure to happen: that the ball will finish in the opponent’s goal.”
Former playmaker Zidane played a pivotal role in France’s World Cup victory in 1998, scoring two goals as Les Bleus beat Brazil 3-0 in the final.
But ‘Zizou’ believes that 2008 European Championship winners Spain will be the team to beat at this year’s finals in South Africa.
“I have always thought that they will be the champions” Zidane added.
“I love how they play. It reminds me of France in Euro 2000, who came out champions. It will be difficult to stop them and it will be great if they come up against Portugal or Brazil in the second round.
Tags: Barcelona, bernabeu, best player, bitter rivals, brazil, championship winners, China, cristiano ronaldo, euro 2000, fifa world player, fifa world player of the year, France, heap praise, iniesta, les bleus, lionel messi, MADRID, pivotal role, portugal, real madrid, ronaldo, seven months, South Africa, Spain, spanish league, world cup victory, world cup winner, zinedine zidaneRelated posts
Blanc calls for new stadium for Bordeaux
December 21, 2009
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc on Monday called for a new stadium to be built for the French champions with a view to France hosting the 2016 European football championships.
“If we don’t take advantage of Bordeaux’s results over the past two and a half years by building a new stadium, new grounds, a new structure which will allow us to have new financial resources, it’s absurd,” said Blanc, a 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner.
Bordeaux will be one of 12 cities to feature in France’s bid to host Euro 2016, and have presented a project which would cost between 180 and 200 million euros.
Bordeaux football club whould finance half of the project, which their coach finds unreasonable.
“Do you know many clubs who invest this much in French projects?” said Blanc. “If it doesn’t happen I think personally we’ll have missed a phenomenal opportunity.
“When you don’t go forward in life and football you regress.
“I know that this won’t please many in this gloomy period when there are other priorities. I say that in my area, my sport, football, there are opportunities not to be missed.”
The new stadium would be financed up to the tune of 20 million euros by the state with the city of Bordeaux and the Bordeaux Urban Community (CUB) giving 15 million euros each.
Bordeaux major Alain Juppe has also suggested the possibility of the stadium being named after a sponsor who would pay up to 10 million euros.
The club currently play in the 34,694-seater Jacques-Chaban-Delmas stadium which was overhauled for the 1998 World Cup.
BORDEAUX, France (AFP)
Tags: 10 million, AFP, alain juppe, bordeaux football, bordeaux france, city of bordeaux, euro 2000, euro 2016, european football championships, financial resources, football club, jacques chaban delmas, laurent blanc, new grounds, phenomenal opportunity, two and a half years, urban community, whould, World CupRelated posts
Portugal´s Conceicao hangs up his boots
November 14, 2009
Former Portuguese international Sergio Conceicao announced Saturday that he is retiring as a player.
“I want to announce today the end of my footballing career. When I look back I’m proud of what I achieved,” Conceicao told the Portuguese press.
The midfielder, who turns 35 on Sunday, will becoming sporting director of Greek club PAOK Salonica where he has played for the past two seasons.
During his career he played for major European clubs including FC Porto, Lazio, Parma, Inter Milan and Standard Liege.
He also notched up 56 caps and scored 13 goals for Portugal between 1996 and 2004. The highlight of his career was the clash against Germany in Euro 2000 when he scored a hattrick during their 3-0 victory.
LISBON (AFP)
Tags: boots, caps, clash, euro 2000, fc porto, Germany, greek club, hattrick, highlight, inter milan, lazio, Liege, Lisbon, midfielder, Milan, paok salonica, parma, PORTO, portugal, portuguese press, sergio conceicao, Standard, two seasons, victoryRelated posts
´Let me get on with job,´ says Deschamps
June 24, 2009
MARSEILLE, France (AFP) – Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said on Tuesday he would stay at the French first division club which has been rocked by a management upheaval.
The 41-year-old former France captain – who guided France to both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 trophies – insisted he had confidence in the new management.
“I signed here as a coach, and at no time did I ever ask for more from anybody. Now all I want to do is get on with the job and get the most out of the squad,” said Deschamps, who was the captain when Marseille won the 1993 European Cup beating AC Milan 1-0.
Deschamps was hired at the end of last season by then club president Pape Diouf to replace outspoken Belgian handler Eric Gerets, who is now in charge of Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
But when Diouf suddenly quit the club last week following a row with billionaire owner Pierre Henri-Dreyfus, the ex-Juventus coach voiced doubts about his future at the Stade Velodrome.
Diouf’s departure caused waves at Marseille, where the former journalist and players’ agent had a lot of support among coaches and fans.
On Monday, Jean-Claude Dassier, until recently the head of information at France’s most popular television station TF1, replaced Diouf as club president.
Tags: ac milan, Al Hilal, billionaire owner, club president, didier deschamps, doubts, dreyfus, eric gerets, euro 2000, France, jean claude dassier, juventus, Ligue 1, Marseille, marseille france, new management, pape, pierre henri, Pierre Henri-Dreyfus, saudi arabian, stade velodrome, television station, trophies, upheavalRelated posts
Del Piero to wrack up 600 games for Juve
May 8, 2009
ROME (AFP) – Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero will make his 600th appearance for the club if he takes to the field at the San Siro against AC Milan on Sunday.
Of the currently active players in Italy, the 34-year-old is third on the list of appearances for a single club behind Milan’s Paolo Maldini and Javier Zanetti of Inter Milan.
Zanetti has played 641 matches for Inter while Maldini has wracked up an incredible 895 appearances for Milan.
It has been a record-breaking season for Del Piero who also struck his 250th goal for the club back in December, putting him third on the all-time list of goalscorers for a single club.
This landmark would be the latest in a glittering career that began back in 1993 after Del Piero signed for the Old Lady of Turin from Padova.
He made his debut as a substitute for Fabrizio Ravanelli on September 19 of that year against Reggina.
His arrival at the club also saw Juve embark on a period of domination in Italy as they won their first Serie A title for eight years in his first season at the club.
Since then he has gone on to win five Serie A titles, although that would have been seven had Juve not been stripped of their 2005 and 2006 crowns for match-fixing.
He also won the Champions League in 1996 and the Italian Cup the year before that while with Italy he was part of the World Cup winning squad in Germany in 2006 and the team that lost to France in the Euro 2000 final.
Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Del Piero, captain Alessandro del Piero, champions league, Del Piero, domination, euro 2000, France, Germany, inter milan, italian cup, Italy, Javier Zanetti, juventus, Milan, old lady, padova, paolo maldini, ravanelli, San, san siro, Serie A, single club, turin, World Cup, wrackRelated posts
Ex-Gunner Pires mulls unfinished business
April 6, 2009
MADRID (AFP) – Villarreal playmaker Robert Pires insists he will harbour neither pity nor nostalgia when he seeks to sink former club Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg on Tuesday.
“I didn’t come here (to Spain) on holidays, I came here to win a title,” said the 35-year-old Frenchman, who spent six seasons at Arsenal before joining Villarreal in June 2006.
Pires has something of an axe to grind as during the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger substituted him after ‘keeper Jens Lehman was sent off before the Catalans came from behind to win 2-1.
“It killed me,” remembers Pires, who won two Premiership titles and two FA Cups during his time in North London.
Worse still Wenger then off-loaded Pires to Villarreal, saying he could no longer guarantee the delicate right-sided midfielder a place in his side.
The two factors make for painful memories as Pires eyes revenge in the home-leg at Villarreal’s El Madrigal stadium on Tuesday, his first game against Arsenal since being ditched.
“He (Wenger) called me and asked me how I was and I told him not to worry, that this was one game for which I’d be really ready for, physicaly fit for,” said Pires, who said he still has a few friends in the Arsenal dressing room.
The plot for the last-eight clash is further thickened by the fact Arsenal beat Villarreal in the 2006 semi-final, a clash Pires remembers as a lucky win for the Gunners.
A defeat which also remains an open wound at Villarreal, according to the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Pires.
Known as the ‘Yellow Submarine’ due to their yellow strip Pires feels Villarreal, currently fourth in the Spanish championship, have the necessary artillery to take the Gunners down this time.
“We’ve got one of the best squads in Spain,” he explained.
Back in 2006 Arsenal won the home leg 1-0 before surviving a missed penalty to draw 0-0 in Spain and set up the final against Barcelona in Paris, where however the Gunners ran out of luck.
Written by: AFP
Tags: arsenal, Barcelona, catalans, champions league final, dressing room, el madrigal, euro 2000, fa cups, first game, Gunner Pires, gunners, home leg, jens lehman, LA Liga, MADRID, midfielder, north London, open wound, painful memories, playmaker, robert pires, Spain, spanish championship, Villarreal, yellow strip, yellow submarineRelated posts
Wiltord and Mandanda in Marseille focus
February 14, 2009
PARIS (AFP) – Striker Sylvain Wiltord’s rebirth and Steve Mandanda’s midweek disappointment for France may be on coach Eric Gerets’ mind as Marseille focus on Sunday’s south coast derby at Monaco.
Goalkeeper Mandanda showed poor positioning when Argentina’s Jonas Gutierrez opened the scoring in the 2-0 friendly victory over France at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome on Wednesday, and he was less than imperious for Lionel Messi’s second.
French league leaders Lyon host Le Havre on Sunday, as they continue their quest to stave off second-placed Bordeaux, who entertain midtable Grenoble on Saturday.
Lyon have 46 points, with Bordeaux and third-placed Paris Saint Germain, who welcome St Etienne to the Parc des Princes in Saturday’s late match, on 42. Marseille, in the UEFA Cup spot of fourth, are a point further back on 41.
Marseille will no doubt be looking over their shoulder in their attempt to qualify for Europe with Toulouse, Lille and Rennes closely challenging within three points of them.
Mandanda’s shot-blocking abilities and athleticism however are not always matched by good allround positioning and reliability with Thursday’s French sporting press claiming he has still some way to go before he is his country’s clear, first-choice keeper.
Meanwhile, Marseille’s former Arsenal and France international striker Sylvain Wiltord is, at 34, having a new lease of life at Marseille.
Having signed a new contract in the middle of last month till the end of the season, Gerets has shown faith in the veteran.
Wiltord, once Arsenal’s record signing of 13 million pounds in 2001/02, has had success at the highest levels for both club and country.
English Premiership winners medals in 2002 and 2004 with Arsenal followed his Euro 2000 victory with France though the tail end of his career with Arsenal was less than heroic.
Hailed by the north stand at the Stade Velodrome after Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Bordeaux on Sunday, when Sylvain had a solid game and even a goal disallowed, Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo said he had a chance to make his mark.
Anigo told l’Equipe: "We have confidence in him (Wiltord) on a daily basis. Though Eric Gerets has not promised him anything, he has also made it very clear to him he has as good a chance as anyone else of playing."
Meanwhile, Monaco midfielder Jerko Leko is hoping of making his injury return this weekend against Marseille, though he is already looking further ahead in time.
The Croatian international broke his cheekbone at the start of the year in a friendly against Juventus but is hopeful of making the starting 11 for the clash against Marseille.
"It’s true that January didn’t start well for me with the facial fracture, but I’ve worked very hard and now I feel like I’m back to my best," said the former Dynamo Zagreb midfielder.
"I hope I get the chance to play against Marseille this weekend."
French league fixtures
Saturday
Auxerre v Lille, Bordeaux v Grenoble, Caen v Lorient, Le Mans v Nice, Rennes v Nancy, Valenciennes v Nantes, Paris Saint Germain v St Etienne
Sunday
Lyon v Le Havre, Sochaux v Toulouse, Monaco v Marseille
Written by: AFP
Tags: AFP, Argentina, arsenal, athleticism, Bordeaux, coach eric, Cup, disappointment, english premiership, eric gerets, euro 2000, Europe, France, france international, french league, Germain, Grenoble, Jonas Gutierrez, Jose Anigo, keeper, Le Havre, league leaders, Ligue 1, Lille, lionel messi, Lorient, Lyon, Mans, Marseille, match, Monaco, Nancy, Nantes, new lease, Nice, parc des princes, PARIS, paris saint germain, premiership winners, quot, Rennes, s south, shoulder, st etienne, stade velodrome, Steve Mandanda, sylvain wiltord, Toulouse, uefa, UEFA Cup, ZagrebRelated posts
Thirteen nations, 11 bids for World Cups: FIFA
February 4, 2009
GENEVA (AFP) – England, Australia, the United States and South Korea were among the 13 countries to have formally expressed their interest in hosting the 2018 or 2022 World Cups, FIFA said Tuesday.
The 11 potential bids include joint efforts by Belgium and the Netherlands, who have already linked up to stage Euro 2000, and from 1982 World Cup hosts Spain and Euro 2004 hosts Portugal.
Indonesia, Japan (2002 co-hosts with South Korea), Russia, Mexico, the venue for the 1970 World Cup, and Qatar were the other countries that came forward by Monday’s preliminary deadline, world football’s governing body said in a statement.
One nation noticeable by its absence from this list is China, who decided to pull out of the race due to the serious problems and low standards of the game in the country, state media reported.
The 13 potential hosts now have to firm up their interest and register their bids by March 16.
The host nations are due to be appointed by FIFA’s executive committee in December 2010, about six months after they are meant to have submitted detailed bids.
The situation over joint bidders is uncertain with FIFA’s executive committee set to decide by the March deadline whether to change their rules to permit joint bids.
"It is remarkable that so many high-quality contenders have expressed an initial interest in hosting our flagship competition," said FIFA president Sepp Blatter, calling football a "symbol of hope and integration."
"The current worldwide economic crisis has brought another dimension of uncertainty into the lives of many people around the world.
"Football has an extraordinary power to unite people, as well as an ability to inspire emotions of hope, passion and joy," Blatter added.
No African countries have come forward to succeed South Africa, which will become the first African country to host football’s World Cup next year.
Latin American countries were out of the running since Brazil is due to host the event in 2014.
England, the 1966 hosts and champions, are perceived as being among the favourites although one bid board member, Sir Keith Mills, was last week keen to play down that role.
"I don’t think we are the favourites at all now," he claimed.
"There’s going to be strong competition from Spain and Portugal and Russia, and we shouldn’t underestimate that.
"Australia will be getting the backing of Asia so it is not a foregone conclusion at all.
"But we are in a good starting position and providing we put a good bid together I believe we have a better than evens chance of succeeding."
Written by: AFP
Tags: AFP, african countries, bidders, contenders, euro 2000, euro 2004, executive committee, FIFA, flagship, geneva, governing body, host nations, initial interest, japan 2002, latin american countries, quot quot, south korea, World Cup, world cups, world football, worldwide economic crisisRelated posts
Villa´s Laursen announces international retirement
January 30, 2009
COPENHAGEN (AFP) – Aston Villa’s Danish captain Martin Laursen announced Thursday he was retiring from international football due to his injured knee.
The 31-year-old Denmark defender has recently undergone surgery on the problem knee and will not be back in action at least until the end of March.
"It’s my decision, and it’s the hardest I’ve ever had to take in my career," he said in comments carried on the Danish Football Federation’s website.
"I’ve done everything to avoid taking this decision because I love playing for the national team and there’s nothing I want more than for the side to qualify for the World Cup."
Laursen takes his leave with 51 caps having taken part in Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.
Before joining Villa in 2004 he spent five seasons in Serie A with Verona, Parma and AC Milan.
Written by: AFP
Tags: ac milan, AFP, aston villa, caps, copenhagen, danish football federation, denmark, English Premier League, euro 2000, euro 2004, five seasons, international football, international retirement, Martin Laursen, parma, World CupRelated posts
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