Spurs visit underlines Birmingham progress

January 30, 2010

Harry Redknapp underlined the remarkable job carried out by Alex McLeish this season when he observed recently that Birmingham could not be discounted in the race for a top four finish in the Premier League.

It was not something the Tottenham boss would have said when the two clubs met at White Hart Lane back in August, at which point McLeish’s squad were still seen as more likely candidates for relegation than European football.

McLeish would surely walk the manager of the year award if the season were to finish now and, although Chelsea ended Birmingham’s 15-match unbeaten run in midweek, Tottenham know they face a serious test when the two clubs resume hostilities at St Andrews on Saturday.

An added time winner from England winger Aaron Lennon secured the points for Spurs in the first meeting and their defender Sebastien Bassong admitted he had been surprised how well Birmingham have done since.

“I think a lot of people are very surprised about what they’ve done, but if they’re in this position after more than 20 games then maybe they deserve this position,” Bassong said. “They’re playing well and they’ve got no pressure, so it’s a good time for them.”

The defender added: “We saw how difficult they are to beat earlier in the season at White Hart Lane. Aaron scored the winning goal in the 95th minute or something, and I think it’s going to be the same type of game again. But we played well on Tuesday (in a 2-0 win over Fulham) and we will try to do the same on Saturday.”

Tottenham, who go into the match sitting in fourth place in the table, are hoping to have completed the loan signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen from Monaco by Saturday although it appeared unlikely the Icelandic forward would be involved at St Andrews.

McLeish is also battling to add a high-profile signing to his ranks before the transfer window slams shut, with Spurs misfit Roman Pavyluchenko and Lens striker Aruna Dindane among his potential targets.

He was promised up to 40 million pounds by Hong Kong tycoon Carson Yeung but has only recruited two midfielders – Craig Gardner and Miguel Marcos Michel – so far, to the tune of around five million.

It promises to be a interesting few days for the former Scotland coach, who has made no secret of his desire to bring in at least one forward.

“I’ve given the board a couple of names, and I’m hoping they will get something done for us,” he said. “The strikers need help. Kevin Phillips has a small injury and we need to add something to help the others because we’ll burn them out playing these guys every week of the season.

“I’m fearful they will lose a little edge if we do, so an extra striker would spice things up a wee bit.”

McLeish admitted that his side faces a test of character after the end of their unbeaten run. “It’s a new challenge for them because they have not been in this position for a long time,” he said.

“It’s now how they react.

“We knew that someday we would drop points and we have gone over old experiences.

“Manchester United have gone on unbeaten runs knowing that one day they would lose. It’s coping with that and not beating up ourselves over the Chelsea defeat.

“The good thing about the Chelsea game was that afterwards I could see in the dressing room that the players were really upset and cared. You can tell a player’s character when you get that sort of reaction.

“We haven’t achieved anything. They say pride comes before a fall so we do not want to be thumping the drums until we have done something.

“The Chelsea game was a little reminder that we still have some hard work ahead of us. I do not judge my team over a season on what happened at Stamford Bridge.”

BIRMINGHAM (AFP)

Tags: added time, alex mcleish, dindane, first meeting, good time, gudjohnsen, Harry Redknapp, high profile, hostilities, Monaco, premier league, relegation, remarkable job, spurs, st andrews, time winner, tycoon, white hart lane, winger

Laporta: Inter wanted Messi

November 14, 2009

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that he turned down a bid in the summer from FC Internazionale Milano for Lionel Messi.

Messi has recently extended his Barca contract to 2016, which has a buy-out clause of more than £200million.

But Laporta confirms that Inter chief Massimo Moratti did indeed try to sign Messi, a favourite to win the Ballon d’Or later this year.

When asked in Corriere dello Sport if Moratti had expressed an interest in buying Messi, Laporta said: “Yes he did.

“But there is nothing to talk about. Messi is not for sale, he (Moratti) must forget about it.

“Massimo is a very successful businessman, but for how he behaves, especially a gentleman.

“Between us is born a beautiful friendship from the first meeting because he speaks to me as a brother.

“He has great human values, listens to others, but is also appealing and full of humour. This have made easier the exchange between Ibrahimovic and Eto’o.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abhimanyu, ballon, Barcelona, beautiful friendship, brother, Eto, fc barcelona, fc internazionale milano, first meeting, gentleman, human values, humour, Ibrahimovic, joan laporta, lionel messi, massimo, massimo moratti, messi messi, sale, Sport

Maradona issues rallying cry ahead of Brazil

August 20, 2009

Diego Maradona is only considering victory for his Argentina side in next month’s pivotal World Cup qualifier against continental arch rivals Brazil.

With four games to go in South American zonal qualifying, Argentina are lying fourth in the last automatic qualifying spot for South Africa, with 22 points, five behind leaders Brazil.

Chile and Paraguay are in second and third.

Despite that precarious position, Maradona was in positive mood Wednesday, telling a press conference in Rosario where the September 5 tie is being held: “I’m only thinking of victory, I’m not considering defeat.”

Honours were shared with a goalless draw in the two countries’ first meeting on the road to South Africa in Belo Horizonte in June last year.

But this time Maradona believes the outcome will be different.

“We’re hungrier than Brazil,” insisted the Argentine football legend who this month was forced to dismiss reports linking him to the manager’s job at English Premier League side Portsmouth.

Maradona, who took over as Argentina boss in November 2008, spoke in reverential terms of Dunga’s Brazilian side which in June successfully defended their Confederations Cup title.

“The entire Brazil team makes me scared,” he admitted.

“They have a fantastic side but the best players must be Kaka and Robinho.

“I have the utmost respect for Carlos Dunga, he organises things very well.”

He concluded by issuing a rallying cry to his team who had to come from behind to edge Russia 3-2 in a warm-up to the Brazil clash last week in Moscow.

“We are all Argentinians and we’re going to be coming up against our biggest rivals.

“We have to remain united, otherwise Brazil can do us great harm.”

After Brazil, Argentina face another awkward assignment against the Paraguayans on September 9, with the two-time world champions’ remaining two qualifiers against bottom-of-the-table Peru and sixth-placed Uruguay in October.

BUENOS AIRES (AFP)

Tags: arch rivals, Argentina, Argentine, argentine football, argentinians, brazil, brazil team, brazilian side, BUENOS AIRES, carlos dunga, Chile, confederations cup, diego maradona, English Premier League, first meeting, four games, meeting on the road, Moscow, paraguay, peru, Portsmouth, precarious position, rallying cry, Rosario, russia, South Africa, South American, time world champions, uruguay, utmost respect, world cup qualifier

Dalglish back at Liverpool

July 4, 2009

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) – Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish is returning to Anfield to take up a role in their academy and become a global ambassador for the club, the Premier League side announced Friday.

Kenny Dalglish is returning to Liverpool to take up a senior role in their academy and as a global ambassador for the club.

Dalglish became a revered figure at Anfield after joining from Celtic in 1977 and he is often cited as Liverpool’s greatest player.

The Scot subsequently became the Merseyside club’s manager.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wanted to get Dalglish back at the club, as new managing director Christian Purslow explained.

“In our very first meeting Rafa and I agreed that we wanted to try and bring Kenny back to the club.

“That would help Rafa really drive forward our academy, which is at the heart of our plans for the future.

“We are delighted he has agreed to join us and I am sure he will be very successful in his new role back at the club.”

Dalglish 54, was Liverpool’s manager the last time they won the English title in 1990.

He also achieved that feat in 1986 – when the club won the double – and 1988, all three triumphs coming when he was still registered as a player.

The FA Cup was secured in 1989 but he stunned Liverpool by resigning in February 1991.

Dalglish then went on to manage Blackburn, where he also won the title, Newcastle and Celtic.

He arrived from Parkhead in 1977 as a replacement for Kevin Keegan and went on to score 172 goals in 515 games for Liverpool during a golden era for the club when they won the European Cup in 1978, 1981 and 1984 after lifting the trophy for the first time shortly before Dalglish arrived at Anfield.

Tags: ambassador, celtic, Christian Purslow, England, English Premier League, FA Cup, first meeting, Kenny, kenny dalglish, kevin keegan, last time, Liverpool, liverpool england, liverpool manager rafael benitez, managing director, Merseyside, NEWCASTLE, parkhead, premier league, rafa, rafael benitez, revered figure, Scot, triumphs, trophy

Inter suffer Italian Cup KO

April 24, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Serie A leaders Inter Milan were knocked out of the Italian Cup on Thursday when a 1-0 semi-final second leg win over Sampdoria fell short of overturning a 3-0 deficit from the teams’ first meeting.

In the May 13 final in Rome, Sampdoria will face Lazio who completed a 4-2 aggregate win over Juventus on Wednesday.

It will be Sampdoria’s first cup final appearance since 1994 where they defeated Ancona while, for Inter, defeat meant their run of four successive final spots came to an end.

Inter were champions in 2005 and 2006 and runners-up in 2007 and 2008.

With three goals to make up, Inter coach Jose Mourinho played three strikers with Mario Balotelli, Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all starting.

It was Ibrahimovic who was to score the only goal of the second leg with a superb 27th-minute volley although the Swedish international was unfortunate not have celebrated a second when he saw a 37th-minute lob come back off the post.

Sampdoria had their chances with Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini both denied by good saves from Julio Cesar.

Inter can now turn their attentions to clinching the league title.

They have a 10-point lead with just six games left to play.