Under-pressure Ferrara vows to fight on at Juventus
December 21, 2009
Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara has vowed to fight on despite his team’s fifth defeat in six matches leaving their season in tatters.
Juve and near-novice coach Ferrara came into this campaign with lofty expectations in both Serie A and the Champions League but these last six matches have changed all that.
The Italian giants lost their last two European games against Bordeaux and Bayern Munich to leave them with Europa League football to looked forward to next year.
And three defeats in their last four league matches against minnows Cagliari, Bari and Catania has left them nine points behind champions Inter Milan and with little hope of landing a first league title since 2003.
But despite his team’s dire results, Ferrara insists he will stick things out.
“Ours is a boat in a storm and to get through this we have to stick together, not for one moment have I thought about abandoning ship,” he said.
In his first senior coaching job, Ferrara took over the Juve reins two matches before the end of last season after Claudio Ranieri was sacked but since winning his first six league matches he has won only seven of the last 18 in all competitions.
Juve have picked up just 18 points from their last 13 league games, a points to games ratio that would see them below 13th placed Cagliari if they’d done that since the start of the season.
But for their four straight wins at the beginning they would be in crisis.
“It’s a difficult time for everyone, we’re desperately disappointed, we’re struggling and our opponents are making the most of it,” added Ferrara.
“Strong men and strong teams need to react but it’s not easy because morale is low. However, those who are used to and work in sport know that there are difficult times that need to be overcome.”
The problem is that the fans are increasingly turning against both Ferrara and the team.
They were jeered throughout Sunday’s shocking 2-1 home defeat to rock-bottom Catania and several hundred fans staged an angry protest outside the ground after the final whistle.
“The dressing room shares their disappointment as does everyone going through this difficult time in which we are not achieving results worthy of this club,” said Ferrara.
“We can’t be happy. If there was just one problem we would already have resolved it. There are many things that aren’t working … but the answer lies not in the transfer market.”
Ferrara is under pressure with rumours abound that he may soon be given the boot, with Guus Hiddink allegedly on the Old Lady of Turin’s wanted list, although the Dutchman’s agent poured cold water over that speculation.
“It’s not true, no-one from Juve has contacted me,” said Cees Van Niewenhuizen.
“I’ve also read that we were seen at (Milan’s) Malpensa airport but that’s not true either, it’s ridiculous.”
Ferrara has found an unlikely ally, though, in predecessor Ranieri who explained how tough the Juve job can be.
“There you have to win so it’s normal that fans protest. I did what was asked of me and I was still sent packing,” he said.
For now, though, Juventus are publically backing their coach.
“We believe in him and his staff. We all need to work harder and look at ourselves,” said president Jean-Claude Blanc.
“The winter break has come at just the right time to reflect so that we can come back afterwards with better morale so that we can improve our results.”
ROME (AFP)
Tags: Bari, Bayern, bayern munich, Bordeaux, cagliari, catania, champions league, ciro ferrara, Claudio Ranieri, coaching job, difficult times, inter milan, Jean-Claude, juventus, league football, league games, little hope, lofty expectations, Malpensa, Milan, reins, rock bottom, ROME, strong men, turin, Van NiewenhuizenRelated posts
Time out for Nigerian league football
October 24, 2009
The Nigerian Premier League (NPL) has been put on hold after five weeks of action as a result of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which the country will host beginning Saturday.
The NPL’s head of competitions, Tunji Babalola, announced that the league will resume on November 18, three days after the final of the international tournament whichy opens with the host team taking on Germany at the Abuja National Stadium.
The other Group A match is between Argentina and Honduras.
Officials disclosed that world ruling body FIFA have taken over all the eight stadiums designated for the tournament, meaning that several league clubs can therefore not host their home games at suitable venues.
Kaduna clubs, Ranchers Bees and Kaduna United, have already had to play their home matches away from the northern Nigeria city after their usual home ground, the Ranch Bees Stadium, was picked as a training facility for the U-17 World Cup.
Kaduna United played their opening matches in Gusau, while newly-promoted Ranch Bees settled for the Sabon Gari Township Stadium in Kano.
LAGOS (AFP)
Tags: abuja national stadium, Argentina, bees, Bees Stadium, competitions, fifa under 17, fifa under 17 world cup, Germany, home games, Honduras, host team, Kaduna, Kano, LAGOS, league clubs, league football, match, nigerian premier league, northern nigeria, npl, premier league, ranchers, sabon gari, stadiums, suitable venues, Township StadiumRelated posts
Soumare set for Boulogne switch
August 26, 2009
Major League Football side Chicago Fire’s player Bakary Soumare is set to move to Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Ligue 1 club said.
And the player has also agreed a four-year contract, the club said on its Web site Monday.
The 24-year-old Mali defender was named to the MLS’ Best IX last year but was fined an undisclosed amount following a halftime altercation with coach Denis Hamlett during a 3-2 loss at Houston on Aug. 9.
He didn’t return to the team after the incident.
Soumare was born in Mali before moving to France as a youth and later moved to New York City as a teenager. He was drafted by Chicago in 2007 after just one year playing at the University of Virginia.
Promoted to Ligue 1 last season, Boulogne-sur-Mer is currently seventh with two wins and a loss, three points behind title holder and leader Bordeaux.
Abhimanyu Rajput
Tags: abhimanyu, altercation, bakary soumare, Bordeaux, Boulogne, Chicago, chicago fire, denis hamlett, France, Houston, league football, Ligue 1, mali, new york city, teenager, university of virginiaRelated posts
Confed Cup draws white fans to mainly black sport
June 19, 2009
RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AFP) – Jakobus De Vries tooted awkwardly on his vuvuzela, the plastic trumpet synonymous with South African football, as the life-long rugby fan cheered at his first-ever soccer match during the Confederations Cup.
“I have never been to any football match, I am a confirmed rugby man. But I thought this was a good opportunity to familiarise myself with football before the World Cup next year,” he said.
The cattle farmer and his family were among the unusually large white crowds cheering as Bafana Bafana defeated New Zealand in their first Confed win in Rustenburg, a town best known for its nearby platinum mines and the Vegas-style Sun City resort.
“I like the atmosphere here, it is festive and vibrant. The fans are just amazing, this is a lekker (nice) place to be,” said De Vries.
Sport, like the rest of South African life, was strictly segregated under the apartheid government. De Vries, like any white person, would have been prohibited by law to be amongst people of a different race, even in a stadium.
Back then rugby and cricket were sports for the white minority, while football was a black man’s game — denied access to funding and facilities to develop the game. It’s a legacy that is taking a long time to overcome.
South Africa’s readmission into the international sporting arena in 1992, following the fall of apartheid laws, marked the beginning of a slow process of breaking down the racial boundaries.
That effort became symbolised in the 1995 rugby World Cup victory by the Springboks, which saw a wave of mixed race support for the team — an image emblazoned as Nelson Mandela lifted the trophy on the field.
Similar scenes played out during the Springboks second World Cup victory in France, but at domestic league football matches, white fans remain conspicuously absent.
But since the beginning of the Confed Cup, a World Cup dress rehearsal, white fans have turned out in numbers to support Bafana Bafana, dressing in national colours and waving the flag despite the team’s hot-and-cold play.
Retired former Bafana captain and top goal scorer, Shaun Bartlett believes that support for football already goes beyond the racial lines drawn by apartheid.
“Football transcends race, it is for everyone. Sport, not just only football, is unifying, especially in our country,” said the former FC Zurich player, who is mixed race.
“If you look at our yesteryear football heroes, they are from different races, black and white,” he added
Bartlett defended the national side’s mixed results in friendlies leading up to the tournament, which had drawn concern that South Africans wouldn’t rally behind a team with a lacklustre record.
“They are a young squad, but they are capable,” he said. “They must go out there and restore their dignity. They have the support of the entire country.”
Bafana Bafana played to a goal-less draw with Iraq in the opening game of the tournament — casting doubt on the host nation’s chances of advancing to later stages of the games.
Poor crowd attendance at Bafana’s games has been a major concern for the local World Cup organising committee, prompting corporations to purchase bulk tickets to give to the poor.
For Wednesday’s game, FIFA said Kgosi Leruo, traditional king of the Bafokeng people, purchased 10,000 tickets that he gave away for free to help fill seats of the newly renovated stadium.
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the local organising committee, said he believes the World Cup will prove an even stronger force for bringing the nation together behind the team.
“South Africans of all races love football, we have witnessed that in the games we played,” Jordaan said. “If you haven’t seen enough of it, wait until 2010.”
Tags: apartheid government, apartheid laws, cattle farmer, Danny Jordaan, dress rehearsal, family, football match, France, Iraq, league football, mixed race, national colours, nelson mandela, New Zealand, platinum mines, racial boundaries, readmission, rugby man, rugby world cup, rustenburg south africa, Shaun Bartlett, South Africa, south african football, south africans, Sun City, vuvuzela, white minority, white person, World Cup, world cup victory, ZURICHRelated posts
City secure Barry transfer
June 3, 2009
BIRMINGHAM (AFP) – England midfielder Gareth Barry signed for Manchester City from English Premier League rivals Aston Villa for 12 million pounds on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old came close to joining Liverpool last year and was expected to be a target for them again this summer especially as they could offer him Champions League football while City failed to qualify for either European club competition.
Barry had a year left on his contract.
City, who are owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, are expected to be big players in the close season transfer market and manager Mark Hughes is a long-standing admirer of Barry.
The midfielder is currently preparing for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra on June 6 and 10.
Although City cannot offer him Champions League football – which was one of the reasons he gave for requesting a transfer when Liverpool made their bid last year – Barry was probably tempted to Eastlands by the prospect of significantly increased wages and the prospect of regular first-team football in the run-up to next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.
Barry has spent his entire career at Villa, making over 400 appearances since he emerged from the youth ranks.
Former Aston Villa and England manager Graham Taylor believes Barry has chosen City because they will challenge the top four next season.
“He has to believe that Manchester City will be signing the quality of player that will give them the best possibility of Champions League football the season after next,” said Taylor.
“He’ll be aware that there’s nothing more important than playing first-team football in a World Cup year.
“At Aston Villa it’s almost certain that he would be a first-team regular. I think he would be at Manchester City, but I’m not so certain that would be the case at Liverpool.”
Tags: abu dhabi, admirer, Andorra, Barry, Birmingham, club competition, contract city, England, england manager, English Premier League, Gareth Barry, graham taylor, kazakhstan, league football, Liverpool, liverpool city, manchester city, Mark Hughes, midfielder, South Africa, target, team football, united group, Villa, wages, world cup finals, world cup qualifiersRelated posts
Man City in bid to lure Barry to Manchester
June 2, 2009
BIRMINGHAM (AFP) – England midfielder Gareth Barry has opened negotiations with Manchester City about a potential move to Eastlands from his current club Aston Villa.
Barry, 28, came close to joining Liverpool last year and was expected to be a target for them again this summer.
But it now seems as if the Reds will have to match any offer made by City, who have reportedly indicated that they are willing to pay 12 million pounds for a player with only one year left on his contract.
City, who are owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, are expected to be big players in the close season transfer market and manager Mark Hughes is a long-standing admirer of Barry.
The midfielder is currently preparing for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra and is thought unlikely to make any decision on his future until after those matches on June 6 and 10.
Although City cannot offer him Champions League football — which was one of the reasons he gave for requesting a transfer when Liverpool made their bid last year — Barry could be tempted to Eastlands by the prospect of significantly increased wages and the prospect of regular first-team football in the run-up to next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.
Barry has spent his entire career at Villa, making over 400 appearances since he emerged from the youth ranks.
Tags: abu dhabi, admirer, Barry, Birmingham, contract city, current club, England, English Premier League, Gareth Barry, kazakhstan, league football, Liverpool, man city, manchester city, Mark Hughes, midfielder, negotiations, South Africa, target, team football, united group, wages, world cup finals, world cup qualifiersRelated posts
Kalou sends Chelsea to Barcelona on a high
April 25, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Salomon Kalou ensured Chelsea will travel to Barcelona for next week’s Champions League semi-final in buoyant mood after sealing their 1-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.
The Ivory Coast international made the most of a rare start under Guus Hiddink by plundering the only goal of a scrappy game early in the second half.
He turned in Frank Lampard’s cross from close range, and victory was assured when Petr Cech saved Mark Noble’s 70th-minute penalty.
Three points have little relevance to Chelsea on the domestic front, their English Premier League title ambitions having died against Everton last Wednesday, but it will pep their confidence ahead of the daunting encounter with Barca.
Indeed, the Dutch interim manager might consider the fact his squad departed east London without any major injury scares as his most satisfying achievement, although he had done his best to minimise the risks.
As expected, Jose Bosingwa was deployed as a makeshift left-back to ready him for the Nou Camp, where first choice Ashley Cole will be suspended, although whether containing the limp Luis Boa Morte will prepare him for confronting Lionel Messi is another matter.
Hiddink will be just pleased that Michael Essien and Michael Ballack were only employed briefly as second-half substitutes, while Didier Drogba and Alex were not needed at all.
Chelsea’s satisfaction was in stark contrast to West Ham, for whom defeat represented a grievous blow to their hopes of sealing the seventh-placed finish which should guarantee Europa League football next season. With Fulham and Tottenham, their major rivals, in ominous form, Gianfranco Zola’s side must rebuild their confidence quickly.
Zola will have been dismayed at his team’s paltry effort here against a Chelsea side which, perhaps inevitably given the changes, never threatened to reach top gear.
The first half was dismal and, aside from a long-range effort from Lampard and a low shot Nicolas Anelka pulled just wide of the left-hand post, West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green was largely reduced to sun-bathing duties.
The hosts, for their part, were inexplicably slack, although they still created the most inviting chances. In the 20th minute, a delightful turn from Diego Tristan allowed the Uruguayan to slide a perfectly weighted pass to Kieron Dyer between John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic.
Dyer, returning from the latest in a long line of injuries, had only Petr Cech to beat but never looked assured and his weak shot was little better than a back-pass.
Tristan had his own chance shortly before half-time, when Matthew Upson headed down Noble’s corner. Tristan flicked towards goal from five yards but his limp effort was cleared off the line by John Mikel Obi.
West Ham were to rue those misses. Chelsea emerged after the break in a more purposeful mood and forged ahead in the 54th minute. Lampard drove to the by-line and, after Green failed to cut out his chipped cross, Kalou poked high into the net.
The goal punctured the hosts. Chelsea gradually took control, pinging passes around at their leisure and leaving West Ham grasping at thin air.
Two beautifully constructed moves deserved goals: the first, in the 67th minute, saw a rat-a-tat exchange end with Belletti setting Anelka clear, only for Green to save bravely at his feet; the second, moments later, had Malouda tee up Ashley Cole, on for Bosingwa. The England defender’s angled, rising drive clipped the crossbar.
Chelsea were by now so completely in control that complacency became the biggest threat to their lead. That was the only explanation for Kalou’s brainless challenge on Herita Ilunga, who had forged into the penalty area but well away from goal.
Mike Dean duly pointed to the spot but Cech spared Kalou some awkward questions by brilliantly saving Noble’s penalty to his left. The game was as good as over.
Tags: ashley cole, Barcelona, buoyant mood, CHELSEA, close range, didier drogba, Diego Tristan, east london, England, English Premier League, frank lampard, fulham, interim manager, Ivory Coast, john terry, Jose, jose bosingwa, league football, lionel messi, london, Luis Boa, luis boa morte, Mark Noble, matthew upson, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Nicolas Anelka, nou camp, Petr Cech, robert green, Salomon Kalou, stark contrast, tottenham, west ham, ZolaRelated posts
Luton´s 89-year stay in Football League ends
April 13, 2009
LUTON, England (AFP) – Luton have lost their English Football League status after 89 years as Monday’s 0-0 draw against Chesterfield confirmed their relegation from League Two.
Luton enjoyed success in the English top flight in the 1980s, winning the League Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley in 1988 and reaching the final again the following year.
They won at Wembley only eight days ago, when 40,000 Luton fans watched Mick Harford’s team beat League One Scunthorpe in the Football League Trophy final.
Luton’s record this season is actually good enough for a mid-table finish but a 30-point deduction for financial infringements meant it was all but certain that the Hatters would finish in the bottom two.
Their fate was confirmed when Grimsby won at Notts County, leaving Luton facing non-league football in the Conference next season.
Tags: 1980s, arsenal, eight days, England, english football league, English Premier League, fate, Grimsby, hatters, infringements, league football, league trophy, Luton, luton england, mick harford, mid table, Notts County, relegation, scunthorpe, top flight, WembleyRelated posts
Norwich bid for Worthington rejected by Northern Ireland
January 15, 2009
BELFAST (AFP) – Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington will not be rejoining Norwich City as manager after the Irish Football Association (IFA) on Thursday refused any bid from the struggling Championship club.
Glenn Roeder was axed as the Canaries manager on Wednesday and Norwich have now failed in their bid to open talks with Worthington as they attempted to make a quick appointment.
A statement on the IFA’s official website, www.irishfa.com, read: "Nigel is currently making preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and is fully focused and committed to his job as the Northern Ireland international manager."
Worthington told the BBC: "I am happy to focus on a job I am enjoying.
"I spoke to the president about the situation and we are both happy that it was in the best interests of the association and myself that any offer from Norwich be rejected.
"I had a successful time at Norwich although the last six months were a bit hairy when tough times hit. I have done the Norwich job and have now moved on and I am really enjoying my role with Northern Ireland."
Norwich are just one place off the relegation zone in the Championship, the second tier of English league football, and were knocked out of the FA Cup in midweek.
Written by: AFP
Tags: AFP, appointment, bbc, belfast, FA Cup, football, glenn roeder, ifa, irish football association, league football, midweek, Nigel, nigel worthington, Northern Ireland, Norwich, norwich city, quot, relegation zone, six months, tough times, website www, World Cup, world cup qualifiersRelated posts
Clough in frame for Derby role
January 6, 2009
LONDON (AFP) – Nigel Clough could become the new manager of Derby County – the club his father Brian transformed into the champions of England more than 35 years ago – in just a "matter of days".Adam Pearson, Derby’s chairman of football, told reporters in a conference call on Monday: "Nigel is one of the names in the frame… we’ve spoken to his chairman and everything seems positive."Derby, now just above the relegation zone in the second-tier Championship, are presently without a full-time manager after Paul Jewell resigned last week following an unsuccessful 13-month spell in charge which saw the club relegated from the lucrative Premier League.But the club’s American owners are determined to take the Midlands side back to the top-flight.And Derby fans will have a fresh taste of the big-time when their side plays English, European and world champions Manchester United at Pride Park on Wednesday in the first leg of their English League Cup semi-final.Since retiring as a player Nigel Clough, a former England midfielder, has built a reputation as a manager in non-league football with Derby’s near neighbours Burton Albion, where he has been in charge for over a decade."There is obviously a connection with his father but, more importantly he ticks the boxes on a number of other attributes," Pearson said of Clough."We are looking for a manager who can develop, coach and build the confidence of what we believe to be a good squad of players. Nigel has that manner, he is firm and fair, considerate and intelligent and confident."Is it a done deal? No, it’s not," Pearson stressed. "There are other young, upcoming managers also in the frame who have similar attributes. We are looking for that type of manager."We haven’t had a formal discussion with Nigel but the appointment of a permanent manager is literally days away."Nigel is very much in the frame. I’ve known him a very long time and he has the right attributes and the right skills. We’ve spoken to his chairman about the possibility and everything seems positive."But there are also one or two others, which we are keeping under wraps, who we are also having close discussions with. But it would be foolhardy not to admit my interest in Nigel."Clough, 42, grew up in Derby when his father was County’s manager.Brian Clough turned a team languishing in the old Second Division when he became Derby manager in 1967 into First Division champions at the end of the 1971/72 season.However, in 1973, he resigned following a power struggle with Derby chairman Sam Longson.
Written by:
Tags: 35 years, Adam Pearson, attributes, big time, brian clough, burton albion, conference call, derby county, derby fans, discussion, Division, England, English, English Championship, league football, london, Manchester, manchester united, manner, midfielder, neighbours, Nigel, nigel clough, Paul Jewell, pearson, premier league, pride park, relegation zone, Sam, time manager, top flight, world championsRelated posts
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