Mannone extends Arsenal stay

January 25, 2010

Vito Mannone aims to become Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper after signing for another four years with the Premier League leaders on Monday.

The 21-year-old deputised for the injured Manuel Almunia earlier this season, making his debut in the Champions League at Standard Liege and going on to make eight appearances in all.

Mannone joined Arsenal from Atalanta in 2005 and has Polish international Lukasz Fabianski, who played in Sunday’s 3-1 FA Cup defeat by Stoke, ahead of him in the Gunners’ goalkeeping pecking order.

However, the Italy Under-21 international, who has had offers from clubs at home, had no qualms about staying with Arsenal.

“It is a great day for me, a great moment. I am really happy to be staying at Arsenal and will give everything to repay the club for the faith they have shown in me,” Mannone told the club’s official website, www.arsenal.com.

“I am delighted to be staying here because it was always my plan when I was really young to come to England and make it here at Arsenal, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“Now I want to try and become the number one goalkeeper here, and help the team win trophies.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: arsenal, atalanta, champions league, debut, England, first choice, Goalkeeper, great moment, gunners, Italy, league leaders, Liege, london, lukasz fabianski, Manuel Almunia, premier league, qualms, standard liege, trophies, Vito Mannone

Canada removes interim tag from Hart’s title

December 11, 2009

Stephen Hart had the interim tag removed from his title as manager of the Canadian national team on Monday, given the job full time in the country’s bid to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

General Secretary Peter Montopoli made the announcement at a news conference in downtown Toronto, formalizing the position the Trinidad & Tobago native was given in April.

“My role will be, No. 1, to assemble a staff and, No. 2, to present a team that is not only competitive, but understands what is required from all levels and to make the players understand that they are the ones that are responsible for putting Canada on the map,” Hart said.

“It will be our objective to focus on the CONCACAF qualifications for 2012. I have no qualms about experimenting, about using the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition to prepare towards this.”

Hart, 45, already has had success since retaking the helm, leading Canada to the quarterfinals of Gold Cup in July before losing to eventual World Cup qualifier Honduras. This is Hart’s second time as manager, having led Canada to a semifinal berth in the 2007 Gold Cup before losing to the eventual champion United States.

“The matter with which he handled the team at the CONCACAF tournaments, Gold Cup 2007 and 2009, strongly positioned him for this leadership role,” Montopoli said.

“His strong technical knowledge and the respect he has within the Canadian soccer community and the style of play and knowledge of CONCACAF, which really at the end of the day is the qualifier for the World Cup…and I don’t think there’s no better person who has the familiarity with CONCACAF and leading our Canadian national team.”

Hart already has won four of his eight games in charge since April, losing three and drawing one. Canada won Group A at the Gold Cup and Hart has was won nine, drawn two and lost seven in his two stints as manager, the best winning percentage in CSA history.

Hart replaced Dale Mitchell, who was fired in March after Canada was eliminated from World Cup qualifying in the semifinal round.

With the appointment, Hart relinquishes his role as the CSA’s technical director, which he held since March 2008. Montopoli said the CSA will name a replacement early next year.

Besides approving Hart’s elevation at its weekend meeting, the CSA’s board set its 2010 budget, approved a new governance framework in principle and committed both men’s and women’s national teams to playing multiple home games in the same season for the first time in 11 years.

TORONTO

By Vijay Setlur

Tags: better person, Canada, canadian soccer, cup competition, dale mitchell, downtown toronto, eight games, familiarity, Honduras, leadership role, Peter Montopoli, qualms, quarterfinals, secretary peter, semifinal berth, soccer community, stephen hart, stints, technical knowledge, Tobago, Toronto, Trinidad, United States, Vijay Setlur, world cup qualifier

Malouda may retire at Chelsea

October 17, 2009

Florent Malouda has revealed he could finish his career at Chelsea and believes Carlo Ancelotti has created a stable environment at Stamford Bridge.

France international Malouda has become an increasingly important member of the Chelsea team after initially struggling upon his arrival from Lyon in 2007.

He signed a new contract in the summer to tie himself to the Blues until 2013 and he would have no qualms spending the rest of his playing days in West London.

“To finish at Chelsea? Why not?” the 29-year-old, who is approaching 100 appearances for the club, told RMC.

“I think I will be capable of playing beyond 2013. I am flourishing at Chelsea. What I experience here gives me hunger to continue.

“As long as I have that hunger I will carry on. I still have beautiful years ahead of me. Chelsea is in any case the ideal place to have a beautiful career.”

The midfielder is also happy to have improved his standing at the club and has praised Ancelotti’s impact since becoming manager in the summer.

He added: “Thanks to the performances I had over the last two seasons I have become an important player.

“I will soon play my 100th match for Chelsea. Carlo Ancelotti insisted I renew my contract as did Peter Kenyon.

“The directors have confidence in me and have also renewed the contracts of other important players in the team.

“Chelsea have chosen the road of stability. That perhaps explains our good start to the season.

“Everything is going extremely well. Since I arrived at Chelsea I had five managers. But despite the changes the team has always performed at a high level.

“Carlo Ancelotti is trying to impose his style and put in place with us the things that made him successful at AC Milan.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abhimanyu, ac milan, beautiful career, bridge france, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, France, france international, hunger, Lyon, malouda, match, midfielder, Milan, new contract, peter kenyon, qualms, rajput, stable environment, stamford bridge, two seasons, west london

Defensive rock Pepe back to boost Real

September 27, 2009

After completing his hefty ten-match suspension for violent conduct Real Madrid defender Pepe made his first league appearance in five months on Saturday helping Real keep a clean sheet in a 3-0 home win over Tenerife.

Real coach Manuel Pellegrini had no qualms about thrusting Pepe back into the starting line-up despite his lack of match fitness after so long watching on from the outside.

Portuguese centre-back Pepe lost his cool in the derby match with Getafe back in April as he stamped on Francisco Casquero and then palmed Juan Albin in the face before insulting the referee for good measure.

Pepe, a 30 million euro signing from FC Porto, was hit with a 10-match ban and paid tribute to everyone who stuck by him during a difficult time.

“I had some bad days, but my family and friends supported me,” said Pepe. “I am also really grateful for the club for supporting me throughout.

“The hardest thing has been not being able to play while watching my teammates work.

“I want to put it all behind me now. I have served my suspension and will give everything for the club as I always have done.”

Pepe admitted that referees may be watching his conduct more carefully after his high-profile suspension, adding: “Referees will have me under the microscope a bit more.”

Pepe, who did play for Real against FC Zurich in Europe, was first choice last season but admits the arrivals of Spanish international Raul Albiol and Argentine Ezequiel Garay have cranked up the competition.

“They are young centre defenders with a brilliant future at Real Madrid,” said Pepe. “Albiol plays for Spain?s national team and has proven to be very reliable, as well as Garay, who has turned in some great performances in the Spanish league.”

Real’s defence was questioned last season and has been exposed at times this season but Pepe says the club’s all-out attacking approach will inevitably leave some gaps at the back.

“The (Santiago) Bernabeu crowd is very demanding and wants us to score three or four goals in each game, so it?s normal for the defensive line to grow thin,” he explained.

“(Manuel) Pellegrini would like us to defend with as few players possible so that others can focus solely on scoring goals.

“I hope to score goals too but my main task is to defend and there?s no need for me to move up front expect in certain occasions.”

As it stands Real and Barca have a maximum 15 points from five games but Pepe insists it is too early to start talking about a two-horse title race.

“It is too early to talk about Barcelona and Real vying for the title,” said the former Porto man. “Sevilla have a good team as do Valencia, Atletico (Madrid) and Villarreal.”

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: 30 million, Albin, Argentine, Barcelona, Europe, ezequiel garay, fc porto, fc zurich, five months, Francisco Casquero, good measure, great performances, hardest thing, MADRID, manuel pellegrini, microscope, PORTO, qualms, raul albiol, real madrid, referee, santiago bernabeu, SEVILLA, spanish league, starting line, Tenerife, Valencia, violent conduct, ZURICH

Everton can join shock Cup Final winners: Baines

May 27, 2009

LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Everton are more than capable of pulling off an FA Cup final shock against Chelsea on Saturday, according to left-back Leighton Baines.

The Merseyside club are preparing for their first FA Cup final since beating Manchester United 1-0 in 1995 and Baines believes that, although Everton will be regarded as underdogs for the tie, they can still defeat Guus Hiddink’s side at Wembley.

The English national stadium, reopened after rebuilding in 2007, played host to several famous giant-killing acts in its’ old guise.

Wimbledon stunned Liverpool in 1988, Sunderland, then in the second tier, beat Leeds, then a major European force, in 1973 and West Ham, another second tier team at the time, shocked Arsenal in 1980.

Although an Everton win wouldn’t be quite so remarkable, it would still register as a significant surprise given Chelsea’s vast resources and the depth of talent at Stamford Bridge.

“It’s a game we have to believe we can win,” Baines said. “We have to believe we can go and put in a good performance.

“It is always tough playing a side like Chelsea and I think it has been a long time since we have beaten them.

“But we have taken a point in both league matches this season and that will give us confidence going into the game.

“People will favour Chelsea and rightly so because they are expected to win something every year but that will put more pressure on them and hopefully we can just go and enjoy the match.

“We will to try and work out how to win. We work hard and help each other out and sometimes someone has to do someone else?s job but we have no qualms about doing that and we will certainly work hard.”

Everton beat Manchester United on penalties in the semi-finals this season, which also took place at Wembley.

Toffees manager David Moyes has previously criticised the decision to play the last four ties there after outlining his opinion that the final should be kept as the only fixture played at Wembley to preserve the FA Cup?s unique nature.

Baines agrees and he said: “I think the general opinion among those you speak to and among the players is that the semi-finals wouldn?t be played at Wembley.

“You want the final to be there and that makes it extra-special. But it has been fantastic for us though because it has given the lads here the chance to play there beforehand and get the experience of playing there.

“Everyone will try and treat it like a normal game but we all know it isn’t – it is a massive game and everyone picked on the day needs to remain composed.”

Everton finished fifth in the Premier League and comfortably qualified for the Europa League for next term and Baines is confident that the club can eventually become the biggest club in the Premier League outside the recognised ‘Big Four’.

“Finishing fifth in the league is something we want to keep doing. We want to be the next team after the top four and we want to bridge that gap between us and them.

“The gap at the moment is still very much visible. I think us and Aston Villa and Tottenham have quite a bit to do before we get there but we can do that.

“And if we take some silverware from the season then that will exceed all our expectations.”

Tags: arsenal, CHELSEA, David Moyes, everton, FA Cup, fa cup final, favour, guise, hiddink, LEEDS, leighton baines, Liverpool, Manchester, manchester united, Merseyside, premier league, qualms, semi finals, stamford bridge, Sunderland, underdogs, vast resources, Wembley, west ham, wimbledon

USA TODAY: Turkey hoping UEFA Cup final helps Euro 2016 bid

May 20, 2009

Turkey is hoping Wednesday’s UEFA Cup test in Stamboul crapper be the stylish travel in a change from digit of football’s backwaters into a field power.

The correct between Werder Bremen and Shakhtar Donetsk, the terminal before the 38-year-old rivalry is rebranded as the Galilean League, module be the ordinal dweller test to be unreal in the Turkic municipality in quaternary years.

The standing is huge, but modify more essential is the quantity to persuade officials and fans that the land is a graphic contender to patron the 2016 dweller Championship.

The 2005 Champions League test in Stamboul was assault by supplying problems but sufficiency of a success for UEFA to today permit it patron the second-tier tournament, albeit at a different, more bicentric structure on the continent lateral of the sound Strait disjunctive the city.

A trouble-free circumstance at Fenerbahce’s 53,586-seat Sukru Saracoglu Stadium could be a denote bill when dweller football’s governance embody decides in May 2010 where to initiate Euro 2016, which module be the prototypal dweller Championship to be swollen from 16 nations to 24.

“I truly conceive that Istanbul, as a municipality that connects aggregation and Asia, is an superior pick for the terminal test of the UEFA Cup,” Turkic Football Association chair Mahmut Ozgener said. “The Turkic Football Association gained a aggregation of undergo from organizing the 2005 UEFA Champions League test in Istanbul.

“We study retentive the UEFA Cup test as added essential evaluation for Turkey and the Turkic FA, who are hot to patron Euro 2016.”

Shakhtar railcar Mircea Lucescu spent quaternary eld work in Stamboul with municipality rivals Galatasaray and Besiktas and appears to hit no qualms most the city’s quality for hosting field events.

“It is a rattling bonny and engrossing city,” Lucescu said. “Those eld brought me a aggregation of happiness. Those eld were rattling beatific eld in my career. I ingrained beatific relations with every fans, no concern which edifice they were fans of.

“Turkish fans are dumbfounding supporters who wager the mettlesome in every its aspects, which is ground Stamboul substantially merited to patron the UEFA Cup final.”

A municipality of nearly 13 meg people, Stamboul hosts quaternary professed climb clubs, with Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce the most substantially known.

Famed for the discouraging atmospheres created by those aroused supporters — who hit sometimes overstepped the evaluation with “Welcome to Hell” banners and instances of throat-slitting gestures — Stamboul is a municipality aroused most sport, and climb in particular.

“I cannot conceive of a more exciting, spirited environment for this year’s UEFA Cup test than Istanbul, where climb is woven into the cloth of routine life,” UEFA chair Michel Platini said. “Istanbul is a important city.”

There hit been more earnest problems, though.

Violence erupted most notoriously when digit metropolis fans were stabbed to modification in the municipality in Apr 2000 aweigh of a UEFA Cup match against Galatasaray, patch Liverpool’s famous Champions League test get over AC city was destroyed by reciprocation jams that prevented some supporters from making it to the solon Stadium in instance to wager the arts edifice feat from 3-0 downbound to entertainer 3-3 and get a penalisation shootout.

Such instances attain it modify more pivotal for Stamboul to patron a trouble-free circumstance weekday to hit some quantity of success the rights to Euro 2016 in the grappling of rivalry from Italy, author and a render Norway-Sweden bid.

All are more ingrained climb nations with, Noreg aside, undergo of hosting field tournaments.

Source: : army TODAY and AP

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