Reina “one of the best in the world” says Benitez

November 30, 2009


Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez labelled Jose Reina “one of the best keepers in the world” after the Spain international inspired his side to victory in the Merseyside derby.

With Liverpool leading 1-0, Reina produced a stunning stop to claw away Tim Cahill’s header before denying Marouane Fellaini with the follow up.

It was a key moment in the game, Kuyt going on to double his side’s lead soon afterwards, as Liverpool bounced back from their premature exit from the Champions League.

“We have seen that he is a top class keeper,” said Benitez, after his side climbed into fifth spot in the table.

“When we signed him we knew that we were getting a very good keeper. For me he is one of the best in the world.”

Dirk Kuyt also praised Reina as Liverpool recorded their first clean sheet victory away from home in the Premier League since last season.

“He is one of the best in the world,” said the Holland international. “He really helped us out today.”

When Liverpool beat Manchester United last month, Liverpool followed it up with a double defeat in London. After crashing out of the Carling Cup at Arsenal, Benitez’s side then lost at Fulham.

Benitez is now urging his players to learn from that and use their latest victory as a springboard to kick on.

“It’s always important win games in a row,” added Benitez.

“We have some days to go before we go to Blackburn so we will prepare like we always do.

“This was a really important win for us because this was always going to be a difficult game.

“We are higher in the table now, everyone is happier and we’ll see if we can go on from here.”

Everton manager David Moyes thought his side deserved more from the game.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov spurned a glorious chance to make it 1-1 in the first half before Reina’s heroics in the second half.

Everton are just three points above the relegation zone after their third straight Premier League defeat.

“My players worked extremely hard and deserved more than they got,” said Moyes, whose side visit Greece to face AEK Athens in the Europa League on Wednesday.

“Liverpool had one chance in the first half and in the main we kept them quiet.”

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

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Football fever transforms ´Carmen´ in SAfrica

November 8, 2009


A red rose in her hair, the furious Carmen storms onto a sports pitch to interrupt her two paramours who erupt in bursts of pirouettes and graceful leaps around several footballs.

It’s Bizet’s classic opera but the beautiful, fiery gypsy Carmen is torn between team captain Escamillo and star player Jose as the ballet is given a football twist ahead of South Africa’s World Cup in July next year.

“It’s basically Carmen. We built the ballet around the love triangle,” said director, Dirk Badenhorst.

“In the original story, it was a matador and a (soldier). In our story, it’s the captain of the team and one of the star players of the team. So it’s unique, that’s why we call the production a world premiere”.

Out of Seville and into a downtown Johannesburg neighbourhood, Badenhorst’s African Carmen keeps the Spanish flair in a flourish of black hand-held fans and red matador capes.

The deafening sound of vuvuzelas — the long plastic trumpets ever present in the local football culture — intersperse with the stomping sound of the “pantsula” dance made popular in South Africa’s townships.

The original version, one of the world’s most performed operas, is adapted from the short story by French author Prosper Merimee about a femme fatale who becomes the undoing of the men she pursues in a tale both tragic and comic.

The ballet opens with the vibrant “Tu me acostumbraste” by Chavela Vargas, with gypsy songs and Spanish guitar punctuating Bizet’s 90 minute score.

“The music is definitely the same, it’s so well-known. It’s like the name. The name and the music go hand in hand. People know the music, the typical man has heard the music on TV or at movies. That makes it accessible to many South Africans,” Badenhorst said.

With this rich cultural background Badenhorst and choreographer Tim le Roux mixed classic ballet and contemporary dance, bringing in a touch of football in four of the 22 scenes.

“It’s a theatrical suggestion of soccer, not a literal soccer match, just a suggestion,” said Le Roux, who decided to replace the initial scene with the matador to one on a football pitch.

The decor is sparse and sober, with six soccer balls present throughout the show for dancers, representing South Africa’s diverse “Rainbow Nation”, to spin and throw in the air.

Far from the master passes and headers executed by real football stars, the dancers strike the ball in time with the heel strikes of flamenco dancers and the sound of the castanets.

“It’s an explosion and a celebration of dancing movements on stage telling the story of Carmen,” said Badenhorst.

The flirtatious Carmen pursues Escamillo with her own interests in mind, and sets her heart on Jose, until death divides them in a surprising and often disconcerting mixing of themes.

Badenhorst hopes a sponsor could see the ballet tour the country, perhaps during the event itself which kicks off in June.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP)

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Borowski to move back to Bremen, says agent

June 22, 2009


Tim Borowski’s agent has declared that the player could head back to Bundesliga team Werder Bremen.

Jorg Neubauer.

The Germany international, who joined Bayern Munich from Bremen on a free transfer last season, is now seen as a surplus to the requirements of Bundesliga giants after a disappointing season.

Bremen, who appear to be cooling their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marko Marin, have been linked with a the 29-year-old and Jorg Neubauer admits that a move back to the club would be welcomed by his client.

“That would be a great story for Tim,” he told the Kreiszeitung Syke newspaper.

“We will have to see if a deal can be done or not.”

Borowski was signed by Bayern by their former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who had given the midfielder his break with the national team.

He did manage five goals, though in a total of 26 appearances, mainly coming from the bench.

Written by: Abhimanyu Rajput

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Everton boosted by trio signing contract extensions

June 4, 2009

LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Beaten FA Cup finalists Everton were boosted on Wednesday as international trio club captain Joseph Yobo, Tim Howard and Phil Jagielka signed contract extensions with the club.

England international defender Jagielka was Everton’s player of the season but the former Sheffield United star missed the 2-1 FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea last Saturday because of a serious knee injury.

Nigerian international defender Yobo was Everton manager David Moyes first signing in 2002, while American international goalkeeper Howard joined on loan in 2006 from Manchester United and signed a permanent deal in 2007.

Moyes, whose feats in guiding Everton into next season’s Europa Cup and to the FA Cup final on a relatively limited budget by Premier League standards saw him named League Manager’s Association’s (LMA) manager of the year, was delighted to have secured their signatures to new deals.

"It’s great that three valuable members of the squad have committed themselves to the club for a lengthy period," said Moyes, who earlier in the week rejected overtures from Scottish giants Celtic to replace Gordon Strachan as manager.

"Tim, Phil and Joseph have been big players for us over the last few years and it’s great news that they will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

"I have been pleased with the way we’ve gone about our business. We spoke to Phil, Tim and Joseph and we got everything done and dusted efficiently and quietly, which is the way we like things to be done."

Moyes has already stressed he has no plans to sell any players from his squad, but he acknowledges he has to strengthen if he is to have any chance of improving on last season’s fifth-place finish in the Premier League.

Everton were devastated by serious injuries, with Jagielka’s ruptured knee ligament the last in a long line which saw the seasons of Aiyegbeni Yakubu (Achilles), Mikel Arteta and Victor Anichebe (both knee) ended prematurely.

Further injuries to Louis Saha, James Vaughan and Nuno Valente saw the Toffees play most of December and January without a recognised centre-forward.

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Saha fires Everton into fifth place

May 17, 2009


LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Louis Saha fired Everton into fifth place in the Premier League with a double-strike in Saturday’s 3-1 win over 10-man West Ham at Goodison Park.

David Moyes’ FA Cup finalists climbed above Aston Villa as they prepare for their Wembley showdown against Chelsea on May 30.

The Toffees had fallen behind to Radoslav Kovac’s first half goal but Saha levelled from the penalty spot after James Tomkins was sent off for bringing down Tim Cahill.

Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo put Everton ahead after half-time and Saha’s late strike sealed the points to end West Ham’s own European hopes.

Everton are already assured of a European place and have the Cup Final to look forward to, but there was no let-up from the hosts in the first half.

Saha dragged a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area after being set up by South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar.

Pienaar went closer himself when he unleashed a powerful effort from 25 yards that went narrowly over the bar.

Leon Osman should have given Everton the lead but shot wide of the post after Marouane Fellaini had flicked on a cross from Lars Jacobsen. Osman tested West Ham keeper Robert Green soon after.

But the Hammers snatched the lead against the run of play in the 24th minute.

Czech Republic midfielder Kovac, on loan from Spartak Moscow, took aim from fully 30 yards and lashed a superb strike past Tim Howard.

That setback didn’t knock Everton out of their stride and Moyes’ men equalised in the 38th minute.

Tomkins tripped Australia midfielder Cahill as he burst into the penalty area and was sent off.

West Ham protested against referee Phil Dowd’s decision but Saha sent Green the wrong way with his spot kick for his sixth goal of the season.

Everton weren’t to be denied and took the lead in the 48th minute. Pienaar curled in a corner and Yobo was left unmarked at the back post to smash home via deflection off Matthew Upson.

It was Yobo’s first goal of the season and Everton almost increased their lead two minutes later when Saha got on the end of Osman’s cross but his header came back off the post.

Everton extended their lead through Saha’s second goal of the game. The former Manchester United forward was perfectly-placed to meet Pienaar’s cross with a clinical finish in the 76th minute.

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Record-breaker Howard seals Everton´s Euro place

May 10, 2009


LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) – Tim Howard and his obdurate Everton defenders have been hailed as the foundation for the team’s double push towards a fifth-placed league finish and FA Cup glory.

The American keeper set a new club record of 16 cleansheets this season in his side’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham on Saturday to leave David Moyes’s side in sixth spot, just one point behind Aston Villa and assured of a place in next season’s Europa League.

Everton assistant manager Steve Round was quick to highlight the impressive form of Howard and his defenders.

He claims that defensive solidity is the key to the Toffees’ success this season in the league and FA Cup, in which they face Chelsea in the final at Wembley on May 30.

“It’s a great achievement by Tim to get a record clean sheets but it’s not just down to him, it’s a great team effort,” said Round. “We are very solid defensively and Tim’s an excellent goalkeeper.

“I think if you get that many clean sheets you are always going to be up there towards the top of the league. I think Sir Alex Ferguson said strikers win you games and defenders win you championships. And you can see what he means.

“If you get that run of clean sheets you only need one goal to win it.

“I’m very pleased for Tim and the rest of the back four for getting that record.”

Despite Howard’s outstanding run, Round admitted manager David Moyes may give deputy Carlo Nash a rare start before the cup final to ensure the reserve he is ready to step up should the regular number one suffer a shock injury.

“That may come into contention, we haven’t discussed it yet,” added Round. “Carlo may need that experience if he is called on but Tim is in such a great run of form at the moment and he is fit and strong. But it’s something we will talk about this week.”

Focus has inevitably already shifted onto the cup final at Goodison Park and Round believes the club’s twin achievements in league and cup this year will be a major benefit to Moyes when he begins his task of strengthening the squad during the transfer window.

“Another top six finish means European qualification again and it’s making a statement all the time which is especially important when you want to recruit,” said Round.

“Players can see we are consistently in that area. We are in a cup final as well and if we can win a trophy, it all adds to the momentum that you need for the club to be as good as it can be.”

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp used the fixture at Goodison Park to experiment with a new formation.

With Alan Hutton available once again after serious foot injury and Gareth Bale included because of an injury to regular left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Redknapp opted for a 3-5-2 line-up and claims the successful experiment will give him more options for the future.

“I played the wing-backs today with three central defenders,” said Redkanpp. “So Alan played right wing-back and Gareth Bale played left wing-back. I played that system when we came here earlier in the season with Portsmouth and we won 3-0. That’s how we played, with Modric in behind the two up front.

“It’s a system that suits the two full-backs. I haven’t done it before with Tottenham but we worked on it for a few days this week.

“I thought let’s try something different at this stage of the season and see how it works. And I thought it worked well.

“We passed it well. We passed the ball, kept changing play, we moved it around well but second half they pushed up on us and we couldn’t pass it around as well. And we couldn’t kick it long because we had two five foot nothing centre-forwards.”

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Everton’s heart deserving of final reward

April 21, 2009

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There is not much romantic about Everton’s current lineup, especially now they are operating without injured Spaniard Mikel Arteta, but the unceasingly honest boys in blue certainly injected some desperately-needed colour to this season’s FA Cup with their penalty-shootout win over Manchester United on Sunday.

Yes it was an awful semi-final, with neither team really testing the opposing goalkeeper, but at least Everton, and their fans, took it seriously.

If United’s reserves had gone through to play Chelsea, again, it would have been another nail in the coffin of a competition that used to be the highlight of the season.

Alex Ferguson decided to rest his big names to keep them fresh for Premier and Champions League action. Everton boss David Moyes couldn’t have done the same even if his team had anything else to play for.

So bye bye to Darron Gibson, Danny Welbeck, Anderson, Federico Macheda and Fabio and Rafael Da Silva. Their day will come, but, thankfully for lovers of the FA Cup and neutrals alike, it will not be Saturday May 30.

Instead, Everton will return to Wembley where victory would earn them the trophy for the sixth time and first since 1995 when they also beat United.

Nobody will be able to say they don’t deserve their chance either, having beaten Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Aston Villa when they were in the top four, and now United in a determined and focused run to the final.

And just as Joe Royle’s “Dogs of War” stifled Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Lee Sharpe and Paul Ince 14 years ago, Moyes’s industrial unit will look to nullify Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack.

Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini and United old boy Phil Neville would not be many people’s idea of a dream midfield but they and stand-in forward Tim Cahill, give everything they have got in every game they play.

Moyes, whose odds of succeeding Ferguson as United manager must now have shortened further, knows it, the fans know it, their team mates know it, and Chelsea know it – and that is a powerful combination.

Chelsea can have the Champions League – the final is three days before the Wembley showdown – but for the sake of the game and its oldest and in many people’s eyes, still the best competition, it would be nice for Everton to win the Cup.

For blogs on other sports than soccer, check out http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/

PHOTO: Everton’s Tim Howard saves a penalty from Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand during their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley April 19, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples

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Moyes sweats on Cahill´s fitness

March 15, 2009

LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Everton manager David Moyes will be sweating on the fitness of Australia midfielder Tim Cahill this week after witnessing the effects of his absence from his line-up.

Cahill was forced off at half-time of Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Stoke with a calf strain which initial reports suggest should not be too serious.

Everton were leading 2-0 at the time through goals from Jo and Joleon Lescott but almost threw away the lead after the interval.

With Cahill sidelined, Stoke scored through Ryan Shawcross and might have equalised before Marouane Fellaini put the outcome beyond doubt in the 90th minute.

With Everton still competing for a place in Europe, not to mention the FA Cup final, another injury to a key player, in a season which has featured so many, is the last thing that Moyes would want.

"Tim was a miss," said Moyes. "He had a slight pain in his calf so he came off and he was a miss to us because he is a threat in both boxes and defending set pieces for us is a big part of his game.

"And maybe there was a bit of complacency crept in, that can happen. But Stoke are the type of team who can score quickly out of nothing. They got better and we had to hang in there. Thankfully, we did.

"We have played West Brom, beaten Blackburn and Newcastle recently and they haven’t been great football exhibitions.

"But we’re in a period of winning games. We?ve not quite got the flow we?d like but we will take wins any time."

Impressively, Everton have now lost just once in their last 18 league and cup games and Moyes concedes that his team will need to maintain that form to achieve the success they have in mind.

"We just want to keep going," said Moyes. "There are nine games left so there is still a long way to go. If we want to catch the teams above us then we will have to win the majority of those games so we put this one under our belt and move on again."

Despite their impressive second half performance, Stoke are still searching for their first away win in 15 attempts to date this season and have collected just four points on their travels all term.

Those statistics may make grim reading as City slumped into the bottom three on goal difference on Saturday but boss Tony Pulis insists that he remains optimistic about his club’s survival chances.

Pulis said: "Away from home we have started slowly on lots of occasions, I don’t know whether it’s a lack of belief in the team or going to new grounds.

"I was desperately disappointed with the first half, we didn’t throw any punches and just sat back and let Everton take the initiative.

"And winning away might be a block we have got to get over. But our destiny is in our own hands, which is brilliant with nine games to go.

"People have been writing us off since the beginning of the season but we have nine to go, five at our place, which gives us a fantastic chance of staying up."

Written by: AFP

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