Final tragedy for Robert Enke

November 11, 2009

Germany and Hanover 96 goalkeeper Robert Enke has died after being hit by a train in an apparent suicide, local police said on Tuesday.

“First indications point to suicide,” a media officer for the Niedersachsen police told Reuters before adding that Enke’s body was found at a train crossing some 25-km northeast of Hanover.

The German soccer federation (DFB) said in a statement: “The German team has learned of the death of Robert Enke with great shock.”

His two-year-old daughter died of a heart ailment in 2006.

PHOTO: Germany’s goalkeeper Robert Enke gestures during his team’s World Cup 2010 qualifying soccer match against Liechtenstein in Vaduz September 6, 2008. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

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Tags: apparent suicide, Christian Hartmann, german team, Germany, gestures, Goalkeeper, Hanover, hanover 96, Liechtenstein, match, Niedersachsen, reuters, robert enke, shock, soccer federation, vaduz, world cup 2010

Rangers boss calls for calendar overhaul

August 1, 2009

Rangers boss Walter Smith on Saturday called for a switch to summer football to prevent more European embarrassment for Scottish clubs.

Celtic lost 1-0 to Dinamo Moscow in the first leg of their Champions League third-round qualifier at Parkhead on Wednesday.

Aberdeen followed with a 5-1 Europa League qualifying loss at home to Sigma Olomouc in the first leg of their third qualifier on Thursday and Motherwell crashed 3-0 to Steaua Bucharest in Romania in the same competition.

In the previous qualifying round, Falkirk’s first foray into European competition was brought to an abrupt halt by an extra-time defeat by Vaduz in Liechtenstein.

And the Ibrox boss said: “We need to look at moving the season forward. This kind of thing has been mooted before and we keep talking about it in Scotland but never seem to do anything about it.

“It is something that would help our clubs in terms of preparation for these early European games.

“I feel a little bit sorry for the two clubs who were involved on Thursday as they both have new managers who are just in the door.

“Motherwell especially have lost an awful lot of players and at Aberdeen Mark McGhee is trying to put his own stamp on the team.

“But these teams are having to deal with that and play their first games of the season in Europe. We suffer because of that – especially when you’re up against teams who have already played a good number of games.

“It would mean starting the season earlier and also having a winter break, which is another thing that has been talked about.

“If this is helpful to any of the clubs playing in Europe then it’s something we should consider seriously.

“Over the next few years even the champions and the second placed teams will have to play earlier in the season and if this could help them – and help our coefficient – then it would be a good thing.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Aberdeen, abrupt halt, bucharest, champions league, dinamo moscow, embarrassment, Europe, european games, extra time, Falkirk, foray, Glasgow, Liechtenstein, mark mcghee, Moscow, motherwell, parkhead, Romania, scottish clubs, sigma olomouc, Steaua, steaua bucharest, summer football, vaduz, walter smith, winter break

Heavyweights hold fire in early Europa Cup phases

June 23, 2009

NYON, Switzerland (AFP) – The inaugural Europa Cup, which replaces the now defunct UEFA Cup, threw up some interesting matches when the draw was made here on Monday for the first of three qualifying rounds.

Scottish Premier League side Motherwell are pitted against Welsh outfit Llanelli.

The draws represent Phase One of UEFA’s new Europa Cup, replacing the former UEFA cup and Intertoto cup competitions.

Bigger hitters including Fulham from the English Premier League and Motherwell’s Scottish Premier League rivals Aberdeen will enter the contest in the third round on July 17.

The system now comprises three qualifying rounds, a play-off round and a 48-team group stage, with five subsequent knockout rounds to be played in early 2010.

In the three qualifying rounds and the play-off stage, clubs play two matches against each other on a home and away basis, with the club scoring the greater aggregate of goals qualifying for the next round.

Monday’s draw, to be played on July 2 and July 9, also set Northern Ireland’s Linfield against Randers of Denmark while fellow Ulstermen Lisburn will play Zestafoni from Georgia.

The second round, on July 16 and 23, pits Scottish Cup runners-up Falkirk against Vaduz of Liechtenstein, just relegated from the Swiss first division.

Welsh club Bangor meet Finnish outfit Honka, while Northern Ireland’s Crusaders are drawn against Macedonia’s Rabotnicki.

Dublin-based St Patrick Athletic will play the winner of the first round clash between Maltese side Valetta and Icelandic team Keflavik.

The final takes place in Hamburg on May 12.

Tags: Aberdeen, Bangor, denmark, dublin, europa cup, Falkirk, fulham, Georgia, Hamburg, heavyweights, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Lisburn, Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Patrick Athletic, premier league, Switzerland, UEFA Cup, vaduz, Valetta

Ivory Coast striker Dadi on loan to Swiss club Vaduz

January 14, 2009

SYDNEY (AFP) – Former Ivory Coast international striker Eugene Dadi will go on loan to Swiss club FC Vaduz before returning to Perth Glory for the next Australian A-League season, according to Glory.

Glory said it has agreed to loan Dadi to the Swiss Super League club for a five-month spell after signing him to a new one-year deal for the 2009/10 A-League campaign.

Dadi, 35, has been a standout recruit for Glory this season, scoring 10 goals in 16 matches and putting him among the leading marksmen in the Australian competition.

The popular Dadi has been keenly sought by rival clubs in Australia and overseas, but Glory have moved to tie him down for a second A-League season.

"Eugene has been an ultimate professional, he is enjoying his football and enjoying the lifestyle here and I think that has translated to his performances on the pitch," Glory coach Dave Mitchell said.

The loan arrangement with FC Vaduz starts immediately, meaning Dadi will not be available for Perth’s final two matches of the season against Newcastle and Queensland.

Written by: AFP