Monthly Archives: June 2010

Inter turn attention to Melo

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Brazil star Felipe MeloInter Milan president Massimo Moratti has indicated that the Italian giants will be turning their attention away from Argentine (Argentina 1/2, draw 3/1, Mexico 6/1) Javier Mascherano to the Brazilian Felipe Melo.

Mascherano has said that he would relish the chance to follow new Inter boss Rafa Benitez out of Liverpool to the San Siro, stating that he was already learning Italian.

However, his potential plans to move to Serie A could be scuppered as Moratti has stated that a number of issues stand in the way of the move.

“Mascherano is a strong player, but it is unlikely that he will arrive,” Moratti said.

“He simply costs too much and it is not certain that Liverpool will sell.”

Brazilian midfielder Melo has now caught the eye of the Inter president who believes the player would be an “intriguing” prospect if he could be tempted to come to the San Siro.

Melo is currently at Serie A rivals Juventus and Moratti has revealed that his club are looking to bring the player to Inter.

As for players leaving the San Siro, former Inter boss Jose Mourinho has declared his interest in bringing wing-back Maicon to his new side at Real Madrid.

It could be possible that the former Chelsea (13/8 to win the Premier League) manager could attempt to bring Argentina striker Diego Milito and Mario Balotelli to the Santiago Bernabeu but the Inter president is keen to keep hold of his top players as they look to retain the Italian league title.

“Balotelli is our future and Milito won’t move,” Moratti added. “Maicon? We’ll have to wait and see about him.

“We want to start the new season again as we ended the last one. We want to win everything possible next term.

“I’m convinced that we can win the Scudetto for the next two years, but in order to stay in contention in the Champions League then we’ll need a real top signing,” he added.

It seems that Mascherano may still be at Anfield next season as Liverpool look to regain their top four status.

The 26-year-old is currently with the Argentina World Cup squad in South Africa as they prepare for their knockout game against Mexico on June 26.

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James totally focused on Germany

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England goalkeeper David JamesEngland goalkeeper David James says his side will be treating their last-16 tie against Germany just like any other game (England 6/4 to win).

The two sides face each other in Bloemfontein on Sunday with a place in the quarter finals up for grabs. Much has been spoken about in the press regarding the two sides’ previous meetings in major competitions but James says the squad are paying little attention to what’s being said in the media and focusing solely on the job at hand.

The goalkeeper told reporters: “It’s another football match, obviously there’ll be a lot of external references and whatever else, historical references. But for us it’s a game against a decent outfit – one we have to win to progress.”

England were disappointing in the group stages, drawing with both the USA and Algeria, but qualified for the last 16 thanks to a 1-0 victory against Slovenia and James is keen for the side to carry their form on.

“We can’t do anything about what happened,” he said. “We look back at the America game and the performance of Tim Howard which prevented a win.

“Algeria are very difficult to score against, and then we did what we needed to against Slovenia on Wednesday.”

However, the Three Lions were forced into second place in the group after Landon Donovon scored to fire the USA through as winners of Group C, leaving England to face Germany in what is possibly the pick of the second round ties. If England win the match they will go on to face a possibly even tougher test against the winner of the Argentina vs. Mexico match meaning they will have to win the tournament the hard way if they’re to lift their first trophy since 1966 (England 9/1 to win outright).

James started the World Cup as England’s second choice goalkeeper, despite being handed the number one shirt for the tournament,  but was given his chance after Robert Green’s blunder in the opening match against USA. James has looked solid on his return to the side and is keen to make the most of his opportunity after finally being given his chance at his third World Cup finals. James was an unused substitute in both Korea/ Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 and is yet to concede a goal during this tournament.

“When the squad was announced and the numbers issued it was more of a numerical thing than a suggestion of the first XI,” said the 39-year-old, the oldest player at the finals.

“True to Mr Capello’s previous selection process, he must have gauged something in training and felt Robert was the right goalkeeper to start with. I’m happy with that. I’m part of a squad. This World Cup isn’t about David James – it’s about England being successful. I trained as well as I could, got the chance to go back in and I’m happy.”

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Argyle turn to Reid

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New Plymouth manager Peter ReidPlymouth Argyle have appointed Peter Reid as their new boss and believe he is the man to guide them to  the League One title next season.

Argyle parted company with Paul Mariner after he failed to keep them in the Championship last season and Reid’s first job will be to get the Pilgrims back up as soon as possible.

Reid had been working as Tony Pulis’ number two at Stoke but has now taken the helm at Home Park after Argyle chairman Sir Roy Gardner made him his number one choice.

“We said all along that we were seeking a man with proven experience who could help us realise our aspirations and ambitions,” Gardner revealed.

“We want to get back to the Championship and after that, move on. Peter fits that criteria perfectly.”

Reid has gained bad press since his ill-fated spell at Leeds United but there is no doubt that he did a tremendous job at both Manchester City and Sunderland.

At City, Reid guided them to fifth place in successive seasons but in the first season of the Premier League in 1992 they slipped into ninth place and the season after he was sacked following a poor start to the season.

Reid also did well at Sunderland and after getting them promoted from the Championship they finished seventh for two seasons running but after slipping down the table his eight-year spell as manager came to an end in October 2002.

Plymouth will now be hoping that Reid can work such wonders at Home Park but it will be a difficult task trying to get them out of League One as Charlton, Southampton, Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday are also fighting to get out of the division.

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Chelsea attempt Silva hijack

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Valencia winger David SilvaValencia winger David Silva could be on his way to London according to his agent as Chelsea (13/8 to win the Premier League) and Manchester City battle for the player’s signature.

Silva is looking for a move to the Premier League as Valencia are struggling financially and will look to cash in on the player.

Negotiations between City and the Spanish club were thought to be ongoing with a potential £28m move on the cards.

However, Premier League champions Chelsea could hijack the move as they look for a replacement for Joe Cole who will leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Silva’s agent Julio Llorente has stated that the west London club have declared their interest in the winger.

He said: “We’re weighing up offers from three clubs and one is Chelsea.

“If Silva doesn’t want to go to City, the transfer isn’t possible,” he added.

Valencia’s deputy chairman Javier Gomez has stated that the Eastlands club were talking with the winger but that no firm deal had been made.

He said: “As has been said, there is interest from Manchester City and we have permitted them to talk to the player, but we have reached no agreement and we have not talked about a fee.”

Silva is currently with the Spanish World Cup squad as they prepare for their final Group H game against Chile on Friday.

The 24-year-old featured in the pre-tournament favourite’s first game – a shock defeat against Switzerland, a match in which they dominated.

However, Silva did not play against Honduras and will now be battling with the likes of club team-mate Juan Manuel Mata who came on and impressed in Spain’s (11/2 to win the World Cup) second group game.

Mata has been linked with a move to Barcelona and Valencia look likely to sell as the cash strapped club look to lower their wage bill.

If this move goes through it will be the second deal between the two clubs in a month after fellow Spaniard David Villa (7/2 to be top goalscorer at the World Cup) moved to the Catalan giants.

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Germans boosted by injury news

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Germany star Bastian SchweinsteigerGermany are 15/8 to beat England on Sunday and their chances of victory have been boosted by the news Bastian Schweinsteiger, Jerome Boateng and Mesut Ozil should all be fit to play.

The Germans defeated Ghana 1-0 on Wednesday night on their way to winning Group D but the victory came at a cost, with a number of key players picking up knocks.

Schweinsteiger appeared to be the biggest doubt after picking up what was initially thought to be a thigh problem. Germany have now confirmed that the influential midfielder is struggling with a hamstring strain but still expect him to be fit for the massive game against Fabio Capello’s men.

Schweinsteiger is 14/1 to grab the first goal if he is passed fit and assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick is confident he will make it along with Boateng and Ozil, who have calf and ankle injuries respectively.

“Jerome has a bit of a calf strain and Schweini (Schweinsteiger) has a hamstring problem and for both I have to admit it might be a bit critical for them to be in the starting line-up on Sunday, but we are optimistic,” Flick revealed.

“Ozil seems to have twisted his ankle but he is not in pain and I think we will get him fit for Sunday’s game.”

Bayer Leverkusen youngster Toni Kroos is on standby to step in should Schweinsteiger miss out but Flick does not sound too concerned.

“He certainly is an alternative, but as far as Bastian Schweinsteiger is concerned I think we can have reasons to be optimistic,” he added.

“I’ve spoken to the team doctor and he says the recovery time is comparatively short. We just hope he’s in the starting line-up and fit to play because he’s become a key player.”

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Hughton hopes stars stay

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Newcastle United manager Chris HughtonNewcastle United boss Chris Hughton is hoping to keep hold of his key players as he warns potential buyers to keep their hands off (Manchester United 1/5, draw 9/2, Newcastle 9/1).

The Magpies are back in the Premier League after a season’s absence in which they dominated the Championship.

Now the North-East club are looking to utilise all the key players that helped them secure promotion last season as they look to retain their Premier League status.

Owner Mike Ashley has told Hughton that he will not be able to spend big this summer on new signings, making it even more imperative that the likes of Steven Taylor, Andy Carroll and Jonas Gutierrez stay at the club.

Hughton started as the care-taker manager of Newcastle but impressed after guiding the club back to the top flight.

The 51-year-old has stated that other clubs should look elsewhere for signings this summer.

He said:  “I can categorically say that we have not had one bid or any interest in any of our first team players and we wouldn’t welcome any either.

“There have been no offers for either Steven or Andy. They are important players for us.

“The interest that we’ve had in our players has been about the younger lads, possibly taking them on loan, and that is something that we have to decide on later in the summer.”

Newcastle have been linked with signings of their own in this transfer window.

Bolton Wanderers have reportedly turned down a £1m bid from the Magpies for the defender Jlloyed Samuel.

The 29-year-old has 12 months left on his current deal at the Reebok Stadium and the former Aston Villa player has not featured in Owen Coyle’s plans.

Newcastle could be tempted to offer an improved bid as Hughton looks to strengthen his squad with a long season ahead.

The St James’ Park club have also declared their interest in the former Bolton loan player Jack Wilshere.

The Arsenal (6/1 to win the Premier League) youngster is set to have another season on loan from the Emirates Stadium as he looks to develop his game by playing regular football.

Hughton has expressed his interest in the 18-year-old for next season.

He said: “Wilshere is a very good young player and I think young players should get the chance to mature. They are the type of players I am looking at.”

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Messi to play for the people

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Argentina and Barcelona's Lionel MessiArgentina (1/100 to win Group B) will definitely play Lionel Messi in Tuesday’s final Group B clash against Greece, coach Diego Maradona has insisted.

There had been much speculation that the Barcelona 22-year-old would be rested for the match amid concerns about keeping him fresh for the latter stages of the tournament.

But Maradona said it would be a “sin” to deprive the public of Messi’s talents against Greece, even though Argentina are virtually assured of qualifying for the next phase.

Maradona insisted that the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year would feature in the match in Polokwane.

“Lionel Messi always wants to play and I thought I should give him a break (in training), but if you have a player as good as Leo, who is the best player in the world, I think it would be a sin not to give Messi to the people, to the team, and leave out the player who can certainly make the difference in a match,” said Maradona.

“We of course wanted to give Lionel Messi a break (in training). He will play.”

Maradona also played down Messi’s lack of success in front of goal. The striker has not yet scored in Argentina’s two games.

“If Messi is having a bad run then let him continue with that bad run, because I’m extremely pleased with Messi’s performances,” said Maradona.

“He goes out to play and help his team-mates. Leo helps define the match and creates things for the other players.”

Meanwhile, Maradona, whose infamous “Hand of God” is one of the most controversial incidents in World Cup history, believes more emphasis should be placed on fair play in the tournament.

Maradona appealed to FIFA prior to the start of the tournament to highlight their Fair Play campaign during the competition.

He then repeated the call for referees to protect flair players ahead of Argentina’s second group match against South Korea.

“We all want fair play, I understand that the referee may make a mistake but when (Argentina captain Javier) Mascherano, for instance, gets a card and the Korean player kicks out and gets nothing, no card, then sometimes as a coach you have doubts,” he said.

“This is football and not kung-fu fighting. So I don’t think yet we’ve seen the fair play we want to see.”

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United reject Cole link

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Manchester United have ruled out a swoop for Joe Cole, currently on World Cup duty with England, which could pave the way for north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal to make a move (Arsenal 6/1 to win the Premier League 2010/2011).

Cole will be a free-agent as of July 1 when his contract with Chelsea comes to an end and the Stamford Bridge side have already confirmed Cole will move on.

A number of clubs are said to be keen on the former West Ham playmaker and reports earlier this week suggested the Old Trafford side were the most likely candidates to secure a deal.

However, the Guardian newspaper have now claimed a source has told them United have no interest in the 28-year-old, which would allow Arsenal and Spurs to move in.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp confirmed he was keen to sign Cole after it became clear he had no future with Chelsea but Redknapp has since stated he has been unable to speak to Cole and believed he had agreed terms elsewhere.

This would now appear not to be the case as the midfielder is focussing on his international commitments and Redknapp will move quickly as soon as the World Cup is over to try and seal a deal.

However, Arsenal have also been mooted as potential suitors for Cole and a battle for the player’s signature could erupt between the two north London rivals.

Redknapp has worked with Cole before when manager to West Ham and the current Spurs boss was the manager who gave Cole his debut in the Premier League.

Spurs also have Champions League football to offer for the first time in their history, while Cole will already know the likes of Aaaron Lennon, Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch, amongst others at White Hart Lane, having played alongside the Spurs men in the England squad (Spurs 50/1 to win the Premier League).

Arsenal face the very real prospect of losing captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona this summer and if the Spaniard does decide to leave they will be eager to find a suitable replacement.

Although Cole and Fabregas are not particularly similar in playing-style the England international could well fit in to the Arsenal line-up and boss Arsene Wenger has already confirmed he is keen to bring in some new faces over the summer to boost the Gunners chances of securing some silverware next season.

It appears Cole will not decide upon anything until after the World Cup, but as soon as England’s tournament is over he will probably have a number of options to consider with current reports suggesting Spurs and Arsenal are leading the chase for his signature.

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England 9/1 to lift World Cup

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England are now 9/1 to lift the World Cup after they secured progression to the last-16 of the tournament by beating Slovenia 1-0.

However, they did do it the hard way, missing a raft of chances before a last-ditch challenge from Matthew Upson preserved their slender lead.

England took the lead through Jermain Defoe in the 22nd minute after he latched on to a delightful cross from the imperious James Milner.

The performances of Defoe, Milner and Upson justified their inclusion in the side and will reduce the doubts of some over the managerial capabilities of England boss Fabio Capello, who had been questioned following the 0-0 draw against Algeria.

The USA’s last-gasp win against Algeria – courtesy of a Landon Donovan goal deep into injury time – means that the Americans top the group on goals scored and will face the runners-up of Group D in Rustenburg on Saturday evening.

England face the winners of Group D in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon, which could be Germany if they beat Ghana this evening (Ghana 6/1, Draw 10/3, Germany 4/9). The prospect of the two old foes meeting in knockout football promises to be a mouth-watering affair and England will need to step up again if they are to have any chance of beating the stylish Germans.

Speaking after the game, Tottenham Hotspur coach Harry Redknapp praised the performance of his club striker Defoe, and said that England had little to fear from Germany.

He told the  BBC: “There wasn’t a weakness in the team tonight. I think we’ve got a big chance still to win the competition. It could be Germany in the next round but bring them on. I still think we can beat them.

“As for Jermain’s goal – it was great movement, a great cross and fantastic finish. The little man has done it all his life. He has always had that natural instinct to get across defenders like all good goalscorers.”

Wayne Rooney was substituted in the second half amid fears about his ongoing ankle injury.

He has been cut to 33/1 in totesport’s World Cup top goalscorer betting after he failed to score in the group stage and missed a couple of gilt-edged chances against Slovenia, including an occasion when he had an effort pushed on to the post. There are doubts about whether he will feature in the second round game but Fabio Capello confirmed that he “should be okay”.

Capello was under criticism for the performance of his side during the first two group games and he claimed that this was not the team that he knew in his post-match comments after the 0-0 draw against Algeria. Speaking after today’s game, he was far happier.

“This is what I wanted to see – the spirit, see them fight together,” he said. “I am really, really happy. I rediscovered the team I knew from qualification.”

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Maradona plays down hype

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Argentina (4/1 to win the World Cup) head coach Diego Maradona has played down the hype surrounding his side as they comfortably qualified from Group B at the World Cup in South Africa.

The 1986 world champions qualified from a group which featured the likes of Nigeria, South Korea and Greece with the Argentines beating them all with relative ease.

However, Maradona does not want his squad to get carried away and believe the hype that currently surrounds them.

He said: “Now the road gets more difficult.

“You always hear about Germany, Italy, Brazil playing poorly, but they’re always in the second round, quarters, semi-finals and the final,? he added.

Argentina (Argentina 1/2, draw 3/1, Mexico 5/1) have played some of the best football of the tournament so far and will be confident as they go into their first knockout match against Group A runners-up Mexico.

In Argentina’s last group game against Greece, a match in which they cruised to 2-0 victory, Lionel Messi (18/1 to be top goalscorer at the World Cup) became the youngest player to captain his country at a World Cup.

The 22-year-old Barcelona superstar has revealed that the opportunity to skipper Argentina was “very special” to him.

Maradona rested a number of players including Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain but decided to play Messi who is considered the best player in the world at the moment.

“We want to be world champions with Messi,” Maradona said.

“We had the opportunity to leave him out but we wanted to play him. A lot of people come to see him play. To leave him out would be a sin,” he added.

Mexico will be looking to cause an upset against Argentina on June 26.

The two sides faced each other at the same stage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Argentina were victorious that day, winning 2-1 after extra time in Leipzig but this time round Javier Aguirre wants to come to out on top.

He said: “This could be a nice opportunity to take revenge for what happened four years ago.”

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