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Torres suffers injury setback

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Spain’s Football Federation has confirmed that Fernando Torres ruptured a muscle in his left thigh during the World Cup final and is a huge doubt for the start of Liverpool’s season (12/1 Premier League outright).

The 26-year-old hitman has had a dreadful run of luck with injuries over the past 12 months, with his domestic season at Anfield constantly interrupted by problems.

Torres struggled to make the Spain squad for the World Cup because of injuries to his right knee but managed to feature in all of his country’s matches.

However, the former Atletico Madrid forward didn’t look fit and constantly seemed off the pace as he struggled to get into the games.

He was eventually dropped from Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI, with Barcelona’s Pedro taking his place in the semi-final and final.

Torres did come off the bench in both matches against Germany and Holland but failed to make a telling impact.

His showing against the Dutch in Sunday’s final was cut short when he pulled up with the thigh problem just minutes before the end of the game.

Torres’ injury didn’t hinder the Spanish who went on to claim their first ever World Cup thanks to Andres Iniesta’s goal.

The Liverpool striker has since returned to Spain and undergone a scan which has revealed a problem with his left thigh.

A statement on the SFF’s website confirmed Torres had a magnetic resonance scan at the Cemtro de Madrid Clinic and evidence was found of “a Grade 1 muscle fibre rupture in the left thigh”.

While a grade one tear is the least serious type of rupture it still means Torres (11/2 Premier League top scorer) has little chance of recovering in time for the start of the new season.

While the injury isn’t the news new manager Roy Hodgson had wanted to hear it could mean that clubs who were thinking about making a bid for the striker may be put off from doing so.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have been linked with Torres, who is thought to have become disillusioned with life.

However, after Spain’s victory on Sunday Torres was seen celebrating while wearing a Liverpool scarf, a picture which has given everyone hope he will stay on Merseyside according to Hodgson.

“As Liverpool manager, I take great pride in the fact that two of our players can call themselves World Cup winners this summer,” said Hodgson.

“I think it’s safe to say the pictures of Fernando in the dressing room with the World Cup certainly went down well with our fans, but the club can be proud of all the players who went away to the World Cup.”

Torres’ injury means Liverpool look certain to kick off the campaign against Arsenal (7/4 – 90 minutes) without their star name as they look to improve to stay connected to the rest of the big four.

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Redknapp in for the long-term

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Harry Redknapp has agreed a new contract to keep him at Tottenham (33/1 – Premier League Outright) until 2013 and then revealed that he could stay at White Hart Lane for ‘many more years’ beyond that.

The 63-year-old was about to enter the final year of his contract with the north Londoners, but the club moved swiftly to exercise the option to keep him for a further two seasons following a fantastic campaign in which he guided them to fourth spot and a place in the Champions League.

However, Redknapp feels he could continue working beyond 2013 and would like to emulate the achievements of top managers such as Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and England coach Fabio Capello, who are still working in their sixties.

He said: “You never know what is around the corner and, while I have the energy, I think I will carry on for as long as I can. I feel as though I have a good few years left me in yet.

“When you see how long [the 68-year-old] Sir Alex Ferguson has lasted, and then look around at some of the guys of the older generation that keep on going like Fabio Capello, Arsene Wenger and Roy Hodgson you think ‘I could do the same’.”

Meanwhile, Redknapp is now focused on the new campaign which Tottenham start with a home game against last term’s top-four rivals Manchester City at White Hart Lane (Spurs 5/4, City 7/4, draw 23/10 – 90 Minutes). And he is hoping to have Joe Cole in his starting XI following the players’ departure from Chelsea at the end of last season.

“I managed Joe before, and I signed him when he was 11,” added Redknapp.

“We have always had a good relationship. I know what makes Joe tick and it’s his love of the game and his need to be playing it. That is what I am offering him.

“I would like Joe here with me but it is now up to the club and up to Joe, his agent and his dad and our chairman. He is talking to them to try to do a deal. If it is beyond us in financial terms I can appreciate that but I am hoping other factors will come into play to make up Joe’s mind.”

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Aquilani over ankle injury

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Liverpool's Alberto AquilaniLiverpool (12/1 to win the Premier League) midfielder Alberto Aquilani is fit and ready to start the new season, the club have said.

The Italian, who signed for £20million from Roma last year, had to wait more than two months to make his debut after suffering an ankle problem.

The injury was not completely healed throughout the season, leaving him out of sorts.

But the 25-year-old is able to start pre-season training, says the club’s head of sports medicine and sports science Peter Brukner.

Brukner told LFC Weekly magazine: “Alberto’s ankle, which was a problem last year, is now 100% healed.

“He has been training and has looked very sharp. He’ll have to keep working on his injury prevention programme and if he does, I’m sure the supporters will see the best of him because last season was very frustrating for him injury-wise.”

Brukner is pleased with the fitness levels of the players ahead of the start of training.

“Staggering pre-season presents a challenge,” he said. “I’m guessing that the World Cup guys will be pretty fit anyway.

“You don’t lose a lot in three weeks and they’ve all been in contact with us to speak about their programme over that period.”

Brukner’s next task is to assess the fitness of star striker Fernando Torres, who pulled up with an adductor injury in Sunday’s World Cup final in South Africa.

Torres has now returned to Madrid with the rest of the victorious Spain squad and Liverpool (5/1 to win Premier League betting without Man Utd and Chelsea) staff are to fly out to meet him this week.

The 26-year-old is due to have a scan before beginning his summer break.

Reports on Monday suggested he faced a spell of up to eight weeks on the sidelines, but Liverpool have moved to allay those fears.

Brukner, told the club’s official website: “We’ve been in touch with the Spanish medical team and they don’t think it’s too serious.

“It’s an adductor muscle injury but they’ve not had a chance to assess it today.

“We can’t say too much more at the moment until it is properly assessed.”

The striker flopped at the World Cup, failing to score, but his services are very much in demand and new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson faces a difficult job in trying to keep him at the club.

The 26-year-old has been strongly linked with both Chelsea and Manchester City, and while international colleague Andres Iniesta would not shed any light on where the player might be going he did say the issue should be settled soon.

Iniesta, Spain’s World Cup final hero, spoke to Torres on the flight home from South Africa and told the Daily Express: “He is going to take a break with his wife and daughter, speak to Liverpool and take things from there.

“Any club that has him is lucky to have him. David Villa says Torres is the most complete striker in the world and his future will be decided in the next two weeks.”

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Striker O’Connor in Blues deal

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Manchester City v Birmingham CityGarry O’Connor has signed a new six-month deal with Birmingham City (200/1 to win the Premier League).

The 27-year-old striker missed most of last season with hip problems, undergoing two operations.

Now the former Hibernian and Locomotiv Moscow player has been offered a short term deal and the chance to impress boss Alex McLeish.

Edinburgh- born O’Connor has been hampered by injuries throughout his time at St Andrew’s, having signed in July 2007. He has played 58 times, but 31 of them have been appearances from off the bench.

O’Connor’s best spell was towards the end of his second season at the club when he scored six goals in 11 games to help City clinch promotion back to the Premier League.

Birmingham (5/1 to be relegated) boss McLeish said: “Garry has had a chronic groin and hip injury and it probably goes back to his Hibs days and the days he spent in Russia when he played on a synthetic surface. Having two hip injuries simultaneously wasn’t easy for him.

“If you imagine him fully fit without those problems then that’s what we’ve got to see – what Garry can produce without these hiccups.

“Successful operation and barring major breakdown there’s no reason why he can’t go on to have a successful career.”

Blues’ acting chairman Peter Pannu added: “The club is looking forward to reintegrating him into the squad. We have no doubt he has a bright future with the club and we wish him the best in his fresh endeavours.”

The Scotland international began his career with Hibs, where his performances in 2002 earned him a call-up to the international squad for the first time at the tender age of 18.

McLeish has been associated with the player since the start, giving him his first start at Hibs in April 2001.

But ironically it was once McLeish had departed to Rangers that O’Connor really came into his own, under successive bosses Franck Sauzee, Bobby Williamson and Tony Mowbray.

He linked up with Derek Riordan at Easter Road, and the pair scored 42 goals between them to earn the Edinburgh side a UEFA Cup berth in the 2005-06 season.

O’Connor signed a £16,000-a-week contract with Locomotiv Moscow in March 2006, and was a hit with his new team. He came off the bench to score the winner in Locomotiv?s 2007 Russian Cup final against FC Moscow.
The striker was signed for £2.7 million by Blues in June 2007, having failed to settle in Russia.

He had two years in the international wilderness from 2007, but was recalled for back-to-back games against Macedonia and the Netherlands in September 2009.

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Reid retires from international football

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steven reidRepublic of Ireland have suffered a blow ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with the news midfielder Steven Reid has decided to retire from international football (Republic of Ireland 80/1 to win Euro 2012).

Reid has 22 caps for his country and made his debut in the 2-2 draw with Croatia in 2001 but has decdied to call it a day at international level in order to concentrate on his club form with newly-promoted West Brom  (West Brom 4/5 to be relegated from the Premier League next season).

“It was a tough decision because I’ve had some terrific times with Ireland,” said Reid who has recently signed a new two-year deal with the Baggies.

“But having weighed everything up, I know this is the right decision. The injuries I’ve had over the past couple of years have been well documented and I’ve taken this step to prolong my club career and to spend more time with my family.”

Reid was part of the Ireland squad that reached the knockout stages of the 2002 World Cup and his performances gained him a move to Premiership side Blackburn.

However, his stay at Ewood Park was blighted by injuries and Reid says that retiring from international football was a decision made in conjunction with his new club’s medical staff as he looks to make a fresh start at the Hawthorns.

“It’s a decision I came to after lengthy discussions with the club’s medical staff and my family. I’ve had some unforgettable times with Ireland, the highlight being making two appearances at the World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea in 2002 and it has always been a huge honour for me to wear the Irish jersey.

“It’s just a shame my injuries cut short the number of caps I possibly could have won over the past few years.”

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni said he was “sorry” about the news and thanked the midfilder for his contribution to the side in recent years.

“We are sorry to hear about Steven’s decision to retire from international football to concentrate on his club career at West Bromwich Albion.

“His commanding presence for the Republic of Ireland will be missed by his teammates and fans alike. Steven always showed tremendous commitment to the Irish jersey even during difficult times in his career and for that we thank him most warmly.”

He added: “On behalf of the Irish team, we wish Steven well for his future club career and we thank him for his outstanding commitment.”

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Sneijder fit for Dutch

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Midfielder Wesley Sneijder has overcome a calf problem in time to make Holland’s team to face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final (Netherlands 6/4 outright).

Sneijder has been suffering from cramp since helping guide the Netherlands through to their third World Cup showpiece by beating Uruguay.

But the 26-year-old Inter Milan midfielder has given coach Bert van Marwijk a huge boost by declaring himself fit.

Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has recovered from a hip injury and will maintain his position while Gregory Van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong are back in contention for a start after serving one-match suspensions.

“It’s unbelievable, the most important match in my football life. It is quite something and this applies to all my players,” said the coach.

“No Dutch player has ever become world champion and that is extraordinary but we approach it as a special match.”

The Dutch, he said, must be brave in a match between teams with the desire to play attractive football.

“They have to be themselves and have to have the courage to play football against Spain,” said Van Marwijk.

“They are two of the best teams and I emphasise the word ‘team’.

“We beat Brazil and Spain beat Germany. Spain have played more attractive football than we have but the teams have the intention to play in the same way. Both teams have their own style but they resemble each other.

“I’m not going to tell you how I’m going to play. We just have to be ourselves.”

Van Marwijk rejected the notion that Holland had an advantage because they had won all their six matches while Spain had lost to Switzerland in the group phase and scored more goals, 12 to Spain’s seven.

“Spain is the best football country of the last few years,” he said.

“Scoring goals is unimportant now. This is a new match, a special match. We have lots of players who can score a goal and so do Spain. We have got to believe in ourselves and not be afraid. We are convinced we can win.”

Meanwhile, Dutch captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst admitted he had dreamed of lifting the trophy in what will be his last football match, having announced his retirement.

He said: “As a boy I remember Maradona and Cafu and Dunga holding up the trophy. It is a dream to hold up that trophy. It would be fantastic for me, the Dutch team and the Dutch people to take it home.

“The only thing that counts is winning the final and we will walk on the pitch tomorrow believing we can do it.”

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Germany take third place

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Germany coach Joachim LowGermany (5/1 to win European Championships 2012) claimed third place at the World Cup after winning an enthralling play-off 3-2 against Uruguay in Port Elizabeth.

Sami Khedira headed home the winning goal to ensure that Europe claims a 1-2-3 at the tournament.

The Germans took the lead in the first half, but Uruguay led 2-1 at one stage after the interval. Thomas Mueller scored his fifth goal of the tournament to edge the Germans ahead, Edison Cavani levelled and then Diego Forlan matched Mueller’s achievement by notching his fifth goal only for Marcell Jansen to make it 2-2.

The Germans had their share of luck, as Forlan hit the bar with a free-kick deep into injury time. And they might have had to play with 10 men for virtually the whole game if the referee had been harsher on Dennis Aogo’s dreadful challenge on Diego Perez.

Germany made most of the early running, forcing Jorge Fucile and Diego Lugano into some desperate clearances. The South American defence was very nearly breached on ten minutes when a deep corner from Mesut Oezil was firmly headed against the bar by Arne Friedrich, with Fernando Muslera beaten. Mueller could not wrestle home the rebound.

But Bastian Schweinsteiger paved the way for Germany’s first goal, his long range shot being spilled by Muslera for Mueller to react quickly and net the rebound.

Forlan had already worried the German rearguard with a blocked back post header from a deflected cross by the time Cavani drew the sides level. Perez superbly picked the pocket of Schweinsteiger in the centre of the park, setting in motion a break that saw the Europeans outnumbered from the outset. Luis Suarez rolled a well-weighted pass to the Palmero striker, who took a touch before stretching to prod the ball by Butt and into the net.

Uruguay might have grabbed the lead four minutes before the break. Forlan’s clever reverse pass released Suarez but the Ajax striker dragged his shot wide from a somewhat awkward angle.

Arevalo Rios found himself uncharacteristically far forward down the right and lobbed a waist-height pass back towards the edge of the box, from where Forlan showed stunning poise to volley home a terrific goal with his right foot.

Germany had posed no serious threat after the interval until they levelled up on 55 minutes. Jerome Boateng’s cross from deep on the right side was badly missed by the out-of-sorts Muslera, allowing Jansen to unconventionally knock the ball into the empty net with his head.

Stefan Kiessling was introduced by Joachim Loew to add some attacking flair at the expense of Cacau. The Bayer Leverkusen man’s clever turn in the box with quarter of an hour brought with it a scoring chance, though his drive was straight at Muslera, who batted the ball uncomfortably clear.

Loew’s side were looking the more likely side to snatch third place, and they did just that with nine minutes remaining. Another deep Oezil corner was allowed to bounce about the six yard box. Khedira ultimately got the decisive touch, sending a clever header looping over Muslera and into the top corner of the net.

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Webb proud at final acheivement

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World Cup final referee Howard Webb says he is very proud to have been given the honour of taking charge of the showpiece match.

The Yorkshireman, supported by his assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey, will become the first English referee of a World Cup final (Spain 8/15, Holland 6/4 to win) since Jack Taylor in 1974.

Webb, 38, said: “We are delighted to have been selected for the game, it is a wonderful honour and a privilege. It is the ultimate honour for a referee.

“We are proud to be representing the English FA as well as FIFA and all the other officials here at the World Cup.

“We will be proud to be able to show the ability and quality of match officials in England when we take to the field tomorrow evening.

“This is the World Cup, and it’s massively important for the world. We understand the importance of the game and we will need total focus and concentration.

“We will try to be a calming influence where we can and use all our experience of being involved in big games.”

The three fathers of Webb, from Rotherham, Cann, from Norfolk, and Mullarkey, from Exeter, will be at the Soccer City stadium on Sunday to watch the game. The trio of dads, all former refs, have been at all of their sons’ three matches of the World Cup so far.

Mullarkey said all three officials were close to tears when they were told they had been chosen for the final.

He said: “We had not been chosen for any of the quarter-finals or the semi-finals so you do start to wonder about things.

“When we were actually told it was an incredible moment. When I was sitting at home watching the 2006 World Cup on television I never envisaged that I would be here doing the final.

Cann added: “This is the culmination of 20 years’ hard work and is the greatest honour we can receive as match officials.

“It was a very emotional moment in truth when we were told. When match number 64 was read out and the name Webb that was what we were waiting for. Everything became a blur for a few seconds and neither Mike nor I can remember hearing our names read out afterwards.”

Taylor, the last Englishman to referee a World Cup final, will be in the stadium to watch Webb follow in his footsteps.

The 80-year-old has been flown to South Africa as a guest of the Premier League along with referees’ chief Mike Riley.

Taylor said: “It’s a wonderful feeling to have come to South Africa to watch the final. It all happened so quickly. I got the call from Mike Riley on Thursday night asking if the Premier League could arrange it would I like to go. I jumped at the chance.”

Taylor said he always knew Webb had it in him to reach the very top.

He added: “I remember speaking to Richard Scudamore shortly after Howard received the call that he was to start officiating Premier League games and I told him he had someone special, someone who would go all the way to the top, and he has.

“I believe he’s the best referee this country has ever produced and I couldn’t be more pleased for him.”

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Davies committed to Forest

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Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies insists he is not about to walk out on the 8/1 joint favourites to win the Championship in 2010/11, with the new season less than a month away.

The Scot took Forest into the play-offs last season where they were knocked out by eventual winners Blackpool over two legs.

Davies’ future has been in the spotlight after he was linked with the Celtic job before Neil Lennon got the nod on a permanent basis.

The former Preston and Derby boss also revealed in April that he would make a decision over his role at the City Ground once the season ended, saying: “In the summer I will sit down and I will discuss with my advisors and representatives the way the situation is with regard to the future and we will look at the future and we’ll make decisions.”

However, speculation resurfaced after he admitted right-back James Perch was sold to long-time suitors Newcastle last week without his knowledge.

But Forest chief executive Mark Arthur has played down any suggestion of a breakdown in the relationship between manager and board.

He told the Evening Post: “The chairman had informed Billy on three separate occasions that, should we get another offer for James Perch from Newcastle that was acceptable to the business of the club, then we would not stand in his way.

“Newcastle had also offered to quadruple Perch’s salary and therefore, with our reluctance to offer him a new contract, it would have been wrong to stand in his way.

“When an offer came through that was acceptable to the board I phoned Billy to tell him of the offer and his response was ‘that is the board’s decision and so be it’.”

Davies himself added: “I have two years left on my contract and I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability until somebody else decides otherwise.”

Along with Forest, Middlesbrough are also 8/1 to win the Championship next season with QPR (10/1), Cardiff, Burnley and Reading (all 11/1) also among the frontrunners.

Forest kick off their campaign with a trip to relegated Burnley on August 7 (Clarets 11/10, draw 11/5, Forest 21/10 – 90 minutes).

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Scharner eyes ‘dream move’

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Paul Scharner has said the prospect of being part of Liverpool’s title push next season (10/1 – Premier League Outright) would be a ‘dream move’ as new Reds boss Roy Hodgson is reportedly lining up a free transfer swoop.

The 30-year-old Austria international is a free agent after his contract at Premier League outfit Wigan expired at the end of last season. And there are reports that Hodgson will now look to take him to Anfield ahead of the new campaign having tried to sign him on numerous occasions while in charge at Fulham.

The likes of Aston Villa and Sunderland are also thought to be interested in taking Scharner, but the versatile player’s agent Valentin Hobel has revealed that Liverpool would be his preferred destination.

“Roy Hodgson and Paul Scharner – this is a special relationship,” said Hobel.

“Hodgson thinks that Paul’s strengths in midfield are better than his attributes in central defence.

“Liverpool would be a dream, of course, but we are in contact with several clubs. Because he is a free transfer, he can choose.”

Meanwhile, Hodgson will be sweating on the fitness of star striker Fernando Torres after he was stretchered off in Spain’s 1-0 World Cup final win against the Netherlands on Sunday having pulled up sharply chasing a long kick up field.

Torres has been linked with a big money move from Liverpool this summer, but Hodgson was looking to persuade him to stay put in talks which were planned for when he returns from South Africa.

However, if Torres does agree to stay at Anfield, the chances of him being fit to play in Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Arsenal (Liverpool 5/4, Arsenal 7/4, draw 23/10 – 90 Minutes) in mid-August look very slim.

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