For most of the world, January was a lost international outside of Japan lowering World Cup expectations to “France in 2002 would be a blinding success” and Diego Maradona continuing his one-man crusade to give every single Argentine footballer, professional or otherwise, a senior cap.

But for Africa, everything happened.

As you may have heard, Egypt won it again. And with that, they were handed the second-highest FIFA ranking ever for an African team – the best since 1994 – and a spot in the top ten. Which is pretty curious for a team that didn’t make the World Cup.

Most matters stayed the same, with Spain still tops and Brazil a not-quite-distant-but-distant-enough second, proving just how FIFA feels about its own Confederations Cup tournament. Germany are still flooding the offices of FIFA wondering just how Portugal deserves fifth, along with anonymous notes from the desk of Jogi Loew wondering if they’re hiring come August. Meanwhile FIFA are doing everything possible to combat the British media hype machine, and to keep Raymond Domenech inexplicably employed.

And when it comes to the African Cup of Nations, FIFA gets curious…its monthly promise to world football fans. Egypt rocket up the charts to tenth, taking over for Croatia as the honorary top ten team which couldn’t qualify for South Africa. Next month: Malaysia.

Ghana finished second with a squad…well, with a squad. Near the end it seemed they were just running out warm bodies in some positions, heartbeats preferred but not required. They beat Nigeria in the semifinals to get to the final where they, obviously, lost. And yet Nigeria won more points, a higher ranking, and a crate of little umbrellas with Sepp’s smiling face for tropical beverages. Apparently FIFA went with the straight mathematical theory “two is less than three”, which would explain the logic for just about everything they do.

Elsewhere, Algeria were punished for making the semifinals. Serves them right.

This game, like many before, has made Japanese fans furious. Japan have embarked on their World Cup run up with a number of disappointing results, resulting in a chorus of boos with the Japanese higher-ups leading the charge. The officially unofficial East Asian Championships gives them a chance to get back on track, but a scoreless draw was all they could muster. They’d probably love to pretend it simply never happened.

China are doing just that.

The game was scheduled for television, but somehow, it did not air. Nor was their any mention of the game on the morning news.

The CCTV 5 channel, which owns 85 percent of China’s sports television market, had bought the broadcasting rights to the East Asian Championship tie and had scheduled it for a live broadcast from Tokyo on Saturday evening, local media said. When fans tuned in for the clash with China’s fiercest rivals, however, they were presented instead with a local version of the long-running European gameshow Jeux Sans Frontier, “Inter-Cities”.

In Sunday’s sports news bulletins, CCTV-5 did not mention the 0-0 result, or even that the match itself had taken place, local newspapers reported.
CCTV-5 officials declined to comment to local media on the reasons for dropping the match and were not available for comment on Monday.

The easy answer is the current match-fixing scandal “rocking” Chinese football. “Rocking”, but more in the “a cozy rocking chair on the porch of a breezy spring day” drawer than “a dingy battling the seas of a hurricane”. China’s domestic scene is the footballing equivalent to any of the hundreds of straight-to-DVD Steven Seagal Eastern European actions films released in the last six months. Nary a jaw has been dropped. Which is likely why they’d like to pretend football is on winter hiatus.

Imagine if this could be done by any country displeased with the current state of footballing affairs? It’d solve so many problems.

- Thierry Henry? France qualified for the World Cup at the end of regulation. Honest.

- The Ciro Ferrara Era? Juventus officially submitted a request, then accepted, to play the entire campaign as friendlies and start over in 2010/11.

- John Terry? John’s a virgin, despite the ample evidence provided by his children. And Wayne Bridge.

The two standout matches in the big European leagues on Sunday were Chelsea's encounter with Arsenal and Roma's visit to Fiorentina.

In both games, pragmatism triumphed over style. Didier Drogba, so often Arsenal's tormentor, scored two first-half goals to earn Chelsea a 2-0 win, while Roma struck late through Mirko Vucunic to win 1-0 in Florence.

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Victory for the Pragmatists originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 13:06:05.

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The draw for Euro 2012 qualifying was announced today in Warsaw.

The full draw is below and all seem pretty tough showing the strength of European soccer.

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan

Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Ireland, FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra

Group C: Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia and Faroe Islands

Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania and Luxembourg

Group E: Holland, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova and San Marino

Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia and Malta

Group G: England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales and Montenegro

Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus and Iceland

Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein


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UEFA EURO 2012 Qualifying Draw (top seeds in bold)

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Eire, Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra
Group C: Italy, Serbia, N.Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands
Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Hrzg., Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg
Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino
Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta
Group G: England, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro
Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland
Group I: Spain, Czech Rep., Scotland, Lithuania, Liechtenstein

The nine group winners and best runner-up qualify automatically. The eight remaining second-place teams play-off to decide the final four qualifiers. Ties take place between September 2010 and November 2011.

PALACE OF CULTURE & SCIENCE, WARSAW -Like Georgia & Russia, Armenia & Azerbaijan could not be drawn against each other for political reasons, so it was a humorous moment when Polish soccer legend Zbigniew Boniek kick-started the afternoon by drawing the Caucasian neighbours against each other.

Boniek picked the teams along with compatriot Andrzek Szarmach and Ukrainian legends Oleg Blokhin and Andriy Shevchenko.

Little stirred amongst the watching press pack and UEFA blazers until the final pot containing Europe's big guns was opened. Germany will renew acquaintances with two familiar countries it knocked out of Euro 2008 - Austria and Turkey. The clash with Turkey is sure to be hot one given the huge Anatolian expat presence in Germany; Belgium will hope to sneak in behind these neighbourly disputes as it seeks to become one of the major European footballing nations again, as it was in the 1980s.

Group B's drawing provided the biggest sighs in the hall as all neutrals were praying for a repeat of France against the Republic of Ireland. Russia were drawn instead and will be eager to bounce back after missing the boat for South Africa; Slovakia, the only World Cup qualifier among them, provide the main opposition to those two.

Italy's Marcello Lippi chose to stay at home, leaving Angelo Petruzzi to answer questions, and Lippi will be pleasantly surprised, although World Cup qualifiers Serbia and Slovenia will provide real tests for the Azzurri away from home.

France in reality got lucky with a kind draw: Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina are far from the worst teams they could have faced.

Group E should be no trouble for the Netherlands, while Sweden and Hungary renew acquaintances after their mutually unsuccessful World Cup qualifying attempts. Sweden also have a Scandinavian border derby with Finland to look forward to.

Euro 2004 winners Greece have an even chance of returning to the finals having been drawn into a balanced-looking group containing Croatia, Israel, Latvia and Georgia, while England will be confident of topping Group G ahead of Switzerland. Fabio Capello's men also have a mini return to the days of the Home Championship with Wales to play twice.

Winning Group H looks tough for Portugal, who struggled in the World Cup qualifiers; Carlos Queiroz is surely hoping the local derbies between Denmark and Norway end in two ties. Finally, reigning champions Spain should have safe passage from Group I where the Czechs and the Scots will battle it out for second place.

Europe's middle-ranking nations still provide the occasional shock such as Ukraine's quarter-final finish in the 2006 World Cup or Turkey's semi-final run at Euro 2008, but there do not seem to be enough sleeping giants to call any of the groups a group of death. As of now, the lineup for 2012 right now looks like being the cast of usual suspects.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile
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Ozren Podnar reports

The only 1930 WC survivor celebrates 100th birthday

The former Argentinian player Francisco Varallo, the only survivor from the first World Cup finals in 1930, turned 100 last Friday. Varallo was the youngest member of Argentina's squad that got beaten 4-2 by Uruguay in the decisive match at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo.

Varallo, called "Canoncito" (Little Cannon) was born on February 5th of 1910 in La Plata, 50 km south of Buenos Aires, and until recently held the scoring record for Boca Juniors with 194 goals, until overtaken by Martin Palermo last year. With Boca, Varallo played for nine seasons winning three championships and five top-scoring titles.

"I remember that final match quite well. It was a tough game in which the Uruguayans overwhelmed us. We went 2-1 up, but ended up losing 2-4. We had a great team but some of the players lost stamina in the second half. I believe I should not have played that match because I was too young and inexperienced and also could not run due to a knee injury," Varallo told the media, while Argentina celebrates the jubilee of one of the countries heroes.

The plaudits include the creation of the award labelled "For career and chivalry", which will be presented to the veteran next Friday.

John Terry stripped of captaincy over sex scandal

England manager Fabio Capello punished John Terry for his umpteenth sex romp by removing him as captain. The Chelsea defender came under the scrutiny of the British tabloids over his affair with Vanessa Perroncel, who is the former companion of England teammate Wayne Bridge. Their relationship was crowned with Vanessa's pregnancy, which was terminated in agreement with Terry.

Terry's role as the captain was first questioned by sport minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who observed that "a captain's responsibilities reach beyond the field of play." The defender's fate was sealed when Capello travelled to London to visit him and resolve the captaincy issue in direct talks.
Terry was promoted to team leader by Steve McClaren in 2006, and was confirmed in the role by Capello when the Italian took over in early 2008. His successor is Rio Ferdinand, until now Terry's deputy as appointed by Capello.

In the meantime the press has compiled an enviable list of Terry's erotic conquests, which has singled out the Chelsea man as one of the top Casanovas in the country.

Jose Mourinho not taking over at Real

The media have again placed Jose Mourinho in the context of coaching Real Madrid since their president Florentino Perez is not satisfied with Manuel Pellegrini's work. The allegations meant that Mouringo's agent Jorge Mendes had an exhausting Friday having to deny his client's intentions of leaving the Italian champions Inter's bench.

"I have heard Mourinho say on several occasions that he would respect his contract. Real rumours? They are not surprising, because most journalists tend to publish some kind of fantasy all the time," said Mendes.

"It is obvious that Mourinho is doing fine at Inter, where he has a great team. Therefore I'm asking you why he would leave?"

Inter have yet again built a solid lead on top of the Serie A table and are likely to wrap up their fifth consecutive Italian title, which would equal Juventus' and Torino's "ancient" records.

Salvador Cabanas' condition improving

The Paraguayan international Salvador Cabanas has surprisingly improved twelve days after being shot in the head in a Mexico City bar. Still with the bullet lodged in his skull in an apparently harmless position, Cabanas is capable of sitting up, taking his own food and exchanging a few words. Among those is his desire to improve in order to take part at the World Cup in South Africa.

That may be slightly too optimistic, as the doctors are very happy that the Paraguayan has come this far in view of the severity of his wound.
"He speaks, obeys orders and moves his extremities without a major problem," said the surgeon Enrique Martinez, who performed the operation on the player's head.
There is no infection usually associated with bullet wounds, but there is still some presence of blood in the ventricular cavity, which required the doctors to set up a draining system "for the sake of safety," added the doctor.

The Mexican authorities have attempted to interview Cabanas over the incident, but the doctors have estimated he is still uncapable of making a full statement regarding the circumstances of the shooting.

Zlatko Kranjcar named Montenegro coach

Former Croatia national team manager Zlatko Kranjcar has taken over Montenegro on Friday after accepting FA chairman Dejan Savicevic's offer. Tottenham's Niko Kranjcar's father said he welcomed the new opportunity with enthusiasm, hoping to take Montenegro to Euro 2012 just as he did Croatia to the 2006 World Cup.
"Our common goal is to make a step further in comparison to what Montenegro did so far. I am well acquainted with the team's qualities and we'll try to achieve the best possible result", said Kranjcar, whose achievements include two League and Cup doubles with Dinamo Zagreb and one League with NK Zagreb, probably the biggest upset in the history of Croatian club competition.
"We managed to hire a coach with great experience at all levels," said Savicevic. "I am convinced we made a great choice and that our national team will be a tough competitor in the second qualifying cycle in our history."

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>> Click Here To Watch Chelsea Vs Arsenal Live Now <<

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Sunday, 7th February 2010
Kick Off : 16:00 GMT
Venue : Stamford Bridge, London

The English Premier League game between Chelsea and Arsenal is set to be played at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 7th February Feb 07 2010, at 4:00 PM. The question of Chelsea’s leadership on the table has become somewhat of a challenge for the Blues in the last week or so and now it is the turn of Arsenal to test their resolve. A Chelsea win would ensure they end the weekend where they started it, on the top spot. Defeat could let Manchester United on first place and allow Arsenal to recover some of the ground they lost after taking only a point from their last two fixtures.

Arsenal had put together a 10-match unbeaten steak before last week’s defeat against United, eroding the 11-point advantage Chelsea had after winning at the Emirates Stadium in last November. Since that moment, Chelsea’s doubts, particularly from set-pieces, have often been exposed when playing away. During the 1-1 draw at Hull in midweek they looked as a team distracted by the media attention on embattled skipper John Terry, who lost England’s captaincy on Friday.
Chelsea reports Belletti (calf), Bosingwa and Essien (both knee) as unavailable for the game against Arsenal.

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Arsenal informs that Diaby (calf) Djourou and Vela (both knee), Eduardo (hamstring), Gibbs (foot), Merida and Van Persie (both ankle) are still injured.

The defeat at the Emirates against Man U left Arsene Wenger hugely frustrated and the Frenchman will hope that his side can lift themselves from it. Arsenal have been outplayed at home by both their title rivals and probably need to win on Sunday at Stamford Bridge to stay in contention. Wenger will go with more or less the same team that lost to United. Nicklas Bendtner may be included to add physical presence up front and Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy and Denilson who all struggled so clearly, should all start.

Cesc Fabregas’ future at Arsenal has again been a source of distraction in the past week with the Spaniard supposedly ready to return to Spain next summer. This is a big match for the skipper but he will need help from his supporting cast, Alexandre Song and Andrey Arshavin who will need to be at the top of their game to defeat a Chelsea side that hasn’t lost a game at home in 2009/2010. Arsenal have produced some courageous performances at Stamford Bridge and will need to do so again to stay alive.

My prediction: 2-1

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WARSAW, EURO 2012 Qualifying Draw

As if worrying about Ukraine's hotels, roads and airports was not enough, UEFA President Michel Platini had other questions to answer in his press conference on the eve of the European Championship qualifying draw.

Depressingly, four separate English journalists asked him the same question in different wording about John Terry's sex scandal, speciously implying a parallel with the one in 1982 when France sent Jean-Francois Larios home from the World Cup after he had been seeing Platini's wife.

Thankfully the French legend was made of stronger stuff than to lower himself to those hacks' baiting, but seemed to lose patience eventually by replying 'I really don't care', which was met by applause by some non-Anglo writers. Platini did deflect a question about misbehaving rich stars by alluding to his plan to ban insolvent clubs from UEFA competitions.

"What annoys me are the clubs who pay these high salaries when they don’t have the money," he made a point of telling the hall.

Platini had started the press conference by referring to the continued uncertainly over the host nations' suitability in many eyes. "We are working on it...these things will develop," he semi-reassured the gathered media, whose experience of snowbound Warsaw has probably been a shock after the effortless charm of Vienna in the summer of 2008.

After many deadlines, the eight venues are now at last "final" according to Platini, but one journalist still asked if Krakow, with its tourist infrastructure, might not yet replace one of the Ukrainian venues: The UEFA President said that was a matter for the national associations.

The spread of stadia still looks daunting. In the media guide, train journey times are listed with the transfer between Gdansk and Donetsk taking a whopping 30hours at best...

Then came the question of extra referees, with Platini defending his preference for more referees over more use of cameras.

"I'm really a fan of the human method (of refereeing) rather than the technological method," he explained, adding he didn't want to let cameras run the officiating and noting that basketball had added extra officials over time.

This led inevitably to Thierry Henry and Platini was quick to defend the referee in question from opprobrium:

"The ref could not see a hand," he said. "It was a problem of refereeing rather than the referee – he is not to blame, though you could all see it on television."

A rematch between the French and Irish in the qualifiers is one he would welcome, however. "Yes, I would love that," Platini smiled.

In reality that would not produce anything like the sort of tension which led UEFA to extraordinarily add two political caveats to tomorrow's draw: Old enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot meet each other and neither can Georgia and Russia, following their military fracas two years ago.

The introduction of what he called "geopolitics" into football was interesting. Russia's looming presence as former guardian of Ukraine and the controller of Europe's gas supplies has allegedly been the reason Ukraine kept its hosting prize when it looks in no shape to be ready in time.

"To avoid political problems, we don't want to mix sport up with politics," explained Platini, in self-conscious equivocation. What was that draw caveat if not political then?
Platini has a lot on his plate all right, but seems well able to manage.

Shortly having taken over the job from Lennart Johansson, Platini confessed,

"I quickly realised I was dealing with different mindsets and different philosophies, from Siberia all the way to Portugal."

53 nations' coaches will assemble tomorrow in the Palace of Culture and Science, although Italy's Marcello Lippi will apparently not be there because he wants to watch Serie A games.

Unusually, some qualifiers will be played on Fri/Tues instead of Sat/Weds for 2012, but otherwise the format is familiar with six graded pots of teams to select six groups of six and three of five. The nine group winners and best runners-up qualify automatically and the remaining eight runners-up have playoffs to decide four teams to go through. Poland and Ukraine qualify automatically as hosts.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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Here amid the palatial surroundings of the Palace of Culture and Science, a Stalinist skyscraper which towers over the Polish capital, UEFA President Michel Platini has just met the press ahead of tomorrow's UEFA 2012 Qualifying Draw.

Platini's welcome to the tournament however was slightly stained by repetitive questions from English journalists about the John Terry affair.

Four separate reporters from football's homeland saw fit to probe him for his views on the matter, causing the UEFA President to eventually spout out,

"Je m'en fous completement" - 'I really don't care!'

The subtext to these interrogations was a similar case involving Platini in 1982. For the World Cup in Spain, midfielder Jean-Francois Larios had been picked for the French squad alongside his St Etienne teammate. Larios started France's opening 1-3 defeat to England, playing 73 minutes before being replaced by Jean Tigana, but was then promptly dropped by coach Michel Hidalgo after reports surfaced about an affair with Platini's wife.

The resemblances to Terry's travails were too juicy a cherry for England's tabloidy media to miss. But to tell the truth I felt embarrassed to be from the same country as them after they kept poking a man who was plainly was not going to take the bait.

Expect Fabio Capello to be grilled on Terrygate rather than the draw tomorrow. When the English tabloids choose to follow a story, they pursue it come what may. I can't stand Premier League press conferences where the clique of established hacks force their agenda through at the expense of a wider set of questions. Non Fleet Street reporters like me are frozen out with no time to ask what we want to: This is journalism rather than reporting. Today was supposed to be about Poland and the Ukraine's first chance to host a football tournament and the English hacks tried to make it about sex.

I am on Platini's side: The football is just more interesting and important than the tittle-tattle. And I began to wonder whether this sort of dis-repecting the game contributes to England's wider lack of clout in global football politics. We are trying to persuade the world, or more specifically the 24 members of FIFA's Executive Committee, including a certain M.Platini, to back us for the 2018 World Cup, but our journalists are showing no respect to the FOOTBALL above all.

"It's your problem in England," Platini finally said, half-exasperated.

"I thought I had come here to talk about the Euros, not the problems of each country's media." Hear, hear.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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England coach Fabio Capello is not a man to shirk his responsibilities, never afraid to make tough decisions.

His sacking of John Terry as England captain after allegations of an affair with Wayne Bridge's ex-partner was a timely reminder that he remains the sergente di ferro (iron sergeant), as he became known in Italy.

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Capello Wields the Axe originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 10:53:55.

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>> Click Here To Watch Tottenham Hotspur Vs Aston Villa Live Now <<

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Saturday, 6th February 2010
Kick Off : 15:00 GMT
Venue : White Hart Lane, Tottenham

This English Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, will be played at White Hart Lane on Saturday 6th February 2010, at 3:00 PM. Tottenham decided to send Robbie Keane away, he swapped White Hart Lane for Scotland’s Parkhead. The striker had grown tired of warming the bench, so chose a loan to Celtic. About his game, the Spurs boss Redknapp said that it will be a big game, a very exciting game with two sides wanting to win. The villagers are an attacking side, with James Milner’s controlling the midfield and doing great.

While Villa has made good signings, the Spurs are a good team as well. They were excellent at Leeds and showed terrific character to win a hard tie there. Villa will probably visit them with two wingers and attack them openly when posible. But they are a good counter-attacking team too because of their pace in wide positions. The Spurs have good forwards, are scoring goals and making chances, Defoe is in good goal scoring form and surely they’ll be plenty of opportunities to score in both sides of the pitch.
Spurs team news: Benoit Assou-Ekotto is almost fit to play but could be kept out of the side by Gareth Bale’s good form. Roman Pavlyuchenko may return to the side.

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Aston Villa reports that John Carew could return from injury after a knee problem, while the team will continue to assess skipper Stiliyan Petrov’s game time health.

Martin O’Neill is still firing off after being criticised for a ”long ball game” by Arsene Wenger. O’Neill reponded with irony by saying that Wenger has an opinion on everything, he continued “there is not a subject in this world at this minute – whether it is political, religious, anything – that he does not have an opinion on. He does say things for effect.”

In what concerns to the game, Aston Villa may be two points behind fourth-place Tottenham with a game in hand but they have scored 14 goals fewer than Spurs and their lack of scoring power may be a factor. With Jermain Defoe starting to find the target once more, Tottenham will expect to keep one of their rival contenders for a Champions League place under control. Villa’s hopes of getting something in Saturday’s game have been boosted by the return of John Carew to the squad, but they will need more than that.

My prediction: 2-1

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Revelations over Chelsea skipper John Terry's private life led to much speculation over the past week as to what actions England manager Fabio Capello would take. The Italian disciplinarian saw fit to do what the bookies said he would, but the man has less sense than people give him credit for. At least this puts to bed the ridiculous notion that one Wayne Rooney would make him himself the least experienced team-leader on the international stage. Should a violent pit-bull with no desire to ...

The Merseyside Derby is the Premier League's early kick-off this Saturday, and Rafa Benitez has made special mention of out-of-form Captain Steven Gerrard and childhood Evertonian Jamie Carragher as the key members to make or break this season's fixture at Anfield. Both enter the game having found form for the first time in their abysmal seasons. Liverpool have ahead of them in the month of February the most crucial four weeks in their race for fourth place ahead of Man City, Spurs and Villa, ...

For fans in South Korea, the 2010 World Cup is put on a backburner this weekend as the fourth East Asian championships are held in Japan.

The biennial four-nation tournament, which runs from February 6 to 14, is often a feisty affair as you would expect as it features regional rivals China, Japan, South Korea and one other from this part of the world. That has been North Korea for the past two occasions but this time round, the 1966 World Cup quarter-finalists failed to qualify and Hong Kong will fill the fourth spot instead. There is still some spice however as the former British colony is coached by a South Korean, Kim Pan-gon, hoping to make headlines at home.

The prize for lifting the trophy, which has been contested three times and gone to South Korea twice and China once, is mostly measured in terms of regional pride though it does come with a prize of $500,000. It is not a huge event in the world of soccer but for fans in Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul, the chance to put one over on neighbours and rivals is always welcome.

This year is a little different as it is the first time the tournament has been held in the run-up to the World Cup and while Japan and Korea, both qualifiers for the June tournament in South Africa, would be delighted to win, thoughts are on the bigger picture.

Japan and South Korea see tough and competitive games in Tokyo as ideal preparation for the big ones in South Africa. Japan has been drawn in the same group as the Netherlands, Denmark and Cameroon in June, and has been struggling a little to find committed opposition. In October, Japan was disappointed at the lack of challenge presented by Togo and Scotland who travelled east shorn of their stars.

"We wanted two tough matches but you can only beat the opposition in front of you,” said Japan coach Takeshi Okada at the time. Now Okada is looking forward the upcoming tests. “The East Asian Championship is a chance to take our game up a level further. Unlike the games we had at the end of last year, this time I'm expecting a serious challenge."

Okada and his team need a challenge if he is to meet the targets that he has set for his team at the World Cup – a spot in the semifinal to match South Korea’s achievements in 2002.

“I said I wanted to shock the world,” Okada said recently. “If South Korea reached the semifinals, then why can’t we? Motivation is the key for the players who want to make it to our World Cup squad. We will only pick players who are serious about giving it their best shot and trying to reach the semi-finals.”

No extra motivation is needed for players on either side when Japan and Korea. The Taeguk Warriors have just returned from a three-week training camp. The three games in South Africa, getting a taste of playing soccer in the relatively high altitude of the Rainbow Nation, didn’t go too well with a defeat against Zambia in the first match. Results improved slightly and the two subsequent matches in Spain against Finland and Latvia both ended in wins.

The lack of goals from his strikers has concerned coach Huh Jung-moo, who like his Japanese counterpart is also hoping that the East Asian Cup can give his team some much-needed hard work.

"During the two training camps and five friendlies, I noted the strong and weak points of the players. It was a good experience for them."

Much attention in the Korean media has been on the stuttering form of striker Lee Dong-gook. The 2009 K-League top scorer found the back of the net 21 times last season for champion Jeonbuk Motors but after earning a recall to the national team, he has yet to show the same kind of ruthlessness. There are signs that coach Huh is losing patience with the man who was omitted from the 2002 squad and injured in 2006.

"The players did their job properly in their respective positions but we must improve the killer instinct,” said Huh. "We lost many clear chances and were not sharp enough in front of the goal. The players must show more technique and have physical strength to get a World Cup call-up.

South Korea’s opening game on Sunday is against Hong Kong. Then come games against China on Wednesday and Japan on Sunday. Contests with the latter pair are always intense. These days, China is just desperate to defeat Korea as it has simply never done so. The two teams have met 27 times in their history with Korea winning 16 and the other 11 ending in a tie. China’s ‘Koreaphobia’ is alive and well and sure to be mentioned a number of times by the Korean media over the next few days.

Huh got his first win in charge of the Taeguk Warriors in this competition against China in February 2008 and while he may have his sights set on South Africa, he won’t want to become the first ever coach to lose to China.

What he is hoping the tournament will help him do however is become the first coach to lead South Korea past the first round at a World Cup held overseas.

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com


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Milan president Silvio Berlusconi's comments regarding the club's signing of Inter Milan winger Amantino Mancini intrigue me.

The Italian Prime Minister said he did not "understand" the loan deal, which will see the Brazilian stay with the rossoneri until the end of the season.

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Berlusconi Wades in originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 19:09:43.

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Fifa's World Rankings for February are out. Spain stay in top spot in this month's Fifa world rankings. Brazil are second followed by the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal.

Spain and Brazil are among the favorites to lift the World Cup trophy next summer.

England are in 9th place. Argentina are 8th.

The only change in the top ten places was Egypt, which leapfrogged into the top ten.

France are in 7th. Nigeria is the highest African team at the World Cup in 15th. The USA held onto the 14th spot.


1 Spain
2 Brazil
3 Netherlands
4 Italy
5 Portugal
6 Germany
7 France
8 Argentina
9 England
10 Egypt
11 Croatia
12 Greece
13 Russia
14 USA
15 Nigeria
16 Chile
17 Mexico
18 Switzerland
19 Serbia
20 Cameroon

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I was at the Emirates Stadium to witness Manchester United's 3-1 destruction of Arsenal and a mesmeric display from Nani.

Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha, to give him his full name, was scintillating down the right, and his cross after a sensational piece of skill to bamboozle the hapless Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri, forced goalkeeper Manuel Almunia to push the ball into his own net, giving United the lead.

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Nani Delivers at Last originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 03:40:12.

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Walking through the centre of London, the EU's largest city on Friday afternoon, I saw a famous footballer, and later two men holding hands: Neither a big deal.

On Thursday night rugby star Gareth Thomas hosted a coming-out party with friends and gay stars including Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf) at a Soho nightspot. Former Wales captain Thomas, 35, admitted he was gay late last year and the reaction has been, well...no-one's really bothered.


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For most people in Europe, January with its long and cold nights is a quiet time after the excesses of Christmas and New Year Holidays. Football is different however as the January transfer window may not always ensure activity but it at least delivers thousands of reports and rumours about possible deals and moves.

This flood strengthens as the end of the month approaches. It is the mid-season time in Europe when clubs are often on the look-out for imports that can save or kick-start their fortunes. The biggest and the best teams tend to save their shopping until the summer when new additions have time and the pre-season training period in which to adapt to their new surroundings.

But with the window open just for a few days more before it closes until the summer; it is natural that all clubs and scouts keep their eyes open. This leads to all kinds of fun and games in the Korean media. This month has been quieter than Januarys of the past but the deadline is approaching fast.

Maybe too fast for Yeom Ki-hoon. This talented attacker, who also has an ability to pick up injuries on a regular basis, came into prominence in 2006 during Jeonbuk Motors’ successful attempt to become the champions of Asia.

Then 23, Yeom’s future looked very bright before his annual injury slowed his development. He has still played over 20 times for the national team and has already come close to a move to England. On the radar of English clubs since 2007, one Premier League team arrange to scout Yeom in a national team match in the spring of that year only for his lack of fitness to make the trip a waste of time.

After moving from Jeonbuk to Ulsan Horang-I, he found himself training with West Bromich Albion in December 2008. After a few days club Ulsan claimed that he had gone to the club, based in the city of Birmingham, without their knowledge. Whatever the truth, West Brom didn’t want the bad publicity and made sure that he returned to Korea’s shipbuilding capital to build some bridges.

Now there are rumours of interest from a neighbour of West Brom – Birmingham City. City is not a club about to slip out of the Premier League but this season has instead been going along nicely in the top half of the standings. Not only that but the Blues now have a new owner in the shape of Hong Kong tycoon Carson Yeung. This businessman has money to spend and a plan to extend Birmingham’s appeal in East Asia. Signing a Korean player would be a good start and as Yeom has good connections with agents in the UK, he is a natural choice.

There is another Korean star who has already made the European move, though this one didn’t go widely reported. Teenager Suk Hyun-jun impressed in a trial with Dutch powerhouse Ajax. The four-time European champion signed the attacker and he could be in line for a first game very soon.

"Hyun Jun Suk is only 18 years old and offered his services to Ajax by himself. We didn't scout him or anything. Therefore, I'm not sure whether he's ready to make his debut yet," Ajax boss Martin Jol said in Amsterdam last week.

"It would be rather strange for Suk to make his debut this weekend, but it wouldn't be the first time I've done something like that. Suk is a good player and he always does his utmost.”

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com

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England Coo Clocks - that World Cup 2010 necessity for any true England fan.




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The draw for the 5th round of the FA Cup was made yesterday. Matches will be played on the weekend of February 13-14, 2010

Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham or Leeds Utd

Chelsea v Cardiff City

Derby County v Birmingham City

Fulham v Notts County or Wigan

Manchester City v Stoke City

Reading v West Brom

Southampton v Portsmouth

Wolves or Crystal Palace v Aston Villa


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The story of another South Korea star’s adventures in Europe started last weekend as Ki Sung-yong made a first appearance in the famous green-and-white hooped shirt of Celtic. The 20 year-old played the full 90 minutes on Saturday as his new team drew 1-1 with Falkirk in the Scottish Premier League. It was a disappointing performance from the Bhoys but a promising debut from Ki who was impressed with his free-kick skills and was named Man of the Match.

After agreeing to join the famous Scottish club last summer, Ki, had to wait until the end of the year to join his new team as he played out the rest of the K-League season with FC Seoul. Now he is ready to help the 1967 European champions recapture the Scottish title from Glasgow rivals Rangers.

Ki has already impressed off the pitch with his fluent English and pleased journalists, players and supporters alike by coming up with a more familiar first name. "I spent some time in Australia and there my friends called me David as it's difficult for some to pronounce my name,” he told the local media upon arrival. “If that helps make it easier, it’s fine with me. Communication is so important if players are to be comfortable with each other."

Those years spent in high school in Brisbane may have helped his English skills but life on the Gold Coast is a far cry from that in Glasgow. Ki got a taste of that in his first full week in the UK with severe snowstorms and cold weather bringing the country and soccer to a halt and delaying his debut for the club.

That wouldn’t have bothered him too much, Seoul is colder than Scotland in the winter months and the classy youngster has a perfect attitude to match his skills. Already a regular in the Korean team, Ki has been one of the hottest properties in Asia for the past two years or so since he broke into the ranks at FC Seoul. He quickly became one of the nation’s biggest stars and the fact that he is tall and handsome didn’t do him any harm.

Now he has the challenge of charming the legions of Celtic fans that fill Parkhead, the club’s famous 60,000 capacity stadium, on a regular basis. Despite such numbers, Scottish football is in the doldrums these days with the two big clubs, Celtic, and city rivals Rangers, a little less flush with cash than in the past and with the rest of the league unable to compete regardless, many eyes will be on Ki, the 2009 Young Asian Player of the Year, to lift the profile of the Scottish scene.

"In signing Ki, we are sure we will welcome a whole new audience to Celtic," Celtic Chief executive Peter Lawwell said recently in Seoul.

"This (creating new audiences) is something which proved very successful through the signing of players such as Shunsuke Nakamura previously and we are sure Scottish football will again benefit through this signing. In difficult economic times for Scottish football, we are delighted to make this commitment and bring Ki to Scotland."

Nakamura arrived in Scotland in 2005 and spent four years there. The Japanese playmaker was a big hit with the fans and the coach. Before leaving for Spain in the summer of 2009, he certainly helped raise Celtic’s profile in Japan and Asia but Ki has warned fans that he is not a ‘Naka Mark II’ but is more similar to a certain all-action Liverpool and England midfielder.

“People will be expecting me to be the new Nakamura, but I'm not. He was a wonderful player and really gifted technically, but that's not the style I play. I'm younger, faster and stronger. In South Korea people compare me to Steven Gerrard, and I'll admit that's who I've based my game on."

"But Gerrard is one of the best and most recognized midfielders in the world. At the moment I'm not, but that's what I want to become.”

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com


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Another tempestuous week in England has seen Carlos Tevez label Gary Neville "a boot-licker," Owen Coyle accuse William Gallas of "assault" and Steve Bruce brand Liverpool "disrespectful."

Tevez's unique form of playground name calling came after Gary Neville reportedly said he was not worth the US$41 million Manchester City paid for him after he left United last summer. Tevez gestured at Neville - suggesting the latter talks too much - during the Carling Cup semi-final between the two sides, and Neville responded by raising his middle finger.

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Boot-Licking ‘N’ All originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 18:45:43.

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The Netherlands

Road to South Africa

They may have enjoyed a relatively easy draw, but the Netherlands could hardly have been more convincing as they swept all before them on the way to winning eight qualifying games in a row.

In a group that contained one less opponent than the rest of the European groups, the Netherlands started their campaign with a win away in Macedonia and simply never let up. A narrow win in Oslo over Norway was followed by a comfortable home victory against Scotland, and with their two main challengers dispatched early on, the Dutch cruised through to the finals and conceded just two goals en route.

Bert van Marwijk’s side might have enjoyed a charmed run to the finals, but they showed in a gritty final-day win in the hostile confines of Glasgow’s Hampden Park that they are also capable of grinding out results.

Analysis

Despite so much expectation, the Dutch still have no World Cup trophy to show for all their undoubted talents.

Grizzled tactician van Marwijk will hope to change all that when he leads his Dutch side at what could be one of the most open World Cups in years, and there’s plenty of experience rippling through his well-balanced squad.

Skipper Giovanni van Bronckhorst, midfield talisman Mark van Bommel and workhorse striker Dirk Kuyt have seen it all before, while mercurial midfielder Rafael van der Vaart seems to have been around for an eternity – despite being just 26.

Perhaps the only weakness resides in goal, where the Dutch have struggled to replace legendary custodian Edwin van der Saar. Ajax shot-stopper Maarten Stekelenburg is the current incumbent, but doubts remain about his composure under pressure.

Key player: Mark van Bommel

The Dutch have a wealth of creative talent at their disposal, so it’s up to the coach’s son-in-law Mark van Bommel to do the dirty work in midfield, with the combative anchorman a tough-tackling terrier in the centre of the park.

One to watch: Eljero Elia

Goals have proved to come by for the Dutch – who recorded three 0-0 draws in post-qualification friendlies, so the tricky wing play of rising young star Eljero Elia could prove decisive in unlocking stubborn defences.

Coach: Bert van Marwijk

When Marco van Basten’s unpopular reign came to an inglorious end, the Dutch turned to Bart van Marwijk to restore order.

At 57, van Marwijk has been around for some time, but it’s only the past decade in spells at Feyenoord and German club Borussia Dortmund that he has made a name for himself, and this is his first major tournament in charge of the Dutch national team.

Recent Previous Tournaments

1998: Semi-finals
2002: Did not qualify
2006: Second round

Soccerphile says

Perennial dark horses, the Dutch are yet to make good on all their promise and lift a World Cup trophy. Once again they go into the finals with high expectations, but the lack of an authoritative goalkeeper, a struggling front line and an inexperienced coach mean that while they should get out of a group containing Japan, Denmark and Cameroon, their fate could lay in the hands of the draw thereafter.

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It's a case of "same again, please" as far as the J. League is concerned, with last season's bumper opening day clash between Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds reprised for the 2010 campaign.

The J. League has announced the schedule for the opening two rounds of fixtures, with three-time defending champions Kashima set to start the defence of their title in front of a capacity crowd at Kashima Stadium against arch-rivals Urawa.

There's also a repeat of the recent Emperor's Cup final as Gamba Osaka host Nagoya Grampus at Expo '70 Stadium, while last season's runners-up Kawasaki Frontale kick off the new campaign at home to Albirex Niigata.

Round 2 features a much-anticipated Osaka derby, as promoted side Cerezo Osaka welcome crosstown rivals Gamba to Nagai Stadium, with Kanagawa rivals Yokohama F. Marinos and newly promoted Shonan Bellmare also slugging it out at Nissan Stadium.

The full fixture list will be announced on February 3.

Round 1

Saturday, March 6

Kashima Antlers vs Urawa Reds (Kashima Stadium)
FC Tokyo vs Yokohama F. Marinos (Ajinomoto Stadium)
Kawasaki Frontale vs Albirex Niigata (Todoroki Stadium)
Shonan Bellmare vs Montedio Yamagata (Hiratsuka Stadium)
Jubilo Iwata vs Vegalta Sendai (Yamaha Stadium)
Gamba Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus (Expo '70 Stadium)
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Big Arch Stadium)

Sunday, March 7

Omiya Ardija vs Cerezo Osaka (Nack5 Stadium)
Vissel Kobe vs Kyoto Sanga (Home's Stadium)

Round 2

Saturday, March 13

Vegalta Sendai vs Omiya Ardija (Yurtec Stadium)
Yokohama F. Marinos vs Shonan Bellmare (Nissan Stadium)
Albirex Niigata vs Jubilo Iwata (Big Swan Stadium)
Shimizu S-Pulse vs Montedio Yamagata (Nihondaira Stadium)
Nagoya Grampus vs Kawasaki Frontale (Toyota Stadium)

Sunday, March 14

Urawa Reds vs FC Tokyo (Saitama Stadium)
Kyoto Sanga vs Kashima Antlers (Nishikyogoku Stadium)
Cerezo Osaka vs Gamba Osaka (Nagai Stadium)
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Home's Stadium)

Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

J.League News


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Ronaldinho's third goal in AC Milan's 4-0 win over Siena on Sunday was not only his ninth of the Serie A season but also confirmation that he is returning to something like the form he demonstrated on a weekly basis with Barcelona.

The Catalans were desperate to offload him and Deco in the summer of 2008 as both were becoming disenchanted with life at Camp Nou. They were emerging as destructive influences in the dressing room, Ronaldinho's relationship with Samuel Eto'o in particular having deteriorated.

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Back in the Big Time originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 19:00:58.

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Qatar may not be the most well-known country in the footie world, but Soccerphile have convered several events in the tiny but extremely rich Gulf country.

That includes the recent play off between England and Brazil in Qatar's amazing Khalifa stadium.

We'll be doing a lot more cover if the country get their ambition of holding the 2022 football world cup!

Soccerphile in Qatar

We are able to cover the football in Qatar so well because we have people on the ground in Qatar.

For several years now we have been running the tourist and resident's website, Qatar Visitor.

And now we have set up a companion job board, QatarVisitorJobs.com, to provide you with the latest jobs in Qatar.

Why Qatar?

Quite simply, Qatar is the richest country in the world. As a result, the best jobs pay top whack - and you don't have to pay any tax on your enourmous earnings!

Added to which, Qatar, while still a conservative Muslim country, is a place where you can still have fun. There are bars, an off-licence (yes, an off-licene! we didn't say it was the fun capital of the world) and even a nightclub.

So unlike Saudi, you don't have to go dry to earn your dosh.

So click here to check out the jobs board and apply for the latest vacancies.

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Love 'em or loathe 'em the vuvuzela is set to be the sound of the 2010 South Africa World Cup.



Purchase a genuine vuvuzela trumpet decorated in your team's colors with beads made by women in a Cape Town township.



The money raised will go towards helping poorer South Africans benefit from the World Cup in their country. This is a unique souvenir from South Africa.


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So the Lega Calcio have closed a section of Juventus' Stadio Olimpico because of the racist behavior of the club's fans.

The Curva Sud, where the hardcore ultras sit and regularly vent their racist spleen will not be open when the club host Roma on January 23.

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Pitiful Punishment originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 04:45:06.

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Win a 2010 World Cup poster in our monthly free-to-enter competition.



The image is of a black African heading a soccer ball. The head of the figure is in the shape of the African continent.



World Cup posters are much sought after items which retain their value for collectors.



All you have to do is sign up for Soccerphile's World Cup newsletter and answer 3 simple questions.

Soccerphile also offers original Germany World Cup 2006 posters and replica 1930 World Cup posters.

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South Korean clubs teams don’t change coaches at the drop of a hat and usually wait until the season ends before taking a look at how their man in the hotseat has done. Sackings are rare, coaches tend to leave as contracts end or better offers come along. This off-season period is a little unusual however as three of the four clubs that were under overseas stewardship last season will have a new coach when the 2010 K-League season kicks off at the end of February.

Only Incheon United will have the same foreign face in 2010. Serbian Ilja Petkovic was rewarded for taking the West Coast club into the championship play-off series in 2009, his first season in Korea, by being offered a new one-year contract.

FC Seoul, Pohang Steelers and Jeju United have all seen their coaches head out of South Korea. The biggest story and the biggest shock has been the convoluted departure of Sergio Farias from Pohang. The Brazilian led the team to the 2007 K-League title and then, famously, the 2009 Asian crown.

Such success naturally attracts covetous eyes. In December, reports started to surface that suggested he was talking to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli. “It is ridiculous that they publish something which is not true,” Farias replied when asked about the rumours. "Teams from West Asia tend to say things before checking all the facts just to show off. This kind of behavior should be avoided."

Pohang CEO Kim Tae-man also dimissed the reports. “Farias is now famous so these kinds of rumours are common,” said Kim. “I know him personally and I don’t need to even ask him about it because it is not an issue.”

It soon became one as Farias signed an 18-month deal with the Jeddah club worth a reported $2.5 million. That dwarfed his Pohang pay and despite the manner of his leaving, his five years and success in Korea meant that Farias left with good wishes.

Pohang openly talked of their desire for another Brazilian coach and hired Waldemar Lemos de Oliveira, a 55 year-old with experience coaching in Japan and Saudi Arabia as well as his native Brazil. He has signed a one-year deal at his new club and will join them with immediate effect.

"He has lots of experience with big clubs in Brazil and he has also worked in the Asian region, and he is able to get the players working together well as a unit," Kim Tae-Min said.

"Most of all, however, he showed a good understanding of Pohang Steelers and what we are about. He likes to play fast and attractive football that excites the fans and wants to win respect from other teams through beautiful and clean football."

Oliviera will be able to communicate easily with the new boss at FC Seoul. Nelo Vingada hails from Portugal but has coached all over the world. He replaces Senol Gunes who returned to Turkey in December as his three-year contract with Seoul expired.

It is not the most inspiring choice for Seoul fans. Gunes was named FIFA’s coach of the year in 2002 as he took an unheralded Turkey team into third place at the World Cup. Vingada’s list of jobs may be lengthier but doesn’t carry the same weight. His last national team position was with Jordan.

"I'm very happy to be here. My feelings are very optimistic," Vingada told local media as he arrived. "I believe that by training hard, as a team, as a family, we will achieve what everybody wants."

The 56 year-old, who won the Egyptian title with Zamalek, aims to do the same for FC Seoul.

"My challenge, the challenge of the team, the challenge I want to bring to the players, is to make first (place)," he said. "It's a new year, a new time, so when we start our training, we will have my new ideas and the support of the staff. I want to see FC Seoul on the list of winners of the K-League. I am here for this challenge."

Jeju United parted company with Brazil’s Artur Bernandes after a fairly unspectacular two seasons and the club has decided not to follow the example set by Seoul and Pohang. A Korean has been appointed in the shape of former national team Under-17 and Under-23 Park Kyung-Hoon.There is less pressure on Park. Pohang and Seoul are expected to battle for the title. For Jeju, a mid-table ranking will suffice.

For the new boys, now is the time for some pre-season training in warmer climes, not there are many of those around at the moment, but the real heat comes with the kick-off of the 2010 K-League season.

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com


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Sign up for the free Soccerphile Newsletter this January and win a 2010 World Cup poster in our free to enter, easy to answer competition.

Have a look at the Soccerphile newsletter online to see what you will receive in your inbox.



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I was interested to read Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's recent quotes about the importance of qualifying for the Champions League.

The Spaniard suggested that the money garnered for making it into next season's group stages is key to keeping the club's best players. And by that he meant Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

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Rafa’s Realization originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 17:55:18.

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The African Cup of Nations got underway in Angola on Sunday but rarely can a tournament have been so overshadowed by outside events.

Captain Emmanuel Adebayor and his Togo national team are returning home after three people died when their bus was attacked, while nine others, including two players, were injured. The team bus driver, assistant coach and a spokesman all died in Friday's horrific attack.

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Soccer on Backburner as Tournament Kicks off originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 15:49:42.

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Doha, Qatar, 4 January

Australia and Japan, two of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) powerhouses, can book their places in the finals of Asian Football Cup 2011 when 18 Asian nations battle it out on Wednesday in the penultimate round of the tournament’s five qualifying groups.

Hosts Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Korea Republic, India, Uzbekistan and Syria have already qualified for the 16-nation competition but at least another four nations can join them in Doha next January.

Three-times AFC Asian Cup winner Japan who play Yemen in Sana’a had considered not playing in the Gulf country because of the security situation, but Kyodo News Agency reported at the weekend that the AFC had carried out checks and contacted the Japan Football Association to give them the all-clear to make the trip as scheduled.

Japan only need a point to qualify, but have included 13 new faces with coach Takeshi Okada saying that his focus is on this year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Underdogs Yemen go into the match after a confidence-denting 1-0 defeat to Tajikistan on Saturday in Sana’a.

Bahrain, who share top spot with the Japanese in Group A, play Hong Kong at home and a win would also them through to the finals.

Australia, the AFC’s top-ranked nation, play in Kuwait on the same day, but, like Japan, will be fielding an under-strength side without most of their European-based players. Regular midfielder Jason Culina has also pulled out after injuring his knee in a local Australia A League match.

Both Kuwait and Australia lead Group B and either side can go through to the finals with a win. Kuwait will be buoyed by their 1-0 defeat in the Australian capital Canberra last March.

Other nations involved in friendly matches in preparation for Wednesday’s round have had mixed fortunes.

Singapore, involved in a four-way battle for qualification in Group E, drew 0-0 and lost 4-1 in two friendlies at home to Oman in the last week, and will come up against an Iranian team buoyed by a 1-0 defeat of the Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) in the Four-Nation Friendly Tournament in Doha on Saturday.

Jordan, who shocked Iran 1-0 last November to stay in contention for qualification from Group E, must be happy with their preparation for their match against Thailand, coming back from two goals down against China in Shandong to earn a creditable draw.
Jordan bring up the rear in Group E with four points from four matches but a win against Thailand, who are third on five points, could take the fight for two top spots to the last round on 3 March.

China, who are second in Group D with nine points, have a crunch game in Zhejiang against leaders Syria, who have already qualified with 10 points, and will almost certainly qualify if they win.

The United Arab Emirates look set to join Uzbekistan from Group C and should wrap up their place with a win against winless Malaysia at the Al-Shahab stadium.

Malaysia go into the match with a shock 4-1 victory over Syria in a friendly in Kuala Lumpur but with three defeats in their group it would need a miracle to stay in contention. The Malaysians are still smarting from a 5-0 drubbing at home to the UAE in January last year.

Match schedule:

06.01.10 - 16:15 YEMEN - JAPAN (A) Ali Mohsen Al-Muraisi Stadium
06.01.10 - 18:00 BAHRAIN - HONG KONG (A) National Stadium, Manama
06.01.10 - 17:30 KUWAIT - AUSTRALIA (B) Kuwait S.C. Stadium
06.01.10 - 19:30 INDONESIA - OMAN(B) Gelora Bung Karno Stadium
06.01.10 - 19:00 UAE - MALAYSIA(C) Al-Shabab Stadium
06.01.10 - 17:00 LEBANON - VIETNAM (D) Beirut Municipal Stadium
06.01.10 - 19:30 CHINA P.R. - SYRIA (D) Zhejiang Yellow Dragon Sports Center
06.01.10 - 18:30 THAILAND - JORDAN (E) Rajamangala Stadium
06.01.10 - 19:30 SINGAPORE - I.R.IRAN Bishan Stadium
17.01.10 - 19:00 VIETNAM - CHINA P.R. (D) My Dinh Stadium


The final round of matches will be played on 03.03.10.

See www.the-afc.com

Compiled by Francesca Camerano

Tags Soccer News Asian Cup

The next few months are vital for players hoping to go to the World Cup and this is a big week for South Koreans with dreams of making the final 23 that makes the plane in June. Not only does the European transfer window open for a month, meaning that players could be heading to Europe or those already there could move around, but coach Huh Jung-moo is taking 25 players to South Africa, the host country of the 2010 tournament, for some acclimatization, training and friendlies.

There are a number of absentees however. Players based in Europe will not be heading south as the European season is still ongoing. So instead of games in Johannesburg and Durban, the overseas stars will be busy with their domestic commitments in England, Scotland, Germany and France.

The problem is that not all of them are busy. The likes of midfielder Cho Won-hee have been in the worst of both worlds. They left Korea for European experience and so miss a number of training camps and exhibition games that take place at home and remove themselves from the watchful eye of the coaching staff. That is not a big deal if you are in the big leagues and testing yourself against some of the best players in the world week in and week out. Coach Huh would love to spend time with the overseas players more often but is quite happy to let them go in the knowledge that when they do return, they return as better players.

But when those players are not playing regularly, it becomes a problem. Cho joined Wigan Athletic of the English Premier League in early 2009 and has barely featured – just making four appearances in that time. He has been a little unlucky though. Soon after arriving in England, he returned to Seoul for a 2010 World Cup qualifier against North Korea. He injured himself in that match and so could only make his debut for his new team right at the end of the season.

Worse was to follow. Steve Bruce, the former Manchester United captain, left Wigan in the off-season to take the vacant Sunderland job. Bruce had publicly talked of Cho’s abilities a number of times and seemed to be a fan of the midfielder. These things happen but it came at a time when Cho had not yet established himself at the club.

New boss Roberto Martinez is a young gun, a coach that had showed potential in the lower leagues in England before finally getting his chance in the top tier. He has been less keen on Cho and the player has started only two games all season – one which hasn’t been a great one for the club. Surprisingly however, Cho did start the final match of 2009, a trip to the home of champion Manchester United to face compatriot Park Ji-sung. It was a night to forget for Cho as his team was crushed 5-0.

Earlier this week Cho arrived back in the Land of the Morning Calm to rejoin Suwon on loan. Whatever happens, he is unlikely to be returning to Wigan.

The future of Seol Ki-hyeon is still up in the air. Seol, a star of the 2002 World Cup, made just five appearances for Fulham in 2009 and just two of those came in the Premier League. It is some time since Seol was a regular Taeguk Warrior but he has been called up of late by coach Huh. The attacker knows that he needs playing time to make the plane in South Africa.

"There have been rumors of his release several times, so we do not see it as too serious. We will find out what is going on first,'' Seol's management agency said last month.

"Although Seol belongs to the player clear-out list, his contract does not expire until next summer. We need not be in a rush.''

The 30 year-old has never played in the K-league and that isn’t about to change soon, according to the agency.

"Currently, it is not in the cards. If there is a team interested in recruiting Seol, I wonder if it could pay his transfer fee of 2 billion won (around $1.7 million).We will look for another team in the Premier League or another European league.''

There is sure to be some movement this month all around the world as players look for playing time before the World Cup.

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com


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A familiar pattern has been replicated over the last few days - that of a player allegedly criticizing an element of his club in a foreign newspaper, only to deny his words the following day.

Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda is the player in question. On Saturday Malouda was quoted in reputable French daily L'Equipe as saying that Frank Lampard was getting into the Blues team on reputation and not his current performances. He also suggested that he was ready to leave due to his lack of regular starts.

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Can we Believe Him? originally appeared on About.com World Soccer on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 04:28:03.

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The draw for the 4th round of the FA Cup was made yesterday. Matches will be played on the weekend of January 23-24, 2010

Accrington/Gillingham v Fulham
Aston Villa v Brighton
Bolton v Sheff Utd/QPR
Bristol City/Cardiff v Leicester
Everton v Nottm Forest/Birmingham
Millwall/Derby v Brentford/Doncaster
Notts County/Forest Green v Wigan
Portsmouth/Coventry v Sunderland
Preston v Chelsea
Reading/Liverpool v Burnley
Scunthorpe v Man City
Southampton v Ipswich
Stoke v Arsenal
Tottenham v Leeds
Tranmere/Wolves v Crystal Palace
West Brom v Plymouth/Newcastle


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In the same week that we saw for the first time an all-English top flight match kick off with no English players or coaches involved (Portsmouth v Arsenal), the jewel in the crown of the mother of football's competitions performed its most traditionally exciting day with a whimper.

The Fratton Park clash surely dispels for good any arguments that England has a problem with youth development, while the decline of the FA Cup, alive and kicking since 1872, is equally depressing. The Cup's 3rd Round, which traditionally takes place soon after New Year, is the stage where the big boys enter, which can make for mouth-watering David v Goliath clashes.

There were no shocks this year, another sign of the financial chasm between the Premier League and the rest, but the sight of half-empty stadia was glaring enough for the presenters of the competition's biggest cheerleaders, ITV, to debate it on air just as they launched their station's coverage with expensive graphics and a slew of advertising. Only 12,474 paid to watch megabucks Man City's visit to Middlesbrough, while a thousand less attended Premier League Portsmouth's tie with Coventry City. Premier League Wigan's clash with Premier League Hull drew barely 5,000 paying spectators. This cup is half-empty.

When I was growing up in the 1970s and '80s the FA Cup was as prestigious a trophy as the League Championship, a uniquely English prize which set it apart from the rest of UEFA's member nations' cup competitions.

Cup Final Day was the most exciting day of the football season, a Superbowl for England accompanied by ubiquitous fascination and a prize as glittering, if not more so, than winning the league itself in the eyes of fans. The minnows who raised the Cup or slew the giants, from Yeovil to Sutton United, Coventry and Wimbledon, passed into legend. Like all boys I would wake up excited on Cup Final Day and gleefully imbibe the long TV build-up with its reportages from the team hotels, coaches and rosette-bearing fans as they made their way to the shrine of the Twin Towers at Wembley.

Then along came the Premier League in 1993 with its inflated marketing and the Cup almost immediately began to lose its sheen. Add the bloated 'Champions' League to the equation and the writing was on the wall for the old favourite. Winning the Cup could no longer be as important as finishing in the top four and thereby guaranteeing your income for the following season. While older generations of fans were priced out, newer ones arrived with no comprehension of the Cup's special status. Foreign coaches arrived in England equally bemused why people should take it so seriously and began to field weakened teams, with the league their big focus.

What a shame. This was the oldest competition of the world's greatest sport we poisoned, a special affair whose magic lay not in two billionaire owners trying to outspend each other but in its unique ability to allow minnows a taste of greatness, a format which in theory could see a parks team of amateurs end up playing Manchester United. When my home town club Woking, a semi-professional outfit from the 7th national division won 4-2 at West Bromwich Albion in 1991 before losing 0-1 at Everton, our unmitigated ecstasy was not merely due to our humdrum home town being centre-stage, but because something impossible on paper had become reality on grass. And only the Cup could do that year after year.

David v Goliath can still be thrown up by the draw, but everyone these days shrugs and backs Goliath. There are no non-league teams left in this year's competition and I think I'll skip Chelsea and Man Utd's clashes with lower-league opposition tomorrow; despite their inevitably weakened lineups the giants will still prevail.

Perhaps the saddest confirmation of the Cup's toppling from its perch this week was the news that West Ham had emailed their fans, pleading with them to buy tickets for Arsenal's 3rd round visit. The Hammers beat the Gunners in one of the most memorable finals of all, the 'Cockney Cup Final' of 1980, when Trevor Brooking's header won the day for the second division team, the last time a club from outside the top flight had lifted the glittering prize.

Those, indeed, were the days.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile



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Cometh the hour, cometh Yasuhito Endo as one of Asian football's genuine stars took control of the 89th Emperor's Cup final at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

The recently crowned Asian footballer of the year scored twice and laid on another as Gamba Osaka overpowered Nagoya Grampus 4-1 in front of 42,140 fans, who turned out in bright sunshine in the Japanese capital.

The scoreline somewhat flattered the Osakans, who found themselves locked in a battle of attrition during a tense first half.

In-form Brazilian striker Lucas Severino opened the scoring for Gamba as early as the sixth minute, however Nagoya hit back through Naoshi Nakamura as the two sides went into the interval locked at 1-1.

The second half continued in much the same vein, with Australian striker Josh Kennedy going agonisingly close to handing Nagoya the lead, only to miss Magnum's cut-back by a matter of inches.

In the end it was Endo who conjured the headlines, as he beat two defenders before slamming an accurate strike past Japan team-mate Seigo Narazaki to restore Gamba's advantage with just thirteen minutes remaining.

Gaps opened up at the back as Nagoya poured forward in search of another equaliser, and the Osakans exploited them to the fullest as Endo laid on a chance for veteran midfielder Takahiro Futugawa to sidefoot home.

Endo himself added Gamba's fourth with a stunning half-volley late on, as the defending champions sent off retiring goalkeeper Naoki Matsuyo on a high.

Gamba's win means that fourth placed J. League finisher Sanfrecce Hiroshima claim Japan's final place in the 2010 AFC Champions League, with Gamba having already qualified via a third place finish in the league.

For Nagoya it was a case of what might have been, as Dutch Eredivisie-bound Maya Yoshida ended his stint with the Aichi outfit on the losing side.

Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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2009 was a very good year for football in South Korea. The major target, qualifying for a seventh successive World Cup, was met with surprising smoothness. A K-League club winning the Asian Champions League was a major bonus as was the fact that the teams playing the best soccer got the best results in the domestic league.

Whether 2010 will be viewed a success will depend largely on what happens in South Africa in June.

The Taeguk Warriors in a good position in their 2010 World Cup qualification group. The 1-0 win over North Korea in Seoul in April strengthened that grip on the top spot. It wasn’t without controversy however. DPRK striker Jong Tae-se felt that his header, early in the second half, had crossed the line before goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae pawed it clear. Coach Kim Jong-hun definitely thought so as he explained in the post-match press conference. He also declared that his players had been poisoned at their Seoul hotel before the match before storming out past stunned reporters.

Kim Chi-woo’s winning goal was overshadowed but it put clear daylight between South Korea and its rivals. That meant that a win in Dubai in June at the home of group whipping boys UAE would be enough for a South African spot. Goals from Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yong, two young and fast-improving stars, did just that and for a night at least, a little corner of Dubai echoed to the sound of Korean celebrations.

There were still two qualifiers left and South Korea tied both against Saudi Arabia and Iran which also allowed North Korea to finish second in the group and follow its southern neighbour to Africa. Next June marks the first time that the Korean peninsula will send both representatives to the World Cup. Unsurprisingly, there have been discussions on just how good a ‘Korea United’ would be.

That is for the future because history was made in November just across the East Sea in Japan, Pohang Steelers became the first in Asia to become continental champions three times.

It was a thrilling march to the final of the Asian Champions League. The group stage was safely negotiated and then the knockout rounds brought goals and dramas. Australia’s Newcastle Jets left the Land of the Morning Calm after a 6-0 thrashing.

Then the continent’s wealthiest team Bunyodkor was dispatched over two legs of the quarterfinal. Luiz Scolari led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup but couldn’t lead the Uzbeks past Pohang. The Steelers lost 3-1 in Tashkent but recovered in fine style at home in the Steelyard to win the second leg 4-1 and thus the tie 5-4 on aggregate. Umm Salal of Qatar ended dreams of an all-Korean semi-final by eliminating FC Seoul but the West Asians met their match in the red-and-black shape of the Steelers in the last four.

Pohang was the underdog in the final, going up against Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Ittihad. The setting was Tokyo National Stadium and the Koreans rose to the occasion with a 2-1 win, to earn a place in FIFA’s Club World Cup. There Pohang finished third, defeating the champions of Africa and North and Central America. It was a great year for the Steelers, tempered by the fact that it ended with coach Sergio Farias waving goodbye and signing a lucrative contract with Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia.
On the domestic front, Pohang finished second in the K-League in an exciting race for the title that was eventually, and deservedly, won by Jeonbuk Motors.

The team from Jeonju had never been champion before, indeed the whole of the south-west has been a title-free zone since the start of the K-League back in 1983. Not any more as ‘Lion King’ Lee Dong-gook grabbed 21 goals and was ably supported by Brazilians Eninho and Luiz Henrique as well as a revitalized Choi Tae-wook. Jeonbuk finished top of the standings at the end of the regular season and then defeated Seongnam Ilhwa in the championship play-off final.

FC Seoul fought it out with Jeonbuk at the top for most of the season but just faded a little right at the death. The capital club didn’t only lose out on another title but also lost star players Ki Sung-yong and Lee Chung-yong to clubs in the UK. That was long expected as was the departure of coach Senol Gunes. The man who took Turkey to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup spent three seasons in the capital and became known for giving youngsters opportunities with the first-team.

Defending champions Suwon Bluewings endured a very disappointing campaign and spent most of it languishing near the wrong end of the standings and the team was accompanied by another unfamiliar struggler in the shape of Ulsan Horang-i.

Seongnam Ilhwa started slowly but rallied in the second half of the season to finish fourth and then made it to the final off the play-offs before losing to Jeonbuk.
In the end, it was all about Jeonbuk and the boys in Green end the year at the top of the tree.

Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile

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On the 30th of August at 1500 hours, Everton will host Wigan at their home ground, the Goodison Park. Starting out, Everton are definitely the favorites, especially since they are the stronger side and they will be playing at home. However, Wigan does have a few tricks up its sleeve, and they will be hoping to win this match and thereby boost their players' confidence. The betting odds are

Ardent followers of the Premier League will recall how newcomers Burnley managed to pull of incredible victories against seasoned teams like Chelsea and Arsenal last year. Their nascent Premier League ambitions were brutally cut short by Tottenham in the semi finals. Burnley returns to the Premier League this year, having signed up promising Scottish international Steven Fletcher, in the midst of

Carlo Ancelotti announced his long awaited resignation from Milan soon after the Fiorentina match was over. He ended his Milan association a year before his contract was to expire.

He should be confirmed as Chelsea manager shortly.

OK. We already have Franck Ribery joining up Real. Before that it was Cristiano Ronaldo. If it Tuesday it must be Kaka. Now, it is Alonso.

If you keep shooting BB shots, a duck will fall.

One thing is certain. A number of tabloids and blogs are kept afloat by the Real rumour mill. Yours truly included. It is a gift that keeps giving.

Btw, I take back that duck reference. It would mean that Alexandre Pato is on his way to Real too. Which he might. Which he might. Stay tuned.

David, along with Victoria Beckham, who attended the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Awards on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, expressed his satisfaction at being accorded a red carpet welcome.A red carpet will not be rolled out for Beckham when he hits the field Saturday night at Giants Stadium where the match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Red Bulls is slated to be

Michigan State University’s last athletic director who took its football team to the prestigious Rose Bowl Stadium was Doug Weaver who in Jan 1988 fulfilled this dream with George Perles, MSU’s football coach that year.Mark Hollis, MSU’s present athletic director is working towards achieving the same after 20years. "The goal is that going into every year, we have that legitimate anticipation that

With the first gridiron feud between these two Virginia schools starting in 1883, the fact that the rivalry has not ended even after 125 years goes on to prove that this small-school rivalry is probably the oldest in the South.While the college students from Hampden-Sydney celebrated their 24-10 victory in the 100th game over rivals Yellow Jackets from the near Randolph-Macon College, they

If you have been watching the Euro 2008 championships, you would have noticed the Russian advance through the various stages culminating in their booking a semi-final berth. For a side that was written off not long ago, the very fact that they reached the semi-final is in itself a great achievement. The credit for this amazing turnaround goes to the Russian side and its famous coach, Guus Hiddink

Every now and then I read an article that catches me off guard and this is one such piece.

I turns out that the big soccer fashion trend in Cape Town, South Africa, these days is to wear condoms on your feet to keep your socks up.

The need for such an innovated way of using these prophylactics is the result of a lack of proper soccer gear, such as socks with elastic to hold them in place. Since condoms are distributed for free in order to help curb the spreading of HIV, it all makes sense.

Sivuyile Nqawe of the Lingelethu Football Association in Khayelitsha said it was to "ease matters for those who cannot afford expensive brands of football kit on their mission to sharpen their skills to become future soccer stars".

"It is just a creative method and it works to alleviate the situation. You just break a condom packet, grab and stretch it. Then you put it on your leg," Nqawe said.

"You will find that in most instances players bring a box of condoms to a match and share them among teammates for the same purpose."

Another example of necessity being the mother of invention.

Is Juan Toja about to play his final match as a MLS player?

Rumor has it that the longhair midfielder will fly to Romania tonight, after the All-Star match, to finish a deal with Romanian powerhouse Steaua Bucharest.

Then again, it is just a rumor. Accord to FCD coach Schellas Hyndman, "I expect him here to play against LA (on Sunday)."

Although this season has not been as strong as the first half of last year, Toja is still a vital part of Dallas's attack. If he does decide to move on to Europe, FCD will have a difficult time replacing him.

Then there is the ongoing speculation that teammate Kenny Cooper might also be soon to fly across the Atlantic. Those rumors have died down of late, but if both of these ended up being true, it is hard to see a way for Dallas to finish the season in a commanding fashion.

Is the face of FC Dallas about to change in a major way? We'll know within a week.

US keeper Brad Friedel has been sold, on condition, to an undisclosed EPL club for £2 million. The deal will only go through if the Rovers land another goalkeeper.

Aston Villa is thought to be the undisclosed team, which also happens to be the club linked with fellow American Brad Guzan. Could Villa be an all American stop shop soon or will Stuart Taylor clam a top spot?

Should be fun to watch.

Canada's sports network TSN reports that "MLS Commissioner Don Garber will lift the original ceiling of 18 franchises and announce Thursday a new expansion plan of not less than 20 and up to 24 franchises by 2013-2014."

They add that, "Vancouver and Montreal are considered expansion priorities for Garber in 2011."

This is not the first time that similar rumors have jumped up, but let's say it is true that tomorrow will see a big announcement concerning expansion, what does it mean?

First off, if the league targets 20-24 teams in the next six years, they must do something concerning the player pool. What this means is more international players and an increase in the salary cap, but that starts bringing in thoughts of NASL. MLS has tried hard to stay away from any such comparisons but if this is their realistic goal, they will need to address it soon (quick note, MLS is in a much better financial state today then NASL ever was).

Next up, the schedule. Is the East/West divide soon to be gone in favor of a single table or might they break into two different leagues and never play each other except for in cup competitions (think old school baseball rules)? Also, how does Superliga fit into this? If clubs are playing 38-46 league games*, plus US Open Cup, plus Concacaf, plus MLS Cup matches, they could easy end up with almost 60 meaningful matches in a season so throwing on 3-5 more for Superliga would be asking a great deal. Is MLS ready to kill off a moneymaker?

Finally, there is the issue of television deals. The current broadcasts are a huge improvement over a few years ago, however it is time to push for more airing over non-cable channels. The fact that most games are not available for a large (perhaps majority) portion of the country hurts the development of a stronger fan base. What casual fan is going to go hunting for HDNet or Fox Soccer Channel, if they even have it on their cable system? If they can get a game or two a week on over-the-air, national networks, the perception of the sport will begin to change. Remember, if it wasn't on TV, it didn't happen.

I know, I'm really jumping ahead of everything here, but if this is to be the path for the league, they need to make sure it is a success and these are the big three issues as I see them.

On the plus side, 24 teams means just about every large urban area in the US and Canada will have a team. Also, if they broke the FIFA limit for 24, what would stop them from going higher and adding smaller markets that show an ability to support teams.

* this assumes that teams play each other twice

Toronto FC's slump continued last night as they only managed a 1-1 tie against the USL's Montreal Impact. With the point, the Impact won the Nutrilite Canadian Championship and earned a trip to the CONCACAF Champions League Cup, which begins next month.

Now the question is will this win have an effect on a possible move to MLS by Montreal? Impact head coach John Limniatis thinks it does.

The platform (for entering MLS) was already set...

I think, obviously, this helps. This just shows we're capable of competing ... From what I understand, we're aiming for the start of the 2011 season to be in the MLS.

The Impact organization has a lot going for it (stadium, rich owners, good fan base) and adding solid play against top-tier teams will only help them in their quest to land in MLS.

However, this failure by Toronto as well as the defeats suffered by MLS teams in the US Open Cup points to a very different issue, player salaries. With just around $2.5m to spend on a full squad MLS teams are very limited in the depth that they can bring in, thus the difference between the two divisions is not as pronounced as it should be. If MLS did up their pay level to around $5m a year, it helps elevate this issue.

Some might think that it is not a big thing that MLS teams often get toppled by USL clubs, however I disagree. League officials are usually quick to claim MLS as a world-class league, however what fan is going to believe them if top-level teams are consistently dropping games to lower-level opposition? In the perception race, these upsets need to become a rare bread.

Yanks Abroad reports that Landon Donovan's agent failed to deny a Sky Sports report concerning a possible move by the American to the EPL.

They then report this:

Donovan was recently quoted by the English media giant as saying, "The older I get and the more I play, the more I'm yearning for that highest level I can play at."

"I think the Premiership would be the best place the play."

Sounds pretty exciting and it has caused a bit of a buzz on the internet, however, the quote is actually almost a year old.

There is another part from the interview last year that was missed this time around: "At the moment I'm happy here (LA), at least for the next few years with Dave (Beckham) here. I want to be a part of this too. Not many people get to be a part of this, so I want to live it."

I bring up the fact that this is an old quote not because it means it is no longer valid or that a move will not happen, just to give it a context.

So what will happen with Donovan?

Well he is in a bit of a bind. LA doesn't want to let him go because they want a championship this year and without him, it probably is not going to happen. That would seem to suggest a delay in any move till December, however that means coming in halfway through the EPL season, which will make starts even harder to obtain, which could effect his build up to 2010 (not to mention his availability for qualifiers).

That said, it is time for him to return to Europe and see what he can accomplish. His work over the past six-months has been some of his best and if he is ever to reach the heights we all want him to, he needs to move.

DC United vs Houston Dynamo
4 June
22 July
23 July?

Why is it that these two clubs can't get this game played? Last month is was rain that canceled it and tonight it is a lack of power. For the second time in about a week, RFK is having power issues and according to the Dynamo's blog, it will prevent the game from taking place tonight.

Instead, the two teams will try to get this game out of the way tomorrow evening, the night before the All-Star game.

I do not see any official report over this, so perhaps the Dynamo front office is wrong or maybe jumping the gun. Anyway, with the game suppose to start in about 4 hours, United better act fast to get the word out or else they might have some upset fans in the parking lot.

Peter Nowak has released his 18 man roster for Beijing and there are not a lot of surprises. As expected, Nowak went with Bad Guzan in goal and McBride up top. Both will give the team much needed depth in their positions with McBride providing a little bit more then Guzan.

The overage selection that could benefit the most from this experience is New England's Michael Parkhurst. Since the US's backline is probably going to have a lot put up against it, especially if they advance to the knockout stage (hello Argentina), a solid showing by Parkhurst could get some European suitors.

Overall this roster represents the best the US has to offer in the under 23 group at this moment.

As far as MLS teams go, they account for 10 of the 18 with the Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC each losing two players for the games.

Here is the full roster:

GK (2): Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)

D (5): Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

M (7): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio)

F (4): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Brian McBride (out of contract), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

The recently concluded Euro 2008 championships in Switzerland were a resounding success by all accounts. If it was a spectator’s delight watching the scintillating games, it was an organizational and logistical success from the administrator’s point of view as well. The Swiss Defence Minister Samuel Schmid declared on Sunday that "It's been a mega event. The third-biggest sporting event in the

The Columbus Crew want to improve their team by bringing in a quality player from Norway's first division. So what's the problem? The player is Pat Noonan.

Noonan left the New England Revolution after the team decided not to offer him a respectable contract extension at the end of last season (they offered him less money then he made in 2007). Because he was out of contract, Noonan was able to move to Norway without a transfer fee, which means the Revs retained his MLS rights.

For their part, the Crew are willing to pay Noonan a salary similar to what he was earning previously in the US, plus pay a transfer fee to his current club and give the Revs something for his rights, however MLS is not happy. Why? Coach Sigi Schmid has the answer:

"A player that can turn down an offer from the league, go overseas on their own volition and then we as a league have to buy them back," Schmid said. "That's bad business and MLS doesn't want to be in the habit of doing bad business. That's completely understandable."

Schmid is playing the good sport here because really the only thing bad about this whole situation is that New England tried to hardball him in the first place (they would not trade him, thus he had to take their deal or get out of the country).

Noonan is a quality American striker who wants to be treated with respect. The fact that the league and the Revolution failed to do so should not be held against him or the Crew.

Instead the league should get past the hurt feelings caused by someone calling their bluff and do what is best for the sport.

The idea that a team can hold back a player that they no longer have under contract is one that must change or we can expect to see more young American players skip over their domestic league in favor of third tier competition overseas.

It looks like the Dynamo might be about to solve some of their offensive problems as Nate Jaqua has been offered a contract to return to Houston.

Jaqua left Houston during the off season for a spell in Austria, where he put up some great numbers (5 goals in 10 apperiences). Even with these quality results on the pitch, his club decided not to offer him a new contract.

Houston has been chasing him for awhile now, but it looked unlikely until they added a little twist to the offer. As part of this deal, Houston will promise to trade him to Seattle FC for the 2009 season.

Jaqua is from Eugene, Oregon, and very much wants to play in the Northwest.

It is not clear if this trade will be part of the expansion draft.

This is a smart move by Houston as they need another striker. Sure it will hurt losing him to Seattle, however they will have seven months to find a replacement. Who knows, maybe by then Caraccio might be ready to show something.

It is even a smarter deal if this will count towards the expansion draft as then they will not have to worry about losing any other players.