World Soccer News: for week of January 20th
Maradona invited to a Holocaust museum
Diego Armando Maradona has been invited to a Holocaust museum in Buenos Aires to learn of Nazi atrocities. The invitation has been extended by the head of the Argentinian Jewish community Aldo Donzis, due to Maradona's repeated praise of Iran and its president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, known for his denial of the Holocaust and calls for the destruction of Israel.
"We do not mind Maradona's support of the Iranian people, because the Jews are not against the Iranians. We object to his sympathies for Ahmadinejad, who is not an ordinary person," said Donzis in his invitation to the famous player.
The Argentinian government has long suspected the Iranian leaders of having orchestrated in 1994 a slaughter of 85 local Jews in Buenos Aires and protecting the perpetrators.
Maradona said he would like to meet the Iranian president, in his opinion the third "giant" of today's politics, alongside Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez. He even sent a replica of his number 10 national team shirt to Ahmadinejad by diplomatic mail.
Zlatan reaches a hundred...
Inter's Zlatan Ibrahimovic has completed his first century of League goals. With two hits against Sienna he raised his tally to 49 in Italy alone, after having scored 16 times for Malmő Ff, 35 for Ajax and 23 for Juventus. In the past 18 months in Inter the Swede of Bosnian and Croatian origins has been going at 0.6 goals per game, having netted 26 times in 43 appearances.
...Totti a hundred more
While taking Roma to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup, Francesco Totti performed an extraordinary feat. With two goals in his team's 4-0 win over Torino, Totti reached 200 goals in all competitive games for Roma.
"Scoring the 200th goal was one of my dreams and I wanted to realize it at this stadium, my stadium," said Totti, whose next objective is to become the most capped Roma player of all time.
With 386 appearances, the legendary defender Giacomo Losi is just four games ahead of Il Capitano.
Going strong at 31, Totti is allowed to glimpse another milestone:
"I hope to score my 300th goal before I retire."
Since he plans to play until the summer of 2012, this particular goal is not beyond his reach.
* Since his debut in 1993, Totti has scored 161 goal in Serie A, 17 in the Italian Cup and Supercup and 22 in the European Cups. His best season was 2006/07 with 32 goals on all fronts.
Iker Casillas plans to be Real's chairman
Real Madrid's Iker Casillas, currently the world's top goalkeeper, is looking far into the future. Although only 26, he already has it clear he would like to be his club's chairman, perhaps in 20 years' time.
"My dream is to be Real Madrid's chairman, in which case I would try to bring back Santiago Bernabeu's old style," said Iker, not concerned what the current club's boss Ramón Calderón will think may be wrong with his own style of governing.
Still, Casillas does not intend to take over just yet. First he's going to coach.
"I'd like to be like Camacho, Del Bosque or Irureta. I'll work with youth players, then with seniors. All of this will not happen so soon. I believe I'll be good in goal until I'm 35, maybe even 38. I hope to play at Real Madrid until the end, I don't want to move."
Cukaricki's coach orders his players to sing
There's going be music in Cukaricki Belgrade's dressing rooms. The coach Dragoslav Stepanovic has come up with a brilliant idea for improving his players' mood: they're going to sing at the end of every practice or game.
The former Yugoslav international and Eintracht Frankfurt's coach considers the boys too serious and obedient, even though they are performing decently on the pitch (all-time best fourth in the League).
"When the spring season starts, my players will have a special daily task. Football must be enjoyed and a good atmosphere is essential for success," said Stepanovic to Kurir daily.
The Serb has apparently been inspired by José Mourinho, who requested of each new player to perform before his teammates for bonding purposes.
In Cukaricki they'll all sing.
"I'm fed up with coming to the dressing rooms and finding the guys silent, with their heads down. The player I select will have to mount a chair in the center of the room and sing something of his choice. Let them choose what they will, but I'd prefer Serb folk music. First they'll be a bit shy, but later on they'll beg me to perform."
Munúa to be tried for punching Aouate
The Spanish District Attorney has instituted criminal proceedings against the Uruguayan goalkeeper Gustavo Munúa for punching in the face and injuring Dudu Aouate, his colleague at Deportivo La Coruna.
Although the Israeli, who received eight stitches for a cut on his left cheek, did not press charges personally, the Attorney is prosecuting Munúa ex officio.
The South American snapped simply because Aouate had expressed his surprise at having been relegated to the bench in Munúa's favour.
On the other hand, Deportivo's coach Miguel Angel Lotina has also reacted unreasonably by suspending indefinitely both the aggressor and his victim.
Copyright: Soccerphile & Ozren Podnar
Last week's world soccer news
Bet with Bet 365
World Soccer News
Soccer betting tips
Soccer Books & DVDs
Tags
Soccer News soccer football Betting
|
|---|
Showing posts with label totti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label totti. Show all posts
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
World Soccer News
World Soccer News
for week of November 22th
Tradition smashed as England exit Euro
England's elimination from the European championship was the top story around the world: foreign fans and the media respect English soccer far more than those at home and the failure of the Three Lions has been greeted with as sense of shock and awe.
In Croatia, the fans celebrated the triumph with crackers and fireworks, seeing the 3-2 win at Wembley as one of the three greatest ever in the 16-year history of the national team. The other two are the 3-0 thumping of Germany in the 1998 World Cup quarter finals and the 2-0 defeat of England last year in Zagreb. Although England is not at their finest hour, beating them away from home will guarantee a place in the national soccer history for the Croatian team that achieved that.
The result will no doubt be long remembered as well in Russia, who scraped through with a shameful 1-0 win in Andorra. It was the case of the smallest of the qualifying nations helping the largest nation to qualify too: Russia outnumbers Croatia by 33-1 in population, its territory 300 gimes bigger than Croatia's.
The disconcerted and poorly coached English team have made history too: this is the first time that England lost both games to an opponent during one qualifying campaign. In the former 24 qualification cycles (11 for the European championships and 13 for the World Cups) no other team had been able to defeat England twice. How dramatic that this tradition should have ended when a mere draw would have secured the home team a place at the biggest soccer event for the next two and a half years.
Real Madrid renew Drogba offensive
Real Madrid representatives met with Didier Drogba's agents late last month in order to discuss the options for bringing the big Ivorian to Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid's directors initially put a stop to the operation cosnsidering that the fee Chelsea asked, a reported 40 million euros, was too high for a player close to his 30th birthday.
According to The Mirror, the Spaniards may have changed their position and are now ready to pay the said fee, while Chelsea have started to negotiate the purchase of Nicolas Anelka, currently of Bolton Wanderers. It is possible that the new Real offensive for Drogba may be related to Ruud van Nistelrooy's recent muscle injury, which will presumably keep the Dutchman out of action for ten weeks.
Totti rejects Italy yet again
Italy has reached another final stage thanks to their agonizing 2-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park, but their star striker Francesco Totti has not changed his mind. "I will not return to the national team. I know the rules of the team and I could not possibly think of a comeback to the Azzurri," said Totti in reference to the unwritten rule that only those players who have achieved qualification should be used in the final tournament.
"I took my decision immediately after last year's World Cup finals. I am in no quarrell with (coach) Roberto Donadoni and the Football Federation. My relationship with them is clear and civil. I can only wish my teammates the best of luck at the Championship," said the 31-old Roma captain, who collected 58 caps for Italy.
Benítez denies Bayern rumours
Liverpool's coach Rafael Benítez will not move to Bayern Munich any time soon. "I have heard the rumours last weekend and it is flattering when I'm related to other big clubs, because it means I'm doing a good job. But, as always, whatever the club may be trying to contact me, I am very happy with my current club, my fans and the city. There are so many things I wish to do here, so I plan to stay here for a long time," wrote Benítez on Liverpool's web page.
Houston retain MLS title
Houston Dynamo have retained the Major League Soccer championship by beating New England Revolution in the playoff finals 2-1. The Revolutionaries from Boston went 1-0 up through a Taylor Twellman goal in the first half, but the champions turned it around thanks to strikes from Joseph Ngwenye and Dwayne De Rosario.
The Texan team became the first MLS club to have defended the MLS title after DC United achieved that in 1997. For New England this was the fourth loss in the finals and the second in the row to Houston.
Nine arrested over incidents in Serie A
Nine Genoa and Sampdoria supporters have been arrested in Italy on Wednesday on suspicion of having caused incidents before the Genoa city derby played on September 23rd. The accusations include battery, infliction of injuries, unauthorized carrying of guns and causing material damage.
13 other persons have been investigated for possible participation in one of the many violent episodes that have been marring Italian soccer.
Riquelme: "Return to Boca inevitable"
One of the key members of the Argentinian national team, Juan Román Riquelme, delighted his fans again with his display that included two goals against Bolivia in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
His coach Alfio Basile did not spare compliments regarding the masterful midfielder.
"Riquelme is phenomenal. His two goals were extraordinary. I'm full of pride and joy for having such a player on my team," said Basile, relieved that his gamble of fielding an inactive player in the first place.
Riquelme, for all his skills, has been out of action at his club Villarreal since the start of the season due to contractual and personal issues with the coach Manuel Pellegrini and the chairman Francisco Roig. Boca Juniors have stepped up their efforts to bring Riquelme back after five years in Spain and Villarreal seems to have softened their posture regarding the transfer fee.
"Boca Juniors is my home and I know I'll be back. Perhaps even as early as for the World Club Championship in Japan. I hope my status will be resolved soon, because the players like to be in action every weekend," said the creative midfielder who has scored 17 goals in his 45 appearances for Argentina.
Riquelme (29) has won one Intercontinental Cup and three Libertadores Cups with Boca, including one last June while on loan from Villarreal.
Copyright Ozren Podnar/Soccerphile
Bet with Bet 365
World Soccer News
Soccer betting tips
Soccer Books & DVDs
Tags
Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting
for week of November 22th
Tradition smashed as England exit Euro
England's elimination from the European championship was the top story around the world: foreign fans and the media respect English soccer far more than those at home and the failure of the Three Lions has been greeted with as sense of shock and awe.
In Croatia, the fans celebrated the triumph with crackers and fireworks, seeing the 3-2 win at Wembley as one of the three greatest ever in the 16-year history of the national team. The other two are the 3-0 thumping of Germany in the 1998 World Cup quarter finals and the 2-0 defeat of England last year in Zagreb. Although England is not at their finest hour, beating them away from home will guarantee a place in the national soccer history for the Croatian team that achieved that.
The result will no doubt be long remembered as well in Russia, who scraped through with a shameful 1-0 win in Andorra. It was the case of the smallest of the qualifying nations helping the largest nation to qualify too: Russia outnumbers Croatia by 33-1 in population, its territory 300 gimes bigger than Croatia's.
The disconcerted and poorly coached English team have made history too: this is the first time that England lost both games to an opponent during one qualifying campaign. In the former 24 qualification cycles (11 for the European championships and 13 for the World Cups) no other team had been able to defeat England twice. How dramatic that this tradition should have ended when a mere draw would have secured the home team a place at the biggest soccer event for the next two and a half years.
Real Madrid renew Drogba offensive
Real Madrid representatives met with Didier Drogba's agents late last month in order to discuss the options for bringing the big Ivorian to Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid's directors initially put a stop to the operation cosnsidering that the fee Chelsea asked, a reported 40 million euros, was too high for a player close to his 30th birthday.
According to The Mirror, the Spaniards may have changed their position and are now ready to pay the said fee, while Chelsea have started to negotiate the purchase of Nicolas Anelka, currently of Bolton Wanderers. It is possible that the new Real offensive for Drogba may be related to Ruud van Nistelrooy's recent muscle injury, which will presumably keep the Dutchman out of action for ten weeks.
Totti rejects Italy yet again
Italy has reached another final stage thanks to their agonizing 2-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park, but their star striker Francesco Totti has not changed his mind. "I will not return to the national team. I know the rules of the team and I could not possibly think of a comeback to the Azzurri," said Totti in reference to the unwritten rule that only those players who have achieved qualification should be used in the final tournament.
"I took my decision immediately after last year's World Cup finals. I am in no quarrell with (coach) Roberto Donadoni and the Football Federation. My relationship with them is clear and civil. I can only wish my teammates the best of luck at the Championship," said the 31-old Roma captain, who collected 58 caps for Italy.
Benítez denies Bayern rumours
Liverpool's coach Rafael Benítez will not move to Bayern Munich any time soon. "I have heard the rumours last weekend and it is flattering when I'm related to other big clubs, because it means I'm doing a good job. But, as always, whatever the club may be trying to contact me, I am very happy with my current club, my fans and the city. There are so many things I wish to do here, so I plan to stay here for a long time," wrote Benítez on Liverpool's web page.
Houston retain MLS title
Houston Dynamo have retained the Major League Soccer championship by beating New England Revolution in the playoff finals 2-1. The Revolutionaries from Boston went 1-0 up through a Taylor Twellman goal in the first half, but the champions turned it around thanks to strikes from Joseph Ngwenye and Dwayne De Rosario.
The Texan team became the first MLS club to have defended the MLS title after DC United achieved that in 1997. For New England this was the fourth loss in the finals and the second in the row to Houston.
Nine arrested over incidents in Serie A
Nine Genoa and Sampdoria supporters have been arrested in Italy on Wednesday on suspicion of having caused incidents before the Genoa city derby played on September 23rd. The accusations include battery, infliction of injuries, unauthorized carrying of guns and causing material damage.
13 other persons have been investigated for possible participation in one of the many violent episodes that have been marring Italian soccer.
Riquelme: "Return to Boca inevitable"
One of the key members of the Argentinian national team, Juan Román Riquelme, delighted his fans again with his display that included two goals against Bolivia in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
His coach Alfio Basile did not spare compliments regarding the masterful midfielder.
"Riquelme is phenomenal. His two goals were extraordinary. I'm full of pride and joy for having such a player on my team," said Basile, relieved that his gamble of fielding an inactive player in the first place.
Riquelme, for all his skills, has been out of action at his club Villarreal since the start of the season due to contractual and personal issues with the coach Manuel Pellegrini and the chairman Francisco Roig. Boca Juniors have stepped up their efforts to bring Riquelme back after five years in Spain and Villarreal seems to have softened their posture regarding the transfer fee.
"Boca Juniors is my home and I know I'll be back. Perhaps even as early as for the World Club Championship in Japan. I hope my status will be resolved soon, because the players like to be in action every weekend," said the creative midfielder who has scored 17 goals in his 45 appearances for Argentina.
Riquelme (29) has won one Intercontinental Cup and three Libertadores Cups with Boca, including one last June while on loan from Villarreal.
Copyright Ozren Podnar/Soccerphile
Bet with Bet 365
World Soccer News
Soccer betting tips
Soccer Books & DVDs
Tags
Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
