Mancini confirms his interest in Flamini and Gago

City were strongly linked with a move for Flamini earlier this week, but Milan claimed there had been no contact. Gago, meanwhile, is behind Lassana Diarra in the pecking order at Madrid and is thought to be keen to secure regular first-team football to bolster his chances of playing for Argentina at the World Cup.

City have a number of options in defensive midfield, with Nigel De Jong, Vincent Kompany and new signing Patrick Vieira all capable of playing the role. However, Kompany has been used as a defender in recent matches while Vieira is still struggling with a calf injury, and Mancini is keen to strengthen.

"I need players," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I hope that Vieira is fit (for the Carling Cup tie against Manchester United on Wednesday). Perhaps Real Madrid will give me Gago, maybe Milan (will give me) Flamini..."

Despite City's wealth, it is understood that Mancini has been told he cannot spend money on the duo and a loan arrangement looks the most likely outcome. The former Inter Milan boss believes the owners want him to show his capabilities in the transfer market.

"I think they are putting me to the test," he said. "I won't disappoint them."

Ronaldinho: I’ll Lead AC Milan To Derby Glory

AC Milan star Ronaldinho is relishing his superb period of form and admits he could again steal the show in Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina with city rivals and Serie A leaders Inter.
“Why not?” the 29-year-old told the Corriere dello Sport.

“I am going through a great patch and Milan are playing very well. And it will be a very important game for us.”
Ronaldinho netted the winner in his first Milan derby appearance in September 2008.
The Diavoli sit second in the league standings, six points adrift of their ‘Cugini’ but have a game in hand.
“The Scudetto? Why not?” smiled the Brazilian international.
“We are back on track now and have climbed up the table. We have everything to keep doing well.”
The Rossoneri directors are reportedly set to tie Ronaldinho to a new long-term deal to keep him at the San Siro until 2013.
“I would have nothing against ending my career here at Milan,” he explained.
“I hope to be able to do like [Paolo] Maldini or Romario. I want to play football for as long as possible because that’s how I feel happy and accomplished.”

AC Milan Reveal No Manchester City Move For Mathieu Flamini

AC Milan sporting director Areido Braida has revealed that the Italian giants are yet to hear from Manchester Cityregarding a possible move for Mathieu Flamini.

The Frenchman has been heavily linked with a move to the Citizens in recent days, but Braida insists that Roberto Mancini's side are yet to get in touch regarding the 25-year-old.

"We have heard rumours regarding possible interest from Manchester City for Flamini," he said, according to Press Association Sport.

"But for the time being, there has been no official offer, interest or talks between AC Milan and Manchester City.

"Flamini is an AC Milan player."

Former Arsenal midfielder Flamini has started only eight games for Milan this season and remains keen on a move in order to boost his chances of playing for France in next summer's World Cup finals.

Tottenham leading the chase to land Kaboul?

Younes Kaboul could be on his way out of Portsmouth with three Premier League clubs hot on the defender's trail.

One of the clubs are Tottenham Hotspur, who sold Kaboul to Pompey. Spurs are still owed £2 million on Kaboul and also have a substantial cut of any sell on fee, so it would be one of the most unusual deals of all-time if Portsmouth sold him back to the Lane.

Spurs would, in effect, get a cut of their own fee for Kaboul!

A Pompey insider told Soccernet: "Yes, we are working on a deal with Spurs, but yes it is pretty complex. Spurs look favourite to sign Kaboul but five clubs have shown interest, three from the Premier League, Spurs, Manchester City and Sunderland."

Pompey are fighting on all fronts: an appeal against their application to have an Inland Revenue winding-up order struck out, a battle with the Premier League over £2 million TV money being withheld and a transfer embargo they decline to lift, and it all adds up to the PFA's concerns about whether the players will be paid on time for a change this month.

Much will depend on whether the club can ease their cash flow crisis with the sale of Kaboul, whom they value at £14 million but may have to sell at around £10 million to avoid financial meltdown.

If they sell him back to Spurs the club would only see a fraction of that asking price but at least it would allieviate immediate debts and help convince the Premier league to lift the transfer embargo.

Manchester City and Sunderland have expressed an interest, with Steve Bruce ready to swap Anton Ferdinand as part of a deal, which has been rejected, while Pompey has turned down €10 million from the player's former club Lyon, and Lille have also entered the bidding war.

A deal with Spurs might prove to be the more logical route as Pompey owe the North London club transfer installments on Kaboul, so there could be a straight cash adjustment which would appeal to both clubs.

Redknapp has made centre half a priority with club captain Ledley King's permanent knee injury and Jonathan Woodgate spending a month with a specialist in the United States to cure his long-term groin problem.

Redknapp has sounded out his an interest in Palermo's Simon Kjaer, a Danish international who has an £11 million buy-out clause in his contact, but Kaboul might be the easier option.

Michael Dawson and Sébastien Bassong are the club's only senior centre backs. Midfielder Tom Huddlestone, who can play as an emergency centre half, is now injured.

Pompey have also confirmed that they have received a writ from their former centre half Sol Campbell claiming £1.7 million owed to him in image rights and wages. But a Pompey insider said: "We shall be vigorously defending this action."

Dempsey Won't Need Surgery

The U.S. soccer team got good news Tuesday when Fulham said Clint Dempsey's injured right knee won't need surgery.

The 26-year-old attacker from Nacogdoches, Texas, was injured during Sunday's English Premier League game at Blackburn, and Fulham manager Roy Hodgson had feared Dempsey had torn his posterior cruciate ligament.

"Early indications are positive in that no operation is required," the Cottagers said in a statement Tuesday after Dempsey had an MRI. "At this stage it is thought that the injury will not prevent him from featuring for Fulham prior to the end of the season."

The U.S. team is already dealing with major injuries to defender Oguchi Onyewu, who is recovering from knee surgery, and forward Charlie Davies, who broke two bones in his right leg and had a lacerated bladder in a car crash.

"The news about Clint's injury is positive, especially given the fact that he will not require surgery," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "We are confident that Clint will be ready to be an important part of our team during the World Cup."

Dempsey, a midfielder and forward, has become one of the best attacking options for the U.S. team, which plays England, Slovenia and Algeria in the first round of the World Cup. He has 17 goals in 60 international appearances for the U.S. and seven goals this season for Fulham, including six in the Premier League.

At least 30 Haitian soccer federation members died in last week's earthquake

The Caribbean Football Union reported to FIFA today that at least 30 members of Haiti's football federation have died in the country's earthquake.

In its report, the union said the dead included players, coaches, referees and administrative and medical representatives who were attending a meeting at the federation's headquarters when it collapsed during the quake.

Federation president Yves Jean Bart survived the quake and told Caribbean Football Union president Horace Burrell that at least 20 federation members remained buried in the rubble or are unaccounted for.

"Words cannot describe what I have seen in Haiti. It's heartbreaking," Burrell said in his report to FIFA Vice President Jack Warner.

Luis Mejia, president of the Dominican Olympic committee, reported today that at least seven Haitian Olympic athletes have died in the quake. The dead include two siblings who were taekwondo competitors.

FIFA is donating $250,000 to the relief efforts.

U.S. Team Awaits Word on Dempsey’s Knee Injury

By JACK BELL

Tag : Soccer,World Cup, USA

Barely two weeks after scoring a dazzling goal for his club team, Fulham, Clint Dempsey is playing a waiting game. His immediate future and the United States’ hopes at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa hinge on the words of doctors who are evaluating Dempsey’s right knee after he was injured Sunday in an EnglishPremier League match at Blackburn Rovers. Read More

Asian, African soccer teams could be in top ten in few years

Kolkata, Jan 15 (IANS) German soccer legend Lothar Mathhaus Friday exuded confidence that teams from Asia and Africa will find themselves among the top ten football nations in the next two years.
“We have seen how South Korea fared in 2002. They may have done well on home soil. But I am sure in the next couple of years we will have teams from Asia and Africa among top ten teams of the world,” said Mathhaus on a visit here to unveil the Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup trophy here.

Mathhaus said apart from football, he was a good athlete and also proficient in handball.

“But after Boris Becker became German tennis idol, I found his banging shots left and right akin to shots in football. So, for the last 20 years I play tennis,” he said.

UK Media Reaction to Landon Donovan: Everton 2-0 Man City

Landon Donovan made his home debut for Everton Saturday against a strong Manchester City side in a very entertaining and exciting game. How did Donovan do? Here’s what the UK media thought:

“Everton tried to hit back through Landon Donovan – making his home debut – who was only inches away from chipping Shay Given after a clever one-two with Louis Saha. The American showed a good understanding with [Louis Saha] from the start, notionally playing on the right but in practice roaming all across the front line, and demonstrated not only a willingness to take corners and restarts but also to find Fellaini’s head with most of them,” Paul Wilson, The Guardian.

“Magnificent performance from Everton, and a good performance from that man there, Landon Donovan,” Stewart Robson, co-commentator, IMG feed for international audience.

“The Landon Donovan appreciation society were gathering in number, too, chorusing ‘USA’ with gusto when the American broke away from Vincent Kompany, only to direct his chip wide,” Oliver Brown, The Telegraph.

“Moyes’ team began with gusto, Landon Donovan and Louis Saha combining well to leave Javier Garrido static before the American loanee dinked a shot over Given and just wide. A flying block was required to see off Donovan’s next run and shot, before Marouane Fellaini threatened twice. With second choices all across the back four, City’s defence was struggling with Everton’s blend of pace and aerial power,” Duncan Castles, The Times.

What was your opinion of Landon Donovan’s second game for Everton? Share your thoughts below by clicking the comments link.

Maradona arrives in South Africa

Argentine soccer legend and head coach of the national football team - the ‘Albiceleste’, Diego Maradona arrived in South Africa yesterday for a five-day visit ahead of the World Cup that would kick off on June 10, 2010.

Maradona, accompanied by a delegation from the Argentine Football Association, arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday morning, sparking a rowdy mobbing as police, journalists, cameramen and fans swamped him as he made his way to a waiting van, according to reports on a South Africa website.

Maradona had been sanctioned by football ruling body, FIFA, for disparaging comments made after Argentina’s last gasp qualification for the 2010 World Cup and was banned for two months.

Maradona had yelled at the media, to “suck it and just keep on sucking it.”

He was thereby banned from appearing at the draws ceremony that took place in Cape Town, South Africa in December.

Seemingly intent on not interacting with the media yesterday, Maradona - kept his head down and wore dark sunglasses. He passed swiftly through the airport to a van, where he sat behind tinted windows.

Man of the people

He could not resist the adulation by fans and he popped his head out of the window, took off his dark glasses and gave a thumbs-up sign, to huge applause. A while later the contingent pulled out of the airport, with blue lights and sirens.

Maradona is expected to visit Soccer City, which will host the opening and closing World Cup games, and the soccer school at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria.

Canales Corner: Everton, Donovan In Courtship Dance

Landon Donovan is comfortable in blue. Long before he ever doffed the blue uniform of Everton, Donovan was enjoying his first successful stint as a club professional in San Jose blues in 2001. To some, it was remarkable how well the teenager fit in with the club, working efficiently with the team's stars to provide a spark that helped the team win the championship that same season.
Now, however, Donovan is more mature and looking to impress on a bigger stage. The English Premier League is widely considered the world's best, yet Donovan, thus far, fits right in. He has been a solid, if not spectacular, contributor for Everton in their past two games - a draw against Arsenal and a win over Manchester City.
With those two games alone, a hypothetical question seems to arguably now have an answer. The best player from a second-rate league (Major League Soccer) can be a servicible player in the world's best league. Yes, the USA's top flight is a step down, but it's clearly not the cataclysmic drop that some have previously made it out to be.

Read More

Maradona hopes to break 24-year-old curse

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Argentina have both the hope and desire that they can break a 24-year-old curse by lifting the World Cup in South Africa this year, coach Diego Maradona said on Monday.

Maradona, who completed a two-month FIFA ban on Friday for making lewd comments to reporters in Montevideo after Argentina qualified for the tournament, inspired his country to the World Cup at the 1986 Mexico tournament. They have not won the tournament since, losing to West Germany in the 1990 final.

"We hope to get as far as possible. We know we are not the favourites but we have a great desire," Maradona told reporters during an inspection of his team's base at the University of Pretoria.

"We want to break the curse after 24 years that we have not been given (the World Cup). The desire never goes away. The hope never goes away."

Maradona declined to speak about the ban, saying that he did not want to attract more attention to himself.

Surrounded by a large media contingent and a strong police presence, he said he was happy with the facilities and confident about a safe World Cup.

"We are very confident, we don't have anything to complain about," he said.

Maradona also met Pretoria University soccer players, handing them Argentina caps and offering coaching tips.

On Thursday he will inspect Soccer City, the Johannesburg stadium that will host the opening and final game of the tournament.

Real Madrid missing Higuain

Sergio Ramos says Real Madrid missed Gonzalo Higuain in their defeat to Athletic Bilbao.

Donovan open to staying with Everton beyond MLS opener

 

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Landon Donovan could extend his stay in the Premier League after his 10-week loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy expires.

Donovan has made a strong impression during his first two matches on the right wing for Everton, but he's scheduled to head back to Major League Soccer for the season-opener March 27.

Donovan said Monday that "if I look back after 10 weeks and say I really want to stay then maybe I can make that happen."

The American star signed a new contract with the Galaxy through 2013, and says he is "taking it week by week" while in Europe. Donovan wanted to play in the Premier League to help him prepare for the World Cup in South Africa.