The luck of the draw means Europe's time has come

Having sat at home and watched closely as Friday's draw unravelled, my belief that this will become a self-fulfilling prophesy has increased.

Looking at the draw on paper, I think as many as 10 of Europe's 13 teams could make it through to the knock-out stages next summer and I'd also expect remarkably short odds on all-European semi-finals.

The draw could not have been much kinder to Spain, who Fifa have at the head of its own global rankings, holders Italy and, of course, England. Big guns like Germany and the Netherlands got rather more loaded groups but their coaches and players are still feeling confident that they can qualify for the last 16 and even go much further.

Vicente del Bosque's Spain enjoyed a perfect World Cup qualifying record

Spanish national sports daily As' front page on Saturday reflected the mood of the nation.

"An easy group, then Cristiano (Ronaldo) or Kaka in the last 16," commented the newspaper. Clearly the World Cup for Spanish football fans and pundits effectively starts more than two weeks later than for most other people, with a potential match up against their neighbours Portugal.

Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque has, not surprisingly, been trying to guard against complacency since the draw was made.

"Any time there can be surprises, Chile are probably our chief rivals, Honduras play well and Switzerland are a solid outfit. But my biggest worry is that my 23 first-choice players get to South Africa in good shape," said Del Bosque.

However, despite Del Bosque's best efforts to try to keep calm and hide his glee, television pictures on Friday showed him with a permanent grin beneath beneath his bushy moustache.

Italian coach Marcello Lippi cuts a less lugubrious figure and also came out with the predictable mantra of, "there are no easy games at the World Cup," but the prospect of having to face New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia is unlikely to give him any sleepless nights.

Dutch football fans were also having a chuckle at their good fortune although Denmark and Cameroon (with Japan completing the group) could prove to be tougher opponents than Italy's rivals.

"A lot of people will probably think that we will make it to the next round without too much trouble," admitted Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, although he did later add the usual qualifying remarks about how good his team's group rivals are.

The common consensus is that the section involving Germany, Ghana, Serbia and Australia is one of the two cliched "Groups of Death", but as the Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder pointed out on Saturday, "No one ever wants to face Germany either."

For my money, Serbia might be the surprise package of the World Cup, starting with getting through this group alongside Germany.

Coach Radomir Antic has done a fantastic job since taking over in the summer of 2008, changing the whole style of play, utilising the wings and getting the best out of attacking midfielders Milos Krasic and Milan Jovanovic, the latter being Serbia's top scorer during their qualification campaign.

France's luck also continued. Inevitably the controversy about Thierry Henry's handball will follow coach Raymond Domenech and his men all the way to Cape Town, where they play their opening fixture against Uruguay on 11 June.Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philminshull/2009/12/the_luck_of_the_draw_means_eur.html Read More..

Liverpool transfer diary 20 December 2009 - 2 January 2010

Liverpool transfer diary 20 December 2009 - 2 January 2010





Liverpool enter the new year on the back of a couple of morale boosting wins but still back in seventh place in the division; but a lack of transfer funds could reduce Rafa Benitez to signing players on loan unless there are cash buyers for the likes of Babel, Voronin, Dossena and Degen.

Transfer Round-up: Sickening Summer for Liverpool
Transfer Speculation: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) to Manchester City
Transfer Speculation: Ryan Babel (Liverpool) to Bayern Munich
Transfer Speculation: Scott Parker (West Ham) to Liverpool (£6m)
Would Robbie Keane's sale to Celtic cost Liverpool?

Sunday 20 December 2009
The News of the World splashed a Chelsea move for Fernando Torres (£60m) and in a sidebar reported Liverpool interest in Crystal Palace's 19-year-old midfielder Victor Moses. The NotW also, somewhat mysteriously, reported that Fabio Aurelio was 'in the dark about his future at Liverpool' - is that agent speak for 'wants a pay rise'?

According to The Sunday Mirror Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has told former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann he will never manage Liverpool - there are a lot of people who will never manage Liverpool, does Hicks tell them all individually? We should be told.

Monday 21 December 2009
Rafa Benitez wonders how much placenta is needed to keep Fernando Torres fit.


Tuesday 22 December 2009
The Daily Mail scatters Man City speculation like confetti and mixed in with the rice and mouse droppings are nine names including Torres. Crystal Palace's Victor Moses has a good agent if he can convince the Daily Mail that Liverpool as well as Roma, Barcelona, Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham and Hoffenheim all want to spend £5m on the youngster. The Daily Mail also reports that Alberto Aquilani has been sent to Belgrade to have placenta applied to his calf by Marijana Kovacevic.

The Guardian reports the news that Liverpool have no money for transfers so Rafa Benitez will have to sell the likes of Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degan if he wants to buy - if not then he can only deal in loan signings.

Wednesday 23 December 2009
The Daily Mirror reckons that Rafa Benitez wants to sign two players in January - and Emile Heskey is one of them. How good must the other one be for this to balance up? The Sun reports that Jermaine Pennant is set for a return to the Premier League after being told by Spanish club Real Zaragoza that he is no longer wanted - I doubt that he is the 'second man' that The Mirror alluded to.

Hope offered by the BBC who report that Saudi prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdullah is ready to buy the 50% stake of Liverpool co-owner George Gillett.

Thursday 24 December 2009
Tottenham's Harry Redknapp is reported by the Daily Mirror to be after Liverpool target Ruud van Nistelrooy and Liverpool player Ryan Babel - so not entirely bad news. The Sun suggest that Villa will outbid Liverpool for Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones (£12m).

Away from transfers and The Telegraph has Manchester City's Garry Cook stirring the pot by suggesting that Roberto Mancini was sounded out as a Liverpool manager before moving to City; and Benitez has asked Steven Gerrard to play a bit better according to The Guardian.

Friday 25 December 2009
Rafa Benitez received expensive looking salt and pepper pots for Christmas, he immediately put them in the cupboard to keep them away from the cup-final pressure of the Christmas meal and promising them a debut for the cold-meat-and-chips tea on Boxing Day.

Saturday 26 December 2009
The Daily Mirror reckons that Rafa Benitez is desperate to sign a target man in January, and he'd have to be if his only choices were Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones, Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz or Liverpool old boy Emile Heskey.

Sunday 27 December 2009
Sales of the News of the World fell on Merseyside as the paper suggested that Fernando Torres will quit Liverpool if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season; but sales rose on reported interest from Stoke in Ryan Babel. The People reckoned that Liverpool would sign former Lazio striker Goran Pandev on a free transfer in January.

Monday 28 December 2009
Rafa Benitez's phone rang. It was a Manchester number. He ignored it.

Tuesday 29 December 2009
The Sun brought in a new name suggesting a move for Galatasary winger Arda Turan will be financed by selling Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin and Andrea Dossena - but is another winger what Liverpool really need? The Daily Mirror link Liverpool with a move for West Ham's Scott Parker - but suggest that Stoke and Spurs are already negotiating.

Wednesday 30 December 2009
The Daily Mail refuses to neigh-say the rumour that Liverpool are hoping to land Real Madrid's Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on a six-month loan deal.

Thursday 31 December 2009
The battle for the top four is getting serious if you believe The Sun (well do you?), with the red top saying that Manchester City will move for Liverpool trio Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard if the Reds finish outside the top four in the Premier League this season. More speculation in the Daily Star about Victor Moses and Liverpool and in the Guardian about possible suitors for Scott Parker.

Friday 1 January 2009
The Daily Mail uses the expression 'spending spree' inadvisedly in the same sentence as 'Liverpool' to suggest that Rafa Benitez was about to sign Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko. Glen Johnson's medial ligament injury has caused The Daily Mirror to detail Olympiakos right-back Vasilis Torosidis as a replacement because you can never have too many Greek defenders.

The Daily Mail also reckon that Benitez wants to take Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez on loan from Atletico Madrid, but Ryan Babel is set to reject moves to Fiorentina and Besiktas. The Times report that Rodriguez is wanted by Boca Juniors as well - and as he is out of contract in the summer a loan deal now would be almost equivalent to a free transfer.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was hoping to keep hold of Emile Heskey despite interest in the England striker from Liverpool, Fulham, Wigan and Chelsea. Of course he was.

Saturday 2 January 2010
The Sun is the latest to link Liverpool to Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy but then added his Real Madrid team-mate Rafael van der Vaart to spice up the story - two possible loan deals? The Telegraph adds a loan deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodrigez although all these extra wages may need to be paid for by the sale of Andriy Voronin (£1.5m). Which would not exactly be a disaster.

Or according to The Sun Voronin (£2.5m) is set to join German side Hertha Berlin.

Interestingly Crystal Palace have financial problems according to The Daily Mail and must sell teenage winger Victor Moses (£3m) this month - so the trail of clubs linked to him (Liverpool, Roma, Manchester City, Tottenham, Red Lion Second XI, Arsenal, Birmingham, Wigan, Everton, Marine and West Brom) may be somewhat bogus.

*Who do Liverpool need to buy this January, is all the speculation made up or is there a grain of truth in it somewhere. Will Rafa Benitez surprise everyone with an unexpected signing or pass up all transfers this month? Let us know!

Source : http://articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2010/01/liverpool-transfer-diary-20-december-2009-2-january-2010.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Squarefootball+%28Squarefootball%29
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BECKHAM: I WISH I`D NEVER LEFT UNITED

BECKHAM: I WISH I`D NEVER LEFT UNITED







David Beckham admits he wishes he had never left Manchester United as he prepares to head back to Old Trafford with new club AC Milan in the Champions League's last 16 in March.

Beckham says he envies former team-mate Ryan Giggs, who has stayed his whole career at the club while Beckham's path took him to Real Madrid then to the Los Angeles Galaxy, while he is now preparing for a second loan spell with Milan.

Beckham told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek: "I'd have loved to have stayed at Manchester United for my whole career and never gone anywhere else but it just wasn't meant to be.

"It takes a special person and a player to stay at a club for so many years. Ryan's been there for so many years now and he'll be part of Manchester United for life - he's a Manchester boy and it runs through his blood.

"I'm so honoured to have played with Ryan through the years I did and to know him as a person and a player. He deserves all the success he's had this year and in the other years."

Meanwhile, Beckham insists he is taking nothing for granted despite England boss Fabio Capello's assertion this week that the former captain will almost certainly be a part of his 2010 World Cup squad.

Beckham said: "I've never expected anything. I know I have to play quite a lot for AC Milan. I'm prepared to do that. Everybody knows I'm prepared to work hard to be part of the England squad.

"I've always been very positive and I've always said I want to be available for England whether I'm in the team or not. I'm passionate about playing for my country and I always want to be a part of the England squad."

source : http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5825277,00.html

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