Kuyt Hoping For Euro 2008 Place

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt is hoping that his goal-scoring return to the Netherlands national side will secure a place in Marco Van Basten’s Euro 2008 squad.

Kuyt scored the opener in his nation’s 3-0 over Ukraine on Saturday evening, but is still not guaranteed to be on the plane to this summer’s championships. Coach Marco Van Basten still has one more cut to make before the announcement of a 23 man panel on Wednesday. FC Twente goalkeeper Sandor Boschker and Feyenoord midfielder Denny Landzaat were the victims of Van Basten’s decision to cut his provisional panel from 26 to 24 in the wake of the Ukraine win, and the 36 times-capped Kuyt will not rest on his laurels.

The 27-year old had been largely ignored in favour of Klaas Jan Huntelaar of late, and the ex-Feyenoord man is eager to grasp the chance to make a positive impression before Wednesday’s squad deadline. With Van Basten’s decision imminent, Kuyt’s seventh international goal may earn him a place in the manager’s final plans. He told Dutch newspaper De Telegraf: “I am glad that I am part of the Holland team again. I think we made a good impression as a team. Only at the end of the match we got tired. That is logical looking at the efforts of the last weeks.”

Although a prolific front man in his native country, since his 2006 transfer to Liverpool, Kuyt has toiled mostly as a right winger. His work-rate and attitude have endeared him to the Anfield crowd but his goal scoring record plummeted. However, the former Feyenoord man seems happy in the role, despite admitting to being unsure at first. "It's gone well for me," he said of his right-wing berth. "Sometimes things just fall into place. I had the feeling when it started that it was temporary, but it went so well we carried on. The way we play now for the Netherlands is very similar to the Liverpool system, and I think I have shown I can play there. You have players who can turn a match with one touch and players who perform in service to the team. I have no problem playing for the team. I feel really strong. That is the advantage of playing in the Premier League. It is the physically toughest league in the world and you only get better and stronger from playing there."

Author: Peter Staunton
Source: goal.com

David Beckham scores from 60 yards!

David Beckham scored an amazing goal from a 60 yards distance in the MLS away game against Kansas City Wizards. In the 90th minute Galaxy were leading 2-1, and Wizards' goalkeeper came for a corner. Galaxy recovered the ball and Becks scored from his own half with an amazing 60 yards shot! Here is the video with the most important match facts of this spectacular game:

Anelka questions Blues role

Striker Nicolas Anelka has warned Chelsea that he is unhappy after being asked to play out of position since joining the club. The France international has scored just two goals since joining the Blues from Bolton Wanderers in a £16million deal during the transfer window.

But speaking after making a brief cameo appearance at the end of Champions League Final defeat to Manchester United, the well-travelled striker has revealed his disenchantment with his start to life at Stamford Bridge. Anelka has been employed in a wide role on the few occasions he has started games for Avram Grant's side.

"I didn't come here to play on the left or right," he told L'Equipe. "When I came here, people told me I would play in a 4-4-2. "In England, I no longer need to prove that I am better through the middle. Since I arrived, I haven't played in my position. Never as a number nine, always on the left or the right. Until now, I haven't said anything. I was a newcomer, I haven't wanted to make a story out of it because I still didn't know the club. But from next season, I insist I will no longer be the little newcomer."

Source: http://www.football.co.uk

Champions League Final Preview

FA asks Grant to explain himself

The Football Association have written to Chelsea coach Avram Grant to ask him to explain his remarks about referee Steve Bennett.

Grant called Bennett's integrity into question after Manchester United's 2-0 win at Wigan last Sunday earned a 10th Premier League title for Sir Alex Ferguson. Chelsea, level on points with United before kick-off, could only draw at home with Bolton.

But Bennett came under fire for not awarding the home side a penalty for handball and then opting not to send off Paul Scholes for a second bookable offence when he fouled Wilson Palacios. At his Champions League media conference on Wednesday, Grant said: "I told you that I believed in the tradition of the fair English game. I will not say anything against it. But what happened is what I expected. In England there are very good referees, but there are some - a few that you can influence, like you saw. I think in our game against Manchester United at Old Trafford, the referee (Mike Dean) influenced the result for sure. We know that. I think the red card for Mikel John Obi in that game should not have been a red card, I think that Paul Scholes should have had a red card on Sunday and Wigan a penalty also. But it is finished. I congratulate Manchester United."

Grant has until May 28 to reply.

Source: teamtalk.com

Rangers' Tetris defence is something to be admired

The Uefa Cup final was an absorbing contest, not an example of anti-football. Rangers may not have won the Uefa Cup, but this was a wonderfully spirited and intelligent performance - and one that was entirely in keeping with the thrillingly cussed and belligerent displays that had brought them to Eastlands.

You didn't need to be a Rangers fan to be gripped by this Uefa Cup final. It's a point that needs to be made. Rangers in Europe - so we have been told - are a team in thrall to a nihilistic blanket defence, pioneers of a neurotically cautious Scotch Bolt. Five goals were scored in nine knockout ties including tonight. This, it has been suggested by some, just isn't on. What game do they think they're playing? Where are the thrills? Where are the spills?

It's still one of the most irritating aspects of football's flowering into a global light entertainment product that this kind of thing gets punted about the place. Increasingly, the skills valued by the mass market of football consumers are limited to those that are lightest on the palate - and most telegenic.

Everybody likes a little flair. But moments of individual flourish should be hard-won, their impact decisive. Teams such as Rangers - well organised, physically resilient, highly-skilled in defence - preserve the value of these game-breaking skills. Put simply, they make you work for it.

True, Rangers did start this final with four centre backs across their back line in Kirk Broadfoot, Sasa Papac, David Weir and Carlos Cuellar. They left out the attacking midfielder Nacho Novo. Their opening move of the game, after three seconds, was a diagonal pass from right-back for Jean-Claude Darcheville to hare after.

And as expected we saw contrasting styles: a team that played the ball to its forwards' feet at interesting angles around the penalty area; against a team that steeled itself to defend and then break to support its front man. But Rangers also played some nice stuff, keeping the ball in midfield before springing forward - to dramatic effect as early as the eighth minute when Darcheville almost found Steven Whittaker with a pull-back close to goal. These were isolated moments. Much of the joy of watching Rangers play in Europe is what could be called a Tetris Defence: that sense of gaps constantly plugged and holes filled with hard-running cover from midfield and back four. Zenit stretched Rangers on the flanks. Andrei Arshavin roamed across the front line. Konstantin Zyryanov pulled out wide on the right. Rangers tracked doggedly.

The closest Zenit came in the first half was a shout for a penalty when a cross hit Broadfoot's outstretched arm from close range inside the area. Some referees give them, but not this one. He was consistent too: Rangers went unrewarded in the second half when the ball ricocheted into Igor Denisov's upper arm in the six-yard box. Zenit's goal came after Rangers had looked to be changing tack and chasing a goal in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Denisov's run in behind Cuellar was well timed. The goal was made by Arshavin's perfectly weighted pass.

And yes, even for a Rangers-centric neutral, there was a thrill of delayed gratification in this isolated moment of skillful execution . This was an opening you knew the Russians had worked for. It was Zenit's goal - but you applauded it partly out of appreciation for the skill of Rangers' defending to that point. So, Zenit held on and even got another in the 94th minute, again created by a clever pass by Arshavin. In truth Rangers never looked like having the attacking variations, or the resources within their squad, to chase the game with 15 minutes remaining. Arshavin was the most talented attacker on display. Rangers' cussed defence gave him a stage to show his skills and he rose to the challenge. This isn't anti-football. It's just football.

Another thought about Rangers' progress in Europe. It's worth considering the recent record of English teams in this tournament. For all the potency of the Premier League's executive elite, the Uefa Cup tells us this isn't a strength with any depth. This year Blackburn went out in the first round. Bolton, Everton and Spurs in the last 16. Going further back Liverpool in 2001 are the only English team to win the Uefa Cup in the last 24 years, in which time the English league has provided only three finalists.

Recently the suspicion has arisen that, perhaps, some of them just don't care enough to work at this the way Rangers have. Last season Steve Coppell said he didn't want Reading to qualify for the Uefa Cup because it wasn't a lucrative enough competition. This year Gary Megson scandalously fielded a second team when Bolton played Sporting.

All the more reason, then, to applaud both Rangers and Zenit; and to enjoy the spectacle of two teams competing for a prize they genuinely coveted. In the build-up both teams admitted to feeling an additional burden of expectation. "It would give more credibility to the game in our country if we could win," Walter Smith pointed out. Russian football has a similar agenda. CSKA Moscow's success in this tournament three years ago was hailed as an era-defining, floodgates-opening moment. Tonight might just be another step in that direction. But Scotland can also be proud.

Author: Barney Ronay

UEFA Cup Final Preview: Zenit Sankt Petersburg vs Glasgow Rangers

LONDON, May 12 (Reuters) - Zenit St Petersburg chase their first European silverware when the free-scoring Russian champions take on Rangers in the UEFA Cup final at the City of Manchester stadium on Wednesday (1845 GMT).

Zenit, bidding to become the second Russian side in four seasons to lift the trophy after CSKA Moscow's success in 2005, have produced some memorable performances en route to their first European final. The Russians overcame Villarreal and Olympique Marseille in the early knockout rounds before making the rest of Europe sit up with a 4-1 quarter-final, first-leg demolition of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Then, in the semis, Zenit held Bayern Munich at home before stunning the four-time European champions with a 4-0 rout in the return to qualify for the final in style.

Zenit coach Dick Advocaat said the UEFA Cup final was the most important game of the season for his club, who have made an indifferent start to the defence of their Russian title. 'That's what I told my players,' the Dutchman told reporters on Friday following training. 'After we beat Bayern I told them if you play like you did against the Germans you have a good chance of winning the trophy.'

Zenit will be without Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, the competition's joint top-scorer with 10 goals, who is suspended but welcome back influential playmaker Andrei Arshavin who missed the second leg of the semi-final. 'I don't like to talk about individual players, especially those who will be missing,' said Advocaat. 'The important thing is how the team responds to the challenge. We have done this (overcome suspended players) in the past and I hope we can do it again.' The final pits Dutchman Advocaat against the club he managed for three and a half years between 1998 and 2002, winning two league titles with the Glasgow side.

'I've said from the beginning that I would love to play Rangers in the final and it's great that it will happen,' he said. Rangers are bidding for the quadruple of UEFA Cup and three domestic trophies in a remarkable season that has already yielded one piece of silverware in the shape of the Scottish League Cup. But their quest for success on four fronts has caused a fixture pile-up which is fully testing the depth of Walter Smith's squad. Rangers have the Scottish title destiny in their own hands - they trail arch rivals Celtic by four points but will be crowned champions if they win their remaining three games, and their season will end with a Scottish Cup final appearance against Queen of the South on May 24.

The foundations for their fine UEFA Cup run have been laid on a rock-solid defence that has conceded just two goals in eight matches since they parachuted into the competition after finishing third in their Champions League group. Rangers have knocked out Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting and Fiorentina, in a penalty shootout, to reach the final, their first European showpiece since they lifted the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1972. Rangers striker Daniel Cousin is banned following his dismissal in the semi-final second leg.

Romania - Gigi Becali accused of bribe in the football championship scandal

Anti-Graft prosecutors accuse the real estate mogul Gigi Becali of bribe, after arresting five of his close collaborators yesterday. The group was found carrying 1.4 million euro, money designed - prosecutors say - for bribing the players of Universitatea Cluj. In the football game last night, between Universitatea Cluj and CFR Cluj, an even result or a victory of Universitatea would have turned Steaua Bucharest, Becali's team, into champion. Becali declared last night than his collaborators were in Cluj for real estate deals, not to bribe the Universitatea players.

Sources say that the money didn't have to be paid to the Universitatea players, the simple promise of a bribe being a criminal act.

The editor in chief of Romanian sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor, Catalin Tolontan, declared in a TV interview that Becali's collaborators were detained before the game begun and that there are suspicions that the 1.4 million euro were about to be paid to an Universitatea Cluj official, in case the game result would have turned out fine for Becali.

According to Gazeta Sporturilor, the Anti-Graft Prosecution Office (DNA) carefully monitored the way the football championship evolves in its last games and were certain that Becali would attempt to financially stimulate Universitatea, in order to prevent CFR from winning the title. All five collaborators of Gigi Becali were released during the night, around 3.00 AM. Along with them, the prosecutors also detained one of the Universitatea Cluj players, Gigel Coman.

In case the prosecutors prove that the money was for Universitatea, Steaua risks to lose up to 9 points in its ranking and a severe fine.

Source: hotnews.ro

Carvalho doubt for Chelsea

Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho is a fitness doubt for the Premier League finale at home to Bolton on Sunday.

Carvalho was substituted 11 minutes from time in the Blues' 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Monday afternoon after twice falling heavily on his back. The Portugal international underwent intensive treatment on Tuesday and is desperate to be fit in time to face Wanderers at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea must better Manchester United's result at Wigan if they are to lift the Premier League crown, while Bolton are all-but safe from relegation.

Vital

Carvalho is a vital member of Avram Grant's side and has not been on the losing side in the last 42 league games he had played in. It is a run that stretches back to Chelsea's away defeat at Tottenham in November 2006. Striker Salomon Kalou is also struggling with an ankle injury but he should be fit in time.

Cole

Meanwhile, England left-back Ashley Cole, rested for their win over Newcastle on Monday, believes Bolton will not make it easy for them. "Bolton will be coming to the Bridge wanting to win whether they are safe or not, we'll be so focused and determined to beat them," said Cole. "We have a lot of big players with big hearts and everyone wants to win. We have to win because it would be a killer if Manchester United got a draw and we didn't get a result."

Source: Sky Sports

Keane: I'm lucky to still be in a job

Sunderland boss Roy Keane launched a withering attack on his side and warned he is ready to discard several players in a huge summer overhaul.

The Black Cats arrived at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday safe from relegation and were second-best throughout to a Bolton side fighting desperately for their lives, who came away with a 2-0 victory.

Afterwards Keane renewed his calls for a massive transfer kitty to bring in new players and vowed to wield the axe in the coming days on members of his squad he feels have consistently failed to take their opportunities.

The Manchester United legend even went so far as to say he is fortunate not to have been shown the door himself.

"We've lost 22 games this season and people keep telling me we've had a good season - but I'm lucky to still be in a job," said Keane. You learn a hell of a lot about your players all the time and this match just confirmed what I'm thinking anyway. People say to me that we achieved our goal last week, but do we keep living in last week? Every game is an opportunity to impress me, but there will be changes in the summer because I'm saying the same thing week in, week out. I'm fed up of saying it and really bored with myself now at this stage - really, really bored."

Keane will throw out the players he feels are not up to the job after a superb strike from El-Hadji Diouf and an own-goal from Daryl Murphy handed Bolton victory.

Keane continued: "Gordon Strachan and one or two other managers have said that if you tell a player something more than two or three times and he doesn't do it, then get shot of him. I've been very patient and very kind to some of my players. But we need to invest and we need invest wisely and we need to move certain people on. That will be done this week - if not this week then the following week. It's irrelevant to me whether players are under contract or not. If they are you just pay them up to go because you want certain characters. You pay them to come and you pay them to go and that's what we'll have to do. I'll have a very busy week, trust me."

It was a scathing assessment, even by Keane's standards, and a revealing insight into the winning mentality which brought the Irishman seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and Champions League glory during his glittering Old Trafford career.

Keane is disgusted with the idea that surviving relegation should be considered success for Sunderland.

"I remember a few years ago Everton stayed up on the last day of the season and people were on the pitch crying," he said. "But you're thinking 'that's Everton Football Club'. I don't want us walking round the pitch next week and accepting the supporters' applause for survival. I want to think bigger than that because I don't think survival is anything to celebrate. When I'm on my holidays in the summer I'll be thinking of those 22 defeats. I've not forgotten about the games at Luton (3-0 defeat in the Carling Cup) and Wigan (3-0 defeat in the FA Cup).

"I've not forgotten about Everton away, Tottenham away, Man City at home and Newcastle away. These are the games I remember - I don't really remember the victories and I've always worked that way. I must be a naturally miserable person - there's no way getting away from it - and it's my family who I feel sorry for because I've got to go home to them. So my players are very lucky they don't actually live with me - very, very lucky."

Source: teamtalk.com

Scholes earns second chance at Champions League final

Nine years ago, when Manchester United won the Champions League final at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Paul Scholes was a face in the crowd.

Manchester's most recognized ginger head, he was suspended after accumulating too many yellow cards for his ill-timed tackles. The other side of Scholes, his exquisitely weighted passes and his eye for a spectacular goal, has now carried United to this season's final.

We are never likely to know what Scholes thinks or feels when he produces such moments. After he scored the only goal of the semifinal against Barcelona, he left by the back door, going home to his wife and three young children.

His goal Tuesday came after 14 minutes. Gianluca Zambrotta, an Italian World Cup winner, failed to look before hitting a clearance straight to Scholes. He responded with an act that every child and many seasoned pros should study.

Scholes's balance was balletic. He was on the toes of his left foot, his head was over the ball, eyes facing the target 25 meters away. The shot with his right foot sent the ball arching away from goalkeeper Victor Valdés, into the furthermost top corner of the net.

Inept defending, exquisite finishing, a picture book goal that sent United to the final and Barcelona to an uncertain future.

Barcelona could not match such brilliance. "The blame lies with the players, the coaches and the technical staff," said a club statement Thursday reviewing the season and the coach. "Frank Rijkaard now has to find a way of finishing the season in a dignified fashion and making people remember his successes."

Scholes hastened that by obeying an instinct was evident 20 years ago, when United signed him as a 14- year-old. They say that when he strikes a ball in training the sound is sweeter than the rest, a ping of perfection.

It is a gift that, all being well, affords him a long overdue final on May 21.

Author: Rob Hughes