Sports

World Cup 2010: Didier Drogba Ruled Out Of The Tournament After Fracturing Elbow - Reports

2010-06-04T17:30:00.000+01:00

The Chelsea ace sustained a problem with his right elbow... French media sources are reporting that Didier Drogba has been ruled out of the World Cup after he sustained a fractured elbow in the first 20 minutes of Cote d’Ivoire’s friendly encounter with Japan in Sion, Switzerland earlier today. L'Equipe and Canal+ both claim that the Chelsea striker's hopes of playing have completely vanished after Ivory Coast boss Sven-Goran Eriksson had earlier confirmed the injury and admitted he was 'concerned' about his skipper's hopes of competing in South Africa. With only a quarter of an hour gone in the game, Drogba clashed with Japanese defender Tulio, leaving him a little dazed. Tulio, the scorer of both a goal and an own goal against England last week, went for the ball with his leg raised, while Drogba's right arm came up simultaneously. The resulting collision between the Ivorian's elbow and Tulio's knee was purely accidental, but the Chelsea forward was ultimately withdrawn due to the injury. CSKA Moscow’s Seydou Doumbia was quickly brought into the frey. Drogba, who is rated as the third best player in the world by the Castrol Rankings, had already made his influence tell in the early stages of the game, when his free kick was deflected home by Brazilian-born Tulio. Despite the loss of Drogba, the Ivorians went on to win the game, which was played over three 45 minute periods, 2-0, though they will not relish a trip to South Africa without their recognised star forward.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez leaves by mutual consent

2010-06-03T18:38:00.001+01:00

Liverpool have announced manager Rafael Benitez has left the club by mutual consent after six years in charge. Benitez, 50, replaced Gerard Houllier as Liverpool manager in June 2004 and guided them to Champions League and FA Cup success the following two seasons. But last season they made an early exit from the Champions League and finished only seventh in the Premier League. Managing director Christian Purslow and former manager Kenny Dalglish are to begin the search for a replacement. The club said there is no timeframe for an appointment and they will make no further comment until a new manager has been installed. "I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool," he told the club's website. "I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. "Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone." Recently-appointed club chairman Martin Broughton thanked Benitez for his efforts, but said it was time for a new era. "Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned," he said. Former Valencia coach Benitez had been linked with Real Madrid and Juventus in recent months, but with both those clubs now having new men in charge he could be in the running to fill the vacant position at European champions Inter Milan following the departure of Jose Mourinho. One thing that could delay the appointment of a permanent successor to Benitez at Anfield is the uncertainty over the club's future ownership. Liverpool are £351m in debt and were put up for sale by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett earlier this year. The American pair's ownership of the Reds has been a long-running source of discontent for many fans, who are unhappy with the way the club is being run, and there have been regular protests and public disputes. Benitez had a fractious relationship with the pair, who admitted sounding out former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann about the possibility of taking over from Benitez at the end of 2007, when they feared he could leave the club. BBC Sport understands that Dalglish is unlikely to play a role in the future management of the club, and the Reds are happy for Benitez's assistant Sammy Lee to take the reins until after the World Cup if necessary. Fulham manager Roy Hodgson and Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill have been mentioned as potential targets to take over in the long term, as has former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink, although he recently signed a contract to become coach of the Turkish national side. But whoever takes the job may have to accept that major additions to the squad are unlikely without first selling players, with BBC Sports News correspondent Dan Roan will have a summer transfer budget of between £10m and £15m. Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson told BBC Sport that Benitez's biggest legacy would be the memory of the team's miraculous comeback to win the 2005 Champions League final. But Lawrenson said that ultimately Benitez was brought down by his failure to have cover for key striker Fernando Torres when he got injured last season. "He will be remember for that unbelievable European Cup win when they came from 3-0 down to beat Milan, which came very early and how fantastic that was, but he slipped up last year," he said. "He didn't have a good enough replacement for Torres, and the season fell flat on its face." In addition to that famous victory in Istanbul, Benitez brought the FA Cup to Anfield in 2006 when captain Steven Gerrard produced a magnificent performance to help the Reds edge past West Ham on penalties. But the Premier League title, the prize so desperately wanted by Liverpool fans forced to watch bitter rivals Manchester United gradually draw level with their haul of 18 championships, proved beyond Benitez. Well we wish him good luck in his future endeavours. Liverpool fans will definitely not be happy with this. Thank

Arsenal reject Barcelona's bid for Cesc Fabregas

2010-06-02T18:26:00.001+01:00

Arsenal have rejected an offer from Barcelona for captain Cesc Fabregas. Barcelona announced on Wednesday they had made a formal approach for the midfielder, 23, who has indicated an interest in moving to the Nou Camp. But a statement on the Arsenal website on Wednesday read: "Yesterday evening we received an offer from Barcelona for Cesc Fabregas. "In response, we immediately and resolutely told them once again we have no intention of selling our captain." The Arsenal statement added: "To be clear, we will not make any kind of counterproposal or enter into any discussion. "Barcelona have publicly stated that they will respect our position and we expect that they will keep their word." Barcelona initially revealed they had made an approach for Fabregas via their Twitter feed on Wednesday morning. The Spanish giants subsequently told BBC Sport that talks with Arsenal over a deal for the midfielder, who is with Spain's World Cup squad, "became formal" on Tuesday. "An informal conversation with Arsenal became formal on 1 June and now an official approach has been made to the club," said a Barca spokesman. "Before 1 June, under English rules, we could not make an official approach to Arsenal for Fabregas, but that changed on Tuesday. "I don't think there is a special advance on, say, the price or anything, but it has moved on now." Barcelona have made it clear they regard Fabregas, 22, who played in the youth team at the Nou Camp before moving to north London seven years ago, as one of their chief transfer targets this summer. Fabregas signed an eight-year contract with the Gunners in 2006 and has been quoted as saying he would only join Barcelona if he left the Emirates. Barcelona director general Joan Oliver revealed on the club's official website: "Everybody knows that Cesc wants to sign for Barca and that we also want him to come here, but there is also a third party involved - Arsenal. Any agreement has to be with them. "We've now made a formal written offer, which we presented to Arsenal yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon." The vice-president of the Catalan club, Rafael Yuste, added: "I'm optimistic that he'll be able to sign for Barca as soon as possible and it's clear that everybody here will give him a warm welcome. "We'll do nothing that might make it more difficult for him to come here and we won't rush things - but we won't stop either." "An informal conversation with Arsenal became formal on 1 June and now an official approach has been made to the club," said a Barca spokesman. "Before 1 June, under English rules, we could not make an official approach to Arsenal for Fabregas, but that changed on Tuesday. "I don't think there is a special advance on, say, the price or anything, but it has moved on now." Barcelona have made it clear they regard Fabregas, 22, who played in the youth team at the Nou Camp before moving to north London seven years ago, as one of their chief transfer targets this summer. Fabregas signed an eight-year contract with the Gunners in 2006 and has been quoted as saying he would only join Barcelona if he left the Emirates. Barcelona director general Joan Oliver revealed on the club's official website: "Everybody knows that Cesc wants to sign for Barca and that we also want him to come here, but there is also a third party involved - Arsenal. Any agreement has to be with them. "We've now made a formal written offer, which we presented to Arsenal yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon." The vice-president of the Catalan club, Rafael Yuste, added: "I'm optimistic that he'll be able to sign for Barca as soon as possible and it's clear that everybody here will give him a warm welcome. "We'll do nothing that might make it more difficult for him to come here and we won't rush things - but we won't stop either." Barca also revealed on their website that club director Raul Sanllehi and technical secretary Txiki Begiristain will direct their negotiations. Fabregas revealed last month he had spoken to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger about his future. "It was probably the greatest conversation I have had with someone in my life," said Fabregas. "I respect him so much. He told me to concentrate on my football and the World Cup and he will deal with whatever happens in my future. "It's not up to me any more. It's just now about Arsenal and whoever it has to be and that's it. I don't want to say anything else. "I just want to be focused for the World Cup because it's the most important thing. The rest, the future, I'm not interested in the future." His father Francesc Fabregas, who is also his agent, believes talks between the clubs could be protracted. "The negotiations between Arsenal and Barcelona are going to be very long," he told Radio Marca last month. "Both parties are going to have to sit down several times because the matter is complicated." Should Fabregas move to the Nou Camp he would become Barcelona's second summer recruit after the £34m signing of Spain and Valencia striker David Villa.

Benni McCarthy dropped by South Africa

2010-06-01T13:04:00.001+01:00

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has dropped West Ham striker Benni McCarthy from his final 23-man squad for this summer's World Cup. The 32-year-old, who is his country's record goalscorer, has struggled with his fitness and come in for criticism at home for being overweight. McCarthy was one of five players cut from Parreira's provisional squad. Premier League midfield duo Steven Pienaar of Everton and Fulham's Kagiso Dikgacoi were both selected. Portsmouth defender Aaron Makoena - who became the first South African to reach 100 caps in the 5-0 friendly win over Guatemala on Monday - was also picked by the World Cup hosts, who open the tournament at Soccer City against Mexico in a Group A clash on 11 June. Other surprise omissions from the squad were goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez, who plays for German side Arminia Bielefeld, and defender Bryce Moon, who plys his trade in Greece with PAOK. Moon was seen as the likeliest player to deputise at right-back behind Siboniso Gaxa but the slot went to Anele Ngcongca, who is also able to operate in midfield. Uncapped Maritzburg United goalkeeper Shuaib Walters was selected ahead of Fernandez. Left-back Innocent Mdledle and left-side midfielder Franklin Cale were the other two players left out of the final squad. "I am not going to talk about individuals who did not make the final squad. We applied five principles when making our choices," Parreira told a news conference. "This is not the end of the road for the five footballers whose dreams I have cut short. There will be other opportunities to play for the national team." McCarthy has scored a record 31 goals in 79 caps for South Africa and represented the Bafana Bafana at both the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. His relationship with the national side has not always been an easy one - he has twice previously retired from international football when it clashed with his club career in Europe, damaging his reputation in his homeland. A knee injury has limited his involvement for West Ham since joining them on 1 February from Premier League rivals Blackburn. He featured in only one of South Africa's four warm-up matches last month, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 win over Colombia at Soccer City on 27 May. In the two warm-up matches prior to this, South Africa secured a goalless draw with North Korea and beat Jamaica 2-0. The subsequent victory over Guatemala made it 11 games unbeaten for Brazilian coach Parreira since taking charge of the side. After facing Mexico in World Cup Group A on 11 June in Johannesburg, South Africa play Uruguay five days later ahead of a final clash with France on 22 June.

Mourinho unveiled as new Real Madrid boss

2010-05-31T13:43:00.000+01:00

Jose Mourinho has been officially paraded in front of the press as the new manager of Real Madrid. Mourinho, who led Inter Milan to an unprecedented treble last season, takes over from Manuel Pellegrini who was sacked after finishing second in La Liga and failing to get past the Second Round in the Champions League. Mourinho is the Spanish giants' ninth coach in six years, with Real paying a reported €8 million in compensation. Mourinho said: "I don't know if I was born to coach Real Madrid but I was born to be a football coach. I love important challenges. I am Jose Mourinho and I don't change. I arrive with all my qualities and my defects. "My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win. It's a unique club and I believe that not to coach Real leaves a void in a coach's career. Luckily, I've had a beautiful career and it makes me proud to have come here. "I am very enthusiastic. I want my players to think that way. The beauty is not so much to train or play at Real, but to win at Real Madrid.'' With Real's history of disposing of managers regularly regardless of success, Mourinho insisted he was not afraid for being sacked. "I think a coach needs to be ready to be sacked,'' Mourinho said. "But if a coach fears that, he doesn't work well and has great problems. I am a coach that has a lot of self-esteem and confidence and I don't think about the possibility of being sacked. "I think four years of contract is enough to win, to build a strong team for the present and the future. The sacking of Pellegrini doesn't make me happy. I am never happy when a coach is sacked. But football is like that. I have a lot of confidence in my players, I have the hope that my new players have confidence in me.'' Mourinho shed little light on what he will bring to Real but outlined his vision for the future of the club. He said: "It's too early to speak about changes. I believe it's time to analyse the situation, to get to know my club, ask lots of questions and get answers. I need to realise the direction of my work. The most important thing is not the coach or the players but the club. "We are too small compared to the dimension of the club. If we work as a group, it's not difficult to get results. I want this group to have an identity, to win everything. The strength of my team is always the team and not the individuals. "Cristiano Ronaldo is an incredible player not only for Real but for the whole of football. Cristiano is a winner and it's not difficult to persuade him of this.'' When asked if this was his greatest career challenge, Mourinho said: "I cannot say this is the biggest motivation in my career. My biggest ambition is always the next one. Right now it is Real Madrid. I don't change my level of ambition or motivation. I gave everything to every club where I have been and I will do the same here. "I don't feel any kind of different pressure. I am a coach that improves day-by-day. I arrive with everything a coach can win at club football.'' Mourinho refused to shed light on Real's transfer objectives. "I don't like to talk about players because their prices will go up if I do,'' Mourinho said. "The club is happy with the roster of last season and so am I. We don't need major changes. "We need three or four players for the coach to have more possibilities to get closer to my ideal of a team. But I don't think it's going to be a summer with a lot of changes. I think it will be a more calm summer with all the focus on the World Cup. "I am not anti-Barcelona. I am coach of Real but Barca doesn't worry me. My only concern is to grow Real. Barca are great rivals and we respect them. If I am hated at Barcelona, it is their problem but not mine. Fear is not a word in my football dictionary.'' The former Chelsea manager had kind words for Inter. "I hope my former players can win everything in Italy but not the Champions League,'' he said. "I cannot forget the group that I4ve had. Inter has a team for the future. "They will need a quality coach and the coach that arrives will need to be intelligent and follow the path he needs to follow. Whoever arrives will be lucky because they will get the chance to play in three finals, the Italian Super Cup, European Super Cup and World Club tournament, a present I have left.'' Real sporting director Jorge Valdano said: "Mourinho has signed a contract for four seasons. It's an honour to have with us one of the most prestigious coaches in the world. We are delighted to have him here with us. "The best thing for our club right now, is to have Mourinho with us.''

Uefa introduces tough penalties for spendthrift clubs

2010-05-28T12:07:00.000+01:00

Profligate clubs face being banned from the Champions League and Europa League after European football's governing body Uefa approved new plans. The example of Portsmouth, who became the first Premier League team to go into administration, has highlighted the financial excesses in England. Uefa president Michel Platini has now passed rules which would force clubs to operate within their means. Clubs will only be able to spend what they themselves generate. Big cash injections from wealthy benefactors like the owners of Chelsea and Manchester City would also be restricted under Uefa's Financial Fair Play plan. The system is being phased in and bans would not be able to be imposed theoretically until the 2014-15 season at the earliest. Clubs are required to restructure themselves over the next three seasons so they are financially solvent. Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino said: "The main rule is the break-even requirement which will be phased in over the next three years. "It is not as easy to swallow for everyone but everyone understands it is necessary. They are there not to punish clubs, they are there to help clubs. We don't want to kill anyone, this is why we have a phased-in approach." But money invested in stadiums and youth development will not be included in the number-crunching. The rules will also forbid clubs owing money to their rivals, players and staff or the tax authorities at the end of the season. Portsmouth were a glaring example of a club which owed millions in unpaid transfer fees, image rights, tax and VAT. Earlier this year, Infantino estimated 50% of clubs in Europe were making losses and 20% were in financial peril. Big transfer fees can still be paid but clubs will need to generate sufficient funds through ticket sales, TV money and commercial revenue. "If clubs want to spend €50, 60 or 70 million, why not, provided they have the money coming from their revenues, this will continue in the future. The problem is when you don't have the money," Infantino added. The European Clubs' Association's president, former German international Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, welcomed the move, commenting: "The measures will shape the future of European football into a more responsible business and ultimately a more sustainable one."

Javier Hernandez acquires permit to seal Man Utd move

2010-05-27T20:25:00.000+01:00

Mexico striker Javier Hernandez has sealed his move to Manchester United from Chivas de Guadalajara after the Home Office granted a work permit. The 22-year-old, who is set to travel with his country to this summer's World Cup finals, had agreed terms with United and passed a medical in April. United have not disclosed the fee for Hernandez, but he is believed to have cost somewhere in the region of £6-8m. He will officially join the Red Devils on 1 July. The diminutive forward - affectionately known in Mexico as 'Chicharito', which roughly translates as 'little sweet pea' - scored in Mexico's 2-1 friendly defeat to the Netherlands in Freiburg, Germany on Wednesday. He also featured in the second half of his country's previous friendly, the 3-1 reverse at the hands of England at Wembley on Monday. When the deal was initially struck, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson described Hernandez as "an exciting young striker". "He has been in prolific form for both his club and his country," Ferguson added at the time. "He will be a great addition to our squad." Hernandez is scheduled to join Ferguson's squad in mid-July for the Philadelphia leg of United's pre-season tour of the United States and Canada. And on 30 July he is scheduled to appear against his former club Chivas in a match to open their new 45,000-seat stadium.

Mourinho a perfect fit for Real Madrid - Perez

2010-05-27T13:12:00.002+01:00

Jose Mourinho's style of play will "fit in perfectly" at the Bernabeu, says Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. Inter Milan boss Mourinho is expected to succeed coach Manuel Pellegrini, who was sacked by Real on Wednesday. Mourinho, who guided Inter to a historic Treble this season, is considered to be a defensive coach. But Perez countered: "Mourinho's style of play will fit with the history of Madrid. To win, the values, the spirit of sacrifice, it will fit perfectly." Mourinho, who took over at Inter in 2008, became only the third man to win European club football's most prestigious competition with two different clubs when Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in Saturday's Champions League final. That success also assured the Nerazzuri's place in the history books as they became the first Italian team to win the Treble, having already retained the Serie A title and beaten Roma to lift the Italian Cup. Mourinho is contracted to Inter until 2012 and so the 47-year-old former Chelsea manager must resolve his future at the San Siro before making any move. Pellegrini's free-scoring Real side finished runners-up in the Spanish League this season, netting 102 goals in 38 games, with 60 of those strikes coming at home. But the 56-year-old Chilean was dismissed for failing to land any silverware, despite the Spanish giants having signed Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso for a combined fee in excess of £196m in the summer of 2009. In contrast, Mourinho's Inter side scored 75 goals in 38 games en route to their Serie A title and produced a defensive masterclass in their 3-2 aggregate win over Spanish champions Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. And now the man who brought unprecedented success to the Nerazzurri is set to become the 11th coach in the last seven years at the Bernabeu. Perez, who is looking forward to a period of progression, added: "Madrid is betting on stability, the stability of the Madridistas is to win and be leaders in Europe. "The change of coach is always difficult but we are convinced that after this first year and this first phase, now is the moment to give a fresh impulse to our project. "A year ago there was a huge and unprecedented effort to configure and put together a squad capable of aspiring to the maximum. "We have advanced a lot but we still have a lot of ground to cover. "This club demands the maximum and is always in search of excellence. Winning and being leaders in Europe has always been the desire of our members and fans and, therefore, that's the objective of this board." Mourinho has previously said his target is to become the first manager to win championships in England - where he won the Premier League twice with Chelsea - Italy and Spain. And Perez has backed Mourinho to bring success to the Bernabeu. "We believe that he is a coach that will add a lot to this important squad," Perez continued. "The only one who has spoken to Inter president Massimo Moratti was me on Monday, but the parties are resolving a resolution (to his contract) in which we are not participating. "My hope is that it will be resolved quickly and I believe it will be."

Mourinho a perfect fit for Real Madrid - Perez

2010-05-27T13:12:00.000+01:00

Nigerian Aliko Dangote denies interest in Arsenal stake

2010-05-26T11:08:00.000+01:00

Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote has denied planning a move to buy a 15.9% stake in Premier League side Arsenal. Reports claimed he was interested in Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith's shares, which are available for about £100m. In a statement, Dangote confirmed he had "been involved in conversations around investment in the past". But he added: "I can say categorically at this time that I have no intention of investing in the club and will not be acquiring a stake." Dangote, group president and chief executive officer of the Dangote Group, is reputed to be Africa's richest man, with Forbes magazine in the United States estimating his fortune two years ago at $3.3bn (£2.3bn). His wealth was built on a business empire that he founded in 1977 and now includes the number one sugar production company in Nigeria, a cement factory and textile products, plus he was made a Commander of the Order of the Niger five years ago. He recently told Nigerian newspaper ThisDay that he had been an Arsenal supporter for a "long time" and stated: "It started in 1980 when I forged a relationship with Mr David Dein, former vice-chairman of the board of Arsenal." Last month, Lady Bracewell-Smith instructed UK brokers Blackstone to find a buyer, having previously given up her place on the club's board in 2008. Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov are Arsenal's two largest shareholders and it was thought that her decision to sell might lead to a bidding war between them. US billionaire Kroenke owns 29.98% of the club's shares, while Russian tycoon Usmanov holds 26.29%, but if any shareholder's stake reaches 30%, he or she is obliged to make a takeover offer for the club. Neither Kroenke - who also owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets basketball franchise, Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids football club and a stake in the NFL's St Louis Rams American football team - nor Usmanov has so far been willing to take that step. And Blackstone, who have been advising Lady Bracewell-Smith for several months, have been looking for an appropriate alternative buyer. Dangote has ruled himself out but his statement read: "I wish Arsenal Football Club the best for the future and will continue to follow the team as a fan." According to the Daily Telegraph, Blackstone has also spoken to consortiums in Eastern Europe and the Far East but the Arsenal Supporters' Trust is urging Lady Bracewell-Smith to lower the asking price for her 9,893 shares.

Mourinho to meet Inter president as exit edges closer

2010-05-25T08:59:00.000+01:00

Coach Jose Mourinho is to hold talks with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti as the Portuguese edges closer to leaving the European champions. Mourinho, 47, is expected to become Real Madrid boss after guiding Inter to an historic Treble. "Mourinho and Moratti will meet in Milan," said a Mourinho spokesman. "If not in the next few hours, on Tuesday." Moratti added:"There's always hope but we have to respect the wish of a person who thinks his task has expired." Mourinho's expected exit comes after the former Porto and Chelsea manager led Italian domestic Double winners Inter to a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Saturday's Champions League final at Real's Bernabeu stadium. His agent Jorge Mendes held a 90-minute meeting with Real director general Jorge Valdano and sporting director Miguel Pardeza on Monday, according to Spanish media. Spanish newspapers AS and Marca have reported that Mourinho will sign a four-year deal with Real worth £8.5m annually, though Inter want £13.7m in compensation as the Portuguese's contract with the Serie A side runs until 2012. Later on Monday, Sinisa Mihajlovic quit as Catania coach, amid speculation that the Serbian, who departed as Inter assistant coach in 2008, is set to succeed Mourinho at the San Siro. "I hope to soon find a job which legitimises my decision and my professional ambitions," Mihajlovic told the Inter website. By winning the Champions League, Mourinho became only the third coach to win Europe's top prize with two clubs. "I'm so sad as almost for sure it's my last game with Inter," stated Mourinho after the Nerazzurri beat Bayern Munich in Madrid. "If you don't coach Real Madrid then you always have a gap in your career." He continued: "It was difficult to leave Chelsea and it will be sad to leave Inter. Inter is my house in the same way Chelsea was my house. But that's life, that's football. "Now I have two houses, Stamford Bridge, San Siro and now a third house - probably the Santiago Bernabeu. "Only Real are interested in me but I haven't spoken with anyone and I haven't signed anything. I promised I'd speak after the final. "I believe my target now is to win another championship that I've never won and win Champions League with a third club and then come back to England. "Everybody knows that English football is my passion and I will go back to England." Mourinho, who joined Inter in 2008, has also won two Serie A titles as well as the Italian Cup. "When I win I don't stop and here [in Italy] I have won everything. I've won the Champions League with two clubs and I can do it with three," he reflected. "There are many things [in Italy] that I haven't liked and for three to four months I've been thinking of going. "I've entered into Inter's history, I don't want to speak much because if I do I'll cry and I don't want to do that. "I want a different challenge in my career, now is the time to decide. What's important for Inter is that [president Massimo] Moratti and [captain Javier] Zanetti stay." In all the post-match drama, it was easy to forget that Inter had become European champions for the first time in 45 years thanks to two goals from Argentina striker Diego Milito. And the goalscoring hero hailed his coach as the mastermind behind the Italian side's Champions League victory. "Mourinho deserves this the most. He is great coach and he deserves all of the credit for this success," the matchwinner said. "This is the team that he has made. He made many changes to the team that finished last year and we have come so far." Milito was one of the players brought in by Mourinho last summer after Zlatan Ibrahimovic departed for Barcelona. "I want to thank Inter, the president and the coach for wanting to sign me last summer - I am so happy to be here at Inter," Milito added. "What I feel now is a joy I have never felt before, an incredible joy. I am so happy for Inter because we have been waiting for so long and we deserved this trophy." The story continues shortly.

Arsenal secure signing of striker Marouane Chamakh

2010-05-24T09:22:00.001+01:00

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh on an unspecified long-term deal. The 26-year-old, who had been linked with the Gunners since last summer, is to join on a free transfer when his contract with Bordeaux expires. In February he revealed Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal had all been in touch with him about possible moves. "Without any hesitation, Arsenal was my preferred club," said Chamakh, who hit 79 goals in eight years at Bordeaux. "My goal was to join Arsenal out of all the English clubs because it is a club that makes me dream and I have been a fan since I was a child," he continued. "We have many great players at Arsenal and I will be giving everything to help the team win trophies next season." Although born and raised in France, Chamakh qualifies for Morocco through his parents. He was part of the Morocco side that reached the final of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations and has scored 27 goals in 53 appearances for his country. "Chamakh is a striker of real quality and has all the attributes suited to come to England and do very well," Gunners manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website. "He is also a fighter, not only a good football player, but a fighter as well. He is very good in the air and also a good team player. He is a great addition to our squad." Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis added that he was "delighted" the north Londoners had beaten off much competition to sign Chamakh. "Arsene has been following his progress for some time and has identified him as a player that will add significant strength to our squad," Gazidis commented. "We're delighted that Marouane has chosen Arsenal ahead of the many other clubs that were interested in him."

Mourinho likely to quit Inter Milan for Real Madrid

2010-05-23T17:17:00.002+01:00

ose Mourinho says he is likely to leave Inter Milan for Real Madrid after guiding Inter to an historic Treble. The Italian champions beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League on Saturday, making Mourinho the third coach to win the prize with two clubs. But following the 2-0 victory at Real's Bernabeu stadium Mourinho said: "I'm so sad as almost for sure it's my last game with Inter. "If you don't coach Real Madrid then you always have a gap in your career." The 47-year-old former Chelsea boss added: "It was difficult to leave Chelsea and it will be sad to leave Inter. Inter is my house in the same way Chelsea was my house. But that's life, that's football. "Now I have two houses, Stamford Bridge, San Siro and now a third house - probably the Santiago Bernabeu. "Only Real are interested in me but I haven't spoken with anyone and I haven't signed anything. I promised I'd speak after the final. "I believe my target now is to win another championship that I've never won and win Champions League with a third club and then come back to England. "Everybody knows that English football is my passion and I will go back to England once." Mourinho, who joined Inter in 2008, has also won two Serie A titles and an Italian Cup. "When I win I don't stop and here [in Italy] I have won everything. I've won the Champions League with two clubs and I can do it with three," he reflected. "There are many things [in Italy] that I haven't liked and for three to four months I've been thinking of going. "I've entered into Inter's history, I don't want to speak much because if I do I'll cry and I don't want to do that. "I want a different challenge in my career, now is the time to decide. What's important for Inter is that [president Massimo] Moratti and [captain Javier] Zanetti stay." In all the post-match drama, it was easy to forget that Inter had become European champions for the first time in 45 years thanks to two goals from Argentina striker Diego Milito. And the goalscoring hero hailed his coach as the mastermind behind the Italian side's Champions League victory. "Mourinho deserves this the most. He is great coach and he deserves all of the credit for this success," the matchwinner stated. "This is the team that he has made. He made many changes to the team that finished last year and we have come so far." "I want to thank Inter, the president and the coach for wanting to sign me last summer - I am so happy to be here at Inter," Milito added. "What I feel now is a joy I have never felt before, an incredible joy. I am so happy for Inter because we have been waiting for so long and we deserved this trophy." Meanwhile, Inter president Massimo Moratti has revealed Mourinho cried after the side's victory, but hopes the coach was not shedding tears ahead of an imminent departure. "I didn't cry, but Mourinho did and a lot - I hope they were not from a sense of guilt," Moratti said. "The players were wrapped up in joy; it's an infinite joy, it's marvellous."

Avram Grant resigns as Portsmouth manager

2010-05-21T11:12:00.004+01:00

Avram Grant has resigned as manager of relegated Portsmouth, the debt-ridden south-coast club has confirmed. The 55-year old Israeli announced his decision to leave the beaten FA Cup finalists in an open letter to fans on the club's website. "This was one of the most difficult decisions I've had to take in my football career," said Grant. Grant, who took over at Fratton Park in November 2009, is the hot favourite to pick up the vacant West Ham job. The Hammers are without a manager after sacking Italian Gianfranco Zola on 11 May following a Premier League campaign that almost ended in relegation. The likes of Mark Hughes, Paolo Di Canio, Slaven Bilic and Ian Holloway have been tipped to take over at Upton Park, but BBC football pundit Steve Claridge expects Grant to succeed Zola. "Not many managers walk out of a job without having another one readily available to them," he said. "If my money was going anywhere it would be on him going to West Ham." The former Portsmouth striker added: "I would not have thought it was the hardest decision for him. I don't think he would have fancied managing in the Championship - I am not sure how much he even knows about the Championship." Grant arrived as Portsmouth's director of football in October 2009 but replaced Paul Hart as manager the following month, with the club bottom of the league with just seven points from 13 games. Crippled by financial problems, the club went into administration in February and were subsequently deducted nine points by the Premier League - a punishment that all but condemned them to relegation. They went on to finish bottom of the table on 19 points but reached the FA Cup final, losing the Wembley showpiece 1-0 to Grant's former club Chelsea. "After a lot of soul searching and under the circumstances, I'm taking a different direction," explained Grant, who won 10, lost 16 and drew seven of his 33 matches in charge. "Portsmouth has given me a feeling of home away from home. I might be leaving Portsmouth physically, but you cannot take Portsmouth away from me and my heart. "It's been both a difficult and complex year for us at the club, but, at the same time, it's been a wonderful and uplifting professional and personal experience. "I have been inundated with letters and emails from fans. Many have brought tears to my eyes - and, take it from me, it takes a lot to do that. "I will never forget you, the loyal fans of Pompey, who, without a doubt, helped me protect the team under such complex circumstances. "There are very few teams in the world that have fans as passionate and devoted as you are. Seeing you all so proud with your heads held up high is the best reward I can receive." Peter Storrie, who quit as Portsmouth chief executive in March, is currently working as a consultant to the club and is unsurprised that Grant's efforts at Fratton Park have attracted attention. "I think Avram has done such a fantastic job down here," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "I am sure there are a lot of clubs interested in him and rightly so because he has shown everyone what a very, very good manager he is and how well he works with players. "The issue of a replacement is one is for the administrators. I am sure they will be speaking to a lot of different people and getting a lot of different advice, but obviously the coaches are still at the club at the moment and they will speak to them as well." Storrie also denied that Grant's departure would be followed by the sale of much of the first-team squad. "It is not so many as people think. Probably about three or four," he said when asked how many players might leave...

Sir Alex Ferguson may limit Manchester United signings

2010-05-20T13:38:00.002+01:00

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said he may not add any more players to his squad this summer. Ferguson has already signed Mexico's Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara and defender Chris Smalling from Fulham. A host of other signings were expected, particularly after chief executive David Gill indicated funds are available to his manager. "There may be one signing but it's not easy in the present climate. The market is very difficult," said Ferguson. Speaking alongside Gill at a press conference in New York to promote United's four-game North American tour this summer, Ferguson added: "The structure of our squad is good in terms of ages, the balance, the numbers and there's a lot of good young players. "Sometimes you have to trust in the development of the last few years and I'm going to stick with that, or most of it." Gill added: "The Premier League is bringing in squad limits next year of 25 but there will be unlimited under-21s and other rules and we'll be taking all that into consideration." Ferguson revealed he would not be replacing goalkeeper Ben Foster, instead promoting England Under-21 international Ben Amos, who had been set to be loaned, to the first-team squad alongside Edwin Van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak. "Ben (Amos) will now be our third goalkeeper, he's very talented and has a good future ahead of him," the Scot said. Foster is close to completing a £6m move to Birmingham, having missed out on England's squad for the World Cup in South Africa. Ferguson was empathetic with Foster over his international exclusion and said the bid from Birmingham City had been accepted because they knew how concerned the former Stoke City keeper had become about his future. "I think most of that comes from his disappointment of not having played enough games to get in the England squad this summer," the 68-year-old said. "I still feel very strongly about this, that Ben's the best England goalkeeper and I can't work out why he wasn't even considered simply because he didn't have enough football. "Ben's been a terrific servant for us, he's been very unlucky with a couple of injuries he's had with us last season and I think he deserves the opportunity to do better for himself." Supporters' groups opposed to the Glazer family's ownership of Manchester United have argued that Ferguson's transfer dealings are being limited by the level of debt carried by the club. But Gill said: "We're very confident the business model we have in place will ensure the club can continue to compete at the top of football for many years to come. "Our season ticket sales, renewals, for this upcoming season are on track with previous years. Our executive ticket renewals are on track. "The owners have been true to their word since they took over the club in 2005. They've brought commercial expertise and commercial benefit to us in a numbers of areas, and we've seen our revenues grow significantly." The club's summer tour will begin with a training camp in Chicago followed by friendlies against Celtic (Toronto, 16 July), the Philadelphia Union (Philadelphia, 21 July), the Kansas City Wizards (Kansas City, 25 July) and the MLS All-Stars (Houston, 28 July). Ferguson will give his World Cup players leave of absence from the tour, which will move on to Mexico and a game against Guadalajara, which was agreed as part of the deal to sign striker Hernandez. Yomisam

Chelsea midfielder Deco in talks with Fluminense

2010-05-19T16:34:00.000+01:00

Chelsea midfielder Deco has held talks with Fluminense over a return to his native Brazil next season. "There's a strong possibility [of a move to Fluminense] but at the moment I can't confirm anything because I have a contract with Chelsea," he said. Deco, 32, who plays for Portugal having obtained Portuguese citizenship in 2002, added: "I'm only going to decide after the World Cup." He has already indicated he will end his international career this summer. Deco, who will join up with the Portugal squad on Wednesday, added: "I'm not coming [back to Brazil] to end my career, I'm coming to play. "I believe I have a few more good years to play at a high level." 606: DEBATE What summer changes do you expect at Chelsea? Deco, who has a year left on his contract with Chelsea, won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 and Barcelona in 2006. He joined Chelsea in June 2008 when Luiz Felipe Scolari, his former coach with the Portugal team, was in charge at Stamford Bridge. However, he has struggled for first-team chances due to injuries and patchy form, and missed their recent Premier League and FA Cup Double celebrations. Deco helped Portugal reach the Euro 2004 final and the 2006 World Cup semi-finals. They face Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea in Group G at the 2010 finals in South Africa starting on 11 June. omisam

Injured John Obi Mikel out of FA Cup final

2010-05-13T09:31:00.000+01:00

Chelsea's Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel is out of the FA Cup final against Portsmouth but hopes to return for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The 23-year-old has undergone minor surgery having injured his knee during April's 1-0 home win over Bolton.

"I had an operation on Wednesday and it was successful, I will be hopefully be back in two weeks," he said.

Mikel will also miss Wigan's visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Chelsea look to win the Premier League title.

"The operation is due to an injury suffered when fouled by Bolton's Kevin Davies last month and subsequently led to Mikel's early substitution at Tottenham the following match," added a Chelsea statement.

Nigeria open up their World Cup campaign against Argentina in Group B on 12 June.

They then face Greece on 17 June and South Korea on 22 June.

recovery is rather slow but wud be at the world cup.

..::The King of England::..

2010-05-12T12:12:00.000+01:00

The race for the Premiership Title Ended on the 8th of May 2010 with Chelsea Football Club emerging as the champions making the the King of England. The Ended their campaign with 86points and 71goals altogether winning Wigan Athletic with 8goals-a Hat-trick from Didier Drogba, Nickolas Anelka, Frank Lampard scoring a brace and capping it up by Ashley Coal. Didier Drogba had the highest goals with 29goals with Wayne Rooney 2nd on 26goals. They hope to make their Title double with the FA Cup Finals on Saturday 15th of May with Premeirship relegated Portmouth.