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Goal.com Special: Ronaldo & 19 More Of The Greatest Goalscorers Of All Time

2011-02-20T18:01:00.000+08:00

With the retirement of former FIFA Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo earlier this week, Goal.comasked its twitter followers whom they considered to be the greatest goalscorer of all time. Many of you agreed with Goal.com's Peter Staunton that Ronaldo was the best finisher, but you also put forward a number of other interesting suggestions. We have now listed 20 of the best goalscorers with their statistics over the years - who do you think is the best? Bear in mind that only players from after 1960 when footage is readily available have been included.

Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima ( BRA):

Clubs: Cruzeiro, PSV, Barcelona, Inter, Real Madrid, Milan, Corinthians
Club games: 514
Club goals: 352
International games: 97
International goals: 62
Suggested by:@mcgboye; Without any shadow of doubt...nazario de lima ronaldo. Simply the best.

Romario de Souza Faria ( BRA):

Clubs: Vasco da Gama, PSV, Barcelona, Flamengo, Valencia, Fluminense, Al Sadd, Miami, Adelaide United, America
Club games: 483
Club goals: 341
International games: 70
International goals: 55

Filippo Inzaghi ( ITA):

Clubs: Piacenza, Leffe, Verona, Parma, Atalanta, Juventus, Milan
Club games: 608
Club goals: 288
International games: 57
International goals: 25
Suggested by:@primusicilianu; The greatest pure goalscorer is Inzaghi.

Marco van Basten ( NED):

Clubs: Ajax, Milan
Club games: 370
Club goals: 277
International games: 58
International goals: 24

Gabriel Batistuta ( ARG):

Clubs: Newell's Old Boys, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Fiorentina, Roma, Inter, Al Arabi
Club games: 493
Club goals: 366
International games: 78
International goals: 56
Suggested by:@dantedii; It is between Ronaldo, Van Basten or Batistuta

Pele ( BRA):

Clubs: Santos, New York Cosmos
Club games: 831
Club goals: 767
International games: 92
International goals: 77

Alberto Spencer ( ECU):

Clubs: Everest, Penarol, Barcelona
Club games: 634
Club goals: 445
International games: 15
International goals: 5
Suggested by:@DeadCarras; One of the most unknown great goalscorers was Penarol's Alberto Spencer.

Gerd Mueller ( GER):

Clubs: 1861 Noerdlingen, Bayern Munich, Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Club games: 669
Club goals: 572
International games: 62
International goals: 68

Ruud van Nistelrooy ( NED):

Clubs: Den Bosch, Heerenveen, PSV, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Hamburg
Club games: 550
Club goals: 341
International games: 68
International goals: 34

Ferenc Puskas ( HUN):

Clubs: Kispest, Budapest Honved, Espanyol, Real Madrid
Club games: 622
Club goals: 617
International games: 89
International goals: 84
Suggested by:@Matthewbrala; Puskas.617 goals in 622 club appearances speaks for itself.

Cristiano Ronaldo ( POR):

Clubs: Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid
Club games: 394
Club goals: 190
International games: 80
International goals: 26

Lionel Messi ( ARG):

Clubs: Barcelona
Club games: 249
Club goals: 167
International games: 54
International goals: 16
Suggested by:@thendyforaldy85; maybe messi, but we need to see him play in england and italy.

Zico ( BRA):

Clubs: Flamengo, Udinese, Kashima Antlers
Club games: 696
Club goals: 476
International games: 72
International goals: 52

Hugo Sanchez ( MEX):

Clubs: Pumas, San Diego Sockers, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, America, Rayo Vallecano, Atlante, Linz, Dallas Burn, Celaya
Club games: 694
Club goals: 427
International games: 58
International goals: 29

Eusebio ( POR):

Clubs: Sporting de Lourenco Marques, Benfica, Boston Minutemen, Monterrey, Toronto Metros, Beira Mar, Las Vegas Quicksilvers, Uniao de Tomar, New Jersey Americans,
Club games: 437
Club goals: 428
International games: 64
International goals: 41

Jimmy Greaves ( ENG):

Clubs: Chelsea, Milan, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Brentwood, Chelmsford City, Barnet, Woodford Town
Club games: 602
Club goals: 422
International games: 57
International goals: 44

Uwe Seeler ( GER):

Clubs: Hamburg
Club games: 476
Club goals: 404
International games: 72
International goals: 43

Johan Cruyff ( NED):

Clubs: Ajax, Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante, Feyenoord
Club games: 662
Club goals: 368
International games: 48
International goals: 33

Oleg Blokhin ( UKR):

Clubs: Dynamo Kiev, Vorwarts Steyr, Aris Limassol
Club games: 648
Club goals: 283
International games: 112
International goals: 42

Alfredo Di Stefano ( ARG):

Clubs: River Plate, Huracan, Millonarios, Real Madrid, Espanyol
Club games: 520
Club goals: 376
International games: 41
International goals: 29

Theo Walcott: Barcelona Taught Us A Football Lesson But Arsenal Have Great Chance Of Knocking Out Spanish Champions

2011-02-20T17:46:00.000+08:00

Theo Walcott has admitted that Arsenal were “taught a lesson” by Barcelona but is convinced they have a great chance of winning their last-16 Champions League tie.

Arsenal came from a goal behind to dramatically beat the La Liga champions 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, although Walcott recognised that the first leg could have gone either way.

“Barcelona taught us a lesson,” said the Gunners winger. “We couldn’t get near them at times. Barcelona had lots of possession but they didn’t create as many chances as they would have wanted.

“The most important thing is we have something to play with going into the second leg. Going into that game we have a great chance. We know we can get a result and it will be a great game for the neutral to watch.”

Walcott predicts there will plenty more twists and turns at Camp Nou on March 8.

He said: “We can’t get above ourselves. We still have a lot of work to do at their place and have to forget about this result now.

“We know how difficult it will be to win in front of their home support and on a big pitch. We made a lot of mistakes [at Camp Nou] last year and we don’t want to do the same again."

Walcott created problems for Barcelona with his pace and directness in the first half but he faded after the break and, although he was withdrawn in the second half, it did not sour a special evening for the England international.

“To be part of the team that beat the best team in the world has been brilliant,” he said. “It’s so great to be part of a big win and be on the right end of the result.

“It was such an open game. That’s the way they play and the way we play. It was so great to be part of it.”

Walcott admitted that it might now be hard for the Arsenal players to lift themselves for Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Leyton Orient.

“It’s a big come down, no disrespect to Leyton Orient,” he said. “But it’s an important game and we play in the Premier League [against Stoke City] next Wednesday. The games are coming thick and fast so we have to concentrate on these and forget about the second leg.”

RVP and Meireles lead shortlist

2011-02-19T02:01:00.000+08:00

Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie and Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles head a five-man shortlist for the ESPN PFA Fans Player of the Month award for February.

PA PhotosRobin Van Persie celebrates breaking the deadlock at the Emirates.

Van Persie, who has fully recovered from recent injury troubles, has cemented his place back in the Gunners' starting lineup and has bagged five goals in his last three games in the Premier League - including the double that beat Wolves 2-0.
Having helped Netherlands make it to the final of the 2010 World Cup, the striker has much to prove with his club as he has only shown glimpses of his obvious talent, with injuries hampering his development thus far.
Joining Van Persie on the shortlist is Liverpool's new signing Raul Meireles, who has been very impressive in helping to turn around the club's form in recent games.
The Portuguese midfielder scored three goals in three games in February, including the winner in the 1-0 defeat of Chelsea and has added to his tough-guy reputation by showcasing his attacking flair.
With Liverpool snatching striker Andy Carroll away from Newcastle in January, a substantial portion of the Magpies' hopes are now pinned on controversial midfielder Joey Barton.
Barton's influence on the side has been great, as his two goals helped the Magpies to come back from 4-0 down against Arsenal to claim a memorable draw, while he has also managed to stay out of trouble long enough to put in some consistently excellent performances.
Consistency has not been a problem for Manchester City's Carlos Tevez this season as he has been banging in the goals with regularity. A hat-trick at the start of the month against West Brom saw him continue his rich vein of form, although he was less impressive as City lost the derby to United.
Part of the reason for that defeat was due to the goal scored by United's Nani. An excellent piece of control and finish set his side on his way and then his cross eventually found the boot of Wayne Rooney for a sublime winner. Nani also found the net in the 2-1 defeat to Wolves to cap a very decent personal month for the Portuguese winger.
Each month, the Professional Football Association (PFA), in association with ESPN gives Premier League fans the opportunity to vote for their player of the month. VOTE NOW for your favourite
ESPN PFA AWARD SHORTLIST - FEBRUARY
Premier League:
Joey Barton (Newcastle)
Raul Meireles (Liverpool)
Luis Nani (Man Utd)
Carlos Tevez (Man City)
Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)
Championship:
Craig Bellamy (Cardiff City)
Matty Fryatt (Hull City)
Robert Snodgrass (Leeds Utd)
Adel Taarabt (QPR)
Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town)
League One:
Gary Jones (Rochdale)
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Craig Mackail-Smith (Peterborough United)
Glenn Murray (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Myles Weston (Brentford)
League Two:
Stuart Fleetwood (Hereford United)
Ashley Grimes (Lincoln City)
Cody McDonald (Gillingham)
Leon McKenzie (Northampton Town)
Nicky Wroe (Shrewsbury Town)

Reina opens the door to Man United switch as replacement for Van der Sar

2011-02-09T00:17:00.000+08:00

Pepe Reina has told Liverpool they risk losing him to rivals Manchester United if they fail to reach to the Champions League for the second year in a row.

The World Cup-winning Kop goalkeeper has been at Anfield since 2005, arriving after the club won Europe's premier competition for the last time.

He continues to be one of the best stoppers in the business, standing out as one of the last remaining top quality players at Liverpool following the January departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea.

Crying out for attention: Liverpool's goalkeeper Pepe Reina is desperate to play in the Champions League

Sir Alex Ferguson made tentative approaches to the previous Anfield ownership in the summer about a £20million bid for Reina. That was rebuffed, but the Scot's need for a safe pair of hands has been accentuated by the confirmation of Edwin van der Sar that he would retire at the end of the current campaign.

When asked on Spanish radio station Onda Cero last night about whether his future lay with his current employers or with their fierce rivals, Reina was non-committal.

He said: 'I won’t lie, I want to play in the Champions League and challenge for titles.

Big boots to fill: Edwin van der Sar will retire at the end of the season

'Van der Sar will hang up his gloves in the summer so of course [United] are looking. I can’t do anything. I can’t say anything logically as I have a contract with Liverpool.

'Of course one likes to fight for titles and be in a team that does that. We always fought to be in the Champions League and try to win the title. But unfortunately it hasn’t been the case in the last couple of years.'

Liverpool have enjoyed a resurgence under Kenny Dalglish, winning four games in a row, and are just six points outside the coveted fourth Champions League spot.

Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll will be a hit at Liverpool, says Barcelona striker David Villa

2011-02-08T23:56:00.000+08:00

Barcelona hitman David Villa has backed Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll to become firm fans' favourites at Anfield.

The Spanish World Cup winner sees Liverpool's new strike force as solid business by the Kop hierarchy, and has played down the cost of the £57.8million pairing.

Backing: David Villa (left) says Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez will wow Liverpool fans

'Each year there are big transfers of this type. It’s normal,' said Villa.

'All teams need to strengthen when they want to win things.'

The 29-year-old striker continued: ‘Liverpool needed to reinforce after the sale of Fernando (Torres). They are two great players who are worth every penny. I’m sure they’ll be a hit with the fans.'

Double act: Kenny Dalglish (centre) poses with new signings Andy Carroll (left) and Luis Suarez

Meanwhile, Reds caretaker boss Kenny Dalglish says Raul Meireles is now earning praise in accordance with his stature as one of Europe's top midfielders.

The 27-year-old Portugal international smashed his fourth goal in five games to give the Reds a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

And Dalglish is not surprised by his progress.

'Understandably Raul has been getting some headlines for the goals he’s scored in recent weeks,' Dalglish said in his LFC Weekly column.

'His performances have been what I’ve expected. I knew he was a good footballer before he came to the club and he’s shown that.

Hitting form: Raul Meireles (left) scores against Chelsea to sour Fernando Torres' debut against his former club

'He’s intelligent and very good technically; he puts in a pile of running too. He’s getting on the scoresheet so often because he’s playing a bit further forward. Those goals are a huge bonus for us.

'The strike on Sunday wasn’t as easy as it looked. He had to get up and over the ball to make sure he knocked it inside the post.

'The great thing for us was we had players getting into the box to capitalise on chances like that.'

Luis Suarez: Another Bergkamp/van Nistelrooy Or Kezman/Babel?

2011-02-07T01:40:00.000+08:00

The Dutch first division, and Ajax in particular, have produced some of the players and teams that will live long in the memory of many football fans. The Oranje rank amongst the most respected footballing countries in the world, and have done since they revolutionised the game with 'Total Football'. However, Dutch football has taken a turn for the worst over the last decade or so, demonstrated by the style of football their national team used to get them to the final of this summers World Cup. The 'anti-football' approach they adopted was far from the iconic teams of the eighties. Despite the glorious connotations that go with Dutch football, the Eridivisie is a long way off being a true force in Europe, and has been for some time.

With rumours being rife of Luis Suarez being lined up as the first signing of the NESV revolution at Liverpool, I have found the excitement of this prospect somewhat questionable. Having not seen the player in action excessively, it is difficult for me to have a concrete opinion on the matter. It is encouraging to see Liverpool once again seriously attempting to buy players who are seen to be the hottest properties in football right now, and there is rarely a bad word said about the Uruguayan. Along with his scoring record for Ajax, I know I should be excited about the possibility of Liverpool capturing Suarez's signature. However, recent history has taught us to be sceptical of any Eridivisie hot-shot strikers making a direct switch to the Premier League. Here are a few who have made the switch, for better or for worse:

Dirk Kuyt

Feyenord 101 (70) Liverpool 158 (40)

Kuyt was brought into Liverpool by Rafael Benitez as the answer to Liverpool's goalscoring problems. Judging by his tremendous record with Feyenord, Benitez had spent his money wisely. However, Kuyt was found terribly wanting in front of goal, and was soon switched to the right wing where his stamina and determination were seen to be more effective. Overall, Kuyt has been a successful signing, though sadly not as a goalscorer.

Ryan Babel

Ajax 73 (14) Liverpool 91 (12)

Babel was another brought to Liverpool by Benitez, however, it is difficult to come to a conclusion as it's fair to say he never fulfilled his potential at Ajax, and was brought to Liverpool for the future. It was his lack of intelligence which has deemed Babel a failure in my opinion, as he does possess all the right ingredients to be a top Premiership player, unfortunately he can't put them all together.

Van Nistelrooy

PSV 67 (62)

Man Utd 150 (95)

Ruud Van Nistelrooy is the only Dutch import that in my mind, that can be categorised as a truly successful goalscorer. Although his goals to games ratio in Holland was far better, he found his natural goalscoring instinct trasnlatable to the Premier League. Something many others have failed in doing.

Dennis Bergkamp

Ajax 185 (103)

Arsenal 316 (87)

It would be laughable to try and criticise as the signing of Dennis Bergkamp by Arsene Wenger, as he is one of the finest players to ever play in England. However, his scoring record exemplifies the gulf in class between the two leagues, and though Bergkamp made up for this in other ways, he never lived up to the record he set in Holland.

Mateja Kezman

PSV 122 (105)

Chelsea 25 (4)

Kezman is a great example of a talented striker that just couldn't adapt to the English game. The amount of games played in England, says as much as the amount he scored. Four goals in twenty five games for Jose Mourinho's side wasn't enough, and without the industry of a player like Kuyt, or the intelligence of a player like Bergkamp, he was always going to find it difficult to find a place in Mourinho's powerful team.

Alfonso Alves

Herenveen 39 (45)

Middlesborough 42 (10)

Although playing for a team battling relegation, his record of more than a goal a game for Herenveen is phenomonal. Yet again, Alves was another player expected to solve Middlesborough's goalscoring problems, though found the English game too difficult to transfer his ability to. Given time at a top club, this may have been a different story. Unfortunately, he just offers more proof of the the size of the task at hand for players making this switch.

I think these statistics prove the excitement at the prospect of signing Suarez might be misplaced. Let's hope, if the deal goes through, he proves me wrong.

Which Of These 6 United Players Deserve A New Contract?

2011-02-07T00:59:00.000+08:00

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has confirmed that the club will open discussions with 37-year-old Ryan Giggs about a new contract. It is a reward for Giggs’ consistent performances this season, which will see him celebrate an incredible 20^th anniversary of his debut for the club in March. Gill said:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he extends his contract for another season. That will be addressed in the next month or so. He has been playing well, keeps himself in great shape and is a wonderful advert for the modern footballer.”

As has been the case recently, Giggs has taken his career season by season, allowing himself to decide if he feels he has the capabilities to continue for another year at the highest level. Having already made 18 appearances this season, clearly the club feel that the evergreen Welshman can prolong his legendary career beyond the 6 months left on his current deal.

Giggs is one of several older United players whose United contracts are up in the summer. Do any of them deserve an extension?

Edwin van der Sar

The 40-year-old Dutchman is still firmly in place as the club’s number 1 despite his age, and that is testament to his professionalism and quality. But manager Sir Alex Ferguson has began making preparations for his retirement with the January signing of Danish stopper Anders Lindegaard, who along with Tomasz Kuszczak will be hoping to take over from van der Sar. The plans for Lindegaard are still unclear. Is he going to be van der Sar’s replacement? Or is Kuszczak leaving for him to become number 2 to a big money signing?

Like Giggs, van der Sar takes the approach of judging his future on his season’s work, and aside from a big error against West Brom at Old Trafford, his form has been consistent. Usually you know when an older keeper’s time is up when mistakes start to become regular and doubts enter the mind. Just ask David Seaman. But van der Sar seems no different to the day he signed back in 2005. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs for an extra year.

Verdict: One more year

Paul Scholes

The United legend is still an important player for United with his ability to pull the strings in midfield probably still unmatched by the vast majority in European football. His less energetic style of play nowadays has without question helped him continue for so many years. With natural talent like Scholes has, he will always be useful to have on the playing staff even if he isn’t starting every week.

As with van der Sar, there have been no clear signs of regression in Scholes’ form. There is a reason his nickname within the club is ‘Sat Nav’ – he has always had the ability to get the ball from A to B seamlessly. The form of Anderson has led Sir Alex to earmark the Brazilian as Scholes’ eventual successor, but he might have to wait another season before the ginger maestro hangs up his boots.

Verdict: One more year

Gary Neville

The last of the three remaining from the famous Class of ’92, Neville’s appearances have been far more sporadic than Giggs and Scholes this season, making just 4 outings. And his form in those appearances has been widely scrutinised by the media after luckily avoiding a sending off in away games at Stoke and West Brom. Having always been underrated by non-United fans thanks to his fierce loyalty to the club, they will have enjoyed seeing Neville struggle.

The emergence of Rafael da Silva as the most exciting young talent in the club has meant Neville has taken a backseat to first team action. The situation seems to all be fitting in perfectly for a retirement, with a spot on the coaching team opening up following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit to manage in Norway coinciding with a loss of form and a replacement already settling in to his first team place. Neville should retire at the end of the season, but he should also be remembered as undoubtedly the finest English right-back of his generation.

Verdict: Retirement

Michael Owen

Michael Owen has found it tough going in his Manchester United career. While he couldn’t (and shouldn’t) have expected to play every week after signing for the club, he has made limited appearances in his time so far. This season that has been mainly down to injury, as he recovered from his hamstring tear suffered in the Carling Cup final. But Javier Hernandez has made a flying start as a Manchester United player and would now seem to firmly be in third place in the forward pecking order, relegating Owen to fourth.

But would he remain in fourth if he were to continue next season or be pushed back further? The brilliant form of Danny Welbeck on loan at Sunderland has excited many United fans and when he returns he should be fighting for a first team place. Then there is Kiko Macheda on loan at Sampdoria, who Ferguson has very high hopes for. Then there is Mame Diouf on loan at Blackburn who is steadily improving. Is there a place for Michael Owen? It wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave, but it might just depend on how well the loanees do in the second half of this season. Let’s not forget, despite all of his injuries, Owen is still just 31 years old and would have plenty to offer to most teams in the Premier League.

Verdict: Released

Owen Hargreaves

There was a sense of real hope in the stands as Owen Hargreaves made his first start for over two years against Wolves at Old Trafford in November. Of course, it was a disaster, with the midfielder hobbling off after just 5 minutes. The word was that it was nothing serious and would only keep him out for a few weeks. Over two months later and there seems to have been no progress. The last update from Ferguson was that he was seeing specialists in Germany to figure out the problem.

While of course it is tragically upsetting for Hargreaves, Ferguson must feel huge frustration over how his signing has played out. Surely even if Hargreaves managed to play a game, he would have to be playing on at least a semi-regular basis for Ferguson to truly believe he is worth another contract, and that doesn’t seem likely at all with just four months of the season left. As sad as the situation is, it might just be time for Hargreaves to admit defeat.

Verdict: Retirement

Neville Follows Van der Sar in Retiring

2011-02-07T00:53:00.000+08:00

Edwin Van der Sar Manchester United’s number 1 has announced his retirement at the end of the season, Gary Neville Manchester United’s number 2 has just retired with immediate effect. Both of these stories upset me but for different reasons.

Van der Sar

Van der Sar is the best keeper we have had since the Great Dane, Peter Schmeichel, a legend who I personally thought we would never sufficiently replace, Barthez was quality for a while and then sort of just fell apart. Andy Goram was erm…… Andy goram, Massimo Taibi was allergic to grass and let in 6 at Southampton, we tried out Mark Bosnich for a bit, the list of stop gap keepers is long but in my life time there are only 2 names that I think of as Manchester United’s number 1 Peter Schmeichel and Edwin Van der Sar, we bow to you sir.

6 seasons, 246 games (so far) and the peace of mind knowing that even if your defenders get beat then they still have to slip it past the dutch giant before they can chalk one up. PRICELESS. Wouldn’t it be great if we could add a treble to the long list of trophies he has won with Manchester United?

Gary Neville

As for Gary Neville, what can you say about him? LEGEND in every respect of the word, a model professional, one of the best right backs that has ever existed (my opinion) and the most anti-Liverpool player I have ever known (this is a good thing to United fans). When we needed a light-hearted distraction he would chip in with a comment about Liverpool or any of our other title rivals for that matter.

I will not miss him so much on the playing side as this season he has been a shadow of his former self, in the 2 or 3 matches he has played, he has been shocking, on merit he should have been sent off on New Year’s Day. His presence around Old Trafford will be hugely missed, his loyalty and professionalism must have helped the youngsters around the place no end. I also have a sneaking suspicion he had something to do with Rafael’s development over the past 2 seasons.

10 seasons, 602 matches and countless trophies.

Heres hoping we find him a role at the club until he is a good enough manager to take the big seat. No doubt he will at some point.

S.Korea's Park, Lee retire from international football

2011-02-07T00:03:00.000+08:00

DOHA — Park Ji-Sung and Lee Young-Pyo's retirement from international football puts the onus on South Korea's new generation, and both players are confident they have what it takes.

South Korea coach Cho Kwang-Rae said midfielder Park, 29, was calling it quits on Friday after the team beat Uzbekistan 3-2 to secure third place at the Asian Cup and an automatic berth at the 2015 tournament in Australia.

Left-back Lee, 33, had already announced his own decision to step back from international football earlier in the week.

It is a big loss for South Korea, with the two players the squad's bedrock for the last decade, both featuring at three World Cups, starting in 2002 when they were part of the team that made the semi-finals under Guus Hiddink.

It was that performance that launched their careers, with Park moving to PSV Eindhoven from Japan's Kyoto Purple Sanga and then on to Manchester United, where he continues to wow the crowds.

Lee also went to PSV and followed Park to the English Premier League, making 70 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Borussia Dortmund and finally securing a one-million-euros-a-year contract with Al-Hilal.

Park, the South Korea captain, plans to hold a press conference in Seoul on Monday but said after the game in Doha against the Uzbeks that he held out a lot of hope for the young Korean team that has impressed at the Asian Cup.

"At the moment the young players are very talented and skilful, their technique is great," he said.

"They just need some experience and I think this tournament has been very important for them in terms of that.

"I think some of the players can go to Europe and gain experience there, then they will be even stronger than now."

Asked what the future held for him, he replied: "My future? I will try to do my best at my club and just do what I can to help them win everything."

Lee, who won 127 caps, said it had been a pleasure to play alongside Park, his country's most iconic sportsman.

"I wanted Park to play for his country a little more but there must be something personal in his mind so we should respect his decision," he said of a player who earned 100 caps.

"He sacrifices himself for the team. The younger generations will remember him sacrificing himself for the team and his love of football."

Lee also sacrificed himself, experiencing highs and lows in his 12 years of international duty, which included 12 World Cup games.

"This is the time to step down from the national team. I wanted to give a chance to the younger generations. The young players are very skilful and very good," he said.

"I want the Korean fans to support the next generation of players like they supported me. If they are in a bad situation, I'd like them to encourage the players to help get them through the situation."

Like Park, he felt the 2002 World Cup was the highlight, proving to be a pivotal moment for Asian football.

"Every single moment in the national team was very important, but personally the 2002 World Cup was a turning point for Korean football," he said.

"Even the players couldn?t believe the achievement of the Korean team, it was our most historic achievement.

"In that tournament we showed the world that Asian football could do something at the World Cup."

While Park plans to prolong his career at Manchester United, Lee will continue with Al-Hilal.

Park Ji-Sung and Lee Young-Pyo's retirement from international football puts the onus on South Korea's new generatio


Park Ji-Sung, 29, called it quits on Friday after the team beat Uzbekistan to secure 3rd place at the Asian Cup

Fernando Torres: 'Liverpool have more history, Chelsea more options'

2011-02-06T23:33:00.000+08:00

Chelsea new boy Fernando Torres is expected to be paired with Didier Drogba, with Nicolas Anelka operating in a deeper role. Photograph: -/Reuters

Whoever is ultimately judged to have struck the better deals in the spending war between Chelsea and Liverpool, the London club will believe they are ahead on points going into today's meeting with Kenny Dalglish's side.

With Fernando Torres among his ranks, Carlo Ancelotti can at least be assured he has negated the threat that contributed to his team's downfall in November, when the Spain forward's two goals for Liverpool helped trigger the alarming dip in form that has left Chelsea as rank outsiders to retain their Premier League title.

Torres had a knack of scoring against his new team-mates, netting six times in seven appearances, although the Spaniard's reminder that he has twice exited the Champions League at Stamford Bridge helps reinforce the player's claim that what Chelsea lack in terms of history, they make up for in more recent success. "Chelsea, in the last few years, have proved they are one of the best and now I have the chance to join them," he says. "Liverpool have more history, but Chelsea have more options and are building a great history and future."

For Torres, the decision to leave Anfield crystalised during the opening months of the season when, already frustrated at what he believed was a succession of broken promises about plans to strengthen the squad, Liverpool stumbled through the first weeks under Roy Hodgson.

"Hodgson came with his ideas about football, his tactics and methods," Torres says. "I think maybe we never understood what Hodgson wanted or Hodgson never understood us. I think that is not his fault, he's a great man and a great manager."

The player is now anxious to move on and this afternoon will offer the first clues about Ancelotti's plans for his new recruit. The Italian has remained reluctant to divulge his starting line-up, but it will be a major surprise if Torres is held back on the bench. The focus will be how Ancelotti shapes his team, with the manager hinting he will pair Torres with Didier Drogba, with Nicolas Anelka operating in a deeper role.

Ancelotti says: "I think it is not a problem, it is a challenge. A good challenge for everyone – for myself and also for the players. I think that they are able to play together. Obviously we have to try it in the training sessions, but I think Anelka played very well against Bolton in that position behind the strikers. So this is good news."

Steven Pienaar: Spurs play better football than Chelsea

2011-01-30T19:31:00.000+08:00

Steven Pienaar has revealed that he chose Tottenham Hotspur over Chelsea because he believed they play better football.

The South Africa midfielder moved to White Hart Lane for £3million 12 days ago amid suggestions that the absence of Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti at the centre of the Premier League champions' negotiations was solely to blame.

Both clubs agreed a deal with his former club, Everton, but Pienaar said: 'I like the football Tottenham play. That is why I chose them.

'For attacking football, they put you on the edge of your seat. It's different class. That's why fans go to stadiums, pay money and watch good football.

'I also felt more wanted at Tottenham,' added the 28-year-old former Ajax player, who met Spurs manager Harry Redknapp but not Ancelotti for talks.

'I wouldn't join a club without speaking to the manager, hearing what his plans are.'

But after three-and-a-half years at Everton he did not need any reassurance that it was time to move on.

Pienaar , speaking at a Tottenham Hotspur initiative supporting the country's top cerebral palsy players for the 2012 Paralympics, said: ‘I wanted a fresh start. If you stay too long at one place you don’t push yourself. I needed a new environment.

‘It wasn’t about the money, it was about ambition. We want to fight and to play every game at the highest level and play Champions League and that’s what I want.

‘The club is on the rise, the quality is here and we can win trophies.

No player at Anfield can ever be bigger than the club, not even Fernando Torres

2011-01-30T17:21:00.000+08:00

Experienced managers Rafael Benitez, Vicente del Bosque and Roy Hodgson all have one thing in common besides winning major trophies.

They have all fallen out with Fernando Torres. Del Bosque, one of the most popular men in the game, was so irritated by El Nino, as Torres is known, that he made him warm up for an hour at the World Cup final before sending him on.

Current Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish will probably not have time to fall out with Torres given that the player has demanded a move to within the next 48 hours.

Outsider: Fernando Torres (left) has asked to leave Liverpool

But maybe the striker's past spats and suspect attitude lies behind Dalglish's acceptance that life will go on at Anfield even if Torres heads south to the King's Road.

Nobody has been more supportive of Torres in his short time in charge than Dalglish. The manager was talking up the Spaniard's ability from the moment he took the call from John W Henry on a cruise ship in Bahrain and returned to Anfield as Hodgson's successor until at least the end of the season.

Last weekend, after the Spanish World Cup winner grabbed two goals in a 3-0 victory at Wolves, Dalglish said: 'Since I have come in here, he has been nothing short of fantastic in the way he has applied himself in training and on the pitch.'

Down in the dumps: Fernando Torres could move to Chelsea before the transfer window closes

Torres the player is someone Dalglish would dearly love to have at Anfield for the rest of the season and beyond.

It is why he went to Holland to scout Luis Suarez, primarily to find Torres his ideal strike partner. But the way Torres handed in a transfer request this week as the transfer deadline closed and Suarez jetted in to complete a £23million move has seriously annoyed Dalglish and others at the club.

If Chelsea cough up the right money, there will be no begging, cajoling or more arms around the shoulder for Torres to stay.

The old maxim 'No player is bigger than the club' will never be more true.

For two years, Torres was the perfect poster boy for Liverpool. He boned up on the club's history before he arrived from Madrid and lived in the heart of Woolton, in south Liverpool, rather than a gated community miles away from the city in Southport or on The Wirrall.

Local residents would be charmed to see the superstar No9 walking his dog in local parks, just like other members of the community.

But even then the image was somewhat misleading, and in the past 12 months sociable Fernando has increasingly been replaced by surly Fernando, with even the normally diplomatic Jamie Redknapp describing his work-rate as 'diabolical'.

One of Torres's team-mates said: 'He has always been a complex character. He is so naturally gifted he's always been totally self-absorbed.

'For the first year we'd put his quietness down to a lack of fluent English, but then he'd come out with something word perfect, which made you realise he understood what was going on all the time.

'It wasn't shyness, more aloofness. And on the pitch he'd definitely play for himself rather than the team. Even the real pros like Stevie Gerrard and Jamie Carragher noticed it but when Torres is on top form you'd forgive him anything.

'But his efforts for the team this season under Roy Hodgson made everyone notice. His Prozone stats for some games were laughable for a Premier League striker. He has always been admired by his teammates, but not loved. He hasn't endeared himself in the way that Pepe Reina has, for example.'

Legend: Kenny Dalglish knows what it's like to have the hopes of a football club on your shoulders

As a former great striker himself, Dalglish felt that putting his arm around Torres and giving him more support up front would help.

Workaholic Dirk Kuyt was detailed to play alongside Torres and do some of his running, and the plan has worked to some extent, with three goals in his last four games. But behind the scenes, Torres was clearly thinking about other clubs and on Thursday dropped his bombshell, following Chelsea's interest.

Liverpool suspect the London club gained prior information about Torres's state of mind and with Chelsea under a suspended three-point sentence for 'tapping up' Gael Kakuta, Liverpool may use it as a weapon to ensure Chelsea cough up the right price - £50m.

The timing could not have been worse for Liverpool, with Suarez coming into a city that is talking about Torres rather than him.

In the short term, Liverpool cannot do much business with the Torres money, maybe put in a new bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam, try to get Stephen Warnock on loan from Aston Villa and see if Nicolas Anelka will move in the opposite direction to Torres.

Former Liverpool player Mark Lawrenson, now a Match Of The Day pundit and a man close to Dalglish, said yesterday: 'Liverpool have only three days to find a replacement. But if Chelsea make a stupid offer, what do you do?'

David Ginola put it even more starkly: 'You can't keep an unhappy player. For Torres to say he wanted to be out of the club by Monday is a big surprise for me, it is not respecting the club.'

You imagine Dalglish would concur.

Torres the player might be extremely hard to replace. But saying farewell to Torres the person may not do the club any long-term harm.

Harry Redknapp tell Tottenham board: Don't sell Gareth Bale at any cost

2011-01-30T03:56:00.000+08:00

Harry Redknapp has urged Tottenham to break the bank to hold on to Gareth Bale.

Bale - who will miss tomorrow's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Fulham with a back injury - signed a new £45,000-a-week deal until 2014 in the summer, and Redknapp is determined Spurs won’t become a selling club.

‘You have to be keeping him here and pay him his wages, look after him. He is one of the players that make the difference,’ he said.

Bale force: Gareth Bale is a target for Europe's bigger clubs

‘When I was at West Ham they sold Rio Ferdinand and that was the beginning of the end. Once you start selling the best young players you’re no longer building a team, you’re dismantling a team.

‘We won’t be doing that here, the chairman is ambitious and so are the owners. We’re not going to sell Bale.

‘You can’t afford to lose him and if you sell him, it sends out the wrong signals. If you are going to be a big club you don’t want to sell.’

'We won't be selling Gareth Bale in the summer, it's up to the chairman but I'd be very surprised if we were interested in selling him at any price.

'You have special players in your team and if we're going to be a top team you've got to keep your top players, you can't be selling Gareth Bale.

'You've got three or four players who can make a difference and he's one of those players. And, if you lose him, you can't replace him. Where are you going to replace him? You go and get one from here, one from there, another one.

'When he gets the ball something happens, he can do something that no-one else can do. We can't afford to lose him.'

Manchester United want Ajax keeper Maarten Stekelenburg to replace Edwin van der Sar

2011-01-30T03:51:00.000+08:00

Maarten Stekelenburg is Manchester United's first choice to replace his fellow Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar at Old Trafford.

Van der Sar, who turned 40 in October, confirmed this week he will quit at the end of the season after six years at United.

Going Dutch: Stekelenburg is top of United wishlist

And Rene Meulensteen, United's first team coach, revealed Sir Alex Ferguson has chosen £10million-rated Stekelenburg, 28, ahead of Manuel Neuer, of Schalke, and Atletico Madrid's David de Gea after asking Van der Sar for his opinion on the 6ft 5in Ajax keeper.

'Stekelenburg is the keeper who is at the top of our wanted list,' Muelensteen told Dutch magazine Voetbal International. 'We talk a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van der Sar. Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin.'

Van der Sar will sit out today's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Southampton, leaving Ferguson to choose between recalling Tomasz Kuszczak or giving a debut to Anders Lindegaard.

But Lindegaard has been signed as a back-up keeper and Kuszczak will leave Old Trafford this summer. It is even possible Ferguson could sign a third keeper after assistant boss Mike Phelan confirmed United's interest in Rui Patricio, the 22-year-old from Sporting Lisbon.

'We've known Rui Patricio for a long time,' said Phelan. 'He's a young keeper with enormous potential.'

Ferguson paid tribute to Van der Sar yesterday, saying: 'When you get to the age of 40 and you're still playing top-level football, you know you're going to hit the wall sometime. All Edwin is doing is making sure he doesn't hit the wall while he's at United. If I was in his shoes, going out at the very top would be the thing to do.'

Thirty-something: Rejuvenated Dimitar Berbatov

Meanwhile, Ferguson has indicated that United will open negotiations over a new deal for Dimitar Berbatov, whose £100,000-a-week contract runs out in 18 months.

The Bulgaria striker is finally producing the form United hoped he would when he signed from Tottenham for £30.75m two-and-a-half years ago.

Berbatov already has 20 goals this season and Ferguson believes the player's birthday tomorrow will not be his only 30th celebration of the season.

'He's playing with great confidence and could easily get to the 30-goal mark,' said the United boss.'

Ferguson will take a 'strong' squad to St Mary's as he looks to avoid a repeat of United's only defeat this season - a 4-0 Carling Cup loss at West Ham, where the manager felt his fringe players let him down. He will be without full backs Patrice Evra and Rafael.

Top 10 Championship transfer window bargains on the Premier League radar

2011-01-30T03:43:00.000+08:00

With January’s transfer window on the point of closing, Premier League clubs are scouring the world in search of some unknown talent that can catapult them up the table for the second-half of the season.

But more often than not it’s England’s lower leagues that pull out the stars with Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, Adam Johnson and Tim Cahill all players that have previously worked their trade below the top flight.

With such a goldmine of talent at their disposal, Sportsmail looks at the Premier League club’s biggest targets currently displaying their magic in the Football League Championship.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
(Southampton, 17)

Wanted by: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Fulham

Value: £10m

It has not even been a year since the midfielder made his debut with the Saints, but he has made such an impression in his first full campaign in League One that Premier League clubs are stumbling over each other to strike out a deal for the starlet.

Connor Wickham
(Ipswich, 17)

Wanted by: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham

Value: £10m

One of the very few positives to come out of Portman Road in the last couple of years. A key player in England’s Under 17 European Championship success, previous boss Roy Keane has said he has the potential to be better than Wayne Rooney.

Chris Eagles (Burnley, 25)

Wanted by: Everton, Bolton

Value: £5m

An attacking midfielder that can play out wide and in the centre.
The former Manchester United trainee proved last season he can mix it with the big guns in the Premier League and that experience alone makes him a big target.

Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff, 28)

Wanted by: Newcastle, Birmingham, Everton, Blackburn, Fulham

Value: £3m

A late developer, the previously struggling journeyman striker has developed into a goal machine at the Bluebirds which propelled him to his England debut two months ago. Out of contract in the summer, Premier League clubs scent a bargain.

Kasper Schmeichel
(Leeds, 24)

Wanted by: Aston Villa, Liverpool

Value: £6m

Still relatively young for a goalkeeper, the son of the Manchester United legend Peter is an incredible shot stopper who is sure to blossom further with experience. The Dane would want first-team football instantly after gathering splinters sitting on Manchester City’s bench.

Adel Taarabt (QPR, 21)

Wanted by: Newcastle

Value: £7m

His talent is unquestionable but his attitude is an issue and one of the reasons he could never force his way in at Tottenham. But the attacking midfielder has had an incredible season in the Championship and a big reason why Rangers find themselves out in front.

Ben Turner (Coventry, 22)

Wanted by: West Ham, Blackburn, Aston Villa

Value: £4m

A towering centre-back at 1.84m who was enjoying a fine season at the heart of the Sky Blues defence before his injury in November. Strong in the air which he uses to great advantage at both ends with two winning goals to his name this campaign.

Andy King (Leicester, 22)

Wanted by: Everton, Birmingham

Value: £5m

King continues to go from strength to strength in the Foxes midfield. The Welsh international has a terrific shot from distance and despite his relative young age has deputised as captain for Sven Goran Eriksson’s side, marking out future leadership qualities.

Max Gradel (Leeds, 23)

Wanted by: Newcastle, Wigan, West Brom

Value: £3million

Since arriving at Elland Road from Leicester permanently a year ago, the tricky winger has come on in leaps and bounds. Has proved he can handle the big tests after two impressive performances against Arsenal in the FA Cup, even winning a penalty for his side at the Emirates.

Steve Morison (Millwall, 27)

Wanted by: Wolves, Fulham

Value: £2.5m

Non-League two years ago now a Wales international, Morison helped Millwall to promotion last season and now has 36 goals from 81games for the Lions. Good is the air at 6ft 2in, Morison is more than just a target man. Deceptively quick he also has good close control and is seen by some top-flight clubs as a shrewd signing.

Let me leave! Torres tells Kenny he wants to join Chelsea as Liverpool net Suarez

2011-01-30T03:32:00.000+08:00

Fernando Torres has told Liverpool he wants to join Chelsea as Roman Abramovich prepares an improved offer to sign the Spain striker before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Torres, 26, has made up his mind it is time to leave Merseyside and is attracted to Stamford Bridge after assurances that Chelsea owner Abramovich plans to inject more money into the team.

A Liverpool spokesman said last night: ‘Fernando Torres tonight submitted a written transfer request, which has been rejected. Fernando is under long-term contract and the club expect him to honour the commitment he made to Liverpool FC and its supporters.’

Wanted man: Fernando Torres is disillusioned at Liverpool and is tempted by the offer from Chelsea

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish does not want to be the man who lets Torres leave Anfield, but despite their defiant statement, the signs are that Liverpool’s board will sanction the move if Chelsea offer £45million, plus striker Daniel Sturridge.

The development rocked Anfield on a day when the club broke their transfer record by spending £22.8m on Ajax striker Luis Suarez. Torres has been left disillusioned by broken promises made to keep him at the club last summer.

Chelsea are aware of his restlessness and of a verbal agreement with Liverpool’s previous regime that he would be allowed to move on if a reasonable bid was received.

Abramovich made a £28m offer last week and increased it to £35m on Thursday, with the news breaking conveniently just as Liverpool players, already out of the FA Cup, were embarking on a two-day break.

Chelsea will return with a third offer before Monday’s deadline, with Sturridge included in part exchange.

On his way: Luis Suarez is swapping Ajax for Liverpool in the January transfer window

Liverpool have made it clear they will not negotiate at anything less than £50m. But Abramovich is tempted to go to the asking price because he realises there is only a small window of opportunity when Chelsea are the clear favourites in the race. Barcelona and Manchester City would both be interested in the summer, which would drive up the price.

New bid: The Reds have upped their offer for Blackpool's Charlie Adam

Liverpool, who have increased their offer for Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam to £6m, would prefer Torres to see out the season with them and hope the arrival of Suarez might allay fears about the ambition of the club under their new owners.

Director of football strategy Damien Comolli flew to Amsterdam yesterday to complete the Suarez transfer, subject to a medical.

The Dutch league’s top scorer last season, with 35 goals in 33 games, is expected to sign a contract worth around £80,000 a week, with Liverpool keen to stress he has not been signed to replace Torres.

However, the Spaniard feels promises made last summer have already been broken. He agreed to stay at Anfield after the exit of Rafa Benitez and amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester City in June under assurances from Roy Hodgson that the team would be rebuilt.

It has not unfolded the way he envisaged, with Hodgson sacked, few quality signings made and the team again struggling to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Dalglish’s arrival as temporary manager has lifted Torres’s form but may prove too little too late.

If he was to sign for Chelsea, his first home game would probably be against Liverpool a week tomorrow. The key will be whether Liverpool’s new owners accept there is no point keeping an unhappy player and acknowledge the agreement struck by their predecessors, or dig in their heels to keep Torres.

Abramovich has made it clear, through agents, he is committed to bankrolling Chelsea to compete against Europe’s best. Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to discuss Torres yesterday, saying: ‘I only speak about my players.’

Additional reporting: JOHN EDWARDS

Er, is this what they really think of you at the Bridge, Fernando?

Scoring seven goals in six games against Chelsea was never going to endear him to the Stamford Bridge faithful — as the verbal abuse he received during Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat in October 2009 (below) shows.

Fernando Torres is not loved by Chelsea and that’s why Liverpool fans were warning the Spaniard yesterday on Twitter that he would be better off staying at Anfield.

We don't like you: Torres is yelled at in the 2009 defeat

Arsenal Vs Chelsea: Frank Lampard Vs Samir Nasri-Dependability Over Flash

2010-12-30T00:07:00.000+08:00

I'm not a Chelsea fan, but Frank Lampard is one of my top five footballers. I own an England kit with his name on. I wear a SuperFrank shirt, for goodness sake. So just try to imagine my dismay when Lamps limped off during the match against West Ham. People close to me patted me on the head and assured me he'd be back after just a couple weeks. Those people lied. Carlo Ancelotti lied. He looks like a cuddly teddy bear but he flat out lied.
The weeks stretched on and on, with me no longer trusting any news story promising Lampard's return. The pitch seemed less green, the drizzle less grey. I needed to do something to shake myself out of my misery. I needed a focal point. Clearly my club, Aston Villa, weren't going to provide it, as watching them this season brings nothing but grief, and people find it slightly disturbing when a grown woman drools over a wee Scot. Napoli, and particularly Ezequiel Lavezzi, provide the perfect distraction, but alas I cover English footy as well, and need something for early Saturday morning when there are no crazy Italians. And so I found Samir Nasri, or SamiArse^TM as I like to call him.

Samir Nasri and Arsenal provide almost the perfect contrast for Frank Lampard and his Blues-except, of course, that they've both lost multiple matches that the clubs were expected to win. But while the injury of Lamps left a gaping midfield hole that no one on Chelsea has managed to step forward and fill, the multiple injuries to Cesc Fàbregas gave SamiArse^TM the opportunity to step out and shine. Nasri has proved himself well-suited to the central role, and while his finishing still leaves something to be expected, does anyone really believe that a 23-year-old can be perfect? The Frenchman is creative and stylish, making him quite fun to watch on the pitch, particularly since he has the best arse in all of football. Just don't look too closely at his teeth, ladies (and gentlemen):

But now Lampard is back. And in some ways, he just doesn't compare. While Lamps is steady and dependable, he doesn't have the same creative flair as Nasri. Nasri's career is moving onwards and upwards, while Lamps is likely looking back at his heyday. Yet Chelsea's recent struggles in midfield reveal that clubs shouldn't be so quick to overlook a player of quiet quality in return for a bit of flash. Lampard is a necessary anchor for the Blues, a much-needed rock that possesses the ability to accurately place a pass.
I know it's easy to favor looks over substance. We all chase lustily over that which we drool over. But now's not the time to drop Lampard and Chelsea to switch over to SamiArse^TM and the red side of town. Give a dependable relationship a try. You might think stability is boring and overrated, but it's not as though the rear view in this case is anything to sniff at:

Not so boring after all, right? Samir Nasri has a bit more work to do before he convinces me to abandon Lamps.

Soccer Stories Of The Year: Not Even Sepp Blatter Can Overshadow Landon Donovan, Lionel Messi, Spain In 2010

2010-12-30T00:02:00.000+08:00

The World Cup always brings soccer to the forefront, and for those fans who only tune into the game every four years, soccer used it's 2010 stage to build icons. Thanks to Spain, Lionel Messi and Landon Donovan, record numbers of television viewers have reason to persist with the sport into 2011.

6 months ago: JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 11: A general view of the stadium as the teams line up for the national anthems prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Final match between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City Stadium on July 11 2010 in Johannesburg South Africa. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

By Richard Farley - Soccer Editor

To most mainstream sports connoisseurs, that list will be too obscure, but consider the sport's five biggest stories from 2010 and what world soccer neophytes knew about them at the beginning of the year. Hardcore soccer fans have become used to the idea of Spain being a world power, Lionel Messi as this generation's Pele, Landon Donovan defining this era of U.S. Soccer, and FIFA being a less credible version of the International Olympic Committee. For others, that information would have been ignored had the World Cup not brought soccer center stage. Now Messi, Donovan, and Blatter are lingua ludo franca.
Beyond those headline hoggers, a number of other stories (our honorable mentions) would have beeped on the radars of even casual fans. In no particular order:

Barcelona remains the world's most iconic club, becoming one of the best club teams in history,
Clubs all over Europe (including Barcelona) saw their bank accounts run dry, leading to one English Premier League to approach bankruptcy while a team in Spain was disqualified from European competition,
José Mourinho's legend grew, winning his second Champions League, leading Inter Milan to three trophies,
The Big Four cartel in England was busted, Liverpool was sent crashing, with the Boston Red Sox owners having to save them, and
The world had "4-2-3-1" hammered into their dreams (and nightmares).

Yet none of those narratives captivated as much as 2010's top five stories, a list that starts with ... you. Continuing SB Nation's Best of 2010 series, here are my choices for the year's top soccer stories.
5. You Watched Us! You Really Watched Us! For a little while.

Once every four years, even the most ardent soccer hater can justify tuning into the world's game, though often that viewership turns into research for four years worth of pejorative, protectionist clichés. This year the mainstream media got their weapons upgrade with Nigel de Jong's kung fu kick, a scoreless regulation and a record number of cards - all of which were beside the point.
You watched, damn it, and in record numbers. And we have proof. World Cup viewership in the United States as up 41 percent from four years ago, and no clones, that doesn't just mean two more people showed up at my apartment (though that happened, also). Over 24million people in U.S. watched the World Cup, with Spain's final victory over the Netherlands becoming the most watched men's soccer game in television history.
Add in record breaking viewership for the English Premier League, promising (if mixed) ratings for the Champions League final, and the success of November's Clasico and it's becoming more difficult for even the most moronic of morning hosts to dismiss the game. Not that they won't keep trying. Not that there isn't a ways to go.
4. Yes, That Just Happened, And You're Welcome. Love, Landon Donovan.

My love of American football started when Marcus Allen reversed field on the Redskins in January 1984. Some may have become baseball fans thanks to Kirk Gibson in 1988, while Tiger Woods adorning an ugly green blazer in 1997 ignited halcyon days on the links. Every major sport - in each successive generation - has its iconic moments, be it your grandfather's memories of Jerry West's 60-feet heave against the Knicks or your nephew canonizing Cain Velazquez's destruction of Brock Lesnar.
Perhaps that's why soccer's had a hard time catching-on in the States. Not only have people been antagonistic, but they haven't had anything to latch onto. What's the single memory from the States advancing in 1994? Which goal do people remember most from the Mexico win in 2002? Was beating Spain in 2009 enough?
None of those questions mattered after June 23. That's when this happened, as seen from the stands at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria:

Landon Donovan gave a beacon to two generations of soccer fans. The millions of kids currently playing the game have their Gibson home run, their Allen touchdown run. And for the millions of kids in the preceding generation - the men and women who've seen the sport they loved as a child become decreasingly important in their lives - Donovan sparked an excitement that transcended the traditional soccer audience, giving them reason to believe that keeping soccer in their lives will meet with a reward.
Donovan's goal may not have been Bobby Thompson's shot heard 'round the world, but it was the shot felt 'round the U.S. soccer world
3. Pele? Good. Maradona? Better. Lionel Messi? Right there.

At least, that's what the saying (awkwardly) will be, if only for a little while longer. At some point, Lionel Messi may pass both Pele and Maradona, and while the Argentine's inability to dominate in South Africa means he'll have to wait four years before convincing those who maintain a World Cup focus, the man they used to call Flea has transcended his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi's peers are now characters in folklore, with the 23-year-old attacker in the process of weaving his own legacy - the seeds of tales which will blossom into apocryphal points of comparison in the Pele-Maradona-Messi debate.
In 55 matches for Barcelona in 2010, Messi has scored 59 goals, a span that peaked on April 6. Then, Arsenal went to the Nou Camp tied 2-2 after the first leg of the teams' Champions League quarterfinal. In the 18th minute, Nicklas Bendtner gave Arsenal a 3-2 lead. Three minutes later, Messi scored the first of four goals, leading Barcelona to a 6-3 aggregate victory, leading Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, (when describing Messi's final goal) to say "It looks impossible but he makes it possible." Apocryphal, but appropriate.
Even if you want to resist comparisons across generations, Messi is unquestionably the best player of his time, a distinct that became indisputable in 2010.
2. FOR SALE: Two World Cups. New. No Experience Necessary. Price Negotiable.

Uh, so what happened is ... We still don't really know. It looks really suspicious that both Russia and Qatar were awarded World Cups. There are various reports of corruption and an overall sense that FIFA screwed the pooch (at the rate of €10 million per vote), but we don't have a good idea of how many votes were sold, to whom, for how much, or what effect it had on the process. We don't know if the euphemistically-labeled whistle blowers were just failed bribers. All we know is that we don't know, giving us a world were we have no confidence in the sport's governing body. Moving forward, the question is whether FIFA is the NCAA or a boxing governing body, destined to thrive or live off live support. Those two choices are a Showcase Showdown with two dining room sets. What happened to the new car?
1. España: The Lionel Messi of soccer nations.

Is Spain the best international team ever? For one World Cup cycle, they played like it. Between the end of the 2008 European Championships (which they won) and the awarding of the 2010 World Cup, Spain lost twice. Emerging at a time when Mourinho-esque pragmatism was starting to dominate world tactics, La Roja's reliance on technique, passing, speed, and movement renewed faith in the ability to win beautifully. Unfortunately, because no other nation has the depth or type of players Spain possesses, Spain's world title is unlikely to set a trend, though in the long run, that may prove a virtue. While the soccer world would be more eloquent if everybody played like Spain, the scarcity of the Spaniards' style only highlights their greatness.

Top Ten Soccer Cities In The World

2010-10-20T00:41:00.000+08:00

São Paulo

São Paulo has a ridiculous population ranging past 20 million in the urban area and all these people love one thing; their soccer.
The São Paulo state league is the oldest league in Brazil, having been founded in 1902, and is still in effect today.
The city has several historic clubs who are now in a lower tier but it still boasts some of the largest clubs in the world, Palmeiras, Santos, São Paulo and the largest team in São Paulo, Corinthians.
The four have combined to bring home the following titles, among others of course:
87 Campeonato Paulista
16 Rio-São Paulo titles
6 Copa do Brasil

Buenos Aires

If there are two things that Argentinian men love, it is soccer and having long hair.
The largest city in Argentina boasts various squads, but two of them stand out to the world.
Rver Plate and Boca Juniors are easily the two biggest clubs in Argentina and the two have combined to give the city the following tittles:
59 Top Division Argentine titles
9 Copa Libertadores
4 Intercontinental Cups
2 Copa Sudamericana

Milan

Perhaps the single most successful city in European soccer is the northern Italian city of Milan.
Home to two of the worlds most famous clubs, Inter and AC Milan, the two not only share the streets of the city but they also share their home field, the San Siro.
The best players in the world clamour for a chance to participate in this rivalry and hopefully add to this following list of trophies so far:
35 Serie A titles
11 Copa Italia
10 UEFA Champions League
6 Intercontinental/FIFA Club World Club

Madrid

Madrid is home to the world's most successful club, Real Madrid, but it is also the base for another very large club, Atletico Madrid.
The combination of the two teams have brought the city the following honours:
40 La Liga Titles
26 Copa del Rey titles
9 UEFA Champions League
4 Intercontinental Cups

Montevideo

Home to the first ever World Cup Final, Montevideo is home to two of the world's most successful clubs, Nacional and Peñarol.
Peñarol was named the South American club of the century by IFFHS and is one half of one of the most heated rivalries in the world when it plays against Nacional.
The city has been able to enjoy, not including Uruguay's two world titles, the following championships among others:
89 Top Division Uruguay Tittles
8 Copa Libertadores
6 Intercontineal Cups

Rio de Janeiro

Easily one of the worlds most famous locations, Rio de Janeiro boasts its own very rich soccer tradition. For the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, the government ordered the construction of the worlds' largest stadium, Maracanã.
Rio was the location for the final of the 1950 World Cup and is slated to be the location for the final of the 2014 World Cup.
The city boasts four of the largest clubs in Brazil, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama, all of which have legions of fans throughout the cities streets and beaches.
These four sides have won the city the following titles among others:
102 Campeonato Carioca*
10 Rio-Sao Pãulo titles*
11 Campeonato Brasileiro
3 Copa do Brasil
2 Copa Libertadores
1 Intercontinental Cup
The Campeonato Carioca is the state league for the state of Rio de Janeiro. Like all other states in Brazil, they have their own state league. The national league did not take effect until the early 1970's.
The Rio-Sao Pãulo is a combination of the best teams in the Rio and Sao Pãulo state leagues, during its time in existence it was the single most talented league in Brazil.

London

London brings us a vast number of professional clubs who have a strong history within England. International stars salivate at the chance of joining some of the cities largest clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal.
We mus also not forget the other teams even though they range from the EPL to a lower division such as Tottenham, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Fullham.
Despite the various clubs, London sides have not fared so well in international competition still yet to win a Champions League and World Champion crown.
London soccer fans however have been able to celebrate the following tittles, among others, over the years:
17 Top English Division titles
27 F.A. Cups
10 League Cups
24 Community Shields
2 UEFA Cups

Porto Alegre

A very recent addition to this list, Porto Alegre is the southernmost state capital in Brazil. Despite a modest population of just under 1.5 million residents, the city has experienced much international success. Porto Alegre also has something none of the English cities on this list have; a world title (two in fact).
It boasts one of Brazil's most intense derby, the Gre-Nal is the meeting between Gremio and Internacional, southern Brazil's two most successful sides.
Despite Gremio not having won an international trophy in the last 15 years, its older neighbor has kept the pace up, grabbing six international cups in the last four years.
Together they have given the city the following victories:
75 Campeonatos Gaucho (state league)
5 Copa do Brasil
5 Campeonato Brasileiro
4 Copa Libertadores
2 Intercontinental/FIFA Club World Cup
Porto Alegre is part of Rio Grande do Sul state, which runs the Campeonato Gaucho league, just as every other state in Brazil run their own leagues. This is how soccer evolved in Brazil, the national league we see today did not come into existence until 1971, while the oldest state league still in existence began in 1902.
Internacional also has a great chance to add to this list when it takes part in this years FIFA Club World Cup in December.

Mexico City

Mexico city is one of the largest cities in the world and it boasts three of the countries most successful clubs. Club Universidad Nacional (UNAM), Cruz Azul and the most popular club in Mexico, Club America. These three sides have contributed the following to their city:
24 Mexican First Division titles
8 Copa Mexico titles
13 CONCACAF Champions League titles

Liverpool

The city of Liverpool boasts two of England's most traditional clubs, Everton and Liverpool. While neither have won the Premier League as of yet and haven't won the top division domestic league in 20 years, the two rivals have combined to give the city the following major trophies:
27 Top division English titles
12 FA Cups
7 League Cups
24 Community Shields
1 European Cup Winner's Cup
3 UEFA Super Cups
3 UEFA Cups
5 European Cup/Champions league

The only thing missing is a world title, Liverpool will probably get there one day, as long as it doesn't have to play versus São Paulo again.

Football rules on NBC, 'Undercover Boss' and 'Desperate Housewives' take hits in ratings

2010-10-19T23:18:00.000+08:00

Sports definitely ruled in primetime on Sunday, leaving shows like Desperate Housewives and Undercover Boss to scurry after their scraps. The latter two series, in fact, posted record low-rated telecasts among adults18-49 opposite NBC’s Colts-Redskins football matchup and Fox’s baseball playoff game between the Giants and the Phillies.
NBC won the night among 18-49 (5.4 rating/14 share) and total viewers (14.1 million) but CBS still managed to tie Fox for second place among adults 18-49 (3.0/8). CBS came in second for the night in viewers (11.8 million) while ABC followed in third with 9.2 million. Fox finished the night in fourth place among viewers with 8.9 million. Each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers.
The Amazing Race averaged 11.2 million viewers on CBS and came in second place in the adult demo (3.4/9) for the 8 p.m. hour, behind football. Undercover Boss built on its time slot lead-in and averaged a 3.5/9, but was still down 5% versus last week. It was the reality show’s lowest-rated telecast ever and averaged 12.1 million. CSI: Miami, however, was up 4% versus last week among adults 18-49 (2.8/7) and averaged 11.1 million pairs of eyeballs.
On ABC, Desperate Housewives posted a 3.8/9 in the demo — down 3% versus last week and its lowest-rated fall telecast ever. It averaged 12.4 million. And Brothers & Sisters tied last week’s lowest-rated fall telecast ever (2.7/7) and lured 8.9 million. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2.3/6) averaged 8.5 million.

Live updates from Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez's Monday press conference

2010-10-19T23:01:00.000+08:00

Michigan senior defensive end Ryan Van Bergen looks to stop Iowa Adam Robinson in the second half Saturday. Michigan lost, 38-28. Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Even though the Michigan football team doesn't have an opponent to prepare for this weekend, coach Rich Rodriguez has plenty of issues to address.
The Wolverines dropped their second straight Big Ten game at home, falling to No. 15 Iowa, 38-28. Michigan imploded as the defense couldn't get the Hawkeyes off the field while trailing by only a touchdown.
On Monday, Rodriguez sat down with his weekly chat with the media, breaking down what went wrong against Iowa and what he will try to accomplish over the next few days.
Rodriguez said the bye week comes at a perfect time after seven weeks of the play and four weeks of camp prior to that. The Wolverines won't practice Monday or Tuesday and will spend the rest of the week focusing on fundamentals as well as beginning to plan for Penn State.
The week will give some of Michigan's players time to heal. Quarterback Denard Robinson aggravated an injury to his throwing shoulder. Robinson injured his shoulder when he was driven into the ground in the second quarter when Tate Forcier came in and relieved Robinson.
Rodriguez characterized Robinson's injury as a sprain that likely happened when a defensive lineman fell on top of him. He said if Michigan had a game on Saturday, he likely would play.
Center David Molk (ankle) and nose guard Mike Martin (ankle) will also be 100 percent after tweaking injuries against Iowa.
Rodriguez said trainers have told him Fitz Toussaint (shoulder) could begin practicing this week. Surgery went well for receiver Martavious Odoms went well, but Rodriguez isn't certain whether Odoms will return this year.
"It's really unfortunate, because he was playing some pretty good football," Rodriguez said. "But if he is able to come back at the end of the year, we can certainly use him."
Off week
Rodriguez's staff will spend the first part of the week recruiting and will use an open Friday night to attend high school football games to get a first-hand look at recruits. Not accustomed to having a free weekend, Rodriguez said he will spend Saturday watching film with some assistants before taking in a Big Ten game on TV. He said he will try and get to his son's Pop Warner football game on Sunday.
Fixable problems?
Rodriguez said the Wolverine struggled against Iowa with turnovers and the defense continued to deal with lack of exection, both in coverages and with tackling. But the biggest issue defensively, Rodriguez said, has been with linemen getting off blocks.
Rodriguez said the bye week will allow Michigan coaches to spend time with younger players, helping with their development as they continue to learn schemes, especially defensively.
"I would hope we would get better fundamentally - especially with the younger guys," Rodriguez said. "When you understand the scheme completely, you can play faster and I think you recognize things better. I think as the season goes on, you should get better."
Rodriguez said for the most part, he thinks the defense is getting closer. He reiterated that some of the problems haunting the defense are fixable now, but that some are longer-term issues.
"I think we could bring in Vince Lombardi, and I don't know if he could fix some of the things with our defense," Rodriguez said.
Just for kicks
Special teams was also an issue against Iowa. In addition to having another field goal attempt blocked, Rodriguez said he is concerned with other issues in the return game.
On the field goal attempt, Seth Broekhuizen's kick was low to begin with, further adding to the woes the Wolverines have experienced all year.
Turning it over
With the struggles that Michigan has had with turnovers over the past two weeks, Rodriguez said some of the issues have been caused by players trying to do too much. Especially with the interceptions thrown by Robinson and Forcier, Rodriguez said it was a matter of them pressing, trying to give the Wolverines a spark.
"When it's third and long, you don't have to try and throw it 30 yards," Rodriguez said. "I think you can throw it 10 yards and you still get the yardage."
Timing issue
Rodriguez said the issues with left guard Taylor Lewan, who had three penalties against Iowa, including two false starts. Rodriguez said Lewan was a bit jumpy against the Hawkeyes, but it wasn't an issue he anticipated being a long-term issue.
"He was so jacked up because we've been challenging him with going against (Iowa All-American defensive end Adrian Clayborn. "So he was a little jumpy."
Evaluation time
Rodriguez was asked how he would evaluate his performance this season. Although the win total isn't where he would like it, he said he remains encouraged because some things he has seen behind the scenes.
"The first year (there) were extreme disappointments," he said. "The two losses this year have been disappointing. So I'm disappointed, but not discouraged just because some of the things I see going on with the program.
"If nothing more, I think we're fun to watch," he said. "There are times when I wished we weren't so fun to watch and that we could just execute the way we want to. The frustrating thing is that there are points where we're so close."

BCS Rankings 2010: BCS Standings 2010 vs. College Football Rankings Week 8

2010-10-19T22:52:00.000+08:00

BCS Rankings 2010: BCS Standings 2010 vs. College Football Rankings Week 8

BCS Rankings 2010: BCS Standings 2010 vs. College Football Rankings Week 8 - Alabama and South Carolina both slipped further into the rankings as the latest BCS Rankings and College Football Rankings Week 8 had been released. The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings was just released October 17 after the final results of the Week 7 games. The new number 1 on the BCS Rankings 2010 was Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, for the NCAA College Football Rankings Week 8, Oregon remains at number 1 while the number 1 ranked Oklahoma at the BCS Standings 2010 is at number 3. As you can notice, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Boise State are the top three teams in both BCS Rankings 2010 and College Football Rankings Week 8. They just differ in rankings. However, quality wise and statistically wise, the BCS standings will hold the greater weight since this is the official ranking from BCS organizers.
Wihout further delay, here are the official BCS Rankings 2010 which includes the BCS Standings and College Football Rankings Week 8. Compare and contrast and see the difference:
BCS Rankings 2010 (released October 17, 2010)

RK	TEAM	RECORD
1	Oklahoma	6-0
2	Oregon	6-0
3	Boise State	6-0
4	Auburn	7-0
5	TCU	7-0
6	LSU	7-0
7	Michigan State	7-0
8	Alabama	6-1
9	Utah	6-0
10	Ohio State	6-1
11	Missouri	6-0
12	Stanford	5-1
13	Wisconsin	6-1
14	Oklahoma State	6-0
15	Iowa	5-1
16	Nebraska	5-1
17	Florida State	6-1
18	Arizona	5-1
19	Texas	4-2
20	West Virginia	5-1
21	South Carolina	4-2
22	Kansas State	5-1
23	Arkansas	4-2
24	Mississippi State	5-2
25	Virginia Tech	5-2

NCAA College Football Rankings Week 8

RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Oregon (39)	6-0	1471
2	Boise State (15)	6-0	1433
3	Oklahoma (3)	6-0	1355
4	TCU (3)	7-0	1340
5	Auburn	7-0	1279
6	LSU	7-0	1132
7	Alabama	6-1	1121
8	Michigan State	7-0	1062
9	Utah	6-0	1019
10	Wisconsin	6-1	920
11	Ohio State	6-1	895
12	Stanford	5-1	828
13	Iowa	5-1	768
14	Nebraska	5-1	684
15	Arizona	5-1	619
16	Florida State	6-1	615
17	Oklahoma State	6-0	575
18	Missouri	6-0	552
19	South Carolina	4-2	372
20	West Virginia	5-1	346
21	Arkansas	4-2	343
22	Texas	4-2	267
23	Virginia Tech	5-2	122
24	Mississippi State	5-2	111
25	Miami (FL)	4-2	85

2010 College Football Predictions: Notre Dame Complete Team Preview

2010-08-17T00:50:00.000+08:00

The 2010 football season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is going to be a very interesting one. Coming into the season, there are a lot of questions and storylines that fans can not wait to have answered.

How will Brian Kelly turn this program around? How successful will his spread offense be? What about the new defense? How well can Dayne Crist perform after his ACL tear?

There are obviously a lot of things going on right now in South Bend, but the one thing that is for sure is the talent on this year's team. Charlie Weis did have two straight top recruiting classes, and now those players are becoming juniors and seniors. It's time for the highly recruited players to finally make a name for themselves at Notre Dame.

That said, here is a complete low-down on Notre Dame's roster.

Quarterbacks

The starter this season will be a new face in Dayne Crist. Highly recruited out of high school, Crist was a long time friend of former quarterback Jimmy Clausen. And, after two years of studying under him, it's time for Crist to shine as the new "Golden Boy" of Notre Dame.

However, after his ACL tear last season, there are questions if his health will allow him to play up to his full potential. He has the size to play the quarterback position, being 6'4'' and 235 pounds. His mobility, though, is a key asset in the new spread offense that Brian Kelly brings to Notre Dame.

If Crist cannot perform well, this season will be a disaster. He has talent around him, which we will get to in a few seconds, but a lot of the weight is put on him. He has to perform well if the Fighting Irish are going to be a competitive team this season.

Running Backs

Armando Allen led the team last season with 697 yards, and will be the top runner for the Irish this season as well. Allen is a talented running back who has the speed to run inside and outside, and can catch the ball out of the backfield as well.

After him on the depth chart is bruiser Robert Hughes. You can always tell when he carries the ball, as the fans all over the stadium are yelling his name. Last season, he was also able to catch 19 passes out of the backfield, and will be a great talent to have as the number two running back behind Armando Allen.

Also watch out for sophomore Cierre Wood. After he was heavily recruited out of high school, Wood has the talent to be a number one running back in years to come. And, while he wasn't in at all last season, he will get a number of looks in his second year at Notre Dame.

Receivers

Yes, Golden Tate is gone, but Michael Floyd, who was the most talented receiver on the roster last year in my opinion, returns after having a good sophomore year despite missing five games to an injury.

This off-season there is a lot of hype about what Floyd will do now that he is the number one receiver on the team. In the new spread offense, there's no doubt in my mind that he will be a target on a lot of plays and end up with well over 1,000 yards receiving at the end of the season.

Behind him, Duval Kamara will have to again step up to replace a star receiver. Kamara performed pretty well last season after Floyd went down by grabbing 23 passes for over 200 yards, but his performance will have to be even better this year after the loss of Golden Tate.

Also, another guy to watch out for is freshman Tai-ler Jones. Jones has amazing athletic ability to go with his quickness. In his first year, he will definitely be given a lot of looks as a receiver.

Finally, Kyle Rudolph at the tight end position will also be a key contributor. As the team's top NFL prospect, Rudolph has the size, speed, and hands to be a receiver in the spread offense. His 33 receptions landed him third on the team last year, but he will have an even bigger impact this season.

Offensive Line

The offensive line this season could have a new look with this new coaching staff, but they will be a key part of this team. If there's not good protection, then Crist will have a rough first season like Clausen did. So, it's obviously very important to have a good line to protect him.

First off, the line returns two starters from last season in Trevor Robinson and Chris Stewart. Those two guys are going to be the leaders after Sam Young's departure and for good reason. Both of them obviously have starting experience and are the most talented blockers on the roster.

Braxston Cave will be the starting center this year after an impressive spring. Zach Martin will start at left tackle despite not being very big. While he is young and inexperienced, he was a highly sought after recruit and is very talented. Finally, Taylor Dever will have to try to fill Sam Young's shoes which will be a difficult task. He is a senior, so he has experience at Notre Dame and can be a veteran leader on this line.

Defensive Line

Ian Williams will be the star of the line this season and will have a much bigger role because of the new 3-4 defense. While he has the NFL talent needed to be a great lineman, he has to start bringing more consistency to the field if this year's line is going be a good one.

Ethan Johnson will be on the outside of the three man line and will have to step up his game from last season. He showed some of his talent last year by grabbing four sacks, but he will have to be more involved in the running game this year as well.

Rounding out the line, junior Kapron Lewis-Moore has the potential to be a star player on defense and this is his time to shine. Last year, he managed to get 2.5 sacks as a 4-3 end but will take his new role this season with the 3-4. His performance in the running game needs to improve this year as well.

Linebackers

Manti Te'o will be the leader of the defense this season and perhaps the most talented player as well. After a decent freshman season, Te'o will only improve on that with a year of experience. He obviously has great potential and NFL talent that he will hopefully continue to show off as the season progresses.

Darius Fleming, the speedy linebacker, will start on the outside of the defense this season. Last season he had three sacks and that number will definitely improve this season with the new defensive scheme.

Brian Smith returns from a good 2009 campaign with 79 tackles and two interceptions. Smith comes back with a lot of expectations to be the veteran and experienced player of the linebackers. Expect a very good statistical season this year from him.

And, with four spots at linebacker this year, Anthony McDonald should be the one stepping into the new role. He is just another example of a highly recruited player who will have a chance to show that off this season.

Secondary

Senior Gary Gray has the experience and talent to be the leader of this secondary if he can finally break through. As one of the most sought after corners in his class, he really hasn't done enough to back up that hype. This will be his final chance if he plans to do something big in South Bend.

Like the rest of the defense, Darrin Walls has the talent and potential to be a star. I almost feel like a broken record right now because a lot of this is the same stuff. Walls was again a very talented player coming to Notre Dame, but just hasn't really shown it yet. As a senior, this will also be his last chance to do something big.

At strong safety will be Jamoris Slaughter who will try to replace a very good safety in Kyle McCarthy. Slaughter has the speed to be a player like McCarthy and cover a lot of ground to defend passes through the air and on the ground.

Harrison Smith, like Gray and like Walls is another talented high school prospect with a lot to prove. He will be the starting free safety this season and his physicality should make him a good one. He finished third on the team last year with 69 tackles, but expect that number to improve this season. He has great athletic ability and should have a good season this year.

Ranking the Running Backs

2010-08-15T02:39:00.000+08:00

Just as we talked about when we rated quarterbacks, there are going to be a number of key factors to consider when entering your fantasy football draft. Obviously the schedule is important, as is the weather in games and health.

However, knowing how your league scores is ultimately a reason to pick one back over another. For example, Adrian Peterson didn't lead the league in rushing, but put up 18 touchdowns last year. If Ryan Grant is only going to get you six touchdowns, but Ray Rice might get you 11, and their rushing yards are equal, it's important to pay attention to those numbers.

It's also important to see if leagues count rush attempts and/or receptions. Some backs, like Chris Johnson and Rice, pick up a lot of receiving yards while others, like Peterson, do not. This is also key when considering a back in the draft.

With all that in mind, let's rank the running backs for 2010.

The Cream of the Crop

Chris Johnson, Tennessee
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
Ray Rice, Baltimore

All four of these guys could put up very similar numbers this year, rushing for somewhere between 1,300-1,500 yards and posting double-digit touchdowns. However, each has unique skills to bring to the table, and concerns, that are worthy of additional consideration.

Johnson: led the league in rushing last year. Teams will focus on him in 2010, forcing Vince Young to beat them. Don't expect 2,000 rushing yards again.

Peterson: coughs up the ball too much. He lost six fumbles last year, and the Vikings were forced to use Chester Taylor late in many games to preserve their lead. Being that Taylor is now in Chicago, and Brett Favre hasn't officially come back yet, Peterson could have a rough season.

Jones-Drew: he's the leader of a young offense and handled the ball a lot last year. His 14 touchdowns might not happen again this year, but the 1,300+ yards could.

Rice: he's in the best situation of this top group. He's a good receiver and has capable bodies with whom he can share carries. However, with the addition of Anquan Boldin the Ravens might be more pass-happy in the red zone, and Rice only rushed for seven touchdowns last year. Still a safe bet for over 1,700 all-purpose yards.

Second-Tier Starters: Worth Waiting, not Over Paying

Steven Jackson, St. Louis
Ryan Grant, Green Bay
Frank Gore, San Francisco
Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh
Michael Turner, Atlanta
Cedric Benson, Cincinnati
Ryan Matthews, San Diego

These seven guys are trendy picks that might be worth considering in a second or third round, but aren't worth a gamble in the first.

The biggest argument on this list is Jackson being included in the second tier and not with the big boys as locks for big seasons. However, the Rams have been running him into the ground and history shows that backs averaging consistently 320-340 carries a season over an extended period of time don't last very long. With the Rams mediocre line and the money they've invested in Sam Bradford in mind, Jackson might have seen his last 1,400-yard season.

With Grant and Benson, the biggest issue is consistency. Both have outstanding weeks and miserable weeks in the same season, and are both a fantasy owner's best friend and worst enemy in the matchup format.

Both Gore and Mendenhall have dealt with injuries in their pasts, but should be good to go for around 1,200 yards and 8-10 touchdowns. Mendenhall might be the best pick of this group because of Pittsburgh's quarterback issues (Roethlisberger suspended, Holmes traded). Gore is a beast that should see better holes with an improved line in San Fran.

Turner lived up to his nickname by burning fantasy owners that picked him at the top last year. He came into camp out of shape and dealt with injuries all season. He reported to camp in shape and on time this year, and could return to dominant form for the Falcons.

Matthews was the Chargers' first round pick this year, and he'll be the man for them because LaDanian Tomlinson's now with the Jets. They like him a lot, and have had success in the last decade, so seeing him put up numbers similar to those Matt Forte did for the Bears in his rookie year could be expected.

Tandems: Teams That Will Run-By-Committee

Kansas City - Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles
New Orleans - Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas
Carolina - DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart
Chicago - Matt Forte, Chester Taylor
Indianapolis - Joseph Addai, Donald Brown
New York Jets - Shonn Greene, LaDanian Tomlinson
Detroit - Kevin Smith, Jahvid Best
Miami - Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown
Oakland - Michael Bush, Darren McFadden

This is a longer group because more and more teams are moving two an offense that features more than one primary back. There are some intriguing names in strange places on this list, though, and these teams could give fantasy owners migraines all year.

Jones had one of his best seasons in the NFL last year, running for over 1,400 yards with the Jets. But they, as so many other teams have, decided to dump him after a great season. So he landed in Kansas City, which is puzzling because Charles had his own 1,000-yard season last year. It's hard to handicap which of these two will get more carries, especially in the red zone.

Similarly, Carolina has two backs that have had exceptional seasons in the last couple years. Both DeAngelo Williams and Stewart have seen their names in the top ten in the league in rushing, and in an offense that's going to be featured a new quarterback, both of these guys should see plenty of carries. DeAngelo Williams and Stewart might be the strongest individual plays of these players.

In New Orleans, Bush is a year past knee surgery and looks explosive. But Thomas is the better runner between the tackles and, while he might not put up as many all-purpose yards, could make up for it by seeing the end zone more often.

Forte and Taylor are intriguing in Chicago because it's hard to know what Mike Martz's system is going to look like with the Bears' personnel. The team has three tight ends on the roster, a questionable offensive line, and the same group of relatively young receivers. It's also hard to handicap which of these guys will see the end zone more often.

The Jets are an interesting situation because Greene showed the ability to be a top-tier back last year (which is why they let Jones walk), but the addition of future Hall of Famer Tomlinson clouds the situation. Clearly Tomlinson doesn't intend on being a full-time backup, and has a history of finding the end zone.

With Indianapolis, Detroit and Miami, there are injury concerns that make picking any of those four backs hard. Ricky Williams had a nice season last year, but Ronnie Brown is the more electrifying back. Both Smith and Best had their seasons end with injuries last year, so Detroit might be a wild card. In Indy, Addai has been solid when healthy, but Brown looked like he could be a dominant back last year when he got a chance. Which player Peyton Manning hands the ball to will be a question mark each week, and their touches in the red zone could be spread out as well.

Oakland is... well, Oakland. Jason Campbell should improve the offense, but knowing which guy is going to get the bulk of the carries is an annual crapshoot.

The MC Hammer Group - Don't Touch This

Dallas - they have three backs that all have histories of injuries and splitting carries. Marion Barber has never emerged a a prime-time back, but could get double-digit touchdowns.Tashard Choice and Felix Jones are sexy picks because they're home run hitters, but the three figure to see equal action in different situations. Good luck picking the most valuable of the three!

Denver - Knowshon Moreno's the most talented, Correll Buckhalter is the most consistent, and neither is healthy. Given their quarterback issues and the health concerns already popping up, it might be best to avoid the Broncos completely in the draft.

New York Giants - Brandon Jacobs is a beast, while Ahmad Bradshaw is a bowling ball. They combined for 387 carries and 12 touchdowns last year, but knowing which back gets the ball week-to-week is a health-based guessing game. Either could be a decent RB2 pick, but neither is a lead back.

Washington - they brought in Donovan McNabb and Mike Shanahan, which would lead a fantasy owner to think the Skins will probably throw the ball more often this year. Washington also quietly added two over-the-hill running backs, Larry Johnson and Willie Parker to their backfield to compete with over-the-hill Clinton Portis for touches. It's easy to say avoid this situation on draft day.

Tampa Bay - Cadillac Williams has been more of a pinto the last few years, spending most of his time on the sidelines in a t-shirt. Derrick Ward had a nice season with the Giants before Tampa overpaid for him, and he didn't impress as much as they would have hoped last year. This could be an interesting backfield to watch in 2010 as they continue to develop their offense around young quarterback Josh Freeman.

Houston - the Texans had 13 rushing touchdowns last year from four running backs, and were only able to get 437 yards and three of those touchdowns from Steve Slaton. Because Slaton lost three fumbles last year, Ryan Moats looked like a stronger fantasy play until they selected Ben Tate from Auburn in the draft. Tate could easily emerge as the leading rusher in Houston, but gambling on any of these backs as more than a third or fourth backfield option would be a mistake.

ESPN Arrives in Miami, Forgets Dolphins Play Football

2010-08-15T01:53:00.000+08:00

First it was the hip, now it's basketball.

Every year ESPN comes up with a fascinatingly gimmicky way to cover training camp and fans for all 32 teams patiently await their teams ten minutes of attention. This year Chad Henneand Adam Schefter are riding buses across the country going city to city in a Jack Keroueac meets Monday Night Football kind of way. Great, after waiting for pretty much everybody else to have their shot, Adam Schefter finally rolled into South Beach yesterday.

I’m as excited about The Heat as the next guy (that’s not totally true, but I get the reason for the excitement), but I really wanted to hear an interview about the Dolphins. What I got was really a stupid fluff piece and a bunch of information I’d already heard on ESPN. Schefter had Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall on the bus. He really should have just invited Marshall because they really seemed to be the only two talking.

He led by asking Brandon Marshall how it felt to be the third biggest acquisition in Miami this offseason, alluding to Chris Bosh and LeBron James recent decision to bring their talents to South Beach. Now that’s an endearing question right off the bat, and one that Marshall played off well. I personally don’t think Chris Bosh is higher profile than Brandon Marshall, but I’m biased.

Then the attention turned to Brandon Marshall’s plans to play in the NBA should there be an NFL lockout next year (which is interesting, because I’m not 100 percent on this but I’m pretty sure the NBA is set for a pretty interesting labor squabble after their upcoming season, too) and Chad Henne’s bowling ability. The former of which dominated the conversation, and made a headline on the front of ESPN.com. Sprinkled in between the banter were a couple questions about Henne and Marshall’s first impressions of each other. At the end of the piece the two signed the bus, though they only showed Marshall and he was still talking about basketball the whole time. Then they sent it back to Bristol where Tedy Bruschi offered an “objective” opinion.

Great work. Seriously, ESPN shows up in Miami, fails to really address the Dolphins training camp or frankly even show any footage of it at all and as a parting gift leaves the Dolphins with a mild distraction by running a story about Brandon Marshall’s intent to play in the NBA next year and dropping in a little bit about breach of contract. Also, it’s probably a microcosm of their coverage of Miami sports this next year with the Heat in the forefront and the Fins as an afterthought (still better than Marlins and Panthers). Ok, I’m done ranting, follow me over the page break and let’s talk about the Dolphins.

Will Allen Out Until Season

Will Allen will be sidelined until the start of the season as he had to have his knee scoped yesterday. He had been enjoying a very solid camp but started to favor the knee a couple of days. Allen is a tough guy and attempted to play through the pain but eventually had to miss time and was sent to see a specialist yesterday morning.

Will Allen will be sidelined the rest of camp after having his knee scoped Thursday.

The surgery was on the same knee that Allen had operated on last season when he missed the rest of the year after injuring it in week 7. It was a minor procedure that was done to clean up a few things after the last surgery, but it will hold Allen out until the beginning of the season. There’s a couple ways to interpret this. Allen is 32, it’s the second surgery on the knee, there’s no guarantee he comes back strong from this at all. But on the other hand it may be good the Dolphins made him get it dealt with rather than letting him tough it out all year and risk doing more damage.

Regardless it gives Nolan Carroll an opportunity to secure the nickel spot with Jason Allen also still in the mix, though I’ve read reports where Miami has been playing Jason Allen some at boundary corner and has been happy with the results so far. Regardless, Nolan Carroll is getting a lot of attention lately and stands to really solidify his place in Miami’s long-term plans. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a trio of talented young corners locked up for the next few years?

Dolphins Pre-Season Opener

The Dolphins will take on the Buccaneers tomorrow night at Sun Life Stadium. We’ll have a full preview of it before the game, but for now, the Fins have announced that Chad Pennington will not play, Chad Henne will play a set number of snaps, but mostly like about the first quarter, the Tyler Thigpen in the second and that Pat White will play a lot. It’s pretty obvious Miami needs to see Pat White run the offense in some game situations to determine what kind of a player they have in his second season.

Pat White has seen a lot of scrutiny thus far in the young season. More than just about any 4th string quarterback I’ve ever seen. But a good preseason could go a long ways towards helping him silence critics and show the Dolphins he has a place on their team. Tony Sparano has said in the past the first preseason game is the most difficult from a coaching standpoint because your roster is the most bloated at that pointed having not made cuts yet, and depending on how the game goes, you might not be able to get everyone enough reps to get a good look at some people. In this case you can tell the Dolphins need to see White and have made a point of it. Here’s hoping the kid shows up.

How's that foot holding up, buddy?

A Few Things I’m Going to Be Looking For…

-How does Ronnie Brown look, if he’s going to be playing at all? I want to see him just make one solid cut with a tackler coming at him in a game situation and then I’ll feel a whole lot better going into the start of the season.

-What do Brandon Marshall andKarlos Dansby look like as a Dolphins? We’ve seen them in practice gear, but it’s always kind of fun the first time you see a new player in uniform.

-How does the interior line look? Miami is still fleshing out the inside of its line and and the Bucs have a pair of promising young tackles that are sure to see some extended reps.

-Can Ike Alama-Francis match the hype? He’s getting a ton of credit right now, is he really going to be a force or is he just another case of too much being made out of drills and two-a-days?

-What does the defense look like? I don’t mean how do they play but what does the scheme look like? All we’ve heard about is ‘hybrid 3-4.’ Well obviously they’re not going to show too much, but still we should get a look at what this new scheme is all about.

-Who can return a kick? Kick coverage is kick coverage, so it doesn’t matter when you get your shot every return is important and it’s going to be key to see if anyone can show the type of elusiveness and burst that could win the job.

Hope you’re all ready for a good weekend and some Dolphins football.

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