..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Martino: Difficult for Messi to leave Barcelona

Former Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino feels it would be very difficult for Lionel Messi to leave Camp Nou after rumours over his future.

The 27-year-old refused to commit his future to the club on Wednesday, hinting that he may leave Catalunya before he retires.

However, Martino, who is now the Argentina skipper's boss at international level, feels that Messi has a bond with Barca and would find it tough to play elsewhere.
"When you see the connection he has with Barca, I think it would be very difficult for him to leave the club," he said after Argentina's 1-0 friendly defeat to Portugal on Tuesday."However, when you see the options out there in the world, the big teams where he would fit in perfectly, then I think it’s possible.

"But I definitely think he should be happy where he plays football."I've never spoken to him about the issue and everyone does what is best for themselves."

Messi has scored 11 goals in 15 games for his club in all competitions this season.

 

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Hiddink must be fired, says Ronald de Boer

Former Netherlands star Ronald de Boer has called for Oranje boss Guus Hiddink to be replaced by his assistant Danny Blind.

The Dutch thrashed Latvia 6-0 on Sunday but have endured a poor Euro 2016 qualification campaign to date, suffering shock losses to Iceland and Czech Republic.They lost 3-2 to Mexico in a friendly and Hiddink made several changes before the Euro qualifier with Latvia, with only one defender playing in both games.

And De Boer believes the veteran's position is untenable, insisting that Blind must be promoted from his role as assistant coach."Guus Hiddink has lost it." he told Fox Sports.

"Normally a coach has an idea, he wants a to go in a certain direction. But then he takes them in a completely different direction.

"Against Mexico, he plays with a defence that he then decides is no longer good enough to play against Latvia. What kind of logic is that?"You want to start developing the team a bit, but then you go start again with a completely different setup.

"[Memphis] Depay, for example, played against Mexico, but you will never lose against Latvia, so you should just leave Depay in the team."He is one of the greatest talents we have and it will give him confidence. I think it was a strange decision not to play him against Latvia.

"It seems logical to me to give Danny Blind a chance. I'm sure Danny can handle it."

 

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Hiddink nam kohomath hariyana 1kak naha mata hithenne​

 

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I chose to give Thiago Silva the armband - Neymar

Brazil star Neymar said he chose to give Thiago Silva the captain's armband in the 2-1 win over Austria because the defender is an important leader.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender admitted on Sunday that he was unhappy at coach Dunga for stripping him of the armband and handing it to the Barcelona attacker.The 22-year-old was withdrawn late on in Vienna, with Silva replacing him as captain for the final seconds of the match.

Dunga said after the game that it had already been decided that the defender would captain the team in Neymar's absence and the striker says the gesture was out of respect.

"I didn't think about who I would give the captain's armband," he told reporters.
"I decided in the moment like everybody does. Sometimes that choice is luck, sometimes by the leadership on the field and this time I chose Thiago Silva.

"It was not about what happened. It's because he was wearing the captain's armband before, he's a leader in the field and that's important to us. That's why I chose him."

Roberto Firmino scored a late winner for his country and Neymar has hailed the 23-year-old's work rate and dedication."It's great because Roberto Firmino's confidence grows up with this result," he said.

"He deserves it for what he's been doing in the training sessions, for his dedication. I congratulate him. He played a great match and helped us with this victory.
"It's really important to start like that in the Brazilian team, it's only his second match and he scored. That gives you a big satisfaction, playing for your country and scoring a goal."

 

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Nani hopeful over Manchester United return

Nani is hopeful of returning to Manchester United despite being sent out on a season-long loan to Sporting Lisbon just 12 weeks ago.

It is understood that the Red Devils have inquired into the winger's interest in returning to the club despite being loaned out as part of the deal to sign Marcos Rojo.

And Nani, who was part of a Portugal side who took on Argentina at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, is open to the idea of a swift return to Manchester.

When asked about the possibility of returning to United, he told reporters: "Why not? I went out [to Sporting] to play more and get to my best. If there is an opportunity, we will see."

Portugal beat Argentina 1-0 thanks to a late Raphael Guerreiro header after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had been substituted at half-time.

Nani, who was involved in a challenge with Angel Di Maria which could rule the Argentina star out of Manchester United's clash with Arsenal on Saturday, believes that his side were good value for their win.

"I think it was a very tough game for us but we knew, when we play against a team like that, it is very difficult," he said.

"I think all the players did well. We defended the result but tried to win the game as well and, in the end, we had a bit of pressure and we won the game. It's great for us."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Portugal were very, very bad, admits Santos

Fernando Santos has admitted Portugal were simply not good enough in the opening 20 minutes of their 1-0 friendly win over Argentina, but was pleased with the way they overcame a poor start to snatch victory.

Raphael Guerreiro headed in Ricardo Quaresma's cross in second-half stoppage time as Portugal sealed a third consecutive 1-0 triumph.

All the talk in the build up to the friendly at Old Trafford had been of the clash between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but both men were substituted at half-time having had minimal impact on the game.

Messi struck the post in the 11th minute as Argentina made a bright start, but Santos was pleased at his team's response after coming under pressure during the early stages.

"The first 20 minutes our team were very, very bad," the Portugal coach told RTP.
"We allowed Argentina to play and we were always late to the ball.
"We have the capacity to do more."The game grew more balanced. Portugal started to have more of the ball. In the second half I made some changes, there were some tired players.

"We defended better but always had difficulty getting out to attack. In the last 10-15 minutes the opponent dropped a bit and we ended up making the goal.
"The team did not concede a goal in the last three games and that's very important."

 

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'We are a team in transition' - Del Bosque defends struggling Spain


Vicente del Bosque has stressed that Spain are a team in transition following their 1-0 friendly loss to Germany on Tuesday.

The reigning European champions fell to their first home defeat under Del Bosque as Toni Kroos' 89th-minute strike gave the world champions victory in Vigo.The result marked Spain's fifth loss in nine games as a frustrating year that has seen them exit the World Cup in Brazil during the group stages ended disappointingly.

Even though Del Bosque was understandably frustrated with the result, the 63-year-old says he is more focused on building a side to challenge for future honours.
"We are in a period of transition and we want to continue looking to the future with optimism," Del Bosque told reporters.

"But we are not entirely happy with the outcome. I agree with the assessment that it was an even and balanced game."We showed that we could out-play them at times, but we must praise Toni Kroos' goal."

Spain resume competitive action in a Euro 2016 qualifying tie with Ukraine in March.

 

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Rooney delighted with England double to close in on goal record

Wayne Rooney insists he is not thinking about becoming England's record goalscorer after two strikes against Scotland moved him ever-closer to Sir Bobby Charlton's record.

The Manchester United striker is now just three behind Charlton, who is the Three Lions' all-time top goalscorer with 49, and will have the chance to move ahead of the Old Trafford legend when England face Lithuania and Italy in international fixtures in March 2015.

Rooney was the star of the show for Roy Hodgson's side in their 3-1 win over Scotland at Celtic Park on Tuesday night although the 29-year-old is not concerned with surpassing Sir Bobby and insists that it was a "special" feeling to find the net against their old rivals.

He told Sky Sports: I'm just happy to score goals for England. It's an unbelievable feeling it was a very special feeling for me to score two goals for England against Scotland at Celtic Park. It's a special night.

"It was a great victory for us. We spoke about the atmosphere before the game and it's a terrific atmosphere here at Celtic Park.

"We had to show our character. It was a quick start from Scotland. It was a fantastic atmosphere, you could hear it during the national anthems. We showed our ability with the ball and our mental strength.

"Particularly after we scored the first goal I thought we controlled the game. When Scotland got their goal back it could've been a bit edgy but we responded fantastically so it's a great victory and a great performance.

"It's great [the fixture] for the fans, it's fantastic to play in. It's not my decision but it would be great to have more games like this."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria an injury concern for Arsenal clash

Angel Di Maria is an injury concern for Manchester United's crunch clash with Arsenal on Saturday after picking up a knock in Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Portugal.

The former Real Madrid star suffered a blow to his foot following a hefty challenge from United team-mate Nani, who is currently on-loan with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, but carried on until the 61st minute.

Di Maria was eventually replaced by Tottenham winger Erik Lamela and there are now question marks over whether the 26-year-old will be fit in time to start for Louis van Gaal's side at the Emirates Stadium.

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino commented after the game: "We don't think it is anything serious. It was quite a tough blow he took. It was a tough knock. It cut the skin a little bit.

"We are having a look at some X-rays, some images that have been taken but in spite of that we don't think it is too serious."

Di Maria himself said: "It was just a blow. I hope it doesn't swell anymore so I can play at the weekend."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Get well soon Di Maria!

Di Maria th miss unoth loku paduwak​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Courtois: Chelsea don't have the title in the bag

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insists that the Premier League title race is still alive despite his team's early dominance.

Jose Mourinho's men are four points clear at the top, having gone unbeaten in their 11 league games so far this season.

But Courtois insists getting his hands on the trophy will be "very difficult" despite the struggles of Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.

"We don't have the title in the bag," he told the press.

"We are working game by game. The Premier League is very difficult.

"We are trying to win with every game that is possible but there will be a still a long way to win the title. We are working hard. Hopefully that will be enough."

Third-placed City are eight points behind Chelsea, while Arsenal (12), United (13) and Liverpool (15) are even further adrift. The Blues' closest challengers so far are Southampton.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

De Gea: My place at Manchester United is not under threat from Valdes

David de Gea insists that he will not be replaced by Victor Valdes as Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper.

Valdes is currently a free agent after leaving Barcelona at the end of last season but has been training with United as he continues to recover from the cruciate ligament injury which he suffered in March.

De Gea, meanwhile, dislocated a finger while on international duty with Spain and is a doubt to face Arsenal on Saturday but the 24-year-old maintains that his place as Louis van Gaal's preferred keeper is not under threat.

"Yes, my contract runs out in 2016 but they didn't sign him for that. Victor had a difficult injury, he had a bad time and the boss knows him well and has given him the opportunity to recover there," De Gea told AS.

"Victor is training over in Manchester; he's still not 100 per cent after his injury. When he is fully fit he will start to train with us. He's still not training in goal with us. From time to time he comes out with the goalkeeping coach but very little still.

"Van Gaal knows him well because he gave Victor his debut at Barca and has a special affection for him and whenever possible we have to help where we can.

"Football is cruel at times, it's difficult. When things go well, you're very good and, when they go badly ... well, it's awful."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Kawru awath De Gea thamai Manchester United's No1​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Watzke: Dortmund crisis not over yet

Borussia Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke has stressed his team's crisis is not over yet, ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga clash with Paderborn.Dortmund are currently five points behind the newly-promoted side, who are in their first season in the top flight, but managed to avoid suffering a sixth successive league loss in their last outing, a 1-0 home win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

"It is much too early to talk of a turnaround," the 55-year-old told Bild."This will definitely be close. Paderborn have not got 15 points by doing nothing. Playing against them will be extremely tough."

And Watzke says he knows all about the strengths of his team's upcoming opponents, as he has a soft spot for the club having grown up in East Westphalia.
"My children were born there, and I've lived in Paderborn five and a half years," he continued.

"So it's clear that I have a very close relationship with club and city of Paderborn and mostly keep my fingers crossed [that they will do well]."

 

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Cote D’Ivoire 0-0 Cameroon: Elephants settle for goalless draw to sneak qualification


Cote D’Ivoire have qualified for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations after a goalless draw with Cameroon in Abidjan on Wednesday.

The Elephants came into the game with two main objectives: picking up at least one point to ensure qualification and taking their revenge on Cameroon after a 4-1 defeat suffered in Yaounde in their earlier group stage meeting. But only the former was achieved.

Indomitable Lions coach Volker Finke had indicated that his side would use the encounter to kickstart preparations for next year's tournament, thus sending a warning to the Ivorians that they would not be in for an easy fight.

Cote D’Ivoire proved dominant in the opening exchanges, with Gervinho and Salomon Kalou linking up tidily and ploughing forward but the visitors’ defence held thanks to captain Stephane Mbia and Nicholas Nkoulou’s clever positioning.

Centre forward Lacina Traore was the man chosen to score the goals in the absence Didier Drogba, and the Monaco striker had sufficient opportunities to prove local detractors wrong, but he once more failed to successfully exploit his 6 ft 8 height and pace.

Kalou, who had scored four goals throughout qualifying, was given the ball on the left wing by a low cross from Yaya Toure, but after passing two men, the Hertha BSC winger’s final effort crashed against a defender.

After 20 minutes of play, Cameroon seized control of the game in style, with barnstorming displays from Porto’s Vincent Aboubakar in the Ivorian area.

Kolo Toure and Tiene Siaka blocked a number of chances for the Lions in a display of nervy defending, but neither side could find the net as the rhythm of the exchanges dropped by the half hour mark.

PSG’s Serge Aurier grabbed a loose ball from the touchline and raced down the right flank unmarked but his tight-angled cross failed to find an Orange shirt in the visitors’ box.A similar action from the opposing flank by Kalou forced a save from Cameroon keeper Ondoa, who had a busy first half.

The first period ended goalless, with the local fans still very cheerful for the tentative result which booked a place for their team in the finals.The second half resumed with some threatening attacking play from Cote D’Ivoire but Cameroon’s defence remained impenetrable.

By the hour mark, Cameroon captain Stephane Mbia was sent off after roughly blocking Gervinho’s drive into the box.The Elephants struggled to make their one man advantage count however, due to a strong Cameroonian defensive display that kept efforts from Gervinho, Kalou and second-half substitute Wilfried Bony at bay.

Flanked by Tiene and Aurier, Kolo Toure negotiated the final moments of the game by knocking the ball back and forth to ensure his team did not lose the point they needed to qualify.

The match eventually ended goalless, which saw both sides qualify for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea in 2015.

 

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Manchester United chief Woodward all but rules out January signings

Manchester United will not be pushed into big spending in January by an underwhelming start to Louis van Gaal's tenure, executive vice chairman Ed Woodward insists.

United have won just four of their first 11 Premier League matches under Van Gaal and announced a 9.9 per cent drop in revenue for the first quarter of the financial year on Tuesday as a result of failing to qualify for the Champions League last term.

The Red Devils splashed out around €187 million (£150m) on squad reinforcements over the summer, but an injury crisis has exacerbated a lack of experience in defence following the departures of veterans Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra.

Yet in spite of this, Woodward is adamant United will only enter the transfer market if one of their long-term targets becomes available, though he concedes there is a "low probability" of that happening.

"We're not looking to enter the market for short-term fixes," Woodward said in response to an investor's question in a conference call to discuss United's latest financial results.

"However, we have targets that we are looking at for next summer and should any of those become available in January, which is rare, we will consider acting.

"But it terms of expectations we all need to recognise [that] that's a low probability."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Woodward ayeth pissu kelinna wage hadanne

Defence kiyala namayak naha meh season 1ke so lassata kanna puluwan aduma tharame hoda CB kenekwath gatthe nathnam January wala​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi hints at Barcelona exit

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has hinted for the first time that he could leave the Catalan giants in the near future.

The 27-year-old has long maintained his happiness at Camp Nou and always insisted that he would only move to join boyhood club Newell's in Argentina at the end of his career.

However, the attacker has endured some tough times over the last year in Catalunya due to injuries, a tax fraud case and troubles on the pitch as Barca won only the Supercopa de Espana in 2013-14.

"I'm just living the present," Messi told Argentine sports paper Ole in an interview. "I'm thinking about having a great year at Barcelona and about winning the titles we want to win at Barcelona. Nothing more.

"After that, we'll see. Football has a lot of twists and turns. I always said that I'd like to stay there forever, but things don't always work out as you want them to."

Asked if he would leave due to a personal decision or a club choice, Messi added: "I have said it many times - if it were up to me, I would stay forever. But like I said just now, things don't always turn out how you would like, especially in football, which is so changeable and in which so many things happen.

"It's difficult and more so in these difficult times that Barcelona are going through at the moment."

The Blaugrana have been hit by several scandals off the pitch this year, with the resignation of former president Sandro Rosell back in January, while back-to-back defeats in La Liga (including the Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu last month) have seen Luis Enrique's side overtaken by fierce rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table.

"It's a very big club," Messi said. "And when you lose two games in a row, the problems start and there is criticism from all sides. It's a bit like what happens in the national team.

"A new coach [Luis Enrique] came in with new ideas and that takes time. We have more than enough great players to achieve important things this year, so I'm relaxed. This is just starting - there's a long way to go in La Liga and in the Champions League."

 

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"I have said it many times - if it were up to me, I would stay forever. But like I said just now, things don't always turn out how you would like, especially in football"

Messi mehema kiyala thiyenne aiUnhappy mode 1kakin nam wenna baha Barcelona inne.​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bony signs new Swansea City contract

Wilfried Bony has agreed a new four-year deal with Swansea City, ending speculation surrounding the in-demand striker's future.

The Ivory Coast international revealed last week that he was close to agreeing a new contract and is now tied to the club until the summer of 2018 following the one-year extension.

Bony scored 26 goals in an outstanding first season at the club, prompting a bid from Liverpool and interest from Tottenham during the summer and Garry Monk is delighted to see the club-record signing recommit.

"It's great news for the club," Monk told the club's official website.. "I've spoken a lot about what Bony has brought to the club not just on the pitch but off it as well.

"These types of players are ones that we do our best to keep at the club for a long time. But it's also important that we see commitment from that player towards the club, his team-mates and the fans.

"Bony has shown that he is very committed to this club by signing an extension here."

He added: "When we talk about the future and progressing it can't be just talk – there has to be commitment from myself, the players and the club.

"Bony has bought into the direction the club wants to take. He is a big player for us so to tie down his future is fantastic news for everyone connected with the club.

"I'm sure the fans will be more than happy with the extension. For them to see a big player, who they have a lot of affection for, tie down his future with their club is something they will thoroughly enjoy hearing about."