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Topic: STRICTLY FOR THE DIE HARD SOCCER FANS. (Read 23787 times)
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Hargreaves told to stay by Bayern
« Reply #848 on: August 19, 2006, 08:36:31 PM »
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Bayern Munich insist they are not interested in selling midfielder Owen Hargreaves to Manchester United.
Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed his interest in the 25-year-old England international, but Bayern do not want to part with him.
A statement on the German club's website said: "Bayern has not held negotiations with Manchester United.
"Furthermore, the club does not intend entering transfer negotiations regarding Owen Hargreaves."
The statement added: "Bayern Munich has officially requested Manchester United to cease pursuing its interest in Owen Hargreaves."
Hargreaves has made his desire to play for Manchester United in the Premiership clear.
He said: "I've had a fantastic time in Munich but from the 2006 World Cup my situation has changed."
Ferguson has been keen to acquire the services of Hargreaves and said: "We have been trying to negotiate with Bayern Munich for quite a while now.
"The boy has said he would like to join United. We would like to have him here."
Hargreaves starred for England last Wednesday as he helped the team to a 4-0 win in a friendly against Greece.
Bayern, however, are reluctant to let Hargreaves go after losing midfielder Michael Ballack to Chelsea in the summer.
Ferguson said the move was now in the "capable" hands of chief executive David Gill and added: "He's doing his best.
Ferguson was remaining hopeful that a deal could be done. He said: "You can never be confident but we are hopeful. We are dealing with a big club in Bayern Munich.
"The relationship between the two clubs has always been good.
"We would have preferred Ruud van Nistelrooy to join them [instead of Real Madrid] because that may have helped us with the Hargreaves situation.
"That wasn't to be. But hopefully we can get something done."
Hargreaves seems determined to seize on his raised profile in England following his combative and tough-tackling displays during the World Cup.
He was seen as England's player of the tournament and continued his impressive rise in the international ranks in the friendly against Greece in new manager Steve McClaren's first game in charge.
Hargreaves has been at Bayern since moving to the club from Canada as a 16-year-old in 1997.
He helped Bayern to the Champions League crown in 2001 and has also won four Bundesliga titles with the club.
His inclusion in former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup raised eyebrows after he had failed to establish himself since his international debut against Holland in August 2001.
But he was in impressive form in Germany and starred when he played against Sweden and Portugal.
Hargreaves has been linked with numerous Premiership clubs over recent years, including Arsenal, Tottenham and Middlesbrough.
Source: BBC Sport
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Villarreal unhappy with Man Utd
« Reply #849 on: August 19, 2006, 08:38:08 PM »
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Villarreal president Fernando Roig has criticised Manchester United over their interest in midfielder Marcos Senna.
"They've turned his head without bringing the matter to any conclusion," said Roig of United's conduct in chasing the £4m-rated 30-year-old.
"It isn't good for the relations between the clubs because people should behave in a more correct manner.
"The case is now closed. He will stay and we will have to see if he renews his contract or not."
Villarreal had said that they would approve the move if United made a good offer for the 30-year-old central midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Senna, who was born in Brazil, was part of Spain's World Cup squad and played an important role in Villarreal's run to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
Source: BBC Sport
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Serbia keeper quits after spat with coach
« Reply #850 on: August 19, 2006, 08:39:32 PM »
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BELGRADE, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Serbia goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric announced his international retirement after a spat with coach Javier Clemente and Football Association (FSS) chief Zvezdan Terzic.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper, who made 43 international appearances, said he was 'shocked and disappointed' with being left out of Serbia's starting line-up in their friendly against the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
'The FSS and the coach are ridiculous and they handled this like real amateurs. They could have at least told me before the match and I will not play for the national team again after this,' Jevric told Belgrade daily Blic.
'I couldn't believe they confined me to the bench and it was done in a humiliating and disgraceful manner. I can walk away with my head up high.'
Serbia won the match 3-1 in their first international appearance as an independent nation since the split with Montenegro and the FSS reacted swiftly by saying that 'no individual comes above the team interest.'
'We want a healthy group of 25 players who will be fully committed to the national team at all times. Those not prepared to sit on the bench don't belong here and shouldn't bother to turn up,' it said in a statement on Friday.
'The Football Association of Serbia will not allow any individual to pursue personal interests at the expense of the team's benefit.'
Jevric headed a defence that conceded 10 goals in three World Cup games where Serbia and Montenegro played as a unified team.
The soccer bodies finalised their split in July after the World Cup and Jevric, the only Montenegrin-born player in the squad, opted to play for Serbia.
Asked if he would change his mind and play for Montenegro in the future, he said: 'No, Serbia was my choice and rest assured that my international career ended on Wednesday.'
Serbia kick off their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign at home to Azerbaijan on Sept. 2 while Montenegro is yet to gain international soccer recognition.
Source: ESPN
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Celtic keen to sign Real Madrid's Gravesen
« Reply #851 on: August 19, 2006, 08:40:33 PM »
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Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is interested in signing Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen but is concerned by the midfielder's possible wage demands.
"We would have to have a look at it but there would have to be some homework done on wages," said Strachan.
"We would like to try and keep him within the structure that we have got here just now.
"But I think it's unfair to speak about anybody who is not here, it is unfair on the team, the player and our fans."
Danish international Gravesen was expected to make a decision over his future this week, with Celtic one of four possible destinations.
Real Madrid have told the 30-year-old he can leave for any club willing to pay their £2m valuation.
The former Everton midfielder has previously said he would prefer a return to the English Premiership.
But agent John Sivebaek told BBC Sport that Celtic were still being considered.
Celtic have turned down approaches from Aston Villa and Portsmouth for Stilian Petrov.
But, if the Scottish champions were to sell the Bulgarian, Gravesen may be seen as an ideal replacement.
Source: BBC Sport
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Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has confirmed his interest in signing Thomas Gravesen and Serbian hitman Daniel Ljuboja.
Talk of Celtic being interested in Real Madrid star Gravesen had not been taken seriously considering the club's hard-line tactics over transfer fees and players wages.
The Spanish giants would demand £2million for the player but the fact Strachan and chief executive Peter Lawwell are still interested suggests they are not scared by the price.
The stumbling block however would be the Denmark international's wages and the Hoops boss has warned him he would have to take a cut to fit into his pay structure.
Strachan said: 'We are actively trying to sign players and Peter (Lawwell) has been in Europe this week, trying his best to bring in players.
'It's not for me, the fans or Peter but it's for the players because they need more players beside them.
'We have lost some huge personalities over the past six months and we need to get good personalities and players to help these guys, who are working extremely hard.
'There would have to be some homework done on those (Gravesen) wages and we would like to try to keep him in the structure we have just now.
'It's unfair to speak about anybody that's not here and on something that might possibly happen but we are looking to bring in quality players within our budget.'
Celtic have also been strongly linked with a move for VfB Stuttgart striker Ljuboja but the German club are demanding a fee in the region of £1.4million.
The possible sale of Stilian Petrov to Aston Villa would give Strachan more money to spend and he continued: 'He is one of the players we are interested in.
'If somebody has stated we are interested then I can't tell you porkies and say we are not interested.'
Celtic also remain in talks with Wolves over the possible capture of full-back Lee Naylor.
Strachan added: 'That's another one that (Wolves chief executive) Jez Moxey was talking about and I'd be lying to say I'm not interested.
'We will see what we can do but again it's a money issue.'
Source: ESPN
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FIFA act against Croatia for Nazi salutes
« Reply #852 on: August 19, 2006, 08:41:29 PM »
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ZAGREB, Aug 18 (Reuters) - FIFA have begun disciplinary proceedings against the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) following racist behaviour by Croatia fans, the world governing body said on Friday.
It said Croatian fans had formed a swastika and made the Nazi salute in the stands during a friendly against Italy in Livorno on Wednesday in which Croatia beat the World Cup winners 2-0.
Croatian soccer officials were not available for immediate comment but earlier on Friday they condemned the behaviour of Croat fans.
'I was really shocked and disappointed by the fans. They do not care about Croatia but only about themselves,' HNS President Vlatko Markovic told the Jutarnji List daily.
Fans of FC Rijeka, named Armada, confirmed they were behind the incident.
'The Nazi cross was our response to provocations by (Italian fans) who waved the Yugoslav flag and communist symbols,' one Armada fan told the Jutarnji List.
Chief HNS security official Zoran Cvrk fears the repercussions will hurt a joint bid by Croatia and Hungary to stage the 2012 European Championship.
'Each incident with fans is a shot in our bid to host the Euro 2012,' he told the Vecernji List daily.
'This incident deserves to be treated severely. There is no doubt that both FIFA and (European soccer body) UEFA will condemn it. We call on the fans to help us find the perpetrators so that police can ban them from the stadiums.'
Source: ESPN
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Seleção Mujer
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SPECIAL-DESIFAN
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LYKES: +1754/-69
Posts: 2381
Its all about the drive.
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Bayern defiant over Hargreaves transfer
« Reply #853 on: August 19, 2006, 08:42:20 PM »
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Bayern Munich insist they are not interested in selling midfielder Owen Hargreaves to Manchester United.
Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed his interest in the 25-year-old England international, but Bayern do not want to part with him.
A statement on the German club's website said: "Bayern has not held negotiations with Manchester United.
"Furthermore, the club does not intend entering transfer negotiations regarding Owen Hargreaves."
The statement added: "Bayern Munich has officially requested Manchester United to cease pursuing its interest in Owen Hargreaves."
Hargreaves has made his desire to play for Manchester United in the Premiership clear.
He said: "I've had a fantastic time in Munich but from the 2006 World Cup my situation has changed."
Ferguson has been keen to acquire the services of Hargreaves and said: "We have been trying to negotiate with Bayern Munich for quite a while now.
"The boy has said he would like to join United. We would like to have him here."
Hargreaves starred for England last Wednesday as he helped the team to a 4-0 win in a friendly against Greece.
Bayern, however, are reluctant to let Hargreaves go after losing midfielder Michael Ballack to Chelsea in the summer.
Ferguson said the move was now in the "capable" hands of chief executive David Gill and added: "He's doing his best.
Ferguson was remaining hopeful that a deal could be done. He said: "You can never be confident but we are hopeful. We are dealing with a big club in Bayern Munich.
"The relationship between the two clubs has always been good.
"We would have preferred Ruud van Nistelrooy to join them [instead of Real Madrid] because that may have helped us with the Hargreaves situation.
"That wasn't to be. But hopefully we can get something done."
Hargreaves seems determined to seize on his raised profile in England following his combative and tough-tackling displays during the World Cup.
He was seen as England's player of the tournament and continued his impressive rise in the international ranks in the friendly against Greece in new manager Steve McClaren's first game in charge.
Hargreaves has been at Bayern since moving to the club from Canada as a 16-year-old in 1997.
He helped Bayern to the Champions League crown in 2001 and has also won four Bundesliga titles with the club.
His inclusion in former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup raised eyebrows after he had failed to establish himself since his international debut against Holland in August 2001.
But he was in impressive form in Germany and starred when he played against Sweden and Portugal.
Hargreaves has been linked with numerous Premiership clubs over recent years, including Arsenal, Tottenham and Middlesbrough.
Source: BBC Sport
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MANCHESTER, England, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich have again closed the door on Manchester United's hopes of signing England midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness told German SID sports news agency that he had spoken with United chief executive David Gill and had told him: 'You can offer me 50 million euros for Owen Hargreaves but we will not let him go.'
Coach Felix Magath, said it was high time 25-year-old Hargreaves showed he was committed to his contract, which runs through June 2010.
'He can climb to the top of Mount Everest and say whatever he wants but a contract with Bayern Munich is a contract. Basta! (enough).'
A statement from the Bavarian club declared: 'FC Bayern has informed the player and his agent in no uncertain terms that the contract with the club until June 30, 2010 is to be honoured.'
The statement was released after Ferguson confirmed United's interest in the England midfielder.
'To this day, we have not discussed a transfer with Manchester United or any other club and there will be no future talks over a transfer of Hargreaves,' continued Bayern's statement.
'FC Bayern Munich have informed Manchester United on this day, Friday August 18 2006, that they must end their advances for Owen Hargreaves.''
While Hargreaves' agent Roman Grill on Thursday admitted his client was intent on a move to United and asked for the request to leave to be taken seriously by Bayern, the German champions told the midfielder his contract must be honoured.
'We are honest partners,' Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the Munchner Merkur newspaper. 'When a player signs a contract, he has rights and duties.
'Owen Hargreaves has the duty, among others, to play here until 2010, and that is the end of it.'
Rummenigge, who earlier this summer spoke of the special relationship between his club and United as he tried to convince the Premiership side to sell Ruud van Nistelrooy, sent a clear message to the Red Devils.
'Owen Hargreaves is an important player for FC Bayern Munich and we are planning with him and other young international players for our future,'' he added.
'That is why we will not even discuss a transfer of Owen Hargreaves with any club.'
Source: ESPN
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SPECIAL-DESIFAN
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Its all about the drive.
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Donadoni traveling to Spain to observe Italian players
« Reply #854 on: August 19, 2006, 09:14:56 PM »
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ROME (AP) - Italy coach Roberto Donadoni traveled to Spain on Friday to check on the recent influx of national team players to the Spanish league.
His first scheduled stop was Real Madrid's preseason game against Real Betis on Wednesday.
Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro left relegated Juventus for Madrid after leading the Azzurri to the World Cup title last month. Donadoni also wants to watch Antonio Cassano and speak with Madrid coach Fabio Capello about the temperamental striker.
Cassano was Italy's top player at the 2004 European Championship but has not played much for the national team since.
The next stop on Donadoni's itinerary is Barcelona, where he will attend Sunday's second leg of the Spanish Supercup between FC Barcelona and Espanyol.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard - a former teammate of Donadoni's at AC Milan - can give the Azzurri boss an update on defender Gianluca Zambrotta, who joined Barcelona from Juventus last month.
Other Italian players based in the Spanish league that Donadoni may be interested in are Sevilla midfielder Enzo Maresca and striker Francesco Tavano, who left Empoli for Valencia this week.
Donadoni is then expected to return to Rome to talk with Francesco Totti about his future with the national team. Totti said after the World Cup final that he was considering retiring from international play.
Donadoni called Totti on Thursday night to arrange a meeting, Corriere Della Sera reported Friday.
Italy hosts Lithuania on Sept. 2 in Naples to open Euro 2008 qualifying, then travels to France four days later for a rematch of the World Cup final.
A third-string Italy side lost a friendly 2-0 to Croatia on Wednesday.
Source: Fox Sports
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Totti open to playing for Italy again
« Reply #855 on: August 19, 2006, 09:16:06 PM »
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ROME (AP) - Francesco Totti is open to playing for Italy again - on a limited basis at least.
In the hours after Italy won the World Cup final last month, Totti said he was considering retiring from international play. Still recovering from a broken left leg, the AS Roma playmaker did not perform his best at the tournament in Germany.
"I'm open to playing for the national team again," Totti was quoted as saying in Saturday's Gazzetta dello Sport, following a phone call with new Italy coach Roberto Donadoni.
Totti said he had not "played up to my potential" in the World Cup.
"I would (now) like to play for the national team only when I am well physically," he added.
The Gazzetta speculated that Totti would also prefer to stay out of friendly matches.
Donadoni said it was "logical that a player doesn't respond to a call up if he has problems.
"But evaluations will be made case by case, because when a player is well, he can also play friendlies," Donadoni added. "The rules are equal for everyone, although I know full well how long and stressful Italian clubs' seasons can be."
Donadoni is planning a meeting with Totti next week to iron out the details of his future participation with the national team.
Source: Fox Sports
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