Posts
by Cindy Tran
FORMER Liverpool star, Harry Kewell has claimed to sign a three years contract with the Turkish club Galatasaray.
Kewell has now chosen to head over to Turkey after Galatasary confirmed the signing on the club's official website. The club are understood to have offered Kewell a $3 million a year salary.
He has also been forced to write an open letter to Leeds United fans who are unhappy with his decision to join Turkish champions Galatasaray.
Though Kewell was mentioned to be named for the Olyroos squad to compete in the Beijing Olympics, it may now be in jeopardy depending on the demands from the Turkish club.
This was how Galatasaray broke the news...
Cindy Tran ©
Hi!
Thought it was only proper in a football group that some talk re. the lower levels of the professional game be included.
On Thursday Annan Athletic got elected to the above league to replace the now bankrupt Gretna.
As a supporter of Dumbarton, this is of particular interest as we will play them 4 times in the forthcoming season.
This has re-ignited the debate in Scotland on a pyramid system being introduced to allow more teams to enter the league on merit, while consigning the likes of East Stirlingshire to non-league football if they continually finish bottom of the league.
I have sympathy with the basic idea, however there are a couple of isssues.
1. The split between senior non-league clubs and the junior clubs. In Scotland there is a seperate affiliated organisation for what are termed as junior clubs. (this does not relate to age). The office bearers might have a big fish in a little pond mentality.
2. The standard of the grounds might not be suitable.
However, I believe with goodwill and genuine desire of the governing bodies in the game this can come to pass.
While it might not bring much improvement, it will allow the chance for teams to show their true potential..
by Cindy Tran
Australia were drawn into Group A of the qualifying groups tonight. Pim Verbeek's side will be facing Japan, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Qatar in the final stages of the World Cup qualifying for South Africa 2010.
Verbeek's squad will compete against the Japanese in the final qualifier. The game will be held in Australia next year in June, the same side they defeated in their opening game at the 2006 World Cup and Japan's revenge at last year's Asian Cup.
Australia require to finish in the top two of their group to guarantee an automatic entry to the South Africa in 2010.
Group B consists of South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and United Arab Emirates.
The next qualifying match will be on September 10 against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The Uzbeks won every game in their first round of qualifying but lost in one.
Japan lost just only one match in their group 2 whilst Bahrain was second in the group.
Australia will have their rematch games against both Qatar and Bahrain, have beaten both teams twice in the recent qualifying matches.
"All teams are difficult, we know that. I think we have a very interesting group. We have to work hard, really hard to achieve the final round. All the players know that now after all the experience of the past two years."* Verbeek said after the draw.
Australia's fixtures are as follows:
10 September 2008, Uzbekistan v Australia
15 October 2008, Australia v Qatar
19 November 2008, Bahrain v Australia
11 February 2009, Japan v Australia
1 April 2009, Australia v Uzbekistan
6 June 2009, Qatar v Australia
10 June 2009, Australia v Bahrain
17 June 2009, Australia v Japan.
Cindy Tran ©
* Quote from http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/79306,pim-believes-home-finale-crucial.aspx
* Pictures from Getty Images
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I can already picture 2005 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay happening all over again. Oh dear. I can't wait to attend that match next year. It's going to be another super June. A match against Italy in either June or November next year too. This match against Japan will be a SELL OUT! It's going to be HUGE. I'm already excited!
The draw was a satisfactory result. It's not really a group of death for the Socceroos, but it's not going to be easy, it's going to be tough and as I've said before... In football, ANYTHING could happen. Every game is a challenge and this will indeed be a very nerve racking match.
The boys have demonstrated that they could get through Qatar and Bahrain from their previous matches. Hopefully we could do it again. Japan is a huge threat and an extra intimidation to the competition.
Fingers crossed that the match will be held in Sydney against Japan. The football sensation from 05 is coming back :)
More to follow up later...
I am sick of the randoms who are constantly arguing that football in Australia SUCKS.
Before the miraculous year of 2006, the first and last time we were at the World Cup was 1974. Australian Football were in a drought for 32 years straight...
On November 16 2005, the second leg of the qualifying series, it was Guus Hiddink who made our dreams come true. Mark Bresciano scored in the first half leaving Australia in front of Uruguay 1-0. The aggregate was tied, therefore extra time was played. Neither team scored after two periods of extra time, bringing the game to a penalty shootout.
Australia won the penalty shootout 4-2, making Australia the only team to ever qualify for a World Cup through a penalty shootout. It was our tremedous goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer who made two crucial saves and John Aloisi scoring the winning penalty.
I must say, it was the best night EVER! Watching our boys kick those amazing goals past the keeper just gave me shivers up my spine and goosebumps on my arms and legs. I purchased Australia verses Uruguay qualifying match and the Australia + World Cup 2006 on DVD. It's an experience where you relive the moment again. You get this amazing feeling everytime you watch it. It makes you all hyped up, jumpy and cheering. I'm not sure if it has ever happened to anyone else who felt the same way about their team, but that's how I feel.
During the 2006 World Cup, if you flicked through any newspapers, especially the Daily Telegraph or Sydney Morning Herald... The Socceroos. Were. Everywhere. They were the cover news headlines on every front page.
If you're an Australia football fan, I'm pretty sure you will agree on what I'm going to say next.
Since when have the boys ever made our lives easy?
The penalties against Uruguay in the World Cup qualifers
3 goals in the last 9 minutes against Japan during the 2006 World Cup
An equaliser against Croatia with just only 10 minutes to full-time
An equaliser by Cahill at 90min+1 against Oman during the 2007 Asian Cup
4 goals against Thailand during the 2007 Asian Cup
The Socceroos were constantly leaving us hanging off our couches and screaming for mercy!
I still remember the final game we played during the 2006 World Cup. Australia verses Italy. The boys gave an incredible performance to the very end. I was kicking myself when we lost in the dying minutes. It was a challenging game. I guess it was the worse thing that had happened to me during that year. I was crying over a week and never got over it after a few months. Some blame the bad ref call and others are blaming that "Stupid Italian guy who made a dive and should win an Oscar award for it!"
The Asian Cup 2007 was the most horrendous thing I ever witnessed. It was down to the final game against Thailand where we needed 3+ goals to progress into the quarter finals. Everyone had doubts because of the poor performance by the boys due to the heat and Graham Arnold's unorganised coaching! The boys had to score 3+ goals or else we would be knocked out and be humiliated by the Asian countries.
Australia lost against Japan in the 2007 Asian Cup quarter finals. It was down to the penalty shootout. Japan deserved that win. At least we lost to Japan. I respect them and the way they play. I knew Asia was tough after the Oman match. I remember Graham Arnold telling the media before the cup that it would be easy to win the whole tournament... It would be like flying colours. Yeah right.
A-League was introduced in 2005. It isn't the best football we've seen compared to the English Premier League, but it's a great start to football in Australia. Many kids are taking up football nowadays and are admiring their football icons. I reckon ever since the 2006 World Cup, more kids have consider taking up football. It is decreasing obesity and avoiding them to sit in front of the TV and/or computers.
Football is still growing in Australia. Some of the A-League players are reassigning to the overseas club every year, which is a great development and improvement into their career paths. Australian football can only grow stronger as a team and learn from the mistakes made. More and more players are recognised and are getting offers all over the place. Football is a new beginning in our sporting culture and will extend well in the next generation or so!
Hence, stop blabbing on that we suck and give Australia a chance to be part of the football sensation.
Cindy Tran ©
Who's gonna be the winner of the tournament?
Manuel Rui Costa yesterday played last match of his glorious career...!!!
Ciao Rui...!!!!!
Anoche San Lorenzo sacó chapa de campeón al levantar un partido para el infarto ante River, de visitante con 2 jugadores menos y perdiendo 2 a 0.
La hazaña del Ciclón vino de la mano de Bergesio, que convirtió los dos goles, y de la garra que puso todo el equipo en la cancha a pesar de tener dos jugadores menos.
El Ciclón sigue en la Copa Libertadores, y jugará contra la Liga de Quito.
Para seguir leyendo…
Jueves 8/5, 20.30 hs.
(Fox Sports)
River - San Lorenzo
i had so much fun yesterday attending a soccer game here.. not a usual thing i do,, but it's like the biggest 2 teams here in Kuwait.. and i didn't have a decent zoom lens,, so forgive me, no good photos this time..
and yea, my team ( in yellow ) won the game.. 2-0...
