Giggs set for new contract

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has promised Ryan Giggs a new contract with the Premier League champions.

The 33-year-old's existing deal runs out at the end of the current campaign but Ferguson is sure the life-long United servant will still be at the club come the start of next season.

And the United boss also revealed Giggs could even break Bobby Charlton's all-time appearance record of 759 games for United before the end of this term.

"He will not play every game for us this season but he will be here next season, that is for certain," Ferguson told the News of the World. "He could even catch Bobby before the end of May.

"We have plenty of Premier League games left and, hopefully, another 10 European ties. There is also the FA Cup, so it is possible."

Giggs joined United as a schoolboy and has been a feature in Ferguson's side since 1991, accumulating an astounding haul of trophies in over 16 years of service so far, including nine Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and a Champions League trophy.

And Ferguson is in no doubt that the Welshman can continue to perform at the highest level for some time to come.

"With the way Giggs looks after himself, he could go on until infinity. You just don't know," Ferguson said.

"It's impossible to see any marked deterioration in the lad. When a player gets towards his 34th birthday he loses bits of his game, particularly when he's a forward.

"But there is no downside in his performances and that is amazing.

"That's down to his constitution and how he looks after himself with his lifestyle, he's quite a passive, laid back person.

"These are the qualities which have allowed him to continue to compete at the competition level we are in. It's quite unique."

Van Persie keeps Arsenal on top

Robin van Persie's first half header gave Arsenal all three points in a hard-fought encounter with West Ham on Saturday, ensuring the Gunners stay top of the Premier League table for at least another week.

The Dutchman swooped with a header on 13 minutes to preserve Arsene Wenger's unbeaten run this season, which now stretches to eight games.

It took Arsenal barely 60 seconds to show just why they are sitting pretty on top of the table. Almost inevitably, it was Cesc Fabregas - the smoothly running cog in Arsenal's engine room once again - who started off a flowing rapid-fire passing move from which Emmanuel Adebayor nearly opening the scoring, his shot going narrowly wide of Robert Green's upright.

But the Gunners did not have to wait for much longer before a breakthrough was made, Van Persie getting in front of Hammers skipper Lucas Neill to head home an Aleksandr Hleb cross.

In fairness, the goal was harsh on West Ham, who had until that point largely matched Arsenal and even created several chances of their own in an open start to the game.

Dean Ashton looked busy up front for the hosts, and it was his superbly executed flick to former Arsenal man Freddie Ljungberg that nearly carved open the Gunners's back line. But Manuel Almunia - still deputising for the injured Jens Lehmann - was off his line quickly to save at the Swede's feet on five minutes.

Minutes later, Ashton threatened once again, this time letting fly from distance; his shot flew over the bar, but the signs were encouraging for the east Londoners.

Van Persie's third goal of the season served to dent the Hammers' confidence somewhat, but nonetheless, they did enough during the opening 45 minutes to go in slightly aggrieved at being a goal down, even if the opening period ended with Arsenal on the front foot.

Van Persie saw a free kick turned round the corner by Green on 41 minutes before Mathieu Flamini brought the keeper into action once again with a stinging drive from outside the box before the whistle brough an end to proceedings.

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Coventry shock United

Coventry stunned an inexperienced Manchester United side to send the Premier League champions crashing out of the Carling Cup at Old Trafford.

Roared on by more than 11,000 travelling fans, Iain Dowie's side were impressive throughout against hosts including Anderson, Nani, John O'Shea and Tomasz Kuszczak.

When Jonny Evans failed to clear the danger, Michael Doyle sent the ball into the area for Michael Mifsud to give Coventry a first-half lead in the 27th minute.

The Sky Blues deserved their advantage - and while United sought a leveller in the second half, Mifsud doubled the lead with 20 minutes left to play.

Fernando Torres struck a hat-trick in a surprise start for Liverpool

Fernando Torres struck a hat-trick in a surprise start for Liverpool as they edged an entertaining Carling Cup third-round clash at Reading 4-2.

While Manchester City and Arsenal both came through with narrow victories in tough encounters.

There are also two games in extra-time - follow the latest LIVE by clicking the link below the picture.

Yossi Benayoun broke his Liverpool duck with a goal of the highest quality to give the Reds the lead at Reading, scoring past Adam Federici from distance in the 23rd minute.

Bobby Convey levelled four minutes but Torres made the most of his run-out by firing Liverpool back in front early in the second half.

John Halls equalised in the 64th minute but Torres put Liverpool in front for a third time with another fabulous finish in the 71st minute, before converting a one-on-one for his hat-trick.

Owen to undergo scan

Michael Owen is set to undergo a second scan on his problematic groin after having limped off the pitch during Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham on Sunday.

The England striker asked to be replaced just six minutes into the second half of the clash at St James' Park, and now requires another scan on Monday to reveal the extent of the damage.

The news comes at a bad time for England boss Steve McClaren with next month's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia fast approaching.

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce said: "We will know better on Monday. It is still a groin problem which we will have to look into a little deeper because it has become persistent.

"We will make a decision from there. We will probably scan it again, have another specialist opinion and then see where we go from there. But he is definitely out for Tuesday.

"I am worried that he asked to come off today because he felt it, whereas it was me who took him off against Derby, so since then, even though the scan was clear, there's a persistent area which is causing him a problem.

"We need to look deeper into that."

United down troubled Chelsea

Life after Jose Mourinho started in disappointing fashion for Chelsea, who lost 2-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford and had John Obi Mikel sent off.

Carlos Tevez headed his first goal for United with virtually the final act of the first half, while Louis Saha converted a late penalty.

New manager Avram Grant could not have wished for a tougher opening fixture - although Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri also played United in their first game in charge.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side have struggled recently - despite a recent run of 1-0 wins - and chose the perfect time to score two or more goals for the first time this season, producing an impressive display.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made a string of top saves, while his opposite number Edwin van der Sar hardly had an important contribution to make.

Inevitably, Grant lined Chelsea up with Roman Abramovich's favourite Andriy Shevchenko as the focal point of his attack.

He also played Mikel, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien in a sturdy three-man midfield.

Wayne Rooney and Tevez started up front for United, the former making his first Premier League appearance since the opening day of the season.

He nearly made it a spectacular return as early as the second minute, when he turned Tal Ben Haim and curled a 25-yard shot towards the top-right corner, only to see Cech claw the ball acrobatically away.

Seconds later there were concerning moments for the home side as Rio Ferdinand went down after a challenge with Shevchenko, appearing to have suffered a groin injury.

But the England defender shrugged the stretcher-bearers aside and played the full 90 minutes alongside the superb Nemanja Vidic, who combined sterling defensive work with an ever-present aerial threat in the Chelsea box, testing Cech with a firm first-half header.

Tevez then went close with a powerful effort that Cech did well to hold, before Ryan Giggs volleyed over at the far post when a header seemed the better option.

On 32 minutes the game changed when Mikel went in hard on Patrice Evra with his foot up. It was a rash tackle but hardly deserved the straight red card referee Mike Dean showed him.

Chelsea skipper John Terry attempted to snatch the card from Dean's hand as he held it aloft - had it been anyone other than the England captain this indiscretion might have received a punishment.

The visitors stayed strong until the third minute of injury time, when Giggs collected the ball on the right and crossed exquisitely with the outside of his left foot, finding the diving Tevez's forehead a couple of yards from goal. For once, Cech had no chance.

The second half began slowly, with both sides seemingly happy with the status quo.

Although United had the bulk of the possession and territory, they created few genuine chances.

Giggs volleyed over again following a magnificent lofted through ball from Michael Carrick, while Rooney tested Cech's alertness with a long shot.

Shevchenko rarely saw 90 minutes' action under Mourinho and nothing changed in Grant's first game, as he was withdrawn for Salomon Kalou before the hour mark.

The game livened up as heavy tackles began to fly in. Joe Cole upended Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney could have seen a second yellow for a shoulder barge on Ashley Cole.

Wes Brown and Terry were also carded before Ben Haim tugged back substitute Saha in the box on 89 minutes.

The Frenchman exaggerated the contact but the foul was clumsy, and Saha just found the net, cracking his shot low down the centre.

United go second behind Arsenal while Chelsea are just sixth - sporting goal difference of minus one - and could drop another three places if West Ham, Aston Villa and Blackburn win their games in hand.

Champions League - Arsenal too strong for Sevilla

Cesc Fabregas scored one and set up two more as Arsenal overwhelmed UEFA Cup holders Sevilla 3-0 as they opened their Champions League Group H campaign with an impressive victory at the Emirates Stadium.

After Fabregas' deflected 27th minute effort, Robin van Persie made it 2-0 in the 59th before substitute Eduardo da Silva slid home the third in stoppage time just minutes after coming on.

Fabregas's long-range strike appeared to be going wide until it took an emphatic deflection off Julien Escude and went in.

Van Persie then scored from close range after Bacary Sagna flicked on a Fabregas free-kick before the Spanish schemer gave Croat striker Eduardo the simplest of tap-ins after Federico Fazio gifted away possession.

It was Sevilla's first match at this level since they played in the old European Cup some 50 years ago and despite playing their usual high tempo game, they rarely troubled the home side.

Indeed they almost went behind after 13 minutes when Andres Palop spilled Mathieu Flamini's fizzing drive but the keeper just got to the rebound ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor.

And although Fabregas' goal had a large slice of fortune, Arsene Wenger's men could easily have extended the lead before the break.

Tomas Rosicky's corner found Kolo Toure eight yards out but Escude did just enough to force the Ivorian to push his header past the post.

Terrific play from Adebayor followed as he outwitted Federico Fazio on the left flank but his final effort screwed off the outside of his boot.

Former Tottenham man Frederic Kanoute stung Manuel Almunia's palms with a fizzing shot and came close to latching onto Christian Poulsen's chip just before the interval but the Spanish side slipped further behind after some poor defending.

Fabregas' delivery was spot on and when the ball reached van Persie unmarked six yards out, he slashed the ball into the net.

Sevilla's best chance came five minutes later as Philippe Senderos only managed to deflect a cross from the right into Jose Luis Marti's path but the midfielder couldn't untangle his feet and failed get a shot on goal from six yards.

A rampaging run from the impresive Sagna resulted in Adebayor's flicked header landing just inches away from the far corner but after Kanoute spurned another decent chance, Wenger's men sealed the game with Eduardo's strike.

Platini's plans come under fire

Uefa president Michel Platini's plans to shake up the Champions League could damage Scottish football, according to the Scottish Premier League chairman.

Platini has proposed that countries reserve one of their Champions League places for the winners of their national cup competition.

But SPL chairman Lex Gold says the nation's best players could miss out on vital Champions League experience.

"He is damaging our prospects," Gold told BBC ONE's Inside Sport.

"The higher the level players play at, the greater their experience, and the greater their experience, (the more it) benefits our nation and helps our country.

"We are a country of five million people and we want to see our players get the highest level of experience."

Asked whether the proposal would make the national team suffer, Gold replied: "Yes, quite clearly that's what is going to happen.

"Our top clubs have got very good experience in Europe and that is feeding through to our national game."

Gold's fears are echoed by Celtic manager Gordon Strachan who thinks the competition should be represented by the best teams the country has to offer.

"I really don't see the benefit of teams who win an FA Cup or Scottish Cup (entering the Champions League)," he said.

"It could have been Gretna a couple of years ago. No disrespect, but I don't think that's Scottish football at its best.

"You can fluke a couple of results to get to a final. If you play in the Championship and you are second or first you deserve to be there and they deserve to be shown as the best of Scottish or English."

Report: Spurs boss gets six-match ultimatum

LONDON: Tottenham manager Martin Jol has been given an ultimatum of six games to save his job after his side fell to a 3-1 loss at home to Arsenal at the weekend, according to press reports here yesterday.

Jol’s position has come under scrutiny as his side sit fourth from bottom with just one win from six games with speculation rife of a swoop for Sevilla’s Juande Ramos.

While Daniel Levy has apparently ruled out an immediate parting of the ways, even a revival from Spurs in the next month may not be enough to save Jol.

The Dutchman is adamant he is the man to help break into the 'big four’ and hit out at those who continue to undermine his position in the wake of the defeat by Arsenal on Saturday.

He said: “I’m not hurting inside. I will try to get the results and as long as the players show me the commitment they showed me again, there is no problem.

“People said in 2005 I was going to be out of a job but I am still here.

“So I think I will be here in six weeks. I feel there are two worlds here in London.

“There are you guys (journalists) and then there are the supporters who read your papers. It’s amazing, no?

“Although they read your papers, they’re still backing me. That’s a great feeling.

“I don’t think the board is a problem. I tell them all the time what’s wrong. We speak about players and talk about the team.” – AFP

Riise and Sissoko out of Reds’ opener

LONDON:Liverpool left back John Arne Riise has been ruled out of his side’s Champions League opener in Porto today because of a groin injury.

The Norwegian injured himself on international duty last week and will not travel to Portugal, the club’s website said yesterday. Midfielder Mohamed Sissoko will also miss the trip.

Better news for last year’s runners-up is the return to fitness of Fabio Aurelio, who will be in Rafael Benitez’s squad for the Group A clash.

Brazilian Aurelio has been out since April after rupturing his Achilles tendon against PSV Eindhoven in last season's Champions League quarter-final.

“Fabio is back, which is good news for us,” manager Rafael Benitez said. “He has worked hard to recover from his injury and could be a useful asset for us.” – Reuters

Should MLS be Protecting Beckham?

I have an interesting article from the Toronto Star I want you to read. It’s about the Beckham injury, and particularly about what it means to MLS in the long run.

The main point seems to be that if Beckham keeps getting injured, he’s going to pack up his Goldenballs and retire, and this does not benefit MLS. What particularly interests me is the call for a “Beckham rule” unofficially calling for harsher punishment for anybody who harms Becks.

First interesting quote is here. Agree or disagree?

Since arriving, the half-speed star has been a punching bag out on the pitch, kicked to bits by every rough-houser he’s faced.

What do you think about this? Aside from the Steve Sidwell challenge from Chelsea (not an MLS side, in case nobody’s noticed, and the tackle wasn’t a foul if I’m remembering correctly) and the Jesse Marsch brawl-sparking nasty tackle in the Chivas game, have there been a lot of ugly ones? Refresh my memory, because I’m not remembering a lot out of the ordinary.

But here’s the really interesting part.

Perhaps the initial plan really was to play for five years. But Beckham will never be as hot as he is right now, particularly if he spends significant chunks of the next few years in emergency rooms. Watching someone writhe around on a soccer pitch doesn’t signal manly man to the American moviegoer Beckham is not-so-secretly courting.

If he’s wise, Beckham is planning his early retirement right now. If it is wise, the league is trying to figure out how to keep him. To that end, it’s time to institute a second “Beckham Rule” in MLS, one that has nothing to do with salary caps.

This one follows on the heels of the “Gretzky Rule.” In essence, it constructs an invisible shield around Beckham. The understanding should be that heedless or malicious tackles on Beckham will result in immediate expulsion and hefty disciplinary action. This can’t be an overt rule, obviously, merely an understood one.

Right now, right or wrong, Beckham is MLS to many casual fans. If the MLS can’t protect him, it might find its grand strategy following him out the door when he quits on it.

I’d really like to know what you think about this.

As you’re reading this, I’m probably in the air and headed to Paris. What’s that you say? My beloved France National Team will be playing while I’m there? Golly, that had completely escaped my notice. (And the ticket in my purse is not causing me to do the the happy dance. That you can see.) I’m not back till the 17th and am not taking my laptop, so anything for the next ten or so days will be hit or miss depending on my ability to find internet cafe-type places.

As always, please leave comments if anything interesting comes up.

Uganda: Uganda Soccer Stars Living the Dream Lifestyle

Ibrahim Sekagya

The Cranes captain is a jack-of-all-trades and equally shrewd both on and off the pitch. At his new club Red Bulls Salzburg in Austria where he will earn approximately Shs20m a week, Sekagya has learnt to spend the money.

In Austria, he resides in a flat, cruises an Audi A6 and rides on Yachts with teammates, just for fun. The defence kingpin also has an acute business mind despite spending most of his earnings on his extensive family.

Rumour has it that he owns a watches shop in Nairobi where he spends some time when on holiday and has built an ultra-modern mansion in Ntinda estimated at Shs300m.

He has bought other assets from Real Estate dealers through one of his blockers and friend Hakeem. He pays hefty amounts of tuition for his relatives including his sister at Makerere University and brother Sula Ssebuza who plays for Simba SC and is a student at MUBS, Nakawa.

When in Kampala, he is a common figure in Ange Noir, discotheque where he prefers to cool down. With the new deal at Salzburg, the 26-year old will have the world at his feet one day.

Posnet Omony

He may not be playing for Cranes anymore, but Omwony enjoys a happy life both on and off the field. He is the number one at his South African club - Bloemfontein Celtics and reportedly earns a cool $3,500 (Shs6.5m) a month. While on holiday, he drives a Suzuki whereas his other car - a Toyota Carib is used for special hire at the Kireka - Banda stage. His mega mansion and apartments in Kyaliwajala - Namugongo, estimated at Shs300m are still under construction. The burly shot stopper loves to hang out a lot. Pado Pado Bar and Restaurant in Kireka, Resort Beach, Entebbe and Ange - Noir are his favourite hang out joints.

Hakim Magumba

The midfield dynamo, well known as 'boda-boda' is not your usual soccer player as far as financial matters are concerned. He is not the kind of guy you'll easily find in a bar or nightclub. He has made good use of his earnings from football.

Even before he left for Rwanda, Magumba was doing well.

Even without any earnings from soccer, he was doing well with a business mind to die for, despite the little formal education he attained. Though he no longer plays for the national team, Magumba is a happy and settled man. He has amassed enough wealth that can sustain his family for some good years.

He owns a mansion in Kasubi where his wife and kid stay. He also owns a commercial building in his hometown Iganga and is currently constructing another mansion in Buziga.

Magumba drives a short Chassis Pajero, which he leaves with the wife while away in Rwanda. On top of his unknown sources of income, Magumba's quick skillful feet earn him an additional 200,000 RWF (approximately Shs605, 000) a month at Rwanda's Atraco F.C

Dennis Onyango

The 21-year old star never stops to shine. A natural striker, Onyango tried out his goalkeeping skills while at SC Villa in 2005 and has never looked back. He took over from his mentor Posnet Omwony and seniors Ibrahim Mugisha and Hannington Kalyesubula as the number one Cranes custodian. Onyango is only one year old at Supersport United of South Africa but his awesome game reading saw him take the number one spot at the club from Rowen Fernandez. Little is unknown about his wealth but at least he has been seen driving a car of the Escudo make and word is rife that he is constructing a house in Ndejje.

Geoffrey Sserunkuma

The 23-year old goal poacher is an orphan who is determined to make a living from his most passionate sport. A senior four dropout of Malcolm X Secondary School in Nsambya, Sserunkuma doesn't have a lot of money to splash around lavishly.

His deal from Police to KCC, helped him to a personal sign on fee of Shs3m. He topped up with some of his personal savings to buy a 3-bedroomed house in Bweyogerere. His eight siblings look up to him for the basic necessities and despite earning US$1,500 (Shs2.5m) per month at St. George F.C in Ethiopia, Sserunkuma has been able to solely cater for his family.

Lazy and laid back as he is, Sserunkuma has good plans for all his earnings. Recently, he is said to have refurbished his Jjaaja's house in Katwe and his parents' home in Matugga.

Leaders Bayern share the spoils with Schalke

BERLIN: Bayern Munich had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04 on Saturday, a result that cut their lead in the Bundesliga to a single point.

Ivan Rakitic beat Oliver Kahn with a low shot in the 36th minute to stun the 66,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern equalised with a Miroslav Klose header nine minutes after the break.

After five games, Bayern lead with 11 points, one ahead of Arminia Bielefeld and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bielefeld won 4-2 at home to Hansa Rostock while Frankfurt enjoyed a 2-1 thriller at home to Hamburg SV.

Champions VfB Stuttgart joined Schalke on seven points with a 3-0 win at home to Energie Cottbus.

With Luca Toni back and fit, Bayern looked capable of winning handsomely.

Toni, however, wasted his first chance in the seventh minute, dragging a shot wide after being put clean through on goal.

Klose then missed two perfect opportunities to play in his strike partner after neat build-up play and Christian Lell fluffed a good opening at the far post.

Schalke were struggling to hold on when from nowhere they took the lead.

Rakitic, fresh from his first two international games for Croatia, controlled the ball 25 metres out and swept in low at Kahn's right-hand post for a brilliant opener.

Kahn kept Bayern in the game by saving from Rakitic when the 19-year-old raced through on goal a minute before the break.

Bayern pressed hard and got the equaliser from a Franck Ribery free kick on the right. Toni's header forced a fine one-handed save from Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer and Klose pounced on the rebound for his fourth goal of the season.

Bayern had lots of possession but created few clear chances and Schalke might easily have claimed victory as two Christian Pander free kicks created confusion in the Bayern area.

“The first half was good,” Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld told reporters. “We didn't take our chances, though, and after that we didn't do enough. I think both sides deserved their point.” – Reuters

Roma claim top spot, Juventus suffer shock defeat at Udinese

ROME: Roma went to the top of the Serie A yesterday when they extended their perfect start to the season to three out of three with a 2-0 win over Reggina.

Juventus went into the weekend's action in the lead on goal difference but slipped to fourth when suffering a shock 1-0 loss, their first defeat of the new campaign, to Udinese in Turin.

Inter Milan climbed four places to second with their 2-0 win, the second of the season, over San Siro visitors Catania.

On paper Juventus rather than Roma looked to have the better chance of maintaining their unblemished record for 2007/08 with the Romans mustering only one win from their last four visits to Calabria.

But they boosted that record after Brazilian Juan marked his topflight debut in the best possible way, putting Roma in front in the 50th minute with Francesco Totti adding the second six minutes from time.

Roma's cause had not been helped when goalkeeper Alexander Doni failed to come back for the second half after suffering an injury, the gloves being taken by Under-21 international Gianluca Curci.

The result was a timely confidence booster ahead of Roma's opening Champions League group tie against Dinamo Kiev.

In Turin, Juventus had a frustrating afternoon with Alessandro del Piero hitting the post three times against a Udinese side that had proved capable of holding Inter to a 1-1 draw at the start of the campaign, only to crash 5-0 to Napoli.

There was to be no such repeat of that lopsided loss here with Udinese taking the lead in the opening seconds of the second half in a three player move started by Giuseppe Dossena and completed by the unmarked Antonio Di Natale's header.

Di Natale's heroics came after his two goals for Italy in their 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifier win over Ukraine last week.

Udinese went close to doubling their advantage in the 62nd minute only for Gyan Asamoah's half-volley to ricochet off the upright.

Napoli's 2-0 win over Sampdoria lifted them up five places into third between Inter and Juve.

On Saturday, fifth-placed AC Milan were held to their second successive 1-1 draw with only Alessandro Nesta's late late equaliser avoided an embarrassing slip up at struggling Siena.

The Tuscany club were heading for a valuable maximum points until Nesta popped up in the 91st minute to level from a volley after a move started by a freekick awarded when Leandro Grimi felled Clarence Seedorf.

Also on Saturday Lazio were held to a goalless draw by second from bottom Empoli. – AFP

England lacking talent, say bosses

LONDON: The English game is being hurt by a lack of over-priced talent and a flood of cheaper foreigners, according to Blackburn chairman John Williams.

On the first weekend of the Premier League season, only 37% of players that started Premier League matches were English. That was 81 players, a drop from 184 15 years ago.

And Williams sees that as bad for the English game. “There is a shortage of English talent and you have to pay premium prices for those out there,” said Williams.

“I’m afraid that we have to shop where the market is right, where the players are right and where the price is right. We want to support the England national team but the price of English players can be very off-putting.”

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson, however, insists it is understandable that domestic talent costs more – but claims it still makes sense to buy British.

“You buy players who may have had a lot of success in the Dutch League or French League for example but doesn’t mean they are going to be successful in the Premier League. There is a bit of a gamble to take,” he said.

“You have to pay a little bit more for players who have a proven track record in the Premier League and that’s fully understandable – and that goes whether you are talking about foreign players who have proved themselves in the Premier League or English players.”

Magnusson does think it is important for clubs to have a strong base of domestic talent, however.

He added: “Sir Trevor (Brooking) can have no problem with West Ham because we want to have a strong England team and we believe it is important to support that and have English players at the club.”

Meanwhile, Williams predicts wages will soar this year to reflect the record spending on transfers.

Sports consultants Deloitte believe there will not be such a dramatic rise in players’ salaries compared to transfer fees, but Williams disagrees.

Deloitte’s report shows transfer spending by English clubs this summer has exceeded £500mil, smashing the previous summer’s £300mil.

Williams added: “I have read the predictions that wages will not rise dramatically but my feeling is that wages will grow very considerably this year.

“The market is buoyant because of the TV money, there is an ability to pay and a willingness to invest.” – AFP

Loew: Ballack baffled by Chelsea’s decision

COLOGNE: Michael Ballack does not understand his club Chelsea’s decision to axe him from their Champions League squad for the group stages, Germany’s head coach Joachim Loew revealed yesterday.

Ballack, 30, is hoping to return soon from April’s ankle surgery, but misses Germany’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales on Saturday, the friendly with Romania next Wednesday and has now been left out of Chelsea’s plans.

Having this week been axed from Chelsea’s Champions League squad for the autumn’s group stages, Germany’s captain is baffled, according to Loew, adding to rumours in the British press Ballack could be on the way out of Stamford Bridge.

“I discussed it with Michael and he could not fully explain Chelsea’s decision to me,” said Loew in a press conference yesterday ahead of Saturday’s Group D Euro 2008 qualifier.

“Chelsea’s doctors estimate he will not be able to play for two to three more months, but Michael is much more optimistic and expects to play sooner.

“For us, Chelsea’s decision isn’t justifiable,” added Loew who plans to recall Ballack for October’s Euro 2008 internationals with the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland. – AFP

Charlton names his greatest United 11

LONDON: British football legend Bobby Charlton has named his greatest ever Manchester United team in his autobiography being serialised in the Times newspaper.

Charlton picked a best 11 from the 1950s to the present day but found no place for himself in the side.

There was also no place for current stars such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But United legends such as George Best, Eric Cantona (pic) and Peter Schmeichel, as well as current captain Gary Neville, did make the cut.

“There is one place that is automatic. It is the one that belongs to Schmeichel,” says Charlton.

Football Results Worldwide

Belgian Div 1: Mechelen 1 Club Bruges 1.

Leading standings: Standard Liege 12, Ghent 10, Anderlecht 10, Club Bruges 10, Excelsior Mouscron 9.

Czech Div 1: Tescoma Zlin 2 Banik Ostrava 2, Teplice 2 Slovan Liberec 0.

Leading standings: Teplice 12, Slavia Prague 12, Banik Ostrava 10, Sparta Prague 10, Viktoria Plzen 8.

Danish Div 1: AGF Aarhus 0 Lyngby 0.

Hungarian Div 1: Ujpest 1 Vasas Budapest 1.

Norwegian Div 1: Sandefjord Fotball 2 Stabaek 3.

Leading standings: Brann Bergen 36, Lillestrom 35, Stabaek 33, Viking Stavanger 31.

Portuguese Premier League: Vitoria Setubal 1 Nacional Madeira 1.

Swedish Div 1: Djurgarden 1 Kalmar 3, GAIS Gothenborg 1 Gefle 0.

Leading standings: Elfsborg Boras 33, Halmstad 32, Djurgarden 32, AIK Stockholm 31, IFK Gothenburg 29.

Bayern’s Hoeness accuses opponents of rough-house tactics

BERLIN: Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has slammed the treatment dished out to French winger Franck Ribery during Saturday’s clash with Hanover.

And Hoeness accused his team’s opponents of resorting to rough-house tactics due to Bayern’s superiority.

“The teams that can’t match us on the pitch try to make up for it with excessive violence,” he told the bi-weekly Kicker magazine on Monday.

“People want to see good football but at the same time this beautiful football is being destroyed by nasty fouls. Ribery took so many knocks to his ankles: it was done deliberately to endanger his physical health. It’s incredible, almost every duel ended in a kick.”

Hoeness was so incensed during the match that he remonstrated with Hanover coach Dieter Hecking.

“This can’t continue like that,” added Hoeness. “One day a referee is going to have to send off seven or eight players so that everyone is warned.”

Bayern’s rivals had little sympathy for Hoeness’ stance, though.

“Football is not chess and Ribery knows that. And anyway, in France it is more physical,” Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director Rudi Voeller told Bild newspaper.

Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said after the game, a 3-0 victory for the Munich club, that he was afraid for Ribery but advised his team to “move the ball quicker and not dribble so much”.

Bayern splashed out more than 70mil euros in the summer to assemble a formidable squad that are expected to romp away with the title and have already scored 10 goals in their opening three games, with none conceded. – AFP

Reds ready for battle in Toulouse

LONDON: Five-time European champions Liverpool start their new Champions League campaign in Toulouse while Ajax Amsterdam and Arsenal face Czech opponents when the third qualifying round kicks off this week.

Ajax, four-time winners of Europe’s top club competition, are at home to Slavia Prague and Arsenal travel to face Sparta Prague in first leg matches tomorrow.

Three months after losing the 2007 final to AC Milan in Athens, Liverpool head to southwest France for a game between two sides who will be in buoyant mood.

Liverpool’s talismanic captain Steven Gerrard gave his side a winning start to the Premier League on Saturday against Aston Villa with a superb late strike.

Toulouse also had a late win over Ligue 1 champions Lyon, who were however down to 10 men.

The French team’s coach Elie Baup was anxious his side did not get carried away by their success, telling the club’s website: “There was commitment, determination, desire and a real team spirit.

“We created nine or 10 chances and finally scored at the very end. The danger, though, in situations like these is what happens in the next match.”

Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez is still haunted by their defeat in Greece – having beaten the Italians on penalties after trailing 3-0 at half-time in a memorable 2005 final.

“I am not over that Milan game yet, especially because I know we were so close to winning,” he told the club’s website.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping for better luck on the injury front after watching his side grab a late 2-1 win over Fulham in a London derby on Sunday.

Wenger told reporters his new Croatia striker Eduardo da Silva had a “50-50 chance” of making his competitive debut for the 2006 finalists but that Togo forward Emmanuel Adebayor was definitely out of tomorrow’s game.

Elsewhere, the dream of reaching next May’s final in Moscow is shared by the likes of Lazio, who host Dinamo Bucharest today, and Sevilla, winners of the last two UEFA Cups, who play AEK Athens tomorrow.

Valencia, finalists in 2000 and 2001, have an easier route on paper to the money-spinning group phase against Sweden’s Elfsborg today. – Reuters

Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot

England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the English Premier League champions announced.
Rooney, who also broke a bone in his right foot during Euro 2004 and another bone in the right foot just before the 2006 World Cup, had the latest injury confirmed by a hospital visit, the club said on their website.

It hurts: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (left) reacts after a challenge by Reading’s Michael Duberry during their English Premier League match on Sunday. Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot following the challenge. – AP

“The England striker was substituted at half-time after being caught by Michael Duberry as the Royals defender tried to block a shot,” United said.

“Although Rooney did briefly play on after receiving treatment, Sir Alex Ferguson opted not to risk any further injury by fielding him in the second half, and a post-match hospital scan has validated that decision.

“The result of Rooney’s scan has worsened a frustrating opening day of the season, and as yet there is no timescale of his recovery.”

Rooney’s injury, which could rule him out for around three months, is a major blow to both club and country, who were already facing a real battle to qualify for Euro 2008.

Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot

England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the English Premier League champions announced.
Rooney, who also broke a bone in his right foot during Euro 2004 and another bone in the right foot just before the 2006 World Cup, had the latest injury confirmed by a hospital visit, the club said on their website.

Man U Fans target Euro success

Sir Alex has made it clear he wants to see the Reds win the Champions League this season and United fans are right behind him.

In a poll of more than 10,000 supporters on ManUtd.com, a massive 68 per cent of respondents claimed they would most like to see United lift the Champions League trophy this term.

Meanwhile, 30 per cent want nothing more than another Premier League triumph, while just two per cent of respondents prioritise winning one of the two cup competitions.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have had trouble choosing if he'd logged on to ManUtd.com. He believes the Reds have what it takes to enjoy success both on the domestic and European fronts.

"It's always difficult to win the Premier League but we have bought four great players so we don't just want to win the league, we want the Champions League as well," Ronaldo said.

Owen ends long wait for Newcastle goal

England striker Michael Owen scored his first Newcastle United goal for more than 18 months as Sam Allardyce enjoyed a winning start to his new reign as manager of the English Premiership side on Tuesday.

Owen was on target in the 58th minute of the 3-1 pre-season friendly win over Hartlepool United for his first club goal since hitting a hat-trick against West Ham United in December 2005. Shola Ameobi scored Newcastle's other goals.

Owen, 27, has been dogged by injury since his move from Real Madrid two years ago. He has played just 14 league and cup games and scored seven goals for the Magpies since arriving on Tyneside, and the knee injury he suffered while on international duty at Germany 2006 meant he played in just the last three games of the 2006/07 league campaign. (AFP)

FAM Perlu Contohi Organisasi Bola Sepak Inggeris

Kita boleh lawati laman web http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/TheOrganisation/Postings/2004/03/The_Council.htm untuk melihat struktur organisasi bola sepak Inggeris. President FA adalah Putera William dan dipengerusikan atau ditadbir sepenuhnya oleh mereka yang faham tentang bola sepak. Ia merangkumi segala aspek pembangunan bola sepak khususnya dan pembangunan sukan amnya.

Persoalannya sekarang, adakah pengurusan tertinggi FAM sekarang adalah orang yang benar-benar layak mentadbir dan memikirkan hala tuju jatuh bangunnya bola sepak Malaysia? Mereka-mereka ini tidak dedikasi dalam mentadbir FAM kerana dalam masa yang sama, mereka sebok dengan percaturan politik semasa.

Tindakan Sultan Pahang, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah mempertahankan jawatannya adalah suatu tindakan yang tepat. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah perlu membersihkan mereka-mereka yang gagal di dalam FAM dan menggantikan dengan muka-muka baru yang mana mampu mendedikasi tugas mereka sebagai penentu hala tuju bola sepak Malaysia. Mereka seharusnya memberikan komitmen yang tinggi untuk FAM.

Ternyata jauh berbeza gaya dan keupayaan pasukan pengurusan FAM jika dibandingkan dengan FA Inggeris. FAM patut mengakui bahawa FAM terlalu lemah menguruskan pasukan bola sepak Malaysia.

Perancangan dan Pembangunan bola sepak Malaysia yang diterajui oleh FAM selama ini telah gagal. Barisan FAM dari Deputy President 2 hingga ke Secretary General patut meletakkan jawatan. Komitmen mereka terhadap bola sepak Malaysia tidak seratus peratus. Mereka mempunyai komitmen lain di dalam arena politik. Biarlah muka-muka ini berjuang di dalam arena politik sahaja dan beri peluang kepada mereka-mereka yang benar-benar mengabdikan diri mereka kepada pembangunan bola sepak menerajui FAM.

Pada hemat saya, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah dan Tengku Abdullah perlu terus menerajui FAM dan ianya masih relevan. Yang perlu dirombak adalah barisan komiti yang lain. Sepatutnya, 15 tahun dahulu, FAM sudah menyerapkan Ghani Minhat di dalam pengurusan tertinggi FAM. Selain dari itu, Dato' Soh Chin Aun, Dato' Dell Akbar Khan, Zainal Abidin, Shebby Singh, Santokh Singh dan Dollah Salleh juga telah lama diserap di dalam pasukan pengurusan FAM. Mereka ini lebih memahami bola sepak berbanding ahli-ahli politik FAM.

Kelab-kelab gergasi bola sepak, lebih menaruh kepercayaan kepada bekas pemain bola sepak bagi menguruskan pasukan bola sepak gergasi. Mereka ini adalah jurulatih merangkap pengurus pasukan. Nama-nama besar seperti Franz Beckenbauer, Alex Furgeson, adalah bekas pemain bola sepak.

Malangnya di FAM, jurulatih dan pengurus pasukan adalah dua individu yang berbeza. Pengurus pasukan biasanya adalah ahli politik atau menteri besar. Jawatan jurulatih diletakkan dibahu jurulatih proffesional atau bekas pemain yang hebat. Pengurus pasukan (ahli politik) juga mempunyai pengaruh di dalam menentukan pemilihan pemain. Ini adalah suatu kesilapan yang besar didalam pengurusan bola sepak. Biarlah Menteri besar menumpukan perhatian sepenuhnya kepada pengurusan negeri dan karier politik.

Suara-suara penafian atau mempertahankan keputusan dari FAM dilihat kelemahan besar FAM. Ternyata FAM sudah gagal tak perlu menafikannya lagi. Segala usaha FAM selama ini terbukti gagal. Mereka perlu berundur dari jawatan. Saya percaya, perubahan drastik pengurusan FAM mampu membawa perubahan kepada kemajuan bola sepak Malaysia. Kenapa mereka (ahli politik FAM) perlu pertahankan jawatan mereka. Apa rasionalnya mereka duduk dikerusi FAM sedangkan segala perancangan dan usaha mereka telah terbukti gagal. Mereka telah gagal tetapi masih cuba menafikan yang mereka telah gagal. Sedangkan bukti sudah didepan mata. Bola Sepak Malaysia sudah tidak kemana dan tidak dihormati lagi.

Bagaimana FAM perlu dirombak ? Semua orang bercakap FAM perlu dirombak, tetapi bagaimana ia perlu dirombak.

1. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah dan Tengku Abdullah perlu mengekalkan jawatan.
2. Selain dari perkara 1, pengurusan tertinggi perlu meletakkan jawatan.
3. Sultan Hj Ahmad Shah perlu mempengerusi suatu badan bebas bagi melantik ahli lembaga baru.
4. Jawatan Kuasa Bebas ini perlu mengubah struktur organisasi sedia ada mengikut keperluan pembangunan bola sepak moden. Seperti mewujudkan beberapa jawatan pengerusi teknikal yang mempunyai kuasa yang sama seperti naib president. Jawatan pengerusi teknikal perlu diisi oleh bekas jagoan kebangsaan.

Mereka yang bakal menerajui FAM perlulah dikalangan ahli proffesional seperti pemain bola sepak profesional, ahli akademik sukan, penyelidik sains sukan, jurulatih proffesional, pengadil professional, jurulatih/pengurus kelab gergasi atau negeri, ahli koperat yang berkaitan dengan pembangunan sukan, atau tokoh profesional di dalam bidang pengurusan. Adakah kita ketandusan orang-orang seperti ini ?

Saya rasa tidak. Malaysia mempunyai penduduk seramai 25 juta. Sedangkan Negara sekecil Trinidad and Tobago mampu menguruskan pasukan mereka hingga ke World Cup.

Disini saya ingin mengusulkan suatu cadangan agar dipertimbangkan bagi menggantikan struktur organisasi FAM yang sedia ada.

President: Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar
Deputy President 1: Tengku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail
Deputy President 2: Tan Sri Alias Omar
Vice President 1: Dato' Mohd Aini Taib
Vice President 2: Dato' Basri Akil
Vice President 3: Dato' Soh Chin Aun
Vice President 4: Dato' M. Chandran
General Secretary: Dato' Dell Akhbar Khan
FAM Technical Committees:
1. Dollah Salleh
2. Zainal Abidin
3. Ghani Minhat
4. Khaidir Buyong
5. Rashid Hassan
6. M. Karathu
7. Lim Teong Kim
8. James Wong
9. Abdul Rahman
10. Wan Jamak Hasan
11. Shebby Singh

Mereka-mereka ini adalah nama-nama besar didalam sejarah bola Malaysia. Mereka telah melihat pelbagai sudut kelebihan dan kelemahan bola sepak kita. Selain dari senarai ini, masih ramai lagi di luar sana yang saya tidak kenali tetapi mampu memperbaiki merubah dan memperkemaskan kelemahan FAM seperti barisan kepimpinan MSN dan MOM.

Selain daripada itu usaha sama dengan kelab-kelab luar atau pengurusan bola sepak luar amat dialu-alukan. Bola sepak Malaysia sudah lama jauh ketinggalan. Dulu musuh tradisi kita adalah Korea Selatan, tapi kini musuh tradisi kita mungkin Laos, Kemboja, Filipina atau Timor Leste. Kita perlu bermula dari awal. Kita perlu merangkak, bertatih, berjalan sebelum kita berlari semula.

Tentu ramai yang masih ingat bulletin utama TV3 ada menunjukkan temuramah pemain bola sepak bawah 12 tahun Danone. Pada peringkat umur 12 tahun, pemain Malaysia bermain lebih baik dari pemain England. Tetapi cita-citanya hanya untuk mewakili Kedah dan bermain Piala Malaysia. Sedangkan pemain England tersebut bercita-cita untuk mewakili Chelsea dan England dan seterusnya mewakili England untuk kejohanan World Cup.

Saya percaya, jika FAM tidak dirombak, maka pada 5 tahun akan datang. Pemain England tadi mungkin sudah menyarung jersi kelab Chelsea Junior, manakala pemain Malaysia tadi belum tentu dapat mewakili Kedah atau sudah melupakan hasrat untuk terus bermain bola sepak.

Saya amat bersetuju dengan kenyataan Dato' Azalina. "Berundurlah jika tidak memberi sumbangan".

My Proposal To President FAM

My Proposal To President FAM: Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah

President: Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar
Deputy President 1: Tengku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail
Deputy President 2: Tan Sri Alias Omar or Dato' Mohd Aini Taib
Vice President 1: Ghani Minhat
Vice President 2: Dato' Basri Akil
Vice President 3: Dato' Soh Chin Aun
Vice President 4: Dato' M. Chandran
General Secretary: Dato' Dell Akhbar Khan
FAM Technical Committees:
1. Dollah Salleh
2. Zainal Abidin
3. Shebby Singh
4. Khaidir Buyong
5. Rashid Hassan
6. M. Karathu
7. Lim Teong Kim
8. James Wong
9. Abdul Rahman
10. Wan Jamak Hasan

FAM: Who Should Go and Who Should In ?

FAM: Who Should Go and Who Should In ?

President: Sultan Hj Ahmad Shah must stay to lead FAM

Raja Ahmad Zainuddin, Dato' Redzuan, Dato' Jamal Nasir Rasdi, Datuk Anifah Aman and Dato' Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad MUST RESIGN

Who should replace them: here I suggest the list of a few good candidates

1. Dato' Dell Akhbar Khan
2. Dato' Basri Akil
3. Ghani Minhat
4. Shebby Singh
5. Khaidir Buyong
6. Dollah Salleh
7. Zainal Abidin
8. Dato' Soh Chin Aun
9. Tan Sri Alias Omar
10. Tengku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail
11. Anyone from the Top Management MSN
12. Anyone from the Top Management MOM

LIST That FAM Should Reject
Shahidan Kassim

Are you agree with me ?

FAM Perlu Di Rombak, Bagaimana ??

Current FAM Management http://www.fam.org.my/famframe.html

President: Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar
Deputy President 1: Tengku Abdullah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah
Deputy President 2: Dato' Redzuan bin Tan Sri Sheikh Ahmad
Vice President 1: Dato' Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Haji Omar
Vice President 2: Dato' Jamal Nasir Rasdi
Vice President 3: Datuk Anifah Aman
General Secretary: Dato' Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad

Dan kita boleh membandingkan bagaimana English Football Association menguruskan struktur organisasinya di laman web http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/TheOrganisation/Postings/2004/03/The_Council.htm

atau Deutscher Fussball-Bund (Germans Football Association) di laman web http://www.dfb.de/index.php?id=311004

Ternyata jauh berbeza gaya dan keupayaan pasukan pengurusan FAM jika dibandingkan dengan FA atau DFB. FAM patut mengakui bahawa FAM terlalu lemah menguruskan pasukan bola sepak Malaysia. Perancangan dan Pembangunan bola sepak Malaysia yang diterajui oleh FAM selama ini telah gagal. Barisan FAM dari Deputy President 2 hingga ke Secretary General patut meletakkan jawatan. Komitmen mereka terhadap bola sepak Malaysia tidak seratus peratus. Mereka mempunyai komitmen lain di dalam arena politik. Biarlah muka-muka ini berjuang di dalam arena politik sahaja dan beri peluang kepada mereka-mereka yang benar-benar mengabdikan diri mereka kepada pembangunan bola sepak menerajui FAM.

Pada hemat saya, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah dan Tengku Abdullah perlu terus menerajui FAM dan ianya masih relevan. Yang perlu dirombak adalah barisan komiti yang lain. Sepatutnya, 15 tahun dahulu, FAM sudah menyerapkan Ghani Minhat di dalam pengurusan tertinggi FAM. Selain dari itu, Dato' Soh Chin Aun, Dato' Del Akbar Khan, Zainal Abidin, Shebby Singh, Santokh Singh dan Dollah Salleh juga telah lama diserap di dalam pasukan pengurusan FAM. Mereka ini lebih memahami bola sepak berbanding ahli-ahli politik FAM.

Kelab-kelab gergasi bola sepak, lebih menaruh kepercayaan kepada bekas pemain bola sepak bagi menguruskan pasukan bola sepak gergasi. Mereka ini adalah jurulatih merangkap pengurus pasukan. Nama-nama besar seperti Franz Beckenbauer, Alex Furgeson, adalah bekas pemain bola sepak. Malangnya di FAM, jurulatih dan pengurus pasukan adalah dua individu yang berbeza. Pengurus pasukan biasanya adalah ahli politik atau menteri besar. Jawatan jurulatih diletakkan dibahu jurulatih proffesional atau bekas pemain yang hebat. Pengurus pasukan (ahli politik) juga mempunyai pengaruh di dalam menentukan pemilihan pemain. Ini adalah suatu kesilapan yang besar didalam pengurusan bola sepak. Biarlah Menteri besar menumpukan perhatian sepenuhnya kepada pengurusan negeri dan karier politik.

Suara-suara penafian atau mempertahankan keputusan dari FAM dilihat kelemahan besar FAM. Ternyata FAM sudah gagal tak perlu menafikannya lagi. Segala usaha FAM selama ini terbukti gagal. Mereka perlu berundur dari jawatan. Saya percaya, perubahan drastik pengurusan FAM mampu membawa perubahan kepada kemajuan bola sepak Malaysia. Kenapa mereka (ahli politik FAM) perlu pertahankan jawatan mereka. Apa rasionalnya mereka duduk dikerusi FAM sedangkan segala perancangan dan usaha mereka telah gagal. Mereka telah gagal tetapi masih cuba menafikan yang mereka telah gagal. Sedangkan bukti sudah didepan mata. Bola Sepak Malaysia sudah tidak kemana dan tidak dihormati lagi. Jika mereka masih berdegil untuk mempertahan kedudukan mereka di dalam FAM, mereka patut dibicarakan dikhalayak umum secara terbuka (Public Trial). Mereka perlu menjawab, bagaimana mereka menguruskan FAM.

Bagaimana FAM perlu dirombak ? Semua orang bercakap FAM perlu dirombak, tetapi bagaimana is perlu dirombak.

1. Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah dan Tengku Abdullah perlu mengekalkan jawatan.
2. Selain dari perkara 1, pengurusan tertinggi perlu meletakkan jawatan.
3. Dato' Dell Akhbar Khan atau Prof. Khoo So Koon perlu mempengerusi suatu badan bebas bagi melantik ahli lembaga baru.
4. Jawatan Kuasa Bebas ini perlu mengubah struktur organisasi sedia ada mengikut keperluan pembangunan bola sepak moden. Seperti mewujudkan beberapa jawatan pengerusi teknikal yang mempunyai kuasa yang sama seperti naib president. Jawatan pengerusi teknikal perlu diisi oleh bekas jagoan kebangsaan.

Mereka yang bakal menerajui FAM perlulah dikalangan ahli proffesional seperti pemain bola sepak profesional, ahli akademik sukan, penyelidik sains sukan, jurulatih proffesional, pengadil professional, jurulatih/pengurus kelab gergasi atau negeri, ahli koperat yang berkaitan dengan pembangunan sukan, atau tokoh profesional di dalam bidang pengurusan. Adakah kita ketandusan orang-orang seperti ini ? Saya rasa tidak. Malaysia mempunyai penduduk seramai 25 juta. Sedangkan Negara sekecil Trinidad n Tobago mampu menguruskan pasukan mereka hingga ke World Cup.

Usaha sama dengan kelab-kelab luar atau pengurusan bola sepak luar amat dialu-alukan. Bola sepak Malaysia sudah jauh ketinggalan. Kita perlu bermula dari awal. Kita merangkak, bertatih, berjalan sebelum kita berlari semula.

Lihat pembangunan bola sepak Vietnam (negara lepas perang)... mengkagumkan. Lihat sejarah bola sepak kita, kita terus merosot dan terus merudum hingga ke tahap yang memalukan. Jika FAM benar-benar ingin mengembalikan meruah bola sepak Malaysia. Lepaskanlah jawatan. Jangan kata "meletak jawatan akan menyelesaikan masalah". Itu kata-kata anda. Anda takut, jika meletakkan jawatan itu adalah suatu keputusan yang tepat. Saya selaku peminat bola, ingin memberi nasihat kepada ahli politik FAM,

ANDA TELAH GAGAL MAKA AKUI KEGAGALAN ANDA,

Politicians in FAM must Resign

Malaysian team defeated again last weekend 0-5 to Uzbekistan (AFC) Why ??? Where were Malaysian football for the last few decades. Really shame.

Let us check how Bayern Munich manage their team.

Chairman Executive Board: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Deputy Chairman Executive Board: Uli Hoeneß
Member Executive Board: Karl Hopfner
Chairman Supervisory Board: Franz Beckenbauer

Who are they ? Rummenigge, Hoeneß and Beckenbauer were played as professional player. They know everything about football.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge joined Bayern in 1974 from Lippstadt and played professionally for the club until moving to Inter Milan in 1984. He scored 162 goals in 310 Bundesliga appearances, collecting European Cup, German championship, DFB Cup and European championship winners’ medals, and two World Cup runners-up awards. Born on 25th September 1955, he holds the title of honorary team captain and served as vice president at Bayern from 1991 to 2002. In his role as chairman he is responsible for external relations, new media, board affairs and representing the holding company on national and international bodies. He is also president of the UEFA European club forum.

As a professional with Bayern Munich between 1970 and 1979, Uli Hoeneß collected World Cup, European championship, European Cup, Bundesliga and DFB Cup winners’ medals. At the age of 27, after a total of 239 Bundesliga appearances and 86 goals, he took over as general manager at Bayern. The former international has now stepped up to the role of deputy chairman, responsible for the professional football section, the Junior Team, sponsorship, licensing and representing the holdingcompany within the Stadion GmbH. He has enjoyed the reputation of visionary and driving force for change in the Bundesliga for many years.

The "Kaiser" won everything there was to win as a player. From 1965 to 1977 he played professionally for Bayern, scoring 44 goals in a total of 396 Bundesliga appearances. He holds the title of honorary captain of both Germany and Bayern Munich. He coached Germany to the runners-up position in the 1986 World Cup and then to victory in the 1990 tournament, while in two short spells as Bayern coach, he collected the 1994 Bundesliga title and the 1996 UEFA Cup. Since 1994, Beckenbauer has been president of Bayern Munich. He also holds the office of DFB vice-president and, having chaired the bid committee for the 2006 World Cup, is now in charge of organising the tournament.

Karl Hopfner has held office since 1983, most recently as managing director of Bayern Munich e.V. In addition, he served as managing director of FC Bayern Sport Werbe GmbH, formerly the club’s commercial arm. He previously held a senior position in an industrial corporation. Hopfner is a graduate in business economics and is responsible for the club's financial affairs, legal and human resource issues, mail-order and retail businesses, IT, administration, matchday organisation and representing the holding company within the Stadion GmbH. Hopfner is an acknowledged expert in the business management of a major club and in running a football club as a limited company, and has been co-opted onto the UEFA committee of administrative experts.

Uruguay-Brazil and Argentina-Mexico

Semifinals of the Copa América

Brazil will face Uruguay, on Tuesday, in Maracaibo, and Argentina will take on Mexico, on Wednesday, in Puerto Ordaz, in the semifinals of the Copa América de Venezuela-2007.

All four national teams reached this phase after having thrashed their opponents in the quarterfinals, and promise to put on exciting matches with uncertain prognosis.

On Saturday, Uruguay defeated Venezuela 4-1, putting and end to the hosts’ dreams, while Brazil demolished Chile 6-1.

This Sunday, Mexico crushed Paraguay 6-nil and Argentina eliminated Peru with a 4-nil mauling.


Results of the quarterfinals:
07/07 in San Cristóbal: Venezuela-Uruguay 1-4
07/07 in Puerto La Cruz: Brazil-Chile 6-1
08/07 in Maturín: Mexico-Paraguay 6-0
08/07 in Barquisimeto: Peru-Argentina 4-0

Semifinal matches:
10/07, in Maracaibo: Uruguay-Brazil 20H50 local time(00H50 GMT)
11/07, in Puerto Ordaz: Argentina-Mexico 20H50 local time (00H50 GMT)

Argentina defeat Peru 4-0

The Argentinean national squad qualified to the semifinals of the Copa América, after demolishing Peru 4-nil, in the match held this Sunday, at the Metropolitano de Barquisimeto Stadium, in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

The Argentinean goals were scored by Juan Román Riquelme (two), Lionel Messi and Mascherano.

Argentina will take on México, next Wednesday, in the semis.

Argentina viaja este martes a Puerto Ordaz

BARQUISIMETO.- La selección argentina viajará mañana, martes 10, a las 11 de la mañana rumbo a Puerto Ordaz, ciudad emplazada en la región oriental del país, para prepararse para el estelar encuentro de semifinales de la Copa América, en el que chocará con México. El traslado será en vuelo charter, de una hora aproximada de duración.

En un marco de notorio buen humor y alegría, el plantel dirigido por Alfio Basile realizó esta tarde-noche en el estadio Farid Richa de esta ciudad un ligero entrenamiento, en el que los que actuaron anoche ante Perú sólo caminaron sobre el césped y luego elongaron. Los suplentes realizaron un partido informal de cinco contra cinco.

Las notas más destacadas del entrenamiento, el último en esta ciudad, fueron la apertura al público de los últimos 20 minutos de práctica y que Hernán Crespo comenzó a hacer trabajos con pelota en su intento de recuperación, de una lesión muscular, para poder estar el domingo, en el caso de que Argentina clasifique al cotejo definitorio.

Entre los periodistas argentinos circulaba hasta ayer por la noche un rumor que sostenía que la delegación albiceleste, en caso de triunfar ante México, esperaría en Barquisimeto el partido final, viajando a Maracaibo (sede del último cotejo) horas antes del encuentro. El dato fue rechazado por fuentes de la delegación de Argentina.

Mexico thrash Paraguay 6-0

Mexico stamped their passport to the semifinals of Copa América after the 6-0 trouncing of Paraguay, this Sunday, at the Monumental de Maturín Stadium. Victory began being designed in the first minutes of play, when Paraguay had a player sent off.

With 2 minutes on the clock, Nery Castillo broke into the box before being tripped by keeper Alfo Bobadilla for a penalty. The referee also gave the goalie his marching orders. Then, Nery Castillo did the honors from the spot.

The situation became comfortable for the Mexicans, who had taken the lead and had an extra man on the pitch. Paraguay replied on 14 minutes, with Cardozo coming close with a drive from the edge of the box. Defender Darío Verón almost drew level in two occasions.

But Mexico took full advantage of their counter-attacks to add a second, on 26 minutes. Striker Juan Carlos Cacho teeing up Gerardo Torrado for a powerful strike that doubled the lead. On 38 minutes, the death blow was given to Paraguay. Nery Castillo chested a Jaime Correa pass before beating keeper Joel Zayas. On 41 minutes. Mexico almost added a fourth, when Castillo left Correa alone in front of an empty goal, but his shot went wide.

In the second half, Mexico returned in a more relaxed mode, and during the game, coach Hugo Sánchez replaced his main player, Nery Castillo, to rest his striker. Paraguay did create chances to reduce the deficit, but the Paraguayans were off target.

While Paraguay insisted, Mexico broke dangerously on the counter. In one of these counter-attacks, Fernando Arce fired from distance to score Mexico’s fourth in the match, on 81 minutes. Soon after, on 86 minutes, Blanco extended the lead from a spot-kick. Omar Bravo closed the scoring on 91 minutes.

United close in on Tevez

Manchester United last night appeared to have won the race to sign Carlos Tévez. The West Ham United forward, who is playing in the Copa America in Venezuela, has told his Argentina teammates that a deal has been agreed for him to play at Old Trafford next season. Tévez has been coveted by some of the top European clubs this summer, including Inter Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid, after his rousing performances and seven goals were largely responsible for keeping West Ham in the Premiership last season.

Goal Keeper For Sale

400,000

Hitzfeld reviews the season: 'We know what we have to do better'

The curtain has come down on a disappointing season at Bayern. The dethroned Bundesliga champions finished a relatively poor fourth, missing out on the Champions League for the first time since 1997. The time is right for an analysis of the positives and negatives in 2006-7.

"We were especially poor against less strong opponents and dropped too many points," Ottmar Hitzfeld exclusively told premium channel FCB.tv, "we've drawn our conclusions, we know what we're lacking, and what we have to do better in the new season."

Interview: Ottmar Hitzfeld

FCB.tv: Ottmar Hitzfeld, what were the fundamental reasons why Bayern finished no higher than fourth this term?

Ottmar Hitzfeld: "I'm very pleased we were able to make it up to our fans at least a little by winning our last two matches, and also that we gave Mehmet Scholl a decent send-off. But at the end of the day, it was a very disappointing season. We were especially poor against less strong opponents and dropped too many points. On the one hand, it was because we were less hungry after the tremendous success of back-to-back doubles, and we thought we could win trophies by giving it 80 percent. On the other hand, it was certainly because we lacked certain types of player. We often faced teams who did nothing but defend, so perhaps we needed a physically powerful striker with strength in the air, or a midfielder capable of beating two men and giving us a numerical advantage. That's something we definitely lacked. I also believe to an extent the team was unable to cope with the pressure. But we've drawn our conclusions, we know what we're lacking, and what we have to do better in the new season."

FCB.tv: Have you completed your analysis?

Hitzfeld: "Naturally, we've kept up a continuous dialogue as we put together a concept for the new season: the kind of players we need, the positions where we need strengthening, the players we want to keep and the players we no longer require. The decisions over who's staying and who's going were made fairly early."

FCB.tv: Four players officially took their leave on Saturday, and Owen Hargreaves is moving on as well. Could Roque Santa Cruz be the next departure?

Hitzfeld: "He's still contracted to us, but he's talking to other clubs. We have ideas of our own. The decision whether he's going or staying hasn't been taken yet."

FCB.tv: Three new signings have been confirmed so far - or do you know more than that?

Hitzfeld: "Obviously I know more than what has been announced so far. We've completed one or two other transfers, but Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß want to announce everything together as a single package, so we'll all have to be a little patient."

FCB.tv: Will you be adding players from the club's youth section?

Hitzfeld: "Yes, Mats Hummels was already part of the squad this season, and he'll continue to train with us next term. We'll also add Toni Kroos, he's trained with us and played a few games for the reserves. He's still young and needs match practice, but I reckon both will appear for the first team in the course of the season."

Bayern sign Germany starlet Marcell Jansen

Rumour which has been growing in intensity over the last few days became reality on Thursday evening when Bayern announced the signing of Germany starlet Marcell Jansen. The versatile 21-year-old arrives at the Säbener Strasse from relegated Borussia Mönchengladbach for an undisclosed fee, and is set to ink a four-year deal keeping him in Munich until 30 June 2011.

Jansen has played for Gladbach since joining his home-town club as an 11-year-old, but was unwilling to drop a division with the side which finished bottom of the Bundesliga in 2006-7. The youngster, who is equally at home on the left side of midfield or at left-back, has scored five goals in a total of 73 German top flight appearances to date.

He made his full international debut for Germany on 3 September 2005 against Slovakia, and currently boasts a total of 14 caps. Standing 1.91 metres / 6 ft 3 in tall and weighing in at 84 kilograms / 185 pounds, he was the youngest player in the Germany squad at last summer’s World Cup.

The Monchengladbach-born talent joins Hamit Alintop, Jan Schlaudraff and Ernesto Sosa as Bayern’s fourth confirmed new arrival for the coming campaign. More signings will be announced shortly.

A pleasant bonus for the player will be his new-found proximity to his girlfriend, voted “Miss Munich” two years ago and a resident of the Bavarian capital. Welcome to Bayern, Marcell!

FIFA won’t allow matches to be played above 2,500m

No international soccer matches will be allowed to take place above an altitude of 2,500m in future, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Sunday.

A number of countries, among them Bolivia, frequently stage home international games at high altitude but Blatter said FIFA were following advice from their medical committee.

“I know there will be complaints about this, especially from South America, but we have to think of the health of the players first. It also leads to a distortion of the competition if matches are played at such a level.

“The Executive Committee have listened to a proposal from the medical committee and have decided to act because to play at above that altitude is not healthy or fair.”

Bolivia traditionally play their home matches in La Paz, which, at more than 3,600m above sea level, is the highest capital city in the world.

Blatter was speaking at a news conference following the last executive committee meeting before the start of FIFA’s 57th Congress this week and the inauguration of FIFA’s new headquarters in Zurich.

He also said that the associations of Macedonia and Kazakhstan had been given a deadline of June 15 to resolve their internal problems or else face possible sanctions from world soccer’s governing body.

He said FIFA would not relax their rules on shirt advertising for international teams and reported that of 23,000 doping tests carried out by FIFA in 2006, 91 had proved positive and of those just seven were for steroids.

“Most of the others were for marijuana or other things players use – they were not even performance-enhancing,” said Blatter, adding that FIFA would be using doping controls at all their major tournaments this year, including the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cup matches in South Korea and Canada respectively.

Dortmund’s Metzelder all set for Real switch

German international defender Christoph Metzelder will leave Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund to join Spanish giants Real Madrid next season, Dortmund coach Thomas Doll revealed on Sunday.

The 26-year-old centre-back has made 30 appearances for his country and was named by national coach Joachim Loew in the squad for next month’s Euro 2008 qualifiers against San Marino and Slovakia.

Having admitted in interviews he has been learning Spanish for months, Metzelder’s switch to Madrid has been one of the worst kept secrets in football, but Doll finally confirmed it on Sunday.

“Christoph Metzelder will go to Real Madrid next season and we are looking for another defender to replace him,” Doll told German television channel DSF.

The move has yet to be confirmed by the Spanish side, but an announcement is expected by Real after La Liga finishes on Sunday.

FAM eager to save United tour

Blatter: Wants United to reschedule tour

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have vowed to do all they can to ensure Manchester United’s trip to Malaysia goes ahead.

The Premiership champions have planned a 10-day tour of Asia this summer and are pencilled in to play a Malaysian Select XI on July 27 in Kuala Lumpur after games against J-League champions Urawa Red Diamonds on July 17, FC Seoul on July 20 and Shenzhen FC on July 23. However, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and AFC president Mohamed Hammam have expressed a desire for United to reschedule their tour so that it will not clash with the Asian Cup, which also takes place in July.FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has promised everything is being done to ensure the tour goes ahead.

Manchester United visit: Poor planning on FAM’s part

IT is regrettable to see the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in a fix over its decision to go ahead with the proposed visit by the Manchester United football team here in July.

Surely the FAM, having signed the contract — Organisation Association Agreement — which states that no match can be held during the Asian Cup on July 7-29 and three days after, should not have invited or agreed to the English Premier League team’s visit during those dates?

Football results worldwide

Argentine Div 1: Estudiantes 4 Newell's Old Boys 4; Nueva Chicago 2 Lanus 1.

Leading standings: San Lorenzo de Almagro 35; Estudiantes 33; Boca Juniors 32; Arsenal 26; River Plate 26.

Belgian Cup final: Club Bruges 1 Standard Liege 0.

Brazilian Div 1: America RN 0 Figueirense 1; Corinthians 0 Atletico Mineiro 0; Fluminense 3 Internacional 0.

Leading standings: Corinthians 7; Atletico Paranaense 6; Parana 6; Palmeiras 6; Vasco da Gama 6.

Croatian Cup final (second leg): Slaven Belupo Koprivnica 1 Dinamo Zagreb 1 (Dinamo Zagreb win 2-1 on aggregate).

French Div 1: Monaco 2 AS Nancy 0; ES Troyes AC 3 Racing Lens 0; FC Lorient 0 Paris St Germain 1; Sochaux 1 St Etienne 0; Lille 1 Stade Rennes 1; Nice 3 Le Mans 3; Lyon 3 Nantes 1; Marseille 1 CS Sedan Ardennes 0; Toulouse 3 Girondins Bordeaux 1; Valenciennes 1 Auxerre 3.

Leading standings: Lyon 81; Marseille 64; Toulouse 58; Stade Rennes 57; Racing Lens 57.

Friendly internationals: Namibia 1 Zambia 2; Ireland 1 Bolivia 1; Wales 2 New Zealand 2.

German Cup final: Stuttgart 2 Nuremberg 3.

Hungarian Div 1: Dunakanyar-Vac FC 1 Pecs 1; Fehervar FC 2 REAC 2; Gyor ETO 4 Diosgyori-BFC 0; Kaposvar 2 Paksi SE 0; Tatabanya 0 Zalaegerszeg 3; Debrecen 2 Sopron 1.

J-League: Yokohama FC 2 Oita Trinita 1; FC Tokyo 0 Nagoya Grampus Eight 1; Vissel Kobe 2 Kashiwa Reysol 1; Kashima Antlers 2 Ventforet Kofu 0; JEF United Chiba 1 Gamba Osaka 2; Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2 Shimizu S-Pulse 1.

Leading standings: Gamba Osaka 28; Urawa Red Diamonds 23; Kawasaki Frontale 21; Kashiwa Reysol 21; Shimizu S-Pulse 21.

Norwegian Div 1: Fredrikstad FK 1 Valerenga Oslo 0.

Polish Div 1: Gornik Leczna 1 Groclin Grodzisk 3; Gornik Zabrze 0 Korona Kielce 0; Lech Poznan 0 Odra Wodzislaw 0; Legia Warsaw 1 Zaglebie Lubin 2; Pogon Szczecin 0 GKS Belchatow 2; Widzew Lodz 1 Cracovia Krakow 3; Wisla Krakow 0 LKS Lodz 0; Wisla Plock 1 Arka Gdynia 0.

Romanian Cup final: Poli Timisoara 0 Rapid Bucharest 2.

Serbia Div 1: Red Star Belgrade 1 Hajduk Kula 1; Bezanija 3 Vojvodina Novi Sad 2; Partizan Belgrade 7 Mladost Apatin 1.

Russian Div 1: CSKA Moscow 2 Zenit St Petersburg 0; Krylya Sovietov Samara 3 Dynamo Moscow 2; Kuban Krasnodar 2 Tom Tomsk 1; Rubin Kazan 3 Luch-Energiya Vladivostok 0; Spartak Nalchik 0 Rostov 0.

Leading standings: CSKA Moscow 20; Krylya Sovietov Samara 19; Zenit St Petersburg 19; Spartak Moscow 19; FK Moscow 16.

Scottish Cup final: Celtic 1 Dunfermline Athletic 0.

Slovakian Div 1: Dukla Banska Bystrica 0 MFK Kosice 1; FC Nitra 0 Zilina 2; FC Senec 2 FC Artmedia Bratislava 2; Ruzomberok 1 Slovan Bratislava 1.

Slovenian Div 1: Domzale 2 Ptuj Drava 0; HIT Gorica 1 Primorje Ajdovscina 3; MIK Celje 4 Bela Krajina 0; Koper 3 Nafta Lendava 1; Maribor 3 Interblock Ljubljana 0.

Swedish Div 1: Hammarby 0 Elfsborg Boras 1.

Turkish Dv 1: Antalyaspor 1 Genclerbirligi 3; Fenerbahce 3 Ankaragucu 1; Konyaspor 0 Gaziantepspor 2; Sakaryaspor 1 Rizespor 1; Sivasspor 2 Erciyesspor 1; Vestel Manisaspor 0 Denizlispor 0.

Ukrainian Div 1: Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 1 Kryvbas Kriviy Rih 1; FK Kharkiv 0 Chernomorets Odessa 1; Stal Alchevsk 0 Metalurg Zaporizhya 1; Arsenal Kiev 1 SK Karpaty L'viv 0.

Juve confirm coach’s departure

Juventus coach Didier Deschamps has quit after just one season despite leading the fallen Italian giants back to the top flight, the club confirmed on Saturday.

Deschamps took charge of the team for the home win over Mantova amid intense speculation that he had resigned after a meeting with club officials late on Friday.

The club at first denied that the Frenchman had officially quit but his departure was confirmed following the 2-0 win, which assured Juventus of the Serie B championship.

“Juventus and Didier Deschamps announce that they have mutually cancelled their contract, which had brought satisfaction, joy and success to both sides,” a club statement said.

Juventus were demoted from Serie A last year in Italy’s match-fixing scandal but have made an immediate return under Deschamps despite a nine-point deduction.

Media reports have consistently linked other managers to the post with former Juventus and Italy coach Marcello Lippi among those mentioned.

Sevilla beats Zaragoza 3-1 in Spanish league

Sevilla beat Zaragoza 3-1 Sunday to stay within two points of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at the top of the Spanish first division.

Madrid leads with 72 points, FC Barcelona is second on head-to-head results and Sevilla third with 70. There are two rounds left.

Luis Fabiano, Alexandr Kerzhakov and Frederic Kanoute scored for UEFA Cup winner Sevilla.

Also Sunday, it was: Gimnastic Tarragona 0, Atletico Madrid 2; Racing Santander 2, Levante 3; Celta Vigo 2, Real Betis 1; Osasuna 2, Real Sociedad 0; Athletic Bilbao 1, Mallorca 0; and Recreativo Huelva 0, Espanyol 1.

The UEFA Cup trophy was presented at Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium before the match. Sevilla beat Espanyol on penalties in the final in Glasgow, Scotland on May 16.

Fabiano hit a powerful shot in the 25th minute which Zaragoza goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez parried, but Fabiano then scored with his second attempt.

Andres D'Alessandro equalized when he hit a direct free kick straight into goal in the 74th though Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop got his fingertips to it.

Earlier, Kanoute hit a penalty kick high in the 52nd minute before Russia forward Kerzhakov scored in the 83rd and Kanoute added a third goal in injury time.

Zaragoza's Carlos Diego was ejected in injury time.

Fernando Torres scored two goals for Atletico against Gimnastic to boost its chances of securing a berth in next season's UEFA Cup.

Gimnastic was relegated to the second division.

Torres scored in the 11th minute from Maxi Rodriguez's assist and also converted a penalty in the 55th after Maxi Rodriguez was fouled.

Earlier, Mustapha Riga of Ghana scored twice and Feliz Ettien of the Ivory Coast added another goal for Levante to guarantee its survival in the first division.

Levante midfielder Ettien struck an athletic left-foot volley into goal from a cross by Salva Ballesta in the 12th minute.

Santander striker Nikola Zigic equalized with a header in the 33rd before Riga lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Juan Jesus Calatayud in the 38th. Riga scored again with a powerful low shot in the 73rd for 3-1.

Felipe Melo pulled a goal back for Santander in the 78th minute.

Brazilian striker Robert opened the scoring for Betis in the 30th and Gustavo Lopez equalized for Celta in the 42nd. Betis midfielder Jesus "Capi'' Capitan was ejected in the 45th. Fernando Baiano converted a penalty in injury time for Celta.

Osasuna's David Lopez headed a goal off a high cross by midfielder Valdo Lopes in the 26th. Iran midfielder Javad Nekounam scored in the 32nd to secure another season in the top flight for Osasuna.

Mallorca defender Jose Carlos Nunes held Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz in the penalty area and Ismael Urzaiz converted the penalty for Bilbao in the 19th.

Raul Tamudo scored for Espanyol in the 82nd minute.

Better late than never seems to be Owen Hargreaves' story as he heads to Old Trafford.

MANCHESTER United celebrated their most successful season in four years in the recently concluded Premiership campaign and during the break leading up to the start of the new term in August, will look back with much satisfaction.

They reached the FA Cup final last weekend, but narrowly lost out to Chelsea, and also came agonisingly close in the Champions League where they eventually bowed in the semi-finals. The League Cup did not rank much up the order at Old Trafford and Southend ended the Red Devils’ exploits in November.

But it was the Premiership from which Man United drew the most delight. Their triumph came on the back of a show of real spirit and character, something Alex Ferguson has done well to instil at the club in his 20 years in charge.

However, those who believe that the fiery and elderly Scotsman will be just sitting around, gleefully rubbing his hands together and dreaming of a 10th league title next season, are far off the mark.

Ferguson has long set in motion a programme detailed to lure some of the best players around to Old Trafford for next season, when they aim to not only retain the Premier League title, but also add to the Champions League success of 1999.

And already there appears to be movement as Owen Hargreaves hinted that, by the end of this week, a statement would be made to outline his future.

The Bayern Munich and England midfielder steered clear of saying where he might be headed, but he has in the past openly expressed a desire to play for the Old Trafford team.

It has been widely reported that Bayern have accepted a £17mil bid for the 26-year-old defensive linkman and the club’s president Franz Beckenbauer intimated as much earlier in the week, confirming that Hargreaves was “leaving.”

This prompted Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to express his disappointment about the exit from the Allianz Arena of Hargreaves.

He was quoted on the club's website as saying: “A player like Owen Hargreaves would have looked good in our team next year. And in the defensive midfield position Owen is one of the best in the world – it's a big sporting loss for us.”

Hargreaves, who spent most of last season on the sidelines recovering from a broken leg, told the BBC of his impending switch: “It's been one of the longest transfer sagas. I'm sure this week we'll hear some new information.”

Man United tried to sign Hargreaves in the off-season last year and again in January, but failed to do so as Bayern held out. Now with the deal seemingly done, although Man United have declined to comment on the matter, Old Trafford midfielder Michael Carrick has said he would be more than happy to have Hargreaves in their ranks.

Carrick, who arrived in Manchester from Tottenham in an £18mil deal at the beginning of last season, said: “World-class players will strengthen you and Owen is a top player. We are at the world's biggest club and we want the best players. We need a big squad to fight on all fronts.”

Indeed, should Hargreaves move to Old Trafford, Ferguson will have at his disposal an enormously potent midfield combination that could somewhat alienate Darren Fletcher. One can only assume that the Man United boss will find it hard not to play Hargreaves, Carrick and Paul Scholes together in the middle of the park, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs gliding down the flanks.

This would be nothing short of an awesome midfield, and when one throws Wayne Rooney, and possibly Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), Franck Ribery (Marseille), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough), Michael Owen (Newcastle) or Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham) into the equation upfront, then the other big guns across Europe will know that the Red Devils will take some beating next term.

Southampton defender Gareth Bale has also been said to be a target of Ferguson. Tottenham are also apparently keen on the Wales player, who has had a price tag of £10mil-plus strung over his head.

For those tipped to be on their way out of Old Trafford, the names of Mikael Silvestre, Gabriel Heinze, Kieran Richardson and Louis Saha have often cropped up.

But with Hargreaves sparking an exciting start to Man United's spending spree, the absence of any or all of those players mentioned would not be missed much.

Two of Germany's top teams have a humbling season ahead in the Uefa Cup.

GERMAN football is at the crossroads after a Bundesliga season that concluded with heavy hitters Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen made to consume copious amount of humble pies as they await the commencement of the Uefa Cup next season. Noble gesture or not, Bayern even congratulated freshly crowned German football champions VfB Stuttgart via full-page ads in local papers on Tuesday.

“Congratulations VfB! We congratulate you on the title and promise a big fight for the trophy next season,” Bayern said in the ad published in the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten dailies.

In the Bundesliga, the “guard of honour” concept is tweaked rather differently, apparently.

Champions VfB Stuttgart, runners up Schalke 04 and third-placed Werder Bremen may not fill their counterparts from the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A with trepidation but if the trio had thumbed the nose of the Bundesliga's established order, they would be taken lightly at their rivals' own peril.

The presence of these less heralded German clubs in Europe's most prestigious competition almost defies the theory that a club needs to invest an obscene amount of money to succeed.

The successes of Schalke, Stuttgart and Bremen have not only sidelined Bayern, the standard bearers for German football both locally and in Europe, and Leverkusen but demonstrates the improved quality of the Bundesliga.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's Bayern were doomed to fourth position even before last weekend while Leverkusen, managed by Michael Skibbe, were made to scrap for a last minute Champions League ticket. In the summer, Hitzfeld and Skibbe have monumental challenges ahead of them.

Both need to tear down their teams and put together virtually new ones to re-establish their mark on the local league before entertaining ideas of progressing in the Uefa Cup.

Hitzfeld, who has declared that he would leave at the end of Season 2007/08, has a tougher task than Skibbe in forming a first eleven capable of mounting a title quest. Hitzfeld would oversee the departures of a handful of players, seasoned stars of his championship-winning side of the late 1990s and at the turn of the millennium, before he can get down to the business end.

The transfer saga of Owen Hargreaves would thankfully find its tedious end at Old Trafford while Mehmet Scholl had announced his retirement but the midfielders are only two of at least half a dozen who are due to be off-loaded to make way for Hitzfeld's new side.

Claudio Pizarro, a free agent in the summer; has been earmarked by Chelsea and Juventus plus a number of clubs from Spain for a switch. His fellow striker Roque Santa Cruz is wanted by Real Betis and there are doubts over the Allianz Arena career of Roy Makaay.

It is likely that Bayern will not only be parading a new strike force but a restructured and aggressive midfield and defence, if the calls of veteran goalkeeper Oliver Kahn are heeded. Alemannia Aachen goal-getter Jan Schlaudraff, Schalke's Turkish midfielder Hamit Altintop and Argentine midfielder Jose Ernesto Sosa from Estudiantes de La Plata have already signed up and there will be more additions in the next two months – Deco of Barcelona and Fiorentina's Luca Toni are just two of the most exciting names mentioned.

Leverkusen were similarly troubled by under performing key players, never recovered from the loss of Dimitar Berbatov and now face a busy close season after Skibbe's men almost threw away their comfortable top four status in the last few weeks of the season. Skibbe was unable to rally his troops for a double aim of making progress in the Uefa Cup (Osasuna beat them last month in the quarterfinals) and ensuring that the Werkself (Factory Squad) do not miss the Uefa Cup boat.

Earlier this month, the club's sports director and German legend Rudi Voller slammed want-away utility player Marko Babic and striker Andrej Voronin, the club's number one goal-poacher and a Liverpool player in the summer, for their scant contributions to Leverkusen's struggle.

Babic and Voronin head the exit queue at the BayArena and they are expected to be joined by goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt and defender Juan, who is reportedly bound for AS Roma. Leverkusen have started rebuilding for the next campaign with the recent acquisitions of Wolfsburg's Ghanaian defensive midfielder Hans Adu Sarpei and Greek striker Theofanis Gekas, the top marksman for Bochum and the Bundesliga with 20 strikes.

As both do not have Champions League incentives to offer prospective employees, their supporters would be anxious that the talented youngsters at the clubs come through at the right time and step into the vacuum left by their seniors. The only certainty is that Bayern and Leverkusen would fish in the local pond while Skibbe and Hitzfeld have their work cut out for them as they prepare to bait A-list footballers to revive their ailing clubs.

AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool: Pippo punishes Reds

This time there was to be no miracle escape and no sixth European Cup.

Even though Dirk Kuyt's last-minute header raised the prospect of a comeback equally as memorable as the one Liverpool produced in Istanbul two years ago, ultimately only a Greek tragedy was awaiting Rafael Benitez as his side fell victim to AC Milan's Champions League revenge mission in Athens' Olympic Stadium.

There will be no consolation for the Merseysiders' vast following that Milan's crucial opener was a fluke, Andrea Pirlo's 45th-minute free-kick flicking off Filippo Inzaghi to give Pepe Reina no chance.

All they can reflect on is the knowledge that, in a tight contest, infinitely more watchable than Saturday's woeful FA Cup Final, the Anfield men had enough chances to emerge victorious and squandered them.

For once Steven Gerrard's shooting boots failed him when it mattered and with Liverpool unable to find a second in a frantic late scramble, it was Inzhagi's 82nd-minute second that allowed Milan to complete a British hat-trick, having already eliminated Celtic and Manchester United from the competition.

Of far more significance to the Serie A giants, whom some will remain convinced should not have been allowed back into the tournament after initially being expelled in the wake of the Italian match-fixing scandal, is confirmation of a seventh European triumph - only two behind Real Madrid - and a fifth winners' medal for the remarkable Paolo Maldini.

Unlike on that delightful Turkish night two years, it had all begun rather promisingly for Liverpool.

Although they were starved of possession for long spells, Benitez's men largely kept Milan at arm's length.

Javier Mascherano, who won Olympic gold with Argentina on this ground in 2004, was a key factor in the Merseysiders successful smothering operation.

Twice Liverpool's holding midfielder was left for dead by an initial moment of brilliance from Kaka. On both occasions, rather than dive in, Mascherano stayed on his feet, recovered his position and took the ball back.

As Benitez predicted, Milan got their full-backs forward at regular intervals.
However, not only did Marek Jankulovski and Massimo Oddo continually pick out Pepe Reina with their crosses, their enthusiasm to push down the flanks provided Liverpool's wide men with the space to attack.

Jermaine Pennant in particular rose to the challenge.
The speedy former Arsenal man was by far the Reds most effective performer and visibly rose in confidence after having one early shot parried away by Dida.

Pennant gave the Rossoneri defence a torrid time, providing the cross which Gerrard, asked to provide the main attacking support to lone striker Dirk Kuyt, volleyed over.
Gerrard was his usual energetic self but, without direct involvement in the midfield skirmishes, struggled to exert the kind of influence he would have wished.

Instead, Pennant continued to torment Jankulovski, indirectly creating the opportunity Xabi Alonso fizzed wide just before the half hour, then cutting inside to set up John Arne Riise, who drilled over.

The winger linked with Gerrard to set up Kuyt, only for Alessandro Nesta to block.
At that point, with the snarling Gennaro Gattuso booked for one borderline tackle too many on Alonso, Liverpool were by far the more likely scorers.

Unfortunately, just as in Istanbul, a rude shock was awaiting Benitez right on half-time as Inzaghi's desire to hunt a rebound saw him deflect Pirlo's free-kick past Reina.
Ripping intended interval team talks up against Milan is nothing new for Benitez and in the knowledge Liverpool's position was nowhere near as acute as the one he faced before, he opted not to change things until close to the hour mark.

By that stage two years ago, Benitez's side had thrillingly drawn level. This time, not only were they still behind, Milan were starting to get on top.

The arrival of Harry Kewell at least gave the Italians something else to think about, although the momentum was with them and had Pirlo curled home a 20-yard free-kick instead of dipping it over the bar, Liverpool would surely have been doomed.

Pirlo's near-miss ignited Gerrard's fire and Liverpool's talisman should have levelled when he sped onto Kuyt's pass, then flashed past Nesta, only for Dida to save a precise shot aimed at the far post.

It was the Reds clearest opportunity before Inzaghi raced onto Kaka's inspired through ball, rounded Reina and tapped home Milan's second.

A few Italian hearts must have stopped when Kuyt nodded home from close range but instead of the beginning of a comeback, it proved merely to mark the beginning of the end.