The Premier League’s top sides went on money-spinning tours of Asia this month that saw them take in a total of six countries or territories. …read more
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China misses out on Premier League jamboree
Tag Archives: Premier League
Premier League teams count cost of Asia tours
The Premier League’s top teams swarmed to Asia chasing the region’s growing wealth and unquenchable thirst for English football, but they go home counting the fitness costs. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Moyes grabs second win with 5-2 victory
Manchester United saw off a spirited Kitchee 5-2 on Monday in Hong Kong to give David Moyes just his second victory as manager of the Premier League champions. …read more
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NBC Sports Decade-Long Transformation Of Sports Programming
– The English Premier League signed a 3-year, $250 million deal with NBC, which gets underway in less than a month. NBC Sports said its initial schedule will include 154 games on NBC Sports Network, 22 games on other NBC Universal channels and 20 games on NBC. There will be 184 games airing on Premier League Extra Time and 76 Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo (10) and Mun2 (66). There are plans to air more than 600 hours of original and weekly studio programming on the NBC Sports Network. NBC said it will air 30 hours of original Premier League programming weekly; …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Spurs can challenge for title, says Ginola
David Ginola on Wednesday said his former club Spurs were good enough to challenge for the Premier League title, as he heaped praise on manager Andre Villas-Boas. …read more
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United's Fletcher to miss start of season
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher admitted on Sunday that he will miss the start of his side’s Premier League title defence as he continues to recover from a bowel operation. …read more
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Man City manager Pellegrini could rejoin squad in HK
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could rejoin the squad in Hong Kong on Tuesday according to assistant manager Brian Kidd.
Pellegrini left City’s pre-season training camp in South Africa and returned to his homeland of Chile due to a personal issue, leaving Kidd in charge for Thursday’s 2-1 defeat in a pre-season friendly against AmaZula.
The reason for the former Malaga coach’s absence remains unclear but Kidd is hopeful that Pellegrini will be back with his players when they continue their tour in Asia.
“He had to go back to Chile for personal reasons and he will hopefully be in Hong Kong on Tuesday,” Kidd said.
“You want the boss here but he prepared the team well for this and (assistant manager) Reuben Cousillas and the coaches have been superb since they’ve been here. The attention to detail has been terrific.”
City are close to signing both Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo, who had a medical on Thursday, and Montenegro forward Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina, who claimed on Thursday that a fee had been agreed.
Kidd insisted no deals have been completed but admits that City require more attacking options after selling Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez to AC Milan and Juventus respectively since the turn of the year.
“I’m not quite sure how far we are down the road with Negredo. It’s quite close. We’ve not heard wither he’s definitely signed but we’re in the market for a couple of strikers,” Kidd said.
“With Carlos and Mario going we’re two short and when you’re going for the Premier League and you’re in the Champions League you need four strikers.”
Pellegrini took charge of his players for the first time last Monday and Kidd, who worked under previous manager Roberto Mancini and had a spell in caretaker charge after the Italian was sacked, has been impressed by the Chilean.
“The boss has only been there two weeks but he’s worked tremendously,” Kidd said. “He takes all the sessions and has got a wonderful backroom staff with him.”
City’s defeat to AmaZulu followed the 2-0 loss to Supersport United on Sunday and they will hope for better results when they depart for Hong Kong on Sunday.
Argentina internationals Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta only linked up with the squad this week, while Spain’s David Silva and new signing Jesus Navas will not start training until next week after being given an extended break following the Confederations Cup.
Despite suffering two defeats from their two matches so far, Kidd feels City are on course for the start of the Premier League season.
“The boys have worked really well and the Premier League is what we’ve been building up to,” he said.
“We’ve had two good games against good opposition. The AmaZulu game was a terrific workout and the Premier League is the most important thing.
“It’s a work in progress but there’s been confidence every day in training and it’s been a good training camp and two excellent games.”
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
EPL slams Blatter's winter 2022 World Cup plan
Premier League chiefs have slammed FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s plan to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the winter.
There has been widespread concern over the health dangers posed by staging the tournament in the Gulf in June and July where temperatures rocket to 50 degrees (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
And Blatter this week confronted the issue by stating he believed the tournament could not take place in the summer, and that position has been backed up by the international players’ union FIFPro.
Blatter insisted he would push to have the World Cup moved despite the effects it could have on domestic leagues when the FIFA Executive Committee meets on October 3 and 4.
“The Executive Committee will certainly follow me,” he was quoted as saying.
“It is clear that you cannot play in this heat in the summer and we have to consider the players.”
But the Premier League have been vocal opponents of the winter idea on the grounds it will cause major disruption to three domestic seasons, the 2021-22 season and the ones either side, as well as impacting on broadcasting contracts.
And Blatter’s latest comments drew a scathing response from the organisation on Thursday.
“The Premier League position remains unchanged. The prospect of a winter World Cup is neither workable nor desirable for European domestic football,” a Premier League spokesman said.
Qatar plans to spend around ??65 billion ($101 billion, 76 billion euros) on infrastructure projects, including building new high-tech stadiums, which the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said would likely cost $4-5 billion.
But average temperatures in Qatar are markedly cooler in December, with highs of 24C and lows of 15C.
And UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino recently added his weight to calls for the 2022 World Cup to be staged later in the year.
“I fully share the view that you have to play in the best period for football; that is not June or July in Qatar. This is an issue that FIFA has to sort out,” he said.
Qatar, who won their World Cup hosting bid three years ago, has already said it was ready to stage the tournament in summer or winter.
“Various figures from the world of football have raised preferences for hosting in the winter,” the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said in a statement earlier this year.
“We are ready to host the World Cup in summer or winter. Our planning isn’t affected either way.”
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Rooney fuming over back-up comments – press
England international Wayne Rooney is apparently fuming with his Manchester United bosses over comments suggesting he would be back-up to Robin van Persie this season, according to reports.
Television station Sky Sports on Tuesday quoted a source claiming Rooney was “angry and confused” by quotes attributed to his manager David Moyes.
Although the former Everton boss previously said Rooney was not for sale, he was quoted Monday as suggesting the 27-year-old would be more of a replacement for van Persie than a foil.
“Overall my thought on Wayne is, if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we’ll need him,” Moyes said during United’s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.
However he also added: “I want to be able to play the two of them, I want to use Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez as well. I want to give myself as many options as possible.”
According to the Sky Sports source, Rooney feels he is at the peak of his career and after nine years with United has no need to prove himself any more.
While van Persie plundered 30 league goals last season to finish Premier League top scorer for the second time in succession, Rooney found the net just 12 times.
He was also left out by then manager Alex Ferguson in some crucial matches, including the Champions League second round clash with Real Madrid.
He has won the Premier League five times, the Champions League in 2008 and two FA Cups during his time at Old Trafford.
He was voted Players’ Player of the Year in 2010 and Young Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006. He has scored 36 goals for England in 83 appearances.
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Just like watching Brazil as Arsenal cruise
Arsenal donned their new, Brazil-style away kit and played like five-time world champions as they blew away the Indonesia Dream Team 7-0 at the start of their Asian tour on Sunday.
Unveiling their yellow shirts and blue shorts in Jakarta, academy whizz-kids Chuba Akpom and Kristoffer Olsson scored on their first-team debuts as Arsenal poured on six goals after half-time.
England striker Theo Walcott got the opener on 19 minutes, Olivier Giroud grabbed a rapid-fire double and Lukas Podolski and fringe midfielder Thomas Eisfeld both scored late on.
Fittingly for the occasion, it was exhibition stuff and eclipsed English champions Manchester United, who lost 1-0 to the Singha All-Star XI in Bangkok in their first game under new boss David Moyes on Saturday.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all have new managers this season, giving Arsenal hope that their stability under Arsene Wenger can finally help them end an eight-year trophy drought.
“It was a good game tonight, good technical skill. We could test some young players tonight,” said Wenger.
“It’s a positive night in a friendly environment. We were welcomed fantastically. I felt a little bit like we played like at home, such big support.”
The yellow-shirted visitors laid siege to the Dream Team goal from the start and academy striker Akpom, 17, passed up two good chances in the early minutes.
Akpom was only denied by some last-ditch defending when Aaron Ramsey’s dangerous ball to the far post was nodded back into the six-yard box by Walcott, playing on the right of attack.
The opener never looked far away and Walcott duly slotted it from the edge of the box on 19 minutes after neat skills from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in a strike which was warmly applauded by Wenger.
Akpom was left frustrated when Oxlade-Chamberlain took on and missed a difficult shot into an empty net rather than pass to his team-mate for what would have been the simplest of debut goals.
Serge Gnabry, another youngster hoping to impress Wenger, was also doing his career prospects no harm and he nearly doubled Arsenal’s lead with a strong run and shot on 37 minutes.
The Dream Team were largely chasing shadows but they escaped to half-time without further damage — before the floodgates opened as Wenger threw on first-team regulars including Podolski, Giroud and Tomas Rosicky.
Gnabry laid on Akpom’s goal, a tap-in, after another marauding run down the left flank. Giroud also got off the mark from close range, on 70 minutes, before turning and blasting his second just three minutes later.
The inexperienced Dream Team were given some unsporting boos by the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium crowd as they ran out of legs against the Premier League outfit.
And Arsenal finished with a flourish of three goals inside the last seven minutes, starting with Podolski who received the ball from Tomas Rosicky and drilled home a left-footed shot in the 83rd.
Two minutes later, Swedish 18-year-old Olsson’s goal also came courtesy of Rosicky and Eisfeld then smashed in the final strike off the underside of the bar to bring up Arsenal’s seventh. Arsenal …read more
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Man Utd's Moyes still coming to terms with scrutiny
Manchester United boss David Moyes said on Sunday he still needs to come to terms with the level of scrutiny he faces as manager of one of the world’s biggest football clubs.
The Scot, who has been in the high-profile job for just two weeks after replacing Alex Ferguson, on Saturday lost his first match with his new side 1-0 against the Thai All Stars in Bangkok.
Moyes, 50, said the pressure of managing at Old Trafford did not compare with his decade in charge at English Premier League rivals Everton.
“I have to put this in perspective and it is completely different,” Moyes told reporters at a news conference after touching down in Australia.
“The amount of support we’ve had, the amount of interest we’ve had from you people (media) … constantly we are watched and scrutinised and it’s something I’ll need to come to terms with.”
Moyes was speaking ahead of next weekend’s sold-out pre-season tour match against the Australian A-League All Stars in Sydney.
“The previous manager, Sir Alex, told me what to expect. He told me especially what the tours were going to be like and I think if you have a football club like Manchester United, you have to make sure you go to your supporters worldwide,” Moyes said.
“I’m following probably the finest football manager that’s ever lived,” he said of Ferguson, who won a string of honours including 13 Premier League titles.
“I’m always saying if I can even win a quarter of what he won, I’ll have done very well.
“But the first thing I’ve got to do is settle into the job, get to know everybody and find my way around.”
United stalwart Ryan Giggs, who made his debut for the club in 1991, said it felt strange working under a new manager, but out on the pitch it wasn’t on players’ minds.
“I’ve only had one manager for 20 years, so it’s strange, but you move on,” he said.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. Just like any other pre-season, you’ve got to work hard, knuckle down and prepare yourself as best you can for the first (EPL) game of the season against Swansea (on August 17).
“This is the start of the journey this season and I hope to be lifting a trophy at the end of it.”
Moyes said he expected the A-League All Stars to prove a stiff test, adding that the trip to Asia and Australia was an important part of his squad’s pre-season.
“It’s a big part of our preparations coming here. We’re actually looking forward to a good week’s training,” Moyes said.
“The way the tour works out, this is our longest stay, so we’ll use your fine facilities to try and pick up the training a little bit and get prepared.”
Moyes confirmed star striker Robin van Persie would link up with the squad in Sydney. Wayne Rooney and captain Nemanja Vidic are out injured.
Moyes did not comment on unsettled Rooney’s future, saying the England international would be out of action for two to three weeks with a hamstring injury.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Moyes buoyed by emerging Zaha, Januzaj
David Moyes took heart from sparkling debuts by two emerging stars after his reign as Manchester United manager got off to a low-key start with an upset loss in Thailand.
A generally flat performance was enlivened by the eye-catching trickery of Belgian teen Adnan Januzaj, before new signing Wilfried Zaha came on and nearly snatched the equaliser.
After 27 years and 38 trophies under Alex Ferguson, Moyes admitted losing 1-0 to the Singha All-Star XI — a team pulled together from the best players of the Thai league — “wasn’t a brilliant result”.
But he was sufficiently encouraged by Zaha, the hero of Crystal Palace’s promotion to the Premier League, to suggest he is in line for his competitive debut this season.
“I thought when Wilf came on he gave us a little lift. He was certainly unlucky not to score with his attempt at goal,” said Moyes, adding, “I hope so” when asked if Zaha would get an opportunity this season.
“We’ll see how he does. We’re bringing him here to give him a chance,” said the Scot.
“It’s the first time I’ve worked with him, first time I’ve had a chance to see him up close so he’ll certainly be part of the squad and we’ll see if we can fit him in (to the first team) as often as we can.”
After coming on in the second half, Zaha missed a header from close range but with eight minutes left, he nearly spared United’s blushes when he rattled the far post with a curling shot from inside the box.
Januzaj, the top-rated 18-year-old with highlight reels on YouTube, started the game on the right but he impressed all over the pitch with his one-touch control, pace, quick feet and passing.
And the slight Belgian, United’s reserve team player of the year last season, popped up for their best chance of the first half but disappointingly volleyed Fabio’s cross over the bar.
“I thought he played well tonight, I thought he was a plus for us,” said Moyes of Januzaj.
“It’s always good when you give a young player a chance and he shows up, and I thought he did tonight. The more he plays like that, the more opportunities he’s liable to get.”
Moyes fielded a side missing Robin van Persie, captain Nemanja Vidic, Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney, who fuelled transfer speculation when he pulled out of the Asian tour on day one with a hamstring injury.
England striker Danny Welbeck, the only forward still on tour, played alone up front with Anderson, Tom Cleverley, Ryan Giggs, Januzaj and Michael Carrick in midfield.
Whether the team-sheet can one day match the 19,500 pounds ($30,000) fetched recently by a copy of Alex Ferguson’s debut line-up — for a 2-0 defeat at Oxford United in 1986 — remains to be seen.
But Moyes showed few concerns over the loss. United flew straight to Sydney to continue their tour, with the Premier League title defence not starting until August 17.
“I said to (the players), this isn’t the one we desperately needed to win. It’s …read more
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Celtic star Hooper set to leave – Lennon
Celtic manager Neil Lennon admits star striker Gary Hooper could have played his last game for the Scottish champions.
Hooper has attracted recent bids from Premier League sides Norwich and Hull and has made it clear to Lennon that he is keen to return to England.
The 25-year-old, who has been struggling with a groin strain during pre-season, is out of contract at the end of the forthcoming campaign, making it likely Celtic will cash in now if they are convinced he won’t sign a new deal.
Hooper did not feature in Celtic’s 3-0 defeat against Union Berlin on Friday – their fourth friendly loss in Germany ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier against Cliftonville.
And Lennon told several national newspapers: “It will be difficult to convince Gary to stay. He has not featured much in pre-season and the games start in earnest for us on Wednesday night.
“So he’d have a bit of catching up to do and I don’t know where his mind is at the minute.
“Has he played his last game for Celtic? Never say never but it’s looking more and more that way.”
Lennon has already seen Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama leave for Southampton in midweek and believes he needs further reinforcements after only bringing in Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk and Portuguese striker Amido Balde during the close-season.
“I haven’t spoken to (Celtic chief executive) Peter Lawwell yet about bringing someone in but we need two or three players if we’re going to get back into the Champions League,” Lennon added.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Mourinho warns rivals he's better than ever
Jose Mourinho has warned that he is returning to Chelsea as a much better manager as he bids to win back the Premier League trophy and secure an elusive Champions League title with the London club.
Mourinho, looking greyer and weightier than English fans will remember, said his experiences at Inter Milan and Real Madrid would put him in good stead in his second stint.
“I think some white hairs in my case is a good sign because it means that I’m better now than before,” he told journalists in Bangkok, where he will begin his new era with a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
“I think I’m better now because my job is the kind of job where experience means a lot,” explained the Portuguese.
“Especially like in my case after my period with Chelsea I went around Europe, I had two years in Italy, three years in Spain, so I have more football culture than before.
“I have more experience than before so I think I’m in a better condition now than before. Because I think my job is about that, it’s about learning experiences.”
Mourinho, 50, is a good bet to return the Premier League trophy to Chelsea after winning back-to-back titles as well as two League Cups and the FA Cup during his first stint from 2004 to 2007.
At Inter Milan, he achieved the Italian treble of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia in 2010 during another trophy-laden spell, and he also won La Liga during a more mixed time with Real Madrid.
Now Mourinho is hoping to build a lasting legacy at Chelsea and emulate his achievement at both Porto and Inter of winning the Champions League for the first time with the Blues.
Mourinho’s visit to Thailand nearly began in embarrassing fashion when, after performing a Thai bow for waiting media, he tripped on the steps to the press conference dais and almost crashed onto the stage.
But he quickly recovered his poise to speak about his enthusiasm for young signings Marco van Ginkel — “one of the best prospects in European football” — and Andre Schurrle, as well as veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Mourinho, who brashly announced himself as “the Special One” when he first arrived at Chelsea but now prefers “the Happy One”, admitted he would not be smiling when the team loses for the first time.
“Until the first defeat I’m very happy. When the first defeat comes I’m the same,” he said. “I’m very sad when my team doesn’t win. But it’s up to them to help me and to support me and try to get a good result every match for our club.”
The first loss is unlikely to come on Wednesday, when Chelsea take on the Singha All-Stars XI in Bangkok, a city plastered with giant images of their stars and where fans have turned out in force to greet them.
But goalkeeper Petr Cech dismissed notions that Chelsea held the edge over English champions Manchester United and Manchester City, who also have new managers, owing to their familiarity …read more
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Khan agrees to buy Fulham
Pakistan-born billionaire Shahid Khan agreed a deal to buy English Premier League club Fulham on Friday.
Khan, who owns NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars, has been in talks with Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed for several days and the pair have struck an agreement that will put the west London team under new ownership for the first time in 16 years.
The transaction, reported to have cost Khan around ??150 million, has been approved by the Premier League and the tycoon assumes 100 per cent ownership of the club, with a press conference scheduled for 1200GMT on Saturday to officially introduce the new Cottagers supremo.
“Mr Al Fayed is giving me the privilege and responsibility of serving as the next custodian of Fulham Football Club,” Khan told the club’s website.
“I am extremely honoured to accept and want to thank him, on behalf of everyone who loves Fulham, for 16 years of exceptional service to the Club. He rescued the club in its hour of need and has led it to a sustained place within the Premier League.
“Fulham is the perfect club at the perfect time for me. I want to be clear, I do not view myself so much as the owner of Fulham, but a custodian of the club on behalf of its fans.
“My priority is to ensure the club and Craven Cottage each have a viable and sustainable Premier League future that fans of present and future generations can be proud of.
“We will manage the club’s financial and operational affairs with prudence and care, with youth development and community programs as fundamentally important elements of Fulham’s future.”
Khan, who was born in Lahore but now has American citizenship, is ranked 179th in the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans with an estimated worth of $2.5 billion after making his fortune as a car parts manufacturer.
The 62-year-old, the first non-American to own a NFL franchise, already has ties to London, with the Jaguars scheduled to play one regular season game a season at Wembley for the next four years.
In 1967, at the age of 16, Khan left his native Pakistan for the United States and the opportunity to study engineering at the University of Illinois.
Khan struck it rich when he purchased Flex-N-Gate, a car parts supplier, and built it into a global leader that now employs more than 16,000 people at 52 manufacturing and nine product development and engineering facilities throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Spain.
Al Fayed, the 84-year-old former Harrods owner, had transformed Fulham from a third-tier outfit to an established Premier League side since taking over in 1997.
Off the field, training facilities have improved markedly and Craven Cottage has been revamped, with planning permission in place to redevelop the Riverside Stand and increase the stadium’s capacity to 30,000.
The club is also effectively debt-free after Al Fayed converted previous loans into equity earlier this year.
But the Egyptian was keen to step down and Khan has taken advantage of the chance to expand his sporting portfolio.
“My time of serving as …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News
Luis Suárez – The Chomp Heard Around The World
If Manchester United beats Aston Villa on Monday night at Old Trafford it will be their 20th top flight championship and it will be secured with four games still remaining in the season. Given normal circumstances, the game tomorrow night would be the center of attention and then move quickly to the two Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday (Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich) and Wednesday (Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid). Up until Sunday, the weekend’s Premier League action had been pretty routine. Sunderland had sprung a surprise by beating Everton thus relieving some of their relegation concerns. QPR and Reading both lost (Stoke and Norwich also easing their respective concerns) and when they play each other next week it will decide which side will be the first to be officially relegated. Arsenal made heavy weather in beating mid-table Fulham 1-0 even though Fulham had to play a man short for around 80 minutes. Even at half-time of the early game on Sunday between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City it was routine stuff. Over the last month or so Manchester City had found the form that won the Premier League title just 12 months ago and with a 1-0 lead they looked to be on the brink of cutting into Manchester United’s lead. What’s more Arsenal and Chelsea fans were gleefully rubbing their hands as City seemed set to administer another blow to Spurs hopes of a top four finish and a chance at Champions League football next season. But in the second half three critical substitutions from Spurs manager Andre Villas Boas and goals from American Clint Dempsey, Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale in just 7 minutes turned the story upside down. Spurs sudden comeback and City’s collapse was to be the defining story from this weekend’s play. With Liverpool against Chelsea the only remaining fixture, surely nothing could detract from Spurs marvelous and gutsy resurgence and City’s flaccid second half effort? Sure, unpopular Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez was returning to the more friendly confines of Anfield where he managed successfully from 2004 to 2010. And Fernando Torres would be along as well after his $80M move from Liverpool to Chelsea in January 2011. Chelsea led 1-0 at half time in a game that stammered and stuttered for the first 45 minutes. There was nothing to prepare us for the next 45 minutes which will be remembered as the most controversial of halves this season. The game finished 2-2 with Luis Suarez equalizing with the last attacking touch of the game and in the process Liverpool whisked two very valuable points out from under the nose of Chelsea. Rafa Benitez wondered why over six minutes of additional time had been played and his Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers mused over a stray elbow from Torres on Liverpool center back Jamie Carragher. But both managers were clearly grasping for any straw in order to avoid the issue – what did they think of Liverpool’s Luis Suárez’s munch on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic?
Soccer fans clash in Britain; 3 officers injured
Rival soccer fans clashed on the streets of a city in northeastern England after a high-profile match. Police say three officers have been injured and 27 arrests made.
The violence came after a Premier League derby between Newcastle and Sunderland on Sunday. Sunderland, the visiting team, won 3-0. Their supporters were confronted by Newcastle fans outside the stadium, including at the city’s main train station. Objects were thrown and the three police officers were injured. One of them required hospital treatment.
The disturbances came a day after fans of London club Millwall fought among themselves at Wembley Stadium during an FA Cup semifinal against Wigan. A number of fans were bloodied in disturbing scenes that left many young fans in tears. Police say 14 people were arrested in that incident.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/Xfg2XUb3l2M/
Projected EPL Table With 6.5 Matches to Go
Another round of Premier League football is in the books, meaning only six match days plus four FA Cup-delayed matches remain in the 2012-13 season. The race for fourth is starting to heat up, and if one only looks at the table it appears that no team in the bottom seven is really ahead in avoiding the 18thtable position. Herewith is how last weekend’s action impacted the likelihood of each team’s finish position. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Relegation – It's The Most Wonderfully Awful Time Of The Year
It is something that most North American sports fans just cannot fathom. The idea that their team might be demoted to a lesser league based on poor performance is incomprehensible. Instead the home of capitalism rewards failure by offering a helping hand to under-performers by allowing them the pick of the next generation of superstars. For the rest of the world and in particular the soccer world, relegation and promotion is a life-source for the game. Play well and you get rewarded; play poorly and you are punished. Darwinism at its most basic and most beautiful. With most teams only having six games left in the Barclay’s Premier League and Manchester United ahead by 15 points going into Monday’s match against second place Manchester City, attention is focused on the fight for Champions League places (two from Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and a now slightly drifting Everton) and the battle to avoid the drop. Each season three teams are relegated to the Championship and replaced by three teams going in the opposite direction. At the moment Cardiff and Hull look likely to move up while one other will be decided through a four-team play-off. Next season competing in the Premier League alone will be worth close to $100M with more money available to the more successful and TV-popular clubs. Teams that are relegated this season will receive parachute payments of around $75M over four seasons to cushion the blow of relegation. A potential of $400M+ versus $75M – it seems more like a whoopee cushion than a parachute. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Projected EPL Table With 7.5 Matches To Go
The final international break of the season has been completed, and last weekend the Premier League’s twenty teams started the business end of the season. All ten scheduled contests were held, while none of the abandoned matches from the last FA Cup weekend will be made up until April 16th and 17th. This means there are essentially 7.5 match days left in the 2012-13 season. Here are the impacts of last weekend’s action on each team’s likely finish position. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest