United Edge Closer To Chelsea After A Week Of Upsets

Chelsea's unbeaten streak ended at the City of Manchester stadium in the first match of the sixth weekend of the Premier League season setting the tone for a week of upsets.

Robert Mancini smartly diluted any pressure of expectation on the Citizens, by predicting that the champions would retain the title quite easily this season.

That was before the match, although Mancini continues to stand by his statement even after the Chelsea game that City won 1-0.

An inspired goal by Carlos Tevez was followed by resolute defence that saw Carlo Ancelotti substituting a surprised Didier Drogba.

With Lescott and Boateng missing in the back-line, it was left to Ashley Cole to man the fortress, and ironically Tevez's shot went through Cole's legs before ricochetting off the post to beat Cech into the Chelsea net.

Next, it was West Brom's turn to upset punters who had backed Arsenal to win handily against Albion before their home fans at Emirates.

After a goalless first half, West Brom set the alarm ringing at Emirates, with an Odemwingie strike in the 50th minute, and followed it up with a second one, two minutes later, this time off Jara's boot.

But it wasn't until 20 minutes later that Arsene Wenger's men woke up with a vengeance.

By then, Albion were 3-0 up, with the third goal coming in the 72nd minute. Ironically, that strike which proved eventually to be the winning margin was the contribution from Jerome Thomas, an ex-Arsenal man.

For Arsenal, the match was a tale of missed opportunities, with. Ebou and Arshavin wasting scoring opportunities within the first quarter-hour.

Bolton held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium which should justly rank as a win, considering that United never led during the match but came back twice from behind to level the score. Knight put the home side ahead in the fifth minute, and Nani got the Red devils level in the 22nd.

Petrov got Bolton up again to 2-1 in the 67th minute; seven minutes later, Owen rescued the Old Trafford side from what would have been a humiliating loss.

Tottenham's loss to West Ham at Upton Park should be up there with Chelsea and Arsenal's defeats. Coming off a morale boosting win in the Carling Cup, West Ham prevailed in the London derby played before a full house of home fans.

Apart from Piquionne's 29th minute strike that gave Avram Grant's side the lead, Ro Green's athleticism between the sticks won the day for the Hammers.

West Ham continue to remain in relegation zone, for now, but they have managed to move one place up the points table, leaving Everton to wallow in twentieth, following the Goodison Park squad's draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Blackpool's 2-1 loss to Blackburn could also be considered an upset; that is the extent of Blackpool's stamp on the ongoing Premiership campaign, the Seasiders' first ever. The defeat left the Tangerines without a home win. In their only other match at Bloomfield Road, so far, Blackpool drew 1-1 against Fulham.

Wayne Rooney Videos - So Great To Watch Again And Again

Wayne Rooney tore defenders apart in the Premier League since his debut for Everton. But what makes his videos so compelling to watch? I discuss this and more in this article.

The maturity of his play, the passion, the sublime and the raw skill - all are what make Rooney so amazing to watch. And in today's modern world of high definition, slow-mo freeze frame, multi angle action - it's almost as if Rooney was made for modern day worldwide Premier League broadcasts.

This kid (he really is still a kid, isn't he) burst on to the game a few years ago and made an immediate impact. What struck people most about him was amazing tenacity coupled with a kind of maturity in a youngster never seen before. Who else at his age was able to give not just one, but two or three drops of the shoulder to shake of defenders?

Later came his passion and aggression for the game. It is said that his aggression sometimes gets the better of him and that he should not concede so many yellow and even red cards. But taking the passion out of Wayne is like taking a bottle away from a baby - you just can't do it! All this being said, he rarely lets his passion get the better of him.

The best example is during a match when the referee upset him and he had a heated argument. A few seconds later he received a pass and - "WALLOP" - he kicked an unstoppable screamer of a volley from about 25 yards out into the top corner of the net!

Premier League Match Time: Everton Vs Liverpool

One of the mouth watering prospects in store for football fans, when the Premier League returns after an International break, is a Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool.

Goodison Park will be the venue of a lunch-time kick off on Sunday in what promises to be an explosive match between two sides looking to prove themselves, after indifferent starts to their Premiership campaigns.

Coincidentally, both teams languishing near the bottom of the table, have six points each after seven matches. With new ownership looming for the Reds, Roy Hodgson will be keen to underline his managerial skills with a win. Especially after fans chanted for his removal in the Reds' 2-1 home loss to Blackpool.

In some bad news for Liverpool (other than the off-field wrangles at Anfield), Dirk Kuyt is sidelined ahead of Sunday's game, owing to an injury sustained by the striker in Holland's Euro qualifier with Sweden on Tuesday, a match that the Dutch won convincingly. It could be a month before Kuyt returns to action.

But Hodgson will take cheer from Torres' return to the team after the Spanish striker showed signs of recovery from an abductor strain.

Steven Gerrard, as ever, will the key man, and Hodgson will look for an inspired performance from the England midfielder in what is a must-win for the Anfield squad.

Everton on their part have injury worries too, with the sidelining of Victor Anichebe, Steven Pienaar, Louis Saha and Jack Rodwell. Manager David Moyes will hope that home advantage inspires the Blues to bank three points from the game, and move up the points table.

The Toffees will look to Tim Cahill to provide the momentum, even as the Reds are set to miss the services of Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio and Paul Konchesky due to injury.

The following players were in Everton starting eleven in their 2-0 win against Birmingham, on October 2: Tim Howard, Phil Neville, Sylvain Distin, Philip Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Marouane Fellaini, Mikel Arteta, Leon Osman, Tim Cahill, Yakubu.

The substitutes for the match were: Barkley, Jermaine Bedford, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, John Heitinga, Magaye Gueye, Tony Hibbert, Jan Mucha.

Liverpool included the following players in their last league match against Blackpool, a match that the Reds lost 2-1: Jose Manuel (Pepe) Reina, Glen Johnson, Sotiros Kyrgiakos, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher, Christian Poulsen, Raul Meireles, Dirk Kuyt, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Fernando Torres.

The substitutes were: Milan Jovanovic, Lucas, David Ngog, Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly, Maxi Rodriguez, Brad Jones.

The Greatest Football Player of All Time

Football is one of the most popular sports in America today. But do you know who the best football player of all time is? Pele is the best football player of all time for his remarkable performance in his key role in two of Brazil's first three World Cup victories.

Some personal information about him is that Pele's full name is Edson Arantes Do Nascimento. His childhood nickname was "Dico." This great man was born on October 23, 1940 in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. He has humble beginnings. As a boy he helped his family's financial condition by cleaning shoes at the local train station. In 1956 at the age of 16, he began playing soccer in Brazilian minor league teams such as Bauru Athletic Club and was coached by the former Brazilian international Waldemar de Brito, who played for Brazil during the 1934 World Cup.

Pele played for the clubs Santos and New York Cosmos and his best position is being striker. He had won 3 World Championships for Brazil, 2 Intercontinental Cups, 2 Copa Libertadores, and a Brazilian Championship for the club Santos and for the club New York Cosmos; he had won the US Championship once. This guy is honored as the IFFHS Player of the Century. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in the year 1993 and named as IOC Athlete of the Century in the year 1999.

There is no doubt that Pele is the best football player of all time because of his significant contributions in the world of football. Ney Blanco de Oliveira, Pele's personal friend for more than 40 years, admires him for being a kind person who has the heart to help other people and organizations that help children around the world. He mentioned that, "Edson is not only the greatest soccer player the world will ever know, but he is also one of the most sensitive, generous and noble human beings that I have ever known." Two of the famous lines from this great person: "I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music," and, "Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string."

Kaka - Football Genius

Kaka is undoubtedly a wonderful player, a fact confirmed by his World Player of the Year award, his Champions League winners medal and the huge number of fans he has, not just at the San Siro but all over the world.

What makes a player truly iconic is the unique style they employ out on the pitch. Kaka is so tall and strong and sometimes a little awkward looking, but his control and vision for that defence splitting pass is second to none. Nobody plays football like Kaka and that makes him a truly great footballer.

Another signature of a great player is that they will always rise to the big occasion. In the big matches, when it really matters, truly top draw players will always perform at their best. AC Milan's Champions League victory in the 2006-07 competition was all about the Brazilian genius. In the semi final he bossed both legs of their tie with Manchester United, making other brilliant players look distinctly average.

The 2006 World Cup was another stage where Kaka truly reached the top of his game. In a Brazil side that so much was expected, they never really delivered but Kaka still came away with much credit. Critics recognised the fact that it was he who was at the centre of most of the good things Brazil did in the competition.

His unique style and big game performances mean that sales of Kaka football shirts have gone through the roof. A player that can sell shirts is always an important commodity to any top football club. AC Milan will want to tie him down to a lengthy contract to ensure other giants of world football don't start sniffing around.

With players like Ronaldo and Messi rising to the top of the game, Kaka still sits at the top of the tree and is still young enough to enjoy the finest football of his career and join other great Brazilians in football's hall of fame.

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Premier League News: Manchester United Could Lose Rooney To Real Madrid

A Spanish newspaper, AS, has claimed that Wayne Rooney is unlikely to renew his contract with Manchester United paving the way for a transfer to Spanish club Real Madrid.

According to the paper, Rooney is frustrated with the media intrusion into his personal life and that has led to his decision to quit the Old Trafford squad. Real Madrid boss is said to have told the newpaper that he was very keen to have Rooney with the Bernabeu squad.

Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson could get the opportunity to shift to Juventus, in the January transfer window. The Italian club have shown interest in signing Johnson although his contract with the Anfield squad still has three years to run. Juventus are hoping that Liverpool's off-field management wrangles could get Johnson to consider their offer.

In their match against Wolves, this weekend, West Ham will not have the services of recent signing Thomas Hitzlsperger sidelined with a torn thigh muscle that could take several more weeks to heal.

Ibrahim Afellay could join Manchester United next summer when the midfielder's contract with Dutch club PSV Eindoven is set to expire. Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are other sides interested in the extremely adaptable 24 year old who scored twice in Holland's Euro qualifier win over Sweden.

Despite their recent financial problems, Liverpool could invest £14 mn to acquire Brazil striker Nilmar from Soanish club Villarreal. The goal machine has helped his side to second position in Spain's La Liga; Chelsea and Juventus are also said to be interested in signing Nilmar.

Arsenal's goalkeeping problems could soon be at an end if they manage to acquire Gorka Iraizoz from Spain's Athletic Bilbao.

German right-back Philip Lahm could leave Bayern Munich after 15 years spent at the club, if Carlo Ancelotti has his way.

Sir Alex may have finally found a successor to Van der Sar between the posts, in the form of Rangers' goalkeeper Allan McGregor. Playong for the Scotland national squad, McGregor was impressive in the recent qualifier against Spain that Scotland lost 3-2. Van der Sar, who will turn forty at the end of this month, recently announced his intention to retire.

Recently, Fergie is said to have considered Schalke's Manuel Neuer, Ateltico madrid's David de Gea and Ajax's Maarten Sketelenberg, but these players come with about four times the price tag of McGregor who can be acquired for about £5 mn. McGregor rcently became Scotland's first choice between the posts, taking over from Gordon, currently with sunderland in the Premier League.

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Financial Reality of the Premier League

Established in 1992, the Premier League in England has seen phenomenal growth despite its relatively young stint as a professional football league. It pioneered televised football that was still in its infancy. The Premier League was the replacement of the old First Division and is composed of 22 teams, which was eventually cut back to 20.

Financially, the English Premier League is at the top of its class. Sponsored by Barclays Bank, this association was a recipient of the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the category for International Trade. The League recorded second of its highest revenue so far in 2007-08 season when it reached a raise of 20% to £1.93 billion in total profits alone. More than half of total number of teams achieved profit in the same year. The average salary of a regular player is about £676,000 per annum, on top of bonuses. However, clubs in the league today are experiencing financial challenges primarily due to huge bills for the players, as well as massive transfer fees for player acquisitions. In fact, several teams in the league are in tight financial spot right now, a situation that may negatively impact the league significantly if left unattended for long.

Real financial situation

Although considered to be the richest football league after its last season run which netted a total of up to £2bn, the entire league is actually struggling to survive due to overwhelming wage bill for players alone. Player salaries of the entire league reached as high as £1.3bn and are still expected to rise during the next season. Many clubs are left with nothing in terms of operating profits, putting them in a serious financial constraint. During the 2007-08 season alone, a number of clubs claimed financial loss although the league reached a new record high in profits. This means that a majority of clubs in the league are absorbing losses year in year out for several seasons now, without any sign of recovery.

Such sad situation demands immediate action, prompting league officials to act swiftly to save the league, clubs, and the players from more financial pressures. There is now ruling within the league that bars teams from spending on player acquisitions, transfers, and wages if they cannot earn it from their own revenue. They have to earn first, and then use their net profit to sign contracts for their players. Such act is seen by many to be disadvantageous for some ailing clubs, while at the same time, a good one for those clubs that has huge fan following and huge revenue reserves. Whatever the case maybe, the "spending what you are earning" policy will hold its ground in the coming seasons and is seen as the only way to redeem the Premier League from sinking in the future.

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Does Cristiano Ronaldo Have a Girlfriend? Get the Latest Update Here

The 23 year old Manchester united and Portuguese winger who has been in scintillating form for Manchester united in the season that just ended, scoring 42 goals in all competitions and helping Manchester united to back to back Barclays premier league titles and the coveted Champions league title. He has been seen blowing kisses on many occasion after scoring, most noticeable being his 37th goal which he scored against Middlesbrough. When asked about the blowing kisses the Portuguese winger replied by saying he had a new girlfriend.

So who is she? No doubt the Manchester United midfield sensation would be trying relentlessly to keep aspects of his personal life private but the Cristiano Ronaldo appears to be head over heels in love with his new girlfriend; 24 year old Spanish supermodel Nereida Gallardo. Gallardo has been spotted at many of his games with his cousin Nuno. The midfield maestro who once dated Gemma Atkinson, an English actress, television personality, glamour and lingerie model has been seeing the Spanish supermodel since January 2008 and the couple has been seen together on many occasions.

Every successful man needs a successful woman behind him, because at the end of the day; with the all the player's fame and accolades, if he has no one to share it with it will all be in vain. Hopefully the Spanish supermodel will inspire the world's best player to produce another season of phenomenal football at Old Trafford. The player reported turned down a historic deal worth £90million from Spanish giants Real Madrid which would make his transfer the highest in history.

So does Cristiano Ronaldo have a girlfriend? Who knows?

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How to Mark Out a Football Field

How to mark out a foot ball field: Then using a string line, start with your goal line, making sure that you have 100 metres clearance of any hedges/obstructions etc. This line should be measured to as wide as you can in the space allowed, to approx 65-70m.

Use the 3,4,5 triangle technique to obtain a right angle at each corner of your goal line and take a string line down the pitch following your right angle to 95-105m. Do this for both corners of your first goal line which will give you two touch lines.

At the end of one of the touchlines, use another 3,4,5 triangle and follow a string line to the end of the other touchline.

You should now have strung out a rectangle. To check the accuracy of you rectangle, measure the diagonal lengths - these should equal the same. Once you are sure the string lines are correct, use these as a guide to mark the triangle.

Using a tape measure, find the centre of each goal. From the centre, make a mark on the goal line for the six yard and eighteen yard boxes. Do this for each end. A very useful diagram to use as a guide for this can be found at http://www.pitchcare.com.

From the corners, measure up both the touchlines, six and eighteen yards. Also measure up touchlines to find the middle of your field. Once all the internal measurements have been strung, mark these lines, ensuring you mark on the inside of the string line.

Once the six and eighteen yard boxes are marked, mark your centre line. Finally, put a string line up the centre of the pitch and measure from the back of the line (36') for the middle of the penalty spot at each end. From the middle of the painted spot, measure 30' on the outside of the penalty box to get your arc.

Follow the same principal to mark out your centre circle by again measuring 30' out from the centre spot of your halfway line. The final step is to mark out the quadrants at each corner - these should be 1m radius.

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Premier League: Boston Red Sox Owners To Buy Liverpool FC

New England Sports Ventures (NESV), the owners of the Boston Red Sox will take over Liverpool after a legal dispute with the current American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks is settled by the Premier League.

Hicks and Gillett have expressed their unwillingness to sell the club, and in a bid to prevent its sale, have tried to replace managing director Purlow and commercial director Ayre with their own nominees including Hicks's son.

Purlow and Ayre are said to be in touch with their legal counsel so as to foil the bid to replace them and to ensure the club's sale.

The club has debts of 240 mn with Royal Bank of Scotland, which is also owed 40 mn in fees. The 300 mn bid by the Red Sox owners is sufficient to cover these liabilities. If the debts are not settled by October 15, there would be an additional penalty of 60 mn payable to RBS.

So the legal dispute would have to be settled so as to allow the sale to go through by October 15.

Gillett and Hicks are reportedly uninterested in selling the club for 300 mn, as they feel this is an undervaluation. But if the sale were not to transpire by October 15, the bank could extend the deadline and take possession of the club and see its sale through.

Hicks and Gillett want 600 mn for the club, twice the offer by the Red Sox owners. In fact, their original demand was for 800 mn; they acquired the club in 2007 for 174.1 mn, when the debts did not exceed 44.8 mn.

Apart from owning the Boston Red Sox, NESV also own other companies, Rousch Fenway Racing, New England Sports Network and Fenway Sports Group.

Meanwhile fans of the Anfield outfit who were not very enthused with Gillett and Hicks are optimistic about the takeover. The club needs an infusion of funds that will enable investment in key players who could get the Merseysiders back to winning ways.

However, a group that calls itself the Share Liverpool FC group is not very enthusiastic about the sale. The group, organized with the aim of attracting 100,000 fans to own the club jointly, is the brainchild of Dr Rogan Taylor.

Dr Taylor does not believe that the club has reached a point of no return, and stresses that any prospective owner must necessarily understand the culture of football as played in Britain.

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Safety Signage Part of New Premier League Assurance Scheme

Assessment of safety signage for visitor arrivals at football grounds are part of a new customer quality scheme announced by the Premier League and VisitEngland.

Every Premier League club will be assessed under the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme, which has been tailored specifically with stadia in mind. The project aims to steer clubs into giving the best possible experience to fans.

Arrival signage is part of eight areas deemed important for the 13 million footy fans forecast to visit stadiums this season, and includes things like pre-arrival, match experience, catering, toilets and merchandise.

Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, said the strategy was timed well with England's ongoing 2018 World Cup bid.

"With the inspection visit for the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid under way this new VisitEngland scheme is a welcome reminder of the commitment that Barclays Premier League clubs have to ensuring that fans have the best experience possible."

The chief executive also said that since the league's formation in 1992 over £3 billion has been spent on ground improvements that have made English stadia amongst the best in the world.

It was also announced that new steward training would be developed to enhance visitors' experience further still.

For football clubs and other businesses looking to improve the safety of their visitors with the use of better signs, there are many sources available, both online and in the form of catalogues. However safety signs and directional signs form only a small part of an overall safety strategy.

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Ian Callaghan - Liverpool FC Legend

Ian Callaghan was born in Liverpool in 1942, he supported Liverpool as a child and went on to play for Liverpool. During his eighteen years at the club, Ian Callaghan made a record 857 appearances for Liverpool, a record that still stands today and is unlikely ever to be broken.

Callaghan signed for Liverpool as an apprentice and made his first team debut during the 1960 season, when Liverpool were playing in the second division, he began to play regularly in the first team from 1961 season onwards. The 1962 season saw Liverpool win the second division championship and gain promotion back to the first division.

Nick-named 'Cally' Ian Callaghan became the backbone of the Liverpool team which embarked on a journey from second division mediocrity, to English and European football supremacy.

The 1963-64 season saw Liverpool win the first division league title and again in 1965-66, winning the FA Cup against Leeds United in 1965.

Ian Callaghan was known as a true gentleman, and he was only booked once during all his appearances for Liverpool. Initially employed as a 'winger' Callaghan was renowned for his pace, stamina and accurate passing, from which he created many goals for strike partnership Ian St John and Roger Hunt.

Later in his career Callaghan assumed a midfield role, after a career threatening injury during the 1970-71 season, from which he fought his way back into the team, and many say he played better in that role than he had done before.

Many believe that the 1973-74 was Callaghan's best at Liverpool, when he again helped them to win the FA Cup and he was awarded the football player of year award, and subsequently awarded an MBE for his services to football.

Callaghan's career at Liverpool was still far from over, at the age of 34 he helped Liverpool win the league title and UEFA Cup in 1976, and the following season win the league, and the European Cup for the first time in Liverpool's history.

Ian Callaghan was to play one more season for Liverpool, and the 1978 season saw Liverpool retain the European Cup. In the Autumn of 1978 Ian Callaghan finally left Liverpool, when he joined Swansea City, after an incredible 857 appearances and 69 goals. A true Liverpool legend.

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Premier League Preview - Birmingham Vs Liverpool

Birmingham City are scheduled to host Liverpool at their traditional venue of St Andrews in the Premier League, in an afternoon kick-off, on Sunday.

In their debut season, last year, Birmingham did brilliantly, finishing at 9th on the points table. Ordinarily, there would be anticipation of the second season syndrome kicking in. But the Blues' early form has belied any such fear.

Having recorded identical 2-2 draws against Sunderland and Bolton, and a 2-1 win over Blackburn have ensured that there has not been any sign of that happening, so far, in three games played.

Stuart Parnaby's hamstring injury worry is likely to prompt team manager Alex McLeish to subject the right back to a late test. Sebastian Larsson who hurt his knee in the Bolton game is certain to miss out.

The Blues have an excellent record at home. They have not lost a match at St Andrews' in their last 16 games here. Against Liverpool, head to head, in 49 home games, Birmingham have won 21 and lost 15, with the remaining 13 ending without result.

The last time Liverpool beat Birmingham here was in 2006, in the FA Cup, when they delivered a 7-0 walloping. That said, the last Premier League loss at home for Birmingham came still farther back, in 2004.

Liverpool haven't had a dream start to their campaign. Once giants of English football, Liverpool's 1-1 draw at home against Arsenal was far from convincing. They went a step or three worse losing to Man City, in the Eastlands, before managing to salvage some pride in a home win of 1-0 against West Brom.

In fact, the game against the Baggies was hard won, with the Hawthorns side the more proactive on the pitch, on the day.

Dirk Kuyt's shoulder and N'gog's Hamstring are likely to keep them out of Liverpool's starting eleven, against the Blues. Joe Cole will also be missing, with this game the last of the three match suspension awarded with the first ever red card of his career.

Left-back Paul Konchesky, a deadline day import from Fulham, and midfielder Paul Meireles, are both likely to begin their campaigns with the Reds.

Gerrard has a penchant for scoring against the Blues, with six goals to show for nine appearances against them.

Birmingham's likely starting eleven could comprise: Foster, Johnson, Ridgewell, Carr, Dann, Gardner, Bowyer, Larsson, Fergusson, Jerome, McFadden

Liverpool's likely starting eleven should include: Reina, Skrtel, Johnson, Konchesky, Carragher, Meireles, Poulsen, Gerrard, Maxi, Torres, Jovanovic.

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Premier League Preview: West Ham Vs Fulham

Fulham are due to visit Upton Park to keep their away date with West Ham this Saturday. West Ham have not lost in their last six home matches to Fulham, winning and drawing three each. Fulham's last win here came in 2001.

West Ham are gung-ho ahead of the Fulham match, with two wins on the trot, first a Premier League home match against Tottenham, last weekend, and then a Carling Cup win against Sunderland.

Valon Behrami has recovered from his knee injury and will be available for selection, but the Hammers will continue to miss Jack Collison and Zavon Hines, while there's a question mark over Thomas Hitzlsperger's fitness.

However, West Ham manager Avram Grant will want to welcome back injury prone Kieron Dyer, who started in the first half of last week's win against Spurs, having to withdraw midway, owing to illness. But Dyer is yet to recover from his illness, and Grant could take a late call on Dyer's inclusion in the starting eleven for the Fulham match.

Fulham's manager Mark Hughes, previously at the helm with Manchester City, has overseen 13 draws in 17 League matches involving the two teams. Hughes has some injury concerns ahead of the match at Upton Park. He will not have the services of Moussa Dembele, Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson, and Zoltan Gera should make it to the starting eleven, joining Clint Dempsey upfront.

Mark Schwarzer has a second choice goalkeeper in David Stockdale who is back from injury.

Last season's Premier League match between the sides at Upton Park ended without result, while Fulham won their home match at Craven Cottage.

Apart from Manchester United, Fulham are the only team with an unbeaten record in their six matches, in the ongoing Premier League season, although five of those matches have ended in draws. Their exploits this year have taken the Cottagers to sixth place on the points table.

Given the current form of the two teams, and taking into account West Ham's advantage playing before a home crowd at Upton Park, a draw appears the most probable result in Saturday's match, although West Ham cannot be denied a thin edge, following the injury concerns among Fulham's forward line.

West Ham's probable starting eleven should have the following: Green, Gabidon, Upson, Da Costa, Jacobsen, Boa Morte, Noble, Parker, Dyer, Piquionne, Obinna

Fulham will probably start with: Schwarzer, Salcido, Hughes, Hangeland, Kelly, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Davies, Gera, Dempsey

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Caroll Helps Newcastle Hold Wolves To Draw

Andy Caroll did his England call up prospects no harm by scoring an equaliser for Newcastle United against Woverhampton Wanderers, in the Premier League on Saturday.

Wolves scored even as Magpies began with a great display of energy. Wolves went ahead in the 45th minute, when Jelle van Damme played a ball through the centre for Ebanks-Blake to drive home. About twenty minutes into the second half, an unmarked Caroll nodded a high Barton free kick home.

Fresh from a 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa, last weekend, Newcastle appeared to continue from where they had left off against the Villans. And it was only their defensive organization that saw Wolves first hang in, and then get ahead, on the back of Ebanks-Blake's strike.

However, the story of the day belonged to Caroll, with assistance from Kevin Nolan; Caroll was equally at ease, in bruising tackles, aerial attacks and hold up play. Apart from an early header that tested Wolves 'keeper Hahnemann, Routledge and Nolan saw scoring opportunities going a begging.

Midway, the match was transformed into a bruising affair, featuring Karl Henry and Barton in particular. Several Wolves players were booked, as the Magpies became targeted increasingly in physical contests, as for instance, Alan Smith by Kevin Doyle, and Andy Caroll by Van Damme.

Matthew Jarvis was brought down by James Perch and referee Attwell denied what appeared to be a good call for a spot kick. The result was more rough play from Wolves, now spurred by perceived injustice.

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Argentina Vs Germany - This Should Have Been a World Cup Semi-Final!

Yesterday saw the second of the four Quarter Final matches finalised, with Germany beating England (some might say with the help of one of the most awful refereeing decisions in recent times) and Argentina beating Mexico (er, again with a bad offside decision). Two World Cup giants of World Cup past, with eyes very much on the immediate future...

Diego Maradona, so often a part of Argentina's World Cup past glories, now has the reins of Argentina's future in his hands. He's doing a great job too, it has to be said. Qualifying for South Africa proved a little tricky, but surely the man has won some respect for the way his team are coming together in these finals. With Messi starting to come alive, Tevez on the scoresheet and plenty of co-stars in support, Argentina are looking every bit the part.

Germany, on the other hand, have seemingly morphed from a young team made up of Brazilians, Turks and Poles into a potential World Cup winning team. Probably the most cosmopolitan German team in history with no real big names to speak of (outside the Bundesliga), what was it that BBC commentator said yesterday before the England v Germany match? Oh yes..."You look at this German team and think about who would get in the England team and you have maybe 1 player". Right! And another thing - perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that Ballack couldn't make it to South Africa - what do you think?

So, when we stick our football predictions hat on, what do we come up with? Firstly, we have to say that it's probably a match too soon - this one would have been great as a classic semi-final - but this is the way it goes and how the draw unfolds...so "only" a semi-final berth to shoot for for the winners of this match! Secondly, it has the potential to be a real classic, one of those games that goes down in history. Hopefully not because of some poor officialing, but rather because of the pure footballing talent on display.

Perhaps a Messi masterclass? Or a Muller wondershow? Maybe a Tevez scoring session? Or possibly even time for Shweinsteiger to take center stage?

Whatever happens, this is one game I won't be missing!

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Premier League Preview - Liverpool Vs Sunderland

Following their loss to Manchester United, Liverpool play host to tough rivals Sunderland on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts cannot afford another bad result, as that would seriously dent their hopes of a top four finish this season.

However, Roy Hodgson's squad have not found Sunderland very difficult rivals to handle. In the last matches between the two sides, Liverpool have emerged winners on as many as seven occasions, with two wins for Sunderland, both in their own backyard.

The drawn match was hosted at Anfield, which was also the venue of the last match beteen the sides. Liverpool won that match 3-0.

In their last five Premier League matches, Liverpool have had a solitary win, with two draws and two losses. In these matches, the Merseysiders have scored just four goals while conceding seven.

Two of those goals came against Manchester United last week, in a creditable performance with Liverpool coming from 2-0 down to level the score, before the Red Devils prevailed 3-2, on the back of a third goal from Berbatov.

But Roy Hodgson should be justifiably worried about his squad's 16th place in the Premiership points table, after their fifth match of the season. Ironically, Fulham, the club Hodgson left to join Liverpool are nine places ahead of the Anfield side, on the points table.

Liverpool's midfielders have not been creative enough, this season, and that could be the root of the problem. While Meireles, a recent signing, has given a good account of himself, his midfield partners Lucas and Poulsen have been reluctant to go forward, and have failed to act as a foil to the three-pronged attack line of Gerrard, Cole and Torres.

Cole in particular could be the man to turn things around, compensating for the lack of midfield flair.

Sunderland have had a fairly impressive run, this season, with a win against Manchester City the high point. Last weekend's 1-1 draw against Arsenal made possible by Darren Bent's injury time strike (his third goal of the Premiership season) ensured that Sunderland took a point from a top team.

Nitpickers looking for a weakness could focus on the Black Cats' inability to score goals. They have scored just five in five matches and conceded as many. Sunderland will be looking to the recently signed Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan to rectify that deficiency.

Liverpool's past record against Sunderland should hold them in stead, in what is likely to be crucial to the Merseysiders fortunes, this Premier League season.

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EPL Team Profile - Wigan

The formal name of the club is Wigan Athletic Football Club, or Wigan Athletic FC. They are popularly referred to as the Latics,and train at their home venue, the DW Stadium, in Greater Manchester, England, with a capacity of just over 25,000.

Founded in 1932, Wigan are the youngest team in the Premier League.

The owner of the club is Dave Whelan, and the manager, Roberto Martinez.

They were only promoted to the Premier League in 2005, and finished last season at 16th place on the League table.

In the current season, Wigan started badly, losing 4-0 to Blackburn, and 6-0 to Chelsea in their first two matches. Then they pulled off a surprise, beating Tottenham 1-0 in the third.

Early Season Preview:

I wouldn't blame you, if at first glance, you were pessimistic about Wigan's prospects this season. They have lost some quality players, who did duty for the Latics in the last season, and the previous.

However, with Robert Martinez at the helm and a striker of the calibre of Hugo Rodalegga, anything is possible. And Wigan might surprise all of us yet.

The team that beat Tottenham in the third round match of the ongoing season comprised of:

Al Habsi, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Boyce, Stam, Figueroa, McCarthy, Thomas, Diame, Boselli, Rodallega, Pollitt, Caldwell, Mustoe, Watson, Gomez, McArthur, and McManaman.

Left back Maynor Figouroa has been a consistently good player, and hence his great popularity with fans and rival clubs.

In fact, Wigan's biggest worry should be to hang on to Figouroa, or he could leave them, just as his predecessors, Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valencia, did.

With Sunderland managing to lure away Titus Bramble, there is a greater burden on Wigan and Figuoroa alike to keep their goal safe from rival strikers.

Crystal Palace's Victor Moses is in his second season with Wigan, and is widely believed to have great potential that he could well fufill this season.

Martinez has signed Antolin Alcaraz and Ronnie Stam, with wide experience playing in Europe, as possible replacements for Titus Bramble. He has also brought in James McArthur and Mauro Boselli.

'Keeper Ali Al Habsi is with Wigan on loan from Bolton.

The most significant departure is that of former skipper Mario Melchiot.

A relegation battle appears imminent for Wigan, and their first two matches were not the start the squad would have envisaged.

In late news coming in from the transfer window deadline day, yesterday, Wigan have done well by signing Chelsea's Franco Di Santio, and also by getting Manchester United's Tom Cleverly, on loan.

And their victory over Spurs in the third match bodes well for the Latics who could manage to stave off relegation, while not finishing much better than they did last year.

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English Premier League Best 11 For 2009-10 (August - December)

English Premier League has reached to its half way in the 2009-10 season. The League is getting very difficult or we can say it is getting more interesting. Teams like Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City are creating problems for the top four teams. In fact at mid season Liverpool is looking to lose its place from top four of this season. We have already witnessed some great games this season along with some great individual efforts.

Picking the best eleven for this season is a very difficult thing. We have seen some great performances this season. Top eleven players can be following:

Goal Keeper
Petr Cech (Chelsea) - One of the greatest seasons for Cech. He is the main reason for Chelsea's position this season.

Defenders

Right Back: Carlos Cuéllar (Aston Villa) - Although he has played at centre back position but he can also play as full back.

Centre Backs:
Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal) - Vermaelen is the signing of the season for Arsene Wenger, his ability of defending and scoring is a main reason for Arsenal's great performances this season.

Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) - Dunne is getting better and better every game he is playing.

Left Back: Patrice Evra (Manchester United) - Evra is the unanimous choice for this position. He is the only player from Manchester United to give consistent performance this season.

Midfield

Wingers: Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) - Stunning display in some games. He is the man behind the success of Jermain Defoe this season.

Ashley Young (Aston Villa) - He can be the best choice for right midfield.

Central Midfielders

Cesc Fabregas(Arsenal) - Fabregas is playing the best possible role for Arsenal. Game against Aston Villa has proved this. He came in for 30 minutes and showed a heroic stuff.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea) - Lampard is the most consistent player in English Premier League for last 3-4 seasons.

Strikers

Didier Drogba (Chelsea) - Chelsea's performance hugely depends upon Drogba. He single-handed defeated Arsenal at Emirates.

Jermain Defoe(Tottenham) - Defoe is scoring at great pace. He has scored five goals in a game against Wigan in a duration of 37 minutes, including three in eight minutes.

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How to Choose the Best Football Academies Internationally

So you're ready to begin your international sports adventure, and eager take your game to a completely new level. But which football academy is right for you? Where can you find the best mix of training and exposure?

We'll cover the fundamentals for choosing an international football academy in this article, and help point you in the right direction.

Football Academy Coaching
You can't become the best unless you train with the best. That's why international-level coaching staff is so important to maximize your potential.

Some international football academies will have partnerships with premier league coaching staff in their respective countries. This means you'll be training with professional coaches on a daily basis.

Research the camps you want to attend and find out who will be coaching you and what their credentials are. How long have they been coaching? Have they coached any professional teams? What do they focus on in their training?

These are the kind of questions to ask when deciding on the perfect football academy for you.

Football Academy Scouting
Visibility is as important as top-level training. If the right people never lay eyes on you, it doesn't matter how great your skills are. Look for a football academy with proven relationships with professional teams and scouts.

This network is invaluable for finding the right opportunities, so make sure that the football academies you consider have access to it. Find out if they partner with FIFA agents to secure professional trials for their players. Check up on the alumni of the program and see where they are now, and if they play for any professional teams. If others have found professional soccer success with the program, chances are you will, too.

Football Academy Living Conditions
Since you won't be spending 24 hours on the pitch, you need to think about where you'll be staying. This is where the friendships solidify, as you live and work with other elite players. Parents will definitely want to know you're safe before they sign off on an overseas adventure. Many football academies facilitate regular communications with home and keep parents updated on player progress through the semester.

Some football academies offer an option to stay in the home of a local host family. This is a great chance to get a day-in-the-life view of how another culture lives. Players form life-long friendships in these football academies, becoming part of the global football culture.

Culture & Language
International football academies offer a full-immersion cultural experience. You'll experience the world like never before, and carry the memories with you for a lifetime. Language immersion gives you the fastest possible learning curve, with an insider view of what life is really like in a foreign country.

If you're making the journey, you should take time to see the sights. Will the football academy you attend give you time to see famous monuments or historical icons? Make sure you'll get a chance to enjoy the culture of the area as much as the soccer aspect of it.

Football academies in across the world can give you the language, culture and football experience of a lifetime. So the real question is, where do you want to go?

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New English Premier League Rules Come Into Force

As all avid EPL fans are probably aware, new rules stipulating a minimum number of homegrown players in the squad of each English premier league club come into full force this season.

Given the woeful performance of England at the recent world cup, many would argue that these rules could not come a day sooner. Critics of the influx of foreign players in the EPL will argue that as the number of foreign players has steadily risen, the quality of home grown talent has also declined steadily.

This is not to say that the premier league clubs have now seen the error of their ways are. If you were hoping to see clubs focus on developing a new stream of academy stars such as those that came through the ranks at Old Trafford in the 1990s or those that have come through the academies of Everton (including the likes of Wayne Rooney and more recently, Jack Rodwell) and West Ham (including household names like Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard to name a few); you may be disappointed.

Why? Because the new rules state that each of the 20 premier league clubs have to submit a squad of up to 25 players. Each squad must include no more than 17 players who do not qualify as homegrown. So the issue is the requirement for qualifying as home grown.

To qualify as homegrown according to these less-than-onerous Football Association rules, all that is necessary is that a player, "irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday".

OK, sorry, I'm sure like most fans, you simply thought homegrown meant British - or at least, someone who could one day be in a position to play for the Three Lions of England! Well, sorry! The new rules apparently makes Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas a home grown player. Great!

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Premier League Preview - Fulham Vs Everton

Fulham will host Everton, this Saturday, in an afternoon kick off at Craven Cottage.

Both teams will be seeking to win the match and take away three points from the game. Head to head, in their last games with Fulham, Everton have won all five matches hosted by them at Goodison Park, while winning one at Craven Park.

Fulham have won the remaining four home games, making it 6-4 in Everton's favour. The last match played by these teams was at Craven Cottage, and the hosts won that one, 2-1.

Believe it or not: Fulham are the only unbeaten team, this Premiership season, other than Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

With a win and four draws in their five matches played, Fulham are seventh on the points table, ahead of their sixth match. Fulham have been scoring a lot of goals, getting seven in those five matches, while conceding six.

Everton are in 19th place on the points table just ahead of West Ham, thanks to two losses and two draws in their five matches. They flattered to deceive against Manchester United, coming from 3-1 behind to draw the match, on the back of injury time strikes by Cahill and Arteta.

However, Everton have found it hard to score goals, and in their five matches have managed just four, while concedng seven.

For Fulham, Zamora is unlikely to get back to football action till February. Manager mark Hughes has to decide between playing Dempsey and Gera upfront, or the pair of Eddie Johnson and David Elm. I think he is likely to opt for the former attack pair.

David Stockdale has been out, ever since his ankle injury against Blackpool. Stockdale is back to fitness but may still not replace Schwarzer between the sticks.

Damien Duff, who missed the match against Stoke City, is also back in the reckoning and is likley to start, for Everton.

For Fulham, Danny Murphy's battle for the midfield with Mikel Arteta could be the deciding factor.

For Everton, Tim Cahill is the key man; the Australian is just the man Everton would want in an aerial battle in the Fulham area.

Given the current form of the respective teams, Fulham have the edge in this match.

Fulham's starting eleven is likely to include the following players: Schwarzer, Salcido, Hangeland, Hughes, Kelly, Davies, Etuhu, Murphy, Duff, Dempsey, Gera

Everton are likely to select the following players in their starting eleven for this match: Howard, Baines, Distn, Jagielka, Hibbert, Heitinga, Fellaini, Osman, Yakubu, Pienaar, Arteta

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Portugal Football Team - Get the Latest About Euro Cup and World Cup

The national football team of Portugal is member UEFA and it is organized by the Portuguese Football Federation. The team got its greatest performance in 1966 in England when they managed to qualify for the final tournament, in a semifinal, when they were defeated by England. We have to mention that England obtained the title that year. They were leaded by Eusebio, a legendary football player and they managed to defeat Brazil with nil to three and defeated North Chorea with 5 to 3. That year Portugal was the third football team in the world and Eusebio was considered the best player of the tournament.

Now, in 2008, the Turkish coach, Fatih Terim, has declared that he has been disappointed at the result obtained in the match with Portugal, in which his trainees have lost with a score of two to nil.

He said that at a moment, they were equal in the first half and the Portuguese had moments of weakness as well, but the first goal did change the match. Portugal is one of the best football teams in Europe and the result of this game has confirmed it.

In order to show their sympathy for the Portuguese team almost 12,000 fans have bought tickets to watch the training of this team in Neuchatel.

The entrance tickets cost almost 15 dollars and the training with audience was programmed on the stadium called La Maladiere in Neuchatel. Tickets were sold at a price four times higher than the official one. All in all these aspects show that Portugal is a popular team with great chances to be a top team this year as well.

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Premier League Preview - West Brom Vs Tottenham

Tottenham travel to the Hawthorns this Saturday, for an afternoon kick off against West Brom.

The Baggies have just one goal to show, in their three matches, this season. That came in their home match against Sunderland, thans to a late strike by Nigerian import, P Odemwingie.

The Baggies lost their away match at Anfield 1-0, revealing a fairly defensive mindset, in the process. That game came after a 6-0 thrashing from defending champions Chelsea.

Spurs on the other hand have been aggressive, and despite their loss to Wigan, the signs are there that the White Hart Lane squad want a repeat of their 4th place finish of last year, and the Champions League qualification that goes with it.

But Spurs are beset by injury woes, going into Saturday's match against West Brom. Dawson, Bentley, Crouch and Modric are all likely to sit out, even as there's good news in the form of the return from injury of 'keeper Gomes, along with defender Corluka.

Redknapp's squad could rely on Defoe and Pavlyucenko to lead the attack, although theres a question mark over Defoe's fitness, in which case Keane could start in Defoe's place.

The real weakness is in central defence, where Dawson's absence is sure to hurt Spurs. An out-of-form King is a poor replacement, while Bassong is not certain to start.

After their accidental loss to Wigan, Tottenham will look to set things right against the Hawthorn's squad, in what could be a one-sided encounter.

That said, West Brom have done reasonably well against a much stronger Tottenham. Since 2002, in ten matches West Brom have won two against Spurs' five matches won.

De Matteo's squad have won their last two home matches against Redknapp's side. Spurs fans could blame it on the chilly winter weather, they encountered in their last visit in December.

So it will be left to spurs to break the ice  in what is likely to be a watchful defensive game by West Brom.

The probable starting eleven for West Brom are: Kiely, Jara, Olsson, Shorey, Tamas, Mulumbu, Brent, Dorrans, Morrisson, Odimwingie and Scharner.

The starting eleven for Spurs are likely to be: Gomes, Kaboul, Corluka, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios, Bale, Keane, and Pavlyuchenko.

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Mexican Soccer League System - What is It?

As the name suggests, Mexican Soccer (Football) League System is Mexico's national soccer contest. Mexican Football Association is the organizing body of that league. The system is made up of 4 levels namely; Primera Division de Mexico or First Division, First Division A (Primera Division A), Second Division (Segunda Division) and Third Division (Tercera Division) respectively.

The First Division (Primera Division de Mexico) is made up of eighteen (18) teams which participate in a bi-annual competition. One of which is the Apertura, held during autumn season and the one which is held during spring, the Clausura. Playoffs were held subsequent to each regular period or season for the championship.

Competition winner then has the privilege to join the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Definite Primera clubs in addition to the CONCACAF participate in Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.

One team is demoted every year for the least number of points made per match after three seasons. It is an assurance for the well-supported clubs that they will not be demoted right away for just one unfortunate season. The First Division team who is demoted will be substituted by the Primera A's playoff champion.

Primera A on the other hand is made up of 24 teams that vie in the same bi-annual tournaments as with the Primera Division de Mexico, the Apertura and the Clausura.

The story doesn't always seem to end as a tear-streaked novel for a two-legged playoff champion for the Apertura and the Clausura will be promoted.

Every Mexican Soccer team who will be demoted goes back one division, except for those in the third division already for it is the lowest division in the country.

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Learning About Office Pools - Part 3 - Soccer Pools

Soccer is all the rage outside of the United States; a weekly soccer office pool that's been around for years is most popular in England. The English Premier League has worldwide recognition, and with gambling being mainstream in England, it's a natural fit. Much like in the United States, in England there are bets placed on single match-ups (fixtures), match-up groupings (office pools), and championship match-ups (tournament cups).

The regular season for the English Premier League is 38 weeks long beginning in August and ending in May each season. Each of the teams within the premier league plays each other twice, both at home and away. Premier league office pool is a weekly prediction pool in which a player makes an educated guess to the outcome of each match up; pick the winner or a draw (no winner). Every week there are six to 10 fixtures.

During the months of June and July, leagues throughout Europe play single elimination tournaments to declare an overall champion. In England there are both the Carling Cup and the FA Cup (Football Association Challenge Cup). The Carling Cup is really the league cup and sponsored by Carling, though in the past it's been sponsored by Coca Cola soft drinks and the Littlewoods retail and gambling outfit. Carling Cup is run by the league and only allows limited entries; 20 from the Premier League and 72 other teams are selected. The FA Cup was established in 1871 and is much more wide open when it comes to participants. This tournament allows over 700 teams to compete for entry into the FA Cup. As well as being presented with the cup, the winning team also qualifies by right for the first round of the UEFA Cup, unless they have already qualified for Europe in which case the position goes to the runners-up or to the highest placed Premier League side without European qualification.

The DFB-Pokal begins with a round of 64 teams. The 36 teams of the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga are automatically qualified for the tournament. The tournament was established in 1935 and is a single elimination format.

The Coppa Italia (Italy Cup) is an annual cup competition that started in 1922. The format allows for 42 teams in competition which would play in the top 2 levels of Italian football associations Serie A and Serie B.

The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams established in 1902. The naming of this tournament has a storied past which includes: King John Charles I's Cup, King Alfonso XIII's Cu,p and the Republic President's Cup. The tournament is single elimination and teams from upper and lower divisions will get to play against each other but the number of clubs allowed to participate is restricted.

The popularity of European Football is year round between the weekly fixtures and the summer tournaments. Office pools that accompany these match ups are a welcome companion and in some cases a necessary promotional tool.

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Father Time (and Capello) Call Time on David Beckham's England Career

Last week saw the announcement, unofficially, of David Beckham's final moments as an England player. Perhaps it was just a little bit messy - thanks to Capello's renowned man-management skills, or lack of them - and not quite the send-off Becks would have wanted, but at the age of 35 he would have been honest enough to admit that his days were numbered. And after England's woeful showing in the World Cup in South Africa, Capello's decision to go with a fresh new look must have convinced Beckham that his number was up.

Should he have been dumped so unceremoniously, especially after serving his country so well over the years? Is this really the way to end a legendary career, a career that has spanned over 100 games and made David Beckham the most capped outfield player in England history?

I have to say, despite the pouting and rippling abs and general celeb ferver that has accompanied Beckham's career, from his early days bombing down the wing at Old Trafford in the Premier League up until his recent spells in Italy and America, he has always been the ultimate professional. At times, he may not have convinced on the pitch, but he usually gave it his all. And on many occasions for England, I remember him working his socks off for the cause...in my opinion, he was much missed in South Africa this summer, despite his heavier legs...

So what do we have to remember from an England career that first started back in 1996 in the World Cup qualifiers and spanned 14 years? Let's take a little gander down memory lane:

Becks debuted in the World Cup qualifier against Moldova in 1996, at the age of 21.
Picked for the 1998 World Cup, England manager Glenn Hoddle publicly dissed him for not concentrating on the games at hand. Finally selected for the third game against Columbia, he went and scored a free-kick, his first goal for England.
In the second round of the World Cup in 1998, England faced Argentina, and Becks was sent off for retaliating against Simeone. He was later blamed by many for England's exit and even received death threats.
November 200 saw his promotion to England captain by caretaker boss Peter Taylor, and then Sven Goran Eriksson confirmed his trust in the new skipper.
October 2001 saw one of his finest moments, as England needed a draw against Greece to ensure qualification to the 2002 World Cup finals. With seconds remaining, he glided in one of his trademark free-kicks to ensure hero status.
In the 2002 World Cup he scored the winner, a penalty, against Argentina to knock them out at the group stage. Revenge was 4 years in waiting, but surely couldn't have been sweeter.
In 2005 he became the first ever England skipper to receive a red card, against Austria.
In the 2006 World Cup, he became the first ever England player to score at three World Cups, with a goal against Ecuador.
After getting knocked out by Portugal, Becks returned home a beaten man and resigned as England skipper.
New England boss Steve McClaren subsequently dropped Beckham from the England squad, but was forced to recall him a few months later.
McClaren's replacement, Fabio Capello, also passed Beckham over for his first game in charge, but soon recalled him.
If Beckham had been fit, it's a safe bet that he would have been part of the squad for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. If he would have made a difference to a poor England side, that we'll never know...

Sir David Beckham, you shall be missed.

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Rio Ferdinand Fact File

Rio Gavin Ferdinand was born 7 November 1978 and is an English footballer. He plays at centre back defense for Manchester United in the Premier League and in his international team England. He has achieved 70 caps for the English national team.

Career

Ferdinand began his football career playing for many youth teams, finally settling at West Ham United. While at West Ham he played for the youth team working his way to the first team. He finally made it professionally in 1996 with West Ham and he was a fan favorite. In 2000 Ferdinand joined Leeds United for a fee of £18 million where he settled in well and became a key part of the Leeds team. After spending two years with Leeds united Ferdinand then joined premier league side Manchester United in 2002 for a fee of about £33 million. Since Ferdinand has been at united he has appeared 108 times and has scored six premier league goals. He currently wears the number 5 shirt.

International Career

At the age of 19 Rio Ferdinand made his full first team England debut in 1997 which made him the youngest defender to play for England at that time. Ferdinand has been apart of ten world cups for England and has made a significant impact when playing.

Family and Personal Life

Rio Ferdinand grew up in a council estate in Peckham. He has two brothers and four sisiters. Ferdinand's girlfriend Rebecca Ellison in 2006 gave birth to their son Lorenz. While on holiday in Las Vegas in 2007 Ferdinand proposed to his girlfriend and she accepted. The couple had their second child a boy named Tate in 2008.

Honours

Since becoming a professional footballer Rio Ferdinand has received many honours such as premier league player of the month and premier league team of the year.

Rio Ferdinand is well-known for his strength and composure on the ball which makes him a key player to both Manchester United and the England team.

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The Greatest Football Match Ever

I would argue that the greatest football match ever was the F.A. Cup Semi-Final Replay between Arsenal and Man Utd at Villa Park in the Spring of 1999. This was the year of the famous Treble that was achieved by Man Utd, when they secured the F.A. Cup, European Cup and the Premier League, and indeed to anyone watching them over that season, destiny would be the one of the first words used to describe that season. And one of the best examples of that was the match against The Gunners.

Utd took the lead through a wonderful 25-yard curling shot from David Beckham which nestled into the the bottom left hand corner of David Seamen's net. The dream start had come for Utd. David Beckham, whatever else he may be, is gifted I feel with a tremendous right foot, and he has the ability to generate enormous amounts of spin.

It stayed 1-0 until mid-way through the second half when Denis Bergkamp, Arsenal's Dutch forward, cut inside from the left wing and struck a shot. It was a weak effort, but gaining a deflection from Utd defender Jaap Stam it hit the back of the net, leaving the goal-keeper Peter Schmeichel stranded. The momentum had shifted. It is important to note that in football matches, that momentum can over-ride skill and ability.

And it shifted even more when Roy Keane, the tenacious captain of Utd, was sent off for a miss-timed challenge on winger Marc Overmars. It seemed a matter of time before Utd would capitulate. Still they held out. This is usually done due to a solid defensive showing where organisation and teamwork are paramount

But lo and behold, in the 90th minute, with the game heading towards extra-time, Arsenal won a penalty as Phil Neville felled Ray Parlour in the box. Up stepped Bergkamp, and this time Schmeichel, The Great Dane, was victorious, guessing correctly that the ball would go to his right. Utd had got to extra time. This was no mean feat, saving a penalty is one of the hardest things to achieve in football. It requires guesswork ,reading the opponent's intentions and committing 100% to a certain position of the goal milli-seconds before the shot is taken.

Arsenal, though were not disheartened, and continued to assault the Utd defense, with Bergkamp going again close on several occasions. Then in the second period, came the defining moment.

Ryan Giggs, the Welsh Wizard, picked up a loose ball by Patrick Vieira inside his own half. He thus began on a meandering, jaw dropping solo run, that saw him bob and weave through the whole Arsenal defense, before unleashing a thunderbolt into the roof of the net from 6 yards out. Only Maradona and Lionel Messi could claim I think after that passage of play to have scored with a more impressive dribble.

With that goal, Utd held out until the final whistle, thus ending the greatest game of football ever played in my humble opinion. It had absolutely everything.

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The Euro 2008 Soccer Jersey Online

The Euro 2008 or UEFA European Football Championship was organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), one of the six continental federations of the FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association). It's the 13th in the series of championships that occur every 4 years in Europe. It is, fairly to say, one of the most exciting important football competitions, apart from the World Cup, which all of football fans look forward to see.

UEFA regulates the football associations in Europe. The UEFA European Championship has become a very successful tournament and has become one of the world's major events in sports. With this popularity sprung the popularity of the Euro 2008 soccer jersey.

This year's event was hosted by Austria and Switzerland and it ended on June 29th. Greece was the defending champion but Spain won the title over Germany in a score of 1-0 during the finals. There were a total of 16 teams, which made it through the qualifying matches that started in August 2006. The teams that made it to the Euro 2008 are:

- Austria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey

Each team, of course, has their own soccer jersey to identify them with. There are jerseys for games held at home and there are jerseys for games held away from home. Every single one of these shirts is a true witness to the courage and valor of the players on the field. Fans everywhere root for their favorite players and for the entire team that represents their nation. These fans wear soccer jerseys too, so they can show their support for their country and team.

The soccer jerseys of the participants of the Euro 2008 are now famous since they have been paraded on the fields for the entire world to watch as their wearers flaunt them while doing their moves to win over their opponents. Mostly imprinted with logos of sponsors and the insignias of the teams, the Euro 2008 soccer jersey of a key player of a particular team could be bought from their official stores or online via the Internet shops of these same traditional stores.

For those who want to get their hands on a specific Euro 2008 soccer jersey, they can log on to many of online shops and has a selection of soccer jerseys for several leagues like Bundesliga, Calcio Serie A, Spain League, Premier League, and other national teams. What they are offering now includes the uniforms used by all 16 teams. Just click on the jersey you want and add it to your shopping cart. You can pay in US dollars, GBP, Euro, or AUD via a secured credit card system.

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Manchester United Football Club Fans Are The Sexiest Football Fans

Manchester United supporters are England's Sexiest Football Fans, according to new research. Female followers of Fergie's boys, who boast Corrie star Kym Ryder and telly presenter Zoe Ball among their number, were voted the country's best looking by 1,500 male fans.

Second place in the poll were Chelsea fans, who include Sienna Miller, Danni Minogue and Isla Fisher - followed by the attractive followers of Liverpool.

Arsenal may be riding high at the top of the Premiership, but they could only manage fourth place, despite having singer Rachel Stevens and ex-Page 3 model Jo Guest as supporters.

The survey found over half of guys (53 per cent) spend time checking out how fit the girls at football matches are and two thirds of blokes reckon there's something sexy about girls in footie shirts.

Carl Christensen, MD of www.thepeoplesclub.com, which commissioned the poll, said: "Football is changing. You see more and more girls at games these days. It's like a fashion parade at times at Stamford Bridge, with some of the totty treating the stadium concourse like a catwalk."

"The sexy style of football is having an influence on the make up of fans attending the games too. I believe that Manchester United's free flowing football and Manchester City's cavalier spirit is rubbing off on the female fans."

Sexy female fans of struggling Newcastle United finished off the top five. Tottenham came sixth in the poll while Derby were at number seven. Eighth place went to West Ham United. Rampant romeo Sven Goran Eriksson's Manchester City were voted in at number nine followed by Aston Villa at ten.

The survey also named Swansea City supporter Catherine Zeta Jones as the sexiest celebrity football fan, beating second placed TV presenter Cat Deeley, a West Bromwich Albion fan. Arsenal fan Rachel Stevens came third while actress and Everton supporter Jennifer Ellison is at four. Finishing off the top five is Titanic actress and Reading follower, Kate Winslet.

At the other end of the scale Crystal Palace supporter Jo Brand was named the ugliest celebrity supporter followed by Norwich City director, Delia Smith.

Carl, added: "Everyone would agree there is something about girls in footy shirts which is downright sexy - it is the beautiful game after all."

England's Sexiest Football Fans

1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Newcastle
6. Tottenham
7. Derby
8. West Ham
9. Man City
10. Aston Villa
11. Cardiff
12. Middlesbrough
13. Sunderland
14. Charlton
15. Everton
16. Blackpool
17. Birmingham
18. Coventry
19. Southampton
20. Leeds

Sexiest Celebrity Football Fans

1. Catherine Zeta Jones (Swansea City)
2. Cat Deeley (West Brom)
3. Rachel Stevens (Arsenal)
4. Jennifer Ellison (Everton)
5. Kate Winslet (Reading)
6. Kirsty Gallager (Liverpool)
7. Emma Bunton (Tottenham)
8. Lucy Pinder (Southampton)
9. Kim Marsh (Manchester United)
10. Helen Chamberlain (Torquay United)

Ugliest Football Fans

1. Jo Brand (Crystal Palace)
2. Delia Smith (Norwich)
3. Alison Moyet (Southend)
4. Kate Garraway (Gillingham)
5. Claire Sweeney (Everton)
6. Michelle Marsh (Oldham Athletic)
7. Gabby Logan (Leeds)
8. Emma B (Aston Villa)
9. Donna Air Newcastle)
10. Geri Halliwell (Watford)

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