The
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday suspended the central contracts of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir, the three players under investigation from the ICC in the infamous spot-fixing saga, dispatching the letters to the effect at the players’ respective addresses.
“Yes, the letters have been dispatched at the addresses of the three players in which their central contracts have been suspended with effect from Nov 1,” Zakir Khan, a senior official of the PCB, confirmed to Dawn.
However, Zakir was not ready to comment further on the matter but added that it was the duty of the PCB to follow its parent body ICC’s Code of Conduct under which a provisional ban had been imposed on the three players.
When asked whether Salman and Aamir would face any further sanctions for issuing statements against the ICC in the media after their appeals against the suspension were rejected, Zakir shied away from making any comments on the issue but advised the players not to violate the code of conduct any further.
Meanwhile, sources told Dawn that the ICC is quite unhappy with Salman and Aamir for issuing those hard-hitting statements in the media since the international body is yet to announce a final decision regarding the spot-fixing case.
“Obviously, the ICC will consider every aspect of the case before announcing its decision and it would be better for the ‘tainted’ players not to issue anymore statements on the matter,” the sources said.
They further disclosed that some lawyers had even advised the players not to appeal against the provisional suspension from the ICC as their case was not a very strong one.
The sources added that Asif, in fact, had made a wise decision of not challenging the suspension and that could well get the ICC to develop a soft corner for the pacer.
PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has already taken the Governing Board’s approval on suspending the central contracts of the three players in a meeting held on Nov 1.
Labels: Cricket, PCB, Players
posted @ 11:05 AM,
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Recalled in the national hockey team after seven months of wilderness, Pakistan's penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas is looking to make a successful comeback in next month's Asian Games at Guangzhou, China.
Pakistan Hockey Federation, stung by the national team's poor performance in Delhi Commonwealth Games, had recalled Abbas for the Asian Games training camp on Thursday.
Abbas today said he was looking forward to play his part in the Guangzhou Asian Games and wanted to deliver his best for Pakistan.
"Pakistan has given me everything and I am looking forward to contribute some thing for the country in the Asian Games," Abbas told Associated Press of Pakistan.
"I was deeply disappointed with Pakistan's 4-7 loss to arch-rival India in Commonwealth Games. India really played well on that day," hockey history's highest goal-scorer said.
The PHF had ignored Abbas for the Commonwealth Games over a dispute over his appearance in a domestic tournament and had written to his department to take disciplinary action against him.
Abbas, who was included in Pakistan's probables list by chief selector Hanif Khan, said he was fully fit and looking forward to his job.
"I am fully fit and doing training under lights and have joined the camp in Lahore," he said.
Abbas was dropped from the national team after Pakistan secured worst-ever 12th spot in World Cup in New Delhi.
Later, the experienced player was not considered for Azlan Shah Cup and Pakistan team's European trip, besides the Delhi Games.
Labels: Players
posted @ 11:15 AM,
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Injury-prone Australian pacer Brett Lee has said that his main goal is to be selected in the national squad for next year's World Cup in the Indian subcontinent. With my love for India and love for the Indian culture, the chance to play over there - World Cup, 50-over cricket - it's the cream of the crop as far as one-day cricket tournaments go,"
"It would be great to be a part of that. That's what I'm aiming at - definitely," he added.
The Australian's career has been plagued by fitness problems, ranging from side strain and elbow surgery to broken thumb and a forearm injury.
He missed out on the T20 World Cup in the West Indies, but successfully returned to competitive cricket, taking 2-31 for Mosman at Bankstown Oval in Sydney's grade competition on Saturday.
Despite the injuries, Lee further made it clear that he is not ready to cut down the speed from his bowling.
"Definitely not, the way that I've always bowled and the way that I approach my cricket is that I've always gone flat out," Lee said. (
ANI)
Labels: Players
posted @ 11:27 AM,
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Salman Butt, the Pakistan cricket captain and one of three players suspended by the ICC over spot-fixing allegations, was seen relaxing at the wheel of a £130,000 sports car belonging to the man at the centre of the scandal.
Butt sits in the driver's seat of the Aston Martin DB9 belonging to Mazhar Majeed – the millionaire agent to Pakistan's cricketers – who crouches in the back as wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal sits in the passenger seat.
Majeed talks to the players in the car before getting out to make a phone call in private.
He then takes a seat on a wall outside the hotel as he speaks with Butt. Majeed and Butt face each other as they speak before teammate Akmal joins to listen to the conversation.
The photos emerged as investigators revealed that Majeed ran up a four-figure bill on his mobile phone in the days leading up to Pakistan's Test series against England.
Calls to suspected bookmakers and their associates in Dubai and the Far East were made from mobile phones seized by police, officials believe.
Chat: Butt and Majeed outside the team hotel in July
Several calls are said to have been made in the days leading up to last week's Lord's Test between Pakistan and England, which is at the centre of four separate match-fixing and money laundering inquiries.
Investigators say there was intense telephone usage, running into several thousand pounds, by Majeed in the days surrounding major matches by the team over a two-year period – fuelling fears that other Tests may be implicated.
They said that during August, when Pakistan played four matches against England, British-born Majeed, 35, ran up a 'substantial four-digit' bill on a mobile number that had hardly been used in the nine months since a large number of calls were made at the time of the team's controversial tour of Australia.
News of the enquiries emerged as police in Pakistan carried out raids in Faisalabad where a relative of Majeed was reported to have been arrested.
More than a dozen police officers in the city are said to be implicated and police spokesman Rana Mohammad Akran said computers had been seized and links with cricket gambling established to Dubai and the UK.
The three players implicated in the scandal – Butt, 25, and bowlers Mohammad Asif, 27, and Mohammad Aamer, 18 – were questioned separately under caution by Scotland Yard detectives in London yesterday. They were released without charge and without condition.
Their mobiles and laptop computers were taken by police in the aftermath of allegations that three no-balls were bowled at pre-determined points on the first two days of the match.
Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Aamer arrives at Kilburn police station to face questioning by police. Along with Test captain Salman Butt (below), he was later released without charge or conditions
Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Aamer arrives at Kilburn police station to face questioning by police. Along with Test captain Salman Butt (below), he was later released without charge or conditions
Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt (R) leaves Kilburn Police Station in London September 3, 2010
The Daily Mail revealed yesterday that marked notes paid by undercover reporters working for the News of the World as part of the sting are believed to have been found in Butt's belongings.
Large quantities of cash were also found in rooms in the hotel where the Pakistan team stayed, the Mail has learned, but it is unclear whether they were from the £150,000 allegedly paid to Majeed. In secretly recorded discussions, Majeed, who claimed to have set up Swiss bank accounts to pay fees to players, boasted how money was laundered through a football club he owned.
Majeed, who was arrested and bailed by police, has also been questioned along with his wife Sheliza Manji, 35, and a 49-year-old Londoner by Customs officials investigating whether more than £20million has been 'washed' through Croydon Athletic Football Club.
The cricketing authorities are braced for further revelations this weekend involving other matches.
The three players engulfed in the scandal insist they are innocent but have been suspended from all matches by the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body.
Pakistan's High Commissioner in London has attacked the ICC over its actions, accusing it of 'just playing to the public gallery'.
Wajid Hasan said: 'I met the cricketers for two hours, cross-questioned them, got to the bottom of it and concluded that they were innocent. The ICC had no business to take this action.'
Labels: Players
posted @ 1:30 PM,
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It is time the senior players are rested with the 2011 World Cup just around the corner, said former India captain Ajit Wadekar.
Wadekar, who led the team to the semi-finals of the 1996 World Cup, said, “There is still time for the World Cup, but the time to start resting and rotating players is now.”
“It’s time we had a look at the younger players and from what I can see there are some talented players who have emerged from the Twenty20 form of the game,” Wadekar told NDTV in the light of a media report which said that a senior member of the squad in Sri Lanka had requested Indian cricket board secretary N Srinivasan to rest some players keeping the World Cup in mind. Read more
Courtesy:www.espnstar.com
Labels: Players
posted @ 11:57 AM,
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In the world of cricket Pakistan has produced many great cricketers who developed themselves into legends of class of their own. But with the passage of time they left a void wide open to be filled in by someone of their likes. Over the past couple of years Pakistan introduced several fresh faces but none of them filled in that gap as good as sensational Umar Akmal did.
This diminutive youngster managed to break new grounds not only for him but also in projecting the country’s soft image high. But unfortunately for over the last couple of matches his performance has slid down with the same speed he touched the heights of fame.
Umar is one of the best talents Pakistan has produced in a decade or so and is the one who fits in all the three formats of the game. He came a long way in to fill in the big shoes of former captain Inzamamul Haq and on and off was doing the work of some of the senior batsmen like Muhammad Yousuf and Younus Khan.
Umar made his way into the national team after a successful tour of Australia with the Pakistan A team. Having carried the test average of 45, he matured with his maiden test hundred against New Zealand on debut.
With this debut century he gave a glimpse of hope to a rather bleak future of the Pakistan cricket, which lingers on an improper domestic structure to depend upon. He also played some wonderful ODI innings during the tour of Sri Lanka. At the start of his career, it was being expected that he would set new marks for Pakistan. But unfortunately his form has gradually started fall and the batsman who was being considered a useful commodity in the middle order is becoming a burden on the team. He, however, is one of those renowned players who got to the height of fame too early in their career.
In his aggressively style against almost every team, Umar instead of gaining maturity started to breach the line of discipline. Following his elder brother Kamran Akmal, Umar stood away from the team feigning injury during the tour of Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board though fined the batsman but later coming under pressure took back its decision but that did not make him realise his mistake.
As of now particularly in the backdrop of the innings he played against Australia, he seems to have been taking his career lightly and is not getting serious to overcome his batting and mantle flaws. Instead of turning himself into a match-winner, he is caving in to the internal team politics. He is continuously showing callous attitude during batting and even his ranking is dwindled. He now stands at just around the test average of 35, a first step towards decline.
His failure has started to overcome him before he would have tasted the joys of fame. Looking at his batting abilities, he is technically inept against an in-swinging ball, which he counters in a wrong manner. The in-swinging ball he has played in all the innings in England deceived him because he goes for every ball in a hurry without realising that test cricket is a different ball game and requires temperament. He also leaves a wide gap in between the bat and pad that’s why an in-swinger makes him a victim of an LBW.
He does not seem to have any problem in his batting other than these and his careless approach on occasions. Sadly to that he throws his wicket because of these foolishnesses. If he would not be able to control his temperament and behaviour he is prone to lose his place in the team. And to prolong his stint with Pakistan he should avoid indulging into any controversies and instead concentrate on to remove his technical flaws and made the country proud rather than setting zealous examples.
Labels: Players
posted @ 1:51 PM,
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Misbah ul Haq, who has been sidelined from Pakistan team for England tour after dismal tour of Australia and West Indies, has planned to quit international cricket by the end of next year.
Misbah’s central contract will end next year with PCB, he said, “I know luck is not favoring me these days and with the youngsters making their way into the squad, I was forced to think again. As a player, I feel sad to make such a decision but one day I had to decide when to call it a day”.
“I am 36 and feel fit enough for the international arena. I’m seeking an opportunity to play the 2011 World Cup in a bid to end my international cricket on a high note. But if I’m unable to find a place in the national squad, I always have an opportunity in the domestic circuit to do so”, he added.
Misbah made his debut in 2001 against New Zealand but he wasn’t a regular feature in the Pakistan Team till the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, where he played brilliantly and became regular feature in all three forms. A loss of form in 2009-10 led to him being dropped from the side.
However, Misbah is still optimistic about his comeback to the Pakistan side and has targeted the 2011 World Cup, he said, “My performance in the last 12 months hasn’t been up to the mark but my passion for the game remains. Therefore, I have planned a time frame to my cricketing career and decided to quit cricket at the end of 2011”.
Labels: Players
posted @ 11:05 AM,
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Kirsten, the Indian coach, is revealing India’s all rounder woes while virtually ruling out Irfan Pathan from the ICC World Cup 2011.
The Indian coach was talking on the sidelines of the first Test’s first day when he spoke about one of India’s requirements for the ICC World Cup 2011 in the Indian sub continent.
He spoke about Irfan Pathan being an all round prospect but how his bowling has caused his own downfall, “We are looking for an all rounder for the World Cup. We were looking at Irfan Pathan to fill that role. Probably he lacked a bit. We are looking for an all rounder who can come in the top six of the batting order during the World Cup.
“We can’t have a guy who is bowling 115 kms and holding up an end and getting one wicket every five matches. He should be able to make a positive contribution. Irfan was the person whom we had earmarked but probably he lacked on the bowling side.”
Irfan’s slide began under Greg Chappell’s regime as Indian coach when he was forced to bat at no.3 and lost the intensity in his bowling with the added pressure of batting.
Maybe Irfan still has time if he can change the perception of the coach and team management if a better option fails to show up. It is not good news for the Pathan househole where even Yusuf Pathan is not making a stronger claim to retain his ODI spot.
Labels: Irfan Pathan, Players
posted @ 11:35 AM,
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Dhoni
Monday, July 5, 2010
Cricket fans here burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s wedding with childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat on Sunday.
Cricket fans here burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s wedding with childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat on Sunday.
The fans came out in streets and distributed sweets among themselves as soon as the news came that their idol will enter into wed-lock tonight.
One fan was relieved that Dhoni decided to marry a “girl-next-door”.
“We are relieved today; he is marrying to a girl who is just like a girl next door … three cheers for Dhoni and his life partner,” said Anuj Kumar, a Dhoni fan.
Former players wished that the wedding would bring good omens in Dhoni’s cricketing career.
“I am sure his marriage will spark him to do better at the 2011 World Cup as every step of Dhoni speaks of conviction and determination. I hope India wins the World Cup for the second time under Dhoni,” ex-Ranji cricketer and former Bihar Cricket Association vice-president Daval Sahai said.
Sahai, whom Dhoni makes it a point to at least talk over phone whenever he is in Ranchi, said his performance would double as marriage brings “renewed vigour”.
“Being a single is always dangerous, but Dhoni is relieved now from page-3-type gossip,” said Om Ranjan Malviya, who once was a practice partner of the swashbuckling skipper.
An elated Adil Hussain, under whom Dhoni played for Central Coalfields Limited, said the Indian captain has always taken crucial decisions not only judiciously but also timely.
“He knows what system works for him. He keeps well behind the wickets, and he will also keep well as a husband too. Just wait and see how his marriage brings luck to his game,” Hussein, a former Bihar Ranji captain, said.
“Normally marriage heralds a new dawn in every one’s life. Therefore, the graph of the number one one-day batsman’s performance will only go up,” felt Ashok Ghosh, an ex-Ranji player.
Former left-arm spinner K V P Rao supported Dhoni’s surprise engagement and then marriage in two days saying, “the stumper knows his field placements, in matters pertaining to life too”.
“At least now there will be somebody to look after him,” he said while extending a happy married life to Dhoni and his life partner.
Dhoni’s former coach Chanchal Bhattacharya said, “His childhood sweetheart must have inspired Dhoni to pick up the bat and now he has become the darling of Indian cricket; and now she will nudge him to place his hand on the World Cup.”
Labels: Players
posted @ 11:02 AM,
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The Squads
Thursday, June 24, 2010
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, Ravichandran Ashwin, Saurabh Tiwary.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (capt), Salman Butt (vice-capt), Imran Farhat, Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman.
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (vice-capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara, Lasith Malinga, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Thilina Kandamby.
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza, Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Labels: Asia Cup, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Players, Squads, Sri Lanka, Teams
posted @ 4:19 PM,
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They don’t call it “The Beautiful Game” for nothing—more than a few viewers of soccer’s World Cup are tuning in just for the gorgeous men. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Fabio Cannavaro, VIEW OUR GALLERY of the finest 15.
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here to view gallery of soccer’s 15 finest!
Labels: Players
posted @ 9:56 AM,
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Former captain Younis Khan is in no mood to change his stance against the Pakistan Cricket Board over the indefinite ban imposed on him and has turned down a PCB offer to go for a compromise before the England tour.
Sources close to the legal advisors of the Board and Younis said that the PCB, through its legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi, had floated an offer that if Younis withdrew his appeal against the ban, they could remove it and close the chapter by just imposing a nominal fine.
“But Younis who has left for England has instructed his lawyer Ahmed Qayyum that he should see to it that the Board’s appeal judge Justice (retd) Irfan Qadir gives a full verdict on the appeal lodged by the former captain against his ban,” a source said.
Sources further said that Younis was not ready to accept any wrongdoing on his part even if the PCB was indicating he could be playing for Pakistan soon under the compromise formula. “The Board basically wants to close the chapter and has made a settlement offer to Younis Khan’s lawyer,” the source confirmed.
The ban was imposed in March and Younis has appealed against it and also attended two hearings with Justice Qadir.
“Younis is adamant that he has done nothing wrong except to try to do his best for Pakistan and has never been part of any grouping or lobbying and so the ban on him is totally unjustified and he wants a full verdict on his appeal from the judge,” another source said.
Younis has demanded that the appeals judge suspend his ban and also hold his hearings on camera so that the media and people know the truth and can decide if the ban on him is justified.
Even at the hearing of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports on Monday, Younis made it clear that he had never indulged in politics or intrigues in the team and the ban must be removed unconditionally.
The NA committee has told the PCB that it feels that Younis has been treated unfairly and the bans and fines on players must be reviewed.
The Board on Tuesday included Younis and another banned player Shoaib Malik into the list of probables for the Asia Cup and England tour on condition that they are cleared by the appeals judge. Justice Qadir is due to hear Younis’ next appeal on May 29 while the former captain has also threatened to go to court if he didn’t get justice.—
AgenciesLabels: Players
posted @ 1:34 PM,
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Cameroon manager Paul Le Guen has announced the provisional squad for the World Cup. Of the 30 players listed below, 7 will be culled leaving us with the 23 man World Cup squad. Without further ado:
Goalkeepers:
Souleymanou Hamidou (Kayserispor)
Carlos Idriss Kameni (Espanyol)
Guy Assembé (Valenciennes)
Patrick Tignyemb (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Defenders:
Jean Patrick Abouna Ndzana (Les Astres FC de Douala)
Benoît Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur)
Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham Hotspur)
Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes)
Aurelien Chedjou (Lille)
Geremi Njitap (Ankaragucu)
Stéphane Mbia (Olympique de Marseille)
Makadji Boukar (AL Nahdha Club)
Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco)
Rigobert Song (Trabzonspur)
Midfielders:
Marcel Ndjeng (Augsburg)
Enoh Eyong (Ajax)
Jean II Makoun (Olympique Lyonnais)
Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern)
Joêl Matip (Schalke 04)
Patrick Mevoungou (Canon Sportif de Yaounde)
Landry Nguemo (Celtic)
Alexandre Song (Arsenal)
Attackers:
Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport FC de Garoua)
Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuernberg)
Achille Emana (Real Betis)
Samuel Eto’o (Internazionale)
Mohamadou Idrissou (Freiburg)
Dorge Kouemaha (Brugge)
Achille Webó (Mallorca)
Jacques Zoua (Basel)
Some notable missing names would be Henri Bedimo, Dany Nounkeu, Augustin Binya, Somen Tchoyi and Daniel Ngom Kome.
If I had to guess the following 7 will not make it to South Africa: Patrick Tignyemb (a lock), Makadji Boukar, Abouna Ndzana, Marcel Ndjeng, Patrick Mevoungou, Jacques Zoua and Vincent Aboubakar.[
Via]
Labels: Cameroon, Players
posted @ 2:23 PM,
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You are welcome to add your favorites Pakistan Cricket heroes here.
Labels: Legends, Pakistan Crickets, Players
posted @ 9:25 PM,
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Lionel Messi was named the 2009 World Player of the Year on Monday at the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich, Switzerland. The winner of the award is determined by vote of world’s players and coaches; the award caps a perfect year for the winger. Messi helped lead FC Barcelona to a clean sweep of titles, including his goal in extra time to win the Club World Cup on December 19.
Messi was a unanimous choice over the other nominees: Barcelona teammates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniest, the 2008 winner Cristiano Ronaldo and the 2007 winner Kaka.
Video footage of Messi's top ten goals of 2009 can be found here
FIFA also announced the World XI, the top players in the world, by position. The players are listed
here.
Labels: Lionel Messi, Players
posted @ 7:05 PM,
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Barcelona's Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is the hot favourite to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award, which will be announced by world football's governing body in Zurich on Monday.
The dazzling winger has already been honoured with the prestigious Ballon d'Or, the European Player of the Year trophy, and he picked up his sixth prize of an unforgettable year with Barcelona after scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 win over Estudiantes in the final of the World Club Cup on Saturday.
"We've just ended a historic year, a perfect year in which we've won every competition we've played in," said the 22-year-old, who vanquished his Argentine compatriots Estudiantes with an innovative chested finish in extra-time of their Abu Dhabi showdown.
"We just needed to take this last step and everything has worked out how we wanted. It's amazing. It's difficult to put into words."
Barcelona's incredible 2009, in which they additionally won the league, the Spanish Cup, the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup, has also led to nominations for midfield pair Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
"If you're talking about all the trophies, then there's no other side that has achieved what we have this year," Messi added in an interview with the FIFA website.
"We are happy at having made history but make no mistake, we'll be out to win everything again next year."
Real Madrid pair Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, the reigning award-holder and world's most expensive player, complete the five-man list of nominees but Messi is widely expected to pip them both, having already beaten Ronaldo to the Ballon d'Or earlier in the month.
The only black mark on Messi's year was the struggle endured by Argentina in World Cup qualifying, but they eventually squeezed through and next summer's South African showpiece will give him the opportunity to join the pantheon of the truly great alongside his national boss Diego Maradona.
Aside from the men's prize, FIFA will select the Women's World Player of the Year from a shortlist featuring Germans Birgit Prinz and Inka Grings, England's Kelly Smith and Brazilian pair Cristiane and favourite Marta.
FIFA will also unveil its inaugural Team of the Year, while the Ferenc Puskas prize -- named in honour of the 1950s Hungarian great - will be presented to the scorer of the year's best goal.{
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Labels: FIFA, Players
posted @ 9:53 PM,
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both been nominated for FIFA's World Player of the Year award, in a final shortlist of five dominated by Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Messi is one of three Barcelona players to have been named alongside team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta, while Real Madrid's record signing Kaka completes the line-up.
In the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, favourites Spain have two players, and Portugal, Brazil and Argentina one each. No English player has made the cut, nor has any player currently playing in the Premier League.
The original 23-man shortlist boasted eight Premier League players, but none have made it to the final five, with the likes of Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, and Steven Gerrard all notable absences.
England striker Kelly Smith is up against Brazil's Cristiane and Marta and Germany's Inka Grings and Birgit Prinz for the women's award.
Two new awards have been introduced for 2009; the FIFA Puskas Award, and the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. The Puskas Award, created in honour of Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas, will be awarded to the "most beautiful goal" during the year, while the World XI will name the best 11 players in the world, as voted for by professional players around the globe.
The winners will be announced on December 21 in Zurich. {
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Labels: FIFA, Players
posted @ 11:35 AM,
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Man City and Spurs are adding some variety to the tediously predictable Premiership and the same thing is happening in the virtual football world. For the past decade or so, Pro Evolution Soccer (in all its guises) has played a far better game than the glitzy official licensed FIFA series....
Man City and Spurs are adding some variety to the tediously predictable Premiership and the same thing is happening in the virtual football world.
For the past decade or so, Pro Evolution Soccer (in all its guises) has played a far better game than the glitzy official licensed FIFA series. But in the past couple of years, things have changed. FIFA has radically improved, with an emphasis on simulation rather than arcade. Think gritty 1-0 away wins rather than the 5-4 goal fests of yore. PES, while still hugely entertaining, has stagnated with online play especially antiquated. Unless the forthcoming PES 2010 is a return to form, the trend looks set to continue as FIFA 10 is a winner.
The key addition this year, and the main reason that FIFA 10 is so enjoyable, is 360-degree control. This gives a real fluidity to the previously rigid player movement, allowing skillful players the opportunity to weave past defenders or avoid tackles. This is the closest yet to the "feel" that PES has always had and easily the main improvement on FIFA 09. Another area where FIFA has historically struggled is ball physics. While passes pinged and crosses hung in the air correctly on PES, FIFA's ball movement felt heavier and less satisfying. Not so now. Short balls zip and lofted through balls move accurately. Headers and some shots are still an issue though, with the occasional goal bound effort lacking the oomph you would expect.
There are some other issues. Player models are as appallingly ugly as ever, while the commentary feels slightly off the pace at times. The management part of the game feels undercooked too. Also, the pace is much slower and more realistic than other football games and PES fans in particular may find it a bit too lethargic. New features such as adding your own face to a virtual player or creating bespoke set-pieces feel a little gimmicky, but on the pitch FIFA 10 plays a more fluid and expressive game than any other FIFA before it. PES 2010 has got it all to do. {
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Labels: FIFA, FIFA 2010, Players
posted @ 8:35 AM,
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With 24 teams converging on Egypt for the FIFA World Under-20 Championships, there will also be a myriad of scouts and teams at the tournament looking to spot the next starlet. A good performance at these championships is generally a pretty good indicator of future potential, as a glance at the previous Players of the Tournament will only serve to confirm.
Back in 1979 one Diego Maradona claimed the award, whilst in 1987 Robert Prosinecki caught the eye. More recent winners include Barcelona’s Seydou Keita in 1999 and Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero in 2007.
Here are ten candidates who could be in line to claim honors in 2009.
Ransford Osei – Ghana and Twente
Already a full international, Ransford Osei caught the eye for Ghana at the world U-17 event held in 2007 and the African Youth Championships. His seven goals at the latter tournament helped Ghana to their most recent success in the competition. Described as an opportunistic striker, Osei is also blessed with great speed.
He is currently on loan at Twente in the Dutch league, which should prove to be an outstanding educational experience for the 18-year-old. He is yet to feature under Steve McClaren, but has scored goals at his parent club, Maccabi Haifa.
Douglas Costa – Brazil and Gremio
Arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated players at the tournament will be Douglas Costa, the Brazilian left-sided midfielder. Having already broken through into the first team at Gremio, Douglas has come to the attention of several big-name European clubs, including Manchester United and Real Madrid.
The diminutive midfielder has a delicious left-foot and is a noted free kick specialist. Unsurprisingly, he has already been dubbed the 'new Ronaldinho', who also came through the ranks at the Porto Alegre side.
He was instrumental in Brazil’s success at the South American U-20 Championships.
Hernan Perez – Paraguay and Villarreal
Perez’s growing reputation in the game was confirmed after Spanish side Villarreal moved to snap up the midfielder after just one professional game for his previous side: Libertad. After notching five goals, and finishing joint top scorer at the South American U-20 Championships, there was an increasing list of potential suitors, so Villarreal decided to move quickly to sign him up until 2014.
Well known for developing South American talent, Perez should find himself in good hands.
Perez is one of a growing number of exciting players to emerge from the country in recent seasons, and the midfield schemer will be central to Paraguay’s hopes of pulling off a shock in Egypt.
Richard Sukuta-Pasu – Germany and Bayer Leverkusen
After catching the eye at the UEFA U-19 tournament in 2008, Sukuta-Pasu has continued his development at the BayArena, where he is now considered an important member of the first team. His main strength undoubtedly lies in his willingness to run with the ball, making him equally accomplished as a right winger or an out-and-out forward. His pace is another key asset, and standing at 6ft 2in, he is also decent in the air.
Possessing all the requisite attributes needed to be a top quality striker, it would appear to be only a matter of time before he becomes a first team regular for Jupp Heynckes at Bayer Leverkusen.
Allowed to join up with his team-mates for these finals, unlike many of the side who helped Germany to glory some 12 months ago, an inexperienced team will count on his input to help them confirm their status as one of the fancied teams in Egypt.
Krisztian Nemeth – Hungary and AEK Athens
Another who had an outstanding Euro 2008 U-19 tournament, Nemeth has already been snapped up by Liverpool. Used frequently by Rafael Benitez in friendlies this summer, the attacker has been allowed to get some experience in Greek football with AEK Athens, and he has already scored for his new side in the Greek Super League.
Whilst not the tallest striker, Nemeth is both good in the air and with the ball at his feet, and already has an excellent technique. A cool finisher, Nemeth undoubtedly possesses all the necessary attributes to become a top class forward in time.
Fran Merida – Spain and Arsenal
One of a number of talented Spanish players at the tournament, Merida has already enjoyed a taste of first team action at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. After coming through the youth team at Barcelona, Merida has been in North London since 2005. Whilst others starlets at Arsenal, such as Aaron Ramsey, have attracted more media interest, Merida has quietly gone about his development and shows some outstanding signs of potential.
A midfielder with an eye for a creative pass, Merida was one of the better players for Spain at this summer’s UEFA U-19 Championships held in the Ukraine. Whilst the Spanish collectively were off form, Merida was one of the few to escape without criticism.
Tomas Necid – Czech Republic and CSKA Moscow
Whilst the Czech side of 2009 probably don’t have the collective ability of the 2007 team who went all the way to the World U-20 final, one who is destined for the senior side seems to be Tomas Necid. The forward is already under contact at CSKA Moscow after catching the eye with Slavia Prague in a two-year spell at the club.
Necid has already been capped at senior level, and with three goals in five matches for the full team, it looks like it will only be a matter of time before he graduates.
Before that, the Czechs will be hoping that he can form a striking partnership with Tomas Pekhart, who also has an eye for goal. If those two can dovetail, then this Czech side may yet be in a position to repeat their success of two years ago.
Paolo Henrique – Brazil and Santos
Another off a long line of talents who have emerged in recent seasons at the Vila Belmiro, attacking midfielder Paolo Henrique is another who looks like he’s got the ability to play for the full Brazilian team.
He came to attention in the Santos Junior teams, but was quickly promoted to the senior side, for whom he has already played several matches.
Much like team-mate Douglas Costa, Paulo Henrique also has a cultured left-foot, so it will be interesting to see whether they can play as a pair in the midfield behind the strikers.
Nicolas Lodeiro – Uruguay and Nacional
With plenty of experience already under his belt at club and continental level, forward Nicolas Lodeiro could be one of the stand-out players at the tournament. His thoughtful range of passing helped Nacional to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, and he also caught the eye at the South American U-20 Championships. With rumors of interest from Liverpool, Lodeiro might not be spending much longer in his homeland if he can recreate his recent club form for his U-20 side.
Sam Baldock – England and MK Dons
Whilst the striker may be playing at a slightly lower level than many included in this list, in many respects football at League One is more competitive. After bursting onto the scene last season under the guidance of then-manager Roberto Di Matteo at the MK Dons, Baldock was struck down by injury later in the 2008-09 season. Not part of the English team that got to the U-19 final in the Ukraine earlier this summer, Baldock now has the chance to show the English management team that he has what it takes at this level.
Standing at just 5ft 7in, Baldock has learned to cope with the physical attentions of League One defenders, who aren’t generally noted for their willingness to be made to look foolish by technically gifted players. Baldock has shown a competitive instinct of his own, and although the England side won’t be as strong as the one that participated in the U-19 UEFA Championships earlier this summer, Baldock could be one to help galvanize this weakened squad.
Walter Townsend, Goal.com
For more on the U-20 World Cup visit Goal.com's Youth page.
Labels: FIFA, Players
posted @ 11:09 AM,
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English Premier League side Chelsea have said they will mount the "strongest appeal possible" following the transfer ban placed on the club by world football's governing body FIFA.
The punishment, which would prevent any new member joining the squad until 2011, was dished out after the club were found to have "induced" Gael Kukuta to breach his contract in a transfer from French league side Lens in 2007.
In a statement on their official Web site, Chelsea announced their plan to: "Mount the strongest appeal possible following the decision of FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber over Gaël Kakuta.
"The sanctions are without precedent to this level and totally disproportionate to the alleged offence and the financial penalty imposed. We cannot comment further until we receive the full written rationale for this extraordinarily arbitrary decision," the statement concluded.
The ruling came after Lens complained to FIFA that Chelsea had acted improperly over the transfer of 18-year-old left-winger Kakuta two years ago.
The complaint was referred to the body's Disciplinary Resolution Chamber (DRC) who decided to impose a ban on any further player recruitment by last season's Champions League semifinalists. Have FIFA made the right decision? Sound Off below.
A statement on FIFA's official Web site read: "The DRC found that the player had indeed breached a contract signed with the French club.
"Equally, the DRC deemed it to be established that the English club induced the player to such a breach. As a result the player was condemned to pay compensation in the amount of €780,000 ($1.1 million), for which the club, Chelsea, are jointly and severally liable, and sporting sanctions were imposed on both the player and Chelsea in accordance with art. 17 par. 3 and 4 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players."
Kakuta, who was voted the side's academy player of the year in his first 12 months with Chelsea, received a personal suspension of four months as a result of the ruling.
"Chelsea are banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the two next entire and consecutive registration periods following the notification of the present decision."
The first football transfer window in Europe runs from January 1-31 in 2010; the second from the end of the current season until August 31 in Europe, and September 1 in Britain next year.
Chelsea were also ordered to pay Lens "training compensation" of €130,000 ($185,000), in a decision the club could appeal at the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Football governing bodies have intervened on two previous occasions in recent times regarding the acquisition of new players by Chelsea.
In 2005, Nigeria midfielder Jon Mikel Obi was ordered by FIFA to return to Norwegian club Lyn Oslo to see out his contract before eventually joining Chelsea, after protracted transfer negotiations had led to disagreement with Manchester United who also claimed they had signed the player.
Chelsea were also fined £300,000 ($490,000) by the English Premier League over the capture of England defender Ashley Cole from Arsenal in 2005.
The club were found guilty of breaking rule K3, which forbade them approaching Cole, who still had two years left on his Arsenal deal, "by any means while under contract." Watch a former Chelsea manager discuss the ban »
The Blues were also warned they could face being docked points if a similar offence occurred during the 2005/2006 season. (
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Labels: Players
posted @ 11:17 AM,
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