| England calls on Davies for Euro qualifier Bolton striker Kevin Davies was called up by England for the first time Monday ahead of next week's European Championship qualifier against Montenegro. cbc.ca |
Ivan Cordoba to Miss US Exhibitions Inter Milan center back Ivan Cordoba has been diagnosed with a muscle strain in his left leg and will miss Colombia's exhibitions against Ecuador and the United States. feeds.nytimes.com |
FIFA officials to face ethics panel over World Cup vote-selling Two FIFA executive committee members will face an ethics panel hearing Wednesday after being implicated in bribery allegations involving the vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. cbc.ca |
Global Soccer: A Maturing Talent to Go With a Mature Spirit Jack Wilshere, the youngster at the heart of Arsenal’s 5-1 crushing of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, mirrors the example set by the international stars around him. feeds.nytimes.com |
Wayne Rooney confirms he wants to leave Manchester United • Rooney questions club's ability to attract top players• Striker pays tribute to his 'mentor' Sir Alex FergusonWayne Rooney has said he wants to leave Manchester United because they cannot match his ambitions. In a strongly worded statement released this evening the striker said he did not believe the club would be able to sign the leading players needed to win major trophies.Rooney was responding to comments made yesterday by Sir Alex Ferguson, who accused the England international of showing no respect for the club and letting him down. The 24-year-old expressed surprise at his manager's remarks and confirmed he wanted a transfer as he expressed concern at the direction the United are heading in under the ownership of the Glazers."I met with David Gill [United's chief executive] last week and he did not give me any of the assurances I was seeking about the future squad," Rooney said. "I then told him that I would not be signing a new contract."I was interested to hear what Sir Alex had to say yesterday and surprised by some of it. It is absolutely true, as he said, that my agent and I have had a number of meetings with the club about a new contract. During those meetings in August I asked for assurances about the continued ability of the club to attract the top players in the world."I have never had anything but complete respect for MUFC. How could I not have done given its fantastic history and especially the last six years in which I have been lucky to play a part?"For me its all about winning trophies – as the club has always done under Sir Alex. Because of that I think the questions I was asking were justified."Despite recent difficulties, I know I will always owe Sir Alex Ferguson a huge debt. He is a great manager and mentor who has helped and supported me from the day he signed me from Everton when I was only 18."For Manchester United's sake I wish he could go on forever because he's a one‑off and a genius."Rooney's remarks regarding United's ambitions will strike a chord with the anti-Glazer supporters who have campaigned against the debt the Americans incurred with their leveraged buyout. Less than two weeks ago United announced losses of £83.6m, from a record operating profit of £100m, although Gill emphasised the club's healthy bank balance, which is in excess of £165m.Ferguson has said he has not been denied money for transfers but United have not brought in world-class replacements for the departed Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. United's top target last summer - Karim Benzema - went to Real Madrid and Ferguson said there was "no value in the market".Wayne RooneyManchester Unitedguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |