TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Messi named player of the year Barcelona and Argentina striker Lionel Messi was crowned World Player of the Year by world football's ruling body FIFA. foxsports.com.au |
No sympathy for Hughes from City fans Manchester City fans believe the club's Middle Eastern owners have done the right thing by bringing in Roberto ManciniIn the deluge of criticism for the way Sheikh Mansour ruthlessly dispatched Mark Hughes into Manchester City's extensive list of former managers last week some drew a comparison with the firing of Peter Reid after three games in August 1993, despite finishing fifth in the league twice in the previous three seasons. "Same old City," went the line but the fans' reaction, as Roberto Mancini made his suave entry to Eastlands on Sunday, could hardly have been more different.Back then the atmosphere awaiting not so much Reid's successor, Brian Horton, as the club's chairman, Peter Swales, can fairly be described as murderous. "Swales Out" chants enveloped Maine Road, born of frustration with a man widely felt to have drained City of their stature over 20 years while putting nothing in himself. Mass protests led finally to Swales's ousting but City nevertheless declined, relegated to the third flight five years later at Stoke, who went down with them.Outrage over Hughes's sacking had dominated the football news all week, it being portrayed as the betrayal of a proud football man by an absentee billionaire and his corporate-speaking lackey, the chief executive, Garry Cook. Yet at Eastlands it was all eerily quiet. Yesteryear's anti-Swales firebrands are today's 40-something family season card holders, arriving with their kids in alpine hats, not bearing ready sympathy for Hughes."I think it's excellent," said David Beech, 42, outside the stadium with his friend Alan Walker, 43. "Mark Hughes underachieved, we had too many draws and now we've got a manager who's won trophies." But what of the way it was done, Hughes sent out to manage last Saturday, despite a deal having been concluded with Mancini? "I don't see a problem," Beech replied. "It's the nature of football now."That attitude was by far the majority view outside the ground, not the football world's bewilderment at the Abu Dhabi regime sacking Hughes with City in the semi‑finals of the Carling Cup and sixth in the Premier League, having lost only two matches this season.Inside, opposite the directors' box where the chairman, Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, sat pointedly shoulder to shoulder with Cook, the banner proclaiming "Manchester Thanks You, Sheikh Mansour" was very definitely still up, an embrace never enjoyed by the unloved Swales. When, at four minutes to three, Mancini was finally announced as Manchester City's new manager, the applause rippled around, welcoming and hopeful. There was, all afternoon, not a hint of protest.Stoke, complete with Reid himself, now Tony Pulis's assistant, returned into City's history as the club ordained to show Mancini what English football is all about. They played that role as scripted; tackling heftily in midfield, working hard and wafting long balls to the twin strikers, Tuncay Sanli and Mamady Sidibe.The 2-0 scoreline, City's first clean sheet at Eastlands since the season's first home match, a 1-0 win against Wolves in August, suggests that Mancini rode those challenges and ironed out the defensive panics which littered too many of Hughes's draws for Mansour's liking. This game, however, also illustrated the old sporting truth about the fine line between success and meltdown. Tuncay should have scored after 19 minutes when City's centre‑backs, Kolo Touré and Vincent Kompany, had a parting of the ways, but the Turkish striker, Stoke's only creative threat, failed to place his finish, giving Shay Given the chance to block bravely.Nobody will ever know whether City's team, missing several players through injury and with that makeshift defence, might have flapped if they had gone 1-0 down in front of their new manager and a full Boxing Day crowd but, saved by Given, mostly they asserted themselves. Touré and Kompany concentrated hard enough for Pulis ultimately to give them the satisfaction of substituting both Sidibe and Tuncay within 14 minutes of the second half. The midfield four of Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong, Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov demonstrated assured, complementary skills although not always understanding. The industrious Carlos Tevez has perfected the art of running with the ball while always looking as if he is about to fall over it and he made City's first goal and scored the scrappy second.When Robinho, a galáctico with his head in the clouds, was called off by Mancini, the City crowd stood to acclaim the substitute Craig Bellamy. It felt like more than self-interest, applause for a player the fans would not want to leave; they seemed also to be showing approval for the protest Bellamy made last week on behalf of Hughes. It was as if the fans were applauding Bellamy partly for acting as their conscience, even as they move eagerly on to this European stylist of a manager they hope will bring them trophies.Football has grown more clinical in the 16 years since Reid's sacking. The fans with their season cards seem surprisingly close in sentiment to Sheikh Mansour, whom they thank for putting millions into the club. They want success, they feel they are paying for it and they felt, whatever everybody else told them last week, that Mark Hughes was not going to deliver. Whether Mancini can is still an open question.Roberto ManciniPremier LeagueMark HughesManchester CityDavid Connguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Dunfermline face rap for ineligible player after Stenhousemuir rout • Calum Woods appears for Dunfermline despite suspension• Partick angry at first Dundee United goal in 2-0 defeatControversy clouded victories for Dunfermline and Dundee United as both teams progressed to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.Dunfermline beat Stenhousemuir 7-1. However, following the match, it was confirmed that the Pars had fielded the suspended Calum Woods, who came on as a second-half substitute with his team 4-0 up. A decision has yet to be made by the Scottish Football Association on whether Dunfermline will be ejected from the competition. Two seasons ago Brechin were thrown out of the Cup for fielding two ineligible players. The SFA is expected to make a decision ahead of the fifth-round draw today.The Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall described his side's exit as "horrible" after Damian Casalinuovo scored Dundee United's opener with his hand to help United win 2-0. The Partick substitute Liam Buchanan missed two great chances before David Goodwillie doubled the lead in the last minute.Second-half goals from Darren Mackie and Lee Miller put Aberdeen into the fifth round at the expense of a dire Hearts, while Hibs ran out 3-0 winners against the junior league side Irvine Meadow. The home side rode their luck until Alexander Ryan's own goal just before the half-hour. Merouane Zemmama and Paul Hanlon made the game safe after the break. Billy Mehmet scored twice as St Mirren defeated Alloa 3-1.Scottish CupDunfermlineStenhousemuirPartickDundee UnitedAberdeenHeartsHibernianSt MirrenAlloaNial Briggsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Chelsea can't afford more slip-ups, warns Terry • Chelsea captain warns that team cannot rely on others' lapses• Deco back in training after hamstring injuryJohn Terry has said Chelsea cannot afford any more slips-ups if they are to regain the Premier League title after a defeat and three draws in December allowed their rivals to close the gap at the top.Chelsea's 3-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates at the end of November gave them an 11-point lead over Arsène Wenger's side and put them four ahead of Manchester United. But now they are three points ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, who have played one game more, are only a point behind the Blues."We cannot afford any more slip-ups," the Chelsea captain said. "Thankfully the teams in and around us have been slipping up as well, but Arsenal are right back in the frame again. When we beat them 3-0 I thought they were out of it, to be honest."We need to concentrate on ourselves because apart from the Watford game [a 5-0 FA Cup win], when we were brilliant albeit against a lesser side, we haven't been playing as well. Hopefully that game will give us a boost and we can kick on now, and pull away when the other teams are slipping up."The 29-year-old also revealed how Ancelotti has helped improve their team spirit further by taking the squad and coaching staff out for dinner last week."It's the first time since I have been playing that a manager has taken everyÂone out and paid for it as well," Terry told Chelsea TV. "It was a little bit of team bonding. We are with each other 24 hours a day and in each other's pockets, but everyÂone enjoyed it and had a good meal."Meanwhile, Chelsea have been boosted by the return to fitness of the Portugal midfielder Deco, but the 32-year-old is unlikely to be match fit to face Sunderland this weekend.Ancelotti is more likely to hand Deco a recall in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Preston a week later.The snow and cold weather have disrupted Ancelotti's training plans, with the players given two days off after the postponement of their game at Hull last Saturday.The squad were back in training this morning despite snow still covering much of their Surrey training ground. It was the first involvement for Deco after a hamstring injury had kept him out of action since he played against Portsmouth on 16 December.The Cobham ground staff worked hard to make the training surface playable so the squad could train outside instead of inside the all-weather dome.ChelseaJohn TerryPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Sir Alex Ferguson claims Carlos Tevez should have been shown red card • Ferguson unhappy with Tevez's tackle on Wes Brown• Accusation comes after Tevez's spat with Gary NevilleSir Alex Ferguson believes Carlos Tevez, whose two goals won the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United, should have been sent off during last Tuesday's heated encounter.Tevez's contribution in front of goal won the match against his old club, but Ferguson insists the former United striker deserved a red card for what he felt was a reckless tackle on Wes Brown. The Argentinian caught Brown's thigh in a challenge the United manager suggested was worthy of dismissal."Tevez should have been sent off really," said Ferguson. "Have you seen the tackle? He went over the top of the ball. He didn't even get booked."City lead the semi-final 2-1 with the return leg at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, when emotions are expected to be running high. Ferguson's accusation comes in the wake of a spat between his captain Gary Neville and Tevez.After scoring his first goal, Tevez celebrated by making a "shut-it" gesture to Neville in retaliation to comments that Ferguson was right not to pay over the odds for a striker. Neville promptly responded with a gesture of his own, aiming a middle finger at the City forward, who later labelled the United right-back a "boot-licking moron".Sir Alex FergusonCarlos TevezManchester CityManchester UnitedCarling Cupguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |