| Montenegro starting to believe in miracles ahead of England clash Group G's surprise leaders are ready to show England atWembley why they are a rising force to be reckoned withPodgorica on Friday night throbbed with red and yellow. Strangers kissed in the street, the air buzzed with the cardboard hands that had been handed out before kick-off and the flag with the two-headed eagle was everywhere. There was joy, but it was mixed not, as is so common in football with a sense of expectation matched or failure averted, but with a gleeful incredulity."I cannot believe what is happening," said a barely coherent Stefan Savic. "This ... we never thought this was possible. We go to London without pressure and we can surprise them. But we're not just going for the shopping."The 19-year-old central defender, making his debut at right-back to replace the injured Savo Pavicevic, endured a nervous start and was caught out by a couple of early long diagonals, but recovered to help Montenegro to a 1-0 win over Switzerland. Improbably, they go to Wembley as group leaders. In three-and-a-half years since being admitted to Fifa they have climbed from 208th to 40th in the world rankings. That would be a vertiginous rise for anybody, but particularly so for a nation whose entire population could be accommodated by seven Wembley Stadiums.Dejan Savicevic, the former Red Star and AC Milan great who is now president of the Montenegrin Football Federation, was telling everybody who would listen on Friday that all Montenegro need to do to take second place in the group and a play-off spot is to beat Bulgaria at home. Any other points they pick up, in two games against England, away to Switzerland and Wales, are a bonus.The foundations laid The foundations laid by Zoran Filipovic were impressive enough, but it is since Zlatko Kranjcar replaced him in February that optimism has really been kindled. Montenegro were among the fifth pot of seeds when the draw for the Euro 2012 qualifiers were made, but with new-found defensive resolve they have beaten the teams ranked fourth, third and second. "When the draw came out," Kranjcar said, "I thought it was a tough group but that we could compete with Bulgaria, Wales and Switzerland, and with some luck maybe finish second. England are a different level, though."That sounds suspiciously like he's buttering up England, trying to evoke a mood of complacency. "I just want to be the more relaxed team at Wembley," he went on, "make sure we work hard and, if England give us a chance, make sure that we can take it."EnglandMontenegroEuro 2012Jonathan Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Manchester United chief David Gill denies club will break Uefa rules despite £83m loss Despite their debt, chief executive David Gill claims figures underline the strength of United as a moneymaking operation. telegraph.co.uk |
Said & Done Why is it soMan of the week: Fifa's Amos Adamu – suspended, but denying wrongdoing. Adamu's previous best views on corruption: July – tells four Nigerian officials to fight fraud charges and clear their names. "The public sees every football administrator as a corrupt person, and I cannot explain why it is so. We should be transparent and prove them all wrong." Plus, 2006 – says claims he bribed his way into Fifa are lies. "I am accountable. Corrupt people go to jail, not to Fifa." Straight bat Leading Fifa's defence last week after Adamu was stung: executive Chuck Blazer – saying there's "nothing dubious" about Fifa's World Cup bid process. "You can't say the system is bad. The newspaper created a scam, a trap, tempting [Adamu] to do something wrong." Last time Chuck defended Fifa: 2006 – appearing in court to answer claims of deception in a sponsorship deal with Mastercard. The outcome: Fifa told to pay Mastercard $90m; four Fifa executives sacked; and Blazer criticised by the judge for lying: "Mr Blazer's testimony was generally without credibility." (Sepp's verdict: "The judgment was very biased.")Devils£500k: Amount Adamu allegedly wanted in return for his vote. Sepp: "Our society is full of devils, and you find them in football."£500k: Amount Jack Warner's family firm made from touting 2006 World Cup tickets. Sepp: "Jack is a wonderful, loyal friend! He's a very competent man." (Blazer's view on Warner's 2006 troubles: "The whole nature of ticketing was in flux around that time. He addressed it. It sounds worse than it was.")MeanwhileNew from Man United last week: a three-year campaign to raise £1m for Unicef. Fergie: "Our work with Unicef has made the players, particularly the younger ones, realise what the real world is like. It's been an eye-opener and a real education. It's taught them how lucky they are." £65m: Wayne Rooney's new five-year contract. Fergie: "It was a difficult week, but I'm delighted Wayne has decided to stay and guide the younger players. He believes in what we stand for."Fine of the week €25k: fine for Cagliari after fans racially abused Inter's Samuel Eto'o, resulting in the game being suspended. Cagliari president Massimo Cellini said he heard nothing: "Our fans are not like that." (€50k: South African FA's fine for Kaizer Chiefs after fans threw two vuvuzelas and a cabbage on to the pitch. "We call on the public to identify this rogue element intent on causing disruption.")Best pledge16 Oct: Gordon Strachan, Middlesbrough: "We're going through a bad period but I've proved at other clubs that I survive rocky periods. Times like this test you, as a person, as a manager, as a coach. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." 18 Oct: resigns.Row of the week Peruvian club Sporting Ancash say claims they drugged four rival Hijos de Acosvinchos players during a game are "sick". The four collapsed and later claimed they'd been given spiked drinks by an Ancash coach during a stoppage. Luis Coello said: "It tasted grassy. Suddenly I felt heavy, then I fell." Ancash say the claims are false. "There were no spiked drinks. Their boys had some chicken washed down with Red Bull before the game. That must have made them faint."Bad week for Bordeaux striker Yoan Gouffran: diagnosed as allergic to grass. Coach Jean Tigana says he can now only use Gouffran on synthetic pitches. "Clearly, this is not ideal."Agent newsArgentinian agent Pablo Seijas says former Paraguay keeper José Luis Chilavert is "crazed" after the pair were seen on CCTV fighting in an airport. "Chilavert came at me demanding cash from two transfers, but it was not his. I only worked with him once. Never again." Chilavert: "He does owe me that money. He called me a 'starving Paraguayan'. I could not let that pass." President of the weekOmiya Ardija's Seigo Watanabe, resigning in tears after the Japanese club were found to have inflated their attendance figures by 110,000 to meet targets. "I do apologise. But I just wasn't aware of the J-League's standards for defining attendances."Legal newsParaguayan defender Lider Marmol says he's "disturbed" after his sister faked her own kidnapping to try to extort a $40k ransom from him. Lider left Mexico, where he plays for Atlante, to try to save Perla, but after three days she came home and admitted she'd made it up. "The police are talking to her. I'm glad she's safe, but this was one stupid idea in her head."And finallyModel Wanda Nara says Italian press claims that she dated a Catania team-mate of husband Maxi López after he was falsely accused of sexually harassing their housemaid are "terrible lies". The report linked Nara with Ciro Capuano. "I reject it. Maxi gets jealous so this story is very bad. We must be left in peace."FifaDavid Hillsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Ronaldo, Messi light up Spanish league with goals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lit up the Spanish league with goals on Saturday as Ronaldo scored four times to lead Real Madrid after Messi ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Carroll urged to focus after assault fine • Carroll fined £1,000 today after admitting common assault• Chris Hughton wants him to focus on 'doing what he does best'Newcastle's manager, Chris Hughton, has ordered Andy Carroll to concentrate on football after he was fined for common assault today.The 21-year-old striker pleaded guilty to the lesser charge – he had initially been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm – and was fined £1,000, ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in costs and £2,500 in compensation to the victim, Michael Cook."We are all delighted with today, but what everybody wants to do is just get back to watching him do what he does best, as he did [in the 2‑1 win] on Saturday at West Ham," Hughton said.It has been a difficult week or so for Carroll, who appeared in court last week charged with assaulting a former girlfriend – an accusation he strenuously denies – and then had his car burnt out on the driveway of his team-mate Kevin Nolan's home.However, his contribution on Saturday earned him more positive headlines and while Hughton is keen to keep his feet firmly on the ground, he knows there is potential in a striker who has the opportunity to establish himself as a local hero.The manager said: "We are very definite about what we say about him. He is still a young lad and he is still a young lad who has improvements in his game to make. We are conscious of not building him into something he isn't at the moment."But he has wonderful potential and he is a young lad who is playing regularly now in the Premier League and if you are able to do that, you are able to make progress."Hughton is likely to leave Carroll out of Wednesday's Carling Cup tie against Arsenal as he makes full use of his squad ahead of the derby with Sunderland at the weekend. In the meantime, he will be happy to leave Carroll in the hands of the club captain Nolan, with whom he is living under the conditions of bail arrangements.Hughton said with a smile: "Kevin looks after him very well. I think he arranges his supper at the right time and makes sure he is tucked up in very good time to get a full night's sleep. If the two of them can continue to score the goals and put in the performances they did [on Saturday], then I am quite happy with the arrangement."Nolan dragged Newcastle back into the game at Upton Park when he cancelled out Carlton Cole's opener from Carroll's knockdown, and he later paid tribute to his family for allowing him to take the younger man under his wing.He said: "Andy was fantastic, but I want to pay tribute to my wife and kids, who have handled the situation so well and been strong. Everybody read the papers and saw what happened, and knew what happened was wrong. It's been an emotional and upsetting week. But, as I say, the missus has been first-class and Andy's attitude on the pitch was first-class too. Football is what we are here for, and if we continue to perform like we did, we will be happy."Hughton, meanwhile, received a fresh boost today when the central defender Steven Taylor returned to full training, although he is unlikely to make Sunday's match with Sunderland.Newcastle UnitedSunderlandguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |