TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| All Whites could face Socceroos New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert isn't ruling out resurrecting trans-Tasman football rivalry with a clash against Australia in the lead up to the World Cup. foxsports.com.au |
SOCCER: Beckham Returns and AC Milan Wins, 5-2, to Rise to Second David Beckham marked his return to AC Milan with 76 effective minutes in a 5-2 rout of Genoa, helping the club rise to second in the Italian Serie A. feeds.nytimes.com |
Martin O'Neill content under Aston Villa's quiet American Randy Lerner • Martin O'Neill hails Randy Lerner's stewardship• 'Having a stable owner takes excuses away'Martin O'Neill will welcome West Ham United to Villa Park after another quiet week in the upper echelons of the Midlands club. While the American owners of Manchester United and Liverpool have been unleashing Âunsettling bond issues and abusive emails, the Aston Villa chairman, Randy Lerner, has been grabbing attention Âsimply by not being in the country.However, the American billionaire has resolved the issues with his American football franchise, the Cleveland Browns, and is prepared to spend more time tending to his Premier League club, who sit sixth in the table.Not, says O'Neill, that Lerner is likely to announce his return with any grand gestures before the close of the transfer window. "No, he's not [reckless]," said the Villa manager. "He's still very enthusiastic about it all, he's still got some plans for Villa Park as well, which will be great if they happen, but overall his view is not one where he will be reckless."Since completing his £62.6m takeover just days after O'Neill was hired by the former chairman Doug Ellis, in August 2006, Lerner has backed the ÂNorthern Irishman's patient team-building, with Ashley Young, James Milner, Stewart Downing and the former Hammer James Collins joining the club. "The owner put in a substantial amount of money in the third year which has been good and given us a springboard to keep momentum going," said O'Neill."But ours has never been a case of going out and throwing lots of money at the whole scenario for a short-term fix. It's great if that materialises but you have to look at the overall structure."O'Neill admitted his squad could still be stronger and despite offers – "some tentative, some stronger" – is Âreluctant to sell any of his current players, with a gaggle of clubs linked with the midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. The right to retain Âplayers might be denied his opposite number and Gianfranco Zola admitted on Friday that the takeover talk surrounding West Ham is Â"affecting Âeverybody". O'Neill concurred that off-field uncertainty can filter onto the pitch."If you have a bit of turmoil in the background I've often felt it gives Âplayers excuses because something is not right," he said, before admitting it did not take something like the collapse of the ÂIcelandic economy to distract him in his playing days. "There's nobody had greater excuses for playing badly than myself."I had an excuse for everything, my shoes weren't tight, breakfast was poor, I even blamed John Robertson for not giving me the ball. Having a stable owner takes one set of excuses away."Premier LeagueAston VillaMartin O'NeillWest Ham UnitedMikey Staffordguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Tottenham get stage fright and Liverpool go back to basics as normal service is resumed Spurs are as good on the road when it matters as a council gritter on day five of a cold snap in Kent, says the Bung. telegraph.co.uk |
Posh chairman launches rant at club • Chairman hits out at 'greed, skulduggery and disloyalty'• Former manager Ferguson denies accusations of tapping-upPeterborough United's chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, has launched an astonishing attack on the club, claiming team spirit has been undermined by "greed, skulduggery, tapping up and disloyalty from within".Posh are bottom of the Championship, nine points adrift of safety, having won just three times in the league this season. Darren Ferguson, the manager who had guided them to two successive promotions, parted company with the club in November and was replaced by Mark Cooper.In a lengthy statement on the club's official website, MacAnthony said: "I have to apologise to all Posh fans for this season up until now and for all the events on and off the field. It has been nothing short of a disaster and I can of course understand their frustrations."I am done with defending the players, previous management, current management and everyone else at the football club top to bottom. Nobody has been good enough this season and we have failed our fans in the worst possible way and this has resulted in us being bottom of the league and heading for League One in a hurry."I promise the fans this will be the last time I speak in the press this season, but some home truths need to be told and as always I like to be honest with the fans and as open as possible."The team spirit from the last two years has nearly been destroyed by greed, skulduggery, tapping up and disloyalty from within and this has all occurred over the last 120 days or so, non-stop and is eating away at our inner core."The chairman also had harsh words for the club's players, telling them to "grow up". "They repay the club with below-par performances, temper tantrums off the field and making it clear they no longer want to play for our club when the going gets tough," he said. "Well it's time for all of these players to grow up and act like professionals."In response, Ferguson said: "I am not happy about what was said and have to defend myself against allegations of tapping up the Peterborough players and other items. I got the club into the Championship for the second time in 75 years and we should just leave it like that."It seems like they are trying to ruin my reputation. I wish I didn't have to talk about those comments but I'm sure people appreciate my need to give my reaction."I hope Posh stay up for the fans, the players and their manager Mark Cooper, but it will be hard for them."PeterboroughPreston North EndChampionshipguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |