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Van Basten Wants Joint Dutch-Belgian League New Wembley Set for 2007 Kick-Off The FA have said the vastly expensive, overpriced and un-necessary new
Wembley stadium will not host it's first match until February 2007 when
England are scheduled to play a friendly against an un-named
opponent. Bladder To Stand Again In worrying news FIFA president Sepp Bladder said he intends to run for re-election in 2007 : "Yes I will make myself available again in 2007. The only question is how my health will be then." Brazilians Can't Get Enough Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has said there will not be a sex ban on his players, unlike in 2002 under his predecessor Luis Felipe Scolari, during the tournament : "I don't think that sex one day before the game will have any harm on the player. Just sex, no problem. The problem is, they don't eat, they don't sleep, they smoke and they drink. That is the problem. Sex? No, sex is always very good, always welcome." Brazil Make Sweet Music Brazil Carlos Alberto Parreira has revealed the secret to Brazil's success during World Cup finals tournaments - playing musical instruments. He explained : "Psychologists say it is very important in the dressing room and coming from the hotel to the stadium that you do something with your hands, with your mouth. If you just sit there worrying, clutching your hands that does not help. If you play something it helps relax. That is why we give them the drums and things. Since 1970 we have done this. We buy instruments for them and they play on the bus instead of saying 'Oh my God, we are going to play Germany or England in a World Cup game.' That does not help." Bachini Banned For Life Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Jonathan Bachini, now at Siena,
has been banned for life by the Italian FA after he tested positive
for cocaine for the second time in his career. In September 2004 while at
Brescia he tested positive, earning a Ronaldinho Worth More than Beckham Germany consultancy firm BBDO have conducted a study into the marketing value of the World's top 20 players and Ronaldinho has come out on top ahead of David Beckham : 1. Ronaldinho (Barcelona and Brazil). €47.00 million The earnings were divided into two categories - from player contracts and promotional earnings i.e. advertising contracts and licensing for merchandise. Chelsea Announce Link-up With AEG Chelsea have announced an agreement with AEG, the group that owns the franchises to four clubs in the MLS including champions La Galaxy. Under the agreement, which starts in 2007, Chelsea will have first option to sign any players from LA Galaxy (don't hold your breath), loan the club youth team players and hold a tournament in the US every two years. Bayern Confirm Interest in Aguero Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed the club are interested in signing the latest midget striker making a splash in Argentinean football, 17 year old Sergio Aguero, who plays for Independiente : "We must move before the Spanish and Italian clubs join the race,
otherwise he will be more expensive. He certainly won't be a bargain but
with a young player of such quality you have to be prepared to take a
risk" Shevchenko Annoyed At Chelsea Rumours "I am annoyed. I have three years remaining on my contract. Today, I only think about Milan and ending the season in the best way possible. I repeat it, I am fine at Milan. I've already said I want to end my career here, even if you can't plan for it in football." - Andriy Shevchenko Russian Found Guilty of Ref Death Threats Vadim Grebenkin, 51, has been handed an 18 month suspended sentence for threatening to kill referee Valentin Ivanov ahead of a Moscow derby between Spartak and Lokomotiv last November. Ivanov ignored the death threats : "I said to myself 'either I do this match or I will simply retire' and I decided that I'm not ready to call it quits just yet." Russian Football Union (RFU) president Vitaly Mutko said : "This guy (Vadim Grebenkin) is only a small fish. The police are looking for his accomplice who actually masterminded the whole thing. We have information that the person has left the country and is hiding overseas." Manchester United Chairman Rules out Breakaway League "I can categorically deny that we (Manchester United), along with all the other (G14) clubs, have absolutely any interest in forming our own league. We are very comfortable with UEFA running the Champions League, it is the best club competition in the world. Why would we change it? I think the last time the clubs considered forming their own league was back in 1998 but that was reviewed, looked at and quickly dismissed but it was used as a method by UEFA to re-look at the Champions League and increase the returns and it was at that time the format was changed. There has been no discussion or review of any changes since then." - Manchester United chairman David Gill "There is no element of truth in the claim. It is unprecedented that any manager should comment in this way on another team's player. It could be interpreted as a blatant attempt to unsettle Jermaine. I expect Mr Benitez to withdraw his wholly inappropriate and inaccurate comments." Spurs maybe calling Liverpool's bluff given how much time the hugely inconsistent Defoe has spent on the bench this season. Spanish FA Fail to Get Tough, Again The Spanish Football Federation have once again failed to take strong action after a player was struck by objects thrown by supporters during Thursday's match between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. Sevilla, who missed two first half penalties, took the lead shortly after Peter Luccin's dismissal, prompting fans to hurl objects, including a whiskey bottle, onto the pitch. Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop was struck by a beer can and the match was suspended for 40 minutes. Martin Petrov earned a second yellow shortly after the re-start. The Spanish Football Federation fined Atletico Madrid a paltry €3,000
and also overturned Petrov's yellow card, the latest example of their
pathetic disciplinary measures. Ronaldinho Sends Henry Invitation "Without a doubt, it would be great to play with a quality player like Henry. If he arrives, it would be perfect because to have a player that has so much quality would thrill everyone." - Ronaldinho |