Football News

Wigan manager Chris Hutchings has a number of injury concerns for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at the JJB Stadium.

Already without Emile Heskey and Denny Landzaat, Hutchings finds himself also waiting on Kevin Kilbane (ankle), Ryan Taylor (calf) and Antonio Valencia (hamstring).

Team (from): Kirkland, Melchiot, Granqvist, Bramble, Kilbane, Brown, Scharner, Skoko, Koumas, Sibierski, Bent, Aghahowa, Boyce, Cotterill, Hall, Olembe, Taylor, Valencia, Pollitt.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Sissoko, Mascherano, Benayoun, Babel, Kuyt, Crouch, Voronin, Torres, Itandje.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will decide whether to retain Carling Cup hat-trick hero Fernando Torres in his starting line-up.

Arsenal Football Club said that turnover has broken the £200 million barrier after the move to the Emirates Stadium.

The move to the new stadium from Highbury means the Gunners are generating more than £3 million a game.

Arsenal say that their financial strength means the club has no need for new overseas investment. Peter Hill-Wood, Arsenal chairman, said: "The idea of us selling out to whoever is simply not on the agenda."

Source: Sportbusiness

You could see the kids head to the football ground, with the symbols of Real Madrid or Manchester United gleaming proudly on their jerseys, a glitter in every eye, wanting to emulate their foreign idols. That’s right, FOREIGN idols.

In 2007, Indian Football has not just cricket, Formula 1 or even hockey to contend with; it has the European football leagues to overcome.

Don’t even bother walking into a sports shop to ask for a Mohun Bagan T-shirt. “ We don’t have any of those, but why not try our range of Spanish , English, Italian, German or even MLS t-shirts?”, is the answer you will get. The domestic league? It's a joke. Some of the teams simply play to exist in the league. Most of them end up spending most of their money hiring Brazilian players and African players to bail them out of their misery.

In 2006-2007 the 29 foreign players in the league scored as many as 133 of the 243 goals scored, ;eaving the 254 Indians to manage 110 strikes between them. Our only ray of sunshine? Sunil Chetri, who top scored among the Indians with 12 goals.

The practice grounds, football arenas, television broadcasts are all a huge mess. I couldn’t help watch in dismay, when Jose Mourinho moaned about the pathetic state of the pitch at Stamford Bridge a few years back. That pitch would be heaven to our Indian professionals!

Want to catch a match between the heavyweights East Bengal and Mohun Bagan? Tough luck my friend! It’s not anyone’s fault here. The number of spectators is low since the standard of the game in our country is pitiable. One would rather watch TV and be wowed by a classy Maradona-like goal by Messi or an unbelievable free-kick from Gerrard.

On the other hand, fewer the spectators, lesser the revenue which means lesser the wages and lesser the standards of the sport. It happens to be a symbiotic relationship. It’s just that neither side’s contributing much to each other. People too are reluctant to follow a career in professional football. They prefer cricket, especially now that wages in the game are increasing

We need a Sunil Chetri or a Bhaichung Bhutia to get a few big advertising deals in order to prove that money exists in football. Maybe then reluctant Indian parents will let their children pursue a career in this otherwise impoverished field.

Perhaps the I-League will bring us something new and exciting. But with the same old clubs and the same old faces on the pitch, one can’t help but think this is just a cosmetic makeover. I’ll still be keeping my fingers crossed though.

Source: //goal.com

Playing for their country is the greatest honour that can be bestowed upon any footballer. There is no prouder achievement than pulling the national jersey and lining up for the anthems.

It has emerged today that Manchester United star Wayne Rooney felt he was fit enough to play in both of England’s qualifiers, but was kept out of the squad by manager Alex Ferguson, amidst claims that he was unfit to play.

Rooney contradicted his manager’s claims as he told Man United’s TV station MUTV: “I'm fine. I feel I could have played a few weeks ago and I'm a bit disappointed I haven't. But it was probably best in the long run.”

The Man United website claims this is merely typical of Rooney's enthusiasm and hunger for football.

Cynics amongst us will note the importance of Rooney to a United side who have found it difficult to find the back of the net this season. Expectations are forever high at Old Trafford and trophies will be sought by the fans, a cause that Rooney will be expected to contribute towards.

Rooney was quick to step back in-line with his manager’s decision not to let him join up with the England squad, telling MUTV: “I've been dying to play. I wanted to make sure the manager knew I was ready to come back. The manager and physio’s have been a bit cautious and rightly so - it's a long season.”

Source: goal.com

Gang Chen is a Chinese newcomer who will sing “You are the most beautiful in the whole world” for the FIFA Women's World Cup during the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of the world's biggest women's competition on Sept. 10th at the Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium.

The song was released by Sony BMG, produced by Jonathan Lee, originally launched on April 22, 2007 during a live TV show on CCTV.

Source: //press release

According to Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva says India would do well to aim at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup instead of focus 2010 edition of the quadrennial mega event.

"It is very important to spot talented youngsters now so that they will be prepared when the next cycle of World Cup qualification comes around," he said.

"The Federation and everybody else connected with football game should look at the bigger picture and have a macro vision, not a micro one," Pereira, who coached the famous Vasco da Gama club to national title in the 1970s, said.

India take on Lebanon on October 8 and 28 in the first round of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa, but Pereira said it was imperative that India planned ahead for the 2014.

Talent has to be spotted at a young age and groomed properly for the desired end, he said. "Players such as Bhaichung (Bhutia) and S Venkatesh won't be around by that time, so there is need to look for their replacements," Pereira, who has had coaching stints as far afield as Europe, Middle East and South-east Asia, said.