There are few atmospheres in the Premier League as awe-inspiring of that at in the Kop for Liverpool’s home matches at Anfield. Every fan knows that football anthems are as important to the game as the fans and players. Gerry Marsden (of Gerry and the Pacemakers fame) knows better than anyone – hailing from Liverpool, he is responsible for popularizing the song that became the best soccer chant ever, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Although this song is close to many soccer clubs’ hearts, its roots undeniably stem from Liverpool, so we decided to get to the core of it all by hearing it from the source; Gerry Marsden himself. On our visit with him to Anfield Stadium, the home of the Liverpool Football Club, we found out how it all began.
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For an insight into the We Are Eleven series check out our interview with producer Santiago Stelley.
Since Robbie Keane returned from his loan spell at Celtic the Tottenham striker hasn’t had much too much to smile about. Limited playing time and a future that looks less than certain sum up the Ireland internationals current situation.
In recent weeks it has become evident that Keane’s future lies away from White Hart Lane. Today we take a look at a few clubs who could provide a new stomping ground for the striker.
First up, Celtic, Keane has already enjoyed a fruitful spell at the Glasgow club scoring 12 goals in 16 appearances. Keane is approaching the end of his career and Celtic would provide the perfect setting for his final few years. The striker, a catholic Irishman would arguably like to end his career at his boyhood club. However, It’s not hard to come to the conclusion that Keane could end up at Celtic, so lets look a couple of other more interesting propositions for the Spurs striker.
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Robbie Keane is already a bit of a Journeyman so it wouldn’t surprise me if the striker found his way to a completely new experience in a new club. Aston Villa currently find themselves at the wrong end of the table and in need of some firepower. Could Keane be the solution? Furthermore, it seems apparent that Gerard Houllier, the Villa boss, is assembling a vibrant youthful team. Houllier has already brought in the experienced Pires, could Keane be his next acquisition.
Then there’s Everton. I’m not sure I’ve heard this rumour before, but for me it makes total sense. Everton are another team somewhat lacking firepower. They are a team that could make a strong push for Europe if only they had a player that could regularly find the net. Keane certainly fits the bill. Everton are a club that do not exactly have bundles to spend but it is thought that it wouldn’t cost an arm or a leg for the services of Keane, thus adding weight behind the idea Keane could be on his way up to Goodison Park.
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There you have it! What do you think? Am I bonkers, or does it make as much sense to you as to does me?
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This could be the strongest test of Manchester United’s unbeaten season to date.
The concern for United’s title challengers is that Alex Ferguson’s men do not appear to have even left second gear in cruising to the top of the league. Questions may be asked as to whether the former champions possess all the gears they have had in previous years, however these queries will be answered later on in the campaign.
Tottenham have been excellent going forward, however Harry Redknapp will be mindful of the meeting between the two sides at Old Trafford, where despite the controversial Nani incident, Spurs were well beaten.
I expect a far better showing this time around. Tottenham will score goals, and with United still prone to conceding sloppily, the white half of North London have a real chance of grabbing the points. United, however, keep find a way of grinding out results and whilst they will not be as fluent as their hosts they will find enough to get the job done.
Manager Simon Grayson was proud of the fight in his side after Leeds United went down to Arsenal 3-1 in their FA Cup clash on Wednesday.Grayson added that he felt Gunners boss Arsene Wenger’s decision to bring on stars Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie in the latter stages was the ultimate compliment to his players and the threat they provided to the Arsenal defence in their third-round replay at Elland Road.
“We showed some good qualities and if you are going to get knocked out of the FA Cup you might as well have it done by one of the best teams in Europe, if not the world,” Grayson told Sky Sports.
“I thought it was credit to us that at 2-1 Arsenal had to bring on Fabregas and van Persie. “
Grayson said his side was capable of maintaining its lofty position on the Championship table, with United fifth and targeting a return to the English Premier League next season,
He credited their near-upset at the Emirates in the third-round proper – with Arsenal needing a late penalty to salvage a draw – as invaluable experience.
“Hopefully the ambition of the players can be fulfilled here – we are not a selling club and don’t need to sell anybody,” he said.
“This has whetted the appetite for players to face these sorts of teams on a weekly basis and I believe we have come out of the two games with a lot of credit.”
Wenger said he would like to see United return to the top flight.
“I was impressed by the way they (Leeds) were organised and their spirit and physical qualities. I think they have a good chance to be in the play-off – we miss Leeds in the Premier League,” Wenger said.
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The French boss admitted his side was thinking about the prospect of a fourth-round clash with League One side Huddersfield Town in the next round.
“The team goes from strength to strength and we have shown again tonight we are hungry. This gives us a good opportunity to play at home against Huddersfield – of course we will be favourite and I think we had that in mind tonight,” Wenger said.
Sunderland avenged last month’s defeat to Blackpool at the Stadium of Light by beating the Seasiders 2-1 in their own backyard thanks to two first-half goals from Kieran Richardson.
Sunderland opened the scoring after 15 minutes when Richardson was put through by Asamoah Gyan and slotted past his Ghana team-mate Richard Kingson who was advancing out of the Blackpool goal.
Moments later, Gyan also raced clear of the Blackpool defence but an out-of-position Kingson recovered well to make the tackle on the edge of his box.
Blackpool created few chances until just before the half-hour mark when Craig Gordon was forced to make two fine saves.
The first was from Luke Varney who spurned a golden chance when he went through one-on-one with the keeper.
Then Gordon turned Charlie Adams’s vicious shot over the crossbar.
Blackpool’s pressure was undone by Richardson’s second goal in the 36th minute. This time the decisive pass came from Steed Malbranque and Richardson kept a cool head to slot past the keeper once more.
Just before half-time Gordon made another superb save, tipping over an Adam shot again, this time from a free-kick.
Despite their best efforts Blackpool struggled to find a way back into the game, although substitute Marlon Harewood went close when he sent a shot inches wide of the post.
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Then in the 86th minute Ian Holloway’s side were awarded a penalty, which Adam converted to set up a frantic finish to the game.
Blackpool pressured the visitors and Gordon was forced into another good save to ensure his side were victorious.
The result keeps Sunderland challenging for a European place, while Blackpool remain mid-table.
Five-time world champions Brazil will take to the field in 2011 wearing a Nike shirt made from recycled plastic bottles.
The yellow, green, blue and white colours of the Brazil national strip were made famous throughout the world by the exploits of Pele and his teammates at the 1970 World Cup.
And kit manufacturers Nike have now released a new take on the iconic shirt – one that will allow the players to do their bit for the environment while representing their country.
“These shirts were developed and manufactured with threads from recycled plastic bottles,” Nike Marketing Director Thiago Pinto said.
“The shirt’s cloth maintains its technologic characteristics, being able to ease the sweat evaporation and preserve its lightness and shape.”
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“For each jersey, around eight plastic bottles are eliminated from the environment. Therefore, each time a Brazilian player walks into a field, we are sure that he has the best technology to improve his performance and also that he is working for sustainability, as he removes these dangerous elements from nature.”
Arsenal’s six-year wait to win a trophy continues after Birmingham City’s Obafemi Martins scored an 89th minute winner at Wembley on Sunday.Martins late clincher came from a defensive blunder between Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and centre-half Laurent Koscielny.The match was billed as the moment when Arsenal would finally be able to celebrate for the first time since lifting the FA Cup in 2005. But instead underdogs Birmingham clinched a dramatic victory to win the club’s first trophy since 1963 and deny Arsene Wenger’s side yet again.Former Newcastle striker Martins sent Birmingham fans home delirious with his late winner. He celebrated with a series of somersaults. Arsenal, without injured captain Cesc Fabregas and winger Theo Walcott, dominated much of the second half and created a string of chances – with Birmingham keeper Ben Foster named man of the match.But Birmingham can say they deserved to lift the trophy after a battling display.Nikola Zigic headed them in front on 28 minutes before Robin van Persie equalised with a fine volley, set by Andriy Arshavin, following a superb Arsenal breakway moveArsenal then forced Foster into some fine saves, notably from Samir Nasri, but Fahey also hit the post for Birmingham.All Arsenal’s work was undone when Szczesny spilled Zigic’s knockdown after Koscielny’s mis-kick and Martins had a simple task to tap the ball home with a minute left.
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt remains optimistic about signing a new contract at Anfield.
The 30-year-old Dutchman has one year left on his current deal at the Premier League club, but revealed that negotiations over potential extension have already begun.
“My contract has one more season to go after this but there are things happening,” Kuyt said.
“We have had some talks and I can only say it looks positive. I feel at home in Liverpool and I don’t want to leave here.”
Earlier this month Kuyt called for current caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish to be installed as permanent Liverpool boss, and the 2010 World Cup finalist clearly sees a brighter future for the club under the Scotsman’s control.
“It has been a difficult time for everyone at the club with the changes that have happened since last summer but now I can sense something good is happening – I think Liverpool are on the way back,” he said.
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Kuyt joined Liverpool from Dutch club Feyenoord in the summer of 2006 and has scored 40 goals in 163 Premier League appearances since making his nine-million-pound move.
Watching the FA Cup Quarter-Final tie between Manchester United and Arsenal on Saturday, I am sure I heard the Arsenal fans singing the “We’ve got Cesc Fabregas” song at one stage of the game, which left me in disbelief as to why the loyal Arsenal fans even wanted to mention the player’s name after his performance in their Champions League defeat at the Nou Camp.
My opinion wasn’t acknowledged by my Spurs supporting mate who I watched the game with but having watched the Champions League tie with an Arsenal fan, I know he would’ve been livid and I am sure a few other Gooners were too despite the actions of those in attendance.
Fabregas’ performance for Arsenal at the Nou Camp was wrong on so many levels, even I felt rather disgruntled despite not being a fan of the club. However, I do admire Arsene Wenger and what he has achieved at the club since he arrived in 1996, although his blame of the Referee being his main reason why they lost the tie, I am starting to wonder if the club needs a shake-up if they are going to rid this trophyless streak off their backs.
This isn’t an article doubting Fabregas’ ability as a midfield player, he is technically gifted and one of the best passers in the Premier League by far but it’s his ability as a captain that irks me – especially in as crucial game as last Tuesday night.
Although, I wonder what would’ve happened if the Arsenal team had a Captain like Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira or Kenny Sansom in the team. It wasn’t until after the game that I saw the highlights of both teams lining up in the players tunnel before the game in which Fabregas left leading the line of his team to embrace members of the Barcelona team, players he knows well from the Spanish squad and his time in the Barcelona youth team.
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I take into account that Cesc has a history at the Nou Camp and the likes of former captains would’ve had no affiliation with the opposition but if they did, they would’ve left any friendly embraces until after the game and would’ve been focused on the tough task ahead.
What message did it send to his team mates in the line seeing their leader and captain, laughing and joking with the opposition before doing battle on the pitch? A captain needs to set an example to the rest of the team and although Cesc is one of, if not the best player in the Arsenal team, it does not necessarily make him captain material.
In the past, fellow Arsenal team mate Denilson spoke honestly about Fabregas lacking leadership qualities and that is what is missing from the team being a more complete side. In the game itself, Cesc did not look fit and according to the Spanish press, he admitted to them that he was injured after 15 minutes. That was no excuse for his mistake, a backheel outside his own half in a crowd of congested players, which gave Barcelona the ball back and of course Lionel Messi went onto score.
Perhaps Fabregas wanted to prove to the Barcelona players and fans that he can do what the likes of Xavi and Iniesta do week in week out, but that certainly wasn’t the way to go about it. However, since the game, Fabregas’ father has come out with a comment that his son felt so helpless after the defeat that he wanted to “shoot himself.”
There is no doubt that Fabregas cares for the club but perhaps the burden of being Arsenal captain is too much for him and manager Arsene Wenger should look to give the armband to someone who has the correct leadership qualities.
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Wenger’s successful team from the Nineties had leaders and so did the ‘Invincible’ team and while the current Arsenal squad have matured, maturity alone does not make leaders, it requires a certain personality type that former Gunners captains had in abundance.
If you want to hear more of what I have got to say on Arsenal then Tweet me @verbal_football
Former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz has had a six-month ban for confronting doping officials before the FIFA World Cup overturned.Queiroz, 58, was banned by the Portuguese Anti-Doping Authority in August after an incident with anti-drug testing officials at a national team training session in May 2010.
He was sacked from the Portugal job in September, one week after receiving the ban.
The former Real Madrid head coach and Manchester United assistant was deemed to have deliberately obstructed the working of doping officials.
But on Wednesday the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared Queiroz of intentional disruption, but did reprimand him for his actions.
“There was no evidence that his behaviour was intended to disturb the doping control,” the CAS said in a statement.
“After their arrival, the anti-doping officers were approached by Mr Queiroz.”
“Following a discussion, the anti-doping officers left to continue the anti-doping control and, as he was walking away Mr Queiroz uttered some very distasteful and sexually descriptive comments regarding the mother of the ADoP president.”
The ruling added that Queiroz ‘did not dispute the fact that his comments were both inappropriate and offensive’.
Under Queiroz, Portugal exited the 2010 World Cup in the round of 16 at the hands of eventual champions Spain.
The team then made a disappointing start to their Euro 2012 Championship qualification campaign.
Queiroz has been unemployed since his dismissal by the Portuguese Football Federation.