Friday, October 17, 2008

CAPELLO: ENGLAND WILL NOT GO FOR DRAW

England head coach Fabio Capello has told his squad they will have to repeat their impressive performance away at Croatia to gain the win he is looking for against Belarus.

The Italian has masterminded a 100 per cent success rate so far in the campaign - England top Group Six - and he is hoping to make it four out of four against the Belarusians, who he claims will be "tough opponents".

"It is a very important game for us," said Capello. "I spoke with the players and told them that it is important to get a result as we have to wait six months for the next game.

"We are having a good moment, we have a lot of confidence, and we will be looking to get a positive result. If we win against Belarus we will be very happy because we will have won four out of four games and will have 12 points.

"We played one very strong game against Croatia away, which was important for the mind, for our confidence. And on Wednesday it will be another game that is not easy.

"I have seen three of Belarus' games and they have a good team. They drew with Argentina at home and drew with Germany so we know that it will be a very tough game.

"But I always think about the victory. I never tell the players that we are going for the draw, but that we have to win. We have to play like we played against Croatia: strong and quick.

"And it is important that we put good pressure on their players who have the ball. We don't want to play with long balls but with good movement off the ball."

Following impressive away victories over Andorra (2-0) and Croatia (4-1) last month, Capello's team romped to a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan at Wembley on Saturday.

And he believes that there is more to come from two-goal hero Wayne Rooney, the 22-year-old Manchester United forward.

"He is a player who can play in many different positions," continued the head coach.
"With Manchester United he plays on the left and the right and I thought he had a good game in Moscow in the Champions League Final when he was on the left.

"When he scored the other day playing as a second striker he looked good. I am very happy about Rooney because he is a fantastic player. We have a lot of good players in this England squad."

Capello also believes that Chelsea's Wayne Bridge, who hasn't not started a competitive game for England in over a year, will be a more than adequate replacement for the injured left-back Ashley Cole.

"I think he is the best left-back behind Ashley Cole - that is why he is in my squad," Capello added. "I saw him play his last game and I think he will be fine on Wednesday."

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ARSENAL ARE TOO INEXPERIENCED - FABREGAS

Cesc Fabregas believes Arsenal are too inexperienced to win trophies this season - because he's one of the elder statesmen at just 21.

The Spaniard saw a number of senior players move on from the Emirates in the summer, including fellow midfielders Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini, and defender Philippe Senderos.

"We are a bit short staffed," admitted Fabregas. "Behind me in midfield there is Denilson or Alex Song, both of whom are 20 [Song turned 21 last month]. Then there is Theo Walcott, who is 19, and new signing Samir Nasri, who is 21.

"Imagine that - in the midfield the oldest is me! It will cost us and make it hard to win because we do not have experience.

"Arsenal no longer have Flamini, Hleb and Senderos, and in have come Nasri and Carlos Vela, who is 19.

"Last season I had many midfield allies in Tomas Rosicky [who is currently injured], Flamini, who ran everywhere on the field, and Hleb, who is like my brother.

"We had both a lot of creativity and a lot of strength in defence. They are gone and now I feel weird. We are now more conservative and strong, but not so creative."

Fabregas says he is hungry for more silverware having won the European Championships with Spain in the summer but admits he is still not the finished article.

He continued: "I gained a lot of confidence at the Euros and mentally I am better. It opened my eyes and showed me what can be achieved.

"It was tremendously enjoyable to win and, having won, I want to win much more.

"In England I feel very important, but in football you should not lose humility. We won something and to win more you cannot change.

"After the Euros success, I came back to work with all the humility possible.

"I base a lot of my game on my passing and vision. At Arsenal, I have the freedom to move where I want, which I believe I must do.

"But I still have a lot to learn at the age of 21 - above all, defensively. I always want to attack, mark and distribute."

When asked whether he would be joining Hleb at Barcelona, the club where he was a trainee, Fabregas remained cryptic.

"I cannot say that out of respect for my fans, my club and my colleagues," he added. "Arsenal have given me everything since I was 16."

FABREGAS: SPAIN ARE NOT RACISTS

Cesc Fabregas has hit back at the Football Association for asking to move England's friendly against Spain on the grounds of racism.

The game was scheduled to be played on February 11 next year at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu, but the FA cited problems four years ago at the same stadium as grounds enough to move the match to a different venue.

FIFA fined the Spanish federation 100,000 Swiss francs (£45,000) after England's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused on England's last visit there in 2004.

But the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder does not think England as a whole sees the Spanish as racists.

"I don't know if racism is the word," said Fabregas, who has won 35 caps for Spain. "I had not yet broken into the Spanish team for that game four years ago, but a good friend and team-mate of mine, Cole, played with England and he felt hurt.

"The players may have returned to England annoyed, but I do not think we have got to the point where Spaniards are viewed as racists. I don't think we are - it is a bit extreme.

"It is necessary to reduce the importance of this charge because in football the fans are always going to support the team and be behind us."

CAHILL COUSIN ROBERTS GOING FOR WORLD CUP GLORY

Tim Cahill, the Everton midfielder, may have scored on Wednesday in Australia's 4-0 victory over Qatar in the World Cup qualifier, but his cousin is about to take part in a World Cup of his own.

Ben Roberts, 23, is one of Samoa's rugby league stars and the scrum-half is expected to shine when the World Cup in Cahill's homeland kicks-off next Saturday (October 25).

Cahill, 28, is first cousin with Roberts, who plays for the Canterbury Bulldogs in the Australian NRL, and the two keep a keen eye on the other's progress.

"Pretty much every school holidays, every opportunity we got, we would hang out," said Roberts.

"There wouldn't be a day when we were apart. Tim was always a good soccer player. He was good, he was fast, he would get the ball and try to run around everyone. Everyone wanted to be on his team because he would always play to win.

"Over at our house it was football (rugby league) - my old man was a football fan."

In 2004, when Roberts' brother Willie turned 21, Cahill's present was a flight from Down Under to Cardiff, so he could watch Millwall - his then-team - play Manchester United in the FA Cup Final.

"That's something my older brother will always cherish and remember," Roberts continued. "Every birthday my brother would get a soccer ball and I would get a football."

Roberts' Samoa open their World Cup account against Tonga in Penrith at the CUA Stadium on October 31, next Friday.

DOWIE DISMISSES RUMOURS AS "TITTLE TATTLE"

Iain Dowie has dismissed rumours linking Terry Venables and Kenny Jackett with his position as Queens Park Rangers manager as "tittle tattle". He has refused to let such unfounded negativity seep into the dressing room, feels he is doing "a decent job" and is positive he has the players' backing.

Stories had been circulating that the west London club's mega rich owners - F1 supremos Flavio Brigatore and Bernie Ecclestone, and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal - were lining up a replacement for Dowie, and they would act if QPR were not on course for promotion to the Premier League.

The alleged candidates are former England manager Venables, who had a stint in charge of QPR in the early 1980s and last month spurned Newcastle United's advances, and Millwall's Jackett, the ex-Swansea manager.

QPR currently sit 11th in the Championship, and after hosting bottom-of-the-table Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Dowie's team have tricky away trips to high-flying Swansea and Reading.

But the 43-year-old has hit back, claiming that he feels no added pressure. "This season we have played 13 games and won seven of them and we are also in the last 16 of the Carling Cup," he said.

"I can't affect what these rumours will do to the players. All I can do is do my job, get my head down and work hard. Whoever wants to make mischief and start these stories, they can do that.

"But I'm not going to be involved in negativity - I don't believe in it. I will concentrate on doing what I am doing.

"This is whispering tittle-tattle, and until it comes to fruition I'm not going to worry about it. I know I am doing a decent job here and I think I have got the support of the players, which is the most important thing.

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DOWIE: QPR NEED TO GET STUCK IN

Queens Park Rangers manager Iain Dowie admits the next three games are vital in
his side's push for promotion. The Hoops host Nottingham Forest, who are currently rock bottom of the table and yet to gain an away point this season, at Loftus Road on Saturday. And QPR’s following two games are away days at high-flying Swansea and Reading.

Dowie, who this week played down reports linking Terry Venables with his job,
knows there can be no slip up this afternoon but is wary of Forest’s pacy
attack, which includes Welsh international Robert Earnshaw.

"It’s going to be a really tough game," said Dowie, whose team sit 11th in the
table.

"They have spent some money - £2.65m on Earnshaw and £1.4m on Joe Garner - and
they have Nathan Tyson. They have really good pace up front.

"They have also bought in midfielder Lee Martin on loan from Manchester United.
We have Reading and Swansea away afterwards - both will be tough games too.

"But this league is like that. We have to make sure we are right. We are
looking forward to it and the lads should be a bit refreshed and get stuck in."

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Rugby League World Cup stats and facts sheet

FACTS
• This is the 13th World Cup (and the first since 2000. The first was in 1954)
• 10 countries are taking part
• It is the fourth time Australia have hosted the World Cup
• There are 18 matches (played at 12 different venues, across four states)
• This year marks the centenary of the game in the Southern Hemisphere
• The tournament director is Colin Lowe, the Chairman of the Rugby League International Federation
• Teams will receive TWO points for a win, and ONE point for a draw
• The following countries earned automatic qualification: Australia, New Zealand, France and PNG

TEAMS
Team Coach Captain Ranking 2000 World Cup Result
Australia Ricky Stuart Darren Lockyer 1st Winner
New Zealand Stephen Kearney Nathan Cayless 2nd Runner-Up
England Tony Smith Jamie Peacock 3rd Semi-Final
Tonga Jim Dymock unknown 4th Group Stage
France John Monie Jerome Guisset 5th Quarter-Final
Fiji Joe Dakuitoga Wes Naiqama 6th Group Stage
Papua New Guinea Adrian Lam Stanley Gene 7th Quarter-Final
Ireland Andy Kelly Stuart Littler 9th Quarter-Final
Scotland Steve McCormack Danny Brough 11th Group Stage
Samoa John Ackland Nigel Vagana 12th Quarter-Final

SCHEDULE

Group Stage

All teams from Group A with the exception of the bottom qualifying team will progress to the semi-finals, the other two groups the top finisher will progress to a playoff match, in which the winner will qualify to the semi-finals.

Group A – Australia , England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea
October 25
England v Papua New Guinea (Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville)
October 26
Australia v New Zealand (Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney)
November 1
New Zealand v Papua New Guinea (Skilled Park, Gold Coast)
November 2
Australia v England (Telstra Dome, Melbourne)
November 8
England v New Zealand (EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle)
November 9
Australia v Papua New Guinea (Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville)

Group B – Fiji, Scotland and France
October 26
France v Scotland (Canberra Stadium, Canberra)
November 1
Fiji v France (WIN Stadium, Wollongong)
November 5
Scotland v Fiji (Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford)

Group C – Ireland, Samoa and Tonga
October 27
Ireland v Tonga (Parramatta Stadium, Sydney)
October 31
Tonga v Samoa (CUA Stadium, Penrith)
November 5
Ireland v Samoa (Parramatta Stadium, Sydney)

Ranking Stage


7th Place Playoff
November 8
2nd Group B v 2nd Group C (Browne Park, Rockhampton)

9th Place Playoff
November 9
3rd Group B v 3rd Group C (CUA Stadium, Penrith)

Knockout Stage

Qualifying Final
November 10
1st Group B v 1st Group C (Skilled Park, Gold Coast)

Semi-Finals
November 15
2nd Group A v 3rd Group A (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
November 16
1st Group A v Winner Qualifying Final (Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney)

Final
November 22
Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2 (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)

History
Year Host Winner Runner-Up
1954 France Great Britain France
1957 Australia Australia Great Britain
1960 UK Great Britain Australia
1968 Australia / NZ Australia France
1970 UK Australia Great Britain
1972 France / UK Great Britain Australia
1975 Worldwide Australia England
1977 Australia Australia Great Britain
1985–1988 Worldwide Australia New Zealand
1989–1992 Worldwide Australia UK
1995 UK Australia England
2000 UK Australia New Zealand

Useful websites
http://www.rlwc08.com/default.aspx (official website)
http://www.rlwc08.com/teams/England.aspx (England link on RWC website)
http://fluidab1.memset.net/~englandr/videos.php (official England website)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Rugby_League_World_Cup_squads (squad lists)

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

CAPELLO: ENGLAND WILL NOT GO FOR DRAW

England head coach Fabio Capello insists that his team will not be playing for a draw when they take on World Cup qualifying opponents Belarus in Minsk on Wednesday.

The Italian has masterminded a 100 per cent success rate so far in the campaign - England top Group Six - and he is hoping to make it four out of four against the Belarusians, who he claims will be "tough opponents".

"It is a very important game for us," said the 62-year-old former Real Madrid manager. "I spoke with the players and told them that it is important to get a result as we have to wait six months for the next game.

"We are having a good moment, we have a lot of confidence, and we will be looking to get a positive result. If we win against Belarus we will be very happy because we will have won four out of four games and will have 12 points.

"We played one very strong game against Croatia away, which was important for the mind, for our confidence. And on Wednesday it will be another game that is not easy.

"I have seen three of Belarus' games and they have a good team. They drew with Argentina at home and drew with Germany so we know that it will be a very tough game.

"But I always think about the victory. I never tell the players that we are going for the draw, but that we have to win. We have to play like we played against Croatia: strong and quick.

"And it is important that we put good pressure on their players who have the ball. We don't want to play with long balls but with good movement off the ball."

Following impressive away victories over Andorra (2-0) and Croatia (4-1) last month, Capello's team romped to a 5-1 win over Kazakhstan at Wembley on Saturday. And he believes that there is more to come from two-goal hero Wayne Rooney, the 22-year-old Manchester United forward.

"He is a player who can play in many different positions," continued the head coach. "With [his club Manchester United] he plays on the left and the right and I thought he had a good game in Moscow [when United won the Champions League in May] when he was on the left.

"When he scored the other day playing as a second striker he looked good. I am very happy about Rooney because he is a fantastic player. We have a lot of good players in this England squad."

Capello also believed that Chelsea's Wayne Bridge, who hasn't not started a competitive game for England in over a year, will be a more than adequate replacement for the injured left-back Ashley Cole.

"I think he is the best left-back behind Ashley Cole - that is why he is in my squad," Capello added. "I saw him play his last game and I think he will be fine on Wednesday."

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VELOSO WILL NOT BE SPURS' SAVIOUR

Tottenham target Miguel Veloso has ruled out a move to the Premier League.

The £16m-rated Portugal midfielder was top of Juande Ramos' wish list and had also attracted interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Everton.

But the 22-year-old has vowed to see out his contract with Sporting Lisbon, which runs for another five years.

Veloso admits he was tempted to move to the Premier League in the summer but, after failing to agree a deal with an English club, he has promised he will be staying put in the Portuguese capital.

"I signed a contract until 2013 and I would like to fulfil it until the end," said the seven-cap star. "Any player or human being would wish to evolve and to make the jump - anyone who says otherwise is lying.

"I know that I am at a great club and that I must be thankful to Sporting. It's true that I had a chance to escape to England in the summer but we could not close a deal.

"From now I will always give my everything to Sporting."

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ENGLAND BOOERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED - FERDINAND

England captain Rio Ferdinand was delighted that his team managed to grab three points against Kazakhstan at Wembley, but hoped that those supporters who booed Ashley Cole for his mistake which led to the opposition’s goal in the 5-1 World Cup Qualifier would feel “ashamed”.

The 29-year-old, who was handed the skipper’s armband by Fabio Capello in the absence of injured John Terry, scored his side’s first goal after a goalless first half. He said: “I think the first goal is always the most important. We had a couple of half-chances in the first half, one in particular that flashed across to Emile [Heskey]. If that goes in it is a totally different first half.

“But we kept plugging away and in the second half we created some opening and Wayne [Rooney] put a couple away and I was lucky to get on the scoresheet too.

“At the end of the day the result is the most important thing. Obviously we would have liked to have played better, especially in the first half. But saying that, we won 5-1. We could do better, but with three points on the board we have to be pleased with that.”

On the booing aimed at left-back Cole, the Manchester United centre back added: “It is disappointing. When any player makes a mistake what we want to do is get behind him and gee him up. So much so that when he has his next touch he gets his confidence back and plays himself back into the game.

“It doesn’t help when the fans are booing one of your own players. Hopefully the people who have done that will feel ashamed of themselves. I thought Ashley played well today apart from that one blip. Everyone makes mistakes and we have got to get on with it.”

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ROONEY: ENGLAND WERE RIGHT NOT TO BE PANICKED

England’s two-goal hero Wayne Rooney was pleased that the team did not get panicked and resort to long-ball tactics despite not scoring against Kazakhstan, ranked 105 places below Fabio Capello’s 15th-placed team, in the first half. The Manchester United star, who scored his 16th and 17th goals in his 47th appearance for the national team, knew that patience would be the virtue that would secure the Group Six win and propel Capello's team to the top of the table.

The 22-year-old said: “The key was being patient as we knew Kazakhstan would come here and try to break up our game. In the first half we had a couple of chances and could have gone into the break one or two goals up. We knew that we had to be patient and not to rush it and kick the ball long.

“We knew the chances would come and thankfully we took them and ended up with an easy victory. We know we can play better but the result is the main thing. We keep getting those points on the board and we are delighted at that.”

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CAPELLO: FANS WERE WRONG TO BOO COLE

England manager Fabio Capello, who earlier in the week had urged supporters to applaud the national team, hit out at the Wembley crowd for booing Ashley Cole during England’s 5-1 World Cup Qualifying win over lowly Kazakhstan, ranked 105 places below their hosts according to Fifa.

The result means England have a 100 per cent success rate after three games, and they sit clear at the top of Group Six. But, to the frustration of supporters, the Italian’s team did not open the scoring until 52 minutes, when stand-in captain Rio Ferdinand headed in. Two goals from Ferdinand’s Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney, a strike from substitute Jermain Defoe and an own goal followed.

But Chelsea defender Cole allowed the visitors a consolation goal when his misguided pass found onrushing striker Zhambyl Kukeyev and briefly let the Kazakhs back into the game at 2-1. Capello was disappointed by the fans’ reaction who aimed their derision at the left-back following the blunder.

“He did one mistake,” protested Capello. “I don’t understand why the crowd boo against one player.

“When you play you can do a mistake. It is easy. The crowd help us a lot but I do not understand why they are against us for one mistake.”

Despite the reaction of sections of the Wembley crowd, the England coach pronounced himself pleased with the performance.

“It’s a good result,” he added. “We played a good second half and also the first half [was good]. After 2-0 we had more occasions to score the third goal.”

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SPAIN CAPTAIN CASILLAS: FA ARE "FOOLISH AND STUPID" TO MOVE FRIENDLY

Spanish captain Iker Casillas has slammed the Football Association as 'foolish and stupid' for requesting the European Champions move the friendly match against England away from Madrid.

England were due to play in the Spanish capital on February 11, but have demanded the game takes place elsewhere.

FIFA fined the Spanish federation 100,000 Swiss francs (£45,000) after England's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused at the Bernabeu on England's last visit there in 2004.

But Real Madrid goalkeeper Casillas, whose heroics earned Spain their first Euro title since 1964 in June, believes that the FA are punishing the majority for the actions of the minority.

"That decision seems to me a triviality, foolish and stupid," said the 27-year-old who has won 86 caps for his country. "In every ground there are a small number of people that shout against everything and everyone. But you cannot generalise.

"And the crowd at the Bernabéu had always demonstrated its respect and its taste by cheering good football."

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Sunday, October 05, 2008

COLE DISAPPOINTED WITH FIRST LEAGUE LOSS FOR ZOLA

Robert Green was culpable for all three of Bolton’s goals in their 3-1 win on Sunday at Upton Park, but manager Gianfranco Zola refused to make his goalkeeper a scapegoat.

It was the Italian’s first taste of defeat in the Premier League, but he backed Green to come back stronger, labelling him a “great goalkeeper”.

After half an hour, in a rare Bolton attack, the 28-year-old dropped a cross at the feet of Kevin Davies for the opening goal.

And he should have done better four minutes later but could only steer Gretar Rafn Steinsson’s drive into the path of onrushing defender Gary Cahill, who netted his first goal since his £5m summer move from Aston Villa.

Though Carlton Cole pulled a goal back for the home side after the interval, Matty Taylor’s quickly-taken free-kick, which made Green blush again, sealed the result with four minutes remaining. The Hammers have not managed to keep a clean sheet in their past 20 games, dating back to February.

Zola said of Green: “He is a great goalkeeper – he has all my trust, all of the team's trust. Everyone believes in him. It has been a bad day, but I am sure next game he is going to save two penalties – football is like that.”

Striker Cole, who, unlike Green, was not called up to the England squad, believes that the international break will be a good opportunity for the team to dispel the stench of disappointment in the dressing room before they travel to Hull on October 19.

“The boys are very disappointed and the atmosphere is very subdued,” Cole, 24, said. “We just want to be positive now until the next game.

“We know what we have to do to improve – it is not always rosy in the Premier League and we need to battle on and get our next win under our belts. We will bounce back and it will be a good two weeks for us to clear our heads and get focussed on the Hull game.”

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Thursday, October 02, 2008

CIPRIANI EXCITED AT RETURN AGAINST BATH

Danny Cipriani is itching to hear his name announced over the Adams’ Park Tannoy on Wednesday when, after an absence of four months, he will step out wearing London Wasps’ No10 shirt, as his team host Bath in the Guinness Premiership.

The 20-year-old wunderkind had been expected to be sidelined until November after horrifically dislocating and fracturing his right ankle in May’s semi-final against, ironically, this evening’s opponents.

He missed out on Wasps’ Guinness Premiership success against Leicester Tigers and England’s ill-fated tour to New Zealand, but has been working around the clock to return six weeks ahead of schedule – “quite incredible” according to Ian McGeechan, Wasps’ Director of Rugby.

“I was working from nine in the morning with Prav Mathema, the Wasps head physio, and then in the day with Margot Wells, a sprint coach, before more physio with specialist Kevin Lidlow at nine in the evening,” said Cipriani, who enjoyed an impressive full international debut against Ireland in March.

“I'm glad it is over now and I can't wait to get on the field again – it's going to be emotional. I will have to calm myself as I am just going to be so excited when my name is called before the game.”

The timing couldn’t be better for Wasps who, after registering their first win of the season last Friday against Leicester, sit tenth in the table. Skipper Raphael Ibanez and Tim Payne also return from injury in the front row for Wasps, as does lock Simon Shaw. But second-placed Bath will be most wary of the fly-half’s return – all three times the teams met last year, Wasps won and teetotaller Cipriani scored 36 points.

On playing Bath, he added: “It's a bit strange how coincidence throws these things up, but it'll be good just to get back. It doesn't feel in my head like I have had a major injury – I have
just had a bit of time away from the game.

"But I just want to get back to where I was last season and do so with a smile on my face."

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