Spain Beats Portugal 1-0; Qualifies For Quarter Finals

Pin It Now! Spain Tuesday night booked a place in the quarter finals at the ongoing FIFA world cup in South Africa by beating their European counterparts, Portugal, by a lone goal in the 63rd minute, courtesy of David Villa.

The Spaniards completely outclassed the Portuguese in all departments of the game, garnering all three points, 61% ball possession, 6 corner kicks against their opponents’ 3; 19 shots against 9, 16 free kicks against 11; and with Xavi named as ‘Man of the match’.

The two sides came in with enviable records, with Spain having won 29 of their last 31 matches, and Portugal has been unbeaten in their last 19 matches. So it was a match no one wanted to lose. However, the Spaniards were able to prove their current position as European champions at the end of 90 minutes.

It was Fernando Torres who first gave Eduardo a feel of what to expect in the match, with his early minute shot that was parried by the goal keeper. David Villa also followed with his high drive shot but the goal tender was lucky not to have conceded a goal in the early minutes.

Tiago’s shot was parried by Iker Casillas and eventually cleared away by Charles Puyol before Ameida could have the chance to nod it in. Spain continued to dribble their opponents from one end of the pitch to the other, frustrating them by the minute. However, Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a long range shot that was parried into safety by Iker Casillas.

The first half ended on a barren note, with both teams promising better packages in the second half. On resumption of the second half, it was Tiago who created the first panic for the Spaniards as his cross hit Charles Puyol’s knee and beat the goal keeper, but it went across the goal line for a corner kick. Fernando Lorente soon fired back at Eduardo with a powerful header.

At the 63rd minute however, Andrea Iniesta gave a well calculated pass to Xavi, who in turn directed it to David Villa. He wasted no time by firing directly at the goal keeper; the ball rebounded and was chipped into the open net by Villa, for the only goal of the evening. David villa is now joint top goal scorer with Argentine’s Gonzalo Higuain and Robert Vittek of Slovakia (each with 4 goals), and in serious contention for the Adidas Golden Boot.

Former world footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo could not save his side from defeat; he managed to provide his wonderful free kicks twice but never got a goal from them. The occasional counter attack by Portugal did not help matters, as Spain’s water-tight defence refused to cave in.

The Spaniards were able to give their teeming fans something to cheer about this time. Their attack was aggressive, the mid field was compact and the defence was water-tight; so they were able to dictate the pace of the game, while their opponents merely ran after them. Xavi was particularly outstanding and eventually got voted as ‘man of the match’. Sergio Ramos did not also disappoint as he kept attacking from the rear.

Spain Beats Portugal 1-0; Qualifies For Quarter Finals

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Ghana Qualifies For Quarter Finals; Beats USA 2-1

Pin It Now! The Ghana national team Saturday evening wrestled their way into the quarter finals stage of the 2010 FIFA world cup by beating USA 2-1 in a keenly contested match. It was a repeat of their victory over the Yankees in Germany 2006.

USA’s Dempsey was the first to threaten the Ghanaian goal keeper in the 5th minute, but his shot was caught by the keeper. There was a counter offensive immediately by the Black stars, which led to Prince Boateng doing a solo from his own half of the field, and he finally unleashed a grounder with his left foot to produce the first goal of the match.

Ricardo Clark got the first yellow card of the game in the 7th minute for his rough tackles. In the 12th minute, Prince Boateng ballooned the ball over the bar. The second yellow card for USA was given to Cherundolo Steve for bringing down Andre Ayew in the 17th minute.

Ghana had a corner kick in the 26th minute but it went straight to the goal keeper. Asamoah K. was brought down in the USA’s 18 yard box for what looked like a penalty, but the centre referee waved ‘play on’. USA got a corner kick in the 43rd minute but nothing came out of it. At the end of the first half, the Black Stars were leading by a 1-0.

In the 58th minute, Asamoah Gyan failed to score with Andre Ayew’s corner, which got wasted. The Yankees mounted pressure on the Ghanaian defense. In the 61st minute, Jonathan Mensah brought down Dempsey and was issued a yellow card by the centre referee; a penalty was awarded in favour of USA. The penalty which was neatly taken by Donovan, sent the Black Stars’ goal keeper the wrong way for an equalizer.

In the 72nd minute, Hans Sarpei was replaced by Addy; and in the 74th minute, Asamoah Gyan’s header narrowly missed the post and sailed freely across the goal line for a goal kick to the Americans. In the 76th minute, Donovan kicked Prince Boateng on the right thigh, which eventually led to his substitution. Andre Ayew got a yellow card at the dot of 90 minutes. With scores at 1-1 at full time, the match had to go into extra time.

The Africans came back more purposeful in the extra time and played like people who were really hungry for victory. Asamoah Gyan eventually stole the show in the 3rd minute of extra time; as he struggled in between two defenders, he managed to maintain his balance and was able to strike hard at the ball with his left foot for his team’s winning goal.

In the 6th minute of the extra time, Dempsey’s shot was deflected for a corner kick. Ghana also got more corner kicks in the 9th and 22nd minutes respectively, while USA got one in the 24th minute of the extra time.

Donovan’s free kick was punched out by Ghanaian goalie in the 19th minute of the extra time, while Gomez’s shot went wide in the 29th minute. Ball possession was 50% - 50%. The Black stars had about 6 corner kicks while the Yankees had about 4. Ghana is the only African team to reach the quarter finals stage this year. Uruguay became the first team to reach the quarter finals stage after beating South Korea 2-1.

Ghana Qualifies For Quarter Finals; Beats USA 2-1

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5 Reasons Why France Failed At South Africa 2010

Pin It Now! The 1998 world cup champions France failed woefully in their campaign at South Africa 2010; in a fashion similar to their lackluster performance of 2002 in Korea/Japan, where they lost to first timers Senegal.

Everyone had expected them to be outstanding in a group that consisted of Uruguay, Mexico and host South Africa; especially considering the caliber of players they took to the world cup. Unfortunately, it turned out to be their worst campaign ever, losing two matches and drawing only one.

The team ended up in disarray, with Nicolas Anelka expelled for his public outburst against Coach Raymond Domenech; and the team captain Patrice Evra not played in their last group match.

What actually went wrong?
A lot of things went wrong with the squad; but I will talk about few of those problems.

1.Poor preparation: The team had quality and tested players, but they didn’t prepare very well by playing quality international friendly matches. I remember few of the friendlies they played where done by new players, who did not eventually make the team to the world cup. So there was no proper blending of the old and new players.

2.Qualification through the back door: One would say here that nemesis caught up with the team because of the way they made it to the world cup. The injustice meted down to Ireland was not properly addressed by FIFA, UEFA and the French team. The French national team refused to atone for their sin; the Irish were unjustly deprived the opportunity to represent Europe. Everyone kept mute because they had thought France would give Europe a better representation, but God delivered this judgment at the world cup. FIFA and UEFA should be bold to address injustice in the game of soccer, not minding whoever is concerned.

3.Leadership squabble: Coach Raymond Domenech set the stage for the leadership squabble that eventually destroyed the unity of the team by making Patrice Evra the captain of the team, when there were older, more experienced and more respected players like Thierry Henry, William Gallas and Frank Ribery, in the team. Leadership should not be by favoritism; it should be by experience and individual charisma.

4.Indiscipline: The team was not disciplined enough; otherwise how would one explain Nicolas Anelka’s public outburst against his Coach. Anelka is an experienced international player who should be an example to younger players; but he ignited the flame of discord that eventually engulfed the team.

5.Technical ineptitude: Why on earth were players like Karim Benzema, Nasri, and some other young talented players left out of the squad? It only shows that the Coach did not know his players well enough, and perhaps he didn’t have what it took to handle a big team as France’s.

5 Reasons Why France Failed At South Africa 2010

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What Is Happening To The Big Teams At 2010 FIFA World Cup?

Pin It Now! The performance of the big teams at South Africa 2010 has been less than impressive in their group matches. There was a lot of hype on the media about what to expect from them, months before the commencement of the tournament.

Now that they are all there in South Africa, they are giving a lot of people high blood pressure, because of their lacklustre performances. Only three of the big teams (Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands) have had 100% wins in their first two games so far.

Brazil won their opening match against Korea DPR by 2-1 and defeated Cote D’Ivoire 3-1 in their second match. Argentina defeated highly rated Nigeria by a lone goal in their opener, and then went ahead to beat South Africa 4-1 in their next match. They completed the group matches with a 2-0 win over Greece, to maintain a 100% wins. The Netherlands trounced highly rated Denmark 2-0 in their first match, and also defeated hard fighting Japan 1-0 in their next match.

Four times champions and defending champions, Italy could only manage a 1-1 draw against Paraguay in their opener, and played another 1-1 draw against the groups Underdogs New Zealand. Three time champions, Germany, walloped Australia 4-0 in their opening match and then lost 0-1 to unknown Serbia in their second match. 1966 champions, England, played a 1-1 draw against USA in their first match, and another 0-0 draw against Algeria in their next game. They were however lucky to triumph by a lone goal over Slovenia in their last match, courtesy of Jermain Defoe. The host and winners of the 1998 edition, France, played out 0-0 draw against two time winner, Uruguay in their opening, but they lost their second game 0-2 to their North American opponents, Mexico in their next match, and then lost the last by 1-2 to the host, South Africa.

Highly rated Nigeria lost 0-1 to two time champions, Argentina in their opening game; and surprisingly lost their second game 1-2 to second time participants, Greece which has never won any world cup match before. They only managed a 2-2 draw against South Korea in their last game. Cameroon playing with three time African footballer of the year, Samuel Eto’o, lost by 0-1 to Japan in their first match, and also by 1-2 to Denmark in their next match to become the first African country to be knocked out in the first round of this year’s tournament. Cote D’Ivoire with current African footballer of the year Didier Drogba, managed a 0-0 draw against Portugal in their opener, but lost 1-3 to favorites Brazil in their next match.

Algeria lost their opening game 0-1 against little known Slovenia and played out a 0-0 draw against England. They finally crashed out after losing 0-1 against USA in their last match. Portugal played a goalless draw against Cote D’Ivoire in their first game; they eventually tried to redeem their name by beating Korea DPR 7-0 in their next match, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring only once.

So what has happened to the big teams and great names like Miroslav Klose, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda, Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Frank Lampard, Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbemi, Osaze Odewingie, Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Salomon Kalou, Samuel Eto’o, Steven Pienaar, Fabia Canavalro, Camoranesi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco etc.

France, Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Greece and Slovenia have all crashed out in the group stages. We hope the rest teams would be able to give a better account of themselves as they seek to qualify for the round of 16. so far only Argentina, South Korea, Uruguay, Mexico, England and USA have qualified for the round of 16.

What Is Happening To The Big Teams At 2010 FIFA World Cup?

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Nigeria Finally Goes Home From South Africa 2010

Pin It Now! The Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to fly high against the South Koreans this evening in their last group B match. They were only able to manage a 2-2 draw against the Asians thereby going back home with only a point from three matches.

Kalu Uche connected Chidi Odiah’s cross for Nigeria’s first goal in the 11th minute. In the 21st minute, the Super Eagles got a free kick, which was taken by Kalu Uche, but rolled across the goal line for a goal kick. In the 23rd minute, Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke lost a chance to make it goal number 2 for Nigeria, when he shot weakly into the waiting hands of the Korean goal keeper.

In the 29th minute, Vincent Enyeama received a yellow card for an infringement against a Korean attacker by the edge of the 18 yard box. Kalu Uche’s terrific shot beat the Korean goal keeper flat, but hit the upright in the 36th minute.

In the 40th minute, Lee Jung Soo equalized for the South Koreans. Nigeria’s Yusuf Ayila received a yellow card in the 42nd minute, while Joseph Yobo got substituted for Elderly Echiejile in the 45th minute. 46th minute saw Park Chuyoung taking the lead for the Asians, through a free kick that beat goal keeper Vincent Enyeama hands down. In the 54th minute, it was Chuyoung again who almost made it 3 for South Korea.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni should take the bulk of the blame for the Super Eagles’ failure to capitalize on Argentina’s victory over Greece to at least beat the Koreans. He wasted chances that were begging to be converted in the 63rd and 65th minutes respectively.

Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke was brought down in the 18 yard box for a penalty in the 68th minute. The resultant penalty was neatly converted by Yakubu Aiyegbeni for Nigeria’s equalizer. He was immediately replaced by Victor Obinna Nsofor after a poor performance. Yakubu actually looked too heavy to be a striker; his impact was not really felt throughout the group’s three matches.

In the 76th minute, Ji Sung Park’s shot hit the side of the net for a goal kick for the West African team; while in the 76th minute Obafemi Akinwumi Martins lost yet another golden opportunity to put Nigeria ahead. He selfishly refused to pass the ball to Obinna Nsofor who was in a better position to score. The ball rolled across the goal line after the goal keeper was successfully displaced.

On the dot of 90 minutes, Obinna Nsofor’s shot could not hit target; it sailed across the goal line again. It looked like mother luck refused to shine on the Super Eagles this time around, having qualified for the world cup by luck. The exit of the Nigerian team was a product of poor preparation and inconsistency of the coaching crew. It would be recalled that the Eagles’ coach came to take over the team barely two months to the tournament. I hope the country would learn a lesson from their fire brigade approach to preparation, and prepare earlier for subsequent tournaments. South Korea qualified alongside Argentina, who also defeated Greece by 2-0. Argentina topped the group with maximum 9 points, followed by South Korea, Greece and Nigeria with 4, 3 and 1 points respectively.

Nigeria Finally Goes Home From South Africa 2010

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Brazil Humbles Cote D'ivoire 3-1

Pin It Now! Brazil this evening booked a place in the last 16 at the ongoing FIFA soccer world cup in South Africa by beating Cote D’ivoire 3-1; with Luis Fabiano scoring a brace. The Ivorians were 3 goals down before pulling one back through their captain, Didier Drogba.

Robinho fired a warning shot in the 2nd minute of the first half, but it went over the bar, indicating that the Brazilians met serious business. In the 13th minute, Drogba’s free kick was wasted as it went wide over the bar, with no threat to the goal keeper. In the 15th minute, Cote D’ivoire got another free kick which was parried by goal keeper Julio Cesar.

Brazil got their first corner kick in the 19th minute, but Robinho shot wide as he tried to connect with the ball. In the 20th minute, they got another corner kick but it was caught by the Ivorian keeper. However, in the 25th minute, the trio of Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano made a very nice combination and Fabiano eventually took a hot shot over the goal keeper’s head, into the top left corner of the Ivorian net for the first goal of the match.

In the 28th minute, Brazil got their third corner kick of the match but it didn’t make any difference. In the 41st minute, Emmanuel Eboue’s shot hit Juan’s leg for a corner kick, but the centre referee ignored it.

Second half saw more fireworks from both sides. Luis Fabiano made it goal number 2 for Brazil in the 50th minute, dribbling three defenders and firing home with his left foot, after handling the ball twice in the process.

Drogba’s header narrowly missed the goal in the 54th minute, and Gervinho replaced Aruna Didane. However, in the 62nd minute, Elano connected Kaka’s cross for goal number 3 for the South Americans.

Kader Keita replaced Salomon Kalou in the 68th minute. In the 70th minute, Maicon’s shot hit the back side of the net. Cote D’ivoire took their first corner kick in the 71st minute, but it didn’t affect the result of the match as it was utilized to their advantage. Emmanuel Eboue got substituted for Romaric in the 72nd minute. Kader Keita got a yellow card in the 75th minute.

The Brazilians got a corner kick in the 78th minute but the Ivorians cleared it off for a counter attack. Yaya Toure’s pull out was nodded in by Didier Drogba for Cote D’ivoire’s only goal.

Kaka got a yellow card in the 85th minute for pushing Yaya Toure, but finally got another yellow, followed by a red card in the 87th minute for hitting Kader Keita with his elbow. He is therefore going to miss their next match against Portugal. Ismael Tiote got a yellow card for his rough tackles on Luis Fabiano in the 86th minute.

The Brazilians outplayed the Ivorians as statistics showed that they had 56% ball possession, 12 shots and one red card as against Ivory Coast’s 44%, 10 shots and 3 yellow cards. Luis Fabiano was voted ‘Man of the match’. Brazil now has 6 points and plus 3, from 2 matches while Ivory Coast has a point and minus 2.

Brazil Humbles Cote D'ivoire 3-1

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The Netherlands Beat Japan 1-0

Pin It Now! The Netherlands this afternoon defeated Japan in their second group match to maintain their 100% unbeaten runs in the ongoing FIFA world cup in South Africa. The Dutch team now has 6 points and plus three goals to sit comfortably on top of group, having beaten Denmark 2-0 in their opener.

This afternoon’s match could best be described as a one-sided game, as the Dutch completely over ran their Japanese counterparts in all departments of the game, getting 71% of ball possession as against their opponents’ 29%. In the 6th minute Robin Van Persie was tripped from behind, and as he went down, he tumbled in the process and hit Komano’s throat with his boot. In the 10th minute, Kuyt’s bicycle kick was blocked in the 6 yard box. In the 36th minute, Van Der Wiel received the only yellow card of the match for his infringement on Daisuke Matsui.

In the 37th minute, Marcus Tulio Tanaka’s header hit the side of the net, and in the 38th minute Daisuke Matsui’s shot was caught by the goal keeper. The first half ended without much impact from Takeshi Okada’s boys. The game was clearly dominated by the Dutch players, who dribbled and held on to the ball for the greater part of the game, losing possession only occasionally to Japan.

The Japanese improved slightly on their ball possession on resuming the second half (from 29% to 39%). However, they were able to checkmate the Dutch players and made sure they did not concede more than a goal. Van Persie’s header was caught by goal keeper Eiji Kawashima in the 48th minute. Nevertheless, the only goal of the game was scored by Wesley Sneijder in the 53rd minute, with his volley from the edge of the 18 yard box beating the goal keeper hands down.

The Japanese made their first substitution in the 64th minute; Shunsuke Nakamura was brought in to replace Daisuke Matsui. Shirinji Okazaki also replaced Makoto in the 77th minute. Ejero Elia replaced Rafael Van Der Vaart and Ibrahim Afellay replaced Wesley Sneijder in the 72nd and 82nd minutes respectively.

Wesley Sneijder got voted as the ‘Man of the Match’. The officiating was fair as the centre referee, Hector Baldassi of Argentina, awarded only a yellow card throughout the encounter. Coach Bert Van Marwijk was visibly happy for the success of his lads.

The Netherlands Beat Japan 1-0

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Top 50 Soccer Salary Earners: How Are They Rated?

Pin It Now! I used to think that no one could never earn a salary of up to ₤100,000 per week, without having to the break the bank; but the recent publishing of the list of the top 50 earners in soccer, by futebol finance has proved me not only to be wrong but also ignorant.

“I wish I were a professional footballer”, I mused, when I saw the list. The gap between the rich (super rich) and the poor is in thousands of kilometers. Some people are living in opulence while others live in abject penury. Why this huge difference? Some people actually live below the poverty line, earning lower than one dollar per day. This is both tragic and unfortunate.

The list shows that Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) earns a whooping ₤11.3m per annum, while Zlatam Ibrahimovic (FC Barcelona) earns ₤10.4m; Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) ₤9.1m, Samuel Eto’o (Internazionale Milan) ₤9.1m, and Kaka (Real Madrid) ₤8.7m. Others are Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City) ₤7.4m, Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) ₤7.4m, Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) ₤7m, John Terry (Chelsea) ₤6.5m, and Frank Lampard (Chelsea) ₤6.5. These make up the top 10 soccer salary earners in the world.

Others that make up the first 20 earners include: Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona) ₤6.5m, Xavi (FC Barcelona) ₤6.5m, Ronaldinho Gaucho (AC Milan) ₤6.5m, Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) ₤6.5m, Daniel Alves (FC Barcelona) ₤6.1m, Michael Ballack (Chelsea) ₤5.6m, Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) ₤5.6, Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid) ₤5.6m, Kolo Toure (Manchester City) ₤5.6m and Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) ₤5.2.

Joining to make the list of the top 30 earners include: (Manchester City) ₤5.2m, Iker Cassilas (Real Madrid) ₤5.2m, Victor Valdez (FC Barcelona) ₤5.2m, Frederic Kanoute (Servilla) ₤5.2m, Deco (Chelsea) ₤5.2m, Didier Drogba (Chelsea) ₤4.8m,, Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) ₤4.8m, Francesco Totti (AS Rorna) ₤4.8m, Luca Toni (AS Roma) and David Villa (Valencia) ₤4.8m.

Also included in the top 40 are: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) ₤4.8m; Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) ₤4.8m, Ashley Cole (Chelsea) ₤4.8m, Fernando Torres (Liverpool) ₤4.8m, Gareth Barry (Manchester City) ₤4.8m, Patrick Vieira (Internazionale Milan) ₤4.8m, Charles Puyol (FC Barcelona) ₤4.3m, Andreas Iniesta (FC Barcelona) ₤4.3m, Sergio Aguero (Athletico Madrid) ₤4.3m and Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan) ₤4.3m.

In addition, the following players make up the top 50 salary earners’ list Joe Cole (Chelsea) ₤4.3m, Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) ₤4.3m, David Beckham (AC Milan) ₤4.3m, Wayne Bridge (Manchester City) ₤4.3m, Lassana Diara (Real Madrid) ₤4.3m, Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) ₤4.1m, Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal) ₤4.1m, Nicholas Anelka (Chelsea) ₤4.1m, Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) ₤4.1m and Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) ₤4.1m.

Surprisingly, players like Adebayor Emmanuel, Carlos Tevez, Karim Benzema and Frank Lampard all came before Wayne Rooney (Number 20), who is arguably one of the hottest strikers in the world right now. Players like Miroslav Klose, Gonzalo Higuain, Jermain Defoe, Michael Essien, Luiz Nazario De Lima (Ronaldo), Canavalho, Edwin Van Der Sar, Diego Forlan and two-time African footballer of the year, El Haji Diouf did not make the list.

The question now is, what are the criteria for making the list? I do not think that it is only based on performance; otherwise Karim Benzema that couldn’t make the French team to the world cup should not be there. I also carefully observed that no Asian player or North American player was on the list. Africa however was lucky to have 5 players on the list. The bulk of players are from the English Premiership (21), Spanish La Liga (17), Italian Seria A (9) and German Bundesliga (3), while Chelsea and FC Barcelona each has 8 players, Real Madrid and Manchester City each has 6; Manchester United 4, AC Milan and Bayern Munich (3 each), Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool and AS Roma (2 each), while Arsenal, Servilla, Athletico Madrid and Valencia all have a player each.

One of the factors to be considered here is the player’s manager; when a player has a good manager who is knowledgeable in the negotiation of contract, he is likely to get a better deal. If the player is well advertised or marketed by the club and the media, his value will definitely increase and so he gets a better contract deal. His current club side also plays a role in his contract negotiation; those who are in the big clubs are getting the chunk of the deal – Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, etc.

Finally, the Europeans and the South Americans seem to have a better market value, especially as they help to pull more spectators to the stadiums, and are also used for product advertisements. Nevertheless, I feel those who have skill to entertain the fans and as well produce positive results for the club sides should be considered for better salaries.

Top 50 Soccer Salary Earners: How Are They Rated?

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South Africa 2010; Security So Far So Good

Pin It Now! The security situation at the on going FIFA soccer World cup in South Africa has been very encouraging, considering the way many people had expressed concern as to the country’s ability to control crime rate during the tournament. With the tournament already one week old, and with first group matches concluded, there hasn’t been any ugly report.

With South Africa rated among the three most violent and crime prone countries in the world, one would think that by now there would be incidence of crimes or violence every where. Surprisingly, nobody has been harassed, no crowd troubles during matches, no shooting, and maiming of visitors. This goes to prove to the world that Africa is not synonymous with violence and crimes. This continent is even more secure than Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Africans are hospitable people; they love visitors/strangers. This world cup is not a South African affair; it belongs to the whole of the African continent, and everything is being done to ensure a positive image for this continent. Africans have demonstrated with time that they could be relied upon to host successful tournaments on their soil.

Other countries have hosted the world cup successfully before, without leaving any sad event for the world to remember. Tunisia hosted the maiden edition of the FIFA U-20 tournament in 1977 and everything was okay security wise. Since then, Nigeria has hosted the FIFA U-20 (1999) and U-17 (2009), providing adequate protection for their visitors - players, match officials, FIFA representatives, journalists, supporters’ clubs, spectators, etc. Egypt also hosted the U-17 successfully in 1997 and U-20 in 2009. South Africa hosted the confederations’ cup in 2009 and there was no negative security report. The only negative report throughout the confederations tournament was the robbing of the Egypt team of their money in their hotel. That kind of incident is not peculiar to South Africa: robbery takes place everywhere in the world, even in the so called “advanced countries”.

If records are anything to follow, it means that Africa is more secure than other continents where there has always been one ugly incident or the other during major tournaments. With these records therefore, I would rather say that more tournaments should be staged on our soil; we would always welcome visitors with open hands. When they come here they should feel free to visit places of interest and fun. We love you all and hope you give more African countries opportunity to host world cups and other major events, without any fear of harassment, molestation or insecurity.

South Africa 2010; Security So Far So Good

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2010 World Cup: More African Teams Lose First Matches

Pin It Now! African teams featuring in this year’s world cup have so far played their first matches in the group stages wining a match (16.66%), drawing two matches (33.33%) and losing three matches (50%). This is not too impressive, considering the fact that Africa has 6 teams taking part in the tournament on her soil.

Only Ghana was able to win her first match; South Africa and Cote d’ivoire each drew their matches while Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon all lost theirs. To be fair to Nigeria, losing to a great team like Argentina was not a particularly a poor performance. This is because Argentina paraded 4 deadly strikers – Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez and Diego Milito (Remember Messi is the current world footballer of the year). Nigeria actually put up a superlative performance to be able to contain the rampaging Argentine attack. Nigeria’s Goal keeper, Vincent Enyeama was voted “Man of the match” and is currently rated one of the best Goal keepers of the tournament.

Algeria played well against Slovenia, but lost the game after their striker Abdelkader Ghezzal was red-carded for deliberately handling the ball in the second half. The Slovenians took advantage of the one man deficit to defeat the North African team. So far of all the teams that have lost their opening games, Cameroon has disappointed the fans the most, losing 0-1 to lowly rated Japan. That loss to Japan has now dampened their chances of advancing in a group that still has Netherlands and Denmark. Cameroon now needs to win their last two matches or at least win one and draw the other, if they hope to make it from that group.

South Africa started well in their opener against Mexico, drawing against Mexico which had earlier beaten the world champions, Italy in a friendly match prior to the commencement of the world cup. Siphiwe Tshabalala got voted as the “Man of the match”. Coted’ivoire also gave a very good account of themselves as they held Portugal to a goalless draw. With Didier Drogba sitting on the bench for a better part of the encounter, the Ivoriens were able to stop the Portuguese (with Cristiano Ronaldo|) from scoring against them.

All hope is not lost for Africa, as the participating teams still have chances to make it to the second round and beyond. All they need to do is believe in themselves and take every game as they come. All kinds of fear must be dissipated; they would play better if they remain comported and fearless against their opponents. The fans are solidly behind them; the environment is friendly for them to perform well. They should also remember that only once has a continent hosted and lost the trophy (Korea/Japan 2002). This might just be the chance for an African team to win the world cup. Best luck to you all.

2010 World Cup: More African Teams Lose First Matches

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South Africa Humiliated By Uruguay

Pin It Now! The Bafana Bafana of South Africa got the beating of their lives this evening in their second group A match, losing by a whooping 3-0 margin to Uruguay, in what could best be described as a one-sided game.

Diego Forlan scored a brace to put the game beyond the South Africans, and also making him to top the goal scorers table, with 2 goals in 2 matches (an average of a goal per match).

The Bafana Bafana seemed ready to carry the day in the early minutes of the first half, getting their first corner as early as in the 4th minute, though they didn’t make good use of it. But the Uruguayans fought back immediately, getting a free kick in the 5th minute, which was taken close to 18 yard box. The ball went straight to Steven Pienaar’s hand, and the centre referee flashed a yellow in his face.

Diego Forlan silenced the South African fans for the first time in the 24th minute, with his volley from outside the yard box that sailed right into the net, beating goal keeper Itumeleng Khune hands down. The host team tried to fight back but they could not change anything as the Uruguayans kept attacking furiously, thereby causing them to make several mistakes. Particularly guilty of several inaccurate passes and rough tackles was Steven Pienaar, who could not reproduce those beautiful flashes and fast paces he’s known to produce in Everton. In the 33rd minute, Luis Suarez came close to increasing the goal tally for the visitors, but his shot hit the back side of the net. In the 43rd minute, Dikgacoi Kagisho received a yellow card for his rough tackle.

The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the South Americans. Uruguay produced more soccer fires in the second half, making South Africa look ordinary, chasing the ball from one part of the pitch to the other. Edinson Cavano missed yet another chance to seal victory for Uruguay in the 49th and 68th minutes respectively. Katlego Mphela’s header narrowly missed the goal post in the 66th minute, losing the chance to equalize the game.

Jorge Fucile got injured in the 71st minute and was replaced by Alvaro Fernandez. In the 79th minute however, the rampaging Luis Suarez was brought down in the 6 yard box by goal keeper Itumeleng Khune for a penalty. The goal keeper was shown the red card. Steven Pienaar was pulled out for Reserve goal keeper Moneeb Joseph. The penalty was cleverly converted by Diego Forlan for uruguay’s second goal.

The last straw that broke the camel’s back came in the 5th minute of added time when Alvaro Pereira scored the 3rd goal to completely wrap up the game for the South Americans. Diego Forlan was voted ‘Man of the match’. South Africa now has a Herculean task to try to qualify from their group. It means they have to beat former champions France convincingly in their next match to have any hope of advancing into the second round. Coach Alberto Parreira was close to tears as the referee sounded the final whistle. However, Coach Oscar Tabarez was very happy with the impressive result posted by his lads.

South Africa Humiliated By Uruguay

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Wrestling: Entertainment Or Violence?

Pin It Now! The recent attacks on the professional wrestling’s most feared personality, ‘The undertaker’ has just added to the fears expressed by the fans of this sport as to its safety. The undertaker was feared dead after he was attacked by unknown persons; and as I write this article, it is still not very clear the extent of his injuries and when he is likely to recover from them.

But who attacked the Undertaker and why? It is no longer a secret that there are some wrestlers out there who want to win a fight or become champions by hook or by crook. These persons would go to any length to get opponents out of their way to enable them achieve their ambitions. They are weaklings: The strong do not achieve their dreams through dishonest means.

The beauty of the game of wrestling is not in violence, but in the use of skills and smartness to win a fight convincingly to the admiration of the spectators. The use of skills, agility and physical strength made this sport very attractive when such personalities like mighty Igor, power Uti, Buddy Ross, The Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Sergeant Slaughter, Big Bossman, Mil Mascaras, etc. where in the scene.

The free use of weaponry nowadays makes one to wonder if what we now see is entertainment and friendship, or hatred and anger. Those who have one form of anger or grudge now have a way of expressing it through the use of potentially harmful instruments. This has led to many of our wrestlers suffering several injuries, bodily harm or mutilation in the hands of their challengers. People like Shaun Michael, Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Mark Henry, Baptista, Bobby , John Cena, etc have been sent to the hospital at one time or the other, as a result of the unrestricted use of dangerous weapons in the rings.

If this trend is not checked, very soon our best hands in this game would all be injured and knocked out of the industry by the cowards who are desperate to get to the pinnacle of success without hard work and self-improvement. These violent ones should realize that there is respect in self-control, and in getting whatever you want through an honorable way, rather than resorting to cheating, maiming and destroying their opponents. They should also remember that their opponents are family men on whom a lot of people depend on their survival.

Wrestling is a beautiful game; adding decency and rule to it, would make it even more enjoyable to the millions of fans world wide. Violence should be completely condemned if the popularity the sport enjoys is to be sustained.

Wrestling: Entertainment Or Violence?

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Italy Draws Against Paraguay

Pin It Now! The World Cup defending champions, Italy began their title defense on a not too impressive note, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by their South American opponent, Paraguay, this evening.

Much was expected from the Italians; and being the defending champions, a lot of people thought the Paraguayans would not be difficult for them to override. But it soon became clear that the South Americans were no push over as they became the first to hit the back of the net.

The Italians started well, looking good enough to carry the day. They got their first corner kick as early as the 3rd minute but it wasn’t utilized to their advantage. They continued to mount pressure on Paraguay. In the 22nd minute, Ricardo Montolivo dispossessed the Paraguayan last defender of the ball, but lost it to the goal keeper after a solo run. In the 24th minute paraguay’s Torres shot wide in the 18 yard box.

Paraguay drew the first blood of the encounter in the 39th minute when Antolin Alcaraz nodded in a pull out which beat Italy’s goal keeper hands down. Thereafter it became a much balanced game. In the 54th minute, Enrique Vera wasted an opportunity that would have increased the goal tally for his side.

On resumption of the second half, some vital changes were made to the Italian side to sharpen their attack. Mauro Camoranesi replaced Claudio Marchisio in the 59th minute, and this brought more bite to the attack. The pressure on the South Americans paid off in the 63rd minute, as De Rossi brilliantly tucked in a corner kick to make scores 1-1.

In the 67th minute, Ricardo Montolivo was pushed down in the yard box by Paulo Da Silva, but his appeal for a penalty was ignored by the centre referee. Mauro Camoranesi got a yellow card in the 70th minute for his rough tackles. In the 73rd minute, Alberto Giladoni was replaced by Antonio Di Natale: the Italians were really determined to win the match but Paraguay proved too strong to be easily over powered.

While the European side piled up pressure, the South Americans tightened their defense and resolved not to concede more goals. Statistics showed 10 shots at goal by Italy and 8 by their opponent; 8 corner kicks for them while their opponents had 4, ball possession was 52%:48% yet they couldn’t win the match. Antolin Alcaraz was voted ‘Man of the match’. Score line at full time stood at 1-1.

Italy Draws Against Paraguay

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Argentina Defeats Nigeria By A Lone Goal

Pin It Now! The second match of the group B ended on a winning note for Argentina as they gunned down the Super Eagles of Nigeria by a lone goal courtesy of Gabriel Heize’s header in the 6th minute.

Argentina went into the match with high expectations, having great players like current world footballer, Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito, Maxi Rodriguez, etc. on their side. The Argentines were expected to give the Nigerians a beating of their lives; but they eventually won by a narrow margin.

The South Americans started to pile pressure on the African team right from the commencement of the match, looking for an early goal. Lionel Messi’s first shot came in the 6th minute, but it was parried by goal keeper Vincent Enyeama for a corner kick. The resultant kick was taken and nodded in by Gabriel Heinze for the only goal of the match. The argentines tried to increase the goal tally but they were denied the opportunity by the Nigerian agile goal keeper.

Messi’s left footer was again saved by Vincent Enyeama in the 19th minute. Gonzalo Higuain came close to increasing the tally in the 21st minute, but the Nigerian goalie stood between him and the goal post. Yakubu Aiyegbeni also failed to utilize a cross from Uche Kalu in the 28th minute.

The misses continued on both sides: goal keeper Vincent Enyeama of Nigeria seemed determined never to allow Lionel Messi see the back of his net, as he parried and saved all shots directed at his goal by the reigning world footballer of the year. Ball possession stood at 55% to 45% in favour of the South Americans. But the Super Eagles were able to absorb all their pressures. It was a great game for both sides.

Peter Osaze Odewingie, Uche Kalu and Obafemi Martins later came on in the second half to add more bite to the Nigerian attack, and they came close to scoring several times through a counter offensive. Diego Milito, Maxi Rodriguez and Burdisso Nicolas also came on for Argentina. The Nigerians gained more confidence in the second half, but their effort could not produce the desired result as they eventually became the first African team to lose a match in the ongoing tournament. Nigerian goal keeper, Vincent Enyeama was voted ‘Man of the match’. South Korea now tops group B, followed by Argentina, Nigeria and Greece.

Argentina Defeats Nigeria By A Lone Goal

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South Korea Beats Greece 2-0

Pin It Now! The first match of the group B started on a winning note in the ongoing 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as South Korea defeated Greece 2-0 in Port Elizabeth this afternoon.

The Koreans started very confidently from the outset and made sure they ran away with all 3 points at the end of 90 minutes. The Greeks were the first to produce some anxious moments in the 3rd minute when Vasileios Torosidis failed to utilize a corner in the 18 yard box, shooting wide across the goal line. The first goal of the encounter came when Korea’s Lee Jung Soo connected unto a free kick, beating the goal keeper in the process.

Chung Yong was brought down in the 18 yard box for what would have been a penalty but the referee waved ‘play on’. The Koreans continued to run circle round the Greeks, making them look ordinary throughout the first half of the match. Another opportunity came for the Koreans to increase the tally but Chung Yong shot unto the goal keeper’s leg after a brilliant solo run. The Jung-Moo Huh’s boys were arguably more purposeful and more technical than Rehhagel Otto’s boys.

Greece tried occasional counter attacks but they were out-played by South Korea throughout the first half. The second half saw a lot of changes on both sides as they tried to steal victory. While the Greeks were looking for an opportunity to equalize, the Koreans were determined to consolidate their lead. Greek captain Georgios Karagounis got substituted in the 46th minute for Patsatzoglou Christos.

Manchester United’s star player, Ji Sung Park gave a very good account of himself as the captain of the Asian side. He scored the second goal for his side in the 52nd minute after a solo run, out-running the Greek defenders in the process. With the second goal scored, the Koreans were sure of victory. The changes made to both side did not change the result of the game; though the Greeks lifted their game towards the end of the game.

The only yellow card of the match went to Torosidis Vasileios in the 56th minute of the encounter. At the end of 90 minutes South Korea went away with all three points and 2 goals advantage, making them to top the group, and also ensuring they were the first team to win a match in the ongoing tournament. Greece also became the first team to lose a match. The first two games in group A had both ended in a draw on Friday. Ji Sung Park was elected the ‘man of the match’.

South Korea Beats Greece 2-0

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France Vs Uruguay Ends In A Barren Draw

Pin It Now! The second match of group A, between France and Uruguay at the ongoing FIFA world cup at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa ended in a barren draw this evening. The French side started very aggressively and produced some anxious moments within the first ten minutes of play.

Uruguay looked a little bit unsettled in the first 20 minutes, almost giving away a goal in the 6th minute, but the opportunity to put France ahead was lost by Sidney Govou who failed to connect Franck Ribery’s cross in the 6 yard box. The Uruguayans gradually settled into the game and fought back gallantly, repelling every move by the French side. The first two yellow cards of the game went to Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery in the 12th and 19th minutes respectively.

No goal came in the first half of the encounter; though several chances were wasted by both sides. Nicolas Anelka came close to scoring in the 43rd minute but headed Bakari Sagna’s cross across the goal line for a goal kick. Nothing spectacular happened in the first half; the game became balanced after the French could not score. The Uruguayans gained more confidence and began to threaten France’s defense, occasionally doing a counter attack. Diego Forlan tried several times to break the French defense but to no avail.

The two sides came into the second half more cautious: Franck Ribery began to fall back as more pressures were mounted on them. In the 59th minute, Mauricio Victorino got a yellow card for a foul on Patrice Evra. A yellow card was also awarded against Nicolas Anelka in the 67th minute and Jeremy Toulalan in the 68th minute.

Nicolas Anelka got replaced with Henry Thierry in the 71st minute while Florent Malouda came on in the 74th minute. However, Lodeiro Nicolas became the first player to be red-carded on the African soil after he was sent off in the 81st minute for his rough tackle against Bakari Sagna. Diego Perez was substituted in the 87th minute while Diego Lugano got a yellow card in the 2nd minute of injury time. It was a game that saw 7 bookings – 6 yellow cards (4 to France and 2 to Uruguay) and a red card.

Both sides were happy as the centre referee, Yuichi Nishimura of Japan, blew his whistle to signal the end of the game after 90 minutes of play. Coaches Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay) and Raymond Domenech (France) were glad they did not lose the match. A lot of fans had expected the match to be much more explosive and at least produce some goals. Diego Forlan of Uruguay was elected the ‘Man of the match’. Other players that delighted the fans with their skillful display also include Frank Ribery, Nicolas Anelka,Florent Malouda and Diego perez.

France Vs Uruguay Ends In A Barren Draw

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South Africa Draws Against Mexico

Pin It Now! The 2010 FIFA World Cup finally opened on a bright note for the host country South Africa. The opening match ended on a 1-1 draw, drawing applauds from spectators who felt the host gave a very good account of themselves.

The first half was tough for the host country as the Mexicans mounted pressures on them, trying to steal victory from them. Several chances were missed by both sides, though the Mexicans had a slight upper hand over the Bafana Bafana. The North Americans had a better ball possession in both halves. The first half ended on a barren note, though the Mexicans scored a goal that was disallowed because it was from an off-side position.

The South Africans lifted their game in the second half, giving the Mexicans some anxious moments from their counter offensive. They tried to make their fans happy; they played better as a team and reduced the incursions from the visitors. The deadlock was broken in the 55th minute when Siphiwe Tshabalala connected a cross and shot with his left foot into the left top corner of the Mexican net for the first goal of the match, thereby making history as the first player to score a world cup goal on the African soil. The stadium erupted in jubilation as the ball hit the back of the net.

The Mexicans did not relax; they mounted more pressure in order to escape defeat in their first match. Dos Santos was particularly outstanding as he dribbled and mesmerized the South African defense. His left footer was parried by goal keeper Khune for a corner kick in the 59th minute. In the 66th minute the Bafana Bafana lost yet another chance to increase the goal tally as the ball went across the line for a goal kick after the goal keeper was displaced.

However, the Mexicans were saved the embarrassment of a defeat by Rafael Marquez who connected a cross in the 79th minute and made no mistake, shooting past Khune for an equalizer. More and more pressures were mounted on South Africa but the defense line proved too strong and refused to cave in. The last opportunity for the host to seal up victory came in the 89th minute but was wasted by Katlego Mphela, who hit the upright after the goal keeper was clearly out of the way.

Two players were particularly outstanding on both sides – Siphiwe Tshabalala (South Africa) and Dos Santos (Mexico). Others that gave a good account of themselves include Aaron Mokoena, Itumeleng Khune, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Rafael Marquez. Steven Pinaar was a shadow of himself; his brilliant display for Everton was not there in today’s match. He got substituted in the 83rd minute for Bernard parker. Shot at goal was 14 for Mexico and 9 for the host; corner kicks for the visitors were 5 and 4 for the host country. 2 yellow cards were awarded each to both sides. Siphiwe Tshabalala was elected ‘Man of the match’.

South Africa Draws Against Mexico

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The World Cup Fever Increases

Pin It Now! In a few hours from now the world satellites would be focused on South Africa where the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup will be hosted. A lot of television stations and football lovers would direct their attention to the various stadiums that would host the world’s most famous sports fiesta.

South Africa is fully set, all the stadiums are ready to host the world, the roads are in good shape, the hostels are ready, security is beefed up, the world is assured of constant and uninterrupted power supply and good reception. The fever is already spreading to neighboring countries like Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia etc and other Africa countries as well; everywhere you go you hear people discussing the world cup.

With the kind of facilities of ground, we can expect something better than Germany 2006, in terms of organization, hosting, reception, etc. South Africa is prepared to make Africa proud since this is the first world cup to be hosted by the continent.

The question on everyone’s lip now is who would be crowned the new world cup champions by July 11th 2010? The favorites to win the world cup include Brazil, Argentina, Spain, England, Netherlands, and Italy. But we must not also not rule out experienced countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote’d’vore, South Korea and the U.S.A. Brazil with skillful players like Kaka. Julio Caesar, Malcon, Robinho, Louis Fabiano, Lucio, etc are clearly the favorites, especially having won the last edition of the confederation cup in South Africa. Spain also with players like Puyol, Fernando Torres, Cechs Fabregas, Raul Gonzalez, David Villa, Xavi Alonso, Sergio Ramos, etc are highly favoured to win the tournament.

Another country from which much is expected is England; parading the likes of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry, David James, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Wright Philips, etc Couch Fabio Capello stands the chance to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament.

Argentina which parades the current world footballer of the year, Lionel Messi, Higuain, carlos Tevez and lots of other talented players also stands a chance to lit the trophy come July 11th, 2010.

One thing is obvious; the world would be treated to one month of soccer artistry, mature football, coupled with moments of anxiety, celebration of great goals, great misses, and wonderful saves by agile goal keepers and sometimes penalty shoot outs. Hooliganism may surface, but it should be promptly controlled, so as to make the world enjoy the beauty of the game. We look forward to South Africa with both enthusiasm and anxiety.

The World Cup Fever Increases

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FIFA World Cup: How To Prevent Injuries To Key Players

Pin It Now! The spate of injuries to soccer players before the commencement of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this year is alarming, just as it has always been. This would definitely rob the spectators of the opportunity to see some of their idols participate in the soccer fiesta in the African soil for the first time.

Some of the affected players would have made their debut for their countries in South Africa; but as it stands now it means they have to wait for another 4years before they could think of playing in the world cup. Who knows they may lose their fitness before the next edition, or they may also have to battle with another injury prior to the next tournament.

Some players that have been completely ruled out of the world cup as I write, include: Michael Ballack (Germany), John Obi Mikel, Ikechukwu Uche (Nigeria), Michael Essien (Ghana), Nani (Portugal), Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham (England), Didier Drogba (Cote d’ivoire) etc. Some others who are doubtful for the tournament include goal keeper David James (England), Ajan Robben (Netherlands), Andrea Pirlo (One of Italy’s best), Julio Cesar, Michel Bastos (Brazil), Jozy Altidore (USA), etc.

Didier Drogba fractured his arm in their friendly against Japan; with his absence as one of the best strikers in the world right now, the world would greatly miss his free kicks, headers and his great goals. Andrea Pirlo who was voted best player in the final match between his country Italy and France in Germany 2006 would also be missing in South Africa as a result of injury. David Beckham’s superlative runs, crosses and free kicks would not be there also in the African soil. These people would be greatly missed by soccer fans.

Most of the injured soccer stars got their injuries during friendly matches and in training. I would rather suggest that players should be allowed time to rest after a hectic season, and play more of their friendly matches before the commencement of the world cup. If a player is injured then, he would have more time to recover from his wounds. ‘Fire brigade’ style of preparation must be avoided as it makes players unsettled, and puts them at the risk of injuries.

Besides, International friendlies should be played between teams that have qualified for the world cup. This would reduce the incidence of injuries as everybody is conscious of playing in the world cup. This consciousness ensures that everyone plays with caution; those who failed to qualify for the tournament are spoilers, and they would jeopardize others chances of participating in the world cup.

Finally, the world soccer governing body should apply stiffer penalties against rough tacklings to make dangerous tackles less attractive, thereby reducing the incidence of debilitating injuries to soccer stars.

FIFA World Cup: How To Prevent Injuries To Key Players

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Jose Maurinho As The Coach Of Real Madrid

Pin It Now! Jose Maurinho is one of the most respected coaches in Europe. This is not only because he knows his job very well, but because he is disciplined and would never take nonsense from anybody. He knows what he wants and demands it, not minding what people would think of him, as long as what he needs would assist him get the needed result.

Jose Maurinho is a pace setter; he is a god father, a disciplinarian and a charismatic coach, whose results speak on his behalf. He may not have been a football player, but as a coach he is fulfilled. He has succeeded where others have failed: he has won several domestic titles and two champions league titles (with FC Porto and Internazionale Milan).

One strong point he has is that he knows how to use what he has to achieve the result he wants. He knows where there are deficiencies and what he needs to cure the deficiency. When he came to Chelsea FC for example, the club was seriously in need of the premiership title, having failed to win it in the past 50years. Maurinho came in, brought in the likes Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Andrea Shevchenko, etc. and won the league back to back, breaking the 50years old jinx. He also won the FA cup, Carling cup and the community shield during his period of stay in Chelsea.

Nobody gave him the chance to win the champions league at Inter-Milan. People had thought that either Barcelona, Chelsea, Man-United, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Olympic Lyon, Liver pool or Bayern Munich would win the league; but coach Maurinho proved them all wrong, defeating Chelsea and Barcelona convincingly along the way. He finally snatched the UEFA champion’s league title beating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final.

Now that he has signed to coach Real Madrid for the next 4 seasons, I see him winning the champions league which Marcello Lippi failed to win with the assemblage of world class players in his arsenal. With players like Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Raul Gonzalez, Higuain, Gutti, etc. Jose Maurinho would win several titles (domestic and continental) for the club, if only the club management would give him a free hand to make his selection and to determine the kinds of players to add to the team. Being a very respected coach who takes no nonsense from players, all players would surely give him his due respect and play in the role that they are assigned to play. As the new coach of Real Madrid , Jose Maurinho is set to make history again as he prepares to give them the champions league title which has eluded them for about a decade now.

Jose Maurinho As The Coach Of Real Madrid

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