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Blackpool beat Liverpool to quell Kenny Dalglish euphoria







Premier League

Blackpool 2
  • Taylor-Fletcher 12,
  • Campbell 69
Liverpool 1
  • Torres 3


  • Andy Hunter at Bloomfield Road
  • guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 January 2011 21.55 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Blackpool-007.jpg
    Gary Taylor-Fletcher, centre, goes past Christian Poulsen, left, and Raul Meireles. Photograph: Tim Hales/AP No one ever said it was going to be easy. It was a 2-1 defeat against Blackpool three months ago that first demonstrated the depth of feeling against Roy Hodgson and Liverpool's longing for the return of Kenny Dalglish. Their saviour is back, but so too is the feeling of despondency against Ian Holloway's indefatigable side.
    Dalglish has brought unity to a previously fractured club, not a magic wand, and if he was under any illusions about the size of the task ahead they were dispelled here tonight. In terms of performance there was none of the woefulness or shame that accompanied Blackpool's victory statement at Anfield in October. That Liverpool could still not lay any legitimate claim of superiority over a club revelling in its debut Premier League season illustrates, once again, how far they have sunk and how mediocre they are.
    To put this into context, Blackpool last recorded a league double over Liverpool in 1946-47. Liverpool have now won only once in 10 league away matches this season and, when DJ Campbell stooped unmarked to head home Ian Evatt's centre in the 69th minute, they never looked likely to correct that dismal statistic.
    Dalglish's first Liverpool team sheet for almost 20 years – on the basis he went with the side Roy Hodgson had selected for Sunday's FA Cup defeat at Manchester United – contained a few surprises that, had his predecessor made them, would have opened an inquest before kick off. Christian Poulsen, whose previous contribution since his £5m arrival from Juventus was to act as a further nail in Hodgson's managerial coffin, was brought out of hibernation in central midfield. The forgotten Milan Jovanovic returned to the left of the Liverpool attack and while there was a recall for Glen Johnson, coming in the unaccustomed role of left-back as Martin Kelly retained his place following an encouraging display at Old Trafford.
    The inquest was immediately adjourned as Liverpool produced the kind of opening that encourages a Messianic complex. There was a vibrancy and balance to the visitors immediately and, with less than three minutes on the clock, Dalglish had also made good on a pre-match promise to rehabilitate Fernando Torres from his prolonged slumber. The Spain international laboured badly in the 77 minutes he was on the pitch against United but put Liverpool ahead with a superb finish in his first attack at Bloomfield Road.
    Kelly, advancing into acres of space from right-back, was effectively shown where to place the ball by Blackpool's disjointed defence and released Torres on the right of the box. Evatt was neither close enough to steer the Liverpool striker wide or sufficiently advanced for his offside claims, leaving Torres free to stroll forward and find the roof of Richard Kingson's net from the angle.
    Liverpool continued to attack with menace but were never going to monopolise the spirit of adventure against Ian Holloway's side, who showed 10 changes from the FA Cup defeat at Southampton on Saturday and levelled nine minutes later.
    A combination of Liverpool carelessness and Blackpool incisiveness quelled the initial Dalglish euphoria. Torres played Raul Meireles into trouble with what should have been a simple lay-off on the halfway line and the stretching Portugal international then turned his pass straight to David Vaughan, who wasted no time in striking at the heart of the Liverpool defence with a pass to Gary Taylor-Fletcher. The Blackpool forward cut inside Daniel Agger too easily, gave José Reina the eyes, and rolled a composed finish into the bottom corner.
    Entertainment is guaranteed at Blackpool. This was the Seasiders' eighth home game in the Premier League and the quick exchange of goals between Torres and Taylor-Fletcher took the total scored at Bloomfield Road to 27. They also ensured Blackpool are the first team in Premier League history to score and concede in each of their opening eight home games.
    Holloway's team almost took the lead moments later when Campbell completed a game of head tennis inside the Liverpool area with a glancing effort wide. He should have at least made Reina work, as his angst-ridden reaction testified. Liverpool, however, were the more dangerous side throughout the first half without seriously testing Kingson in the Blackpool goal. The visitors frequently worked themselves into promising situations down the flanks only for a poor final touch, usually from Jovanovic or Dirk Kuyt, to undermine the approach.
    Liverpool stuck to their plan of trying to work a way behind the Blackpool full-backs but the home side controlled far more of the game after the interval. In Vaughan, the £200,000 Wales international, Blackpool had the most composed central midfielder on the pitch while Luke Varney, so often key to his team's prospects, began to prosper down the left against Kelly. Reina saved a powerful drive from the sought-after Charlie Adam, and how Blackpool must resist all offers for their influential captain this month regardless of where they come from. He also tipped over Vaughan's shot from the edge of the area after Taylor-Fletcher nut-megged Johnson and crossed low from the left.
    Campbell converted the winner after Neal Eardley's deep cross from the right was headed back across goal by Evatt. Though Liverpool had a strong penalty appeal for handball dismissed by the referee Michael Oliver, they rarely threatened an equaliser.
 
Tottenham plan to demolish Olympic Stadium and rebuild

&#8226; Spurs unveil plan radical plan for Stratford venue
&#8226; Club would also pay to refurbish Crystal Palace



  • Owen Gibson
  • guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 January 2011 22.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Olympic-Park--007.jpg
    Tottenham Hotspur intend to demolish the new Olympic Stadium and rebuild it as a specific football venue. Photograph: Rex Features Tottenham Hotspur today went on the offensive in the increasingly bitter battle to win control of the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, arguing that their bid rivals West Ham United would struggle to fill it and leave fans so far from the pitch that in some cases they would be unable to see the ball.
    Tottenham also unveiled plans to refurbish Crystal Palace as a 25,000-capacity athletics stadium to compensate for ripping out the track from the Olympic Stadium to knock down the venue and rebuild it as a dedicated football ground.
    Spurs, who estimate that moving to Stratford would be roughly £200m cheaper than an alternative plan to rebuild White Hart Lane, will also create an athletics "legacy fund" that they claim would fulfil the commitments made to the sport when London won the Games in 2005.
    The plan was immediately labelled "woefully inadequate" by Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics, which is backing West Ham's joint bid with Newham Council. It would retain the track, reducing the 80,000-capacity stadium to 60,000 seats and promising a multi-sport solution with football in the winter and athletics and cricket in the summer.
    The Olympic Park Legacy Company is expected to announce a preferred bidder by 28 January, although that could still slip into next month, with a final decision made in conjunction with the government and the mayor by the end of March.
    David Keirle, the chairman of Spurs' architects KSS, said today that the Olympic Stadium was not compatible with modern football. West Ham would have to spend up to £100m adding hospitality suites, toilets and other facilities.
    "It's a sophisticated Meccano set. It does what it's meant to do &#8211; provides a great experience for athletics. But football is different," Keirle said. "Our whole design is based on bringing fans closer to the pitch."
    He said that retaining the athletics track would damage the experience for football fans. Instead, Spurs will offer to rebuild Crystal Palace as a 25,000-seat venue with the potential to raise its capacity to 40,000 if London wins the right to stage the 2017 World Athletics Championships.
    "Our first seat is eight metres from the goalline, their first seat is 45 metres from the goalline," Keirle said. "Our first hospitality is 20 metres in, theirs is 60 metres. The vast majority of our stand is within the distance to their first seat. The further you get away, the less you see, the less connection you have with the sport. Once you get over 190 metres you can't see the ball."
    According to Spurs' studies of the Olympic Stadium, around 18% of the seats will be more than 190 metres from the action. "I would suggest a large number of fans wouldn't go," Keirle said. "These aren't just stadium design issues, they go to the heart of commercial viability. Filling 60,000 in an athletics facility is a fantastic challenge."
    Tottenham, facing a backlash from some fans and local politicians, will also point out the economic benefits of their bid, believing that questions remain over whether West Ham will be able to fill a 60,000-capacity stadium on a regular basis. They are hopeful the relative league positions of the teams will play in their favour, although West Ham are confident they have offered sufficient reassurance over the finances to secure the 200-year lease on offer.
    Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, has vociferously backed the West Ham option as the only one that meets the promise he made in Singapore to deliver an athletics legacy.
    Spurs had planned to develop their White Hart Lane site and have spent millions over three years gaining the necessary planning approval. But frustration over demands made by Haringey Council, Transport for London and English Heritage led them to pursue an alternative option at Stratford in conjunction with the O2 Arena's operator, AEG, which has proposed a series of concerts and other events that will see the stadium in use all year round.
    It is believed that it will cost Spurs around £250m to tear down the Olympic Stadium, build a new one and refurbish Crystal Palace. Rebuilding White Hart Lane is costed at around £450m.
    West Ham are confident their proposal, which would use around £40m raised from the sale of Upton Park and £40m borrowed by Newham but underwritten by the club, stacks up financially even if they are relegated.
    "Ours is a viable and sustainable solution that fulfils all the commitments made in Singapore and more," said Ian Tompkins, West Ham's Olympic Project director. "It turns the Olympic venue into a busy, multi-use stadium for many different people to benefit from."
    Warner described the Spurs alternative as "completely unacceptable". He said: "It's clear to me that a refurbished Crystal Palace is woefully inadequate. Having an Olympic track in an Olympic Stadium is an inspirational factor. That's the legacy London deserves, not a refurb of a fading facility in the wrong part of town.
    "It will be a dereliction of duty by those considering the bids if they choose to write off half a billion pounds of public investment and go with a football-only solution rather than the multiuse facility that was promised."
    He added: "There's a groundswell of opinion that spending over half a billion of public money on an athletics stadium and only to raze it to the ground at the behest of a Premier League football club is completely unacceptable and doesn't fit with the vision of bringing the games to London."
    The Tottenham MP David Lammy criticised Spurs's plans to leave his constituency.
    "It would be astonishing in these hard pressed times if the government and [London mayor] Boris Johnson will approve a bid that sees over half a billion pounds of public money down the drain after just a month," Lammy said.
    "Now we know the full details of the Tottenham bid, I will be writing to the Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office to demand an investigation if they are named the preferred bidder.
    "I fully support the money spent on the Olympic Stadium, but for it to be only used for a month before being demolished is a diabolical waste of public money."
 
Tottenham plan to demolish Olympic Stadium and rebuild

• Spurs unveil plan radical plan for Stratford venue
• Club would also pay to refurbish Crystal Palace



  • Owen Gibson
  • guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 January 2011 22.06 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Olympic-Park--007.jpg
    Tottenham Hotspur intend to demolish the new Olympic Stadium and rebuild it as a specific football venue. Photograph: Rex Features Tottenham Hotspur today went on the offensive in the increasingly bitter battle to win control of the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, arguing that their bid rivals West Ham United would struggle to fill it and leave fans so far from the pitch that in some cases they would be unable to see the ball.
    Tottenham also unveiled plans to refurbish Crystal Palace as a 25,000-capacity athletics stadium to compensate for ripping out the track from the Olympic Stadium to knock down the venue and rebuild it as a dedicated football ground.
    Spurs, who estimate that moving to Stratford would be roughly £200m cheaper than an alternative plan to rebuild White Hart Lane, will also create an athletics "legacy fund" that they claim would fulfil the commitments made to the sport when London won the Games in 2005.
    The plan was immediately labelled "woefully inadequate" by Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics, which is backing West Ham's joint bid with Newham Council. It would retain the track, reducing the 80,000-capacity stadium to 60,000 seats and promising a multi-sport solution with football in the winter and athletics and cricket in the summer.
    The Olympic Park Legacy Company is expected to announce a preferred bidder by 28 January, although that could still slip into next month, with a final decision made in conjunction with the government and the mayor by the end of March.
    David Keirle, the chairman of Spurs' architects KSS, said today that the Olympic Stadium was not compatible with modern football. West Ham would have to spend up to £100m adding hospitality suites, toilets and other facilities.
    "It's a sophisticated Meccano set. It does what it's meant to do – provides a great experience for athletics. But football is different," Keirle said. "Our whole design is based on bringing fans closer to the pitch."
    He said that retaining the athletics track would damage the experience for football fans. Instead, Spurs will offer to rebuild Crystal Palace as a 25,000-seat venue with the potential to raise its capacity to 40,000 if London wins the right to stage the 2017 World Athletics Championships.
    "Our first seat is eight metres from the goalline, their first seat is 45 metres from the goalline," Keirle said. "Our first hospitality is 20 metres in, theirs is 60 metres. The vast majority of our stand is within the distance to their first seat. The further you get away, the less you see, the less connection you have with the sport. Once you get over 190 metres you can't see the ball."
    According to Spurs' studies of the Olympic Stadium, around 18% of the seats will be more than 190 metres from the action. "I would suggest a large number of fans wouldn't go," Keirle said. "These aren't just stadium design issues, they go to the heart of commercial viability. Filling 60,000 in an athletics facility is a fantastic challenge."
    Tottenham, facing a backlash from some fans and local politicians, will also point out the economic benefits of their bid, believing that questions remain over whether West Ham will be able to fill a 60,000-capacity stadium on a regular basis. They are hopeful the relative league positions of the teams will play in their favour, although West Ham are confident they have offered sufficient reassurance over the finances to secure the 200-year lease on offer.
    Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, has vociferously backed the West Ham option as the only one that meets the promise he made in Singapore to deliver an athletics legacy.
    Spurs had planned to develop their White Hart Lane site and have spent millions over three years gaining the necessary planning approval. But frustration over demands made by Haringey Council, Transport for London and English Heritage led them to pursue an alternative option at Stratford in conjunction with the O2 Arena's operator, AEG, which has proposed a series of concerts and other events that will see the stadium in use all year round.
    It is believed that it will cost Spurs around £250m to tear down the Olympic Stadium, build a new one and refurbish Crystal Palace. Rebuilding White Hart Lane is costed at around £450m.
    West Ham are confident their proposal, which would use around £40m raised from the sale of Upton Park and £40m borrowed by Newham but underwritten by the club, stacks up financially even if they are relegated.
    "Ours is a viable and sustainable solution that fulfils all the commitments made in Singapore and more," said Ian Tompkins, West Ham's Olympic Project director. "It turns the Olympic venue into a busy, multi-use stadium for many different people to benefit from."
    Warner described the Spurs alternative as "completely unacceptable". He said: "It's clear to me that a refurbished Crystal Palace is woefully inadequate. Having an Olympic track in an Olympic Stadium is an inspirational factor. That's the legacy London deserves, not a refurb of a fading facility in the wrong part of town.
    "It will be a dereliction of duty by those considering the bids if they choose to write off half a billion pounds of public investment and go with a football-only solution rather than the multiuse facility that was promised."
    He added: "There's a groundswell of opinion that spending over half a billion of public money on an athletics stadium and only to raze it to the ground at the behest of a Premier League football club is completely unacceptable and doesn't fit with the vision of bringing the games to London."
    The Tottenham MP David Lammy criticised Spurs's plans to leave his constituency.
    "It would be astonishing in these hard pressed times if the government and [London mayor] Boris Johnson will approve a bid that sees over half a billion pounds of public money down the drain after just a month," Lammy said.
    "Now we know the full details of the Tottenham bid, I will be writing to the Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office to demand an investigation if they are named the preferred bidder.
    "I fully support the money spent on the Olympic Stadium, but for it to be only used for a month before being demolished is a diabolical waste of public money."
 
Five things we learned from Ipswich Town v Arsenal in the Carling Cup

Arsène Wenger's wait for a trophy may well continue while the team's defensive frailties remain



  • Laurent-Koscielny-007.jpg
    Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, right, struggled against the Ipswich Town attack, here embodied by Tamas Priskin. Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images 1 Perhaps this competition is not Arsenal's to lose after all


    Arsenal were sloppy, unable to impose their slick style for long periods and frustrated by their hosts' urgency and industry. Arsène Wenger wore a thunderous expression as his team spluttered, with the home side's narrow victory utterly merited. The Premier League players will tell themselves that Ipswich will be more vulnerable at the Emirates, but they should acknowledge that an opportunity to take the initiative in the tie has been surrendered. The club's first silverware in six years will be denied them if the complacency that seemed to set in here is maintained. It was as if they had expected a walkover against a team who were humiliated at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Certainly, the visitors' coaching staff demanded more than this disjointed display. They cannot be this obliging again.2 Arsenal's issues at centre-half can be exposed even by Championship attacks

    This was not the occasion to judge the real quality of Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou, the only fit senior centre-backs available to Wenger, but it did provide another reminder of their frailties. Just after the half-hour mark, Carlos Edwards' deep corner was headed back into the six-yard box by Darren O'Dea and over the bar by Gareth McAuley with visiting defenders grounded. They were exposed whenever passes were launched upfield after the interval, Tamas Priskin spreading panic. In the absence of Thomas Vermaelen and Sébastien Squillaci, who already felt like a stopgap signing, strengthening is urgently required. Wenger is apparently considering the likes of Gary Cahill, Christopher Samba and Matthew Upson. Progress has to be made on that front if this team is truly to challenge.
    3 Andrey Arshavin's dip in form continues

    The midfielder is unrecognisable from the player who excelled for Russia at Euro 2008, and who initially thrilled the Premier League following his mid-season move to Arsenal. Gone is ability to bamboozle back-tracking defenders with his close-control and dribbling in the area. Instead, he seems shorn of self-belief. He was sent through early in the second half by Cesc Fábregas's beautifully weighted pass, but lacked the conviction to bear down on goal and, despite being away from McAuley, could only slice the effort high and wide. At times, marooned out on the left, he cut an isolated figure as the game passed him by. Life on the periphery does not suit him.
    4 The Premier League beckons for Connor Wickham

    The 17-year-old has yet to score this season but continues to attract the scouts, with this a showcase of his considerable potential. Asked to fill in on the left of a five-man midfield, particularly when Arsenal were in possession, Wickham impressed with his industry and delivery, both with his feet and the long throws arrowed into the area. He tracked back to thwart the erratic Emmanuel Eboué when he could, showed strength to hold off challenges when he ventured infield, bursts of pace across the turf, and power in his shot. He is raw but could be brilliant. Harry Redknapp was due to attend this match. He will have returned to Tottenham Hotspur intrigued by the gem Ipswich have uncovered.
    5 The task awaiting Paul Jewell is perhaps not quite so daunting as it had seemed

    Jewell took Marcus Evans' call last Thursday, hours after Roy Keane had been sacked, and had agreed to return to club management by the time his new employers were walloped 7-0 at Chelsea. That was their eighth defeat in 11 matches and, in his programme notes, Jewell said they were suffering "a crisis of confidence". Yet, even as he watched from the stands, he will have been impressed by the endeavour, commitment and ability on show. His immediate task will be to haul Town from the relegation scrap, an eminently achievable objective given the calibre of player available to him even if five from the starting line-up have entered the last few months of their current contracts.
 
Liverpool owners set to attend Kenny Dalglish's Anfield homecoming

&#8226; John W Henry set for first game at Anfield since November
&#8226; Celtic's Peter Lawwell frontrunner as new chief executive



  • Andy Hunter
  • The Guardian, Thursday 13 January 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    John-Henry-007.jpg
    John W Henry is set to attend Sunday's Merseyside derby, Kenny Dalglish first match in charge at Anfield since 1991. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images Liverpool's new owners will be present for Kenny Dalglish's Anfield homecoming on Sunday and have continued to restructure the club by sacking the majority of its European scouting network. They are also closing in on the appointment of a new chief executive, with Celtic's Peter Lawwell a frontrunner for the post.
    John W Henry, Liverpool's principal owner, is expected to attend the Merseyside derby against Everton when Dalglish will take charge of his first home game since replacing Roy Hodgson last Saturday. The chairman, Tom Werner, may attend the game too. It will be the Scot's first appearance as a Liverpool manager at Anfield since a goalless FA Cup fifth-round tie against Everton in February 1991.
    Henry has not visited Anfield since the 2-0 victory over Chelsea in November. He has subsequently had to bring forward plans to replace Hodgson, complete with another expensive pay-off to a Liverpool manager, amid poor results, falling attendances and open revolt against the 63-year-old by the club's supporters, before installing Dalglish until the end of this campaign.
    The appointment of the Liverpool legend has been universally welcomed among the Anfield faithful but presents Fenway Sports Group (the subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures that manages the club) with a potential dilemma this summer. Dalglish made it clear at his official unveiling on Monday that he would be "delighted" to accept the Liverpool manager's job on a permanent basis unless the club identified "someone better" to take over and FSG is understood to be keen on a young coach to take the club forward. Damien Comolli, who will oversee the search for Hodgson's full-time replacement in his capacity as director of football strategy, also admitted the 59-year-old would be considered for the position.
    A new chief executive, the managerial situation, possible transfers &#8211; such as Southampton's £10m-rated Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain &#8211; and Liverpool's need for a new stadium will all be on Henry's agenda on his next visit to Merseyside. As the interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain demonstrates, the club's new owners want to invest in top-quality young talent and move away from the scatter-gun approach that arguably characterised Liverpool's recruitment policy before the overhaul of the youth academy under Frank McParland in 2009.
    The arrival of Comolli in November was destined to have repercussions for the existing European scouting team. He quickly brought on board Steve Hitchen, who was Tottenham Hotspur's principal overseas scout and is based in France, and the former chief scout Eduardo Macia left the club shortly after Christmas. Macia has now been followed by all but one of Liverpool's European scouts as Comolli restructures that department.
    Spencer Stuart, the global executive recruitment company, is believed to be close to ending its three-month search for a replacement for Liverpool's former managing director, Christian Purslow, who left the club within days of FSG's takeover in October. Lawwell was a leading candidate to become the Arsenal chief executive when Spencer Stuart conducted that process in 2008, before the job eventually went to Ivan Gazidis, and has been recommended to FSG.
    The Liverpool striker Nathan Eccleston is expected to join Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the season. Eccleston has made seven first-team appearances this term, mostly in the Europa League, and should complete the switch today.
 
Soccer: Asian Cup

Iraq's Soccer Team Faces Tough Battle at Asian Cup

13iraqsoccer-span1-articleLarge.jpg
Osama Faisal/Associated Press
Iran's Javad Nekonam, left, fights for ball against Iraq's Ahmed Ibrahim, right, during their Asian Cup game in Doha on Tuesday.

By JOHN DUERDEN

Published: January 12, 2011






For a short time, it looked as if fairy tales could have sequels after all.




The Times's soccer blog has the world's game covered from all angles.
Go to the Goal Blog



At Iraq's opening game at the 2011 Asian Cup against Iran, it took just 12 minutes for its captain and star striker, Younis Mahmood, to evoke memories of the glorious triumph of July 2007.
After a simple cross to the far post led to confusion in the Iran defense, Emad Mohammed headed the ball into the penalty area for Mahmood, known as the Desert Fox, to pounce on and poke into an empty net.
If the substantial contingent of wildly celebrating Iraqi fans felt that the team was going to continue in 2011 where it had left off in Jakarta 42 months before, when it lifted the Asian Cup in triumph, its rival and neighbor had other ideas. Iran fought back to win, 2-1, in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday evening to leave the champions with much to do if they wanted to stay in the tournament.
"I think that Iran played very well. We created some chances and for me it was a 50/50 game," said Iraq's coach, the German Wolfgang Sidka. In truth, however, Iran deserved the victory against a team that ran out of steam.
Many of the same players are in place as were in 2007, among them Mahmood, playmaker Nashat Akram and winger Hawar Mulla Mohammed. But the situation has changed.
No longer is Iraq the plucky underdog riding on a tide of good will and emotion. Instead, it is the Asian title holder, a prized scalp and, if you talk to local journalists, past its peak. After the drama and emotion of 2007, it would be too much to expect a repeat in 2011. It would probably not feel the same, anyway.
Iraq's triumph at the 2007 Asian Cup was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stories that Asian soccer ever produced. A rare feel-good story from a nation in turmoil following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the tale broke out of sports sections to make headlines around the world.
The plaudits were deserved. Never before could a champion have endured worse preparations. The national team had been unable to play a home match since the start of the war, and few players had been untouched by personal tragedy in the sectarian violence that followed.
Yet, Iraq, which had qualified for just one World Cup, in 1986, and reached the final four of the Asian Cup just once, in 1976, overcame genuine powerhouses like Australia and South Korea to defeat Saudi Arabia in the final in 2007.
This time, either South Korea or Australia is likely to be the quarterfinal opponent if Iraq can make it that far, but the loss against Iran means that advancing would be guaranteed only by victories in the remaining matches against the United Arab Emirates on Saturday and North Korea next Wednesday. Those two teams tied, 0-0, in their clash Tuesday.
Iraq paid the price for its inability to add to Mahmood's strike in the first half when it was on top. As half time approached, Iran was edging its way back into the game and just before the whistle, Gholamreza Rezaei beat the offside trap to fire home coolly past the Iraqi goalkeeper.
The goal celebration from the attacker, who turned and walked away with a shrug of his shoulders, was equally cool, though the reactions of his teammates, who soon engulfed him, was more representative of the passions that were running high in this Group D opening match between two nations that fought a bloody war from 1980 to 1988.
As the game entered its final stages, Iraq had seemingly settled for a tie that would have left all four teams with one point after the first match.
Iran was not settling for a tie, however, and five minutes from the end, Iman Mobali's late free kick bounced in the penalty area and somehow ended up in the back of the net.
Iran's coach, the American Afshin Ghotbi, was delighted with the comeback. He dedicated the victory to the families of the victims of the plane crash in the Iranian city of Orumiyeh on Sunday, which killed at least 77 people.
"The game was complicated for us because of the rivalry between the two sides, and also it was the first match of the tournament, while Iraq is the defending champion," Ghotbi said.
"After going one down, I was confident that we could come back. I have experience of playing against Iraq and they are the masters of killing time, so I thought that if we score before the half time then we have a chance to win."
Since the 2007 triumph, Iraq has done little to suggest that it can repeat its success, even if it gets out of Group D. The security situation has improved to an extent: exhibition matches have taken place in the country, but competitive qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers were held in Doha and Amman.
Having to play all six matches away from home certainly contributed to the failure by Iraq to reach South Africa last summer, but the inconsistent performances of the team suggested that it would have struggled against the world's best, anyway.
Against Asia's best, however, it could be a different story. As 2007 Asian Cup winners, Iraq gained automatic entry to the 2011 tournament, and there is still hope.
Sidka praised his team's fighting spirit. It is not beyond the spirit of the 2007 squad to recover from the early setback. It remains to be seen how the 2011 vintage reacts, but with many members from the triumph four years ago still around, it is too early to write off the champions.
"Through winning the cup, we did what America and the government couldn't do, which was to unite the country," said Mahmoud before the Iran game.
"Our ambition is to be the champion again."
 
Five things we learned from Ipswich Town v Arsenal in the Carling Cup

Arsène Wenger's wait for a trophy may well continue while the team's defensive frailties remain


Comments (160)

  • Laurent-Koscielny-007.jpg
    Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, right, struggled against the Ipswich Town attack, here embodied by Tamas Priskin. Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images 1 Perhaps this competition is not Arsenal's to lose after all


    Arsenal were sloppy, unable to impose their slick style for long periods and frustrated by their hosts' urgency and industry. Arsène Wenger wore a thunderous expression as his team spluttered, with the home side's narrow victory utterly merited. The Premier League players will tell themselves that Ipswich will be more vulnerable at the Emirates, but they should acknowledge that an opportunity to take the initiative in the tie has been surrendered. The club's first silverware in six years will be denied them if the complacency that seemed to set in here is maintained. It was as if they had expected a walkover against a team who were humiliated at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Certainly, the visitors' coaching staff demanded more than this disjointed display. They cannot be this obliging again.2 Arsenal's issues at centre-half can be exposed even by Championship attacks

    This was not the occasion to judge the real quality of Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou, the only fit senior centre-backs available to Wenger, but it did provide another reminder of their frailties. Just after the half-hour mark, Carlos Edwards' deep corner was headed back into the six-yard box by Darren O'Dea and over the bar by Gareth McAuley with visiting defenders grounded. They were exposed whenever passes were launched upfield after the interval, Tamas Priskin spreading panic. In the absence of Thomas Vermaelen and Sébastien Squillaci, who already felt like a stopgap signing, strengthening is urgently required. Wenger is apparently considering the likes of Gary Cahill, Christopher Samba and Matthew Upson. Progress has to be made on that front if this team is truly to challenge.
    3 Andrey Arshavin's dip in form continues

    The midfielder is unrecognisable from the player who excelled for Russia at Euro 2008, and who initially thrilled the Premier League following his mid-season move to Arsenal. Gone is ability to bamboozle back-tracking defenders with his close-control and dribbling in the area. Instead, he seems shorn of self-belief. He was sent through early in the second half by Cesc Fábregas's beautifully weighted pass, but lacked the conviction to bear down on goal and, despite being away from McAuley, could only slice the effort high and wide. At times, marooned out on the left, he cut an isolated figure as the game passed him by. Life on the periphery does not suit him.
    4 The Premier League beckons for Connor Wickham

    The 17-year-old has yet to score this season but continues to attract the scouts, with this a showcase of his considerable potential. Asked to fill in on the left of a five-man midfield, particularly when Arsenal were in possession, Wickham impressed with his industry and delivery, both with his feet and the long throws arrowed into the area. He tracked back to thwart the erratic Emmanuel Eboué when he could, showed strength to hold off challenges when he ventured infield, bursts of pace across the turf, and power in his shot. He is raw but could be brilliant. Harry Redknapp was due to attend this match. He will have returned to Tottenham Hotspur intrigued by the gem Ipswich have uncovered.
    5 The task awaiting Paul Jewell is perhaps not quite so daunting as it had seemed

    Jewell took Marcus Evans' call last Thursday, hours after Roy Keane had been sacked, and had agreed to return to club management by the time his new employers were walloped 7-0 at Chelsea. That was their eighth defeat in 11 matches and, in his programme notes, Jewell said they were suffering "a crisis of confidence". Yet, even as he watched from the stands, he will have been impressed by the endeavour, commitment and ability on show. His immediate task will be to haul Town from the relegation scrap, an eminently achievable objective given the calibre of player available to him even if five from the starting line-up have entered the last few months of their current contracts.
 
Liverpool face 'big challenge' after Blackpool defeat, says Kenny Dalglish

• Dalglish rues Liverpool's 2-1 defeat by Blackpool
• Liverpool owners to attend Merseyside derby



  • Andy Hunter at Bloomfield Road
  • The Guardian, Thursday 13 January 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Kenny-Dalglish-007.jpg
    Kenny Dalglish shows his frustration during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat by Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. Photograph: Tim Hales/AP Kenny Dalglish conceded he faces a major task to repair Liverpool's sorry season after his first league game at the helm for almost 20 years ended in a 2-1 defeat at Blackpool last night.
    The new Liverpool manager, who has five months to convince Fenway Sports Group to appoint him on a permanent basis, endured a start that will be familiar to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson, as the club dropped to 13th in the table after an eighth defeat in 11 league away games.
    Fernando Torres gave Dalglish a dream start by opening the scoring in the third minute but a swift equaliser from Gary Taylor-Fletcher and a 69th-minute winner from DJ Campbell secured Blackpool's first league double over the Anfield club in 64 years.
    "It's obviously a big challenge," said Dalglish, whose first home game as Liverpool manager will be attended by John W Henry, the club's principal owner, on Sunday. "Very, very seldom do you walk into a job where there is no challenge. The encouraging side from me is the attitude and commitment of the players. The harder they try then the luckier they will get. If we keep trying really hard we can get some luck.
    "Every side that is successful needs that bit of luck and maybe at the moment that's going against us a bit. But the longer we get stuck in and don't feel sorry for ourselves, the more likely it is our luck will turn. But it's not just about a change of luck, though. We have a lot of work to do. We have to get ourselves into a position to get that luck."
    Ian Holloway, the Blackpool manager, described his team's second 2-1 victory over Liverpool this season as "the best of the lot I think". He said: "To go behind and have Liverpool start with a bang, it could have been a long, horrible, horrible night. But I'm so proud of my lads and I'm proud of the crowd. Because of the tempo of the game I told them at half-time to calm themselves down and that, if we got the next goal, it would knock the stuffing out of them and that's what happened."
    Dalglish identified the misplaced pass from the midfielder Raul Meireles that led to Blackpool's equaliser as the game's key moment. The overall performance, he admitted, highlighted several fundamental problems that have contributed to a dismal campaign thus far.
    "I am disappointed," the Liverpool manager said. "We got off to a good start, a couple of good passes and Fernando got in and finished really well. For their first goal, you can give them credit for the way they finished it off, but we were in a good position and if we had laid the right pass then we could have walked it in for 2-0 and it would have been a different game. That was the turning point. For the second goal, we cleared the corner quite sufficiently but it's come back in and we haven't picked the guy up. Those are a couple of things we can work on, things we can solve."
    Henry and possibly the chairman Tom Werner are expected to attend Sunday's game against Everton when Dalglish will take charge of his first home match since an FA Cup fifth-round tie against his Merseyside rivals in February 1991.
    The club owner has not visited Anfield since the 2-0 victory over Chelsea in November. He has subsequently had to bring forward plans to replace Hodgson, complete with another expensive pay-off to a Liverpool manager, amid poor results, falling attendances and open revoltagainst the 63-year-old by the club's supporters, installing Dalglish until the end of this campaign.
    A new chief executive, with Celtic's Peter Lawwell the frontrunner, the managerial situation, possible transfers, and Liverpool's need for a new stadium will all be on Henry's agenda on his next visit to Merseyside. As the interest in Southampton's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain demonstrates, the club's new owners want to invest in high quality young talent and to move away from the scattergun approach that characterised Liverpool's recruitment policy prior to the overhaul of the youth academy under Frank McParland in 2009. To that end, they have now sacked the majority of the club's European scouting network.
    The arrival of Damien Comolli as director of football strategy in November was destined to have repercussions for the existing scouting team. He quickly brought on board Steve Hitchen, who was Tottenham Hotspur's principal overseas scout and is based in France. The former chief scout Eduardo Macia left the club shortly after Christmas and he has been followed by all but one of Liverpool's European scouts.
    Spencer Stuart, the global executive recruitment company, is believed to be close to ending its three-month search for a replacement for Liverpool's former managing director, Christian Purslow, who left within days of FSG's takeover last October. Lawwell was a leading candidate to become the Arsenal chief executive when Spencer Stuart conducted that process in 2008, before the job went to Ivan Gazidis, and has been recommended to FSG.
    Liverpool striker Nathan Eccleston is expected to join Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the season. Eccleston has made seven first team appearances this term, mostly in the Europa League, and should complete the switch today.
 
Wachezaji Simba walamba mil. 15/-


Na Elizabeth Mayemba

UONGOZI wa klabu ya Simba umewapa wachezaji wake sh. milioni 15 ikiwa ni zawadi baada ya kufanikiwa kuchukua ubingwa wa Kombe la Mapinduzi.Simba juzi ilifanikiwa kuwafunga mahasimu wao Yanga mabao 2-0, katika
mchezo wa fainali wa michuano hiyo uliochezwa Uwanja wa Amaan mjini Zanzibar.

Akizungumza Dar es Salaam jana, Msemaji wa klabu ya Simba, Cliford Ndimbo alisema sh. milioni 10 zilitolewa na uongozi kama zawadi kwa wachezaji wake na sh. milioni tano ni zawadi ya mshindi wa kwanza.

"Tumetoa kiasi hicho cha fedha kama motisha kwa wachezaji wetu, baada ya kufanikiwa kutwaa Kombe la Mapinduzi na hiyo ni changamoto kwao, ili mashindano yanayokuja wafanye vizuri zaidi," alisema Ndimbo.

Alisema timu hiyo imeleta heshima kubwa mbele ya mashabiki wao ikiwa na kuwafunga mahasimu wao wakubwa Yanga, ambao mara ya mwisho walipocheza nao walifungwa bao 1-0 katika mchezo wa Ligi Kuu mzunguko wa kwanza.

Ndimbo alisema timu hiyo, inatarajiwa kuwasili Dar es Salaam kesho. Wachezaji hao walikuwa katika mapumziko kwa sababu mechi hiyo ilichezwa usiku, hivyo wakaona ni vyema wakapewa mapumzika kwanza.

Alisema Kocha Mkuu wa timu hiyo, Patrick Phiri ataendelea na programu yake ya mazoezi kwa ajili ya kuwaandaa na michuano ya Klabu Bingwa Afrika na mzunguko wa pili wa Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara.
 
TEFA yatembeza bakuli kuandaa ligi


Na Andrew Ignas

UONGOZI wa Chama cha Mpira wa Miguu Wilaya ya Temeke (TEFA), umewataka wadau mbali mbali nchini kudhamini ligi ya wanawake ya wilaya hiyo ambayo mpaka sasa muelekeo wake haujaeleweka.Akizungumza na mwandishi
wa habari hizi Dar es Salaam jana Mwenyekiti wa TEFA, Peter Mhinzi alisema ligi hiyo ya wanawake kwa wilaya ya Temeke hadi sasa inaonekana kususua kwa kukosa mfadhili.

Alisema wadau na walezi wa mpiwa miguu kwa sasa pia wanapaswa kuelekeza nguvu katika kusaidia ligi ndogo, hususan ligi ya wanawake kwa Wilaya ya Temeke ambayo haujulikani itaanza lini, kutokana na kutokuwa na fedha za kuendesha ligi hiyo.

"Ligi ya wanawake Wilaya ya Temeke, imeshindwa kufanyika kwa kuwa chama chetu hakina fedha za kutosha za kuendesha ligi hii," alisema Mhinzi.

Hata hivyo alisema kutokana na kuwa mchezo huo wa soka upande wa wanawake duniani kote hivyo imefika wakati wa wadau na wahisani kuwekeza katika ligi mbali mbali za wanawake.
 
Wakongo:Stars imejaa utoto mwingi
Thursday, 13 January 2011 20:44

kocha%20poulsen.jpg
Mwandishi Wetu, Cairo
BAADHI ya wachezaji wa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo (DRC) wamesema Tanzania 'Taifa Stars' ilistahili kucheza nusu fainali, lakini wachezaji wake wamejaa utoto mwingi na hawajali kazi yao katika michuano hii ya Bonde la Mto Nile.

"Nimeona mechi ya Tanzania, wachezaji wanapoteza pasi halafu hawajali, wanafungwa goli wanatabasamu, hiyo inatakiwa iwe kwenye mechi za kujifurahisha, lakini si hizi za kuwania zawadi kubwa kama hii.

"Unafungwa bao tano hata kadi ya njano hupewi kwa kucheza rafu angalau kupunguza kasi yao, vijana wenu wamejaa utoto mwingi sana, hawajui thamani ya mpira," alisema kiungo Kasongo Ngandou, anayechezea TP Mazembe.

Mchezaji mwingine wa DRC na nahodha wa TP Mazembe, Mihayo Kazembe aliisikitikia Stars kwa kusema ina wachezaji wenye vipaji, lakini wasiojua kazi na hawauchukulii mpira kwa uzito unaostahili.

"Ukiangalia viwango vya timu zote zinazoshiriki hapa unaweza kujiuliza kwa nini Stars imeshindwa kucheza fainali, lakini jibu ni kuwa wachezaji wenyewe hawakutilia mkazo."

Nahodha wa Stars, Shadrack Nsajigwa akijibu tuhuma hizo alisema si sahihi kusema wachezaji wa Stars hawajui thamani ya mpira ila wachezaji wa Stars wanajua thamani ya mpira na matokeo katika michuano hii ni matokeo ya uwanjani tu.

Lakini mchezaji mmoja ambaye hakutaka jina lake litajwe, yeye alisema ni kweli Taifa Stars imejaa utoto na wanaona ni kama timu ya mchezo tu.

Wakati nyota hao wakitupiana vijembe hivyo, Stars leo inashuka dimbani kusaka heshima kwenye mchezo wa kutafuta mshindi wa tano wa michuano hiyo dhidi ya timu dhaifu ya Sudan.

Kama ungekuwa mchezo wa karata, basi ungesema Tanzania leo inawania kutoka angalau mrisi wakati itakapocheza na Sudan katika mchezo wa kuwania nafasi ya tano katika mashindano hayo yaliyoshirikisha nchi saba.

Kwenye karata kuna idadi fulani ya hesabu ukifikisha unakuwa hufungwi idadi kubwa ya mabao, lakini mrisi inaowania Taifa Stars ni tofauti na ule wa kwenye karata, badala yake yenyewe inahitajika kushinda ili angalau ipate zawadi baada ya kushindwa kufuzu nusu fainali, ambapo timu nne zilizoingia hatua hiyo zina zawadi kubwa huku bingwa akiwa ameandaliwa zaidi ya sh. milioni 200 za Tanzania.

Stars inalazimika kuwania nafasi ya tano ambayo zawadi yake ni zaidi ya shs 40 milioni za Tanzania, baada ya Jumanne kutoka sare ya bao 1-1 na Uganda 'The Cranes' hivyo kuishia kushika nafasi ya tatu Kundi A na leo itacheza na Sudan ambayo imeshika nafasi ya tatu kundi B.

Mchezo huo utaanza saa 9:45 kwa saa za Afrika Mashariki, Ikifuatiwa na ile ya nusu fainali, ambapo DRC itacheza na Uganda na baadaye Misri na Kenya yote ikifanyika mjini Ismailia, umbali wa saa 1:30 ama saa mbili kwa gari ndogo kutoka jijini Cairo.
 
TFF, DRFA wapimana ubavu
Thursday, 13 January 2011 20:38

Salome Millinga na Neema Kimaro,(DACICO

KATIBU mkuu wa chama cha soka mkoa wa Dar-es-salaam(DRFA) Amini Bakhresa amethibitisha kuwepo kwa mechi za kirafiki kati ya Simba, Yanga dhidi ya Zesco, huku TFF ikisisitiza kutotambua michezo hiyo ya kirafiki iliyopangwa kufanyika Jumamosi na Jumapili kwenye Uwanja wa Uhuru jijini Dar-es-salaam.

Mabingwa wa Ligi Kuu ya Zambia, Zesco ambao wapo nchini walitarajiwa kucheza mchezo wa kirafiki na Simba tarehe 15 na kumalizia ziara yao kwa kucheza na Yanga Januari 16 jijini Dar-es-salaam.

Akizungumza jijini jana Bakhresa alisema kuwa,"mawasiliano na TFF yapo na wao wanataarifa kuhusu mechi hizo na hakuna tatizo lolote na mechi hizo, ambapo zitachezwa kwenye uwanja wa Taifa wa zamani na viingilio vitakuwa VIP shilingi elfu 15, jukwaa kuu elfu 10, jukwaa la kijani elfu tano na mzunguko elfu tatu."

"Tunamshukuru mdhamini wetu Rehure Nyaulawa kwa kutusaidia gharama zilikuwa kubwa tusingeweza kuzimudu na tunaomba wapenzi wa soka wajitokeze kwa wingi ili mdhamini wetu apate moyo na aweze kuendelea kudhamini mechi nyingine," alisema Bakhresa.

Naye katibu mkuu wa Shirikisho la Soka Tanzania (TFF),Angetile Osiah alisisitiza kutotambua mechi hizo na kwamba Zesco imekuja kutalii na kufanya mazoezi kujiandaa na michuano yake ya kimataifa.

Akizungumza jana Osiah alisema kuwa hadi jana mchana shirikisho lake lilikuwa halijapata barua yoyote kutoka kwa waandaaji wa mchezo huo.

"Tunachojua Zesco wamekuja kutembea na kuweka kambi kwa ajili ya kujiandaa na mashindano yao, barua tuliyopata ni ya kuwaombea kufanya mazoezi kwenye uwanja wa Karume hakuna barua nyingine, na msimamo wetu upo pale pale,"alisema Osiah.

Kauli ya Osiah imekuja siku moja baada ya Zesco kutua nchini huku TFF wakiwa tayari wamechimba mkwara kuwa hakutakuwa na mechi yoyote ya kirafiki kati ya klabu na klabu za ndani au za nje ya nchi yaani za kimataifa wakati Ligi Kuu itakapoanza.

Ligi Kuu imepangwa kuanza kutimua vumbi Jumamosi hii Januari 15 kwenye viwanja mbali mbali wakati mchezo wa Zesco umepangwa kufanyika Jumamosi kwa kumenyana na Simba wakati Yanga watacheza Jumapili Januari 16.

Hata hivyo muandaaji wa mchezo huo,George Wakuganda aliiambia Mwananchi jana mchana kuwa TFF imewaita waandaaji hao wakiwa pamoja na Chama cha Soka mkoa wa Dar es Salaam 'DRFA', na klabu zote mbili za Simba na Yanga kuzungumzia suala hilo.
 
Mgosi: Yanga hamna kitu, bora Mtibwa Thursday, 13 January 2011 20:35

Doris Maliyaga
MSHAMBULIAJI wa Simba Mussa Hassan &#8216;Mgosi' amedai kuwa kuwa kilichoonyeshwa na Yanga kwenye mechi ya fainali ni cha chini mno na akaongeza kuwa bora hata wangecheza na Mtibwa Sugar kungekuwa na upinzani.

Mgosi aliyeipatia bao la kwanza katika dakika ya 32, mchezo huo uliokuwa wa fainali za michuano ya Mapinduzi iliyomaliza huku Simba akiwa bingwa baada ya kushinda mabao 2-0. bao la pili la Simba lilifungwa na Shija Mkina.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi baada ya mchezo huo, Mgosi alisema, kutokana na jinsi walivyowazidi kiuwezo, Yanga hawakustahili kucheza fainali ile.

''Bado sana tuliwazidi kupita maelezo yaani bora tungecheza na Mtibwa ambao wanaelekea lakini si Yanga hii tuliyocheza nayo&#8230;..,'' alisema Mgosi.

Aliongeza kuwa: "Kilichochangia wao hawakuwa na wazoefu wengi wanaocheza mara kwa mara mechi kubwa kama hizi tofauti na sisi.''

Wakati huo huo, kocha wa Yanga, Kostadin Papic amesema hawezi kumlaumu mchezaji mmoja mmoja eti kwa kucheza chini ya kiwango na akakubali kuwa kufungwa mabao 2-0 katika mechi ya fainali ya Kombe la Mapinduzi juzi usiku kwenye Uwanja wa Amaan, Zanzibar.

Mbali na kauli hiyo, aliongeza kusema kuwa kukosekana kwa mshambuliaji wake, Jeryson Tegete na wengine walioko na timu ya taifa, Taifa Stars nchini Misri, kumeweka pengo kubwa.

Papic ambaye bado hajafikia hitimisho na uongozi wa timu iliyoingia mkataba na Fred Minziro kuwa wasaidiane na Mserbia huyo kukinoa kikosi hicho baada ya kukataa awali.
Ameliambia Mwananchi kuwa, kiwango kilichoonyeshwa na wachezaji wengine katika mchezo huo kilikuwa chini tofauti na uwezo wao katika mechi nyingine.

''Kweli kuna wachezaji walicheza chini ya kiwango na hii si geni kwenye soka hutokea leo vizuri kesho ndiyo hivyo, lakini siwezi kumlaumu mtu fulani hakufanya vizuri kwakuwa Yanga ni timu na inacheza kwa ushirikiano, tukishindwa wote na tukishinda ni wote,''alisema Papic na kuongeza kuwa.

"Kukosekana kwa mchezaji wangu kama Tegete na wengine wa Stars katika mchezo huo kumeonyesha pengo kubwa ambalo halikuzibwa vyema na waliokuwepo,'' alisema Papic ambaye katika kikosi hicho alimpanga kipa alikuwa Yaw Berko.

Hata hivyo Papic alisisitiza kuwa tangu awali alisema mashindano hayo ni kipimo kwa ajili ya kujiweka sawa na mashindano mengine yakiwemo Ligi na ya Kimataifa.
 
Phiri ajipa matumaini Ligi Kuu Thursday, 13 January 2011 20:34

Jessca Nangawe
BAADA ya kuchomoza na ushindi wa mabao 2-0 katika mchezo wa juzi wa fainali za michuano ya Kombe la Mapinduzi kocha wa Simba, Mzambia Patrick Phiri amesema timu yake imeiva tayari kwa kumalizia mzunguko wa pili wa Ligi Kuu na kwa sasa wanaelekeza nguvu katika michuano ya klabu bingwa Afrika itakayoanza hivi karibuni.

Katika mchezo huo Simba iliibuka na ushindi na kunyakua ubingwa dhidi ya mahasimu wao Yanga katika mechi ya fainali iliyopigwa kwenye Uwanja wa Amaan Mjini Zanzibar.

Phiri aliiambia Mwananchi kuwa tangu kuanza kwa mashindano hayo, timu yake imekua ikionyesha kujituma zaidi huvyo kumpa moto na kuonyesha ukomavu katika maandalizi yao ya kumalziia duru ya pili ya lala salama pamoja na maandalizi ya mashindano ya kimataifa ya klabu bingwa.

Alisema bado anaamini wana kazi kubwa mbele yao hasa katika mashindano ya klabu bingwa ambayo yataanza hivi karibuni na kudai ataendelea na kazi ya kutengeneza kikosi imara na kukiweka katika hali ya ushindani ili kumwakilisha vyema katika michuano hiyo.

"Wachezaji wamejitahidi lakini siwezi kusema tuko kamili kwa asilimia zote kwani bado upungufu upo na lazima tuyafanyie kazi..vijana wamejitahidi kila walivyokuwa wakicheza unaweza kusema tupo tayari kwa ligi na kama mnavyofahamu bado tunakabiliwa na michuano ya klabu bingwa hii inaweza kuwa moja ya maandalizi yetu lakini bado tunahitaji umakini mkubwa katika kujiandaa na kuhakikisha tunafanya vizuri," alisema.

Mzambia huyo alisema kwa sasa wanahitaji mechi za kirafiki za kimataifa ili kukipima kikosi chake licha ya kuanza mzunguko huu wa mwisho wa ligi kuu.

Simba na Yanga zinakabiliwa na mashindano ya kimataifa, Simba inashiriki Ligi ya Mabingwa Afrika wakati Yanga Kombe la Shirikisho, michuano itakayoanza mwishoni mwa wiki.
 
Mosha amvaa Nchunga Thursday, 13 January 2011 20:37

Clara Alphonce
SAKATA la mfadhili mpya wa Yanga, Mbunge wa Temeke, Abbas Mtemvu limezidi kuzua mpasuko ndani ya klabu hiyo baada ya Makamu mwenyekiti Devies Mosha kumshutumu Mwenyekiti wake Lloyd Nchunga kujichukulia maamuzi bila kuwashirikisha viongozi wenzake.

Hivi karibuni mfadhili Yanga, Yusuf Manji alitembelea kambi ya Yanga visiwani Zanzibar akiwa ameongozana na mbunge wa Temeke Mtemvu na kumtambulisha kwa wachezaji kuwa ni mmoja wa wajumbe wa bodi ya wadhamini na kutoa kiasi cha shs 5 m kama motisha kwa wachezaji hao.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi jana, Mosha alisema kuwa kwa sasa hali si shwari katika klabu yao kutokana na Mwenyekiti Nchunga kujichukulia maamuzi bila kuwashirikisha viongozi wenzake.

Alisema kitendo kilichofanywa na Nchunga cha kumtambulisha mfadhili mpya katika kambi yao iliyokuwepo Zanzibar kwa ajili ya michuano ya Mapinduzi bila kuwashirikisha viongozi wengine ni ukiukwaji wa katiba.

"Unajua hii Yanga si ya mtu mmoja ni ya watu wote sasa inakuaje unafanya maamuzi bila kuwashirikisha viongozi kiukweli mimi nilikasirishwa na kitendo hicho kilichofanyika kabla ya mechi na Mtibwa na tuligomba sana na mwenyekiti wangu kwa sababu hatuwezi kupelekwa pelekwa kama sisi sio viongozi bwana," alisema Mosha.

Pia alisema kuwa kutokana na kitendo hicho yeye ameamua kujiweka pembeni kidogo katika uongozi huo kwani hawezi kupelekwa pelekwa na watu baadhi kisa fedha.

Alisema suala hilo lilitakiwa lipelekwe kwenye kamati kuu ya Yanga na kujadiliwa kabla halijapelewa kwa wanachama ndio litolewe maamuzi, lakini yeye amelichukulia kiuwepesi na kulifanya mwenyewe.

"Sisi huyo Mtemvu hatumtaki Yanga tunajua kabisa kuwa ni Simba tena toka siku nyingi leo awe bodi ya udhamini ya Yanga kitu ambacho hakiwezekani labda tukiwa tunataka kuibomoa klabu yetu," alisema.

Hii ni mara ya pili kwa viongozi hao wawili wa juu wa klabu hiyo tangu walipochanguliwa mwezi Septemba mwaka jana kurumbana na marumbano hayo yote yamekuwa yakidaiwa kuhusishwa na mfadhili wao Manji kufanya mambo katika klabu hiyo bila ya kuwashirikisha viongozi.
 
Harry: United not invincible




11 comments »

Updated Jan 14, 2011 9:12 AM ET
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp does not think that Manchester United are good enough to remain unbeaten for the entire season.
Spurs are preparing to host the Premier League leaders on Sunday as the White Hart Lane club aim to keep their own title hopes alive.

United are eight points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham, with a game in hand, after avoiding defeat so far this season to threaten Arsenal's 2003/04 unbeaten record.
But Redknapp thinks that there are chinks in the armour of Sir Alex Ferguson's team and he hopes that Spurs can be the side who expose the weaknesses.
The Tottenham boss said in his column in The Sun: "As good as they are I do not think they are good enough to go through the whole season unbeaten.
"Even if they win the Premier League title this season, Arsenal are the original Invincibles and their record is going to stay intact.
"Of course, I'd love it if it will be my Tottenham team that ends United's unbeaten run on Sunday and we have a chance of doing it.
"It's not as if United are Barcelona or Real Madrid who are on another planet to everyone else.
Wed., Jan. 12​
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Tottenham vs. Man Utd BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

"We can bring them down to earth and for the sake of the title race I bet everyone who doesn't support Man Utd will be hoping we do."
But as Redknapp plots United's downfall he will not be picking the brains of former Old Trafford star David Beckham, who has been training with Spurs this week.
He said: "We have had David Beckham training with us this week and he grew up at Old Trafford.
"But I wouldn't dream of asking him if he knows any secrets about his old club that could help us. It wouldn't be right.
 
Rooney set to return at Spurs






Updated Jan 14, 2011 7:42 AM ET
Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing to welcome Wayne Rooney back to his Manchester United line-up for Sunday's Premier League trip to Tottenham.
Rooney has missed two games since injuring his ankle against West Brom on New Year's Day.

However, the England forward has trained this week and is contention to make the journey to White Hart Lane.
"He is training and he should be fit for Sunday," confirmed Ferguson.
Skipper Nemanja Vidic is also expected to be fit after sitting out last Sunday's FA Cup triumph over Liverpool, whilst veteran keeper Edwin van der Sar is a "possible" according to Ferguson after missing three games with a virus.
Ferguson also revealed that he never expected to be squaring up to David Beckham on Sunday.
The former United midfielder has been training with Tottenham all week as part of his preparations for the 2011 Major League Soccer season.
It had been expected the 35-year-old would agree a playing contract with Harry Redknapp's men, although so far that has not been completed.
Beckham has repeatedly claimed he could not envisage playing for another Premier League team against United, so the contractual issues have saved him from a delicate situation.
However, the former England captain did face his old club twice last term during a second stint with AC Milan, coming off a loser on both occasions.
It was not something Ferguson thought would be repeated this weekend though.
As far as the United boss was concerned, the timescale was just too short.
"I didn't expect David Beckham to be playing on Sunday," said Ferguson.
"You cannot all of a sudden come in to train for a few days and expect to play in the Premier League, even less so against Manchester United."
 
Lampard: Blues in a 'bad moment'




7 comments »

Updated Jan 14, 2011 9:45 AM ET
Frank Lampard admits Chelsea are experiencing a crisis of confidence but the midfielder refuses to blame their slump on Ray Wilkins' exit.
The Blues claimed the Premier League and FA Cup double last season and appeared unstoppable earlier this campaign.
Wed., Jan. 12​
Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool | Recap
Sat., Jan. 15​
Chelsea vs. Blackburn
Man City vs. Wolves
Stoke City vs. Bolton
West Brom vs. Blackpool
Wigan vs. Fulham
West Ham vs. Arsenal
Sun., Jan. 16​
Birmingham vs. Aston Villa
Sunderland vs. Newcastle
Liverpool vs. Everton
Tottenham vs. Man Utd BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

However, since the defeat of Fulham on November 10, Chelsea have won just one league game and lost four, a run that has seen Carlo Ancelotti's side drop to fifth, nine points off leaders Manchester United who also have a game in hand.
Wilkins left Stamford Bridge in November but Lampard insists his departure is not the reason behind Chelsea's slide.
Lampard told The Sun: "We won the double last year, all of us together including Ray. Ray is no longer here.
"But the club makes the decisions and, if Roman Abramovich wasn't here, we wouldn't have won three Premier League titles.
"Things are important off the pitch but we've been putting out a side good enough to beat teams we've lost against.
"What we can't do as individuals is use what happened to Ray as an excuse. We have to perform regardless."
He added: "At the moment there's a bit of a feeling that we're not sure what's going to happen when we go out there.
TRANSFER SPECIAL

Keep up with all the biggest moves around the globe with our 2011 January transfer gallery.

"If we're honest we all think that. That's just the way it is. You can't help that. It won't change anyone's determination to want to win but you can't help but feel it as we haven't been winning.
"The end of (Luiz Felipe)Scolari's reign was a bit like this. You lose the feeling of being able to win every week. Once you've had that and lose it, it's hard to get it back.
"We need to work in the same direction, follow the manager and, if we do, I believe it will turn. If we don't, it won't.
"This is a bad moment, make no mistake about it. We don't have to hide it any more. It has been a long enough time."
 
Lampard: Blues in a 'bad moment'
7 comments »

Updated Jan 14, 2011 9:45 AM ET
Frank Lampard admits Chelsea are experiencing a crisis of confidence but the midfielder refuses to blame their slump on Ray Wilkins' exit.
The Blues claimed the Premier League and FA Cup double last season and appeared unstoppable earlier this campaign.
Wed., Jan. 12​
Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool | Recap
Sat., Jan. 15​
Chelsea vs. Blackburn
Man City vs. Wolves
Stoke City vs. Bolton
West Brom vs. Blackpool
Wigan vs. Fulham
West Ham vs. Arsenal
Sun., Jan. 16​
Birmingham vs. Aston Villa
Sunderland vs. Newcastle
Liverpool vs. Everton
Tottenham vs. Man Utd BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

However, since the defeat of Fulham on November 10, Chelsea have won just one league game and lost four, a run that has seen Carlo Ancelotti's side drop to fifth, nine points off leaders Manchester United who also have a game in hand.
Wilkins left Stamford Bridge in November but Lampard insists his departure is not the reason behind Chelsea's slide.
Lampard told The Sun: "We won the double last year, all of us together including Ray. Ray is no longer here.
"But the club makes the decisions and, if Roman Abramovich wasn't here, we wouldn't have won three Premier League titles.
"Things are important off the pitch but we've been putting out a side good enough to beat teams we've lost against.
"What we can't do as individuals is use what happened to Ray as an excuse. We have to perform regardless."
He added: "At the moment there's a bit of a feeling that we're not sure what's going to happen when we go out there.
TRANSFER SPECIAL

Keep up with all the biggest moves around the globe with our 2011 January transfer gallery.

"If we're honest we all think that. That's just the way it is. You can't help that. It won't change anyone's determination to want to win but you can't help but feel it as we haven't been winning.
"The end of (Luiz Felipe)Scolari's reign was a bit like this. You lose the feeling of being able to win every week. Once you've had that and lose it, it's hard to get it back.
"We need to work in the same direction, follow the manager and, if we do, I believe it will turn. If we don't, it won't.
"This is a bad moment, make no mistake about it. We don't have to hide it any more. It has been a long enough time."
 
Ancelotti laughs off Lampard claims and insists Chelsea are back on track

Published 14:41 14/01/11 By Martin Lipton

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Carlo Ancelotti today laughed off Frank Lanmpard's concerns about Chelsea's form - and insisted the Blues are back on track.
England ace Lampard suggested that Chelsea's season felt worryingly similar to the last days of the Luiz Felipe Scolari reign that ended in the Brazilian being sacked in February 2009.
Chelsea have tumbled from top of the table to fifth on the back of a shocking run of 10 points from the last 33 available.
But after last week's morale-boosting 7-0 FA Cup win over Ipswich, Ancelotti maintained that a win over Blackburn tomorrow would be proof the corner has been turned.

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Asked about Lampard's comments, the Italian smiled as he said: "This is not good news!
"I don't know what the feeling was with Scolari, but the feeling here with the players is very good.
"Maybe it's the same atmosphere, but we have the capacity to move on. We are very close. I support the players at this moment, and the players support me.
"I think the players, the team, lost some confidence in their football, the football that we played very well last year.
"But I think we are able to come back and play the same as last year.
"We have a lot of competitions, a lot of games. We are in play for every competition. The Premier League is obviously more difficult than the others, but we have the capacity to come back and improve our confidence."
Ancelotti added: "Last week the result was good. The players showed more confidence, a different atmosphere and were happy.
"The week was good, and I hope that tomorrow we can show this also not just on the training ground but on the pitch against Blackburn.
"Of course, the Ipswich win was not the Premier League, but the FA Cup which is another story.
"We didn't have good performances in our last Premier League games, but now is the time to come back and try to close the gap. This is the aim for the next game.
"Obviously we can't say that everything is ok now because we need to have more examination. This game will be a very important exam for us. After that, we can say whether we will be better."
Chelsea are again without Alex, Yuri Zhirkov and John Obi Mikel but Ancelotti revealed he had spoken to owner Roman Abramovich over the last few days.
Ancelotti added: "I did not meet him but we spoke on the telephone. I've spoken a lot of times and it's always positive.
"He's not happy with the results of the team, but this doesn't matter. He knows what the difficulties are, and he hopes - like us - to look forward to try and beat Blackburn tomorrow.
"I'm relaxed because I think the players have had a difficult moment, obviously, but I feel they're good, professional and have done everything to move on quickly from this moment.
"I feel the players are very close to me, and the club is the same. We have a lot of opportunities to move on."
 
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