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Fainali Tuzo za Kili Machi 26

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 23:35 Imesomwa na watu: 18; Jumla ya maoni: 0

Meneja wa Bia ya Kilimanjaro ya Kampuni ya Bia Tanzania (TBL), George Kavishe (katikati) akisisitiza jambo wakati wa mkutano na waandishi wa habari kuhusu uzinduzi wa mchakato wa tuzo za muziki za kilimanjaro 2011 'Kilimanjaro Music Awards' Dar es Salaam jana. Kushoto ni Mratibu wa Tuzo za muziki za Kilimanjaro, Angelo Luhala pamoja na Msaidizi wa maandalizi ya Tuzo hizo, Editha Bebwa. (Picha na Fadhili Akida).





FAINALI za tuzo ya muziki ya Kilimanjaro zimepangwa kufanyika Machi 26 mwaka huu
kwenye ukumbi wa Diamond Jubilee Dar es Salaam.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari Dar es Salaam jana, Meneja wa bia ya Kilimanjaro ambao ndio waandaaji ya tuzo hizo kupitia Kampuni ya Bia Tanzania (TBL), George Kavishe alisema tuzo za safari hii zitakuwa za aina yake kwani wamedhamiria kufanya vizuri zaidi ya mwaka jana.

Alisema maandalizi yote yanakwenda vizuri na kwamba Februari 12 na 13 jopo la wadau wa muziki 100 watakutana kupata wanamuziki watakaopendekezwa kuwania vipengele mbalimbali.

Alisema baada ya hapo Februari 16 majina ya waliopendekezwa kuwania tuzo hizo yatatangazwa kabla ya kufanyiwa semina Februari 21.

"Baada ya mambo yote hayo kufanyika mashabiki wa muziki nchini wataanza kupiga kura Machi mosi na majaji watahakiki kura Machi 24 kabla ya siku ya Usiku wa tuzo za muziki za Kilimanjaro,"alisema.

Aidha Kavishe alisema, moja ya maboresho ya tuzo za mwaka huu ni kutokuwa na wasanii kutoka nje ya nchi kama ilivyokuwa kawaida katika tuzo zilizopita.

"Safari hii burudani itatoka kwa wasanii wa hapa hapa nchini kwani lengo letu ni kuufikisha muziki kwenye kilele cha mafanikio… hawa watakuwa kambini ili kuipendezesha siku hiyo.

Pia Kavishe alisema kuna nyimbo maalum kwa ajili ya mashindano ya mwaka huu ulioimbwa na wasanii walioshinda mwaka jana.

"Hizi tutazisambaze kwenye vituo mbalimbali vya runinga na redio tunataka mtu akiusikia tu ajue unaashiria nini, kwa mfano ukisia ooooooh, oooooooh, moja kwa moja unajua ni Kombe la dunia 2010, ndivyo tunavyotaka iwe,"alisema.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Chelsea seek "solution" to sign Benfica's David Luiz

Luiz plays his club football with Portuguese side Benfica


Chelsea are still searching for a "solution" in their bid to sign Benfica defender David Luiz, according to the Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Chelsea are thought to have had a £17m bid for the Brazilian international, 23, rejected at the end of December.
Speaking after Chelsea beat Bolton 4-0 on Monday, Ancelotti said nothing had been agreed between the two clubs.
"He is the only signing we are trying to make but if it's not possible, nothing changes," stated the Italian.
"He's a very good young player but we have not agreed anything."
A centre-half who can also play at right or left-back, Luiz is valued by Portuguese side Benfica at £25.5m.
Were he to join Chelsea, he would link up with fellow Brazilians, defender Alex and midfielder Ramires.
First-half goals from Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda, coupled with second-half strikes by Nicolas Anelka and Ramires secured the win at the Reebok.
The result means Ancelotti's side are seven points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United, who play their game in hand on Tuesday when they face Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
After seeing Chelsea record the same scoreline over Bolton away from home as they did last season, Ancelotti said his title holders had "turned the corner".

606: DEBATE
What would Luiz bring to Chelsea?
"We are playing good football with a good attitude and a good mentality," added Chelsea's Italian manager. "The performance was very good and now I think we are coming back to fight for everything.
"It is not easy to close the gap but we have to try. We are playing well and are in good condition, so we will try to do everything to close the gap."
The Blues manager hailed striker Drogba after he scored his ninth league goal of the season with a fine effort.
"He has trained very well and has had a fantastic attitude in the last week," said Ancelotti. "He deserved this performance and scored a fantastic goal."

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We gifted goals to Chelsea - Coyle

Bolton boss Owen Coyle said he could have had two goalkeepers in the net and they would not have kept Drogba's strike out.
But while Coyle acknowledged the quality of Chelsea's finishing, he was disappointed with his team's defending as they fell to only their second home defeat of the season.
"We gifted them each and every goal," stated Coyle. "We've had as many chances as them but they're clinical and that's why they're champions.
"It's hard to take but you can either feel sorry for yourself or get up tomorrow morning ready to do something about it. That's what we'll do. Take nothing away from Chelsea, their finishing was top class - but there was no way four goals between the teams."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Agent: Evra won't leave Man United




6 comments »

Updated Jan 24, 2011 4:49 PM ET
Patrice Evra's agent insists his client with be staying with Manchester United until the summer amid rumours Real Madrid want the full-back.
It had been speculated that Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho wanted to bring the France international to the Bernabeu.

TRANSFER SPECIAL

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

United were also believed to be tracking Benfica's Fabio Coentrao as a possible replacement for Evra, but Federico Pastorelo insists his client is going nowhere at the moment.
Evra's representatives held talks with manager Sir Alex Ferguson where it was decided that he would remain at Old Trafford.
The 29-year-old former Monaco man is tied to United until the summer of 2012 and Pastorelo has revealed it will be decided this summer whether he pens new terms or moves on.
"No, there is nothing really to report on Patrice (Evra)," he told Sport.co.uk.
"There has been interest, and I have read about Real Madrid but really the only official interest was from Inter Milan last summer.
"We had a long chat with Sir Alex Ferguson and it was decided he would stay in Manchester.
"His contract runs out in the summer of 2012 and there he is concentrating and focused on this season.
"We will sit down in the summer with Manchester United and decide whether he will extend his contract or move on. But for the moment there is nothing special to say on the situation."

 

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Salvatory Edward Meneja Yanga

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 23:30
MDHAMINI wa Yanga, Yusuf Manji amemtambulisha kwa wachezaji mchezaji wa zamani wa timu hiyo Salvatory Edward kama meneja mpya wa timu hiyo.

Habari za uhakika zilizopatikana jijini kutoka Yanga zilisema Manji alikuwa na kikao na wachezaji makao makuu ya klabu hiyo mtaa wa Jangwani na Twiga ambapo pamoja na mambo mengine alifanya utambulisho rasmi wa Salva.

Meneja wa Yanga alikuwa Emmanuel Mpangala. "Manji amekutana nasi na kututambulisha kwa Salva kuwa ndio meneja wetu mpya,"alisema mchezaji mmoja ambaye hakutaka jina lake liandikwe gazetini.

Habari zaidi zinasema kuwa maamuzi hayo yalifikiwa kwenye kikao cha Kamati ya Utendaji ya Yanga kilichokutana mwishoni mwa wiki.

Alipoulizwa na gazeti hili kuhusu utambulisho huo, Salva alikiri kutambulishwa: "We umezipata wapi hizo habari? &#8230; ni kweli nimetambulishwa leo kwa wachezaji lakini siwezi kuzungumza zaidi maana mimi si msemaji," alisema.

Aidha mbali na kupewa utambulisho huo, wachezaji waliahidiwa kulipwa fedha zao zilizosalia za usajili kabla ya kwenda Ethiopia kucheza na Dedebit mwishoni mwa wiki katika mchezo wa michuano ya Kombe la Shirikisho.

Wachezaji wa Yanga wanaudai uongozi karibu sh milioni 70 ikiwa ni sehemu ya fedha zao za usajili. Mwanzoni mwa mwezi huu waliwahi kugoma kushinikiza walipwe fedha hizo

 

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Enika aja kivingine

Imeandikwa na Evance Ng'ingo; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 23:25
MSANII wa muziki wa kizazi kipya Atugamile Bukuku maarufu kama Enika amesema atashiriki onesho la Cheka Tuesday linalomshirikisha mchekeshaji maarufu nchini Evance Bukuku.

Akizungumza jana Bukuku alisema onesho hilo litafanyika leo hoteli ya Sweat Easy, ambapo aliwataja wachekeshaji wengine waliopo katika kampuni hiyo ya Vuvuzela Entertainment kuwa ni Dogo Pepe, Falii Mapupa na yeye mwenyewe.

Alifafanua kuwa tofauti na aina nyingine ya uchekeshaji wao watakuwa wakilitumia vema zaidi jukwaa kuwasilisha ujumbe kuhusiana na kero mbalimbali katika jamii kama vile umeme na mengineo lakini kwa vichekesho.

Alisema lengo lake ni kubadilisha fikra za wananchi kuhusiana na tasnia ya uchekeshaji ambapo wengi wanachukulia kama ni kitu cha kawaida na sio kitu muhimu kulingana na mahitaji yake.

"Ni kwamba mchekeshaji anafanya kazi yake kama daktari au kama mtu mwingine yeyote mwenye kazi ila kwa hapa kwetu nchini hakujawa na mfumo wa kuwainua na kuwaendeleza hawa wachekeshaji kitu ambacho kampuni ya Vuvuzela tunataka kufanya," alisema Bukuku.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Stars kupambana na Wapalestina

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 09:27

TIMU ya soka ya Taifa ya Tanzania &#8216;Taifa Stars' itacheza mechi ya kirafiki ya kimataifa na Palestina Februari 9 mwaka huu, Dar es Salaam.

Msemaji wa Shirikisho la Soka Tanzania (TFF), Boniface Wambura, alisema jana kuwa, Palestina ndiyo iliyoomba mchezo huo ambao utafanyika Uwanja wa Taifa, Dar es Slaam.

Mchezo huo utakuwa katika tarehe za michezo ya kimataifa za Shirikisho la Soka la Kimataifa (Fifa), ambapo kwa mujibu wa Wambura, Stars itaingia kambini Februari 6 kujiandaa na mchezo huo.

Taifa Stars itacheza mechi hiyo ikiwa ni wiki chache tangu ivurunde katika michuano ya soka kwa nchi za Bonde la Mto Nile iliyomalizika Jumatatu iliyopita jijini Cairo, Misri na Stars kushika nafasi ya sita kati ya timu saba zilizoshiriki.

Katika michuano hiyo, Stars ilifungwa michezo miwili na ilitoka sare miwili, hivyo kuwa moja ya timu zilizofanya vibaya zaidi pamoja na Burundi iliyoshika nafasi ya mwisho.

Kulingana na orodha ya ubora wa viwango vya Fifa ya mwezi Desemba iliyotolewa Januari 12 mwaka huu, Tanzania inashika nafasi ya 120, wakati Pakistan ni ya 171 kati ya nchi 203 wanachama wa Fifa.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Pambano la Polisi, Golden lavunjika

Imeandikwa na John Mhala, Arusha; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 09:27

PAMBANO la fainali ya kutafuta bingwa wa Taifa wa wilaya ya Arusha, lilivunjika juzi baada ya polisi kuvamia uwanja wakipinga mwamuzi kutomwoshesha kadi nyekundu mchezaji wa timu ya Golden Kids aliyempiga mchezaji wa timu ya Polisi.

Fainali hiyo ilikuwa ikikutanisha timu za Polisi na Golden Kids mchezo uliokuwa ukiahirishwa mara kwa mara kutokana na matatizo ya vurugu za kisiasa mkoani Arusha, baada ya timu hizo na nyingine mbili kufanikiwa kuingia Ligi ya Mkoa wa Arusha.

Mchezo ulianza kuingia dosari dakika ya 65 wakati mshambuliaji wa Polisi Haruna Choye alipompiga ngumi kwa siri beki wa Golden Babu Ally na kutolewa nje kwa kadi nyekundu.

Dakika ya 75 Babu Ally naye ilidaiwa alimpiga ngumi mshambuliaji wa Polisi, lakini mwamuzi Salum Ketto hakutoa kadi ndipo baadhi ya askari polisi waliokuwa nje walipovamia uwanja na kuanza kumpiga mchezaji huyo kitendo kilichopingwa na mashabiki wa Golden.

''Askari polisi na mashabiki wao wameingia uwanjani na kuanza kupiga wachezaji na ndio maana mwamuzi akavunja pambano kwa hali ya usalama ilikuwa ndogo, ''alisema Abdull Kondo.

Kondo ambaye ni Kaimu Katibu wa Chama cha Soka Wilaya ya Arusha (ADFA), alisema polisi wametia aibu kwa jamii nzima ya wapenda soka katika Jiji la Arusha kwa kitendo cha kuingia uwanjani na silaha za jadi kama visu.

Alisema hilo lazima lijadiliwe na Kamati ya Utendaji wa ADFA na kutoa adhabu kali kwa baadhi ya viongozi wa timu ya Polisi na mashabiki wao ili iwe fundisho kwa timu nyingine.

Meneja wa Uwanja wa Sheikh Amri Abeid, Mashaka Gwabi aliiomba ADFA kuchukua hatua za kinidhamu kwa wale waliohusika kwa namna moja ama nyingine kuvunja pambano hilo .

 

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Simba yapigwa 3 taifa

Imeandikwa na Mwandishi Wetu; Tarehe: 24th January 2011 @ 08:11

MASHABIKI wa klabu ya Simba ya Dar es Salaam, jana walilazimika kulala mapema zaidi baada ya timu yao ya soka kukubali kipigo cha mabao 3-2 kutoka kwa Azam.

Pengine kipa mahiri wa timu hiyo, Juma Kaseja ndiye aliyetoka na uchungu zaidi baada ya kufanya kosa lililozaa bao la tatu dakika ya 54 na kuifanya Simba iwe nyuma kwa mabao 3-1, hivyo kuwa na kazi kubwa ya kusawazisha.

Kaseja alifanya kosa hilo, baada ya kutaka kuuwahi mpira wa juu ambao beki Juma Nyoso alikuwa akiuwania na mshambuliaji John Bocco, lakini baada ya Kaseja kutokea na kuliacha lango wazi Bocco aliinua mpira juu na kutinga wavuni.

Katika mchezo huo uliofanyika Uwanja wa Taifa Dar es Salaam, Simba ilikuwa ya kwanza kupata bao dakika ya nane mfungaji akiwa Mussa Mgosi, baada ya kutokea purukushani, lakini dakika ya 14 Azam inayonolewa na Stuwart Hall raia wa Uingereza, ilisawazisha mfungaji akiwa Bocco kwa kichwa kutokana na krosi ya Ibrahim Shikanda.

Dakika tisa baadaye mpira mrefu uliopigwa na Ramadhan Chombo &#8216;Redondo' ulimkuta Ngasa aliyeingia kwa kasi ndani ya eneo la hatari, ndipo Kaseja alipoamua kutoka langoni na kujikuta akipigwa chenga na kisha Ngasa kuutumbukiza mpira wavuni.

Simba ilipata bao la pili dakika ya 86 mfungaji akiwa Hillary Echesa baada ya kutokea piga nikupige langoni mwa Azam.

Simba inayonolewa na raia wa Zambia, Patrick Phiri, itabidi ijilaumu kutokana na kukosa nafasi kadhaa za kufunga kutokana na wachezaji wake kushikwa na kigugumizi cha miguu walipokaribia lango la Azam.

Hali hiyo pia iliikumba Azam ambayo Ngasa, Boco, Redondo na Ibrahim Mwaipopo nao walipata nafasi za kuongeza idadi ya mabao, lakini umaliziaji ulikuwa butu.

Baada ya mchezo huo Phiri alisema makosa yaliyofanywa na safu yake ya ulinzi kwa kuwa na udhaifu wa mawasiliano na kipa kuliiweka pabaya timu yake.

Naye Hall aliwapongeza vijana wake na kusema Simba ni timu ngumu, ambayo ilionesha uwezo wa hali ya juu, lakini timu yake ilistahili kushinda.

Kutokana na matokeo hayo, Simba sasa imetulizwa nafasi ya pili ikiwa na pointi 27 nyuma ya Yanga yenye pointi 28, wakati Azam imefikisha pointi 23.

Timu zote zimecheza mechi 12 na leo Yanga itashuka kwenye uwanja huohuo kuvaana na Polisi Dodoma.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Ajax want 'respectful' Luis Suarez bid

Suarez has scored seven league goals this season for Ajax


by John Sinnott

Dutch club Ajax have told Liverpool to come up with a "respectful" offer for their Uruguay striker Luis Suarez.
Liverpool have made a £12.7m bid for the 24-year-old and Reds director of football strategy Damien Comolli travelled to Amsterdam on Monday.
"We'll have to wait for them to come back with something more respectful," an Ajax spokesman told BBC Sport.
"We want to keep him - at least until the end of the season and preferably for the rest of his contract."
Clubs usually have to pay a premium to sign players during the January transfer window - Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko reportedly cost Manchester City £27m earlier this month - and Ajax suggested Liverpool would have to do so as well if they wanted Suarez.
"If you compare the 15m euros [£12.7m] Liverpool want to pay for Suarez with other transfers you can imagine that it's far too low for us," the Ajax spokesman added.
"Luis is our top goalscorer for the last three years and also the man with by far the most assists as well.
"He was one of the big guys for Uruguay in helping them come third in the World Cup in the summer and he still has a contract with us for two-and-a-half years."
Over the weekend Suarez, who has scored seven goals in the Dutch league this season, spoke of his desire to play in the Premier League.
"I used to think that English football was not my style," the Uruguayan, who turned 24 on Monday, told the Sunday Times. "But I saw Carlos Tevez play at Boca and Corinthians and I never imagined that he would play in the Premier League.
"When I see the way that Tevez plays there I think I can be a big name in England. It's because of the energy, and the spirit they put into the game in England. Now, I think it's a kind of football that suits me."
Ryan Babel, who has been linked with a move away from the club, has expressed a preference for a move to Ajax - possibly as part of a deal to bring Suarez to Liverpool - but late on Monday the 25-year-old Dutch forward agreed a transfer to German side Hoffenheim.
During the World Cup, Suarez missed Uruguay's semi-final defeat by the Netherlands after he was shown a straight red card for the illegal goal-line clearance which kept out Dominic Adiyah's header in the South American side's quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over the African side.
Also on Monday, Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam submitted a transfer request following a £4m bid by Liverpool. The Seasiders insist that the Scotland international is worth substantially more.

Highlights - Uruguay 1-1 Ghana (4-2 pens)

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

« Previous | Main
Crunch time for Ronaldo and Corinthians

Post categories: Football
Tim Vickery | 15:39 UK time, Monday, 24 January 2011

More than eight years after combining to such good effect in South Korea and Japan, the 3 Rs of Brazil's last World Cup win are now all back at home playing for major clubs.
As discussed in this space last week, Ronaldinho has joined Flamengo. On Saturday, Rivaldo was snapped up by Sao Paulo. And, of course, there is Ronaldo at Corinthians.
Ronaldo is busy preparing for the final big challenge of his career. If all goes to plan, he will hang up his boots in December, at the scene of his greatest triumph, travelling to Japan to dispute another world title, this one of clubs rather than national teams.
It can only happen if Corinthians become South American champions by winning the Copa Libertadores in June. This, then, is a quest that could dominate Ronaldo's last year as a player. Alternatively, the dream could all be over by the middle of next week.
To reach the group stage of the Libertadores, Corinthians must get through a tricky qualifying round against Tolima of Colombia.
Next week, the sides meet in Sao Paulo. Wednesday's first leg is in the Colombian town of Ibague, the capital of the department of Tolima. It is a long trip to meet awkward opponents. Runners-up in the last Colombian championship, Tolima are a team who break at pace. And if Corinthians have Ronaldo, Tolima have a cutting edge of their own.
The Christian name of Wilder Medina hardly does him justice. He is one of football's late developers, having to shrug off a past of gang- and drug-related problems. Thirty next month, Medina made a big breakthrough last year, racking up the goals for Tolima. Slippery, good with both feet and capable of surprising the goalkeeper with his snap shooting from long range, Medina (pictured) is a real threat on his day.

Even if Medina hits form, Corinthians are firm favourites to win through, although early-season results can be strange, It will certainly be a nerve-wracking week for the Brazilian giants if the result goes against them on Wednesday. Failure to make the group phase of the Libertadores hardly bears thinking about it. It would be a blow to Ronaldo in his farewell year but a far bigger blow to the club.
Local rivalries do not just take place in domestic championships. In Paraguay, for example, fans of Olimpia ceaselessly taunt those of their historic rivals, Cerro Porteno. Olimpia have won the Libertadores three times. Cerro have taken part on 32 occasions without ever getting their hands on the cup. Campaign 33 is coming up this year - and to get it kick-started Cerro Porteno first have to overcome Venezuela's Deportivo Petare in the qualifying round. Nerves will be jangling in Asuncion over the next two weeks.
In Buenos Aires, San Lorenzo fans had to put up with years of baiting from their rivals over their lack of international titles. A decade ago, they managed a couple of wins in second-string competitions but the Libertadores still eludes them - to the delight of the other Buenos Aires giants, all of whom have claimed South America's premier club title.
It is a similar story in Sao Paulo, with the added spice that, unlike San Lorenzo in Buenos Aires, Corinthians are undoubtedly the biggest club, although the most supported team in South America's biggest city have never been champions of the continent.
Santos, those eternal upstarts from the nearby coast, have managed it. Sao Paulo FC have achieved the feat three times, too, more than any other Brazilian club. Traditional rivals Palmeiras have done it. But Corinthians never have - and until they put that right they will have to suffer the jibes from their local rivals.
Hopes were high that Ronaldo might carry them to victory last year but they went out on away goals to Flamengo in the second round - the same stage at which they fell in their two previous campaigns, 2003 and 2006. Both times they fell to Argentina's River Plate. The second of those defeats, which effectively ended the spell of Carlos Tevez with the club, was greeted by a riot as the frustration of the fans boiled over.
The two eliminations before that are probably even more painful for the club's supporters. In 1999, they lost on penalties to Palmeiras in the quarter-finals. A year later, they went out in the same way to the same opponents a round later - the closest they have come to grabbing the glory.
Ending the drought would be a fitting way for Ronaldo to round off his career. Corinthians, though, are going to have to do things the hard way.
Assuming they make it through the qualifying round, they will go into the most difficult group in this year's Libertadores. Guarani of Paraguay have little hope of progress but that certainly does not apply to Estudiantes, winners in 2009 and the reigning Argentine champions. And then there is another Brazilian heavyweight, Cruzeiro, Libertadores stalwarts who were beaten finalists in 2009. Only two teams go through to the knockout phase, so a big name is going to fall by the wayside.
For the moment, though, Corinthians would be foolish to let their thoughts stray beyond the immediate task of overcoming Tolima. They will have their mass support behind them but when they look at Tolima's frankly hideous red and yellow shirts, they will also see the green of Palmeiras, the white, blue and red of Sao Paulo, and the white and black of Santos. All three hope that Corinthians are defeated and Ronaldo's dream is ended almost before it has begun.


Comments on the piece in the space provided. Questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com, and I'll pick out a couple for next week.
From last week's postbag:

Q) I noticed that Giuliano signed for FC Dnipro which seemed like quite a strange move. He was undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects in South America and could have signed for any number of top European sides. Why do you think he chose Dnipro? Could it be the money, football or the big Brazilian contingent in Ukraine? Like many other Brazilians in this league, I feel he may get stuck in a rut and not progress further up the ranks in Europe. What are your thoughts on the move?
Stuart King
A) He is one of my favourites, so I was a bit surprised and disappointed with the move. But it's not a case of choosing this club over other options in Spain, England or Italy. Dnipro came up with the money - and since Internacional make no secret of the fact that they plan to sell their potential stars, it was a done deal. One of the striking things about Giuliano is that he has made progress every year. If he can keep doing that, then I think he has the versatility and intelligence to prove himself with Dnipro and move on.

Q) As a Manchester United fan, I have been very interested to follow the progress of our young Brazilian players over the last couple of seasons. After the recent Tottenham game, many people have started to accept Rafael as our number one right-back. How are the twins viewed in Brazil? And what do you think of their chances of getting into the national team? Fabio was supposedly the better player before his move to Manchester but we haven't heard as much from him as I would have liked? What are your opinions?
Karl Golding

A) Rafael is in the Brazil squad, although he faces a real battle to displace Daniel Alves. No doubt about it, when they went to Old Trafford, Fabio was much more highly rated. He captained Brazil Under-17s and scored reams of goals from left-back, while Rafael was more of a steady figure on the other flank. United took them early because they would not be taught to defend in Brazil, where full-backs are often attackers. It could well be the case that it has been harder for Fabio to adapt to the more conservative role of a full-back in England. With Brazil U17s, he was not so much playing at left-back as from left-back, popping up all over the place. Also, first-team opportunities have been harder for him because of the form and presence of Patrice Evra. Long term, it is going to be fascinating to see how Fabio reacts to losing his place in the family hierarchy.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Ryan Babel agrees move from Liverpool to Hoffenheim

Babel has struggled to establish himself at Liverpool

Liverpool have confirmed that Ryan Babel will fly to Germany on Tuesday to finalise his move to Hoffenheim.



Babel, 24, had been expected to remain in England after Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said on Monday that the Dutch forward would not be moving.
But a later statement on the Liverpool website read: "Ryan Babel has agreed a move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim."
The move comes six days after Liverpool accepted a bid for the former Ajax striker from the Bundesliga club.
Asked about Babel's future on Monday, Dalglish said: "He is staying here."
The u-turn comes after Babel had expressed a preference for a move to Ajax, possibly as part of a deal to bring Uruguay striker Luis Suarez to Anfield.
Babel began his career with Ajax before joining Liverpool for £11.5m in 2007.
Liverpool have been linked with a possible £20m bid for Suarez, who scored three goals for Uruguay on their way to the semi-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.
But with Liverpool thus far unable to agree a fee with Ajax for the Uruguayan, Babel's move to Germany has finally gone ahead.

606: DEBATE
Suarez is a unique player. He has amazing skills and will be a great addition to your team


Martin

Meanwhile, Dalglish refused to be drawn on whether Liverpool had increased its bid for Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam, who has submitted a transfer request.
"One of our ways is to be respectful of other clubs and certain players at other clubs," added the Scot.
Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said they had rejected a £4m bid from Liverpool for the Scotland international on Friday.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Babel staying put

Jan 24 2011


Liverpool striker Ryan Babel is staying at Anfield for the time being, manager Kenny Dalglish has confirmed.
Babel looked as though he was heading for Bundesliga side Hoffenheim after the clubs agreed a fee. However the proposed move has broken down, with Babel earlier indicating he would prefer to join Ajax.
When asked about the player's situation, Dalglish said: "He is staying here."
Dalglish refused to be drawn on whether Liverpool will increase their offer for midfielder Charlie Adam.
Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said their Barclays Premier League rivals had made a £4million bid on Friday which had been rejected.
There are reports Liverpool will push the figure up to £5million for the Scotland international.
Dalglish said: "If we have some business to discuss we will discuss it.
"We will try to adopt the way of Liverpool Football Club and certainly one of our ways is to be respectful of other clubs and certain players at other clubs.
"The most important people we have are the people at this club."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Dalglish lifted by Gerrard return




6 comments »

Updated Jan 24, 2011 1:41 PM ET
Kenny Dalglish welcomes back Steven Gerrard on Wednesday insisting the club captain fully deserves a place among Liverpool's legends.
Gerrard is set to face Fulham at Anfield after serving a three-match suspension following his sending-off in the FA Cup defeat by Manchester United. That tie was Dalglish's first game in charge after he was installed as caretaker-manager until the end of the season following the departure of Roy Hodgson.

BARCLAY'S PREMIER LEAGUE ​

Sat., Jan. 22​

Wolves 0-3 Liverpool |Recap
Arsenal 3-0 Wigan | Recap
Everton 2-2 West Ham | Recap
Man Utd 5-0 Birmingham | Recap
Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham | Recap
Fulham 2-0 Stoke City | Recap
Blackpool 1-2 Sunderland | Recap
Aston Villa 1-0 Man City | Recap

Sun., Jan. 23​

Blackburn 2-0 West Brom | Recap

Mon., Jan. 24​

Bolton 0-4 Chelsea | Recap

Tue., Jan. 25​

Blackpool vs. Man Utd
Wigan vs. Aston Villa

Wed., Jan. 26​

Liverpool vs. Fulham BPL Scores | Table | Fixtures

And he is delighted to be teaming up with Gerrard again - a player he believes would have spanned the generations with his ability in midfield. Dalglish said: "He is a special person - he's not just a special footballer.
"The way he has served this club and what the club means to him - it is nothing short of fantastic. He's served this club unbelievably well and we will certainly ride along on the back of that.
"I don't have words in my vocabulary to be complimentary enough about Steven other than to say this club is much better off with him than it could be without him.
"Certainly he's more influential wearing a red shirt more than any colour. He deserves to be up there in the folklore and the history of the club. He is a fantastic footballer that we're very lucky to have at our disposal."
Gerrard has made 551 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 140 goals after making his debut in November 1998.
He has become an increasingly influential figure in the side and steered Liverpool to a remarkable European Cup victory against AC Milan in 2005 after they were 3-0 down at half-time.
Gerrard's return could not have come at a better time with Liverpool in buoyant mood on the back of only their second away win in the league this season. The 3-0 victory against Wolves was Dalglish's first win in charge after his side had lost to Blackpool and drew with Everton.
Dalglish said: "Having your captain available after missing three games gives everybody a great lift.
"We had a great result and performance at Molineux and we've got a very difficult game coming up.
"So for us to have Steven available again on the back of the performance and result at the weekend is a great boost for us."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011 10:35 PM
Babel puts Hoffenheim move back on track

Dutch international striker Ryan Babel's on-off move to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim from English Premier League giants Liverpool was back on track on Monday as he was due to fly to Germany to finalise personal terms.

The 24-year-old looked to have sealed a 7million euros deal last week only for it to be placed in doubt as he said he would prefer a return to his former club Ajax but the club announced later on Monday that Babel was going to Germany after all.
"Ryan Babel has agreed a move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim," read a terse statement on the Liverpool website.
Babel has struggled to make an impact during his three-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield since leaving Ajax.
Hoffenheim, currently eighth in the Bundesliga, see Babel as the ideal man to replace outgoing Senegalese striker Demba Ba.
Babel has scored just twice in 17 appearances this season.
He was in the Dutch 2010 World Cup squad that made the final, although he played no part in the impressive run that ended in a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final.
Also on Monday Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish refused to be drawn on whether the club would increase their offer for Blackpool's Scottish international midfielder Charlie Adam.
Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said Liverpool had made a four million pound bid on Friday which had been rejected.
Adam has handed in a transfer request, suggesting a deal could be on the cards, though that was rejected by the club.
There are reports Liverpool will push the figure up to five million for the Scotland international.
Dalglish said: "If we have some business to discuss we will discuss it.
"We will try to adopt the way of Liverpool Football Club and certainly one of our ways is to be respectful of other clubs and certain players at other clubs.
"The most important people we have are the people at this club.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

xinmsn sports, Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:25:25 GMT
The world's ugliest football players

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Our picks for ugliest footballers to have graced the pitch

AP Photo



The football pitch may be one of the most understanding places on earth. It is a place where you are judged by hard work and talent.
This is a good thing for the men listed here, because if the world judged you purely on looks, they would be at the bottom of the heap. Instead, they found a place in history because of their abilities on the pitch.
Click on the thumbnails below to see the world's ugliest footballers.

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[Rutashubanyuma]

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011 9:49 PM
Winter World Cup would pose no problem: Platini

Switching the dates of the 2022 World Cup finals to be hosted by Gulf state Qatar from its traditional mid year date to December would not be a problem, claimed European football's supremo Michel Platini on Monday.

Winter World Cup would pose no problem: Platini



FIFA's decision to award the World Cup to Qatar - a tiny oil-rich nation where temperatures in summer regularly soar past 43 degrees - has attracted a firestorm of controversy.
But UEFA president Platini said that despite protests raised by Europe's major leagues over the disruption that would cause he could see it being switched.
"If we played in summer, the matches could be played in temperatures of 55 degrees," said the former France football great, who was praised widely for his heading up the organising of the 1998 finals.
"It is because of this that I have given my assent to the possibility of playing it in the winter, but that does not mean everything should be turned on its head.
"That depends on the federations and the clubs, and the important things is that all this should be addressed to FIFA, who have the final say on the international calendar.
"If we all decide to suspend the domestic championships for a month-and-a-half from December to January, it won't be a huge problem, in fact no problem at all in my opinion," added Platini.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter had already expressed his desire to switch to winter dates, though he was rebuffed by Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Bin Hammam told Sky News in an interview on January 14 that he was "unimpressed" by Blatter's suggestion.
He also took aim at remarks by Platini earlier in January that the 2022 tournament could be a "Gulf World Cup", with matches taking place in several countries surrounding Qatar.
Bin Hammam's stinging rebuttal of Blatter's comments are certain to fuel speculation that the Qatari is planning to challenge the FIFA chief at elections later this year

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Babel agrees to Hoffenheim transfer




15 comments »

Updated Jan 24, 2011 5:36 PM ET
Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has agreed a move to German side Hoffenheim.
The news comes just hours after manager Kenny Dalglish said the Dutchman would be staying at Anfield for the time being.

TRANSFER SPECIAL

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

A brief statement on the Premier League club's official website read: "Ryan Babel has agreed a move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The Dutch international will fly to Germany tomorrow to finalise the deal.
"The move comes six days after Liverpool accepted a bid for the 24 year old striker from the Bundesliga outfit."
Liverpool announced last Tuesday they had accepted a bid from Hoffenheim for Babel, who was given permission to travel to Germany and discuss personal terms.
But that move appeared to break down and, when asked about the player's situation earlier on Monday, Dalglish said: "He is staying here."
However, it seems there has now has been a change of plan. Hoffenheim are certainly keen to bring in a new attacker, with Demba Ba having announced on his official website that he is joining West Ham on loan until the end of the season.
Babel has struggled to nail down a first team place since joining for a fee in excess of £10million from Ajax in 2007.
The 24-year-old failed to convince both Rafael Benitez and then Roy Hodgson of his ability to impress regularly in the Premier League.
Babel had earlier indicated his preference would be for a return to Ajax and reports had suggested he could form part of a potential deal to bring the Amsterdam side's £20million-rated striker Luis Suarez to Anfield.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Keys phones Massey to apologize




30 comments »

Updated Jan 24, 2011 5:26 PM ET
Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has telephoned assistant referee Sian Massey to apologise for his off-air remarks about her at the weekend, a Professional Game Match Officials spokesman has confirmed.


Microphones picked up comments made by Keys and co-presenter Andy Gray in what they thought was an off-air conversation before the Wolves v Liverpool match on Saturday.
The pair were not involved in Sky Sports' coverage of Monday night's Bolton v Chelsea match as a result.
The PGMO confirmed that Keys had telephoned Massey on Monday.
She accepted the apology and is now keen to move on from the matter, and will be an assistant at the npower League Two match between Crewe and Bradford on Tuesday night.
The PGMO insist that Massey holds her position on merit and is keen to act as a positive role model for women's refereeing.

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Ancelotti hopes for Luiz swoop




4 comments »

Updated Jan 24, 2011 7:02 PM ET
Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed Chelsea are trying to sign David Luiz, but is unsure if a deal will be completed for the Benfica defender in the current transfer window.
Luiz has been a long-term target for the Premier League champions, who have reportedly had a cash-plus-player offer turned down by Benfica.

TRANSFER SPECIAL

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

The Portuguese giants are rumoured to want £25million for Luiz as Ancelotti looks to bring in defensive cover before next Monday's deadline.
Speaking after the 4-0 win at Bolton, Ancelotti revealed Chelsea have yet to reach an agreement with Benfica for the Brazil international.
"I think that we are trying to find a solution," Ancelotti told Sky Sports.
"He is a good player, a very good player, young, and now we have to wait and see.
"We have not agreed, again. We will try, but if it's not possible, nothing has changed."
Confusion arose last week over Chelsea's interest in Steven Pienaar and Ancelotti says Luiz would be the only new arrival at Stamford Bridge in January if a deal can be agreed.
He added: "Now, he is the only signing that we will try to do. We have to see."

 

[Rutashubanyuma]

Ancelotti hopes for Luiz swoop






Updated Jan 24, 2011 7:02 PM ET
Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed Chelsea are trying to sign David Luiz, but is unsure if a deal will be completed for the Benfica defender in the current transfer window.
Luiz has been a long-term target for the Premier League champions, who have reportedly had a cash-plus-player offer turned down by Benfica.

TRANSFER SPECIAL

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

The Portuguese giants are rumoured to want £25million for Luiz as Ancelotti looks to bring in defensive cover before next Monday's deadline.
Speaking after the 4-0 win at Bolton, Ancelotti revealed Chelsea have yet to reach an agreement with Benfica for the Brazil international.
"I think that we are trying to find a solution," Ancelotti told Sky Sports.
"He is a good player, a very good player, young, and now we have to wait and see.
"We have not agreed, again. We will try, but if it's not possible, nothing has changed."
Confusion arose last week over Chelsea's interest in Steven Pienaar and Ancelotti says Luiz would be the only new arrival at Stamford Bridge in January if a deal can be agreed.
He added: "Now, he is the only signing that we will try to do. We have to see."