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UCL News United face up to German hoodoo

Manchester United FC will have to improve an ominous record against German opposition in two-legged UEFA Champions League ties when they meet FC Schalke 04 in the semi-finals.
Manchester United FC will go into their UEFA Champions League semi-final against FC Schalke 04 as overwhelming favourites, but Sir Alex Ferguson will be all too aware that his club does not have the best record against German opposition in knockout competition.
Since defeat by eventual winners Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 semi-finals, United have struggled to get the better of Bundesliga teams in two-legged ties in Europe's elite club competition. They lost to FC Bayern München in the last eight in 2001 and the following year Bayer 04 Leverkusen halted their run in the semi-finals on away goals. Sir Alex's side succumbed to Bayern in last season's quarter-finals in similar fashion.
It is an ominous record to take into their last-four tie on 26 April and 4 May, and as well as facing up to their German hoodoo, the Red Devils must also counter the threat of Raúl González. The former Real Madrid CF striker boasts four UEFA Champions League goals in three games against the Premier League leaders.
Sir Alex's side, however, will be buoyed by their 3-1 aggregate defeat of Chelsea FC and remain on course to repeat their treble-winning feat of 1999. That, of course, culminated with their most famous meeting with German opposition of all: the dramatic 2-1 victory against Bayern in the UEFA Champions League final.
Schalke's record in European semi-finals leaves a little to be desired, too, winning just one of their previous three attempts, against CD Tenerife in the 1997 UEFA Cup en route to the title.
United's record against German sides in two-legged meetings in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage:
1996/97 semi-finals: Dortmund 1-0 United; United 0-1 Dortmund (United lose 2-0 on agg)
Trailing to René Tretschok's goal, Sir Alex's side began the second leg confident of turning the tie in their favour at Old Trafford. However, Lars Ricken's eighth-minute strike upset their best-laid plans and United's wait for a first final since 1968 continued. Dortmund went on to lift the trophy courtesy of a 3-1 success against Juventus in Munich.
2000/01 quarter-finals: United 0-1 Bayern; Bayern 2-1 United (United lose 3-1 on agg)
If substitute Paulo Sergio's goal four minutes from time at Old Trafford had United reeling, Giovanne Elber's strike five minutes into the second leg delivered the knockout blow. Mehmet Scholl put them further in arrears, rendering Ryan Giggs' reply just after the restart scant consolation.
2001/02 semi-finals: United 2-2 Leverkusen; Leverkusen 1-1 United (United lose on away goals)
A Leverkusen side featuring Dimitar Berbatov were the next Bundesliga outfit to conquer a United team reeling from the broken metatarsal David Beckham sustained in the previous round against RC Deportivo La Coruña. After drawing 2-2 at Old Trafford, Roy Keane put United ahead in the return only for the diminutive Oliver Neuville to see Klaus Toppmöller's side through.
2009/10 quarter-finals: Bayern 2-1 United; United 3-2 Bayern (United lose on away goals)
It all started so well for United in the second leg, racing into a three-goal lead to overturn the 2-1 first-leg defeat. The hosts' ambitions of reaching a third consecutive final began to unravel in a six-minute spell either side of half-time as Ivica Olić scored and Rafael was sent off. They were over when Arjen Robben's stunning volley flashed past Edwin van der Sar with 14 minutes left.
 
UCL News Schalke soaring in roller-coaster year

Semi-finalist profile: FC Schalke 04 have made 17 signings since July and felt the need to replace Felix Magath with Ralf Rangnick, yet this is their best UEFA Champions League run.
This has been a roller-coaster season for FC Schalke 04 on and off the pitch. No fewer than 17 new faces have arrived at the Arena AufSchalke since July and change has come in the dugout too, with Felix Magath making way for Ralf Rangnick in March following disappointing league results and a difference of opinion with club management. But while their Bundesliga form has been inconsistent, the Royal Blues have excelled in the UEFA Champions League, reaching the semi-finals for the first time.
Since a 1-0 defeat by Olympique Lyonnais on Matchday 1, Schalke have remained unbeaten in Europe's premier club competition, winning Group B, ousting Valencia CF in the round of 16 and comprehensively eliminating holders FC Internazionale Milano with a scintillating 7-3 aggregate success in the quarter-finals.
The 5-2 first-leg victory over the Nerazzurri at San Siro will be remembered as one of the Knappen's (Miners) greatest triumphs. Indeed, it seems Schalke have clicked particularly well under Rangnick, who has been impressed by his players, saying: "It is amazing that they're already performing how I want them to after so few training sessions. There are no troublemakers in this team; they have a real team spirit."
UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• UEFA Cup: 1997
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003, 2004
Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• German title: 7 (1958)
• German Cup: 4 (2002)
Previous European Champion Clubs' Cup semi-finals
None
UEFA club ranking
28 (opponents Manchester United FC are 1st)
Leading scorer
Bundesliga: Raúl González 12
UEFA Champions League: Raúl González 5
Strengths and weaknesses
While summer arrival Raúl has grabbed the headlines, Schalke's greatest strength is at the back, where they conceded just three goals during the group stage. They are also very strong in the air, testimony to Magath's preference for tall, athletic players. The Royal Blues' biggest weakness is inexperience at this level and, with the exception of their San Siro stroll, they have struggled to create chances against opponents who sit back. In the Bundesliga, only three teams have scored fewer goals – but, of course, at this late stage in the UEFA Champions League, the onus will not be on Schalke to make all the running.
Key moment
The 3-0 home win against Lyon. After losing 1-0 to the Ligue 1 side and barely carving out an opportunity in their Group B opener, Schalke had the critics convinced they were too weak to survive at this level. Opinions were promptly revised when the same opposition were handed a comprehensive defeat on Matchday 5. This eye-catching result against perennial European competitors also cemented top spot in the section for Schalke, who therefore avoided meeting Real Madrid CF in the last 16.
Unsung hero
If Schalke's defence has been their forte, the rock of that rearguard has been hugely influential. Centre-back Benedikt Höwedes, a UEFA European Under-21 Championship winner in 2009, has featured in nine of Schalke's ten matches, showing a maturity beyond his years when pitted against Europe's most dangerous marksmen. In addition, Höwedes boasts a valuable eye for goal: the 23-year-old registered in the 2-1 victory at SL Benfica, while his second-leg decider against Inter typified his contribution to the team. After winning a tackle in midfield, he charged upfield, raced onto Raúl's clever lob and rifled in with all the assurance of a seasoned striker.
Form
League position: 10 (Last five games: WLWWD)
Schalke's form is steadily improving, with pundits noting that the squad Magath built is flourishing now the shackles have been removed by Rangnick. The 52-year-old is enjoying his second stint with the Gelsenkirchen outfit and has largely kept the same framework as Magath, while making a few tactical alterations, such as turning Edu from winger to central striker and bringing gifted midfielder Alexander Baumjohann back from the reserves. Under Rangnick, Schalke are undefeated and have won four of their last five Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League matches, outscoring the opposition 11-4. They also have a German Cup final looming, against second division MSV Duisburg on 21 May, and could yet clinch a UEFA Europa League spot via a strong league finish.
Killer stat
Rául is this competition's all-time top scorer with 71 goals, but despite having won the tournament three times, this will be his first semi-final in eight years. Manchester United FC will rightly fear the 33-year-old as he netted twice in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final defeat by Madrid in 2003 and also notched a double at Old Trafford in April 2000, when the Merengues ended United's reign as holders.

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Machaku rasmi Simba, watano nje Yanga Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 20:13

Salumu Machaku

Waandishi Wetu
MSHAMBULIAJI wa Mtibwa Sugar ya Morogoro, Machaku Salum ameingia rasmi mkataba wa miaka mitatu kuitumikia klabu ya Simba kwa ajili ya msimu ujao wa ligi na mechi za kimataifa huku mahasimu wao, Yanga wakiwapigia mstari mwekundu nyota watano.

Habari zilizopatikana jana jioni, zilisema kuwa klabu hiyo ya Mtaa wa Msimbazi imeshamalizana na mshambualiji huyo jana na kumpa mkataba wa miaka mitatu. Hata hivyo fedha za kusaini mkataba huo hazikuwekwa bayana.

Mbali na Machaku ambaye aliyekuwa moja ya nguzo muhimu kwenye kikosi cha Kilimanjaro Stars kilichotwaa ubingwa wa Kombe la Chalenji mwishoni mwaka jana, klabu hiyo ya mtaa wa Msimbazi pia imeshamalizana na mchezaji wa Yanga Shamte Ally.

Shamte alikuwa majeruhi msimu mzima wa mwaka jana na Yanga kuamua kusitisha mkataba wake. Hata hivyo, Simba wameingia naye mkataba wa miaka miwili wa kutumikia timu hiyo itakayonolewa na Moses Basena raia wa Uganda aliyechukua nafasi ya Mzambia Patrick Phiri.

Simba imetangaza kumsajili kiungo wa JKT Ruvu, Mwinyi Kazimoto kwa kitita cha shilingi milioni 30 lakini uongozi wa maafande hao uligoma kumvua gwanda. Wengine waliotajwa ni Obadia Mungusa (Mtibwa Sugar) na Nasoro Said 'Cholo' kutoka Oljoro JKT.

Kwa upande wa mahasimu wao, Yanga imetangaza kuwaacha rasmi wachezaji wake watano akiwemo kipa 'mzungu' Ivan Knezevich, Enerst Boakye, Athumani Idd 'Chuji', Yahaya Tumbo na Bakari Mbegu.

Hatua ya Yanga inafuatia habari zilizonaswa na Mwananchi Jumapili ya Aprili 17 kuwepo kwa mpango mzima wa kufumua kikosi hicho, wakijipanga sawa na ligi msimu ujao na michuano ya kimataifa.

Chuji ambaye msimu uliopita alijikuta akiwa kwenye wakati mgumu kwenye klabu hiyo ya mtaa wa Jangwani kutokana na tafauti yake na aliyekuwa kocha wa timu hiyo Kostadin Papic ambaye alimsimamisha kwa madai ya utovu wa nidhamu na kushindwa kujihakikishia namba katika kikosi cha kwanza.

Hata hivyo tayari Chuji ameanza kujipigia upatu kwa timu ambayo ipo tayari kumsajili kwa madai kuwa anajipanga ili kurejesha heshima iliyompotea.

Yanga ambayo imetenga kiasi cha shilingi milioni 500 imeshatangaza kuwanasa mlinda mlango wa Majimaji, Said Mohamed, beki wa Kagera Sugar Godfrey Taita na Pius Kisambale wa JKT Ruvu. Yanga pia ipo kwenye mazungumzo na mshambuliaji wa APR ya Rwanda, Haruna Niyonzima.

Katika hatua nyingine Moro United ya Jijini Dar es Salaam iliyopanda Ligi Kuu imepanga kuacha wachezaji 12 katika kabla ya kuanza msimu ujao wa ligi.

Moro United ni miongoni mwa timu nne zilizofuzu kucheza Ligi Kuu pamoja na Oljoro JKT, Coastal Union na Villa Squad.

Kocha mkuu wa timu hiyo, Hassan Banyai alisema baadhi ya wameachwa kutokana na uwezo wao kupungua kisoka na uamuzi huo pia ni malengo yao ya kutaka kuboresha kikosi hicho ambacho kitakuwa na kazi kubwa msimu ujao.

"Bado naamini wachezaji walifanya kazi nzito ya kupandisha timu Ligi Kuu kwa maana hiyo wana kila sababu ya kukutana na kuweka mambo sawa.ì Tumeanza maandalizi ikiwa ni pamoja na kuzungumza na baadhi ya wachezaji wa ndani na je ya nchi ambao tunarajia kuwasajili na tunaamini tutaleta ushindani,î alisema.

Habari zilizopatikana jana zinasema kuwa uongozi wa African Lyon umesema utawalipa kiinuan mgongo wachezaji wake 14 waliochwa kabla ya mikataba yao kumalizika.

Katibu Mkuu wa timu hiyo, Ernest Brown alisema wapo katika mikakati ya kuakikisha wachezaji hao wanalipwa mapema kabla ya msimu ujao wa ligi kuu kuanza.

ì Jambo hilo lipo katika mipango yetu kwa hiyo na kila kitu kinawezekana yakiwepo makubaliano kwa sababu kila mmoja ana haki zake za msingi ndio maana tumejipanga kuhakikisha msimu ujao mipango yetu enakwenda kama ilivyopangwa,î alisema.

Wachezaji waliochwa ni pamoja na Godfrey Komba, Abdul Massenga, Mohamed Abdallah, Karume Songoro, Victor Isaack, Hamad Waziri na Robert Ssentongo wa Uganda.

*Imeandaliwa na Happy Kiula, Clara Alphonce na Vicky Kimaro
 
TP Mazembe hoi Morocco Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 20:04

TUNIS, Tunisia
MABINGWA wa Ligi ya Mabingwa Afrika, TP Mazembe ya DR Congo, imeonja chungu ya kufungwa baada ya kuchapwa bao 1-0 na Wydad Casablanca ya Morocco katika mechi ya kwanza ya raundi ya kwanza, iliyopigwa mjini Rabat.

TP Mazembe iliyoitoa Simba ya Tanzania, ilishindwa kuipenya ngome ya timu hiyo na kuambulia kipigo hicho huku wenyeji wakitawala karibu kila kipindi.

Alikuwa Mustapha Allaoui aliyemtungua kipa wa Mazembe, Muteba Kidiaba katika dakika ya 16 kwa kuandika bao hilo. Timu hizo zitarudiana wiki mbili baadaye mjini Lubumbashi.

Wakati Waydad wakiwaadhiri mabingwa watetezi, waliokuwa washindi wa pili mwaka jana, Esperance, waliichapa Diaraf ya Senegal mabao 5-0 mjini Tunis.

Mabingwa mara saba wa ligi hiyo, Al Ahly ya Misri, walilazimishwa suluhu na Zesco United mjini Lusaka, Zambia na kujipa matumaini kwa mchezo wa marudiano wiki mbili baadaye mjini Cairo huku Mouloudia Alger ikilazimisha sare ya 1-1 na Interclube ya Angola.

Mechi iliyozalisha mabao mengi ilikuwa ya Esperance kwa washambuliaji wake, Oussama Darragi kufunga mabao mawili, kabla ya mshambuliaji wa Mali, Dramane Traore kufunga la kuongoza na Darragi kupachika mengine.
 
22 kuunda Mazengo Warriors Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 19:49

Masoud Masasi, Dodoma
CHAMA cha soka mkoa wa Dodoma, DOREFA, kimetangaza majina ya wachezaji 22 watakaounda timu ya mkoa huo, Mazengo Warriors watakayoshiriki Michuano ya Kombe la Taifa itakayoanza kuchezwa Mei 7 kwenye vituo mbalimbali nchini.

Katibu mkuu wa DOREFA, Aboubakar Ibrahim alisema kuwa kikosi hicho mwaka huu kinaundwa na wachezaji wengi vijana lengo likiwa kuinua vipaji vya soka mkoa huo.

Walioitwa kuunda kikosi hicho ni makipa Saidi Mohamedi (Majimaji) Agathony Anthon(U-2O Polisi) na Aaron Kalambo wa Mji Mpwapwa.

Mabeki wa pembeni Joseph Mussa (Kongwa Star) Hassan Mwema (Mji Mpwapwa)Renatus Patrick (U-20 Polisi), Ally Mzamilu (City Center Kondoa) na Minda Wilson kutoka Vijana Chamwino

Abobakar aliwataja mabeki wa kati kuwa ni Livingstone Salum (Mji Mpwapwa), Noel Msakwa na Ismail Mkullo kutoka Polisi Tanzania, Michael Magoti (Kasi Mpya) na Ramadhani Juma wa U-20 Polisi.

Wachezaji wa viungo ni Ismail Mkama U-20 Yanga na Olgenes Sifael wa U-20 Polisi huku washambuliaji ni Mwinyi Hamisi (Kasi Mpya) Juma Lusewa (Mji Mpwapwa) Ally Abdu na Nassoro Idd (KFC), Bantu Admin na Juma Semsue (Polisi Tz) na Weston Mwanjallah wa Majengo.

Aliongezea kuwa timu hiyo hivi sasa ipo kambini chini ya kocha Richard Kabudi na msaidizi wake Juma Nassor kwa ajili ya kujiandaa na mashindano hayo
 
JKT Ruvu: Simba mumsahau Kazimoto Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 11:58

Sosthenes Nyoni
KLABU ya JKT Ruvu imewataka Simba kuachana na kusahau mpango wa kumsajili kiungo wa timu hiyo Mwinyi Kazimoto kwa kuwa sheria za jeshi hazimruhusu kufanya hivyo.

Kazimoto ni miongoni mwa nyota wa Taifa Stars waliocheza mchezo wa ufunguzi wa uwanja wa Michezo ya Afrika na kufungwa na wenyeji Msumbiji, The Mambas 2-0.
Taarifa zilizozagaa hivi sasa ni kuwa Kazimoto amesaini fomu za usajili za Simba kwa ajili ya kuichezea timu hiyo katika msimu ujao wa Ligi Kuu.

Fununu hizo ambazo baadaye zilikuja kuthibitishwa na Kazimoto mwenyewe zilidaiwa kuwa kiungo huyo alisaini fomu za Simba kwa kitita cha Sh 30 milioni.

Mwenyekiti wa JKT Ruvu, Meja Charles Mbuge aliliambia Mwananchi jana kwa simu akiwa Zanzibar kuwa uwezekano wa Simba kumsajili Kazimoto haupo kwa kuwa kiungo huyo anabanwa na taratibu za waajiri wake ambao ni Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa(JKT).

Alisema kuwa kutokana na sheria na kanuni za jeshi hilo askari hawezi kuruhusiwa kuacha kazi na kwenda kujiunga na timu ya kiraia na kudai kuwa uhalali huo upo kwa timu ya taifa pekee.

"Labda tu nikuambie kwamba hili jambo si rahisi kama wanavyofikiria wao, kwanza habari za yeye kutaka kujiunga na Simba tunaziona kwenye vyombo vya habari si rasmi kwetu, sisi kama jeshi tuna taratibu zetu ambazo ni tofauti kabisa na polisi na magereza,"alisema Mbuge.

"Mwinyi ni askari, hawezi kuacha kazi eti kwa sababu anakwenda kuchezea Simba, hizo sio sababu za msingi na hazikubaliki jeshini, hauwezi kuamka asubuhi halafu unasema unaacha kazi tena kwa sababu kama yake, anachoruhusiwa ni kuichezea timu ya taifa tu na si vinginevyo, ushauri wangu kwa Simba ni mmoja tu, waachane naye," alisema Meja Mbuge.

Hii si mara ya kwanza kwa Mwinyi kudaiwa kuwa na mpango wa kutaka kujiunga klabu za Simba na Yanga ingawa baadaye suala hilo lilishindikana kutokana na kile kilichoelezwa taratibu za jeshi hilo kuwa ngumu hasa katika utaratibu mzima wa askari kutaka kuacha kazi.
 
Taifa Stars yaendeleza uteja kwa Mambaz Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 11:42

Mwandishi wetu
TANZANIA imeendeleza uteja wake mbele ya Msumbiji baada ya juzi kupokea kipigo cha mabao 2-0 kwenye mchezo wa kirafiki wa kimataifa uliokuwa na lengo la kufungua uwanja utaotumika kwa Michezo ya Afrika 2011.

Taifa Stars iliyokwenda kwenye mchezo huo kwa lengo la kulipiza kisasi kwa Mambaz ilishindwa kufanya hivyo baada ya mshambuliaji wa Mambaz, Jeremias Sitoe kufunga bao moja kila kipindi na kuipa Msumbiji ushindi wa mabao 2-0.

Katika michezo minne ya mashindano na kirafiki waliyokutana Tanzania na Msumbuji tangu mwaka 2005, Stars imeambulia pointi moja walipolazimisha sare jijini Maputo kwenye mchezo wa kusaka tiketi ya kufuzu kushiriki Fainali za Mataifa ya Afrika 2008, huku Mambaz ikishinda michezo mitatu miwili ikiwa jijini Dar es Salaam na huo wa juzi nchini kwao.

Mambaz walicheza mechi hiyo mbele ya Rais Armando Guebuza wa Msumbiji aliyekuwa mgeni rasmi wa ufunguzi wa uwanja huo wa kimataifa uliojengwa kwa ushirikiano wa serikali ya China na Msumbiji.

Sitoe alifunga mabao hayo mawili dakika ya 19 na 51 kwa mtindo wa aina moja baada ya mabeki wa kati wa Stars, Aggrey Morris na Nadir Haroub 'Cannavaro' kujichanganya katika kucheza mipira mirefu aliyopigiwa mshambuliaji huyo mwenye kasi na pia kudhani ameotea.

"Ni matokeo mabaya, lakini mmecheza mchezo mzuri na ari yenu ilikuwa juu huku mkijituma vizuri,bado tunatakiwa kuongeza umakini katika ulinzi," kocha Jan Poulsen alikuwa akiwaambia wachezaji wake mara baada ya mchezo huo uliochezeshwa na waamuzi kutoka Swaziland.

Stars iliyocheza vizuri zaidi kipindi cha pili huku kwa muda mwingi ikiwa eneo la wapinzani wao, kulinganisha na kile cha kwanza ilifanya mashambulizi kadhaa langoni mwa Mambas.

Washambuliaji John Boko, Salum Machaku na Mwinyi Kazimoto walipata nafasi za kufunga kipindi cha kwanza, lakini walikosa umakini kwenye umaliziaji na kutoa nafasi kwa mabeki na kipa Joao Kampango kuokoa hatari zote.

Poulsen alikianza kipindi cha pili kwa kuwatoa Shaaban Dihile, Mohamed Banka, Kazimoto na Machaku na nafasi zao kuchukuliwa na Juma Kaseja, Ramadhan Chombo 'Redondo', Mbwana Samata na Julius Mrope.

Mabadiliko hayo yaliongeza kasi ya mchezo kwa upande wa Stars ambayo ilishuhudia nahodha wake Shadrack Nsajigwa na Cannavaro wakionywa kwa kadi za njano na mwamuzi Simanga Hhleko.

Mambas ambao watashiriki michezo ya All Africa Games itakayofanyika hapa Septemba mwaka huu walicheza kwa pasi fupi fupi na kuongeza kasi kila walipokuwa wakikaribia lango la Taifa Stars.

Poulsen aliwataka wachezaji kutumia vizuri wiki moja iliyobaki kwa ajili ya mapumziko, kwani atawaita tena kambini Mei 2 mwaka huu kujiandaa na mechi ya marudiano ya mchujo dhidi ya Jamhuri ya Afrika ya Kati jijini Bangui, Juni 4 mwaka huu kuwania tiketi ya Fainali za Kombe la Mataifa ya Afrika zitakazochezwa mwakani huko Gabon na Guinea ya Ikweta.

Stars: Shaaban Dihile(Juma Kaseja), Shadrack Nsajigwa, Amir Maftah, Aggrey Morris, Nadir Haroub 'Cannavaro', Shabani Nditi, Mohamed Banka (Ramadhani Chombo 'Redondo'), Nurdin Bakari, John Boko, Mwinyi Kazimoto (Mbwana Samata) na Salum Machaku (Julius Mrope).

Mambas: Kampango, Momed Hagi, Eugenio Bila, Eduardo Jumisse (Stelio Ernesto), Carlos Chimomole (Arlindo Cumaio), Sitoe (Danilo Manhonga), Samuel Chapanga (Francisco Muchanga), Francisco Massinga, Almiro Lobo, Celcisio Bonifacio na Zainadine Junior.
 
Uvamizi wa waganda Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 11:39

Jackson Odoyo
MIUJIZA ya Mganda Sam Timbe ilisaidia Yanga kutwaa ubingwa wa Ligi Kuu ya Tanzania Bara kwa tofauti ya mabao 2 dhidi ya Simba jambo lililofanya uongozi wa timu hiyo chini ya Ismail Aden Rage haraka kumkimbilia Moses Basema kwa ajili ya kuinoa timu yao kwa msimu 2011-12.

Timbe anayeshikilia rekodi ya kutwaa mataji ya Kombe la Kagame akiwa na timu tatu tofauti aliichukua Yanga mwanzoni mwa mwaka huu baada ya aliyekuwa kocha timu hiyo Kostadin Papic kujiuzulu kazi na kutimkia kwao Serbia.

Timbe aliwahi kunyakuwa taji hilo la Cecafa akiwa na timu ya SC Villa mwaka 2005, Polisi (2006) na baadaye ATRACO ya Rwanda mwaka 2007.

Hatua ya Timbe kujiunga na Yanga na kuipa ubingwa na kuendeleza rekodi yake ya kutwaa ubingwa katika nchi tatu tofauti Uganda, Rwanda na Tanzania huenda ikawa moja ya sababu kubwa iliyowakimbiza viongozi wa Simba kumkimbilia Basema kuchukua nafasi ya Mzambia Patrick Phiri.

Basema sasa anakuwa kocha wa tatu kutoka Uganda kufundisha timu ya Ligi Kuu nchini katika msimu ujao wa 2011/12 ambapo hivi sasa yupo Sam Timbe wa Yanga na Jackson Mayanja anayeinoa Kagera Sugar ambaye amefanikiwa kuibadilisha timu hiyo katika msimu uliopita.

Uganda ni nchi inayoongoza kwa ubora wa viwango vya soka Afrika Mashariki na Kati kwa mujibu wa orodha ya Fifa, ambapo kwa sasa inashika nafasi 84, Tanzania ikiwa nafasi ya 121 na Kenya ikiwa nafasi ya 124.

Ujio wa Timbe ndani ya Yanga uliweza kubadilisha mfumo wa uchezaji wa timu hiyo kutoka mfumo wa kucheza pasi ndefu na kurudi mfumo wa pasi fupi huku wachezaji wake wakitumia nguvu zaidi pamoja na akili.

Lakini, ujio wa makocha hao wa Uganda ni hatua moja mbele katika soka la Tanzania baada ya klabu za hapa nyumbani kushindwa kutamba mbele ya timu za Uganda kwa kipindi kirefu.

Tanzania imekuwa wateja wa Uganda katika soka kwa kipindi kirefu kuanzia klabu hadi timu za taifa na hata wachezaji wa Uganda wanaofika nchini kucheza soka wamekuwa wakicheza kwa mafanikio makubwa labda hata kuliko mafanikio ya wachezaji wa Tanzania.

Mfano wa karibu wa wachezaji hao ni wale waliocheza katika Ligi Kuu msimu uliopita kama Emmanuel Okwi, Patrick Ochan, Joseph Owino ingawa mwisho wa msimu huu alikuwa akisumbuliwa sana na majeruhi ya goti, pia Danny Wagaruka na Peter Senyonjo wametoa mchango wa aina yake kwa klabu ya Azam.

Mchango wa makocha hao wa kigeni umethibitika pia kuisaidia timu ya Mtibwa Sugar inayonolewa na Mkenya Tom Olaba aliyesaidia kwa kiasi kikubwa kutengeza kikosi bora cha vijana hao wa Manungu kwa msimu wa pili.

Hata hivyo ujio wa makocha hao kutoka ukanda huu wa Afrika Mashariki nchini Tanzania utaongeza ushindani kwa klabu za Simba na Yanga kwenye mashindano ya kombe la Kagame pamoja na yale ya Afrika msimu ujao.

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0 #1 Nkoma Bakosi 2011-04-25 19:55 HOngera sana Vilabu vya simba na Yanga kwa kuimport soka la kiufundi kutoka uganda. Mimi sina kinyongo na timu hizi ikiwa zina tabia ya kutumia makocha wafundishao mpira wa kisasa kuvinoa vilabu vyao. Ila inaniuma sana kwa simba kumuacha phiri. Nawaomba Yanga na simba waendeleze moyo hu huo wa kujenga timu zao. Hatupo mbali na kuchukua ubingwa wa Africa. Kumbuka mpira wa vilabu vya timu za africa maghalibi umeshuka sana kwa sababu ya vijana wao wengi kukimbilia ulaya. Hivyo tutumie nafasi hii.
 
Mzee Samatta aishangaa Lyon Send to a friend Monday, 25 April 2011 11:36

Sosthenes Nyoni
BABA mzazi wa mshambuliaji wa Simba, Mbwana Samatta anayeitwa Ally Samata amedai kushangazwa na hatua ya klabu ya African Lyon kuendelea kung'ang'ania kuwa mchezaji huyo ni mali yao akisema kitendo hicho si cha kizalendo na kina lengo la kuharibu maisha ya mwanae.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi jijini Dar es Salaam jana, Mzee Samata alisema kuwa anashindwa kuelewa ni kwa nini klabu ya African Lyon ilikaa kimya muda wote huo wakati mtoto wake akiichezea Simba ambapo alidai hiyo ni ishara ya tamaa ya fedha baada ya kusikia mwanae anauzwa kwa fedha nyingi.

"Siwaelewi hawa African Lyon kwa sababu wanaonekana kabisa lengo lao ni kuharibu maisha ya Samata kwa sababu haiwezekani muda wote anacheza Simba wamekaa kimya hivi sasa TP Mazembe wanamtaka ndio wanasema Samatta ni mali yao huo sio uanamichezo wala uzalendo,"alisema mzee Samatta.

Alisema,"Kwanza nasikia Simba wakimuuza sehemu yoyote wanapata asilimia 20 na hii sio kwao tu navyojua mimi kwa sheria za Fifa (Shirikisho la Soka la Dunia) mgao huo hata African Lyon watapata kwa kuwa ametokea huko sasa haya malumbano ya wakati huu yanatoka wapi,"alisema Samata.

Mzee Samata ambaye katika miaka ya nyuma aliwahi kuwa Kocha Mkuu katika timu za mikoa ya Shinganga, Kagera, Mara, Mbeya na Morogoro aliongeza kuwa kitendo cha African Lyon kuanzisha malumbano wakati huu pia kinaweza kuathiri hata ofa nyingine zilizoanza kutolewa na klabu mbalimbali zinazomtaka mwanae akajiunge nazo kwa ajili ya kucheza soka ya kulipwa.

"Kama hivyo nimesikia kuna klabu nyingine huko Ulaya inamtaka Mbwana kwa Sh 500 Milioni sasa ofa kama hizo zinaweza kupotea hivi hivi tu kwa sababu ya mambo kama haya ya malumbano ambayo si wakati wake,"alisema Mzee Samata.

Samata ambaye aliwahi kuteuliwa kuwa mwanasoka bora wa michuano ya Ligi ya Goseji mwaka 1964-65 na aliyekuwa kocha wa kwanza mzungu nchini, Milan Celebic aliwataka viongozi wa klabu ya Lyon kufahamu kwamba mbali ya mafaniko ya kipato ambayo mwanae atayapata ikiwa atafanikiwa kucheza soka ya kulipwa katika klabu kubwa nje ya nchi pia anaweza kuwa balozi mzuri kwa kuwatangaza wachezaji wa Tanzania katika medani ya kimataifa.

"Tusiangalie hapa tulipo tuangalie mbali zaidi, ni ukweli usiopingika licha ya kwamba atajiongezea kipato kwa kucheza katika klabu kubwa nje ya nchi pia ataweza kuwatangaza wachezaji wengine wa Tanzania na kuwa faida kwa nchi kwa siku zijazo,"alisema Samata.


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0 #1 Mpingo 2011-04-25 11:45 Kumbe mtoto wa nyoka ni nyoka! Mbwana hakujitokeza kwa bahati, kumbe ni mtoto wa gwiji la Gosagge.
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Schalke 04 v Manchester United, Champions League semi-final first leg, Tuesday 26 April 7.45pm

Sir Alex Ferguson warns his players not to underestimate Schalke

• Schalke are a danger, says Manchester United manager
• Wayne Rooney praised ahead of semi-final first leg



  • Daniel Taylor at Gelsenkirchen
  • The Guardian, Tuesday 26 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history Sir Alex Ferguson, centre, talks to his players before their Champions League semi-final against Schalke. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

    Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United side there could be serious repercussions if they allow themselves to underestimate Schalke 04 in the first leg of their Champions League semi&#8209;final on Tuesday.
    Ferguson has galling memories of playing German clubs at this stage of Europe's premier club competition, losing to Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, and the United manager, describing himself as "apprehensive", has instructed his players to guard against thinking they have been fortunate to avoid Real Madrid and Barcelona in the last four and are certainties for the final at Wembley next month.
    Schalke have not won the Bundesliga title since 1958 and are in 10th position, having spent parts of the season hovering close to the relegation zone, but their domestic troubles have been eclipsed by their form in the Champions League, beating the holders Internazionale 7-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
    "They [Schalke] have beaten every team they have played in the Champions League at home this season, including Valencia and Inter Milan," Ferguson said.
    "Taken in isolation, that's fantastic form and there is no way Manchester United are going to be led into believing that this is easy. This is a difficult game for us and we have no choice but to treat it that way."
    Ferguson has shown his players the video of Schalke's remarkable 5-2 win against Inter at San Siro as well as one of their second-leg 2-1 victory at the Veltins- Arena. The United manager had travelled to Germany for that match and he spoke of Schalke playing with a "self&#8209;determination" that makes them the surprise package of this season's competition.
    "They never looked like losing the game and that's quite a credit to them in terms of playing a side like Inter Milan," the Scot said.
    "They always looked in complete control and, even in the good spells that Inter had, they [Schalke] never looked like losing. It's a semi-final now and, any semi&#8209;final you go into, you know it is going to be difficult."
    Ferguson, nonetheless, can be encouraged by the momentum that has taken United to the verge of a record 19th league title, six points clear of second-placed Chelsea with only four games remaining.
    Dimitar Berbatov, nursing a groin strain, was the only unexpected absentee on their flight to Germany and, though Ferguson talked of being disappointed with United's away record in the Premier League, they have won 10 of their past 12 excursions in Europe.
    They also have what he believes could be a considerable advantage of the second leg being at Old Trafford, where they have not lost for over a year. "We are disappointed with a lot of our games away from home but no one can point a finger at our home form because it has been absolutely sensational," Ferguson said.
    "If you talk about our away form then, yes, I can see it some of the time but you can't criticise our home form. And what you are seeing, as you did again on Saturday [in the 1-0 Premier League victory against Everton], is that this team will not give in. There's absolutely no chance this team will ever give in and that's a great quality."
    United's fourth semi-final in five seasons will take Rooney back to the stadium where he was sent off for England in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal. Ferguson claimed he was not aware of that fact and also made the surprising admission that he had never seen the incident. The United manager was asked whether it would be on Rooney's mind and shook his head. "You have to put bad moments like that behind you," he said. "That's normal for any footballer."
    Rooney's form, he said, had been "absolutely fantastic for the last two months" and it speaks volumes about the way Berbatov has been marginalised that the absence of the Premier League's leading scorer did not merit a single mention.
    "Wayne, more than anyone, realises that performances are the thing that he will always be judged on because there is an expectation of the boy," Ferguson said. "You can see that he has stepped up to the mark and proved himself entirely.
    "But the most important thing has been the freshness that's come into the team with players like Antonio Valencia, Rio Ferdinand, Anderson and Park Ji-sung coming back [from injury]. It lifts you when the big competitions come along and all your best players are fit. It can cause a selection problem but we are glad to have them."

 
Schalke 04 v Manchester United, Champions League semi-final first leg, Tuesday 26 April 7.45pm

Sir Alex Ferguson warns his players not to underestimate Schalke

• Schalke are a danger, says Manchester United manager
• Wayne Rooney praised ahead of semi-final first leg



  • Daniel Taylor at Gelsenkirchen
  • The Guardian, Tuesday 26 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history Sir Alex Ferguson, centre, talks to his players before their Champions League semi-final against Schalke. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

    Sir Alex Ferguson has warned his Manchester United side there could be serious repercussions if they allow themselves to underestimate Schalke 04 in the first leg of their Champions League semi&#8209;final on Tuesday.
    Ferguson has galling memories of playing German clubs at this stage of Europe's premier club competition, losing to Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, and the United manager, describing himself as "apprehensive", has instructed his players to guard against thinking they have been fortunate to avoid Real Madrid and Barcelona in the last four and are certainties for the final at Wembley next month.
    Schalke have not won the Bundesliga title since 1958 and are in 10th position, having spent parts of the season hovering close to the relegation zone, but their domestic troubles have been eclipsed by their form in the Champions League, beating the holders Internazionale 7-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
    "They [Schalke] have beaten every team they have played in the Champions League at home this season, including Valencia and Inter Milan," Ferguson said.
    "Taken in isolation, that's fantastic form and there is no way Manchester United are going to be led into believing that this is easy. This is a difficult game for us and we have no choice but to treat it that way."
    Ferguson has shown his players the video of Schalke's remarkable 5-2 win against Inter at San Siro as well as one of their second-leg 2-1 victory at the Veltins- Arena. The United manager had travelled to Germany for that match and he spoke of Schalke playing with a "self&#8209;determination" that makes them the surprise package of this season's competition.
    "They never looked like losing the game and that's quite a credit to them in terms of playing a side like Inter Milan," the Scot said.
    "They always looked in complete control and, even in the good spells that Inter had, they [Schalke] never looked like losing. It's a semi-final now and, any semi&#8209;final you go into, you know it is going to be difficult."
    Ferguson, nonetheless, can be encouraged by the momentum that has taken United to the verge of a record 19th league title, six points clear of second-placed Chelsea with only four games remaining.
    Dimitar Berbatov, nursing a groin strain, was the only unexpected absentee on their flight to Germany and, though Ferguson talked of being disappointed with United's away record in the Premier League, they have won 10 of their past 12 excursions in Europe.
    They also have what he believes could be a considerable advantage of the second leg being at Old Trafford, where they have not lost for over a year. "We are disappointed with a lot of our games away from home but no one can point a finger at our home form because it has been absolutely sensational," Ferguson said.
    "If you talk about our away form then, yes, I can see it some of the time but you can't criticise our home form. And what you are seeing, as you did again on Saturday [in the 1-0 Premier League victory against Everton], is that this team will not give in. There's absolutely no chance this team will ever give in and that's a great quality."
    United's fourth semi-final in five seasons will take Rooney back to the stadium where he was sent off for England in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal. Ferguson claimed he was not aware of that fact and also made the surprising admission that he had never seen the incident. The United manager was asked whether it would be on Rooney's mind and shook his head. "You have to put bad moments like that behind you," he said. "That's normal for any footballer."
    Rooney's form, he said, had been "absolutely fantastic for the last two months" and it speaks volumes about the way Berbatov has been marginalised that the absence of the Premier League's leading scorer did not merit a single mention.
    "Wayne, more than anyone, realises that performances are the thing that he will always be judged on because there is an expectation of the boy," Ferguson said. "You can see that he has stepped up to the mark and proved himself entirely.
    "But the most important thing has been the freshness that's come into the team with players like Antonio Valencia, Rio Ferdinand, Anderson and Park Ji-sung coming back [from injury]. It lifts you when the big competitions come along and all your best players are fit. It can cause a selection problem but we are glad to have them."
 
Champions League semi-final, first leg

Dimitar Berbatov out of Manchester United's semi-final at Schalke

&#8226; Striker misses trip to Germany because of a groin strain
&#8226; United have in-form Mexican Javier Hernández to call on



  • Press Association
  • guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 April 2011 10.29 BST <li class="history">Article history Dimitar Berbatov will miss the first leg of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final against Schalke because of a groin problem. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

    Dimitar Berbatov is out of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final at Schalke with a groin strain. The Bulgarian missed Saturday's Premier League win over Everton and although Sir Alex Ferguson said after the 1-0 victory that he had no fitness concerns ahead of Tuesday's first leg, Berbatov did not check in with the rest of his team-mates at Manchester airport.
    Although Berbatov had been unlikely to start, his absence is a blow as it denies Ferguson a useful attacking weapon on the bench. He does have the in-form Javier Hernández, who scored his 19th goal of the season at the weekend, and Wayne Rooney, who will not remember his last trip to Gelsenkirchen with any fondness as he was sent off during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal in 2006.
    Although one of their most famous nights came against German opposition in 1999 final, United have not beaten a Bundesliga side in a two-legged encounter since the European Cup was revamped into the Champions League in 1992.
    Bayern Munich ended their hopes at the quarter-final stage last year, and 1997 and 2002 saw semi-final defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.

 
Champions League semi-final, first leg

Dimitar Berbatov out of Manchester United's semi-final at Schalke

• Striker misses trip to Germany because of a groin strain
• United have in-form Mexican Javier Hernández to call on



  • Press Association
  • guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 April 2011 10.29 BST <li class="history">Article history Dimitar Berbatov will miss the first leg of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final against Schalke because of a groin problem. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

    Dimitar Berbatov is out of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final at Schalke with a groin strain. The Bulgarian missed Saturday's Premier League win over Everton and although Sir Alex Ferguson said after the 1-0 victory that he had no fitness concerns ahead of Tuesday's first leg, Berbatov did not check in with the rest of his team-mates at Manchester airport.
    Although Berbatov had been unlikely to start, his absence is a blow as it denies Ferguson a useful attacking weapon on the bench. He does have the in-form Javier Hernández, who scored his 19th goal of the season at the weekend, and Wayne Rooney, who will not remember his last trip to Gelsenkirchen with any fondness as he was sent off during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal in 2006.
    Although one of their most famous nights came against German opposition in 1999 final, United have not beaten a Bundesliga side in a two-legged encounter since the European Cup was revamped into the Champions League in 1992.
    Bayern Munich ended their hopes at the quarter-final stage last year, and 1997 and 2002 saw semi-final defeats at the hands of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
 
Schalke 04 v Manchester United, Champions League semi-final first leg, Tuesday 26 April 7.45pm

Five reasons why Schalke may shock Manchester United

Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernández may have a tough time getting past Schalke's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer


FC Schalke 04's keeper Manuel Neuer has won plaudits for his performances in goal. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

1 Morale-sapping shotstopper


Manuel Neuer, Schalke's 25-year-old goalkeeper, is often rated the world's best &#8211; at least he is in Germany. But look up his incredible performance against FC Porto in a 2008 Champions League last&#8209;16 tie on YouTube and there is actually a pretty good case to be made. His performance, often reproduced in league and Europe, was scarcely believable that night. Neuer kept out a header from two yards, then won the tie by saving two penalties. The best way to avoid a similar fate would be for Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernández to avoid what Germans call warmschiessen, the inadvertent, goalkeeper-confidence-building measure of shooting from too far, too often and too imprecisely. Better to concentrate on one-yard tap-ins instead.
2 Farfán's timely return to form


Jefferson Farfán has spent much of the season agitating for a move but the departure of the previous manager Felix Magath has rekindled the Peruvian international's loyalty. The 26-year-old has given full-backs a hellish time with his powerful probing down the right touchline, where he is more often than not ably supported by the Japanese full-back Atsuto Uchida, another tireless sprinter who has &#8211; almost uniquely among the Schalke back-four &#8211; a fine sense of defensive positioning as well.
3 Manager in Mourinho mould


Schalke's card-carrying Anglophile manager, Ralf Rangnick, once spent a year in Brighton to improve his English. "I knew I had to live there for a while if I wanted to be able to read 800 pages of Charles Dickens's Hard Times one day," he said. The 52-year-old is essentially a self-taught football auteur in the José Mourinho mould but with slightly less ego and a bigger sense of mission: Rangnick has felt under-appreciated by the Bundesliga establishment in the past and is desperate to prove his credentials on the biggest stage. His players will have been inundated with Dickens-sized dossiers on the opposition.
4 Electric home support


Fifty-three years without winning the championship have turned the Schalke crowd into a pretty forgiving bunch: Neuer was greeted with polite applause last Saturday after revealing on Facebook he would not renew his contract. The atmosphere at the Veltins-Arena (the tie was sold out in just 150 minutes) will be electric against United. Ever since they won the Uefa Cup in 1997, the locals love nothing more than taking on bigger, more aristocratic teams. Gelsenkirchen is in fact a city so mad about all things blue that even Intertoto Cup games and Biathlon events have seen capacity crowds of 60,000 in the past.
5 The R-factor


Raúl. Heard of him? You can expect this 33-year-old striker to linger in the left&#8209;sided no-man's land between Michael Carrick and John O'Shea for a large part of proceedings and to come alive in one or two crucial moments of the match. There's even a suggestion the Spaniard has a knack of scoring the odd goal at this level, which could come in very handy indeed.
 
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Only José Mourinho can replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United

Real Madrid's Portuguese coach shares Sir Alex Ferguson's love of loathing &#8211; and his ability to cultivate it



  • The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, before Saturday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

    There were moments during Sunday night's BBC2 handsome dramatisation of Manchester United's Munich disaster when it was almost too painful to carry on watching. This was about a real tragedy, involving real people, well within living memory. How would the surviving relatives of the dead men be reacting to the sight of their loved ones' burnt and bloodied bodies lying amid the painstakingly recreated wreckage of BEA Flight 609?
    Maybe such drama-documentaries should be subject to a reverse statute of limitations, impermissible until no one with first-hand knowledge, and feelings to bruise, is left alive. But despite a few reservations &#8211; some of the dialogue was clunky, and the actor Dougray Scott should have been dissuaded from adding a ridiculously sinister edge to his portrayal of Matt Busby &#8211; the team behind United did an effective job of demonstrating to those who were not around at the time how the Old Trafford club came to acquire a special place in the hierarchy of football. Their ordeal provoked a near-universal sympathy that endured throughout the years in which Busby and Jimmy Murphy led them back to success with a team that everyone could admire.
    Nowadays they also inspire loathing as part of the phenomenon in which, during a period of relative peace and prosperity, idle emotions are finding an easy outlet in football. Envy is part of it, but so is the approach of the only man to outdo Busby's achievements. Functioning most effectively when he can persuade his team that they have no friends outside their own circle of supporters, Sir Alex Ferguson makes a priority of ensuring that the rest of the world is, in fact, against them.
    Only one man can be relied upon to continue that tradition when the time comes for Ferguson to step down. That man, of course, is José Mourinho, whose gifts as a professional controversialist sometimes overshadow even his prodigious talent as a football coach.
    After a stormy opening to his time at Real Madrid, when it was assumed that he would be fulfilling only the first 12 months of his four-year contract, Mourinho has been making noises in recent days &#8211; and particularly since his side lifted the Copa del Rey last week &#8211; about his plans for next season at the Bernabéu. He has managed to sideline Jorge Valdano, the club's influential sporting director, while gaining the approval of Alfredo di Stefano, its presiding spirit. Now he is said to be preparing a list of summer transfer targets (including, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy, John Terry).
    A second year in Madrid would suit everyone, whether or not Real succeed in overcoming Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final over the next eight days and go on to make Mourinho the first coach to win the European Cup with three clubs. A second shot at removing the Catalans from their position at the top of La Liga would also give him a useful way of biding his time until Ferguson is ready to step down.
    Not even Sir Alex knows when that will happen. A 19th league title would drag United clear of Liverpool, and there is also the possibility of his third European Cup victory. He will mark 25 years with the club next December, three weeks before celebrating his 70th birthday. Any of those could provide a good reason to call it a day. But Ferguson may convince himself that 20 titles would feel even better, and that he does not feel any older than he did a year ago. The most potent factor in his thinking is clearly the example of his father, who retired from his job in the shipyards at 65 and died the following year. His immediate family, remembering the depression caused by his premature desire to retire in 2002, are not inclined to talk him into stopping.
    For all his present vigour, however, he cannot carry on for ever. And when he goes, he will leave behind him a whiff of sulphur lingering from all the confrontations with which he has so assiduously constructed that very profitable siege mentality. Mourinho, an equally gifted tactician and man-manager, is the only man capable of breathing those fumes as naturally as oxygen.
    Shock outbreak of decency rocks world of sport

    A remarkable thing happened at Headingley last week, during the final stages of a closely fought four&#8209;day match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. Chris Read, the Notts captain, had scored 66 when, feeling certain enough that he been caught, he left the crease and set off back to the pavilion. Noteworthy enough, given that walking seems to belong to an era in which professionals and amateurs took the field through different gates. But Read was wrong. He wasn't out &#8211; at least until a Yorkshire fielder, seeing that he had left his ground, took the opportunity to run him out at the bowler's end. So he was out after all. But then he wasn't again, because Yorkshire's captain, Andrew Gale, took the path of decency and withdrew the appeal. Read went on to score 20 more runs, and Notts snatched the win. Don't expect any of this to catch on.
    Time to strip the whip

    There are many outside racing who remain puzzled that Jason Maguire was allowed to keep his victory in the Grand National after being punished for excessive use of the whip on Ballabriggs. Now several influential voices are calling for restrictions, and the management of Towcester race course has incurred the disapproval of the British Horseracing Authority by announcing a ban on whipping at its jumps meetings. Future generations will look back in astonishment that the use of the implement was ever permitted, just as the application of the cane to schoolboys' bare bottoms now seems like the relic of Dickensian history, even though it persisted so recently that some of us can still feel the sting.
    Welsh should be pained by their centre parting

    Tom Shanklin announced his retirement from rugby last week at the age of 31, a fourth knee operation ending a career in which he won 70 Welsh caps &#8211; the highest total compiled by a Wales centre &#8211; and scored 20 international tries. He wasn't the sort who made headlines, but his presence alongside a man who did &#8211; Gavin Henson, of course &#8211; gave his country an unbeatable pairing, most notably in the 2005 Grand Slam campaign. So often in sport, people of disparate characters and temperaments form successful bonds. Shanklin and Henson represented understatement and flamboyance in perfect harmony.

 
Only José Mourinho can replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United

Real Madrid's Portuguese coach shares Sir Alex Ferguson's love of loathing – and his ability to cultivate it



  • The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, before Saturday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

    There were moments during Sunday night's BBC2 handsome dramatisation of Manchester United's Munich disaster when it was almost too painful to carry on watching. This was about a real tragedy, involving real people, well within living memory. How would the surviving relatives of the dead men be reacting to the sight of their loved ones' burnt and bloodied bodies lying amid the painstakingly recreated wreckage of BEA Flight 609?
    Maybe such drama-documentaries should be subject to a reverse statute of limitations, impermissible until no one with first-hand knowledge, and feelings to bruise, is left alive. But despite a few reservations – some of the dialogue was clunky, and the actor Dougray Scott should have been dissuaded from adding a ridiculously sinister edge to his portrayal of Matt Busby – the team behind United did an effective job of demonstrating to those who were not around at the time how the Old Trafford club came to acquire a special place in the hierarchy of football. Their ordeal provoked a near-universal sympathy that endured throughout the years in which Busby and Jimmy Murphy led them back to success with a team that everyone could admire.
    Nowadays they also inspire loathing as part of the phenomenon in which, during a period of relative peace and prosperity, idle emotions are finding an easy outlet in football. Envy is part of it, but so is the approach of the only man to outdo Busby's achievements. Functioning most effectively when he can persuade his team that they have no friends outside their own circle of supporters, Sir Alex Ferguson makes a priority of ensuring that the rest of the world is, in fact, against them.
    Only one man can be relied upon to continue that tradition when the time comes for Ferguson to step down. That man, of course, is José Mourinho, whose gifts as a professional controversialist sometimes overshadow even his prodigious talent as a football coach.
    After a stormy opening to his time at Real Madrid, when it was assumed that he would be fulfilling only the first 12 months of his four-year contract, Mourinho has been making noises in recent days – and particularly since his side lifted the Copa del Rey last week – about his plans for next season at the Bernabéu. He has managed to sideline Jorge Valdano, the club's influential sporting director, while gaining the approval of Alfredo di Stefano, its presiding spirit. Now he is said to be preparing a list of summer transfer targets (including, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy, John Terry).
    A second year in Madrid would suit everyone, whether or not Real succeed in overcoming Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final over the next eight days and go on to make Mourinho the first coach to win the European Cup with three clubs. A second shot at removing the Catalans from their position at the top of La Liga would also give him a useful way of biding his time until Ferguson is ready to step down.
    Not even Sir Alex knows when that will happen. A 19th league title would drag United clear of Liverpool, and there is also the possibility of his third European Cup victory. He will mark 25 years with the club next December, three weeks before celebrating his 70th birthday. Any of those could provide a good reason to call it a day. But Ferguson may convince himself that 20 titles would feel even better, and that he does not feel any older than he did a year ago. The most potent factor in his thinking is clearly the example of his father, who retired from his job in the shipyards at 65 and died the following year. His immediate family, remembering the depression caused by his premature desire to retire in 2002, are not inclined to talk him into stopping.
    For all his present vigour, however, he cannot carry on for ever. And when he goes, he will leave behind him a whiff of sulphur lingering from all the confrontations with which he has so assiduously constructed that very profitable siege mentality. Mourinho, an equally gifted tactician and man-manager, is the only man capable of breathing those fumes as naturally as oxygen.
    Shock outbreak of decency rocks world of sport

    A remarkable thing happened at Headingley last week, during the final stages of a closely fought four&#8209;day match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. Chris Read, the Notts captain, had scored 66 when, feeling certain enough that he been caught, he left the crease and set off back to the pavilion. Noteworthy enough, given that walking seems to belong to an era in which professionals and amateurs took the field through different gates. But Read was wrong. He wasn't out – at least until a Yorkshire fielder, seeing that he had left his ground, took the opportunity to run him out at the bowler's end. So he was out after all. But then he wasn't again, because Yorkshire's captain, Andrew Gale, took the path of decency and withdrew the appeal. Read went on to score 20 more runs, and Notts snatched the win. Don't expect any of this to catch on.
    Time to strip the whip

    There are many outside racing who remain puzzled that Jason Maguire was allowed to keep his victory in the Grand National after being punished for excessive use of the whip on Ballabriggs. Now several influential voices are calling for restrictions, and the management of Towcester race course has incurred the disapproval of the British Horseracing Authority by announcing a ban on whipping at its jumps meetings. Future generations will look back in astonishment that the use of the implement was ever permitted, just as the application of the cane to schoolboys' bare bottoms now seems like the relic of Dickensian history, even though it persisted so recently that some of us can still feel the sting.
    Welsh should be pained by their centre parting

    Tom Shanklin announced his retirement from rugby last week at the age of 31, a fourth knee operation ending a career in which he won 70 Welsh caps – the highest total compiled by a Wales centre – and scored 20 international tries. He wasn't the sort who made headlines, but his presence alongside a man who did – Gavin Henson, of course – gave his country an unbeatable pairing, most notably in the 2005 Grand Slam campaign. So often in sport, people of disparate characters and temperaments form successful bonds. Shanklin and Henson represented understatement and flamboyance in perfect harmony.

 
Darron Gibson quits Twitter after two hours following abuse

&#8226; Manchester United midfielder set up account at midday
&#8226; Gibson bombarded with negative comments about his ability



  • Katy Murrells
  • guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 April 2011 16.58 BST <li class="history">Article history Just one of the comments aimed at Manchester United's Darron Gibson on Twitter.

    As footballers rush to join the social networking revolution that is Twitter, they may want to pause and reconsider following Darron Gibson's sobering experience.
    The Manchester United midfielder &#8211; perhaps inspired by his team-mate Wayne Rooney's ability to attract nearly 200,000 followers within two days of joining the site &#8211; opened his own account at midday. The launch was greeted with much fanfare by Gibson's captain at United, Rio Ferdinand, who tweeted: "We have a new member from the Man utd crew... @dgibbo28 has joined twitterverse show him some love tweeps!"
    But two hours later the account had been shut down &#8211; seemingly because of the 23-year-old's unwillingness to put up with the abuse he was receiving from purported United fans.
    Some of the messages aimed in the direction of the Republic of Ireland international included the following:
    @dgibbo28 your performance on saturday was one of the worst I've ever seen of any utd player. scared of the ball much?'
    @dgibbo28 hasn't tweeted yet. Seems somewhat fitting after the countless anonymous performances we've seen from the 'footballer'
    @dgibbo28 my mate thought you were about 33 years old in the heart of midfield! Movement like pirlo!!
    @dgibbo28 team do all hard work keeping possession then u hit row Z every ****in time!!
    @dgibbo28 the biggest compliment i can give you is that you are better than Carrick​
    Shortly after Gibson decided to remove himself from the firing line, several other United supporters started a campaign to coax him back on to Twitter, attempting to get a #getbackgibbo hashtag to trend.
    Gibson is among Manchester United's squad for their Champions League semi-final first leg against Schalke on Tuesday night. No doubt he will be hoping for a slightly more favourable reception from the travelling United fans in Gelsenkirchen.

 
Darron Gibson quits Twitter after two hours following abuse

• Manchester United midfielder set up account at midday
• Gibson bombarded with negative comments about his ability



  • Katy Murrells
  • guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 April 2011 16.58 BST <li class="history">Article history Just one of the comments aimed at Manchester United's Darron Gibson on Twitter.

    As footballers rush to join the social networking revolution that is Twitter, they may want to pause and reconsider following Darron Gibson's sobering experience.
    The Manchester United midfielder – perhaps inspired by his team-mate Wayne Rooney's ability to attract nearly 200,000 followers within two days of joining the site – opened his own account at midday. The launch was greeted with much fanfare by Gibson's captain at United, Rio Ferdinand, who tweeted: "We have a new member from the Man utd crew... @dgibbo28 has joined twitterverse show him some love tweeps!"
    But two hours later the account had been shut down – seemingly because of the 23-year-old's unwillingness to put up with the abuse he was receiving from purported United fans.
    Some of the messages aimed in the direction of the Republic of Ireland international included the following:
    @dgibbo28 your performance on saturday was one of the worst I've ever seen of any utd player. scared of the ball much?'
    @dgibbo28 hasn't tweeted yet. Seems somewhat fitting after the countless anonymous performances we've seen from the 'footballer'
    @dgibbo28 my mate thought you were about 33 years old in the heart of midfield! Movement like pirlo!!
    @dgibbo28 team do all hard work keeping possession then u hit row Z every ****in time!!
    @dgibbo28 the biggest compliment i can give you is that you are better than Carrick​
    Shortly after Gibson decided to remove himself from the firing line, several other United supporters started a campaign to coax him back on to Twitter, attempting to get a #getbackgibbo hashtag to trend.
    Gibson is among Manchester United's squad for their Champions League semi-final first leg against Schalke on Tuesday night. No doubt he will be hoping for a slightly more favourable reception from the travelling United fans in Gelsenkirchen.
 
The Question: Should Man Utd worry about how many goals Rooney scores?

Although Wayne Rooney has scored fewer goals this season than last, he has arguably been a more effective player


Wayne Rooney: a more complete player now, despite his lack of goals this season? Photograph: Scott Heppell/AP

Last season, Wayne Rooney scored a lot of goals. A lot of people got very excited. It ruined England's World Cup hopes, rendered Dimitar Berbatov largely redundant and left Manchester United so one-dimensional that when he was injured against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final, their season withered and they won only the Carling Cup. But it was a lot of goals &#8211; 34 in 44 games &#8211; and they won him the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards.
This season, after a poor start, Rooney is back to doing what he used to in his first five seasons at United. He drops deep off Javier Hernández, he links with the midfield, he sometimes goes back beyond the midfield. A lot of defenders admit to being frustrated strikers; with Rooney, particularly when he plays wide, you get the sense at times that he is a frustrated full-back.
Despite his recent revival, few people would claim that Rooney has had a great 2010-11 season. But it's worth pointing out that from a purely attacking point of view, Rooney has proportionally been directly involved in as many goals this season as he was last: last season he played 2,723 minutes in the Premier League, scoring 26 goals and claiming three assists. This season, in 1,950 minutes, he has scored 10 and made 11 assists. To put it another way, he scored or assisted a goal every 93 minutes and 54 seconds last season and every 92 minutes and 52 seconds this.
What sets Rooney apart, though, are his defensive qualities. There are those who scorn him, who would deny him his position among the best players in the world, precisely because of that side of his game. They would prefer their creators to be twinkle-toed waifs like Lionel Messi and Luka Modric, matinee idols like Cristiano Ronaldo and Francisco Totti, or brooding artists like Zinedine Zidane or Gheorghe Hagi. Balding, barrel-chested scrappers don't fit the template, and so Rooney with his overt energy and bubbling temper is seen as a lesser example of the type.
Rooney's old-fashioned relationship with Hernández ...

What Rooney offers, though, is something a little unusual. In many ways his partnership with Hernández is old-fashioned, the archetypal creator-quick man relationship of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley and Gary Lineker, Eric Gates and Marco Gabbiadini, Dennis Bergkamp and Nicolas Anelka, Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole. The creator finds space and looks to slip balls behind the opposing back line for the quick man to run on to. It's hard to defend against because if a defence sits deep to deny the quick man space behind it to attack, that leaves space behind the midfield for the creator to exploit. Similarly if the defence squeezes up to stifle the creator, it becomes vulnerable to balls in behind it for the quick man.
That was evident even when Rooney played with Michael Owen for England. They didn't enjoy the easiest relationship &#8211; in 29 games together one provided a direct assist for the other only once &#8211; but it was their combination that inspired the run to the quarter-final of Euro 2004, the last time England looked remotely like winning a major tournament. In the three-and-a-quarter games England played in Portugal before Rooney was injured, the team scored 10 goals. An offensive midfield helped &#8211; David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes &#8211; but the difficulties posed by the front two helped pull defenders out of position.
As Jonny Evans pointed out on Saturday, it's easy to underestimate Hernández, to see him as nothing more than a roadrunner who can finish &#8211; a "peep-peep... gol!" player as an Argentinian journalist once scornfully described Owen &#8211; but he's actually "quite a strong lad with a great jump" and one, moreover, who is tireless and imaginative in his movement. Most of the great quick men, of course, have had more than pace to their game, and most enjoyed the sort of intuitive understanding with their creator that Hernández and Rooney seem to be developing (even if the suspicion remains that Hernández was one of the cut-price signings Rooney was complaining about during his contract negotiations last autumn).
... with a modern twist

But Rooney offers much more than the traditional creator. As noted here two seasons ago, he and Park Ji-sung both had a valuable role playing wide in blocking in the opposing full-back. Rooney is now reproducing that in a more central role.
Compare, for instance, Rooney's heat map in the away leg of United's quarter-final with that of Raúl for Schalke away to Internazionale in their quarter-final (you'll need to click on the player's name or number to see the heat map). Raúl was also nominally playing as the second striker in a 4-4-2, but his role was far more advanced than Rooney.
What is even more striking is to compare Rooney's position with that of Mesut Ozil away at Tottenham in Real Madrid's quarter-final. Ozil was playing in the centre of the attacking trident in a 4-2-3-1; a role usually regarded as that of an attacking midfielder rather than a forward. It's noticeable how often he drifted right to cover Cristiano Ronaldo, but also that his average position was far more advanced than that of Rooney; Opta stats show that Rooney has an 88% tackle success rate this season as opposed to Ozil's 70%. If Rooney is coming back deeper than an acknowledged trequartista, what does that make him?
For the most advanced centre-forward to have a role in closing down the opposition is familiar. Ian Rush was a master at it in a largely conventional sense. But there are examples of centre-forwards behind used as advanced ball-winners, effectively providing space for more creative players behind them. Serginho, the much-maligned Brazil centre-forward of 1982, is perhaps the most controversial example, while Stephane Guivarc'h did something similar for France in 1998, while Andrea Pirlo's reinvention as a deep-lying regista at Milan owed at least something to the ball-winning Andriy Shevchenko did in front of him.
Rooney has begun to fulfil a similar function playing off a central forward, something United have desperately needed in the absence through injury of Darren Fletcher and Owen Hargreaves. An orthodox 4-4-2 leaves a side open in midfield; even when dominating games chances will be conceded which, with the away goals rule, can be calamitous, as United found against Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Monaco in 1998 (there is an odd sense in which in a home knockout game in Europe, creating, say, six chances and conceding none is preferable to creating 18 and conceding three).
With Rooney as the second striker, though, the system is far from an orthodox 4-4-2. It may be recorded as a 4-4-1-1, but the deeper striker often drops so deep as to play as a midfielder. Against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, particularly in the first half before fatigue set in, the holders Pepe and Sami Khedira were often Real Madrid's most advanced midfielders, so desperate was José Mourinho to have his side press high up the pitch, winning the ball back early and disrupting Barça's rhythm. In a strange way, the roles of Rooney and Pepe or Khedira have merged: the one starting high, looking to win the ball back and tracking deep; the other two starting deep and pressing high as they look to win the ball back.
For United, Rooney's role means they effectively have an auxiliary midfielder, a third central man who helps plug the gaps that can emerge in an orthodox 4-4-2. Having somebody with his aggression chasing back also gives United a ball-winner in a central midfield that would otherwise comprise merely Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick, both superb at keeping and using the ball, but rather less adept at winning it back.
Rooney will not score as many goals this season as he did last. He barely played for the first half the season. And yet it may be that for all the praise showered on him last year, for all the awards he won, it is this season, at least over the past couple of months, when he has been the more effective player. Goals, after all, aren't everything.
 
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