The Great Football Experiment - Video

Episode 2 Trailer - Have a regular Sunday League team got what it takes to take on a team of England legends? Watch episode TWP of the Great Football Experiment to see how Ivory FC cope with their first training session.

Arsenal eye Alvarez as Fabregas replacement

London - Cesc Fabregas will head to Barcelona on holiday next week and may never return to play for Arsenal again. The Catalan club believe they are close to doing a deal to sign the 24-year-old Gunners captain and end one of football's longest running tranfers sagas. 

Arsenal are still playing hardball over their star player and have warned Barcelona hierarchy to stay away from Fabregas when he returns to Catalonia to visit family. But after failing with a 27-million pound bid this week, the European champions are preparing an improved offer of around 30-million pound. Even though that is still way below Arsenal 44-million pound valuation., Barcelona believe they are not far from sealing a deal and Arsenal have even lined up a potential replacement, with sources in italy claiming the Gunners have done a deal to sign Argentina playmaker  Ricardo Alvarez.

Cesc Fabregas is taking a short break in his native Barcelona before he reports for pre-season training on July 5. But senior officials at the Emirates know there is already a media blitz under way in Spain hailing him as the signing of the summer. They know the European Champion are keen to exploit the situation to take Fabregas back to the club where his career began as a junior.

The clubs have had regular dialogue over his possible move, culminating in a verbal offer from Barcelona on Wednesday. Nou camp president Sandro Resell insists they will not pay over 35.5 million pound but sources close to the Spanish giants last night said they were increasingly confidents of sealing a deal before the end of next week - Latest Football News 

Women game set for big kick-off

World Cup fever has gripped Germany as the stars of the women game prepare to chase the ultimate prize in football in the Fifa women World Cup which kicks off here on Saturday. Brazil five-time player of the Year Marta and all time World Cup top scorer Birgit Prinz of Germany are among the big names who will headline the 51-million extravaganza which take place over there weeks in nine cities. 

Sixteen teams are battling for the top prize with over 670,000 tickets of the one million on offer sold. Five year after the successful hosting of the men's event, expectations are high that the German women game can bring glory to the host nation and capture an unprecedented third successive title. The tournament kicks off with Germany taking on CONCACAF champions Canada in Berlin 75,000 seater Olympic Stadium on Sunday with the final set for Frankfurt on July 17.

Interest in football women is higher in Germany than in many other countries and coverage for this year edition looks set to exceed all previous tournaments being broadcast to more than 200 countries worldwide. "The World Cup in Germany is going to be spectacular" said Brazil striker Cristiane. 

 "I played there and i know just how much passion they have for the sport and the structure they have at their disposal". 

Ridiculed in the past particularly for the poor quality of goalkeeping the women game has developed since the first World Cup in 1991 largely thanks to the technically sophisticated styles of players such as Marta, Prinz and former US star Mia Hamm. She earned 275 caps in her 17-year career, believes Germany will be difficult to beat.  

"I think they are really looking forward not only to putting on a great show but also to competing at the highest level in front of their home fans" said Hamm. Group women game matches run until July 6 with the top two teams advancing to the knockout rounds starting there days later.

Scholes blames himself for England failure

Paul Scholes blames himself for failing to make an impact on the international stage and has ridiculed suggestions he ended his England career because of Sven-Goran Eriksson. Scholes announced his retirement this week at the age 36, just over one year after Fabio Capello failed with an audacious bid to persuade him to make himself available for England's World Cup campaign.

If there are some who feel Scholes has hung up his boots too early, the belief that his England career ended before time is unanimous. The midfielder was just 29 when he called time on his International involvement having just accumulated 66 caps, a very low number for a player of such talent. " Maybe for half the games i played for England, I was all right," said Scholes. " My England career started quite well. In the first 20 to 25 games i scored quite a few goals. From then on it just didn't go as well as i would have liked. It was my fault for not playing as well as i should have done.

Scholes scored nine of his 14 England goals within two and a half years of making his debut and of the four he bagged during Sven-Goran Eriksson time in charge, three came during the Swede first six months in the job. As Scholes quit in the wake of Euro 2004, when he was moved into a wider position on the left, it was felt a resistance to being used in a role he did not like was a major factor.

However, he now declares that was not true. " That was rubbish," he said. "Some people said i fell out with Sven because he played me on the left, but that was never the case. I'd played on the left at Manchester United for a couple of seasons done well and scored a lot of goals. That was never an issue. It was just, for one reason or another it didn't work out.

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United off to West Brom for EPL opener

London - Champions Manchester United will kick off the defense of their Premier League crown at West Brom before facing Tottenham and Arsenal at Old Trafford, fixtures for the 2010/2011 season showed yesterday. United will travel to The Hawthorns on Aug 13 before consecutive home games against Spurs and old rivals Arsenal. Sir Alex Ferguson team will complete their domestic campaign with a trip to Sunderland on May 13 next year.

Arsenal meanwhile will open their season against Newcastle at St. James Park, where the Gunners squandered a 4-0 lead earlier this year as the Magpies battled back to draw 4-4. Arsene Wenger men then have a daunting home fixture against Liverpool before traveling to Old Trafford for their tie with United. Chelsea meanwhile open their campaign at Stoke before facing West Brom at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool new signing Jordan Henderson will meet his old club Sunderland on the opening day at Anfield while newly promoted Swansea have a baptism of fire against Manchester City at East-lands. Swansea first home game will be against Wigan, meaning an emotional return for Latics boss Roberto Martinez who left the club two years.  

Swansea season concludes against Liverpool at home on May 13. Of the other Premier League new-comers, QPR make their return to the topflight after a 15-year absence at home to Bolton while Norwich travel to Wigan. QPR boss Neil Warnock said he was relishing the opportunity of leading a team in the Premier League once more. It just fabulous to be involved he told Sky Sports News. " When you see the fixtures it's so exciting. It doesn't matter who you play, the Premier Leagues is where we all want to be. It's just fabulous to be involved.

It other opening day games, Tottenham and Everton meet at White Hart Lane, Fulham and Aston Villa meet at Craven Cottage and Blackburn entertain Wolves at Ewood Park.

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Platini : Clubs losing local identity

Nyon - European clubs should produce their own talent and not buy in bulk from other countries, UEFA Presidents Michel Platini said on Thursday.

The Frenchman said he was not happy about Qatari investors buying a 70 percents stake in Paris St German, nor by last month's Europa League final in which Porto and Braga fielded 14 South Americans between them in their starting line-up.

I'm in favour of ( local ) identity, "the Frenchman said If Porto are in Portugal they should play with Portuguese players instead of buying left, right and centre from other countries. "You would think that the young players from Brazil and Argentina would be better playing off in their own championships," he added.

Asked if he approved of the South American influence on the Europa League final, Platini shrugged as he said "No, no and no." Platini one of the world's top players in his day, spent a good part of his career with provincial French clubs Nancy and St Etienne before moving to Italy's Juventus. This would be unthinkable in the modern game where nearly all the leading players move to big clubs in their late teens.

Platini was also unenthusiastic about the idea of foreigners owning clubs, including his homeland. Colony Capital the American owners of the capital city's only Ligue 1 Club, said last mouth it had drafted an agreement under which it would keep a 30 percents stake in the club and an unnamed Qatari investment company would by the rest.

I'm not so keen on foreign owners but they are the laws of England and France there nothing i can do, "he said. " You can have an owner from Qatar a general manager from italy a French coach and players from 25 countries."

"Football has always been based on identity, regions, countries, so I'm not a great fan of this idea and i played in a regional club, but then maybe I'm a bit old-fashioned," he added. 

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Qataris deny plans to buy Manchester United

Doha - Qatar Holding has denied reports it is planning to buy Manchester United, a statement from Qatar state-run news agency said. Qatar Holding Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Mohamed Al Sayed told Qatar News Agency that the fund was not and never had been, in negotiations to buy the club.

Qatar recently acquired a 70% stake in French top-flight team Paris St Germain. The Gulf state will host the 2022 World Cup.

Manchester United leap to the front in bid to sign Sanchez.

Manchester United stole a march in the battle for Alexis Sanchez when David Gill flew to Spain to seal the deal on Tuesday. And the Old Trafford chief executive hope to wrap up a 27 million pound transfer for football most wanted man within the next few days.

If Gill pulls of the audacious swoop - pipping Manchester City, Barcelona and a  host of other European giants - it will take manager Alex Ferguson summer spending to an amazing 82 million pound. Gill met Udinese president Gino Pozzo on Tuesday, ironically in Barcelona where the italian supremo lives to thrash out an agreement. It will come as a crushing blow to City. They believed their massive financial clout had swayed the chilean winger, 22.

But agent Fernando Felicevich said " An agreement with City? Sanchez future is still very much wide open." "We are working on it and after meeting with City we have other new appointments". The 19 time champions are increasingly confident of getting their man even though 27 million pound is about 4 million more than they had originally hoped to pay.

But they have had to up the offer to beat off Barcelona dan City. Ferguson has already captured England winger Ashley Young from Aston Villa, Blackburn defender Phil Jones and Atletico Madrid, goalkeeper David de Gea for a combined 55 million pound. City sources insisted they are still in the hunt for Sanchez, who shone for Chile at last year World Cup.

Yet the crucial factor in United favour is that the player himself  far prefers the idea of a move to Old Trafford than a switch to East lands. Barcelona are also close to signing Kiko Femenia from Hercules and they will now concentrate on trying to take Villarreal former United striker Giuseppe Rossi and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas to the Nou Camp instead - Stay Tune !

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McLeish resigns as Birmingham manager

London - Alex McLeish resigned as the manager of Birmingham City on Sunday following their relegation from the Premier League, with the club saying he had told acting chairman Peter Pannu in an email he was leaving the Midlands site.

Birmingham City Football Club can conform Alex McLeish has resigned as manager, " said a statement on the club website. Acting chairman Peter Pannu received an email resignation from McLeish earlier today (yesterday) while away on business in Amsterdam.

No further comments will be made at this moment in time and updates will be released in due course, "the statement added  - Stay Tune!

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Dalglish calls for delay to new EPL season

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has called for the English Premier League season to kick off on a Sunday so that players do not have two games in less than 72 hours at the start of a 10 month season. Dalglish is dismayed that football over-crowded fixture list will leave top stars having to play for their countries in international friendlies all over the world on Wednesday, August 10, before flying back to their clubs for the opening league fixtures three days later on August 13.

The Premier League unveil their fixture list for the 2011/12 season on Friday and Dalglish is hoping common sense will prevail. He said "It's an important season for everyone, with a European Championship at the end of it. So how can it be helpful for players to play Wednesday-Saturday right at the beginning?". Stay Tune!

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Devil's Jones deal in tatters

London - Manchester United multi-million pound signing of teenage defender Phil Jones from Blackburn Rovers lies in tatters. Blackburn Indian owners have reacted furiously to what they perceive as United attempt to railroad them into selling the 19 year old and have told United "We will not be bullied".

And in a stunning 11th-hour development on Saturday, Liverpool have told Blackburn they will pay 22 million for Jones, a move that will ruin Sir Alex Ferguson holiday mood as he  takes a break in the south of France. Arsenal have also belatedly submit ted a bid that tops United 16.5 million offer and with Chelsea showing serious interest in the player, too, an auction appears to be unfolding. It will come as a bitter blow to Ferguson if he misses out on Jones, and it will sting all the harder if the player ends up at United fierce rivals at Anfield.

Rover owners have been angered by United attitude and at a meeting on Saturday in Pune, india which was attended by manager Steve Kean, straight off a plane to Mumbai they resolved to prevent the deal going through. United have offered to make Jones the highest-paid teenager in the history of English football with a startling 80,000 pound a week contract but Blackburn are even prepared to top that.

Rover's chairwomen Anuradha Desai made it clear to Kean and fellow executives who made up a "war council" in india that they must try to persuade the defender to stay. The prospect of being a future club captain is also being dangled before Jones. Money is said to be "not an issue" for Desai's family who are billionaires through their Venky's poultry conglomerate. They want to keep their best players, especially homegrown talents such as Jones.

But if they fail to persuade him, they will do all they can to elicit the best price from one of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, United or Tottenham, telling Jones "if you go, you go where we get the best money" A source close to Rovers said " United can't do what they want in this case. Jones is a Blackburn player and while there is a clause that could mean he leaves, it's far from the straight forward issue everyone assumes it to be - Stay Tune!

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Bellamy stunned by demanding City

Manchester - Manchester City have placed a 4 million pound price tag on Craig Bellamy and put him on a collision course with boss Roberto Mancini. Bellamy was stunned that they are demanding any free for him.

City tough stance has scared off Everton and Bolton but having paid the bulk of Bellamy's wages during his loan to Cardiff, they do not see why they should let a player who cost them 15 million pound and has two years left on his contract go fot nothing. - Stay Tune!

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Neymar keeps Roman waiting

London - Brazil striker Neymar has insisted on keeping Stamford Bridge owner Roman Abramovich waiting on any move to London. "Let's see how things are as i don't want to make any decision right now. 

Abramovich is ready to pay Brazilian club Santos 35 million pound for him and then line the player pocket's with 20 million pound deal over four years. But Neymar may prefer Real Madrid and that is why he wants to keep his options open until after the Copa Amerika. 

He also wants to see whether Guus Hiddink takes up the coaching reins at Chelsea as expected and whether Mark Hughes comes in an his No 2. This all means Abramovich must play a waiting game over his top transfer target a game he is already used to as the Hiddink saga rolls on. 

Sources in Turkey said that Hiddink's future as their national manager will be resolved in the coming week - Stay Tune!

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Bayern join United, City and Chelsea for Nasri

Cash-rich Bayern Munich are poised to slug it out with the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea for the capture of Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri. The Germans whose repeated profits in recent years are said to have made them the fourth richest club in the world, have 200 million pound to spend and want Nasri to line up alongside and then become an eventual replacement for 28 year old, Franck Ribery, who is nearing the end of his contract.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is concerned that Nasri,23, and felow Frenchman Gael Clichy, who have a year left on their contracts are vulnerable to big-spending clubs. United's interest is genuine, especially as Wesley Sneijder's 250,000 pound a week pay demands have priced the Holland midfielder out of their reach.

That wage though would be no deterrent to City or Chelsea. Yet even then they would still have work to do in persuading the midfielder  to switch after he said he was happy at Inter Milan. United are also cooling their interest in Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell, who has become a target fot Tottenham where he could replace Luka Modric.

Despite the protestations of Manager Harry Redknapp, his Croatia midfielder looks certain to leave White Hart Lane. However anybody wanting Modric will have to see off Chelsea's longstanding interest in the player - Stay Tune !

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It's Fergusan vs Cantona as United take on New York Cosmos

Former Manchester United striker Eric Cantona will be up against Alex Fergusan in the Old Trafford dugout in August when the Frenchman takes charge of the New York Cosmos for Paul Scholes testimonial. Cantona director of soccer at the reformed Cosmos, and honorary president Pele will invite a selection of players from around the world to take on United on Aug 5 for the American club's first match in more than a quarter of a century.

I wish to congratulate Paul for such an incredible career at United and i am looking forward to returning to Old Trafford in my new role with Cosmos, "Cantona told the club's website (www.nycosmos.com) on Friday. The Frenchman, who retired in 1997 and was voted United Player of the Century, was a cult figure at Old Trafford where he enjoyed a colorful and often controversial spell.

I hope they (the fans) enjoy the night especially seeing the boss (Fergusan) and Eric battling it out in front of the dugouts, "said former England midfielder Scholes who retired last month. The Cosmos, a former powerhouse in the now-defunct North American Soccer League (NASL) who once had Pele and Franz Beckenbauer in their ranks, folded in 1985 but were relaunched last August.

They hope to join North American top professional league, Major League Soccer, when they have recruited players and found a stadium - Stay Tune !

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Giggs brother dumps wife after learning of eight-year affair

London - Cheating Ryan Giggs brother dumped his wife on sunday night after learning the football star had bedded her for eight-year. Rhodri Giggs 34, was devastated at being betrayed by both his brother and his wife of 10 months Natasha 28. Manchester United winger Ryan 37, was battling to save his marriage already rocked by the affair with model Imgen Thomas he tried to hide with a super injunction.

Shocked Rhodri was struggling to come to terms with the bombshell news. He said bitterly " I was with her on saturday but i'm not with her now". It emerged on sunday that Natasha and shamed Giggs cheated behind Rhodri back for eight year.

The revelation came after Giggs was unmasked as the mystery lover of Big Brother model Thomas. Legal experts said that by taking out a controversial super injunction to gag Imogen he may have been hoping to keep the lid on his other philandering. It could even have been used to stop Natasha finding out she had been betrayed too.

Meanwhile Giggs his carefully cultivated Mr Clean image reduced to tatters was in Spain fighting to save his marriage ti Stacey Cooke, 32. Heartbroken Stacey was already reeling from the news of Giggs fling with Imogen. Despite winning a High Court order, Giggs was exposed after being named in Parliament last month.

Rhodri had a less glamorous football career than his famous brother, palying for Torquay United. He was too upset to answer the door on sunday at his Manchester home, where a Manchester United flag was in window. But a Valentine Day posting on Facebook made clear he had believed he was happily married.

He wrote " The only thing i wanted to change when i met my wife was her name". She said " He has no morals. It was one thing having an affair with Imogen, but this is with his brother wife, for God's sake. And it went on for such a long time. We are all gutted for Rodri. 

Germany striker Klose signs two-year deal with Lazio

Germany striker Miroslav Klose has signed a two-year deal with italian giants Lazio after failing to agree on a contract extension with German League side Bayern Munich. 

Klose, who turned 33 yesterday finally signed the deal late on Wednesday night and joins on a free transfer with his Bayern contract to expire at the end of the month after four years in Munich. Bayern confirmed on Monday that talks over a new deal had broken down and Klose, the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup, has wasted no time in finding a new club.

With 61 goals in 109 appearances for Germany, Klose comes to Rome-based Lazio with a wealth of experience and is closing in on Gerd Mueller's all time record of 68 goals for the German national side. His record of 14 goals in World Cup Final is second only to Brazil's Ronaldo.

But Klose has endured a disappointing season for Bayern making most of his 20 league appearances from the beach and scoring just one goal while Germany team-mate Mario Gomez netted 28 goals in 31 Bundesliga games for Bayern. He helped Bayern win the German League and Cup double in his first year at the club and played a key role as they reclaimed the league title in 2010 and reached the final of the Champions League.

After Karl-Heinz Riedle, Thomas Doll and Thomas Hitzlsperger, Klose becomes the fourth German to join Lazio. Klose had been strongly linked to both Turkish side Galatasaray and Spain's Valencia - Stay Tune !

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Poland edge Argentina

Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland beat Argentina  experimental team 2-1 in a friendly on sunday, sending the South Americans to their second defeat of an unhappy two-match tour. The defeat came a day after FIFA announced they were investigating possible match fixing in Argentina 4-1 defeat in Nigeria last wednesday when both sides were awarded controversial penalties.

Coach Sergio Batista, fielding European-based players on the fringes of the first choice squad, has also been criticised  by Argentina FA president Julio Grondona, who said the team prestige was being put at risk. Substitute Pawel Brozek scored the winner in the 67 minute as Poland, like Nigeria made their greater pace in attack pay while the Argentina generally failed to impose the possession game Batista preaches.

Midfielder Adrian Mierzejewski gave the home side the lead midway through the first half, easily slipping past a defender and giving keeper Adrian Gabbarini no chance. Argentina best move less than two minutes into the second half led to striker Marco Ruben equalising when he turned in the box on the right to send a diagonal shot into the bottom far side of the Wojciech Szczesny's net. Argentina are preparing to host the Copa America next month - Stay Tune !

Reds making maiden visit to Malaysia

It's confirmed, English Premier League football club Liverpool FC will make their maiden visit to Malaysia during their 2011 Asia Tour next month. The Reds are set to wow their fans at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on July 16 in a friendly match against Malaysia's National team.

This is our first visit to Malaysia and we know that Liverpool FC have many fans here. Everyone in the team are very excited to come here' said their managing director, lan Ayre in a press conference here yesterday. Ayre, who is in Kuala Lumpur to launch the friendly match ticket sales, said that the preseason matches were very important for the Reds and they would treat the friendly match against Malaysia seriously.

The match against Malaysia will play a big part of the preparation for our 2011-2012 campaign. Some people suggest that preseason games are not authentic enough or that they don't mean much to big football team's " said Ayre.

Team Malaysia

At Liverpool FC, we take these games very seriously. Not only because this is a crucial time for our players to get fit and prepare for the big season but also because it's a chance for our fans get up close to their heroes. Liverpool completed their 2010-2011 season in sixth position behind champions Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Besides Malaysia, Liverpool will also visit Guangzhau and play a friendly  match against Guangdong Sunray Cave on July 13. Tickets for the match in Bukit Jalil have been priced at RM58, RM68, RM108 and RM388. They are available online at www.ticketpro.com.my while Standard Chartered Bank ( Malaysia ) is offering an exclusive priority ticketing sales until June 9 - Stay Tune !

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