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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