Alabama Football Spring Game

Nice day for a practice in front of 95,000 fans?

Alabama detained its A Day spring game on Saturday, and few question marks are slowly being sorted out. It was a day that started with the school unveiling a nine-foot tall figurine of head coach Nick Saban and.

It appears A.J. McCarron has the inside border at quarterback although Saban was pleased with the play of third-string QB Blake Sims. McCarron finished 21 of 38 overall attempts for 222 yards and a touchdown. Sims was 19 of 38 for 229 yards and one interception.




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Liverpool Beat Manchester

England's most luxurious player Andy Carroll scored his first goals for Liverpool to help beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Premier League.

Kuyt slotted in the next for Liverpool with a low angled shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

Seconds later Liverpool was three up after a sparkling header from Carroll. He out-jumped Kolarov to join onto a great long-range delivery from Raul Meireles.

The result means that Liverpool is closing in on a top five position in the league which would mean a place in Europe next time.



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Neil Lennon looking for consistency from SFA

Neil Lennon says he will be watching what type of penalty the SFA hands down to one of his counterparts.

The Celtic boss was handed another four-match ban for his conflict with Rangers assistant Ally McCoist back in the March 2 Scottish Cup fifth round replay at Celtic Park and he is waiting to observe what happens to Aberdeen’s Craig Brown.

Brown had a similar argument with Motherwell chairman John Boyle recently and the Hoops boss admits he is involved to see what occurs on that front.

"Yes, I just want to be treated like any other manager,” he said. “Is anything diverse from what Craig Brown did to what I did?

"All these people are telling me I've got to grow up and I want to show more maturity.

"Well, there is the oldest manager in the game - with 30, 38 years of experience - perhaps doing a lot worse than what I did.

"Yet what he did acquire laughed off and I get demonized for it.

"There is a distinction in personalities and the way you depict it in the public eye.

"I am used to it. I am not looking for sympathy. I'm just looking for justice, that's all.

“Other managers condemn referees. Am I the only manager in the world who criticizes referees?

"Sometimes it has seemed that way this time. I have been to the Scottish Football Association a pair of times and I ended up getting a suspended fine because my comments were not really that bad.

"They weren't personal, which is for sure, and no dissimilar to what other managers do."

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Match preview of Aston Villa v Newcastle United

In 16 Premier League visits they won 6 and drawn 5, but they have lost their last three.

In August Newcastle thrash Villa 6-0 with a hat-trick from Andy Carroll and a brace from Kevin Nolan.

Nolan is banned after collecting his 10th care, against Wolves, while James Perch begins and three-match ban and Cheik Tiote completes a two-game deferment.

Ryan Taylor is accessible after a suspension and Jose Enrique undergoes a test, but Leon Best is out for the period.

Dan Gosling, Alan Smith, Stephen Ireland and Hatem Ben Arfa are also missing.

Villa has Ciaran Clark available after a two-match ban.


Thanks to: http://www.telegraph.co.uk




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A SUNDERLAND fan is suing his club

A SUNDERLAND fan is suing his club after being knocked out by a wander off shot while watching a training session.

Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn revealed the authorized action in a radio phone-in.

Said by Quinn, “We had a supporter who got a bad damage.

“I believe it was one of Djibril Cisse’s misses where he had a shot from 20 yards.

“It knocked a supporter out. It was quite severe. That supporter is in the process of suing us right now.”

Cisse played for Sunderland 38 times in the 2008-9 season, scoring 11 times, while on credit from Marseille.

Boss Steve Bruce is situating to ring the changes for tomorrow’s visit of West Brom following a dreadful run of form and the 5-0 thrashing by Manchester City on Sunday.

He is set to remember Steed Malbranque, Nedum Onuaha and fit-again Kieran Richardson.

Fraizer Campbell will notice a knee specialist today and expects to be given the all-clear for tomorrow’s visit of West Brom.

Egyptian Football Domestic League

The Egyptian FA says the country's domestic league will continue next week after a two-month break.

In a statement late Tuesday the EFA said football would come back "in all grades and in the presence of the fans on April 13."

The EFA had said it was delaying the return of league matches following a violent ground attack at an African Champions League match in Cairo on Saturday. The EFA also said it was considering holding matches behind closed doors after that uprising by fans of Cairo club Zamalek.

The EFA said the result to resume the league coming Wednesday came after a meeting involving Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf.

The Egyptian league was delayed in early February during the protests against previous president Hosni Mubarak.

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Argentina ask Japan to reconsider

Argentine Football Association spokesman Jose Luis Meiszner said Japan had been given 10 days to assessment their initial decision to focus on the country's recovery from last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

"There is a time limit of 10 days," Copa America organising committee chief Meiszner said.

"Nothing has been advanced. We met, we talked and we set a deadline to see if Japan gets to the Copa America," he said behind a meeting between AFA president Julio Grondona and his Japanese matching part Junji Ogura.

Ogura, whose country had acknowledged an invitation to play in the tournament for the second time, told South American Football Confederation president Nicolas Leoz at their Asuncion headquarters on Monday that Japan wanted to withdraw.

Nearly 29,000 people are dead or missing and thousands have been left homeless as a result of the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and huge tsunami that hit Japan's northeast coast. Sports plans are in chaos including the J-League.

Japan played as a guest team at the 1999 Copa in Paraguay, were drawn in Group A with Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia.

World champions Spain said earlier on Tuesday they had been invited to fill the slit left by Japan in the 12-team tournament while another option was a CONCACAF country filling in.

Costa Rica has played in the tournament three times and is coached by Argentine Ricardo La Volpe is measured favourites to come in.

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Dan Gaspar has a new challenge

Gaspar said will join long-time colleague, Carlos Queiroz, as a subordinate coach and goalkeeping coach on Iran's national side. Queiroz was named trainer on Monday.

The former MetroStars assistant coach confirmed his appointment on Tuesday.

MetroStars University of Hartford coach has worked together with Queiroz on the Portuguese National Team in the 2010 World Cup, Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Grampus Eight in Japan, the South African National Team and the MetroStars in 1996.

Gaspar lately resigned as Hartford coach. He coached at the school for 6 years as the Hawks compiled a 36-46-21 record.

“Dan has been active in building the brand of Hartford men’s soccer throughout the community,” Patricia Meiser, director of athletics and particular assistant to the president said in a statement. “His leadership and dedication to advancing Hartford men’s soccer will be hard to return. We wish Coach Gaspar the best of luck in his next effort.”

Queiroz and Gaspar coached mutually on Portugal during qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. Gaspar also worked with the Portuguese under Felipe Scolari, who heading for Brazil to the 2002 world championship.

The twosome also co-authored Project 2010, an arrangement commissioned by U.S. Soccer that described the challenges the United States faced in winning the World Cup in 2010.

He has also served as the goalkeeper coach for Benfica and Porto. He also trained FC Porto's Vitor Baia, who was selected as the UEFA's best European goalkeeper in 2004.

Gaspar is also the proprietor and operator of Star Goalkeeper Academy and the Connecticut Soccer School.

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Jackson Statue at Ground

Michael Jackson statue has been unveiled outside the stadium of Premier League side Fulham, commemorating the tardy singer's friendship with the club's chairman.

Mohammed Al Fayed danced with children in front of the statue of the King of Pop behind it was unveiled prior to Fulham's home match with Blackpool at Craven Cottage.

And he later told fans they can "go to hell" if they do not be glad about the statue.

Al Fayed, a close friend of the late performer, caused controversy after announcing he had decided to place the tribute to Jacko outside the Cottagers' stadium.

The statue was commissioned following Jackson's death in June 2009 and was due to be erected at Harrods earlier than Al Fayed sold the Knightsbridge store. The decision to move it to Craven Cottage is likely to divide estimation, with statues at football grounds normally reserved for club legends.

Jackson's links to Fulham are fragile to say the least - he watched a game there as a guest of Al Fayed in 1999 - while the singer was also dogged by argument during his lifetime.

Regardless of this, Al Fayed has refuted claims that the memorial is peculiar and lashed out at fans that have spoken against it. "Why is it bizarre?" he said following the unveiling. "Football fans love it.

"If some dense fans don't understand and be grateful for such a gift they can go to hell.

"I don't want them to be fans. If they don't understand and don't consider in things I believe in they can go to Chelsea, they can go to anywhere else."



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Manchester United will tire themselves out against Chelsea

United tour to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and host the go back leg on April 12 before playing Arsenal in London on May 1. An FA Cup date with Manchester City at Eastlands on coming April 16 means that United will have played six games previous to the trip to London, two more than Arsenal.

"The way I seem at it is that United have two extra big games previous to they have to play us," said Van Persie, referring to the Premiership's current leaders' conflict with Chelsea in the Champions League.

"Hopefully, they will have to dig bottomless into their reserves and come here exhausted. That's how I am looking at it because I want us to have the biggest opening against them."

The detail that Arsenal's leading goalscorer is hoping that their rivals' heavier match list will give them a helping hand gives a good impression of the two sides' relation fortunes in recent weeks, with Arsenal going through a poor run of appearance which saw them knocked out of three competitions.

But although that bend continued with a dispiriting goalless draw at home to Blackburn at the weekend – a result which left Arsene Wenger dejected and his side seven points floating of United in the Premier League – Van Persie insists that his side is capable of starting anew.

"We were just inauspicious with injuries in certain games," he said of a run of two wins in the last eight games. "We start working tough on Monday another time and everyone will be positive."

"We cannot be diverse. We do believe."

As for the practice of watching United overcome a two-goal deficit at half time to win by two: "It was not fine. But it does not matter. We still play them and we have an opportunity to get three points there.

"It's up to us. Everyone stays helpful and speaks to each other and says, 'Come on, we've eight games to play for, present it your all.' We will do that."


The fight might yet be a title-decider, but Arsenal has games against Blackpool, Liverpool, Spurs and Bolton to discuss in the meantime.



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Bosnia and Herzegovina were balanced from international football

Bosnia and Herzegovina were balanced from international football Friday in a chain over the presidency of their football federation.

FIFA, the sport's global governing body, and UEFA, the organization in claim of European soccer, took the step after Bosnia and Herzegovina's football association failed to modify its three-headed presidency.

The NFSBiH represents two football associations and now has a Bosnian, a Croat and a Serb head to reproduce the racial groups within the former Yugoslav republic.

Bosnia and Herzegovina were balanced from international football

A meeting in the nation's capital of Sarajevo attempted to address the matter, with FIFA having ordered the NFSBiH to reform and present one presidential figure, but no resolution could be found.

"The Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been suspended until additional notice by FIFA and UEFA as of today," read a FIFA statement Friday.

"The Executive Committees of FIFA and UEFA had requested the FFBH to assume the statutes according to FIFA and UEFA minimum requirements by no later than 31 March 2011; if not the FFBH would be automatically suspended.

"FIFA and UEFA deeply apologize for that this decision had to be taken and will meet shortly to argue the next steps required to try to bring the FFBH back into the football family as soon as possible."

The deferment means Bosnia and Herzegovina will be unable to struggle in both international matches and continental club competitions.

The news will come as a gust to Safet Susic's national side, which are fourth in Euro 2012 qualifying Group D after a 2-1 victory over Romania on March 26.

At present, the team will be incapable to fulfill their next qualifying match, also against Romania, on June 3.

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Spain unbeaten

KAUNAS: World and European champions Spain remained victorious atop Group I of Euro 2012 qualifying with a 3-1 win over Lithuania on Tuesday.

Goals from Xavi and Juan Manuel Mata sandwiched possess goal by Tadas Kijanskas to hand the Spaniards their fifth victory from five games, although the hosts had briefly drawn stage with a wonder strike by Marius Stankevicius.

"It was important to win today despite the lamentable state of the pitch," said Spain midfielder Xavi. "It's just sand, it's sad to perceive a pitch like that. You can't play football here.

"But we're happy. We have a foot and a half in the Euro," he told Telecinco. "They played on the counter-attack and we tried not to fall into their catch

All the pre-game talk had been of the unfortunate quality of the pitch, with Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque even going as far as saying he would wish his side not to play the match due to the woeful state of the playing outside.

But the two teams seemed unchanged on the pitch, with Spain opening the scoring in the 20th minute when Xavi's dipping shot took a wicked deflection off a defender to loop past goalkeeper Zydrunas Karcemarskas.

But Lithuania battled fine against the winners of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and strike back in the 57th minute through Stankevicius.

The Valencia defender capitalized on a poor authorization from the penalty area to drill a right-footed volley straight and hard past despairing Spain captain Iker Casillas in goal.

Xabi Alonso then saw his well-struck 65th-minute free-kick superbly tipped over the bar by Karcemarskas.

Although Spain was not dominating midfield, a slip-up by the hosts saw Mata played in down the left.

The Valencia forward troop into the area and crossed perfectly into the pathway of Fernando Llorente.

But the Athletic Bilbao striker was trodden to it by the misjudged knee of fast-approaching defender Tadas Kijanskas, contact from which nudged the ball into the goal.

 Spain wrapped up the result when a beautiful one-touch build-up saw David Silva play in Mata, the very small winger taking the ball on and beating Karcemarskas at the near post.

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Neymar dreams of blues move

Neymar improved his claims as one of the best young talents in the world with a genius display in Brazil's 2-0 win over Scotland on Sunday.

The Santos attacker has been linked with a go to Europe for some time with all the top clubs on the continent chasing his signature.

Chelsea has detained a long-term interest in the 19-year-old and Neymar has admitted he would be happy to formulate the move to Stamford Bridge.

"Chelsea's a great club," Neymar told. "It's a dream of each player to play at Chelsea.
"If one day it happens, I will be very joyful to come.

"When the jiffy comes we are going to sit with my family.

"We are going to think about it and argue the options."

Chelsea tried to sign Neymar last summer, but the skilful forward did not sense the time was right to leave Brazil.

However, the teenager would give serious thought to a shift to West London this summer if Chelsea come calling again for his services.

"Last year, when Chelsea came, we sat mutually and we thought it wasn't the time yet," added Neymar. "If it happens this year, we are going to sit again and going to talk about about it."

Although attracting interest from a host of clubs, Neymar insists he is happy at Santos for the time being.

"I am happy there and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right choice and things will happen," concluded Neymar.




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Barry happy at leading England

Gareth Barry insists the conditions culminating in him leading England out as captain for the first time will not diminish his sense of satisfaction.

The Manchester City player has been handed the armband for Tuesday's friendly international with Ghana after John Terry was out from the squad, along with four others, following the Euro 2012 qualifier in opposition to Wales on Saturday.

Barry did not even make the substitutes' bench in Cardiff but is the most experienced activist left in the squad, and said: "I'm well aware that there are a lot of players not here and, in dissimilar circumstances, I obviously wouldn't be captain. But, personally, I can't let that take it left from me. I'm going to be leading my country out."

He added: "As dissatisfied as I was on Saturday not to be playing, it's going to be a great honor to lead England out.

"It came as a revelation but this is just football.

"To find myself not involved at the weekend, and then a few days later on to be told I'm going to lead the team out at Wembley, it sums up the game and how speedily things can vary.

"I'm not timid about doing it. I had two or three great years at Aston Villa, leading the team out, and it does furnish you a good lift leading the 11 players out.

"It's something I'm looking forward to doing."

Barry broke into the Villa team as a 17-year-old central defender and learnt a lot about leadership by playing under and at the side of Gareth Southgate.

He said: "Initially Gareth was a great head for me. Being a young player at Aston Villa, he was certainly a enormous role model, someone I learned a lot off. At club level he was a great leader to learn off."

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Northern Ireland v Slovenia

Northern Ireland go into tonight’s Euro 2012 crunch clash with Slovenia at Windsor Park knowing a beat is likely to spell the end of their qualification hopes.

Last Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Serbia — after Northern Ireland had led 1-0 at half-time — has left Nigel Worthington’s men lying second from foot of Group C.

And although we have a match in hand, a beat tonight would mean we’d have to win all five remaining games in order to formulate the finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Gareth McAuley will captain Northern Ireland from the start for the first time — in the lack of Aaron Hughes, who suffered a shoulder injury in Belgrade — and both he and fellow defender Jonny Evans are upbeat about tonight’s must-win encounter.

“It’s huge. Being in the leading place we threw away at least a point in Serbia,” said McAuley.

“It makes this game even bigger. We’ll be going at it right from begin.

He added: “It’s an honor to be captain and it would be pleasant to look back on it as a winning occasion. We know we can strike Slovenia.”

Evans said: “We have to win this one to get us back on way and try to qualify.”


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Villa Rocks Spain Beat Czechs

GRANADA (Spain): David Villa became Spain's record goal-scorer when he strike twice as the world champions fought back from 1-0 down to strike Czech Republic 2-1 in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday.
Jaroslav Plasil silenced the home fans with a powerful long-range make in the 29th minute that went in off a post to give the visitors an upset lead.

Villa equalised in the 69th minute with a low down shot that was too good for keeper Petr Cech before netting from the penalty spot four minutes later after Andres Iniesta was felled in the area.

The Barcelona attacker now has 46 international goals for the European champions - two ahead of former Real Madrid marksman Raul.

The success gave Spain a perfect 12 points from four games in Group I.

The home team immediately put the Czech goal under stress on a warm Andalucian evening and Iniesta tested Cech with a snap shot in the second minute before Joan Capdevila flashed a header narrowly wide.

Villa stung Cech's hands with a influential volley from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross in the 26th minute but the visitors grabbed a surprise lead three minutes later on with their first shot on goal.

Plasil collected the ball in an innocuous-looking position in central midfield before letting fly from 29 metres.

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Wales' Ashley Williams eager for England test

Wales defender Ashley Williams is eager to test himself against "some of the best players in the world" on Saturday.

England trainer Fabio Capello is tipped to pair Andy Carroll with Wayne Rooney in attack for the Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

"It would be unbelievable... we don't need to speak anything about Wayne Rooney," said Williams.

"Everyone knows about him and it'll be a tough sport definitely - probably one of the toughest in my career."

While Williams has not at all faced Manchester United star Rooney before, the 26-year-old Swansea City centre-back has tangled with Carroll.

New Liverpool striker Carroll snatched a point for former club Newcastle last season in a taut Championship promotion battle, heading home three minutes from time at the Liberty Stadium.

"He's a good player, he's a physical occurrence, he's good in the air, also he's got good feet and his movement's not too bad as well, having played against him before I know it'll be a tough game," Williams added.

"As a player and as an expert you want to play against the best and they've definitely got some of the best players in the world.

"There's no point measuring against normal players, you may as well play against the best and notice whereabouts you are.

Bale quietly confident ahead of England quarrel

"But that's secondary; the first thing is the team. We want to get the win, if we all played and got the win we'd get that.

"After the game you can look back on your personal recital and see how you did.

 "It will probably be the biggest game for a lot of the boys in our team.

"Their squad probably won't say that but for us and for me personally it's definitely the biggest game, the biggest presence and... I'm on top of the world at the moment; I just can't wait to get into the game."

Wales are currently bottom of Group G having lost their opening three matches of the campaign but under the leadership of new coach Gary Speed and in front of a packed Millennium Stadium crowd, there is real hope they can upset the odds.

Tamworth-born Williams, who signed for Swansea in 2008 from Stockport County, may not speak with a Welsh inflection but the 2009 Welsh Footballer of the Year says there will be no divided loyalties on Saturday.

"I was born in England, that's a detail, but lived here for the last three years and I've played 24 times for Wales so I definitely know which side I'm on!" Williams said.

"I know I'm English and always will be but I've got Welsh family and having lived downward here I think it helps."

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UNH Football Player’s Death

DURHAM, N.H. -- New information in the shooting death of a University of New Hampshire football player was exposed Monday.

Court paperwork released in Boulder County detailed the altercation that cost Wildcat wide receiver Todd Walker his life.

Police said Walker and a female friend, Elizabeth Roach, were walking down the middle of a street Friday when they were approached by a man, with a bandanna over his face, and pointed a semi-automatic weapon at Roach.

According to the affidavit, "Roach said the guess said, 'Give me all your money.' Roach said she thought it was a joke, and pulled down the suspect's bandanna. The suspect continued to demand she give him all of her money, but she told him he was a 'joke,' that 'This was Boulder,' and 'I'm not giving you my money.'"

Police said the man fired a shot in the air and repeated his command.

"Roach said Todd tried to intervene and he and the suspect got into a pushing match. Walker told the man, 'This is ludicrous, leave her alone,'" police said.

Investigators said the man pointed the gun at Walker and shot him.

Police identified the shooter as 22-year-old Kevin McGregor, of Longmont, Colorado. Police said the manager of a local sandwich shop recognized the separate lettering described on the gunman's hoodie, and believed it might belong to McGregor.

Police said the manager "went to the back office area where she knew McGregor had stashed a handgun previously. She found a little caliber handgun; she removed the magazine, and noted there were only three bullets in the magazine."

Detectives said McGregor was arrested Saturday night, and they said he admitted to the shooting.
McGregor is charged with first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery, police said.

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Liverpool beat sunderland 2-0

LONDON: Dirk Kuyt scored a controversial penalty as Liverpool bounced back from their Europa League outlet with a 2-0 win at 10-man Sunderland on Sunday.

Liverpool was beaten at Sunderland in doubtful circumstances last period when Darren Bent scored with a goal that deflected in off a beach ball which had been thrown onto the pitch.

But Kenny Dalglish's side enjoyed their own moment of good fortune at the Stadium of Light this time as Kuyt netted a first half penalty awarded for a tackle by John Mensah that took place outside the area.


Replays showed Mensah's challenge made contact with Jay Spearing before the midfielder fell in the area and referee Kevin Friend initially gave a free-kick, only to change his conclusion to a penalty on the advice of a linesman.

Sunderland was angry and Kuyt rubbed salt into their wounds as he drove home the spot-kick.

Luis Suarez scored Liverpool's second goal from what seemed an impossibly tight angle in the 77th minute to help erase the memory of his team's lacklustre midweek defeat against Braga in the Europa League and raise the Reds within four points of fifth placed Tottenham.

Mensah's miserable day was completed when the Ghana defender was sent off for an expert foul on Suarez in the closing stages.

In Sunday's late game, Chelsea faces Manchester City at Stamford Bridge with the hosts looking for a win that would take them above their opponents into third place.


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Cristiano Ronaldo latest pics from Cadena SER!

Cristiano Ronaldo - Feb 2011

 I always try to give my best to my team to win!

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