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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