The Physio Room - Injury Update

With the new Premier League season only days away, managers, chairman and owners are busy wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, in an effort to strengthen their squads.

So spare a thought for the English Premier League clubs' physios and medical teams and their 'healing hands.'

Here is why:

The 2009/10 Premier League season finished on the 9th May, the F.A Cup Final took place on the 15th May, and many English Premier League (EPL) players were involved in international friendlies prior to the World Cup, which itself began on the 11th June.

On the 24th May England themselves hosted Mexico at Wembley, on the 30th England played Japan in Austria, and after arriving in South Africa they had another warm-up game before their opening World Cup group fixture against the USA on the 12th June. They played Algeria on the 18th June, Slovenia on the 23rd, before going out of the competition on the 27th to Germany.

The English Premier League is littered with 'foreign players' from all over the world, who participated in the World Cup, yet ply their trade on English shores.
The World Cup lasted a full month for a few of them, culminating in the Final on the 11th July.

On their return the pre-season friendlies were immediately upon them.

Last Sunday saw the traditional season curtain raiser - the 'Community Shield' played at Wembley, which was this year unusually competitive, as Chelsea and Manchester United locked horns in an effort to get a winning and early physcological advantage over their fiercest rivals.

Tonight sees an 'England XI' play Hungary in what can only be best described as an ill advised, badly timed and meaningless international friendly, which will involve the participation of Premier League players just 72 hours before the new season kicks-off!

What remains to be seen is how well the various managers and their coaching staff along with the healing hands of their respective physios can manage their squads, rotate them effectively and nurse their injured players through the early opening season exchanges, whilst being able to juggle and prioritise their fixtures, and in doing so succeed in maximising performances and results.

Many teams will start the season without some key players, already victims of injuries picked up last season, during the World Cup or in pre-season.

Obviously some Premier League teams have the budget to sustain sufficiently large enough squads to nullify this problem as best possible. However with the transfer window still open, they still have the opportunity to shore up any problem areas, with additional players, whether they be through loan deals or permanent moves.

Meanwhile there is a full programme of English Premier League fixtures this weekend, so here is your chance to catch up on which players are definitely out injured, who is doubtful or struggling, and who will be fit to play for their clubs.

Click on the 'link' to find out the latest on your Club's injury worries, and how soon it will be before some of your teams players will be back in action.

The Worst Sporting Champions of All Time ! - Part One

The World Cup is over, Spain were victorious and they are the World Champions. At the end of the day whilst watching it from my humble abode here in the UK it is in my opinion that Spain were indeed worthy winners, although it was generally a disappointing tournament all-round in terms of the quality of the football played, and the embarrassment and humiliation the England players and management team bestowed upon our nation!

This article is part one of several to come celebrating those undeserved 'Sporting Champions' - those teams and/or individuals that were actually top of their field, yet were still pretty rubbish.

For this reason I shall call them 'Sport's Greatest Ever Pretenders,' starting with:
Blackburn Rovers - Premiership Champions 1995.

How did a team based around the workmanlike talents of Tim Sherwood and Jeff Kenna become champions of England?

Stick nine men behind the ball, hoof it up to Alan Shearer and hope he's not too busy flapping his pointy elbows into some poor old defender's eye socket, and in the interim point in time he whacks the ball into the back of the onion bag. That is how!

Ole, ole ole!.............free-flowing, aesthetically pleasing, champagne football!

That season Manchester United had been handicapped by the loss of the mercurial Eric 'the karate kid' Cantona, following a now well documented altercation with a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park one January evening in 1995. Without the suspended Frenchman it immediately became advantage Rovers, but they still failed to claim their prize with any assumed authority.

They stumbled over the finishing line, losing three of their final five games, the last of which gave Manchester United the chance to snatch the title with the very last kick of the season, if they could win at West Ham. Luckily for Rovers, that final kick fell to United's Achilles heel, Andy Cole's club foot - and Kenny Dalglish's men topped the table by a single point.

They danced and they sang without a hint of ignominy, as this small Lancashire club lifted the Premier League trophy, just four years after the arrival and the aid of the late Jack Walker's dynasty and his millions.

Such end-of-season shamelessness would never be seen again............that was until Chelsea insisted that it 'wasn't all about Roman's f***ing money,' when in June 2003 Ken Bates sold Chelski to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich for £140 million, completing what was then the biggest-ever sale of an English football club.

He subsequently spent over £100 million on new players, as they went onto become the fifth English team to win (buy) back-to-back league championships since the Second World War in 2004/05 and 2005/06.

Ferguson regrets about Forlan

Sparkling form continues to be Diego Forlan, Sir Alex Ferguson certainly regret ever selling Uruguay's original star.

Although La Celesste must recognize the benefits of the Netherlands 2-3 in the semifinal, but Forlan is one of the players shine at World Cup 2010 and the opportunity to win the gold shoes.

Former Manchester United star had contributed four goals during the tournament in South Africa. Forlan brilliant appearance receives attention from Ferguson, who knows the bomber capability Atletico Madrid.

Actually no problem with Forlan during play at Old Trafford, just that its combination with Ruud van Nistelrooy did not work so well that Manchester United sell. Appearances captors while competing in the World Cup in 2010 brought into FIFA Dream Team 2010/2011, and made him the best player of World Cup 2010/2011.

More about World Cup Click HERE

VERSUS

Following England's horror show against the USA, someone needs to step up and carry the flag for the Three Lions and could that man be Wayne Rooney.

Fabio Capello's men face a crucial match against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday.



The World Cup odds make them 2/9 to win the game, while the draw is 11/2 with Betfred and, according to team-mate Matthew Upson, Rooney is the man to fire England to victory.



Upson, who hopes to replace the injured Ledley King in the heart of England's defence, has seen Rooney in training over recent weeks and is confident the goals will come for the Manchester United forward.



Rooney has scored only once in eight internationals over the past year, but remains a 12/1 shot in the World Cup 2010 betting to win the Golden Boot. However, if he wants to be top scorer he will need to start finding the back of the net, starting on Friday.



Upson claimed that despite Rooney's recent disappointing international scoring record, there is no need for the striker to panic and "start thinking" about the problem.



"It will happen. Wayne's movement is great. He is a class player and he is totally gifted," the West Ham defender said.



"He just needs to relax, play his game and the goals will come because he is top draw."



England fans could have received a great boost with the confirmation from Capello that Gareth Barry is back from injury and will start the Algeria clash.



The balance of the England side had looked a little off during the draw with the USA, but the return of Barry could give Frank Lampard more chance to push forward which means 7/4 for him to score at anytime could be a good bet.



My Tip of the Weekend:



England should rediscover their goalscoring boots against a sloppy looking Algeria side, so the 3-0 at 13/2 with Betfred is my pick. Over 2.5 goals also looks attractive at 4/5.



Remaining Group C games:



Slovenia v USA - Friday 18th June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on ITV.

England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

USA v Algeria - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.



By Drew Swainston

(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Evra Bored English Premier League

Evra ecently there were rumors that he would intend to leave Old Trafford for a new challenge, and Mourinho was the one who wishes to borrow real madrid. But he is still bound by contract with Manchester United for two Years, with salary of 80 thousand pounds per week. If Manchester United are willing to sell, Real Madrid and Inter Milan are ready to buy it at a price 18 million pounds.

Evra is now being concentrated in the country for the World Cup 2010 and did not want to discuss the issue of transfer of players.


more about evra click here

"Shoes 4 Life" - You Can Help Make a Difference!

How many pairs of shoes do you own? 5, 10, 20.............more than 20?
Do you ever stop and think that there are millions of people in our world who don't have any shoes at all !

Well SoccerPro is at it again!

Like their 'Jerseys 4 Life' campaign earlier this year, this summer during the World Cup, SoccerPro has teamed up with the international shoe charity, Soles4Souls to bring us 'Shoes 4 Life'.

They are raising awareness of the fact that millions of people every day, many of them children, do not have shoes. Without shoes, walking long distances to schools or jobs is nearly impossible, and bare feet are prone to injury. By donating money to Shoes 4 Life, you can help make a step in the direction of ending this easily fixable problem.

One dollar sends one pair of shoes to a barefoot child or adult, and can help deliver much more: Hope!

SoccerPro is thanking everybody who helps in the movement by giving away some of their inventory. Some lucky winners will receive $800 worth of soccer shoes.

Beer, Footy and Birds is just one of many sites making people aware of the campaign, and giving you an opportunity to make a difference, by providing some much needed help to people far less fortunate than ourselves.

Take a look at Shoes 4 Life - it's a positive way to celebrate how the World Cup is bringing the world together.

More Butter Fingers than Green Fingers !

Now I would like to point out that due to work commitments I had to view last night's game intermittently at work on a small screen TV with the sound muted, and as of yet I have not listened to or read any broadcasting opinions, official interviews or press reports made since the final whistle of the England v USA game.

As a result this article is brief and written without any outside influence, so here we go!

England's history of starting major tournaments poorly continued with another rather uninspiring display last night, as they 'let slip' an early lead given to them courtesy of a serene Steven Gerrard strike, to share the spoils in a rather drab 1-1 draw with the United States in their opening group C match, on day two of the 2010 World Cup.

It may sound a bit premature with only five matches completed as I write, but the word 'uninspiring' seems prevalent thus far in football's showpiece event, with adventurous attacking flair playing second fiddle to some rather apathetic tactics, seemingly deployed and installed by managers into their players.
A psychological condition I am going to call for the time being anyway, the 'lose at no costs' syndrome.

Not for the first time last night England fell foul, largely due to yet another goalkeeping 'gaffe' that would rival any other previous goalkeeping faux pas made by the men between the sticks over the years. Is their some kind of goalkeeping style Masonic Club we are unaware of on these shores!

If there is should it read something like this:

"Ultimately, we are the same Freemasons that you have known throughout your life and all of history – a fun-loving Brotherhood of Charity, that is reflected in our works. We are dedicated to promoting good will in our local communities while at the same time promoting fun, unsafe and unreliable English goalkeepers."

Current members of our club include, Mr.Bonetti, Mr.Clemence, Mr.Seamen, Mr.Robinson, Mr.Carson. Now step forward Mr.Green who has himself thrown his own hat into the ring. However, full membership can only be achieved upon that individual being raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason...........

I digress. Moving on swiftly.
Robert Green in my opinion should not bare the sole brunt of the blame for our failure to beat the USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium near Rustenburg last night.
There are other candidates who's influence on our national team puts them well and truly in the line of fire! Not least the Football Association's own £6 million a year employee, our very own England manager, be he of Italian descent, Mr.Fabio Capello.

England qualified for the World Cup with aplomb, but since the end of the English domestic season, and the announcement of the provisional 30 man squad, we seem to have lost our way.

Three lacklustre warm-up matches prior to the tournament seem to throw the England circus out of formation.

I find some of Capello's behaviour and decision making of late somewhat unsettling. The manner in which he whittled down his squad of 30 to a final 23, the omission of certain players and the inclusion of others, along with the reported and I feel rather bizarre decision not to tell his squad who would be starting the game against the USA, until something like two hours before kick-off. Football is as much a mental game as a physical one, and I am not sure I agree with the wisdom of his methods of thinking!

Some may argue the phrase there is 'method in the madness,' but on this occasion I am not convinced the boss got it right!

Having said that, it is still early days, but if 'Fabio' wants to live up to his name, then he has some serious thinking and soul searching to do before Friday's must win encounter with Algeria.

Who will wear the goalkeeping jersey?
What formation should he play?
Should Rooney play as a loan striker?
Is there room for a fit Gareth Barry?
Who will make up the best centre-half pairing?
Should Lennon or Wright-Phillips provide the width?

Good luck Fabio, because ' your necky may well be on the blockey ' if the team fails to deliver on Friday!

World Cup 2010 Missed Nani

One more star players certainly miss the World Cup finals performances in 2010 in South Africa. Portugal national team midfielder who graze with Manchester United, Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha is often called Nani pupolar.

Nani, who played brilliantly with Manchester United in the second half this season, suffered an injury to his left shoulder during a team training in Lisbon on Friday (4 / 6) then, before Seleccao das Quinas fly to South Africa.

Nani following list of players who missed in World Cup 2010 confirmed, Nani will be the audience following in the footsteps of other star players like Rio Ferdinand and David Beckham (England), Michael Ballack (Germany), Michael Essien (Ghana), and John Obi Mikel (Nigeria).


more about Injury click here

Rio Ferdinand Injury, english cry!!!

Capello again troubled by injuries of players, this time England international defender, Rio Ferdinand Injury struck again. he certainly can not appear to defend the England in the World Cup in 2010. is obtainable Ferdinand injury during practice the day after the national team arrived in africaBritain. Defender veteran's Manchester United was often hit by injuries lately, he defended the MU also only 20 times in 2009 -2010 season EPL.

more about Rio Ferdinand click here

Should England Fans Really Be Dreaming of World Cup Glory? - World Cup Betting News with Betfred

The World Cup adverts are already proclaiming a possible England win, the songs, good and bad, are flooding the charts and the kick off is drawing ever nearer.

A singing Terry Venables, advertising a leading tabloid newspaper, is claiming England fans should be dreaming of a possible World Cup win this summer. This hype seems to have gone to people's heads and is probably part of the reason why the World Cup football odds make England third favourites at 6/1 to win the World Cup. England are just 3/1 to reach the Final.

Rio Ferdinand, who had been named as England skipper (following John Terry's much publicised unsavoury off-field antics) has been ruled out of the entire tournament, following a knee injury picked up in training. Steven Gerrard has been handed the captain's armband in his absence, with Frank Lampard being appointed the new vice-captain. Gerrard however still believes the side can win the World Cup this summer, despite the loss of Ferdinand and the rather abject England performances in their recent warm-up games against Mexico and Japan.

Speaking to Prince William via a video link, the Liverpool midfielder claimed the team are focused on the task in hand.

"We're very disappointed about Rio, but by the time that first game comes around I'm sure the team will be fit and ready to win," he said.

Prior to his injury, Ferdinand stated that star striker Wayne Rooney will be crucial to England's hopes this summer and the Manchester United forward is 10/1 with Betfred to be top scorer in the World Cup.

England fans will be hoping the rest of the squad remain injury free and it is Gerrard who lifts the trophy in Johannesburg on July 11th.


My England Tip for the Tournament:

I expect England to carry on their recent tradition and exit at the quarter-final stage, an eventuality which is 10/3 with Betfred and possibly a more realistic World Cup bet than them actually winning the tournament.

Group C games:
England v United States - Saturday 12th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

The Latest World Cup News

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba's participation in the World Cup is in serious doubt after he broke a bone close to his elbow.
The Chelsea striker, 32, picked up the injury 16 minutes into his side's 2-0 friendly win over Japan yesterday, in Saitama.
However coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said there was still a chance the talismanic Drogba could feature in South Africa.
"He got a bad injury and may have an operation, but he is not out. The doctors can't say any more than that," he told BBC Radio 5 live - BBC Sport

Nigeria suffered a blow just under a week away from the start of the World Cup as they announced that star midfielder John Obi Mikel had been left out of the squad because he did not want to aggravate a knee injury.
The 23-year-old Chelsea star will be replaced in the Nigeria squad by uncapped Brown Ideye, who plays for Sochaux in France - Fifa.com

Brazil have two injury worries in the shape of goalkeeper Julio Cesar and left-back Michel Bastos.
Cesar, 30, missed training for the second consecutive day on Friday and had intensive physiotherapy on the back injury he suffered in Wednesday's 3-0 win against Zimbabwe.
The 26-year-old Bastos damaged his ankle in training.
However, both players are expected to be fit for Brazil's opening fixture against North Korea on the 15th June - BBC Sport

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert remains bullish about his side's chances at the World Cup despite going down 3-1 to Slovenia (Group opponents of England) in a warm-up match in Maribor on Friday.
Two excellent free-kicks from star Milivoje Novakovic, and a tap-in from Andraz Kirm was enough to see off the challenge from the All Whites, who saw Rory Fallon drive home their solitary goal - Fifa.com

Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo faces a race against time to be fit for the finals after suffering a calf injury in Thursday's 2-1 friendly defeat to Mexico.
The 31-year-old will miss the World Cup holders' opener against Paraguay on the 14th June and there are fears he could be ruled out of the whole tournament.
The AC Milan playmaker has left the Azzurri's training camp in the Italian Alps to recover at home but is scheduled to fly to South Africa with the team on the 8th June.
"It's an injury which worries me but there's time," said team doctor Enrico Castellacci - BBC Sport

France suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against China in their final warm-up match on Friday.
China, who are ranked 84th in the world, scored the only goal in the friendly on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean in the 68th minute.
France play Uruguay in their opening match on the 11th June and are hoping to avoid a repeat of their group-stage exit during Euro 2008 - BBC Sport

Chile striker Humberto Suazo may be forced to sit out the World Cup if he is deemed to have used a banned substance when trying to overcome injury, according to Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.
Having acquired a hamstring problem that threatened to rule him out of the competition in a friendly against Israel last Sunday, the powerful forward underwent a course of platelet injections, which have been proven to speed up the muscle healing process. These injections, however, may be illegal according to revised WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules.
The 29-year-old was in prolific form during the qualifying campaign, registering on 10 occasions to send the Chileans through as the second best team from South America.
Chile is appearing in its first World Cup since 1998, and faces Honduras in its opening Group H game on the 16th June - Goal.com

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk fears Arjen Robben may miss the World Cup after the winger suffered a hamstring injury against Hungary.
Robben appeared as a second-half substitute in today's friendly against Hungary and scored twice in the 6-1 romp before hurting his hamstring in the closing stages.
The Bayern Munich ace will undergo a scan on the problem on Sunday, meaning he will not travel with the rest of the Dutch squad to South Africa this evening.
Van Marwijk is hoping that Robben's injury will not prove serious enough to rule him out of the World Cup, but he is braced for the worst - Skysports.com

Denmark's injury problems are mounting.
Thomas Kahlenberg is set to miss Denmark's World Cup warm-up match against South Africa tomorrow.
The Wolfsburg midfielder is struggling with injury while Jon Dahl Tomasson is also doubtful for the match. The Feyenoord striker was absent from yesterday's training session and was to be assessed today.
Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, defender Simon Kjaer and striker Nicklas Bendtner are already missing as Denmark complete their preparations for their Group A matches against Holland, Cameroon and Japan - Fifa.com

Arse About Face - World Cup Hair To Die For!

A hairdresser is a universal term referring to someone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair colouring, haircutting and hair texture techniques.
Some barbers prefer to see themselves as hairdressers or hairstylists.
In fact, barbers can cut hair, trim beards, colour, perm, provide facials, and shave. Today, barbers and stylists may be found working side by side in establishments known as male salons. Male salons have afforded the barber the opportunity to remain traditional in all aspects of the term, yet also progressively contemporary as fashion and trends evolve.

In the dock and charged with crimes against football, in this case for attempting and failing to carry off the role of a fashion icon are:

Defendant One: Ronaldo (Brazil) seen at the 2002 World Cup in Japan & South Korea sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Two: Carles Puyol (Spain) a repeat offender - seen firstly at the 2002 World Cup in Japan & South Korea and again at the 2006 World Cup in Germany sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Three: Alexis Lalas (USA) seen at the 1994 World Cup in the United States sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Four: Carlos Valderrama (Columbia) seen at the 1990 World Cup in Italy sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Defendant Five: Roberto Baggio (Italy) seen at the 1994 World Cup of in the United States sporting this cataclysmic faux pas.....

Could the USA really threaten England in South Africa? - 2010 World Cup Betting News with Betfred

V.

With England due to kick-off their 2010 World Cup campaign three weeks today, the hype about this summer's World Cup is well and truly underway, and you can't move for adverts in support of our national team. However one football expert reckons Fabio Capello's side face a tricky task early on in the competition.

England, who are third favourites in the World Cup 2010 betting, face the USA in Rustenburg in their opening game on June 12th. The Three Lions are well-fancied to win this clash at 1/2 with Betfred, while the Americans are 5/1 to cause a shock.

One man who thinks it may not be so easy for England is Sir Alex Ferguson, who thinks the USA have a "very good chance at qualifying", which could see some punters seeing the Americans to win Group C at 5/1 as a reasonable shout.

The Manchester United manager said there are a number of players in Bob Bradley's squad who are more than capable of springing a surprise on opposition defences in South Africa.

"I don't think they're going to be overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the World Cup, the importance of the World Cup, the intensity," Ferguson said.

"I think that will be easy for them. I think they'll be used to that. Those players have that, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has had a great season in England this year."

He added: "They are very athletic, they apply themselves very well, and are difficult to play against."

England and the USA, the two favourites to progress from Group C, also have to play Slovenia and Algeria. The eastern European nation failed to clock up a point in their only other World Cup appearance in 2002, while the African side also have a poor record in the tournament. They are 15/8 and 10/3 respectively to make it through to the second round, something I can't see happening.

Remember, this is the same USA side that is ranked 14 in the world and made it into the final of the Confederations Cup last summer, beating Spain on the way and giving Brazil a real game in the final. So not only should they make it out of the group, but they could go even further - the online betting makes them 20/1 shots to be knocked out in the semis.


My Opening Tip of the Tournament:

England and USA to qualify from Group C at 4/5 with Betfred, while England at 3/1 to get knocked out in the quarter-finals should also be considered by those punters seeking value.

England v United States - Saturday 12th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

The Latest World Cup News

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has dropped Juventus defender Fabio Grosso and Udinese midfielder Antonio Candreva from his World Cup squad ahead of a training camp this weekend and two warm up matches.
Grosso, 32 was a pivotal player for Italy in their World Cup success four years ago, while Candreva who made his international debut last November also misses out, after failing to shine in a poor Juventus side - ESPN Soccernet

Marcell Jansen remains on course to shake off a foot injury in time to make Germany's World Cup squad.
The Hamburg defender has been named in Joachim Low's 27-man preliminary party and is making is making encouraging progress, despite having been sidelined with the problem since March - Skysports.com

The Ghana Football Association says German midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has been cleared to play for them.
This means the 23-year-old Portsmouth midfielder will be available to line up for the Black Stars at this summer's World Cup in South Africa.
Boateng was named in Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac's 30-man squad for the finals despite the delay in his application to switch nationality - BBC Sport

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has trimmed his provisional World Cup squad from 30 to 27 players.
PSV Eindhoven forward Otman Bakkal and midfielders Wout Brama (FC Twente) and David Mendes Da Silva (AZ Alkmaar) were all omitted.
Earlier in the week, van Marwijk omitted former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from his 30-man squad admitting he had doubts over his injuries - BBC Sport

Argentina coach Diego Maradona named a 23-man squad on Wednesday ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, dropping seven players from the provisional list named last week.
The seven men cut from the provisional squad are Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini, Newell's Old Boys defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde, Jose Sosa of Estudiantes, Olympiakos midfielder Jesus Datolo, Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lanus' Sebastian Blanco and Juan Mercier of Argentinos Juniors - Fifa.com

Brazil midfielder Kaka claims that he will be ready for the start of the World Cup, having struggled with form and fitness throughout the season for Real Madrid.
Kaka endured a groin problem and a thigh injury through parts of the season and he was the subject of criticism for the length of time it took him to get over the injuries, but now maintains he will be in peak condition for the World Cup - ESPN Soccernet

Gordon Banks believes David James should start in goal for England this summer, even though he has not been the most consistent performer in that position. The goalkeeper for England's World Cup-winning side of 1966 said that while Joe Hart had enjoyed the most impressive season and Robert Green had played well in a struggling side, experience would be a vital asset in South Africa - The Guardian

Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is confident about winning his fitness race for the World Cup.
The Stoke City shot-stopper thought he had blown his chances of featuring in South Africa after dislocating his elbow in the Premier League loss at Chelsea on 25th April.
But the Dane is now 'very optimistic' he will be ready for his country's opening Group E match against Holland on 14th June - Skysports.com

England's Pre-World Cup Squad of 30 Announced

Today, England boss Fabio Capello named a 30 strong Pre-World Cup squad, which he shall whittle down to a final 23 players on the 1st June.

The 30 man squad comprises of 3 goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 12 midfielders and 5 strikers.

Selected in the preliminary squad are the uncapped Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson, the controversially recalled Jamie Carragher, the currently injured Gareth Barry and the somewhat surprising inclusions of Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone, Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock who have a total of just six England caps between them!

Paul Scholes, unlike Carragher turned down the opportunity to be a part of Capello's squad, as the England boss tried in vain to persuade the experienced Man Utd midfielder to make himself available.

The squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart (Man City) - 1 Cap, 23 Years Old
David James (Portsmouth) - 49 Caps, 39 Yrs
Robert Green (West Ham) - 9 caps, 30 Yrs

Defenders:
Leighton Baines (Everton) - 1 Cap, 25 Years Old
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool) - 34 caps, 32 Yrs
Ashley Cole (Chelsea) - 77 Caps, 29 Yrs
Michael Dawson (Spurs) - Uncapped, 26 Yrs
Rio Ferdinand Man Utd) - 76 Caps, 31 yrs
Glen Johnson (Liverpool) - 20 Caps, 25 Yrs
Ledley King (Spurs) - 19 Caps, 29 Yrs
John Terry (Chelsea) - 59 caps, 29 Yrs

Matthew Upson (West Ham) - 19 caps, 31 Yrs

Stephen Warnock (Villa) - 1 Cap, 28 Yrs

Jamie Carragher - surprise recall!

Midfielders:

Gareth Barry (Villa) - 36 Caps, 29 Yrs
Michael Carrick - (Man Utd) - 21 caps, 28 Yrs
Joe Cole (Chelsea) - 53 Caps, 28 Yrs
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) - 78 caps, 29 Yrs
Tom Huddlestone (Spurs) - 1 cap, 23 Yrs
Adam Johnson (Man City) - Uncapped, 22 Yrs
Frank Lampard (Chelsea) - 77 caps, 31 yrs
Aaron Lennon (Spurs) - 15 caps, 23 Yrs
James Milner (Villa) - 7 Caps, 24 yrs
Scott Parker (West Ham) - 3 caps, 29 Yrs
Theo Walcott (Arsenal) - 9 caps, 21 Yrs
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City) - 30 Caps, 28 Yrs

Gareth Barry - an injury doubt!

Strikers:
Darren Bent (Sunderland) - 5 Caps, 26 Yrs
Peter Crouch (Spurs) - 37 caps, 29 Yrs
Jermain Defoe (Spurs) - 39 Caps, 27 Yrs
Emile Heskey (Villa) - 57 caps, 32 Yrs
Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) - 58 caps, 24 Yrs

Under Fifa regulations, Capello is permitted to bring players into his 23-man squad who were not included in the preliminary party.
But that would be an unusual move, meaning the final party he takes to this summer's finals in South Africa is likely to come from the one he has already named.

There are inevitably a number of players who will be disappointed at not being selected, at least in Capello's initial 30 strong squad, including the likes of:

Paul Robinson (Blackburn) - 41 England Caps, 30 Years Old. Scott Carson (West Brom) - 3 caps, 24 Yrs. Gary Neville (Man Utd) - 85 caps, 30 Yrs. Wayne Bridge (Man City) - 36 Caps, 29 Yrs. Sol Campbell (Arsenal) - 73 caps, 35 Yrs. Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) - Uncapped, 22 Yrs. Wes Brown (Man Utd) - 23 Caps, 30 Yrs. Phil Jagielka (Everton) - 3 Caps, 27 Yrs. Joleon Lescott (Man City) - 9 Caps, 27 Yrs. Gary Cahill (Bolton) - Uncapped, 24 Yrs. Ashley Young (Aston Villa) - 7 Caps, 24 Yrs. Jermaine Jenas (Spurs) - 21 Caps, 27 Yrs. Owen Hargreaves (Man Utd) - 42 Caps, 29 Yrs. Stewart Downing (Villa) - 23 Caps, 25 Yrs. Jamie O'Hara (Spurs) - Uncapped, 23 Yrs. Kevin Davies (Bolton) - Uncapped, 33 Yrs. Carlton Cole (West Ham) - 7 caps, 26 Yrs. Bobby Zamora (Fulham) - Uncapped, 29 Yrs. Gabriel Agbonlahor (Villa) - 3 Caps, 23 Yrs.


England play Mexico at Wembley on 24th May and Japan in Austria six days later as part of a pre-tournament training camp.

In my opinion the seven players that Fabio Capello will leave out of his final World Cup squad of 23 players on the 1st June are: Warnock, Upson, Dawson, Huddlestone, Barry (only if injured - if he's fit then Adam Johnson may well make way), Wright-Phillips and Bent.

The Greatest Football Team Of All-Time

With the 2010 World Cup only 58 days away I thought it time to wet the appetite of all football fans, right across the globe, by selecting MY OWN personal 'Greatest Football Team Of All-Time.'

Now football is without doubt a game of opinions, and you may consider the players I have selected as not worthy of their place in my greatest team, or feel I have missed out players who you would deem as more laudable of selection, which I fully appreciate.

This was not as tricky an exercise as I had initially thought, as so few players are the cream in all the fundamental categories deemed in my selection process.

The criteria for which I based my miscellany on was as follows:

* No pre-war players (footballer was a cruder game back then & the competition was less fierce)
* Great technical ability
* Sustained excellence over a number of years
* An ability to inspire others
* Fervour for battle

There are 12 Europeans and 4 South Americans, and they all satisfy the criteria in abundance.

Four of them played in the 1950's, seven started in the 1960's, two in the 1970's, two in the 1980's and one in the 1990's.

No one country is represented by more than two players.

Goalkeeper:

Lev Yashin - 1954-70 (USSR)

Defenders:

Paulo Maldini - 1988-02 (Italy)
Franz Beckenbauer - 1965-77 (West Germany)
Bobby Moore - 1962-73 (England)
Carlos Alberto Torres - 1964-77 (Brazil)

Midfield:

Alfedo Di Stefano - 1947 (Argentina) , 1957-61 (Spain)
Michel Platini - 1976-87 (France)
Johan Cruyff - 1966-78 (Netherlands)
George Best - 1964-77 (Northern Ireland)

Forwards:

Pelé - 1957-71 (Brazil)
Ferenc Puskás - 1945-56 (Hungary) , 1961-62 (Spain)


Subsitutes:

Goalkeeper:
Gordon Banks - 1963-72 (England)

Defender:
Franco Baresi - 1982-94 (Italy)

Midfield:
Zinedine Zidane - 1994-06 (France)
Forwards:
Diego Maradonna - 1977-94 (Argentina)

Eusebio - 1961-73 (Portugal)

If you feel you would like to agree or disagree with any of the players I have chosen in my 'Greatest football team of all-time,' or you would like to suggest a player who you feel should be included, then please do not hesitate to post any comments below.
All feedback is received with interest and thanks.

The Physio Room - Injury Update

With the Word Cup draw from Cape Town, South Africa only about six hours away (5.30pm GMT), there will be plenty of nervous, anxious faces looking on to see who England are drawn against in the opening phase of the competition.

Obviously the fans' will be keen to see that England get a favourable draw in the group stages, perhaps joined by the likes of Slovenia and New Zealand, rather than the Ivory Coast or France - but what about the players?

The likes of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Ashley Cole will without doubt be watching with great interest.

However those players on the fringes will probably be more concerned not who we draw but whether they themselves will be on the plane to South Africa next summer.
Obviously England boss Fabio Capello will want to take his strongest possible squad to the biggest tournament in world football. Capello is unlikely to name a squad that contains out of form players, or anybody struggling with a slight injury.

Therefore the fringe players if they are to force their way into the squad will only be able to do so if they are being picked on a regular basis by their respective club managers, show good form and stay injury free.

Players such as: David James, Ben Foster, Joe Cole, Peter Crouch, Ashley Young, Darren Bent, Phil Jagielka, Ledley King, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlton Cole, Mathhew Upson, Wayne Bridge and Stewart Downing to name but a few, will probably all be sweating on their places in the England squad when it is narrowed down to the final 22.

Meanwhile there is a full programme of English Premier League fixtures this weekend, so here is your chance to catch up on which players are out injured and who will be fit to play for their clubs.

Click on the 'link' to find out the latest on your Club's injury worries, and how soon it will be before some of your teams players will be back in action.

David Moyses' Everton are injury ravaged at the moment, and have eleven players on the treatment table as we speak. A couple may in contention for at least a place on the bench for Sunday's visit of Tottenham.
Arsenal and West Ham are also struggling with injuries, while Wigan have no injury worries going into their game with Birmingham at the DW stadium tomorrow.

Seen Stoke's Sling-Shot Samba Style !

After seeing pictures of a certain young lady in a London newspaper this morning, I thought it only fitting to do a little bit of research on the background of this rising star of the Brazilian women’s national football team, and look at her own unquestionably unique and rather remarkable individual talent............as the female game’s answer to Rory Delap, (below left)
the man whose deadly throw-ins have attracted a host of media attention, and have been described in some circles as 'weapons of mass
destruction on the football field.'
Delap’s gargantuan throw-ins have been the talk of football this season as Stoke City have taken their Premier League bow.


Leah Lynn Gabriela Fortune was born in San Paulo,
Brazil to American parents.
It turns out her dual citizenship is a blessing in disguise: Leah can play with one foot in each continent, straddling playing time between her club, Team Chicago, and the U-20 Brazilian national team.
However, all bets are off once Leah turns 21, when she'll have to commit exclusively to the USA or Brazil.

But for now, as the youngest player on the team at 17, Fortune is taking full advantage of the opportunities that come with a starting role for Brazil.
With a 30-goal surplus against opponents over the course of seven games, Leah and her teammates stormed through the CONMEBOL South American U-20 Championships last March, as if every game was a carnival.


However the headline cascading across Brazilian televisions and newspapers during the Tournament was 'Leah Cambalhota Mortal' - for Leah is famed for owning a trick the Brazilians had never seen before! A throw-in in which she levitates the ball into the box with her hands by means of a somersault!

Click on the Link and watch Leah in action, for Brazil in their victory over Mexico at the 2008 Women's U'20 World Cup.

Link

In her second game in the CONMEBOL, Leah connected with forward Pamela on a flip throw for the team's first headed goal in a 5-0 rout of Paraguay. 'The Brazilians had never seen anything before like it, so they were going nuts. The crowd loved it,' said Leah. Her father and Team Chicago program director, Hudson Fortune, was also on hand to see the games. 'Every time Leah had an opportunity for a throw-in, the crowd would stand and chant her name in hopes she would do a flip throw.'
And hers has a nickname, 'The Mortal Somersault.'

Leah may not be able to match Delap in the weights room, so she uses incredible leverage to get an insane amount of air underneath the ball and turn every throw in near the box into a poor man's corner, not unlike what Delap endeavours to do when he unleashes a throw for his club side.
'The Mortal Somersault' even earned Leah time on Brazil's 'SportsCenter' highlights reel following an U-20's win over Argentina.
The 'cambalhota' is a front handspring from the sidelines that slings the ball into a box teeming with targets. Fortune's flip allows her to hone in on a roving player - a move that can turn the game on its head.

After a year of gymnastics as a child, she transferred the skill to soccer and has been executing the flip throw since she was 9. The closest thing to a corner kick, the 'cambalhota' leaves most defenders gob smacked at the sight of a throw-in with 20 extra yards of firepower.

The U-20 World Cup in Chile concludes on 7th December.

Jolly Hockey Sticks or Ice Creamed!

As the clock ticks by the England National Football team is preparing to tip-toe into a volatile Zagreb tonight knowing defeat to Croatia in this 2010 World Cup qualifier could demote us to also-rans on the World football stage. If Croatia,(not Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil or Agentina) beat England tonight then there will be carnage in the tabloids tomorrow, burning effigees on the streets, messageboards dining out on four letter expletives from now until kingdom come, along with a comprehensive meltdown on radio phone-ins, as enraged fans holler in despair at our demise........once again!

After sneaking away from a ski resort on Saturday by 2 black runs to none, pride may have been dented but the points were won. However there can be no slip up tonight as the former love child of the cockney East End wide boys from the London Borough of Newham will tell you, Slaven Bilic is no mug & he will take almighty pleasure from outsmarting his opposite number as he prepares a modus operandi of his own - it's just which English Football Club he endorses, not when!

Never in the history of International football have England ever been beaten on three successive occasions by the same nation until........hopefully never!

English sport is not all doom & gloom...........spare a thought for the Bulgarian National Hockey Federation.

With more goals than minutes in a game, Slovakia's women's ice hockey team claimed an amazing 82-0 victory last Saturday over Bulgaria in a European Olympic pre-qualifying tournament for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, in the Latvian town of Liepaja.

Bulgaria conceded a goal on average every 44 seconds!

Slovakia outshot the Bulgarians 139-0 during the 60-minute game, scoring on 58.9 per cent of their shots on goal.

The margin of victory is a record for a women's International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned event.

Janka Culikova led Slovakia with 10 goals, while Martina Velickova scored nine, Slovakia had 12 players record hat tricks, & fourteen different players scored at least one goal.

Bulgaria was eliminated after scoring one goal and conceding 192 in the tournament. Bulgaria lost to Italy (41-0) and Latvia (39-0), and it followed its 82-0 loss with a 30-1 defeat to Croatia.
In total, Bulgaria's women's ice hockey team surrendered more goals in four games(192) than the Detroit Red Wings did in 82 games last season (184).

The game was 7-0 after five minutes, 19-0 after 10, and an incredible 31-0 after only one period.

So at what point during an 82-0 loss in a women's ice hockey game do you turn to your mate and say, 'Come on pal, finish your drink we're outta here, & we may even beat the traffic.'
Well apparently there were fewer than 40 fans in the crowd for this rather one-sided contest.



After two periods, Slovakia led 55-0. If you're Bulgarian and still in the arena during the third period, chances are you're either one of the players or someone who also refuses to leave the worst movie ever made because you paid 'good money' for your ticket.

Down 77-0 with three minutes to go, Bulgaria put in its back-up goaltender, who promptly let in another five goals in just 85 seconds of playing time.

The 82-0 defeat capped what may have been 'the most pathetic tournament appearance in international hockey history.'

Slovakia, which also beat Croatia, Latvia and Italy, advanced to another qualifying group with Germany, Kazakhstan and France. The winner will secure a spot at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

To add insult to injury Slovakian coach Miroslav Karafiat said after Saturday's game, 'we took it as training.'

Ironically The Slovakian men's team clinched its biggest ever victory against none other than Bulgaria 14 years ago, when they won 20-0.

According to sources a Bulgarian media outlet that actually stands up for the women's team has taken the Bulgarian Government to task rather than hitting out at the players.

With a population of 7.4 million, Bulgaria have just 299 registered hockey players of which only 37 are registered female players, (Canada has about 74,000 female players) & only three indoor ice rings in the whole country.
On that basis Bulgaria could have hardly hoped for a successful run in the competition, although this ruthless and systematic destruction was nothing short of a national embarrassment.

The International Ice Hockey Federation said the result, set a record score for a women's IIHF-sanctioned event. It was not the all-time record for futility, however, that is still held by Thailand, who lost 92-0 to South Korea in the 1998 Asia-Oceania U18 Championship. Well that's a relief then!

The chair of the Bulgarian Hockey Federation is calling Slovakia's 82-goal win 'a kind of insulting mockery, & not at all sportsmanlike.'
We're counting down the moments until he lashes out at the glib reaction of the international sports media, which refuses to acknowledge goalie Liubomira Shosheva's amazing 57-save performance,(she faced 134 shots in 57 minutes).

A few Bulgarian news sources are picking up the story today, and they're calling it 'one of the biggest defeats in sporting history' & 'nothing short of a national embarrassment.'

.......Go on England, make us proud & bring home three precious points from Zagreb!

'Gazza' - Misguided or Misunderstood?

What to make of it all?

Last week PAUL GASCOIGNE was arrested and sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

The fallen soccer hero’s only companions while he remained holed up in a hotel room on a two-month drugs and booze binge were battery-operated parrots!.
It was reported that that the ex-England ace, 40, also wandered around the hotel with them under his arm, getting them to squawk 'Give us a kiss' and 'f*** off' to fellow guests.

One member of staff at the Malmaison Hotel said of Gazza; the other day he rang the desk to say one of his parrots had gone missing. The poor lad on duty didn't know what was going on.

He thought Gazza had a live parrot in his room and it had flown out of the window.
When he got to the room Gazza was stood there with a parrot under each arm making them say, 'F*** off, F*** off.'

He's also been answering the door naked. It got to the point where only male staff would be sent to his room.

One day he answered the door with 'MAD' scrawled on his forehead in what looked like eyeliner. He was clearly losing it, but he was just on his own all the time.
He had one or two visitors but there was no one coming regularly to see if he was ok.

His bizarre behaviour was revealed as Police confirmed that they were called to the Hilton Hotel in his hometown of Gateshead on Wednesday (20th February) following an earlier incident at the £240-a-night Malmaison Hotel nearby.

A hotel worker said in the latest incident that Gazza had set off the fire alarm, forcing guests to be evacuated. He added: The night porter was trying to get him to leave and Gazza grabbed him by the neck and started choking him. It didn't last long and then they kicked him out.

Gascoigne, who has fought a life-long battle with drink and drugs launched into his latest bender just before Christmas. He checked into the Malmaison three weeks ago — after he was kicked out of the Gateshead Marriott.



Gascoigne has been described many times as a wasted talent.
With the sensational recent events of the last week and well documented details that have come to prominence since his retirement from playing, it is tempting to see Gazza's successes as a player as monumental in the face of adversity.

Gascoigne had the talent to become one of England's most successful players of all time. However he had other things on his mind, such as his burgeoning alcohol dependence, lifelong bulimia, periodic cocaine addiction, depression, poor diet, a calamitous family life and numerous serious injuries.

That he achieved as much as he did is a testimony to the depth of his talent and his undimmed passion for playing the game.

Gazza was born in Gateshead in May 1967. He joined Newcastle United as an apprentice in 1983, made his league debut two years later against QPR and went on to make 107 League and Cup appearances for The Magpies, scoring 25 goals.

Despite being courted by Sir Alex Ferguson over a move to Old Trafford, he signed for Tottenham in July 1988 for £2.3m.

The 1990 World Cup Finals was a defining moment in Gazza's career.
Taken by Bobby Robson to Italia '90 in what was in many people's eyes considered a 'gamble' he become an integral part of an exciting 5-man England midfield, that helped England through the group stages, past Cameroon in the quarter-finals and into the semi-final against Germany. The pictures of Gazza shedding tears (right) after being booked against Germany (which would have ruled him out of the final) went all around the world and subsequently a new football star was born - Gazza the football celebrity!

Gazza-mania was as overpowering and as short lived as the remainder of Gazza's time at his footballing zenith.
For a season after his return from the World Cup Gazza played some fantastic football leading Spurs to an FA Cup Final, scoring memorable goals and continuing his fine form with England.

With a record £5.5m transfer to Italian giants Lazio looming, Gazza suffered a serious knee injury as a result of a reckless tackle in the 1991 FA Cup Final, (right) and he was never to reach the dizzy heights as a player ever again.
Worse, this was to be the first public example of the frenzied self-destructiveness that would come to dog him in later years......and in fact has to this present day!

After aggravating the injury further in an incident in a nightclub in October 1991 Gazza was out of football for a total of 16 months, before eventually finalizing his move to Lazio in September 1992 following a series of stringent fitness tests.
His time in Italy would be fractious, intermittently spectacular and blighted still further by injuries.

By 1993 — aged just 26 — he was already battling the booze. The following year he admitted beating fiancee Sheryl Kyle. She forgave him but within three months of their 1996 wedding he attacked her again.

Gazza's passion, skill and great goals won over the hearts of the Lazio fans.
Channel 4's live Football Italia show on Sunday's turned into a weekly diary of Gazza's life in Rome. Needless to say his debut was screened live and marked by a banner in the stadium which read: Gazza's Boys, we are here, to shag your women and drink your beer.'

Unsurprisingly there were moments of controversy too including a £9,000 fine for burping into a TV microphone, and the furore over Gazza's response when asked by a Norwegian camera crew if he had any message for the people of Norway ahead of their World Cup qualifier against England - 'Yes. Fuck off Norway' he replied.
In December 1993 he reported back after a Christmas break with a thigh strain, suffered getting out of bed!
Four months later he broke his leg in a freak training accident and spent a further year on the sidelines.

In 1995 a £4.3m move to Rangers led to a period of stability and arguably the most successful spell of his career. In 1996 Gascoigne picked up both the Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards as he helped the Ibrox Club to their eighth league title in a row.

However Gazza again fell foul of his own foolhardy behaviour.
In January 1998 Gascoigne found his life being threatened by the IRA after he
mimicked playing a flute (symbolic of the flute-playing of Orange Order marchers, hated by the IRA) during an Old Firm match at Celtic Park, which was televised live on Sky Sports. He had previously done the same after scoring against Steaua Bucharest in a 1995 pre-season friendly which had gone largely unnoticed.
The gesture infuriated Celtic fans and Gascoigne was fined £20,000 by Rangers and was subjected to IRA death threats for around six months after the incident.

One other high point of his playing career came at Euro'96, where he was part of the England team that reached the semi-finals before losing again to Germany on penalties.
His brilliant goal in the 2-0 victory against Scotland will be remembered as much for the goal celebration as for the goal itself.

The 'dentist chair' celebration ( pictured right) was supposedly a gesture of defiance to those who had criticised his (and several other players) boozing antics on a recent trip abroad prior to the tournament.

Under Glenn Hoddle, Gascoigne was picked regularly over the next year and a half helping England qualify for the 1998 World Cup. But with injury and disciplinary problems affecting his game, he was left out of the final squad by Hoddle.

British tabloid newspapers showed pictures of a drunken Gascoigne eating kebabs in the early hours of the morning only a week before the final squad was due to be chosen. On being told he was out of the squad and to pack his bags, Gascoigne wrecked Hoddle's hotel room in a rage smashing a lamp and a chair and injuring his foot in the process, before being restrained.

His Rangers days were numbered when Dick Advocaat replaced Walter Smith at the helm.
In March 1998 he left Scotland and joined Middlesbrough for £3.4 million.
Personal problems limited his appearances for Boro and he later spent two seasons at Everton, and finished the 2001-02 season with the final few games of the Division One season with Burnley.

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There have been a variety of views and opinions expressed since this latest episode from fans, current and ex-professional players, managers past and present and journalists alike:


Here are some of the comments I have read from football fans:

/'If he was a dog, they'd put him down.

/'Just to wish Paul Gascoigne a very speedy recovery. I was saddened to hear of this unfortunate incident. He is probably one of the greatest footballers of our time; we have all enjoyed watching him at his best, how about showing some support while he's at his lowest point to date?'

/'I'm sure he must have broken his head in that FA Cup Final, not just his leg.'

/'Unbelievably talented but prone to act like a fu*kwit off the pitch. Seemingly in terminal self-destruct mode. A shame we never saw him fulfill his true potential.'

/'Whilst he was an immense talent, he, like Best before him, let fair weather friends pump up his ego to gargantuan proportions, then left him wallowing in beer!'

/'Get well soon Gazza, you will always be a true legend, responsible for some wonderful memories.'

/'A bit like a footballing version of Amy Winehouse.'

/'Really sad to read this about Paul Gascoigne - a great player who brought pleasure to millions with his cheeky grin. We wish him well.'

/'Gazza is nothing without football, but unless he stays sober, he has nothing to offer it.'

/'He has had lots of help but still chooses to drink, add to that his other mental problems, OCD, trauma of seeing his best friend killed, (which he's had since childhood) and you have one very f***ed up individual.'

From Journalists:

/'The story began in tears, continues with tears, and barring a new age of miracles, will end in tears.'

/'Surely the only surprising aspect of Paul Gascoigne’s sectioning this week under the Mental Health Act is that it took them until now to lock him up. This man-child’s desire for self-destruction, demonstrated over many years of emotional incontinence, is so intense that he stands on the abyss.'

/'A talented footballer, who could make himself understood only when he had his boots on, has never come to terms with the demands of adult life, and never will. It is not quite a tragedy, as some have said, but it is very sad.'

/'Once regarded as one of the world's best footballers, Gascoigne's playing career was plagued by personal problems, many linked to his heavy drinking.'

/'I see no Greek tragedy in Gasgoigne's chaos. I feel as sorry for him as I do for any damaged, addicted person. The man had great talent and must, at his peak, have earned enough to buy out the local bank. But he was weak, not heroic. He lacked either a sense of responsibility or the inner resources to tackle his illness.
Everything, as is the case with every alcoholic, has always been someone else's fault, not his.'

/'Perhaps Paul Gascoigne can only be explained by the romantic myths of genius. One way or another, they say, artists pay for their art.'

/'It may be that all Gasgoigne wants to do is quietly continue his path of slow-motion self-destruction. If so, respect him, and respect his right to choose; but please do not sensationalise his illness.'

From ex-players/managers:

/Former England teammate Gareth Southgate, who now manages Middlesbrough, was confident Gascoigne would get well.
'He has shown a willingness to try to come through it in the past and he is obviously going to have to do that again,' Southgate said. 'He would do anything for anybody and, hopefully, people will do the same for him now because he obviously needs that help.'

/Sunderland manager Roy Keane, who often played against Gascoigne, said his problems stemmed from how players dealt with life after retirement.
'That is a problem, particularly with a lot of footballers when you stop playing, there is a massive gap in your life,' Keane said. 'We all pray that Paul finds a bit of peace and serenity because he deserves it.'

/'I do hope that things start working out better for Gazza,' Everton manager David Moyes said. Gascoigne played for two years under Moyes until 2002 — his last Premier League club.
'He is a good man, a good person and was always willing to help others. Everyone at this club will tell you that. When I have been around him he has proved to be a real gent. We all here hope he gets the help he needs.'

/Kevin Keegan was a player at Newcastle when Gascoigne first began his career in the 1980's.
He believes Paul Gascoigne's detention for mental health problems could be the best thing for him.
Keegan said, 'It's sad, but maybe what has happened now will be a turning point for him, and instead of looking on it as something that is really bad, this might be the best thing.'



Just a small sample selection of the mixed & divided feelings on Gazza.
On this subject YOU will have to decide for yourself what the score is...................