FOOTBALL REPORT

FA Cup 2011/12 Third Round highlights - FA Cup - Football - ITV Sport

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2012 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Is The FA betraying the Cup's spirits? Goals of the round - FATV | FA Cup 3rd Round Proper 07-01-12

2012-01-10T11:43:00.000Z

LONDON. This year's FA Cup 3rd Round proper has seen only few 'Giant killings', only few 'Romance' episodes. Despite official figures released yesterday tells that gate attendances have been at record high, pictures from the Stadiums show that - at least - more can be done from the Football Association, to fulfil the Cup's original spirit.

The hope is to have many of you agreeing on the fact that the FA Cup is now a competition money-oriented with little left for the old romantic spirit of Amateur or Non League clubs or lower Football League clubs to make it to the final day's glory of lifting the most glorious cup in the world, the one and only now regarded as the holder of the Beautiful Game's 'Holy Grail', its original essence and spirit now defunct.

Look at the results of this round and you' ll see that much better could have be done in favour of the 'Romance'. What's the point of having Tottenham vs Cheltenham at White Hart Lane if not the one of having a greater gate income? We know now the lower clubs prefer this option as they share home club revenues but this is a very short lived scenario which also means the immediate end of the road for the clubs' players and fans dreams in the annual competition.

In a world awash with TV's monies rights and with The FA itself having embraced the technologies for its own webcast, why do not let this new stream of possible revenues continue to feed the hopes and fantasies of Britain's football backbone culture, the Amateur, the Non League and the Football League clubs?

With this system of TV rights in place cash will still flow in regularly if not more than now in the Football Association's coffers but it will also allow the countrysides and suburbs crowds to finally get the feel of the direct contact and view of the fabled clubs and England and International players of the Premier League on their own cosy little pitches and playgrounds as much as it appears the German FA is doing.

In this way, coupled with other measures - some of which The FA seems now to have the will to implement, such as spectators' abusive or racist behaviour and least but last the clamping down on certain types of brutal challenges - the flow of a new spirit may kick-starts the long sought 'Renaissance' of Britain's football values and skills.

Lucio Menin

FootballReport: The 1st Interactive Journal, Established 1992. Full Coverage of Innovations and Developments for the Multimedia ITC, Internet, Wireless Mobile, Telecom and Broadcasting Technologies Markets

Euro 2012: Beeb's coup whilst ITV refuses betting on England’s progress

2011-12-12T19:27:00.000Z

BBC secures quarter- and semi-final matches in next year's European football tournament

Written By: Radio Times staff; 6:24 PM, 12 December 2011

ITV will show England’s first and final group stage matches of Euro 2012, against France and Ukraine, while the BBC has secured exclusive rights to England’s quarter-final and semi-final matches, should they progress that far.

The agreement between the channels sees ITV choosing England’s opening and, potentially crucial, final games of the pool stages - with the guaranteed viewers and ad revenue they will bring - while the BBC will show the second group game against Sweden.

But should England progress to the knock-out stages, the BBC could come up trumps. It has the choice of the first and fourth quarter-finals - one of which will feature England if they do qualify - plus exclusive rights to both semi-finals. Both broadcasters will show the final on 1 July.

Meanwhile, ITV’s strategy sees it also opting for non-England matches likely to pull in large audiences. It will show Spain v Italy, Holland v Portugal and Ireland’s games against Spain and Croatia.

The BBC will air Ireland’s group game against Italy, plus Holland v Germany and Germany v Portugal.

Philip Bernie, BBC head of TV sport, said "We are very happy with the live matches on BBC1, as they give us a strong climax to the event, with both semi-finals, as well as England's quarter-final if they progress."

Niall Sloane, ITV controller of sport, said “I'm delighted that ITV has secured an outstanding selection of games through the tournament, which includes England's opening game against France as well as a potential peak time group decider against hosts Ukraine.

"Major events such as the Euro 2012 Championships have huge significance for our viewers and attract some of the biggest audiences on television."

Source:

Euro 2012: ITV refuses to gamble on England’s progress | Radio Times

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

The Images that incriminates Dinamo: Defender's wink - Video Repubblica

2011-12-08T16:19:00.000Z

Score and players' body languages resemble the famously suspected 1978 World Cup game Peru' 0-6 Argentina

LONDON. At first they were twits, than they became news and now we have the evidence 'fixed' in video image frame of the less than competitive spirit that was permeating last night Champions League games

Today we have video with stop frames confirming the rising of those suspects as it was for same goal difference score in '78 World Cup Peru 0-6 Argentina (Above video)

Uefa have been reported not investigating the case but that's not helping the game's reputation.

In fact other games last night have been noticed having 'peculiar' aspect in them; like Basel 2-1 Manchester United with the latter shockingly crashing out of Champions League history before the knock out stage.

Here as well was the funny behavior of players to stir suspects; Rooney missing a 'sitter' in front of goal and Smalling let ball pass him without clearing.

Uefa therefore should blame the Christmas' atmosphere but better take measure to prevent its repetition.

Il video che accusa la Dinamo: l'occhiolino del difensore - Video Repubblica - la Repubblica.it

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Commemoration: Brian Clough at Leeds United from Jeremy Jacobs Host Presenter

2011-12-04T20:26:00.000Z

Brian Clough at Leeds United

by Jeremy Jacobs

LONDON. Today would have been the 74th birthday of Brian Clough. “Old Big ‘Ead”, as he was affectionately known, was possibly the best manager never to have been made England boss. I was very lucky to meet the great man when co-commentating for BBC Kent at the Burton Albion v Margate F.C. Conference fixture in March 2004

Euro 2012 Finals: After Kiev favorable Draw, the complete Match Schedule

2011-12-04T05:40:00.000Z

:: All match kick-off times are BST.

Tweet this More

GROUP STAGES

Friday, June 8

Warsaw, Group A: Poland v Greece (1700)

Wroclaw, Group A: Russia v Czech Republic (1945)

Saturday, June 9

Kharkiv, Group B: Holland v Denmark (1700)

Lviv, Group B: Germany v Portugal (1945)

Sunday, June 10

Gdansk, Group C: Spain v Italy (1700)

Poznan, Group C: Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)

Monday, June 11

Donetsk, Group D: France v England (1700)

Kiev, Group D: Ukraine v Sweden (1945)

Tuesday, June 12

Wroclaw, Group A: Greece v Czech Republic (1700)

Warsaw, Group A: Poland v Russia (1945)

Wednesday, June 13

Lviv, Group B: Denmark v Portugal (1700)

Kharkiv, Group B: Holland v Germany (1945)

Thursday, June 14

Poznan, Group C: Italy v Croatia (1700)

Gdansk, Group C: Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Friday, June 15

Kiev, Group D: Sweden v England (1945)

Donetsk, Group D: Ukraine v France (1700)

Saturday, June 16

Wroclaw, Group A: Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Warsaw, Group A: Greece v Russia (1945)

Sunday, June 17

Kharkiv, Group B: Portugal v Holland (1945)

Lviv, Group B: Denmark v Germany (1945)

Monday, June 18

Gdansk, Group C: Croatia v Spain (1945)

Poznan, Group C: Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Tuesday, June 19

Donetsk, Group D: England v Ukraine (1945)

Kiev, Group D: Sweden v France (1945)

QUARTER-FINALS

Thursday, June 21

QF1: Warsaw: Winner A v Runner-up B (1945)

Friday, June 22

QF2: Gdansk: Winner B v Runner-up A (1945)

Saturday, June 23

QF3: Donetsk: Winner C v Runner-up D (1945)

Sunday, June 24

QF4: Kiev: Winner D v Runner-up C (1945)

SEMI-FINALS

Wednesday, June 27

SF1: Donetsk: Winner QF1 v Winner QF3 (1945)

Thursday, June 28

SF2: Warsaw: Winner QF2 v Winner QF4 (1945)

FINAL

Sunday, July 1

Kiev: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 (1945)

Euro 2012 finals match schedule

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Sunday 4th December, 12pm Live FA Cup Second Round: AFC Totton v Bristol Rovers

2011-12-04T04:54:00.000Z

AFC Totton striker Stefan Brown is convinced that his side can pull off a major shock by beating Bristol Rovers to qualify for the FA Cup Third Round.

LONDON. Brown, who netted a hat-trick in Totton's eye-catching 8-1 victory over Bradford Park Avenue in the First Round, believes the Southern League Premier side are capable of pulling off a similarly surprising result against League Two Rovers.

He said: "I think we've got a good chance. They are not doing very well in their league, we are doing well in our league. If they are slightly off it and we are are really on it, anything can happen."

Totton manager Stuart Ritchie said: "We understand they are three levels above us and we are not going to take that lightly. If you think they are going to come here and allow us to do our thing then you will be mistaken."

Watch the full interview above

Watch AFC Totton v Bristol Rovers from midday on Sunday 4th December, followed by the FA Cup Third Round draw, live on ITV1 and ITV.com

MATCH PREVIEW

Totton began their journey to Round Two all the way back in September, when they took on Fleet Town in front of 394 spectators in the First Qualifying Round.

However, after a thumping 8-1 win over Bradford Park Avenue in the First Round Proper, Totton will fancy their chances of an upset against Bristol Rovers, currently 18th in League 2.

Hat-trick hero ready for Rovers Stefan Brown will be hoping to start for non-league minnows AFC Totton when they host League Two Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup second round.

The striker, who used to play schools football with Arsenal and England forward Theo Walcott, scored three goals in 15 minutes after climbing off the bench in the 8-1 first-round drubbing of Bradford Park Avenue last month.

It was the fastest FA Cup hat-trick by a substitute and earned 22-year-old Brown the Budweiser Player of the Round award.

Winger Mike Gosney, a chef, scored twice in the same match and is the Hampshire club's top scorer with 15 goals.

Former Portsmouth, Southend and Oxford midfielder Carl Pettefer captains the Evo-Stick Premier side.

Bristol Rovers will be without veteran striker Scott McGleish. The former Leyton Orient and Northampton forward came off with an ankle injury during the 2-0 home defeat to Barnet on November 19 and is expected to be sidelined for at least another two weeks.

Rovers will also be missing experienced centre-back Adam Virgo, who has been ruled out for the season with knee ligament damage. Meanwhile, midfielder Wayne Brown (ankle) could be unavailable for the rest of the term.

Striker Matt Harrold will be hoping his goal in the 1-1 draw with Southend last week will be enough to secure him a recall to the starting XI, while defender Cian Bolger could return in the middle of defence.

Watch Video Match Preview here below

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/facup/news/fa-cup-second-round-afc-totton-bristol-rovers-live-06543/

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

FA Cup 2011/12 2nd Round Highlights - FA Cup. ITV wins time-slot battle

2011-12-04T03:28:00.000Z

LONDON. Watch highlights of The FA Cup second round which has been yesterday by clicking on the link below courtesy of ITV Sport.

ITV move and BBC cover

The station has chosen for its prime time slot to broadcast the matches between 22.45 - and 23.45. The choice resulted in conflict with BBC’s MOTD customary timetable of 22.35 forced the Beeb to a swift forward shift to 22.05 followed by a Football League Show shorter than its regular edition, given the FA Cup involvement of plenty of its clubs.

It has been an ITV brave choice which must have appreciated and rewarded by viewers as The FA Cup 2nd round was involving ties among Football League lower division club whose fans and supporters certainly would have -at least for once- privileged the Commercial channel

FA Cup 2011/12 Second Round highlights - FA Cup - Football - ITV Sport

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: Match Day 5 Highlights; Stoke City make history

2011-12-02T17:12:00.000Z

LONDON: Stoke City is the first English team to enter the Europa League knock out phases thanks to a determined 2nd half which saw the Potters equalizing just before the end thanks to their 'trade mark' high ball game.

Watch all the 5th turn highlights here below

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/europaleague/news/uefaeuropaleaguemd5highlights/

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Follow tonight's Events chat and score updates Here- MatchDay LIVE - Europa League, Carling Cup - ESPN Soccernet

2011-11-30T18:42:00.000Z

MatchDay LIVE - Europa League, Carling Cup - ESPN Soccernet

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

CARLING CUP: Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City. Spirits were running high last night at the Emirates (Photo)

2011-11-30T15:22:00.000Z

No tunnel fight, but Emmanuel Frimpong certainly rattled Sami... on Twitpic

Just the Goals | Barclays Premier League - Yahoo! Eurosport UK - Video Highlights

2011-11-29T04:17:00.000Z

Just the Goals | Barclays Premier League - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

Football Report - From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2008 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

UEFA Champions League: Ahead of tonight's clash Benfica's coach Jesus turns sceptical about PL leadership

2011-11-22T14:23:00.000Z

"In Spain, Germany and Italy there is a big technical and tactical input in every match," says the Benfica coach.

Tweet this More

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus has rejected the theory of the Premier League being the self-styled "best league in the world".

With its high excitement factor and end-to-end tactics, the competition has become a major draw worldwide. Most countries have bought TV rights, which in turn has brought in finance to help attract many of the world's best players, but Jesus for one is not convinced the fayre on offer in England has outstripped the abilities on show in Spain, Germany and Italy.

"In Spain, Germany and Italy there is a big technical and tactical input in every match," said Jesus. "There are many foreign players in England, and also quite a few teams have foreign managers, so the quality has improved. The English league is a good league but compared with Spain, Germany and Italy it is not so good."

Jesus does claim Benfica's opponents in the Champions League on Tuesday, Manchester United, are a class apart given their outstanding form in Europe over the last four years, during which time they have played in three finals.

"They are different," he said. "That is the reason why they have won so much.

"Manchester United have different ideas and a different history. They show that on the pitch. They are much stronger technically this season.

"They keep the ball quite well and in almost every match they have 60% possession compared with the other team."

If Jesus is to be believed it sets up a chess-style confrontation at Old Trafford on Tuesday in a repeat of the 1968 final Sir Alex Ferguson hopes does justice to the legacy of Sir Matt Busby.

"As we welcome Benfica to Old Trafford the memories of many Manchester United supporters will fly back to those early days in European competition when George Best mesmerised Portugal's finest in the Stadium of Light and then ultimately to the night Sir Matt Busby achieved his European dream in 1968 to make United the first English club to win the European Cup," Ferguson told United Review.

"That must have been an emotional occasion for Sir Matt, who had defied the English football hierarchy to take United into the European Cup. Now Europe runs deep in the psyche of Manchester United and Benfica evokes these memories."

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/championsleague/news/jesus-unconvinced-by-premier-league-87080/

Stats-the-Premier-League-weekend-in-numbers-151111 | ITV Sport

2011-11-19T00:27:00.000Z

Stats: The Premier League weekend in numbers

Tweet this More

Opta crunch the key stats for each of the Premier League fixtures this weekend.

Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Everton and Wolves have both gone eight Premier League games without a clean sheet.

Everton have only lost one of their last eight games against Wolves in all competitions (W4 D3 L1).

A league high 55% of Everton's goals have been scored in the final 15 minutes of matches this season.

Wolves have eight ever present starters in the Premier League this season, more than any other team.

The 11 points that Wolves have accrued is their best performance in the Premier League after 11 matches.

Wayne Hennessey has made the joint-most saves in the Premier League this season (46).

Manchester City v Newcastle United

Man City have won seven and lost none of their last nine Premier League matches against Newcastle.

Man City have only been trailing in one match so far this season, fewer than any other Premier League side.

Samir Nasri and David Silva have a joint-league high six goal assists each this season.

A league-high 50% of the goals Newcastle have conceded have been from set pieces.

Mario Balotelli has scored five goals from just seven shots on target in the Premier League this season.

David Silva has created 33 chances from open play for team-mates, more than any other player in the top flight.

This match pits the two remaining unbeaten teams from the Premier League against each other, with City having won 10 of their 11 games and Newcastle seven of their 11.

Norwich City v Arsenal

Norwich have scored the joint-most headed goals (6), a figure that also accounts for a joint-league high 38% of their Premier league strikes this season.

Arsenal have conceded a league-high 29% of goals from shots from outside the box this season.

Arsenal have scored a league-high 91% of goals from open play in the Premier League.

Robin van Persie has scored 29 goals in 28 Premier League matches in 2011.

The last three Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Norwich have seen the Gunners score at least four times and concede one goal on each occasion.

Norwich have only won one of their last 20 games in all competitions against Arsenal (W1 D9 L10).

The Gunners have shipped more goals away from home than any other team in the top flight (17), but only Man City (23) have scored more away goals than Arsenal (11).

Stoke City v Queens Park Rangers

Stoke City have scored a league-high 75% of their goals from set pieces this season.

Tony Pulis' side have the worst shooting accuracy in the top flight, hitting the target with 35% of their attempts, while QPR have the second worst.

There has been a red card in each of the last three league meetings between Stoke and QPR.

Heidar Helguson has scored in three of his four Premier League starts this season.

Stoke have won just one of their last seven Premier League matches (W1 D1 L5) and lost the last three in a row.

Stoke have only won six of their 17 Premier League home matches against teams from London.

Sunderland v Fulham

Fulham have used just 20 players in the Premier League so far, fewer than any other team.

There have been just five goals scored in the last six matches between Fulham and Sunderland.

The Black Cats have only won three of the 14 Premier League meetings with Fulham and only scored in six.

Sunderland have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 Premier League games at the Stadium of Light.

Clint Dempsey (28) has been fouled more often than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Four of the six goals scored direct from free kicks this season have come in Sunderland matches, two for and two against.

Fulham have conceded a joint-league high 33% of their goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season.

Swansea City v Manchester United

Manchester United are the only team in the Premier League who haven’t had any player start all their Premier League games.

Manchester United have been the most clinical team so far, scoring with 22% of their shots.

Swansea have committed fewer fouls (88) than any other team in the top flight this season.

Man Utd have only scored one goal in each of their last four Premier League matches.

Man Utd have only recorded a better start to a Premier League campaign on just two previous occasions, 1993-94 and 2006-07.

Swansea are currently unbeaten in 13 successive home games in league competition (W9 D4).

West Bromwich Albion v Bolton Wanderers

Five of West Brom’s nine Premier League goals (a league-high 56%) have been scored in the opening 15 minutes of matches.

The Baggies have conceded a league high 63% of goals in the first half of Premier league matches this season.

Bolton have posted the best shooting accuracy in the top flight, hitting the target with 56% of their shots.

West Brom have been caught offside more often than any other team (48), while Bolton have been flagged the fewest times (10).

Seven of the 10 Premier League meetings between West Brom and Bolton have been draws.

Bolton have the worst defence in the top flight this season having conceded 27 times and only two teams (Barnsley 28 in 1997-98 and Derby 28 in 2000-01) have shipped more after 11 games of a Premier League season.

Wigan Athletic v Blackburn Rovers

Wigan are the only team in the Premier League yet to score a headed goal this season.

Blackburn have committed more fouls (157) than any other team in the top flight this season.

Blackburn have scored three goals in four of their six Premier League away games against Wigan, but lost two of those four occasions.

This is Blackburn's worst points tally (6) after 11 matches of a Premier League campaign since 1996-97 (4).

Wigan are the only team never to be relegated from the top flight of English football, but have made their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.

Chelsea v Liverpool

Luis Suarez has won three penalties this season, more than any other player.

Fernando Torres (pictured) has scored every 425 minutes for Chelsea compared to every 121 minutes for Liverpool and his accuracy is 38% compared to 49% at Liverpool and his chance conversion just 10% for the Blues compared to 22% with the Reds.

Torres has scored seven goals in eight games in all competitions for Liverpool against Chelsea but only one of those was at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have picked up more cards than any other team in the Premier League this season, 28 yellow and three reds.

Liverpool have allowed their opponents fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the Premier League this season (38).

Chelsea have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League games against Liverpool and three of the last four at Stamford Bridge.

There have been just nine goals scored in the last eight Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

Aston Villa have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League so far this season (9), but have also recouped the joint-most (4).

Both meetings between Spurs and Villa last season ended 2-1 to the Londoners with Marc Albrighton scoring for the Midlanders and all four Tottenham goals by Rafael van der Vaart.

Darren Bent scored twice in his last appearance against Tottenham and also netted in the last two Aston Villa v Tottenham games he played, while still a Spurs player.

Despite losing their first two games, this is Tottenham's best ever start to a Premier League campaign with 22 points from their opening 10 matches.

Tottenham have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League games at White Hart Lane, winning 12 and drawing eight.

Aston Villa have kept just one clean sheet in their last 25 Premier League away games.

Stylian Petrov has made more interceptions (43) than any other player in the Premier League.

Brad Friedel has made the joint-most saves in the Premier League this season (46) despite Spurs having played one game less than most teams.

Stats-the-Premier-League-weekend-in-numbers-151111 | ITV Sport

Latest U21 EURO 2013 Qual: BELGIUM v ENGLAND: Oxade Chamberlain practices finishing ahead tonight's game

2011-11-14T11:35:00.002Z

Ahead of tonight crucial game in Mons where Three Lions are hoping to seal Play-Offs qualification. Delfouneso returned to his club for treatment. KO at 7.45pm (GMT) and will be live on ESPN.

LONDON. England arrived in Belgium yesterday and headed straight to training in the afternoon for their Euro 2013 qualifier in Mons.

The Three Lions are hoping to make it five out of five in their Group 8 qualifying campaign when they face the Belgians tonight.

The team had their first look at the match stadium, home to Belgian Premiere Division club RAEC Mons and tested the pitch engaging on a sharp training session.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, scorer of a hat-trick in last month's game in Iceland, was in fine fettle scoring a number of excellent goals in the finishing practice captured by FATV video above.

All 22 players in the squad trained, including Jon Flanagan and Ross Barkley who returned to Pearce's set-up after playing 90 minutes in the U19s' win over Denmark on Thursday.

The only player from England's 5-0 win over the Icelandics at Colchester last week who is no longer with the squad is Nathan Delfouneso. The Aston Villa forward came off at the Weston Homes after just eleven minutes with a tight hamstring and was replaced by debutant Sammy Ameobi.

Highlights U21 UEFA EURO 2013 Qual: ENGLAND 5-0 ICELAND Marching on towards play-off but Belgium hurdle loomes.

2011-11-12T00:34:00.002Z

by Lucio Menin

LONDON. Stuart Pierce's Three Lions romped home another win without conceding but not all was well despite the thrashing score. Play is still rigid and too direct notwithstanding the training regime changes. In good view Henderson, Sordell, Kelly, Dawson and Gartner. But Oxlade-Chamberlain is the one who makes the crowd roar.

The Arsenal winger in fact was exiting the Essex capital fans almost any time he touched the ball. His change of pace, body feints and unpredictable dribbling are off-limits for the opponents albeit technically prepared like the Icelanders as he runs rings round.

It was only unfortunate that he didn't score against the same opponents he defeated single handed a month ago. However he had a say in almost all the night's goal and his rapid firing provoked the final annihilation.

Overall another solid win in the so far triumphant 'Nordic' campaign which will be determinant to qualify for the play-off. Norway in fact was forced to an 2-2 home draw by Belgium which therefore will put a lot of efforts when the receive the Young Lions in Mons on Monday night. (Live on ESPN)

ARCHIVE: U21 EURO 2013 Qual. ICELAND 0-3 ENGLAND Watch Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 'Phenomenal' Hat Trick highlights in 1st leg in Reykjavik

2011-11-10T02:06:00.000Z

The Three Lions will meet this evening qualifying rivals in front of a sell-out crowd in the Essex capital (Live on ESPN) wishing for Arsenal winger Oxlade-Chamberlain 'Ronaldesque' performances (Video) to progress further.

Latest News

LONDON. Stuart Pearce has yesterday seen two players withdraw from his England Under-21s squad ahead of today's European Championship double-header with Iceland and Belgium.

Peterborough defender Ryan Bennett, who made his debut in the 2-1 win over Norway last month, reported with an injury on Monday and has returned to London Road for treatment, meaning he'll miss the games in Colchester and Mons.

Fulham full-back Matthew Briggs was due to meet up on Tuesday, but has remained at his club, also due to injury.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's Jon Flanagan and Everton's Ross Barkley have left the Under-21s camp near Colchester and headed south to Brighton to meet up with Noel Blake's Under-19s for their sold-out game at the new Amex Stadium against Denmark on tonight as well.

The duo will therefore miss the Under-21s Group 8 Qualifier at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this evening but will re-join Pearce's set-up after those matches for the trip to Belgium on Monday night.

The Three Lions currently sit top of the table with maximum points from their three qualifiers so far, and with Iceland ( sitting on three points) game followed swiftly on Monday by a trip to Belgium to wrap up the fixtures calendar for 2011, Pearce hopes his team can extend their advantage to earn the early Israel qualification.

World Football Report - From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2008 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

England manager Capello laments missing players and pressures ahead of Remembrance Day’s Wembley friendly against World Champions Spain

2011-11-09T14:35:00.001Z

Fabio’s squad to be without key players Gerrard, Rooney and Terry but it will field youngsters to prove their values.

LONDON Ahead of the Euro 2012 Finals next summer in Poland and Ukraine Fabio Capello wants to see his young England team respond to the loss of some experienced players when they take on world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday. He would have obviously preferred doing so in a different occasion but he’s forced to play the ‘necessity’s virtue’ card.

’I am without players!’ Fabio’s pleading to Spanish newspaper Marca. ‘Rooney is missing, he's suspended so he hasn't been called up. We'll also be without Gerrard, without Terry,” he tells the Sport journal. “It will be difficult, but we'll try and do as best we can. It's a difficult test, but for me the important thing in this game is to get to know the value of some of my players, the ones who haven't featured regularly."

Steven Gerrard is missing through injury but both John Terry and Wayne Rooney have been deliberately omitted by the Friulian as he looks to try out some fringe players in the friendly. England has struggled at home in recent times, but Capello hopes the challenge of Spain will help them to rise to the pressure of playing in front of their fans.

“Against Spain we will field new kids, youngsters," he said. "It's important to get to know the potential of those players. It's also an interesting game because it will be played at Wembley. We are playing better away from home. At Wembley there is more pressure, because we play in front of our people, and I want to see a response from the team in front of our fans.”

The three-match suspension of Rooney for Euro 2012 after lashing out at an opponent has given Capello a challenge ahead of the tournament as he looks to organise his forward line.
The FA has appealed against the severity of the ban and the Italian hopes to see it reduced by a game so he can have the services of the Manchester United striker for longer.

‘’The three-game suspension seems exaggerated. I hope they take off one game,” he said. “He committed a foul, but it wasn't too strong and he went off without protesting, without saying anything. Rooney is a very important footballer. He always pops up in the important games. He is playing more in midfield now and he is doing really well there too.”

Rooney’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has recently celebrated his 25th anniversary at Old Trafford. Unlike the Scot, Capello has been in a number of jobs throughout Europe where he has always won the league title. He said there will never be another manager who could ever match the achievements of Sir Alex, who continues to go strong at United. “It’s impossible to repeat," Capello said. "I spoke to him on Saturday. I said to him: 'There is a lot of pressure as manager of Manchester United' and he replied jokingly, 'I have more pressure at home with my wife!'"

(Source: Yahoo.com/ Goal.com)

UEFA EURO U21 G8 Qual.: ENGLAND v ICELAND. Colcester, Weston Home Stadium on Thursday KO 19.30 GMT

2011-11-08T20:01:00.002Z

Newcastle United forward Sammy Ameobi earns first call for ENGLAND into Pearce's group.

Watch Stuart Pierce's squad training in Colcester before Thursday's clash with skillful Icelandic side (Revelation of last Euro in Denmark) and ahead of next week's transfer in Belgium.

Stuart Pearce had to make three changes to the 25-man squad named last week following injuries to Sunderland’s Connor Wickham and Middlesbrough’s Alex Nimely, currently on loan from Manchester City, and the Senior team call-up for Everton’s Jack Rodwell.

In their place come ‘Boro defender Joe Bennett, who missed last month’s trips to Iceland and Norway through illness, Manchester United’s Will Keane, who joins from the U19s squad, and Newcastle United forward Sammy Ameobi, born May 1, 1992.

The Three Lions play Iceland on Thursday at Colchester’s Weston Homes Community Stadium, tickets for which sold out three weeks ago (Game Live on ESPN). The squad had the chance to test the League One club’s impressive surface on Monday afternoon during their first session of the week (Video)

The likes of Tottenham midfielder Tom Carroll and Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne were among those gaining their first taste of an Under-21s training session, while Jason Steele was back in action for the first time since the summer's European Under-21 Championship in Denmark after missing the early season due to injury.

Following the Group 8 encounter in Essex, the squad then travels to Mons in Belgium to wrap up 2011 with their fifth game of qualification on Monday night, with the Finals in Israel 2013 their ultimate aim. Both matches can be seen live on ESPN.

The England Under-21s squad in full

Goalkeepers

Ben Amos (Manchester United), Jack Butland (Cheltenham Town - loan from Birmingham City), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough)

Defenders

Nathan Baker (Aston Villa), Joe Bennett (Middlesbrough), Ryan Bennett (Peterborough United), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Adam Smith (MK Dons - loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders

Ross Barkley (Everton), Jacob Butterfield (Barnsley), Tom Carroll (Tottenham Hotspur), Gary Gardner (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)

Forwards

Sammy Ameobi (Newcastle United), Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Will Keane (Manchester United), Marvin Sordell (Watford)

Why the Football Association leaving Fabio Capello, ahead of Spain match, at mercy of marauding Press, have a culpable recipe for another Euro failure

2011-11-06T03:11:00.005Z

COMMENT: Capello is these days a lonely man. Lonelier than he was in the early days of his England reign when the full entourage surrounded him and the Press were lining up for interviews. Four years later The FA is failing to stick near him a proper and media man (rather than a plain translator) who could explain Fabio tackling the ‘ins and outs’ of dealing with a Press turned hostile.

Last example comes from the latest Press conference ahead of the Spain match on November 12. Fabio was asked about Racism in English football and here is where the FA’s shortcomings emerged. (Henry Winter's article below)

The man belatedly replied according to his Continental stereotyped train of thoughts - deeply eradicated in his success oriented mind, that switches-on like a self-defence mechanism, whenever a ‘panic’ situation turns up – therefore totally denying their existence or knowledge of them.

Football Association's failure being here - like it was perhaps even more shocking in the build up and during the last World Cup campaign – in denying their most successful and winning manager (after Sir Alf Ramsey), to be put in the real conditions to interact and understand the English football culture.

For what I’ve seen and perceived at England’s latest events Fabio’s been abandoned at his own thoughts and - having Franco Baldini already set his sails back for the Continent – he’s been astonishingly left out even from the company of FA’s technical heads Sir Trevor Brooking and Howard Wilkinson.

No wonder why Fabio’s thoughts keep rolling back ‘Continental-like’ when asked to answer to situations he can barely perceive and had no hands-on. Whether FA’s current position is to bet on the present status-quo to have Capello being again, eventually, the literally ‘sacrificial lamb’ when things will inevitably turn sour at the Euro next summer, is perhaps a too cynical assumption to make. Remain however in my opinion the fact that – unless a proper English football culture support will be fixed for Fabio – at his choice obviously – next summer we will see another expensive failure piling up in FA’s coffers.

Lucio Menin

=================================================

Telegraph’s article

Fabio Capello a lost soul looking for a new leader in English football’s moral maze

Fabio Capello could be forgiven for regarding England as a total soap opera, a team currently bedevilled by red cards, race allegations and poor first touches.

Deja vu: yet again Fabio Capello has to contend with controversy in his camp ahead of an England game Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Henry Winter

11:00PM GMT 05 Nov 2011

Comment

The contrast with the calm demeanour and technical calibre of this week’s opponents, Spain, the champions of the world and fine ambassadors for the sport, must be painful for Capello to behold.

As he outlined his views on the England squad yesterday, and particularly sought to justify his inclusion of John Terry but not Rio Ferdinand, the Italian was again accompanied by an interpreter; what he really needs is a guide to steer him through the moral maze of English football.

He could not even talk enthusiastically about England’s Euro 2012 base in elegant Krakow without the spectre of the Wags being raised.

Capello was holding court in a boutique hotel on Sloane Square, London. Across the road the Royal Court theatre was showing the play “Jumpy”, a description well-suited to Football Association officials as the Terry race row intensifies.

Such is the seriousness of the claim against Terry, who is alleged to have racially abused QPR’s Anton Ferdinand, that the FA has been ordered to place on hold its investigation until the Met have completed their own.

Terry to be named in England squad 05 Nov 2011
Fifa confirm England poppy 'ban' 05 Nov 2011
Rooney to appear before Uefa 04 Nov 2011
FA appeal Wayne Rooney ban 04 Nov 2011
Tony Fernandes: Terry should retain captaincy 04 Nov 2011
Rooney: I was stupid picking up red card 04 Nov 2011

Rightly so. Police inquiries must take precedence over those of the footballing authorities.

Controversy stalks England players, and Capello must wonder about their minds at times.

Yet any sympathy for the Italian evaporated when he touched on the sensitive question of whether the English game was stained with any racism. “I never see,’’ replied Capello.

“I never heard. I never found racism problems in England football. OK. The fans never boo. Never. Racist problems between the players do not exist in my experience.’’

Leaving aside the raw issue of any racist tension between players, this was an extraordinary comment for Capello to make. Thirty seconds sifting through the detritus that can silt up some Twitter timelines would make him realise a problem exists.

Thirty seconds in the company of the hard-working campaigners at Kick It Out might enlighten him.

Maybe Capello did not notice the anti-racism T-shirts worn by players last week or the badges on managers’ lapels. Maybe he should have a chat with Rio Ferdinand, who has eloquently spoken out against racism in the past.

Capello did meet with Ferdinand at Sir Alex Ferguson’s celebratory dinner on Thursday, explaining why he was not picking him. Just as Capello’s view of racism in English football raised eyebrows amongst his small audience on Sloane Square so did the inconsistencies riddling his argument over Ferdinand’s exclusion.

“I spoke with Rio,’’ began Capello. “I told him: ‘Rio, I read what Sir Alex said about you, I think you need to play games.’

"He told me: ‘Yes I need to play because I need to find good form.’ I told him ‘you are always one of the best centre-backs’. I hope that he will be fit and in good form for the Euros.’’ Yet Ferdinand has started three of United’s last four games.

Capello was asked whether he had omitted Ferdinand, Anton’s brother, to avoid any problem in the camp with Terry, whether he was simply hiding behind Ferguson’s comments that Ferdinand had not been in the best of form.

“No. Sir Alex knows everything about him. He can see every day during training. It’s not excuses. It’s real what happened.

He needs more games.’’ So why not give him some games with England? So it was nothing to do with Rio being Anton’s brother. “No.”

Where Capello certainly avoids any censure is in the sad reality that England lack leaders.

“I know. I need to choose a captain. I picked John Terry, then Rio, then Steve (Gerrard), the fourth was Frank Lampard. I prepare for four captains. I thought it was enough. Did I need to find 11 captains?”

Capello envisages Phil Jones taking the armband at some point. “I think so. In the future. Also Jack Wilshere.’’ Ashley Cole? “He doesn’t like to be a captain.’’

Wayne Rooney would have been considered as captain but has been rested as Capello assesses alternative attacking options to use at Euro 2012 during Rooney’s group-stage suspension. Capello was at Old Trafford on Wednesday, admiring Rooney’s excellence in central midfield against Galati.

“He can play there because he moves the ball quickly, straight to the goal,’’ said Capello. “But I prefer to see Rooney close to the box. He’s dangerous, can do assists, score goals. It’s better. He’s happy, I spoke to him and said what do you think about your position?

He said I got a lot of passes but I prefer (upfront).’’ England’s manager admitted that there was a danger of facing Spain without Rooney, one of his few top-class players. “It’s a risk! But it will be very important to understand the value of the other players.’’ Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck will both feature at some point.

Capello likes Sturridge’s versatility. “He’s an interesting player and a player who scores goals. He has improved a lot. I saw him play right wing, left wing, centre forwards.’’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal’s teenaged attacker, is also under consideration.

Risking ridicule, Capello suggested that his better players could get into Spain’s team. “The top England players can play,’’ he ventured before acknowledging the opposition’s class. “The Spanish now have a lot of top players. You can see from the Ballon d’Or (nominations).

Spain have got four players that make the difference: Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Silva.’’ England players could do with some of their composure on and off the pitch. The soap opera continues.

Possible squad: Hart, Green, Carson; Walker, Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Terry, Lescott, A Cole, Baines; Parker, Lampard, Rodwell, Barry, Milner, Walcott, Downing, Adam Johnson; Bent, Carroll, Sturridge, Welbeck, Zamora

UEFA Euro Under-21s, Group 8 Qualifier: NORWAY 1-2 ENGLAND Match Report

2011-10-10T23:33:00.004+01:00

England Under-21s showed excellent character to hardly earn a 2-1 win over Group 8 rivals Norway at the Marienlyst Stadium in Drammen.

Norway

12 Eirik Holmen Johansen, (GK) 2 Vegar Hedenstad, 4 Thomas Rogne (c), 5 Stefan Strandberg, 6 Håvard Nordtveit, 7 Harmet Singh (10 Torgeir Borven, 83) , 8 Markus Henriksen, 9 Flamur Kastrati (15 Anders Konradssen, 63), 13 Fredrik Semb Berge, 16 Valon Berisha, 17 Marcus Pedersen

Subs: 1 Anders Kristiansen (GK), 3 Jorgen Hammer, 11 Yann-Erik de Lanlay, 18 Remi Johansen, 19 Martin Linnes,

Coach: Per Joar Hansen

Goals: Berisha 23

Bookings: Kastrati 57

England

1 Jack Butland, 2 Adam Smith, 14 Nathan Baker (12 Jon Flanagan, 71), 4 Jason Lowe, 5 Ryan Bennett, 6 Craig Dawson, 7 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 8 Jordan Henderson (c), 9 Marvin Sordell (18 Jonjo Shelvey, 81), 10 Henri Lansbury, 11 Ross Barkley (17 Gary Gardner, 55)

Subs: 13 Ben Amos, 15 Joe Mattock, 16 Josh McEachran

Coach: Stuart Pearce

Goals: Dawson 3, Henderson 7

Bookings: None

Referee: Halis Ozkahya (Turkey)

LONDON. Two goals inside the opening seven minutes did the damage as Stuart Pearce’s side adjusted well in their first ever game on an artificial pitch. The teams arrived at the Marienlyst Stadium both with two wins from two games, and neither had conceded so far. But goals from Craig Dawson and Jordan Henderson put England in control before Valon Berisha hit back midway through the half for Norway. But it wasn’t enough.

But luck hadn’t been with England before kick-off. Following three withdrawals through injury sustained in the game in Iceland on Friday, Pearce also lost Jack Rodwell during the build up in Norway and then Matthew Briggs in the warm-up. But as soon as the game started, fortune immediately favoured the young Lions, featuring four first-time starters, including debuts from Peterborough’s Ryan Bennett and Blackburn’s Jason Lowe.

With just three minutes played, England were in front. Dawson, who scored a brace on his debut a month earlier, produced an almost carbon-copy heading home six yards out from Henri Lansbury’s corner.

It was even better four minutes later. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, fresh from Thursday’s hat-trick, crossed towards the far post where Ross Barkley was on hand to turn back across the goal. Captain Henderson was unmarked as he guided past Eirik Johansen.

When the hard-working Marvin Sordell lobbed an effort goalwards on 13 minutes, it came close to making it three, but Johansen was this time well-placed.

Meanwhile striker Marcus Pedersen was causing problems for England, but Dawson and defensive partner Bennett were doing well to keep him away from goal. Valon Berisha did have a go when he found space away from Baker, but he was a long way out and the ball rose over the bar.

However, on 23 minutes Berisha’s next opportunity was much better as England were caught out by a diagonal ball over Baker’s head towards the right-wing channel. The Villa man failed to clear the looping ball and Markus Henriksen nipped in before squaring to the unmarked Berisha. He tucked away neatly beyond Jack Butland and inside the far post.

Moments later, a clash of heads forced a bleeding Dawson off the pitch for treatment leaving England a man light for nearly ten minutes. Lowe dropped into the defence as Baker moved to the centre, but the home side sensed a weakness.

The Three Lions nervously held on preventing efforts from Pedersen and Nordtveit, the latter being cleared from the line by Baker. Fredrik Berge had the best chance to level just before the break but shot tamely straight at Butland.

Second Half

When the game re-started Norway continued to search for the leveller, but Dawson in particular held firm, charging out to block a goal-bound Flamur Kastrati strike.

At the other end, Sordell was running largely as the lone figure, though support was coming from Lansbury, Henderson and Chamberlain. It meant that England chances were rare and often from distance with Lansbury trying twice, but both were off target.

With ten minutes on the clock, Norway should have equalised. Substitute Yann Erik De Lanlay raided down the right wing and pulled back for Pedersen. The strike let him down though, as he scuffed his effort and England cleared.

Lansbury looked to have sealed the win two minutes from time when Chamberlain beat Strandberg on the right and stroked the ball across the goal mouth. The West Ham man, sliding in, connected well but could do nothing but watch as the ball struck the underside of bar and bounced away to safety.

There was some last-ditch defending in stoppage time as England had ten-men back, but they held on to claim a vital away win a open up a three point lead at the top of Group 8.

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

England U21s Latest: Kelly, Delfouneso and Waghorn return to clubs

2011-10-07T18:10:00.002+01:00

After Thursday night's Euro 2013 Qualifier in Iceland, Stuart Pearce has seen three members of his Under-21s squad return home due to injury.

LONDON. Aston Villa's Nathan Delfouneso and Hull City's Martyn Waghorn both came off during the match after picking up hamstring injuries. Liverpool's Martin Kelly, who played a full game, reported feeling a tightness in his groin and has returned to his club as a precaution.All three players flew back to England on this morning. There is no news as yet of any replacements joining Pearce's team for their important game in Norway on Monday night.

UEFA European U21 Championship, Group 8 Qualifier: Iceland 0-3 England. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's hat-trick

2011-10-06T23:48:00.003+01:00

Important and meaningful win by Stuart Pearce boys against Euro 2011's revelation squad. England U21 now lead Group 8. With the Norwegians winning in Azerbaijan earlier in the day, the game in Drammen in four days’ time will see the group’s top two meet for the leadership.

UEFA European U21 Championship, Group 8 Qualifier

Laugardalsvollur Stadium, Reykjavik

Thursday 6 October 2011

Goals: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 12, 14, 49

LONDON. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain inspired England to a comfortable 3-0 victory in Iceland with a well-taken hat-trick in Reykjavik to put Stuart Pearce’s team top of Euro 2013 Qualifying Group 8 on goal difference. The Arsenal winger was a handful all night and a quick-fire brace inside 15 minutes put England in charge in what could have been a very tricky encounter. He added a fortuitous third just after half-time and cap a fine man-of-the-match performance in what was his fourth game for the Under-21s.

Match Report

It was a chilly night at Laugardalsvollur, Iceland’s national stadium, but a healthy, if not noisy, crowd turned out in numbers. However, they had to see their team concede two early goals. The opener came following some good work on the half-way line from Watford striker Marvin Sordell.

He turned well before being tripped, but the French referee allowed play to go on and the ball rolled into the path of the Arsenal winger. Chamberlain sprinted forward making his way into the area before tucking away past Arnar Petursson. It was his first goal for Pearce’s team.

Two minutes later he made it two, this time profiting from a lapse by the Iceland stopper. Nathan Delfouneso sent in an in-swinging cross from the left which looked easy for Petursson, but it slipped out of his grasp and fell kindly for Chamberlain who side-footed home.

It was to be Delfouneso’s last action of the game as midway through the half, after attempting a back-heel on the edge of the area, he went down clutching his hamstring before being replaced by Martyn Waghorn.

Iceland

Iceland weren’t lying down though, and through Dofri Snorrasson and Bjorn Sverrisson they were trying to put England’s back-four under pressure. Their only attempts at Jack Butland’s goal, though, were coming from outside of the area as two shots flew over the bar.

A minute before the break Runar Sigurjonsson met a corner powerfully ten yards out, but again the effort was high. The game was effectively wrapped up three minutes into the second half when Chamberlain collected a pass from Kelly on the right. The 18-year-old glided down the wing past two defenders before crossing in towards the near-post. Petursson was wrong-footed and could only help the ball into the net.

But while it was a good night for goals, it was proving a problematic one for England as Waghorn also suffered a hamstring injury, chasing down a ball outside the Iceland box just after the hour. He was replaced by Chelsea’s Josh McEachran.

Iceland were not giving up, but just like the first half failed to trouble Butland. Only Aron Johannsson really worked the Cheltenham keeper but his 20-yard strike was easily gathered.

And with seven minutes left, Pearce gave his goal hero a rest with Monday’s trip to Norway in mind, bringing on Everton’s Ross Barkley for his first competitive appearance.

Iceland U21

1 Arnar Petursson, 2 Kristinn Jonsson (17 Kristinn Steindorsson, 49), 3 Holmar Eyjolfsson, 4 Johann Laxdal, 5 Thorarinn Valdimarsson, 6 Eidur Sigurbjornsson, 7 Runar Sigurjonsson, 8 Finnur Margeirsson, 9 Bjorn Sverrisson (18 Johann Hannesson, 58), 10 Aron Johannsson, 11 Dofri Snorrasson

Subs: 12 Asgeir Magnusson, 13 Brynar Gudjonsson, 14 Hlynur Magnusson, 15 Gudmundur Thorarinsson, 16 Atli Sigurjonsson

Bookings: Kristinn Steindorsson, 58; Thorarinn Valdimarsson, 70

Coach Eyjolfur Sverrisson

England U21

1 Jack Butland, 2 Jon Flanagan, 3 Matthew Briggs, 4 Jack Rodwell. 5 Martin Kelly, 6 Craig Dawson, 7 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (16 Ross Barkley, 83), 8 Jordan Henderson, 9 Marvin Sordell, 10 Henri Lansbury, 11 Nathan Delfouneso (18 Martyn Waghorn, 24 (17 Josh McEachran, 63)

Subs not used: 13 Ben Amos, 12 Adam Smith, 14 Nathan Baker, 15 Jason Lowe

Bookings: Martin Kelly, 69

Coach Stuart Pearce

Referee Clement Turpin (France)

England Under-21s squad begin preparation for upcoming Euro 2013 Nordic campaign

2011-10-03T17:13:00.003+01:00

Ahead of Wednesday initial game with Iceland three U21 players -Tottenham's Kyle Walker and Manchester United pair Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck - were however called into Fabio Capello's Senior Team for their Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on Friday night.

LONDON. The England Under-21s squad joined up in Leeds today as they began preparations for their upcoming Euro 2013 qualifiers in Iceland and Norway. Stuart Pearce initially named a 27-man squad, but over the weekend has seen his numbers reduced. There were also injuries to Sunderland forward Connor Wickham, Tottenham midfielder Danny Rose, while Middlesbrough's Joe Bennett report for duty but has since been sent home with an illness.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan has been called up from the England U19s squad as a replacement. The team will train for the first time late on Monday afternoon and again on Tuesday morning before flying to Reykjavik for their match with Iceland, one of the revelations at this year's Denmark Euro Championship.

England U21 squad in full

Goalkeepers

Ben Amos (Manchester United), Jack Butland (Cheltenham Town - on loan from Birmingham), Declan Rudd (Norwich City)

Defenders

Nathan Baker (Aston Villa), Ryan Bennett (Peterborough United), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Adam Smith (MK Dons - on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders

Ross Barkley (Everton), Gary Gardner (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Henri Lansbury (West Ham United - on loan from Arsenal), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool)

Forwards

Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Marvin Sordell (Watford), Martyn Waghorn (Hull City - on loan from Leicester City)

Football Report: From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

UEFA EURO 2012 Qualifier BULGARIA 0-3 ENGLAND (Video Highlights)

2011-09-03T06:06:00.002+01:00

UEFA U21 EURO 2013 Qualifier ENGLAND 6-0 AZERBAIJAN (Video Highlights)

2011-09-03T05:40:00.002+01:00

England's Young Lions make winning start to 2013 Euro qualification

2011-09-02T03:02:00.000+01:00

LONDON. Stuart Pearce's latest batch of England Under-21 hopefuls took their first step towards the next European Championship on Thursday night with a predictable thrashing of Azerbaijan.

GettyImagesCraig Dawson of England celebrates scoring the first goal against Azerbaijan

• Pearce hails fantastic start

Pearce claimed reaching the 2013 finals in Israel would represent his toughest challenge yet but England's Group Eight opener at Vicarage Road proved the easiest of starters.

Man of the match Henri Lansbury scored twice and there was a debut brace forCraig Dawson, while new captain Jordan Henderson and substitute Martyn Waghorn also netted.

Thursday's match was Pearce's chance to banish memories of the dismal display at June's finals in Denmark, where England failed to win a game. Most of the squad from that tournament were denied the chance to make amends following the biennial turnover of playing staff that goes with under-21 football.

There were some survivors from Denmark, however, and two of them should have combined to put England ahead inside a minute - Lansbury threading in Henderson, who spooned over the crossbar.

It looked ominous for the visitors when an unchallenged Dawson headed in Lansbury's corner less than four minutes later. But, other than a deflected Nathan Delfouneso effort, Pearce's youngsters began to demonstrate the kind of failings that had cost their predecessors dear.

There was a lack of technique on the ball, including poor touch and control, although they were given enough space to get away with it.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain produced some exciting wing play, setting up England's second after 21 minutes when his cross was hooked home acrobatically by the retreating Lansbury.

Azerbaijan might have been down to 10 men when Amit Guluzade was spared a second yellow card for a cynical trip on Henderson, having already been booked for hauling backJack Rodwell.

A mazy 40-yard run from Oxlade-Chamberlain ended when the new Arsenal player went down too easily in the box, while Lansbury and Connor Wickham both blasted over from 25 yards as the Azeri defence floundered.

And it was 3-0 on the stroke of half-time when a nice exchange between Henderson andMatthew Briggs finished with the former curling a fierce strike home from 25 yards.

Azerbaijan withdrew the booked Guluzade for Javid Imamverdiyev during the interval and they almost pulled a goal back when the lively Jihan Ozkara shot too close to Jack Butland.

The new goalkeeper really did have to be alert, however, when he tipped over Ozkara's back-header from a free-kick after Jon Flanagan had been booked for felling Gara Garayev.

England eventually woke up and Briggs stung the palms of Osman Umarov, while Oxlade-Chamberlain sent Henderson's near-post cross wide. Pearce withdrew Wickham and Delfouneso for Waghorn and local hero Marvin Sordell midway through the half.

The latter should have scored a fourth when he cushioned a volley just wide but it did not matter as, minutes later, Umarov parried Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross straight to Lansbury, who hooked home his second. Dawson also sent a corner wide before Waghorn exposed Umarov again with 11 minutes left.

Oxlade-Chamberlain had just been withdrawn for Jonjo Shelvey when Waghorn tried his luck from 25 yards, his admittedly powerful strike sailing over the head of the goalkeeper.

Shelvey picked up a needless yellow and Eshgin Guliyev left the field on a stretcher before Dawson glanced home his second from Lansbury's corner a minute from time.

Pearce hails fantastic start

After the match, Pearce admitted he could not have asked for a better start from his latest crop of England Under-21 hopefuls.

The biennial turnover of playing staff that goes hand in hand with under-21 football meant four of Thursday night's starting XI were making their debuts, while most of the squad had changed from this summer's tournament.

"So many players making their debuts, so many players new to the squad," said Pearce. "So the result was fantastic to kick the campaign off, and something to build on work from.

"We're going to have to improve and get better. This is a really tough competiton to not just to get to the finals of but to attempt to win.

"I was very pleased with everyone who contributed tonight. We had to hit the ground running, you can't afford to drop any points."

England's victory was inspired by midfielder Henri Lansbury, who scored twice and set up both of Craig Dawson's two debut goals. Pearce said of Lansbury, who was part of the squad in Denmark: "Henri, in some ways, came of age this summer.

"You have to look at these young players and sometimes it takes some longer than others to come make a stamp at under-21 level. Henri's one of those. He's been patient, his training was fantastic during the summer.

"We saw a different Henri Lansbury, a more mature young man that was playing and was fantastic around the group. We were expecting a great deal of him tonight and he's delivered."

Lansbury joined West Ham from Arsenal yesterday on a season-long loan and Pearce added: "The more players that we've got out actually playing for clubs, the better it is for me.

"For me as a national coach, it's ideal. As we've seen with the likes of (Theo) Walcott, the under-21s have had to supplement the lack of club football in some ways."

West Brom defender Dawson had a dream international debut.

Pearce said: "I wouldn't say he's a surprise to me because I went and watched him play for Rochdale a couple of years ago with a view to bringing him into this squad.

"I watched him play down at Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago and he played very well. He's got a non-league knack about him to want to head the ball in the opposition's box.

"So, we're pleased for him - he's a fantastic character. He'll get as high as he possibly can in the game because of the attitude that he has."

England's other goals were scored by new captain Jordan Henderson and striker Martyn Waghorn, who came off the bench.

Pearce said: "The more striking options we have, the better it is for us. Quite often, you live and die on what your strikers do for you. Today, we got some fantastic goals right through the team. We think we've got goals through the team, looking at the ability."

Young Lions make winning start to 2013 qualification - ESPN Soccernet:

'via Blog this'

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Crestfallen 'Psyco' expects Young Lions to triumph in 2013 Euro Championship (Video)

2011-09-01T14:39:00.002+01:00

LONDON. Stuart Pierce is finally recognizing Fabio Capello's understated style of communication in prepararation his U21 squad games in readiness of his fourth assault at the 2013 European crown in Israel kicking off tonight at Watford against Azerbaijan (KO 7.30 pm BST)

England U21 training (Video) ahead of tomorrow's crucial 2013 UEFA Euro qualifier debut against Azerbaijan at Watford (KO 7.30pm BST)

2011-08-31T16:54:00.002+01:00

LONDON. The Young Lions face the Azeri at Watford tomorrow September 1, 7.30pm BST in a crucial Group 8 qualifier in the UEFA 2013 European Championship.

Stuart Pearce has seen his England Under-21 squad lose five players ahead of their double test against Azerbaijan and Israel.

After Phil Jones called into Fabio Capello's senior squad, the group has dropped to 23 in number following a further three pull-outs through injury.

Manchester United's Danny Welbeck limped out of his side's 8-2 victory over Arsenal. The Gunners were missing their midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong, who has also withdrawn from the Under-21s through injury, as well as Liverpool's Martin Kelly.

England U21 squad will then face Israel in a friendly at Barnsley four days later (Monday September 5, 7pm BST) as he continues to blend his squad.

Tickets for the Azerbaijan fixture are priced at just £10 for adults and £5 for children, and are available by calling 0844 856 1881.

Tickets for the Israel friendly at Barnsley are also priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children, and are available by calling 0871 22 66 777.

FIFA Colombia U20 World Cup: England's debut hopes held in North Korea draw

2011-07-30T12:19:00.005+01:00

COMMENT: Brian Eastick and Stuart Pierce's England had a stuttering debut however - it must be said - they could not field about three dozens players who would have been eligible for the squad and who were withheld by their professional clubs for early season training.

Elsewhere next England's opponent Argentina had a strong start whilst another tournament favorite Brazil was forced to a draw with Egypt. The tournament is being staged at eight venues in Colombia and ends Aug. 20.

MEDELLIN, Colombia (AP)—England was held to a 0-0 draw by North Korea on Friday in the opening game of the Under-20 World Cup.

England had the better chances with Saido Berahino, Matthew Phillips and Billy Knott coming close. Jong Il Gwan and Pak Song Chol probably had the best shots for North Korea, the under-19 Asian champions. England is fielding an under-strength team.

About three dozens English players who would have been eligible for the squad were withheld by their clubs for early season training. The tournament is being staged at eight venues in Colombia and ends Aug. 20.

In other first-round matches Friday, Egypt and Brazil tied 1-1, Austria and Panama drew 0-0 and Argentina beat Mexico 1-0. At Barranquilla, Danilo gave Brazil a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute with a header from a corner, but Egypt’s Omar Gaber tied it in the 26th minute.

At Cartagena, Panama goalkeeper Luis Mejia made a handful of difficult saves to keep Panama in the match. His best save came in the 54th minute when he pulled off an impressive block on a shot by Daniel Offenbacher.

At Medellin, Erik Lamela’s goal from 20 meters in the 71st minute lifted Argentina. Mexico seemed to have scored in the 48th minute when Alan Pulido chipped the ball behind keeper Esteban Andrada, but the play was correctly ruled offside.

FIFA U20 WCup - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

AUDI CUP: Thiago Alcantara's magics deliver another Cup to Barcelona

2011-07-28T21:34:00.002+01:00

Barcelona lifted the 2011 Audi Cup after defeating hosts Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final at the Allianz Arena.

by Lucio Menin

LONDON. Two goals from young playmaker Thiago Alcantara, fresh UEFA Euro U21 winner and tournament's best player, who proved - as he did last month in Denmark, - to make the difference as the 20-year-old fast looking like another world-class product of Barcelona's fabled youth system.

The Audi Cup, first contested in 2009 and won by hosts Bayern Munich after a penalty shootout against Manchester United in the final, is a two-day tournament featuring four of the biggest names in world club football.

Bayern's tactics were surprisingly quite supine in the first half although they had the best chances before Alcantara's first goal at the end of the first half. Bayern's coach left out nine from its AC Milan line up and that probably was too much as replacements were not good enough to contrast the European Champions, who - whilst shuffling as well their starting line up - proved however at the end to be of a better quality.

Probably these day teams are so scared of Barca's fabled passing that are avoiding any pressuring at all. Perhaps an high pressing on the defenders could at least disturb Barca build up which last night was impressive.

Meanwhile in the third place playoff Brazil's Internacional edged out AC Milan on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time. Goals from Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato were cancelled out by Leandro Damiao and Andres D'Alessandro, before Milan missed all four penalties in the shoot-out to gift Internacional third place.

AC Milan threw away his chances to be in the final when his Italy's U21 striker Paloschi felt the emotion and blasted over the bar the fifth penalty revealing an unexpected character's fragility from an international. Things then went far worse last night as all the 'Rossoneri' takers missed their penalty even including specialist Antonio Cassano. Coach Allegri has some work still to do then especially under the determination aspects.

(Source: ITV.com/football)

Audi Cup: Internacional 2-2 (2-4 after Pso) Barcelona, Bayern Munich 1-1 (4-2 after Pso) AC Milan - Match Reports

2011-07-26T23:45:00.003+01:00

COMMENT: After the refreshing view of last week’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany the new international pre-season tournaments kicked off tonight with the Audi Cup. (See ITV match reports below) The refreshing thing about the Women’s football is – despite many scoffing's – that you still see the game as it was laid down by the Laws.

A foul is a foul. a push is a foul and a holding is a foul. If the keeper step up at a penalty it’s a retake and same for the throws. Tonight instead the old farcical football has reappeared. Dives (Germans) and the shame of Schwainstaiger’s winning penalty where he stopped his run not one but twice before slinging the ball in the empty net having Abbiati long go on the first illegal feint.

None of the 4-5 or 6 six officials did nothing as it was at the Munich Arena! What a shame. On the ITV studio pundit Gordon Strachan tried to rise the issue only to be disregarded with a smirk by the presenter. A shame of the shame…

It's a bad start for the football an the fault is again down to the referees who keep failing to respect and apply the Laws. Perhaps it’s the moment to send in the Women referees Mr Blatter instead of this failed Professionals Referees project if you really still care for football…

Lucio Menin

Watch both the final and third place play-off as the prestigious pre-season Audi Cup draws to a close live on ITV4 and ITV.com.

LONDON. Internacional of Brazil face AC Milan in the battle for third place before European heavyweights Barcelona and Bayern Munich meet in the final in what should be a mouth-watering encounter – all live from the Allianz Arena at 5pm.

It took penalties for European champions Barcelona to beat Internacional and reach the final, after an entertaining 90 minutes ended 2-2. Goals from Thiago and Jonathan Dos Santos looked like sealing the win for the Catalan side before Leandro Damiao equalised in the 85th minute to take the game into a penalty shoot-out, which Barcelona won 4-2.

German giants Bayern then beat AC Milan on penalties after playing out an equally entertaining 1-1 draw and the game would have not looked out of place as a Champions League knock-out tie. Milan’s talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Pictured above courtesy of ITV.com) scored early on with a clinical finish before the impressive Toni Kroos equalised with a superb low drive from the edge of the area.

Bayern pushed for the winner in front of a sell out crowd and Mario Gomez squandered several chances to put them ahead, but in the end it was the German side that prevailed with a convincing shoot-out win. The Audi Cup, first contested in 2009 and won by hosts Bayern Munich after a penalty shootout against Manchester United in the final, is a two-day tournament featuring four of the biggest names in club football.

Audi Cup: Internacional v Barcelona, Bayern Munich v AC Milan | ITV Sport

Breaking News: Stuart Pearce's signed a two years contract extension as England U21 Head Coach

2011-07-11T16:31:00.003+01:00

Pearce will continue to be Fabio Capello's assistant for the UEFA European Championship Qualification and Finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Stuart has also volunteered to follow England U20s squad participation at the Colombia's Fifa U20 World Cup - that kicks off at end of the month - assisting Head Coach Brian Eastick.

LONDON. The FA has announced that Stuart Pearce has signed a new two year contract as Head Coach of the England Under-21 team.

Pearce, aged 49, joined The FA in 2007 and has led the Under-21s to an unprecedented three successive European Championship Finals, including a Final appearance in 2009 and semi-final in 2007.

A former England international with 78 caps to his name, Pearce also works alongside the England manager Fabio Capello, as a member of his coaching staff, and will continue in this role including the UEFA European Championship in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Under Pearce’s tutelage the likes of Joe Hart, James Milner, Ashley Young, Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott have all progressed to the England senior ranks.

FA Chairman, David Bernstein said: “Continuity is vital as we continue to build our club ethos, and Stuart is an important member of the England coaching structure.

“I know he was as disappointed as anyone at the Under-21s most recent tournament results at the European Championships in Denmark, but we mustn’t forget the team had an excellent qualifying campaign and continues to produce young players ready and prepared for senior team experience.”

Pearce added: “I am delighted to have signed my new contract and to be able to continue in a role I very much enjoy. In my time with the England Under-21s we have experienced an excellent record and my aim now is to qualify for Israel in 2013 and hopefully go on to secure silverware with another exciting group of young players.

“It remains a privilege for me to represent my country and contribute to The FA’s work at international level, but also at grassroots level and significantly into the St George’s Park development and to the future of coach education in England.”

The Under-21s will begin their qualifying campaign at home to Azerbaijan in September, before the team embark on two away trips to Iceland and Norway a month later.

A football revolution: Intricancies of the misterious jobs by the men in the clubs' 'backrooms' explained

2011-06-30T14:57:00.005+01:00

COMMENTS: 'British football had always been suspicious of educated people. The typical football manager was an ex-player who had left school at 16 and ruled his club like an autocrat. He relied on “gut”, not numbers'. That's very true. In fact my coaching career was firstly stopped when, taking my UEFA B coaching badge in 2000, I was deemed to be 'too intellectual'!

On the aftermath of the historical Wembley's Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United the FT's Magazine article explores the growing importance of statistical measured performances in football by proposing a series of elaborated graphics regarding the match's patterns of play (Pictured/Courtesy of FT Magazine and ITV.com). Although those figures are treated as something of very elusive and secret by clubs, the article makes light on the underlying meaning of stats in assessing players' performance qualities, market values and theirs career prospected length as assessed by coaches and managers. Albeit not sure about the article's '1996 OPTA's stats' quote, for sure the breakthrough moment in football statistic happened when a California company called 'Softsport' was bought by FIFA in 1998. An year later at the Nice's FootballEx Show, the French company Amisco introduced its revolutionary 'Match Analyser' soon to be followed by the UK version, ProZone.

Lucio Menin

FT Weekend Magazine commissioned artist Giles Revell to create a series of images of the 2011 Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United, using exclusive data extracted from the game by the analysis company Prozone. Giles Revell images Mapping a match Distribution of play Passes, touches and goals

LONDON. I recently visited Manchester City’s tranquil training ground in the village of Carrington. It was a glorious sunny morning, and outside the gates hired hands were washing footballers’ SUVs and sports cars. The defender Kolo Touré coasted past in a giant black contraption straight out of The Godfather. Carrington is used to cars like that: Manchester United train in the village too.

“Abu Dhabi Travellers Welcome”, said the message on the façade of City’s sky-blue training centre. Abu Dhabi’s ruling family owns Manchester City, and one thing it has done since buying the club is hire a large team of data analysts. Inside the building I found Gavin Fleig, City’s head of performance analysis, a polite sandy-haired man in a neat black City sweater. Hardly anyone outside Carrington has heard of him, and yet Fleig is a prime mover in English football’s data revolution. Largely unseen by public and media, data on players have begun driving clubs’ decisions – particularly decisions about which players to buy and sell. At many clubs, obscure statisticians in back-rooms will help shape this summer’s transfer market.

Fleig gave me the sort of professional presentation you’d expect from a “quant” in an investment bank. Lately, to his excitement, City had acquired stats on every player in the Premier League. Imagine, said Fleig, that you were thinking of signing an attacking midfielder. You wanted someone with a pass completion rate of 80 per cent, who had played a good number of games. Fleig typed the two criteria into his laptop. Portraits of the handful of men in the Premier League who met them flashed up on a screen. A couple were obvious: Arsenal’s Cesc Fàbregas and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard. You didn’t need data to know they were good. But beside them was a more surprising face: Newcastle’s Kevin Nolan. The numbers wouldn’t immediately spur you to sign him. But they might prompt you to take a closer look.

Read the full article here below >>
FT.com / FT Magazine - A football revolution

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Pre-Olympic EURO U21 Final: SWITZERLAND 0-2 SPAIN Herrera 40', Alcantara 80' SPAIN are U21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS. Highlights and Match Report

2011-06-25T19:29:00.013+01:00

by Lucio Menin

AARHUS, Denmark. Weather condition; Sunny and warm day. Temperature 18 Celtius. Pitch in perfect conditions. Pitch size 120 x 72 yards.

Wonderful ends of this Pre-Olympic Under 21 European Championship from the Jutland capital, second largest Denmark town.

FORMATIONS

SWITZERLAND (4-1-4-1)

Sommer (Gk); Kock, Klose, Rossini, Berardi; Lustemberger; Shaquiri, Xhaka,Frei, Emenghara;

Mehmedi

Coach: Tami

SPAIN (4-1-4-1)

De Gea (Gk); Montoya, Botia, Dominguez, Didac Villa; Martinez; Bata, Alcantara, Herrera, Muniain; Lopez;

Coach: Milla

Switzerland kicked off this final but only after two minutes Javi Martinez managed to pass the midfield cage the Swiss have prepared for him and immediately slotted an inviting through ball for Adrian Lopez who wasted the chance by trying a square pass in the middle of the box.

Switzerland passed the initial scare started to press the Spanish high in their half and that's is now an open game.

26' Spain is in control of this game as expected but can't find the key yet to unlock the dynamic Swiss defence which gets on every playable ball sent to the traces of the Spanish attackers.

29' 'Little Puskas' Shaquiri forces De Gea to an instinctive save just under the bar with a sudden spinned shot from the edge. It was his first notable mark but what a warning it was.

40' GOAALLL for SPAIN; Ander Herrera headed in a perfect weighted cross from Vila. Rossini and Klose were caught late. No chance for Sommer. It was a long insisting action on the right side of the Swiss midfield where Spain was trying to get through but with no avail. Then the ball returned in their possession at midfield and it was suddenly switched on the other side where Vila was coming forward with no marking by Shaquiri. Klose slept on the cross, it was his ball not Rossini's so Herrera had no problem heading in free.

The Swiss are however reasoning in their passing and blocking well Spain's midfield moves. Let's see what Tami will do at the restart to shift the team forward more dangerously than the first half.

SECOND HALF

52' Switzerland very close to score with a coral action from an intercepted pressured high ball. Emeghara made a free run on the right, switched it in the middle where two other striker were coming in but Frei finishing from inside the box was just a pass to De Gea. A fuming Pierluigi Tami immediately replaced the two with Abrashi and Gavranovic.

59' Concluding a period of dangerous possession Spain's Muniain shot well from just out the six yard box but Sommer was well placed on the first post.

62' Javi Martinez shot high from the center of the box on a free kick ball cause by a Berardi foul that cost him a deserved yellow card.

74' First Lustemberger saved on a Montoya's ball similar to the goal action and then Botia on the subsequent corner headed high from favorable position concluding a dangerous moment for Switzerland. Spain are getting closer to score. Switzerland got yo unlock the potential of its 'Little Puskas' by moving him

80' GOALLLL for SPAIN: Thiago Alcantara surprising Sommer out of his line at the restart after they called a substitution. Game's possible over now after Switzerland went three times very near to score.

90'+5 Italian referee Tagliavento calls for 5' injury time to be played but the match is over and Spanish fans sing the ritual 'Campeones -Campeones- Ole - Ole'.

Man of the Match is declared Thiago Alcantara.

Spectators were 16025.

(Match Highlights are courtesy of Carlos Bustamante's Twitter account)

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

EURO U21 - 2012 Olympic Qualifier - Switzerland Multi-Ethnic Team Reaches Olympic Finals First Time After 84 Years

2011-06-24T18:15:00.003+01:00

by Lucio Menin

AARHUS, Denmark. The Swiss team is rightly the tournament's surprise but hear hear, not as players but as style of play. Spain's sort of'tiki-taka' seemed have stalled against the turgid Belarussian defensive organisation on Wednesday at historical Viborg whilst instead the Red-crossed showed surprising freshness that killed off the strong Czech Republic team which send England crashing out .

Yesterday's press conference confirmed that may be Spain's is feeling the pinch of the tournament's favorite pressure after all. Coach Luis Milla was reiterating his team's good state of health and form but somehow Wednesday game must have thromn in some doubt in the house.

The little 'Furias Rojas' squad in fact didn't seem to be able to create much spaces with their renowned passing once the opponents have retreated at the edge of their box. Their actions appeared unproductive whereas Pierluigi Tami's Swiss play looked all very sparkling and effervescent.

Their most visible player on the field, the 19 years old Kosovan Xherdan Shaquiri, reiterated at the Wednesday's post match conference all the believe he has brought in the Swiss team 'If the senior squad managed to beat Spain at last year's World Cup (Of which he was part of), I do not see why we shouldn't be able to do the same here' the 'Little Puskas' said commenting after receiving the Man of the Match award for his lively performance against the Czech Republic.

Remain the fact that this Helvetian squad of 23 players counts only 9 player of Swiss origin. But Swiss are only following a seemingly successful trend, at U21 level, that started with the previous U21 winners Germany, at the Sweden 2009 European Championship.

A possible good omen then for Swiss football which now taking part to an Olympic Tournament after 84 years. The last one was in fact in the summer of 1928 in Amsterdam, that's before the World Cup was introduced in 1930. Perhaps a so for long forgotten benefit that the rigid radical politics of the Alpine nation may wish to start to considering.

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

EURO U21 2011 S-F SWITZERLAND 1-0(aet) CZECH REPUBLIC: Swiss reach U21 Final for first time in history

2011-06-22T19:59:00.014+01:00

by Lucio Menin

HERNING, Denmark. Weather condition variable but not raining,temperature 18 C. Pitch in perfect conditions at the Herning Stadion for the second U21 European championship semifinal of the day.

There was another enthralling performance at this U21 tournament; Pierluigi Tami's Swiss boys send the Czech crashing out and reached the tournament finals for their first time in the competition history.

Earlier in historical Viborg, Belarus was only one minute away from stoppage time to reach the Final by ditching - with a formidable organized performance - the competition's favourites, Spain. The Spanish eventually managed to win 3-1 in extra time.

Czech Republic playing in white won the toss. Switzerland in full red after two minutes could have scored. Match is assisted by UEFA President Michel Platini (Pictured above / Photo CSE Ltd)

Referee for the match is the Austrian Robert Schorgenhofer here doing the toss before the beginning of the game

FORMATIONS

SWITZERLAND 4-1-4-1

Sommer Gk; Koch, Klose, Rossini, Bernardi; Lustemberger;

Shaquiri, Hochstrasser, Frei, Emenghara;

Mehmedi

Coach: Tami

CZECH REPUBLIC 4-1-4-1

Vaclick GK;

Vacha, Mazuch, Suchy, Celustka; Gecov;

Dockal, Moravek, Maracek, Cerny;

Kozak.

Coach: Dovalil

5' Switzerland breaking very quickly with their 'little Puskas' Shaquiri who just shot wide from a central favorable position.

22' So far constant pressure by Switzerland which seems being the fresher team.

40' Czech are visibly paying the game with England on Sunday but are slowly coming out now.

45' Nil - Nil after a well fought first half.

Second Half

Czechs came out better, trying to imposed their game made of passing and cutting moves. But they did not have anymore of it in the legs; the England game dried them out of energy. So it was the Swiss who conducted the dances for most of the time with their 'little Puskas' the skillful 'maradonesque' Shaquiri who was a joy to watch when he was in possess but an obsession for the opponents.

88' Switzerland almost closing the game when the 'Little Puskas' crowned a period of red-crossed superiority with a thunderbolt from thirty meters that was seen by Vaclik, the Czech goalkeeper, only when it bounce off his right post.

The Swiss finally scored the winner in extra time with a long shot from outside the box of one of their marvelous player Admir Memhedi at 114 minute. Nothing to do for the Czech goalie.

Two minutes later Gavranovic should have scored a deserved second for the Swiss but, freed alone in front to the advancing goalie by a perfect counter attack action, could find nothing better that having his shot parried away.

Swiss players rejoy with their fans after the triumph

Xherdan Shaquiri (right) was named Man of the Match

(1st Half) S T A T I S T I C S Full Time

SWI / CZE

(0) 1 Goals (0) 0

(4) 16 Total Attempts (2) 12

(0) 3 On targets (0) 3

(0) 3 Saves (0) 2

(1) 8 Corners 3 (1)

(0) 2 Offsides (0) 1

(52) 59 % Possession (48) 41 %

See full match commentary and post-match comments on the Twitter's side column.

EURO 2011 U21 ENGLAND 1-2 CZECH REPUBLIC: Late equaliser sent a good England crashing out the Euro

2011-06-19T23:19:00.002+01:00

ENG 1 CZE 2

by Lucio Menin

VIBORG. It’s an heartbreak for England. The manner this crashing out from the UEFA European Championship has happened is very painful. In fact Stuart Pierce team was leading 1-0 and virtually qualified for the semi finals (See our Twitter commentary) with 1’ minute from stoppage time.

After a troubled first half where however statistics where showing a six points difference in favour of possession, at the restart Stuart Pierce squad showed a new attitude an for the first 15’ there was only them pulling the strings on the pitch.

Czech Republic perhaps were happy at the result as England wasn’t really showing convincing capabilities to score. Merit of the Czechs however as they were closing down all spaces whenever play was coming near their box.

It was a one way play until and after Welbeck finally found the goal. England pressure continued for the safety goal but then the Czech coach realized he had to make changes. From now on it was a re-establishing of the first half initiative when they where leading the dances.

When with three minutes to go Pierce pulled out a striker (Sinclair) for a wide midfielder (Rose) the game turned and a minute later there was a great chance missed by one of the new Czech striker. Who a minute later bounced on a deflected ball in front to Fielding and slotted in. It was the end of the game as with the equaliser they would qualify.

Stuart Pierce immediately pushed Jones ahead and that would have created the fate for the defeat as on the last minute of stoppage time a quick break find England exposed and was easy for the other substitute, the supposedly out of form Tomas Pekhart, find his first goal of the tournament. Immediately after the Italian referee Tagliavento (poor in some inexplicable decisions) blew the end of the match. England was out.

OTHER GROUP MATCH:

UKRAINE 0-3 SPAIN

UEFA U21 Euro 2011England v Czech Republic: Teams Formations. KO 19:45 (BST) Viborg Stadion . LIVE Twitter Commentary Here

2011-06-19T19:21:00.002+01:00

VIBORG, Denmark, The flags are out in the antic Danish capital stadium (Picture above/ Photo Cse Ltd)

The teams have been announced and are making their warm up (Pictured below / Photo Cse Ltd) Czechs are in all red whilst

England in white and blue.

Formations:

ENGLAND

4-1-2-3

Fielding Gk;Walker, Smalling, Jones, Bertrand;

Muamba; Cleverley, Henderson;

Sturridge, Welbeck; Sinclair.

Coach: Stuart Pierce

UEFA Euro U21 2011–SWITZERLAND 3-0 BELARUS. Both teams qualify for the semis next Tuesday. Hosts DENMARK defeated 3-1 by surprising ICELAND are eliminated.

2011-06-18T23:23:00.001+01:00

by Lucio Menin

AALBORG. This could be called the tournament of surprises a host Denmark tonight met one of their most humiliating home defeat by rival minnows Iceland who however eliminated in the qualification no less than the holders, Germany. (Picture below/Photo Cse Ltd)

Keld Baldinggaard’s team was very wasteful all night – See Twitter commentary – and may have gone out undeservedly. It has been however a championship always trailing for the Danes who clearly paid dear the automatic qualification to the Finals which left them presumably without testing matches.

On the other side the Icelandic team played finally a football at their recent fame; brilliant in possession and lethal in penetration and finishing. At a certain point in the second half their had shocked the Stadium being 3-0 up. However the third goal was disallowed and not played back by the internal TV. It left a sense of injustice as few minutes later as they hit the post culminating a period of total control.

Iceland needed to win 4-0 to qualify and they almost did it. It would have been an extraordinary and deserved result albeit unthinkable before the match. But the very modern football of their coach Eyjolfur Sverrisson - ‘We have studied Barca’s movements in creating space’ he said after the game - could have provoked one of the most sensational upset in the story of the U21 tournaments and former Hertha Berlin, Besiktas and Stuttgart player is surely a coach to watch in the future.

Switzerland 3-0 Belarus

Elsewhere in Aarhus Switzerland picked up further momentum at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship as Pierluigi Tami's team advanced to the semi-finals on the back of a comfortable 3-0 victory against Belarus. However, as a remarkable coda to the match, Belarus took second place after a three-way tie between them, Iceland and Denmark.

Tami made the decision to recall Admir Mehmedi for tonight's Group A finale and was rewarded with goals at either end of the first half from the forward. Substitute Frank Feltscher added a cheeky third in second-half stoppage time. With Georgi Kondratyev's side unable to conjure an unlikely comeback, the Swiss marched on as group winners while Belarus somehow survived a U21 group stage for the first time after two previous failures and with only three points.

After a day of soaking weather coming in off the Kattegat sea, the rainbow that hung over the Aarhus Stadion at kick-off would herald a happy ending for at least one of these sides. The issue of which of the Group A teams would qualify initially looked less clouded when Mehmedi, restored as Switzerland's lone frontrunner in place of Mario Gavranović, put his sixth-minute penalty in the opposite direction to goalkeeper Aleksandr Gutor's dive.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Xherdan Shaqiri was the instigator. His cute pass sent Innocent Emeghara racing through – and on a collision course with defender Oleg Veretilo. Shaqiri, of course, had got the Swiss bandwagon rolling with his goal against Denmark; now the fear for Belarus was that he was about to attach the four horsemen of the apocalypse to it.

Switzerland's composure – rather, Emeghara's sense of direction – went awry soon after when, from Fabian Frei's cross, the No7 skipped over Gutor, only to shoot wastefully wide. However, Kondratyev’s team responded spiritedly to the early setback. Switzerland right-back Philippe Koch did well to get his head to several crosses into Yann Sommer's box, before Belarus's own No2, Stanislav Dragun, elicited a save from the keeper. Sommer had another nervous moment when he spilled a Mikhail Sivakov centre.

Frei's dart along the opposition goal line deserved a better finish than Mehmedi's. Granit Xhaka, whose booking rules him out of the semi-final, showed him how but Gutor made the save. Mehmedi obviously took the hint: when centre-back Yegor Filipenko cleared the ball from the edge of his area straight to Xhaka, Mehmedi was ideally placed to receive the pass and stroke a first-time shot in off the post.

Maksim Skavysh, one of three changes to the Belarusian lineup – two of them forced by suspensions to Sergei Politevich and Nikita Bukatkin – fizzed a shot over after the restart. Yet with Sergei Matveychik seeing red after 68 minutes for a second yellow card, the chief hope for Belarus became the scoreline between Iceland and Denmark. And with Iceland beating Denmark 3-1 in Aalborg, the permutations were right for Belarus to progress regardless of Feltscher catching Gutor out at his near post at the death.

Read Table Standings at link below

UEFA.com

UEFA U21 Euro Ukraine 0-0 England: Battle of Knocks. Psycho’s young Lions coming to age but not killing yet..

2011-06-16T16:20:00.005+01:00

by Lucio Menin

HERNING. No goals at the Herning Stadion. Stuart Pierce’s (Pictured above yesterday/ Courtesy of Sky Sport) cubs growing day by day but not making a kill yet as a pack. However Fabio Capello’s assistant is starting delivering the goods. At least as far as players fighting and commitment on the ground is concerned. ‘Tournament football’ it’s a war and wars last years.

So yesterday’s match at the Danish MGH Arena in modern central Jutland was another battle squared up, painful, harsh to fight, where almost every challenge being a foul and where you could hear legs and bones crashing in tackles and body checks.

It sounded like a battle of tanks. But more than Battle of Kursk it was a Battle of Knocks. I guess this is also the ideal sound track for financiers of televised ‘end-to-end’ football.

Pierce was stunned on Sunday by Spain’s skills and drills, promised to deliver same stuff, same ‘arrogance’ football but instead he soaked his frustration during painful press conferences but stuck with his belief.

And for a ‘Commander’ to be respected he has to show consistency of ideas and trust on his men. So he kept faith to the captain of this long adventure, started with 2007 Netherlands Euro and which taught him the first commandment in modern football; ‘Thou shalt not get a silly goal’.

Throughout 2011 qualification campaign’s pains and sufferance to get to these finals - the home defeat with Greece and play-off qualifying draw in Romania - Stuart has forged a very resilient mechanism, a squad that even when it is torn apart by mesmerising passing or challenged physically like Ukraine did yesterday, it can always stood up again ready to hit back with feline prowess.

He has chosen and tested his key players for the game he has planned to carry out; a solid and motivated goalkeeper behind super-aerial central-defenders supported by two flying fullbacks.

He has put his captain-courageous in front of them as a protective dam; at whose side he placed two of the most expensive young midfielders supported by two hard working wide elements to provide the link up with the upfront two outstanding gazelles.

I can see it coming now, has it happened many times in the past. The team’s bolding gets harder and harder after every battle, the defence holds, midfield suffers in exhausting work rates but slowly the gazelles starts getting theirs runs through. Until the day theirs aim will hit the target. That must be Sunday…

Come on Stuart…

Read minute-by-minute play here below

Match Commentary Ukraine U21 v England U21 - 15th June 2011 Sky Sports Football News

Jordan Henderson hungry for success, praises ‘wonderful’ England U21’s team spirit

2011-06-14T12:40:00.007+01:00

Jordan Henderson is hoping to cap a memorable year in Denmark ©Getty Images

by Lucio Menin

HERNING, Denmark. If anything the late equaliser against Spain on Sunday has shown that Fabio Capello’s period as head-coach ‘in pectore’ has at least succeeded in giving England teams what they have lacked for years: the ‘Group’ concept.

LIVERPOOL

The funny word - that drops in now and then in almost any coach interview or conversation – is the grab too of the England senior capped and new Liverpool midfield signing Jordan Henderson, whose future will be to firstly co-exist and later emulate the fabled foot-prints of mythical new team-mate Steve G.

FEELING THE MOMENT

Jordan Anderson, whose apparently delicate looks are however wrapped around a fit and shaped figure, shows determination and career responsibility in his concentrated posture. 'I feel confident to get chances to go into the Liverpool team and I’ll do my best for it’ he opens up about his Merseyside future.

SPAIN

With regards to last Sunday’s game he said ’It was a tough game. Spain kept ball really well. I am sure we’ll can do the same. But It was frustrating. You’ll have to keep going to get that ball’.’But we’ll work looking forward Wednesday’s game’ Jordan continued.

UKRAINE

With regard of tomorrow’s match ‘Tonight we’ll look at their game too’ he said confidently.

THE GROUP

Jordan’s words drop a full convinced praise for the ‘bonding’, ‘team spirit’ and ‘cohesion’ so far created in Stuart Pearce’s squad ‘The lads get on well playing table tennis and watching movies. We are all friends outside the game. The lads are wonderful.’ he concluded. The spirit necessary to overcome difficult moments and to prepare victory. Like it seems to be now in the English camp.

JH's Profile

A product of the Sunderland academy, Henderson established himself with his home-town club in 2009/10, scoring two goals in 33 Premier League outings and signing a new five-year deal

Scored his first U21 goal on his fourth appearance, a volley in a 2-1 home win against Romania in the play-off first leg.

Impressive performances at the heart of the Sunderland midfield earned him a first senior England cap, in a 2-1 defeat by France at Wembley in November 2010

Career statistics

National team record in UEFA competitions

Team Played/Goal
England U-21 5/1

UEFA competition debut:
03/09/10: Portugal 0-1 England

Clubs: Sunderland AFC, Coventry City FC (loan), Liverpool FC

Under-21 debut: 2-0 v Uzbekistan (10/08/2010)

Senior international debut: 1-2 v France (17/11/10)

Source: UEFA.com

UEFA U21 Euro 2011: Full Time SPAIN 1-1 ENGLAND 13' Herrera, 87' Welbeck. England made it at last at the end thanks to Rodwell coming in

2011-06-12T19:32:00.009+01:00

by Lucio Menin

HERNING. Denmark. All the Football Association's echelons are here today ahead of England's debut game against favorite Spain. From Trevor Brooking to Fabio Capello, Ray Clemence, Howard Wilkinson and even the 'manager in waiting' Harry Redknapp.

England playing in complete white. Spain in traditional red with blue shorts and red socks.

Formations:

SPAIN: 4-3-3

David De Gea;
Montoya, Bolla, Alvaro Dominguez, Villa Rosello:
Thiago Alcantara,Javi Martinez, Herrera;
Mata, Adrian, Jeffren

Coach: Luis Milla

ENGLAND: 4-2-3-1

Fielding ;

Walker, Smalling, Jones, Bertrand;
Henderson, Mancienne;
Cleverley, Welbeck, Rose;
Sturridge

Coach: Stuart Pierce

GOAL for SPAIN. 13' Herrera. Spain ahead on a corner; captain Martinez headed Herrera to score on the far post

So here we are again Spain having gone ahead albeit casually are now showing their fabled passing skills in midfield that fences off the England midfield where it is lacking mobility in Mancienne. England is a 'tempo' behind in the passing game.

Great game so far instead in defence by Jones and Smalling, the latter unlucky on forward chances in Spain's box. Welbeck the most dangerous of Three Lions strikers with Sturridge in a off game day.
45' Fantastic save by De Gea who denied England the equalizer. The new Neuer is already here.

Second Half

Many important things happening today either in the pitch and behind. On the latter, hinted at the beginning I will report on a separate part.

61' Spain could have scored and closed the game had goalscorer Herrera not blew the most easier of the chances when he waited to pass the ball on his left foot rather then blast it in the back of the net.

Earlier was the England goalkeeper to save a deflected ball on an Herrera' s shot who was about to enter at the top corner.

66' Stuart Pierce was finally 'struck on the Damascus's way' and see the light. Off the static Mancienne for the more propositive Ridgwell. Pierce also replaced the not to bad Rose with Landsbury.

80' SPAIN replaced Jeffren with Barcelona's 'enfante prodige' Bojan.

87' England equalises with Welbeck who score from a suspect offside position. It a somehow deserved result from the Whites who benefited rightly from the second half changes. Had Pierce started with a less cautious XI may be the game could have been different.

93' Good Swede referee call the end. Hope for both teams for continuing in the tournament.

LIVE - UEFA U21 EURO 2011: FT, DENMARK 0-1 Switzerland. Shaquiri, 47' Also named Man of the Match

2011-06-11T19:47:00.008+01:00

AALBORG, Denmark. The host's opening match kicked off on time (Picture by Cse Ltd) One chance each so far. First at 3' was Switzeland crowning a period of pressure going 1v1 with their n.7 Innocent Emenghara who then shoot on the bounce the inviting through ball just on the Dane keeper's reaches.

By the 6' Danes got back in control and N.10 Christian Eriksen had a clear shot at goal from an inviting position outside the box but it ended just wide Yann Sommer left post.

36 Game is quiet but with sudden burst of play. Danmark with Wess and Swiss three times w Shaquiri

44' Good counter attack by the Swiss who let the ball to the extremely dangerous Shaquiri who again shooted wide from a good position. He just lost time moving ball back to his left foot.

46' Good chance on the other end but the danes wasted.

Good quality game with both teams very wary of the opposition.

STATISTICS

Attempts 5(2) DAN ; 5(2) SWI
Saves 1 DAN ; 2 SWI
Posses. 43% DAN ; 57% SWI
Fouls 5 DAN ; 7 SWI

Referee: Very cautious in giving card to both sides so the taclkes were flying in altough he kept a very good control of the game.

Second half under way.

47'. Two minutes inside the second half now. Shaquiri running the show with a fantastic personal goal.

54' Switzerland much in control of the match now with three goal scoring opportunities missed.

57' Danes coach Bordingaard taking out Kadrii for no.9 Nicolai Jorgensen.

Two good chances for Danmark 70' Bille Nielsen and 73' by Wass again.

85' great chance for Danmark sub Dalsgaard who came 1v1 with Sommer but kicked at him.

90' Danes now trying forcing and any trick in the box for the penalty.

93' Denmark at the end managed to score but Bille Nielsen was found offside. Assistant flagged well before shot at goal.

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

UEFA U21 EURO: From Stars to Superstars. Ahead of tomorrow’s debut Spain's young players unimpressed by England team without Jack Wilshere and Micah Richards (Let alone Andy Carroll)

2011-06-11T10:49:00.002+01:00

England are dismissing as "mind games'' Spanish claims that Stuart Pearce's side lack true class without the exhausted Jack Wilshere and the injured Micah Richards ahead of Sunday's clash of two of the favourites for the European Under-21 Championships.

Well earned rest: Jack Wilshere can put his feet up while the England Under-21s are in Denmark Photo: GETTY IMAGES

COMMENT: Today the most important UEFA Youth tournament kicks off in the wonderful Denmark landscape. The debut match (Kick off at 19.45 BST, Free LIVE commentary HERE from 19.00 and LIVE video streaming broadcast on UEFA.com from 19.30 BST) will be opened by the host against another beautiful landscaped country Switzerland, in what could be seen as the ‘Efficiency Derby’ between the most organised countries in Europe. The honour to host it is left to the northern Jutland capital of Aarlborg, just dozen miles from the Norwegian scores.

Lucio Menin, Herning

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

By Henry Winter, Herning

11:00PM BST 10 Jun 2011

4 Comments

"They can be a dangerous team for us but we expect to play well and win,'' said Barcelona's midfielder Thiago Alcantara, whose father Mazinho won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994.

"We play the better football. We are very technical and pass the ball more, whereas England are very direct.

"The only ones we really know are Wilshere and Richards but they are not here. That is good news for us. Richards is a very good defender while Wilshere is probably the best footballer in the whole team. We've not really heard of any of the players."

Thiago did add that he enjoyed watching English football. "It's very entertaining and quick. The top teams are also more competitive.''

"They're obviously good at their mind games,'' remarked Marc Albrighton, the Aston Villa right-winger.

"If they want to think that, then brilliant, that's a plus for us because they're not going to be expecting what they're going to get on Sunday. We've got some great players.

"Obviously it would have helped if Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll and Micah Richards were here but the players that we've brought in to replace them are great players.

"We're technically gifted – maybe not as much as Spain, but we've got the fight and the passion that overtakes that. I don't think many countries have the passion and the hard work that England possess.

"Spain look vulnerable at the back, so we'll look to counter on them while they're playing their pretty football. And I don't really know their players. We wouldn't really recognise them."

Albrighton might soon recognise David de Gea, Atletico Madrid's exceptional goalkeeper who hopes to shake off a thumb injury to start.

"De Gea will be the best goalkeeper in the world in a few years,'' said Thiago of the keeper wooed by Manchester United. "He has everything: the hands, the strength and the feet.''

Thiago added that the success of the Spanish senior side meant the under-21s had to deliver.

Probable teams

Engalnd U21s (4-3-3): Fielding (Derby County); Mancienne (Hamburg), Smalling (Manchester United), Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Bertrand (Chelsea); Henderson (Liverpool), Muamba (Bolton Wanderers), Rodwell (Everton); Sturridge (Chelsea), Welbeck (Manchester United), Sinclair (Swansea City).

Spain U21s (4-3-3): De Gea (Atletico Madrid); Azpilicueta (Marseilles), Montoya (Barcelona), Victor Ruiz (Napoli), Didac (AC Milan); Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), Herrera (Real Zaragoza); Mata (Valencia), Bojan (Barcelona), Jeffren (Barcelona).

Source: Telegraph

UEFA U21 European Championship – Denmark 2011. Finals kick offs on week end. Will it be England's year at last? LIVE on Sky and UEFA.com

2011-06-09T13:40:00.002+01:00

Iceland contributed to holders Germany's downfall in qualifying ©Getty Images

COMMENT: The most important youth tournament of the year is about to kick off in the week end in lovely and let’s hope sunny Denmark. This time it will be on the mostly unknown northern part of the beautiful and tidy nation which is mostly untouched country sides, the Jutland.

The tournament, which means so much to the formation of future senior teams national players it is also a regular venue for talent-scouts looking for the new Ozil or Neuer. Its importance this years is also boosted by the fact it will select the first three qualified teams as UEFA representatives to next year’s magnificent show-case of London’s Olympic football tournament.

Lucio Menin

LONDON. Joining hosts Denmark in the finals are seven battle-hardened sides who progressed through a gruelling group stage that began in March 2009 then held their nerve in the play-offs to seal their place. Given the pedigree of some of the teams that fell along the way there is no doubting the quality of those that made it this far.

THE SQUADS – Group A

Denmark will meet Switzerland, Iceland and Belarus in Group A, while Group B pits beaten 2009 finalists England against the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Spain. For the first time all 53 member associations took part in the qualifying competition, with eight still standing ahead of the finals in Aarhus, Aalborg, Herning and Viborg. The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2011 when Denmark face Switzerland and Belarus take on Iceland, with the final held a fortnight later in Aarhus on 25 June.

THE SQUADS – Group B

The Czech Republic were the only team to progress through qualifying undefeated and, after stopping holders Germany in their tracks in Group 5, have high hopes of winning the tournament for the first time since 2002. Tomáš Pekhart finished qualifying as the nine-goal top scorer, but it was Iceland, runners-up to the Czech Republic, who really caught the eye in front of goal. They struck a tournament-leading 33 times, including a stunning 4-1 rout of Germany, to reach their first finals.

HISTORY

It is a measure of just how tough qualifying was that only three of the countries that contested the 2009 finals in Sweden are back this time – Belarus, England and Spain – and that of the eight finalists just England (twice), Spain (twice) and the Czechs (once) have won it before.

Who didn’t make it

If Iceland were the surprise package of qualifying then Belarus pulled off the most astonishing result – overturning a 2-0 play-off first-leg defeat by five-times champions Italy with a 3-0 triumph in Borisov. Two goals within the first five minutes from Vladimir Yurchenko set up that win, and he will be one of many rising stars attempting to follow a line of illustrious predecessors in gracing the U21 finals stage.

Who to watch

Among the talent on display in Denmark, Spain can boast two FIFA World Cup winners in Javi Martínez and Juan Mata; England, the only nation to have qualified for the finals for a third successive time, can call on the likes of Daniel Sturridge, while Switzerland will look to Xherdan Shaqiri to continue the significant strides he has made this year.

Ukraine, finalists in 2006, have a squad brimming with UEFA Champions League pedigree and will want to build on the promise of their UEFA European U19 Championship triumph in 2009. It is over two years since Denmark played a competitive match, but given the success of the host nations in recent years – with the Netherlands victorious in 2007 and Sweden getting to the last four in 2009 – with home support, Keld Bordinggaard's side have plenty to look forward to.

Source: Uefa.com

UEFA U21 EURO 2011: England squad campaign kick offs as team lands in Denmark. All matches KO 7.45pm (BST) screened on Sky Sports

2011-06-09T12:17:00.000+01:00

With the clock ticking down to England's first game at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark, Three Lions Coach Stuart Pearce has revealed the squad numbers his players will wear.

LONDON. The squad travels to their tournament base near the Jutland town of Vejle on Wednesday ahead of their opening Group B encounter with Spain on Sunday night in Herning. England then play Ukraine on Wednesday 15 June, again in Herning, before meeting Czech Republic on Sunday 19 June in Viborg.

But whether or not the squad numbers (listed below) will give any guide to who will start in the matches only Pearce will know.

England Squad

1 Frankie Fielding (Derby County)
2 Michael Mancienne (Chelsea)
3 Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea)
4 Fabrice Muamba (Bolton Wanderers)
5 Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
6 Phil Jones (Blackburn Rovers)
7 Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa)
8 Jordan Henderson (Sunderland)
9 Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)
10 Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
11 Scott Sinclair (Swansea City)
12 Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
13 Alex McCarthy (Reading),
14 Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)
15 James Tomkins (West Ham United)
16 Jack Cork (Chelsea)
17 Tom Cleverley (Manchester United)
18 Henri Lansbury (Arsenal)
19 Jack Rodwell (Everton)
20 Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur)
21 Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa)
22 Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town)
23 Jason Steele (Middlesbrough)

Read more below:
TheFA.com - England Under-21s squad numbers for Euro 2011 have been confirmed

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

FIFA Congress: Blatter's win a farce, says David Cameron. Call in Parliament to stop fall in disrepute by showing Blatter red card

2011-06-08T18:37:00.003+01:00

• Prime Minister says Fifa's reputation is at an 'all-time low'
• Cameron calls on FA to help reform world governing body

FR Editor’s Comment: FIFA’s surreal world called the Interpol to expose – just on Election day, the minor betting scandal in Italy – presumably to avoid (or punish?) Giancarlo Abete’s from splitting and going with the English FA. So having then called the Police to investigate all betting scandals in the world why aren’t Interpol also called in to investigate the Executive Committee members’ bribes that have been allegedly reported rather than leave the matter to suspicious ‘internal’ committee? Where’s the logic and where is the law?

There isn’t any more for football! In fact you can cheat, you can bribe, you can freely insult players or fans in the Stadiums, you can punch or even kill them on terraces , or cause players damages or serious injuries whilst challenging in the pitches without undergo the normal Justice and get unpunished. Let’s stop this farce!

Lucio Menin

David Cameron says Fifa needs urgent reform. Photograph: Pa

LONDON David Cameron has described Sepp Blatter's re-election as Fifa's president as a "farce" and called on world football's governing body to become "more transparent and more accountable". The Prime Minister also told MPs that the Football Association should "play a very major role" in helping to reform Fifa.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, Cameron told the Commons: "Personally, I have seen football governance at an international level and I wasn't that impressed by what I saw. "What I would say is this: Fifa's reputation is now at an all-time low and obviously the election with just one candidate was something of a farce, but it has to become more transparent and more accountable.

"They have got to prove that they are actually capable of doing the job that they are meant to. But ultimately change has got to come from within football and I am sure the FA will want to play a very major role in helping to bring that about."

Cameron's comments came after the Tory MP James Wharton said there should be "no place for corruption in football". He asked Cameron: "Given that the re-election of Sepp Blatter has brought Fifa even further into disrepute, will you take this opportunity to voice your support for those calling for the reforms we need to finally show Mr Blatter the red card?"

Source: The Guardian

COACHING: A tactical review of the 2010-11 season

2011-06-07T14:04:00.001+01:00

This was a season in which club football asserted its primacy, and the false nine came from the periphery into the mainstream

COMMENT: Guardian Jonathan Wilson’s detailed analysis of the tactical evolution since the World Cup have left open a little but important trend which exploded with its full dramatic importance during the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley just more than a week ago: the taking over of one-touch football as a tactical training element. We’ll soon come back to it.

Lucio Menin

Comments (93)

(Picture above: Barcelona's Lionel Messi wears No10 but has spearheaded the tactical vogue for a false nine. Photograph: David Ramos/Associated Press)

LONDON. The closer you are, of course, the harder it is to step back and see the overall pattern. After Internazionale, cautious and canny and playing within themselves, had won the European Cup, and after a World Cup of a miserable lack of adventure, there seemed a possibility that football might be entering a new age of caution.

It wasn't. As in 2004, when José Mourinho's Porto had won the Champions League and Greece had lifted the European Championship, the lessons of the summer seemed to have been forgotten by the time the new season came around. Perhaps, as Jorge Valdano has suggested, it is simply that in the televisual age that clubs feel a barely expressed need to satisfy their audiences – which entails some combination of winning and entertaining.

More sinisterly – at least if you're a country that has just committed to a vast programme of infrastructure development to host a World Cup – there is a clear gulf both in quality and entertainment value between club and international football (even if, for now, TV viewing figures remain much higher for international than club football). Football these days is highly systematised; it's not about individuals. That means players must have a mutual understanding, must know that if they go forward somebody else will cover, must know who is likely to move where and when. It is that understanding that gives them the fraction of a second advantage that allows them to break highly coherent defences.

At international level, there simply isn't the time to generate that level of understanding. Coaches – unless they are Marcelo Bielsa – become more cautious. Sticking men behind the ball is relatively easy; far harder to work out how to cover if some of those players are to make forward runs. The result is the "broken teams" that characterised the World Cup – six or seven players whose prime job was to sit deep; four or three who played high up the field, with very little in between. Only Spain transcended that, largely because their personnel and style is so heavily based upon Barcelona, and even they, faced with massed defences, failed to thrill.

After the World Cup, there was something almost refreshing about the early weeks of the domestic season, not least – in England – because even the promoted sides were largely committed to attacking. This has been a growing trend – the total goals scored by the relegated clubs from 2005 reads 85, 95, 107, 104, 110 and then 135 this season – but Blackpool were still a revelation: to quibble, as many have, that their defence wasn't good enough ( and 78 goals is a lot to have conceded) is rather to miss the point.

Blackpool's 4-3-3, with Charlie Adam spraying long diagonal passes from deep, was highly effective. It caught teams by surprise and earned Blackpool a raft of points early in the season that even they probably didn't expect. No team in the Premier League era has been relegated scoring as many as 55 goals (Middlesbrough in 1992-93 are the only other side to have broken the half-century, and they had four more games to do it in), and a goal difference of -23 is nothing to be ashamed of – in 2009-10, six teams had a worse record than that.

Later on, as opponents became wise to it, and injuries and suspensions bit into the Premier League's shallowest squad, Blackpool struggled, but they still ended up with twice as many points as most predicted. Ian Holloway's approach was unorthodox and unexpected and it very nearly worked. Just because he reasoned his best chance was to play open, attacking football rather than following the paradigm of the promoted manager by looking to keep things tight and nick the odd 1-0 here and there doesn't make it any less of a tactical achievement, and hopefully his example – and that of Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion, who both began the season with similarly positive intent – will inspire other newly promoted sides not to retreat into their shell as a first reaction.

At the other end of the scale, this season has confirmed the effectiveness of the false nine. Lionel Messi has been majestic in the role, dropping off from a natural striking role to link with the midfield, vacating space for others to break into. Carlos Tevez has interpreted it in a slightly different way at Manchester City, linking two halves of a broken team, at least until Yaya Touré became more expansive later on in the season.

Perhaps it's significant that the two prime exponents of the art are Argentinian (although Alexander Kerzhakov performed the role superbly for Zenit St Petersburg last season). It's tempting to believe that so intense is the desire in Argentina to preserve the pibe tradition and protect the role of el diez, that they're prepared to sacrifice el nueve to do so. Boca Juniors, of course, continue to try to keep both alive, but watching the 32-year-old Juan Román Riquelme sparkling fitfully behind the lumbering 37-year-old, Martín Palermo, makes it feel a bit like the Bombonera has been taken over by the Sealed Knot.

Alongside the false nine goes inverted wingers; players who begin wide and look to cut into the space left by the backward movement of the centre-forward. They had become a trend anyway; André Villas-Boas's use of Hulk, a player commonly used as a centre-forward in the past, cutting in from the right flank, is an example of the inverted winger being played with a more orthodox centre-forward. Long term, though, they seem a more natural fit with the false nine, offering in-built fluidity as they instinctively cut into the space the central player has created by dropping deep.

The other eye-catching tactical shift this season, in England at least, has been Wayne Rooney's redeployment as a second striker. He perhaps could have become a false nine himself – he has the ability and the instinct to fall back from the front line – but instead he's evolved a unique role, and by so doing may have shown a way that 4-4-2 can survive as a formation at the highest level (essentially by becoming 4-4-1-1 where the second striker is almost a reverse libero, given licence to drop off the front and go hunting the ball and space, rather than stepping out from the back). It remains to be seen whether other players can ape him, or whether Rooney is sui generis, but the use of the second striker as the midfield tackler feels like a logical development of the use of wide forwards as primarily blocking players.

This season has also seen Liverpool and Sunderland experiment with three at the back in specific circumstances – evidence of the Premier League's growing tactical flexibility, while Napoli showed how effective wing-backs can be against opponents who insist on playing narrow, as so many teams in Italy do. Inter's humiliation at the hands of Schalke 04 in the Champions League, when the two full-backs, Atsuto Uchida and Hans Sarpei ran riot, will perhaps jolt Serie A into looking to the future rather than looking constantly back 15 years.

At the very highest level, though, this was a season in which club football asserted its primacy, and the false nine came from the periphery into the mainstream.

Source: The Guardian

UEFA EUROPA CUP FINAL: In Dublin Porto take home 3rd trophy. But can we doing something for the misery of the 'losers' medal' ceremony?

2011-05-28T13:01:00.001+01:00

Dublin and Wembley take centre stage. Michel Platini welcomes the Finals.

by Lucio Menin

DUBLIN. Reading the UEFA Europa League match programme your attention is taken by UEFA President Michel Platini 'Welcome' note. It says that this is the first time Ireland is hosting an European final for its first time. Michel then go on in describing the good things about the League and how the two finalists made the Final at the new Dublin Arena.

This brought to my attention a thought that always struck me at any UEFA or FIFA competition presentation. You see these authorities there not saying a word to the audience (that's is the TV as well). How nice would it be if they can read to the crowd and to the finalists those nice words of preface that otherwise will go unnoticed?

If only this would avoid the defeated or so called 'loser' team to get away with grumpiness on their face during all the ceremonial time and with most of time players taking away the 'loser medal' with disdain from their neck as well! In the case of Dublin Arena their sadness being appropriately matched by a 'lament' music played by the Stadium loudspeakers. Perfect delirium! Let's stop this rot instead please!

Surely a well read speech from Platini or Blatter would definitely cheer up or calm down the losing sides fans and players whilst giving a strong meaning and motivation to the competition itself for the coming year (especially for the not well understood Europa Cup). Still in time for tonight's speech Messieurs Platini ?

UEFA.com's video here below recaps UEFA Europa League final week in Dublin, looks into the success of the Swiss Football Association's grassroots programme, and remembers AFC Ajax's European Champion Clubs' Cup triumph at Wembley in 1971.

Whatch the VIDEO here - UEFA.com

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2011 - Wembley - FC BARCELONA v MANCHESTER UNITED: What Pep Guardiola said yesterday (VIDEO)

2011-05-28T12:41:00.000+01:00

WEMBLEY. Pep Guardiola is leaving facts to the pitch and dismissing claims they are the best team ever. The modest Catalan quick raise to success at his first year in charge with the Blau-grana has surprised many but not the insiders.

His innate curiosity a modesty a taken him to offers himself to Man United in 2001 (rejected) ending up to play for Italian Serie A side Brescia from which he learned few things, including the foundations of his 'tiki-taka' short passes one touch football in small areas, initiated by Luciano Spalletti's AS Roma, which is taking the world apart.

Lucio Menin

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2011 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2011 - Wembley - FC BARCELONA v MANCHESTER UNITED: What Sir Alex Ferguson said yesterday (VIDEO)

2011-05-28T12:21:00.000+01:00

WEMBLEY. 'It 's a long week before the game' said Sir Alex yesterday at the Press Conference. But the wait it is now over and in few hours the 'Match of the Decade' can finally kick off to designate the 'Team of the Decade'? Surely the pressure has been high on the Red Devils in the last week also for reasons not football related as the infamous 'Get him' phrase - whispered about a supposedly disrespectful reporter - if only shown that Sir Alex is a good Michael Caine fan.

From the Wembley 'paddock' Sir Alex's 'thoroughbreds' looked all fit and with the right skin perspiration during the warm up and training session on the 'Football Cathedral' turf. Sir Alex was seen having little conversations with Park - before the small sided game 11 v 11 on a 60 x 40 metres area with two regular goals at the ends - and Berbatov after the latter was pulled out early from the game. Does perhaps this will mean either that Park will not take part tonight or that he will be dedicated to same important task such as man marking Messi?

Watching the two teams training game yesterday it appeared clear why Barcelona have such a big lead over any team in the matches. Their session was in fact based on a 40 x 20 metres area 8 v 8 + 4 15 + 15 min' pressing mini game where everyone done to one-touch football as most of the time there was no time for more as opponents were pressurising the ball. Man United mini-game was instead base on the traditional values and training set ups like play in wide areas. No doubt these will not be missing tonight in the marvellous and historical pitch brought back to its best looks however the doubt is whether the Blau-grana will them allow to use it?

Two word on the choice of the referee. The new UEFA head of refereeing Pierluigi Collina, has opted for the young, 35 years old, Hungarian Viktor Kassai ahead of more stricter Rizzoli, presumably on a 'preference' by the Mancunian side who had the Italian officiating during their home knock out in last year competition. Kassai have good omens for United as they always win with him. Let's only hope he will not be impressed by the great stadium atmosphere so that the best 'Team of Decade' can prevail?

A few word about statistics. In the previous matches the balance is perfectly even with 3 win, 4 draws and 3 defeats each out of 10 games. When compared win other opponent's country matches the balance switches in favour of Barcelona which have a better ratio of 40% compared to United 27.5.

Lucio Menin

Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992. Copyright 2005 -2010 C.S.E. Limited. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproductions of any part forbidden.

Vintage UEFA Champions League 1992 Wembley final Barcelona 1-0 (aet) Sampdoria full highlights, goals, tricks and skills

2011-05-27T12:22:00.002+01:00

Ahead of tomorrow's Barcelona against Manchester United at Wembley let's have a look at the last time that Europe's newly born UEFA Champions League format came for the last time to the old Wembl;ey, the 'cathedral of football' as O'Rey Pele' once said.

by Lucio Menin

LONDON. The imperial twin towers of Wembley provided the background for Barcelona's first ever European Cup win. A trademark free kick from Ronald Koeman sealed the victory for the Catalan giants in extra-time, after a string of excellent saves from from both goalkeepers Andoni Zubizarreta and Gianluca Pagliuca had kept the two teams a clean sheet in what was -a Londoner (possibly a MI5 agent)- told me at the time, one of the best ever game he had witnessed..

Sampdoria gave Barcelona a run for their money throughout the game, with a potent strike force of Attilio Lombardo, Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini forcing good saves but making too many misses in the process.

Barca's creative duo of Michael Laudrup and Hristo Stoichkov created as well chances for the Catalan side - that was fielding as a midfielder the current coach Pep Guardiola - but found Pagliuca in inspired form, and so it was left to a Koeman thunderbolt to bring deservedly the trophy back to Barcelona for the first time in their long and glorious history.

Watch the UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United at Wembley LIVE on ITV1 and ITV.com from 7pm on Saturday 28th May

FOOTBALL REPORT

FA Cup 2011/12 Fourth Round replay highlights - FA Cup - Football - ITV Sport

th Round

Liverpool v Man United

Liverpool v Man United

Brighton v Newcastle

Hull v Crawley

QPR v Chelsea

Derby v Stoke

West Brom v Norwich

Bolton v Swansea

Watford v Tottenham

Everton v Fulham

Leicester v Swindon

Round-up

FA Cup video

Latest

FA Cup 2011/12 Watch the Third Round highlights - FA Cup - ITV Sport

FA Cup video

Is The FA betraying the Cup's spirits? Goals of the round - FATV | FA Cup 3rd Round Proper 07-01-12

Euro 2012: Beeb's coup whilst ITV refuses betting on England’s progress

The Images that incriminates Dinamo: Defender's wink - Video Repubblica

Commemoration: Brian Clough at Leeds United from Jeremy Jacobs Host Presenter

Brian Clough at Leeds United

Euro 2012 Finals: After Kiev favorable Draw, the complete Match Schedule

:: All match kick-off times are BST.

Sunday 4th December, 12pm Live FA Cup Second Round: AFC Totton v Bristol Rovers

FA Cup 2011/12 2nd Round Highlights - FA Cup. ITV wins time-slot battle

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: Match Day 5 Highlights; Stoke City make history

Follow tonight's Events chat and score updates Here- MatchDay LIVE - Europa League, Carling Cup - ESPN Soccernet

CARLING CUP: Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City. Spirits were running high last night at the Emirates (Photo)

Just the Goals | Barclays Premier League - Yahoo! Eurosport UK - Video Highlights

UEFA Champions League: Ahead of tonight's clash Benfica's coach Jesus turns sceptical about PL leadership

Stats-the-Premier-League-weekend-in-numbers-151111 | ITV Sport

Stats: The Premier League weekend in numbers

Latest U21 EURO 2013 Qual: BELGIUM v ENGLAND: Oxade Chamberlain practices finishing ahead tonight's game

Highlights U21 UEFA EURO 2013 Qual: ENGLAND 5-0 ICELAND Marching on towards play-off but Belgium hurdle loomes.

ARCHIVE: U21 EURO 2013 Qual. ICELAND 0-3 ENGLAND Watch Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 'Phenomenal' Hat Trick highlights in 1st leg in Reykjavik

England manager Capello laments missing players and pressures ahead of Remembrance Day’s Wembley friendly against World Champions Spain

UEFA EURO U21 G8 Qual.: ENGLAND v ICELAND. Colcester, Weston Home Stadium on Thursday KO 19.30 GMT

Why the Football Association leaving Fabio Capello, ahead of Spain match, at mercy of marauding Press, have a culpable recipe for another Euro failure

Fabio Capello a lost soul looking for a new leader in English football’s moral maze

Fabio Capello could be forgiven for regarding England as a total soap opera, a team currently bedevilled by red cards, race allegations and poor first touches.

RELATED ARTICLES

UEFA Euro Under-21s, Group 8 Qualifier: NORWAY 1-2 ENGLAND Match Report

England U21s Latest: Kelly, Delfouneso and Waghorn return to clubs

UEFA European U21 Championship, Group 8 Qualifier: Iceland 0-3 England. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's hat-trick

England Under-21s squad begin preparation for upcoming Euro 2013 Nordic campaign

UEFA EURO 2012 Qualifier BULGARIA 0-3 ENGLAND (Video Highlights)

UEFA U21 EURO 2013 Qualifier ENGLAND 6-0 AZERBAIJAN (Video Highlights)

England's Young Lions make winning start to 2013 Euro qualification

Crestfallen 'Psyco' expects Young Lions to triumph in 2013 Euro Championship (Video)

England U21 training (Video) ahead of tomorrow's crucial 2013 UEFA Euro qualifier debut against Azerbaijan at Watford (KO 7.30pm BST)

FIFA Colombia U20 World Cup: England's debut hopes held in North Korea draw

AUDI CUP: Thiago Alcantara's magics deliver another Cup to Barcelona

Audi Cup: Internacional 2-2 (2-4 after Pso) Barcelona, Bayern Munich 1-1 (4-2 after Pso) AC Milan - Match Reports

Breaking News: Stuart Pearce's signed a two years contract extension as England U21 Head Coach

A football revolution: Intricancies of the misterious jobs by the men in the clubs' 'backrooms' explained

Pre-Olympic EURO U21 Final: SWITZERLAND 0-2 SPAIN Herrera 40', Alcantara 80' SPAIN are U21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS. Highlights and Match Report

EURO U21 - 2012 Olympic Qualifier - Switzerland Multi-Ethnic Team Reaches Olympic Finals First Time After 84 Years

EURO U21 2011 S-F SWITZERLAND 1-0(aet) CZECH REPUBLIC: Swiss reach U21 Final for first time in history

EURO 2011 U21 ENGLAND 1-2 CZECH REPUBLIC: Late equaliser sent a good England crashing out the Euro

UEFA U21 Euro 2011England v Czech Republic: Teams Formations. KO 19:45 (BST) Viborg Stadion . LIVE Twitter Commentary Here

UEFA Euro U21 2011–SWITZERLAND 3-0 BELARUS. Both teams qualify for the semis next Tuesday. Hosts DENMARK defeated 3-1 by surprising ICELAND are eliminated.

Switzerland 3-0 Belarus

UEFA U21 Euro Ukraine 0-0 England: Battle of Knocks. Psycho’s young Lions coming to age but not killing yet..

Jordan Henderson hungry for success, praises ‘wonderful’ England U21’s team spirit

UEFA U21 Euro 2011: Full Time SPAIN 1-1 ENGLAND 13' Herrera, 87' Welbeck. England made it at last at the end thanks to Rodwell coming in

LIVE - UEFA U21 EURO 2011: FT, DENMARK 0-1 Switzerland. Shaquiri, 47' Also named Man of the Match

UEFA U21 EURO: From Stars to Superstars. Ahead of tomorrow’s debut Spain's young players unimpressed by England team without Jack Wilshere and Micah Richards (Let alone Andy Carroll)

England are dismissing as "mind games'' Spanish claims that Stuart Pearce's side lack true class without the exhausted Jack Wilshere and the injured Micah Richards ahead of Sunday's clash of two of the favourites for the European Under-21 Championships.

UEFA U21 European Championship – Denmark 2011. Finals kick offs on week end. Will it be England's year at last? LIVE on Sky and UEFA.com

UEFA U21 EURO 2011: England squad campaign kick offs as team lands in Denmark. All matches KO 7.45pm (BST) screened on Sky Sports

FIFA Congress: Blatter's win a farce, says David Cameron. Call in Parliament to stop fall in disrepute by showing Blatter red card

COACHING: A tactical review of the 2010-11 season

UEFA EUROPA CUP FINAL: In Dublin Porto take home 3rd trophy. But can we doing something for the misery of the 'losers' medal' ceremony?

Dublin and Wembley take centre stage. Michel Platini welcomes the Finals.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2011 - Wembley - FC BARCELONA v MANCHESTER UNITED: What Pep Guardiola said yesterday (VIDEO)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 2011 - Wembley - FC BARCELONA v MANCHESTER UNITED: What Sir Alex Ferguson said yesterday (VIDEO)

Vintage UEFA Champions League 1992 Wembley final Barcelona 1-0 (aet) Sampdoria full highlights, goals, tricks and skills