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Originally Posted by okosh
Australia play China minus many stars out injured...
England play France in a friendly... England coach says Beckem can play in 2010  |
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Capello recalls Beckham for 100th appearance and talks of 2010 World Cup http://img.iht.com/images/dot_h.gifPARIS: England manager Fabio Capello has brought David Beckham back onto his team and it's nothing to do with the star reaching 100 appearances. He believes that the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder might well be wearing the same white shirt at the 2010 World Cup. "The David Beckham I know can certainly last and get to 2010 if he carries on training and working hard," said Capello, who has recalled Beckham for Wednesday's friendly against France. "I know David Beckham and what he can give me, and I think he can make the difference in some respects. I know what he can give to a team. As for the future, we will have to see. Nobody knows what the future holds." Headed for his 33rd birthday in May, Beckham knows his time as an England player has to be running out after more than a decade. But the fact that Capello is happy to recall him and then talk about the star playing in his fourth World Cup gives the Galaxy player plenty of hope for the future. http://www.iht.com/images/dot_h.gif http://www.iht.com/images/dot_h.gif "I've managed him previously and he's always been a very good professional," said Capello, who still speaks in Italian even though it's clear he understands questions in English. "Only people who are so professional can last and be at the top for so long." The manager who has guided Italian clubs AC Milan, AS Roma, Juventus and Spain's Real Madrid to multiple titles had Beckham on his squad last season in the Spanish league. Capello dropped Beckham in midseason when the England midfielder announced his move to Major League Soccer. But Beckham's reaction to being dropped was to train even harder than usual and, when Capello recalled him, the player was a major force in Madrid staging a strong charge in the second half of the season to capture the Spanish league title. Beckham also was dropped by Steve McClaren, the manager Capello replaced when England failed to qualify for this summer's European Championship. But McClaren couldn't leave him out either and Beckham returned to set up goals for England with his expertly aimed crosses and passes. He was left on 99 appearances when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and there was the danger he might finish there when Capello left him out of his first game in charge against Switzerland in February. But the Italian stated Beckham was overlooked solely because the MLS season had long finished and he was not playing at the time, even though he was training in England with Arsenal. Now back playing preseason with the Galaxy, Beckham has shown Capello he is fit enough to play for his country, even if he only comes off the bench against France. "He will play a part," Capello told reporters at England's team hotel in downtown Paris on Tuesday. "It would have been very cruel of me to make him come all the way from the U.S. and not play him." |
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Injuries force trio to miss qualifier Sunday, 23 March 2008 http://www.footballaustralia.com.au...16343-image.jpg Tim Cahill is mobbed by team mates after scoring against Qatar Getty Images / Mark Dadswell © Getty Images Injuries to key players have disrupted Australia’s preparations for next Wednesday’s crucial 2010 World Cup qualifying game against China, being played in Kunming, China. Having confirmed Brett Emerton’s unavailability on Friday, coach Pim Verbeek must face the awkward tie without Tim Cahill, Mile Sterjovski and Josh Kennedy, who will not make trip. Nick Carle, Jacob Burns and Adam Federici, named in the original squad are also not included in the final squad that was released by Football Federation Australia today. Both Cahill (recurring foot) and Sterjovski (groin) didn’t last till half time of their respective games on the weekend, with Cahill was replaced in the 12th minute, while Sterjovski was on the end of a bad tackle and was unable to return. Kennedy again missed his weekend’s game for Karlsruhe. Verbeek has included 10 players from the squad that took on Singapore on Saturday night, including Hyundai A-League players Mark Bridge, Ante Covic, Bruce Djite, Adam Griffiths, Mile Jedinak, Jade North, Archie Thompson and Nikolai Topor-Stanley. The final squad that will be in Kunming are: Michael Beauchamp, Mark Bresciano, Mark Bridge, David Carney, Ante Covic, Jason Culina, Bruce Djite, Vince Grella, Adam Griffiths, Brett Holman, Mile Jedinak, Harry Kewell, Patrick Kisnorbo, Scott McDonald, Lucas Neill, Jade North, Mark Schwarzer, Archie Thompson, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Carl Valeri, Luke Wilkshire |
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McDonald ruled out of China clash Monday, 24 March 2008 http://www.footballaustralia.com.au...14851-image.jpg Scott McDonald in action for the Qantas Socceroos Australia’s strike force has suffered another blow, with Scott McDonald ruled out of the clash with China on Wednesday, after suffering a calf injury against Gretna on Sunday. McDonald, who scored his 26th goal of the season in the 3-0 win, came off after 62 minutes and it was revealed after the game that his injury was deemed to severe for him to travel and back up three days later. The Celtic hitman’s injury comes on the back of injuries to Brett Emerton, Tim Cahill, Mile Sterjovski and McDonald’s new strike partner Josh Kennedy. The injury has paved the way for experienced Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson to lead the line, as he did against Singapore on Saturday night in the first half. Other strikers in Kunming already are Sydney FC’s Mark Bridge and Adelaide United’s Bruce Djite, who both played well in the difficult conditions against Singapore in their international debuts. Harry Kewell could also play up front, although it’s unclear what formation Pim Verbeek has decided to start with and whether he is earmarked for a start in midfield. |
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Schwarzer saves Socceroos (AFP) Wednesday 26 March 2008 Shao Jiayi had a late penalty saved as China drew 0-0 with Australia despite a furious second-half onslaught in the crunch FIFA World Cup™ qualifier. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer dived low and to his left in the 87th minute to block Shao's shot as Australia escaped with a point to remain top of Group 1. The distraught Shao, 27, even offered to take the blame if China fail to reach the fourth and final qualifying round as one of the top two teams. "I feel I must apologise to the team and the fans for that penalty shot," Shao said. "Because of me we did not win the game, we should have won the game but we didn't because I missed the penalty kick. I really feel bad about this." He added: "If China does not qualify in the end then it is my fault." China's under-fire coach Vladimir Petrovic refused to criticise Shao for the miss, but said his team would now practise their spot-kicks harder. "I'm very satisfied with how well we played and how hard we fought, we played with a lot of confidence but unfortunately we were not so lucky to win," said the Serb. The tie had loomed as a difficult one for the visitors due to China's decision to play at 1,900 metres (6,233 feet) and in the mid-afternoon heat. Australia were also missing key personnel Tim Cahill, Josh Kennedy, Mile Sterjovski, Scott McDonald and Brett Emerton, who were sidelined through injury. Given these difficulties, Australia coach Pim Verbeek was happy with the result, which maintained his unbeaten record and kept the Socceroos on course for South Africa 2010. "We knew that this would be a difficult game, but our boys were well prepared," said the Dutchman. "The boys played very hard to get this result, of course we came here to win because everyone likes to win games. But I have to admit, I can live with this result." After a quiet opening period, China came out firing for the second half and tested Schwarzer with striker Zhu Ting's header. Shandong Luneng Han Peng missed a clear scoring chance soon after, disappointing 32,500 fans at Tuodong Stadium. In the dying minutes, Schwarzer brought down Qu Bo in the box as his heroics appeared to have come to nought. But Energie Cottbus midfielder Shao, under intense pressure to earn China's first win, shot tamely. Australia's best chance had been a Mark Bresciano volley which was saved at full stretch by China's Zong Lei in the first half. Zhu could have had two in the opening 45 but missed his first effort and saw his second smothered by the busy Schwarzer. Australia stay top of Group 1 after beating Qatar 3-0 in their opening match, while China earn their first point following a draw with Iraq. Qatar and Iraq play later. |
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Originally Posted by forwardone
Ah well. France won 1-0. Still, it was ONLY a friendly.
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<H2 id=story>World Cup fixtures finalised April 03, 2008 BRISBANE is gearing up to stage its biggest football international while Sydney will host Australia's World Cup qualifier with China. Football Federation Australia has scheduled two major announcements in the Queensland and New South Wales capitals to unveil the venues for Australia's upcoming home qualifiers in June. The Socceroos hold the outright lead of their group in the initial qualifying stage for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after last week's goal-less draw with China. The Australia-China rematch, the final fixture of the group stage, has been slated for June 22 by the Asian Football Conference. The match will be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. But the Socceroos' next match, against Asian champions Iraq, presents as a drought-breaker for Brisbane. Suncorp Stadium is set to host the tie on June 1 in Brisbane's first fully-fledged international in 10 years, the first World Cup qualifier in the city since Australia beat Oceania minnow Tahiti 2-0 in 1992. A capacity 52,500-crowd is seen as virtual certainty by organisers to support a near full-strength Australia outfit. The Socceroos last played in Brisbane in October 2006, when a packed house saw veteran quartet Tony Vidmar, Stan Lazaridis, Tony Popovic and Zeljko Kalac make their international swansongs. Paraguay crashed the party with a late equaliser for a 1-1 draw, courtesy of a Michael Beauchamp own goal, after Popovic had broken the stalemate with an 88th-minute header. AAP |
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Originally Posted by okosh
Australia play China minus many stars out injured...
England play France in a friendly... England coach says Beckem can play in 2010 |
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Viduka to miss World Cup qualifiers May 01, 2008 FORMER captain Mark Viduka will take no part in Australia's four crucial World Cup qualifiers in June. Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek said today he'd ruled the 32-year-old Newcastle United striker out of the games against Iraq (home and away), Qatar and China, as well as the May 23 friendly with Ghana. “He is struggling with an Achilles problem. He is thinking of having injections and maybe a small operation at the end of the (English Premier League) season,” said Verbeek from the Netherlands during a trip to Europe to check in on Australian players. “He's not going better at all and he said it will be very difficult for him at this moment to be part of the group.” Viduka has not represented Australia since the Asian Cup quarter-final loss against Japan last July and is the second major loss for Verbeek for the June World Cup qualifying games, with influential midfielder Tim Cahill (foot) also undergoing surgery. The problems have been compounded for Verbeek with four players' partners due to give birth in June. Defensive star Lucas Neill, midfielders Jacob Burns and Mile Sterjovski, and tall striker Josh Kennedy could all potentially miss matches to be with their partners over the period. Perhaps the biggest concern is Kennedy, who Verbeek has earmarked as the best man to fill the void left by Viduka. “I think Josh is more the type who can do something like (Viduka) but nobody can do the same as Mark. He is special. You don't see players like him,” Verbeek said. Verbeek fully expects Liverpool's Harry Kewell to feature in every game, having recovered from a groin strain which stopped him playing in the qualifier with China in March. Ghana will also be down a star, Chelsea's Michael Essien, after the London club booked a spot in the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21, only two days before the friendly in Sydney. AAP |