By Ollie Irish

Links!!!

TOP LINK A stunningly good film about the 1982 World Cup semi-final between West Germany and France, aka the Battiston-Schumacher match From A Left Wing

Alberto Aquilani's WAG is out of his league Goaly Moly

Personal shopping for materialistic Premier League stars Kickette

Craig Bellamy in quit threat BBC

AEK Athens coach attacked by his club's fans Dirty Tackle

Top 6 Stjarnan goal celebrations The Spoiler

David Beckham with surfboard at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards Goaly Moly

Mascherano to Barcelona?

In the days where the sun is still ablaze in the sky at 9pm, there is nothing more gripping than staying glued to rumours about new transfers for your club on Sky Sports News and the Internet. Be it a youthful Spanish prodigy or an established International, it is the perfect way to wet the appetite for the new season.

Eddie Johnson's World Cup dreams may be over before they ever really began.

Johnson suffered what appears to be a hamstring injury in Aris Salonika's Greek play-off with AEK Athens on Wednesday. The injury, which Johnson picked up in the 42nd minute, comes just one day after he was announced to the 30-man U.

via ussoccer.com...

"U.S. forward Eddie Johnson has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain of the left hamstring. His progress will monitored day-to-day.

Johnson picked up the strain in a Greek league playoff game on May 12 against AEK Athens.

The U.S. team will hold its first pre-World Cup training camp session on Monday morning in Princeton, New Jersey.

With Freddy Adu set to join Eddie Johnson at Greek club Aris FC, and several other Americans preparing for loans and transfers to Europe from MLS, I wrote a piece on the subject of winter moves by American players for ESPN.com today.

While it is clear that many fans like the idea of Johnson and Adu heading to Greece to jumpstart their careers, it was interesting to hear Chicago Fire technical director and Greek League veteran Frank Klopas talk positively about the moves.

AEK Athens could only manage a 0-0 draw with PAOK Saloniki today. Dusan Bajevic had this to say after the match:

We started well in the first 10 minutes and they only deserved the first half. We got the rhythm of PAOK and did nothing remarkable. In the second half we played better but we had no pace and we could not do anything.

It's the news everyone had been waiting for but few had probably been looking forward to, with former AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and PAOK manager Fernando Santos officially announced by the EPO as Otto Rehhagel's successor at the helm of the Greek national team until at least Euro 2012 (or so [read more]

The following squad lists have been announced for the upcoming 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar. Squads will be added as they are announced:

Group A: Qatar, Kuwait, China, Uzbekistan
Group B: Saudi Arabia, Japan, Jordan, Syria
Group C: South Korea, Australia, India, Bahrain
Group D: Iraq, North Korea, United Arab Emirates, Iran

Australia Squad

Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Brad Jones (Liverpool), Nathan Coe (SønderjyskE)
Defenders: Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), David Carney (Blackpool), Saša Ognenovski (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Jonathan McKain (Al-Nassr), Jade North (Wellington Phoenix), Matthew piranović (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Midfielders: Tim Cahill (Everton), Jason Čulina (Gold Coast United), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Mile Jedinak (Gençlerbirliği), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar), Neil Kilkenny (Leeds United)
Forwards: Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough), Robbie Kruse (Melbourne Victory), Nathan Burns (AEK Athens)

Bahrain Squad

Not yet announced

China Squad

Goalkeepers: Yang Zhi (Beijing Guoan), Guan Zhen (Jiangsu Sainty), Zeng Cheng (Henan Construction)
Defenders: Wang Qiang (Changsha Ginde), Zhao Peng (Henan Construction), Du Wei (Hangzhou Greentown), Liu Jianye (Changsha Ginde), Zhang Linpeng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Rong Hao (Hangahou Greentown), Li Jianbin (Chengdu Blades)
Midfielders: Zhou Haibin (Shandong Luneng), Zhao Xuri (Shaanxi Zhongjian), Hao Junmin (Schalke 04), Deng Zhuoxiang (Shandong Luneng), Wang Song (Hangzhou Greentown), Yu Tao (Shanghai Shenhua), Huang Bowen (Beijing Guoan), Yang Hao (Beijing Guoan), Yu Hai (Shaanxi Zhongjian)
Forwards: Yang Xu (Liaoning Whowin), Qu Bo (Shaanxi Zhongjian), Gao Lin (Guangzhou Evergrande)

India Squad

Goalkeepers: Subrata Pal (Pune FC), Subhasish Roy Chowdhury (Dempo SC), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (AIFF XI)
Defenders: Anwar Ali (Dempo SC), Deepak Kumar Mondal (Mohun Bagan), Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Irungbam Surkumar Singh (Mohun Bagan), Gouramangi Singh (Churchill Brothers), Rakesh Masih (Mohun Bagan), Moirangthem Govin Singh (East Bengal), Manju (Mohun Bagan)
Midfielders: Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep (No club), P.

Reports in Greece suggest that Olympiakos defender Vasilis Torosidis is on his way to Merseyside to finalise a move to join Liverpool.
The 24-year-old was a much sought after target last summer with the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus expressing interest and it is claimed that Torosidis is good friends with international team mate and Reds' defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, who joined from AEK Athens in August 2009.

For Americans plying their trade overseas, the weekend got off to a fantastic start early Saturday, as Landon Donovan and Tim Howard got the better of Manchester United. The 3-1 win was massive for the club,

Donovan and Howard both put in steady performances to lead the hosts past the Red Devils.

Freddy Adu notched his second goal in a row for Aris during the week, helping them move on to the Greek Cup semifinals, but he was unable to inspire his side to victory against AEK Athens in league play.
The Rest

Sampdoria have not made contact with Liverpool-owned striker Krisztian Nemeth, according to the player's agent.
Nemeth is considered a rising star in European football and was a major factor when Hungary claimed third place in the Under-20 World Cup in 2009 and is reportedly on the radar of the Italian club.

Greek giants AEK Athens have asked Liverpool for four fringe players on loan for next season, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Top of the wish list for AEK Athens is 21 year-old Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth, who is already on a successful loan spell at the club.
He has scored three goals and contributed three assists in just fourteen appearances.

O técnico da Argélia, Rabah Saadane, revelou nesta terça-feira a lista de jogadores pré-convocados para a Copa do Mundo da África do Sul, que começa em junho. O treinador selecionou 30 jogadores para o período de treinamentos em Crans-Montana, na Suíça, entre 13 e 26 de maio, e em Nuremberg, na Alemanha, entre 31 de maio e 6 de junho.

Aris Thessaloniki forward Eddie Johnson is at risk for missing a large chunk of the United States Men's National Team pre-World Cup training camp after suffering a hamstring injury in a playoff game with his Greek club, according to an MLSsoccer.com report. The former Kansas City Wizards star suffered the injury during the first half of Aris' 1-1 draw against AEK Athens and is expected to miss a minimum of 10 days while recovering.

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- QPR's Pre-Season Calendar (including, thus far: Two games in Italy; and matches vs Torquay, Crawley, Tavistock and Bodmin)
- Video Flashback to 1977: QPR Crush Manchester United at Loftus Road
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- Hill and Speroni?

You often hear pundits claiming that there's no such thing as an easy game in the World Cup anymore: while they're probably correct, it's difficult to contradict the argument that England's game with Algeria tomorrow night is potentially our easiest game in Group C.

The Algerians do not travel well; the Desert Foxes also have a very poor recent record against European opposition.

Here we go again, the World Cup has only been over for two days and we are already gearing up for the club season, especially the Premier League. Although the players that featured will not be playing in the large majority of pre-season matches, we have a list of the matches for you! There are some really interesting matches along with the predictable no interest fixtures.

UEFA get on my goat. They really do.
Celtic, not SPL champion's, get knocked out of the Champion's League. Their reward for losing is to be seeded in the Europa League play-off round.
Motherwell get through two rounds, not the hardest of ties but tricky and requiring some negotiation, and don't get seeded.

Earlier today, Daryl posted the Champions League playoff round draw, as well as asking you the readers who you think will move on. The second son of UEFA, the Europa League, also has a playoff round coming up, as teams face off for a spot in the group stage, just like in the big-boy tournament. Fixtures are listed below.

Krisztian Nemeth is set to join Olympiakos next week, after the Greek giants agreed a €1.5m fee with Liverpool for the young striker's services.
The 21-year-old has agreed terms on a three-year deal, and is expected to finalize the move on Monday, following the completion of a medical.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos a Greek central defender footballer for Greece and currently Liverpool FC of the Premier League.

Rafa Benitez was criticized for signing Kyrgiako because of his age. He came to Anfield in the summer of 2009, 30 years old. He was brought in as a replacement of Sami Hyppia and as a back up for Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel.

With Freddy Adu set to join Eddie Johnson at Greek club Aris FC, and several other Americans preparing for loans and transfers to Europe from MLS, I wrote a piece on the subject of winter moves by American players for ESPN.com today.

While it is clear that many fans like the idea of Johnson and Adu heading to Greece to jumpstart their careers, it was interesting to hear Chicago Fire technical director and Greek League veteran Frank Klopas talk positively about the moves.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos believes he has adapted well to life at Liverpool and is relishing the physical nature of the English game.
The Greek defender has been one of the Reds' most consistent performers since his summer arrival from AEK Athens and has played a key role during the club's recent rise back into the top four.

(With the World Cup less than four months away it is time to start thinking about the opponents the United States will face when the tournament begins in June. While most American soccer fans know who all of England's top players are, not as much is known about the top players for Algeria and Slovenia.

Shane Duffy, the talented teenage Everton centre-half, has decided that his international future lies with Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland rather than the North.
The Derry born defender rose to prominence with the 'Toffees' this season when making two appearances for Everton in the Europa League against BATE Borisov and AEK Athens.

For Americans plying their trade overseas, the weekend got off to a fantastic start early Saturday, as Landon Donovan and Tim Howard got the better of Manchester United. The 3-1 win was massive for the club,

Donovan and Howard both put in steady performances to lead the hosts past the Red Devils.

Back with another update on former Wizards, 3 new players join the list of former Wizards as Claudio Lopez, Kurt Morsink, and Kevin Souter have all left the Wizards and that's reflected on the player registry. We're getting closer to when we should see MLS players returning to action but with the current CBA discussions, that may not happen.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Slovenia saw more of its players get in on their club teams' action this weekend, but it was the Algerian players who enjoyed the majority of the success.

Two Algerians found the back of the net, and both goals were game-winners. Rafik Djebbour hit the lone tally, a splendid turn and volley, in AEK Athens' 1-0 victory over Ergotelis, and Hassan Yebda scored from the spot in Portsmouth's 2-1 victory vs.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Slovenia saw more of its players get in on their club teams' action this weekend, but it was the Algerian players who enjoyed the majority of the success.

Two Algerians found the back of the net, and both goals were game-winners. Rafik Djebbour hit the lone tally, a splendid turn and volley, in AEK Athens' 1-0 victory over Ergotelis, and Hassan Yebda scored from the spot in Portsmouth's 2-1 victory vs.

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- Amit Bhatia Lengthy Interview
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- Meanwhile...Gianni Paladini till 2013?
- Warnock Quote..Raheem Sterling's Mother Speaks.

Liverpool's Academy added another trophy to their growing collection after the under-12s claimed victory at a tournament in Greece on Wednesday morning.
The youngsters held off the challenge of Olympiakos, PAOK, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens to emerge triumphant and leave the Academy's Head of U12-U16 age groups, Steve Cooper, delighted.

Grounds for sharing
25 Instances Of European Football Clubs Sharing A Stadium
1. SK Sturm Graz and Grazer AK (UPC-Arena, Austria)
2. Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge (Jan Breydel Stadium, Belgium)
3. FC Inter and Turun Palloseura (Veritas Stadion, Finland)
4. Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich (Allianz Arena, Germany)
5.

Anfield hero may also miss the World Cup.

Win the Club Shirt Of Your Choice Simply by Speaking Your Mind!

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery.
The 26-year-old, who saw a specialist in Spain on Sunday, has been troubled by the problem for a number of weeks.

Liverpool defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos has revealed that it is his aim to ensure the Reds win the Europa League this season.
The centre-back, who moved to Merseyside in August from AEK Athens, wants to claim some silverware whilst he is at Anfield and is keen to make sure that Rafael Benitez's men beat Atletico Madrid on Thursday evening and reach the final in Hamburg.

What a breathtaking weekend it has been across Europe, with the final day drama taking place in many countries. For some, their faith was already sealed, but for others it went down to the wire as they strived to gain success.

Kenneth Perez scored five goals this term as his FC Twente side won their first ever Eredivisie title under the guidance of Steve McClaren.

Desert Fox coach Rabah Saadane named his 25-man roster as they prepare to participate in the World Cup and there are very little surprises.
The majority of their team come from the European league, primarily France and Germany. Players like Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra and Siena striker Ghezzal Abdelkader were the first stand out of Le Fennecs' list.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Slovenian defender Matej Mavric did this weekend what no U.S. national team fan wants to hear come summer time. He scored on an American goalkeeper.

Mavric scored a penalty kick in TUS Koblenz's 2-2 draw against Kaiserslautern, beating Luis Robles with a chip shot down the middle that was somewhat reminiscent to that of Zinedine Zidane's in the 2006 World Cup final.

By FRANCO PANIZO

U.S. national team forward Eddie Johnson is currently the top goal-scorer in the Greek play-offs with three goals, but hot on his trail is Algerian forward Rafik Djebbour.

Djebbour scored the opener in AEK Athens' play-off against Johnson's Aris Salonika, marking the second consecutive match in which he found the back of the net.