Details are a bit hazy at the moment, but it appears that Jozy Altidore and the English media aren't exactly getting along at the moment. Yesterday, FIFA.com posted an interview with the USA and Hull City striker about his club career, his personal life, and the American national team.

Amongst other things, the interview asked Jozy, "Is there any anxiety about taking on a big name like England in your first group game?

Football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of Brazil's provisional world cup squad today. The anxiety surrounding Dunga's announcement is palpable everywhere as the whole world waits to see if he includes Ronaldinho in his squad.

Ronaldinho has been in outstanding form for his club Milan all through out the season and many including myself expect Dunga to reward him by offering him a position in the Selecao squad however unlikely it may seem.

I am feeling fine again. Before the match I was a little nervous as I didn't have the right feeling, during the match till we got the second goal the same anxiety dominated. Once the second goal went in I had a sense of relief and now that I have thought about the game a bit, there is even more belief that we are up for it this season.

With things starting to get hectic for the Union's inaugural SuperDraftees, ASN Philly had to settle for an introductory Q&A this time with Amobi Okugo, the #6 pick and 18-year old defensive midfielder out of UCLA. While #1 pick Danny Mwanga is in Portland tying up loose ends, Amobi and Jack McInerney are in Mexico with the US U-20s participating in the Copa Chivas Tournament.

Jamie Carragher says Liverpool will never be found wanting when it comes to mixing it with local rivals Everton.

The Anfield defender admits he gets wound up ahead of facing his boyhood idols more than any other match.

And with in-form Everton threatening Liverpool's challenge to get back into the top four, today's game at Anfield is one Carragher is desperate to win.

I'll say this about deciding not to pursue a State Badge, it makes everything a lot easier, even if you have what some people would be a "bad game." There's no worry about things carrying over and hurting my chances - because frankly it just doesn't matter. I'll work my butt off and put in the best game I can, try to be better, and screw the non-referee opinions.

COS contributor Jose Dean looks at what could go wrong at the Bernabeu.

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1) Clash of Ego

Ronaldo and Mourinho, two figures both known for their ego. What happens when Ronaldo gets more media attention than Mourinho?

LATEST NEWS - ANDRES INIESTA in starting Line -up Source : Spanish Football Sprts Blog /It's the million dollar question: which SPANISH FOOTBALL PLAYERS are the candidates to take the place of FC Barcelona midfielder ANDRES INIESTA in the SPAIN FOOTBALL TEAM STARTING LINE UP against Switzerland in the Group H opening game?

A brace from David Ngog all but puts Liverpool through to the next round.

Conflicted feelings seemed to rule the days leading up to this one at least for me, I felt a great anticipation for things finally to turn towards the pitch that coincided with quite a bit of anxiety about how the club would start the season.

Image via DT magazine

Gerard Pique has been selected to front the new ad campaigns for Kraft cookie brand, Galletas Principe de Beuckelaer.

The Barca defender shot some advert scenes last Thursday, hence why he couldn't show for Mundo Deportivo's Grand Gala. He's still got two more studio sessions before we get to see Prince Pique in action but the anxiety of witnessing Spain's answer to Lukas Poldski's German cookie spokeswhoring is wearing us thin.

Image via DT magazine

Gerard Pique has been selected to front the new ad campaigns for Kraft cookie brand, Galletas Principe de Beuckelaer. The Barca defender shot some advert scenes last Thursday, (hence why he couldn't show for Mundo Deportivo's Grand Gala).

There's still got two more studio sessions before we get to see Prince Pique in action but the anxiety of witnessing Spain's answer to Lukas Poldski's German cookie spokeswhoring is wearing us thin.

I wouldn't say that my hearing is shot, but it's not what it once was too much Clash, in too many enclosed spaces, at too young an age so I can't turn up the TV as loud as I would like. Or rather, I could, but I don't want to disturb my neighbors, if they happen to be around. The walls of this rather cheap and rather shabby (but, I must say, scrupulously clean) Bloomsbury hotel are quite thin, and like almost all Americans, I have a visceral anxiety about being, even potentially, cast in the role of Ugly American.

Jitters and nerves are natural to have when you participate in sports, and no one can be affected more than the manager or coach of a team that is the thick of things competing for a title.
Even Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United gets affected by nerves, and even coined the phrase 'squeaky bum time' for this stage of the season.

On a night when a spectacular goal set Spurs on their way to a magnificent victory against Arsenal, we discovered that the secret of glory lies in honest endeavour. The old ground was trembling to the rafters with emotion, at times creaking with anxiety as our opponents expertly taunted and teased us with long spells in [.

Sadly its not this Sergio...

23.30

Transfer rumour of the day: Blackburn's Stephen N'Zonzi to join. Verdict: Can't see AW dealing with the Walrus

I write this after watching Inter Milan beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to progress to the Champions League final and face Bayern Munich.

Midweek pints are a fantastic idea on a warm, sunny, nearly summer evening. As is the shifty little 6 pack on the way home. The subsequent warm, sunny *boilk*? Not so much.

I've been trying to avoid all talk of transfers and all they entail until the summer kicks in for real but when the manager outlines his plans then who am I to ignore it?

The annual Q&A Wenger has with the supporters at the end of the season has been postponed till August this year.

Although Ivan Gazidis will be fronting a Q&A with the Arsenal Supporters Trust, to be held at the Emirates next month.

Last year, the now infamous session hosted by Bob Wilson descended into a little chaos with certain sections of the crowd displaying their frustrations a little too over zealously.

Despite Dimitar Berbatov's apparent hatred of putting the ball in the back of the net, Manchester United outlasted Sunderland and claimed a 1-0 victory courtesy of a first half goal by Nani. The result kept United's faint title hopes alive, and ensured that even more criticism will be heaped upon the soft-spoken Bulgarian.

Our heroes apparently enjoyed a gentle tipple after Wednesday night's heroics, which is fair enough I suppose, but I hope they haven't switched off completely. The main objective may have been achieved, but it would still be nice to end the season with a flourish. I think goal difference means that if l'Arse draw today, a ten-goal victory for us would be enough to guarantee third, so that should be sufficient incentive.

Week 38 Saturday, May 15, 2010
Stade Gerland, Lyon
21:00 CET, 20:00 GMT(3PM EST, 1 PM CMT)
Despite the serious ups and downs and massive slumps we've experienced this year, it all comes down to today; today is it; do or die day. When Le Mans come down to Gerland on Saturday, OL will play the most vital match of the season, again.

In exactly two weeks the 2010 World Cup will begin in South Africa. For soccerheads, Christmas comes only once every four years. But it lasts a month.
These two weeks are going to feel interminable, though. It can't come fast enough. The trick is to stay busy until kick-off... not to give into the anxiety.

Water is wet; the sky is blue; the UK press repeatedly lies about LFC. It's expected. If a (non)story can be manufactured, twisted, exaggerated or blown out of proportion you can rely on the UK's peerless football writers to do it. I thought it would be fun to highlight the worst cases, so today I'll start off with our old friends at that bastion of football journalism: The Daily Mail
Story: ln the Red!

In reference to the World Cup, a friend of mine sent me a note on Facebook this morning saying that she felt like a kid who is too anxious to find out if Santa will bring her what she wants for Christmas. It certainly feels that way with one big exception. This celebration will last longer than one morning.

Kevork Djansezian - Getty Images

Landon Donovan: says he's old school, and hints that he'd prefers the regular old balls.

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PRETORIA, South Africa – I have officially dropped my working theory that carping about the naughty new ball was just the product of something new being introduced at a bad time, mixed in with some understandable anxiety over the event.

Dunga talks about the Brazilian response:

" The opener is always difficult with all that anxiety after a long period of training. Not only I but the players too expect an improvement in the next match. Everyone wants to score and nobody wants to pass. The important thing is that the team had more speed in the second half.

Coach Dunga:

"The start is the most difficult match, you have a long wait for this and the anxiety builds up. I'm satisfied with the win, but I want more, I want us to score more goals."

"The opener is always harder. There is the anxiety, the players are more nervous than usual, trying to do too much.

I could probably do this post in a paragraph: today we resolved the internet issue and are now back on track with the project. France sucks, I'm sorry.

We FINALLY got a USB modem with 3g internet!

Of course that was no easy task. We first went to Cresta mall, a shopping center just around our place here in Northcliff.

Apologies for being absent for a few days.
For the first couple of days this week I found I just couldn't bear to dwell too long on our World Cup prospects.
I had to work yesterday afternoon so was not able to watch the match live. The truth is, though, I wasn't that sorry.

The first round of a World Cup tournament is a mere dress rehearsal for what we are about to experience. Starting today, this is where the World Cup begins. Where every game matters. Where teams will either live or die by the sword.

During the first round, teams are often playing conservative and calculated soccer.

Jorge Valdano said during Carvalho's presentation that Real Madrid is still active in the market. "We feel comfortable with the squad we have, but no exits or entrances are sealed."
"There may be new additions," said Valdano, confirming Mourinho's wishes to incorporate an attacking player to round out the staff.

Since their last clean sheet a nil-nil home draw with Portsmouth on 14th April this year Wigan have played 6 Premier League matches, winning one, drawing one and losing four. In the course of this disappointing run, the Latics have conceded 25 times. Eighteen of these have come in the last three games: 8-0 at Stamford Bridge on the final day of last season before beginning the 2010/11 campaign with consecutive home defeats, 0-4 and 0-6 to Blackpool and Chelsea respectively.

At half time in England's opening European qualifier of the summer against Bulgaria, the title to this article read "old habits die hard". What a difference 45 minutes can make. The pre-match feeling was one of nerves, anxiety, apprehension. All the better then that Jermain Defoe's opener should come so early in the game, just [.

As the days grow shorter and the temperature, like the leaves, begins to drop I can't help but cast my thoughts back over what has been a truly momentous summer of soccer.

Was it good for you, too?

The summer began with my attention divided between the World Cup and the pending opening of our brand new team's brand new stadium.

What a loaded week! In just five days, La Liga presented us with managers being fired, managers being hired, a Golden Boot trophy winner, the surprising dismissal of a club President and the shocking realisation that a €96 million player can also feel anxiety. We need to understand how this news storm impacts our bets.

A week ago, it all seemed to be just about decided. A public meeting with Haringey Council ended with a vote that was unanimously in favour of the planning proposals for the new Tottenham Hotspur on a site adjacent to their current ground on White Hart Lane. The plans now only have to be signed off by the Mayor of London in order to be able to begin.

Two important local derbies take centre stage with Bayern Munich hosting Nurnberg and Cologne playing Borussia Monchengladbach. Bayern are already 12 points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund and that gap will increase if the Westphalians win their home game with Hamburg tomorrow night.

As Anfield faces up to a critical pre-Christmas period without him, Steven Gerrard intervened to prevent the escalation of Liverpool's club-versus-country row with the FA.
His manager, Roy Hodgson, said Gerrard contacted him, asking him to play down the implications of a hamstring injury sustained late on during England's defeat by France at Wembley.

Newcastle United have confirmed that there will be a news conference to announce the successor to Chris Hughton on Thursday lunchtime. Unfortunately, it looks like none of the fans favourites will be appointed, with Martin Jol ruling himself out, and Martin O'Neill's name quickly disappearing from the list of potential candidates.

The Philadelphia Union has lost four players since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Shea Salinas and Alejandro Moreno were selected in the Expansion Draft, and, this week, Chris Seitz and Fred also left the club via the new Reentry Draft. So far the club has added only one player, Brian Carroll, at the crowded defensive midfielder position.