Something to read while you watch the madness at the Maracana... Israel halts construction of Palestinian stadium (BBC.co.uk) This FIFA conspiracy goes deeper than we though (Studs Up) Five football injustices (Shortlist) What happens when you fart in a referee's face? (Sports Rubbish) A lot of Top 10s for 2010 (Pies) Goal-line referees for World Cup 2010? Click to continue reading...

So how are you all after the international break? Miss watching our team lose and play horribly? Yeah me too. Luckily however this weekend we're playing some neighbors who are in much the same habit, managed by dear old Big Sam (maybe that was too many adjectives for one guy?). Blackburn are on a run of ten straight losses in away games, however they haven't lost at the Reebok

since 2001 (though really statistics like that don't mean that much).

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Morning all, good to see the Thierry Henry stuff has blown over. Erm ... I wouldn't normally bother but I think it's only fair that someone tries to counter the lies and the hysteria. He's not one of ours now but he was and he was one of our best. Plus it's kinda quiet.

The Mirror:

Liam Brady last night branded Thierry Henry "shameful" after launching a bitter attack on FIFA for fixing the outcome.

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Phil Neville may pull on a blue shirt when he steps out for Everton but the former United utility man is still a red at heart. Neville is currently back in training following nine weeks out with a knee injury but it looks unlikely he will recover in time for Everton's visit to Old Trafford this weekend.

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The Germans become comic book heroes before our very eyes. Looking back at Russian disappointment. (Russian Football Now) Hands were flying in Brazil yesterday too. (See The Cup) The US World Cup uniform leaks. (Football Fashion) The pitch invader from Sweden-Denmark gets a huge fine. (BBC) Take the stadium aerial challenge and waste loads of time at work. Click to continue reading...

It was a tedious morning of "Henry is a disgrace" and "Henry, Eduardo, we investigate the cheats in football." Then BBC Radio Five Live decided to get Republic of Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady on. Liam sounded as if he had not slept for a week. But he spoke slowly and clearly, and utterly refused to be [. Click to continue reading...

Actually Japan is leading the charge against vuvuzelas leading into the World Cup.
Won't amount to much I'm sure.
But maybe it would if more join the charge!
To the links:Liverpool Daily Post]
Fergie says City is top four material. [ESPN]FIFA warns Iraq to separate gov't/soccer. Click to continue reading...

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- Check out the "cutting-edge" combination messageboard and quasi-blog QPR Report Messageboard. If your interest is constantly-updated QPR-related news; QPR nostalgia; and items on some other broader football-related isssues: QPR Report Messageboard is one such site. All opinions welcome!
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER! Click to continue reading...

Stan Kroenke's No2 says the American billionaire will be a great influence on Arsenal.
Kroenke was in the news again earlier this month when he took his stake in Arsenal's parent holding company to 29.9%.
If he goes beyond 29.99%, he is legally obliged to launch a formal takeover bid for the club but, despite moving very close to that mark, he has remained silent on his intentions towards the Gunners. Click to continue reading...

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OMG, it seemed so simple.
The BBC gives promotional airtime to a neo-fascist 'politician'; a customer decides that they are unwilling to pay a fee/tax to receive such propaganda; a legally binding letter is sent to TV Licensing to inform them of this decision.
End of story?
Not likely, mate. Click to continue reading...

Fergie: Doesn't like the BBC AP Photo/Mikhail MetzelSir Alex, 'Arry, and Fat Sam may have to talk to the Beeb after all. [Telegraph]Maradona gets a two-month ban, but won't miss any real games. A few things he said at his heari... Click to continue reading...

Hello all. Once again, I would just like to apologize for the delay as we get the blog restructured. To handle the day-to-day news, and to keep us running smoothely, the Manchester United Offside would like to welcome two new bloggers to the page: Ryan and and Rebecca (see below for their individual bios).

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It is widely believed that Liverpool acquired Jan Kromkamp for free as part of a player-exchange with Josemi. Every official source that has looked into Liverpool's transfer dealings has stated the same alleged fact. Well, after some research, that myth can now be debunked - Liverpool actually paid a surprisingly large transfer fee for the ineffective Krompkamp, the amount of which some may find surprising
According to Liverpool's annual report for 2005, Kromkamp cost the club £4. Click to continue reading...

After a pair of gripping conference finals, our MLS Cup match-up for next weekend takes the all-East flavor from last year's final out west. It will be the Los Angeles Galaxy (yes, THAT L.A. Galaxy... paging Sky, BBC, iTv and every rotten paper rag to the airport, pack as if staying in London) pitted against upstarts Real Salt Lake at Qwest Field in Seattle a week from today. Click to continue reading...

As ever, we cross our fingers in the hope that our players and especially our key players emerge from the pointlessness of international friendly week unscathed.

If I'd asked you before the break which players are absolutely crucial to Arsenal's resurgence and form, you'd have given me a shortlist with 3 or 4 names on it.

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To add insult to injury Sir Alex will now be compelled to give interviews to the BBC or face disciplinary action.He has not been on speaking terms with the BBC since 2004 when Panorama ran a documentary which portrayed his son, Jason, an agent, as using his father's status to gain influence in the transfer market.

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Weymouth Football Club, one of the ongoing financial basket-cases of the last three years in non-league football, might have finally reached the end of the line. Reports on the BBC this morning confirmed that, with talks with new buyers having collapsed, the club's administrators are planning to wind the club up this morning.

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bbc.co.uk

World Cup finals dream for Insua

Liverpool defender Emiliano Insua admits he has one eye on the World Cup finals in South Africa next year.

The 20-year-old won his first cap for Argentina in their last gasp victory over Peru in October.

Insua told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It was very special to play because it was a crucial time for my country.

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Liverpool left-back Emiliano Insua is eyeing a place in the Argentina squad for next summer's World Cup.
The 20-year-old won his first cap in the recent last-gasp victory over Peru. He is keen to hang on to his place in the team after enjoying a lengthy run in his club side.
"It was very special to play because it was a crucial time for my country," he told BBC Merseyside. Click to continue reading...

Toon Army look to buy their club back from Obese and Odious Owner.

Newcastle United Supporters' Trust have formally launched plans to raise funds to buy the club from owner Mike Ashley.
The 'Yes We Can' campaign hopes to draw on support from fans, business and financial institutions with a view to taking ownership of the club.

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From the BBC comes news that Pay-TV provider BSkyB is set to show live Premier League matches on Apple's iPhone. Users can watch live sports on Sky Sports and ESPN as well as Sky News over a wi-fi connection for £6 a month. Besides the Premier League, users can also watch Scottish football, cricket and golf via Sky's new application.

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From the BBC comes news that Pay-TV provider BSkyB is set to show live Premier League matches on Apple's iPhone. Users can watch live sports on Sky Sports and ESPN as well as Sky News over a wi-fi connection for £6 a month. Besides the Premier League, users can also watch Scottish football, cricket and golf via Sky's new application.

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Wolves striker Kevin Doyle believes that Ireland are capable of upsetting France in their upcoming World Cup play-off games.
The striker feels that, despite their underdog status, Ireland have an excellent chance of advancing to South Africa at the expense of Raymond Domenech's side, beaten finalists in Germany in 2006. Click to continue reading...

-
- In addition to this site, try the combination messageboard and quasi-blog QPR Report Messageboard. If your're interested in constantly-updated QPR-related news; QPR nostalgia; and some other broader football-related isssues: QPR Report Messageboard is there for you. All opinions welcome! Click to continue reading...

Andrew Carroll, who's still only 20, has come on in leaps and bounds this season, and we look forward to 12 months time, when hopefully Andrew and 18 year-old fellow striker Nile Ranger could well be leading the Newcastle attack in the Premiership. Andy Carroll coming along in leaps and bounds Carroll talked the BBC Newcastle [. Click to continue reading...

So this is probably the earliest I've ever done a match report (3 whole days in advance) and so I can't link you to the BBC statistics report. You'll just have to go find it yourself, it'll be on this page probably by Saturday. Like I said a little earlier, I'm going over to England and won't have internet until I get back (I'm staying at my grandmother's house and she doesn't allow any technology made after 1972 in), so don't expect any new posts from me until Tuesday at the earliest (there there love, don't pine, you can always go through my archives or go read some of my posts on England World Cup Blog if you miss me too much).

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Big Story
So, despite protests from fans and politicians, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has further cemented his unpopularity on Tyneside by announcing the renaming of St. James' Park apparently believing that adding an "@" symbol to it means the club is respecting history.

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AC Milan star Clarence Seedorf believes that there should "not be any discussion" over David Beckham's place in England's World Cup squad. The Netherlands international is a fan of the former England captain and told BBC Sport: "There should not be any discussion for anybody in England about taking David to what . Click to continue reading...

Chivers with Bill Nicholson/From BBC Sport

Spurs and Southampton legend Martin Chivers joins us on the podcast. Among the topics discussed are:

• His new autobiography
• His current hospitality work with Spurs
• His thoughts on Spurs potential new stadium
• What it took get noticed by Southampton
• Did the move to White Hart Lane help his prospects for making Alf  Ramsey's England squad?

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I have wanted to write a piece about Stan Kroenke for a while now, about a year ago I wrote a story about the ownership of Arsenal just after Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith left the board.

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Early on Saturday morning I was listening to the World Football Phone In on BBC Five Live and their correspondent for North America was asked about Stan Kroenke what he is like as a guy, what his intentions may be in the future and what we would want to get out of a club like Arsenal.

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Sam Story Samueltstory@gmail.com Staff Writer Ah, yes. Day four of the Champions League group stage beckons and there are some riveting story lines to tell. Why wait? -David Beckham is heading back to Milan on loan: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8326285.stm - Steven Gerrard misses the return match against Lyon in a near must-win match: http://news. Click to continue reading...

Werder Bremen forward Aaron Hunt has rejected England's advances and has said that he will only play for Germany at senior level. The 23 year old has represented Germany at U-16, U-17 and U-21 levels, but is eligible to play for the Three Lions because his mother is English. Hunt is expected to be called by [. Click to continue reading...

Paul Armstrong the editor of the iconic BBC production, Match of the Day joins us to answer everything you want to know about the show.

Topics discussed include the theme music from the program, the running order of highlights, why certain matches have more highlights, why some weeks have midweek MOTD and others do not, what MOTD2 is, and much, much more.

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Former England manager Graham Taylor has blasted Rio Ferdinand, claiming he will never recover from his dip in form this season.
Ferdinand has had a difficult term so far this season due to injury and a loss of form.
Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Taylor said: "What I am going to say will probably surprise a lot of people, but I think Rio Ferdinand has lost his legs. Click to continue reading...