Ever since October, it's been a general assumption that Charlie Davies would miss the World Cup this year. After all, after surviving life-threatening injuries in a horrific car crash

But after finishing his rehab in the U.S., and now returning back to his French club Sochaux to complete his comeback, it begs the question -- can Davies really pull this off?

This week's Ultimate 11's is transfers that shook the world. Who can remember David Jack's controversial £10,890 move from Bolton to Arsenal back in 1928? Not even Mickey Marbles remembers that one! Or how about the rather unfortunate Gianluigi Lentini who signed for AC Milan in a world record fee of £13m, only to be involved in a serious car crash a year after signing, the extent of the injuries he received were a fractured skull and damaged eye socket and he spent approximately 2 days in a light coma.

Scheduling issues prevented me from heading out to Home Depot Center today for the opening day of the U.S. Men's National Team annual January camp.

But the Associated Press dispatched a reporter.

Here's the story that was filed:

CARSON (AP) -- Five months before the United States makes its sixth consecutive World Cup appearance, coach Bob Bradley is searching for starters.

By TRAVIS CLARK

MLS Commissioner Don Garber will remain at the helm of the league through at least 2014.

The Board of Governors approved a contract extension over the weekend, and Garber has agreed to stay on as commissioner of MLS. During his 11 year tenure, MLS has undergone significant changes and growth.

Clint Dempsey hit the bar for Fulham against Blackburn Rovers Sunday with a spectacular bicycle kick before suffering an injury that could end his World Cup dreams (AP Photo).

Bob Bradley is doing the same thing as the rest of us - waiting for word on the severity of the injury the U.S. forward suffered Sunday for Fulham.

Former Galaxy striker Herculez Gomez is a contender for the World Cup squad, U.S. Coach Bob Bradley confirmed today. (AP Photo).

Former Galaxy striker Herculez Gomez, seen here celebrating a goal for Mexican team Puebla, is scheduled to start training with Chivas USA at Home Depot Center on Monday, although most of the squad is out of town until next Thursday on a two-game road trip.

By Ollie Irish

Links!

Who ate all the pies? Rotherham fans, that's who [Guardian]

Some bloke broke the keepy-up world record [BBC]

Rio Ferdinand charged with violent conduct [FourFourTwo]

Spurs try to gazump West Ham for Eidur Gudjohnsen [Mail]

Roberto Mancini channels Oasis.

Thursday brought some rather distressing news on Charlie Davies' brave comeback bid – although it's not the revelation some people might think.

Alexandre Lacomb, president for Sochaux, told the local newspaper that Davies isn't yet far enough along and that he would not play for the French side this year.

*It's just not the U.S. that has injury problems:

PRAGUE (AP) -- Hertha Berlin goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny will miss the Czech Republic's friendlies in the United States this month because of a knee injury.

The Czech soccer federation said in a statement Thursday that Drobny, who is a backup to Petr Cech, will be replaced by Michal Danek from Czech club Plzen.

Robbie Findley makes the World Cup squad because of his speed. (Getty Images)

Youth will be served, that seems to be the theme for the U.S. Men's National team roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Manager Bob Bradley announced his 23-man roster yesterday afternoon to the press and the world.

A undeniably true fact: If Charlie Davies hadn't been injured in that terrible car crash last October, Robbie Findley is not only not in the U.S. World Cup squad, he might not have even landed in Bob...

A week after being involved in a car crash in Newcastle and suffering some injuries, Paul Gascoigne seems to be recovering well from those injuries. Paul Gascoigne leaving his house this morning in Newcastle The former Newcastle, Tottenham, Glasgow Rangers and England top footballer seemed to be in good health as he was leaving [.

If you wanna be the best,and you wanna beat the rest.Oo-ooh! Dedication's what you need.
So the late Roy Castle reminded us each week as we were growing up.
The BBC's football team have remained the best at this World Cup and they've beaten the rest. But they've left many of us questioning their dedication.

Manchester United's Anderson sustained minor injuries from a car crash in Portugal, and was pulled out of the wreckage just moments before his car burst into flames.

According to sources, The Guardian reports that Anderson had spent the evening at a nightclub before leaving in his Audi R8.

With only two weeks till the start of the English Premier League and JBM's subsequent fantasy leagues it is time to update you on the latest in Silly Season.

We will start with the silliest. That being Robinho's potential move to West Ham from Manchester City. The Brazilian is in a row with the Manchester club and looks likely to move elsewhere.

With the last lingering players returning from their well-deserved summer breaks, this Monday's gossip cheat sheet is heavier on the match results than normal. Never fear, though, we come bearing light blue bulge to make amends.

Saturday

- Two former Real Madrid comrades, Christoph Metzelder and Raul, celebrated their new team's (Schalke) win over Hamburg SV and another old teammate, Ruud van Nistelrooy, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Before moving on to our opponents in Friday night's game, there are a couple of England stories to mention: Peter Crouch is out of the squad with a back injury and League 2 side Shrewsbury Town will receive a £500,000 windfall 'if' Joe Hart plays in goal tomorrow night: not bad at all for a team that had an average attendance last season of about 5500 that's about £90 per punter at the Greenhous Meadow Stadium.

A fan's homage to Diego Rodriguez

Yesterday it was reported that Diego Rodriguez, 22, was in critical condition following a car crash that left him suffering a fractured skull, brain damage, punctured liver, broken ribs among other injuries. The accident occurred on Thursday when the player's car collided with a truck on Montevideo's seafront boulevard (near the center of the city).

It's been a over a week since I have posted, so this week I'm going to make it twice as good. Yeah.

Firstly, I propose a question; Do you burst out in laughter when you see that a footballer has written off their 240k sports car? Well, obviously their health after the accident is my first consideration, but after that the laughter comes pouring out.

Alberto Aquilani has been forced to endure a tumultuous start to his Anfield career. The young Italian international looks some way off living up to his £20million price-tag right now, with stop-start appearances and constant changes in position further unsettling his progress.
And so, hopefully, Saturday's far post header assist, which teed up Dirk Kuyt for the Reds' opener and ultimately set Rafa Benitez's side on the road to maximum points against Bolton, will act like a shot in the arm for the young Roman.

The Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner has now recovered from a nightmare three months which has seen him walk away from a car crash only to be injured in his very next game. The Arsenal front man has spoken out to assure the fans that he is now ready to give his all to the team again, [...]

Owen Hargreaves was 29 years old on the 20th January
Owen Hargreaves has one more year left on his contract at the end of this season
Owen Hargreaves may well have been the most expensive mistake United have ever made.
Owen Hargreaves may well be the best player that we never saw make it at United
When we talk about making your own luck, Hargreaves must have been a very bad man at some stage of his life.

Ever since October, it's been a general assumption that Charlie Davies would miss the World Cup this year. After all, after surviving life-threatening injuries in a horrific car crash

But after finishing his rehab in the U.S., and now returning back to his French club Sochaux to complete his comeback, it begs the question -- can Davies really pull this off?

So the latest instalment of this car crash of a footballing soap opera has come to pass. In the aftermath of the scintillating and sordid airing of John Terry's dirty laundry to the general public at large (why can he just wipe it on the curtains like everyone else?) we are told that Wayne Bridge is still devastated at the betrayal dealt to him by his former "Best Friend".

Charlie Davies' injuries suffered in a car crash this past fall left US National Team fans to wonder whether one of their chief attacking threats would be able to play again, let alone this summer in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After reading Soccer America's Paul Kennedy's report on Davies' status, it sounds like he might be back up and playing by April.

After weeks of intensive rehabilitation at the Copacabana Beaches, U.S. national team midfielder Benny Feilhaber has returned to training for AGF Aarhus.

Feilhaber went through individual workouts on Thursday, and Aarhus physiotherapist Jens Bo Vestergaard Jorgensen has been impressed by the progress made in Feilhaber's ankle, which had suffered cartilage damage.

If a MLS team loses in the U.S. Open Cup, and no one is there to see it, did it actually happen?

The answer is yes, which is unfortunate if you happen to support the Kansas City Wizards.

According the the Kansas City Star, only 1,226 people showed up at UMKC to watch the home team fall out of the U.

Wigan 3-2 Arsenal

Wenger said on Friday that we were "very close" to winning a trophy. This morning, a trophy has never felt further away.

Yesterday's ten-minute capitulation at Wigan hammered the final nail into the title coffin and was so dispiriting that people are very reasonably asking: can we keep hold of third now?

By Ollie Irish

Football-loving celebrities bore the arse off me. Ooh, there's Robbie Williams gurning in a Port Vale shirt! Oh, and look at Ant & Dec swigging bottled beer in a sponsors' box at St James' Park! And, yes, Ralf Little, you're a half-decent defender (by celeb standards) but stick to what you do best hang on, what exactly is it you do best?

If you want to know what is going on in the life of Charlie Davies then look no further then his twitter account.

I must admit I'm not much of a tweeter, but it kind of has become a phenomenon with modern day celebrities.

And speaking of phenomenons how about that Charlie Davies?

There were plenty of players left out of preliminary World Cup squads yesterday. In fact, the majority of people eligible to play were left out. For example, I can play right back as well as center back, yet Fabio Capello didn't call me. Instead he called Jamie Carragher, who had declared himself unavailable for international duty.

Young Ireland defender Shane Duffy has undergone life-saving surgery after suffering a freak accident in a training match last night.
The Everton teenager suffered a laceration to his liver after colliding with Irish amateur team goalkeeper Adrian Walsh during the clash at Gannon Park.

A truly fantastic match between Mexico and South Africa, the excitement and anticipation for the tournament seem wonderful in Johannesburg. There was some bad news before the game however, Nelson Mandela was unable to attend the opening ceremony because his great-granddaughter died in a car crash the night before the opener.

Worrying news today that former Newcastle player Paul Gascoigne is in a "serious but not life-threatening" condition in Newcastle General Hospital after a car crash. Paul Gasgoigne - in serious condition in Newcastle General Hospital The car crash took place in his home town of Newcastle upon Tyne, and involved a Vauxhall Astra last night around 9:45pm [.

By Chris Wright

Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne is in a serious, but not critical condition in hospital today after being involved in a car crash in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on Sunday evening.

The car, in which Gascoigne was a passenger, veered off the road and hit a signpost in the Sandhill area of the city's quayside.

Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne is in a 'serious, but not life-threatening' condition in hospital this morning after being involved in a car crash yesterday evening.

The accident, which took place at around 9:45pm yesterday in the Sandhill area of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's quayside, occurred when the car in which Gascoigne was travelling, left the road and hit a nearby lamppost.

The Denmark and Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has been suffering with a groin injury ever since he had a car crash in September last year, and it has shown no sign of improvement. He played through the pain during the World Cup, but now the injury is getting so bad that he can hardly get out [...]

On This Day In Spurs History: 7th July

1994 On this day in 1994, Vinny Samways pleased many Spurs fans by handing in a transfer request. He was eventually signed by Everton.

Spurs Quote Of The Day: 7th July

"Jurgen loved London because he could get lost here.

Just who was Uruguay's no.10 who took the 2010 World Cup by storm? Is it not Diego Forlan, the forward who failed to cut it at Manchester United? Is it not the player, who, fascinatingly took a mammoth 27 games to end a goal-drought spanning eight months while at the club? Is it not the player once dubbed 'Diego Forlorn' by the British media?

Come around quick ain't it!

The annual pre-season friendly against Barnet kicks off tomorrow afternoon as the players stop running laps and start to get back into the swing of things. Sadly though these days that means getting treatment on their various injuries.

The squad for the game has been released on the official website and whilst there are the usual youngsters in there, it has a slightly senior look to it than usual.