23.01.2012 - A la lejana costa turca del otrora "Mar Inhóspito" (ahora Mar Negro), donde tormentas y salvajes se hacían de curiosos y ambiciosos navegantes, llegó Héctor Cúper con sus carpetas y currículum de DT (ciudad de Ordu = "ejército", "horda").

By Dominic Vieira, writing from Slovakia

Not many kids want to play as a left-back, but they'll settle for the right-back position; we simply all want to attack. This is why the search for a quality left-back is an everlasting all night long headache, there aren't many. The shortage of this position has cultivated wingers into full-backs and the transformations have been successful in the modern game, Patrice Evra and Fabio Coentrao are prime examples.

Liverpool Line Up Uruguayan Pereira

Liverpool's search for a left back has seen them turn their heads towards Porto's Alvaro Pereira, according to reports in Portugal. The reports, which first surfaced in Lisbon-based sports newpaper, A Bola , and have now been picked up by the Mirror , suggest that the Reds are willing to pay the €20M release fee in the Uruguayan's contract.

(Summary is not available.)

Tosaint Ricketts (UW-Green Bay) scored his first goal for Romanian club FC Politehnica Timişoara, netting the 77th-minute game-winner in a 2-1 road victory over CFR Cluj on Saturday.

Ricketts came on in the 71st minute in his second appearance for his new team and helped keep Poli Timişoara unbeaten in Liga I play (10-0-10).

Sport.co.uk understands that Sunderland, Fulham, and Liverpool are in a three-way battle to sign FC Cluj forward Lacina Traore while Aston Villa are also closely monitoring proceedings with the player's representative hopeful of his client finalizing a deal with a Premier League club.
Sunderland have emerged as a new suitor for the giant Ivorian, dubbed the "New Emmanuel Adebayor," since the departure of Darren Bent, while Fulham's Mark Hughes and Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish have also stepped up their pursuit of 20-year-old.

Liverpool are reportedly set to turn their attentions to Lacina Traore - should they lose out on Luis Suarez.
Suarez's protracted move to Anfield has eked out for some time now and - according to The Telegraph - the Reds and Ajax are currently way apart in their valuation of the Uruguayan.
And, with Liverpool desperate for striking reinforcements in January, they could be forced to set their sights elsewhere in pursuit of more potent attacking options.

Liverpool are considering a January bid for FC Cluj striker Lacina Traore, according to reports on Tuesday.
The Reds are desperate for another striker to help propel them back up the table after a disappointing first half of the season, and boss Roy Hodgson has now identified 6ft 8in Traore as a possible solution.

Lacina Traore is currently being offered around clubs in England, and the rest of Europe. His burgeoning reputation amongst football fans and clubs alike has come after his impressive Champions League performances for CFR Cluj and also in the Romanian domestic league. JustArsenal understands that Traore has been offered to Arsenal and there have been discussions [.

Lacina Traore is currently being offered around clubs in England, and the rest of Europe. His burgeoning reputation amongst football fans and clubs alike has come after his impressive Champions League performances for CFR Cluj and also in the Romanian domestic league. JustArsenal understands that Traore has been offered to Arsenal and there have been discussions [.