Comenzó la O-League, el torneo de clubes más importante de Oceanía, cuyo campeón disputará el Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA 2010. Se trata del nuevo formato que en 2007 adoptó la antigua Copa de Campeones de Oceanía, imitando a la Champions League europea.
Participan ocho equipos de siete paíes, lo que demuestra un constante crecimiento. Click to continue reading...

I woke up cheerful today, as is normally the case on most Saturday's, especially on Saturday's when we're playing at home. My smile quickly turned into a miserable frown and my joy evolved, faster than than any Richard Dawkin's book, into disgust as I read that Chelsea are now allowed to trade within January's transfer window after the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) postponed the FIFA imposed ban until it (CAS) has heard the club's appeal. Click to continue reading...

Time to get the chequebook out Roman.

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted Chelsea's request to suspend their transfer ban.

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Chelsea's transfer ban has been temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final decision on the matter.

Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract. But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said on Friday:

"Such sanctions are now stayed until the Cas renders its final decision in this matter.

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Chelsea's transfer ban has been temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final decision on the matter.

Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract. But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said today:

"Such sanctions are now stayed until the Cas renders its final decision in this matter.

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I'm leaving on Monday for a trip to Las Vegas for a search marketing conference, so I want to wrap up the EPL Talk contests before I leave in order to mail the packages and to make some football fans very happy. So today, if you're lucky enough to be reading this, you have the opportunity to win one of three copies of FIFA 10 we're giving away and a copy of the book by Barney Ronay named The Manager.

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The Fédération Française de Football (FFF), France's governing football body, this week made the peculiar decision to include Gael Kakuta in their U19 squad for next week's Limoges Tournament. You'll recall the FFF were instrumental in getting Kakuta banned for four months by FIFA as part of the Chelsea transfer ban.

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Como seria de esperar, Lionel Messi arrrebatou a esmagodra maioria dos votos dos 187 leitores que participaram na votação sobre quem será eleito o melhor jogador do mundo este ano pela FIFA. O argentino recolheu 89 votos, enquanto Cristiano Ronaldo se ficou pelos 39. O brasileiro Kaká somou 28, mais 16 que Fernando Torres. Click to continue reading...

David Beckham journey continues as recent confirmed reports in Italy suggest that he is on his way back to AC Milan for another loan deal. We have witnessed in the past big players moving from their clubs like Brazilian legend Ronaldo moved from Inter Milan to Real Madrid, Luis Figo from Barcelona to Read Madrid, Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan to Chelsea, Thierry Henry from Arsenal to Barcelona, recently Kaka from AC Milan to Real Madrid and other big players had to move from one club to another at some stage of their careers.

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I understand that FIFA have other priorities, you know, the small matter of the World Cup in June next year. Surely though, they have a dedicated team that watch as many as matches of clubs from around the globe. Looking at the current list of nominees however, leads me to question whether FIFA has actually watched domestic football since 2006.

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For the past week, we've been giving away a copy of FIFA 10 the new video game from EA as well as soccer books. I just took a look inside the treasure box and I still have several copies of FIFA 10 that I need to give away as well as Barney Ronay's book, The Manager. So even if you don't win today, be sure to keep on checking back each day for your chance to enter and win the contest.

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I just found this article about strange stadium names after Newcastle United has renamed their stadium sportsdirect.com @ St. James' Park. Thought I would pass it on to you guys!

From the UK's Daily Mail

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You can learn a lot about an organization from the quality of their website. Fair? I for example am not a design oriented person, although I would like to be. The idea of changing this template for something unique and original by screwing around with code or risking the download of someone foreign layout gives me nightmares. Click to continue reading...

The standard of Arsenal's goalkeepers has come into question but changes in the modern game mean there is more to the position than shot-stopping.
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If goalkeepers are crazy then imagine having to summon the sparse vestiges of your sanity to defend three of them.

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Las cosas se apretaron en el grupo 2, aunque sigo con la idea de que Rayados se las apretó solito, pero bueno, el grupo esta muy pero muy peleado, teníamos la esperanza de que equipos como Morelia y America dejaran de sumar en el grupo en esta jornada 14, pero no fue así, ambos equipos sumaron puntos y dejaron a Rayados en el mismo lugar de la jornada pasada.

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Azzurri coach Marcello Lippi has come under heavy criticism in recent months despite Italy's success in qualifying to the World Cup in South Africa. La Nazionale went through an alarming goal drought and was only able to overcome it after two unfortunate own goals from returning Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze.

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Frank Lampard is the "Lionheart" in this FIFA 10 Adidas Viral. 'Every Team Needs A Lionheart.' And Frank, the Duracell Bunny from Chelsea, fits this description like a hand in glove.. Click to continue reading...

FIFA has announced its shortlist of 23 players for the Men's World Player of the Year award, and 10 players for the Women's World Player of the Year Award. National team captains and coaches will now vote (but not for players from their own country) and this final five will be revealed in early December, with the winners announced at FIFA's World Player bash in Zurich on December 21st.

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FIFA has today announced the names of the players on the shortlists and the final decision will be made by the captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams (they may not vote for players from the national team they coach or play for). The lists of 23 male and ten female candidates [. Click to continue reading...

USWNT beats Germany in Germany. From Melissa:

The crazy phsychic voodoo communication between Solo and Chalupny can probably be attributed to their season together with the Saint Louis Athletica. It was a bit eerie at times.

I'm Fake Sigi and I approve this message. Click to continue reading...

Fresh off her 101st career goal and a U.S. 1-0 win against Germany yesterday, it was announced that Women's National Team and Washington Freedom forward Abby Wambach is the only American nominated for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year Award.

Freedom teammate and French National player Sonia Bompastor is also on the list of ten nominees.

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Mia Hamm of the United States has been named as ambassador for the 2011 Women's World Cup Games in Germany. The prestigious honor means that Hamm will be going around the world to represent the games and help promote women's soccer. She was named world player of the year back in 2001 and has brought home gold medals for the United States for the last two summer Olympic games.

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There isn't much tonight for the evening links and thoughts. Got some USL-TOA talk and a brief thought about Kevin Payne's fine from the league earlier today.

But first there we gotta go back into the TOA-USL talk that we've been going around and around with for the last few weeks. Reports tonight suggest the TOA and their clubs could very well soon be forming their own league, even as soon as TOMORROW.

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John Kaputa, o treinador que para este blogue tem o nome mais carismático em todo o planeta, continua a averbar derrotas. O seleccionador sub-17 do Malawi, sobre quem já aqui escrevi, não evitou que os seus jovens pupilos perdessem os dois primeiros jogos do Mundial do escalão que está a decorrer na Nigéria. Click to continue reading...

For the past three days, we've been giving away a copy of FIFA 10 the new video game from EA. In the next few days to next couple of weeks, we'll be giving away a copy of the game on random days as well as football books.

Yesterday's winner of FIFA 10 was JD Thomas.

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Eight Manchester Supporters were arrested after United's 2-0 League Cup victory over Barnsley at Oakwell last night. Click to continue reading...

For the past two days, we've been giving away a copy of FIFA 10 the new video game from EA. In the next few days to next couple of weeks, we'll be giving away a copy of the game on random days as well as football books.

Yesterday's winner of FIFA 10 was Patrick Keating.

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They Think It's All Over... presents a WDKF Wednesday column which looks at the sinister motives behind FIFA's peculiar decision to change the workings of the away goals rule for the upcoming Asia/Oceania World Cup Playoff. Click to continue reading...

After the first leg of the World Cup Qualifying Playoff between New Zealand and Bahrain ended in a 0-0 stalemate in Manama, the New Zealand media all but hapless when it comes to the rules of the beautiful game have ben struggling to come to terms with the workings of the actually-quite-simple away [. Click to continue reading...

FIFA and Desso Sports Systems will be collaborating to promote artificial grass for football, and to establish one international quality standard for artificial grass. The contract with Desso Sports Systems fits in with FIFA's long-term vision to further improve and promote artificial grass for football, both on a professional and a community level. Click to continue reading...

For better or worse, I am a gamer.There I said it. In fact, video games will probably outgrow me -- maybe a cerebral implant -- before I outgrow them.The following is going to be my thoughts on the latest EA soccer release, "FIFA 10." Maybe you don't game, but I'll go out on a limb and say that "FIFA" has been as important as spreading soccer and ingraining it into Americans sports fans brains as Click to continue reading...

Brazil coach Dunga has named his squad for the November's friendlies against England and Oman. Of note is that FC Porto striker Hulk , fellow striker Carlos Eduardo of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Michel Bastos of Olympique Lyon are included in the squad and could possibly make their international debuts. Click to continue reading...

Yesterday we debuted our new FIFA 10 contest where we'll be giving away a copy of the game on random days within the next two weeks as well as football books.

Yesterday's winner of FIFA 10 was TJ Brustowicz. But if you want to try and win a copy of FIFA 10 for yourself, go ahead and enter today's contest.

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Fortuna favours the Bosch
FC Den Bosch 3-1 Fortuna Sittard (23:10:09)
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Friday 23rd October 2009 will go down in history. In years to come, it'll be remembered much the same as the 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the 100 Club when anyone and everyone claimed to have "been there". Click to continue reading...

I received an enthusiastic e-mail last week from EPL Talk reader Jake Islas who asked me for advice about how he could create a blog and a vibrant community similar to mine here at EPL Talk. I was tempted to warn him not to venture into the field. The pay is lousy. It requires an incredible amount of hard work.

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