We are in the midst of the final International Break (thankfully) so things are pretty quiet at Anfield.This particular break came at just the right time for Liverpool, who have a catalogue of injuries, as we all know.With Torres, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Riera, Benayoun and Aurelio all in the treatment-room, its been a difficult time for the Reds. Click to continue reading...

Carlos Alberto Parreira began his second tenure as Bafana Bafana coach with a 0-0 draw against Japan in their international friendly encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Bafana Bafana Didn't Lose

But Bafana Bafana didn't lose!

Click to continue reading...

In August 1992, on the opening day of the inaugural Premier League season, 22 teams took to pitches up and down the country with just 11 players born outside the British Isles named in the starting line-ups. 17 seasons later and with the foreign invasion showing no signs of slowing down, English born players have become a minority in their own top flight.

Click to continue reading...

I understand from one of the lads at Kallang Roar that Vincent Subraniam has been appointed coach of Home United replacing Sivaji in the hot seat.
http://jakartacasual.blogspot.com/2009/11/homing-in.html Click to continue reading...

Rafa Benitez. Even if you follow the Premier League with the most passing of interests, chances are you have an opinion on the goatee-d Spanish coach of Liverpool, who has seemingly been at the hot seat at Anfield since before the world knew who Hannah Montana was. Just the other night I was chatting with a friend over XBox Live during a game of "FIFA 10" (shameless plug, review/thoughts coming Click to continue reading...

The Top 6 Keep This Week Interesting

Inter, Sampdoria, Juventus, Palermo, Fiorentina and AC Milan all won this weekend to raise the stakes for the mid-week matches: Genoa v. Fiorentina, Napoli v. AC Milan, Juventus v. Sampdoria, and Inter V. Palermo (29th). Clear your schedule Wednesday and Thursday for some great calcio.

Click to continue reading...

After Carlo Ancelotti left to Chelsea in the summer, the AC Milan board took a chance with Leonardo, who played himself to legendary status amongst the Rossoneri fans in mid 90's. On the pitch, Leonardo was one of the most intelligent players in his era, but he's still unproven as a coach.

The AC Milan hot seat was probably the most unattractive one for the top coaches in the game, as the squad is very old, a laughing stock amongst football fans as "the old folks' home for footballers", so appointing Leonardo was probably the only right decision the board could make.

Click to continue reading...

Dull. Uninspiring. Inept.

All words than can some up tonight's performance. It's really gone beyond who scored for / against us anymore. It's now down to attitude and application. Sadly for Newcastle United fans, both our coaching staff and players are completely incapable of showing either.

Click to continue reading...

You don't have to go far in the football world to find someone, somewhere in trouble for bad behaviour or breaking the rules.
Just down the road in fact to Cheltenham FC, where Martin Allen has once again managed to get himself into trouble.
I wonder if they got a reference from MM before taking him on? Click to continue reading...

Could Preki be on the move after this season? (Getty Images)

I must say today has been full of good stuff. From MLS playoff scenarios to U-17 World Cup rosters to other items it has been a full day. Needless to say if you have missed some of these items you are in luck as I have saved some of the best links of the day to discuss here tonight.

Click to continue reading...

In early 2001, watching a game at North Sydney Oval with a friend, I noticed a familiar figure sitting a few seats across from me. Approaching him rather sheepishly, I excused myself and blurted that he was the finest Australian football commentator I'd heard, and that he always made football a pleasure to watch (or words to that effect). Click to continue reading...

It's been a fairly busy day around these parts. From catching up to things, to getting back to the daily grind at my normal job, and to getting back to work on things with this site. I wanted to kick off with a couple items that a few of your have emailed me and commented on recently here. Its mostly end of year items and seeing how we are towards the end of the season it is fitting to revisit some of these things.

Click to continue reading...

On Friday Néstor Gorosito announced that win, lose or draw against San Lorenzo today, he'd be stepping down as manager of River Plate. Fitting that he should do so against the man he replaced in the Núñez hot seat, in a way. Simeone seems to have rediscovered his touch after leaving River San Lorenzo's [. Click to continue reading...

I don't have too much going into tonight's Evening Links and Thoughts. I mainly wanted to touch base with the current coaching hot seat situation in Major League Soccer. I don't expect any coaching changes to take place until at least after the regular season finishes here. Something crazy would have to take place for any of these teams below to even think about making a switch with so few games left.

Click to continue reading...

It's crunch time in Serie A, as clubs must play three games in the span of 8 days this week, and even more over the next eleven days if they are playing in international competitions.

It's a Bad Month to Be a Milan Fan: Not only is rival Inter atop the Serie A standings, Milan lost yesterday to Udinese for its second defeat on the year.

Click to continue reading...

I want to remember Diego like this...superhuman

I remember the days gone by. Â I remember fondly watching the '86 World Cup (yes 1986) and seeing Diego Maradona lead a powerful Argentinian team to victory. Â It was his coronation. Â Diego was the best player in the world (and not like people claiming his countryman Lionel Messi is.

Click to continue reading...

Diego Maradona is in an unfamiliar position. The former World Cup winning soccer legend and current coach of Argentina is currently out of a World Cup birth by one single position in the rankings and one single point overall.  Argentina is not completely out of it yet, but with another loss coming up in October they will likely be done.

Click to continue reading...

Dunga has steered Brazil through to World Cup qualification with matches in hand, and has picked up the Copa America and the Confederations Cup along the way. Maradona, meanwhile, is sitting in the hot seat with his Argentina in danger of missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1970.

Click to continue reading...

What a difference three months makes.

Back in June, Costa Rica thrashed the U.S. men's national team, 3-1, in World Cup qualifying, leading to national celebrations and rock star status for Costa Rica head coach Rodrigo Kenton, who had his team in first place in CONCACAF qualifying.

Click to continue reading...

What a difference three months makes.

Back in June, Costa Rica thrashed the U.S. men's national team, 3-1, in World Cup qualifying, leading to national celebrations and rock star status for Costa Rica head coach Rodrigo Kenton, who had his team in first place in CONCACAF qualifying.

Click to continue reading...

Forget about the World Cup next summer. Forget about South Africa and forget about the limited amount of beds that await the world's football fans there. Forget about Fabio Capello and his impressive managerial record and the inevitable column inches that will concern Micheal Owen this summer.

Even forget about the next European Championships in Ukraine/Poland, that's if they can make it happen of course.

Click to continue reading...

By Gareth Freeman

United's own start to the season may not have been as impressive as it could have been. Granted they've won three out of four but the loss to Burnley was as big a shock as we've had all season and the manner in which they defeated Arsenal was not as convincing as perhaps it could have been.

Click to continue reading...

There's an image you don't see everyday!

Forget Barry Moat. X Factor judge Cheryl Cole admits she would love to be the next Geordie messiah and buy her beloved club, Newcastle United and then put her husband Ashley at left-back!
The Championship leaders are the subject of a £100m sale as desperate owner Mike Ashley aims to quit the club at the earliest opportunity possible after putting them on the market in May following their Premier League demise.

Click to continue reading...

Persija finally began training yesterday, with former Persiba striker Musafry getting involved but confusion continues to swirl around the Jakarta club. They have installed Benny Dollo as technical director while he sees out his contract with the FA as national team coach and had hoped to install one of his assistants, Sudirman, as head coach. Click to continue reading...

-
- For up-to-the-minute QPR news - and QPR Nostalgia - visit the combination blog and messageboard, QPR Report Messageboard Throw in some eclectic football news. And post your own views. QPR Report is Updated throughout the day
- QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER! Click to continue reading...

I'm sure you've all seen the reports by now, Chicago Fire defender Bakary Soumare got into a little bit of a wrestling match with manager Denis Hamlett last week during halftime of the Chicago-Houston game. Soumare was subbed out for the start of the second half but that isn't even half of the story according to Luis Arroyave who returned to write about soccer for a day yesterday.

Click to continue reading...

Scaremongering or harsh truth, you decide!

Over 700 Ashes tickets still available Click Here to Buy!

The storm clouds are circling above Anfield yet again with another story about our unscrupulous American owners surfacing. This time it's over the amount of funds they have given Rafael Benitez to strengthen his squad.

Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have come a long way since Rafa Benitez last took his side to White Hart Lane on the opening day of the Premier League season.
August 14 2004 was the Spaniard's first competitive domestic assignment in the Anfield hot-seat but he headed to the capital with Gerard Houllier's team. Click to continue reading...

1. Is It That Time Already?
It could be a case of "art" imitating life, or more likely a chronic lack of preparation, but I have followed West Ham's lead by leaving it 'til the last possible moment before preparing in earnest for the start of a new season. Click to continue reading...

Somehow this man still has a job. (Getty Images)

In light of Kansas City dismissing manager Curt Onalfo yesterday evening, I figured it was high time I updated my coaching hot seat look once again. Funny thing was yesterday I was already set to work on this and got caught up in something else, by the time I went back into it last night the news came down about Onalfo.

Click to continue reading...

Rizal Abdullah
BRING back the foreign players but not "just cheap African players" and change the kickoff time to 5.30pm so as not to compete with the EPL playing times, to put the spark back into the M-League.
These are among the proposals Kelantan coach Peter Butler has proposed to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) who are in the midst of restructuring the M-League after another subdued season. Click to continue reading...

From the Kansas City Wizards Front Office, the team announced Monday that the team has dismissed Head Coach Curt Onalfo. The Wizards will announce an Interim Head Coach Tuesday at the team's Swope Park Training Center after the players have been addressed following an off-day Monday. Click to continue reading...

KC will no longer be lead by Curt Onalfo. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Turns out losing 6-0 can get you fired, but I'm sure that wasn't the only reason. According to a couple KC blogs (DTB and Back Post), Kansas City has fired head coach Curt Onalfo. Along with Onalfo, assistant coach, Kris Kelderman was also let go leaving Kerry Zavagnin and John Pascarella as the two remaining coaches.

Click to continue reading...

Despite the fact I'm struggling to see at the moment due to the copious amounts of free booze I consumed at a wedding yesterday I read with interest about the 'Shock Vieira deal twist' story on News Now.
It got me thinking. And believe me thinking hurts me at the best of times. Today the pain is excruciating so bare with me! Click to continue reading...

As is the usual preseason prediction, the three promoted sides are always the favourites to go straight back down. Last season gave us something of a novelty in recent years, with two of the three sides that came up in 2007-2008 staying with us for another year, as close as Hull tried to throw it all away.

Click to continue reading...