EXCLUSIVE: Stars to get warning on two-footed tackles

Premier League stars are to be warned they will see red if they launch two-footed challenges this weekend.

Referees expect pre-match meetings with captains and management to be dominated by questions about interpretation of the tackling law.

Controversy still rages over Vincent Kompany’s dismissal last weekend for Manchester City, while Glen Johnson escaped any sanction for a similar tackle in midweek playing for Liverpool against City.

Ref chief Mike Riley has NOT ordered a crackdown, but the message from his members will be clear and straightforward - two-footed tackles are, as the players’ union has urged, liable to lead to immediate expulsion if the safety of an opponents is deemed to have been threatened.

The lack of consistency is the major concern of managers, players and fans.

Manchester City first team coach David Platt said: “Vinny’s sending off, everybody would say it shouldn’t have happened.

"Live, in the game, you can excuse the referee for sending him off, because he’s interpreted something in the game.

“But we feel as though we’ve been punished twice. Having seen something of a similar nature - it’s nothing against Glen Johnson, I think it’s a good tackle - but if Vinny’s deemed to be reckless and endangering an opponent, then we would say that’s similar.

“I think it’s a good tackle by Glen Johnson. The inconsistency we have is that we think Vinny’s was a good tackle as well.”

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas conceded: “We’ve had a couple of issues with two-footed tackles. Every referee has his style.

“What I found curious is maybe somehow the radical differences of applying the refereeing styles in the Premiership. There can sometimes be a massive gap.

"The difference of criteria applied by the same referee from game to game is quite surprising.

“That is curious. But the ones we had, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres, were correct decisions - Chris Foy and QPR, Mike Dean in the Swansea game at home, they were good decisions.”


By Martin Lipton

MZEE HAMNAZO

Rehema Fabian amtorosha Dogo Janja

MSHINDI wa shindano la kumsaka Balozi wa Kiswahili Bongo mwaka 2009, Rehema Fabian (pichani), anadaiwa kwenda Manzese, Dar anakoishi msanii Abdulaziz Abubakar Chende ‘Dogo Janja’ na kumtorosha, Risasi Jumamosi ndilo lenye picha nzima.

Akifunguka juzikati jijini Dar, mlezi wa Dogo Janja ambaye pia ni Rais wa Manzese na Kundi la Tip Top Connection, Hamad Ally ‘Madee’ alisema Rehema alifanya kosa hilo hivi karibuni na kwamba limemsikitisha sana.

Alisema siku ya tukio, alirudi nyumbani saa tisa usiku na kumkosa msanii huyo, alipouliza akajibiwa alifuatwa na demu mmoja ambaye mara nyingi huwa beneti na Tundaman (Rashid Ramadhan).
Madee alisema kuwa alipomuuliza Tundaman ni demu gani huwa naye beneti mara nyingi, alimjibu kuwa ni Rehema Fabian.

“Aliponiambia hivyo nilianza kuwasaka, nikasikia wapo viwanja, sijui wapi huko! Niliingia mtaani kuwatafuta lakini sikuwaona,” alisema Madee.

Aliongeza kuwa kibaya zaidi, yeye ndiye aliyekabidhiwa dogo huyo kutoka kwa wazazi wake, Arusha.
“Mimi ndiye niliyekabidhiwa Dogo Janja, nakaa naye, lolote litakalomtokea nitaulizwa mimi,” alisema.

Akaongeza: “Sasa kwa mfano katika safari yao wangepata ajali, nani angeulizwa? Halafu mlango waliuacha wazi. Kwa kweli siwezi kumvumilia, nitahakikisha namfunza adabu (Dogo Janja), nikishindwa namrudisha kwao Arusha.”

Kwa upande wake, Rehema alisema si kweli kuwa alimtorosha Dogo Janja, bali anachokumbuka dogo huyo alimpigia simu akimtaka ampe ofa ya kwenda kumlipia kwenye ‘swimming pool’ ili aogelee.
“Lakini kwa vile nilikuwa bize sikumfuata, nashangaa kutuhumiwa eti nilikwenda kumtorosha,” alisema Rehema.

Akasema: “Unajua Dogo Janja ana mambo makubwa, inawezekana kuna mwanamke mwingine alikwenda kumtorosha alipobanwa akanitaja mimi. Mimi nikimtaka nitamuomba Madee lakini siwezi kumtorosha, labda kuna mengine yamejificha.”


Na Shakoor Jongo

BREAKING NEWS!!! Beyonce Fans PHYSICALLY ATTACK Keri Hilson . . . BEAT HER IN THE Head . . . With A BEYONCE CD!!! (It AIN'T Funny . . . Don't LAUGH)

Look what Keri Hilson tweeted, then later deleted. Bey's fans are a MESS!!

LMAOOOOOOO!!!

Cahill heads to Chelsea

Bolton and England defender Gary Cahill has reportedly agreed terms with Chelsea and is expected to complete a £7 million move over the weekend.

Newspaper reports suggest Cahill is set to earn £23 million over five years at Stamford Bridge, and was making his way down from the north west to London to complete a medical on Friday night.

If the deal goes ahead, it will end a nervous wait for Chelsea, who have spent the last two weeks trying to agree personal terms with the 26-year-old.

Reports suggest Cahill had initially wanted £100,000/week from Chelsea, and the club were unwilling to meet his demands. But talks with Chelsea's chief executive Ron Gourlay on Thursday are thought to have led to an agreement that will see Cahill take home around £80,000/week.

It is now expected that Cahill will be unavailable for Bolton's Premier League match against Manchester United on Saturday, and will instead find himself being introduced to Chelsea fans ahead of their home match with Sunderland.

espn

Blue Ivy Carter becomes youngest ever on Billboard

's not even a week old, but Blue Ivy Carter is already making music history.

Billboard says that thanks to her dad, Jay-Z, featuring her on his new song, "Glory," Blue becomes the youngest person to ever appear on its chart.

Jay-Z released the song about his first-born child with wife Beyonce on Monday, and it immediately became a viral sensation. The song, which credits B.I.C., features the sound of Blue's cries at the end.

The song's refrain is "The most amazing feeling I feel/Words can't describe what I'm feeling for real/ Maybe I paint the sky blue/My greatest creation was you. You. Glory."

Now, the song will enter Billboard's chart next week at No. 74.

Blue was born Saturday, and her parents confirmed her birth Monday.

___

Online:

http://www.billboard.com

Snoop Dogg Launching Cigar Brand

Who knows smoking better than Snoop Dogg? The rapper is capitalizing on his infamous love for lighting up with a new line of cigars, Executive Branch, which he will unveil at the Coachella Festival when he headlines with Dr. Dre.

The cigars will be made with tobacco sourced from the Dominican Republic and the first round of product, the "Executive Branch Cigarillos," will be sold in packs of two for $.99.

"Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to travel the world and try all different types of tobacco products," said Snoop Dogg in today's press release (we assume dictated while winking very broadly). "During my travels throughout South America and the Caribbean, I was fortunate to encounter this tobacco company, Executive Branch and was so impressed by their commitment to quality . . . Throughout 2012, we plan on releasing new styles and flavors, in which I will be working with their team to make sure all products are up to Snoop Dogg standards."

Snoop's new product is considerably more legal than what he usually carries; just this week, he was arrested for marijuana possession.

JCB - Step Kwa Step

EXCLUSIVE PICS: Wanna See Pics Of The Room Where Bey's Baby Blue Ivy Was BORN . . . It's LUXURIOUS . . . But Is It Worth $1.3M????

MediaTakeOut obtained photos of the Lennox Hill Hospital room where Baby Blue was born. Not sure where that $1.3 million rUmor came from. But if Bey paid that for this room . . . they ROBBED her!!!

MAPINDUZI CUP: Azam FC Bingwa

Timu tajiri Tanzania Bara inayofananishwa na Manchester City huko England, Azam FC, jana usiku imetwaa Taji lake kubwa la la kwanza baada ya kuichapa Jamhuri ya Pemba bao 3-1 katika Fainali ya Mapinduzi Cup iliyochezwa Uwanja wa Amaan, Zanzibar.

Licha ya kutanguliwa bao moja na kukosa penati baada ya mpigaji John Boko kupiga posti ya juu, Azam walipiga bao 3 kupitia Boko, Tchetche na Supastraika Mrisho Ngassa.

Ushindi huo umedhihirisha ubabe na umahiri wa Azam FC walio chini ya Kocha Stewart Hall kutoka Uingereza na Kally Ongala kwani kwenye Mashindano hayo walizigalagaza Yanga bao 3-0 na Simba 2-0.
Mafanikio haya, bila shaka, yatawashitua Vigogo Yanga na Simba na kuwatolea mimacho Azam wakati mzunguko wa pili wa Ligi Kuu Bara utakapoanza hapo Januari 21 hasa kwa vile Azam wako nafasi ya 3 nyuma ya Yanga na vinara Simba.

Dont Judge too quickly

Amber Rose feat. Wiz Khalifa - Fame

Balotelli takes school toilet break

Mario Balotelli gave students of a college in Manchester a day to remember after turning up unannounced and asking if he could use their toilet.

The eccentric Manchester City striker has entertained English football fans and media alike with his unpredictable behaviour, which has previously included driving into a women's prison, throwing darts at youth team players and reportedly giving a homeless person £1000 after a successful night at a casino.

For his latest trick, Balotelli parked up his Bentley at Xaverian College in Rusholme and went into the canteen to ask students if there was anywhere he could relieve himself.

After using the toilet he spoke with teachers in the staff room and then walked around the college being followed by hordes of excited Manchester City fans before leaving 20 minutes after he had first arrived.

"Xaverian was delighted to receive a surprise visit from Mario, who chatted to some of the students at one of Manchester's most successful colleges," a spokesman for the college said. "We weren't able to enrol him on any courses, but he is welcome back anytime."

A number of understandably thrilled students were quoted in the Manchester Evening News, including Edward Gasson, who was sitting in the canteen when Balotelli turned up.

"Balotelli parked his Bentley outside then came in and was asking where the toilets were, then he went to the teacher's staff room," he said. "After that he was just walking round campus like he owned the place and everyone was following him around.

"I'm a City fan so it was amazing to see him but it was a bit ridiculous for him to come here - you would never expect it to happen."

By ESPNsoccernet staff

BREAKING NEWS: MZEE KIPARA AFARIKI DUNIA

Mwigizaji wa siku nyingi Tanzania, Mzee kipara amefariki leo kwenye nyumba ya KAOLE SANAA GROUP ambapo alikua anaishi, kutokana na maradhi mbalimbali pamoja na utu uzima ambapo alianza kuugua zaidi ya mwaka mmoja uliopita.

Mzee Kipara alikua miongoni mwa waanzilishi sita wa KAOLE SANAA GROUP mwaka 1999, ambapo wengine ni Marehemu RAJABU HATIA (MZEE PWAGU), MAMA HAMBILIKI, Bi HINDU, ZENA DILI, CHRISANT MHENGA ambapo mchezo wa kwanza wa kikundi hicho kuoneshwa ITV, uliitwa HUJAFA HUJAUMBIKA ambapo Mzee kipara alikua anacheza kama Baba mzazi wa DR CHENI wakati huo Dr CHENI anataka kumuoa KISSA ambae alikua binti mlemavu.

kabla ya kifo chake, mwigizaji huyo alishazushiwa kifo zaidi ya mara moja, ambapo mara ya mwisho ilikua ni NOVEMBER 10 mwaka jana.

Mwili wa Mzee KIPARA utazikwa kesho Kigogo Dar es salaam , kwa mujibu wa mwenyekiti mstaafu wa KAOLE Sanaa Group CHIKI.


Habari Millard Ayo

Merde! Cantona's run for president of France is publicity stunt

Nicolas Sarkozy can sleep easy in his child-sized bed - Manchester United legend Eric Cantona is not running for the French presidency after all.

The moody striker, who has been in acting since his retirement, told Paris newspaper Liberation he was taking the first step to challenge Nicolas Sarkozy by collecting the signatures of 500 elected officials to gain their support.

But this morning the amazing news was revealed to be merely a publicity stunt on behalf of housing charities.

Cantona WAS canvassing signatures, but only to support a petition asking for more funds to solve the nation's homeless crisis.

Liberation deputy editor Paul Quinio said: "He isn't looking for signatures to be a candidate for the presidency, but to pass on the message of the Abbé Pierre foundation in support of better housing policy, and to make housing, which is a priority for French people, a priority for the presidential candidates."

He added that Cantona would be going on a presidential-style series of rallies throughout France to raise awareness of the issue.

In his letter to Liberation, Cantona described himself as an "engaged citizen" and told Liberation: "This engagement obliges me to speak, more earnestly than usual, but also with a keen sense of my responsibility, at a time when our country faces difficult choices which will be decisive for its future.”

He added that he was concerned about a lack of jobs for young people and about social injustices, which he described as "too numerous, too violent, too systematic”.


By MirrorFootball

Emotional Henry: This is a dream come true (plus video of THAT goal)

Thierry Henry described it as a “dream come true” after completing a fairytale return for Arsenal.

Supersub Henry scored the 78th-minute winner as he was given an incredible reception reserved for a returning hero.

Henry, signed on loan from New York Red Bulls, is already Arsenal’s record goalscorer and he extended his tally to 227 goals for the club with a typically brilliant finish.

And the World Cup winner said: “It’s kind of weird. I only came back from holiday from Mexico 16 days ago. I didn’t think I would play for Arsenal again let alone score a winner again.

“I love the club. I want to help out and hopefully I can do more. I hope it won’t be the last one. The feeling I had when I scored was amazing.

“I am enjoying the club as a fan. I wasn’t before. Scoring a goal when you support a team - now I know what the guys at Chelsea, Liverpool, United feel when they score for the club they support.

“I think it’s a joke that I got man of the match. That’s how it goes. With one opportunity, it’s very important. You have to make sure you take it. I took it well.

“I will always remember [this night]. I don’t know why, but when it comes to Arsenal, something happens with me. Sometimes in a bad way, but most of the way in history in a good way.”

Henry, who scored his 12th goal in 12 games against Leeds, latched onto Alex Song’s pass and struck a perfect shot into the bottom corner to ease Arsenal into the FA Cup fourth round and book them a home tie with Aston Villa.

It brought the whole stadium to its feet just 10 minutes after Henry also received a standing ovation when he came on as a second half substitute.

Arsenal had laboured against Leeds’ resilient defence and it took Henry’s magic to force a dramatic result.

Wenger finally brought on Henry with time running out and the returning hero made it a dream comeback at the Emirates.

"It was a little bit of a dream, because it was a story about football you would tell some young children," said the Arsenal boss.

"Unfortunately it is not often like that in our game, but sometimes it happens."

The Arsenal manager continued: "When he got in that position I thought, 'Oh, that's your angle', but it was a bit too close. That is where he surprised me.

"He still didn't force the shot, he still made it look easy.

"At the start I thought he was too much on the left, but he had that special finishing that he has shown tonight.

"That was the Thierry Henry finishing."

Wenger had rested captain Robin van Persie for the tie, allowing the Dutchman some time away on a family break to Dubai.

The Gunners boss could throw both the dynamic front men together when the Premier League campaign resumes at Swansea on Sunday.

"Thierry can play behind or in front of Robin or on the flank, Robin can play on the flank too, but I don't know yet what I will do. They can play together, of course, and they did play together," said Wenger.

Meanwhile, Wenger was dealt a new defensive injury blow as makeshift right back Francis Coquelin limped off with a hamstring problem in the first half.

Arsenal are already without Bacary Sagna, Andre Santos, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs and Thomas Vermaelen who are all out injured and Coquelin presents a new headache ahead of Sunday’s trip to Swansea.

German centre-half Per Mertesacker also missed the game with a virus, which meant youngster Nico Yennaris came on and could be thrust into Premier League action this weekend unless Wenger goes into the transfer market.

See Henry's goal here:

AT - BAO LA KETE

On The Move (Transfer Talk) January 9, 2012: Berna-bye bye Ronaldo?

On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.

23.38 GMT Here's a final rumour to sign off with tonight: Manchester United are considering a move for Olympiakos right back Vasilis Torosidis after scouting the 26-year-old in a 0-0 draw with Doxa Drama on Sunday night, according the Daily Mail. Torosidis, who scored Greece's first goal at a World Cup finals in 2010, has a buy-out clause set at £6 million.
Be sure to check back on Tuesday morning for another transfer fix.

23.21 GMT: Blackpool winger Matt Phillips, 20, is not getting distracted by talk of a move to the Premier League. He told the Blackpool Gazette: "It's no problem for me. I am the type of lad who finds it easy to ignore speculation. Until something happens, I am a Blackpool player and I will continue to give 100%."

22.59 GMT: Mario Balotelli has rubbished speculation he is unhappy at Manchester City. Story here.

22.38 GMT: Brazil legend Ronaldo thinks Santos starlet Neymar needs to leave South America to fulfil his potential. "Neymar cannot just reach Messi - he can be better,” he said. “He has too much talent to stay only in Brazil. He is a talent that we have to export and allow him to dominate the world, to own it playing the game that he does. The prestige and competition in European football is massive."

22.12 GMT: Harry Redknapp says Roman Pavlyuchenko will have to stay at Spurs unless they can find a replacement. “He probably wants to leave, but we can't sell him unless we can find someone who we think could make the difference to us,” he said. “It's no good getting rid of Pav if you can't replace him. You'd leave yourself with two strikers - Adebayor and Defoe - so we can't do that. Pav has quality and he can play. If he is at it, where do you find a better striker? You don't. He is up there with the best.”
Redknapp’s also assured Steven Pienaar and Niko Kranjcar that they’ll get more games in the second half of the season.

21.42 GMT: DONE DEAL Dundee United have confirmed that midfielder Scott Allan has joined West Brom for an undisclosed fee.

21.26 GMT: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has rubbished claims France midfielder Yoann Gourcuff could leave the club. "The journalists writing that Gourcuff is on his way out are simply getting it wrong," he said. "He will be staying. I brought him here because I thought that with him in our ranks, we would have a side with added value, especially in the Champions League."

20.59 GMT: AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri is having to deny reports Alexandre Pato’s upset with him again after he subbed him off against Atalanta. “There is no problem because I was very pleased with the performance of Pato,” he said. “He won a penalty and made two to three important openings. I took him off because we needed someone fresher, that’s all.”

20.26 GMT: GHANAsoccernet says 18-year-old midfielder Mumuni Abubakar, who plays for New Edubiase United, is having a trial with Liverpool.

19.59 GMT: Inter president Massimo Moratti says the club's attempt to sign Carlos Tevez is no joke.
"If we do something it is not in jest but because we think it will be a good move,” he said. “We received information on how things stood and that there was room to act, we’ll see if we can do it or not. There are still 20 days left."
Asked whether he was optimistic about signing Tevez, he said: "It’s not a matter of being optimistic - we’ll just see how things are.”

19.30 GMT Marseille coach Didier Deschamps has recalled Brandao from his loan at Gremio to help cope with a lack of forwards at the club. Deschamps expects Brandao to be available to face Lille on Sunday.

18.56 GMT More on Milos Krasic: The Juventus winger's agent has (again) confirmed that there is interest in the player from the Premier League, but no official bids. "I can rule out the prospect of Milos moving to another Italian team," Vlado Borozan told Notiziario Sportivo. "There is still some interest in him [Krasic] from the Premier League."

18.38 GMT Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is hoping to recruit one more player, in addition to Bolton centre-back Gary Cahill: "Apart from the central defender we might get one more player in, but we're not sure yet. " Full story

18.22 GMT Jlloyd Samuel has signed for Iranian club Esteghlal in Tehran and says he looking forward to a new challenge. "I did have opportunities in England, as well as one or two abroad as well. But for myself I wanted a new challenge."

17.30 GMT Fiorentina's Uruguayan forward Santiago Silva is heading to Boca Juniors for just €1.2 million, according to TyC Sports. Silva has scored just one goal in 12 appearances for La Viola.

16.45 GMT Norwich striker Oli Johnson's contract has been cancelled by mutual consent. Johnson, 24, made 23 appearances for the Canaries, 19 from the bench, and has scored four times since he joined from Stockport in January 2010. Full story

16.24 GMT: Danny Rose has spoken of his frustration over his lack of game time at Tottenham, and said he would be happy to move on loan to play more regularly: "It's frustrating for me and I need to be patient, but that's easier said than done. If it was up to me, I would be playing every week. Perhaps there is a chance I might go out on loan but we've got a few injuries lately so we will see what happens."

16.18 GMT: Scotland Under-21 midfielder Scott Allan has expressed his delight at completing his transfer from Dundee United to West Brom: “I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve turned down the chance to play for Celtic and Rangers to play in the best league in the world. It’s the best platform to showcase what I can do."

16.05 GMT: USA defender Tim Ream is expected to finally complete his £2 million switch from New York Red Bulls to Bolton this week.

15.57 GMT: Manchester United's forgotten midfielder Darron Gibson is a target for Everton, who clearly didn''t watch his performance against Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup, according to the Daily Mail.

15.42 GMT: Sky Sport Italia is tipping Egyptian teenager Stephan El Shaarawy to swap the San Siro for Cologne on a six or 18 month loan deal.

15.29 GMT: Marseille's Brazilian striker Brandao says he is happy to be back in France after returning from a year away on loan at Cruzeiro and Gremio: "Everything is agreed, I am returning to Marseille. I am delighted to be back."

15.16 GMT: Algeria midfielder Adlène Guedioura wants to leave Wolves after struggling to hold down a frist-team place at Molineux this season.

15.03 GMT: Comment from RossMosh, who believes the reported £3 million fee that Arsenal may pay to Chelsea for Salomon Kalou would represent an absolute bargain:
"I have no idea how much Chelsea want for Kalou, but anything under £8m has to be seen as excellent value. He's played a bit part most of his Chelsea career yet managed to score 10+ goals every season except his debut. He's also shown he's good for 5-10 assists. Kalou could represent one of the best value purchases of January as long as he can agree to a reasonable wage. I'm not suggesting Kalou is without flaws, but he's definitely worth more than £3m Arsenal are bidding."

14.54 GMT: Harry Redknapp has re-iterated his interest in Chris Samba: "I like Samba, he is a good player. I wouldn't want to say it's an impossibility."

14.40 GMT: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has revealed that he would like the club to sign a "tall, young centre-back".

14.31 GMT: TalkSPORT reckons that Porto are going to beat Man Utd to the signature of highly-rated Basel and Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri as the Red Devils are unwilling to negotiate in the January transfer window.

14.18 GMT: Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen insists he will remain at Ajax until at least the summer, in the wake of reported interest from Man Utd, Tottenham and Arsenal: "Everyone knows that I have ambitions, but my ultimate desire is not to go away just yet. I will stay for this season - and it could be that I stay at Ajax until my contract runs out in 2013."

14.05 GMT: Despite Hulk saying last week that he would be happy to discuss a move away from Porto should his buyout clause be met, his agent now says that he wants to stay with the Portuguese champions: "I do not think he wants to leave Porto. He is satisfied, he likes the club and the city."

13.53 GMT: Ally McCoist has confirmed that Rangers are interested in bringing St Johnstone striker Francisco Sandaza to Ibrox.
13.41 GMT: Steve Kean has dismissed reports that Yakubu may be set to leave Blackburn: "The message is simple - the Yak is our player, he is performing very well, he has done fantastic for us, he is not for sale."

13.27 GMT: It feels like we've said this a number of times already but Robbie Keane is on the verge of signing for Aston Villa. BBC Sport is predicting that a deal will be confirmed in the next 24 hours.

13.18 GMT: One of the more unlikely sounding rumours now, as Sky Sports claims that Turkish giants (and Super Lig) leaders Galatasaray are chasing West Ham striker Carlton Cole. Surely not?!

13.05 GMT: Comment from Rehanveer, who was unimpressed with Paul Scholes' return to action for Manchester United:
"Man United should either buy Hazard, Ganso, Hamsik or Gourcuff after seeing scholes play against Man City."

12.57 GMT: Earlier [11.44 GMT entry] Juve chief Beppe Marotta claimed that there has been no offer from Roma for Amauri, but the striker's agent says his client is "evaluating a number of options".
“A future in Italy or abroad? We are evaluating a number of options without ruling anything out,” Giampiero Pocetta told calciomercato.it. The transfer market is in full swing and is continually evolving. Every day could be the decisive turning point.”

12.48 GMT: Newcastle star Demba Ba has welcomed conjecture linking him with PSG but played down the chances of him leaving Tyneside in January: "Join PSG? Yeah, why not? It's possible. I have always supported PSG. And it's an attractive club. But it will be difficult to do that in January. I'm in Newcastle and the fans like me. The transfer market will be closed when I return from the African Nations Cup, so I won't focus on it."

12.39 GMT: Gael Kakuta has told the Canal Football Club TV show that he is very close to signing for Dijon, despite no official word as yet from Chelsea: "I made the choice to go to Dijon because I saw them play and they play good football. Coach Patrice Carteron convinced me. I hope it will be sorted in the next 24 hours. Talks are still going on."

12.26 GMT: Celtic will assess Nigerian midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim in a trial this week after the 20-year-old negotiated his release from PSV, Neil Lennon has revealed: "He is on trial. We have got him in for a few days. We are just going to have a look at him in training this week. I know he has had a decent career up until now and he trained on Saturday and looked quite handy but again nothing more than that, just to have a look."

12.17 GMT: Sky Sports reckons that Arsenal are ready to pounce if Eric Abidal decides not to extend his Barcelona contract.

12.09 GMT: Ivica Olic has been talking for months about how he is seeking a transfer away from Bayern Munich but Bavarians coach Jupp Heynckes has now said: "From my point of view, not much stands in the way [of a contract extension]. Because he has something that few have. What distinguishes him is that for 90 minutes he is on the move, he fights hard and is ambitious."

11.57 GMT: Remember you can have your say on all the transfer rumours using the tool below. That's what Rohin Garg has done, giving his thoughts on Mario Gotze's claim that he is staying at Dortmund:
"Why have Dortmund bought Reus then? (in the summer). Every player who's about to be sold says that he's not going, but then leaves. Gotze just garnering support so that he has a good relationship with Dortmund fans. Gotze will be going to Arsenal in the summer, and Dortmund have bought Reus to replace him."

11.44 GMT: Juventus director general Beppe Marotta has been talking Bianconeri transfer targets, insisting that Milos Krasic is going nowhere: “Manchester City’s Tevez? The Argentine is a strong player, but we were not after him before and we don’t want him now. We’ve had no offers for Krasic and he won’t be leaving. Amauri to Roma? There has been no contact.”

11.31 GMT: L'Equipe reports that Lille coach Rudi Garcia is keen on bringing Rennes forward Jires Kembo to the club at the end of the season.

11.18 GMT: Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has confirmed that left-back is a priority position for him after Patrick van Aanholt returned to Chelsea following the end of his loan spell.

11.06 GMT: Liverpool are monitoring French duo Benjamin Corgnet (Dijon midfielder) and Jawad Boukabous (Nantes striker) according to L'Equipe.

10.58 GMT: Mario Gotze has reiterated his desire to stay at Borussia Dortmund to Bild: "Of course I can imagine extending my contact at Dortmund. I have always said how at home I feel here. And nothing has happened to change that. I have my family and friends here. And the whole Borussia Dortmund package with the coach and the team is simply outstanding."

10.43 GMT: Ipswich have captured Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy on a three-month loan deal.

10.36 GMT: Interesting rumour doing the rounds that West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green is a target for Ligue 2 side Monaco.

10.28 GMT: Football Italia speculates that Juventus will sign Uruguay international Martin Caceres from Sevilla by this Friday, with a loan fee of €2m mooted.

10.12 GMT: Despite saying on Saturday that he would like to move away from Napoli , the Slovakia star has now revealed that he is close to signing a new contract with the Partenopei: “Everything has been agreed and defined. All that is missing is a signature.” FULL STORY

10.03 GMT: Neil Taylor insists he is fully focused on life with Swansea, amid reports that Arsenal are weighing up a bid: "I've had a few texts off people telling me [about the Gunners' reported interest], but I just get on with my football. I'm enjoying my football here and I think it's going great."

09.56 GMT: Roma boss Luis Enrique has told Corriere dello Sport that he is confident Daniele De Rossi will pledge his future to the club: "There is a negotiation between the club and the player. It's up to him to decide and I think he will stay. He is a very important player for us and I don't like the idea of thinking about a Roma without him. But I'm not worried, my only focus is on improving this team." FULL STORY

09.42 GMT: Birmingham City boss Chris Hughton has told the Birmingham Mail that he has received no official approaches for Liam Ridgewell: “There will be speculation but at this moment we’ve not had one inquiry for him.”

09.29 GMT: The Bolton News claims that Owen Coyle wants to bring Blackburn Rovers contract rebel Junior Hoilett to the Reebok Stadium.

09.13 GMT: Arsene Wenger says that he might be keen to extend Thierry Henry's loan spell until the end of the season, the way AC Milan did with David Beckham.

09.02 GMT: Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng has claimed Fulham have tried to sign him fron Ukrainian club Dnipro: "When the transfer window opened Fulham approached Dnipro to sign me on loan but my club flatly turned down the offer."

08.57 GMT: Nantes forward Florian Raspentino is the subject of interest from Caen and Brest, according to L'Equipe, with Udinese also thought to be considering a swoop after he rejected a new contract offer.

08.44 GMT: Over in Italy, the Corriere dello sport reports that Inter Milan are closing in on Carlos Tevez.

08.32 GMT: Staying in the Bundesliga, and former Bayern Munich midfielder Ze Roberto says he is plotting a potential return to Germany, having left Hamburg for Qatar last summer. The Brazil international is disillusioned with life in the Gulf state and has explained that he favours either a move back to his homeland or to the Bundesliga.

08.20 GMT: Time for us to take a trip around Europe now, with our first stop in Germany, where Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes is reportedly a €15m target for Bayern Munich.

08.10 GMT: As ususal we will start things off by taking a look around the English press:
Elsewhere, the Daily Mail says Arsenal are plotting a £3 million swoop for out-of-favour Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, while the same newspaper tips West Ham to up their bid for Huddersfield's Jordan Rhodes and thw Metro suggests Spurs are keen to make a £3 million offer for Aston Villa defender James Collins.

Daily Mirror: Blackburn Rovers want 20-year-old Bastia winger Wahbi Khazri as a replacement for Junior Hoilett; Harry Redknapp says that Newcastle striker Demba Ba has a £5 million release clause that will likely spark a rush to try and sign him; Ipswich want to take Norwich's Aaron Wilbraham across the Suffolk divide for £750,000.

The Sun: Niko Kranjcar is ready to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham; Stoke and West Ham are chasing Reading winger Jimmy Kebe; Hamburg want to extend Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma's loan for another year; Swansea have joined West Brom and Wolves in the fight to sign Bristol City's Nicky Maynard.

08.05 GMT: The headline story above is from The Sun - the only newspaper to pick up on the Paul Scholes return before it happened - which claims that Spain's new top-rate tax laws and an apparently increasingly difficult relationship with the Real Madrid fans have led Cristiano Ronaldo to consider his future at the Bernabeu.

08.00 GMT: Hello and welcome to a fresh week in the January transfer window; we'll be bringing you all the latest gossip and done deals from the world of football. After Henry signing for Arsenal on Friday and Paul Scholes returning to Man Utd on Sunday, we will be on the lookout for Chelsea snapping up Gianfranco Zola, Liverpool swooping for Robbie Fowler and Alan Shearer returning to Blackburn.


Upadated Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff (22 hours, 59 minutes ago)

FIFA/FIFPro World XI

Over 50,000 professional football players from across the globe submitted their votes for the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. Every voting player selected one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.

2011 is the third edition of this special FIFA/FIFPro award, and the team is as follows:

Iker Casillas; Daniel Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nemanja Vidic; Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi; Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney.

Check below if you have managed to predict the correct FIFA/FIFPro World XI and, consequently, have a chance to win a great prize!

FIFA honour Reds trio

Manchester United's record-breaking 2011 was acknowledged by the football world on Monday evening at FIFA's Ballon d'Or gala.

After a year in which he led the club to a historic 19th league championship and celebrated 25 years as United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson received the Presidential Award. Meanwhile two members of his title-winning squad - Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney - were named in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI, a select side of players considered to be the best in their positions in the world.

"This is very much appreciated," said Sir Alex on receiving his award in Zurich. "No matter the honour I get, I feel it's recognition for the 25 years of Manchester United. They always shared my vision and passion. I’ve been a very lucky manager. That makes Manchester United such a special club. The courage to play and the courage to try and win is more important than anything."

Rooney also featured in the FIFA Puskas Award - for the best goal scored in the world in 2011 - with his acrobatic winner against Manchester City last February making the top three. However, like Lionel Messi, Wayne was pipped to this honour by Neymar's solo effort in Santos' 5-4 defeat to Flamengo.

The FIFA/FIFPro World XI for 2011 contained players from just three clubs - Champions League final opponents United and Barcelona, plus the latter's great Spanish rivals Real Madrid. The full team was as follows: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos (both Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Nemanja Vidic (United), Daniel Alves, Andres Iniesta, Xavi (all Barcelona), Xabi Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo (both Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (United), Lionel Messi (Barcelona).

As for the top individual honours, Lionel Messi received the FIFA Ballon d'Or as World Player of the Year for the third year in a row, while his Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola won the FIFA World Coach of the Year award, for which Sir Alex was nominated.


Man United

EXCLUSIVE: Shilole feat AT - Dume dada

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: You Wanna See What JAY Z Bought RIHANNA For Christmas????

We just got word that this JEEP . . . that Rihanna Tweeted pics of this morning - was her CHRISTMAS GIFT - from Jay Z.

Nice . . .

Thriller in Manchester: Four things we learned from this FA Cup classic

Manchester City and Manchester United served up an FA Cup classic on Sunday as the Reds held on to beat the Blues and reach the fourth round.

Here Ian Ladyman looks at four things we have learned from the thrilling third round clash.

THE FA CUP IS NOT DEAD YET
Five goals, a controversial sending-off, a late surge and a comeback from a United great. Anyone who thinks this competition doesn’t matter should have been here.

CLASS REALLY IS PERMANENT
Paul Scholes’ return began with a poor piece of control that led to City’s second goal. But soon after that he was passing the ball in the same metronomic way he always did. Scholes made 71 passes in his 30-minute cameo, more than any City player and all but two team-mates (Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick).

UNITED STILL HAVE A PROBLEM IN GOAL
During his time as David de Gea’s understudy, Anders Lindegaard looked as though he had the confidence and the ability to step up. On Sunday, Lindegaard looked as nervous and unsure as his club-mate, spilling Sergio Aguero’s shot in the build-up to the second goal and fumbling a late free-kick.


MANCINI KNOWS HIS OWN MIND
City’s Italian manager still makes some peculiar decisions. Yesterday he chose Aleksandar Kolarov ahead of Gael Clichy and rested England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was not injured.

TUZO ZA FIFA UBORA DUNIANI: Washindi kujulikana leo!

Leo usiku huko Zurich, Uswisi Washindi wa Tuzo za Mchezaji Bora Duniani, Kocha Bora Duniani na Goli Zuri Duniani kwa Mwaka 2011 atajulikana katika hafla maalum.

Pamoja na Tuzo hizi kwa Wanaume pia Kinamama watawania Tuzo zao.

FIFA Ballon d’Or, ‘Mpira wa Dhahabu’==MCHEZAJI BORA DUNIANI
Wagombea wa Tuzo hii ni Wachezaji watatu, ambao wote wanachezea Spain kwenye La Liga, na nao ni Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo na Xavi.

Hii Tuzo ya FIFA Ballon d’Or ilianzishwa Mwaka jana na huendeshwa na FIFA pamoja na Gazeti la Ufaransa la Soka liitwalo ‘France Football’ kufuatia kuunganishwa Tuzo ya FIFA ya Mchezaji Bora Duniani, iliyokuwa ikiendeshwa na FIFA na Ballon d’Or, iliyokuwa ya France Football.

Jopo litakalochagua Mshindi wa Tuzo hiyo litakuwa ni mchanganyiko wa Waandishi wa Habari wa Kimataifa na Makocha wa Timu za Taifa na Makepteni wao.

Messi ndie alietwaa Tuzo hii ilipoanzishwa kwa mara ya kwanza hapo Mwaka jana na pia alitwaa Tuzo ya Mchezaji Bora Duniani Mwaka 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo, ambae sasa ni Mchezaji wa Real Madrid, alishinda Tuzo hiyo Mwaka 2008 wakati akiwa na Manchester United.

Ikiwa Messi ataitwaa tena Tuzo hii ataungana na Kiungo wa zamani wa France Michel Platini na wale Magwiji wa Uholanzi, Johan Cruyff na Marco van Basten, kwa kuwa Wachezaji pekee kuichukua mara tatu.

Kocha Bora Duniani
Wagombea wa Tuzo ya Kocha Bora Duniani ni Pep Guardiola wa Barcelona, Bosi wa Real Madrid Jose Mourinho na Meneja wa Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson.

Wagombea Goli Zuri la Mwaka
Wale watakaowania Tuzo ya FIFA iitwayo Puskas kwa Mchezaji aliefunga Goli zuri la kuvutia kwa Mwaka 2011 ni Lionel Messi (Argentina), Neymar (Brazil) na Wayne Rooney (England).

Washindi wa zamani wa Ballon d'Or:
1956 - Stanley Matthews
1957 - Alfredo Di Stefano
1958 - Raymond Kopa
1959 - Alfredo Di Stefano
1960 - Luis Suarez
1961 - Omar Sivori
1962 - Josef Masopust
1963 - Lev Yashin
1964 - Denis Law
1965 - Eusebio
1966 - Bobby Charlton
1967 - Florian Albert
1968 - George Best
1969 - Gianni Rivera
1970 - Gerd Mueller
1971 - Johan Cruyff
1972 - Franz Beckenbauer
1973 - Johan Cruyff
1974 - Johan Cruyff
1975 - Oleg Blokhin
1976 - Franz Beckenbauer
1977 - Allan Simonsen
1978 - Kevin Keegan
1979 - Kevin Keegan
1980 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
1981 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
1982 - Paolo Rossi
1983 - Michel Platini
1984 - Michel Platini
1985 - Michel Platini
1986 - Igor Belanov
1987 - Ruud Gullit
1988 - Marco van Basten
1989 - Marco van Basten
1990 - Lothar Matthaeus
1991 - Jean-Pierre Papin
1992 - Marco van Basten
1993 - Roberto Baggio
1994 - Hristo Stoichkov
1995 - George Weah
1996 - Matthias Sammer
1997 - Ronaldo
1998 - Zinedine Zidane
1999 - Rivaldo
2000 - Luis Figo
2001 - Michael Owen
2002 - Ronaldo
2003 - Pavel Nedved
2004 - Andriy Shevchenko
2005 - Ronaldinho
2006 - Fabio Cannavaro
2007 - Kaka
2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo
2009 - Lionel Messi
2010 - Messi


Na Soka In Bongo

PUSKAS AWARD 2011 - Rooney Neymar Messi -Goals of the Year nominees - best goal of 2011

United players were in dark over Scholes return, says Rooney

Wayne Rooney revealed that even the Manchester United players did not know Paul Scholes was making a comeback until he arrived in the away dressing room at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Scholes played for 35 minutes after badgering United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to allow him to come out of retirement until the end of the season.

The 37-year-old had been involved in some first-team training sessions in recent weeks but his team-mates presumed he was only there — along with members of the club’s youth squad — to make up the numbers.

United striker Rooney said: ‘It was a bit of a shock to be honest. We didn’t know until we were in the dressing room. It’s great. It’ll give everyone a lift. Everyone knows what a fantastic player he is and I thought he showed his quality when he came on.’

Scholes’s return started inauspiciously yesterday as he gave the ball away in the build-up to City’s second goal, scored by Sergio Aguero.

But he went on to play a key role in United’s second-half rearguard action. Afterwards Ferguson said he was delighted to have the midfielder back in his side.

‘He came to see me and said he wanted to come back, he was missing it too much. There were no negatives as far as I’m concerned.

‘The players were fantastic about it, the fans I’m sure will be happy and I’m happy. Everyone knows he’s one of the greatest players in Manchester United’s history.

‘He’s a fantastic footballer and there’s no loss to his real fitness which is important.
He’s sometimes missed three or four months with injuries, so it’s more or less the same kind of scenario.’

By IAN LADYMAN

Man Utd land Liverpool trip

Manchester United's reward for beating Manchester City in the FA Cup was a Fourth Round trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool.

The game will be the first meeting of the two sides since the controversial clash in October when Liverpool forward Luis Suarez racially abused United defender Patrice Evra. Liverpool accepted an eight-match ban for the Uruguayan over the incident earlier this month.

Players from United and Liverpool reacted positively to the draw on Twitter.

United defender Rio Ferdinand Tweeted: ''Liverpool away...what a tie! Great game for the £FaCup + our fans! Let's av iiiiiit! Roll on the 4th round.''

Reds midfielder Charlie Adam added: ''Great draw man united @ home that's the FA cup.''

QPR will host west London neighbours Chelsea if they can overcome the MK Dons in a replay at Loftus Road.

Chelsea captain John Terry could make a first return to the ground since he was accused of racially abusing Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, a matter which has become the subject of a criminal case and an accusation which he strenuously denies.

As well as Liverpool versus Manchester United, there are two other definite all-Premier League ties with West Brom hosting Norwich and Everton welcoming Fulham to Goodison Park.

Arsenal will be at home to Aston Villa if they can overcome Leeds at the Emirates Stadium on Monday, while Bolton will take on Swansea at the Reebok Stadium if they see off Macclesfield in a replay having drawn 2-2 at Moss Rose on Saturday.

Swindon, who upset the odds to knock out Wigan on Saturday, will face a trip to the east midlands in round four to take on either Nottingham Forest or Leicester.

Crawley will take on Hull after the League Two side knocked Championship club Bristol City out on Saturday.

The ties will be played on January 28, 29 and 30.


By ESPNsoccernet staff

BREAKING NEWS!! Beyonce Gave Birth - And It's A GIRL . . . Named Ivy Blue!!!

Congrats To Beyonce and Jay Z - Bey gave birth last night inside a NYC hospital. The baby, who was born nearly 7 pounds and with distinct "chocolate skin", is name Ivy Blue.

Beyoncé checked into NYCs Lennox Hill Hospital on the Upper East Side under the name Ingrid Jackson, yesterday afternoon.She booked out the entire fourth floor, spending $1.3million.

On Saturday night, deliveries of takeaway food and bottles of red wine were being delivered to the hospital's private wing.

So what does the baby look like. A family friend told MediaTakeOut.com, baby Ivy is "brown like Jay Z and has Jay's nose, ears, and mouth. She's adorable."

PREGNANT???? Kim Kardashian Is Photo'd Sporting A BABY BULGE!!!

Normally Kim Kardashian would have SPANXED that bulge away. Especially given that she's the one who CONTACTED THE PAPARAZI to take this flick.

How much you wanna bet this chick is KNOCKED UP!!!

United hold on for victory

Wayne Rooney scored twice and Manchester United held off a dramatic fightback from 10-man Manchester City to win a pulsating FA Cup derby at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.

United thrillingly led 3-0 after a remarkable first half in which Rooney headed the opening two goals, Danny Welbeck added another and City captain Vincent Kompany was sent off.

City hit back after the break with goals through Aleksandar Kolarov and Sergio Aguero, but United, for whom Paul Scholes came out of retirement to make a substitute appearance, held on to end City's cup defence in the third round.

The game, played on a greasy surface in continual drizzle, more than lived up to all the pre-match hype. At one stage it seemed United were on course to avenge their 6-1 thrashing last October in the most incredible fashion but City's recovery left them to settle for a narrow win.

Nevertheless, it was Premier League leaders City's first home defeat since December 2010 and reminded them that United remain in the way of their bid for domestic dominance.

The afternoon began unbelievably enough as United announced prior to kick-off that 37-year-old Scholes had rejoined the playing staff to help them through their injury problems and would be on the bench, having retired at the end of last season.

Yet what followed was even more dramatic as Rooney, after speculation over his own future, made an emphatic statement and United, initially, were ruthless in taking advantage of Kompany's dismissal.

There was little hint of that as City pressed United's reorganised defence in the opening minutes. Chris Smalling slotted in at centre-back alongside Rio Ferdinand while Phil Jones was moved to right-back.

Anders Lindegaard, again preferred to David de Gea in goal, was almost caught out by Sergio Aguero as he delayed a clearance but escaped with a goal kick.

The game exploded into life as United took the lead against the run of play in the 10th minute. Antonio Valencia found space on the right as the visitors counter-attacked and delivered a cross for Rooney, who had laid the ball off to the winger, to power home a superb header off the underside of the bar.

The England striker showed great technique as he rose above the City defence and then ran away to celebrate clutching the United badge on his shirt.

City were then dealt an immediate blow to their hopes of making a quick replay as Kompany was sent off for a challenge on Nani. Kompany clearly won the ball but referee Chris Foy showed a straight red card for the offence of lunging forward with both feet.

City were angry with the decision but recovered their composure and Aguero brought a fine save from Lindegaard from distance. David Silva then had a shot deflected wide and Aguero fired into the side-netting but United remained a threat on the break and took control after 30 minutes.

Nani was denied shooting space on the edge of the box but he fed the ball wide to Patrice Evra, who crossed low. Samir Nasri attempted to clear but did not make firm contact and Welbeck hooked in his seventh goal of the season on the volley.

Things got worse for City as they conceded a penalty six minutes before half-time when Kolarov brought down Welbeck. Costel Pantilimon, playing in place of the rested Joe Hart, saved Rooney's spot-kick but was unable to deny the United forward as he followed up to head in the rebound.

It seemed the best City could achieve in the second half was damage limitation, but they gave themselves hope as Kolarov pulled one back after 48 minutes. Evra was booked for felling Micah Richards outside the area and Kolarov stepped up to bend a superb free-kick around the wall and into the net.

Scholes came off the bench to make an unexpected 677th United appearance when he replaced Nani just before the hour. United wanted another penalty moments later when Valencia went over as Kolarov challenged him just inside the box but Foy gave nothing.

City got themselves right back into the game after 65 minutes as Milner nicked the ball off Scholes following a throw-in and whipped the ball in for Aguero. The Argentinian shot straight at Lindegaard but the Dane could only parry and Aguero blasted in the loose ball.

Scholes got his first sight of goal when he struck a trademark long-range shot after 71 minutes but Pantilimon saved comfortably. City sent on former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves in place of Nasri with eight minutes remaining.

City appealed long, but in vain, for a penalty when a low ball from Kolarov took a ricochet and appeared to catch Jones' arm. And City had United holding on as they pressed at every opportunity, but the ball would not fall for them in the box.

Richards attempted a spectacular overhead kick but failed to make contact. Kolarov tested Lindegaard with a free-kick in injury time but United, with victory in sight, scrambled the ball clear.


ESPN

Linah - Angalau