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Argentina count on forwards
Spare Dhoni, he’s still one of the best skippers: Murali
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Afridi, Razzaq planning Test retirement?
Boxing course concludes
Lajong hits out at Bagan, East Bengal
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Argentina count on forwards
The big surprise was the inclusion of defender Ariel Garce, who played his first international match for Argentina earlier this month against Haiti. The list released yesterday includes tremendous power up front, led by Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain. Argentina faces Canada on Monday at River Plate's stadium in Buenos Aires, in what is expected to be its last warm-up before the World Cup. The 1978 and '86 champion opens on June 12 in South Africa against Nigeria and also faces Greece and South Korea in Group B. Argentine officials confirmed for the first time that the team will depart for South Africa on May 28. Maradona, who presented a provisional 30-man squad last week, selected a group that includes three goalkeepers, seven defenders, seven at midfield and six forwards. Maradona will have as many weapons as any coach in the World Cup. He is likely to start Messi with Tevez or Higuain up front with a midfield anchored by Javier Mascherano, Juan Sebastian Veron, Jonas Gutierrez and Angel Di Maria. The four starters on defense are expected to be Nicolas Otamendi, Martin Demichelis, Walter Samuel and Gabriel Heinze. The starting goalkeeper is almost sure to be Sergio Romero of Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. Garce was one of the few surprises, having played only once with the national team in a 4-0 victory over Haiti earlier this month. Garce was suspended for six months for doping in 2006 and plays for the Argentine club Colon. He was preferred to Inter Milan defender and captain Javier Zanetti. Argentina struggled to reach the World Cup, qualifying fourth — the last automatic spot from South America. Maradona has been in charge for 19 months but has failed to show the same great flair as a coach that he had as a player. Maradona was invisible yesterday, but was expected to hold a news conference over the weekend. The Argentine federation released the player list on its website, which was clogged for several hours as fans scurried to see the final squad.
— AP Diego’s Men Defenders: Nicolas
Otamendi, Martin Demichelis, Walter Samuel, Gabriel Heinze, Nicolas
Burdisso, Ariel Garce, Clemente Rodriguez Midfielders: Jonas
Gutierrez, Juan Sebastian Veron, Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria,
Javier Pastore, Maxi Rodriguez, Mario Bolatti Forwards: Lionel
Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez, Diego Milito, Sergio Aguero,
Martin Palermo.
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Spare Dhoni, he’s still one of the best skippers: Murali
"He is one of the best captains. He won the IPL for Chennai Super Kings. A week later India were knocked out of the World Cup and in India when you win you are the best but when you lose you become the worst," Muralitharan quipped. "But you cannot become the worst in just a week. The media cannot bring him down like that," the off-spinner said. Apart from the team's poor batting and fitness, critics attributed India's dismal show to Dhoni's uninspiring captaincy as well. Muralitharan said India cannot be overnight labelled a bad team as it has proved itself in the Test and ODI arena. "They don't lack skill. They are the number one in Tests and number two in ODIs. You cannot reach there if you don't have the skills," he reasoned on the sidelines of a function to announce the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) awards which would be held in Sri Lanka this year. "Twenty20 is a game anybody can win on his day. While in Tests and ODIs, there is time for you to come back. There is no such thing in Twenty20. India had a good team but they lost the grip after winning two matches initially. In Twenty20 you need a bit of luck also."England was the best team and they won the title but Australia won all their matches and lost in the final. It just shows that you need some luck too. Like in IPL, the game can change in just one over," he said. As for the IPL post-match parties, which Dhoni had blamed for exhausting players, Muralitharan said he never attended any of them. "No, I don't think it's fair to blame the IPL. I never attended the parties. As a franchisee, we never attended those parties. So, I cannot say," he said. Nursing a groin now, the ace off-spinner is all set for a comeback in next month's Asia Cup.
— PTI |
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Blanc to replace Domenech after World Cup
Paris, May 20 The 44-year-old took over as coach of Girondins Bordeaux three years ago, leading them to a Ligue 1 and League Cup double last season. The FFF "confirmed the choice of Laurent Blanc as national team coach after the 201O World Cup", the ruling body said in a statement issued after a council meeting in Paris. The Federation said it would make no further comment until Blanc officially signs his contract and did not specify when that would happen. The last significant hurdle was cleared on Thursday when the FFF said they had reached an agreement with Girondins, meaning there should be a financial compensation for the club, Blanc having a year left in his contract. Blanc told Bordeaux on Sunday he wanted to leave the club to take the France job. Girondins had reacted by saying they would expect financial compensation for letting him go. Blanc, who also won the European Championship with France in 2000, played for several leading clubs including Barcelona, Olympique Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United. An elegant sweeper in his playing days, he has been dubbed "the President" for his leadership skills since then. — Reuters |
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Afridi, Razzaq planning Test retirement?
Karachi, May 20 "They are not interested in playing Test matches any longer and just want to concentrate on extending their international careers in the one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches," a source said. Both Afridi and Razzaq last played a Test match in 2006. He pointed out that both the players were not interested in touring England for the Test matches against Australia and England because they wanted to spend more time with their families. "Afridi and Razzaq feel that there is too much cricket being played these days and they are not in a condition to take part in this non-stop calendar of events. Which is why they have decided to step down from Tests and allow the selectors to pick younger players," another source added. The PCB and its national selectors are due to meet next week to finalise the squads for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the Test tour to England.
— PTI |
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Boxing course concludes
Patiala, May 20 He, while distributing T-shirts to the players, said this was a great effort on the part of the Punjab Amateur Boxing Association that had provided these players and opportunity to learn latest skills from foreign coaches. Raju Khanna also ensured every possible help for the development of proper boxing ring at the school. Coaches Petroni and Maxwell, while addressing the gathering, said it was a good learning experience for them as well. He said these pugilists were very dedicated and had shown remarkable improvement within one month. “I am sure that they will go a long way. The next generation are going to be wonder kids. India is already one of the top-boxing nations and the way this trend is growing, they will soon be number one,” added Petroni. |
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Lajong hits out at Bagan, East Bengal
Reacting to speculation that Mohun Bagan have approached their star defender Daniel Bidemi, Sawyan said: "I want to make it loud and clear that if we are to release any player, it will be at a cost. They should approach the club and talk to the management. However, both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal brushed aside the allegation. Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra refuted the charge saying, "we are not picking any player from Lajong."
— PTI |
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Buesnos Aires, May 20
Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, who has not played a Test since 2006, is planning to retire from the longer version of the game along with fellow all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. Sources said both the players would be meeting Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt next week to convey their decision.
Buesnos Aires, May 20
Goalkeepers:
Sergio Romero, Mariano Andujar, Diego Pozo
New Delhi, May 20
Shillong, May 20
Born on April 25, 1947, in Amsterdam, Cruijff is a retired Dutch footballer and current manager. He has won the Ballon d'Or three times-in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. Cruyff was the most famous exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
After his retirement from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later Barcelona; he remains an influential advisor to both clubs. His son Jordi has also gone on to play football professionally.
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