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text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} The Sport Review: “Antonio
Cassano would be ‘happy’ to join AC Milan” plus 4 more- Antonio Cassano would be ‘happy’ to join AC Milan - José María Olazábal to be named Ryder Cup captain - Ashes: England pay for failure to put Aussies to the sword - England won’t panic after Perth collapse, insists Strauss - Roma stun table-toppers AC Milan to reopen Scudetto race Antonio Cassano would be ‘happy’ to join AC Milan Posted: 19 Dec 2010 11:10 AM PST Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano has expressed his desire to join table-toppers AC Milan in January. Cassano, 28, is currently suspended by Sampdoria following an argument with the club’s president. As a result, the former Roma forward has not represented the Genoa-based side since October and looks set to leave in the transfer window. “Who wouldn’t want to play at a club which, together with Real Madrid, is the biggest in history?” Cassano said of AC Milan. “My experience in Madrid was a disaster, but I’d be happy to wear the Milan shirt. There are still details to define and let’s see what happens in the coming days.” AC Milan are be keen to find a suitable replacement for ageing striker Filippo Inzaghi and club president Adriano Galliani claims preliminary talks with Sampdoria have already taken place over Cassano’s possible transfer. “Cassano replaces Filippo Inzaghi, even though they have different characteristics,” said Galliani. “In any case, the deal is not done like many have been saying. We have to see what Sampdoria are asking and the agreement with the player.” However, a potential obstacle to any deal is a sell-on fee owed to Cassano’s former employers Real Madrid. The Spanish club will be due a €5m payment if the Italy international is sold before 2013. When asked about the fee owed to Real, Galliani said: “We have to understand who will pay Real Madrid the millions they are asking because it will certainly not be Milan.” Cassano has flourished during his four seasons at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, boasting a return of 41 goals in 110 appearances for Sampdoria. José María Olazábal to be named Ryder Cup captain Posted: 19 Dec 2010 10:37 AM PST Flamboyant Spaniard José María Olazábal is set to be named as the new European Ryder Cup Captain early next month. The 44-year-old’s challenge will be to lead Europe to back-to-back triumphs over America when the two sides meet again at Medinah, Chicago in 2012. He will succeed Colin Montgomerie whose European side triumphed at Celtic Manor back in September, completing a 14 ½ -13 ½ victory. In the immediate aftermath of the match Montgomerie announced that he would not be interested in retaining the captaincy and threw his support behind Ryder Cup veteran Olazábal. Olazábal's Ryder Cup career began in 1987 and he went on to play in seven cups as well as being assistant captain twice – to Nick Faldo in 2008 and Montgomerie in 2010. This experience surely sets him apart from any other potential candidates for the role. Indeed, the common perception seems to be that the decision has already been made in his favour. The Spaniard holds a place in Ryder Cup history as being part of the most successful pairing, alongside his fellow countryman Seve Ballesteros. The only question raised has surrounded Olazábal's long-running battle with arthritis, which has severely limited the number of tournaments he has been able to play in recent years. However, his passion and commitment to European golf is unquestioned and in the heated, partisan atmosphere of America, he just might be the perfect man for the job. Ashes: England pay for failure to put Aussies to the sword Posted: 19 Dec 2010 07:23 AM PST What a difference four days make. Before the last Ashes Test began in Perth in the early hours of Thursday morning, journalists in England and Australia were queuing up to salivate over the unprecedented strength of the England cricket team, whilst circling menacingly like vultures around the rotten, broken and beaten Aussies. After England's crushing defeat in the third Test was confirmed on Sunday morning, the press were similarly quick to back-handedly reinforce their original conclusions: England had failed due to complacency, not through want of superior talent, and class would surely out over the next two Tests. Refreshing though it may be for our quintessentially downbeat cricket press to continue to back Andrew Strauss and co, almost unequivocally, the 'complacency' line masks harsh realities. England failed to win the Perth Test because, in many ways, they are simply still not good enough. Despite the occasional on-the-field barb from Jimmy Anderson and interview bluster from Strauss and Kevin Pietersen to the contrary, England still lack that killer instinct; that real mean, spiteful hunger to crush an opponent without mercy. The Adelaide Test served notice of their ability to show this cold, calculated desire to win on occasion. England played almost perfect cricket, aided and abetted by an Australian team in disarray, and won handsomely. However, this was an exception to the rule. Even on the current Ashes tour, England have, on several occasions, proved themselves too able to lose concentration and lack a penetrative thrust in crucial situations – as well as highlighting that fragile self-belief remains a perpetual malaise. When Strauss won the toss on a fine, clear morning in Brisbane and chose to bat on a beautifully flat wicket, England's tailenders should have been sitting with their feet up while the top order ruthlessly batted the Aussies out of the game by tea of day two. Instead, the captain lasted three balls and the team were brushed aside for a woefully under-par 260. In Perth, with Australia flagging at 69-5 and 137-6 in their first innings on a green deck with the conditions encouraging late and devastating inswing to the right-handers, England should have made their superiority count. Instead, a couple of particularly loose spells from Steve Finn – who still looks too raw at Test level – and a lack of discipline from the rest of the England attack apart from Tremlett meant Australia recovered to post a defendable 268, but also crucially allowed Ponting's troops to rebuild their fractured morale. Two insipid batting collapses at Perth might have confounded those who had watched England reach 517-1 at Brisbane and 620-5 at Adelaide, but are symptomatic of a team who are unpredictable, and whose apologetic braggadocio barely masks a confidence that can crumble at will. Fifty-one all out against a mediocre West Indies side at Jamaica in April 2009 and collapsing from 194-3 to 222 all out in losing against a Pakistan team they had been dominant of at the Oval earlier this year are stark examples. Meanwhile, who can forget England succumbing to a disgraceful 102 all out in on the first morning of last year's Headingley Ashes Test, before Australia made 445. England are certainly not the abject band of ramshackle part-timers they often appeared in the dark days of the mid-90s. However, nor are they a team anywhere close to the great Australian team that dominated that period and much of the 00s. Lacking a natural match-winner in their seam attack of the ilk of the erratic but occasionally brilliant Mitchell Johnson, England rely on strong performances throughout the team, with tight bowling partnerships working over a batsman. Without Broad they have lost a measure of control, but they still have the tools capable of knocking over the Australians, provided everyone pulls their weight, and the team is prepared to go for the jugular. We will be given a telling insight into the character of this England team with how they perform in next week's Melbourne Test. Should they harness the same powers of rejuvenation which saw them comfortably dispose of Pakistan and Australia in the Tests which immediately followed the collapses mentioned above, then the Ashes will be returning safely to England – locating their killer instinct will be the vital ingredient in putting the Australians' Ashes hopes to the sword. England won’t panic after Perth collapse, insists Strauss Posted: 19 Dec 2010 06:43 AM PST Captain Andrew Strauss insists England’s 267-run defeat in the third Ashes Test in Perth will not spark panic. Australia’s emphatic victory levels the five-match series at 1-1 ahead of the next Test at Melboune which begins on Boxing Day. The hosts needed only 50 minutes on the fourth day to take England’s remaining five wickets as Ryan Harris finished with a Test-best 6-47 with England all out for 123. Strauss’s visitors resumed on 81-5, chasing an unlikely 391 to win in Perth, but Harris struck four times as England collapsed. “It’s very disappointing defeat. No doubt about it,” said Strauss afterwards. “We came fully expecting to play the same brand of cricket that we played in Adelaide. “We were in a great position after bowling them out for 268 and then being 70-odd for none in reply. The batting in both innings was sub-par. “But we have to retain a sense of perspective. This result doesn’t make us a bad team overnight.” The England captain added: “We need to retain the confidence we built from the first two Tests and come out all guns blazing in Melbourne. “Now is not a time for panic. It is important to retain the method that’s worked well.” Roma stun table-toppers AC Milan to reopen Scudetto race Posted: 19 Dec 2010 06:29 AM PST Roma’s 1-0 victory at the San Siro on Saturday brought an end to AC Milan’s seven game unbeaten run and blew the Serie A title chase wide open. It was Milan’s third home defeat of the season and it left their lead at the summit of the table at just six points having played a game more than their three closest rivals. Roma manager Claudio Ranieri said the three points were vital to his side’s title challenge after a victory which leaves them in fifth-place and seven points from the top. “Definitely a victory against first place means a lot,” said Ranieri. “If we had lost the psychological effect would have been devastating, winning keeps us alive [in the title race].” The opening exchanges saw the skilful Robinho test a Roma defence which has leaked 20 league goals in 17 matches. The Brazilian international drifted into the box and evaded Philippe Mexes’s challenge before releasing a delicate shot which grazed Doni’s right post. Milan’s best opportunity of the match fell to the prolific Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The forward, on loan from Barcelona, burst free of an otherwise watchful Roma rearguard and approached goalkeeper Alexander Doni head-on in the area. But the Sweden international was indecisive at the crucial moment and attempted a lob which failed to gain the required elevation and instead drifted safely into the palms of the Roma shot-stopper. And it was a careless blunder which was punished by former Milan star Marco Borriello in the second half. The 28-year-old had left the San Siro stadium in the summer after struggling to retain a regular slot in Milan’s first team. Jeremy Menez broke to the right-hand by-line and delivered a low cross which eventually fell to Borriello, whose shot ricocheted past the helpless Christian Abbiati. It proved decisive as Milan failed to rescue a point despite the introduction of Brazilian star Ronaldinho. After the match Roma’s Menez highlighted the importance of the victory and insisted Roma can still win their first title since 2001. “We have a good team,” said the French winger. “Before the break it is a very important victory. I feel the confidence of all, we have a lot of potential and we are able to win the Scudetto.” And manager Ranieri added: “We felt the presence of our away fans and the three points came. I’m happy for them, we gave a piece of joy and now our fans will have a nice Christmas.” “We must also commend Doni, who made a big save in the first half when he came face-to-face with Ibrahimovic.” You are subscribed to email updates from The Sport Review To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 -- Posted By Mas Item Arekjowo to The Sport Review at 12/19/2010 11:09:00 PM -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Gugukluhayat" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gugukluhayat?hl=en.
