Soccer News
Time running out for De Boer
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| Dutch defender Wilfred Bouma (L) shakes hands with Dutch defender and captain Frank De Boer (R) as he replaces him, 26 June 2004 at the Algarve stadium in Faro, during the Euro 2004 quarter final match between Sweden and The Netherlands at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Yuri KADOBNOV |
Dutch captain Frank de Boer is almost certainly out of Wednesday's semi-final against Portugal, coach Dick Advocaat said Monday.
The defender limped off in the second half of Saturday's quarter-final win over Sweden with an injured foot and was replaced by Wilfred Bouma.
"It will be very difficult for him to play. We'll know how serious it is after he's been to hospital," said Advocaat.
The 34-year-old de Boer holds a special place in the Dutch team, holding a record 112 caps for his country.
Gerrard confirms his Liverpool future
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| England's midfielder Steven Gerrard (R) jubilates after his goal next to Switzerland's midfielder Christoph Spycher, 17 June 2004 at Coimbra's stadium, during their Euro 2004 group B football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. England won 3-0. AFP PHOTO Aris MESSINIS |
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on Monday ended speculation about a possible transfer by confirming that he would stay at Anfield.
"For the first time in my career I thought about the possibility of moving on but after coming home from Euro 2004 and sitting down with my family and spending time with my agent I have decided I am staying on at Liverpool Football Club," he said.
Liverpool said in a statement: "The news will come as a huge relief to Liverpudlians everywhere who feared the club was set to lose the services of their highly influential captain."
Hitzfeld close to decision
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| (FILES) A picture taken 15 May 2004 shows former Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld during a match of his first division football club against Stuttgart. German national team coach Rudi Voeller announced 24 June 2004 he had resigned after the three-time European champions crashed out of Euro 2004. Hitzfeld's name was brought up in the context of Voeller's succession. AFP PHOTO DDP/OLIVER LANG GERMANY OUT |
Ottmar Hitzfeld will decide in the next 10 days whether he will succeed Rudi Voller as German coach, the former Bayern Munich handler said on Monday.
The 55-year-old held talks with German Football Federation president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder over the weekend.
"I will give an answer as to whether I take the job or not within 10 days," said Hitzfeld, who is known as 'The Gentleman'.
"First I must speak to my family," added the former mathematics teacher, who has said that his wife would prefer he did something else after the stresses and strains of the Bayern job.
Postiga gets Deco praise
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| Portugal's forward Helder Postiga celebrates after scoring against England, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships quarterfinal match between Portugal and England at The Luz Stadium in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS |
After a dreadful season with Tottenham, Portuguese striker Helder Postiga came to Euro expecting to be on the bench, but his goal which helped to sink England could transform his career, midfield dynamo Deco said on Monday.
"Against England he showed his class and quality. I think he's going to become one of the best strikers in Europe in the next few years," Deco said of his former FC Porto teammate who joined Spurs a year ago but scored just once in the Premiership as he struggled to adapt.
Nedved fears new final heartbreak
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| Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved applauses, 27 June 2004 at Dragao stadium in Porto, at the end of the Euro 2004 quarter final football match between Czech Republic and Denmark at the European Nations championship in Portugal. Czech Republic won the match 3 to 0. AFP PHOTO FRANCK FIFE |
Pavel Nedved has slammed the refereeing which may see him miss a major final for the second time in his career after being shown yellow for tripping Jesper Gronkjaer during the Czechs' 3-0 win over Denmark, though TV replays show Gronkjaer blatantly play-acting.
Nedved missed the 2003 Champions League final against AC Milan for the same reason.
"It wasn't a foul. I didn't do anything to be punished," Nedved said of the incident with Gronkjaer.
"Now I know that if I get another yellow card I would miss the final and that would be terrible, especially after what happened with Juve.
United mad to sell Ruud: Advocaat
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| Dutch forward Ruud Van Nistelrooy (background ) looks at the ball he kicked in front of Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson and defender Olof Mellberg, 26 June 2004 at the Algarve stadium in Faro, during the Euro 2004 quarter final match between Sweden and The Netherlands at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
Dutch coach Dick Advocaat is perplexed by reports suggesting Manchester United might sell off Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid to fund the purchase of Everton prodigy Wayne Rooney.
"In my opinion Ruud's the best striker around - it's' incredible how he's playing. He works his socks off and you can see he's desperate to get the result he wants - to get into the final and score more goals."
"As far as I know Ruud's just signed (a contract at United) for another four years. He's happy there, the manager's happy with him, everybody's happy with him - why would he go?"
Koller wary of Greek tussle
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| Czech forward Jan Koller (L) heads the ball next to Danish defender Martin Laursen (N°4) 27 June 2004 at Dragao stadium in Porto, during the Euro 2004 quarter final match between Czech Republic and Denmark at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
The Czech Republic's giant striker Jan Koller has warned that Thursday's semi-final against Greece may not be pretty to watch and believes his side are in for a tough time against a well-disciplined team.
"It's going to be very physical," said the Borussia Dortmund marksman, at 2.02 metres (6ft 7ins) the tallest player in the tournament.
"The Greeks will be very difficult opponents. They are extremely well organised, so it won't be easy to break them down.
The Czech Republic have scored ten goals in four ties so far.
Olsen laments errors
Denmark coach Morten Olsen said his side paid a heavy price for making silly mistakes in Sunday's 3-0 quarter-final defeat to the Czech Republic.
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| Danish football coach Morten Olsen is seen during a press briefing, 24 June 2004 at the Le Meridien Golf and Country Club in Portimao on the Algarve coast in Portugal during the European nations championship. Denmark will play the Czech Republic in a Euro 2004 quarter-final match, 27 June in Porto. AFP PHOTO - SVEN NACKSTRAND |
"The game changed because we made the first mistake and we have to live with that. I feel terrible because I thought we could win this tournament - we had great ambitions. You have to put your chances away and we didn't do that," said the former former Ajax coach.
"They took their opportunities and after the second goal went in, it was always going to be tough to come back."
Madrid angry with Beckham
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| England's David Beckham plays with the ball during a training session with his team, 11 June 2004, at the Estadio Nacional, in Lisbon in preparation for the European Nations championship. England will play 13 June its opening game at the Euro 2004 vs title-holder France. |
Real Madrid have hit back at David Beckham's claims that poor physical training at the Spanish giants left him short of fitness for Euro.
Real Madrid President Florentino Perez said Beckham needed to look at his personal commitment to staying fit.
"We understand your concerns, David. We agree with you that training was not up to it," Perez said."But who did not train at all during the Christmas break? Who keeps flying back to England when asked to rest?"
Beckham had previously said: "I don't think we've done as much conditioning work at Real Madrid as we used to do at Manchester United."
Baros hits out at Houllier
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| Czech forward Milan Baros celebrates after scoring the second goal for his team, 27 June 2004 at Dragao stadium in Porto, during the quarter final Euro 2004 football match between Czech Republic and Denmark at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Joe KLAMAR |
Euro top scorer Milan Baros says he would have walked out on Liverpool if Gerard Houllier had not been sacked as manager.
"Houllier knocked the confidence out of me," the five goal striker has said. "I wasn't being picked and I thought it would be best to leave Liverpool in the summer.
But the 22-year-old has pledged his immediate future to Liverpool and new boss Rafael Benitez.
"Every player will start next season from the same point under Rafael Benitez and we will all have something to prove. With the old manager gone, I now want to stay and be a part of it."