General Football Chat

In this thread talk about injuries, suspensions or you teams results!

Let the chatting begin

Theres a rumour going round that David Villa is leaving Valencia, But I doubt he will leave at this current stage with the WC around the corner. However he may go after the World Cup.

If he does go who do you think will be the front runners to get his signture?

Togo are going to stay in Angola to play the African Cup of nations, to show there nations colours.

Hopefully they win the tournament. hopefully all that are injured have a speedy recovery.

I heard about this yesterday, they where advised to go by plane but went by bus. no matter how you travel you should always feel safe. the Togolese keeper is apparently in south africa undergoing sergery.

It looks like Sol Campbell is going to be making a return to Arsenal after he fronted for there reserves.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26583842-29437,00.html

I think Campbell is well past it and will only be cover for Gallas and TV

Hopefully Campbell gets a few first team appreances so people can see if he's still got it, It will take him a while to get used of the pace of the Premier League, as he was playing for Notts County, a League 2 side.

Liverpool have signed Maxi Rodriguez on a three and a half year deal.

Gary Caldwell has signed for Wigan on a four and a half year deal.

Reading have knocked Liverpool out of the FA cup with a 2-1 win. Liverpool haven't had the best season ever, thats for sure.

A Good Signing For Liverpool. Gary Caldwell Is A Great Pickup For Reading.

At Reading Beating Liverpool.

All Fifa World Cup Group Stage Fixtures.

Group A (all times EST, 2010)
June 12
00:00: South Africa v Mexico, Johannesburg
04:30: Uruguay v France, Cape Town

June 17
04:30: South Africa v Uruguay, Pretoria

June 18
04:30: France v Mexico, Polokwane

June 23
00:00: Mexico v Uruguay, Rustenburg
00:00: France v South Africa, Bloemfontein


Group B (all times EST, 2010)
June 12
21:30: Korea Republic v Greece, Port Elizabeth

June 13
00:00: Argentina v Nigeria, Johannesburg

June 17
21:30: Argentina v Korea Republic, Johannesburg

June 18
00:00: Greece v Nigeria, Bloemfontein

June 23
04:30: Nigeria v Korea Republic, Durban
04:30: Greece v Argentina, Polokwane


Group C (all times EST, 2010)
June 13
04:30: England v United States, Rustenburg
21:30: Algeria v Slovenia, Polokwane

June 19
00:00: Slovenia v United States, Johannesburg
04:30: England v Algeria, Cape Town

June 24
00:00: Slovenia v England, Port Elizabeth
00:00: United States v Algeria, Pretoria


Group D (all times EST, 2010)
June 14
00:00: Serbia v Ghana, Pretoria
04:30: Germany v Australia, Durban

June 18
21:30: Germany v Serbia, Port Elizabeth

June 20
00:00: Ghana v Australia, Rustenburg

June 24
04:30: Ghana v Germany, Johannesburg
04:30: Australia v Serbia, Nelspruit


Group E (all times EST, 2010)
June 14
21:30: Netherlands v Denmark, Johannesburg

June 15
00:00: Japan v Cameroon, Bloemfontein

June 19
21:30: Netherlands v Japan, Durban

June 20
04:30: Cameroon v Denmark, Pretoria

June 25
04:30: Denmark v Japan, Rustenburg
04:30: Cameroon v Netherlands, Cape Town


Group F (all times EST, 2010)
June 15
04:30: Italy v Paraguay, Cape Town
21:30: New Zealand v Slovakia, Rustenburg

June 20
21:30: Slovakia v Paraguay, Bloemfontein

June 21
00:00: Italy v New Zealand, Nelspruit

June 25
00:00: Slovakia v Italy, Johannesburg
00:00: Paraguay v New Zealand, Polokwane


Group G (all times EST, 2010)
June 16
00:00: Cote d'Ivoire v Portugal, Port Elizabeth
04:30: Brazil v Korea DPR, Johannesburg

June 21
04:30: Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire, Johannesburg
21:30: Portugal v Korea DPR, Cape Town

June 26
00:00: Portugal v Brazil, Durban
00:00: Korea DPR v Cote d'Ivoire, Nelspruit


Group H (all times EST, 2010)
June 16
21:30: Honduras v Chile, Nelspruit

June 17
00:00: Spain v Switzerland, Durban

June 22
00:00: Chile v Switzerland, Port Elizabeth
04:30: Spain v Honduras, Johannesburg

June 26
04:30: Chile v Spain, Pretoria
04:30: Switzerland v Honduras, Bloemfontein

Milson has been released by GCU after a series of injuries, he is going back to Brazil to find a club for the upcoming football season over there.

Torres is expected to be out of action for six weeks. Gerrard is also expected to miss a fortnight with a hamstring strain.

France's Thierry Henry escapes FIFA punishment for his infamous handball
From correspondents in Zurich, Switzerland

January 19, 2010 France captain Thierry Henry has escaped punishment from FIFA for his infamous handball in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals play-off against the Republic of Ireland in November.

France were losing 1-0 to Ireland at the Stade de France on November 18, having won the first leg 1-0, when Henry teed up William Gallas in extra-time for what proved to be the decisive goal after controlling the ball with his hand.

FIFA's disciplinary committee said it was powerless to punish the 1998 World Cup-winning striker because their rules forbade them to do so if the original misdemanour had not been seen by the match officials.

"On December 2, 2009, the FIFA executive committee asked the FIFA disciplinary committee to analyse the handling offence committed by Thierry Henry during the France v Republic of Ireland match on November 18, 2009, and to consider the possible disciplinary consequences," read the statement from the committee.

"At its meeting on January 18, 2010, the disciplinary committee reached the conclusion that there was no legal foundation for the committee to consider the case because handling the ball cannot be regarded as a serious infringement as stipulated in article 77a) of the FIFA disciplinary code.

"There is no other legal text that would allow the committee to impose sanctions for any incidents missed by match officials."

Bernard Escalettes, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), said he hoped this finally drew a line under the episode.

"Thierry Henry not being punished is not astonishing, it is logical,'' Escalettes said.

"There is nothing in the FIFA rules permitting a punishment, and FIFA are bound by their rules. I hope that this is the end of the story, I hope so with all my heart.''

The meeting of the 21-man disciplinary panel, an independent body chaired by the Swiss Marcel Mathier, was announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Cape Town on December 2 following an extraordinary executive committee meeting.

"I had a phone conversation with Thierry Henry,'' said Blatter at the time.

"We didn't talk about guilty or not guilty. It was a conversation between sportsmen. I didn't say that he would be punished, I said he'd be the subject of an investigation.''

Blatter's diplomacy can be explained by the lack of precedent regarding retrospective punishments meted out to players.

Any punishment meted out would have been purely a symbolic one as FIFA's rules do not explicitly address incidents of such a nature and a heavy punishment would have created an unwelcome precedent for world football's governing body.

Blatter, meanwhile, has raised the possibilty of awarding "moral compensation'' to the Ireland.

"That could be a special trophy or a prize, we'll have to see,'' he said.


Agence France-Presse

This controversy is finally over now Henry can concentrate on getting to the World Cup and and leading france to the trophy

An injury ravanged Barcelona suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Athletico Madrid. This is Barcas first loss for the season they are still top of the table by 2 points. Meanwhile crosstown rivals real Madrid beat Xerez 3-0 with Ronaldo netting a double.

Robinho has gone back to Santos to recapture some form and get a place in the Brazil world cup sqaud. Jernaine Defoe has been on fire for Spurs this season seems to be able to score from anywhere. I wonder who Real Madrid wil be eyeing a this transfer window they always seem to be looking for someone to add to there squad.