Iran have best team ever Football World Cup

Hannover striker Vahid Hashemian believes Iran have their best side ever leading into the World Cup in Germany this summer. "We definitely have the best team in our history. This team is very intelligent and mature," he said at Iran's training camp.
Bayern Munich's 2004 Asian player of the year Ali Karimi agrees: "In my opinion, we currently possess an extremely strong team, which with just a couple of exceptions, is also extremely young. That makes the current team exceptionally good."
Hashemian bagged a brace in helping Iran to a 2-1 qualifying victory over Japan in Teheran. "That was a vital victory. Four days later, we traveled to Korea DPR and won 2-0, completing a giant stride towards qualifying," he said.
The experienced striker thinks the praise should be laid squarely at the feet of Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic.
"Plenty of foreigners come to Iran, but disappear again after just a few months. He's hung on in there up to now, and understands the character of the Iranian team. He knows how to get us motivated."
Ivankovic was similar in his praise of the European-based players.
"I'm exceptionally pleased with the players from Germany. Their Bundesliga experience means a lot to us, because they'll help us win matches," he said.
"The authorities gave me enough time to inject the players with my philosophy of the game," Ivankovic added.

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FIFA to adopt new world rankings

FIFA is adopting a new world soccer ranking system to rate the world's top teams.

This will be released on July 12, three days after the World Cup ends.

"We don't think it's that bad at all, but there is always room for improvement," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said.

Under the ranking system, FIFA will take into account games played over the last four years.

Under the old system, it counted results over the last eight, which distorted current form.

FIFA's old system awarded team ranking points based on the importance of the games, relative strength of teams, goals scored and conceded, home or away, etc.

The new system takes into account most of the same factors, but weights them differently.

Major discrepancy

Under the old scheme, the United States rose to No 4 in April's rankings, its highest ever position.

The eye-popping rise occurred just a few weeks after the Americans were hammered 4-1 by World Cup host Germany.

"Maybe some guys were looking at that ranking a little bit too seriously," American goalkeeper Kasey Keller said after the loss.

The Americans have slipped slightly in the most recent poll, the last before the World Cup opens on June 9, into a tie for fifth with Spain.

Few serious soccer fans would place the Americans in the world's top 10, probably not even the top 15. A spot between 15 and 25 is more realistic.

Team rankings

Under FIFA's present system, five world soccer powers are ranked behind the US: France (8), Argentina (9), England (10), Italy (13) and Germany (19).

The only teams ranked ahead of the US in the May rankings were five-time World Cup champion Brazil, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Mexico.

Mexico's ranking also raises eyebrows. It probably should be ranked behind the Americans.

In the last 10 games between the two countries, the United States has won seven, including a 2-0 win in the round of 16 in the World Cup four years ago.

Mexico has two victories in that period.

Over a 20-game span dating back to 1994, the US have beaten Mexico nine times, with the Mexicans winning seven. Four were draws.

Seeking change

So why are the Americans and Mexicans so high in the present FIFA rankings?

Under the old system, FIFA gave the most weight to games in the World Cup finals, the continental championships and World Cup qualifiers.

The region in which the US is grouped, CONCACAF, plays a continental championship every two years. In Europe, it's every four.

In addition, CONCACAF plays almost 50 per cent more World Cup qualifiers than the average European country.

Under the new system, FIFA will adjust for these factors - and adjust more for the relatively weak CONCACAF group.

World Cup host Germany, which slipped to No 19, also suffered under the old system. As it qualified automatically for this World Cup, Germany played no qualifying games.

Egypt, the African Cup of Nations champion, is ranked two spots above Germany. Greece, the defending European champion, Tunisia, Uruguay and Iran are ranked right behind Germany. (AP)

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Walcott's girlfriend asks media for privacy

Walcott's girlfriend asks media for privacy



The teenage girlfriend of England World Cup squad member Theo Walcott today asked the media to respect her privacy while she revises for forthcoming AS-level exams.


Melanie Slade, 17, issued a joint statement with the Walcott family asking that they be left alone, just hours after she appeared at a charity publicity event.


The statement said that she would not be considering any of the "very kind requests for interviews or commercial offers" until after the World Cup.

[Read more]

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Teddy's Opinion: The mass media should respect the privacy for the other people. Melanie Slade is a 17 year-old girl. I hate the mass media ignore the privacy.

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Argentina : Pekerman selects 16 for Madrid meeting

Argentina : Pekerman selects 16 for Madrid meeting

Argentina coach Jose Pekerman has revealed the names of 16 players he will be meeting next Monday and Tuesday in Madrid. The list, containing some notable omissions, offers the first concrete sign of what Pekerman's final squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup will look like.

Of the 16 players called up on Friday, all but one are European-based. The exception is Boca Juniors goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, who will fly to Spain on Sunday night after a key game in his country's Clausura championship.

According to a statement from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the respective players' clubs had no objections to the meeting, which will not involve any physical work-outs or squad training. "The coach and his staff will take full advantage of the meeting to show videos, chat individually and collectively to the players, refresh concepts and assess the physical and medical well-being of those present," the AFA said.

Some sections of the country's media expressed surprise at the players not on the list, among them Javier Zanetti, Pablo Aimar and Martin Demichelis. However, several of these are involved in key end-of-season games with their clubs, and their absence does not rule out the possibility of inclusion in the final 23-man squad to be named on or before 15 May.

The list announced by Pekerman is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid, Spain)
Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Valencia, Spain), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan, Italy), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), Leandro Cufre (AS Roma, Italy), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United, England), Gabriel Milito (Real Zaragoza, Spain), Juan Pablo Sorin (Villarreal, Spain)
Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan, Italy), Luis Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal, Spain), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Lionel Scaloni (West Ham United, England)
Forwards: Hernan Crespo (Chelsea, England), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain).

[Source from : fifaworldcup.yahoo.com]

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England squad included Rooney and Walcott

England squad included Rooney and Walcott

The injured Manchester United FC forward Wayne Rooney has been named in Sven-Göran Eriksson's provisional 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Striking problems
The 20-year-old broke a metatarsal bone in United's 3-0 defeat by Chelsea FC on Saturday 29 April. He is not expected to be fit again until the second week of June at the earliest, with England due to open their campaign against Paraguay on 10 June. Fellow striker Michael Owen is also in the selection after just recovering from a similar problem.

'A gamble'
There was also a shock call-up for 17-year-old Theo Walcott, who has yet to play in the Premiership for Arsenal FC. "I thought a lot about it during the last month," said Eriksson. "It is a gamble, of course it is a gamble, I can't deny that. But it is a nice one. He is a great talent, the pace he has is incredible. Michael Owen will be fully fit to train 100 per cent with us. It is just for us to wait and hope and see with Wayne Rooney."

England squad

Goalkeepers: Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur FC), David James (Manchester City FC), Robert Green (Norwich City FC).

Defenders: Gary Neville (Manchester United FC), Sol Campbell (Arsenal FC), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United FC), John Terry (Chelsea FC), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool FC), Ashley Cole (Arsenal FC), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea FC).

Midfielders: David Beckham (Real Madrid CF), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC), Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC), Owen Hargreaves (FC Bayern München), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Michael Carrick (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Joe Cole (Chelsea FC), Stuart Downing (Middlesbrough FC), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur FC).

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United FC), Michael Owen (Newcastle United FC), Peter Crouch (Liverpool FC), Theo Walcott (Arsenal FC).

Standby: Scott Carson (Liverpool FC), Luke Young (Charlton Athletic FC), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham United FC), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace FC).

[Source from : uefa.com]

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