English Premier League OFM season

This is another OFM season I have completed this month.
I am pretty stoked about the results as it was absolutely tough league to play with.

It's funny how my top scorers are completed as. Lee Cattermole as top scorers LOL. But it's clear that I mostly use 4-5-1 format as my top scorers are Cattermole and Fabregas.

This is to display about my players. A few people asked me how I did create this team without spending actual money, It's actually a real basic thing of buy and sell thing. But the trick is to train and sell some players at crazy money. I was offered 100mil for Bendtner this season, but I refused to sell so that I can show you in lineup, but I sold Chinese Striker Yi @ 71million this seasson though.

So, basically, I ended up winning the league, but not the most points. But I am pretty happy with it even though I did not win the CUP.


 I am currnetly playing German League but i didn't expect to break some records, but I just enjoy playing.

Chelsea earned point from Kalou

Unlikely hero Salomon Kalou salvaged a point and preserved Chelsea's 85-game unbeaten home record at the end of a breathless 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

GlynKirk/GettyImages

Salomon Kalou heads home the leveller

The visitors had led for much of the contest following Park Ji-sung's first-half tap-in.

But 10 minutes from time, after Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack had tried and failed to break down United's stubborn defence, Kalou exposed United's poor offside trap by nodding home John Mikel Obi's free-kick 10 minutes from time.

Not for the first time in his illustrious career, Ferguson's team selection caused an outbreak of head scratching among United's army of fans.

Yet his choice of Park and Darren Fletcher worked a dream, especially with the Scot switching to the middle of midfield, a move that saw Owen Hargreaves take up a right-wing station.

Identifying Chelsea's full-backs Jose Bosingwa and Ashley Cole as major attacking threats, Ferguson chose to put his two most energetic men in direct opposition, keeping the home pair occupied defensively and stifling their threat in attack.

Despite their poor recent form, the Red Devils showed their attacking intent from the start, when Fletcher turned Hargreaves' low cross wide, and Chelsea, having lost Deco just before kick-off after the Portugal star was injured in the warm-up, could not get into their stride even though they could call upon Michael Ballack as replacement.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's team was further disrupted when Ricardo Carvalho hobbled off after just 12 minutes, so there was always a nagging fear Joe Cole's failure to find the net when he robbed Patrice Evra to give himself a clear sight of goal was going to prove costly.

Chelsea, already given one let off when Petr Cech's wayward clearance gave first Dimitar Berbatov, then Wayne Rooney the chance to launch speculative efforts at the home goal, survived again when Rooney set up Ferdinand, only for the home keeper to save with his legs.

But on their next attack, United finally prospered as Patrice Evra galloped past Bosingwa to reach Rooney's inspired through ball.

Evra's pinpoint cross found Berbatov and while Cech was once again equal to the shot, Park had the easiest of tasks to bundle home the rebound.

After spending nearly half an hour on the back foot, Chelsea finally got into their stride.

Gary Neville's back header spread panic in the visitors defence and when Edwin van der Sar came off worst in a collision with Florent Malouda, who might easily have scored, the veteran Dutchman was eventually forced from the field.

Chelsea's improved performance also brought out the spikier side in Paul Scholes, who was booked, although, with Nicolas Anelka also firing over on a couple of occasions, it was not until the arrival of Didier Drogba - following a brief delay due to an offending bracelet - that the home side really upped the ante.

Joe Cole should have done more with Anelka's low cross than prod it straight at Evra, then Jonny Evans - preferred to Wes Brown in central defence - got in the way of Bosingwa's shot.

Ferguson's response was to bring on Cristiano Ronaldo, who put the Chelsea defence on red alert with his direct running but also shamed himself with a blatant dive as Frank Lampard made a tackle.

In ignoring Anelka's pleas for a pass as Michael Ballack split United's defence wide open, Joe Cole needed to do better than blast his shot straight at Kuszczak, who was quickly becoming one of the visitors key men.

There would have been nothing the Pole could do to keep out Anelka's effort 18 minutes from time though as, from four yards out and with the goal at his mercy, the Frenchman inexplicably failed to make contact with Bosingwa's cross, the ball bouncing to safety off the Frenchman's standing leg.

But just as a wobbling Chelsea had eventually tumbled in the first-half, so United did the same 10 minutes from time.

In chopping down Ashley Cole, Rooney not only picked up his side's fifth booking. He also provided John Mikel Obi with the opportunity to float over a free-kick to the edge of the United six-yard box where the visitors, getting their marking and offside trap hopelessly wrong, left Kalou on his own to nod home the equaliser.

The game ended in bad tempered fashion as United, who had seven players booked, complained bitterly at referee Mike Riley for his handling of the game as Drogba was receiving treatment after being clattered by Ferdinand.

source: soccernet

city thrashed pompey

Manchester City's players put Portsmouth to the sword with a scintillating display in a 6-0 win that was timed perfectly to impress their watching new chairman.

AlexLivesey/GettyImages

Jo runs to celebrate with Robinho

With Khaldoon Al Mubarak in attendance, City - inspired by their superstar Brazilian Robinho - ripped Portsmouth apart with a six-goal spectacular.

Jo, Richard Dunne, Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips - plus substitutes Ched Evans and Gelson Fernandes - each scored in a stunning all-round display.

• Hughes delighted with super show

It was humiliation for Portsmouth, and in particular a match to forget for goalkeeper David James - who was partly culpable for several of the home side's goals.

Mark Hughes, the City manager, has been promised time to break into the top four by the club's new owners from Abu Dhabi. But after this, expectations will be sky-high.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp started off with an unfashionable 3-5-2 line-up and must have regretted it as City pulled the defence apart from the start.

James had already made two good saves, from Robinho and Wright-Phillips, when City went ahead in the 13th minute.

Jo, a handful for the centre-backs all afternoon, was the man to get it - as Al Mubarak applauded from the directors' box.

Robinho slid a pass that caught Younes Kaboul flat-footed to find his fellow Brazilian. As James came racing out, Jo rounded him easily and side-footed the ball into the empty net.

Peter Crouch glanced a header over the bar from a corner as Portsmouth tried to hit back quickly, but almost immediately were 2-0 down.

James had to shoulder some of the blame for this one. Elano's clever corner towards the near post nearly caught him out, and he could only parry the ball for Dunne to bundle home from close range.

Portsmouth then had a spell where they managed to match City and create several chances, but wasted their opportunities to claw their way back.

Crouch came within inches, slamming Glen Johnson's low centre just the wrong side of the post; then Kaboul spooned a shot over from 12 yards, after Sol Campbell had headed down Nadir Belhadj's free-kick.

Campbell saw his goal-bound header blocked on the line by Pablo Zabaleta, before Lassana Diarra's shot was diverted over his own bar by Dunne.

But Robinho could scent his second goal in as many games and the 24-year-old nearly scored with some outrageous skill, only to be denied by a block.

Within seconds of the re-start, Jermain Defoe burst through on goal ahead of Micah Richards but finished woefully - poking his shot wide ... and that was that for Portsmouth.

City's third goal arrived in the 57th minute - and to general delight in the stadium, the scorer was that man Robinho. It was made by the irrepressible Stephen Ireland, who robbed Armand Traore and floated a ball over the top for Jo to knock into his compatriot's path - and Robinho finished expertly with a low strike into the corner.

The fourth was if anything even more popular with the City fans, as Wright-Phillips made it on to the scoresheet. Ireland was the provider again, delivering a perfect pass for Wright-Phillips to run on to and hammer a shot from a narrow angle past James at his near post.

Evans made it five after Robinho's step-overs flummoxed Campbell; Wright-Phillips executed a Brazilian-style back-heel, and the 19-year-old Welshman completed the job neatly from eight yards out.

Portsmouth were so shell-shocked it was no surprise when the sixth arrived. Robinho's cross from the left was dangerous; James just managed to stop Wright-Phillips from getting to it, but Fernandes followed up to slam the loose ball home.

Robinho was given a thunderous standing ovation when he was substituted with a few minutes remaining, before Evans crashed a volley a couple of yards too high.

Only the final whistle brought relief for Portsmouth.

Hughes delighted with super show

Mark Hughes saluted his six-shooters after Manchester City crushed Portsmouth to signal the start of the new era at Eastlands.

He said: "It was the best performance by one of my teams by a country mile. If you had to pick any day to impress people today was the day to do it.

"From start to finish our drive and determination and our ability to pick the right pass and create chances was evident for all to see. It was a fantastic day for us.

"Portsmouth are a good side but today they were not allowed to play their game.''

Jo, Richard Dunne, Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips plus substitutes Ched Evans and Gelson Fernandes each scored in a stunning all-round display.

Hughes picked out Robinho, Stephen Ireland, Wright-Phillips and Vincent Kompany as the star performers.

He added: "There were outstanding personal performances within a great team performance.

"Stephen Ireland again was exceptional and has been for many weeks, and we hope we can sustain him.

"Robinho will grab headlines and rightly so and there were good performances by Vincent and Shaun and a clean sheet as well.

"In the end I was taking people off to allow them a standing ovation - and that's the only reason I made the substitutions to be perfectly honest.''

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was shell-shocked and admitted his defence and goalkeeper David James had an awful game.

Redknapp said: "I'm bitterly disappointed - I didn't see that coming as we were a team on form on the back of three fantastic wins .

"We gave away two terrible goals in the first half, but towards the end of the first half we had some chances and thought we could get back into this game.

"Jermain Defoe had a chance just after the break and then they played a pass and there were two of them running through on our goal. Our defensive play today was abysmal.''

Redknapp said he was not envious about Hughes spending power, and insisted his defence had played out of character.

He added: "It was a chapter of errors and they did not have much to say for themselves afterwards.

"Tomorrow we will have a meeting and look at all the goals and where we went wrong.'

source: soccernet

Man Utd bus was attacked

Manchester United's team bus was attacked as it left Stamford Bridge tonight.


Sir Alex Ferguson's side were making their way to Euston for their return journey to the north-west after the 1-1 draw with Chelsea when a bottle was hurled at the windscreen.

No-one was injured, although the windscreen was cracked.

Nevertheless, the team continued on their short trip across London without further incident.

United officials were eager to play down the incident afterwards.

"Yes. There was an incident but the matter is now in the hands of the police,'' said a club spokesman.

Last time United visited the stadium Patrice Evra became involved in a heated post-match exchange with Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell which is still the subject of an FA investigation while Rio Ferdinand was forced to apologise to a female steward after kicking a ball at her in anger.

Today's encounter was not much less contentious, with United picking up seven yellow cards from referee Mike Riley which will now see them fined by the FA.

A Chelsea statement tonight read: "We are aware of reports of an altercation with the Manchester United bus as it left the Stamford Bridge area.

"It appears to be an isolated incident but we have launched a full investigation in conjunction with local authorities.

"We do not condone violence in any shape or form. If, as a result of our investigations, we find that any Chelsea supporters were involved we will take appropriate action against those individuals.''

Arsenal welcome Kroenke on board

Arsenal have welcomed American billionaire Stan Kroenke onto their board as a non-executive director as they attempt to stave off a potential takeover from Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov.

AP

Stan Kroenke: Arsenal's unexpected knight in shining armour.

The billionaire owner of Kroenke Sports Enterprises holds 12.4% of shares in Arsenal Holdings PLC and his appointment marks a thaw in the relationship between himself and Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood. However, Kroenke has not signed up to the 'lockdown' agreement drawn up by board members last year which prevents the trading of shares without the consent of fellow directors.

Following Kroenke's initial investment in April 2007 Hill-Wood famously remarked that Arsenal did not want "his sort"; but the club's directors have been establishing closer links with the American since Russian billionaire Usmanov, the club's largest shareholder, began raising his stake in the club to 24.9%.

In a statement released on Friday morning the Gunners hierarchy claimed Kroenke was fully behind their business model - a thinly-veiled attack on the owner-funded approach that would come with an Usmanov takeover.

"Mr Kroenke fully supports the approach the board has taken in setting the direction of the club," the statement read.

"The board believes Mr Kroenke's experience in sports team commercial management, sports marketing, media and new media rights as well as real estate development will be of great value."

Kroenke has agreed not to increase his stake beyond 29.9% of Arsenal's share capital in the next year unless a takeover bid is launched by Usmanov or another party, in which case he could do so with the consent of the board.

"It is a real honour to be invited to join the board of Arsenal given their pre-eminent reputation and position in football worldwide," said Denver-based Kroenke, who through KSE has owned the St Louis Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rapids in his homeland.

"I hope my background in sports management will be an asset to Arsenal in their commercial dealings going forward."

Hill-Wood added: "We are delighted to welcome Stan to the board of Arsenal.

"He brings with him a wealth of experience through his direct involvement in sports clubs in the US and we expect to benefit from his commercial insights and knowledge."

•  Kroenke's invitation to join the Arsenal board comes on the same day the club revealed a pre-tax profit of £36.7million for the year ending May 2008.

The Gunners continue to reap the rewards of their move to the Emirates Stadium with the club having announced that gate and match day revenue totalled £94.6million, which represents some 45% of their overall football revenues.

The club moved to the 60,000-capacity stadium from Highbury in July 2006, and Hill-Wood claimed that it has put the club in a strong position to help manager Arsene Wenger develop the playing side.

He said: "This club is ambitious for success and I believe that the strong financial position which the group has established, as confirmed by the results for the year, provides the best possible platform from which to deliver that success for the long term.

"We are committed to operating the club as a business which is financially self-sustaining and over the last two seasons Emirates Stadium has taken our football revenues to a new level.

"During the year we have improved and extended the contract terms of a large number of first team players and, of course, of Arsene Wenger himself.

"As a result, for the first time, the Group's wage bill has exceeded nine figures at £101.3 million."

The club confirmed that their overall debt position rose to an overall £318.1million but they had expected it to increase because of the use of bank debt to fund the construction of apartments at Highbury Square.

A significant level of property sales are anticipated for 2008-09 with a large number of Highbury Square apartments scheduled to be completed and released for sale which would reduce the debt.

Legally completed sales from the first phase of 65 apartments released at the end of July have so far generated sales proceeds of £18.7million.

source: soccernet

Smith sidelines until end of this year

Newcastle United are a managerless club that are up for sale and now the club's misfortune has filtered down to the playing staff with the news that midfielder Alan Smith could be sidelined for three months.


The 27-year-old former Manchester United player needs to undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot and is unlikely to play again this year.

Caretaker boss Chris Hughton said: "Alan Smith will have an operation which could keep him out for about three months."

Having inherited a squad already depleted by suspension and injury from Kevin Keegan, who quit as manager of the Magpies earlier this month, the news is a big blow to Hughton.

Newcastle suffered the indignity of losing at home to newly promoted Hull City in the first game of the post Keegan era the caretaker boss needs all his players fit.

Smith, a £6million Sam Allardyce signing, struggled to establish himself at St James' Park in his first season and has not figured at all during the current campaign.

But although the player is yet to win over the fans, both Allardyce and Keegan were delighted with his attitude and effort.

Indeed, it is understood one of the reasons for Keegan's resignation was the club's efforts to offload him, along with several other high-earners, as the summer transfer window drew to a close.

source: soccernet

Ronaldo desperate to face Chelsea

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is begging manager Sir Alex Ferguson to let him play against title rivals Chelsea on Sunday after making his return from injury against Villarreal on Wednesday night.

MikeEgerton/Empics

Cristiano Ronaldo: Back after ankle surgery

The 23-year-old winger, who scored 42-goals for United last season, underwent ankle surgery in July and despite courting a move to Real Madrid during the transfer window he received a rapturous reception from the fans at Old Trafford when he came off the bench to make his season debut.

With Ferguson's side lacking goals (they have scored just four times in five competitive matches so far this season) and Ronaldo chomping at the bit, he would seem certain to start the crucial clash but the United manager insists he has not yet made his mind up.

"Cristiano is bursting to play," Ferguson said. "He has trained very well and is a natural athlete, so I have no qualms on that score. I just have to decide whether it is the right time."

Ronaldo has already warned the Blues that he will do the damage for United when the Premier League favourites face off and insists he is ready to strike back if they attempt to muscle him out at Stamford Bridge.

"I know that the attempts to intimidate me on the pitch will start again immediately - but everyone finds sooner or later that it is difficult to make me lose my rag," he said.

"I'll be booted again but I will not kick out when it happens. I'm tough and, again, it's all just part of the spectacle.

"I'll do my damage as usual by paying them all back with my goals."

Ferguson would certainly welcome Ronaldo's scoring touch as United must put end to a relatively barren run if they are not to fall nine points adrift of Chelsea, a staggering gap even if the Old Trafford outfit would still have a game in hand.

"I just want my team to put the ball into the net,'' said the Scot.

"We are simply not scoring enough goals to turn the whole thing round.

"But it will come. By October we will be fine. I have no doubt in my mind about that.''

Although Dimitar Berbatov is fit, it seems highly unlikely the £30million man will play alongside Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

If any of the quartet were to stand down, on current form it would be Rooney, who looked a shadow of the player who starred for England in Croatia as United drew their midweek blank.

Yet Ferguson claims to be unconcerned, meaning Berbatov's lack of recent match practice may see him consigned to the bench, where Owen Hargreaves could also find himself now that Paul Scholes is back from suspension.

The United boss also has a major dilemma in defence, where Wes Brown and Jonny Evans could both replace the banned Nemanja Vidic, with Gary Neville coming in at right-back if the younger man got the nod.

While facing Chelsea is nothing new in itself, going toe to toe with Scolari will be for Ferguson, who was not always complimentary about the Brazilian's handling of Ronaldo.

It is a challenge he is relishing, even if the language barrier means the personal duel may lack some of the intensity of his scraps with Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.

"It is interesting,'' said Ferguson.

"You wait to see what impact a manager has.

"You want to know whether they are going to change their style or what type of players they will buy in. You also want to know what his principles are and what he believes in because all managers are different.''

Scolari's major changes appear to be pushing both his full-backs further forward and introducing Deco - Ronaldo's former international team-mate - who is less forceful in style than now injured midfield colleague Michael Essien but seems to be just as effective.

"Deco is a nice footballer,'' Ferguson said.

"He is diminutive and clever. He does not have the same athleticism as Essien but it does not make them any less as a team.''

Chelsea's 84-game unbeaten record on home soil provides United with a challenge to overcome.

"It is a great challenge for us because Chelsea have not lost at home for so long.

"I know a lot of people do not expect us to win, which is unusual for our club. That is the challenge. Let's get on with it.''

source: soccernet

Dunn blow for Rovers

Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince feels like he has been dealt "a kick in the ribs" with the news key midfielder David Dunn could be out until the new year.


Dunn faces surgery on an Achilles injury sustained earlier in the season which recently failed to respond to injections.

The 28-year-old now faces up to four months on the sidelines which has come as a bitter pill for Ince to swallow.

"We gave him an injection a couple of weeks ago, hoping that would do the trick, but he's not getting there so we've no option but to put him under the knife," confirmed Ince.

"It's a massive blow to us, and especially for the lad because he has been fantastic on and off the field.

"I gave him the responsibility of being vice-captain, which he took on board and he has been bubbly since I gave him that role.

"When you think about him, he is 28 now, but three or four years ago he would have been worth £15million or £16million.

"That's the type of player we're losing. It's a kick in the ribs, but we're going to have to get on with it.

"He is obviously devastated, which I can totally understand because he has been playing well.

"He is a unique player in what he does. There are not many of his like around.

"He is a special case, and that's why it's so disappointing to lose him."

Ince has also learned Australia midfielder Vince Grella, signed for £4million from Torino last month, will be out until the middle of next month with a calf injury.

"There are things that appear to be conspiring against us," added Ince.

Centre-back Andre Ooijer at least returns for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League visit of Fulham to Ewood Park after missing last week's 4-0 home defeat to Arsenal with a hamstring injury.

source: soccernet

Man City talks still in progress, claims Ronaldo

Brazil striker Ronaldo has again claimed he is in talks with Manchester City and believes it is a "big possibility" he could soon be playing in the Premier League.


The out-of-contract 31-year-old reckons he is within two to three months of a return to competitive action after being sidelined since February with a knee-ligament injury.

City, who are close to finalising a takeover by the Abu Dhabi-based United Group, confirmed on Tuesday they had spoken to Ronaldo and his representatives but would not be looking to sign the player.

However, Ronaldo claims the switch could still be on and that a move to England is uppermost in his thoughts.

"Yes, it is a big possibility," he said, when asked by French daily L'Equipe if he was tempted by playing in the Premier League.

"Manchester City are in the process of putting in place an unbelievable project, with some great players.

"A project which is long term but which could get immediate results because City want to topple the existing order of world football.

"We are in the process of talking to them. So we will see."

The Brazilian, who believes his recovery from his knee injury is going "marvellously well", has played down fears about his fitness.

"People can say what they want," he added. "Let's just say I am above my usual weight, but that is normal. That isn't surprising - I have gone five months without training.

"There is nothing illogical about putting on a few kilos. They can say what they want, it doesn't bother me.

"I am going to continue to work hard and to look to reach my goal, to get back playing football. Like before."

Ronaldo also revealed an interest in playing in the French league, with Paris St Germain - a club that has taken in a number of high-profile Brazilians such as Ronaldinho and Rai - his preferred destination.

"I have never received an offer from a French club, (but) I would love to," he said.

"I love Paris. I have a flat there and I often go over there.

"PSG are currently in the process of building something beautiful. They have recruited some good players and they have built a team capable of winning the title."

source: soccernet

Zola hoping to avoid injury jinx at West Ham

West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola is hoping he will be luckier than his predecessor when it comes to injuries.


The Italian takes charge of a team for the first time tomorrow when the Hammers play host to Newcastle United.

Alan Curbishley, who walked out on the club earlier in the month after the sale of players without his full backing, often had to make do without experienced players through lack of fitness

Striker Dean Ashton has already been ruled out of tomorrow's clash and fellow forward Craig Bellamy is unlikely to feature either but Zola, who has brought in a new fitness coach, was confident he would fare better.

He said: "I know that at this club there have been a lot of injuries and we have been very unlucky. We have been working hard trying to improve this and with a bit of luck it will.

"I don't know the training system they had before and I don't want to say we had loads of injuries because of that. When Alan was here he did a great job and I hope I can carry on from that job."

Zola watched last week's 3-2 defeat at West Brom from the stands before taking charge on Monday and revealed he intended to sharpen up the Hammers in all areas.

He said: "Obviously you also have to keep a balance. The idea is to get to the point where we play offensive football as much as possible. But we also have to work on the defence.

"We are trying to look at things defensively but also passing the ball."

The Hammers finished 10th under Curbishley last term and Zola made it clear he expected better come May.

He said: "We need to improve on last season. That is our main target although I have just stepped into the job and I have to work on the team, so I can't say what the possibilities are.

"But I am sure that if the players carry on working as they have been, with spirit and attitude, then we can do a good job."

One area Zola has no plans to revamp concerns the players' diets.

He said: "I went to the canteen and I enjoyed the food very much so I don't want to change that part.

"I haven't had pie and mash yet but I hope I can have a big dish of it after Newcastle. They are very professional here in that way. The food is okay."

source: soccernet

Fergie and Wenger back walk away managers

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have both backed Kevin Keegan and Alan Curbishley's decisions to quit their jobs after the duo rebelled against interference from their respective boards.


Curbishley was first to go at the start of the month after becoming disillusioned with West Ham United's transfer policy which, he claimed, undermined him.

Then, within the week, Keegan walked out of the job at Newcastle United pointing to similar interference from boardroom level. His departure caused chaos on Tyneside as fans protested against the board and embattled owner Mike Ashley later announced he had put the club up for sale.

Speaking at a dinner at the League Managers' Association, Ferguson said: "We need strong, capable managers who can stand up against those that try and change the principles of the game."

"The fear is that we have owners that will [make managers] become project managers or basically just fitness coaches who will determine who out of the 16 are the fittest on the day.

"I admire Kevin Keegan and I admire Alan Curbishley as they went on a matter of principle, the principle being they are not in control of their team any longer - players were trying to be sold over their heads and so therefore they walked because it is a matter of principle and I totally agree with them."

The Scot - in charge at Old Trafford since 1986 - said that he could never see the board interfering at Old Trafford and if they ever did he simply would not stand for it.

Ferguson said: "At no point in our history has the board ever overruled a manager. It won't happen in my time."

In a rare show of camaraderie Wenger, Arsenal boss for almost 12 years, agreed with his Premier League rival.

"The manager is a strong guide inside the club and has to establish his authority and demonstrate he is in complete control," Wenger said.

"If you have no control but are still responsible for the defeats then that is unbearable."

Wenger added: "The manager is the most important man at the club, if not why do you sack the manager if it isn't going well?

"I believe our [Wenger and Ferguson] luck is that we could work with our ideas, and I know if I lose a game I have to look inside as that is where I can find the solutions."

source: soccernet

Real Madrid midfielder Gago out for a month

Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago will be out of action for a month, the club confirmed on Thursday.


The Argentina international had to be substituted after just over half an hour of Madrid's Champions League victory over BATE Borisov on Wednesday and medical tests have revealed the 22-year-old has injured a muscle in his left leg.

A statement on the club website read: "Medical tests this Thursday have diagnosed that the Argentinian is suffering from a Grade II fibrilar tear in the femoral biceps of the left muscle.

"The time estimated for his layoff is four weeks."

Gago will miss the Primera Liga games against Racing Santander, Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, as well as the Champions League ties against Zenit St Petersburg and possibly Juventus.

source: soccernet

'Four Associations tournament' to begin in 2011

Scotland manager George Burley gave his approval to the 4 Associations Tournament which will involve his team, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in spring 2011.


The competition will take place in Dublin with the first two matches being played in February and four more following in May.

It will be on a league basis with the four sides playing for the 4 Associations Cup.

He told PA Sport: "We will have two games and that will be exciting. I am sure the people of the Republic will be looking forward to that and the Tartan Army will be out in force.

"All these fixtures are never easy to fit into the calendar but these dates suit everyone at the minute.

"I'm sure we'll look at it and see how it goes and if it's a success for everyone then we can try and carry it on.''

George Peat, president of the Scottish Football Association, believes the tournament will capture the imagination of fans in the competing nations.

"I am absolutely delighted that the 4 Association tournament has become a reality,'' he said.

"When we sat down to discuss the plans, we were all excited about putting on a tournament that would celebrate the game and give our fans a great experience.

"This new event will do exactly that and we certainly look forward to taking part and, of course, hopefully winning it in 2011.''

Welsh counterpart Peter Rees added: "The Football Association of Wales is delighted to be part of this celebration event in Dublin in 2011.

"We look forward to crossing swords with our two cousins from across the Irish Sea, as well as Scotland in friendly rivalry. I am sure Welsh football fans will be delighted with this news.''

Irish Football Association chief executive Howard Wells expects the tournament to yield financial dividends for the home nations.

"This visionary tournament is exciting and provides all four countries with the opportunity of measuring progress in terms of international development,'' he said.

"For supporters it also provides a real opportunity to see first-class competition live and within easy access.

"From a commercial and tourism perspective it will provide a showcase for governments to support and market.''

The tournament represents the effective re-establishment of the British Home Championship which was shelved in 1984, albeit with the Republic taking the place of England.

Chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland John Delaney said: "We are delighted to host the 4 Associations tournament.

"This will be the first time Ireland has hosted a senior international tournament and the atmosphere around Dublin will be tremendous, especially with thousands of visiting supporters from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland expected to travel for the matches.

"The tournament will be a fitting celebration for our fantastic new stadium (the rebuilt Lansdowne Road) which is on schedule for completion in 2010.''

The English FA were not expected to sanction England's involvement in any home tournament after frequently showing little enthusiasm for such an event in recent years.

An FA spokesman told PA Sport: "As there are limited international dates for opportunities to play nations from outside Europe, we like to use several dates to play teams from South America, Africa and Asia.

"Otherwise the only time we would get to play such countries is restricted to World Cups.

"We have played several fixtures against the home nations since 1999 and our preference is to play one-off games rather than a tournament - if they fit in with the manager's plans.

"Clearly friendly dates - at a premium - are important to the manager as preparation for qualifying matches and tournaments.

"Due to this, we regularly try to select opponents who will help prepare the team for the style we are likely to face.''

source: soccernet

Kiev "tried to destroy" Walcott, fumes Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has accused referee Luis Medina Cantalejo of turning a blind eye as Dynamo Kiev attempted to do a hatchet job on Theo Walcott during the Gunners' 1-1 Champions League draw in Ukraine.


Wenger believes that Kiev captain Andriy Nesmachniy "tried to destroy" his 19-year-old forward, who scored a hat-trick for England last week, and added that the left-back could have been shown the red card on a number of occasions.
The Arsenal manager said: ''The referee should have sent off the left-back three times at least during the game because he destroyed Walcott.''

But Walcott had the last laugh when he provided the cross from which William Gallas equalised Ismaël Bangoura's opener, after he had scored from the penalty spot.

Despite leaving Kiev with a draw Wenger was also unhappy at the time-keeping of the Spanish referee and his decision to award a spot kick for a foul by full-back Bacary Sagna.

Wenger said: "I wanted to understand how we had only three minutes of injury time, and then only played one minute."

"Every referee looks to have a different computer to calculate the in time and still I do not know and really understand how it works.

"It looks like it is through the inspiration of the referee and he could not explain it. He just said it was enough."

"When we got to 1-1, there was no game any more.

"We were on top, they looked very tired, but the game was finished because of the interruptions for injuries and stoppages.

"You could feel the game was there for the taking, but we had no more opportunity to play."

The Gunners boss added: "The penalty was harsh. Sagna is convinced he [Vukojevic] pulled him with his two hands on his shirt and then went down."

Fergie faces Evans dilemma for Chelsea match

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he faces a major selection dilemma ahead of Manchester United's trip to Chelsea on Sunday.


With Nemanja Vidic suspended following his red card at Liverpool on Saturday, Ferguson has a vacancy to fill in central defence.

Normally, the decision would be quite easy; simply shift Wes Brown from right-back, allowing Gary Neville to take up the position he has held for so long with club and country.

However, Jonny Evans made his own forceful claim for inclusion with a mature performance against Villarreal last night, which he almost capped with a late winner when he struck a post seven minutes from time.

And Ferguson accepts he now has some thinking to do.

"I have a decision to make on Sunday," he said.

"I need to work out whether I go with Evans' ability but lack of experience or whether I opt for Wes' experience and Gary at full-back.

"Gary was only playing his second competitive match last night but he did very well.

"That will bring him on if I decide to play him on Sunday but Evans was excellent as well."

The 20-year-old was making his fourth appearance for the Red Devils, although he has made 33 for Sunderland and won 11 caps for Northern Ireland.

And while the odds are that Ferguson will go for experience at Stamford Bridge, considering the importance of not losing and the involvement of Didier Drogba, the Belfast-born youngster cannot be excluded for long on the form he showed against the Spaniards at Old Trafford.

"Jonny was the big plus," said Ferguson.

"For a young man of 20, he shows great maturity in his game.

"He reads the game well, which is a fantastic asset to have at such a young age.

"He is commanding in the air and a good user of the ball and that gives me confidence that he could step right into the first team with no worries."

In contrast, there were signs of rustiness in Neville's game, particularly in his crossing, although that is only to be expected in his first competitive start since breaking his ankle against Bolton in March 2007.

After so long on the sidelines, the 33-year-old is eager to be involved again even if he accepts the need to be patient as he strives for top form.

"I just need games," he said.

"Having been out for so long I need a run in the side. But it is difficult to get that at the moment because Wes Brown has performed so well and deserves to play.

"It is just a case of remaining patient, keeping fit and training well every day.

"I have made steady progress and when you look at the programme of matches we have coming up I am sure there will be enough games for everyone."

Ferguson expects Brown to be 100% fit at the weekend after leaving him out with a minor niggle last night.

There is a far bigger question mark over Dimitar Berbatov, who suffered a knee injury in the defeat at Liverpool on Saturday.

The £30million Bulgaria forward's absence would be a body blow, particularly as Wayne Rooney has yet to score on United duty this season and turned in another below-par performance against Villarreal.

Ferguson could also suffer a personal hiccup if the Football Association decide to take issue with his comments relating to Keith Hackett's involvement in the decision to overturn the red card John Terry received at Manchester City.

In his position as general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, Hackett has strenuously denied Ferguson's allegation that he forcing Mark Halsey to change his report into the incident.

Ferguson privately maintains there was contact between the pair but it seems certain he will be asked to explain his comments.

It is a distraction the Scot could do without as he contemplates a contest where a repetition of their 'Conference-style' defending would almost certainly leave them nine points adrift of Luiz Felipe Scolari's men.

"It is always a big game when the top sides meet. That is why we were so disappointed at Liverpool," said Ferguson.

"We won't be giving goals away like we did on Saturday, I am sure of that."
source:soccernet

Arsenal To Chase Yaya Again?

Arsenal manager Arséne Wenger has a lack of players at his disposal in the midfield area with Gilberto, Lassana Diarra and Mathieu Flamini all having departed in the past few months. 

While the Frenchman has been linked with moves for high-profile free agents like Stephen Appiah and Mineiro, a one-time summer target has been once again mentioned by the British press. 

The Daily Mail reports that Wenger is eager to reunite the Touré brothers at the Emirates, with Kolo's brother Yaya allegedly in Arsenal's sights. 

The north London side could be ready to make a move for the 25-year-old Barcelona midfielder during the January transfer window.

The Ivorian has been under utilised by Barça coach Pep Guardiola this season, and has made only 25 league appearance for the club since joining for £6.5million in July 2007. 

However, Arsenal may be the club to offer consistent first team football for the ex-Olympiakos star.

source: Peter Staunton

kids fight - Mourinho 'Disgraceful' & 'Disgusting' - Lo Monaco

The war started on Saturday night following Inter’s 2-1 win over Catania when Mourinho angered and upset the Sicilians with his comments during his post-match interview.

This led to Lo Monaco slamming Mourinho’s arrogance and disrespect yesterday morning, sensationally stating: “Mourinho is simply someone who should be smacked in the mouth."

Unsurprisingly this led to a Mourinho reply yesterday evening in which he taunted Lo Monaco by saying that he had never heard of him.

"Some time ago I said that there were people who wanted to be on the first page of the newspapers by using my name and talking about me,” said ‘The Special One’.

“I have a sponsor who pays me to advertise him, and I do not give free publicity to anyone.

“As for Lo Monaco I do not know who he is. With the name Monaco I have heard of Bayern Monaco (Munich) and the Monaco GP, the Tibetan Monaco (Monk), and the Principality of Monaco.

“I have never heard of any others.”

This morning Lo Monaco has now bitten back at these taunts, and he does not hold back in his assessment of Mourinho.

“I don't think Italian football would lose anything without Mourinho,” he roared.

“Firstly, I certainly don't care about newspaper headlines. I have never looked for publicity. I just try to do the best I can with the humble funds our President can supply.

“Secondly it is disgraceful that Mourinho makes money through publicity and threw this in my face, along with the people of Catania and all the other smaller clubs, with his disgusting air of superiority and disdain.

“Last of all, I am called Lo Monaco and not just Monaco.”

The Catania director did apologise for saying that Mourinho “needs a smack in the mouth”, but not because he didn’t believe the coach deserved one, but rather because he doesn’t want to incite any more violence among football fans.

“My comment wasn't meant to incite violence and I will apologise for that if some people think it did,” he noted.

“Inter have the strongest squad in Europe, but sadly they also have the biggest blabbermouth of a coach.”

It remains to be seen what Mourinho’s response will be to these comments, but expect one very soon.

Luca Capofranco

put Gerrard on the bench for England

It was in Gerrard's absence that England produced one of their most impressive displays in recent years. The Liverpool captain was sidelined after a groin operation as his fellow countrymen destroyed Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb last week, Theo Walcott the hero with a well-taken treble.

The talismanic Red is fit again and has taken no time finding his form, putting in a match-winning performance on his return to Rafael Benitez's first XI with both goals in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Olympique Marseille.

Now Capello must decide whether to make room for the 28-year-old in his starting line-up for the World Cup qualifying clash against Kazakhstan on October 11. Opinions are bound to be mixed given Gerrard's superstar status and, in contrast, his relatively indifferent international record.

"The trouble with Gerrard is that he is one of the best midfielders in the world, he is vital to Liverpool and a figurehead for the England team," Redknapp said in The Sun.

"Two goals in Marseilles on Tuesday night underlined his importance and sent a loud signal that he is back all guns blazing after a minor groin op.

"However, Capello will have to wield the axe to accommodate him for the Kazakhstan game next month. And that is where the problem lies."

Brave Decision

The question is whether Gerrard will improve the team that destroyed the Croats, especially given the abundance of midfield talent at England's disposal.

Frank Lampard put in an unusually satsifactory display against the Vatreniand was man-of-the-match in Chelsea's win over Manchester City at the weekend; Gareth Barry has been as consistent as ever for Aston Villa; Joe Cole continues to prove his importance to both the Blues and the Three Lions; and 19-year-old Walcott is putting in a very strong claim for England's right-wing slot.

With such depth available, Redknapp believes Capello must fulfill his promise of ignoring reputations and leave Gerrard in the stands when the Kazakhs come to Wembley next month.

"Capello just cannot break up the side which demolished Croatia, gave England’s World Cup qualifying campaign a major shot in the arm and did wonders for confidence in the camp," the Pompey boss continued.

"If I were England boss, I’d have to make a brave decision and put Gerrard on the bench. 

"He is going to have to bite the bullet and accept there is no place for him at the moment. It is just a harsh reality of the football world. I’m sure Steven would take it squarely on the chin and realise he’ll be back in the side sooner rather than later. 

"There is no bigger fan than me of Gerrard. But if Capello claims he does not pick teams on reputations then this is a big test of that philosophy."

Borat

Redknapp added that Gerrard would not be a huge loss to England given Kazakhstan's relatively low standing in world football.

"The opposition for the next game does ease the dilemma a little if we’re honest," he said.

"Gerrard wants to play and win every game of course, but is missing out on playing Kazakhstan a real blow?

"They will probably have Borat in midfield because they haven’t exactly got the biggest pool of talent." 

source: Leslie May

Why Cristiano Ronaldo Really Is A Slave

The sporting rich list makes for curious reading. With all due respect, a vast majority of people worldwide reading the name Phil Mickelson would think it's a typo. But no, Mickelson - not Nickelson, or Nicholson, for that matter - is a 38-year-old American golfer, and renowned as the second best in the world. Avram Grant finished second in the Champions League, Premier League and Carling Cup in charge of Chelsea last season and got fired, Mickelson is second in the world and earned a staggering $62.3 million between June 2007 and 2008. Fair? Clearly, there's no such thing as a fair way on the fairway in the fast life of a golfer.

Lefty's hefty salary puts him at number two on the rich list of the sporting world and, if the second best golfer is the second highest earner, there are no prizes for guessing who holds the top spot. Arguably the greatest golfer of all time - and he certainly will be by the time he retires - Tiger Woods has for successive years been named the highest earning athlete in the world. The 32-year-old is making over twice as much as Mickelson - $127.9m - and looks set to become the first ever athlete to make over a billion dollars in earnings by 2010.

Role Of The Sponsors

Golf's monopoly on the top spots ends at second, as the 'global game' squeezes its way into the top three - and who other than David Beckham could come to soccer's rescue? Beckham cashed in $48.2m last year - far and away more than any other player - but contrary to popular belief, very little of that money is part of his basic contract. Noticeably past his prime as a player, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star earns approximately $5.3m-a-year from his contract with Los Angeles Galaxy. That may make him the highest earner in Major League Soccer, but there are many in Europe earning double that with their clubs.

Becks gets the majority of his money from Pepsi, Adidas, Police sunglasses, Sharpie permanent markers and whatever else he can get his hands on - and why not? He has even been able to ditch a big-money deal with Gillette and afford the luxury of some designer stubble and tell Brylcreem where to go when he shaved his head way back when.

Speaking of sponsors, there is no shortage of money in Formula One racing, no doubt due to the logos plastered all over each car like a collage gone horribly wrong. Lewis Hamilton's rise to stardom over the past 18 months has seen the money roll in at $27.6m per year, yet he's not quite in the same league as Kimi Räikkönen, with the emerging Finn hot on Beckham's trail with his cool return of $46m, though it could rise as high as $51m depending on his success rate. Fernando Alonso had been earning even more, but abandoned a lucrative contract with McLaren, switching back to Renault and having to settle for $35m, though that figure could rise back up to around $45m. To put matters in perspective, the invincible Michael Schumacher earned as much as both Alonso and Räikkönen put together when in his prime and the sporting world's highest earner, having since retired in 2006.

Thus when we turn our attention back to the golf course we see where the money really comes from. It is estimated that approximately $105m of Tiger Woods' overall earnings came from sponsorship deals. Mickelson, too, earns five times as much from his sponsors than he does on the golf course, by virtue of his every item of clothing being branded by the likes of accounting firm KPMG, Barclays bank and Rolex. We can say he chose his sponsors wisely - but who knew golfers were so marketable? After all, how many people are really watching when compared with other major sports? More than we thought, it seems - or maybe it's that golf viewers remain of the upper class and are in such a high financial bracket that advertisers go the extra monetary mile to attract their attention.

Contracts

But what about contracts? Surely they're the real measure of the athlete? To that end, great interest surrounds who has the biggest contract, or in other words, whose talent is worth the most money. The results are surprising: Beckham and Mickelson are among the lowest earners in the entire 'rich list' of top athletes, yet sponsors shoot them all the way up to third and second respectively. Baseball star Alex Rodriguez has far and away the largest contract in professional sport, earning an unbelievable $29m per year from the New York Yankees.

Behind him is Woods, followed by other top stars in individual sports. Take boxing: 'Pretty Boy' Floyd Mayweather gave Ricky Hatton the runaround on his way to earning $20m in December, remaining unbeaten and picking up another $20.25m in sponsors. Publicity stunts such as his infamous parading around in a Manchester United shirt to anger Manchester City fan Hatton have done wonders for the undefeated phenom's image worldwide, though his earnings may well have now peaked, as he officially announced his retirement in June this year.

Then there is Roger Federer - very much the Tiger Woods of tennis - who isn't far off the pace either. Total earnings of $35m make the Swiss machine far and away the highest earner on the court, despite his drop in earnings due to losing top spot in the world rankings to Rafael Nadal this year. Maria Sharapova, with $21.75m, is the only woman to make the list, though young golfer Michelle Wie may soon have something to say about that. Sharapova's winnings are the lowest on the entire list, but she earns almost 20 times as much through sponsors, showing the potential marketability of women in the sporting world.

The Rich List

Rank	Athlete (Sport)	Salary	Sponsors	Total
01	Tiger Woods (Golf)	$22.9m	$105m	$127.9m
02	Phil Mickelson (Golf)	$9.3m	$53m	$62.3m
03	David Beckham (Soccer)	$5.3m	$42.9	$48.2m
04	Kimi Räikkönen (Formula One)	n/a	n/a	$46m
05	LeBron James (Basketball)	$12.5m	$28m	$40.5m
06	Floyd Mayweather (Boxing)	$20m	$20.25m	$40.25m
07	Lionel Messi (Soccer)	$12.5m	$23.3m	$35.8m
08	Kobe Bryant (Basketball)	$19.5m	$16m	$35.5m
09	Roger Federer (Tennis)	$10.1m	$25m	$35.1m
10	Fernando Alonso (Formula One)	n/a	n/a	$35m
11	Alex Rodriguez (Baseball)	$29m	$6m	$35m
12	Shaquille O'Neal (Basketball)	$20m	$15m	$35m
13	Ronaldinho (Soccer)	$7.5m	$27.5m	$35m
14	Valentino Rossi (Moto GP)	$6m	$28m	$34m
15	Kevin Garnett (Basketball)	$22m	$9m	$31m
16	Peyton Manning (Football)	$17.5m	$13m	$30.5m
17	Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer)	$11.4m	$18.9m	$30.3m
18	Derek Jeter (Baseball)	$22m	$8m	$30m
19	Ichiro Suzuki (Baseball)	$17m	$10.6m	$27.6m
20	Lewis Hamilton (Formula One)	n/a	n/a	$27.6m
21	Thierry Henry (Soccer)	$11.4m	$14.7m	$26.1m
22	Maria Sharapova (Tennis)	$1.9m	$18.85m	$21.75m
23	John Terry (Soccer)	$12.1m	$9.5m	$21.6m
24	Michael Ballack (Soccer)	$11.6m	$9.9m	$21.5m
25	Kaka (Soccer)	$13.4m	$6.7m	$20.1m

Not all top earners are included; many athletes - mostly basketballers - earning between $20-30m have been omitted so that the list did not get too long. Also note that no salaries or winnings figures are 100% accurate as they ultimately remain confidential.

Land Of The Free (And Rich)

The $30 million and above club is dominated almost entirely by American sports - basketball by far the richest, then baseball and to a lesser extent, football - it's only from then on that soccer's familiar faces enter the fray. Beckham aside, Ronaldinho also cracks Team America's stranglehold on the financial world of sport. Despite taking a pay cut to join Milan, the Gaucho is still thought to earn almost $35m annually, of which at least $27.5m comes through sponsors. The bucktoothed wonder may have temporarily lost his smile, form and fitness, but the money keeps rolling on in regardless by virtue of those years that he was quite simply playing like one of the greatest of all time.

His former Barcelona team-mate, Lionel Messi, is another who has hit the big time. Very much Ronaldinho's successor for the Blaugrana, the unstoppable Argentine's humble nature, garden gnome facial expression and two-dollar haircut might fool you into believing he didn't smash his way past $30m last year, but apparently, he did.

Naturally, we could only go so far without mentioning the undisputed centre of attention in the beautiful game, the most maligned of the moment, in Cristiano Ronaldo. C-Ron earned just over $30m last year, and Uncle Alex will no doubt be lining some Portuguese pockets with a little extra after the 23-year-old chose to stay at Old Trafford this summer, turning down his dream move to Real Madrid following a confidential heart-to-heart with the wily old Scot in July. In due time he is sure to soar all the way up this list, but for now, he surprisingly finds himself in a comparitively modest position on the rich list. Maybe Sepp Blatter was right all along, the multi-millionaire must really be a slave after all.

But let's forget the Messi and Ronaldo hype for a minute: what about the man who was voted as and officially remains World and European Player of the Year? Never fear, Milanello, as Kaka is in fact in possession of the most lucrative contract, worth almost $13.5m per year.

Ignoring the fact that A-Rod earns over twice as much in basic wage alone, let's remain focused on the positives: Kaka edges Lionel Messi in the contract stakes, despite his club being notoriously short of cash at the minute - so much so that they're still trying to convince themselves that Philippe Senderos isn't Arsenal's worst defender, Andriy Shevchenko isn't past it and Giuseppe Favalli didn't lose whatever little talent he had 750 years ago. Surprisingly, Kaka only picks up about $6.7m in sponsorship deals. The picture of professionalism, the Brazilian wouldn't look out of place on a golf course himself - it's a miracle he's not making more. Behind Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo is the next most marketable footballer - last year netting $18.9m in addition to the $11.4m from his contract - and his stock is bound to continue rising.

Another Barça player - the third of the erstwhile Fantastic Four - is the next highest earner in the game. Thierry Henry, who established himself as one of the best players in the world during his days with Arsenal, has contractual parity with Cristiano Ronaldo since signing for Barcelona. However, despite a lucrative deal he, Federer and Woods have with Gillette as well as his va-va-voom franchise with Renault, France's all-time leading scorer's sponsorship earnings aren't in the same league as either of them, at 'just' $14.7m. Poor Samuel Eto'o: no wonder he was so full of outrageous wage demands this summer - he was just trying to break even with his buddies.

The last of the money men are what can only be described as Roman Abramovich's boys - the Chelsea lot. John Terry and Michael Ballack earn $21.6m and $21.5m respectively, Frank Lampard is on the same $12.1m wage as Terry - a fraction more than Ballack for ego's sake and little more - while Didier Drogba is making $10.5m as well. We can't forget Andriy Shevchenko, who cost the Blues $60m and is still earning $11.1m a year, though on loan at Milan and no doubt in line for one hell of a pay cut if the move is made permanent as expected. What he and others such as Ronaldinho and Henry demonstrate is that often the most money will fall at the feet of athletes once they have already peaked - it's all downhill from there - yet they continue to make the most money off the back of former glories while the new school are making history in the now. Who might we see on this list in two or three years' time?

If Emmanuel Adebayor had his way, he'd probably be top of the pile now and forever, because he's just that damn good. However, as it stands, it is of little surprise that none of the Wenger boys made the cut, while Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is close but doesn't quite break $20m a year. Manchester United's top earner is thought to be Wayne Rooney, while Real Madrid super-stopper Iker Casillas, Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Internazionale and Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero are all close by as well.

At the end of the day, all of our leading stars in the world's most popular sport must resign themselves to the fact that basketball is twice as lucrative though half as popular, the fattest contract goes to a man who plays a sport which even a large percentage of Americans admit is boring, and the biggest sponsorship deals and overall earnings to two guys who star in a sport that athletes, doctors and your father tend to play during their time off. We could all be rich...

source: Sulmaan Ahmad