It was an interesting 2014 in the world off football and for us at the Newfanzone we’ve come up with a review of some of the events that shaped our year, You can also send in your reviews, comments and sports stories to fanzone.fans@gmail.com or tweet @newfanzone or @El_pauleta on twitter.
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Nigeria:
The year 2014 was bitter sweet for Nigerian football. Here are the major high and low points in the Nigerian football scene in 2014;
* In Feburary 2014, The home base Eagles came third in the Africa Nations Championship(CHAN) in South Africa.
* In May 2014, Nigeria’s U-15 football team were crowned African champions after defeating Swaziland at the African Youth Games’ final match in Botswana
* In June 2014, The Super Eagles broke the 16 years jinx of not winning a game at the World Cup by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0. The Super Eagles were later knocked out in the round of 16 by former world champions France.
* In August 2014, Nigeria’s U-20 female team (Falconets) won Silver at the U-20 female World Cup in Canada after they were defeated in Extra time by Germany in the final. Nigeria’s Striker Asisat Oshoala won the Golden ball award as the best player of the competition and also won the Golden boot having scored seven goals and providing 2 assists
Former NFF Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Maigari
* After so much power play in the football house which saw Aminu Maigairi and Chris Giwa been President of the NFF in the same year; In September 2014, Amaju Pinnick emerged the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following his victory in an election held in Warri.
*In October 2014, The Super Falcons of Nigeria defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the African Women Championship final to win the competition for the 7th time.
Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match, Nigeria vs Zambia, Super Falcons Ngozi Ebere, Receiving her award
* In November 2014, The Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals holding in Equatorial Guinea next month, no thanks to inconsistent performances in the qualifiers.
* Kano Pillars won the Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL) for the third straight season ahead of Enyimba of Aba. Mfon Udoh of Enyimba scored 23 goals to become Nigeria’s top flight league all-time record scorer.
Enyimba Fc Celebrate Federations Cup 2014 victory
* Enyimba defeated Dolphins of Port-Harcourt in the Federation cup final in Lagos to retain the cup they won in 2013.
*In December 2014, The Nigeria Sand Eagles failed to defend their Copa Lagos title after losing out to Ivory Coast.
* In what summarises the Super Eagles performance in the FIFA Ranking, the African champions are ending 2014 as 43 in the world and ninth in Africa.
Stationery Stores Fc
* After a 16 year absence from the Nigerian football Scene Stationery Stores Fc made a return to the second tier of the Nigerian League but the club was eventually relegated, but the one of the highest in Nigeria’s football scene in 2014 was the sold out South west Derby between Stationery Stores Fc and Shooting Stars of Ibadan, The game ended 2-0 in favour of the Lagos team.
World Football Scene:
* In January 2014, Manchester United completed the signing of Juan Mata from Chelsea for a then British transfer record fee of £37.1 million.
*In March 2014, Manuel Pellegrini won his first trophy as Manchester City manager after defeating Sunderland 3-1 in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley.
* In April 2014,After 10months into the job at Manchester United,Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor David Moyes was sacked due to a run of dismal results.
Former Barcelona Tito Villanova who had been battling with Cancer died at the age of 45.
* In May 2014, Manchester United hired former Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal on a three-year contract.
Diego Simeone photo credit uefa.org
* Atletico Madrid won their first Spanish La Liga title in 18 years.
Arsenal won their first major trophy in 9 years after defeating Hull City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Manchester City won the Barclays Premier league title for the fourth time at the expense of Liverpool.
Sevilla defeated Benfica on penalties to win the UEFA Europa League final in Turin.
uefa champions league trophy
Real Madrid’s quest for ‘La Decima’ finally came to an end as they defeated Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final in Lisbon.
*In June 2014, Chelsea completed the signing of Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona for £27million on a five-year contract.
Brazil hosted the 20th FIFA World Cup in twelve cities.
fifa brazil 2014
* In July 2014, Luis Suárez was suspended for nine international matches and banned from taking part in any football-related activity (including entering any stadium) for four months, following a biting incident on Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
Germany become the first European team to win a world cup in South American soil after defeating Argentina 1-0 in Extra time in Rio de Janeiro.
Colombian forward James Rodríguez was awarded the Golden Boot for scoring six goals at World Cup.
Messi was awarded the Golden ball as the most valuable player at the 2014 World Cup.
fifa world cup trophy
Brazil sacked Legendary coach Luis Felipe Scolari following their 7-1 defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup.
Antonio Conte left his position as Juventus manager by mutual consent after four years in charge and was replaced by former AC Milan coach Max Allegri.
Barcelona completed the signing of Luiz Suarez from Liverpool for a fee in the region of £75million.
Real Madrid signed World cup star James Rodriquez from Monaco for £63million.
* In August 2014, Manchester United signed winger Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of £59.7million.
Mario Balotelli, photo credit liverpoolfc.com
* Liverpool completed the signing of Mario Balotelli from AC Milan for £16million
Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup by defeating Europa League Champions Sevilla 2-0 at the Millenium stadium in Cardiff
*In September 2014,Arsenal completed the signing of Danny Welbeck for £16million
* Manchester United completed the loan signing of Ramadel Falcao from Monaco.
*In November 2014, Morocco officially withdrew from hosting the 2015 African Cup of Nations.
* The Draws for Copa America 2015 was made in host country Chile.
* CAF awarded the hosting rights of 2015 African Cup of Nations to Equatorial Guinea after Morocco refused to host due to fears about the Spread of Ebola.
*In December 2014,Real Madrid won the FIFA World Club championship by defeating South American champions San Lorenzo 2-0 in Marakesh,Morocco.
FIFA
* American Lawyer Michael Garcia resigned as head of FIFA ethics committee in protest over the handling of his findings.
Doha won the right to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships, the IAAF Council announced at the Fairmont Hotel in Monaco on Tuesday (18).
Doha (QAT) was selected by a vote of Council over Barcelona (ESP) and Eugene (USA) to stage the 17th edition of the IAAF World Championships.
The voting was as follows:
First round: Doha – 12, Eugene – 9, Barcelona – 6 (Barcelona was eliminated).
Second round: Doha – 15, Eugene – 12.
“I am sure that in Doha we will have a wonderful edition of the World Championships. I am convinced they are committed through sport to developing their country and their community, and they are doing the right things,'” commented IAAF President Lamine Diack.
Lamine Diack, IAAF President, credit IAAF
President Diack also offered his thanks to all three candidates: “They were the best presentations we have ever had.”
“It’s a privilege and honour to have the trust of the IAAF,” said Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Doha bid leader.
“I am very delighted that these Championships are going to be for the first time in the region. I’m confident that with the support of the IAAF we will organise one of the best World Championships,” he added.
Doha to host 2019 IAAF World Championships
“This is a great moment for me as the president of the Qatari Athletics Federation, and also as a Qatari. We have dreamed about organising such an event for a long time and, on behalf of the Qatari athletics final, we would like to thank the IAAF Council and IAAF Family for giving Qatar the chance to host one of the most prestigious championships,” said Dahlan Al Hamad, Qatari Athletics Federation President and an IAAF Council member.
The 2015 edition will be hosted by Beijing (CHN) from 22-30 August; followed in 2017 by London (GBR) from 5-13 August that year.
Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 – Final Competition
The newly-crowned world champions from The Netherlands stormed to victory at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain tonight. On the crest of a wave following their gold-medal-winning performances at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy last month, they oozed class and confidence as they put the result beyond doubt with fabulous clears from their first three riders.
Last to go, Gerco Schroder was only competing for his share of the €200,000 on offer to the horse-and-rider partnerships who could leave all the fences up in both Thursday’s opening round and again this evening, because his team-mates had already done all the hard work. When Glock’s London hit the first element of the triple combination, Schroder had settle for his share of the team winnings instead – a massive €500,000 – but he wasn’t complaining. It was all smiles at the post-competition press conference during which the unity within the winning side was clear for all to see.
Popular, hard-working and self-effacing, the team that includes new world champion, Jeroen Dubbeldam, proved beyond doubt that, right now, they are simply untouchable. But they were quick to point out that they owe much of what they have achieved to the inspiration of “one special man” as Jur Vrieling called him. “Our Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens is really good at team-building, he is a positive man, and he can really inspire us. He has inspired Jeroen Dubbeldam to a completely other level, and Jeroen is now the best rider in the world for sure. This Final has been unbelievably good, and I think we all owe that to Rob” Vrieling insisted.
Another big one
Tonight’s course was another big one, with a testing triple combination at fence eight proving influential. However it was the oxer-to-vertical double at 11 that played the most significant role in the early stages, the first element hitting the deck on numerous occasions.
The Dutch were the only side to produce a clear from the first-line riders, Jeroen Dubbeldam’s Zenith this time looking much more like the horse that clinched double-gold in Caen for him just a few short weeks ago. In Thursday’s opening round the pair collected eight faults and the 10-year-old horse seemed a little less concentrated. But tonight the pair were focused, clean and clear and once the world championship winning team had the bit between their teeth they were always going to be difficult to rein in.
Germany arrived at the Furusiyya Final with a side filled with super-stars, but they didn’t live up to expectations, finishing fifth of the eight nations that made the cut to tonight’s last competition. A mistake at the water, and another at the first element of the double at 11 for openers Christian Ahlmann and Codex One was followed by an uncharacteristic 16 faults from Marcus Ehning and Plot Blue. Daniel Deusser and Cornet D’Amour were the only German pair to go clear, and this left the reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion sharing that €200,000 double-clear bonus at the end of the night. But when Ludger Beerbaum and Chiara hit the oxer at fence seven then the German total was 12 when the best three scores were counted, and they lined up just ahead of the British who finished on the same scoreline but in a slower time. Italy and Brazil shared a final tally of 13 faults each to fill the last two places, and it was the Canadians who came closest to the winners when posting just a four-fault result.
The Netherlands’ team celebrate victory in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final in Barcelona, Spain tonight. (L to R), HRH Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia and Dutch team members Jeroen Dubbeldam, Gerco Schroder, Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)
Classic clear
Yann Candele and Showgirl clipped the bogey opening element at 11, but Tiffany Foster showed just how much her partnership with Tripple X, the horse that won team gold for Britain’s Ben Maher at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has matured this year, as they cruised home for a classic clear. Ben Asselin’s Makavoy hit the second element of the triple combination, but when Eric Lamaze produced a faultless run from Zigali PS then that would prove plenty good enough for the Canadians to pick up the €300,000 second place prizemoney.
The Swedish team edged Belgium for third place by just a single fault when finishing with eight on the board. The pressure was all on Henrik von Eckermann when last to go with Cantinero after eight faults for Peder Fredricson (H&M Simon), 12 from Alexander Zettermann (Cafino) but a fabulous clear from Malin Baryard-Johnsson with H&M Tornesch. And von Eckermann kept a really cool head to deliver not only the podium placing but a tidy €50,000 for himself as one of the four to share the double-clear bonus.
Olivier Philippaerts (Cabrio van de Heffinck) and Pieter Devos (Dylano) each faulted just once for Belgium while Niels Bruynseels (Pommeau du Heup) left two on the floor. But the single time-fault from Judy-Ann Melchior in an otherwise copy-book round with As Cold as Ice saw them missing out on that coveted podium position.
All about the Dutch
In the end however it was all about the Dutch and their incredible superiority right now. They are the last ones in the world to sing their own praises, but in the end their success seemed almost inevitable. Such was the sense of calm confidence amongst them that Rob Ehrens could be seen snoozing by the ringside earlier in the day, stretched out on a sofa looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
Teased about that during tonight’s press conference, he admitted that he did indeed feel confident about his side’s chances of taking the trophy. “It was a nice comfortable week, with a lot of time in between, and I was nicely lying there and feeling really comfortable because we had a good start on Thursday, horses jumping well, and the riders went home today to the hotel, also for a little rest – yes it felt good” the team manager said. But he pointed out that no win is ever in the bag until the last jump has been cleared. “You could also have had the situation today where you have four magnificent riders and horses but each of them have just one mistake and you end up with 12 faults. Every team is evenly matched, but I must say for a coach it’s not often you have four riders on a team who can finish the job the way mine do. They can go into the arena with an instruction and follow it right up to the finish line. Add to that these four brilliant horses, and that’s what you need to win” he pointed out.
Maikel van der Vleuten said that none of the Dutch team are taking anything for granted despite their incredible recent successes. “Yes, we’ve had a wonderful season, we have enjoyed a lot of success but I think it’s important that when you have success that all four riders remember that the next Nations Cup can be very different to the last. As Rob said, a fault is easily done, so we all four know that we have to be sharp in every competition and try to get the best out of it”.
Commitment and involvement
Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal talked about Furusiyya’s commitment and involvement with the revamped FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series. “The spirit of Furusiyya is about giving everyone a chance. The team won that won today deserved it, but the feeling I am getting is that we are here for the sake of the sport, and everyone is a winner!” His Royal Highness said.
FEI Jumping Committee Chariman, John Madden, pointed out that “we saw really fantastic sport, great horsemanship, and we had fantastic victors in the team from The Netherlands today. They proved it at the World Equestrian Games, and they proved it again here. The course designer Santiago (Varela) was wonderful, the Real Club de Polo have been the most gracious hosts and provided us with a magnificent Final, and of course none of this would be at all possible if it wasn’t for Furusiyya, and the wisdom and the guidance of Prince Faisal. This is an absolutely wonderful partnership – the FEI, the Saudi Equestrian Fund and Furusiyya. It is truly an honour and a pleasure to be involved in producing this fantastic celebration of the horse” he said.
Jealous
The Dutch team were asked if they thought their rivals would be feeling jealous of all their recent success and Jeroen Dubbeldam laughed and replied – “I hope they are!” John Madden interjected however to say, “my wife also rides a little bit” referring to American star Beezie Madden who claimed team and individual bronze at the recent world championships, “and I would say every other team is incredibly jealous but also extremely respectful and understanding of the partnership they (the Dutch) have with each of their horses and the partnership they have together, and the horsemanship they exhibit, so jealous is not a very nice word. I think we are extremely respectful and honoured to be involved with these five people” he said, looking at the Dutch side.
It certainly was a proud day for the The Netherlands. Jeroen Dubbeldam put it into perspective when he said, “it feels very good I must say. Today I had to make up for some mistakes I made on the first day – as I said already I just wanted to check if the other boys were sharp, and they were! But today I had to be sharp as well because today the pressure was on and it was top sport. We knew we needed for sure three clear rounds today to win, and it did turn out to be necessary to have three clear rounds. I think we have a wonderful team – these guys here are not only unbelievable riders, they are also unbelievable mates, fantastic friends and fighters, we fight for each other and I am very proud of this Dutch team!” he concluded.
Result:
1. Netherlands 0 faults: Zenith SFN (Jeroen Dubbeldam) 0, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) 0, VDL Bubalu (Jur Vrieling) 0, Glock’s London (Gerco Schroder) Ret.
4. Belgium 9 faults: Cabrio van de Heffinck (Olivier Philippaerts) 4, Pommeau du Heup (Niels Bruynseels) 8, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) 1, Dylano (Pieter Devos) 4.
7. Italy 13 faults/247.20 seconds: Neptune Brecourt (Luca Moneta) 4, Casallo Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 4, Elky van het Indihof (Lorenzo de Luca) 5, Bonzai van de Warande (Juan Carlos Garcia) 9.
8. Brazil 13 faults/249.51: AD Rahmannshof’s Bogeno (Doda de Miranda) 8, Quabri de L’Isle (Pedro Veniss) 1, AD Clouwni (Marlon Zanotelli) 4, Status (Rodrigo Pessoa) 13.
The newly-crowned world champions from The Netherlands claimed the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping title.
They completed on a zero score, as they also did in the opening round on Thursday.
8 teams competed in the title-deciding last competition at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 in Barcelona, Spain tonight.
Canada finished second on four faults and Sweden placed third on a total of eight.
There were 9 clear rounds in today’s competition.
The Dutch claimed the winner’s purse of €500,000.
A total of four riders shared the €200,000 bonus on offer to those jumping clear in both Thursday’s opening round and again tonight – The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and Maikel van der Vleuten, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and Germany’s Daniel Deusser.
Italians earn promotion to Europe Division 1 with superb victory at last qualifier in Arezzo
There were great celebrations at Arezzo in Italy today when the host nation won the last round of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Europe Division 2 series. The result was not only a much-sought-after victory on home ground, but it also earned a place at next month’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final in Barcelona, Spain and has promoted Italy to Europe Division 1 for the 2015 season.
There was a whole lot riding on today’s event, with Norway heading the Division 2 standings as the day began. But, relegated to runner-up spot after today’s Italian triumph, the Norwegians must now go to the Barcelona Final knowing that only a finishing spot in the top eight there will see them join their Italian counterparts in the top league next year.
From the starting field of 13 nations, it was Sweden who lined up second this afternoon while Denmark and Ireland shared third place. There were only two double-clear performances, and the one produced by pathfinders Andres Rodriguez and his lovely grey gelding Darlon van Groenhoeve helped Venezuela line up fifth ahead of Finland and Germany in equal-sixth while Poland slotted into eighth place.
Italy’s success owed much to the stunning double-clear produced by Piergiorgio Bucci and Casallo Z who gave their team the best possible start in both rounds. The chestnut gelding simply cruised around Uliano Vezzani’s track which proved a great deal more difficult than it initially appeared.
Amazing
“When we walked the course we thought it was not so difficult, but Uliano knows how to make us make faults – he is amazing!” said Bucci this evening, as the home team relished success in front of their home crowd.
Uliano Vezzani’s reputation for excellent course design is second to none, and the Italian maestro said with a grin afterwards “I’m delighted the Italian team has won, although I promise there is no bias involved when creating the course!” The track built in intensity as it progressed, with the Longines planks at fence three creating the first real stir before riders opened up for the following open water at four and a square white oxer at fence five.
The double at six jumped well for most, but the following line presented the real test of the day, the 1.8m-wide triple bar opening horses out only to be followed on a five-stride distance by a narrow gate with a narrow pole on top. This fell 27 times over the two rounds of jumping, 12 of those mistakes coming in the second round when only eight teams returned to the fray.
“Part of the problem there was the colour of the fence, it was black and it was difficult for the horses to see it properly. Also the line was difficult to ride – the riders were pushing to the triple bar and then the distance was often not just right at the vertical” Bucci explained afterwards.
Many who faulted at the gate at eight then found their horses unsettled as they swung left-handed to the triple combination that followed and which also took a heavy toll before they moved on to a water-tray vertical, an oxer, and then the final vertical which was the second 1.60m-high obstacle on the course.
Just three riders
Slovenia arrived at their very first Furusiyya event of the season with just three riders, and when Tomas Laufer was eliminated for refusals at the double at fence six their day finished early.
Switzerland, Brazil, Spain and Austria were also sidelined in round two when only the top eight teams returned to action, and the Italians already held the whip hand, carrying only four faults from their first tour of the track. The Swedes were lying second, with 11 on the board, while Ireland, Finland and Denmark were all close behind sharing a 12-fault total at the halfway stage. Venezuela was next with 13, Germany followed with 16 and the Polish team was the last to make the cut having collected 17 faults so far.
There were only five teams chasing Furusiyya points – Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland and Slovenia – and the biggest threat to Italy’s chances of taking the maximum 100 points on offer came from the Danes who, as the day began, were lying just 30 points behind them. But even though the Danish riders all only dropped a single fence each second time out to improve to joint-third place and collect 90 of those precious qualifying points, it wouldn’t be enough to move ahead of Norway and book their ticket to Barcelona.
A double-clear from pathfinders Piergiorgio Bucci and Casallo Z in today’s last leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 2 series at Arezzo in Italy led the host nation to victory and to a place in the Europe Division 1 series in 2015. (FEI/Stefano Secchi).
Down to a duel
It came down to a duel between the Swedes and the Italians, although the eventual winners used up much of their first-round advantage as the second round evolved.
A single mistake at the middle element of the triple combination saw Sweden’s Linda Heed match her first-round score with Bee Wonderful, but like many others who encountered numerous problems at their first attempt, team-mate Angelie von Essen produced a much-improved second effort with Jordan ll to add just five to their scoreline. And when Niklas Jonsson and Caral survived a big jump out of the cups for the back pole of the oxer at five to return a clear, then Jens Fredericson’s double-error with Lunatic could be dropped to add just nine to the Swedish tally and bring their total to 20 at the end of the day.
Bucci gave his side the best possible start yet again in round two, but double-errors from both Danielle de Rios with For Passion and Lorenzo de Luca riding Elky van het Indihof piled the pressure on anchorman Juan Carlos Garcia. If his team-mates’ 16 faults had to be added then Italy would also finish on 20 faults and would be forced into a jump-off against the Swedes, and that was never in the plan.
However as Garcia returned to the arena he knew that Italy was already assured of those qualification spots for both the Furusiyya Final in Barcelona and next year’s Europe Division 1 league, because even a 20-fault finishing score would leave them ahead of their nearest rivals from Denmark. As it happened his 14-year-old gelding, Moka de Mescum who had been foot-perfect at his first attempt, fell victim only to the bogey gate at fence eight in an otherwise flawless run, so with his four faults now replacing one of the double-error scores, Italy finished clear winners on a final total of 16.
How much it means
At the post-competition press conference, Piergiorgio Bucci explained just how much this result, and promotion to Europe Division 1, means to the Italians. “It is so very important for us, because we want to prepare well for the European Championships in Aachen next year so we can get Olympic qualification, and it’s not so easy to prepare for this top level if you are not competing against the best horses and riders all the time” he said. “The last season we were in the Super League was 2009 and we won a medal at the European Championships in Windsor because we could prepare for our goal. We have good horses and good riders but we need to jump at the bigger shows so we are ready when the time comes” he continued.
He knows the challenge of the top league is not something to be taken lightly. “It will be difficult for us to stay in the top league next year, but it is important for us to get the chance to make our horses ready (for the Olympic qualification at the FEI European Championships in Aachen, Germany). I’m quite positive about it actually. We know what we need to do” he said with determination.
Of course he was particularly pleased with the performance of his own horse. “I was really unlucky with Casallo Z last year, he was injured at the European Championships and then I lost a few months of competition with him. I took the opportunity to bring him back, but I didn’t want to do the World Championships because it was too early for him. Now I am very glad. He’s a really wonderful horse, and I am very lucky to have him” said the 39-year-old Dutch-based rider.
Daniele Da Rios was thrilled with his result. “I am very happy to be a part of this wonderful team. In truth, I am a bit of an ‘outsider’, as I haven’t really competed at this level. I would like to thank Hans very much for the confidence he has entrusted me with today. Although I lack experience at this level, he also acknowledges that it is by performing in shows like these that I can get to the next level. I am very happy he has allowed me to take part in the team and compete in Arezzo” Da Rios said.
Mission accomplished
For Italian Chef d’Equipe, Hans Horn, it was mission accomplished. “I am very happy with this win in Arezzo, especially considering it is our home show. We have been preparing several weeks for this event because clinching the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Division 2 title was one of our main goals this year. Needless to say, doing so at home makes it all the sweeter!” he pointed out.
He sees today’s result as a major stepping-stone for Italian Jumping. “This will provide us with the platform to create more opportunities for growth within the Federation, and particularly the riders themselves. The less experienced ones who don’t have so many chances to take part at this level will be able to do so now. This is an outcome that has key strategic implications” he added.
Lorenzo de Luca said “we are really looking forward to preparing now for Barcelona in the perfect way”, and his team manager explained that, with the entries for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final closing next Monday, he will be discussing potential team candidates with Federation officials “over the next couple of days”.
Juan Carlos Garcia also recognised the significance of today’s result, and the role his team manager has played in it. The Colombian-born rider whose spectacular career highs include team silver in both Jumping and Eventing at the FEI European Championships in 2009, said “I would like to extend my thanks to the Federation and to Hans, who has been very clever in his selection of the four events to compete in. For us, it is absolutely essential to be back in Division 1 so as to prepare the horses and ensure they reach and maintain that particular level. A massive thanks to Hans for all the technical help he has provided us with throughout the year, we are very grateful”, Garcia said.
For further information on round 20 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 series at CSIO 3* San Marino Arezzo, Italy go to website http://www.csiosanmarinoarezzo.com or contact Press Officer Caterina Vagnozzi, Email c.vagnozzi@gmail.com, Tel +39 335 610 7070. The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final will take place at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain from 9-12 October 2104. For all information on the Spanish fixture visit website http://www.csiobarcelona.com or contact Press Officer Isabel Suter, Email isuter@rcpolo.com,Tel +34 760 258 222.
Result:
1. Italy 16 faults: Casallo Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 0/0, For Passion (Danielle da Rios) 8/8, Elky van het Indihof (Lorenzo de Luca) 4/8; Moka des Mescum (Juan Carlos Garcia) 0/4.
2. Sweden 20 faults: Lunatic (Jens Fredericson) 2/8, Bee Wonderful (Linda Heed) 4/4, Jordan ll (Angelie von Essen) 20/5, Caral (Niklas Jonsson) 5/0.
3. Denmark 24 faults: Lenardo der Kleine (Andreas Scho) 0/4, Never Say Never (Thomas Dresler) 12/4, Amarone (Thomas Sandgaard) 0/4, Tailormade Esperanza de Rebel) 23/4.
3. Ireland 24 faults: Isco de Amoranda (Mark McAuley) 12/4, Monastery Stud More Pleasure (Alexander Butler) 8/4, Mullaghbane (Capt Geoff Curran) 4/5, MHS Going Global (Greg Broderick) 0/4.
13 nations competed in the eighth and last leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Europe Division 2 series at Arezzo in Italy today.
5 countries – Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland and Slovenia – were fighting for the last available qualifying points.
Italy’s victory has ensured promotion to Europe Division 1 for the 2015 season.
Norway headed the Europe Division 2 leaderboard as today’s competition got underway, and finishing second in this eerie, the Norwegians have now qualified, along with Italy, for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final which takes place in Barcelona, Spain next month.
The Norwegian team must finish in the top eight nations in Barcelona in order to also earn promotion to Europe Division 1 next year.
8 teams went through to today’s second round.
2 horse-and-rider combinations jumped double-clear – Italian pathfinders Piergiorgio Bucci and Casallo Z and Venezuelan pathfinders Andres Rodriguez with Darlon van Groenhoeve.
Course designer was Italy’s Uliano Vezzani.
The bogey fence on today’s 12-fence track was the narrow 1.60m gate at fence eight which fell 29 times during the two rounds of competition.s
Quotes:
Riccardo Boricchi (Event Director): “As a member of the Organising Committee, I am extremely happy with how the competition has gone, especially considering the Italian team has won today – on home soil. Considering this is the second edition of CSIO San Marino Arezzo, it is brilliant to see that the event has moved forward so much since last year. Indirectly, I am also really happy to have played a part in helping the Italian team clinch their spot in Division 1 for next year!”
Lorenzo De Luca: “I am really happy that Hans has given me the chance to compete at this level – in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ – with the horse that I have. The atmosphere amongst all the riders is absolutely fantastic, even with those that aren’t on the team. We wanted to get promoted to Division 1 and we finally did it!”
Uliano Verzzani (Course Designer): “It has been a great pleasure to design the course today and I’m very happy with the way the course was ridden. The result was fair, and it is also great – and very important – to see all the horses jumping it so well”.
Carlo Bernardini (Event Director): “The most important thing for me is to say a big ‘thank you’ to the San Marino Federation for allowing us to host this event on their behalf for the second year running. It is very important for them as well. I would also like to thank Uliano for his great work as always”.
Final Standings after Round 8 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 2 League 2014 at Arezzo (ITA):
1. Italy – 370
2. Norway – 345
3. Denmark – 330
4. Poland – 300
5. Finland – 290
6. Slovakia – 245
7. Austria – 240
8. Turkey – 222.5
9. Hungary – 200
10. Czech Republic – 180
11. Portugal – 100
12. Russia – 65
“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.
Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations. Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1926, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for the Official International Equestrian Competition of Geneva.
Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.
Here are the top transfer rumours making the rounds as compiled by our man Paul Ayorinde.
you can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Alex Song, photo credit blaugrana.gr
Done Deals:
– Leicester City have completed the signing of defender Danny Simpson from QPR on a three-year deal
– West Ham have announced the signing of Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song on a season-long loan deal
– West Brom have completed the signing of Argentina winger Sebastian Blanco from Metalist Kharkiv for an undisclosed fee
– Brondby have completed the signing of defender Daniel Agger from Liverpool
– Manchester United have agreed a £14million fee with Ajax for Daley Blind subject to medical and personal terms
– Torino have completed the signing of midfielder Juan Manuel Sanchez Mino from Boca Juniors
Today’s reports and rumours:
– Ezequiel Lavezzi and Adrien Rabiot are left out by Paris Saint-Germain,fueling rumours of moves to Inter Milan and Roma respectively
– Fiorentina are reportedly making a last-ditch attempt to sign Manchester City defender Micah Richards
– Inter Milan are keen on signing Fabio Borini from Liverppol on loan
– Manchester United are reportedly keen on signing Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero
– QPR are on the verge of signing midfielder Lassana Diarra
– Chelsea are on the verge of signing QPR striker Loic Remy.
– Aston Villa’s £7million move for Manchester United’s Tom Cleverly could collapse because they can’t afford his wages
– Harry Redknapp is set to sign a two-year extension to stay on as QPR manager
– Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk has told the club he wants to leave
– Arsenal are in advanced talks with Borussia Dortmund for defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos
– According to reports,Manchester United can still sign Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal before the transfer window shuts down on Monday,if they come up with the right money
– According to reports,Marcos Rojo’s move to Manchester United is under treat due to work permit and third party issues concerning the 24-year old defender
– Manchester united boss Louis van Gaal is reportedly ready to offload six first team players before Monday’s transfer deadline
– Leicester City are interested in signing £8million rated Ipswich striker David McGoldrick
– According to reports, Arsenal have asked Swansea to lower Wilfried Bony fee to £16million
– Monaco striker Radamel Falcao has denied posting a social media comment that suggested he was close to joining Real Madrid
– Guingamp forward Mustapha Yatabare is on the verge of joining Trabzonspor
– Nimes striker Ousmane Cissokho is close to joining Ligue 1 side Lorient
– Sunderland are reportedly finding it hard to agree personal terms with Inter Milan midfielder Ricky Alvarez
– According to reports, Hatem Ben Arfa has turned down a move to Besiktas and wants to fight for a place at Newcastle
– Fernabahce have announced that they have released Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo
Football tit bits:
– Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admitted his sides start to the season has not been good enough after they drew 0-0 at Burnley
– Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Real Madrid’s trip to Real Sociedad to allow him time to fully recover from injury
– Neymar has returned to Barcelona squad after missing their opening La Liga fixture with an ankle injury
– Former Barcelona striker and Assistant Dutch national team coach Patrick Kluivert has emerged as a candidate for the Ross County vacancy
The Football transfer rumour mills are still as busy as ever, here are the top transfer rumours making the rounds as compiled by our man Paul Ayorinde.
you can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Done Deals:
– Leicester City have completed the signing of free-agent Esteban Cambiasso on a one-year deal
– QPR have announced the signing of goalkeeper Alex McCarthy from Reading on a four-year contract
– Chelsea have announced that striker Fernando Torres will join AC Milan on a two-year loan subject to a medical
– Swansea City have signed midfielder Giancarlo Gallifuoco on a one-year deal
– Middlesbrough have completed the signing of striker Patrick Bamford from Chelsea on a season-long loan deal
– Montpellier have announced they have reach an agreement with Tottenham over the sale of midfielder Benjamin Stambouli
Esteban Cambiaso
Today’s reports and rumours:
– According to reports, Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song is on the verge of joining West Ham on loan
– Chelsea have been told to forget about signing £20million rated Roma striker Mattia Destro
– Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is keen on signing highly-rated Ajax prospect Timothy Fosu Mensah
– Hull City are considering an approach for Schalke defender Christian Fuchs
– Napoli are in talks to sign Liverpool defender Daniel Agger
– Fiorentina owner Andrea Della Valle has confirmed that Juan Cuadrado will be staying at the club
– According to reports, Roma have agreed a €15million fee with Paris Saint-Germain for midfielder Adrien Rabiot
– According to reports in Italy, Juventus have agreed personal terms with Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez
– Swansea have told Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool they must pay £24million if they want to sign Wilfried Bony
– Crystal Palace have made a bid for QPR defender Armand Traore
– Chelsea are reportedly set to make a move for QPR striker Loic Remy
– According to reports, Borrusia Dortmund are on the verge of signing Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa for £10million
– According to reports in France, Herta Berlin are close to signing Lille striker Salomon Kalou
– Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Stromsgodset’s 15-year old midfielder Martin Odegaard
– Besiktas are interested in signing Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa
– Crystal Palace are keen on signing Norwich City striker Gary Hooper
– Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal has been quoted as saying he doesn’t want to leave Juventus this summer
– West Ham have rejected a £3million bid from Hull City for midfielder Mohammed Diame
– According to reports, Valencia have made an offer for Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverly
– Adel Taarabt has conceded he is still holding out for a move to Milan this summer
– Liverpool are reportedly closing in on signing Manchester City defender Micah Richards
– According to Wigan manager Uwe Rosler, James McArthur’s proposed move to Leicester City is off.
– Leicester City are close to signing QPR defender Danny Simpson
Arturo Vidal
Football tit bits:
– Juventus will be without midfielder Andrea Pirlo for four-six weeks after test confirmed he has damaged his hip
– Michel Platini has announced he will not stand against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency and will instead run for re-election for UEFA president
– Ivory Coast will be disqualified from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations if they forfeit their qualifier against Sierra Leone because of fears over Ebola
Xabi Alonso to Bayern is the biggest move of the day, but here are some of the other top transfer rumours making the rounds as compiled by our man Paul Ayorinde.
you can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Done Deals:
– Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Wilfried Zaha from Manchester United on a season-long loan deal
– Esteban Cambiasso has joined Leicester City details later.
– Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung has signed a new four-year contract at the club
– Bayern Munich have announced they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of Xabi Alonso.
– Metz have completed the signing of midfielder Sergei Kryvets from BATE Borisov
-QPR have completed the signing of defender Jack Robinson from Liverpool
Wilfred Zaha
Today’s reports and rumours:
– Hull City are close to signing striker Abel Hernandez from Palermo
– Sandro’s agent said it is “very unlikely” Tottenham will sell the midfielder to Napoli
– Chelsea are still reportedly keen on signing Roma striker Mattia Destro
– According to reports, Juventus and Valencia are still in the hunt for Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez
– Marseille are keen on signing Sporting Lisbon midfielder Diego Capel
– According to reports, Sevilla are close to signing OGC Nice defender Timothee Kolodziejczak
– Marseille are on the verge of signing Newcastle defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
– According to reports, Tottenham are pursuing a loan deal for Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck.
– Manchester United are in talks with Sporting Lisbon over a deal for midfielder William Carvalho
– Sunderland are closing in on a deal for Inter Milan’s Ricky Alvarez
– Sheffield Wednesday wants Manchester United defender Marnick Vermijl on a season-long loan deal
– Sunderland have reportedly offer £6million for Celtic defender Virjil van Dirk
– Burnley are looking to submit a bid for Derby defender Richard Keogh
-According to reports, Leicester City have offered £5million for Locomotiv Moscow striker Dame N’Doye
– West Ham are in talks over a deal for Rennes defender Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik
– According to reports, Aston Villa have agreed a £8million deal with Manchester United for midfielder Tom Cleverly
– Arsenal have reportedly tabled a £11.9million bid for Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
– Inter Milan are looking to sign Bayern Munich winger Xherdan Shaqiri
– According to reports, Real Madrid will agree a €23million deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Marco Reus next summer
-Tottenham have reportedly ended their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song
– Borussia Dortmund are in advanced talks to re-sign Manchester United forward Shinji Kagawa
– QPR are close to signing Gremio defender Bressan on a season-long loan
– According to reports, Manchester United wants a pay-as-you-play deal for Arturo Vidal due to concern about his right knee
– Roma are reported preparing a bid for Newcastle defender Davide Santon
– Newcastle have renewed their interest in QPR striker Loic Remy
Football tit bits:
– Wayne Rooney has been named England’s new captain by manager Roy Hodgson
– Louis van Gaal has warned fans,Angel Di Maria should not be seen as Manchester United “miracle” as his big-money signing was officially presented to the media for the first time
– Leeds United have sacked head coach David Hockaday just six games into his reign
– Former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has announced his retirement from football after a heart condition was detected at a routine medical
– Defender Cosmin Moti saved two shoot-out penalties to send Bulgarian side Ludogorets into the group stage of the Champions League for the first time
– Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo won UEFA Best Player in Europe Award ahead of Bayern Munich pair Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben
Here are Paul Ayorinde’s picks of the latest football transfer news making the rounds.
You can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Adrien Rabiot
Done Deals:
– Tottenham have completed the signing of Federico Fazio from Sevilla on a four-year contract
– Watford striker Troy Deeney have signed a new four-year contract at the club
– Barcelona have completed the signing of defender Douglas Pereira from Sao Paolo for €4million
– Celtic have announced the signing of Ghana international winger Mubarak Wakasso from Rubin Kazan on a season-long loan deal
Federico Fazio. photo credit uefa.com
Today’s reports and rumours:
– Various reports have linked Manchester United with a move £24 for Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho.
– Arsenal are believed to have made bids for Adrien Rabiot, with Juventus and AS Roma also linked to Rabiot.
– Hull manager Steve Bruce have admitted defeat in his bid to sign striker Jordan Rhodes from Blackburn Rovers
– Inter Milan are planning a bid for Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa
– Arsenal target Alessio Cerci future has once again been thrown into doubt after he was left out of Torino’s Europa league squad
– According to reports, Palermo striker Abel Hernandez is on the verge of joining Hull City
– Tottenham reportedly asked for Mattia De Sciglio in exchange for Roberto Soldado,but AC Milan turned them down
– According to SkySport Italia, Marco van Ginkel has turned down a loan move to AC Milan,as he wants to stay at Chelsea
– Arsenal are reportedly considering a late swoop for Barcelona’s Munir El-Haddadi
– According to reports, Sevilla are closing in on a deal to sign Southampton midfielder Gaston Ramirez
– Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of agreeing a deal with Atletico Madrid for defender Toby Alderweireld
– Alvaro Arbeloa is keen on leaving Real Madrid before the end of the transfer window
– According to BBC, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is unlikely to sign a new striker before the end of the transfer window despite Olivier Giroud’s injury
– Bayern Munich are considering a move for Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso
– Arsenal have offered former Birmingham striker Nikola Zigic a contract,according to his agent.
– Wigan midfielder James McArthur is on the verge of joining Leicester City
– Olympiakos are reportedly interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain defender Clement Chantome
– According to reports,Manchester United are weighing up a £20 million move for Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen
– Hamburg are interested in signing Tottenham midfielder Lewis Holtby
– Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha is close to joining Crystal Palace on loan
– According to reports, Inter Milan midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic is been monitored by Crystal Palace and West ham
– Hull City defender Alex Bruce is set to join Blackburn Rovers
– Chelsea striker Fernando Torres’ wages are a stumbling block regarding a move to AC Milan
– Benfica are interested in Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez
– Daniel Agger claims he doesn’t know if he will still be at Liverpool on Monday when the transfer window shuts
– According to reports in France, Real Madrid are planning to spend the majority of the money they received from Manchester United for Angel Di Maria on Radamel Falcao
– Tottenham are interested in Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song
-Turkish Club Trabzonspor is keen on Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart
– Norwich City are on the verge of signing Club Brugge midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe for £4million
– Cardiff city are interested in signing Bordeaux defender Lamine Sane
– QPR are reading to move for West Ham midfielder Mohammed Diame
– Athletic Bilbao are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi on loan
Football tit bits:
– Crystal Palace have appointed Neil Warnock as their new manager on a two-year contract
– Xabi Alonso has announced his retirement from international football with Spain at age 32. He had 114 caps to his name
– Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne is out of hospital after his latest health scare.
-New Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis has revealed he got to know his Swansea City team-mates by researching them on the Football Manager computer game
– New Everton striker Samuel Eto’o has indicated he wants to put his fall-out with Jose Mourinho behind him.
– UEFA have postponed Israel’s opening 2016 European Championship qualifying match against Belgium because of security reasons. Israel was scheduled to host Belgium in Jerusalem on September 9th. The game will now be played March 31st 2015 at a venue to be confirmed later.
– A football Fan as Won £1250 After mistakenly placing a bet on MK Dons in the Capital one clash against Man Utd.
Di Maria to Man Utd, Eto’o to Everton are just some of the Done Deals today, but trust our man Paul to bring you all the other Deals and Speculations.
you can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Roberto Martinez and Samuel Etoo. photo credit Evertonfc
Done Deals:
– Manchester United have announced the signing of Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record fee of £59.7million
– AS Roma have completed the signing of defender Kostas Manolas from Olympiakos for €13million
– Everton have announced the signing of free agent Samuel Eto’o on a two-year contract
– Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has signed a new four-year contract at the club
– Bayern Munich have completed the signing of defender Mehdi Benatia from AS Roma on a five-year contract
– Parma have completed the signing of midfielder Francesco Lodi from Catania on a season-long loan deal
– Eibar have announced the loan signing of AC Milan defender Didac Vila
– Palermo have completed the signing of Ivory Coast international defender Souleymane Bamba
– Inter Milan have loaned out Ruben Botta and Ezequiel Schelotto to Chievo Verona
– Palermo have completed the signing of Costa Rican international defender Giancarlo Gonzalez from Columbus Crew.
– Hull City have completed the signing of defender Michael Dawson from Tottenham on a three-year contract for £3million
Angel Di Maria, photo credit Mufc
Today’s Reports And Rumours:
– Leicester city and Burnley are locked in battle to sign Wigan midfielder James McArthur
– According to reports in France, Monaco owner Dimitri Rybolovlev will only sell Radamel Falcao if he receives an offer in excess of £47.8million
– Lazio are reportedly interested in signing Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron
– Daley Blind’s agent says Manchester United are yet to launch a bid to sign his client
– Napoli are reportedly close to signing Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva
– QPR have stepped-up their interest in Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy
– Swansea City are close to signing Ostersunds FK striker Modou Barrow
– Arsenal fear Olivier Giroud could be out for over three months and may try to bring in a striker before the transfer window closes
– Tim Sherwood have been lined up to replace Harry Redknapp as QPR manager if the West London side continues to struggle.
– According to reports, AC Milan are closing in on Chelsea striker Fernando Torres
– Bournemouth are looking to sign Carlton Cole from West ham for £1million
– Blackburn Rovers forward Jordan Rhodes is set to put in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move to Hull City
– Sunderland are close to signing defender Sebastian Coates from Liverpool on a season-long loan
– According to reports, Sporting Lisbon are willing to accept a reduced fee from Arsenal for midfielder William Carvalho if they can get a player like Serge Gnabry or Francis Coquelin on loan
– Juventus are interested in signing Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez
– Napoli are reportedly in talks with Espanyol for midfielder David Lopez
– Arsenal boss Arsene has dismissed speculation over Poldoski departure by announcing”Lukas Poldoski will stay with us”
– According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain are in talks with PSV to sign midfielder Georgino Wijnaldum
– According to reports, Roma have contacted Lorient over the possibility of signing defender Bruno Ecuele Manga
– Inter Milan boss Walter Mazzari has approved the club’s move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi
– Andros Townsend is facing the prospect of becoming a fringe player at Tottenham
– Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Torino forward Alessio Cerci
-West ham have enquired about Bayer Leverkusen defender Phillip Wollscheid
– Juventus have warned Spanish side Sevilla that defender Angelo Ogbonna will not be sold for less than €15million
Frank Lampard. photo credit thefa.com
Football Tit Bits:
– Frank Lampard has announced his retirement from international football after making 106 appearances for England
– UEFA President Michel Platini is set to announce on Thursday in Monaco if he will challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA Presidency
– Atletico Madrid are to plead their case at the Lige de Futbol Profesional appeals committee in an attempt to reduce the ban handed to Diego Simeone.
– The Italian Football Association(FIGC) is no longer planning to investigate its President Carlo Tavecchio’s racist remark during his election campaign
– Samuel Eto’o has been dropped as Cameroon’s national team captain and permanently replaced by midfielder Stephane Mbia
Here are our man Paul Ayorinde’s pick of the hottest football transfer news making the rounds at this moment.
you can also follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Done Deals:
– Bayern Munich signs goalkeeper Pepe Reina from Liverpool
– Real Madrid have confirmed that striker Karim Bemzema has signed a new five-year contract with the club
– Southampton have confirmed the signing of Algerian midfielder Saphir Taider from Inter Milan, with Daniel Osvaldo moving in the other direction on a season- long loan deal
– Liverpool have completed the signing of right back Javier Manquillo from Atletico Madrid on a season-long loan
– QPR has confirmed the signing of Chilean right back Mauricio Isla from Juventus on a season-long loan deal
– Charlton Athletic has confirmed that Iran international Reza Ghoochannejhad has joined Kuwait sporting club on a season-long loan
– Hamburg have completed the signing of Nicolai Muller from Mainz for €4.4million
– Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Nigerian international Kenneth Omeruo from Chelsea on a season-long loan
– Former Marseille defender Souleymane Diawara has joined Nice on a one-year deal
Today’s report and rumours:
– Nottingham Forest are reportedly on the verge of breaking their club transfer record for Peterborough striker Britt Assombalonga
– Wolfsburg midfielder Luis Gustavo has dismissed speculation that he will leave the club this summer.
– Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has hinted at an interest in Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado
– Costa Rica international Celso Borges is close to joining Ligue 1 side Evian from AIK Stockholm
– Swansea winger Pablo Hernandez is close to joining Qatari side Al-Arabi
– According to reports, Southampton representatives are in Lisbon to negotiate a deal over Sporting Lisbon’s left back Marcos Rojo
– Arsenal are lining up a bid for Liverpool defender Daniel Agger as a replacement for Thomas Vermaelen
– According to reports, Alex Song and Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay have been told that they are not in Luis Enrique’s plans at Barcelona and have been advised to find new clubs.
– Atletico Madrid are close to signing right-back Jesus Gamez from Malaga
– According to reports, Tottenham are ready to pay €20million for PSV winger Memphis Depay
– Swansea will move for £6million-rated Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk once Chico Flores’ sale goes through.
– QPR boss Harry Redknapp will hold crunch talks with striker Loic Remy and midfielder Adel Taarabt to press them on their futures and attempt to persuade them to stay at the club.
– Atletico Madrid are lining up a massive bid for Chelsea winger Andre Schurrle
– Fulham want £2.5million to allow Kostas Mitroglou to join Hertha Berlin on loan.
– Celtic are keen on signing Wigan winger Callum McManaman.
– Tottenham have been told that Marseille midfielder Florian Thauvin is not for sale.
– According to reports, Manchester United have submitted a bid of £8million for AC Milan midfielder Nigel De Jong
– West ham have approached FC Basel about striker Marco Streller according to the player’s agent
– Galatasaray are considering a move for Portuguese international Hugo Almeida
– Southampton are poised to complete a £7million deal for keeper Fraser Forster if Celtic crash out of the Champions League tonight.
– Barcelona are set to offer £10million to Arsenal for Thomas Vermaelen.
– According to reports, West Ham have failed with a £7million bid for Stuttgart striker Vedad Ibisevic.
Karim Benzema of France Photo Credit: FIFA
Football tit bits:
– Howard Webb has retired from a refereeing career that included a World Cup final to become technical director of the body that selects and governs Premier League match officials.
– England’s bid to host the Euro 2020 semifinals and final could be unchallenged at next month’s vote, with Germany FA chiefs considering dropping Munich’s rival bid.
– Brendan Rodgers has warned new Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal that the fierce competitiveness of the Premier League will make it difficult for him to win the title in his first season.
– Kenyan Football Federation have appointed former Kilmarnock manager Bobby Williamson as head coach of the Harambee stars.
Jeremy Mathieu: photo credit valenciafootballclub.com
Our man Paul Ayorinde has compiled todays freshest Football Transfer news from across the globe just for you
You can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going.
Done Deal:
– TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS today announced the signing of two Swansea players Michel Vorm and Ben Davies in an exchange deal that will see Gylfi Sigurdsson going in the opposite direction
– Barcelona have announced a deal to sign defender Jeremy Mathieu from Valencia. The Frenchman will join on a four-year deal for €20milllion
– Arsenal midfielder Thomas Elsfeld has joined championship club Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
– Fulham have completed the signing of Moroccan international Adil Chihi from Cologne.
– FC Porto have completed the signing of Algerian midfielder Yacine Brahimi from Granada for €6.5million
– FC Basel have announced the signing of veteran defender Walter Samuel on a one-year deal.
– Barnsley have completed the signing of former Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull on a two-year deal.
– Sevilla has announced the signing of Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak from Lyon for a fee of around €5.5million
– Sassulo have completed the signing of Croatia international Sime Vrsaljko from Genoa for a fee around €6million
michel vorm: photo credit, swanseacity.net
Today’s report and rumours:
– According to reports,Newcastle United are set to make a bid of around €8million for Juventus defender Mauricio Isla
– Arsenal are reportedly close to sealing a £9million deal to sign Manchester United winger Nani
– According to reports,Liverpool are now “better placed” than Manchester United or Real Madrid to pull off £42.5million Arturo Vidal move
– Real Betis will persist in their attempts to sign Sunderland midfielder Alfred N’Diaye,the Spanish club’s president has pledged.
– Swansea city have enquired about striker Modou Barrow, according to his club Ostersunds.
– Reports in Italy suggest that Monaco have tabled a bid for Torino forward Alessio Cerci.
– Arsenal are in talks to sell Spanish left back Nacho Monreal to Atletico Madrid.
– Aston villa manager Paul Lambert has warned off clubs coveting his captain Ron Vlaar.
– Tottenham are being handed the opportunity to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Douglas Costa because of the crisis in Ukraine
– Newcastle united are keen on signing Arsenal winger Serge Gnarby on a season-long loan.
– Hull city are in talks with Rennes over a deal for Cameroon defender Jean-Armal kana-Biyik
– According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain are in talks with Atletico Madrid over the sale of Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore.
– Southampton are set to launch a second bid for Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster after having an initial bid turned down.
– German club Eintracht Frankfurt have ended talks with Nicklas Bendtner because of the 26-year old high salary demand
– AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia has insisted the club will not sell star centre-back Medhi Benatia and playmaker Adem Ljalic this summer
– Reports in France claim that Toulouse right back Serge Aurier has successfully completed his Paris Saint-Germain medical
Football Tit bits:
– Federacion Ecuatoriana de Futbol (FEF) have sacked their world cup coach Reinaldo Rueda following the team’s failure to progress beyond thengroup stage in Brazil. He has been replaced by an Ecuadorean Sixto Vizuete on a short contract till January 2015
– Manchester United executive vice-chairman Edward Woodward: United not afraid to spend big. “The reality is that we’re not afraid of spending significant amount of money in the transfer market. Whether it’s a record fee or not doesn’t resonate with us, what resonates is a top elite player that the manager wants that is going to be a star at Manchester United” He said
– Joachim Low will remain as Germany coach until after Euro 2016.
– Manchester United have unveiled their New 2014/15 White Away Kit
– Chelsea have today revealed their third kit for the 2014/2015 season
– Chelsea’s new man Diego Costa has hailed new boss Jose Mourinho as ‘the best manager in the world’
Paul Ayorinde has come up with his pick of todays football transfer rumours and done deals making the rounds at this moment.
you can follow Paul on twitter: @El_Pauleta on twitter and also follow @NewFanzone and we will follow you right back, lets keep the discussion going
Done Deals:
– Official: FC Porto have completed the signing of Cristian Tello from Barcelona on a 2 year loan deal
– Juventus have appointed former AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri as Manager to replace Antonio Conte. Allegri signed a 2 year contract worth £1.6million per year
-Bobby Zamora signs one –year contract with Queens Park Rangers.
– Striker Emmanuel Riviere has passed a medical at Newcastle ahead of his move from Monaco.
– Mainz have completed the signing of former Nottingham forest defender Gonzalo Jara
– Roma have complete the signing of former AC Milan midfielder Urby Emmanuelson on a 2 year deal
– Chelsea agrees a deal with Atletico Madrid for left back Filipe Luis worth £20million
– Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Jan Oblak on a six year deal.
– Real Madrid has reached an agreement with Levante to pay the Costa rica goal kepper Keylor Navas’s buyout clause, amounting to €10million.
– Demba Ba has completed his move from Chelsea to Turkish giants Bekistas.
Keylor Navas, photo credit
Today’s Reports and Rumours:
– Sevilla has completed the signing of Argentine goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa from Las Palmas.
– Arturo Vidal will not be joining Manchester United according to Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta, who has stated that the Chilean is “not for sale” and he is content at the club.
– Costa Rican Goalkeeper Keylor Navas is likely to join Real Madrid any moment from now if reports coming out of Spain are anything to be believed.
– Everton has made Colombian striker Carlos Bacca their top summer target,if they fail to re-sign Romelu Lukaku.
– Stoke City Manager Mark Hughes Fancies paying £1.8million for Nigerian midfielder Michael Babatunde.
– According to reports in Spain, Arsenal have agreed a fee with Real Madrid for Sami Khedira.
– Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says no decision has been taken on the future of Xavi
– Queens Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp is keen on Norwich’s Holland World Cup midfielder Leroy Fer.
– Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis claims negotiations to sign Swansea forward Michu are “well underway”.
– Cardiff are set to launch a second £4m bid for Southampton defender Jose Fonte
– AC Milan are considering signing Adel Taarabt on a permanent basis from Queens Park Rangers.
– Andoni Zubizarreta, Barcelona’s sporting director, has confirmed that an offer has been made to Valencia for Jeremy Mathieu. He said: “Valencia already know our offer and we want to maintain privacy in the negotiations. Of course we have other alternatives if this falls through.”
Football Tit bits:
– Louis van Gaal begins work as Manchester United Manager today as he plans for 2014-2015 season at Old Trafford.
– Emmanuel Adebayor has been released from hospital after he was admitted with Malaria symptoms, which made him miss Tottenham’s pre-season trip to the USA.
– Barcelona have unveiled their away jersey for the 2014-15 season. Their away kit has the Catalan flag on the back of the neck. The shorts are also crimson with a blue stripe.
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