Everyone goes football crazy when the World Cup comes round and this year will be no different when the 2010 World Cup in South Africa gets underway. From putting up flags on your house and car to painting your face with the St George’s cross just for the fun of it, people up and down the country will show their support for England in anyway that they can, and there’s no need to stop there either. There are plenty of ways that you can show your support for England this summer, and you can even let 2010 World Cup fever take over your mobile phone as well.
When you’re phoning your mates to organise a time to watch the England match down the pub or can’t make it to the match and want to phone your friend to find out the all-important score you don’t want to be greeted by a boring ring tone. Why not add a football theme to your phone for your mates to enjoy when they ring you. Choose from classic football anthems, such as Three Lions, Vindaloo or All Together Now, or get that classic piece of commentary from Kenneth Wolstenholme at the 1966 World Cup Final: “They think it’s all over, it is now!”
Check out the sock puppets speaking the international language of sock puppetry to explain the situation in this rather silly video. It is prerry heart-warming though with the socks singing the English national anthem – God Save the Queen, something that Steven Gerrard and his England teammates will be doing with pride at the World Cup, hopefully for 7 matches. So make your callers proud and get an uplifting England anthem on your mobile this summer so that everyone can join the World Cup Party. Find out more by visiting www.ringtagz.co.uk.
Newcastle United's hopes of signing Mevlut Erdinc appear to have ended after the striker claimed he had no intention of leaving Paris-Saint Germain.
The Turkey international was the subject of a £5million bid from the Magpies earlier this summer but that was rejected by PSG who were believed to be holding out for £8million.
Stoke City and Birmingham City have also been linked with the forward but the 23-year-old sees no reason to leave the French capital.
Erdinc said: "I am not thinking about moving. I belong to PSG, but it is up to them. I want to be back to 100 per cent fit. Last season was too hard for me. I want to have a great season and play at my best without any injuries."
Erdinc found the net 15 times in 31 appearances for PSG last term after previously scoring 23 goals in 78 games for Sochaux.
Meanwhile, Chris Hughton is believed to have targeted a right-back, midfielder, centre-back and forward this summer and is said to be interested in Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley.
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Nigeria defender Danny Shittu is also thought to be on Hughton's radar.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor does not feel under threat despite the arrival of more big-money signings this summer.
City have spent over £75million on David Silva, Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandr Kolarov in recent weeks, while they continue to be linked with a move for Internazionale's £25million-rated striker Mario Balotelli.
However, Adebayor, a £25million signing from Arsenal last summer, has dismissed the threat posed to him by the influx of new players.
"A lot of good players are coming in but I still want to be number one striker and that is what I am trying to do," said the Togo striker.
Meanwhile, Adebayor has spoken of his zest for life following his involvement in the gun attack at January's Africa Cup of Nations which left three people dead.
"At the end of the day I am lucky to be alive and to be able to enjoy my football," he continued.
"Whenever I talk I am thinking about my team-mates after the gun attack. One got a bullet in his back and he was not even able to walk.
"We are lucky boys and that is why I am enjoying every minute of life.
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"After the shooting it was quite difficult to forget about those things. People died in my hands. But what happened has happened and I will live with that until the end of my life.
"I have been away on holiday, two months of doing nothing, and now I am back I want to score a few goals to make me happy again."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Roberto Mancini has a dilemma on his hands. With Joe Hart saying he is willing to go out on loan again this season instead of being Shay Given’s understudy, Mancini has a big decision to make with regards to whom he decides to start in the Manchester City goal in the opening day fixture against Tottenham on August 11th.
Shay Given’s recovery from a shoulder injury suffered towards the tail end of last season is ahead of schedule and the Irishman looks set to be fit for the opening day clash with Spurs. Since his arrival from Newcastle, Given has established himself as City’s first-choice and one of the finest goalkeepers in the Premier League. He has amassed a great deal of experience, having spent almost 12 years on Tyneside where he earned his reputation as a top-quality goalkeeper despite playing behind a suspect defence. Given has also amassed 103 international caps with the Republic of Ireland, making him the joint most capped player along with Hull midfielder Kevin Kilbane.
During his career, Given has been known for being an outstanding shot-stopper with quick reflexes. However, he has come under scrutiny for the organisation of his defences as both Manchester City and Newcastle have had porous defences while Given has been in goal. There have also been questions about his ability to deal with crosses but Given’s reputation is such that these criticisms have hardly detracted from his stellar reputation.
In the face of the competition for places at Eastlands, Given has welcomed Hart’s challenge for his place in the City starting eleven but he believes his experience should allow him to edge out the challenge of Hart for the number one spot. Given has been quoted in the People as saying:
“It’s definitely good to have that rivalry now Joe is back at the club but at 34 I am an experienced goalkeeper and I don’t worry about an error costing me my place in the team.”
Joe Hart will be looking to prove Shay Given wrong.
Hart has recently returned to City following a highly successful loan move at Birmingham last season and is desperate to displace Given as Mancini’s first-choice goalkeeper. So much so that Hart has expressed his unwillingness to play Given’s understudy at Eastlands, saying to The Sun “it [playing backup] doesn’t really interest me if I’m honest. I’ve played a lot of football and that’s all I want to do.”
As a result of his impressive performances at St. Andrew’s last season, Hart earned himself a call-up to England’s World Cup squad in South Africa. While he didn’t feature for Capello in South Africa, Hart has aspirations of capturing the number one jersey from David James and this ambition would be severely damaged by a lack of playing time.
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Mancini has placed his faith in Hart’s dream by intimating that he also believes the England youngster could be “the first-choice goalkeeper for England for the next ten years” but admitting that he is unsure about which goalkeeper he will be starting this season.
Who do you think should start in the City goal, Hart or Given?
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Financial chaos, new owners, a relegation scrap, a public lampooning of the players by David Sullivan and a change of manager kept up the East End club’s reputation for drama. Whether on or off the pitch West Ham is not a club which practises quiet self reflection. The installation of Avram Grant into the managerial hot seat and his subsequent recruitment drive would suggest an improved showing on last season is all but guaranteed. To record a third top half finish in four years would delight most Hammers fans. For once a season of relative mediocrity, which was bemoaned under Alan Curbishley, would suffice. In order to climb seven league places and avoid fears of relegation here are five things Grant could consider as he seeks to restore the club’s fortunes.
1) Play 4-3-3 at home
Grant has long been a fan of 4-5-1, a system he regularly employed at Portsmouth where Piquionne was the lone front man. Having recently toyed with a 4-3-3 formation in pre-season, fans will be hopeful of a more attacking approach particularly at Upton Park. Getting the ball down and playing neat, attractive football is the mantra of this traditional club. A 4-3-3 system would lend itself to a fluid, passing game which would create more chances for Carlton Cole who deserves better service. The two Davids pledged to make it more entertaining for fans to come and watch West Ham. With the purchase of Pablo Barrera and possible loan signing of Miralem Sulejmani, Grant may feel that he now has the players at his disposal to achieve this.
2) Retain the Services of Scott Parker
The midfield talisman was linked with a move to Spurs earlier this month but West Ham remain unyielding in their determination to keep him. The player fought tooth and nail to keep the Hammers in the Premier League last term making the fans eternally grateful. He is one of the few current players who has his name chanted by the crowd and is entering the best form of his career. The player is now adding goals and assists to his tireless defensive work. Grant has echoed the comments of Sullivan, recognising his importance to West Ham’s midfield. Giving him the captain’s armband would be a popular, if unlikely move.
3) Remind the owners who is in charge
The co-owners aided by Karen Brady rule the roost but Grant must have the final say on all footballing matters. The owners systematically undermined Gianfranco Zola and failed to win over the players. Their relentless diatribes to the media prompted a rare outburst from Luis Boa Morte who urged Mr Sullivan to have, “a bit more composure when talking to the press.” The board have backed Grant in the transfer market and have bestowed great praise on the former Chelsea boss. After working for the demanding Mr Abramovich and enduring the fiasco at Portsmouth, the two Davids may be small fry. He should be wary, however, that their passion for the club does not become interference.
4) Find the best defence and stick to it
During Zola’s first season in charge the club were watertight defensively but this deteriorated dramatically last year. For West Ham fans the positional sense and aerial strength of Matthew Upson was in doubt long before England’s humiliation at the hands of Germany. The club captain endured a frustrating season which afflicted the rest of the defence. Injuries were partly to blame but the back line changed too frequently last season and it showed as goals were continually conceded. Zola appeared unsure of his preferred option at left back following Herita Ilunga’s injury and his best central defensive pairing. Replacing James Tomkins at half time after an error in the club’s ‘shambolic’ defeat to Wolves only made matters worse. Grant has increased his defensive options but must decide on his best back line promptly.
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5) Give youth a chance
Another crop of talented youngsters are emerging at the Boleyn thanks to the diligent work of Tony Carr. Junior Stanislas, Jack Collison and Zavon Hines all made important contributions last season. The future looks bright for the likes of Frank Nouble, Freddie Sears, Josh Payne and Anthony Edgar too. However their playing time may be restricted after a recruitment drive which has seen five players join the club. In the best traditions of the club Grant should give chances to these players or risk impairing their development and commitment to West Ham. Rather than use the January transfer market he should turn to youth to give the squad a renewed impetus for the latter half of the season.
England head coach Fabio Capello has praised goalkeeper Joe Hart for the improvements he has made in his game in the last two years.
The 23-year-old Manchester City star is emerging as a regular first-choice for his country, having impressed in the 4-0 win over Bulgaria on Friday evening.
Capello stated:"I remember when I selected him two years ago he was not the same player. He did not have the same focus on games or training.
"He probably started to play in the first XI too early. He started to think 'I am the best'.
"You have to understand what happens in the mind of the young player. Sometimes it is this, but in two years he has come back.
"Joe Hart is a really good keeper. He improved a lot last year when he played at Birmingham. That was a really important period for him.
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"With any young player, the most important thing is his quality. Now it is really up to him."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville’s latest public outburst will have done little to enhance the defender’s reputation amongst Manchester City and Liverpool supporters. Speaking to MUTV, Neville expressed his “hatred” for Liverpool while condemning neighbours Manchester City for “throwing a load of money at it” in an attempt to gain success. Neville’s views on Manchester United’s rivals are well-known through a number of controversial high-profile incidents.
He found himself in hot water with the FA and the police in 2006 following his provocative celebration of Manchester United’s winning goal against Liverpool where he ran the length of the Old Trafford pitch to celebrate wildly in front of the travelling support. He was charged with improper conduct by the FA but Neville didn’t seem to have learnt his lesson. Last season saw Neville repeat his inflammatory celebrations by doing exactly the same thing in front of the Manchester City fans after Michael Owen sealed a last-gasp winner for United.
However, Neville’s most recent comments, coming at a time when there is no need to stir up any controversy are an indication that Neville’s United career is on the wane.
The need to express such animosity in such a public arena is a cry for attention from a player who has ceased to become relevant at Manchester United. Neville’s loyalty and service to Manchester United should be applauded but this does little to hide the fact that Neville is way past his prime and is simply not up to the calibre of a team that has aspirations on regaining the title that they lost to Chelsea last season.
Neville was hopelessly out of his depth on Saturday against Everton as United surrendered a two-goal cushion to draw with Everton 3-3 in injury time. He looked sluggish against Everton’s effervescent duo of Steven Pienaar and Leon Osman and found himself out of position on many occasions as Everton looked to attack down United’s right. Their tactics paid off as both of Everton’s injury time goals came from crosses from Everton’s left against Neville who failed to stop the ball being delivered into the United penalty box.
Unlike Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes who have blossomed in their advancing years, Neville has seemingly stagnated. Since the beginning of the season, John O’Shea has played at right-back for Manchester United and he has done an excellent job. Off the back of Neville’s indifferent performance on Saturday, there is little evidence to suggest that Neville would be a better bet than O’Shea to play at right-back now that Neville has recovered from injury. To rub further salt in the wound, Neville was denied the captain’s armband on Saturday despite being club captain. The honour was given to Nemanja Vidic who was the one bright spot in a defence that was uncharacteristically porous.
Neville’s decline presents an opportunity for the younger players at Old Trafford to push for a starting berth. Players such as Rafael and Richie De Laet are hot prospects at United and will be eager for a chance to prove themselves worthy of playing for the club.
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To be fair, Neville has indicated that he is aware that this season could possibly be his last in United colours:
“Two years ago I thought it would be my last season. Last year I felt the same. I recognise this one could be as well. I am on a one-year contract. If I don’t perform or the club don’t want me anymore, I will be gone. That is life. In the 19 years I have been here, it has happened to better players.”
If this season does prove to be his last, Neville will want to go out with a bang rather than a whimper. He needs to make sure he finds the headlines for his performances on the pitch rather than his words off it.
England captain Rio Ferdinand accused German official Manuel Grafe of falling below the standards expected of an international referee following the goalless European Championship qualifier against Montenegro.
Grafe turned down two second-half penalty appeals from England during Tuesday's Wembley stalemate.
He first booked Ashley Young for diving in the box before earning the wrath of the home fans and the England players when he waved play on after defender Milan Jovanovic clearly handled the ball in the penalty area.
"It was just disappointing really," said Ferdinand.
"You expect the referees to be able to be up with play and performing at the highest level. Today, we just didn't get that.
"When you're playing at international level, you've got to deal with situations that come about.
"Today we had two really good shouts for a penalty and we didn't get them."
Vice-captain Steven Gerrard, who Ferdinand replaced as skipper following his return to fitness, was similarly scathing of the match official.
"I saw the handball incident very clearly and the referee was really close," he explained.
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"I was very surprised that he never saw it but even more surprised that the linesman hasn't seen it because it's on his side.
"At this level you need that little bit of luck, especially when things are difficult and you're finding it hard to break the opposition down."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopes common sense prevails after striker Robin van Persie was named in the Netherlands squad for the upcoming friendly match against Turkey.
The forward has only recently returned to fitness after being out of action since the end of August with an ankle injury, but national team coach Bert van Marwijk has called him into the 24-man party for the Amsterdam clash.
However, Wenger is unhappy, especially after his prized asset suffered another ankle problem when on international duty last November and the Frenchman wants to avoid a club-versus-country row this time around.
"At the moment, Robin van Persie is coming back from injury. We are concerned to use him at our club and you can understand we are a bit less concerned that he automatically plays in a friendly," he said.
"Everyone of you has common sense and can completely agree with that. It does not look to me surreal that we wish him to play for us.
"Holland is not my problem at the moment, my problem is to play the game against Newcastle on Sunday. All the rest is down to the rules that are in place in the international game. What can I do about that? Not a lot.
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"I am not a big influence on that and I believe the most important thing is that we prepare well for our game on Sunday, try to win the game and let everybody else talk."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manager Roy Hodgson believes Liverpool will emerge stronger from the current adversity facing the club.
The Reds remain entrenched in the relegation places despite edging out Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
Hodgson has found himself under pressure in the opening months of his tenure due to a combination of dismal league form and a Carling Cup third-round exit at the hands of Northampton Town.
However, despite on-pitch pressure and recent unrest at boardroom level, Hodgson believes the club will emerge at the other end a stronger force.
"We're working in adversity but sometimes work done in adversity can be beneficial in the long-term because when you come out the other side you are a much stronger team and much stronger people," he told the club's official website.
"Bolton away (on Sunday) won't be easy and then we've got Chelsea."
Meanwhile, Hodgson is keen for his players to repeat the performance they put in against Blackburn.
He added:"We were much more incisive, we got behind them more, we got behind them down the flanks and Jamie Carragher was bombing down there like Carlos Alberto of old.
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"We didn't concede too much space either and were winning the ball back quickly. It was the right sort of performance but we've got to give another 29 of those.
"If we can do that, we won't go too far wrong but there's a lot of work to be done here – everyone knows it."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email