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Mashaba retains bulk of Bafana squad

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Shakes Mashaba retained the bulk of the Bafana squad that defeated Mauritius in the first leg of the Chand qualifiers.

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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has retained the bulk of the squad that defeated Mauritius 3-0 in the first leg of the 2016 Chand qualifiers at Dobsonville last Saturday.

South Africa will face Mauritius in the second leg on Sunday, July 5 at 5pm (SA time) at the 18 000-seater Stade Anjalay, in Mapou, Mauritius.

Mashaba named 16 players in his 18-man travelling squad that did duty against Mauritius in the first leg - bringing in only two players who were not available for the home leg - defenders Thabo Matlaba and Ntsikelelo Nyauza.

“We did not have much to do in selecting this squad because we looked at the players who played the first leg and needed to add just two more,” said Mashaba.

“What we are looking for are players who will show big match temperament because Mauritius is going to throw everything at us, they won’t sit back like they did last weekend. You could see after the match they were not too disappointed by the 3-0 scoreline. They believe they will reverse the result. I believe the boys will do well though.

“The good thing though is that we also know what we are going to face. The first match gave us an indication of our strong points and weak points, but we will go out there and improve our performance. We are not going for a draw; we will go for a win. An early goal will dampen their spirits so we will do our best to get one.”

Siphelele Ntshangase scored two goals with the other coming from Thamsanqa Gabuza to give Bafana Bafana a convincing win, but Mashaba will urge his players not to be complacent.

“The question of complacency is not an easy thing to deal with because it is in the players’ minds, but we will be guarding against it. We will drum it in the players’ heads that that approach and attitude won’t do us any good,” said Mashaba.

The Bafana Bafana mentor said he was confident all players selected would travel to Mauritius.

“This game does not fall on the Fifa Calendar Week, but we are hopeful the clubs will release the players. We request them to bear with us and we are thankful of those that released their players for the first leg,” said Mashaba.

“But I would also like to say to our fans, media and everyone - let us not allow yesterday to take too much of our energy for tomorrow. Let us put everything in the past and focus on the road ahead, and channel our energy in the right way.”

Bafana assemble for camp on Sunday, in Johannesburg.

The team is scheduled to travel to Mauritius for the Chan return leg on July 2.

Bafana Bafana squad:

Goalkeepers

Jackson Mabokgwane (Black Aces), Itumeleng Khune (unattached)

Defenders

Wandisile Letlabika (Bloemfontein Celtic), Thabo Matlaba (Orlando Pirates), Ntsikelelo Nyauza (Orlando Pirates), Tshepo Gumede (Orlando Pirates), Marc van Heerden (Amazulu), Kwanda Mngonyama (Maritzburg United)

Midfielders

Gift Motupa (Orlando Pirates), Thabang Monare (Jomo Cosmos), Musa Nyatama (Bloemfontein Celtic), Mandla Masango (unattached), William Twala (Chippa United), Vuyisile Wana (Moroka Swallows)

Strikers

Bonginkosi Ntuli (Amazulu), Thamsanqa Gabuza (Orlando Pirates), Ndumiso Mabena (Platinum Stars), Siphelele Ntshangase (Black Leopards)

ANA

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Messi and Pekerman to face off

The pupil faces up to the master when Lionel Messi leads Argentina against Jose Pekerman's Colombia.

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Chile - The pupil faces up to the master when Lionel Messi leads Argentina against Jose Pekerman's Colombia in their Copa America quarter-final on Friday.

Former Argentina coach Pekerman gave Messi his international debut 10 years ago and took him to his first World Cup finals in Germany in 2006.

The final image of the pair at the tournament had Messi sitting head bowed on the bench as Pekerman overlooked him when making substitutions and the team lost to hosts Germany in a shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the quarter-finals.

Messi will be looking to ensure it is Pekerman left staring at the ground at the end of Friday's match at Vina del Mar with 2014 World Cup runners-up Argentina progressing to the semi-finals.

But, with 100 caps under his belt, Messi has nothing but praise and gratitude towards Pekerman and has often said: “He gave me a lot of advice that I don't forget.”

It should be an open match which both Messi and Pekerman will be looking forward to given the attacking inclinations of both men and their teams after struggling to overcome defensive tactics from their group rivals and only shining intermittently.

“Colombia has a game that can favour us because they play and come out (of defence) more than the majority of our rivals up to now,” Argentina winger Angel Di Maria told Reuters.

“I think we'll have more room to move up front They have great players who also need mobility. We're expecting an end to end match.”

Pekerman is now working with another classy number 10, James Rodriguez, top scorer at last year's World Cup and the man some believe should have been named best player instead of Messi.

“We all know they have good players but I think it's going to be 50-50 because Colombia also play, that's why it will be a nice match,” Rodriguez told reporters.

“I think it's obvious that in these three (group) matches I had little room, they were tight matches, intense, with a lot of friction and with little space I can't play much.”

It will be the countries' ninth meeting in the tournament, known as the South American Championship until its revamp in the late 1980s, with Argentina coming out on top in six.

In two previous Copa America clashes in Chile, Argentina won 9-1 in 1945 in the teams' first ever meeting and 2-1 in 1991 when they won their 13th and penultimate title.

Reuters

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Liverpool targeting another striker

Liverpool's readiness to add another attacking option to the squad suggests the club believe they will lose Raheem Sterling.

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London - Liverpool are prepared to add further attacking reinforcements for next season, despite the rapid deal which has made Roberto Firmino the second most expensive acquisition in the club's history at a fee of £22m rising to £29m.

The club also have Seville's £20m Colombian Carlos Bacca and Zenit Saint Petersburg's Venezuelan Salomon Rondon under consideration and though not close to signing either, they will move for another forward if - as seems highly likely - the pursuit of Aston Villa's Christian Benteke falls through.

The Liverpool managing director, Ian Ayre, is staying at the Copa America in Chile for an additional day, having flown out to tie up the Firmino deal, and is in position to progress moves for additional attacking options. Villa have been implacably unwilling to soften on Benteke's £32.5m release clause. Liverpool will simply not buy for that price, meaning the pursuit of the Belgian appears to be over.

Liverpool's readiness to add what would be a ninth attacking option to Brendan Rodgers' squad suggests the club believe they will lose Raheem Sterling - with a third Manchester City bid expected any time, taking the offer close to the £50m asking price which Liverpool are holding to. The Anfield club may look beyond Bacca and Rondon for further attacking options. Real Madrid are expecting Liverpool's interest in Denis Cheryshev, a Russian winger who spent last season on loan at Villarreal, to firm up if they do lose Sterling.

There are impediments to either Bacca or Rondon signing. Seville will not stand in the way of Bacca's sale, though Liverpool are aware they are dealing with another release clause - £21m in his case.

The 28-year-old, who is the more mobile of the two players, was expected to be the first Seville player to leave this summer but the club qualified for the Champions League by winning the Europa League last month. That complicates the task of persuading Bacca to move. Signing players from Russian clubs like Zenit can also carry challenges, so a move for Rondon would not be straightforward either.

Firmino has been signed on a five-year deal from Bundesliga club Hoffenheim after rapid negotiations were concluded by Ayre. He risked another of the public setbacks which Liverpool have experienced in the transfer market when he flew to Santiago, via Paris, on Monday evening - arriving early on Tuesday morning - but has concluded all the formalities.

All that remains is a medical, which will be completed when the forward has finished his duties at the Copa America with Brazil.

The Independent

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Chiefs to take on Mbabane Swallows

Kaizer Chiefs were drawn to face Mbabane Swallows in the semi-final of the King’s Super Cup on July 18.

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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs were drawn to face Mbabane Swallows in the semi-final of the King’s Super Cup on July 18.

Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, will face Royal Leopards.

The King’s Super Cup is an initiative of Swaziland’s King Mswati III.

The semis will be held in the morning, with the final taking place in the afternoon at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba, between Mbabane and Manzini.

Mbabane Swallows finished second in the Swazi league last season, with Royal Leopards taking the title.

Chiefs’ opponent won the league title five times since the club’s foundation.

“This tournament is about love & peace and unity,” Amakhosi’s Football Manager Bobby Motaung said on Wednesday.

“It also reconfirms our relationship with Swaziland through soccer. It’s about bringing people together.”

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Pirates sign new trio

Orlando Pirates have quietly added three new names to their books for next season.

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Johannesburg - While Kaizer Chiefs have grabbed much attention for their offseason signings, arch-rivals Orlando Pirates have quietly added three new names to their books for next season.

Pirates have acquired the services of Felipe Ovono of Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwean forward Tendai Ndoro and Bafana midfielder Gift Motupa.

Motupa was pleased to be joining the Buccaneers on a five-year contract.

“I am happy for the opportunity to play for Pirates and I hope I can grab it with both hands and excel,” said Motupa.

“I am aware that not every player that gets this opportunity so I plan on making the best of it. I am a central midfielder and for me it’s important that I measure myself against the best and playing for a Club like Pirates gives me that opportunity.”

Ovono, meanwhile, said he had signed with Pirates last season but work permit issues prevented him from turning out for the club.

“I signed for Orlando Pirates during the previous season but I had to go back to my country, Equatorial Guinea in order to apply for a work permit,” said Ovono.

“I am excited to be finally with my team, it has been difficult following them from the side-lines but I am just honoured to be finally here. Pirates is a big team and people back home and across the African continent know and respect this Club which is why I am grateful for the opportunity to play for them.”

Ndoro was excited to provide firepower in the Pirates frontline, and said the competition for spots would bode well for the team.

“I know I have my work cut out for me because Pirates has one of the best striking departments currently in the PSL,” said Ndoro.

“All the strikers are in form and are scoring goals regularly which is a good thing because it shows we have a strong striking department and knowing that I am surrounded by good and talented players is a huge motivation for me. I can only hope that I am able to contribute positively by scoring goals next season.”

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Everton sign Barcelona winger Deulofeu

Everton have signed winger Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona on a three-year contract for six million euros.

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London - Everton have signed winger Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona on a three-year contract for six million euros ($6.7 million), the Premier League club said on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Spaniard spent the 2013-14 season on loan at Goodison Park and made 29 appearances, scoring three Premier League goals.

“Gerard needs no introduction to anyone here at Everton, for we are all well aware of his incredible footballing talent,” Everton manager Roberto Martinez told the club's website.

“We got to know him really well from his loan period, not only as such a talented player but also his great character. He will be a fantastic asset to our club.”

The contract includes a release clause if Barcelona make an offer meeting certain requirements within the first two years, and the European champions also have a right of first refusal if the Premier League club decide to sell Deulofeu, Everton said.

Deulofeu, who spent last season on loan at Sevilla, is Everton's second signing of the close season following the arrival of midfielder Tom Cleverley from Manchester United on a free transfer.

Reuters

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Wilkins named Villa assistant manager

Ray Wilkins has been appointed as assistant manager to Tim Sherwood at Aston Villa, the former England captain said.

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London - Ray Wilkins has been appointed as assistant manager to Tim Sherwood at Premier League club Aston Villa, the former England captain said on Thursday.

The 58-year-old, who won international 84 caps, has managed London sides Queens Park Rangers and Fulham and most recently had a spell as coach of the Jordan national team.

Wilkins played as a midfielder for clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United, AC Milan, QPR and Rangers.

He was appointed player manager of QPR in 1994 and has had coaching roles at Fulham, Chelsea, Watford and Millwall.

“Tim is similar to me in that he wants to win and is pretty bubbly. As soon as I spoke to him it seemed to click,” Wilkins told Sky Sports.

“I've been very fortunate over my coaching career to be involved with lots of managers of a very high level. Hopefully, I can give the lads at Villa that experience.”

FA Cup runners-up Villa finished 17th in the Premier League last season.

Reuters

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Arsenal won't sell Wilshere

Arsenal will not entertain any offers for Jack Wilshere and will underline his importance by awarding him a new contract.

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London - Arsenal will not entertain any offers from Manchester City for Jack Wilshere and will underline his importance to the club by awarding him a new contract.

The England midfielder - who scored his first international goals in the 3-2 win in Slovenia earlier this month - is a serious target for City this summer.

But, after years of financial constraints, the Gunners no longer have to consider offers for their best players.

Sportsmail understands City are undeterred by Arsenal’s stance, believing that a massive bid will convince them to sell.

The 23-year-old’s existing deal, worth £60 000 a week, expires in 2018 but talks over an improved contract will start in the opening months of next season.

Daily Mail

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£29m star who 'smells of goals'

Like many Brazilian players, football has provided an escape from hardship for new Liverpool signing Roberto Firmino.

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London - Like many Brazilian players, football has provided an escape from hardship for Liverpool’s colourful £29million signing Roberto Firmino.

His home city of Maceio has beautiful beaches, but for the Firmino family survival was always the name of the game and Roberto grew up aware that his father was forced to sell bottles of water on the streets to make a living.

It is why he agreed to move on his own far from home at 16 years old to pursue a career as a footballer. When his big chance to play in Europe arrived three years later, his first reaction was to proclaim: ‘My family will never have to work again.’

Instead, they followed him to Germany and, one assumes, will now relocate to Merseyside, along with the player’s girlfriend Larissa and their seven-month-old baby daughter Valentina.

Firmino’s career has always been about providing and anyone in doubt about the closeness of his family ties just needs to study his tattoo-adorned body, from the motto ‘Family, unending love’ in German to his daughter’s name inked across his chest.

Brendan Rodgers will surely be encouraged that Firmino’s back-story suggests a player with hunger as well as talent. ‘To run more’ is his target at the start of each season and even by the non-stop standards of the Bundesliga, Firmino’s work-rate is impressive.

It is not headless-chicken stuff either, 38 goals in 133 games for Hoffenheim is a better strike ratio than Steven Gerrard. ‘He smells of goals,’ says Brazil coach Dunga and his tidy finish from Willian’s cross against Venezuela in the Copa America this week was his fourth goal in nine international matches.

At 16 Roberto signed for Tombense, hundreds of miles from home, and they sent him on loan a further 1,000 miles south to Figueirense.

‘It was hard at the beginning,’ conceded Firmino later. ‘I was completely on my own but I always had a clear goal in mind.’ Firmino helped Figueirense win promotion and Bundesliga side Hoffenheim had taken note, paying £3.5m or the untested 19-year-old - a gamble that has paid off handsomely.

Signed as a midfielder, Firmino has been pushed forward as his career has progressed and can play as a winger on either flank or at No 10. At Anfield, he will continue to wear the No 11 shirt which he wears for his country, with the club’s iconic No 7 going to James Milner, who wore that number at Manchester City.

Firmino’s move will encourage City to make a final, £40m offer to Liverpool for unsettled Raheem Sterling.

For his part, Rodgers must hope the new man can form an understanding with Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings like that he shared at Hoffenheim with Gylfi Sigurdsson and young German Kevin Volland. ‘We only had to make eye contact and I knew where to make the pass,’ he said.

He has either scored or assisted in 45 goals in Hoffenheim’s last 66 matches - but of course there will be doubts. With no Europa or Champions League experience, he comes with a hefty price tag, one Manchester United wouldn’t pay.

Firmino will take time to learn English but insisted: ‘Don’t judge me on what I say. On the pitch I transform myself, I am another person and lose my shyness.’

Daily Mail

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United table £35m offer for Ramos

Man United have made an opening bid of £35m for Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, and he has asked his club to consider it.

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London - Manchester United have made an opening bid of around £35million for Sergio Ramos and the Real Madrid defender has asked his club to consider it.

The offer came as Ramos met Real officials and requested that they open negotiations with United. The bid is independent of David de Gea’s move in the opposite direction but it is clear United will use their interest in Ramos to come to an agreement over the sale of their goalkeeper.

Ramos yesterday askedReal to climb down from their stance of only allowing him to leave if a club pays his £180m buy-out clause.

Earlier Pedro Riesco, who works alongside the player’s brother and agent Rene, suggested Ramos’ departure was almost inevitable.

Riesco toldRadio Marca: ‘With everything that has happened it will be very difficult for Sergio

Ramos to stay at Madrid.’ Since the player admitted privately that he wanted out of Madrid, he has been subjected to a smear campaign by media that he believes is being directed by the club’s president.

Riesco added: ‘Sergio is a symbol of this club. He has nothing to prove. But so many things are being said about him. There is so much manipulation to discredit his name via spokesmen who behave like puppets saying he is not respecting the club and that he is just a money-grabber.’

Madrid are already looking at possible replacements, including two players United have targeted: Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte and Nicolas Otamendi of Valencia. They are also interested in Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, 29, who signed a new contract last summer.

United will also join the chase for Morgan Schneiderlin after the France midfielder reached an agreement with Southampton to leave this summer. The Saints want £24m for the 25-year-old, who still has two years to run on his current deal. The fee may put off Arsenal and Tottenham, who would also be keen to sign him. Spurs made a move for Schneiderlin last summer.

Daily Mail

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Bad-tempered Uruguay exit Copa America

Uruguay bowed out of the Copa America with a bitter taste in their mouths after two players were sent off.

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Santiago - Uruguay bowed out of the Copa America with a bitter taste in their mouths after having two men controversially sent off in their 1-0 quarter-final defeat by Chile, their coach Oscar Tabarez said.

Striker Edinson Cavani and defender Jorge Fucile were both dismissed in the second half of a bad-tempered encounter on Wednesday in Santiago.

Cavani's dismissal looked particularly harsh as he responded relatively mildly to provocation from Chile fullback Gonzala Jara.

After the dismissal of Fucile near the end of the game, the Uruguayan players lost their tempers, shoved the linesman and came close to blows with some of the Chilean players.

Tabarez joined in the protest and the game was held up for several minutes until order was restored.

“When things end in red cards for incidents that weren't even fouls it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth,” Tabarez said. “I would have liked to lose in a different way.”

The coach apologised for leaving his technical area to remonstrate with Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci but said the official was wrong to send off Fucile for a tackle on Alexis Sanchez.

“I said to the referee 'why have you sent off a player who didn't commit a foul?',” Tabarez said. “Fucile, it was so clear!

“And with the sending off of Cavani there is also photographic evidence that showed what happened and the provocation (from Jara).

“I submit to the TV images and photographs. That's where the truth lies.”

Chile enjoyed 80 percent of possession in a one-sided match but struggled to break down a characteristically stubborn Uruguayan defence until wingback Mauricio Isla scored with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Tabarez said Cavani's dismissal 20 minutes earlier was a turning point.

“When we were down to 10 men obviously it became more difficult because our opportunities for attack were reduced,” he said.

He denied Cavani's dismissal had anything to do with the player's state of mind after hearing on Tuesday that his father had been arrested in Uruguay for his role in a fatal car crash.

“I think today he (Cavani) was where he should have been,” Tabarez said. “His red card had nothing to do with what happened the day before.”

Reuters

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Soccer probe: Fifa grants examined

Swiss authorities are focusing on development grants made by Fifa as part of their investigation of the soccer body.

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London - Swiss authorities are examining development grants made by Fifa around the world as part of their investigation into the sport's global governing body and its award of World Cup hosting rights for Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, a source familiar with the probe said.

In particular, the investigators are looking at how the money was spent and whether there is any falsification of documents, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The grants mainly go to national soccer associations and are often earmarked for new soccer pitches and related facilities, or for training programmes.

The Swiss investigation is running alongside and in co-operation with a US probe that led to the criminal indictment on May 27 of nine current and former Fifa officials and five executives in sports marketing and broadcasting on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges.

Information technology specialists from Switzerland's federal police agency, as well as prosecutors and financial experts, are poring over masses of evidence collected by the office of Switzerland's Attorney General, the source said.

The evidence includes voluminous internal records, most in digitised form, seized from the offices of Fifa's President Sepp Blatter, Secretary General Jerome Valcke and finance and administrative chief Markus Kattner. The source said “almost everything” in Valcke's office had been seized.

Blatter, who announced earlier this month that he was stepping down after 17 years as Fifa president, and Valcke have not been accused of wrongdoing by the Swiss and US authorities.

A Fifa spokeswoman said in an email response to questions from Reuters that it “is co-operating fully in the actions by the Swiss authorities”. It made no further comment.

Between 1999-2014, Fifa spent $2 billion on development grants and has committed to spend another $900 million between 2015-2018, with much of the money going to regional federations and national soccer groups around the world. Often tiny island territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean have received more money under some programs than the biggest soccer playing countries, such as Germany and England.

This has led to allegations from some soccer officials that Blatter had supported these soccer minnows so that they would be more likely to support him. Under Fifa's system for electing the president, a territory such as the Cook Islands, with a population of just over 10 000 has the same single vote as a soccer-mad nation like Brazil with more than 200 million people.

Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber announced in late May that his office was conducting an investigation into whether there was corruption in Fifa's awarding of the 2018 World Cup rights to Moscow and the 2022 competition to Qatar.

In particular, he is looking at whether there was money laundering and disloyal management, which under Swiss law is a criminal offence. It is based on whether a manager violates his or her duties or causes or permits damage to an entity's assets.

Both Russia and Qatar have vehemently denied there was anything irregular in their selection in the face of competition from rival bidders such as England and the United States.

Swiss investigators have multiple lines of inquiry to pursue in connection with the Qatar 2022 award. However, evidence related to the 2018 Moscow World Cup award is proving difficult to find, the source said.

Fifa disclosed in November that the Russian computers used in the nation's successful bid had been destroyed and it was therefore very difficult to track down documents.

In the indictment of the 14 officials and executives, US federal prosecutors highlighted an allegedly questionable $10 million payment by Fifa, at the request of South African soccer officials, to a Caribbean soccer body in Trinidad and Tobago led by former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner. US prosecutors asserted that Warner had solicited the money as bribes.

South African officials are not co-operating with Swiss investigators, the source said.

The South African Football Association did not respond to a request for comment.

Swiss authorities did not officially open their investigation into how Fifa awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups until March.

At that point, Swiss banks were asked to comb their records and notify the authorities of potentially suspicious transactions which might be related to Fifa.

After the banks submitted reports, Swiss investigators froze some bank accounts, found that others had been emptied, and secretly monitored some accounts for several weeks to see what kind of transactions were done.

At a press conference in Berne last week, Lauber said that his office was examining 104 banking relationships, some involving multiple accounts, as well as 53 suspicious transactions which Swiss banks had flagged.

Reuters

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Slip still haunts Stevie G

Steven Gerrard says he is still haunted by the agonising slip that cost him the chance to win the Premier League with Liverpool.

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Steven Gerrard heads for California to begin the next chapter of his career next month still haunted by the agonising slip that cost him the chance to win the Premier League with Liverpool.

Gerrard’s blunder at Anfield in April last year let in Demba Ba to score for Chelsea as Liverpool’s title challenge fell apart dramatically with three games of the season to go.

A Premier League winner’s medal remains the glaring omission from a glittering 17-year career at the club, and the former England captain admits he has struggled to put the incident behind him while being mercilessly taunted by rival fans.

‘The slip happened at a bad time, it was cruel for me personally,’ said Gerrard, who has signed for LA Galaxy. ‘There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think about what if that didn’t happen. Would things have been different? Would it have turned out different? Maybe it might.

‘I’m not scared of any criticism or any cruelty. I understand the moment and impact it had — it kills me and will do for a long time. I think, “If I’d have got that league, it would have been the icing on the cake”.

‘I’ve got good memories that will live with me for ever. But that one moment will always hurt me until the day I go, and it’s because if I’d have got that moment, I’d have achieved every dream with Liverpool. And as a man it hurts.’

Gerrard revealed that being left on the bench by manager Brendan Rodgers for the Champions League group game at Real Madrid in November contributed to his decision to call time on his Liverpool career.

He added: ‘The situation was a bit unique because it was Real Madrid. I sat on that bench devastated because I wanted to play, so it is one of those situations. It sort of pushed me towards making a decision to move on and try something different.’

And the 35-year-old admitted that he will always regret not playing for Jose Mourinho, who tried to sign him as coach of Chelsea, Inter Milan and Madrid.

‘Listen, I love the manager, I love the man,’ said Gerrard. ‘I have regrets not playing for the man and the coach because I know he would have made me a better player. But looking back now I have no regrets not signing for Chelsea.’

In a lighter moment during an interview with Rio Ferdinand for BT Sport, Gerrard said he used to kiss a television camera after scoring against arch rivals Manchester United just to irritate Ferdinand and his Old Trafford team-mates.

‘I bet all those Man United players are dying to give me a belt for doing that!’ he said.

‘But it’s like a tongue-in-cheek thing. “How can I wind you up on the pitch?” because, you know, at times you’ve frustrated us when you’ve beaten us 3-0 and we can hear your dressing room music pumping and you’re walking past our dressing room and shouting “Yes!” You gave Daniel Agger a clip on the way in, but rivalries happen.’ – Daily Mail

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Chiefs recruitment goes into overdrive

Kaizer Chiefs unveiled eight new signings at the club’s headquarters in Naturena.

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The departure of key players at Kaizer Chiefs may very well soon be forgotten after the team unveiled eight new signings, with two of the players coming from the team’s development structures, at the club’s headquarters in Naturena yesterday.

Siyanda Xulu from FC Rostov in Russia, Daniel Cardoso from Free State Stars, Keegan Ritchie from Bloemfontein Celtic, Bongani Ndulula from AmaZulu, Camaldine Abraw from Free State Stars, Lucky Baloyi from Moroka Swallows as well as Sibongiseni Nqcobo and Andisiwe Ntsila from the Chiefs youth academy will all be part of the newly appointed coach Steve Komphela’s plans ahead of the 2015/2016 season, as the club looks to defend their Premiership championship title.

The most notable signing is that of Xulu, who had a spell with the Amakhosi youth teams, before moving to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2008/2009, then Russia.

Xulu says Chiefs were the only team that showed interest in signing him and that made his decision very easy to join the club.

“I was not really worried about who showed interest in me or not.

“Chiefs showed interest in me and I was happy with the offer. It was not really a big decision to make, it was always Chiefs for me,” said Xulu.

The central defender has not played competitive football for more than five months now, but says he is in good shape and willing to put in the extra hard work to fit into the team’s structure and gel with his teammates.

“It is my responsibility to work on my shape, to regain my confidence and everything. I will never make a mistake of undermining the league, but I have been here before and I know what is required from me. It can never be the same as Europe, where it is more tactical, and South African football is more about flair.

“I was training with the whole team, but come game time I was always on the bench, so I can never be satisfied with that,” said the central defender.

Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung, on the other hand, announced the departure of Matthew Rusike, who will now ply his trade in Portugal for an undisclosed team.

Motaung revealed that the team was keen on offering Rusike a new deal, but the striker opted not to go into negotiations with his contract set to expire by the end of June.

“Matthew told us on Sunday that he is leaving for Portugal. We offered him a new deal but he wanted to leave. I don’t have a name of the team he is joining,” said Motaung.

He also added that the team might sign two or more players before the end of the transfer window. - The Star

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