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FA told to go to Hull

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Hull boss Assem Allam has lashed the FA for blocking his bid to rebrand the club for a second time.

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London – Hull City Chairman Assem Allam labelled the Football Association (FA) “amateurs” after the governing body blocked his attempted rebranding of the second-tier club for a second time.

Allam wanted to rename the Championship club Hull Tigers believing it would be easier to market the club and bring in increased commercial revenue but his attempts were rejected by the FA Council last month.

“It is a sad day that most of the people who make the decisions are amateurs,” Allam told the Sun. “To go global, we need to market ourselves. The shorter the name, the better.

“Look at Google, Apple, Twitter. You don't go out to the world and say 'We are Hull City Tigers Association Football Club'. If you do that, expect to fail.”

The FA refused to comment on the matter.

The club's decision, backed by a 69.9 percent vote of its members, followed a recommendation of the governing body's membership committee.

The decision was the club's second unsuccessful bid following an initial rejection in April 2014 - supported by a 63.5 percent vote of its members.

Allam endured protests from disgruntled fans opposing the change but said he remained popular with the club's supporters.

“Overwhelmingly, they are positive about what I am trying to do,” the 76-year-old Egyptian businessman added.

Hull finished runners-up to Arsenal in the FA Cup in 2014 but were relegated from the Premier League last season. – Reuters

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Gunners ‘focused on selfies, six-packs’

Roy Keane says the Gunners are too interested in selfies and six-packs to mount a serious title challenge.

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London – Arsenal are incapable of winning the Premier League title this season because they have too many players interested in selfies and six-packs rather than winning football matches, according to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

Keane, a fire and brimstone midfielder, won seven Premier League titles as a player and enjoyed particularly competitive relationship with Arsenal and their similarly combative captain Patrick Viera.

The current Ireland assistant manager, however, said he saw little in the current Gunners side to convince him that they are poised for a first league title since their Viera-led “Invincibles” team in 2004.

“Arsenal have some really good players – some good characters who roll their sleeves up,” Keane told the Mail on Sunday.

“But they also have one or two players who are more interested in selfies and six-packs, guys who are trying to get their pictures taken every day of the week.

“Every year we hear the same thing about Arsenal being contenders. Instead of focusing on the Premier League, it’s all about how their bodies look, how their hair is, more so than winning football matches.”

Arsenal, under manager Arsene Wenger, have become one of the most dazzling attacking sides in Europe but a perceived lack of leadership has undermined their ability to make a sustained title challenge for a number of years.

Back-to-back FA Cup triumphs ended their 9-year trophy drought but for too long the north Londoners have not been relevant during the intense 38-game toil of a Premier League season.

Last season, under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea– built around a strong spine of hard-working, physical players – stifled their closest rivals to canter to the league title and Keane said the Stamford Bridge side remained the benchmark in the upcoming season.

“For me, Chelsea remain the team to beat,” the 43-year-old added. “Their team is the one with the strongest spine – John Terry, their goalkeeper (Thibault Courtois), Eden Hazard – and if they can add (Everton’s England defender) John Stones to their team then they will be even harder to beat.

“The bottom line is that if Chelsea’s players show the same hunger and desire that they did last year then they’ll win the league. They will only be in trouble if they are complacent.”

Reuters

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Triumphant return for Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho made a triumphant return to Brazil on Saturday setting up a winning goal for Fluminense.

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Sao Paulo – Ronaldinho Gaucho made a triumphant return to Brazilian soccer on Saturday when he set up the goal that gave Fluminense a 1-0 win over Gremio at the Maracana stadium.

The former Barcelona forward was a shadow of his former self but his flighted pass into the box after 76 minutes was knocked down for Marcos Junior, who dribbled around the keeper and slotted the ball into the net.

“It was important to start with a win,” Ronaldinho said in a televised interview. “I am delighted, now I just need to keep working away.”

The 35-year old former World Player of the Year had not played a competitive match since leaving Mexican side Queretaro in June and he was expected to appear for just 45 minutes.

However, although he missed many of his attempted passes, he stayed on the field for the whole game, to the delight of the 33 000-strong crowd.

“I didn’t know if I would manage the whole 90 minutes but I am very happy,” he said.

The win lifts Fluminense into third place in the league table. – Reuters

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Pirates maintain cup dominance

Orlando Pirates lifted the Carling Black Label Cup for the fourth time following a penalty shoot-out win against Kaizer Chiefs.

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Cape Town – Orlando Pirates lifted the Carling Black Label Cup for the fourth time following a victorious 4-3 penalty shoot-out against traditional rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium, in Johannesburg, on Saturday.

Scores were locked at 1-all at the end of regulation time after Chiefs restored the stalemate in the second half in reply to Pirates’ first-half goal in the first Soweto Derby of the season.

Fresh from their Africa campaign, Pirates took the initiative from the outset and made several sorties deep into Chiefs’ half but their early efforts came to nought mainly as a result of over-elaboration in the striking zone. Consequently, there were no shots on the Chiefs’ goal in the opening 10 minutes despite the territorial advantage.

Chiefs seemed content to absorb the early pressure and their rear-guard seemed sufficiently composed to contain Pirates’ moves just ahead of the fringes of the penalty area.

Around the 15th minute, Pirates’ adopted a far more direct approach upfront and they looked threatening but Chiefs’ goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse averted pending danger with a noteworthy save from a Thabo Rakhale strike.

However, Pirates’ Sifiso Myeni stunned the 79 000 crowd in the 19th minute with exceptional ability from a dead-ball situation when he scored the opening goal with a curling free-kick (1-0).

There was no immediate response from Chiefs who continued to keep their challenge alive with counter-attacks from deep options. However, Chiefs opted to pump several balls into the Pirates penalty area where the defence had little difficulty in coping with the speculative plays.

Chiefs picked up cohesion as the match wound its course to the halftime break and their efforts may have paid off in the 40th minute but David Zulu shot fractionally wide after an excellent feed from George Lebese, at a time when the Pirates’ defence were guilty of ball-watching in front of goal.

When the second half got under way Chiefs showed a far greater sense of urgency and their short-ball game was stretching the Pirates defence to the limits. Chiefs enjoyed several half-chances and around the 50th minute they forced two corners in quick succession but failed to make a breakthrough.

Their crowning moment, however, came just after the hour mark when a fast-paced sortie into the Pirates’ penalty area worked its magic as substitute Siphelele Mthembu ranged up down the right flank where he drew the defence before laying on for Reneilwe ‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane who made no mistake with an angled low drive (1-1).

In the best of Soweto Derby traditions, there was no shortage of thrills and spills as the match continued to its close with both defences surviving close shaves although Chiefs generally had more of the play at the end, and only just failed to secure a come-from-behind win.

As a result, the honours in the fifth edition of the Carling Black Label Cup had to be decided by the dreaded penalty shoot-out format. - ANA

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It’s Soweto derby time

The first Soweto derby of the season takes place when Chiefs and Pirates do battle in the Carling Black Label Cup.

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The bad news for Orlando Pirates as they look to continue their dominance over Kaizer Chiefs in the Carling Black Label Cup is that their opposition’s goals will be manned by someone who knows how to shut them out.

Instead of Brilliant Khuzwayo whom the fans had voted to start the match, Chiefs will have Reyaad Pieterse as their last line of defence in this afternoon’s Soweto Derby at the FNB Stadium in Joburg.

Khuzwayo was injured at training on Thursday leading to Pieterse being elevated into the first team while Shandukani Mulovedzi comes in as the substitute goalkeeper. Pieterse will be hoping to keep a clean sheet like he did back in November 2013 when he helped Amakhosi to a 1-0 victory in the league.

But to do that, the 23-year-old will hope his teammates deny the Buccaneers’ man-of-the-moment a sight at goal.

Thabo Rakhale is in splendid form and will go into the derby highly-motivated following his great goal at CS Sfaxien of Tunisia last weekend. That goal, a fantastically chipped shot when all were expecting him to cross, has served to further endear the skilful Rakhale to the Buccaneers faithful who excitedly mobbed him upon the team’s arrival from their Caf Confederation Cup assignment.

It is adoration the player fondly referred to as “Jomo” did notexpect, at least not this soon in his Pirates career.

“I’m just happy the fans voted for me,” Rakhale said of his inclusion in the starting line-up ahead of the likes of Mpho Makola.

“It goes to show that I’m doing something right each time I’m given a chance to play. I hope to reward their trust with some good football in today’s game.”

Reward will mean him leaving the likes of Pa Gaxa and Kgotso Moleko sprawling on the turf via his silky skills that have had many an older fan reminded of the good old days in the 1980s when the local game was all about entertaining football.

And Rakhale has been fortunate that coach Eric Tinkler allows him the freedom to express himself, within boundaries of course.

“Coach Tinkler has been phenomenal in helping me play to my potential,” he said.

“He told me to focus on my strengths and stick to my normal game. And that’s what I have been doing so far and it has worked wonders. I’m not going to put myself under pressure for the derby, though.

“Obviously the bigger picture will be to win the match. It would be nice if we can do that. I just want to go out there and enjoy my football. I believe that will help me perform at my best for the team.”

The lad from Sebokeng credits his rise in the Bucs jersey to the invaluable experience he gained during his loan spell from the club.

The gifted winger was sent on loan to Polokwane City during the 2013/14 season to gain some PSL football experience, after having joined Pirates a year before from NFD’s Sivutsa Stars FC on a three-year deal.

“Going out on loan to City played a key role in helping me get much-needed experience playing in the PSL,” he said. “I learnt a lot there and that’s when I think the club (Pirates) saw I had something to offer and they decided to bring me back.”

And so far it has all been fun for “Jomo”.

The Bucs faithful will no doubt be expecting him to help the club triumph over the arch enemy once again. But Pieterse will be out to thwart him and all of Pirates.

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Jose taunts Wenger, again

Arsene Wenger has not beaten Jose Mourinho in 13 attempts, and the Chelsea boss was quick to remind him of that.

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Jose Mourinho has piled the pressure on Arsene Wenger, saying he would have found a solution to the Frenchman’s dreadful run against him by now.

The Arsenal manager has not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts, a record Wenger will be hoping to put right at Wembley tomorrow.

And the Chelsea manager insists if he was on the wrong end of such a sequence, he would have found answers.

‘If you were on the other end of it? I think I would ask myself why,’ said Mourinho.

‘I would try to answer it, but not because of a mental block, because I would want to try to find solutions to help my team to do it.

‘Try to find a different way, try to find the reasons why it goes all the time against my team.

‘Have I ever been on a run like that? No. I think I lost twice against Tony Pulis, I lost against Crystal Palace and against West Bromwich Albion. One game each.’

Mourinho’s comments will add spice to the enduring feud between the two managers ahead of the Community Shield.

The former Real Madrid boss has famously branded Frenchman Wenger a ‘voyeur’ and a ‘specialist in failure’ in recent years.

He made a further jibe earlier this week by claiming the Gunners had bought their way into the title race with the big-money acquisitions of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Petr Cech.

Nevertheless, Wenger insists his awful record against Mourinho is not keeping him up at night.

‘It doesn’t bother me at all,’ insisted Wenger.

‘It’s a game that is important, but it is still preparation.

‘We want to win it and overall it can just give us that little bit more confidence before we go into the season.

‘Reading significance into every game is part of football now. We have to accept that every game is decided and judged as definite. But you know that in real life it is not like that.

‘The tribunal is out there and will draw conclusions from Sunday. But no matter, positive or negative, we have to continue our way and focus on ourselves.’

Meanwhile, Mourinho has provided an insight into how he maintains a winning mentality at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese coach will be hoping for more trophies after winning the Premier League and Capital One Cup last season.

‘In competitive situations in training, if one team is winning by three goals difference, I finish the training,’ said Mourinho.

‘It means that the ones that are losing are not training well.

‘So if you don’t train well, you don’t train. But the players love to win, so I think they accept it well.

‘How many times have I done that? Once in Canada (during pre-season).’ – Daily Mail

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Benteke will be a bargain - Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers predicts Christian Benteke will prove himself to be a £32.5million ‘bargain’.

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Brendan Rodgers predicts Christian Benteke will prove himself to be a £32.5million ‘bargain’ but will not rush the start of his Anfield career.

The Belgium striker will pull on a Liverpool shirt for the first time tomorrow in a friendly at Swindon, with Rodgers having decided he would be better served by spending some extra time training on Merseyside rather than travelling to Finland for tonight’s game at HJK Helsinki.

It is likely that the team which starts here will form the nucleus of the starting line-up at Stoke next Sunday, which suggests that either Danny Ings or Divock Origi will lead the attack.

But no other Liverpool signing will be analysed more this season than Benteke. The 24-year-old’s suitability for Liverpool’s passing style has been questioned.

But Rodgers has no concerns and after working with Benteke for the first time this week, the manager believes his new recruit can fire Anfield’s Champions League ambitions.

‘I think he’ll prove to be a bargain for the club, I really do,’ said Rodgers. ‘I’ve read things about his game, but in the short period of time he’s been in I’ve been even more impressed. I’ve seen him for three years and watched this guy, with his power, strength and ability. One of the goals I remember he scored against us at Anfield, he ran half way through the field.

‘This isn’t someone who lacks pace, movement and intelligence. He’s not just a guy who you chuck the ball up to. His strength allows you to keep the ball, but he’ll help the unpredictability of our game.

‘We know he can play football, we know he can play counter-attack, but we also know when we cross the ball we have got a real presence that is going to allow us to keep the ball in the box for periods of time and for others to get goals from.

‘He doesn’t set the price and I’m thankful the club have brought him in because I really think he’s going to be a huge asset.’

Rodgers, who yesterday sanctioned Rickie Lambert’s £3m sale to West Bromwich, added: ‘I’m excited because of what (Benteke) offers and what’s he has been as an opponent against us. Coming in to a club like Liverpool, he can be a real hero for the supporters.’

For all his enthusiasm, however, Rodgers is not going to make a decision on whether Benteke will play at Stoke until the last moment. Similar sentiments apply to Roberto Firmino, the £29m signing from Hoffenheim, who has only been training at the club for 10 days.

‘It’s a long season with many competitions and we want to be as successful as we can,’ said Rodgers. ‘I have a great belief in the squad and if they (Benteke and Firmino) aren’t fit enough, then the players that have been working certainly will be.’ – Daily Mail

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Big test of Arsenal’s title credentials

Arsenal's readiness to mount a sustained title challenge in 2015-16 will be tested when they face Chelsea in the Community Shield.

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Arsenal's readiness to mount a sustained title challenge in 2015-16 will be tested at Wembley on Sunday when they face Premier League champions Chelsea in the Community Shield.

Arsene Wenger's team finished last season at a gallop, winning 20 of their final 26 games in all competitions and retaining the FA Cup by swamping Aston Villa 4-0 in a one-sided final.

They have carried that momentum into pre-season, winning all four of their matches, and having finally addressed their longstanding goalkeeper problem by signing Petr Cech from Chelsea, optimism is abundant.

“We want to win the league, of course we do,” midfielder Jack Wilshere told the Arsenal website ahead of the English football season's traditional opening fixture.

“We feel we've been together a few years now, we've brought in world-class players who have had time to settle, we've added a world-class 'keeper with all of his experience – he's been there and he's done it; he's won everything - so we really feel we're in a strong position.”

Arsenal will be wary of false dawns, having dispatched then-champions Manchester City 3-0 in last season's Community Shield, only to finish 12 points below Chelsea in the title race.

But Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho appears to consider them genuine contenders, if the comments he has launched in the direction of the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks are anything to go by.

Citing the arrivals of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Mourinho claimed that anyone who totted up Arsenal's transfer expenditure over the past few years would be in for a “surprise” and said that they were “more than ready” to challenge for the title.

Wenger, whose tetchy relationship with Mourinho spilled over into a touchline scuffle at Stamford Bridge last season, responded in sanguine fashion.

“I think what you want is not to listen too much to what people say,” said the Frenchman, who has not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts.

“Because sometimes in the same week I get two different reproaches: one, I don't spend enough and one, too much.”

With the experienced Cech between the posts, Arsenal look much more robust defensively, the Czech international having been allowed to join a major rival due to his close relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Cech, 33, spent 11 hugely successful years at Chelsea before being dislodged by Thibaut Courtois last season, winning four league titles and the 2012 Champions League, and former team-mate Branislav Ivanovic has urged the club's fans not to jeer him.

“I hope they will give respect to him because he deserves it,” the Serbian defender told the Evening Standard newspaper.

“For 90 minutes the fans will support us. For sure, they will be on our side. Before and after the game, I hope and I'm sure they will give Petr respect.”

To date, Cech is the only new player that Arsenal have signed, but they announced on Friday that forward Theo Walcott and midfielder Santi Cazorla have penned new contracts.

Having finished last season with a flurry of goals and scored the winner against Wolfsburg in the Emirates Cup friendly tournament last weekend, Walcott will hope to start up front against Chelsea.

Sanchez will not feature, having been granted time off after scoring the decisive penalty in Chile's Copa America triumph against Argentina on home soil, while Danny Welbeck remains out with a knee problem.

Arsenal's supporters will hope for glimpses of young attacking trio Alex Iwobi, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Chuba Akpom, all of whom have impressed in warm-up matches.

Mourinho revealed on Friday that centre-back Gary Cahill and last season's top scorer Diego Costa will be fit to play despite sustaining injuries on the club's pre-season tour of the United States.

Radamel Falcao is expected to make his first domestic appearance for Chelsea since signing on loan from Monaco following a torrid season at Manchester United that saw him score only four goals. – AFP

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Lambert’s Anfield exit confirmed

Rickie Lambert has left Liverpool after a solitary season at Anfield to join West Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal.

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London - Rickie Lambert has left Liverpool after a solitary season at Anfield to join West Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal, the clubs said on Friday.

Lambert, who has 11 caps for England, leaves Merseyside for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around 3 million pounds ($4.7 million), according to British media reports.

The forward never established himself at Liverpool, scoring only three times in 36 appearances, and had fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of strikers Christian Benteke, Divock Origi and Danny Ings in the close season.

“Rickie is a good, strong, solid player who is a great character, good in the dressing-room and good on the pitch,” West Brom manager Tony Pulis told the club website.

“We are very pleased to have him on board.

“He's a player of great pedigree and we look forward to integrating him into our squad.”

Lambert, 33, started his career in Liverpool's academy and, after spells at several lower league clubs, joined Southampton where he scored 117 goals in five seasons, including 28 in two campaigns in the Premier League.

He was part of England's World Cup squad in Brazil and earned a move to Liverpool, but struggled to claim a regular place at Anfield despite the club's struggles up front last season.

He was frequently left on the bench as Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers often chose to use Raheem Sterling in a lone centre forward role, even though it was not his preferred position.

He is likely to get far more first-team opportunities under Pulis, whose side begin their Premier League campaign at Manchester City on August 10. – Reuters

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Chiefs make late changes through injury

Kaizer Chiefs have been forced into a late change to their Carling Black Label Cup starting line-up.

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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs have been forced into a late change to their Carling Black Label Cup starting line-up with the withdrawal through injury of goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo.

The gloveman will be replaced by Reyaad Pieterse in the fixture against Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Pieterse made his debut in the 2013/14 season and has in fact already played in a Soweto Derby, keeping a cleansheet when Kaizer Chiefs beat Orlando Pirates 1-0 in November 2013.

Injuries have affected both teams this year, but each has been able to put out a strong starting XI as voted for by their passionate fans.

They will be led by Champion Coaches Sidney Molepo (Kaizer Chiefs) and Tumo Katane (Orlando Pirates) at a sold out FNB Stadium.

In front of Pieterse for Kaizer Chiefs will be a defensive line of fullbacks Kgotso Moleko and Tsepo Masilela, as well as Siboniso Gaxa and Siyanda Xulu in the centre.

Their midfield comprises Reneilwe Letsholonyane and George Maluleka in the middle, with George Lebese and captain Siphiwe Tshabalala on the wings.

Up front they will have Bernard Parker and David Zulu.

Orlando Pirates were struck by some late injury blows but have Brighton Mhlongo in goal, behind fullbacks Happy Jele and Patrick Phungwayo. Tsepo Gumede and Siyabonga Sangweni will marshall the centre.

The midfield comprises Issa Sarr and Oupa Manyisa in the middle, with Sifiso Myeni and Thabo Rakhele out wide.

Up front they have the tricky duo of Kermit Erasmus and Lehlohonolo Majoro.

Orlando Pirates have won three of the four Carling Black Label Cup matches played to date since 2011.

Chiefs XI: Pieterse, Moleko, Gaxa, Xulu, Masilela, Tshabalala, Letsholonyane, Maluleka, Lebese, Zulu, Parker

Pirates XI: Mhlongo, Jele, Gumede, Sangweni, Phungwayo, Myeni, Sarr, Manyisa, Rakhale, Erasmus, Majoro

ANA

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Pirates primed for derby delight

With a busy off-season schedule, Pirates coach Eric Tinkler said that he has not had much time to think about the Carling Black Label Cup.

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With the busy busy off-season schedule that Orlando Pirates have had to go through this month, Pirates coach Eric Tinkler said that he has not had much time to think about tomorrow’s Carling Black Label Cup.

“To be entirely honest with you, up until now I haven’t really thought about (Kaizer) Chiefs, because I’ve been so focused on the Caf Confed,” Tinkler said yesterday.

Tinkler’s side has endured a packed but productive off-season schedule with their involvement in the CAF Confederations Cup. There most recent match was a hard-fought 1-0 win away at CS Sfaxien.

While the consistent games against tough opposition may be seen as an edge against relatively less match-ready Kaizer Chiefs, Tinkler said that player fatigue from the matches and the travelling was a huge concern.

“You’re kind of skating on thin ice at this stage, knowing that a lot of these players haven’t had an off-season,” he said. “It’s vitally important that we get to know the players’ bodies a lot better and get an understanding of how far we can push them.”

For that reason training at the Buccaneers has been light this week:

“I’ve been resting the guys as much as possible so that we ensure we can put on a good spectacle,” said Tinkler.

“Because that’s what people come to expect at the FNB. They want to see a good spectacle. A game that is full of goal-scoring opportunities.”

The previous four Carling Cups have not been high-scoring affairs. Three had to go to penalties, with two remaining goalless by the end of extra-time.

Tinkler said that this was because of the hype and the pressure that players are exposed to. - The Star

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New Arsenal deals for Walcott, Cazorla

Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla have both agreed contract extensions with Arsenal, the club announced.

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England forward Theo Walcott and Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla have both agreed contract extensions with Arsenal, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

Walcott, 26, announced on Twitter that he had signed a four-year contract, but the length of Cazorla's deal was not disclosed.

“We're delighted to have extended the contracts of Santi and Theo,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's website. “Both are top quality players who are hugely important and influential to our squad.

“As well as their huge contributions on the pitch, they both have a great deal of experience and are very popular off the pitch.

“We're very pleased with them both signing contract extensions, as it provides our squad with further stability of quality.”

Walcott tweeted a picture of himself wearing Arsenal's home kit and standing beside the Emirates Stadium pitch, accompanied by the caption: “This is my home! Happy to have signed a new 4 year deal.”

Neither Walcott nor Arsenal revealed financial details of his contract, but British press reports estimated that it is worth around £140 000 ($218,000, 199,000 euros) a week, putting him on a par with the club's top earners.

Walcott missed the early part of last season due to a knee injury sustained in January 2014, making his first appearance in November and his first start in January.

But he finished the campaign strongly, netting a hat-trick against West Bromwich Albion on the Premier League season's final day and scoring the opening goal in Arsenal's 4-0 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup final.

Having signed from Southampton aged 16 in 2006, Walcott is Arsenal's longest-serving current player and has made over 300 appearances for the club, scoring 76 goals.

Playing in a deep-lying midfield role, Cazorla, 30, enjoyed a fine 2014-15 season and was Arsenal's most-used player with 53 appearances.

The Spain international signed from Malaga in 2012 and has made 148 appearances for Wenger's side, scoring 27 goals. – AFP

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LVG’s to-do list

Despite a decent pre-sason tour, Manchester United have crucial issues to sort ahead of the new Premier League season.

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Manchester United’s summer of reconstruction seemed to be going rather well as they made a cluster of new signings just before heading on tour to America.

But two and a half weeks on, and with eight days to United’s opening league game against Spurs, boss Louis van Gaal has some issues . . .

Distracted goalkeeper

United have been playing hardball with David de Gea over his desire to move to Real Madrid and at the moment it would appear to have backfired.

With the season upon us, United should have either sold and replaced him or persuaded him to sign a new contract.

Instead, they find themselves with a distracted player who is short of match practice after beginning this tour with a mystery back ‘injury’ and two back-ups in Victor Valdes and Sergio Romero who, for different reasons, are in no position to play, either.

United’s insistence that they will not accept a cash deal from Madrid for De Gea now looks rather foolish in the wake of the Spanish club’s refusal to do a swap involving central defender Sergio Ramos.

Defensive dilemma

The word from United is that they are no longer in the market for a central defender.

Only time will tell if Louis van Gaal agrees with that but, at the moment, he would appear to be heading towards the Tottenham game with a rather unconvincing looking pairing of Daley Blind and one of Phil Jones or Chris Smalling. Blind is a handy utility player and did well last season at left back and in the centre of midfield but a Premier League central defender he surely is not.

Essentially, he is filling in while the left-footed Marcos Rojo gains match fitness after missing this tour with passport problems. That in itself was a shambolic episode.Rojo has already been fined for not keeping his paperwork up to date but footballers are notoriously disorganised and the fact a Premier League football club was not aware of one of their player’s visa issues is embarrassing.

Di Maria problem

It finally appears as though United’s record signing Angel di Maria is about to join Paris Saint- Germain and United have struck a decent deal by recouping £44m of the £60m spent on him a year ago.

Di Maria’s failure to board a plane to join his team-mates last weekend, however, was allowed to become an issue that overshadowed the final leg of this tour.

For reasons known only to themselves, Van Gaal and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward refused to discuss Di Maria’s absence. The United manager declared, rather peculiarly, after Wednesday’s game against PSG that he didn’t know where the South American was.

The chances are that wasn’t true and United were keeping quiet so as not to antagonise Di Maria’s agent Jorge Mendes, who also looks after De Gea.

Whatever the case, the whole episode left United looking unable to control their own players and that is never good.

Striker light

Is it possible to win the Premier League with only one true goal-scorer in your squad? It seems that United are about to find out. This time last year, Van Gaal was packing his squad with traditional centre forwards, adding Radamel Falcao to a squad that already contained Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

With Falcao and Van Persie jettisoned, it seems peculiar that Van Gaal isn’t seeking to replace them with at least one world-class striker. United have bought one offensive player in Memphis Depay, although he is young and unaccustomed to the Premier League, and are still expecting to replace Di Maria with Pedro from Barcelona.

Rooney, meanwhile, remains United’s talisman and their most important player. But asking him to score 25 goals this season seems an awful lot for a player who hasn’t actually done that for some time now.

When you consider that Chelsea and Manchester City will head in to the season with players like Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero leading the line, then United’s options begin to look a little thin.

Reasons to be cheerful

All is not lost, of course. United still have a month to add to their squad and they certainly have the money to do something special in the transfer market.

Equally, Van Gaal would appear to have made some astute additions already.

The United manager believes Depay is one of the best young players in Europe and the Dutchman has certainly looked rather special on this tour of America.

Depay appears technically excellent and intelligent enough to play in different positions.

Already he looks to be forming some kind of understanding with Rooney.

The effectiveness of Bastian Schweinsteiger will depend on the German’s ability to stay fit, but the signing of Italian full back Matteo Darmian and midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin appears to have brought United quality in key positions.

The unheralded Darmian looks perfect for the Premier League in build, temperament and efficiency. He can play at left back as well, if necessary.

If only he could play in goal. – Daily Mail

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Nothing friendly about Soweto derby

Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler says a derby match against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs is always fiercely contested.

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Johannesburg – Despite the match being akin to a pre-season friendly with fan-chosen starting line-ups, Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler, speaking ahead of the Carling Black Label Cup clash against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday, says a derby match is always fiercely contested.

“A game between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is never a friendly. It’s the derby. Nobody likes losing it,” said Tinkler.

“We’re going out there to win it because that’s what the fans want, that’s what the fans demand. I’ve tried to instil a winning mentality here with the (Pirates) players, irrespective of whether we are playing a competitive match or a friendly. We always play to win, and that won’t be any different on Saturday.”

While most teams enjoyed a well-deserved rest from competitive football in the off-season, Pirates kept hard at work as they have continued on their way through Caf Confederation Cup Group assignments.

As a result, Pirates are match-fit and may be close to exhaustion from their unrelenting run of matches. Tinkler said the lead-up to the derby match would be about giving his players as much rest as possible to ensure they are fresh for the weekend.

“The last two days I’ve been resting the guys as much as possible so that we can put on a good spectacle. That’s what people expect at FNB stadium in a game that is full of goal-scoring opportunities and entertainment. We want to provide that, and the only way we can is if our players get enough rest.”

It will be the fifth staging of the pre-season Cup match, and Pirates have won the event three times while Chiefs have tasted victory just once. Tinkler said the fans would look forward to a pulsating, high-scoring affair.

“People want to come and watch a good, entertaining game of football. When we refer to entertainment, we refer to goals. People want to see goals scored and we want to provide that. We try to do that in all the derbies, but a lot of hype and pressure is put onto players on derby day. There is slightly too much pressure placed on the players when it comes to derbies and players need to be given more freedom and ability to express themselves.” - ANA

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Humbled Khune to rejoin Chiefs

Matshelane Mamabolo says Itumeleng Khune's return to Kaize Chiefs proves power has shifted from the players back to club bosses.

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The return of Itumeleng Khune to Kaizer Chiefs spells a death-knell for ‘player power’ and puts the club bosses back in control of the game.

In an era where players demand – and often get – exorbitant salaries, the fact that a player of Khune’s calibre has failed to find a club will send a clear indication to the players that the clubs will not be held to ransom.

Chiefs yesterday reported, on their website, that the country’s No1 goalkeeper will once again be turning out for them.

“The club has reached an agreement in principle with goalkeeper Itumelng Khune and he will be joining us,” read the www.kaizerchiefs.com statement “Some internal procedures still need to take place though and then the deal will be 100percent finalised.”

Khune’s return to Chiefs will no doubt be humbling to a player who seemingly expected to have clubs fighting over his signature when he decided not to renew his contract unless his demands were met.

Yet with Chiefs making it clear during the off-season that they were not going to pander to the whims of the goalkeeper they had groomed from an early age, or any player for that matter, the battle lines between players and clubs were drawn.

Back then, a clearly incensed Kaizer Motaung – the Chiefs owner and chairman – had accused Khune of trying to dictate to them, saying the goalkeeper had been ill-advised.

“We cannot be held to ransom by anyone. It does not take one or two players to make a team, it takes a helluva lot of players to make a team. So therefore we cannot be held to ransom. That is a message that is very clear to everybody irrespective of who the players are,” Motaung had said when announcing the departure of Khune, Tefu Mashamaite and Mandla Masango from the club.

With their international stature, the trio would ordinarily have had the rest of the Premiership – and possibly international clubs – chasing after their signatures.

But you knew that was not going to happen when even Mamelodi Sundowns – the club that revolutionised player salaries by paying telephone number-type wages – said through their coach Pitso Mosimane that they couldn’t afford them.

“I believe Khune is the No1 goalkeeper in the country. But it’s not easy to sign the player, you know. If you want to sign a player, you must also afford him,” Mosimane said “Not to say they are not good. But for the number of minutes you play and the amount of money you earn, I cannot justify, as a coach, to say I can keep this player.”

And Chiefs were adamant on their stance that Khune, and the other players, will need to humble themselves if they were to return to Naturena.

Said team manager Bobby Motaung during the pre-season: “They have been playing hardball and making ridiculous demands. In life you must humble yourself. They have attempted to meet with us, but we are in pre-season. We are moving on as an organisation; we have a team that needs to be prepared. If they come here, they must have an understanding of what they want. They are free, they don’t have contracts, so if there are clubs out there, why don’t they sign them?”

While Khune had seemingly priced himself out of the market, Masango was reported to have turned down Black Aces.

The latter, according to yesterday’s statement by Chiefs, is still in negotiations with the club.

“Mandla Masango’s talks with the club are still ongoing and we will update you.”

Khune’s tweet ahead of his meeting with Chiefs yesterday was very telling. The goalkeeper said to his followers: “By walking into the boardroom like this (smileyface) please wish me luck good people. I hope all goes well, God is great.”

If the country’s No1 goalkeeper needs luck in negotiations, what hope is there for the rest? The power has clearly shifted to the club bosses. - The Star

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