World Cup 2010 Blog: “2011 Asian Cup Squads” plus 1 more

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2011 Asian Cup Squads Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:47 PM PST The following squad lists have been announced for the upcoming 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar. Squads will be added as they are announced: Group A: Qatar, Kuwait, China, Uzbekistan Group B: Saudi Arabia, Japan, Jordan, Syria Group C: South Korea, Australia, India, Bahrain Group D: Iraq, North Korea, United Arab Emirates, Iran Australia Squad Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham), Brad Jones (Liverpool), Nathan Coe (SønderjyskE) Defenders: Lucas Neill (Galatasaray), David Carney (Blackpool), Saša Ognenovski (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Jonathan McKain (Al-Nassr), Jade North (Wellington Phoenix), Matthew Špiranović (Urawa Red Diamonds) Midfielders: Tim Cahill (Everton), Jason Čulina (Gold Coast United), Brett Emerton (Blackburn), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Mile Jedinak (Gençlerbirliği), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar), Neil Kilkenny (Leeds United) Forwards: Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough), Robbie Kruse (Melbourne Victory), Nathan Burns (AEK Athens) Bahrain Squad Not yet announced China Squad Goalkeepers: Yang Zhi (Beijing Guoan), Guan Zhen (Jiangsu Sainty), Zeng Cheng (Henan Construction) Defenders: Wang Qiang (Changsha Ginde), Zhao Peng (Henan Construction), Du Wei (Hangzhou Greentown), Liu Jianye (Changsha Ginde), Zhang Linpeng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Rong Hao (Hangahou Greentown), Li Jianbin (Chengdu Blades) Midfielders: Zhou Haibin (Shandong Luneng), Zhao Xuri (Shaanxi Zhongjian), Hao Junmin (Schalke 04), Deng Zhuoxiang (Shandong Luneng), Wang Song (Hangzhou Greentown), Yu Tao (Shanghai Shenhua), Huang Bowen (Beijing Guoan), Yang Hao (Beijing Guoan), Yu Hai (Shaanxi Zhongjian) Forwards: Yang Xu (Liaoning Whowin), Qu Bo (Shaanxi Zhongjian), Gao Lin (Guangzhou Evergrande) India Squad Goalkeepers: Subrata Pal (Pune FC), Subhasish Roy Chowdhury (Dempo SC), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (AIFF XI) Defenders: Anwar Ali (Dempo SC), Deepak Kumar Mondal (Mohun Bagan), Mahesh Gawli (Dempo SC), Irungbam Surkumar Singh (Mohun Bagan), Gouramangi Singh (Churchill Brothers), Rakesh Masih (Mohun Bagan), Moirangthem Govin Singh (East Bengal), Manju (Mohun Bagan) Midfielders: Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep (No club), P. Renedy Singh (No club), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC), Syed Rahim Nabi (East Bengal), Steven Dias (Churchill Brothers), Mehrajuddin Wadoo (East Bengal), Climax Lawrence (Dempo SC), Baldeep Singh Junior (JCT) Forwards: Sunil Chhetri (Sporting Kansas City), Baichung Bhutia (East Bengal), Abhishek Yadav (Mumbai FC), Sushil Kumar Singh (East Bengal) Iran Squad Goalkeepers: Ebrahim Mirzapour (Paykan), Mehdi Rahmati (Sepahan), Alireza Haghighi (Persepolis), Shahab Gordan (Zob Ahan) Defenders: Mohammad Nosrati (Tractor Sazi), Jalal Hosseini (Sepahan), Hadi Aghili (Sepahan), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Khosro Heydari (Sepahan), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Farshid Talebi (Zob Ahan), Abouzar Rahimi (Rah Ahan) Midfielders: Javad Nekounam (Osasuna), Iman Mobali (Esteghlal), Andranik Teymourian (Tractor Sazi), Masoud Shojaei (Osasuna), Pejman Nouri (Malavan), Mohammad Nouri (Persepolis), Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan), Mehdi Kiani (Tractor Sazi) Forwards: Gholamreza Rezaei (Persepolis), Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Zob Ahan), Karim Ansarifard (Saipa), Mohammad Gholami (Steel Azin), Hadi Norouzi (Persepolis), Reza Norouzi (Foolad), Arash Afshin (Foolad) Iraq Squad Not yet announced Japan Squad Japan Squad Analysis Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Lierse S.K.), Shusaku Nishikawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Shuichi Gonda (F.C. Tokyo) Defenders: Masahiko Inoha (Kashima Antlers), Daiki Iwamasa (Kashima Antlers), Yasuyuki Konno (F.C. Tokyo), Yuto Nagatomo (A.C. Cesena), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke 04), Gotoku Sakai (Albirex Niigata), Tomoaki Makino (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Maya Yoshida (VVV-Venlo) Midfielders: Yasuhito Endō (Gamba Osaka), Daisuke Matsui (Tom Tomsk), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg), Jungo Fujimoto (Shimizu S-Pulse), Takuya Honda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Yosuke Kashiwagi (Urawa Red Diamonds), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow) Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Ryoichi Maeda (Júbilo Iwata), Tadanari Lee (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) Jordan Squad Not yet announced Kuwait Squad Not yet announced North Korea Squad Not yet announced Saudi Arabia Squad Goalkeepers: Abdullah Al-Anzi (Al-Nassr), Waleed Abdullah (Al-Shabab), Hussain Shae’an (Al-Shabab), Mabrouk Zayed (Al-Ittihad) Defenders: Kamel Al-Mousa (Al-Ahli), Abdullah Shuhail (Al-Shabab), Mohamed Al-Bishi (Al-Nassr), Mishal Al-Said (Al-Ittihad), Osama Al-Muwallad (Al-Ittihad), Hamad Al-Montashari (Al-Ittihad), Osama Hawsawi (Al-Hilal), Hassan Mouath (Al-Shabab) Midfielders: Mohammed Massad (Al-Ahli), Moataz Al-Musa (Al-Ahli), Mohammad Al-Shalhoub (Al-Hilal), Abdoh Otaif (Al-Shabab), Taisir Al-Jassim (Al-Ahli), Ahmed Al-Fraidi (Al-Hilal), Nawaf Al Abed (Al-Hilal), Abdullaziz Al-Dosari (Al-Hilal), Saud Khariri (Al-Ittihad), Sultan Al-Nemri (Al-Ittihad), Manaf Abushgeer (Al-Ittihad), Ibrahim Ghaleb (Al-Nassr), Ahmed Otaif (Al-Shabab) Forwards: Nasser Al-Shamrani (Al-Shabab), Naif Hazazi (Al-Ittihad), Mohannad Asseri (Al-Wahda), Mohammad Al-Sahlawi (Al-Nassr), Yasser Al-Qahtani (Al Hilal) South Korea Squad Goalkeepers: Jung Sung-Ryong (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma), Kim Yong-Dae (FC Seoul), Kim Jin-Hyeon (Cerezo Osaka) Defenders: Choi Hyo-Jin (Sangju Sangmu), Hwang Jae-Won (Suwon Bluewings), Cho Yong-Hyung (Al-Rayyan), Kwak Tae-Hwi (Kyoto Sanga), Lee Yong-Rae (Suwon Bluewings), Lee Young-Pyo (Al-Hilal), Lee Jung-Soo (Al-Sadd), Cha Du-Ri (Celtic) Midfielders: Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United), Yoon Bit-Garam (Gyeongnam FC), Son Heung-Min (Hamburg), Koo Ja-Cheol (Jeju United), Ki Sung-Yueng (Celtic), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton), Kim Bo-Kyung (Oita Trinita), Yeom Ki-Hun (Suwon Bluewings) Forwards: Yoo Byung-Soo (Incheon United), Ji Dong-Won (Chunnam Dragons), Kim Shin-Wook (Ulsan Hyundai) Syria Squad Goalkeepers: Mosab Balhous (Al-Karamah), Radwan Al Azhar (Al-Majd), Adnan Al Hafez (Al-Wahda) Defenders: Belal Abduldaim (Al-Karamah), Ali Diab (Al-Shorta), Jehad Al Baour (Al-Jaish), Nadim Sabagh (Al-Jaish), Ahmad Al Salih (Al-Jaish), Abdulkader Dakka (Al-Ittihad), Bwrhan Sahiwni (Al-Jaish) Midfielders: Feras Esmaeel (Al-Jaish), Jehad Al Hussain (Al-Qadsia), Abdelrazaq Al Hussain (Al-Karamah), Taha Dyab (Al-Ittihad), Qusay Habib (Al-Shorta), Adel Abdullah (Al-Karamah), Wael Ayan (Al-Faisaly), Louay Chanko (Aalborg) Forwards: Firas Al Khatib (Al-Qadsia), Mohamed Al Zeno (Al-Karamah), Abdul Fattah Al Agha (Wadi Degla), Senharib Malki (Lokeren) Qatar Squad Not yet announced United Arab Emirates Squad Not yet announced Uzbekistan Squad Goalkeepers: Ignatiy Nesterov (Bunyodkor), Temur Juraev (FC Pakhtakor Tashkent), Murod Zukhurov (Nasaf Qarshi) Defenders: Anzur Ismailov (Bunyodkor), Sakhob Juraev (Bunyodkor), Shavkat Mullajanov (Olmaliq), Yaroslav Krushelnitskiy (Shurtan Guzar), Farrukh Nurliboev (Olmaliq FK) Midfielders: Aziz Ibrohimov (Bohemians 1905), Timur Kapadze (Bunyodkor), Server Djeparov (FC Seoul), Odil Ahmedov (FC Pakhtakor Tashkent), Aziz Haydarov (Bunyodkor), Marat Bikmaev (FC Alania Vladikavkaz), Jasur Hasanov (Lekhwiya), Stanislav Andreev (Pakhtakor Tashkent), Vagiz Galiullin (FC Sibir Novosibirsk), Sanjar Tursunov (FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod) Forwards: Shavkat Salomov (Nasaf Qarshi), Alexander Geynrikh (Pakhtakor Tashkent), Maksim Shatskikh (FC Arsenal Kyiv), Olim Navkarov (Qizilqum Zarafshon)

Asian Cup Fixtures Posted: 29 Dec 2010 10:19 AM PST The Asian Cup begins on January 7th, and the best international sides in Asia are descending on Qatar for the tournament. In store is not only a continental cup, with all the passion that goes along, but also a preview (sans their promised bid technology) of Qatar as a hosting nation. We have some tasty matchups in the group stage, both in terms of the football and cultures. Iraq vs. Iran is guaranteed to be a bitter one in Group D and India vs. Australia in Group C gives a chance for old cricket rivals to meet in football. Here are the fixtures for the 2011 Asian Cup: Group A 7 Jan 2011: Qatar vs. Uzbekistan 8 Jan 2011: Kuwait vs. China 12 Jan 2011: Uzbekistan vs. Kuwait 12 Jan 2011: China vs. Qatar 16 Jan 2011: Qatar vs. Kuwait 16 Jan 2011: China vs. Uzbekistan Group B 9 Jan 2011: Japan vs. Jordan 9 Jan 2011: Saudi Arabia vs. Syria 13 Jan 2011: Jordan vs. Saudi Arabia 13 Jan 2011: Syria vs. Japan 17 Jan 2011: Saudi Arabia vs. Japan 17 Jan 2011: Jordan vs. Syria Group C 10 Jan 2011: India vs. Australia 10 Jan 2011: South Korea vs. Bahrain 14 Jan 2011: Australia vs. South Korea 14 Jan 2011: Bahrain vs. India 18 Jan 2011: South Korea vs. India 18 Jan 2011: Australia vs. Bahrain Group D 11 Jan 2011: North Korea vs. United Arab Emirates 11 Jan 2011: Iraq vs. Iran 15 Jan 2011: Iran vs. North Korea 15 Jan 2011: United Arab Emirates vs. Iraq 19 Jan 2011: Iraq vs. North Korea 19 Jan 2011: United Arab Emirates vs. Iran The top two teams from each group move on to the quarterfinal round. From then on, it is a single-elimination tournament. Knockout Rounds 21 Jan 2011: Quarterfinal 1: A1 vs. B2 21 Jan 2011: Quarterfinal 3: B1 vs. A2 22 Jan 2011: Quarterfinal 2: C1 vs. D2 22 Jan 2011: Quarterfinal 4: D1 vs. C2 25 Jan 2011: Semifinal 1: QF1 vs. QF3 25 Jan 2011: Semifinal 2: QF2 vs. QF4 28 Jan 2011: Third place match 29 Jan 2011: Asian Cup Final Match

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World Cup 2010 Blog: Maradona to Sue Head of Argentina Football

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Maradona to Sue Head of Argentina Football Posted: 26 Dec 2010 11:38 AM PST Oh, Diego. It’s been weeks, maybe even a month, since your last outburst. We were starting to think you forgot about us, the football writers and bloggers who thrive on controversy and quotes. Welcome back, sir. Diego Maradona is suing Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondola for defamation of character. Because no one gets to defame Diego Maradona’s character but Diego Maradona. The event that seems to have caused all the fuss was a quote from Grondola last week, which Maradona says implied that he was back using drugs and alcohol. The quote: “There are reasons for what happens with Maradona, and everybody knows them.” Diego claims to be clean for six years, and if that’s true, then two things follow from that fact. One – he is as unstable off of drugs as he ever was on (see for example Argentina squad selections), and two – he has reason to be upset. For someone with as long and sordid a relationship with chemicals as Diego has, six years sober is a major accomplishment, and I can certainly understand him being defensive about it. But I’m not sure it should go so far as a legal battle. For one thing, Grondola could be talking about more than just drugs. It’s a very vague statement, and proving that it was meant as a derogatory reference to drugs is going to be a tough sell for a judge. On the other hand, Maradona might just be able to sign an Albiceleste jersey for the judge and get some sympathy – it’s hard not to side with a national legend. On the other side of things, Diego’s time with Argentina has certainly tarnished his legend a bit. If he would have led the team to victory in South Africa, or even to a semifinal, he would have gained a new level of godhood. But he very much didn’t. His Argentina side were comprehensively taken apart by Germany in the quarterfinals, and that was the end of a reign that no one argues to have been all that successful. Considering his job performance, maybe he’d be best to just leave this one be, and call it a draw.

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World Cup 2010 Blog: Some Like It Hot, Including Arsene Wenger

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Some Like It Hot, Including Arsene Wenger Posted: 23 Dec 2010 09:40 AM PST Whenever most coaches of a giant club opens their mouth, it’s often with the bent and benefit of their team in mind. It’s just good coaching, and good coaching is a numeric job of 24/7/365. Arsene Wenger’s no exception. In fact he may be in the top five with Hall of Famers Sir Alex Ferguson – due a lifetime achievement award – and Jose Mourinho, who may replace Fergie in a number of roles one day. Of course suspicious though it may be, it’s still a decent enough break from the mundane winter transfer news and the rumors of Liverpool fans congregating in vigil outside Rafa’s house. His statement is an important subject, if for no other reason than the recent rumblings that the World Cup needn’t be played in Month X, or that major leagues must hold true to Schedule X. “That [the heat in Qatar] is a big problem,” said Wenger. “They have spoken about maybe having the World Cup in the winter. Why not? I'm not against that at all. “But I think overall, in the whole world, football should be played between February and November, and then you could organise it for winter.” What exactly does it mean? Just the one season, or the whole system in general? The subject is Qatar, but he’d arguably like nothing more than to field his slick system through June and July, fitting in with the managerial gospel that is cui bono. Russia’s recently ignored their slight winter chill – well, not entirely, as there will be a significant break – and scheduled their league for the more common European fall-to-spring model, and one thing we’ve learned with the recent World Cup is that as soon as something is spouted in the press, someone else chirps back with ‘Hey, that’s not a terrible idea…’ Well, this is, since it would eliminate the concept of midseason form, but with nothing set in stone anymore, someone is writing this down.

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World Cup 2010 Blog: Players Want A Winter World Cup In 2022

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Players Want A Winter World Cup In 2022 Posted: 22 Dec 2010 07:41 AM PST Of absolutely no surprise to anyone is the declaration by FIFPro that the players union, and thus the players, want a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022, so as to do away with that pesky ‘Was that a dive or did he just have a heat stroke in the box?’ issue due to arise in Qatar’s July. Of course they’re speaking for players who will have no part to play in 2022 since they’ll have graciously retired by then. Oh, and David Beckham. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Romelu Lukaku, for example, will be smack dab in the middle of his prime – and he already starts for Belgium. Tijs Tummers, secretary of FIFPro’s technical committee, said: “We will have to take a careful look at the international match calendar, but FIFPro does not foresee any insurmountable problems in this regard. “Space will have to be made for the tournament, even though many countries already have a winter break. “In Europe, competitive matches will have to be played in August and the second half of May and the first half of June. If you look at what happened last weekend with weather problems in Europe because of heavy snowfall, you could see this as an advantage rather than as a problem. “And it might perhaps turn out that the players will be fitter at the start of a winter World Cup than was the case last summer at the World Cup in South Africa.” This space is less announcement than charting the transition of ‘possibility’ to ‘inevitability’. Everyone, most importantly those with power, seems to want this winter World Cup. And what powerful decision-makers want, powerful decision-makers get. See: Everything FIFA does.

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