The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Chelsea target Hiddink focused on Turkey match Posted: 01 Jun 2011 08:36 AM PDT  In a newspaper interview, Hiddink said "nobody has knocked on my door yet." — Reuters file pic The Group A match is likely to determine who finishes second because Germany, with 15 points from five games, are favourites to top the table. Belgium are second with 10 points from six games and Turkey (nine points from five) occupy third spot, with both teams scrapping it out for a likely playoff berth. "Me and my team, we think of nothing but the Belgium game right now," Dutchman Hiddink said in an interview with the Hurriyet newspaper. "This is a key game. "Nobody has knocked on my door yet, there is nothing concrete to discuss. My contract with the Turkish football federation is until 2012. "It's not that easy to just leave and go away. Neither me, nor the football federation, has received any official offers." Both sides are without key midfielders — Hamit Altintop and Nuri Sahin for Turkey and Marouane Fellaini for Belgium. Belgium coach Georges Leekens said his players should not be too concerned if they fall behind. "They (Turkey) have reasonably attacking full backs so there might be some space at the back," said Leekens. "We will go into the match with the aim of scoring twice. We must also not panic if we go behind." Leekens appeared to want to keep the rest of his squad on their toes when he said goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and central defender Vincent Kompany were the only players certain to start. Belgium have not qualified for a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup. "I'm used to playing important matches for my club but with Belgium that's different. It is a long time since we had a match as important as this one," said Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen. "The Turks are practically ready to die for their country but a victory is an absolute must for us." Hiddink has been criticised for a lack of ambition after telling a news conference last week a draw would be acceptable as Turkey have a game in hand on Belgium. Turkey also have fitness doubts over Fenerbahce right back Gokhan Gonul. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| New West Ham boss Allardyce sees player exodus Posted: 01 Jun 2011 08:09 AM PDT  Allardyce has pledged to instil "a winning mentality" at the east London club. — Reuters file pic The 56-year-old, whose last managerial post was at Blackburn Rovers before he was fired last December, succeeds the sacked Avram Grant and pledged to instil "a winning mentality" at the east London club who finished bottom of the table this season. "I wouldn't have taken this job if I didn't think we could bounce straight back into the Premier League," Allardyce said on the club's website. "More than that, I wouldn't have contemplated the job if I didn't think there was the opportunity to build something substantial at West Ham." Whatever he builds, though, may be without several of the current players with Allardyce saying it will be hard to keep hold of the likes of Footballer of the Year Scott Parker. "There will probably be an exodus of top players for financial reasons," Allardyce told talkSPORT radio. "There's a dramatic loss of revenue, even with the parachute payments, and you have to adjust, like every club does. "I don't know if I'll be able to keep Parker. We'll have to wait and see but it looks like it will be difficult." Other players who could leave the club are England goalkeeper Robert Green and England striker Carlton Cole. GOOD SQAUD "Whatever happens with some of the big players there's the basis of a good squad and some very, very good young players to rebuild quickly," added Allardyce. West Ham's move to London's Olympic Stadium for the 2014-15 season is a major incentive for promotion back to England's top flight and in Allardyce they have gone for one of the domestic game's most established names to mastermind that push. A no-nonsense centre back in his playing days, Allardyce managed Blackpool and Notts County before spending eight successful years at Bolton Wanderers from 1999, getting the team promoted and establishing them as a Premier League side. He moved to Newcastle United in 2007 but lasted less than a season and joined Blackburn in December 2008 before he was sacked two years later after the arrival of new Indian owners. Often criticised for his long-ball style, Allardyce said he would not sacrifice West Ham's traditions but it would be "a tale of home and away". "At Upton Park, we'll attempt to play the kind of passing game the fans want," he said. "We will aim to continue in the same way on our travels but we'll also be tough, hard to beat and utterly resilient." — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
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