Merel Mtouch multitouch table hands-on

Merel Mtouch multitouch table

Multitouch tables haven't exactly hit the mainstream, but price is likely to be a major factor. Merel's Mtouch table brings that familiar Microsoft Surface-like multitouch functionality for a fraction of the price, retailing for $3,995, or about half as much as Surface. The 720p, 32-inch display doesn't sacrifice on power -- a 3.2Ghz quad-core Intel Quad i5 Sandy Bridge processor and dedicated Radeon HD 1GB video card keep the Windows 7-based interface running smoothly -- but the table's display suffers from some uniformity issues, likely due to the pair of super-bright LEDs used to light it.

We spent a few minutes with the Mtouch at the CEA LineShows in NYC, and liked what we saw -- once we got past the lighting issues, which appear slightly exaggerated in the photo above (notice the two bright spots near our subject's fingers). Content is loaded using a web interface, and the table is compatible with a variety of formats, including PDFs, which are displayed as "magazines" with easy-flip pages. The table is in the early stages of production -- just 30 have been made and sold so far, assembled completely at Merel's factory in Yonkers, NY. They are available for purchase now, however, and should be shipped to your door within 30-days of placing an order. Jump past the break as we go hands-on with the Merel Mtouch.
more

Sony's A77 and A65 spied in leaked image, announcement to follow?

Sony's A77 and A65

First shown nearly a year ago, what appears to be a leaked official photo might finally mean the forever teased A77 is finally on the horizon. If you'll recall, the high-end Alpha was sporting a svelte see-through body, and the only tidbits the Japanese firm would confirm were the 2011 ship date and that all forthcoming Alpha's would have translucent mirrors -- you know, the spiffy kind that enables DSLRs to focus while shooting video. Opportunely, the above pictured image also came with a bevy of specs, which we'll have to assume apply to the pricier A77: a 24 megapixel sensor, 11 point AF, 10 frame per second burst and an ISO of 102,400. Also on the docket is USB 3.0, and a ship date of October. Whether or not the August announcement pans out remains to be seen, but you'll certainly know when we do.
more

Samsung reveals 'premium accessory suite' for Galaxy Tab 10.1, includes premium prices

Samsung-keyboard-dock

Loving your Galaxy Tab 10.1 but just itching for some accessories? Samsung knows you are, and today helpfully unveiled a "premium accessory suite" to soothe your jones for both add-ons and premium prices. The collection (parts of which appeared earlier on Sammy's German site) includes a full-size keyboard dock ($70) and a multimedia dock ($35) enabling HDMI pass-through – you can have Tab video on your TV, as long as you buy the separate HDTV adapter ($30). You have your choice of cases, as well: a book cover model ($60) you can leave on while using the tablet, or a leather pouch edition ($30) that is, you guessed it, a leather pouch. A few miscellaneous items round out the collection, including various chargers, a conductive stylus and the already-released USB adapter. The company also promises a Bluetooth keyboard and SD card adapter to come "mid-summer," just in time to ease your next bout of premium-accessory fever.
more

G-Technology's G-Connect offers 500GB of wireless storage, portable WiFi network to smartphone, tablet users

G-Connect

Hitachi's G-Technology unit has already showered us with a slew of external hard drives, but it's taking a slightly more hybridized approach with the G-Connect -- a device that offers both wireless storage and portable WiFi access to smartphone and tablet users. Designed with nomadic content-hoarders in mind, this little rascal boasts 500GB of mobile storage, can simultaneously support more than five different devices on its 802.11n wireless network, and, when connected via Ethernet, serves as a WiFi access point. It's also robust enough to stream up to five standard-definition movies at one time (or up to three HD flicks), and, at about 9.7 ounces, it won't add too much weight to your quiver of gadgets, either. If you're worried about security, you can surround the network with a password-protected fortress, or store some of your less mentionable content in your very own private folder. iOS users can further enhance their G-experience by downloading the accompanying app, which will allow them to view and access all of their G-stored documents and media from the comfort of their iDevices (an equivalent app for the Android crowd will launch this fall). If you're interested, you can pre-order the G-Connect from G-Technology's website for $200, or wait until it hits retailers next month. Full PR after the break.
more

Archos unveils bare-bones Arnova 7 Android tablet, priced at $99

Arnova 7

Link

We caught a brief glimpse of Archos' new Arnova 7 tablet when it hit the FCC last week and now, we have a few more details on the company's affordable Android-based slate. Though there's no information on its RAM or processing capacity, the latest addition to the Arnova clan boasts a seven-inch, resistive touchscreen LCD with 800x480 resolution, supports 720p HD playback, and offers 4GB of flash memory. Running on Froyo, this WiFi-enabled slab will give you access to the AppsLib store, rather than the Android Market, and won't come with any of the front- or rear-facing cameras you'd expect from higher-end products. But, then again, it's pretty hard to argue with any tablet priced at just $99. No word yet on when the Arnova 7 will start shipping, but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.
more

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide spotted in the clear, sans case

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide

We've already seen it turn up in a few blurry shots, and seen it pictured a bit more clearly inside a case, but we now finally have our first good, unobstructed look at T-Mobile's still unannounced myTouch 4G Slide. What's more, the tipster that provided the shots to TmoNews also offered up a few quick impressions, saying that the keyboard was "amazing" and roughly comparable to the T-Mobile G2, and that the phone itself is "surprisingly fast" but a bit heavier than the G2. Hit up the source link below for a closer look.
more

Samsung NC215S solar netbook will see the light of day in Russia

Samsung NC215S solar netbook

Anyone who's ever attempted to use a laptop on a sunny summer day can surely tell you that direct sunlight is not your friend -- that's why we like to ride out the season in our dark basement apartments. If only there were a way to harness the sun's rays for good, instead of evil -- like powering your PC while you're off doing whatever it is that normal people do when it's sunny outside. First introduced for the African market, Samsung's NC215S will be hitting Russia in early August for 13,999 rubles ($479). The netbook sports a lid almost entirely monopolized by a solar panel, which contributes to an overall estimated battery life of 14.5 hours. The NC215S packs a 1.6GHz N570 Intel Atom dual-core processor, 250GB of storage, and 1GB of RAM into a 2.9 pound frame. It's almost enough to make us want to venture out into the sunlight. Almost.

Update: The folks at Liliputing have been told the NC215S is heading stateside on July 3rd, with a suggested retail price of $399, so it looks like you'll need to stay planted in your patience for just a few days more.
more

Toshiba's Regza AT300 tablet for the Japanese market delayed until late July, will ship with Android 3.1

Toshiba Regza AT300 tablet

To any of our Japanese readers who've been impatiently awaiting Toshiba's Regza AT300 tablet, you're going to have to hold your breath a touch longer. The 10.1-inch, Japan-only slate is going to miss its expected June arrival, and ship in late July instead. That extra tedious trip to market could be worth it, though: when the AT300 finally does land in Akihabara, it'll come with Android 3.1 and all of its resizable widgets on board. But don't expect any surprises, hardware-wise: it'll still pack Tegra 2, a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, and those full-sized HDMI and USB ports that can make a nerd's heart sing. Makes sense to us, since the Thrive -- the same tablet for the US market -- was already slated to ship with the latest version of Honeycomb. Fair's fair, right?
more

Toshiba's quad-core Satellite L750D goes on sale for $699 as one of the first available Llano laptops

Toshiba's quad-core Satellite L750D

When AMD came clean with its Fusion A-Series platform, the outfit was quick to admit that some manufacturers have already started slipping these hybrid CPU / GPU chips into their spankin' new PCs. Still, at this early stage we still haven't spotted many of 'em -- if anything, we have a better idea what's on tap for later this summer. But here we have the Toshiba Satellite L750D-ST4N01, the first available Llano-packing notebook we've seen since the A-Series' launch. At $699, this 15.6-incher might seem like a forgettable system with its 4GB of RAM, 640GB 5400RPM hard drive, 1366 x 768 panel, and three USB 2.0 ports. Heck, Toshiba barely even gave the L series lip service when it announced a slew of laptops last week. But, what makes this seemingly ho-hum machine special is that it packs AMD's mid-range quad-core A6-3400M chip and an AMD Radeon HD 6520G graphics core -- a combination that adds just $10 to the cost over a similarly configured Satellite L755-S5258 with a dual-core Core i5-2410M processor and integrated Intel graphics. The L750D isn't for you? The deluge of A-Series systems hasn't even begun yet, friends. And while the jury's still out on real-world battery performance, this should make it crystal clear that if nothing else, AMD is taking no prisoners when it comes to pricing.
more

Canon takes a cue from Pentax, starts selling the T3 in assorted colors

EOS Rebel T3

Well, looky here, Canon just let its hair down. The company was clearly in an experimental mood, and got the harebrained idea that consumers just might snap up red and brown DSLRs the way they do its candy-colored point-and-shoots. The outfit's now selling its beginner-friendly EOS Rebel T3 in red, brown, and metallic gray -- all in addition to your garden-variety black, of course. Sure, that's tame by Pentax's wacky standards, but for Canon it's pretty... outlandish. Since the camera went on sale this spring, its price has dropped from $599 to a promotional $549 for the kit, which includes an EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom II lens. As for the body, if you'll recall, it has a 12.2 megapixel sensor that records 720p video (a rarity for an entry-level model), a nine-point autofocus system, ISO 100 to 6,400, and a 63-zone dual-metering system. Novices who just want to be different can, as always, hit up the source link for more info.
more

Japan speeding ahead with 500km/h Maglev train

Maglev train

Traveling the 515 km (320 miles) from Tokyo to Osaka by Shinkansen bullet train currently requires 2 hours and 25 minutes (and costs a small fortune, too). Come 2045, travel between Japan's two largest metro areas will take just over one hour, following the launch of the country's longest maglev track, which just received construction approval from Tokyo. The nine trillion yen project (approximately $112 billion) was first proposed in the 1970s, but was tabled indefinitely due to its astronomical costs, most of which stem from an extensive network of tunnels that will represent 60 percent of the route. You'll be able to get your Japanese Maglev fix beginning in 2027, when the Central Japan Railway launches its high-speed route between Tokyo and Nagoya. One notable neighbor to the west is already operating its own maglev train. China's Shanghai Transrapid has been blasting riders to Pudong airport since 2004, and once achieved a top speed of 501km/h (311 mph). The country is also constructing a 1000km/h vacuum-based train that it plans to launch within the next few years.
more

Nokia's N9 official: a luscious slab of MeeGo coming later this year

Nokia-N9

Stephen Elop said that Nokia would unveil its first MeeGo device this year, and he just made good on his word with the N9 (also known as Lankku). Just as we spotted earlier, the N9 is a solid slab of 3.9-inch AMOLED screen (854 x 480) sans a keyboard or physical switches of any kind (well, aside from that oh-so-necessary volume rocker and camera button). The phone comes with 16GB or 64GB of onboard memory and 1GB of RAM wrapped in a polycarbonate shell that's colored all the way through, so dings and scratches won't show -- unless the wounds run deep, of course. An OMAP3630 1 Ghz processor does the computing while a PowerVR SGX530 GPU is around for graphical grunt work. Connectivity comes courtesy of quad-band GSM and penta-band WCDMA radios, plus Bluetooth 2.1, NFC, and GPS. There is also a dedicated camera button for the 8 megapixel wide-angle shooter, which is capable of aperture F2.2 for low light picture taking and true 16:9 720p video recording. Oh, and it's an AF shooter, not EDoF.

The entire thing measures 116.45- x 61.2- x 7.6-12.1mm and weighs 135 grams, with a battery capable of lasting up to 50 hours (music), 4.5 hours (720p video), or between seven and 11 hours (GSM yappin'). You'll also get gratis turn-by-turn drive and walk navigation with voice guidance in Maps, a dedicated Drive app, proximity sensor and a choice of hue: black, cyan, and magenta. Other hardware specs include 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, an ambient light sensor, compass, orientation sensor, a micro SIM slot, tethering support and a 3.5mm "AV connector." It'll be humming along on MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan, with apps being compliant with Qt 4.7 and HTML5 support bundled in.

Nokia-N9

As for software? Aside from Angry Birds Magic, Galaxy on Fire 2, Real Golf 2011 and OpenGL ES 2.0, those who take the plunge will be greeted with a Webkit2-based browser, pinch-to-zoom support, unified notifications for Facebook, Twitter and RSS feeds in the Events view as well as social networking profiles and status updates merged into phone contacts. MeeGo touts a user interface simplified to three home views -- events, applications and open apps -- with a swipe gesture able to take you back to the home view. For those looking to expand upon what's loaded from the factory, Ovi Store access is included, but we've no idea what kind of pricing will be affixed. We'll be getting a fair bit of hands-on time with this guy in just a few hours, so keep it locked here for our first impressions!
more

Eizo industrial monitor does 4K resolution at 36-inches, start saving now

Eizo DuraVision

Looking for a display that can do justice to all that 4K footage you've been shooting on your Red One or Arri Alexa lately? Okay, perhaps not. But if you were, then the DuraVision FDH3601 from Eizo Nanao could handle it easily with 4096 x 2160 pixels spread over 36.4-inches of LED-backlit real estate. It comes with another big number too: a price tag of ¥2.88 million ($36,000), which gently hints at the fact that this beast is primarily aimed at specialist industrial applications. Eizo claims it's perfect for air traffic control, where staff can make full use of specs like "Digital Uniformity Correction" circuitry to compensate for uneven color or brightness, motion sensors to power the monitor on or off as needed, and a stand that can be minutely adjusted to get the perfect angle. Suddenly, despite the heavy burden of responsibility and the fact that you have to keep your phone switched off all the time, that career choice seems almost worth it.
more

Toshiba's 21.5-inch DX1215 all-in-one can accommodate even the largest fingers

Toshiba-DX1215

Clearly sick and tired of watching all of the fun other companies have been having with their all-in-ones, Toshiba this week announced the DX1215, the company's first entry in the space for the US market. The 21.5-inch touchscreen desktop has two USB 3.0 ports (and four of the boring old 2.0 variety), an HDMI port, 1TB of storage, and built-in Onkyo speakers. The system ships with a wireless mouse and keyboard, and will be hitting Best Buy's stores and website exclusively on July 3rd, starting at $930 -- just in time for your Independence Day ketchup-covered fingerprints.
more

Leica M9-P looks like it costs a fortune, doesn't disappoint

Leica M9-P

Leica's new M9-P digital rangefinder taps the till at $7,995 -- the same price the original M9 commanded when it was released in 2009 -- but you don't stay in the business of making pricey cameras for nearly a century without doing something right. The new version adds a virtually unbreakable sapphire crystal covering on the LCD, produced using diamond cutting tools, and an anti-reflective coating. The body includes a vulcanite leatherette body finish, for a more secure grip, but curiously lacks the familiar red Leica logo and M9 lettering on the front, in line with the camera's elegant "minimalist styling." Beyond that, the P includes the same full-frame 18 megapixel sensor featured on the M9, an "almost silent" shutter, and is compatible with Leica's full range of astronomically expensive M lenses. The M9-P will be available in black or chrome for $7,995 beginning next month, or $15,990 for two -- since we know you're planning to buy both.
more

Barca president slams Special One for "totally unfounded accusations"

Jose Mourinho


Barcelona president Sandro Rosell today accused Real Madrid and their coach Jose Mourinho of going too far last season with their "totally unfounded accusations" against the Catalan giants.

Relations between the arch rivals plummeted during a run of four matches in just 18 days between the two Spanish giants in the Primera Division, Champions League semi-finals and Copa del Rey final.

Speaking at a press conference today, Rosell hit out at Madrid's conduct in a lengthy statement.

He said: "We feel that this season Real Madrid have gone beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry, directing accusations towards our club, without any type of foundation."


Madrid boss Mourinho caused a huge controversy in his post-match press conference following April's Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu when he implied Barca receive favourable treatment from referees and claimed the Catalan club had yet to win a "clean" Champions League title under coach Pep Guardiola.

That ill-tempered encounter also saw both Spanish rivals lodge complaints against the other to UEFA afterwards, with Barca singling out Mourinho for his comments and Madrid responding by accusing the Catalan club's players of "feigning aggressions" during the clash.

Ahead of the second leg in Barcelona there were also allegations of racism against Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets towards Madrid defender Marcelo in the same game.

Rosell, whose club won the semi-final 3-1 on aggregate and went on to beat Manchester United in the final, said: "Comments by the protagonists have always served to enrich footballing debate.

"But this season a Real Madrid employee, their coach, went beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry.

"He even went as far as to say that our coach should feel ashamed of some of our victories. The press conference given by the Real Madrid coach after the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at the Bernabeu would certainly have made any sportsperson feel ashamed.

"He accused our club of having won titles thanks to some kind of national and international conspiracy, implicating in this conspiracy the good name of Unicef and the football authorities.

"We obviously defended ourselves, by presenting a formal complaint to UEFA, who finally decided to sanction him."

Mourinho was handed a five-match touchline ban by UEFA in relation to the semi-final first leg, which saw the Portuguese sent to the stands during the game prior to his post-match tirade.

Madrid have appealed against that ruling.

UEFA dismissed the allegations of racism due to "a lack of strong and convincing evidence," while European football's governing body also rejected Madrid's complaint about the supposed play-acting of Barca's players during the match.

Rosell also commented on a report on Spanish radio station Cadena COPE earlier this year regarding allegations linking Barca to doping practices.

"We defended ourselves, and went to court to deny the accusations made by Cadena COPE, who repeatedly gave the name of Real Madrid as the source and origin of the information," said Rosell.

"I can assure you that if anybody, in the name of Barcelona, had dared to make such an accusation, we would have acted firmly, denying this immediately and taking those responsible to court. We would have liked a similar response from Real Madrid, but sadly we never got one."

In concluding his statement, Rosell said: "The rivalry will continue next season, but we cannot allow the limits of fair play to be passed again.

"If the limits of fair play are passed once again, we shall be obliged to end our institutional relations, something we have absolutely no desire to do. We do not want to do that, but we are not afraid of doing it if we have to.

"A few days ago, the president of Real Madrid (Florentino Perez) said he will not stop until they win "the 10th" (European Cup title).

"We hope he tries to do that on the field of play, in a sportsmanlike fashion and returning to the methods that, we feel, many Madrid fans prefer. The president of Real Madrid has the opportunity to revive our relations, both on and off the field

"By means of this institutional statement, Barcelona wishes to put an end to this lamentable episode, which we hope will never be repeated again, for the good of football, of sport and of all of us that love it."
more

Note the current Diet Calories from Drinks

When on a diet usually people focus more counting calories from food, but drinks also contain calories consumed. To note that the calorie intake from beverages.

Beverages are generally consumed during the diet and often contain calories is the milk and fruit juice, but many people do not realize the calorie content of the drink.

"Even though milk and juice have many important nutrients and become part of a healthy diet, but both have calories as well as from food," says Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD a certified nutritionist from the American Dietetic Association, as quoted from MayoClinic, Thursday ( 06/16/2011).

As a general rule, adults should not drink more than 118 mL of juice per day and for the milk of 473-710 mL. And a better selection of drinks is water.

If the stomach is not quite full, so snacks of fruit and vegetables fresher for helping with. Fruits and vegetables will be much more filling than juice and contain fewer calories.

In addition to a diet program can be run successfully and healthy, then there are 5 strategies that can be done as follows:

1. Has a strong commitment
To lose weight takes time, effort and commitment of a lifetime. To make sure that you are ready to make some permanent changes and manage them well.

2. Find motivation from within
In order for a diet that could be successful it must be done to please yourself. Therefore find a strong motivation from within that drives you to keep running the program.

3. Make realistic goals
Make a realistic goal in losing weight is about 0.5 to 1 kg per week. If targets are too high and could not be accomplished demoralized that can derail a diet program.

4. Enjoy healthy foods consumed
One way to reduce calorie intake is by eating more plant foods. Try not to release the flavor of the food so as not to lose your appetite and still enjoy healthy food that is consumed.

5. Stay active in sports
One key to losing weight is to burn calories to reduce fat accumulation in the body. For that find favorite sport and try to make variations not to get bored. Besides losing weight, exercise is also beneficial to health.
more

What does the future hold for Sneijder, Modric and Nasri?

Sneijder

The summer months can be arduous times for football fans, as we have to endure June, July and most of August without our doses of domestic football action. However it does bring another exciting element of the beautiful game into play, the buzz of the transfer market. The window officially opens on the 1st of July, but that hasn’t stopped deals taking place already, with the big money moves for Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones grabbing the headlines. The rumour mill is in full swing and plenty of players are being linked with moves away from their clubs, in what promises to be another summer of big spending in the Premier League.

There are three high profile players rumoured to be linked with moves away from their clubs this summer and all three have emerged as potential targets for Premier League big boys Manchester United and Chelsea. Luka Modric, Wesley Sneijder and Samir Nasri have all refused to rule out moves away from their current employers this summer. This has led to suggestions the players could be tempted by the prospect of joining either the English Champions or runners up from last season. So I wonder if there is a chance of any of these transfers materialising.

Samir Nasri has one year remaining on his current contract with the Gunners and while he stalls over the signing of a new deal the rumours linking him to Man United and more recently Bayern Munich are intensifying. Arsene Wenger will be doing all he can to ensure he keeps hold of his creative playmaker for next season. It may take a hefty new contract and some words of wisdom for Mr Wenger to reassure Nasri that the Emirates is where he should be playing his football.

It was only last month that Patrice Evra went public with his plea to his fellow compatriot to join him at Old Trafford and since then there has been talk of United readying a £10 million pound bid for the former Marseille man. In a recent interview Nasri didn’t rule out the possibility of playing for another English club and with Man United in need of a player of Nasri’s ilk, could the Arsenal man be set for a move north? Personally I think Nasri will sign a new deal with Arsenal, but until he commits to the club the rumours will persist.

On the white side of North London Tottenham’s exquisite Croatian midfielder, Luka Modric, has all the attributes to be the perfect signing for Man United or Chelsea. With both clubs issuing their interest in the player Tottenham have moved quickly to reaffirm their stance that the midfielder is not for sale at any price. However, the guarantee of Champions League football and a huge jump in wages is likely to be a real temptation for Modric. Although he is happy at Spurs if the bids started to come in they could well unsettle the player and we all know Spurs have bowed down to the financial power of Man United in the past with Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov. I however think Tottenham will remain defiant in their bid to stave off the advances of Man United and Chelsea and would be surprised if Modric is not running out for Spurs in August.

The third big hitter linked to both United and Chelsea is Inter Milan’s Dutch master Wesley Sneijder. Out of the players in question I think Sneijder is the most likely to make a move to one of the big two this summer. He recently committed himself to Inter, but has since spoken out about the uncertainty of his future. Sneijder would represent an excellent signing for either of these big hitters, but a stumbling block could be his huge wages, reported to be in excess of £7.5 million a year. This may rule Man United out of the chase but I’m sure wouldn’t deter Chelsea should they look to sign the £30 million plus rated midfield man.

Football being what it is means there is no way the potential transfers of either Nasri, Modric or Sneijder can be ruled out. No matter how adamant a manager may be his player isn’t leaving there is always likely to be a spanner in the works that can change the whole outlook. Although I think Nasri and Modric will remain in North London, when Chelsea and Manchester United are involved anything can happen. You can rest assured that the three players focused on in this article will get their fair share of column inches this summer. What do you think, will we see Nasri, Modric or Sneijder on the transfer merry-go-round this summer?
more

Cristiano Ronaldo: I never want to leave Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo


Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would stay at Real Madrid for another 10 years if the opportunity arose.

The Portugal international scored an incredible 53 goals for Madrid in all competitions last season but Jose Mourinho's men only ended up with the Copa del Rey crown.

As good as Madrid were, they still found themselves playing second fiddle to Barcelona, who won both the Primera Division and Champions League - in which they beat Madrid in the semi-finals.

Ronaldo has recently been linked with a move to Manchester City, a club backed by wealthy Middle Eastern owners, but the former Manchester United man insists he has no immediate plans to return to the Premier League.

"I can't see myself leaving Madrid," he told the Cadena COPE radio station. "I'm very happy here, it has been phenomenal."

Ronaldo, who was reported to have been offered £400,000 a week to join City, says money is not a deciding factor in his future.

Ever since the inception of the Bosman ruling in 1995, clubs can no longer afford to focus only on the short term, and thus often open contract negotiations with their players long before their deals are set to expire. If the player in question refuses to sign an extension, teams must make a decision as to whether they want to cash in, or hold on to the individual for another year before watching them depart on a free transfer.

One of the most intriguing transfer sagas of the moment is the potential move of Arsenal's Samir Nasri to domestic rivals Manchester United. The France international has yet to extend his contract beyond the summer of 2012, and United are closely monitoring his situation.

Nasri is not the only player who will soon have an important decision to make, however. Clubs still have two-and-a-half months left to assemble their squads, but most want to wrap up their transfer dealings for the new campaign as soon as possible.
more

Playing Rooney on his own would provide England with greater balance

Wayne Rooney


It’s a shame Adam Johnson didn’t get more than the handful of minutes he got in England’s 3-1 defeat of Mexico. Not because he almost made a sensational start when he came on but because England’s shape lacks a left side.

At the moment, England’s system is to have an inter-changing role down the left hand side occupied by Gerrard and Rooney. Both have a long list of strengths but find themselves performing these at their best inside. Naturally, more often than not when England are attacking you find them both inside.

Against Mexico it was Theo Walcott, but start Aaron Lennon there and the right hand side of midfield position has the same set of instructions, ‘get wide, stay wide, take on the full back’. Nothing wrong with that. Makes perfect sense actually when you think of the pace both players poses.

The final point of the argument is the full backs. First choice Cole and Johnson are, it’s fair to say, better at going forward than the other way.

This is all very well going forward but what about when you lose the ball? You have your left winger playing as an attacking midfielder. Right winger on the right touchline and both full backs on their heels. It puts an awful lot of pressure on the holding midfield players not to mention our centre backs who let’s not forget have either not had a particularly injure free season or one blessed with the greatest of form.

In the first half especially it’s alarming a team like Mexico had so much of the ball in our final third. It may be more alarming how many times we were caught on the break.

A 3-1 win against a team who normally averages a second round finish at a World Cup, isn’t a bad way to finish a World Cup warm up match. But, you can’t help think Capello will not be happy. You can’t also think a team of greater ability than Mexico would have walked of the pitch at half time with a better score line.

You can argue that we missed Lampard and Barry in midfield, Cole and Terry in defence but the exposure down the left hand side is something Egypt were able to expose only a few months ago too.

It’s not necessarily that ever wave of attack on England’s goal will be down the left hand side. If the balance is wrong then it puts the whole shape of the team out of joint.

Let’s say Walcott is down the right. He sticks to instructions and hogs the touchline. The opposition will just man mark him out the game. If he does well, double up on him. If he is out of the game and Gerrard over the other side of the pitch isn’t there and is instead inside, then it means England’s space to attack is limited in the final third as England loses the width of the pitch by about a third. Everything becomes too narrow and congested and players become easier to mark.

Exposure on the break is likely with the full backs, Cole and Johnson, trying to give England a bit of width. The same sort of confusion like what we saw with the breaks from Mexico will have the likes of Brazil and Spain drawling at the month!

Starting Adam Johnson, or even Joe Cole, who has played the left midfield position for England in the past and played it well, would bring a equal balance to the midfield and instantly widen the area in which England have at their exposal when plotting an attack. It would mean sacrificing a forward. Using the Mexico game as an example it would mean Crouch leaving Rooney up to on his own and Gerrard in the space behind him- roles both our use to for their clubs.

Instead of either Rooney or Gerrard having to bust a gut to fill in down the left hand side when England are under attack, it would mean there would be cover already to hand. Call it a 4-5-1 when defending and a 4-2-3-1 when attacking if you like.

We all know the strengths Rooney has at playing up top on his own. His season with United more than proves it. At times in an England shirt he and Gerrard have threatened to read each other’s minds when going forward. A slight shift in positions could unlock this threat.

Capello made a point, many moons ago when he first took on the job, players had to fit into the system rather than a system having to fit around players, well if England are to be successful in South Africa the up and coming friendly with Japan should be the time to test the double Player Of The Year in the position he won it in and a natural balance to the team behind him.
more

Wenger playing for keeps on Nasri

wenger nasri

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said the club will do everything to keep French star Samir Nasri at Emirates Stadium next season.With Arsenal enduring their sixth consecutive season without silverware, there had been speculation in British media that some of their big names – including Nasri and captain Cesc Fabregas – could seek a move away from London.

But with Nasri, 23, out of contract after the 2011/12 season and being linked with a move to champions Manchester United, Wenger has said he is a required player at Arsenal.

“We will do everything to keep Nasri at the club. My wish is that he stays here,” Wenger told The Sun.

“If he looks back he can see that he’s come quite a long way with us, and I think there is still a bit to do. It’s the club that makes the player’s career.”

Fabregas has been surrounded by rumours of a move home to Barcelona – where he was a product of their famed youth academy – for over a year now, but Wenger insisted he will be an Arsenal player for some time yet.

“I will be pretty clear about this. For me, Fabregas is with Arsenal for a long time and he will stay with Arsenal,” the Frenchman said.

“It sometimes happens that the rumour can make the transfer.”

“Next year will see the introduction of the financial fair play system, which will limit the big transfers.”

“I think this is the last year that the summer will be hot – very hot.”
more

AGUERO WON'T RULE OUT REAL MADRID

Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero to sign for in Summer 2011 Transfer Window Join By End Of Summer Transfer Window: Real Madrid 5/4

Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero has failed to rule out the possibility of a switch to city rivals Real Madrid.

The gifted Argentina international is thought to be on the radar of several top European sides.

But it is Spanish giants Real Madrid who have been most strongly linked with a swoop for his services.

Aguero has stated that no decision over his future will be made until after the Copa America, but has welcomed past praise from Real boss Jose Mourinho.

"Everyone knows where my career will continue," he told TyC Sports. "It makes me happy that a coach like Mourinho speaks well of me, him just as much as other coaches.

"(My future) will be decided when the Copa America finishes. I don't know what will happen.

"Right now I'm busy with the Copa, then we'll see what happens with my future. It's a pleasure to be back with the national team, we are all very excited and want to make the (Argentina) fans happy."


more

The 'new Chicharito': How Manchester United target Erick Torres has filled his predecessor's boots

Erick Torres


Javier Hernandez has been the signing of the season at Old Trafford and Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to repeat the trick by securing the signature of his replacement at Chivas

Described as the 'new Chicharito', Erick Torres has impressed since stepping into the Manchester United striker’s boots at Chivas at the tender age of 18.
Unsurprisingly, the youngster has been on the radar of the Red Devils ever since breaking into the Mexican side's first team last November and it would appear that United are looking to strike gold in the region for the second time in a year.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United have built up a good relationship with the club following their dealings last summer for Hernandez. However, it is unlikely that Chivas will be as willing to sell the teenager given the success of the Hernandez since his transfer to Old Trafford a year ago.

The talented striker, who is nicknamed El Cubo, caught the eye of the national press ever since he made his debut.

He has quick feet, good positional sense and plenty of skill. He shares one trait particularly in common with Hernandez in that he likes to move the ball quickly, playing one and two touch football and then, like Chicharito, comes alive in the penalty area.

He scored six goals in 19 appearances last season since making his debut against Monterrey in November and is now trying to earn a place in the Mexican Under-20 national team that is due to play at the Under-20 World Cup in August.

How much will he cost?

The owner of Chivas, Jorge Vergara, has made it clear that he wants the teenager to remain at Chivas next season. He said “El Cubo has to continue with Chivas, not only because of his age, but to give the team what the team has given to him.

“I don’t know anything officially about Manchester United's interest but El Cubo has a lot of great qualities and I wouldn't be surprised if Ferguson liked him and I will be pleased if he is interested as well."

Chivas are likely to have learned from the sale of Hernandez to the Red Devils, and will not want to settle for anything less than £10-12 million. Sir Alex Ferguson once quipped of Chicharito “we’ve stolen him”, and Vergara knows that they can’t afford to have lightning strike twice.

The Mexican side will try their upmost to hold on to the striker until at least the next transfer window in January, but if the right offer comes in they would find it difficult to turn it down.

Where would he fit in?

Torres' game would certainly suit the fast pace of the Premier League. He’s got quick feet, can score with any part of his body - something Chicharito took to extremes last season - and has a terrific attitude, much like his predecessor.

Ferguson has always hailed the dedication of Chicharito in terms of his work ethic and his constant willingness to learn and improve his game. Sir Alex would get the same characteristics and enthusiasm with Torres.

Dimitar Berbatov is being linked with a move away from Old Trafford after falling out of favour with Ferguson towards the latter end of the season and being left out of the squad for the Champions League final last month won't have helped their relationship, despite finishing joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals.

This could leave room for another striker in the Scot’s squad next season alongside Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Hernandez, as well as the returning Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda after loan spells.

The Manchester United manager's pedrigree in the transfer market has been dented in recent times following the signings of Gabriel Obertan and Bebe, but the success of Chicharito shows the value of taking chances.

Torres is still quite raw and would definitely need time to develop; this would certainly be a signing for the future. Sir Alex is keen to uncover more talent from Latin America and is reported to have sent scouts to watch the Mexican in action against China in a friendly match on Monday.



more

Asthma Not Controlled Origin Sex Reducing Ability

Sexual intercourse requires less oxygen consumption that is not so much to think of people with asthma will be difficult to do so. But if done in a measurable, sex or other physical activity will not trigger a recurrence of asthma.

"When an attack is difficult. Boro-boro sex thinking, breathing alone can not. But beyond that, people with asthma are normal people. So did his sexual abilities," said Dr. Anita Ratnawati, SpKFR (K), a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation of the Friendship Hospital in talk show You Can Control Your Asthma at the Friendship Hospital, Rawamangun, Thursday (09/06/2011).

According to Dr. Anita, there are no studies showing that asthma affects libido or sex drive. Even if there are some people who increase their libido or precisely because of asthma, he suspected it was a fluke and will not happen to everyone.

Asthma does not affect your stamina during sex or other physical activity, origin completely controlled so as not to trigger a relapse (exercise induced asthma). Even according to Dr. Anita, people with asthma it is advisable to carry out physical activity, particularly regular exercise.

"In general, exercise will not improve lung function. But physical exercise proved to improve heart and lung fitness so that wheezing (asthma) did not deteriorate," added Dr. Anita.

For physical activity did not lead to exercise induced asthma, persons with asthma who want to exercise should pay attention to FIT which stands for Frequency, Intensity and Time.

1. Frequency
Ideally sports for persons with asthma are not more than 3-5 times / week.

2. Intensity
The pulse is most easily observed indicator to determine whether or not heavy physical activity. Safe limit for persons with asthma is 60-80 percent of maximum heart rate. How to calculate the maximum pulse rate is 220 minus age.

For example, the age of 30 years, the maximum heart rate is 220-30 = 190 times / minute. So the safe limit for persons with asthma during exercise or other physical activity is (60-80) percent x 190 = 114-152 times / min.

3. Time
The recommended duration for persons with asthma when running heavy physical activity is 30 minutes, or if you already feel tired.

"Just like other physical activity, sometimes sex can also be the trigger asthma attacks or exercise induced asthma. Moreover, if done the same affair, because it certainly was pounding fear of getting caught," said Dr. Anita said, joking.
more

Recognize disturbances in thyroid gland

Recognize disturbances in thyroid gland

The thyroid gland may not be a special concern for the community. But there are some problems that can occur in this gland and if left unchecked can lead to chronic complications.

The thyroid is a gland located in front of the neck is shaped like a butterfly and is often easy to be touched. This gland produces thyroid hormones that stimulate the metabolic function of cells in the body.

"Thyroid disease is divided into two, dealing with the size of the gland (eg, enlarged) and disturbances in hormonal production (eg, excessive or lack of)," said dr Suharko Soebardi, SpPD-KEMD in a press conference Enhance Public Awareness Case Against Metabolic and endocrine to Prevent Chronic Complications resulting, at the Hotel Nikko Jakarta, Wednesday (08/06/2011).

dr Suharko said thyroid disease experienced by women more than men (up to 5-7 times as much) and represent the majority of endocrine disease.

Here are some disorders that can occur in the thyroid gland are:

Thyroid nodules
This condition occurs because of a lump in the thyroid gland. This lump can be numbered one (single nodule) or more (multinodul goiter). The lump that appears likely due to:

Cyst containing fluid
Adenoma or benign tumor degenerate
Slow-growing adenoma
Malignancies that can cause thyroid cancer (the case in small quantities)


"Most cases of malignancy is higher in males, and if the thyroid has been removed so he must take medication for life because nothing else can produce thyroid hormone in the body," he said.

Suharko dr said this condition is usually only found when someone is in the mirror and found a lump in the neck front.

Hyperthyroidism
This condition occurs because of an overactive thyroid gland produces hormones that amount circulating in the blood become excessive. The reason could be due to Graves' disease, an abnormal expense of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) and excessive iodine intake.

Symptoms include excessive sweating, weight loss, tremor, anxiety, tidaktoleran to heat, fatigue, decreased concentration, bulging eyes (like going out) and irregular periods or less.

Hypothyroidism
This condition occurs because the thyroid gland produces hormones in small amounts or low. The reason could be due to pituitary disease, drugs, destruction of the thyroid and severe iodine deficiency.

Presenting symptoms include depression, fatigue, tidaktoleransi to cold, dry skin and hair, increased cholesterol levels, heart rate decreased, the concentration decreased and the pain or vague pain.

"Usually people are not aware of the symptoms that arise, if heart palpitations are not considered, such as bulging eyes only realized if there is a friend of rebuke," said dr Suharko.

dr Suharko disclose this hormonal disorders can occur for a lifetime, although at certain times can return to normal hormone levels but no one knows the cause of these hormonal disturbances reappeared.
more

Male Sperm Production Still Abundant Today

Male Sperm Production Still Abundant Today

Sperm production is believed to be down 50 percent globally so that makes men worry hard impregnate his partner. But now the data certainly is not valid, because the sperm count had not changed much in 15 years.

Concerns that the men of today will be increasingly difficult to impregnate their partners triggered by the Danish research scientists, Dolores Lamb in 1992. The observations between the years 1938-1991 show the number of sperm produced by men continues to be reduced by 50 percent.

Research facilitated by the Baylor College of Medicine is revealed, the consumption of drugs and the high level of pollution also trigger a reduction in sperm production. In contrast, male reproductive disorders is increasing one testicular cancer.

Although very horrendous and has been quoted in more than 1,000 journals reproduction, criticisms and doubts of experts also came from fellow reproduction. Dr. Niels Erik Skakkebaek who is also from Denmark for example, assess the methods in this study less valid.

Together with his team at the University of Copenhagen, Dr Skakkebaek conduct similar research with methods that have been updated. Total sample more, about 5,000 men and observed a period long enough that between the years 1996-2010.

Observations for 15 years shows, the average number of sperm produced by a man not much changed, ie between 40-45 million / mL. Excerpted from the NYTimes, on Tuesday (08/06/2011), the lowest record in 2006 which printed 35 million / mL, whereas most of the year 2007 that is 50 million / mL.

This research report has been published in the journal that published the latest Epidemology in the United States. The report was not written solely by Dr. Skakkebaek as the initiators, but rather by the Danish government after the data leaked by another researcher that Dr Jens Peter bonde.
more

Chelsea need Kaka or wesley sneijder

Kaka

Former Chelsea player, Marcel Desailly judge, "The Blues" takes world-class playmaker Kaka range (Real Madrid), or Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan) to get up next season.

Desailly who defended Chelsea in 1998-2004 admitted sure, lack of Chelsea last season for not having a reliable servant to the striker. Midfielder-owned by Chelsea midfielder nobody has a position as a pure playmaker.

"Chelsea need someone who can play in between the strikers and midfield to reduce the pressure on Essien and Lampard in advance to help the attack. Someone who can control the game with their own hands like Kaka or Wesley Sneijder, "said Desailly.

Desailly also revealed another reason Chelsea failed last season. "Chelsea need more consistency in their performances throughout the year.

"When you compare them with Manchester United in how to handle pressure, you will see United do not finish, not crazy, and keep working hard. Conversely, as soon as Chelsea lost two or three games, they immediately have a problem, "said Desailly.
more

Sanchez got Barca favorite?

Alexis Sanchez

Where Alexis Sanchez will anchor next season seems more and see a bright spot after Udinese claimed to have been taking care of its star's move to Barcelona.

"Sanchez and his agent, Fernando Felicevich, has reached an agreement with Barcelona also worth three euros per season," said club president Franco Soldati told Chilean newspaper La Tercera, who launched the Italian Football.

Sanchez was in the middle of last season became hot property in the transfer market looks bright associated with Udinese this season. Duet with Antonio in Il Natale brought Zebrette to qualify for the Champions League qualifiers next season.

So a kind of European clubs Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester United and Manchester City after his signature. But Barca was the one who was lucky to get it.

However, Barca Sanchez has not fully get. There are still some personal details that must be resolved. So at the latest according to Soldati, Sanchez can only be landed at the Camp Nou next month.

"But that does not mean he will join them, but we know what players want and aware to him," he continued.

"We expect to finish everything for the good players, but I think this process can not be resolved before the end of June.

"We have no purpose to talk with Barca, but the negotiations had only begun. If they pay according to what we want, then no problem.

"Barcelona is the favorite, then there is Juventus and Inter. Three clubs are interested Sanchez. We are optimistic the transfer would be completed and will soon meet the wishes of the players, "he concluded.

Sanchez price estimated around 30 million euros. Not only get money for it, Udinese plans to get Bojan Krkic on loan.
more

All Vitamins Can be Absorbed Body, Worse Can Poisoning

All Vitamins Can be Absorbed Body

All the vitamins and minerals that are eaten by humans is never rejected aka body can easily absorb. But the risk is if the vitamins and minerals that enter it can make the most of poisoning.

Vitamins and minerals are in fact already widely available in food, but sometimes people take supplements to ensure adequate intake of certain vitamins or minerals.

To complement the vitamins and minerals that, when it sold a variety of micronutrient supplements to meet the needs. But as much as possible people should get these micronutrients from natural materials.

"Any supplements ingested can not be rejected so that all absorbed by the body, it could be at risk of toxicity or poisoning. But if the food is not," said Dr. Inge Permadhi, MS, SpGK Nutritalk event: Healthy Inspirations for Women of Indonesia in Hong Kong Cafe, Jakarta , on Tuesday (06/07/2011).

Dr Inge said if these micronutrients from food so if intake is sufficient, these micronutrients will automatically discarded so as not to cause poisoning.

"For that I suggest eating healthy food sources and also fresh," said Dr. Inge who is a physician nutrition specialist from the Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of medicine.

In determining a healthy diet it should be noted 3J namely Number, Dates and Type. To determine the number affected by several factors such as gender, age, weight, height and also certain conditions. To schedule a large includes 3 meals and 3 meals a distraction (snack).

As for the type must include the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), fiber and water that the composition is based on the food pyramid.

Dr Inge explained eg for iron divided into heme iron (iron that easily absorbed) can be obtained from chicken liver, oysters, red meat and tuna, while the non-heme iron (poorly absorbed and need help in the absorption of vitamin C) can be obtained from soy beans and spinach.

As for calcium can be obtained from low-fat milk, cheese, fish, especially the bones can be eaten, broccoli and beans. For vitamin B can be obtained from dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus), red beans and oranges.

"For vitamin D can be obtained from the sun, if we want to bask for a moment then can get vitamin D is enough. Vitamin D in is required in the process of absorption of calcium in the body," said Dr. Inge.
more

Conditions that Cause Death On Anemia Pregnant Women

Conditions that Cause Death On Anemia Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are physiologically more susceptible to anemia or lack of blood. But this should not be taken lightly, because anemia can cause death in pregnant women during childbirth.

"According to WHO a person is said to anemia if the hemoglobin (Hb) less than 11 mg / dl of blood," said Dr. Inge Permadhi MS, SpGK Nutritalk event: Healthy Inspirations for Women of Indonesia in Hong Kong Cafe, Jakarta, Tuesday (07/06/2011) .

Dr Inge said the mother gave birth to will be injected something into his body to help stop bleeding after childbirth. But if the mother had anemia, injection did not react so that does not constrict blood vessels that make the bleeding continued.

If bleeding can not be resolved then it could lead to death in the mother. Even if he can survive after experiencing post-childbirth bleeding, he would suffer severe blood shortage and prolonged health problems.

Based on data from 2010 Riskesdas known that bleeding were the highest cause of maternal mortality which is 28 percent. And the main cause of this bleeding is anemia and chronic energy deficiency in pregnant women.

"The cause of anemia vary, physiologically during pregnancy the amount of fluid in the body will be more while the red blood cells remain thus causing anemia," said the doctor from the Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of medicine.

Dr Inge said there are other causes of anemia such as:


Poor food intake such as nausea and vomiting often
Twin pregnancy
The period is close to the previous pregnancy
Reserves of iron contained in the body of the mother before pregnancy slightly
The existence of infectious diseases such as intestinal worms


Besides causing bleeding, anemia in pregnant women may result in the mother's own and also the fetus. In the mother can cause weight loss hard to ride, abortion (miscarriage), complications of pregnancy, childbirth, childbirth and postpartum.

While the fetus is conceived can cause low birth weight infants (LBW), premature babies, babies born with anemia and complications after birth, such as failure to thrive and low intelligence.

"All the nutrients in pregnant women is important, but there are some nutrients that need more attention are iron, calcium, folic acid, B12 and also protein," he said.

All these nutrients can be obtained from foods such as chicken liver, oysters, red meat, tuna, soy, spinach, broccoli, kidney beans, asparagus, oranges, nuts, low-fat milk, cheese.

"So the supposition that women should eat 2 plates were not true, because what matters is the most nutrients. If you want to add better multiply the protein that could help the growth of children in the womb and note the addition of weight," said Dr. Inge.

Dr. Inge said that for pregnant women who previously had a body mass index (BMI) is normal then the total weight increase of 11.5 to 16.5 kg, to mothers of underweight (weight less), an increase of 12.5 to 18 kg, for mothers who are overweight (overweight), an increase of 7 to 11.5 kg and for mothers who are obese, an increase of 6.8 kg.
more

New Mother Gave Birth to Baby Do not Exercise To Excess Milk is Not Sour

New Mother Gave Birth to Baby Do not Exercise To Excess Milk is Not Sour

New mothers sometimes want to rush to lose weight by exercising harder. But you should not exercise too much for ASI (Air Susu Ibu), which produced no acid.

"If a nursing mother to do strenuous exercise or too much will form lactic acid in milk, so that the milk became sour taste that makes the baby would not breastfeed," said Dr. Inge Permadhi, MS, SpGK Nutritalk event: Healthy Inspirations for Women of Indonesia in Hong Kong Cafe , Jakarta, Tuesday (07/06/2011).

Dr Inge said nursing mothers sometimes want to quickly lose weight so that excessive exercise.

Generally, nursing mothers will produce about 750 cc of milk every day, this condition is also equivalent to the weight loss of about 200-500 calories per day. Which means in a week can reduce about 0.5 kg.

"So with breastfeeding actually help you lose weight naturally," says nutrition specialist from the Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of medicine.

In addition, mothers who are breastfeeding must also consider the nutrients it consumes, because anything that enters the body of the mother will affect the milk like taste.

Dr Inge said composition of a balanced nutrition for nursing mothers is:

High carbohydrate to replace the glucose that is used in making the lactose from milk
High protein to help the process of growing children, because of the growing children need protein
Getting adequate fluid intake to prevent dehydration in nursing mothers
Eating fruits and vegetables to get the intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals


"ASI should therefore be a source of DHA omega-3 consumption is high. DHA functions in growth and development of the nervous system including brain, retina development and function of vision," he said.

Another thing that must be considered by nursing mothers is to avoid:

Alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs
A strong spicy food because it can alter the taste of breast milk
Food that has been contaminated for example with harmful preservatives or food coloring such as rhodamine B
Foods that can make a baby be allergic to, if indeed the baby known to have allergies such as eggs, milk, nuts
The spicy food because it can make a baby into diarrhea
Consumption of coffee because it can make a baby to be sensitive and awake as well as reduce the absorption of iron contained in breast milk.
more

Neill eyes Premier League return

Neill


Australian captain Lucas Neill sees his decision on which direction to take his club career as crucial to his prospects of representing his country at the 2014 World Cup.At 33 and with the tournament in Brazil still three years away, it would appear time is against Neill playing in a third World Cup.

But the versatile defender, who is looking for a new club after completing his contract with Turkish outfit Galatasaray, is weighing up his options and will talk to Socceroos manager Holger Osieck about where he thinks Neill’s best interests lie in terms of his prospects with the national side.

“I’ll discuss it with the manager, talk about the options and which ones he may be able to give me some opinions on,” said Neill ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Serbia.

“I see this as new challenge for myself again.”

“I need to pick the right one because my goal is to be fit and playing well for the World Cup.”

“Some of you might think I might be too old, but I want to be part of that plan.”

“If the manager can assist me with that, then great.”

Neill, recently linked to promoted English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, still believes he has what it takes to play in a major European league.

“I hope so. I still feel I have a lot to offer there and I want to be playing at the highest level possible for me to reward myself and my country with more opportunities,” he said.

Neill, who played English Premier League football with Blackburn, West Ham and Everton before moving to Turkey, expects his club future to be sorted sooner rather than later.

“I’m there or thereabouts. But I’m here with Australia now, so this week has been purely focused on that,” he said.

“I’m trying to get my fitness back up to where it was and when it is all said and done, I’ll have two weeks and that’s when I will start thinking about it.”

Neill has been battling a groin injury which kept him out of Sunday’s 3-0 win over New Zealand, but he is likely to regain the captain’s armband against Serbia, the only team Australia beat at last year’s World Cup in South Africa.
more

Netherlands' Klaas-Jan Huntelaar disappointed with substitute role against Brazil

Huntelaar


The Schalke striker was benched for the international friendly against Brazil and has expressed his disappointment with the lack of faith shown in him

Netherlands attacker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has expressed his disappointment with national team coach Bert van Marwijk's decision to leave him on the bench in Saturday's 0-0 friendly draw against Brazil.

Huntelaar has netted an impressive 10 goals in his last six starts for Oranje, but this was not enough to convince Van Marwijk as the Dutch tactician gave Arsenal's Robin van Persie the nod instead.

"I was hoping for a little more faith in me following my performances after the 2010 World Cup. You always want to play when you make such a long trip to Brazil and I really expected to play," Huntelaar said to NUsport.

"I did not ask the coach for an explanation, but I am obviously disappointed. All I can do is continue to do my utmost and hope for the best. It is a pretty annoying situation, though."

Huntelaar came off the bench at half-time in the match against the South Americans, but was unable to make an impact. The 27-year-old striker could however start in the friendly against Uruguay on Wednesday evening.
more

Should the Premier League big boys follow Liverpool’s transfer lead?

Ashley Young

On Saturday we saw a rather lacklustre performance from the England team in an important Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland. Yes, admittedly we do still have some individual good players in the Premier League – but with many of them coming towards the end of their career, do with have a new breed of players that will do us proud?

I would like to think so – but they certainly must be given the opportunity to flourish. Exceptionally talented players like Jack Wilshere are also likely to make the breakthrough due to the quality they possess. But the top English Premier League players need to get the opportunity to play for the best teams. Some of our most talented players like Ashley Young, Gary Cahill and Phil Jones may need to move on in the summer to perform on a bigger stage with the best players.

We have seen foreign ownership and foreign management come in to the Premier League and build squads almost exclusively based on foreign players. That strategy is understandable for teams on a budget because in general better value is quoted for foreign players. However, does the Premier League big six (Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool) really have any excuse not to buy English? On top of the hugely lucrative TV deals they also enjoy significant commercial and match-day income. We already know about the fact that some Arsenal fans are getting turned off by the huge season ticket prices.

Yes, I understand that a lot is at stake for getting signings wrong and we would not want English players to be signed purely for the sake of signing English players. The process should be the same as any other signing – but we need to have the best English players playing for the biggest English clubs and playing in the Champions League.

At times prices will be high – but that is just the way of the world and the big clubs don’t really need to penny pinch, do they? Case in point was the signing of Andy Carroll in the January transfer window, now I think most people know that at the moment there is no way he is worth £35m. However, he is a talented young striker and if he scores anywhere near the amount of goals in the Premier League and for England that has been predicted, then Liverpool’s gamble will have paid off. In a similar way Manchester United probably overpaid when they signed Chris Smalling and Arsenal when they signed Theo Walcott. But that is just the way it is and the selling club are not keen to sell their best talent – so they are going to want compensation for all the years they have spent training and developing the player.

Premier League clubs could do a lot worse than having a little look at the Barcelona squad – who proved themselves to be the best European club side. Their squad though has a definitive Spanish core to it and features 12 Spaniards in their first-team alone. So it stands to reason that this is a reasonable model to follow, but in order to do that English sides must commit to buying English players and also developing and giving the best English players their chance in the first-team instead of foreign players. But with the financial fair play rules coming in soon a certain amount of this may need to happen anyway and if so much the better.

If we fast forward 10 years and looked through the top squads within the Premier League – wouldn’t it be fantastic if each squad featured at least 10 top quality English players. Liverpool may be best placed to make that dream a reality. With two men that were involved in the set-up at Barcelona in Jose Segura and Rodolfo Borrell they should develop it in the right way. Both in terms of developing youth players as they have done with Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly; but also with the signing of the best English talent – something they started with the capture of Andy Carroll and will hopefully continue during the summer. And if they do it that way and other clubs follow so much the better.
more

Loyalty in football? Not at the Emirates

Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri has risked alienating himself from Arsenal fans after failing to completely rule out an Emirates departure this summer. His manager, Arsene Wenger, has continually attempted to convince the French midfielder to secure extended terms on his contract which expires next summer, but Nasri has stated this week that a move to perennial title rivals Manchester United remains a distinct possibility. “Do I want to go to United? We should see if their interest is real and if it is concrete first,” he said.

It would be difficult to deny Nasri’s motives for an immediate transfer following three disappointing years in England where his individual displays have eclipsed the contribution of his team-mates. That said, Arsenal fans who have had to endure a period of disillusionment twice as long as Nasri’s employment will unquestionably deplore their most important creative force for returning regularly to the Emirates in the shirt of another Premiership team. A move abroad would be unwelcome to an extent, but Nasri’s willingness to encourage offers from Arsenal’s closest rivals for English League dominance highlights a broader concern for football fans in regards to player loyalty.

The tendency is for spectators to label players who make such moves as ‘greedy,’ or often brand them in a more sinister light, but it seems strange to disparage an individual who seeks to improve their chances of winning trophies, gaining international recognition and enhancing their bank account, especially in an industry where a competitors professional playing career lasts around 14 years. A large section of Liverpool supporters took to the streets to burn their team’s jerseys which bore the name of Fernando Torres when the Spaniard completed his £50 million move to Chelsea in January. The striker had offered three-and-a-half years of service to the Anfield outfit, a club he joined as Champions League finalists but which rapidly descended the Premier League table to be struggling in the Europa League, and for requalification, at the time of his departure.

The Merseyside faithful were not the first group of supporters to aggressively oppose one of their favourite players’ exits, but they were perhaps misguided. A replacement for Torres was identified immediately in the form of Andy Carroll, who initially stated his reluctance to leave his hometown club in Newcastle, but the 6ft 3inch striker was making a move identical in nature. Carroll has now increased his earnings immeasurably, is playing for a more esteemed club in terms of history and universal acknowledgement, and for a team which competes in European competition with a continual expectation to compete for trophies on all fronts. This switch emphasized the modern-day transfer merry-go-round which many fans have failed to accept. The fact is, during his entire playing career at club level, Torres has won just the Spanish second division title (in 2001/2002), and a player of his calibre should have been urged to seek fulfillment elsewhere rather than criticised for a perceived lack of loyalty, an ideal invented by fans, and not by Torres, in the first place.

In any walk of life, including within the entertainment industry, no individual should be condemned for trying to better themselves in terms of increasing ones wage packet or working for a more established firm with more compatible ambitions. In football, the likes of Alessandro del Piero (Juventus), Francesco Totti (Roma), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) and John Terry (Chelsea), are worshipped by their fans for experiencing their entire careers at just one club, and are all marked with the loyalty stamp by neutral observers as well. However, the common theme amongst this group in addition to their individually exceptional athletic attributes is that they all play for a top club. Paul Scholes brought his 17-year career to an end last week and will rightly be placed in the category of Manchester United’s greatest ever representatives, but would the midfielder have shown equal loyalty to his hometown club, Oldham, had his career began in less than spectacular surroundings? The answer is a resounding no, because at a primitive stage of Scholes’ development, a club with greater aspirations and wealth would have convinced the player to move.

In principle, the influences which dictate a footballer’s decision to force through a transfer are completely justified, but in practice, and in an environment where many top players fabricate their thoughts through Twitter, fans are always going to be let down by their favourite stars stating their loyalty one week and their desire to leave the next.
more

Lazio closer to signing Klose

Klose


Serie A‘s Lazio are expected to complete the transfer of off-contract German striker Miroslav Klose shortly.Klose, who turned 33 last week, is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Rome club worth nearly two million pounds.

Klose’s contract with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich expires on June 30, and Bayern have confirmed that he had rejected their offer of a new one-year rolling deal.

La Liga side Valencia joined Everton in the race for the goal ace’s signature, but Lazio have emerged as front-runners.

And Klose has revealed that a move to Lazio is attractive.

“Let’s say that I am evaluating some offers and Lazio are among them,” Klose said.

“My wife and I have been to Rome on vacation and it is a fantastic city.”

“I was close to Lazio in January, but Bayern wanted money that they weren’t prepared to pay.”

“Now I am in charge of my own destiny.”

“I need to talk to the Lazio directors, but can tell the fans that if I do come, then I won’t let you down.”

“I am very enthusiastic, I work very hard and never give in.”

“My shirt is always wet through with sweat at the final whistle.”

Klose remains an important player for the German national team and feels he is capable of proving himself in a new league.

“I was no longer part of their plans, but I want to be a protagonist with the German team, so I need to play more regularly,” he said.

“I do not feel remotely old at 33. If anything, I am very motivated at the idea of starting again in a new environment.”

Klose is the second most prolific striker in Germany’s history with 61 goals in 109 international caps, just eight behind the legendary Gerd Muller.
more

Jones signing would give Liverpool plenty of options

phil jones

With Liverpool reportedly interested in Blackburn Rovers ’ centre back Phil Jones , I thought it maybe a good idea to look hypothetically at which centre back partnership would be best for the Reds if the 19 year old did in fact arrive this summer:

Carragher & Skrtel – This partnership has been solid for the most part since King Kenny arrived as manager. While Jamie had his injury problems last season, Skrtel has played every minute of every Premier League match, with his form improving as the campaign went on. A concern for me with the pairing is that they encourage the backline to play too deep when they play because of their lack of pace, and they also lack the ability to pass out from the back; a quality essential to Dalglish’s pass and move philosophy.

Carragher & Agger – A cornerstone of Liverpool’s Champions League final run in 2007, the pairing has had limited game time together in recent seasons due to injuries to both players. While the Dane is the most gifted player on the ball, allowing an additional midfield option when bringing the ball forward, Carra compliments his footballing centre half partner, with his organisation and communication and no-nonsense defending. With the number of injuries to Agger and the fact that Carragher is now 33, it means this partnership could not be seen to be a long term solution for Liverpool’s centre back issues.

Agger & Skrtel – This pairing is definitely one of my favourites for a variety of reasons. For starters, Skrtel really needs somebody alongside him, such as Agger or Carragher, who can be decisive and authoritative. I think it is fair to say that the Slovakian is not the best organiser at the back and he kind of needs somebody alongside him who can communicate well, and ensure he is in the right place at the right time. Skrtel’s aerial ability combined with Agger’s passing range means the pairing compliment each other very well.

Agger & Jones – So how would this pairing fair? Very well in my opinion for both have decent pace but most importantly both can pass the ball out from the back. No doubt Kenny has been looking at Jones primarily because of his capabilities with the ball at feet. The 19 year old can play in central midfield too, and has played very well when asked to play there, and added on to the fact he has very good aerial ability, like the Skrtel/Agger partnership, they should work well together.

Jones & Skrtel – Another partnership I don’t see many problems with other than the fact they maybe a lack of leadership or organisation if they played together. As I have said already, I believe Skrtel always needs a guiding hand when playing in defence and I am unsure that at 19 years of age whether Jones will be authoritative enough yet to organise the backline.

Jones & Carragher – This pairing probably would have the greatest potential for next season if Agger is unfit. Jones will learn a hell of a lot playing alongside Carra in the centre of defence, and it would be great for our vice captain to be able to give the next generation any pearls of wisdom he can provide. In addition, Jones has the ability to pass the ball out from the defence, complimenting Carra’s no-nonsense style.

For me, each pairing has its merits if we did purchase Phil Jones . Which would you go for?
more

Euro 2012 qualifying preview: Group E hots up

Euro 2012 qualifying preview: Group E hots up

The race for second place in Euro 2012 qualifying Group E will be on in earnest on Tuesday, with Sweden, Finland and Hungary all in action.The Netherlands have a six-point lead in the group, with six wins from six matches, with Sweden the next best on 12 points.

Hungary are third with nine points ahead of their trip to minnows San Marino, and Finland are fourth with six, desperately in need of full points from their trip to Sweden to keep their hopes alive.

Sweden coach Erik Hamren certainly has no worries up front before the Finland match, even without suspended superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

In their last match the Swedes had no trouble accounting for Moldova 4-1, with Bolton striker Johan Elmander bagging a brace and PSV Eindhoven front man Ola Toivonen was also on the scoresheet.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Germany could increase their lead on top of Group A to 10 points with a win in Azerbaijan.

In Group C, Estonia will look to keep their slim chances of finishing second intact – and bounce back from their 3-0 loss in Italy on Friday – when they visit bottom side the Faroe Islands.

Second-placed Belarus will be trying to keep the pressure on Group D leaders France when they play host to cellar dwellers Luxembourg while Bosnia and Herzegovina can keep their push for second place going when they welcome Albania.
more

An enjoyable transfer window ahead for Arsenal?

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger. So last night, I renewed my season ticket for next year’s Premier League campaign.

It hurts to see your side crash and burn in such a devastating manner, but it’s even more difficult to accept that the club have decided to boost ticket prices, again, despite such another disappointing season, in terms of silverware and league position.

Despite being such a dedicated supporter of The Arsenal, it’s always hard paying such a big chunk of cash right here, right now. Unfortunately, it’s a drug and I’m addicted to it. And is there a cure? Definitely not for me!

Anyway, it’s done. It’s paid for. I would moan, but my complaints would only be echoes of what every Gooner on the planet is saying at the moment. Certainly, it’s a topic that doesn’t need any explanation or opinion from me.

Moans and groans aside, we can now turn our heads to next season and begin to start looking forward to “an active transfer window” – those are the words of Arsene Wenger.

A few of my Arsenal friends have suggested to me that we could drop towards mid-table, IF we don’t have a successful transfer window.

I agree with this, to an extent.

I understand that we need to buy a number of quality players that will deliver for us when we need them to, at both ends of the pitch.

Alternatively, I also appreciate that we need to flog a few of our under-achieving individuals. Players who we’ve held onto for a number of years now, should be encouraged to find a new club.

There’s no doubt that they are still very good footballers. I’m confident that we’ll recieve multiple offers from clubs from all around the world. But we have got to understand that the players just aren’t good enough, if we are going to bring back the glory days.

I’ll admit that I am probably a little too generous when it comes to giving players chances. But even I will state that it’s clear to pick out the players in our side, who should be nudged towards a move away from North London – unless Denilson wants to make the short trip up the Seven Sisters to Tottenham?

Jokes aside (and hatred…. oh, and bias too!), every one of them has had a decent moment somewhere down the line. Although it’s obvious to see that the time is up for some of them, we’ll always remember them for their commitment to the cause.

Naturally, I’ll wish them all good luck for the future. There’s no doubt about that. But I’ll always remain adamant that these kind of players moving away from Arsenal is an obvious step forward for the club.

I’ll pray that we all have an enjoyable transfer window, with many new faces coming in that will strengthen our side, in our bid to become a dominant force in world football once again.
more

One game too many for England players

One game too many for England players

England’s 2-2 draw with Switzerland at Wembley proved that the game was one too many for most of the Three Lions players.

The whole England team looked lethargic and that resulted in a poor performance.

Beach

It looked like most of England teams minds were somewhere else. I’m sure I spotted some beach towels on the Wembley pitch at one point! Most of the English players looked like they were already on holiday.

Friendly

The England players seemed to treat this game as a friendly, rather than a crucial European Championship qualifier. The draw leaves England’s qualification hopes in doubt with a difficult trip to Montenegro still to come.

Energy

The long hard season looked to have taken the toll in the Wembley summer sun. There was just no energy in the English performance at all. The verve and pace of the game that is usually on display when England are at their best didn’t show up until the second half when Ashley Young was introduced.

The first half was just so lacklustre it was unbelievable. The Swiss players seemed quicker and more energetic. At times in the first half they showed England how to play. For large spells of the opening period they looked like the home team.

Decent

Don’t be mistaken the Swiss are by no means a team of also ran’s. They have players playing in the Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga and have some quality players. The Swiss also have some talented youngsters expected to become top players in the future. However most England fans would have expected the Three Lions to overcome the visitors. The Swiss obviously didn’t read the script.

Mistake

For the life of me I couldn’t understand why England boss Fabio Capello didn’t pick Ashley Young in his starting line-up.

As soon as I saw the teamsheet I thought where is Ashley Young? Although Ashley Young isn’t quite an established England player yet, he is a player that can excite fans.

James Milner is a player who will give you his all but in recent times hasn’t done anything to excite me on the pitch. At home against Switzerland England should be going out to win the game.

The selection of James Milner ahead of Ashley Young told me that Capello was being slightly cautious in his approach. The decision backfired after his side went 2-0 down and he had to put Young on at half-time anyway.

Change

The whole atmosphere around the England camp has changed since the World Cup debacle. There has been a new sense of optimism in recent months about the Three Lions. The new optimism came from the sense that Capello had injected some freshness into the team.

It was no longer the same old same old team. The team that looked so stale in South Africa. I just hope that this result doesn’t destroy that sense of optimism. There is still a lot more to come from this England squad.

More players to come back into the team and hopefully when the next qualifier comes around the players will be in a better mental and physical state.

Where the England players tired after a long season?
more

Popular Posts

Blog Archive