Russia star Andrey Arshavin hopes the experience in the squad will help guide them to a strong Euro 2012 campaign.
The on-loan Zenit playmaker led the eastern European nation to their best finish at the European Championships in 2008, when they defeated the Netherlands 3-1 before losing to Spain in the semi-finals.
I know we ve been criticised a lot for that (losing to Spain), because it s been said that the team should be changing and the players are getting older, the 30-year-old told UEFA.com.
But there are advantages though, because we understand each other well and know each other. We re used to each other.
But I still hope as the coach does that this time, we still have a few fresh players coming forward from the Russian championship. And withou…
Chelsea are ready to pay £24m for Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah, .
Since arriving at the Turin club in 2012, the Ghana international has made ninety-two appearances in all competitions, scoring five times while he is well on course to win a third consecutive league with the Old Lady currently three points clear at the top of Serie A.
He has four goals in sixty-six caps for the Black Stars, and featured in both this summer’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
However, he has turned out just nine times under Massimiliano Allegri this season, and Premier League leaders Chelsea are ready to pounce when the transfer window reopens next week.
A powerful midfielder with the ability to play in a number of areas, Asamoah woul…
Uruguay goalkeeper Sergio Rochet insists he has no fear about facing South Korea s masked warrior Son Heung-min at the World Cup.
Rochet is set to come face to face with the Tottenham striker when Uruguay begin their Qatar 2022 campaign on Thursday.
Son was the joint Golden Boot winner in the English Premier League last season, matching Mohamed Salah s haul of 23 goals.
A fractured eye socket injury came as a jolt to 30-year-old Son ahead of the World Cup, but he was fit enough to be selected by coach Paulo Bento.
Now, Son is set to lead the South Korea attack, almost certainly in the face mask he has been wearing in training, with his world-class ability set to pose a threat to Uruguay s rearguard.
Rochet said: You are prepared for everything, no…
Eliaquim Mangala insists his latest first-team opportunity at Manchester City is not complicated by recently being the unwanted man at the Etihad Stadium.
Mangala became one of the most expensive defenders in football history when he joined City for a reported £32million in August 2014 from Porto.
However, the France international undermined his progress with frequently erratic displays and was loaned to Valencia last season as Pep Guardiola took the reins in east Manchester.
A purported deadline-day move to Crystal Palace collapsed, leaving the 26-year-old to fight for a place in Guardiola s first-team squad this term.
A pair of EFL Cup starts amounted to his most significant action until John Stones suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday, thrusting Ma…
Roma director Walter Sabatini says the club are on the verge of signing a right-back amid reports Jose Bosingwa is poised to arrive.
The Portuguese defender is a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Chelsea at the end of June and it is believed he is set to link up with Roma.
(We are) close to (signing) a strong right-back, who has different qualities to the players we have in the squad, sporting director Sabatini explained during a press conference.
The former Roma midfielder refused to provide the media with any clues as to the identity of the club s mystery target, but he did declare: It s not (Ajax full-back Gregory) van der Wiel.
The 29-year-old Bosingwa, who retired from international football last year, joined Chelsea from Po…
What the papers say
The top three clubs in the Premier League, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City will battle for Wolves left back Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer, according to the Mirror. The 22-year-old Algerian has played 28 Premier League games for Wolves this season and scored two goals and added an assist.
Meanwhile, Wolves are weighing up a number of players if their goalkeeper Jose Sa leaves in the summer. The Sun reports the clubs reported targets include Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale, Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher and Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson.
Crystal Palace are considering a move for 23-year-old Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika if they lose star players Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, the Sun says.
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England defender Kieran Trippier heaped praise on the unbelievable Jude Bellingham after he played a starring role in the Three Lions 6-2 hammering of Iran in their World Cup opener.
Bellingham came straight into England s starting XI for the clash at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday, with Gareth Southgate somewhat catching fans off-guard by naming an attack-minded team.
Their attacking mentality certainly paid off, as did the selection of Bellingham, who opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark with a fine header after a trademark late run into the box, making him England s second-youngest World Cup goalscorer of all time.
While that was the only goal or assist the 19-year-old recorded, Bellingham also played a part in the build-up to Raheem St…
Former Rangers defender Stuart Munro will stay on as Perth Glory coach Ian Ferguson s senior assistant for a third season.
The losing A-League grand finalists are also welcoming former Newcastle Jets assistant Mark Jones to their coaching staff.
Jones, a former Australia Under-20 international, has joined as an assistant, with Ferguson thrilled to have the duo.
We are delighted to have them both on board, Ferguson said.
I m really pleased Stuart is with the club again and Mark will bring great experience having coached in the A-League (as an assistant) and the New South Wales Institute of Sport.
Jones, who was touted as a potential head coach of the Jets in 2009, said he was excited by the opportunity presented to him.
I m excited to …
Serie A club Chievo Verona have sacked head coach Domenico Di Carlo and brought in Eugenio Corini as his replacement.
Chievo have lost five straight games following their opening day victory over Bologna and last week s 4-1 defeat away to Palermo was the final straw for the club.
In a short statement, Chievo confirmed Di Carlo has left the club, ending his second stint as head coach after also leading the Verona-based side from 2008 to 2010.
The club offer our heartfelt gratitude to the coach and his staff, not only for the excellent results achieved during his three seasons at Chievo, but especially for their commitment, professionalism and dedication, the statement read.
Corini, who played 134 matches for Chievo from 1998 to 2003, has signed a deal to…
Sepp Blatter has reiterated his desire to implement a comprehensive programme of reforms for FIFA following a meeting with Domenico Scala, the independent chairman of the organisation s Audit and Compliance Committee.
Outgoing president Blatter announced his intention to resign on Tuesday, a decision he claimed was made in order to speed up the process of reform after nine past and present FIFA officials were indicted on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.
Blatter will continue as president until an Extraordinary Congress to select a successor is convened.
World football s governing body was rocked further on Wednesday by testimony by former FIFA official Chuck Blazer, who revealed he and others agreed to accept and facilitate bribes a…