Hiddink linked with World Cup coaching role

Guus Hiddink is considering an offer from Ivory Coast to be their manager for the World Cup this summer.

The experienced manager is currently employed the Russian Football Federation but recently agreed a deal to take over as boss of Turkey when his contract expires in the summer.

Ivory Coast face a tough task in South Africa as they have been drawn in Group G with favourites Brazil as well as Portugal and North Korea, so they are looking for a top manager to lead a side which will feature some quality players including Didier Drogba and Kolo Toure.

Despite the tough group Ivory Coast the World Cup odds make them 10/11 to qualify for the knockout stages and the right manager could make all the difference.

Current manager Vahid Halilhodzic is under pressure after Ivory Coast disappointed in the recent African Nations Cup and he could be sacked despite the fact he is under contract until after the World Cup.

Drogba was managed by Hiddink during the Dutchman’s time at Stamford Bridge and it is reported the striker made a personal phone call to persuade his former boss to take the reins.

According to the Daily Mirror Hiddink said: “It’s true. I have the chance to take charge of Ivory Coast. Didier Drogba has asked me on behalf of the players. The board of the federation want it too.

“I can’t decide right now yet. A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I need to solve a few things step by step before I make a decision,” he added.

If Hiddink does take the job Ivory Coast might be able to upset the football odds and go on a good run.

Meanwhile, former Belgium manager Eric Gerets claims to have turned down the opportunity to lead Ivory Coast in the World Cup as he did not want to leave his role with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal.
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England can look forward to the World Cup

Fabio Capellos decision to strip John Terry of the teams captaincy will enable England to prepare better for the 2010 Football World Cup . The furore surrounding the Chelsea skippers antics is not over, but the media frenzy has lost some of its edge now Terry has been taken out of the firing line.

Terry can now concentrate on what he does best defending, in case you are wondering and not worry about his place as leader. His best quality as captain was his inspirational committed style of play, which will not change.

Indeed, if his performance against Arsenal is anything to go by, he might even improve, drawing on his famed reserves of courage to try and prove his critics wrong. Terry, unlike Kevin Pietersen, another England skipper removed from office, will have no problem returning to the ranks.

Any subsequent tabloid revelations about Terry will not have the edge of being about the England captain; Terrys column inches will be of as much interest as his team-mates and it should be remembered that many in the England dressing room have had their share of front page as well as back page exposure.

New leader Rio Ferdinand will now be the man under scrutiny and whilst his own questionable choices off the field suggest more embarrassment might occur it must be hoped that he has learned from the mistakes of his defensive colleague.

Capello must work hard to ensure no factions develop, but there is a greater chance that a bond and siege mentality will develop, especially if the injury-troubled and out-of-form Wayne Bridge is absent in June.

The Italian may well keep an eye on the UEFA Europa League Betting odds to see how far Everton progress in the competition as Leighton Baines could well move above Bridge in the pecking order and make things a little easier all round.

There has been too much looking back recently and Capellos brave and correct course of action can allow England to look forward and the Italian should remind them that that future is still bright.

Are you a football fan, a real supporter? Then catch the action of the clash between your favorite teams here on GoalStage.com At GoalStage you will find almost everything about the most popular sport in the world, soccer. Latest news and breaking news, live scores, live streams and football highlights, match previews and reviews of the most important competitions: Champions League, England Premier League, German Bundesliga and many others.
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How to Improve your Confidence

Improving self confidence is very important for the fact that it dictates how you carry yourself, which is how you come across to other people. If your lack of self confidence is due to excess weight hanging out on your body, then you can do something about it. As hard as that sounds, there are plenty of reasons why you need to do something about it.

When you boost your self confidence, you can do such things as land a better job, go out with your friends, make more friends, and simply have a more enjoyable life. This means no more sitting around the house because you’re too embarrassed to let yourself be seen.

So go ahead and look at what you have to do in order for you to fit in that old dress.

What to do

The first thing you need to do in order to lose weight so you can improve your confidence is change the way you eat. Here are some ways in which you need to do that:

  • Stop drinking soda because the high sodium and the empty calories aren’t going to help you. Drink water instead because water contributes to weight loss.
  • Add fruits and vegetables to your diet. You also want to add fiber to aid in digestion and dairy products for a strong body.
  • Out of everything that you can add to your diet, add because it is highly nutritious and aids in weight loss. You can add it to your smoothies, ice cream, and even as a cereal topping.
  • Make sure you exercise. Even if you just start out walking, you need to exercise each day. When you combine diet and exercise, you have a lethal combination against the weight.

When you get your weight under control, you can then work on getting the rest of your life under control. For instance, you can work on your wardrobe, your hairstyle, and how you carry yourself.

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Iverson retiring soon? All-Star Game

Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson(notes) got more than a million votes to be in the All-Star Game this weekend and he’s still not showing up in Texas for the festivities to bask in the love of fans. It’s looking a lot like the injured guard is going to call it quits pretty soon, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

One of his best pals had no idea that he wasn’t going till yesterday. "I’m stunned. Even with things the way they are, I could’ve sworn he’d be in Dallas by now. This doesn’t feel good," the pal said.

Iverson’s three-year-old daughter, Messiah, has some unnamed sickness that is apparently getting worse and Iverson apparently doesn’t want to leave her.

As for his playing career, he’s done decently since returning to the Sixers. He’s averaging 14.7 points and 4.2 assists per game in the 22 he’s played for the team.

So while he’s happy to be back in Philly, the word is that he’s starting to think about hanging up the sneakers for good. Whether it’s soon or at season’s end is anyone’s guess.
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Snowboard: McTwister White stares into danger zone – AFP News : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Vancouver (AFP) – Defending champion Shaun White is ready to soar to new heights in snowboard halfpipe, but the top money-spinner among Vancouver Winter Olympians also knows the dangers in pushing the limits.

The 23-year-old American redhead will attempt his most daring trick yet, the gravity-defying Double McTwist 1260, next Wednesday in a bid to defend Olympic gold.

“The Double McTwist is the toughest trick I’ve ever attempted,” White said.


“When I land it, it feels like the first time I laid it down. It has been an amazing finisher for my run. It’s the best trick I’ve ever done.”

White landed his unprecedented move, an inverted aerial in which he flips head over heels twice while spinning 3 1/2 times and holding the board, to win the Winter X Games two weeks ago.

“It’s such an amazing trick. I’d feel disappointed if I didn’t include it,” White said. “I’ve got a pretty mean run coming up. If I put it down, I’m confident I’m going to land a pretty high score.”

But White struck his head in a hard fall on the first try at the X Games.

“I’d be lying to say that crash didn’t shake me up,” White said. “My very first thought was I had to shake it off. You can build a weird self-conscious thing in your head unless you go back and do it.

“I feel confident to take a hit like that and bounce back.”

With US halfpipe boarder Kevin Pearce knocked into a coma after a spill attempting a double flip trick, some wonder if White and his rivals have not pushed too far into the danger zone.

“The sport hasn’t gotten more dangerous. It was dangerous to begin with,” White said. “We fall. We get back up. It’s part of what we do.”

White called the idea of a double cork ban “outrageous” and sees the sport evolving well.

“It’s not just going up there and being a daredevil. There’s a plan about it,” he said. “The progression of tricks is on the right path. Hopefully we haven’t hit the ceiling yet.”

Halfpipe has not hit a popularity limit either, drawing huge interest from a young generation.

“I do think we’re definitely being taken seriously,” he said. “I heard we were second (in TV ratings) to women’s figure skating. I guess we’re becoming a premier event.”

That helped White make about eight million dollars in endorsement deals last year, the king among Winter Olympians according to Forbes magazine and a far cry from youthful days of hot plate meals in small hotels.

“Five of us would be in Motel 6 making food and setting off a fire alarm. It’s where I came from. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” White said. “Making a great living in the sport feels great. I’ve earned it.”

Riches have not made the dude rude, however.

“I’m pretty sure I would have been corrupted by this age if I was going to go down that path,” White said.

“Money hasn’t changed me. I have to go home and clean up after the dog. I’m just a relaxed normal guy.”

One who might even unveil some new tricks in Vancouver.

“There might be a couple things,” White warned. “I’ve always got a little something extra.”
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Ryan Giggs breaks right arm; out up to four weeks

Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs has injured his right arm (fracture) and will be out for up to four weeks. He will miss the upcoming Carling Cup final against Aston Villa and the Champions League match against AC Milan. The injury came from a play in the 74th minute against Aston Villa on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Below is the full story from the official club’s website.


Ryan Giggs will be out of action for up to four weeks after suffering a fracture to his right arm against Aston Villa.

The Reds veteran went for an x-ray after being forced to leave the field 74 minutes into Wednesday’s1-1 draw, following a clash with Villa substitute Steve Sidwell.

And United confirmed on Thursday that Giggs is facing a month on the sidelines, meaning he’ll miss the Carling Cup final against Villa on 28 February.

Giggswill also sit out next week’s Champions League trip to AC Milan, though Sir Alex will hope to have the 36-year-old back for the home leg against the Italians on 10 March.

It’s another blow to the Reds’ Wembley plans,with Nani alsosuspended for three matches following his straight red card against Martin O’Neill’s side.
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Catania – Atalanta

This will be another duel between two of this seasons underachievers who are in for a tough survival fight this year. For the first time this year, Catania got out of the drooping zone thanks to the win over Lazio in Rome, while Atalanta also boosted up their chances thanks to the minimal win over Bari. The two sides shouldnt have gotten in this dangerous situation, but all of the manager changes and the lack of luck in some points make this a realistic outcome for them. Still, the things are starting to look up for both of them and this game could be one of those that can push the season in a completely opposite direction.

Mihajlovic takes the biggest credit for Catanias revival

And its a fact. The team did play well even before he had came, but they just couldnt turn the good play into the points. Games in which Catania had been better rivals for nothing kept on rolling. Still, this team is full of players from Argentina who never give up and the Mihajlovic himself was known for his determination and hard, enduring nature. Thats why he was the right solution for this club and it proved true in the matter of only few games. Win over Lazio in Rome showed that Mihas team found the right system, hard defense line, determination and the experience of Maxi Lopez in the attack will be their big advantage in the relegation fight. At their home ground, Massimino, The Elephants have defeated Parma, played draw with Udinese, but that is why they have started bringing home important away points on regular basis. Mihajlovic is coming back from his ban, Llama is suspended, Martinez out of the squad, but they now have quite enough players at their disposal.

Atalanta with three points less on their tally

Ever since Mutti took the helm, Atalanta nailed two home wins. Also, they played draw in Bologna, and lost two games at Marassi, to Genoa and Samp. It is evident that he conservative manager had opposed his style, his team hardly concede at home and dont play too open away. However, they had to open up in Bologna since they conceded two in a half an hour. Namely, Mutti claims that ifAtalanta notch up home wins, they can be saves. It is true, but they will also have to be more open and offensive away. Winning points at Comunale will not be enough. If they lose at Sicily,Catania will head off on six points advantage which is not little. Still, we believe Atalanta are capable of ending the season in the middle of the table. For this game, they will be without Barretto and De Ascentis. Over the past few years, Atalanta would mostly stay unbeaten, but they lost the last seasons duel.

Betting verdict

We still dont believe Atalanta will manage to keep the opening scorings to the end which is clearly their main wish for this fixture. Catania are playing great and if they repeat the Parma performance, we believe they can grab three points here. Go for a home win, if they manage to open the scorings, it should be enough for three golden points.
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Selected Europa League last 32 first leg previews

Many of the Europa League last 32 clashes would not look out of place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. This is not surprising considering eight teams have dropped into the competition from the senior European club competition. There will be plenty of bets supporting these teams as they bid to repeat Shakhtar Donetsk’s achievement of last year when they secured the cup as a consolation for missing out on theChampions League.

Tournament favourites Liverpool missed out on the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2003/04. They now face Unirea Urziceni and can be expected to hold a decisive advantage after the first leg on 18th February.

The Reds have turned a corner domestically, although last night’s defeat against Arsenal put an end to their good run. Unirea impressed in pushing Sevilla and Stuttgart close in theChampions League and arrive in the Europa League as the highest-ranked drop-outs, but the Romanians face a tough task at Anfield.

Rubin Kazan won only one match in the Champions League group stage but should be backed to take a narrow first leg advantage against Hapoel Tel Aviv, who topped Group C unbeaten but are trailing Maccabi Haifa by 12 points domestically.

Wolfsburg stunned German football by winning the Bundesliga last term but have struggled to repeat that form this time around, slipping into the bottom half of the table. They travel to Villarreal, who are experiencing a similar mid-season campaign in Spain. This one might be level after the first leg.

The glamour tie of the round pits Ajax against Juventus, who were rocked by missing out on the latter stages of the Champions League. Either of these teams could go all the way and make up for domestic campaigns that have so far been disappointing.

With Juventus seventh in Serie A you should bet on Europa League success being something of a priority for the side.

Atletico Madrid should be backed to take a decisive lead against Galatasaray, while Standard Liege and Marseille should complete good first legs for theChampions League drop-outs by starting well against Red Bull Salzburg and Copenhagen respectively.

The betting Europa League bookmakers are currently offering makes Liverpool favourites to lift the trophy, but they will have to see off some tough sides if they are togo all the way.

Are you a football fan, a real supporter? Then catch the action of the clash between your favorite teams here on GoalStage.com At GoalStage you will find almost everything about the most popular sport in the world, soccer. Latest news and breaking news, live scores, live streams and football highlights, match previews and reviews of the most important competitions: Champions League, England Premier League, German Bundesliga and many others.
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NFL

Can you really watch nfl season games online streaming on a pc: Whether your job pays much or a lot less than it should, if you are an NFL fan, you sure wouldn’t want to miss any of the games if you can help it. Whether you are working late or travelling a lot. The good news is that you can watch NFL 2010 sports on the web. If you are looking for the best information, news, highlight videos, or player starts, you can find it easily on the net. You can simply go to the official NFL website.
However, you can not find any live games aired on the website. OK, do not mention the live games, you probably can not even watch the replayed matches. If we were in the past, let say five years ago, you definitely would have to give up and pay to watch NFL games. It is different now since the internet technology grows so fast that today it enables you to watch videos online streaming. Today Any NFL fans, who want to watch games via online streaming, can fulfill their desire.
There are many PC satellite TV software programs available on the net. Watching over 180 games in high definition graphics is not impossible. I know that it is not so comfortable to the ears when you heard that you have to pay for such software. Free sounds better but it may not be better in quality. People often think that it is not worth it as they have to pay. Often as well they change their mind after checking out what the offer is about.
When I was at work a year ago I downloaded this software because I had no choice at that time, I wanted to watch my favorite team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in action. I thought it was a scam, fortunately it works very well. I knew it was impulse, but I think I was lucky because I knew that there were many fake software programs out there created only to get people into buying with the excessive hype.
If you want to watch NFL on your PC visit NFLLivestreaming.com to watch NFL online streaming.

Live streaming – relief for football fanatics

At times you want to watch a certain football match only to know that the game isn’t broadcasted in your area. For a football fan, this is the worst thing than can happen. Nothing can be worse than going on a website and refreshing the page every minute to check the score. Thankfully, these days one could watch live football matches on their PC. The revolutionary investion actually allows you to watch any football game anywhere at any time of the day. One can never miss a match, as catching it live on computer is now possible. All it takes is an internet connection to watch a live football league.
The excitement of watching live soccer is unbeatable. Noone wants to catch the highlights after the match is over or watch a recorded version of the game. The excitement doesn’t remain the same as watching it live.
Following a match could be complicated. Trying to watch a match live could end up being difficult as well as expensive, considering all the subscription and the equipments one requires. Watching it in a crowded pub could be harful for your wallet and your ability to follow the cation closely in front of strangers.
Watching live streaming of football online is the answer to most football fans who keep their fingers crossed to catch it live. The quality and the speed of thelive football stream may depend from one internet connection to the other as well as the amount of traffic on the site. However, as something is better than nothing, catching live football action online is far better than missing it.
Most streaming sites are designed for personal computer users that are encoded in Windows Media Video (WMV) format. One requires Windows Media Player version 9 or higher to stream the videos. Mac users need to download Flip4Mac that is a free program that translates WMV files for usage on the MAC.
Most streaming sites recommend that you use a processor speed of 1 GHz or faster and a 256 MB RAM or more. As far as the internet browser goes, different websites have different recommendations. As long as one has the latest versioon of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Netscape, nothing should go wrong. Hence, who would have ever imagined a few years back watching live soccer, that too without shelling a single penny?

Soccer and the tale of its popularity

Like other sports, Soccer is an exciting sport which requires constant practice, hard work, and focus. Take coaching tips to gain expertise in the game. If you are looking forward to mastering soccer skills, you need to have a good control over the ball. The first thing you need to learn is to dribble, which is most difficult. After this, you need to master in heading, in which you hit the ball with right side of your head.
The most important skill in this game is shooting allows the player to score the goals to win the game. A goalkeeper is allowed to use his hands within a confined area.
Your goal is to stop your opponents from shooting into your goal area. For scoring goals, you require good shooting skills. A soccer team involves eleven players and these players score points called goals. The player scores a goal when the ball crosses the goal line. The team that scores more goals wins the match.
A good soccer player must possess brilliant soccer skills.
You can develop these skills by learning soccer training drills for conditioning. Soccer fans can now get the latest soccer news and be aware of the latest coaching methods, drills etc.
They can stay updated with all the latest tips, news and techniques. As a soccer player, you must watch soccer news and soccer highlights, read football magazines or publications, to make sure that you stay updated with the latest drills and techniques. No doubt, football is roaring in the world of sports. The popularity of this game has made it one of the best games in the history of sports.