jose - soccer

Bookmakers in England have moved quickly to install current Russian national team coach Guus Hiddink as the favourite to take over from Luiz Felipe Scolari, today sacked as Chelsea manager, at Stamford Bridge. Bookmakers Ladbrokes are quoting the Dutchman at odd of 5/2 to be the next Chelsea gaffer. However, the coach himself 'dead-batted' suggestions by reporters that he was in line to take over from the Brazilian in west London, as he works with his Russian squad at a warm weather training camp in Turkey. "I have no news for you," the Dutchman told Reuters earlier. "I'm not concerned with what has been said about me elsewhere, I'm working here now."

Guus Hiddink was announced as Chelsea's interim manager this week, and yesterday he attended his first training session since arriving at his new club. The Dutchman took plenty of positives from his orientation day at Cobham, but he also identified the need to unify the 'team' he has inherited from Luiz Felipe Scolari. "They are very committed, I have seen them training but sometimes you can have a little bit of a different approach to get even more efficiency out of the players," Hiddink told Chelsea TV last night. "That's what I'm aiming for and if you can add those individuals together and make a team, then everyone can bring a little bit more. "I don't like to give anyone much time, not me and not the players. It is too easy to talk commitment because everyone has an obligation to be committed, but in the tactical and the strategic approach during the game we might gain some profit."

Guus Hiddink was this week announced as Luiz Felipe Scolari's successor in the Chelsea hot-seat. With the Blues lying fourth in the Premier League standings, the Dutchman faces the unenviable task of resurrecting a richly talented but under-performing team's season. How will his successes and failures over the years influence his reign at Stamford Bridge?

As mentioned earlier, the league title is all but off the cards for the London giants. Thus, Hiddink will have to gear his squad for European success. In his favour is his relative success with national teams in knock-out tournaments. No, he's never actually won the World Cup or the European Championship, but he's taken some middling teams a heck of a long way.

However, Chelsea aren't exactly an Australia or a South Korea. The quarter-finals or the semis mean nothing to a club who have come to expect trophies season after season. They are yet to win the Champions League, and it is the one crown Abramovich wants more than any other.

Hiddink's done it before, of course, albeit not in the modern format. But that was as a young up-and-comer building his reputation. As an experienced, well-travelled trainer who's been focused on 'project teams' over the past few years, it is hard to say how he will handle this sudden return to the elite level of club football.
(source: goal.com)

It looks like another match fixing scandal could rock Italian football again after Inter Milan have been accused of drawing or losing matches to change betting odds. According to a report which was published by Italian Public Ministry in Friday's edition of Il Giornale has said that Inter Milan threw their lead in the title race towards the end of last season to increase gambling odds.

This enquiry that was carried out by Italian Police at the request of the Public Ministry who are investigating allegations regarding phone calls between former Inter coach Roberto Mancini (who was incharge of Inter Milan last season) and a man who is associated with the Mafia, he is called Domenico Brescia.

It is known that Brescia is an Inter Milan supporter who has been in trouble before with drug related allegations. During last season, from week 24 onwards, some betting agencies wouldn't take anymore bets on Inter Milan winning the Scudetto.

The report also says that Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return from injury was postponed on purpose and that on the penultimate match of the season (the day that Inter Milan won the Scudetto) Julio Cruz was told not to take the penalty and Marco Materazzi missed it. The last thing that Italian football needs right now is another match fixing scandal whether it is true or not. Hopefully it isn't true because the last thing that we want in football is this.

It has not been long since the Calciopoli was unearthed from the depths of the Serie A wherein some of the biggest clubs in Italy were put to shame as their dirty linen was washed in public. This was not only a defamation of the clubs involved, but also a black mark in the history of the top flight that has only in recent times begun to regain the respect that it once lost.

Presently, another scandal has rocked the country as the Milan based daily Il Giornale published a report from the Italian Public Ministry that accuses Inter of throwing away matches in order to facilitate better odds towards their winning the Scudetto last season.

It is believed that the report released by the Public Ministry picks up pace sometime in the second half of the season, and centres around a string of phone conversations between Roberto Mancini and Domenico Brescia, a convicted murderer who is said to have had links with the mafia.

While the club distanced themselves when it became known that they were dealing with someone with a criminal record, it remains a fact that Brescia was the emergency tailor for the Nerazzuri at some point, since that is where the problems are supposed to have begun.

The report is apparently alleging the club of delaying the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic after an injury, only to unveil him in the last match of the season against Parma in which the striker scored twice, to lead the path to the Serie A title.

This will be a damaging time for Inter as well as the Serie A, which has come under severe criticism in recent times due to the shocking incidents that have come to light in the past. This revelation will do no good to the league that boasts so many big names and stars. That apart, this may derail the hopes that la Beneamata can bring home the Scudetto this season.

(source: footballitaliano, bleacherreport.com)

The capital club went in search of some reinforcements in the summer, to further strengthen their squad, to ensure that they could once again challenge the likes of Inter, Milan and Juventus for the title. They were moderately active in the transfer period, a period in which many feel is partly to blame for their poor form this season.

They lost two players full of talent and experience, which did not help their cause, as the Brazilian winger Mancini joined former team mate Cristian Chivu at Inter Milan on a four year contract, whilst Ludovic Giuly returned to PSG to finish out his playing days in France. Also, Matteo Ferrari was released to Genoa, whilst second goal-keeper Gianluca Curci was sent to Siena on a co-ownership deal.

The attacking duo of Mancini and Giuly were replaced by Jeremy Menez, formerly of Monaco, and Julio Baptista from Real Madrid, for a fee of €12 million. Spalletti also signed Simone Loria from Siena, to replace the Genoa bound Ferrari, and John Arne Riise from Liverpool, to add some depth on the left hand side of defence.

The failure to sign a big name player however, was the criticism that most had with the Giallorossi’s transfer period, as many believed that the players signed in the summer would fail to have any major impact in terms of making the club stronger. This seems to have been the case in the early stages of the season, as all four men have struggled to impose themselves on a regular basis.

Along with the criticism of their summer signings, many have pointed the finger directly at coach Luciano Spalletti, for his lack of creativity on the sidelines. According to many, it seems as if the coach doesn’t have any alternative plans; as many of the Italian clubs have discovered a way to break down his unique 4-2-3-1 set-up that managed to work wonders last season.

It is quite harsh to point the finger solely at the boss however, as he has had to deal with a number of injuries to several of his stars throughout the season. With injuries to the likes of Totti, Pizarro, Perrotta, Taddei, Baptista and Juan, just to name a few, Spalletti has rarely had the opportunity to field the same starting eleven.

Whatever the reasons may be, the Giallorossi have undoubtedly been the most disappointing side in the league thus far, and possibly throughout all of Europe. It’s a long season however, and if the club can put together a few positive results, who knows what the future may hold for Spalletti and his team.

Adrian Del Monte - goal.com