World Cup just around the corner......

Everyone who loves football must be waiting for the World Cup 2006 which will begin early on next month. People from over the world now focus to host Germany to start the kick off on June of 9th between Germany and Costa Rica. Anyone will support their own team include me. My favourite team is Italy and hopefully they will challenge for the title this time. After lost to the France in the Final of Euro 2000, this team didn't perform well in big tournament including World Cup 2002 in Korea & Japan and Euro 2004 in Portugal. With the big name players like Alessandro Del Piero, Totti, Buffon and Nesta, they still cannot achive what they should get. Here, I put all the name list for the Italy squad:

Goalkeepers
1 Gianluigi Buffon
12Angelo Peruzzi
14Marco Amelia

Defenders
2 Christian Zaccardo
5 Fabio Cannavaro
6 Andrea Barzaqli
13Alessandro Nesta
22 Massimo Oddo
23Marco Materazzi

Midfielders
3 Fabio Grosso
4 Daniele De Rossi
8 Gennaro Gattuso
16Mauro German Camoranesi
17Simone Barone
19Gianluca Zambrotta
21Andrea Pirlo

Strikers
7 Alessandro Del Piero
9 Luca Toni
10Francesco Totti
11Alberto Gilardino
15 Vicenzo Iaquinta
18Filippo Inzaghi
20Simone Perrotta

Tomas Rosicky Profile

Tomas ROSICKY
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Height: 1.79m.
Weight: 65.00kg.
Nationality: Czech Republic
Born: 04/10/1980 in Prague



Career History
*(Season, Club, European Competition, Championship, Caps)

98-99
Sparta Prague
3 Games
(-)
(-)

99-00
Sparta Prague
5 Goals, 24 Games
(-)
6 Games

00-01
Sparta Prague
3 Goals, 14 Games
2 + 0 + 0 Goals, 6 Games (Champions League)
(-)

00-01
Borussia Dortmund
15 Games
(-)
5 Games

01-02
Borussia Dortmund
5 Goals, 30 Games
1 + 0 Goals, 6 + 8 Games (Champions League + UEFA Cup)
2 Goals, 4 Games

02-03
Borussia Dortmund
3 Goals, 30 Games
2 Goals, 7 Games (Champions League)
(-)

03-04
Borussia Dortmund
2 Goals, 19 Games
2 Games (UEFA Cup)
(-)

04-05
Borussia Dortmund
4 Goals, 27 Games
(-)
(-)

05-06
Borussia Dortmund
5 Goals, 28 Games
(-)
(-)

Honours

1999 Champion of Czech Republic (Sparta Prague)
2000 Champion of Czech Republic (Sparta Prague)
2001 Champion of Czech Republic (Sparta Prague)
2002 Bundesliga Champions (Borussia Dortmund)
2002 UEFA Cup Finals (Borussia Dortmund)


Story
- http://www.borussia-dortmund.com-

CAREER
Tomas Rosicky (nicknamed „dumpling“ because of his favourite dish: „Bohemian dumplings”) ‘s football passion must be congenital: his father was a famous player to Czechoslovakia. Rosicky himself followed up his father when changing to Prague after two years with CKD Kompensory.Aged 17, he was assigned to Sparta’s first team winning the championship in 1999 and 2000 which paved his way to the Czech national team. Declared one of the most talented players throughout Europe, “Football Mozart” Rosicky changed to Dortmund in 2001. He was one of the main characters in Borussia’s championship and the UEFA-Cup final of 2002, that’s why he’s respected in Bundesliga and his home country where he was elected “Footballer of the Year” in 2001 and 2002. Another very important role he had in EURO 2004 when the Czech Republic reached the semi final. As one of Europe’s leading midfielders, Rosicky is permanently related to the top clubs which he meanwhile declares to be accustomed to. “I did not have to change for playing more effective. I recognized the football had changed. If I didn’t had adapted to that, my national team career would have stopped”, the young star declares.

STRENGHTS
His technics and overview are declared „unique“: he plays the ball with elegance and airiness paired with decisive passes in the right moment. His dribblings as „ambitioned filigree worker“ (kicker sports magazine) are a feast for the eyes, same as his determined, unadorned play. Former Czech national coach Josef Chovanec is sold on his sensational overview: „Tomas has all the features a key player needs to have for international class“

SEASON REVIEW
Rosicky was one of the most successful strugglers in the league with 58 per cent duels won outflanked by Soldo and Owomoyela only, but his annihilating in the midfield led to a lack of goal traction. At least, Rosicky seemed to have improved his freshness: having scored one Bundesliga goal only in 2004, he had three of them in 2005’s first half. Six out of his eight scorer points he collected within the last ten matches. His goal in Hamburg was his first field goal abroad since three years.

Arsenal will become better and better...........

After the final Champions League last week, what can I say about this team they are very unlucky to win their first trophy for the Champions League. Only 14 minutes left to grab the first victory, they conceded 2 goals in five minutes only. They played with 10 men after Jens Lehmann saw a red card, became the first player to be sent off in a Champions League final and the 63rd red card of Wenger's decade at the club. But they still can take a lead before half time with brilliant header from Sol Campbell after free kick taken by Henry, he escaped his marker Oleguer to jump and power a bullet of a header into the corner of the net. After that, even Arsenal play only with 10 players, Barca men still look struggle to break up Arsenal defence. Until last minutes Barce got 2 goals for a short time, what can I say here they are lucky. I believe if both teams played with 11 players, I'm sure Arsenal team can win the trophy. After the game, I can see how dissapointment on their faces. Again, Arsenal can get better for next season. With future of Henry had been confirmed (after signed new contract), the combination between the seniors player and youngster players (like Cesc Fabregas, Van Persie, Senderos and etc. ) this team can be stronger and stronger. The good news for Arsenal fans now is their new signing, Tomas Rosicky one of Czech Republic star. This is what I'm waiting from last season to see this versatile midfielder to play with Arsenal. Even I'm not Arsenal's fan, I'm support this club because the style of their games. They always to play attacking game and I'm not getting bored when watched their games. It's an entertaining games. The ability of Arsene Wenger to keep track young player and become a potential star very attract my attention. As a club with no money power to purchase big name like Chealsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United done, this ability is important to keep this team to stay as among the strong team in Europe and even in the world.

Leeds United fail to make a come back to EPL after Championship play-off final

Here is the story;

Watford completed their fairytale turnaround at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as goals from Jay DeMerit, a Neil Sullivan own goal and Darius Henderson accounted for disappointing Leeds in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final.
Empics
Leeds United's Eddie Lewis and Watford's Lloyd Doyley
The Hornets were installed as third favourites for relegation at the start of the season and the appointment of Adrian Boothroyd as boss in March 2005 did little to appease frustrated fans.
But 14 months on the Bradford-born 35-year-old has worked a minor miracle, lifting the club from the depths of the Championship and into the Barclays Premiership in his first full season as a manager.
He will, quite literally, be the Premiership's new kid on the block.
American defender DeMerit's far post header gave Watford a 25th-minute lead.
Chambers enjoyed a lucky deflection off Eddie Lewis before the ball hit the post and went in off Sullivan to increase their lead in the 55th minute.
Then Henderson rounded off his side's stunning season with an 83rd-minute penalty.
Slick and well-drilled, each of Boothroyd's players looked well versed in their own roles, while in contrast Leeds at times looked lost.
Paul Butler deflected Henderson's header from Ashley Young's second-minute corner over the crossbar, while Shaun Derry's left-foot shot from just inside the Watford penalty area hit Lloyd Doyley's outstretched leg.
Watford then forced two quick corners and made the second one count to take the lead in the 25th minute when centre-half DeMerit barged his way past Hulse onto the end of Young's left-wing corner to head beyond Leeds goalkeeper Sullivan.
Sean Gregan was booked soon after for appearing to flick an arm into Henderson's face, although the Watford striker, sent off at Elland Road in February, made the most of it.
The opening goal, which came without warning, rattled Leeds, the back four looking jittery from Jordan Stewart's in-swinging free-kick not long after.
Gregan could not get power nor direction on his header from Gary Kelly's free-kick and, as Leeds enjoyed their best spell towards half-time, Derry's shot rolled harmlessly into Ben Foster's hands.
Lewis went close with a 25-yard free-kick which curled over the crossbar following Gavin Mahon's foul on Derry, but Leeds were left chasing the game at half-time.
Blackwell responded by replacing the ineffective Richardson with Robbie Blake and switching to a four-four-two system, while Watford gave early indication of their intentions when Doyley was booked for time-wasting in the 51st minute.
Henderson's left-footed half volley forced Sullivan into a fine one-handed save, while Leeds still lacked Watford's incisiveness.
Leeds were then dealt a cruel blow in the 55th minute when Chambers' tame shot in the penalty area following Mahon's long throw took a wicked deflection off Lewis' boot and spun over Sullivan before hitting the post and ricocheting off the prone Leeds goalkeeper's shoulder and trickling over the goalline.
David Healy immediately replaced Miller and the Northern Ireland international soon tested Foster, racing onto Blake's clever dummy and forcing the Watford goalkeeper to save low down to his left.
Gregan failed to keep his header down from Lewis' free-kick and Derry's header was cleared off the line by Chambers as Leeds at last gathered some momentum.
Lewis' rasping drive was then well held by Foster, but Watford were not content to sit back, Spring's fierce near-post shot beaten away for a corner by Sullivan.
Leeds looked forlorn enough with the score at 2-0 but shoulders dropped in the 83rd minute when Henderson stepped up to side-foot home from the spot after Derry appeared to have clipped King's foot in the area.

What a dissapointment to see again this club play in Championship League next season.Hopefully, they will bounce back next season with automatic promotion.

* Leeds United's fan..........................................
-Source from www.soccernet.com-