Beckham got England recall

Lalas warning over Beckham England recall

David Beckham's England recall could put him on a collision course with Los Angeles Galaxy if he remains part of Steve McClaren's set-up this year.
England have four crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers during September and October and that would put Beckham out of domestic action for the Major League Soccer outfit, for whom he has signed a five-year £125million deal.
McClaren axed the Real Madrid midfielder after replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach but he has made a dramatic U-turn and recalled Beckham for the friendly against Brazil on June 1 and the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia.
Galaxy have sold thousands of season tickets on the back of his arrival, but Beckham's surprise recall could mean he could be on duty for England against Israel, Russia twice and Estonia instead of playing in the MLS.
Galaxy general manager Alexei Lalas admits they are concerned over Beckham's international situation from a business point of view, and hinted he may not be released for any non-competitive games.
Lalas, speaking on BBC Radio Five's Sportsweek programme, said: 'From a business perspective it is not the greatest news because we are selling the team with David Beckham and a lot of people are excited to see him play with the Galaxy.
'We will deal with it from a business perspective, but for us to say one of our players is representing England internationally is a great thing.
'There are business challenges but there is an educated public here when it comes to this international game we play. We recognise that when we are going out and getting these stars, they have responsibilities domestically and internationally.
'It is no different than when our American players are called up to play in different tournaments. We lose them at different times and we deal with it on the field and off it.
'I don't want to stand in the way of a player representing his country but we have to be prudent and understand they have to be the appropriate games. I would think they would have to be competitive matches.
'If it works out scheduling wise, we would be happy to let him go. But he has a responsibility on and off the field to our organisation and to our support. I think he is excited about pursuing that responsibility.'
The Galaxy chief added: 'He recognises that responsibility to the Galaxy and to the sport in the United States. I represented my country and I know what it means. It is something above money, it is something you take with you forever.
'I would never stand in the way of a player doing that as long as it is reasonable and they understand they have responsibilities to the club.
'But we have a responsibility to make sure David's health is looked after. This is a hell of a trip he is going to be taking by coming to the United States and it can take its toll.
'We know when we have players playing in England and they have to come back here for games, it is a very difficult proposition. I think he is up to it to a certain extent, but we will sit down and talk to him.
'Having said that there is a bigger picture and I would never stand in the way of any of our players representing their country.
'When you sit down and talk to David, his time representing England and his time as captain was something he holds dear.'
Lalas also believes Beckham's decision to quit Madrid when his contract ends on June 30 and move to the MLS should not have a bearing on future call-ups as he insists the player's fitness levels will remain high.
But he is realistic enough to understand that the 32-year-old Beckham is probably in a no-win situation by playing in a league that many others regard as being inferior to the rest of the world.
Lalas added: 'I don't think fitness is a problem. I would argue it is much more physically taxing than other leagues. We understand we are still a developing league but I refuse to think a player cannot come to Major League Soccer and develop as well, if not better, than in other leagues in the world.
'If he is lucky enough to be called up while he is playing with the Galaxy, I believe England will be getting a player who is physically and mentally fit and going through a unique experience that is ultimately going to make him a better player.
'But he probably can't win either way. If misses a cross or doesn't score a goal people will say it's because he is playing in America for the Galaxy. If he does do well people will say it is because he is a brilliant player and it doesn't matter where he is playing.'
Galaxy coach Frank Yallop has insisted Beckham will not return to a European club on loan later this year.
Reports have suggested Beckham could return to the Premiership in November following the conclusion of the MLS season.
Everton, Tottenham and Blackburn have been linked with a move, while Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has already expressed an interest.
Yallop told Sky Sports News: 'He won't be going on loan anywhere. He'll be taking a break at that point and getting ready for our pre-season.
'He's shown he's a world-class player, he doesn't need to go back and go on loan anywhere.'
Yallop believes Beckham`s performances will make it difficult for McClaren to drop him again.
'I think David is going to have such an impact when he joins the squad again it will be difficult to leave him out to be honest,' he said.
'We realise David wants to get to the 100-cap plateau and we will never stop him doing that.'
Madrid coach Fabio Capello again praised Beckham's recent form after he helped keep the Spanish giants on course for their 30th Primera Liga title.
Beckham played a pivotal role as Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-1 at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
Capello said: 'I said (on Friday) that David Beckham was playing better than he has over the last two years.
'He is in extraordinary physical condition. When he puts the ball into the centre he does it with much precision, speed and quality. He is in great shape.'

Victory for Italian soccer

Milan win will help Italy's credibility - Ancelotti

ATHENS, May 23 (Reuters) - AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed his side's 2-1 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final on Wednesday as a victory for Italian soccer.
The 47-year-old said it would go some way towards restoring faith in the Italian game after last year's match-fixing scandal that saw four Serie A clubs punished, including Milan who were only reinstated in the Champions League on appeal.
'Winning the Champions League is completely unexpected in a sense because we had to overcome so many difficulties,' he said.
'I wouldn't call this revenge for the scandal but I do think that Italian football suffered from it, especially Milan, so I would say this is good for Italian football in general. It will help us to regain some of our credibility.'
Ancelotti, who also led Milan to the Champions League title in 2003, stopped short of describing the win as revenge for Milan's defeat by Liverpool on penalties in the final two years ago in Istanbul but drew comparisons between the two games.
'Sometimes, tactically you want to play a game in a certain way but the actual game forces you to change. In Istanbul, the game was more open, more bubbly. This game was tighter, more controlled from the first minute.
'Against Manchester United in the semi-final we were able to play more the way we wanted but tonight we came under considerable pressure from Liverpool.
'And that meant we couldn't get the ball to players like Kaka and Clarence Seedorf who struggled to get into the game. But what we saw tonight was the other face of AC Milan. We saw that it is a tough team.'
Ancelotti, who won the European Cup twice as a player for AC Milan, before becoming coach in 2001, declined, however, to be drawn on his future at the club.
'My market value has certainly increased with this victory but my relationship with Milan is very strong. I have worn the shirt of Milan on the field and that builds a strong relationship. What I have achieved depends a lot on my feeling of belonging.'

Baptista can go

Arsenal are letting me go, insists Baptista

MADRID, May 24 (Reuters) - Arsenal are not going to take up the option to turn Julio Baptista's loan deal from Real Madrid into a permanent move, the Brazilian attacking midfielder has said.
'Arsenal have told me they are not able to buy me and so all I can do is return to Real Madrid,' Baptista told sports daily Marca on Thursday, in a telephone interview from New York.
The 25-year-old international moved to London last August in a one-year loan swap, with Arsenal's Jose Antonio Reyes moving in the opposite direction.
The deal included an option for the clubs to buy the respective players at the end of the season but neither man has consistently impressed during the loan period.
'I have enjoyed my season with Arsenal and in England. I adapted well. I didn't play much at first but finished much better. The first year is very difficult,' Baptista said.
'The English league is very strong and very competitive with great teams. Manchester United and Chelsea are very strong and it is difficult to compete against their great squads.'
In Baptista's absence, Real have come from behind to grab first place in the Primera Liga and with three games left are on course for their first major trophy in four seasons.
'I speak a lot with Robinho and Roberto Carlos and I have wished them all the best for the league. If I am honest I am a little jealous I can't be with them playing for the title,' he said.
'I am keen to know what happens in the last three games and hope they go on to win.'
Baptista joined Real from Sevilla two years ago in a deal worth $24.2 million but failed to make it into coach Fabio Capello's plans when he took over last July.

The Premier League prepare fixture list for next season

League to prepare fixture list despite Tevez tribunal

The Premier League are to press ahead with preparations for next season's fixture list despite agreeing to set up an arbitration tribunal to rule on relegated Sheffield United's complaints over the Carlos Tevez affair.
The three-man panel is due to be appointed on Friday but any final decision is not likely before the end of June.
The League are to publish the fixtures for the new season on June 21 and are preparing to do so on the basis that the Blades have been relegated and West Ham remain in the top flight.
League chiefs are confident the arbitration tribunal will find they acted strictly according to their regulations in both the disciplinary case against West Ham and in regards to the registration of Tevez.
The Blades will pursue their claim that an independent commission should have deducted points from West Ham and that the League should have cancelled Tevez's registration.
It is more likely however that should they persuade the arbitration panel of their case they would be awarded a compensation payment rather than the commission's decision be overturned.
Sheffield United plc chairman Kevin McCabe said he believed the Blades' stand would be justified.
McCabe said: 'I'm here to protect Sheffield United's position against what I firmly believe was an irrational decision.
'I genuinely believe that the arbitration proceedings will reverse decisions.
'Whether that means they are able to reverse decisions to deduct points rather than fines I do not know.
'But I state very clearly when you see the commission hearing minutes say `points should normally be deducted but because it's April not January we're going to fine you', when you consider there are 20 clubs in the Premier League who only play for one thing every Saturday - points, I find it absolutely irrational that you can fine and not deduct points.
'If you clearly breach the rules surely you deduct points because that's what the commission says, but the irrationality says that because it's April not January, we're only going to fine you. I cannot work it out.'

AC Milan beat Liverpool to win Champions League(2006/2007)

AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool: Pippo punishes Reds

This time there was to be no miracle escape and no sixth European Cup.
Filippo Inzaghi turns to celebrate after forcing in the first for AC Milan
Even though Dirk Kuyt's last-minute header raised the prospect of a comeback equally as memorable as the one Liverpool produced in Istanbul two years ago, ultimately only a Greek tragedy was awaiting Rafael Benitez as his side fell victim to AC Milan's Champions League revenge mission in Athens' Olympic Stadium.
There will be no consolation for the Merseysiders' vast following that Milan's crucial opener was a fluke, Andrea Pirlo's 45th-minute free-kick flicking off Filippo Inzaghi to give Pepe Reina no chance.
All they can reflect on is the knowledge that, in a tight contest, infinitely more watchable than Saturday's woeful FA Cup Final, the Anfield men had enough chances to emerge victorious and squandered them.
For once Steven Gerrard's shooting boots failed him when it mattered and with Liverpool unable to find a second in a frantic late scramble, it was Inzhagi's 82nd-minute second that allowed Milan to complete a British hat-trick, having already eliminated Celtic and Manchester United from the competition.
Of far more significance to the Serie A giants, whom some will remain convinced should not have been allowed back into the tournament after initially being expelled in the wake of the Italian match-fixing scandal, is confirmation of a seventh European triumph - only two behind Real Madrid - and a fifth winners' medal for the remarkable Paolo Maldini.
Unlike on that delightful Turkish night two years, it had all begun rather promisingly for Liverpool.
Although they were starved of possession for long spells, Benitez's men largely kept Milan at arm's length.
Javier Mascherano, who won Olympic gold with Argentina on this ground in 2004, was a key factor in the Merseysiders successful smothering operation.
Twice Liverpool's holding midfielder was left for dead by an initial moment of brilliance from Kaka. On both occasions, rather than dive in, Mascherano stayed on his feet, recovered his position and took the ball back.
As Benitez predicted, Milan got their full-backs forward at regular intervals.
However, not only did Marek Jankulovski and Massimo Oddo continually pick out Pepe Reina with their crosses, their enthusiasm to push down the flanks provided Liverpool's wide men with the space to attack.
Jermaine Pennant in particular rose to the challenge.
The speedy former Arsenal man was by far the Reds most effective performer and visibly rose in confidence after having one early shot parried away by Dida.
Pennant gave the Rossoneri defence a torrid time, providing the cross which Gerrard, asked to provide the main attacking support to lone striker Dirk Kuyt, volleyed over.
Gerrard was his usual energetic self but, without direct involvement in the midfield skirmishes, struggled to exert the kind of influence he would have wished.
Instead, Pennant continued to torment Jankulovski, indirectly creating the opportunity Xabi Alonso fizzed wide just before the half hour, then cutting inside to set up John Arne Riise, who drilled over.
The winger linked with Gerrard to set up Kuyt, only for Alessandro Nesta to block.
At that point, with the snarling Gennaro Gattuso booked for one borderline tackle too many on Alonso, Liverpool were by far the more likely scorers.
Unfortunately, just as in Istanbul, a rude shock was awaiting Benitez right on half-time as Inzaghi's desire to hunt a rebound saw him deflect Pirlo's free-kick past Reina.
Ripping intended interval team talks up against Milan is nothing new for Benitez and in the knowledge Liverpool's position was nowhere near as acute as the one he faced before, he opted not to change things until close to the hour mark.
By that stage two years ago, Benitez's side had thrillingly drawn level. This time, not only were they still behind, Milan were starting to get on top.
The arrival of Harry Kewell at least gave the Italians something else to think about, although the momentum was with them and had Pirlo curled home a 20-yard free-kick instead of dipping it over the bar, Liverpool would surely have been doomed.
Pirlo's near-miss ignited Gerrard's fire and Liverpool's talisman should have levelled when he sped onto Kuyt's pass, then flashed past Nesta, only for Dida to save a precise shot aimed at the far post.
It was the Reds clearest opportunity before Inzaghi raced onto Kaka's inspired through ball, rounded Reina and tapped home Milan's second.
A few Italian hearts must have stopped when Kuyt nodded home from close range but instead of the beginning of a comeback, it proved merely to mark the beginning of the end.