Glory lose Smeltz for Jets clash

Updated February 17, 2012 15:32:04

Star Perth Glory striker Shane Smeltz has been ruled out of Saturday night's home clash with Newcastle due to an ankle injury, but coach Ian Ferguson is confident the New Zealand international will be back in action next week.

Smeltz, who has been battling the ankle complaint for several weeks now, has had a blood injection in the area in a bid to finally fix the issue.

The 30-year-old will need to rest for about four days but is expected to return for Saturday week's home clash with Brisbane Roar, where he will be aiming to score his 10th goal of the season.

Irish striker Billy Mehmet, who signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday, will be a straight swap for Smeltz in the starting line-up against Newcastle.

"That's the beauty of having two spots for each position, where if one drops out you've got another quality player to come in and hopefully Billy can do the job," Ferguson said on Friday.

In some promising news for the Glory, defender Scott Neville is expected to return from a long-term knee injury via the Glory Youth League team next week, while Todd Howarth (groin) and Josh Mitchell (knee) are on track to link up with the youth side this weekend.

Fifth-placed Newcastle (28 points) will join the Glory in fourth spot should it record its fourth straight win.

Perth's eight-game unbeaten run was brought to a halt by last week's 2-1 loss to Sydney, and Ferguson said it was crucial his players bounced back against in-form Newcastle.

"This is a massive game for us. It's a six-pointer," he said.

The Glory have re-signed Mehmet, Josh Risdon and skipper Jacob Burns in recent weeks.

But with a host of players still uncontracted for next season, Ferguson admitted it was a delicate balancing act in trying to ensure team harmony remained strong.

"That's always been my biggest fear," Ferguson said.

"We've got a lot of players out of contract and we've got to try and keep as many as we can.

"With budgets getting cut and so on we have to be careful, we can't just rush in and sign all these players.

"We've got to take our time and make sure the budget will work out so we can take on as many players as possible."

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, perth-6000, wa, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted February 17, 2012 15:32:04

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Pearce the caretaker boss, while Redknapp looks on

Updated February 10, 2012 06:22:48

Stuart Pearce has been appointed as temporary England manager, while overwhelming favourite Harry Redknapp refuses to discuss the possibility of being the permanent successor to Fabio Capello.

Pearce, who will coach the Great Britain Olympic side, will take charge of the senior side for the friendly against the Netherlands on February 29.

A hugely popular player for England, Pearce earned 78 caps during his career - ten of which as captain - and has assisted Capello as coach during the Italian's four-year reign.

The Football Association chairman David Bernstein told a news conference on Thursday that he has full confidence in Pearce.

"He knows the players very well," Bernstein said.

"He just said: 'If you would like me to do it, I would like to do it'.

"He has been working with the under-21 team and has been working with Fabio for some time. I have got great confidence in Stuart, we will be in good hands.

"Our priority then will be to appoint a new England manager."

Although not achieving great success as a manager of Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, Pearce has been fairly successful as under-21 coach taking England to the semi-final of the UEFA Under-21 championships in 2007 and the final two years later.

It is unlikely that Pearce will be considered as a contender to take charge of the team during the European Championships in June, with current and former players, as well as fellow Premier League managers, queuing up to advocate Redknapp as Capello's successor.

Redknapp, was cleared of all charges following a trial for tax evasion, insists he is not thinking about the England position, which he previously described as his dream job.

"I don't know anything about the England job," the Spurs manager said.

"I've not even thought about it, I've got a job to do for Tottenham ... Tottenham is my focus."

Redknapp said he was stunned by the Italian's decision, made after Capello criticised the FA for stripping John Terry of the captaincy on the grounds the Chelsea defender still faces criminal charges of racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand in a case that will not be settled until after Euro 2012.

"I was shocked, I was surprised, I didn't expect that to happen," said Redknapp.

"We knew he (Capello) was going to leave in the summer (after Euro 2012), but I didn't expect it to happen now."

Although the FA may appoint an interim coach, Redknapp is regarded as the only viable candidate for Euro 2012 and beyond, meeting the governing body's desire for the next manager to be English while possessing a proven track record.

However, Redknapp said he was focused solely on the fortunes of Tottenham, currently an impressive third in the Premier League.

"They've been fantastic to me, Tottenham people," he said.

"It wouldn't be right to them to even focus on anything else but Tottenham."

As for what the FA might do with regard to appointing a manager for Euro 2012, Redknapp said: "I've never thought about it. They (the FA) will make whatever decision they want to make and hopefully it will be the right decision for the country. But as I say, my focus is all on Tottenham."

Capello also issued a statement on Thursday, 24 hours after his resignation.

"I would like to thank all players, staff and Football Association for the professionalism they have shown during my years as manager of the English National Team," the Italian said.

"A very special thanks to all the supporter: they've always supported the team and me in our job.

"I wish all of them every success in achieving all their sporting goals."

Bernstein sought to distance himself from suggestions that he and Capello had engaged in a row and defended the FA's handling of the situation.

"Any reports of storming out are not true and a complete misrepresentation of fact," Bernstein said.

"Fabio has had 100 per cent support throughout his tenure here.

"We all believed the John Terry case would be dealt with in March or April and it took us by surprise that it was delayed.

"We thought the best solution would be for the court to come to a decision and once that changed it changed the whole dynamic of the situation.

"We could not go into a major tournament with that hanging over us."

AFP/ABC

Tags: soccer, sport, england

First posted February 09, 2012 22:47:28

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Gearing Up for Fitness with Online Sports Apparel

Fowler poised to play for Blackpool

Updated March 02, 2012 08:57:20

Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler is contemplating a return to English football with Championship side Blackpool after plans to play in India fell through.

The 36-year-old has played in Australia at North Queensland Fury and Perth Glory and in Thailand since leaving English football four years ago following a brief spell at Blackburn Rovers.

He was set to appear in the new Premier League Soccer (PLS) competition in India before its latest postponement forced him to head back to north-west England, where he made his name with Liverpool.

Now Fowler is training at nearby Blackpool, relegated from the lucrative English Premier League last season and currently pushing for an immediate return to the top flight from the second-tier Championship.

In a series of posts on their official Twitter page, Blackpool said: "Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has trained with the club today (Thursday) with a view to signing a permanent deal.

"No deal has yet been agreed but (Blackpool manager) Ian Holloway revealed in his press conference the striker has impressed and is close to full fitness."

Blackpool face Hull on Friday but the club dismissed suggestions Fowler would sign in time to face a side managed by former Liverpool team-mate Nick Barmby.

ABC/AFP

Tags: sport, soccer, england

First posted March 02, 2012 08:55:04

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FFA rains on Canberra's A-League hopes

Updated March 02, 2012 17:08:29

Football Federation Australia can add another disgruntled businessman to their list of critics after seemingly extinguishing Canberra's long-held hopes of entering the A-League.

Bid leader and TransACT boss Ivan Slavich's three-year battle to get a team up in the nation's capital was revived briefly when the FFA this week revoked Gold Coast United's licence and announced it was keen to maintain a 10-side competition.

But the FFA has since confirmed its preference to start a franchise in western Sydney rather than consider Canberra's long-standing $4 million bid.

"I don't think it's fair," Slavich told AAP on Friday.

"It is frustrating because we do have money behind it and a lot of capability and it seems western Sydney doesn't have any capability, yet the FFA is prepared to completely fund it.

"We would have had a great team.

"The FFA's thumbing their nose to the actual football supporters in Canberra - that's the disappointing thing."

To get the bid up and running originally, Slavich secured financial backing from the ACT government, business and private investors, which included $200 a pop commitments from thousands of foundation members.

But pending the veto from the FFA - Slavich has yet to be told directly - he will begin refunding the pledges.

With the FFA not planning to expand the A-League for another five years, it means Canberra fans are in for a long wait.

Slavich said Canberra deserved a spot and insisted he could have had a team ready to go for the next A-League season, despite the teams that have fallen by the wayside, courtesy of short preparation time, like Gold Coast and Townsville.

"It would have definitely been a lot of work and time, but I think we could have done it.

"We were prepared to do it."

A disappointed Slavich said he'd been burned by the process and would only commit to another bid if the FFA openly courted one.

"We'd have to have a much stronger commitment from the FFA that they would include us, rather than wasting our time.

"If it's just a roll of the dice and see what happens - which is the way it's operated to date - I doubt I'd do it."

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, canberra-2600

First posted March 02, 2012 17:08:29

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Fraser slams FFA's lack of passion

By Mike Tuckerman

Updated March 02, 2012 13:03:06

Archie Fraser, head of Clive Palmer's rebel body Football Australia, has told ABC Grandstand football's current administrators lack passion for the sport.

Fraser was the A-League's CEO from March 2009 to June 2010 and was later re-contracted by Football Federation Australia (FFA) to try and salvage the now defunct North Queensland Fury, but has since turned his back on the game's official governing body and this week joined Palmer's new association.

Speaking to Francis Leach on Grandstand Breakfast radio, Fraser hit back at Buckley's claims he "burst out laughing" at the news Palmer had established Football Australia.

"If that's the attitude and that's been the attitude towards ... football people who love the game, then go and do something else," Fraser said.

"I don't think he's passionate. I don't think he stands up for our game."

Fraser said his decision to join Palmer's organisation was motivated by a desire to make changes from the grassroots level all the way to the A-League.

And he urged football fans to stand up for a sport he believes is badly mismanaged by the FFA.

"We need to get people behind the whole movement and we need to actually be ... not frightened to put forward really good ideas and create change within the FFA," Fraser said.

"If it was working, we wouldn't be doing it," he said.

His comments come in the wake of a television interview in which Buckley downplayed the emergence of Palmer's group.

"This is nothing more than a farcical stunt to distract everyone from what is the most important issue and that is to play out the rest of the season with integrity and fairness, and make sure the players get to Wellington this weekend to play the game," Buckley said on Fox Sports.

The FFA subsequently issued a terse statement dismissing Palmer's "unsubstantiated claims and wild commentary".

"The comments serve no purpose in any way to advance football in Australia," it said.

Meanwhile, both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA have thrown their support behind the FFA, with both confirming they will only support one association per country.

"The AFC confirms that it recognises only FFA as the official affiliated member association representing Australian football in Asia," the AFC said in the statement on Thursday night.

Tags: sport, soccer, a-league, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted March 02, 2012 12:26:09

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Kofi ready to give Roar finals boost

Ciaran Baynes

Updated March 09, 2012 16:44:33

Brisbane Roar's popular starlet Kofi Danning hopes his return to first team action on Tuesday will be a precursor to an extended role in the club's A-League title defence during the finals.

Danning, who turned 21 last week, came off the bench with Brisbane 2-0 down in its Asian Champions League clash against FC Tokyo and his energy and direct approach posed problems for the Japanese visitors.

Danning's performance continued a strange trend where by his best moments have come while the Roar has struggled.

During the Roar's five-game losing streak following their 36-match unbeaten run, Danning - who has been called up for next Wednesday's dead rubber Olyroos qualifier against Iraq - twice came close to salvaging points for the Roar from off the bench, scoring against the Mariners and creating a goal for Mitch Nichols against the Heart.

Since Brisbane got back to winning ways, Danning has only made one A-League substitute appearance.

But the Ghana-born forward told Grandstand this was mainly due to a lack of fitness and Roar boss Ange Postecoglou had promised him his time would come.

"It has been disappointing (to be out of the side) but it's given me time to pick up on my fitness," Danning said. "It's definitely been about that.

"The boss told me he wants me to be fit and ready and when he thinks I'm ready he'll give me the chance.

"We've got a lot of great players in the team. I just want to do my part when I can.

"I was trying to be positive (against FC Tokyo). That's the biggest part in my game and that's the best part of my game."

Postecoglou was impressed with Danning's performance in midweek and suggested the favourite of 'The Den' in Lang Park will get to showcase his skills as the Roar look to win back-to-back championships.

"Kofi is a pretty positive kind of guy and we felt once we started playing in their half a bit more we'd threaten them a bit," Postecoglou said.

"He's a strong boy and he got behind them two or three times which is what we wanted him to do.

"You need (players) to run without the ball and he's pretty good at that."

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted March 09, 2012 16:39:31

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