8
SBN ISSUE No. 169 | 23 - 29 AUG 2013 ON SALE EVERY WEEK R7.00 incl VAT IN THIS ISSUE: 1169 Fixtures in 129 Leagues BIG MATCHES ITALIAN SERIE A SAMPDORIA 62/10 V JUVENTUS 5/10 DRAW 3/1 SATURDAY 24 AUGUST 20:45 MTN8 SEMI-FINAL PLATINUM STARS 14/10 V WITS 2/1 DRAW 2/1 SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 15:00 SPANISH LA LIGA MALAGA 11/1 V BARCELONA 2/9 DRAW 51/10 SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 21:00 ENGLISH PREMIER MAN UNITED 14/10 V CHELSEA 19/10 DRAW 23/10 MONDAY 26 AUGUST 21:00 Upgrade your betting experience and open a Hollywood Call Centre account! TOLL FREE SOCCER 08000 76222 POSTER KERMIT ERASMUS SATURDAY 24 AUGUST SOCCER CITY MTN8 SEMI-FINAL (1ST LEG) FEATURING ITALIAN SERIE A KAIZER CHIEFS 15-10 ORLANDO PIRATES 18-10 DRAW 2-1 HOW TO OPEN A INTERNET ACCOUNT 1. Go to www.hollywoodbets.net. 2. Click on the banner in the middle of the page that says REGISTER NOW. 3. Click on NEW ACCOUNT. 4. Fill out your details on page 1 and page 2. 5. Once you have done this you will receive an email saying that you have now registered on the Hollywood website. 6. You will need to click on a link in this email, which will activate your account. 7. Once you have done this you are ready to get betting! HOW TO OPEN A CELLPHONE ACCOUNT 1. You must have a WAP (Internet browsing) enabled phone. 2. Type in www.hollywoodbets.mobi on your cellphones web browser OR sms ‘Bet’ to 45211. 3. Click On REGISTER. 4. After completing and submitting the registration page you will receive an SMS that comes with your new account details (username/pass- word/ account number). 5. Click the confirmation link sent to you by SMS to verify your account. 6. Click ‘HOME’ and select ‘DOWNLOAD’. 7. Install the application and it will be saved under GAMES or APPLICATIONS on your cellphone. 8. Submit your FICA (ID Copy& Proof Of Address) to email: [email protected] or fax: 086686 8911. 9. Once Fica is confirmed go to the Hollywood application on your phone. 10. Enter your Username and Password to Login and start betting!

Soccer Betting News - Issue 169

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

South Africa's leading soccer betting newspaper is now online! Available every Friday. Free online version for a limit time only.

Citation preview

SBN ISSUE No. 169 | 23 - 29 AUG 2013ON SALE EVERY WEEK R7.00 incl VAT

IN THIS ISSUE: 1169 Fixtures in 129 Leagues

BIG MATCHESITALIAN SERIE A SAMPDORIA 62/10 V JUVENTUS 5/10 DRAW 3/1 SATURDAY 24 AUGUST 20:45 MTN8 SEMI-FINAL PLATINUM STARS 14/10 V WITS 2/1 DRAW 2/1 SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 15:00 SPANISH LA LIGA MALAGA 11/1 V BARCELONA 2/9 DRAW 51/10 SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 21:00 ENGLISH PREMIER MAN UNITED 14/10 V CHELSEA 19/10 DRAW 23/10 MONDAY 26 AUGUST 21:00

Upgrade your betting experience and open a Hollywood Call Centre account!

TOLL FREE SOCCER

08000 76222

POSTER KERMIT ERASMUS

SATURDAY 24 AUGUST SOCCER CITY

MTN8 SEMI-FINAL(1ST LEG)

FEATURINGITALIAN SERIE A

KAIZERCHIEFS

15-10

ORLANDOPIRATES

18-10

DRAW2-1

HOW TO OPEN A

INTERNET ACCOUNT

1. Go to www.hollywoodbets.net.

2. Click on the banner in the middle of the page

that says REGISTER NOW.

3. Click on NEW ACCOUNT.

4. Fill out your details on page 1 and page 2.

5. Once you have done this you will receive an

email saying that you have now registered

on the Hollywood website.

6. You will need to click on a link in this email,

which will activate your account.

7. Once you have done this you are ready to

get betting!

HOW TO OPEN A

CELLPHONE ACCOUNT

1. You must have a WAP (Internet browsing) enabled phone.

2. Type in www.hollywoodbets.mobi on your cellphones web browser OR

sms ‘Bet’ to 45211.

3. Click On REGISTER.

4. After completing and submitting the registration page you will receive

an SMS that comes with your new account details (username/pass-

word/ account number).

5. Click the confirmation link sent to you by SMS to verify your account.

6. Click ‘HOME’ and select ‘DOWNLOAD’.

7. Install the application and it will be saved under GAMES or

APPLICATIONS on your cellphone.

8. Submit your FICA (ID Copy& Proof Of Address) to email:

[email protected] or fax: 086686 8911.

9. Once Fica is confirmed go to the Hollywood application on your phone.

10. Enter your Username and Password to Login and start betting!

2

3

18-37 | FIXTURES, LOGS & RESULTS

37 | FULL BETTING 38-48 | MATRIXES

49 | HOLLYSIXA

50-64 | TEAM INDEXMatches of teams in alphabetical order

65 | POSTERKermit Erasmus

66 | LUCKY NUMBERS RESULTS

67 | TIPS

3 | FEATURED GAME PREVIEWS Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates Manchester United v Chelsea

4 | ENGLISH PREMIER PREVIEW

5 | INTERNATIONAL NEWS Southampton Sign Highly Rated Osvaldo

6 | LOCAL NEWSKomphela and Larsen Fined For Outbursts

7 | LOCAL FACT FILE Ruzaigh Gamaldien

7-8 | SERIE A SEASON PREVIEW

9-17 | DATE INDEXThis weekend’s games in date order

CONTENTS SBN ISSUE No. 169 | 23 - 29 AUG 2013

4 | PLAYER PROFILEKevin De Bruyne

FEATURED GAME PREVIEWS

The MTN8 semi-finals have served up a mouthwatering encounter between Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. The semi-finals will be played over two legs with the second leg fixtured for 24 September at Orlando Stadium. In the other semi-final, Platinum Stars take on Bidvest Wits. The final will be played on 28 September at a venue still to be confirmed. Chiefs and Pirates met last month in the Carling Black Label Cup, where Chiefs walked away with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a first-half strike from Lehlohonolo Majoro.

Chiefs made light work of the University of Pretoria in the quarter-finals, beating the cup rookies 3-0. The goals were scored by Tefu Mashamaite, M u l o m o w a n d a u Mathoho and Siphiwe Tshabalala. That win made it three out of three so far this season. Besides the MTN8 win, Amakhosi won their only league match 1-0 against Black Aces and the Black Label Cup encounter against Pirates. They also beat Bloemfontein Celtic 4-1 in the Gauteng Cup during pre-season. That match was the only match that striker Knowledge Musona has scored in so far. However, coach Stuart Baxter says he is not concerned with Musona’s lack of composure in front of goal since his return from Germany. “He’s been dangerous in the games and I said when he came, I believe I need to give the player between seven to ten games before we can start judging properly,” said Baxter. Key player Siphiwe Tshabalala redeemed himself last weekend for the national team and will come into this match full of confidence. The midfielder was horrific

against Nigeria last Wednesday in the 2-0 loss but scored against Burkina Faso as Bafana honoured Nelson Mandela with a 2-0 win at Soccer City.

Spurred on by conquering superpowers Zamalek and Al Ahly, Chiefs better beware. Orlando Pirates have asserted their continental credentials and could now require just one win from reaching their first CAF Champions League semi-final since 2005. Pirates brushed aside Egyptian giants Zamalek 4-1 at Orlando Stadium last Saturday, a fitting result that capped an unforgettable day that started with the whole nation celebrating Nelson Mandela Day. Roger De Sa’s charges

duly obliged with Lennox Bacela, Tlou Segolela, Sifiso Myeni and in form Daine Klate, ensuring that the Sea Robbers accumulate seven points and consolidate their Group A lead with three matches to go. Such sublime skills followed by four well-taken goals, Bucs have set a perfect tonic ahead of their much-awaited MTN8 first leg clash. Pirates had to rely on a penalty shootout to secure their passage, after their quarter-final clash against SuperSport United ended in a 2-2

stalemate following extra-time. Fans should be ecstatic to learn that defender Siyabonga Sangweni has fully recovered from an injury he sustained last season. Sangweni has featured in two of Pirates’ friendly matches and played the entire game during Pirates’ friendly win over Polokwane City last Tuesday afternoon.

A win, De Sa’s first over Chiefs, is on the horizon and that thought has added fuel to the country’s most talked about soccer match. The Buccaneers are on a high and should get their revenge from the Black Label Cup.

MTN8 SEMI-FINALS

MANCHESTER UNITED V CHELSEA

Monday 26 August –Old Trafford | 21:00

The English Premier League season serves up their biggest match thus far as champions Manchester United host Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. The departure of Sir Alex Ferguson has seen Chelsea, along with Manchester City, become favourites to wrestle the title away from the champions. This match will test new manager David Moyes to prove his doubters wrong as he did last weekend against Swansea. Chelsea are yet to play Wednesday’s league match against Aston Villa at the time of writing.

Manchester United sent out a stern warning as they easily dismantled Swansea City with a 4-1 win at the Liberty Stadium. Two eye-catching goals from Robin van Persie, either side of an effort from Danny Welbeck, gave the Red Devils a commanding three-goal lead. Micheal Laudrup’s men pulled a goal back through league debutant Wilfried Bony but Welbeck rounded off the win for the visitors with a well-taken second goal scooped over Michel Vorm. Following his performance for England against Scotland last Wednesday, Moyes named Wayne Rooney on the bench, as speculation over his future at Old Trafford continues. Rooney announced his comeback with a lovely through-ball for Welbeck’s last goal. David Moyes calmly took the first steps on a journey of indeterminate length undertaken amid unprecedented scrutiny. For years we have imagined what Manchester United might look like without Sir Alex Ferguson. For now, the answer is: much the same as before. Of course, there are sterner tests to come and steeper paths to be travelled. Nevertheless, it was impossible to disguise the satisfaction emanating from an entire football club that the first fence had been negotiated so well. United were effortlessly good. Those hoping to exploit the vulnerabilities caused by regime change will have to wait.

Jose Mourinho made his return to the home dug-out at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after six years away and quickly slipped back into the old routine, overseeing a 2-0 defeat of Hull City that extended his run of unbeaten home games in the English top flight to 61. The game was over once Frank Lampard made it 2-0 with a 30-metre free-kick in the 25th minute, but Mourinho’s men can expect a more searching examination as they prepare a visit to Old Trafford. Hull were overrun in the first 30 minutes and Chelsea should have taken the lead as early as the sixth minute when Lampard had a penalty saved. Brazilian midfielder Oscar opened the scoring seven minutes later when he slotted home after

being set up by Kevin de Bruyne. This is a Chelsea very different from the one Mourinho had last time around. The squad is under construction and has some of the finest young talents. There are no untouchables unlike Mourinho’s previous stint but if he can wave his magic wand just like he did before, they could be even better than the team he assembled almost a decade ago. Fernando Torres looks to be Mourinho’s first choice striker and judging from the Spaniards performance against Hull,

Chelsea’s attacking midfielders are more likely to be relied upon for goals.

Chelsea got the win here last season. However, United managed to win at Stamford Bridge prior to that. United were excellent at home last season, racking up 16 wins from 19 matches, losing three. Chelsea were decent on the road with 10 wins while losing 5 of their 19 travels. The ‘Mourinho effect’ will certainly help Chelsea believe they can brush aside the champions but judging from United’s first league performance, the champions want to continue on what was enjoyed last season. It should be a tight match and they are tipped to cancel each other out.

KAIZER CHIEFSV ORLANDO PIRATES

Saturday 24 August –Soccer City | 15:00

14/10 DRAW 23/10 19/10

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

15/10 DRAW 2/1 18/10

FEATURED

DOUBLETIPPEDAT8/1

PIRATES - WIN

MAN U V CHELSEA - DRAW

4

It was a weekend of mixed beginnings as I got off to a flyer only to be pegged back by the usual suspects. You never quite know how it’s going to go out the gates and that much was clear come Sunday afternoon. A number of players announced their arrivals with debut goals, but the talking point of the first weekend was Arsenal’s capitulation at home to Aston Villa. There’s a nasty edge around the Emirates at the moment as a summer of discontent threatens to boil over into a season of failure. Making things worse are their North-London neighbour’s world-class acquisitions. London will be a battle ground this season and that is where we start off the weekend.

Fulham 24/10 draw 24/10 Arsenal 12/10

Fulham once again got the better of me, and they are quick becoming my arch nemesis in betting terms. They play host to Arsenal this weekend, and there’s probably no better time to face the Gunners than right now. Arsene Wenger remains perplexed as to how this whole transfer business works and his players seem to be made out of putty as they continue to fall to pieces. The gloom was lifted somewhat by their Champions League victory midweek, but with such a short turnaround they may be a bit sluggish at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon. Of course, my prediction is ultimately a waste of time here. I’m going for a home win, so back Arsenal to the halt if you’re smart.

Everton 5/10 draw 29/10 West Brom 58/10

Roberto Martinez may not have stamped his authority on the Everton squad through transfers, but he certainly has had an impact on the training ground. You only need to look at the possession stats against Norwich to see just how far he’s brought them in so short a time. Their opponents this weekend are West Brom, who lacked a cutting edge

in their opener, something that Steve Clarke will have to rectify as they look to fill a Lukaku sized hole upfront. Everton should be fielding Baines and Fellaini, unless Manchester United can get real and offer something other than monopoly money for the pair. Everton have a solid record in this fixture and are tipped to do the job once again at 5/10.

Hull 27/20 draw 23/10 Norwich 2/1

Everton’s opponents last weekend showed a fair bit of fight in coming back from 2-1 down to claim a deserved draw. Ricky Van Wolfswinkel instantly endeared himself to the fans with a finely placed header. Out wide, Nathan Redmond showed why he’s so highly rated with another eye-catching performance. Their opponents this weekend were less impressive against the might of Chelsea. And while the Tigers may have shown improvement in the second half, it was probably more down to the Blues taking their foot off the pedal. They should be a tougher proposition at home, but until the promoted clubs show me otherwise I’m going to back their opponents. Norwich seem well-priced at 2/1.

Newcastle 11/10 draw 24/10 West Ham 23/10

Things seems to be heading backwards fast at St James Park, in what can only be considered a downward spiral of dumbness. Their appointment of Joe Kinnear has proven unsuccessful, with the outspoken Englishman only managing to bring Loic Remy into the club. They face West Ham this weekend, who have shown how to spend television money, sometimes in the wrong way. The Hammers were comfortable enough in their opening day fixture, with Matt Jarvis finally notching up an assist for the club. The Magpies were dire on Monday night, and I

don’t see much in their squad to change it up. I reckon the Hammers can upset the applecart here and pick up the 3 points.

Southampton 7/10 draw 26/10 Sunderland 9/2

Next up is a meeting between two sides that have approached the transfer window in two vastly different ways. Southampton have invested in quality, while Sunderland have opted for quantity. The Saints broke their transfer record to land the enigmatic Pablo Osvaldo this week, while Dejan Lovren has already impressed in the heart of their defence. Meanwhile Paolo Di Canio has taken a punt across the board bringing in 11 players, many of which don’t really seem to improve the overall quality of the squad. The Saints look good value to finish in the top 10 this season and are tipped to see off the Black Cats here.

Stoke 8/10 draw 5/2 Crystal Palace 36/10

New season, new manager, same old Stoke. The Potters were dire in their showing against Liverpool and although they almost scraped a draw, they owed a huge debt of gratitude to their goalkeeper for even being in with a shout so late in the game. It’s Crystal Palace for them this weekend, who were equally dull against Spurs. The only thing interesting about this team is their manager, Ian Holloway, who resembles a drunk philosophy professor at every post-match press conference. The man is stark raving mad, and I love it. Speaking of football though, this one shouldn’t have too many goals. Take the unders and move on to more pressing matters.

Aston Villa 28/10 draw 26/10 Liverpool 19/20

Liverpool were back to their chance-wasting best on Saturday as they managed 25 shots for their solitary goal. Brendan Rodgers’ team will need to develop a cutting edge if they are to improve on last season’s 7th place. They travel to Villa this weekend to face a side that have looked impressive in their first two matches. Christian Benteke ran riot at Anfield when these two met last season and given the way that he’s started this campaign, the Reds backline will be in for a long afternoon. So much so that I see them snatching a victory here against my better judgment. Another of the teams that deceived me no end last season was Liverpool. You have been warned. I’m going for Villa though at 28/10.

Cardiff 66/10 draw 33/10 Man City 9/20

Manchester City may have started off the season a bit later than the rest but they were quick into their stride, dismantling Newcastle with consummate ease. Alvaro Negredo had to settle for a place on the bench, while Stevan Jovetic wasn’t even in the squad, such is the depth

that Pellegrini has at his disposal. Their opponents this weekend aren’t quite so lucky, with Frazier Campbell leading the line for them. They didn’t even manage a shot on target against West Ham, and even with the frenzied Welsh support behind them this weekend, I don’t see them being any match for this City team. I’d go with the second half to have the most goals as City ring the changes.

Tottenham 6/10 draw 11/4 Swansea 48/10

Having built up Swansea last week, I was left a little disappointed in their showing against the Champions. Wilfried Bony did get on the scoresheet, but their defending was erratic at best. They travel to London this weekend to face Spurs, who were better value for their victory at Crystal Palace than the 1-0 suggested. Paulinho was immense in the middle of the park, while Soldado looked assured in front of goal, dispatching his penalty confidently. They’ve cleverly done all their business before offloading Gareth Bale, a move that has allowed them to bring in some of Europe’s finest without breaking the bank. This new-look Spurs team are tipped here in what should be a lively affair.

Man United 14/10 draw 23/10 Chelsea 19/10

The final game of the week comes to you on Monday Night and should be one humdinger of a contest. Jose Mourinho takes his Chelsea side to Old Trafford as David Moyes finally takes his seat in the dugout for his first Premier League home game in charge. The Blues were lucky to escape with three points midweek and with neither Ba nor Torres showing much up front, it may be the time to give Lukaku his chance. The Rooney subplot will bubble under, but it is Welbeck and RVP that took the plaudits over the weekend, with some superbly taken goals. Chelsea managed a 1-0 victory here toward the end of last season, but much has changed since then. This one will be a tight affair, given how early in the campaign it is and I’d go with under 1.5 goals at 3/1.

Well now, let’s hope for a better all-round performance this week, but in a league where a club like Southampton can spend £15 million on a striker, the mid-table games are getting harder and harder to call. As for a weekend multiple I’m going with Everton/Southampton/Villa at 88/10. Time to start betting with the head, not the heart. You try do the same. Sala Kahle.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

COMMODORE’S PICKS

Fulham Win 24/10Everton Win 5/10Norwich Win 2/1West Ham Win 23/10Southampton Win 7/10

Stoke Under 2.5 13/20Villa Win 28/10Man City Win 9/20Tottenham Win 6/10Man U. Under 1.5 3/1

De Bruyne caught the eye of many spectators in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Hull last weekend.

Signing on from Belgian club Genk for £7 million, and loaned back for the rest of the season, De Bruyne spent last season on loan at Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, gaining valuable first team experience.

He was a standout performer in an otherwise poor Werder Bremen side last season, providing ten goals and nine assists in 33 appearances as well as picking up seven man of the match awards. A brief look at

his stats also reveals that he had the third most key passes in the Bundesliga, as well as averaging the fourth most crosses (accurate) per game.

De Bruyne is a naturally gifted footballer, and looks in his element with the ball at his feet, showing incredible footwork and trickery. Very much an attack-minded midfield player, his movement and vision can create chances out of nothing, and his delivery in the final third is exceptionally efficient.

It seems intriguing that such a talented man would be making his

debut a year-and-a-half after he had signed for the side.

The new Blues no.15 produced a confident performance, underlined by the 22-year-old’s willingness to have a shot as soon as being presented with the opportunity, but also produced some incisive passes to open up the opposition.

De Bruyne was credited with the assist of the opening goal on 13 minutes scored by attacking midfield partner, Oscar, with a delightful pass through the legs of Hull defender, James Chester.

However, there was more to De Bruyne’s debut than a few shots and neat passes; the former Werder Bremen loanee also showed efficient defensive capabilities in the 66 minute run-out which will be seen as encouraging to Mourinho who builds his sides on defensive solidarity.

The Belgian had been linked with moves away from west London with Champions League finalists, Borussia Dortmund, among the European powerhouses interested in taking the £15m-rated man, which were quickly stamped out upon the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ returning to Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese decided to keep De Bruyne in his plans after observing him closely in his

national side’s 2-1 win over Serbia in a World Cup qualifier, in which he got himself on the scoresheet in such a high-profile match.

De Bruyne’s ability to deliver on the big stage has left him with quite the reputation to anyone who has watched him closely for the past two years or so.

His productive outing at the Bundesliga outfit has seen him develop a great deal of maturity in his play, which was noticeably not there when his Genk side met Chelsea in the Blues Champions League winning campaign.

Now that he has developed into the player we saw on Sunday, it seems Mourinho is ready to put his faith in the youngster, with the former Real Madrid manager claiming he will be a “key man”.

He is a confident lad, not afraid to take on a shot, much like Frank Lampard. The physical nature of the Premier League will not be a problem for him. He’s a strong lad who can hold players off. He’s also a powerful runner who can play right, left, or centrally behind the main striker. He will also score goals.

Very much a part of the new golden generation of Belgian footballers coming through at the moment, De Bruyne is a

particularly entertaining player to watch and there’s little doubt that he will play a big part in the Chelsea campaign this season.

PLAYER PROFILE - KEVIN DE BRUYNE Youngster De Bruyne Can Shine Brightly For Chelsea This Season

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Full Name Kevin De Bruyne Date of birth 8 June 1991 (age 22) Place of birth Drongen, Belgium Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Playing position: Attacking midfielder CLUB INFORMATION Current Club: Chelsea Number: 15 YOUTH CAREER 1997–1999 KVV Drongen 1999–2005 Gent 2005–2008 Racing Genk

SENIOR CAREER 2008–2012 Racing Genk 107 Appearances, 17 Goals 2012–2013 Werder Bremen (loan) 33 Appearances, 10 Goals 2013–2014 Chelsea 1 Appearance, 0 Goals

NATIONAL TEAM 2008–2009 Belgium U18 7 Appearances, 1 Goal 2009 Belgium U19 10 Appearances, 1 Goal 2011 Belgium U21 2 Appearances, 0 Goals 2010– Belgium 12 Appearances, 3 Goals

AT THE START OF PRE-SEASON THERE WAS TALK OF KEVIN DE BRUYNE GOING BACK OUT ON LOAN, JOSE MOURINHO HOWEVER, WAS HAVING NONE OF THAT.

5

The Italian international was officially paraded by the Saints after completing his £15million move from Roma. Tottenham were also monitoring the 27-year-old striker, but Osvaldo says it was Pochettino’s will that convinced him to move to the South Coast club. “I chose Southampton because they showed the most interest in me and I know Mauricio. It is my dream to play in Premier League,” said Osvaldo. “Working with Mauricio is fantastic, he is a great motivator and appreciates me and how I work. For some years I’ve been working with people who don’t appreciate how I work as a player, so it’s great for me to be working with people who do appreciate it.” Osvaldo previously worked with Pochettino at Espanyol.

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has snubbed the chance to quit the club for Spanish side Valencia, his agent has confirmed. Hernandez could be behind Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck in the United pecking order this term, with both forwards hitting two goals apiece in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Swansea, while Wayne Rooney looks set to stay at Old Trafford. The Mexican international made 36 appearances for the Premier League champions last term, scoring 18 goals, but his chances under new boss David Moyes may be more limited. However, the 25-year-old appears determined to roll his sleeves up at Old Trafford, after his agent Eduardo Hernandez confirmed the striker rejected an offer from Valencia. “Of course he wants to play more, to have more minutes, to participate more, but he wants to do it at United, he wants to defend the title and go far in the Champions League,” he said. “The interest from Valencia was real. He had the chance to speak with the sporting director [Braulio Vazquez] but Javier, I reiterate, wants to stay at Manchester United, this is the challenge. He was very grateful to Valencia and the other clubs who called him.”

Samuel Eto’o has turned down the opportunity to move to Chelsea this summer after committing his future to Anzhi. Eto’o has been increasingly linked with a move away from Anzhi in recent weeks, after the Russian club revealed they are desperate to trim their wage bill. However, despite Chelsea making approaches to sign the player, Anzhi coach Gadzhi Gadzhiev says the striker has agreed to stay put. “Eto’o will stay,” said Gadzhiev. “He has reached an agreement with the owner and will continue his career with Anzhi.” The news will come as a big blow to Blues boss Jose Mourinho,

who had been hopeful of landing Eto’o after failing to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United.

Fulham have signed midfielder Scott Parker from Tottenham on a three-year deal, the west London club have announced. Parker joins the Cottagers for an undisclosed fee, following summer-long rumours circulating about his Spurs future, with the 32-year-old appearing surplus to requirements in Andre Villas-Boas’ plans. The England international was left out of the Spurs squad for Sunday’s 1-0 victory over newly-promoted Crystal Palace, despite making 30 appearances for the club last term. “I’m delighted to be joining Fulham and I’m looking forward to meeting my new team-mates at training Tuesday morning,” said Parker. “Fulham is an established Premier League club and I look forward to trying to help the team progress even further over the next three years.” Having previously represented Charlton, Chelsea, West Ham and Spurs, Parker becomes the first player to represent five different London clubs. The midfielder joins Darren Bent, Adel Taarabt, Maarten Stekelenburg, Sascha Riether, Fernando Amorebieta and Derek Boateng among the new faces at Craven Cottage this summer.

Arsenal provoked fury and ridicule from Newcastle United when they finally re-entered the transfer market and tabled a £10.2 million offer for Yohan Cabaye just hours before his first game of the season. With Cabaye keen to leave, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew withdrew the France midfielder from Monday night’s squad to face Manchester City. “We have prepared with the lad for three days and for him to have his head turned by this bid by Arsenal is just disrespectful in my view,” said Pardew after his side were beaten 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium. “Why it couldn’t have waited until tomorrow I don’t know. The result wouldn’t have been the same if he’d played in my view.” Arsenal have also reacted to their 3-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Saturday by tabling an offer for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. But the timing of the bid for Cabaye has caused particular anger at Newcastle. “I think it is just a very difficult situation when a player gets news like that, and it wasn’t us who gave him the news. It is very hard to get your

head around to play a game of this magnitude,” Pardew said. “It is pretty obvious I am upset about that and I would rather focus on what for us has been a tough day. We have 37 games to go and we need to make sure we don’t let this game emotionally scar us. “I am not sure of the exact terms of it [the bid] but it is below our valuation of the player for sure This is a terrific player.” Newcastle immediately turned down Arsenal’s offer for Cabaye and made it known they considered Arsène Wenger’s valuation to be “derisory”. In a direct conversation with Dick Law, Arsenal’s contract negotiator, it is understood that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley responded to the offer with the words: “Which part of him do you want to buy?” When Law assured him that Arsenal’s offer was genuine, Ashley then apparently said that they should come back with at least £20 million if they were serious about starting negotiations. As well as a midfielder, a new striker is at the top of Wenger’s list of priorities and Arsenal have still not completely given up hope on Suárez or even Manchester United’s Rooney. They would also like to add a right-sided defender and there is interest in Manchester City’s Micah Richards. Another option is Mathieu Flamini, who left Arsenal for AC Milan in 2009 but is now a free agent and back training at the club. Flamini can play at full-back as well as central midfield.

André Villas-Boas is poised to break the Tottenham Hotspur transfer record for the third time this summer with the £30m capture of the Brazilian forward Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala. In a deal that will push Spurs’ summer spending to almost £90m, Willian was in London on Tuesday and he is thought to have begun his medical at Tottenham. Yet he might not be Villas-Boas’ final big money signing. The manager is also chasing the £25m-rated Roma forward Erik Lamela, as he seeks to overhaul his starting XI. Villas-Boas has spent £59.5m on four players, including the midfielder Paulinho at £17m and the striker Roberto Soldado at £26m, who each represented increases on the club’s previous transfer record – the £16.5m that they spent to take Luka Modric from Dynamo Zagreb. The outlay has reinforced the feeling that the chairman Daniel Levy is finally prepared to accept Real Madrid’s offer for Gareth Bale and he is effectively spending against the anticipated windfall from the Wales forward’s sale. Real have offered £86m for him, which would eclipse the world record – Cristiano Ronaldo’s £80m move from Manchester United to Real. Bale has his heart set on the transfer and he has not trained or played in more than a month as he has struggled with minor injuries. Villas-Boas wanted Willian in January, when the player was at Shakhtar Donetsk, only for him to join Anzhi for €35m. He was lured by the grand plans of the Anzhi owner Suleiman Kerimov, and his ability to pay tempting salaries, but things have changed at the Dagastan club, with Kerimov embarking on a series of cost-cutting measures. Villas-Boas has overseen the sales of Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Caulker and Clint Dempsey for a combined £23m, although that stands to be put in the shade by Bale’s proposed move to Real.

Darren Bent has spoken of his anger and frustration at being ‘alienated’ at Aston Villa by manager Paul Lambert. Former Sunderland, Charlton and Tottenham striker Bent has joined Fulham on a season-long loan deal and intends to revive his Premier League career at Craven Cottage. Bent, who played just seven times for Villa in the top flight last term, as Christian Benteke and Andreas Weismann surged in front of him, wants to regain his place in the England squad. “It was really difficult at Villa. A few of us were kind of alienated to train with the kids. It has been difficult,” said the 29-year-old Bent. “There were times when I was thinking, ‘Do I really deserve this?’ It’s all well and good not being part of the squad – but to be treated like we have been is bad. It was horrible. It wasn’t so much the injuries – although they certainly didn’t help – it was just the uncertainty. There were times I was in the squad and times I wasn’t, and there was just no explanation why. “I understand that not every player can be every manager’s cup of tea but to be alienated like that, to be kicked out of the first-team dressing room, when I’ve played a long time, when I’m an international, just felt a bit disappointing.” Bent can’t wait to turn the page and start afresh with Fulham: “I’m not just hungry to play football again, I’m absolutely starving. I’ve missed out on a couple of major competitions with England, but I just hope this is my year.”

Jose Mourinho claims he has back-up options should Chelsea fail in their attempt to prise Wayne Rooney away from Manchester United. The Blues boss admitted he would be in for the England striker until the last day of the transfer

window, but with United showing no sign of weakening their stance over Rooney, Mourinho accepts he may soon be forced to look at other options. When asked if he has a Plan B if he can’t get Rooney, Mourinho quipped: ‘And C!’

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to be sidelined for six weeks, after sustaining a knee injury in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Aston Villa. The England midfielder damaged his knee in the opening day defeat, prompting fears he could be ruled out for up to six months with ligament damage. While initial scans this week have not been encouraging and the exact prognosis is still being assessed, Gunners boss Wenger has confirmed he will be without the 20-year-old until at least the end of September.

Liverpool have signed defender Aly Cissokho from Valencia on a loan-deal. Speaking to the club’s official website, Cissokho said: “I’m very happy to be here. I think we have a great team and great fans and together we can achieve big things. It’s going to be a great experience to be able to rub shoulders with the club’s top-quality players. I have experience in the game, but coming here there will still be lots of things to learn and discover as I work with everyone every day.”

Tickets for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil have gone on sale– with a ticket to the final costing R10,000 – and FIFA are hoping for better sales than for South Africa 2010. The football governing body is expecting demand to at least match that of Germany 2006, when there were roughly seven applicants for every ticket for the 64-match tournament, and over 3.3-million fans attending. When South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010 there was a slight dip in sales. Around 3.3 million tickets will be available for the tournament in Brazil, ranging from US $90 (R900) for first-round matches to $990 (R10,000) for the final at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian citizens over 60, local students and members of some social programmes will be able to buy tickets for $23 (R230). The first period of ticket sales stretches from August 20 to October 10. The tournament begins on 12 June, with Brazil playing the opener in Sao Paulo.

Bundesliga side Wolfsburg have signed midfielder Luiz Gustavo from Bayern Munich. The Brazil international, who signed a five-year deal, was linked with a possible move to English Premiership side Arsenal at one stage. Gustavo will welcome the move after he was deemed surplus to requirements by Bayern coach Pep Guardiola since Thiago Alcantara joined from Barcelona. The Brazilian joins compatriots Naldo, Diego and Felipe Lopes at Wolfsburg.

Gareth Bale’s signing for Real Madrid drew closer on Wednesday night when Spurs’ sporting director, Franco Baldini, travelled to the Spanish capital, where he continued negotiations with Roma over Erik Lamela and Miralem Pjanic and sought to close a deal to have a Madrid player involved in the Bale transfer. Sources at Madrid remain convinced that the Bale move will go ahead and Spurs do not want the saga to run to the final day. Both sides expect the deal to take place and it is believed the discussions now centre on whether there will be a player exchange involved, possibly Fabio Coentrao or whether it will be a straight cash deal.

Southampton Sign Highly Rated Osvaldo

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEW SOUTHAMPTON RECORD SIGNING PABLO OSVALDO HAS REVEALED HE WAS BLOWN OVER BY MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S DESIRE TO BRING HIM TO ST. MARY’S.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW

COMMODORE’S PICKS

Stoke Under 2.5 13/20Villa Win 28/10Man City Win 9/20Tottenham Win 6/10Man U. Under 1.5 3/1

6

Both coaches received R50,000 fines with their respective clubs getting R25,000 fines, all suspended for 12 months. After Celtic were beaten 3-1 by Mamelodi Sundowns in the first round, the usually calm and collected Larsen confronted referee Daniel Volgraaf at half-time, saying: “People are sending messages saying it was a clean challenge. A straight red card? This is really why people say when you play Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns [there are dubious officiating decisions].” Komphela lashed out at reigning Referee of the Season Victor Gomes after their 4-1 loss to SuperSport United on the opening day of the season. “Terrible. I thought we were going to give a very good game up until the referee decided on his own to say ‘No, no, this time I’m spoiling everything’,” Komphela said during the press conference. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Yellow cards flashed like they were going out of fashion. Without any disrespect to Cavin Johnson, they played well, I must congratulate them. But there was a stage where you could see the referee was just about to take the ball and throw it inside the net. The guy was giving free-kicks, yellow cards, and I said ‘what’s going on with this guy, is he out of his mind? And clearly before the red card was given, I said to the bench we won’t finish this match, we will play with someone getting a red card. With the referee like this, who needs an opponent? This guy is the referee of the season if I’m not mistaken. It’s a disgrace whoever puts him there. If this is the best that comes out of South Africa, the country has no quality. This is a disgrace, I’m not insulting those who made the choice, but this guy is not doing justice to the choice they made.”

Despite Khama Billiat’s deal going through, Mamelodi Sundowns defender Clayton Daniels rejected an offer to join Ajax Cape Town and opted to stay at Chloorkop. The 27-year-old defender was initially part of the proposed swap-deal which would have seen he and Eleazar Rodgers moving to the Mother City on a one-year deal in exchange for Ajax winger Billiat. Billiat’s move was completed on Monday, with Rodgers going the other way on a one-year loan. Sources say Daniels agreed to move to Cape Town on a three-year-contract but Urban Warriors only offered him a one-year deal on the basis that they wanted to see him more in action. The deal fell through but Daniels could still move to another club before the transfer window closes on Friday, August 30, at 5pm.

Daylon Claasen has finally found himself a new club, signing a one-year deal with Polish club Lech Poznan. The Bafana Bafana midfielder had pinned his hopes on a move to England and had trials with Everton, Hull City and Blackpool, as well as Scottish giants Glasgow Celtic and newly-promoted German Bundesliga side Eintracht Braunschweig. Hull and Blackpool were keen to bring him on board, but obtaining a work permit proved a problem. Claasen has become the first South African to play in the Polish League. Lech Poznan finished runners-up in the title race last season, but were dumped out of the UEFA Europa League earlier this month by Lithuanian side Zalgiris. They have six Polish League titles to their name, the last of which was won in 2010. They are also regarded as the most supported team in Poland.

Defender Enort Dzaga and midfielder Sici Shelembe are set to sign for Free State Stars. Dzaga, of Black Leopards and Shelembe, formerly of Ajax Cape Town are on the verge of signing for Ea Lla Koto with their agent Ratshibvumo Mulovhedzi

of Rush Hour Sports arriving in Bethlehem on Wednesday to discuss the deals. Also in line for a deal with Stars is Dynamos centre back Kgomotso Mokoena, who is also represented by Rush Hour.

Chiefs injury update: Keegan Ritchie and Siyabonga Nkosi are back in training for Kaizer Chiefs ahead of their MTN8 clash against Orlando Pirates on Saturday. Ritchie has recovered from the Achilles tendon injury that kept him on the sidelines for Amakhosi’s last two fixtures, against Mpumalanga Black Aces in the League and University of Pretoria in the MTN8 quarter-finals. Nkosi, who injured his calf muscle in preseason, is also back at full training. Jimmy Jambo is also making progress as he undergoes rehabilitation on a terrible knee injury he suffered in the Telkom Knockout in October 2012. “He had screws taken out of his knee last week and he is progressing well with his rehabilitation,” club physiotherapist Dave Milner said.

Bloemfontein Celtic have completed the signing of Letsie Koapeng from Bidvest Wits. The striker moves to the Free State on a one-year loan deal.

Metrorail will run special trains from all corridors in Pretoria and Johannesburg and a shuttle between Nasrec and Johannesburg to this weekend’s MTN8 semi-finals between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. The two giants of South African football face each other in the season’s first competitive Soweto Derby, with the second leg of the MTN8 held on September 24. Secured Park and ride facilities are available at stopping stations for only R40 return trip.

The completion of Khama Billiat and Mukuka Mulenga’s signings has ballooned the number of new foreign signings to seven at Mamelodi Sundowns – spilling way over the limit of five. Sundowns already have Zimbabwean striker Cuthbert Malajila and Togelese midfielder Dove Wome – both of whom were signed during the winter break, and both of whom have already been registered and have featured for the club. The Brazilians also have Ghana defender Rashid Sumaila – signed way back in February – along with Togelese Emmanuel Mathias, a defender who was signed in July. The fact that these two West Africans have yet to be registered despite having been at the club through all of pre-season training raises question marks about whether they are really needed at Chloorkop. Why and how they were signed remains a mystery, especially after Pitso Mosimane indicated that he still has three foreign slots to fill – this despite already having both Sumaila and Mathias – after the club played their first game, in which both Malajila and Wome were used as the two foreigners. Now with Billiat and Mulenga signed – both of whom will definitely be registered – questions will hang over Mathias and Sumaila as only one of them can now be registered if ever the club decides to make use of them. The next 10 days will determine their fate. But the complexity of the foreign equation does not end there. Belgian goalkeeper Glenn Verbauwhede – signed towards the end of last season – brings to seven the number of foreign players that have been signed during Pitso Mosimane’s reign. Word from within the club is that Verbauwhede will apply for permanent residence under the category of ‘financial independence’ – in the same way Dutch defender Alje Schut did last season straight after arriving from Holland. In this special category, according to Home Affairs legislation, permanent residence maybe issued to a foreign national who has a minimum net worth of R7,5-million and who pays a fee of R75,000. If successful with his application Verbauwhede will be registered as a non-foreigner, just like Schut. Mozambican Elias Pelembe, Liberian Anthony Laffor, Zambian Kennedy Mweene and Zimbabwean Esrom Nyandoro all have South African permanent residence, which they qualified for after having spent at least five years working in the country. With this foreign density Sundowns could actually field a foreign XI as they will have 12 players of foreign descent in their squad. Added to that, Sundowns also still have Zimbabwean midfielder Lionel Mutizwa contracted to the club, although he is seemingly not in the club’s plans as he is not training with the rest

of the first team. The club’s decision to take up the option of extending his contract for a further year in June seems strange, when it was clear he will not be in Mosimane’s plans. Another two foreigners, Mumuni Abubakar and Emmanuel Baffour – both from Ghana – are not training with the mega-rich club anymore but the situation with their contracts is not clear.

Orlando Pirates midfielder Thandanani Ntshumayelo is set to miss the MTN8 semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs. Ntshumayelo picked up a foot injury in the MTN8 game against SuperSport United in Nelspruit recently. ‘Bibo’ has been ruled out of action for at least four weeks.

Ajax Cape Town have indicated interest in Wayne Sandilands, who is apparently considering leaving Mamelodi Sundowns following Kennedy Mweene’s arrival. Sandilands – who has broken into Bafana Bafana to deputise for Itumeleng Khune over the last year – is no longer guaranteed of his first choice position at Chloorkop, after three years between the posts. Zambian international number one Mweene was between the sticks for Downs in their opening match of the season. The 29-year-old has quietly been considering his options, and Ajax are at the forefront of his options. Sandilands has already made Sundowns aware of what he is considering, making it plain that he needs to be guaranteed first place to remain part of the national team. Gordon Igesund has already warned Sandilands that without regular game-time at club level he will lose his place in the national team. With Denis Onyango having already been pushed out to Bidvest Wits it might take a lot more for Sundowns to agree to release Sandilands, as the inexperienced third choice Thela Ngobeni is currently out injured while new Belgian signing Glenn Verbauwhede is untested.

Gert Schalkwyk has disappeared from Moroka Swallows despite being offered a deal by the club. The Dube Birds coach Zeca Marques confirmed that the 31-year-old midfielder is nowhere to be found since he stopped training with the club a week ago. “Look, I don’t know where he is. I made him an offer and Gert has not come to training for a week now. We don’t know where he’s gone… He hasn’t even SMSed me,” a livid Marques said. This is the second time in just over a month that Swallows have found themselves in this situation. On July 10, Marques confirmed that he had given up trying to lure Papi Zothwane to the club saying at the time the midfielder had not taken his calls or made contact with the club.

Itumeleng Khune has parted ways with his long-time business manager Jazzman Mahlakgane. After five years of working together, the Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs captain will now head over to MSCSports, which also looks after the business interests of Gavin Hunt, Moeneeb Josephs and Tebogo Langerman. “The player has requested to be released from the stable and that’s what we did,” he said. “He has been very professional in handling it; he said he wanted to leave and try something new. We just happy that it all happened smoothly and amicably and we wish him all the best for the future.” Mahlakgane was often criticised for failing to get the likes of Khune and Siphiwe Tshabalala the overseas moves that some felt they deserved.

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Nyasha Mushekwi has joined Belgian side KV Oostende on a season-long loan deal. The Zimbabwean international spent some time on trial at the club and evidently did enough to earn himself a contract. “Mamelodi Sundowns would like to wish the player all the best abroad as he has served the club with dignity ever since joining in 2010 from Caps United,” Downs spokesperson Kabelo Mosito tells the club’s website.

Central African Republic and Ethiopia will face each other on September 7 in a neutral venue following FIFA’s decision. The world football controlling body made the decision to move the clash from Bangui to Brazzaville in Congo following political unrest in CAR. South Africa also had to play CAR in a neutral venue in June for the same reason. However, Bafana coach Gordon Igesund is still confident CAR are capable of beating Ethiopia for Bafana, if they beat Botswana also on September 7, to go through to the final stage of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. “We have to rely on someone now to do us a favour and I certainly hope that CAR

do well,” Igesund says. Meanwhile, FIFA have also decided that the final qualifying round, in which 10 group winners would compete on a home-and-away basis for five places in Brazil, would be based on a seeding system. Since Bafana are ranked 67th in world football, that means they could face strong opponents in the form of Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Ghana among others in case Bafana make it to the final round.

AmaZulu have signed a fourth Namibian player in defender Larry Horaeb who joins the club on a three-year-deal. The 21 year-old right fullback has joined Craig Rosslee’s squad from Namibian side, Ramblers FC. Horaeb joins countrymen Willem Mwedihanga, who was already at the club last season, as well as new signings Sadney Urikhob and Pinehas Jakob to bring the number of Namibians at the club to four. Usuthu are busy finalising paperwork to make Zimbabwean goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini a South African citizen so that he will free up a place for a foreigner in the squad. This explains why Aubrey Mathibe kept goal in the club’s win against Orlando Pirates. Besides the four Namibians, Usuthu also have Zimbabwe defender Carlington Nyadombo on their books.

University of Pretoria have signed SuperSport United striker Atusaye Nyondo on a season long loan-deal. The Malawian forward had fallen down the pecking order at SuperSport where his chances of regular game time were slim for this season. Graham Oosthuis, the AmaTuks manager confirmed the capture of Nyondo along with Platinum Stars midfielder Lantshene Phalane. Nyondo had an encouraging first season at SuperSport in 2011-12 scoring seven goals after joining from Carara Kicks but then fizzled out last year.

SA Players Abroad: Kagisho Dikgacoi started for Crystal Palace as they opened their English Premiership campaign with a 1-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

‘KG’ had a good run for his team and very nearly scored an equaliser right at the death, but was denied by Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Steven Pienaar started for Everton as they began their season with a 2-2 draw at Norwich City. ‘Schillo’ was in excellent form for the Toffees, creating a number of opportunities and laying on a defence-splitting pass that led to Everton’s second goal.

Bongani Khumalo helped English Championship side Doncaster Rovers keep a clean-sheet as they beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 last Friday. Dean Furman was not included in the match day squad after only returning from international duty on the morning of the game.

Kgosi Ntlhe helped League One Peterborough United maintain their 100 percent start to the season with a 2-1 win at home to Oldham Athletic. The 19-year-old has made the left-back position his own at the club this season.

Kamohelo Mokotjo scored one and created another in a brilliant performance for Dutch Eredivise side PEC Zwolle as they romped to a 5-1 away win at NEC at the weekend. Mokotjo has now scored in back-to-back matches for Zwolle.

Thulani Serero got his first minutes of the season when he came off the bench for Ajax Amsterdam in their 2-1 home win over Feyenoord. It will be a relief for Serero to finally get on the pitch.

Tokelo Rantie played the full game for Swedish side Malmo after his midweek exertions, but did not get on the scoresheet as his side won 4-1 at Kalmar.

Sergio Marakis was a late sub for Portuguese club Maritimo as they started their new league season with an excellent 2-1 home win over giants Benfica. Marakis is tipped to play a big role for them this season.

Anele Ngcongca was not included in the Genk match day squad for their 3-1 loss to Ayanda Patosi’s Lokeren for ‘administrative reasons’ after he failed to pitch for Bafana Bafana’s friendly with Nigeria in midweek. SAFA’s complaint to the Belgian FA meant he could not play until the matter is sorted out.

Patosi did not feature in the match day squad as he continues to make his way back from injury.

Darren Keet was in goal for Kortrijk as they won 2-1 at Charleroi, their first victory of the season.Kyle Jacobs was in midfield for Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock as they drew 1-1 at St Mirren, despite playing the final 30 minutes with only 10 men.

Lebogang Phiri played for Danish side Brondby on Friday night as they were thumped 5-2 at Midtjylland. It looks like another season of toil for Phiri’s team, who narrowly avoided relegation at the end of the last campaign.

Ricardo Nunes was only on the bench for Slovakian side Zilina as they lost 1-0 at Spartak Trnava.

Komphela and Larsen Fined For Outbursts

LOCAL NEWS

BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC AND FREE STATE STARS COACHES CLINTON LARSEN AND STEVE KOMPHELA HAVE BEEN FINED BY THE PSL FOR THEIR OUTBURSTS AGAINST REFEREES.

7

Who do you think is the world’s best player? I like Cristiano Ronaldo, because he uses both feet well and he has got power and so on, but everyone knows (Lionel Messi) is a magician. Messi is in a class of his own and a player like that won`t be born again in 50 years.

Why are our strikers failing to score more than 20 goals per season in the Premiership? I think it is difficult in the league, because teams tend to man-mark a lot and go as far as putting two

defenders on you, so finding space and scoring is more difficult as compared to leagues where players easily get to double figures, like Spain where the focus is attack.

I know going to play in Europe one day is one of your dreams, are you aware that some of the countries, especially in the Eastern areas, have major problems with racism in football? I know, but I can survive in that kind of environment.

What are the three European destinations, in order of priority, you would like to move to? Firstly, England because it has the best league in the world, maybe because it`s the financial power. Then it would be Spain because their teams have been dominant on the European stage, and lastly France.

No sex before marriage-your views?I think that nowadays that thing is no longer working. Depending on the couple and how they interact, maybe you can wait until marriage. But in this new generation I doubt it, unless they are Christians.

Ok what is the right age to get married? 30, personally.

Do you believe in muthi? If muthi works, an African team could have won the World cup by now, if Lionell Messi uses muthi, what kind of muthi is he using? I believe muthi doesn`t work. It`s about hard work, luck and the belief you can do it.

What does Christmas mean to you? It means a lot to me because I spend most of my time away from my family and

Christmas is the time I am sure to be with them.

What are you aiming for this season with Bloemfontein Celtic? I hope we can win at least one cup, personally, contributing to the team`s success will mean a lot to me.

I want to know the reason behind your form? I can`t really put that down to something specific, but I would say that I have lots of confidence. I have also been focusing more on my strong points this season, things like using my strength properly.

Who is the worst and best dressers in the team? Eish, this is a tough one and the guys will kill me. Let me just say everyone in the team dresses well.

When last did you have a bad dream?I remember the one time I dreamt that I had a lot of money and I was enjoying it with my family. I was so disappointed when I woke up and found that it was all just a dream, but I believe that good things come to those who wait. So maybe it`s still coming.

What do you think of your captain Thabo Nthethe`s inclusion in Bafana Bafana? Honestly, I think Thabo deserves his place in the squad. He is one of the most consistent players in the PSL. He always leads by example and he always gives 100%.

Well Boet, thanks for your time and best of luck at Celtic. Thanks. Me broer.

Celtic’s Dynamic Midfielder Hoping To Continue His Great Form From Last SeasonFACT FILE - RUZAIGH GAMALDIEN BY SABIE CHILI

BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC MIDFIELDER RUZAIGH GAMALDIEN PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SIWELELE WINNING THE TELKOM KNOCKOUT LAST SEASON, AND NOW HE IS HOPING TO TRANSFER HIS FORM FOR MASOKOLARA TO THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON.

PERSONAL INFORMATION Full Name: Ruzaigh Gamaldien Date Of Birth: 4 April 1989 Place of birth: Cape TownNickname: ZaikeyPosition: MidfielderJersey No: 23 Current Club: Bloemfontein Celtic Previous Clubs: Maastrosfontein (amateur), Santos Development, Milano United. Honors: 2012/13 Telkom Knockout with Celtic, 2 caps with Bafana Bafana

Juventus Juventus are back to back reigning Italian champions but that has not kept them from further improving their squad in the transfer market.The club had been searching for a proper long term solution up top and had fallen flat through several previous attempts (often ending with a last minute purchase of a

player who adds only depth to the squad – Nicklas Bendtner, Nicolas Anelka, etc) but finally this summer they succeeded.

Who’s in?Fernando Llorente - Signed on a free transfer from Atletico Bilbao, had his signing announced way back in January, but nonetheless did not join the club until July. Llorente is very much out of form, as he was practically frozen out last year at Atletico, so he not only needs to get used to a new league, a new country, a new coach, new teammates, and a new tactical set up; he also has to get himself back into playing form. This is why I warn Juventini and others not to expect too much from Llorente for the first few weeks (maybe months) of the season. That said, Llorente has the potential to be a world beater, and at Juve he has the teammates to help him achieve as

much.Carlos Tevez - The other striker brought in this summer, and one who had a more immediate impact, is Carlos Tevez. One of the goal scorers

from the August 18th’s 4-0 stomping of Lazio in the Supercoppa, the Tevez signing came as a slight surprise, if only because the media had linked Juve to so many other, different, strikers. Still, for a price of at most €12 million (€10m base fee with an extra two in incentive based rewards) Juventus came away with one of the better strikers in Europe. Another new arrival, and one who was signed with the long run in mind, is ex-Torino wonderkid Angelo Ogbonna. The Centre-back, a position where Juve already have much quality, is likely to be a depth option for this season, but given the gruelling schedule

of Serie A, Champions League, and, Coppa Italia, all combined and you have a recipe for Ogbonna to receive a fair amount of appearances and starts. Ogbonna has already looked somewhat comfortable in black and white during the pre-season, and he will surely grow to be another valued member of the Juventus defence.

Who’s Gone?In terms of transfers elsewhere, Juventus sold two players: Felipe Melo, and Emanuele Giaccherini. Melo, whom the club had been trying to offload for two years now, was purchased by the same club who had loaned him for two seasons, Galatasary of Turkey. Meanwhile, Giaccherini was signed by the English Premier League club Sunderland, after a particularly impressive performance playing for the Azzuri in the Confederations Cup. Losing Melo was part of the plan, while losing Giaccherini is bitter-sweet. He wasn’t an essential part of Juve’s squad, but fans are sad to see him go.

Antonio ConteThen there is Conte. The man has led the club to all sorts of various glory, but now he wants more: the Champions League trophy. Conte, who played at Juventus in the ’90s during Marcello Lippi’s tenure of greatness, knows the difficulties behind continued greatness. He knows the difficulty of winning Serie A

three times in a row, and he knows the difficulty of winning a lone Champions League trophy, especially in today’s world of superclubs like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Conte is very much capable of leading Juventus back to the top of the Serie A table, but he has sometimes shown an inability to rotate some players (we usually see some rotation but then various players get overused, end up fatigued, and then play badly in a big match) and has yet to prove his tactical chops on the big European stage. This season provides more opportunities for him to achieve both.

PredictionsThis should be a tough season for Juve, but it also should be very exciting and very fun. The team is back in the Champions League, with a new strikeforce and new yellow away jerseys, and Serie A is an all new ball game, with several rival clubs having beefed up their squads during the transfer window. There are new coaches, old coaches at new clubs, and plenty of skilled players who are new to Italy and to their respective clubs. Juventus are the favourites to win the Scudetto. However, the Champions League could distract them, and perhaps fatigue and injury take a toll during midweek fixtures. Worst case is Juventus letting the title slip (but still finish 2nd or 3rd) and do average in the Champions League. Realistically, Juventus are expected to win a third consecutive Scudetto. And do well in Europe.

AC Milan looking forward to title challenge and a full year of Balotelli After a horrible start last season, a rejuvenated Milan, with the help of a certain ill-mannered forward, were able to push for third place and salvage the season. This season, hopefully, will be less frustrating.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri is still at AC Milan and Mario Balotelli is set for his full season at AC Milan, alongside a stronger Stephen El Shaarawy and a growing M’Baye Niang. Robinho is also still at Milan. The club has reinforced the defence and midfield.

Last SeasonAfter the departure of Alessandro Nesta, Thiago SIlva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Antonio Cassano and Clarence Seedorf, among others, it would have been unfair to expect too much from the team, especially after the defeats against Inter Milan, Juventus (twice), and Real Madrid foreshadowed the strength and limitation of the squad. But it was made brutally real after three losses in the first four games and two wins in the first ten games. Thankfully, five wins, one draw and two losses in November and December helped end the year on a good note. The team then managed thirteen wins, six draws and only one loss in the new year, catapulting

the squad into a third place finish and Champions league playoffs. Also, Barcelona happened in the Champions league, Juventus in the Coppa Italia.

Who’s Gone?Alexandre Pato: The duck who couldn’t break his injury duck, managed to break a few hearts and complete a transfer to Brazilian giants Corinthians for a fee of €15 million in the January transfer window. He started his career there by scoring on his first touch and seems to be on his way past the muscular injury issues but never out of the hearts of Milan fans. For all of his problems, he was/is a promising striker who most wanted to do well. Bojan Krkic: Another young promising striker who couldn’t find his feet after coming on loan from AS Roma and scoring only three goals in 27 appearances. He returned to his main club Barcelona, before being

loaned out to Ajax, where he will --still only 22-- try and rediscover the promise that he had once upon a time. Mathieu Flamini: The team and player did not agree on a contract extension and he is gone. It’s sad but not too important. Massimo Ambrosini: 18 years, Captain since 2009. Full of running, passion and the greatest professional since the captain who he inherited the armband from (Maldini). Fought through injuries to help the team, but unfortunately, could not fight age any longer. He was visibly slow, and becoming a tactical liability outweighed the gains from leadership and intelligence. He’s going to Fiorentina. Taye Taiwo and Mario Yepes have also left.

Who’s In?Matias Silvestre: One year loan from Inter with an option for a full purchase for a fee of €4 million for the 28 year old Argentine. They always say, beware of enemies baring gifts, but you can’t be too cautious of defenders when you have Phillippe Mexes as a starting centre-back. Suffered an injury to his thigh after only nine appearances for Inter last season, but should add depth to a thin back line. Andrea Poli: Co-ownership with Sampdoria for the 23-year old playmaker, who should help out with the issues of “slow/old midfielders” that has troubled Milan for years. Also, a very good passer who will enjoy the movement of Balotelli and El Sharaawy. Urby Emanuelson: After being loaned out to

Fulham in an odd move last year, the 27-year old all-left-everything player returns to Milan to help out with the lack of quality depth. Much more experienced after a good spell at the English club, he should become a starter and help take off pressure from the young Mattia De Sciglio. Bryan Cristante: The promising promoted 18-year old midfielder is in line to see first team action this year. Definitely a player that can contribute from the beginning if he can settle in Serie A with his impressive vision and close control and dribbling. A very exciting prospect.

Keep An Eye OnNigel de Jong: After rupturing his left achilles in his initial season at Milan, the midfield will look to de Jong this year to steady the ship. One of the few players on the team with a defensive mindset, he will be critical in stopping the team from being over-run by more dynamic teams and hopefully take some pressure off the defence.

PredictionsHopefully the first part of the season doesn’t try to emulate last year’s and the team can start off on a better foot. Balotelli should do well. El Shaarawy looks faster, stronger and will be determined to prove his development and Niang should develop even further. If everything goes to plan, Milan should be up for the title challenge or at least top three finish.

ITALIAN SERIE A 2013/14 SEASON PREVIEW OF THE BIG GUNSTitle Contenders: Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli, Inter Milan and Roma

8

Napoli Under Rafa Benitez While Napoli have had a strong summer in the transfer market, their lack of ability to shore up a frail defence remains worrisome. Add that to the loss of Edinson Cavani and

questions remain about whether the partenopei will be able to mount a true title challenge this season. The last time Napoli made the Champions League, a lack of squad depth caused their league form to suffer, and they could only finish sixth in Serie A. Some smart moves on the transfer market, and a manager less adverse to using youth and reserve players, should help combat that problem.

Last SeasonThey finished second in Serie A. 29 league goals for Edinson Cavani. A place in this season’s Champions League. All in all, it was very nearly a Napoli supporter’s dream season.

Who’s Gone?Edinson Cavani: El Matador scored 38 goals in all competitions last season. 29 of those were in the league, the most in Serie A. And the forward was Napoli’s best defender for the past two seasons.

But he’s gone to Paris Saint-Germain and yet Napoli aren’t panicking. Why? €64m helps. Hugo Campagnaro: Napoli let their best centre back go on a free. Napoli are yet to replace him. Morgan De Sanctis: Morgan is an “unconventional” goalkeeper. During the matches in which teams actually bothered to attack, there was usually one moment of pure terror brought on by De Sanctis leaving his area or falling asleep. Now he’s AS Roma’s worry, but the fun will be missed.

Who’s In?Rafa Benítez: Walter Mazzarri finally capitulated, accepting an invitation from Inter Milan to drag them up from the depths of despair. But is Benítez really up to the task? Napoli will want a long Coppa Italia run, advancement in the Champions League and a scudetto challenge. Sure, Rafa won that one significant trophy once with Inter, but, it’s been awhile. Gonzalo Higuain: Napoli’s most significant purchase of the season to replace Cavani. While Higuaín may be a great striker, he still stands in the shadow of Cavani, and every fan will be comparing his performances to that of the Uruguayan. Should Higuaín manage to achieve a mind-meld with Marek Hamsik and thus score 20 goals this season, Napoli supporters might be

satisfied. José Callejón: Brought in from Real Madrid to play out wide in Rafa’s band of three, Callejón didn’t impress much in preseason. But with fights on all three fronts this season, Napoli will do well to have decent depth - and judging from Rafa’s selections over the summer, it may not be the Spaniard that’s on the bench. Raúl Albiol: Napoli must’ve got a discount on flights from Madrid to Naples because they raided the Real reserves this transfer window. Quality defender. Dries Mertens: The Belgian winger comes to Napoli from PSV, where he scored 37 goals in 62 appearances over two seasons. Of course, that’s in the Eredivisie, so cut those goals by half and that might approximate what will be seen from Mertens this season. Pepe Reina: The Spanish keeper comes on loan from Liverpool to replace De Sanctis in what is an upgrade.

Keep An Eye OnRafa Benítez. While Rafa may have won that one significant trophy while at Liverpool, that seems in the distant past now. His time at Inter could be classified as a failure and he certainly didn’t do wonders with a talented Chelsea squad last season. He’s got to start off hot - beating the

low-midtable sides in the early weeks, getting at least a point against AC Milan at the San Siro and performing well in the UCL group stages - if he expects to stick around.

PredictionsWith so many changes made to this Napoli side, it’s tough to predict if they’ll be able to mount a scudetto challenge this season. On paper they look strong, with the signings of the talented Higuaín and Mertens, as well as the growing talent of Lorenzo Insigne and Marek Hamsik’s ability to orchestrate the side. But the loss of Cavani will be a significant one and Milan and Juventus should leave them behind.

Inter Milan hoping to forget the horrors of last season A battered and bruised Inter finally limped home in 9th place in 2012-13, their worst finish since 1993-94. Unsurprisingly, a raft of changes have been effected by Owner Massimo Moratti including the

appointment of Walter Mazzarri from Napoli to replace the hapless Andrea Stramaccioni, in the hope of propelling the side back up the table where they belong. Walter Mazzarri has always been a shrewd operator in the transfer market and he has been handed a mammoth task to haul Inter out of their extended post-Mourinho doldrums. Early signs look promising with a host of Serie A-proven talent recruited to augment what was never a bad squad, but one severely mismanaged by the previous regime.

Last SeasonThings all started well for Inter: a stunning run through October and November, which included a 3-1 victory over bitter rivals Juventus, put them well in title contention. However, by early January they were looking increasingly out of the title race. What followed beggars belief - a baffling series of injures plagued the squad with 14 first team players sidelined at one point, including all senior strikers but Tommaso Rocchi. With the majority of the side playing out of position, Inter dropped like a stone and they came over the line a lowly 9th with much of their squad still in the treatment room.

Who’s Gone?Dejan Stankovic: After nine years’ service and just about every medal available in Italy, the tenacious Serbian midfielder finally departs. Highlights of his time at Inter include the treble season, and scoring one of the greatest goals ever seen in the Champions League, with an outrageous volley from near the half way line over Manuel Neuer. Antonio Cassano: Cassano leaves to Parma, with Ishak Belfodil coming the other way, after just one season with the Nerazzurri. In the early part

of the season, he formed one third of a formidable forward line alongside Rodrigo Palacio and Diego Milito however he fell foul of the club-wide injury crisis after the winter break and his appearances were restricted. His best performance came in the 4-1 victory over Tottenham in the Europa League where he was simply unplayable and Inter were unlucky to go out on away goals after a dreadful first leg. Walter Gargano: The Uruguayan returns to parent club Napoli after an indifferent season on loan. His displays in midfield were solid if unspectacular but former coach Mazzarri appears unwilling to make the move permanent. Matias Silvestre: Following an underwhelming and injury-interrupted season, Silvestre moves along to city rivals AC Milan on loan, with the option for the Rossoneri to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.

Who’s In?Mauro Icardi: Impressive displays for Sampdoria last season, including four in a 6-0 rout of Pescara, prompted Inter to move early for the young Argentine. He should fit in with his compatriots Palacio and Milito to form a formidable forward line, although it remains to be seen how the pressure of playing for a club as big as Inter will weigh on the 20 year-old’s shoulders. Ishak Belfodil: The Algerian powerhouse’s on-field displays for Parma last season were certainly impressive however there is a significant question mark over his off-field attitude, most significantly a bust-up with Roberto Donadoni in training that led to him falling out of favour and eventually out of the club. If the striker can keep his head

screwed on the right way, he can be an excellent addition. Hugo Campagnaro: Mazzarri brings the dependable Argentine with him from Napoli on a free transfer. One of Serie A’s most consistent defenders over the past few seasons, he can do nothing but help Inter’s leaky defence. Rolando: Another defensive recruit formerly of Napoli, the Portugal international comes in from Porto on loan.

Keep An Eye OnMateo Kovacic: Signed in January, the injury crisis in the second half of the season thrust the 19 year-old Croatian into the first team almost immediately. He performed admirably in adverse conditions, his slick passing one of the few positives of the second half of Inter’s season. His displays were so impressive, he was handed his full Croatia debut by Igor Stimac in their World Cup qualifier against Serbia, putting in an impressive display in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the Balkan derby.

PredictionsBarring another injury crisis, Inter should at least perform better than last season and will be looking at a place in Europe at the very least. Mazzarri has led Napoli to the Champions League in two of the past three seasons and the Inter faithful will expect a return to Europe’s top table; however progress may take a while after the rut of last season and a place anywhere inside the top five should be seen as satisfactory.

Roma embark on another new era It seems Roma are in a constant state of flux in recent years. This season brings the beginning of Rudi Garcia’s reign. AS Roma are, once again, embarking on a new project for the upcoming Serie A season.

The club weren’t happy with Luis Enrique’s attempt to bring Barcelona to Italy two seasons ago, and then were dissatisfied with Zdenek Zeman’s inability to field a side that knew how to defend. This year it’s time for Rudi Garcia to show his stuff - but will he and his new squad get enough time to prove themselves before the door revolves once again?

Last SeasonUnfortunately the bigwigs in charge of the club only let Zeman stay on until February, when they then appointed Aurelio Andreazzoli as caretaker manager for the rest of the season. But Zeman’s free flowing, attacking style sure made Roma fun for much of the season, with the side scoring an absurd amount of goals - 71 over the course of the entire season - and then comically conceding them at just the wrong moments. Under Andreazzoli the team managed to pull itself back together a bit, making fewer defensive errors and managing

to finish sixth, one point above rivals Lazio.

Who’s Gone?Marquinhos: The 19-year-old Brazilian centre-back made a move to French giants PSG. Pablo Osvaldo: Southampton just announced the official signing of the forward, who’s been at Roma the past two seasons. Roma certainly weren’t complaining about the number of goals he’s scored while at the club - 27 goals in 55 league appearances for the Italian - but they’re tired of dealing with his disciplinary issues and notorious short fuse. Maarten Stekelenburg: Stek had a bit of a rough two seasons in Rome. He fell out of favour for a couple months last season, but returned to starting goalkeeping duties when Aurelio Andreazzoli took temporary charge. He’s now gone to see if he can find greener pastures at Fulham. Simone Perrotta: After eight seasons with Roma, Perrotta retired at age 35.

Who’s In?Kevin Strootman: Roma signed the Dutch international for €17m from PSV, hoping to add a little reinforcement to their midfield and possibly, just possibly, protect that fragile backline. Morgan De Sanctis: Fans of Roma now get to enjoy the special antics of De Sanctis, who has, shall we say, an unconventional style of

goalkeeping. The former Italian international joins up after four seasons at Napoli. Maicon: If someone could explain why signing a 32 year old right back who failed to impress in his final season at Inter Milan and could barely make the bench at Manchester City is a good move for a team with a seriously hapless defence...well, it’d be appreciated. Gervinho: Roma are taking a gamble, picking up the Ivorian from Arsenal. He wasn’t as successful in London as the Gunners had hoped, scoring just five Premier League goals last season and

spending much of the second half of the season on the bench. But perhaps a change of scenery is just what the forward needs. Tin Jedvaj: Yet another risk - picking up a 17 year old to fill the Marquinhos-shaped hole in their lives. Although Jedvaj is highly rated, it’s worth remembering he played just 14 times for Dinamo Zagreb. Mehdi Benatia: But it’s ok! There’s centre-back Benatia to pick up the slack! It’s more likely that the former Udinese man will see the majority of playing time.

Keep An Eye OnErik Lamela. If he stays. The Argentine is still young, just 21 years of age, but he was an integral part of the Roma side last season. He had 15 goals in 33 appearances, putting him one shy of Osvaldo.

PredictionsJust outside the European places, once again. With Roma going through systematic overhauls each season, it’s tough to see the squad coming together in a fashion that allows them to wiggle their way into Europa. Inter Milan are stronger this year, Udinese are always a threat no matter how many players they sell, Napoli are more prepared to compete on multiple fronts, Fiorentina have made smart additions and Juventus are Juventus.