Hodgson says sorry to Liverpool fans after rant

LONDON (AFP)– Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has apologised to the club's supporters after criticising them in an angry outburst following Wednesday's shock 1-0 defeat against struggling Wolves at Anfield.

Hodgson was furious after sections of the Liverpool support showed their displeasure at his reign with a sarcastic chant of"Hodgson for England" before calling for Reds legend Kenny Dalglish to be installed as manager.

Liverpool are just three points above the relegation zone after their worst start to a Premier League season and Hodgson is facing a fight to save his job.

The former Fulham boss, who only replaced Rafael Benitez as boss in June, said after the game he had never had the"famous Anfield support" in his six months in charge.

That was seen as a clear attack on his critics in the crowd but, with his fans said to be angry at his comments, Hodgson on Friday moved to quell the unrest.

"Things have been misinterpreted," Hodgson said."I'm afraid people have taken one small comment where I was describing my situation.

"I was responding to a question about how it felt to be jeered by fans, making it clear it hurts me and I was disappointed by it because no-one wants to feel they are unpopular.

"I understand it is up to me to take it on the chin but it's not been an easy ride for me.

"It's been an uphill struggle and I was not the first choice appointment with a lot of fans. But if I have offended them in any way I deeply regret that.

"All I can do is apologise and make it perfectly clear there was nothing offensive in my comments."

Hodgson said supporters were perfectly entitled to their views and accepted he and the team had to do more to improve their enjoyment.

"Fans always have the right to show their anger and disapproval - we've got fantastic fans but you have to give them something to be passionate about and we didn't do that on Wednesday," he added.

"I don't think they were happy with anyone and as manager you are first in the firing line.

"The Anfield support will always be there and what's more it's better in times of crisis."

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Malaysia grants public holiday for ASEAN Cup win

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP)– Malaysians on Thursday celebrated their first win at a regional football tournament in more than two decades, prompting the prime minister to declare a public holiday.

Malaysia took its first ASEAN Suzuki Cup on Wednesday, beating Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate over two legs of the Southeast Asian championships finals in Jakarta.

The country last won the biennial Southeast Asian Games at the 1989 Kuala Lumpur tournament and had never taken the ASEAN Cup, launched 14 years ago.

The success dominated the front pages of almost all local papers, with the influential Star daily declaring"The Cup is ours" and the New Straits Times plastering a picture of the victorious players across its front and back pages under the headline"CHAMPIONS".

Premier Najib Razak declared Friday a public holiday to mark the victory, according to state media.

"This is the greatest night in Malaysian football. The team had done us proud and we must build upon this success to propel Malaysian football to greater heights," he told the Bernama news agency late Wednesday.

An aide to the premier confirmed the announcement and comments Thursday.

The returning footballers were mobbed by over 500 fans at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in the afternoon, who presented team members with bouquets of flowers and waved Malaysian flags and banners.

In the second leg, held in Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia beat Malaysia 2-1 but it was not enough to overcome Malaysia's 3-0 win in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday.

Losing the ASEAN Suzuki Cup tournament was a bitter pill for Indonesia to swallow after beating Malaysia 5-1 in a qualification match earlier this month.

Last week's first leg was marred by incidents in which fans aimed laser beams at Indonesian players during the game.

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Togo football bus attacker sentenced to 24 years

LUANDA (AFP)– An Angolan court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 24 years jail for committing"armed rebellion" in a deadly attack on Togo's football team during the Africa Cup of Nations in January, a lawyer said.

A second suspect on trial was acquitted of involvement in the shooting, which left two members of the Togolese delegation dead and the team's goalkeeper injured.

"Joao Antonio Puati was sentenced to 24 years," his lawyer Jose Manuel told AFP by telephone, adding that co-accused Daniel Simba had been cleared.

The two men had denied involvement in the shooting, which was claimed by the separatist guerrilla movement Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC).

Antonio Nito, attorney general for the disputed oil-rich northern province of Cabinda, where the attack took place, confirmed the verdict.

"Joao Antonio Puati was at the scene and his link with FLEC was established during the trial," Nito told AFP.

"The judge was convinced that Puati took part in the attack," he added.

Wednesday's ruling followed a judgement one week ago that freed four human rights activists jailed almost 12 months ago for crimes against state security over alleged links to the militant group.

FLEC separatists have been fighting for Cabinda's independence for more than three decades.

Despite a peace deal in 2006, FLEC factions continue to wage low-level attacks in the province, which produces 60 percent of Angola's oil and is separated from the rest of the country by a strip of territory belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A total of nine people were originally arrested in connection with the January attack, but only two of them had any direct link to the shooting, according to Human Rights Watch.

The four activists freed on December 22 -- lawyer Francisco Luemba, university professor Belchior Lanso, Catholic priest Raul Tati and former police officer Jose Benjamin Fuca -- were arrested because they had documents about FLEC and had travelled to Paris for meetings with exiled leaders.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) last week said Angola's government had yet to produce a"credible investigation" into the shooting, and alleged that Puati and Simba had been abused by the military while in custody.

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Legal threat hits Blackburn's new Indian owners

MUMBAI (AFP)– The new owners of English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, Indian poultry firm Venky's, are facing a claim for more than five million dollars for allegedly reneging on a proposed joint venture deal.

Mumbai-based businessman Saurin Shah told AFP he had issued a legal notice to the firm over a proposed tie-up for the Blackburn bid between Venky's and his investment firm, Qubic Group.

The notice alleged that Venky's, which completed the deal in November for 23 million pounds (30 million dollars), was liable for the equivalent of a 24 percent stake in the club, as agreed in early talks between Venky's and Qubic.

Venky's were also bound to pay Qubic's costs and expenses for its"advice, reference and recommendations", the legal notice said.

Shah's lawyers wrote to Venky's parent company Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group on December 22, threatening legal action unless payment was made within seven days.

The correspondence claims that Venky's successful bid for Blackburn was the result of work put in by Shah, who was therefore entitled to payment.

Shah, who had been looking to buy Rovers himself, told AFP that Venky's had"backstabbed" him and completed the deal independently, with a"dishonest" motive of depriving Qubic.

"This is unethical and nothing less than a highway robbery," he told AFP.

AFP contacted Venky's several times for a response to the allegations but the company did not reply.

Venky's sacked Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce earlier this month after a defeat to his old club Bolton Wanderers that left the Ewood Park side 13th in the Premier League.

Allardyce himself said he was"very shocked and disappointed" and many fans were outraged, while Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson described the move as"stupid".

Venky's are still looking for a new manager and have said the candidate needs to be British and able to take the club to a top-seven finish through entertaining football.

But injury problems and a potential lack of funds in next month's transfer window threaten that ambition.

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Man. United's Fergie shrugs off Rooney goal drought

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP)– Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he's unconcerned about Wayne Rooney's goal drought, believing the England striker is close to once again becoming the country's deadliest striker.

Rooney has not scored for United in open play since netting against Bayern Munich in March, but Ferguson was delighted with the England forward's overall contribution in Sunday's 2-0 win over Sunderland at Old Trafford.

"Wayne had a couple of tries. He was very unlucky with the chip and there were a couple of shots saved by the goalkeeper," Ferguson said.

"He is getting there. The important thing is he is playing well. That is refreshing."

Meanwhile, Ferguson hopes to welcome back Darren Fletcher and Nani at Birmingham on Tuesday after his team maintained pole position in the Premier League with Sunday's three points.

Ferguson was without the pair for the win at Old Trafford that was cemented by two goals from Bulgaria forward Dimitar Berbatov, who now has 13 for the season, and a man of the match performance from Brazilian playmaker Anderson.

The Scot, who turns 69 on Friday, was able to take off Anderson and evergreen winger Ryan Giggs early in the second half and, while Ferguson declared himself happy with an unbeaten league run that now extends to 22 games, the return of Fletcher and Nani can only help United consolidate first place when they travel to St Andrew's.

"You have to make changes," said Ferguson, noting that Birmingham will have benefited from the postponement of their Boxing Day visit to Everton.

"I took Anderson off, took Ryan off. We've got a game in two days' time. Birmingham have not played, they will be nice and fresh.

"Darren Fletcher had a bit of a cold, he came down with it this morning, we couldn't take any chances. Nani has been feeling his hip the last few days so we left him out. He should be ready for the Birmingham game.

"Birmingham will be fresh. Going down there is always a difficult place, they've always had a strong home record, they're difficult to beat on their own ground."

Ever the perfectionist, Ferguson did confess that his team's failure to convert a host of chances they created against Sunderland was a disappointment.

"Absolutely," said Ferguson."We hit the bar, the post, the goalkeeper made a couple of saves, we had some really good football, some exciting stuff.

"Once the game went into that part - Dimitar had a couple saved - we just seemed to go into third gear.

"The first half was the game, we were fantastic, it could have been any score.

"The second half we put the tools away and bit, maybe they were saving their legs. They knew Birmingham's game was off and maybe that gets to their minds. We were very economical second half, put it that way.

"But we're coming to good form. The last few weeks we have played some very good stuff and had that consistency, particularly defending. We were solid at the back, these are good signs for us."

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce sounded like one rival manager who is ready to concede the title to United.

"They've been involved in first or second for the last six years and I can't see any change in that," he said."They will be there or therabouts. And usually they get better from here on in.

"That first half is arguably the best they have played. I hear they haven't played that well and they're unbeaten in - what? - six months; that's not a bad stat.

"They're top of the league with a game in hand. History tells you that they get better in the second half of the season. They've got some big games coming up but I wouldn't bet against them."

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Inter hunt top spot, Bremen playing for pride

BREMEN, Germany (AFP)– Werder Bremen are looking to end their unhappy Champions League campaign on a rare high on Tuesday when they host defending champions Inter Milan who are aiming to finish top of Group A.

Inter are already through to the last 16, but they need a convincing win at the Weserstadion if they want to finish the group phase on top of the table.

The Italians are second behind Tottenham Hotspur by virtue of their rivals' head-to-head superiority and need to better the London club's result at Twente if they are to advance as group winners.

Inter are sixth in Serie A and suffered a 3-1 defeat at Lazio on Friday, their fourth of the season.

The Lazio defeat has piled further pressure on under-fire coach Rafael Benitez, who admitted his struggling side had one eye on the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi later this month.

"That is our most important appointment," Benitez said.

"We knew this match would be difficult because our heads are already on the Club World Cup.

It's also important to do well at Werder Bremen, as first place in the Champions League group is better than second."

Bremen have no hope of progressing and their 3-0 defeat at Tottenham a fortnight ago means they will finish last in the group and there will not even be a Europa League place for them after Christmas.

Werder have had a dreadful start to the season in the German league and coach Thomas Schaaf, who has been in charge since 1999, is in danger of losing his job, unless results improve.

They have won just two of their last ten games.

A heavy 6-0 defeat at Stuttgart in the German league was followed by a 4-0 reversal at Schalke 04 recently and the club have held a series of crisis' meetings to try and turn things around.

Bremen held Wolfsburg to a goalless draw on Saturday as captain Torsten Frings had a late penalty saved while Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko fired his spot kick over the bar just minutes later.

Werder are 10th in the league and although defender Mikael Silvestre and striker Claudio Pizarro resumed training with the first team on Monday after back and leg problems respectively, Schaaf is unlikely to risk the pair.

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Liverpool plan Indonesian football academy

JAKARTA (AFP)– English football club Liverpool FC is planning to set up its first Southeast Asian academy for young players in Indonesia next year, its coordinator said Monday.

The proposal will be pushed this week when the Reds' legendary former striker Ian Rush on Thursday visits the country of 240 million people, where football is hugely popular.

Rush, 49, will"give impetus and assess developments", said Chris Wren, executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, which acts as a bridge to the club.

"This is the first formal academy pilot in Southeast Asia. It does not necessarily follow that a full academy will materialise," he told AFP.

"However, if this pilot is successful, as we believe it will be, then it makes the establishment of a permanent academy more likely" in 2011, he added.

The academy is likely to be set up in Jakarta, with its Football Association-accredited coaches coming from England, The Jakarta Globe newspaper reported on Monday.

Ranked a lowly 131 in the FIFA world rankings, Indonesia nonetheless comes to a virtual standstill for events such as the World Cup.

English clubs, among them Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, enjoy very strong support, complete with fan clubs, in the world's fourth most-populated country.

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Mancini cool after latest Tevez row

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP)– Roberto Mancini played down talk of a row with Carlos Tevez after the Argentina striker reacted angrily to being substituted in the closing seconds of Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Bolton.

The duo appeared to exchange angry words as Tevez, who had earlier scored his tenth goal of the season, left the field to be replaced by James Milner in the 90th minute at Eastlands.

It is not the first time Tevez has clashed with his boss after reports of a dressing room row earlier this season, but the Italian again kept his cool over the supposed rift.

"I'm happy for that," said Mancini of his player's reaction."I'd like all the players to be like Carlos.

"At the moment, every player wants to stay on the pitch but I needed a player like Milner on there because he is taller than Carlos and better at set pieces. I have no problem with what Carlos said."

The bigger issue surrounding Tevez may well be that his fifth booking of the season now means he will miss City's next game, the visit to West Ham on Saturday.

Given the number of chances City missed against Bolton, and the fact Mancini recently said that if Tevez does not score for his side, nobody does, his absence could be a concern.

Mancini, however, took a more positive view this time and said:"I'm sure we could cover for him. We must improve because every time Carlos doesn't play, we must continue to score. We have other players who can score."

However, the City manager did concede that his side must improve their finishing after missing a host of chances against Bolton.

"I'm happy we won but we must improve this situation. Like against Birmingham, we had a lot of chances to score and, games like this, if you don't score two or three, you can draw," he said.

"We deserved to win by three or four but we must improve. Sometimes the players were too selfish.

"If I'd played in this game, I would have scored two or three! We didn't concede a chance in the first half and had maybe 15 chances to score but this is football. For that reason, we must score."

Victory keeps City within three points of new leaders Arsenal, following the postponement of previous leaders Manchester United's visit to Blackpool.

Mancini holds firm to his belief that out-of-sorts Chelsea will retain their title and did not entertain the notion of City competing for it.

"I continue to think Chelsea will win the title but, for us, we will continue to work hard and continue to play and look at the table every week," he said.

"Every game is difficult in the Premier League. We might not have to play United or Chelsea this month but we have to play at West Ham, Everton at home - very, very hard games."

City will also be without full-back Aleksandar Kolarov, sent off late in the game after collecting two yellow cards within the space of four minutes, the second for a lunge on Sam Ricketts, a decision with which Mancini disagreed.

"I don't agree with that sending off," he said."Like I didn't agree in the first half when the linesman gave David Silva offside. I didn't think it was a sending off. Kolarov took the ball before."

Bolton manager Owen Coyle could not be too despondent, given his team's recent fine run of form, and, while he was reluctant to discuss such prospects, the chances of his team qualifying for Europe look strong for the second half of the campaign.

"I'm not being evasive but I only look from one week to another," he said.

"We're not one of those glamour, elite clubs with a two or three- year plan. We have to go from week to week."

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Play Qatar W.Cup in January, says Beckenbauer

BERLIN (AFP)– German football legend Franz Beckenbauer has suggested that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar be held in January to avoid the searing summer heat in the Gulf country.

A member of the FIFA executive committee that stunned the world on Thursday by according the 2022 tournament to the tiny emirate, Beckenbauer said that it would be wrong to stage the event in the traditional close-season period of June/July.

"We need to consider this solution of January and February when in Qatar the temperatures are around a pleasant 25 degrees," he told Bild newspaper.

"Why would that not be acceptable? The schedules for the big European leagues are due to be changed in 2012 and that would mean the impact would be less.

"Also it would be a viable alternative to the huge expenses involved in setting up air-conditioning for the stadiums and the fan zones."

Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner both as a player and a manager, refused to say who he had voted for in Zurich when the World Cup hosts for 2018 and 2022 were designated.

But he did admit to being left lost for words by Qatar getting the nod for 2022 ahead of the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea.

"What astonishes me is that Australia was eliminated in the first round of voting, just like England (for 2018), but I am sure Russia will be an excellent host in 2018)."

Beckenbauer has already said that he will stand down from the 22-strong FIFA executive next year.

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Russia, Qatar triumph as World Cup losers cry foul

ZURICH (AFP)– Russia and the tiny Gulf state of Qatar have scored stunning victories in the battle for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, triggering anguished disappointment and cries of foul play from losing bidders.

The surprise results Thursday came after an acrimonious bidding war tainted by allegations of corruption.

In a historic conclusion to two years of frenzied lobbying, world football chief Sepp Blatter revealed the surprise winners following a secret ballot of 22 FIFA executive committee members in Zurich.

The announcement means that after the 2014 tournament in Brazil, the World Cup will be staged in two countries that have never hosted the event before. And it will head to the Middle East for the first time in the heat of Qatar.

Russia prevailed in the 2018 race after upsetting England -- who were knocked out in the first round of voting after mustering a mere two votes -- and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands.

After deciding to skip the actual vote, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin jetted into Zurich late Thursday to congratulate FIFA and the Russian bid team on the result, which he said was a defeat for England.

"A 2018 World Cup will be up to the highest standards, new modern stadiums will be built in time and to perfection: we are eager to do our best for the comfort and safety of our guests," Putin said.

Asked about England's meagre support from FIFA's decision-makers, he said:"Britain is a great football country and in Russia we have a lot of fans of your football."

But while promising a warm welcome for England's players, should they qualify, he added pointedly:"Great Britain lost."

The shock of the day came in the 2022 race, where Qatar beat off stiff competition from the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan in a remarkable result.

Qatar 2022 bid president Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani said his country's victory had defied the odds.

"We started off being written off, being the unconventional bid. And no-one thought we had a chance to win," he said.

"On behalf of millions living in the Middle East, thank you FIFA for having such bold vision. We have a date with history which is summer 2022."

Qatar's win came despite serious reservations being raised by a FIFA technical report about the logistical problems of staging the football tournament in the Gulf during the searing heat of the summer months.

The oil-rich Qataris have promised to build an array of state-of-the-art stadia to keep players and fans comfortable in a climate-controlled environment, but the technology has never been tested on a large scale before.

Al-Thani dismissed concerns about the climate as"misconceptions".

Yet there was global disbelief at the shock victory for Qatar, who have never played in a World Cup.

US President Barack Obama, who had recorded a personal appeal in support of the beaten American bid, told reporters in Washington:"I think it was the wrong decision."

Dejected Australian fans in Sydney were more forthright.

"Soccer is dead to me," Jeremy Tom, 26, told AFP."What a rort (scam). Who goes to Qatar to watch the world game? It's a joke."

On Internet chat sites in the United States and Asia, allegations of shady dealing were rife.

"They can bribe us next time," an angry US fan tweeted. One netizen in South Korea said sarcastically:"Korean electronics companies should get ready for the bid to provide air conditioners to Qatar."

Thursday's results brought the curtain down on one of the most controversial World Cup votes in years, with FIFA facing myriad allegations of corruption which led to two executive committee members being suspended.

An ill-tempered climax to the campaign saw Spanish and Russian officials issue veiled attacks on England, after the British media had led the charge on alleged financial impropriety in FIFA.

England 2018 failed even to make it to the second round of voting despite a heavyweight lobbying offensive led by Prime Minister David Cameron, heir to the throne Prince William and football icon David Beckham.

"According to FIFA we had the best technical team, no one could identify any risks of coming to England. I think we had the strongest commercial bid and the country is passionate about football," Cameron told reporters.

"But it turns out that's not enough."

Former England team manager Graham Taylor was scathing.

"What did we expect?" he told BBC radio."FIFA, as far as I'm concerned, is full of people who say'yes' to your face and'no' behind your back."

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Spain-Portugal'ready for World Cup now'

ZURICH (AFP)– Spain-Portugal, one of the favourites to host the 2018 World Cup, said Thursday it was ready to host the event now as it made its final pitch for the event hours before FIFA chooses the host nation.

"We could organise a World Cup next month if necessary," Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero in a display of government support along with his Portuguese counterpart Jose Socrates.

Shortly before FIFA's executive committee votes, the Iberian bid soberly highlighted its experience as a top tourist destination and a host of major world sports events in recent years.

Barcelona staged the Olympic Games in 1992, Portugal hosted Euro 2004 while Spain was the World Cup venue in 1982.

"Professionalism, competence and security are three key words," said Socrates.

"This is a bid that will shine out, that goes above and beyond our two countries."

With a brace of Spanish and Portuguese footballing stars, including Spain captain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, Fernando Hierro, Portugal's Luis Figo and Eusebio, in Zurich, Iberian officials also played up a passion for the game and top trophies.

"We wanted to focus on the use of already existing stadia that are being used by top level clubs in competition," added Miguel Angel Lopez, managing director of the Spain-Portugal bid.

Gilberto Madail, the Portuguese deputy bid chief said:"We are convinced we can organise the best World Cup ever because we have the knowhow."

The formal presentation ended with a impassioned but lengthy plea by Angel Maria Villar Llona, the Spanish member of FIFA's executive committee, who insisted that the bidding process was clean.

The other candidates competing to host the 2018 World Cup -- England, Russia, and Netherlands/Belgium -- made their final formal presentations before FIFA's grandees vote behind closed doors at 2:00pm local time (1300 GMT) in Zurich.

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Frenzied lobbying as World Cup D-day looms

ZURICH (AFP)– The frenzied race for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups entered the home straight here Wednesday as rival bids prepared to make final presentations on the eve of the scandal-tainted election.

The five countries battling for the 2022 football extravaganza - Australia, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Qatar - were to showcase their bids in 30-minute pitches to voters at FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

High-powered delegations from the countries slugging it out for the 2018 tournament meanwhile were engaging in frantic last-ditch lobbying before making their own presentations on Thursday.

Russia has emerged as the bookmakers favourite in the final days before the vote, pulling clear of England and a joint bid from Spain and Portugal. A Dutch-Belgian bid is regarded as a long-odds outsider.

However England are pulling out all the stops with Prime Minister David Cameron, heir to the throne Prince William and football icon David Beckham networking relentlessly with FIFA delegates.

Cameron met FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Tuesday before holding talks late into the night with five other members of the 22-strong executive committee which will vote in Thursday's ballot.

The British leader was to fly back to London from Zurich to participate in Prime Minister's questions in parliament before jetting back to Switzerland later Wednesday to resume campaigning.

Beckham meanwhile told a press conference on Wednesday that he had faith in FIFA voters to judge each bid on its merits.

"I think we can trust every one of the members," he said."At the end of the day they're football people. They're going to want a World Cup in the best country that they think could host the biggest sporting event in the world."

Beckham, who revealed Prince William had met a FIFA executive over breakfast early Wednesday, said he hoped the star power of the English bid could help pull off a victory similar to London's triumph for the 2012 Olympics.

"Having the Prime Minister here is a huge deal," he said."It shows how important it is to us and and it shows how up for it we are."

English hopes have been rocked by several media reports alleging corruption within FIFA which could trigger a backlash among voters.

A Sunday Times investigation snared two FIFA members apparently offering to sell their votes in exchange for cash. Both officials were later suspended by FIFA and will not take part in the vote.

On Monday, BBC documentary Panorama accused three more FIFA executive committee members of involvement in a decade-old corruption scandal.

A fourth FIFA member, Trinidadian official Jack Warner, seen as a key figure for English hopes, was accused by the programme of trying to sell World Cup tickets on the black market.

While England's lobbying effort is being spearheaded by Cameron, it remained unclear whether Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would arrive in Zurich for the final hours of campaigning.

FIFA's executive committee will cast votes in a series of ballots starting at 2:00 pm local time Thursday (1300 GMT) until one bid has received an absolute majority.

Blatter has admitted that the decision to stage the votes for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments at the same time was a mistake, raising the probability of collusion between bidders.

The United States delegation in Zurich is being led by former President Bill Clinton with Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman also part of the team.

Australian hopes of victory suffered a setback Tuesday when it was confirmed that the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) would not be represented at the vote because its president refused to drop his appeal against suspension.

OFC chief Reynald Temarii, one of the two FIFA executives suspended after the Sunday Times corruption investigation, said he planned to press on with attempts to overturn his ban.

The move is a blow to Australia's chances of success, as the OFC had pledged to support Football Federation Australia's bid.

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League not over, says defeated Mourinho

MADRID (AFP)– Jose Mourinho refused to make excuses for Real Madrid's humiliating 5-0 defeat to champions Barcelona in the Clasico at Camp Nou admitting his'Galacticos' had been well below-par but dismissed suggestions that the margin of victory reflected the difference between the two sides.

Mourinho tasted his first defeat in charge of Real on Monday and it was one of the heaviest and most painful of his career in what was his maiden Clasico as Barcelona outclassed their bitter rivals with Spanish World Cup winner David Villa scoring twice in the rout.

"It is a result for one team that played well and punishment for one that played very poorly and we deserved to lose," said Mourinho.

"I don't think you can say the result reflects the difference between the two teams and the championship isn't over today and there is still a lot for us to play for in this league as we are only two points behind."

Real's wounded players have now lost five successive Clasicos to Barcelona, with their last victory coming back in April 2008, and must pick themselves up for Saturday's home match against Valencia.

"We have to show character. I spoke to the players in the dressing room and when you lose 5-0 like today you have to come back with desire to train hard and win matches again," declared Mourinho.

"The next game is Saturday which is a shame because I wish it were tomorrow as that would be the best thing."

On a personal note it was a disappointing night for Mourinho on his return to Camp Nou, where he used to work as a translator under Bobby Robson and where he became public enemy number one when his Inter Milan defeated Barcelona in last season's Champions League semi-finals.

"Sometimes you come away with good results as I did with Chelsea and Inter Milan but sometimes it doesn't work out," said Mourinho."I am sad of course because we lost and I expected much more as we had been playing well.

"However, the game is over now and there is nothing much we can do. We are still a work in progress."

For Barca coach Pep Guardiola it was a fifth consecutive Clasico win as he continued his 100 percent record in the fixture and the 5-0 drubbing goes down as one of the greatest ever Barca wins along with the 6-2 thrashing of Real at the Santiago Bernabeu in May 2009.

"We won the league with the 6-2 in Bernabeu but we are only in November now," said Guardiola."Real are a strong rival and this will be a tough title fight until the end of the season.

"To beat a team with the most league championships and Champions League titles gives us real satisfaction and we can be happy to stay loyal to our philosophies of attacking and dominating games with style.

"The difference between the two sides is not reflected by the result as it is just one game. Everything went well for us and these games don't happen very often."

Asked if the current Barcelona side was the best ever Guardiola replied:"I am not going to say we are the best Barcelona team ever or that we are the best team in the world. I will let time pass and people can decide that on their own."

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FIFA chief undecided ahead of World Cup host vote

PORT SPAIN (AFP)– FIFA Vice President Jack Warner is"keeping his cards close to his chest" about which country he will support as World Cup host in 2018.

Warner however made clear his preference for the United States hosting the event in 2022, ahead of the December 2 vote in Zurich.

Warner is also head of the North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and is considered to be the most influential football administrator in the Western Hemisphere, but in a statement on Sunday, he said he remains"undecided as to which nation will get CONCACAF's vote."

FIFA's longest serving vice president described the English bid as"impressive" but warned the competition is stiff for all bidders.

"All nations have made impressive presentations. On December 2nd it will come down to who is able to convince the Executive Committee. I am still undecided as to whom we will support, but the CONCACAF family will vote together", Warner said.

"I have stated it openly and I will reiterate, for the 2022 World Cup, the United States has CONCACAF?s full support," he added.

Warner departed for Zurich on Sunday to attend what is arguably the most highly anticipated FIFA Executive Committee meeting of the decade.

He will meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron for lunch, and president of the English Football Association, Prince William, has also requested a meeting with Warner as they seek to bolster England's chances.

Cameron extended the invitation to Warner during a telephone conversation two weeks ago.

The 67-year-old Trinidadian football administrator is also expected to meet with former US President Bill Clinton as well as with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia, all of whom will be in Zurich this week to lend support for their various bid teams.

With much controversy surrounding this bid, Warner's emphasized"the football fraternity has received intense criticism and scrutiny over the last month."

"Despite the past we must now work together to restore the confidence in the sport and its administrators", he added.

New allegations of corruption arose on Sunday, involving FIFA officials allegedly having taken"millions in payment," Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported.

Assuring that the voting process is"free, fair and democratic," Warner said"we understand the importance of the December 2nd vote. The eyes of the world will be watching and I am certain we will all do what is best for the game".

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Chelsea's'fear factor'has gone, manager agrees

NEWCASTLE, England (AFP)– Carlo Ancelotti has reinforced Florent Malouda's claim that Chelsea's recent loss of form means they no longer carry a fear factor into games.

Ancelotti's side face Newcastle United at St James' Park having lost three of their last four Premier League games, scoring just one goal in the process.

The midweek Champions League victory over MSK Zilina brought relief following last weekend's defeat at Birmingham City but the recent problems on the pitch have been mirrored by off-field concerns following the dismissal of assistant manager Ray Wilkins.

Ancelotti's own future has also been subject to growing speculation.

And the Italian manager accepts the assessment of Malouda, the Chelsea midfielder, who believes the change in fortunes at Stamford Bridge means opposition sides are less intimidated by the prospect of facing the reigning champions.

"At the beginning of the season, when you're winning 6-0, you can put pressure on the team," Ancelotti said.

"Now a lot of teams have improved their confidence to play us. This is normal. We've had some problems playing against particular teams. I agree with him."

Ancelotti has made it clear he believes his side's problems lie in front of goal where his side have proved less ruthless when it comes to converting chances.

Midfielder John Mikel Obi, however, believes the recent run of injuries and suspensions that have seen John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Alex and Didier Drogba sidelined has stretched the squad too far.

"Everyone who knows Chelsea knows the reason why this is happening - we are short of players," said Obi.

"We have so many players injured or suspended, so I think people know why this is happening, but at the same time there are no excuses for the players who are playing.

"We have to take responsibility for results and start to win these games."

Terry and Lampard are both still injured while Essien serves the final game of a three-match suspension.

Newcastle have suspension problems too as they bid to beat Chelsea on home soil for the first time in four-and-a-half years, with three players banned for the visit of the Premier League Champions.

Centre-backs Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini start three-game suspensions, meaning Steven Taylor and veteran former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell are on standby for their first Premier League starts of the season.

Midfielder Joey Barton serves the last of his three-match ban, with Ivory Coast international Cheik Tiote returning from a one-game suspension in place of Alan Smith.

Newcastle beat Chelsea 4-3 in a thrilling League Cup tie at Stamford Bridge back in September, but after an encouraging start to the season following promotion from the Championship, a disappointing return of one point from their last three games sees them in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle.

Manager Chris Hughton admits that with a relatively small squad, Newcastle can't afford to keep shooting themselves in the foot by losing players to suspension for lengthy spells.

"To lose the two centre-halves for three games is a big, big blow but we just have to get on with it," he said.

"This is where players have to be responsible for their actions and they have to accept their bans. Discipline is something we remind players about all the time. We can't afford to lose any more players.

"Chelsea was already going to be a tough game but it's even more difficult now because we've lost three first-choice players. These are the sort of things sent to try you over the course of a season, and it's about how we respond."

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Things will only get harder, says AC Milan's Gattuso

ROME (AFP)– AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso believes things are going to start getting tougher for the Serie A leaders as they travel to Sampdoria this weekend.

Milan opened up a three point gap at the top of the table last week with a 1-0 defeat of Fiorentina, coupled with Lazio's 1-1 draw at Parma.

Things are going well for Massimiliano Allegri's team as they also qualified for the Champions League knock-out stages in midweek following a 2-0 win at Auxerre.

However, Sampdoria is a notoriously difficult destination for visiting teams and, what's more, Gattuso suspects there is widespread determination to beat the leaders.

"Now things are going to get tough," he warned.

"All the teams we'll play against will have the attitude that they're playing the leaders and they'll give 100 percent.

"They also did it before because playing against Milan is always very important but when you're top every match played is one less towards the final objective.

"With every game the three points become more important."

Gattuso also played tribute to his team's battling spirit given that they have been missing some top players at various stages this season.

"Right now we're missing a player who for me defines football: Andrea Pirlo," added Gattuso of his great friend.

"The fact that he's missing and we're still getting results says a lot about what makes this sport special.

"You also need a lot of luck. For example, against Auxerre we didn't play well but you could see how much we wanted to win.

"When you have such motivation no-one is indispensible and me even less so."

Sampdoria has always been a difficult place to go to but Domenico Di Carlo's team have been highly inconsistent this season.

They have only lost at home once, to Napoli, but have also struggled a lot, being held to scoreless home draws by the likes of Chievo, Catania and Udinese.

Overall they have won only four games out of 13 and drawn seven.

Sampdoria are also still without star forward Antonio Cassano, who remains suspended by his club for having insulted president Riccardo Garrone. The club is trying to terminate the 28-year-old's contract.

Second placed Lazio host Catania while third-placed Napoli are at Udinese in games that look decidedly winnable on paper.

One team that needs a real boost, though, is champions Inter Milan as they have not won in four league matches.

That run has seen them drop to sixth and nine points behind Milan.

But playmaker Wesley Sneijder believes Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League success against FC Twente can be a springboard for Rafael Benitez's team.

That saw them qualify for the knock-out stages of Europe's premier club competition and now Sneijder insists the club is buoyed.

"We're going through a tough period but we knew before the game that if we won we'd qualify," he said.

"That's really important for us, finally we've won and our morale is great, we can't wait to play the next match."

Inter host struggling Parma in Sunday's early match knowing they must win to have any chance of rekindling their title hopes.

However they will be without top goalscorer Samuel Eto'o, the scorer of nine of their 14 league goals, as he starts a three-game ban for his headbutt against Chievo last week.

That will leave injury-ravaged Inter short up front as Diego Milito and Coutinho are also out.

Fixtures:

Saturday

Sampdoria v AC Milan, Juventus v Fiorentina

Sunday

Inter Milan v Parma, Bari v Cesena, Bologna v Chievo, Brescia v Genoa, Cagliari v Lecce, Lazio v Catania, Udinese v Napoli, Palermo v Roma

bc10

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Rooney apologises to Manchester United fans

GLASGOW (AFP)– Wayne Rooney has tried to make his peace with Manchester United's fans by saying sorry for the way his contract talks were concluded last month.

The England striker appeared to question United's desire and left open the possibility he might move to local rivals Manchester City.

It left a sour taste with many United fans who, when Rooney did extend his Old Trafford contract by five years, felt he toyed with their emotions in the hope of getting a better financial deal.

Rooney, before scoring his match-winning penalty in United's 1-0 Champions League victory over Rangers at Ibrox here on Wednesday, said:"I feel like I have apologised to the fans but everyone keeps saying that I haven't.

"If that is the case, then I apologise for my side of things.

"I have made my point clear since I signed my contract that I am committed to this club for the long term. I want to be successful here.

"Everyone is saying that I was definitely going to Manchester City. Believe me if I had gone it wouldn't have been in England."

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson blamed Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, for giving the forward bad advice but the 25-year-old himself was adamant he never wanted to leave Old Trafford.

"You see so many players leave this club and not do so well so I am delighted to have stayed."

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FIFA says England WCup could clash with Wimbledon

GENEVA (AFP)– England's bid to stage football's World Cup in 2018 may suffer from a possible clash with the historic Wimbledon tennis tournament in June to July, according to FIFA's technical evaluation.

"It is a FIFA requirement that no other major sporting event is hosted in a Host City during the event period and the fact that the Wimbledon tennis championships take place in London during late June/early July could have an impact on the public attention given to the FIFA World Cup," the evaluation report said.

Dates for football's month-long showpiece event in 2018 have not been set but they have typically straddled those two months when it has been hosted by European countries.

Wimbledon, the world's oldest tennis tournament, has been staged since 1877 over a two-week period in late June and early July.

The report was published by world football's governing body two weeks before British Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William are expected to join David Beckham in a high-profile final pitch by England against other bidders in Zurich.

FIFA's technical evaluation team found that England's stadiums exceeded minimum requirements and highlighted the country's experience with hosting international sports events as well as transport links.

However, they raised technical questions about the readiness of training sites and contractual issues over accommodation.

England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium are in the running to host the 2018 World Cup.

Australia, the United States, Japan, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for the 2022 event.

The hosts of both tournaments will be chosen simultaneously by FIFA's executive committee in Zurich on December 2.

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