Football News And Transfer News: October 2013

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Swedes, Nigeria even in six-goal thriller

NGA20Baba SALIHU

CoachesRoland LARSSON (SWE) (NGA) Manu GARBA OfficialsReferee: Nestor PITANA (ARG)Assistant Referee 1: Juan Pablo BELATTI (ARG)Assistant Referee 2: Diego BONFA (ARG)Fourth official: Hugo CRUZ (CRC) Have Your Say

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Suarez strike sees Argentina edge Austria

Argentina and Austria’s thrilling encounter in Dubai was settled in the 88th minute by Leonardo Suarez, who gave the South Americans a crucial 3-2 win to put them atop Group E. More

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Huff: I'm adapting everyday

When, in February 2011, Michel Huff left Brazil to become the new fitness coach at Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkiv, he was unsure as to how long he would be staying.

“I packed a suitcase for two or three months, and though I went with the intention of staying there, I wasn’t certain about it,” he told FIFA.com a little sheepishly. “Let’s face it, it’s hard to have things clear in your mind when your life changes so much from one day to the next.”

A new country and an unfamiliar climate were not the only challenges facing Huff, who found himself the solitary Brazilian in a coaching team made up entirely of Ukrainians.

Yet, nearly three years on from making the move, Huff is still in Kharkiv, having since taken on the duties of assistant coach, tourist guide, translator, cultural attaché and barbeque cook, not to mention half a dozen other posts, all of which he happily spoke about in an interview with FIFA.com.

That radical transformation in his job description is one that has taken by Michel and his club by surprise. When he arrived in Ukraine no one could have foreseen he would become one of the most vital cogs in the northeastern club’s carefully planned and ambitious project.

Seeking to emulate Shakhtar Donetsk’s recent success, Metalist decided to invest in South American players in a bid to increase their standing on the domestic scene. And when they began drafting new players in, the club decided that it made sense to have Huff take charge of training sessions, given his ability to switch between Portuguese and English and mix in a little bit of Spanish, albeit on an interim basis only.

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Title candidates get off the mark

Two of the favourites for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2013 crown, Mexico and Argentina, gave clear statements of their intent in recording their first victories in the United Arab Emirates. Defending champions Mexico made amends for their heavy opening defeat against Nigeria, while Argentina moved top of their group following a draw on opening day.

The Nigerians, tipped by many to go all the way, may not have been as ruthless as they were previously, but they still showed their considerable firepower in a frenetic encounter with Sweden. The Europeans were twice in front during the match, but they had to settle for a point come the final whistle.

The results
Group E - Dubai
Canada 1-1 Iran
Argentina 3-2 Austria

Group F

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Mexico's Ulises has home in his heart

With such fervor, such a passion for home, one wonders if there’s a special significance to Rivas’s given name, Ulises (Spanish for Ulysses). He’s far away, fighting for his colours, hoping only to return home a hero. Is he Homer’s Ulysses? Is this his Odyssey? Well, not exactly, but home certainly weighs heavily on Ulises and the band of young warriors he captains.

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Milan hold Barça, Celtic clip Ajax

Share Lionel Messi scored on his starting return to Barcelona's line-up as they drew 1-1 with AC Milan in Group H of the UEFA Champions League at the San Siro on Tuesday.

Messi has been sidelined by injury - which forced him to miss Argentina's FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers last week - but was needed to claim a point after a defensive howler gifted Milan the lead.

Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique were at fault to allow Robinho to combine with Kaka before putting his side ahead. Messi replied on 23 minutes after he was afforded too much space, but despite the visitors dominating thereafter they were unable to find a winner.

Barcelona top Group H with seven points, with AC Milan having five. Celtic come next with three after beating Ajax 2-1. James Forrest's penalty put them ahead and Beram Kayal made it two. Nir Biton was then sent off and Lasse Schone netted a consolation.

In London, Arsenal's bubble was burst by Robert Lewandowski as Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 at the Emirates. The Gunners have been all-conquering this season but fell behind to Henrikh Mkhitaryan's 16th-minute opener.

Olivier Giroud levelled before half-time but Dortmund always looked lively and Lewandowski won it for them with eight minutes left.

The other game in F also ended 2-1 as Napoli won in Marseille - the French side having lost all three games so far. Jose Callejon put Napoli ahead three minutes before the break and Duvan Zapata put Rafael Benitez's men clear as they bounced back from their weekend loss to Roma.

Andre Ayew struck for the hosts with four minutes left but it was too late, with Arsenal, Napoli and Dortmund all tied together on six points.

Chelsea won 3-0 in Germany as they saw off Schalke to go to the top of Group E. Fernando Torres scored twice for Jose Mourinho's men, with Eden Hazard adding the other on a fine night for the 2012 winners. The other game in that group saw Basel lose ground as they drew 1-1 with Steaua Bucharest.

Marcelo Diaz put the Swiss ahead after the interval but with two minutes left Leandro Tatu earned the Romanians a point. In Group G, Atletico Madrid won 3-0 at Austria Vienna.

Raul Garcia scored once and Diego Costa twice for Diego Simeone's side, who lost their 100 per cent La Liga record at the weekend. They head the group on nine points and are almost on the brink of qualification, with second-placed Zenit St Petersburg 1-0 winners at Porto thanks to Aleksandr Kerzhakov's goal.

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Two-goal Torres buoys Mourinho

Share Jose Mourinho was thrilled to see Fernando Torres repay his faith as the striker netted twice in a 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory at Schalke which took Chelsea top of Group E.

Torres was preferred to Samuel Eto'o to make his 100th Chelsea start and netted his 38th and 39th goals for the Blues following his £50million move from Liverpool before Eden Hazard added a late third.

The FIFA World Cup™-winning striker has been much-maligned, mainly due to his hefty price tag, but Mourinho has belief in the ability of the Spaniard and was pleased to see his selection justified.

"What boosts him is the confidence he knows I have in him," Mourinho said. "Samuel played a very good game against Cardiff and scored the winning goal.

"I thought Fernando was adapted to this game. I put faith in him and he answered well. It's good for him, it's a good feeling to score goals, winning goals in the Champions League."

After beginning the Champions League campaign with a surprise home loss to Basle, Chelsea now lead the pool following wins away to Steaua Bucharest and Schalke ahead of the return match with the Germans at Stamford Bridge on 6 November.

Mourinho added: "After the first game we were last, because we lost at home, and now we are top of the group.

"Because of my experience I was not in hell after the first game and I'm not in heaven today. I'm calm. I know we have two matches at home (to come) and I know normally we are going to get enough points to qualify.

"In this moment, after six points, we can think first about qualifying, but after that, maybe, we can also think about finishing first in the group. That is what we are going to try (to do).

"We were under pressure after the first game, after the second game we found a balance and today, after this victory, we are in a good situation."

It was Mourinho's first Champions League win against a German team in Germany, although Gelsenkirchen was the neutral venue when he guided Porto to victory over Monaco in the 2004 final.

He added: "I knew that if somebody asked me, (they) only ask about half of the record. The record is always defeat in Germany, and I never lost at home against a German team."

Chelsea were playing on German turf for the first time since winning the 2012 European Cup in Munich and, like on that occasion, for large parts of the game had to absorb the pressure applied by their opponents.

After Torres' headed opener in the fifth minute, he completed a stunning counter-attack featuring Hazard and Oscar for the second before the Belgium forward's half-field dart and neat finish completed victory.

Mourinho was particularly happy with the performance of goalkeeper Petr Cech, defenders Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta and defensive midfielders Ramires and Frank Lampard.

"Everything started with the way we defended," Mourinho added. "My goalkeeper, my four defenders and Rami and Lampard, they gave us fantastic stability.

"We had a difficult period in the first half, which a team always has, and in that period, the last 10, 15 minutes of the first half Schalke were really dominant. After that we were compact, we were solid. We controlled the game, we were always dangerous. My team deserved the points."

Schalke deflated by margin
Schalke head coach Jens Keller was frustrated by the margin of victory. "I don't think we lost that badly," Keller said. "The early goal irritated me; we conceded a goal after just five minutes.

"After that the team tried everything, we had three or four chances and if you don't score against a team like Chelsea, things just aren't going to work out. Three-nil is a high result, but I don't think that's quite fair for a match that we saw."

Despite the loss, Keller believes Schalke, who won their opening two games, are well-placed in a group which also includes Basle and Steaua, who drew in Romania.

"We've got six points, the other game was a draw," Keller added. "Right from the start we said Chelsea were the clear favourites, so we had to battle it out with the other two teams.

"This result is a little bit annoying because we could've got a draw out of it."

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Wenger laments Gunners naivety

Share Arsene Wenger felt his Premier League leaders paid the price for naive defending as a late goal from Robert Lewandowski condemned the hosts to a 2-1 UEFA Champions League Group F defeat to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners had done well to fight back from going behind on 16 minutes when Henrikh Mkhitaryan drilled the ball in after Aaron Ramsey had given away possession on the edge of his own penalty area.

Olivier Giroud's close-range strike sent the teams into the break on level terms, before substitute Santi Cazorla curled a 20-yard effort against the woodwork.

All of Arsenal's efforts, though, were undone as Dortmund - last season's beaten finalists - netted with just eight minutes left on the counter-attack through Lewandowski to ruin Wenger's 64th birthday and leave the Gunners still with work to do to qualify for the knockout stages.

"We put ourselves on the back foot with the first goal and naive for the second goal," he said. "If you look at the number of saves our keeper had to make tonight and you concede two goals, you can say that we can only look at ourselves for not being mature enough in situations like that.

"If you cannot win the game, you don't lose it. Especially in the second half when we were on top, we made things difficult for ourselves by giving them the second goal."

Lewandowski's goal came after an escape for the Pole, who was only shown a yellow card when he clashed with Laurent Koscielny, and looked to have caught the defender with a stray elbow.

"It looked like

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Spurs, Swansea hunt for more Euro success

Share Premier League duo Tottenham and Swansea put unbeaten records on the line in the third batch of UEFA Europa League group action on Thursday.

Spurs can even qualify for the knockout stages with three games to spare should they see off FC Sheriff in Moldova and the other Group K tie ends in stalemate.

Wins in Russia last time out against Anzhi Makhachkala and Norwegians Tromso have left Andre Villas-Boas's high-flyers coasting in a competition in which they reached the quarter-finals last season.

Villas-Boas, who lifted the 2011 Europa League trophy with FC Porto, told uefa.com: "This trophy means a lot to Tottenham - last year we embraced the competition in a serious way, and we aim to do so again this season. Our objective is to progress."

Speaking after the Anzhi victory the Portuguese commented: "A win is what we wanted and gives us the opportunity in the next games against Sheriff to ensure qualification."

Spurs striker Jermain Defoe is on the brink of rewriting club history as one more goal will swell his European catch to 24 and draw the England striker level with club record-holder Martin Chivers.

Swans enjoying Euro adventure
Swansea made it two out of two to lead Group A with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Saint Gallen in south Wales at the start of the month.

On Thursday they are back at the Liberty Stadium playing host to Russian visitors Kuban Krasnodar, facing a Premier League side for the first time.

Like Tottenham, Swansea, competing in Europe for the first time since the 1991/92 season, are not only unbeaten but they have yet to concede a goal.

Both Spurs and Swansea, who were applauded by the Valencia fans after stunning the Spaniards 3-0 in their opener, are in good heart after stylish wins on the home front at the weekend.

Britain's third contender, FA Cup winners Wigan, are out to build on their first ever home European win - a 3-1 triumph over Maribor of Slovenia - when they host Rubin Kazan.

The Russians represent tough opposition, firing in nine goals to top Group D, with Wigan two points behind in the all-important second spot which gains qualification to the next round.

Sevilla, winners of the predecessor to the Europa League the 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cups, are undefeated and lead Group H, a position of superiority they are out to confirm when they travel to Slovan Liberec of the Czech Republic.

La Viola's Rossi back among the goals
Group E leaders Fiorentina, buoyed by a 4-2 defeat of arch-rivals Juventus in Serie A on Sunday, are in Romania to tackle Pandurii Targu-Jiu.

With Germany striker Mario Gomez sidelined American-born Giuseppe Rossi, back after three operations in two years, has answered his club's call, scoring a hat-trick against Juve.

His experience with Villarreal when he scored 11 goals on the way to helping his former Spanish club reach the semi-finals in 2010/2011 will prove invaluable with the Italians taking seriously their Europa league engagement.

"This team is built to win," said Rossi after the Juve win. "We have big hearts and great motivation. We have great players on the field and on the bench. Fiorentina can take on anybody."

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Kaka wins praise after precious Barcelona point

Share AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri heaped praise on Kaka after the Brazilian forward's impressive display on his return from injury contributed to a spirited 1-1 draw at home to Barcelona on Tuesday.

Injury-hit Milan opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Robinho pounced on a defensive error to hold off Gerard Pique and beat Victor Valdes in the visitors' goal after a nice one-two with compatriot Kaka.

Lionel Messi levelled in the 23rd minute but despite being a thorn in the side of the Milan defence throughout, the Rossoneri weathered the storm at a packed San Siro to secure a precious share of the spoils.

Having spent the past month looking nervously at his casualty list, Allegri welcomed the result against a Barcelona side that won the title in 2011 and has made it to the past two semi-finals.

"I'm happy with our overall performance. Mistakes are part of the game and conceding a goal against Barcelona is always to be expected," said Allegri.

But he had a special mention for Kaka, who returned from a month-long injury lay-off in a 1-0 league win over Udinese on Saturday to produce a display which Allegri says should serve as an example.

"Kaka tonight showed the champion he is, not just in terms of his technical ability," added Allegri. "He played an intelligent game. He was an example for the rest of the side.

"But I want to offer my compliments to the entire team. We had to be extra focused tonight, against a team like Barcelona you have to have eyes all over the pitch to keep track."

Challenge remains ahead for Rossoneri
At the halfway stage Milan remain second in Group H on five points with a two-point deficit to Barcelona, but with Celtic now just two points adrift after the Scottish champions' 2-0 win at home to Ajax.

Milan next face Barcelona away on 6 November, visit Celtic nearly three weeks later and wrap up their bid for a place in the last 16 knockout phase by hosting Ajax on 11 December.

On paper, the Italians appear to hold the edge over Celtic, who have yet to visit Ajax, host Milan and then visit Barcelona having succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at home to the Spanish giants.

Allegri, however, refuses to believe the runner-up place that offers a place in the last 16 is guaranteed.

"We've still got Barcelona and Celtic away from home and Ajax at home, so we have to take things game by game. All of those games will be crucial for our qualification chances," he added.

Robinho missed a golden chance to put Milan ahead when he bizarrely let the ball go past his legs following a cross from Kevin Constant as the Brazilian ran down on goal.

However Barcelona ultimately dominated the second half and their failure to secure the win that would have virtually secured their place in the last 16 was largely down to Milan's astute defence.

Coach Gerardo Martino said: "It's a good point for us." But the Spaniard was visibly frustrated. "If you look over the 90 minutes I think we deserved to take more from the game," he added.

Allegri now hopes Kaka, who moved to Milan on a free transfer from Barcelona's arch rivals Real Madrid, can be as inspirational at the Nou Camp.

"We all know how much Kaka can contribute to this side," added the Italian. "This is a really precious point for us. Now we will go to the Nou Camp looking to play and hope we can take something from the game."

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Atleti, Dortmund shine as away teams impress

AFPThe first instalment of the third matchday of the UEFA Champions League saw Atletico Madrid maintain their 100 per cent record by picking up their third successive victory on Tuesday

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Going down to the wire in UAE

AFPThe situation in Groups C and D of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in UAE could not be more contrasting going into the final round of matches. In Group D, Japan and Tunisia have already secured their berths in the knockout phase of the competition, leaving Russia and Venezuela to fight it out for a remote chance of qualifying in third place.

In Group C, on the other hand, everything is still wide open, and the last round of matches promises excitement until the final whistle.

The schedule
Group C
Uzbekistan-Croatia (Fujairah, 20:00)
Morocco-Panama (Sharjah, 20:00)

Group D
Venezuela-Russia (Fujairah, 17:00)
Japan-Tunisia (Sharjah, 17:00)

Match of the day
Uzbekistan-Croatia
The winner of this keenly anticipated encounter will book their place in the round of sixteen. For the unbeaten Uzbeks, a draw will suffice to progress. The Croats, however, will be relying on a combination of results elsewhere if it ends all square.

Other highlights
After accumulating four points in their first two matches, Morocco need only a draw to qualify. As for Panama, after two defeats they are close to packing their bags, and only victory will keep alive their hopes of remaining in the competition. Even if they win, the Central Americans are dependent on other results going their way.

In Group D the top two, Japan and Tunisia go head to head after victories in their opening two games propelled them into the Round of 16. Top spot and a match against one of the third-placed teams from another group is the prize for the winner. In the section’s other encounter, Russia and Venezuela, who have yet to pick up a point, will battle it out for third place and a shot at progressing to the next phase. The Russians especially, who came into UAE 2013 with high hopes, will be bitterly disappointed if they make an early exit.

Player to watch
Ryoma Watanabe (Japan)
He did not get off the bench against Russia, but the Japanese No11 made up for lost time with a man-of-the-match display when given his chance against Venezuela, scoring a brace and providing an assist in a 3-1 triumph. A constant source of danger, the Japanese captain was at the heart of practically every attack. If Watanabe continues to play such a prominent role his team-mates will have a lot to thank their captain for.

The number
4

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Postecoglou to lead Socceroos in Brazil

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Four-time national championship winning coach Ange Postecoglou has been named as the new Australia coach following the recent exit of Holger Osieck.

Postecoglou, a former Australia U-20 and U-17 national team coach, has been appointed to the Socceroos helm for a five-year term; a period which includes the next two FIFA World Cups

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Gallas signs for Glory

Share French defender William Gallas on Wednesday joined Perth Glory in Australia's A-League after being released by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Chelsea and Arsenal star said he was looking forward to the challenge, opting for Perth despite reported interest from Manchester City, Crystal Palace and clubs in the Middle East and America.

"I look forward to wearing with pride the jersey of Perth Glory for this season," he said in a statement after agreeing to a one-year deal, subject to a medical.

"I hope to help my new team-mates and club achieve success in this season and hope to help deliver to the fans of Perth the championship they are looking for.

"I look forward to this new challenge and hope to excite the fans."

The 36-year-old spent more than a decade at top clubs Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, where he played 24 matches as vice-captain last season.

He was also capped 84 times by France and will be the first French player in Australia's domestic competition, which features several other former greats led by Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero.

His signing is another huge boost to the booming A-League, which is still riding a wave of momentum following last year's arrivals of veteran trio Del Piero, Shinji Ono and Emile Heskey.

Glory coach Alistair Edwards said he was thrilled to add a player of Gallas' experience to his youthful side.

"What better player in world football to bring to Western Australia than someone with 84 caps for one of the best footballing nations in the world?" Edwards said.

"Gallas fits into our vision of providing the best environment for our youth to flourish."

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Speed, solidity and a sending off

AFPIn FIFA.com’s latest stats review, a record-breaking Tim Cahill goal comes under the microscope along with a red card in Portugal, a stalemate in Spain, a remarkable record in Italy and a century in England.

100 Premier League goals was the landmark reached by Steven Gerrard on Saturday in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle United. The Reds captain slotted home from the penalty spot in his 449th league appearance to become only the club’s third player, after Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, to complete such a century. The goal came almost 14 years after Gerrard’s first, against Sheffield Wednesday on 5 December 1999, and was his 20th successful penalty conversion. Team-mate Daniel Sturridge was also on target and has now found the net in each of his last six away Premier League matches, a record only Robin van Persie (9) can better.

64 consecutive matches was the point at which Barcelona’s mammoth La Liga scoring run came to an end on Saturday. The Spanish champions drew 0-0 at Osasuna, bringing to a close a streak that began in January 2012 and almost doubled the previous record, set by Real Madrid’s 35-match run. The goalless draw also ended Barça’s club record run of eight successive wins at the start of their league campaign. Nonetheless, Gerardo Martino’s side remain unbeaten in 14 competitive matches this season and have notched up eight clean sheets along the way. Indeed, keeping out Osasuna enabled Victor Valdes to equal Iker Casillas’s tally of 165 clean sheets in La Liga.

8 seconds were on the clock when Tim Cahill scored the fastest goal in Major League Soccer history on Sunday. The speed with which the Australia international struck comfortably earned him the US top flight record, beating by a clear three seconds the previous quickest, scored by Dwayne De Rosario in 2003. Cahill had himself taken the centre before charging forward to receive a long, drilled pass from Dax McCarty, which he brought down on his chest and smashed into the top corner from the edge of the area. The goal, Cahill’s fourth in his last five league appearances, set New York Red Bulls on the road to a 3-0 win over Houston Dynamo. It also leaves them needing just one more win at home to Chicago Fire on Sunday to guarantee the Supporters Shield for the best regular season record in either MLS conference.

2 yellow cards within 20 seconds of each other saw Porto’s Hector Herrera earn a dismissal after just six minutes of Porto’s 1-0 defeat to Zenit last night. It was the fastest such sending off in the history of the UEFA Champions League, although there have been two quicker straight red cards: Newcastle United’s Craig Bellamy and Werder Bremen's Valerien Ismael both went after five minutes, and both in matches against Inter Milan. Porto struggled without their Mexican midfielder and have now lost back-to-back home Champions League matches for the first time in over 11 years. Nor were they the only team to toil in their own backyard. Schalke suffered their biggest-ever home Champions League reverse, going down 3-0 to Chelsea and ending Jose Mourinho’s six-match losing streak away to German teams. Steaua Bucharest, meanwhile, set a new competition record by failing to win for the 12th successive home match, eclipsing Spartak Moscow’s existing benchmark, set between 2001 and 2006.

1 goal is all that Roma have conceded in their opening eight Serie A matches, enabling them to equal the league record. I Giallarossi are also celebrating having won their first eight Serie A matches for the first time in their history, a feat that only Juventus

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Blatter hints at increased Fifa term

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How Arsenal can learn from defeat by Dortmund

Kearney to meet Coleraine fans

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Hartson 'offered to quit Wales role'

'Progress' in Hearts sale process

Ex-Bale team-mate was close to death

Listen to audio Crystal Palace v Arsenal Premier League, Sat 26 Oct, 12:45 BST, BBC Radio 5 live

Full list of BBC Radio football commentaries

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Mowbray exit leaves void on Teesside

By Joe TownsendBBC North East & Cumbria Sport The day had come, the legend had returned home to lead his people to the promised land, or so the story goes.

It was October 2010 and Gordon Strachan had cleared his desk after a difficult 12 months in which Middlesbrough had failed to push towards the top half of the Championship table.

Six years after Tony Mowbray's first move into management, the stars had aligned to pave the way for the former Boro captain's return to Teesside.

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Sir Alex Ferguson book: The best bits

from Beckham to Ronaldo Sir Alex Ferguson's eagerly anticipated autobiography provides unprecedented insight into one of football's most successful and iconic managers.

The 71-year-old retired last summer after 26 years as manager of Manchester United, having guided the club to 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League crowns.

In 'Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography', released on Thursday, the Scot, who was succeeded by David Moyes, addresses a number of subjects.

Ferguson on David Beckham

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Ferguson takes centre stage once again

at book launch As David Moyes sat at Old Trafford attempting to shine a light on Manchester United's future, Sir Alex Ferguson was centre stage in London delivering incendiary revelations about the past.

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VIDEO: Ferguson's book not affecting Rooney

VIDEO: Celtic win opens up Group H - Lennon

VIDEO: Mourinho 'not in heaven' despite win

BBC Sport - Jose Mourinho: Chelsea boss 'not in heaven or hell' after beating Schalke /

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VIDEO: We must respond properly - Holloway

VIDEO: Kasami goal one of the best - Jol

VIDEO: Greatest Premier League imports?

VIDEO: Archive: Ferguson & Beckham boot row

VIDEO: Marriage changed Beckham - Ferguson

VIDEO: Sir Alex Ferguson: extended interview

Ronaldo wants Bale pressure eased

Rochdale 3-2 Northampton Town

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Oldham Athletic

Coventry City 3-1 Leyton Orient

Portsmouth A-A Wycombe Wanderers

No concern over Rooney focus - Moyes

Why Beckham had to go - Ferguson

Messi back with goal in Barca draw

Keane questions Ferguson loyalty

Garbage start behind us - Mourinho

Lennon buoyed by first group win

Celtic manager Neil Lennon believes qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League is still within reach after defeating Ajax 2-1 in Glasgow.

A James Forrest penalty and Beram Kayal's second-half strike sealed a crucial win for Celtic in the first of a double-header against the Dutch side.

"It leaves us in a very good position," said Lennon. "We'll have to get a result in Amsterdam if we can.

"That's going to be difficult, but it's not beyond us."

A late Lasse Schone strike from distance in the fourth minute of added time handed the Dutch a small consolation, but the win kick-started Celtic's Champions League campaign after losing their opening two matches against Barcelona and AC Milan.

“We have to play very well in Amsterdam to get something out of the game. I feel we're capable of doing that”

Neil Lennon Celtic manager It lifts Lennon's men into third place in Group H with three points while Ajax drop to the foot of the table with only one. Leaders Barca are on seven points following their draw with Milan.

The Scottish champions travel to Amsterdam in two weeks and Lennon insists they have enough confidence to take something from the game.

"We're only two behind Milan now," said Lennon. "Every game is different, you have to take it on its merits.

"Ajax at home in Amsterdam are a formidable side, you can see they had a lot of possession tonight.

"They passed and moved the ball well, but I thought we coped with the majority of stuff they threw at us.

"Second half, we broke very well and we could have seen the game out a bit more comfortably for my liking.

"The group is wide open and it was a massive win in the context of the group."

Lennon praised the composure of Forrest to slot home the opener from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after Anthony Stokes had been felled in the penalty area by Stefano Denswil.

"He keeps telling me he's never missed a penalty," said Lennon. "So this morning we had a chat about it and he said he would step up and take it.

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Manchester United v Real Sociedad

Pellegrini condemns Moscow pitch

Watch video Celtic win opens up Group H - Lennon 22 Oct 2013Scotland Live Sportsday - breaking sports news 23 Oct 2013Sportsday Today's football gossip column 02 Aug 2013 Ferguson takes centre stage once again 22 Oct 2013Man Utd Sir Alex Ferguson book: The best bits 22 Oct 2013Man Utd Services Mobile Interactive TV News Feeds Podcasts About BBC Sport News Sources Help & FAQs

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Wenger unhappy at Arsenal's naivety

Perspicacious.co.uk2 hrs agoExternal Link Wenger calls for maturity after Dortmund defeatBreaking News.ie2 hrs agoExternal Link Wenger laments Gunners naivetyMSN UK4 hrs agoExternal Link Lewandowski ruins Wenger birthday celebrationsBao Moi.com5 hrs agoExternal Link About these results

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Samaras committed to Celtic

Georgios Samaras: Committed to Celtic

Sky Bet Loading Market ... Football Betting Get a £5 free bet every week Georgios Samaras insists he remains committed to Celtic despite concerns over his contract situation at Parkhead.

The Greece international's current deal expires at the end of the season and Samaras has yet to sign a new contract.

Samaras, who joined Celtic from Manchester City in 2008 on a permanent basis after a successful loan spell, is confident he will pledge his long-term future to the Scottish giants by agreeing a new deal.

"I am fully committed to Celtic. I've had six years here and they have given me everything," Samaras told the Daily Record.

"I am almost 13 years away from my home country and trust me, it is not easy to be away from family and friends for so long.

"But even in the tough periods I feel Celtic is my home.

"Both of the sides want me to stay and in the end there will be a solution."

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MacLean boost for St Johnstone

Steven MacLean: Facing several weeks out of action

Sky Bet Loading Market ... Football Betting Get a £5 free bet every week St Johnstone have been boosted by the news that Steven MacLean has not suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury.

MacLean was stretchered off during his side's 4-3 win over St Mirren last Saturday and it was feared he may have suffered a serious knee injury.

Saints boss Tommy Wright is confident the injury will not rule out the striker for several months, but admits it is a big blow to lose the 31-year-old.

"The good news this morning is that the consultant has reported no damage to his cruciate and at this stage we just have to let the knee settle and then give him rehab," Wright told the club's official website.

"Steven's absence will be weeks in length rather than what we first feared - a season-ending injury - but it is still clearly a big blow for the player and the club."

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Ibrahim discharged after tests

Kilmarnock's Rabiu Ibrahim leaves hospital following collapse against Ross County Last Updated: October 22, 2013 4:52pm

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Monday, 21 October 2013

Townsend bandwagon rolls for Spurs and England

Sociedad want to make magic in Manchester

Is Diego Costa the man to break the mould?

21 Oct 2013Football Services Mobile Interactive TV News Feeds Podcasts About BBC Sport News Sources Help & FAQs

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Garth Crooks's team of the week

VIDEO: Sweeper-keeper Lloris - risky or brilliant?

VIDEO: Youthful England 'excite' Joe Cole

VIDEO: Wanyama upset by Kenya terror attack

VIDEO: When Norwich beat Bayern Munich

VIDEO: Susanna Reid's Focus predictions

BBC Sport - Strictly's Susanna Reid and Kevin Clifton give their Focus predictions /

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VIDEO: Bergkamp hopes for Arsenal return

VIDEO: Hughton praises Arsenal 'quality'

VIDEO: Highlights - Brechin City 3-4 Rangers

VIDEO: 'Man Utd lack Ferguson fear factor'

BBC Sport - MOTD 2 Extra: Man Utd opponents 'lifted' by Sir Alex Ferguson exit /

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VIDEO: The Irish League Show - Programme 11

VIDEO: Rodgers praises Liverpool 'character'

BBC Sport - Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers praises Reds 'character' /

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VIDEO: Draw feels like a win - Pardew

VIDEO: Loss not a nice welcome - Poyet

VIDEO: Ozil lifts whole club - Wenger

VIDEO: Saints deserved point - Pochettino

VIDEO: Missed opportunities cost us - Moyes

BBC Sport - Manchester United 1-1 Southampton: David Moyes bemoans 'missed opportunities' /

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VIDEO: Cardiff 'time-wasting' angers Chelsea

VIDEO: Townsend fears for first-team place

VIDEO: Lambert 'happy with Villa progress'

VIDEO: Spurs deserved win - Villas-Boas

VIDEO: Arsenal 'better' since last Dortmund clash

VIDEO: Muntari talks Milan and mechanics

England duo sign for Notts Ladies

BBC LINCOLNSHIRE Lowes wins British Superbikes title Kidderminster 4 - 1 Lincoln City Around the BBC --

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CSKA Moscow v Manchester City

Schalke v Chelsea (Tues)

Boyle exits as Airdrieonians manager

Celtic v Ajax

Yahoo! UK and Ireland Eurosport4 hrs agoExternal Link Injury concerns mount for CelticBreaking News.ie5 hrs agoExternal Link : Injured Kris Commons ruled outThe Scotsman5 hrs agoExternal Link Commons out of Ajax showdownIndia Everyday6 hrs agoExternal Link Celtic's Lennon looks ahead to 'pivotal' weekTelegraph69 hrs agoExternal Link About these results Latest Football Show me: Premier League Championship League One League Two Football Conference Conference North Conference South FA Cup FA Cup Qualifying League Cup Football League Trophy The FA Community Shield Scottish Premiership Scottish Championship Scottish League One Scottish League Two Highland League Lowland League Scottish Cup Scottish League Cup Scottish Challenge Cup Welsh Premier League Welsh Cup Welsh League Cup Irish Premiership Irish Cup League of Ireland Premier Confederations Cup World Cup Qualifying - European Women's European Championship Africa Cup of Nations Euro Under-21 Championship Euro Under-21 Qualifying International Friendlies Champions League Europa League Austrian Bundesliga Belgian Pro League Danish Superliga Dutch Eredivisie Finnish Veikkausliiga French Ligue 1 German Bundesliga Greek Superleague Italian Serie A Norwegian Tippeligaen Portuguese Primeira Liga Spanish La Liga Swedish Allsvenskan Swiss Super League Turkish Super Lig Women's Super League Women's League Cup Women's Premier North Women's Premier South Previous Results Wed 2 Oct 2013 - Champions League Shakhtar Donetsk 1 - 1 Man Utd FT Man City 1 - 3 Bayern Munich FT Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2 - 1 Real Sociedad FT Juventus 2 - 2 Galatasaray FT Real Madrid 4 - 0 FC Copenhagen FT Paris Saint Germain 3 - 0 Benfica FT RSC Anderlecht 0 - 3 Olympiakos FT CSKA Moscow 3 - 2 Viktoria Plzen FT Tue 1 Oct 2013 - Champions League Steaua Bucharest 0 - 4 Chelsea FT Arsenal 2 - 0 Napoli FT Celtic 0 - 1 Barcelona FT Basel 0 - 1 FC Schalke 04 FT More results

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Upcoming Fixtures Tue 22 Oct 2013 - Champions League FC Schalke 04 v Chelsea 19:45 Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund 19:45 Celtic v Ajax 19:45 Steaua Bucharest v Basel 19:45 Marseille v Napoli 19:45 FC Porto v Zenit St Petersburg 19:45 FK Austria Vienna v Atlético Madrid 19:45 Milan v Barcelona 19:45 Wed 23 Oct 2013 - Champions League CSKA Moscow v Man City 17:00 Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Shakhtar Donetsk 19:45 Man Utd v Real Sociedad 19:45 Galatasaray v FC Copenhagen 19:45 More fixtures

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As It Stands Table Show me: Premier League Championship League One League Two Football Conference Scottish Premiership Scottish Championship Scottish League One Scottish League Two Champions League Europa League European Championship Group A UEFA Champions League - Group A summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Man Utd 2 2 4 No movement 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 2 2 4 No movement 3 Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2 -1 3 No movement 4 Real Sociedad 2 -3 0 Group B UEFA Champions League - Group B summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Real Madrid 2 9 6 No movement 2 Juventus 2 0 2 No movement 3 FC Copenhagen 2 -4 1 No movement 4 Galatasaray 2 -5 1 Group C UEFA Champions League - Group C summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Paris Saint Germain 2 6 6 No movement 2 Olympiakos 2 0 3 No movement 3 Benfica 2 -1 3 No movement 4 RSC Anderlecht 2 -5 0 Group D UEFA Champions League - Group D summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Bayern Munich 2 5 6 No movement 2 Man City 2 1 3 No movement 3 CSKA Moscow 2 -2 3 No movement 4 Viktoria Plzen 2 -4 0 Group E UEFA Champions League - Group E summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 FC Schalke 04 2 4 6 No movement 2 Basel 2 0 3 No movement 3 Chelsea 2 3 3 No movement 4 Steaua Bucharest 2 -7 0 Group F UEFA Champions League - Group F summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Arsenal 2 3 6 No movement 2 Napoli 2 -1 3 No movement 3 Borussia Dortmund 2 2 3 No movement 4 Marseille 2 -4 0 Group G UEFA Champions League - Group G summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Atlético Madrid 2 3 6 No movement 2 FC Porto 2 0 3 No movement 3 FK Austria Vienna 2 -1 1 No movement 4 Zenit St Petersburg 2 -2 1 Group H UEFA Champions League - Group H summary table; it charts each team by position, team name, games played, total goal difference and points Position Team Played Goal Difference Points View full table

No movement 1 Barcelona 2 5 6 No movement 2 Milan 2 2 4 No movement 3 Ajax 2 -4 1 No movement 4 Celtic 2 -3 0 Around the BBC --

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Boss Hockaday leaves Forest Green

Watch video Arsenal 'better' since last Dortmund clash 21 Oct 2013Arsenal Chelsea boss Mourinho charged by FA 21 Oct 2013Chelsea Today's football gossip column 02 Aug 2013 Garth Crooks's team of the week 20 Oct 2013Premier League Is Diego Costa the man to break the mould? 21 Oct 2013Football Services Mobile Interactive TV News Feeds Podcasts About BBC Sport News Sources Help & FAQs

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Cahill scores fastest MLS goal

Football founders' Wembley honour

Leeds United suspend winger Hall

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Evra 'tramps' comment investigated

Townsend is fearless - Villas-Boas

Hodgson & Ferdinand join FA commission

Khan convinced Fulham will improve

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Football manager 'racially abused'

Chimbonda must adapt - Kavanagh

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Balotelli may return for Barca match

Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund

Hulk 'won't celebrate' against Porto

Flare use 'a real worry' for police

Man Utd still in title race - Wenger

Perspicacious.co.uk5 hrs agoExternal Link Arsene Wenger says David Moyes's side still in title raceAvrupa Times6 hrs agoExternal Link Is Moyes to blame for Man United's malaise... or do the problems go deeper?Mail Online UK10 hrs agoExternal Link About these results Around the BBC

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Draxler turned down England move

Crystal Palace 1-4 Fulham

Chelsea boss Mourinho charged by FA

21 Oct 2013Chelsea Today's football gossip column 02 Aug 2013 Garth Crooks's team of the week 20 Oct 2013Premier League Is Diego Costa the man to break the mould? 21 Oct 2013Football Services Mobile Interactive TV News Feeds Podcasts About BBC Sport News Sources Help & FAQs

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Mowbray departs as Middlesbrough boss

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