Cup Weekend

This Saturday night and early Sunday morning Australia time the FA Cup, Scottish FA Cup and German Cup finals are going to be played.

The FA Cup. 

This will be the first time Everton and Chelsea meet in the FA Cup final.  The last time the two teams meet in the FA Cup was in the 200-06 season when Chelsea beat Everton 4-1 in the fourth round.  The score finished 0-0 in both league matches this season between the teams.  Although Chelsea is one of the sides that make up the EPL's big four Everton have actually won the FA cup more times, 5 to Chelsea's 4.  Everton have also played in the final more times 12.  Chelsea have played in the final 8 times.  The last time Chelsea played in the final was in 2007 when they beat Manchester Untied 1-0 thinks to a Didier Drogba goal in the 26 minute of extra time.  The last time Everton played in the final they also beat Manchester Untied 1-0.  This was the 1995 final Paul Rideout scored the only goal in the 30th minute.  An intresting fact about that match was Everton's sub goalkeeper for the match was Australian Jason Kearton.  For the final Everton will be missing midfielder Mikel Arteta and centre back Phil Jagielka, Chelsea will be missing right winger Joe Cole.  Tim Cahill will become the second Australian to play in two FA Cup Finals.

The Scottish Cup.

The Scottish Cup is the second oldest cup competition in the world (first played in 1873-74), the FA Cup is the oldest.  Rangers are playing Falkirk in this years final.  Rangers have never played Falkirk in the final.  Rangers are the second most successful team in the cups history winning it 32 times (Celtic have won the cup 34 times) and playing in the final 49 times.  Rangers are the current holders of the Scottish Cup, last year beating Queen of South 3-2, Kris Boyd scored the winer in the 71st minute.  Falkirk have won the Scottish Cup twice and have played in the final 3 times.  The last time Falkirk won the Scottish cup was in 1957 when they beat Kilmarnock, the final finished as a 1-1 draw and in the replay four days later Falkirk were 2-1 winners after extra time.  The last time Falkirk played in the final was in 1997 when after waiting for forty years Kilmarnock got their revenge beating them by a goal to nil.         

The DFB-Pokal

Compared to the FA Cup and the Scottish Cup the DFB-Pokal is only young with the first final being played on the 8th of December 1935 between 1. FC Nuremberg and FC Schalke.  The pokal (cup) was not held between 1943 and 1953.  The 2009 DFB-Pokal final will be contested by Bayer Leverkusen and Wender Bremen and played at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, which has hosted every final since 1985.  Bayer Leverkusen and Wender Bremen have not previously met in the final.  Werder Bremen are the second most successful team in the DFB-Pokal history winning the cup 5 times and playing in the final 8 times.  Bayer Leverkusen have played in the final twice winning it in 1993.  The last time Werder Bremen played in the final was in 2004 when they beat Alemannia Aachen 3-2.  From that side Frank Bauman is the only player still at Werder Bremen, it will be his last game before he retires.  It will also be Diego's last game for Werder Bremen before he moves to Juventus for 24.5 million euros.   

             

Lyon the kings of French football no more.

Long live Lyon!  The kings of French football are dead.  

Their extraordinary seven year reign as French Ligue champions is over. 

It started in May 2002 when Lyon defeated RC Lens to win the clubs first ever Ligue 1 title and finished last Saturday afternoon French time when Bordeaux beat Le Mans which made it impossible for Lyon to reclaim the title.  In between these two events Lyon was able to win the Ligue 1 title a further six times for seven all together.  Lyon are the only French club to have won the Ligue 1 title seven years in a row.

One of the most amazing things about Lyons achievement of winning seven Ligue 1 titles in a row is the lack of stability coaching wise during their successful period.  Lyon had four different coaches during the seven season period.  The first coach Jacques Santini began at Lyon at the start of the 2000-01 season and the club finished second, the next season (2001-02) Santini would lead Lyon to their inaugural Ligue 1 title.  Paul Le Guen, Lyons second coach during this period was also the most successful winning the Ligue 1 title three times (2002-03,2003-04,2004-05).  Paul Le Guen was replaced at Lyon by former Liverpool manger Gerard Houllier who lead Lyon to the 2005-06 and 2006-07  Ligue 1 titles.  Alain Perrin was coach when Lyon won the last of their seven Ligue 1 titles last season (2007-08), Alain Perrin left Lyon before the start of the current unsuccessful season.             

During the seven successful Ligue 1 campaigns Lyon had many different players play for them. This number of different players required for Lyons continued success in this period was also increased by the fact that because Lyon play in the French League which isn't one of the three big leagues of Europe.  This made it harder for the club to keep their players from the big clubs of these leagues.  Lyon lost players like Mahamadou Diarra who played in four of their championship seasons to Real Madrid.  Florent Malouda also played in four successful championship campaigns with Lyon before being signed by Chelsea.  Michael Essien also was signed by Chelsea but not before playing in two successful seasons with Lyon.  However there were three players who played in every one of Lyons seven successful seasons the Brazilian free kick specialist Juninho, the current French number one goalkeeper Gregory Coupet and French right winger/striker Sidney Govou.

Although Lyon's seven year reign as Ligue 1 champions is over, this seasons Ligue 1 winners has not yet been decided with two matches left it's between Bordeaux and Olympique Marseille. Twenty four hours after Bordeaux made it impossible for Lyon to win Ligue 1 this season and so ended Lyons reign, Lyon beat Marseille and gave Bordeaux a three point lead in the title race.  It looks likely that Lyons first act as the disposed kings of French football will have been to decide the new kings of French football.

              

Athens 5 years on.

It's nearly been five years since Australia competed at the Athens Olympics.  The men's football team was able to get out of their group finishing second to eventual gold medalists Argentina. Australia was knocked out by the single goal in the quarter finals by Iraq.

The three overage players chosen in the eighteen men squad were Craig Moore, Tim Cahill and John Aloisi.  

Below is a look at how the other 15 players have progressed since the Athens Olympics.

The goalkeepers.

Brad Jones, was Australia's second choice at Athens.  Appears to have made a breakthrough at Middlesbrough this season after Mark Schwazer moved to Fulham making 20 appearances in all competitions.  Has represented Australia only once but has been part of a number more Australia squads.

Eugene Galekovic, was named goalkeeper of 2008/09 A-league season and has played in the ACL Champions League season final with Adelaide Untied.

The defenders.

Jade North, played for the Newcastle Jets in the first four and a half seasons in the A-league. Since the start of 2009 North has been been with K-league club Incheon Untied however at this point in the season he has only made a handful of appearances for them.  North is regularly chosen for Australia squads and has made 23 appearances for the national team.  

Shane Cansdell-Sheriff, is a centre back who can also play at left back or left midfield.  Since Athens he's played for Danish club AGF Aarhus and English lower league teams Tammere Rovers and Shrewsbury Town.

Jon Mckain is a centre back who can also play in the centre of midfield.  Mckain has made 12 appearances for Australia.  Last season Mackain come back to play for Wellington in the A-league after spending the previous seasons with clubs in the Romanian league.

Adrain Madaschi is a centre back.  Madaschi currently plays for Portosummaga in Italy's Liga Pro Prima Divisione (formely Serie C1). He has previously played for Scottish clubs Patrick Thistle and Dundee.   

David Tarka is a centre back.  Tarka currently plays for Perth but the amount of games he's been able to play for them in the last few years have been limited by serious injuries.

The midfielders.

Ahmad Elrich  is a right winger.  After Athens Elrich had unsuccessful spells with Korean club Busan I'cons and English club Fulham.  In the last two seasons Elrich has come back to the A-league playing firstly with Wellington and then the Central Coast.  

Ryan Griffths can play as a striker or left winger.  After Athens Griffths played in the Romanian league with National Bucuresti and Rapid Bucuresti and since 2007 in the Chinese league with Liaoning and Beijing Guoan.   

Luke Wilkshire is a versatile player who can play anywhere in midfield or at full back on either side.  Wilkshire is currently Australia's first choice at right back and has been one of Australia's best players in the current qualifying campaign.  Wilkshire was part of Australia's 2006 World Cup squad and plays for Dynamo Moscow.     

Anthony Danze is an attacking midfielder.  After Athens Danze had an unsuccessful two year spell with Crystal Palace.  Danze was signed by Perth for the 2007/08 season however on the 13th of December 2007 he left the club by mutual consent. 

Carl Valeri.  Is a central defensive midfielder.  He plays for and is captain of Serie B side Grosseto.  In the last of couple of years he has become a regular squad member for Australia making 16 appearances.

Spase Dilevski is a versatile player who can play at right wing and fullback on either side. Since 2008 he has been successfully playing as a central defensive midfielder for his Romanian club FC Universitatea Craiova. 

The forwards.

Alex Brosque can also play as a left winger.  Since Athens Brosque has played for Belgium side K.V.C Westerlo, and A-league side Queensland Roar.  He now plays for Sydney.

Brett Holman can also play as an attacking midfielder.  Since 2002 Holman has played for clubs in the dutch league.  Holman now plays for AZ Alkmar the current Dutch Eredivisie champions. Since 2006 Holman has become a regular squad member for Australia making 23 appearances and scoring the 1 goal.        

So of the 15 under 23 year old players of the squad chosen to play in Athens, four are now regular squad members for Australia and one Luke Wilkshire is first choice for his position. One is no longer playing profesional football.  Five are playing in the A-league.  Three are playing in the lower leagues of Europe and one plays in China.

 

God + 17

A few weeks ago we had a look at Gold Coast Untied's squad.  Now it's time to look at the player's who make up North Queensland Fury's inaugural A-league squad.

Goalkeepers

Justin Pasfield.  The 23 year old is the only goalkeeper the Fury have signed so far. Although Pasfield has been at Sydney FC and the Newcastle Jets in the four previous seasons of the A-league he is yet to have made his A-league debut.

Defenders

Chris Tadrosse is a left-back who was a member of Melbourne Victory's inaugural A-league squad in 2005/06 making 8 appearances for them.  Last season he made 1 appearance for the Central Coast mariners.  In between this Tadrosse played in 51 games in the lower leagues of German football for KFC Uerdingen 05 and Borussia Monchengladbach II

Beau Busch.  Can play at centre back and right back.  Played in 10 games for Sydney FC last season, before that he played in the NSW premier league.

Paul Kohler.  Can play at centre-back and centre midfield.  Played for the Newcastle Jets from 2005 to 08 making 48 appearances. 

Robbie Middleby.  Plays at either right back or right midfield.  North Queensland will be Middleby's 11th club in his career.  Played for Sydney FC in the first 4 A-league seasons making 67 appearances and scoring 3 goals.       

Jacob Timpano is a centre-back.  Timpano had four injury plagued seasons at Sydney FC only being able to make 26 appearances and score the one goal.  In 2003 Timpano captained the Australia under 17 team at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Finland.

Scott Wilson is a veteran Scottish centre back.  Wilson started his career with Rangers in 1993  making 78 appearances for them until he went on loan to Portsmouth in the 2001-02 season, he made only 5 appearances for the club.  At the start of the 2002-03 Scott signed for Dumfermilne Athlectic, he has made 198 appearances for them scoring 6 goals and is club captain. 

Marton Vass is a defender.  North Queensland is his first A-league season, he was signed from NSW premier league club Sutherland Sharks. 

Midfielders

Ufuk Taley is a central midfielder.  North Queensland will be Taley's 12th club.  Seven of the clubs he has played for are Turkish.  This will be his second spell in the A-league after his three seasons at Sydney FC where he played in 56 games scoring 6 goals.

Jason Spagnuolo is a left winger.  In the first four seasons of the A-league Spagnuolo played in 44 games for Adelaide and scored the one goal.  Spagnuolo was Adelaide Untied's club champion in the second A-league season.  Since then injury has restricted the amount of matches he's been able to play.

Chris Grossman is a central midfielder.  In the previous three A-league seasons the young midfielder Grossman has played for Brisbane Roar however he only made 7 appearances. 

Fred Agius is a midfielder.  North Queensland Fury will be his first professional club.  Agius is one of few people to have played at the semi-professional level in both football and Australian football. 

Felipe is an attacking midfielder.  Felipe has previously played for Wellington Phoenix in the A-league making 17 appearances and scoring 3 goals in the 2007-08 season. 

Forwards

Robbie Fowler is the fourth highest goalscorer in the premier league with a 163 goals.  Fowler was voted the PFA Young Player of the Year in 19995 and 1996.  Fowler has scored the quickest goal in EPL history in four minutes and 33 seconds against Arsenal.  In the mid and late 90's Fowler was known as the most natural finisher playing in England.  These are just a few of the reason's Fowler's is known as God to the Liverpool fans.

Jeremy Brockie is a striker.  North Queensland will be his third A-league club.  In the first A-league season Brockie played for the New Zealand Knights making 12 appearances and scoring 4 goals.  The next season Brockie played for Sydney however he only made 7 appearances and didn't score a goal.

Brendon Santalab is a striker.  Santalab is North Queensland's 6th player that has previously played for Sydney having spent the last two seasons there.  He played in 23 games for them and scored 4 goals two of which were absolute crackers.

James Robinson is a striker.  Robinson is also English like Fowler but is not known as a Liverpool legend however he is a legend in Melbourne for the injury time goal he scored for the victory which took them to their first grand final.  Robinson has also made 21 appearances for Perth Glory scoring 2 goals.

Daniel McBreen plays as a striker.  North Queensland have signed him from York City which play in the fifth division of English football.  McBreen has previously played club football in Scotland and Romania. 

North Queensland still have room to sign five more players.  They need to sign two more goalkeepers, one possibly to be 1st choice if it's decided Pasfield won't be the starting goalkeeper.  For the remaining spots North Queensland will probably want to sign a left-back a right side midfielder and a centre midfielder to add to the depth of the spine of the team.