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The Bangladesh Cricket Board could not yet appoint the bowling and fielding coaches for the Bangladesh national team, one of the main agenda of Thursday’s meeting of its board of directors at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
   The Tigers have been without a permanent bowling and fielding coach since March 31 after the Sri Lankan duo of Champaka Ramanayeke and Ruwan Kalpage ended their contracts with the BCB.
   Former West Indian fast bowler Colin Croft was the forerunner for the post of bowling coach. However, the BCB is wowing India’s Venkatesh Prasad Sharma to take up the job.
   Some major decisions were made at the meeting. But the decision to extend the contracts of the national selectors – Rafiqul Alam, Zahid Razzak Masum and Akram Khan – up to September 2010 created a confusion among the cricketing fraternity as there are no assignments of Bangladesh team within this period and the next series starts in October this year against New Zealand.
   The contract of Nasir Ahmed Nasu, the computer analyst of the national cricket team, has also been extended upto June 2011 while his elder brother Manzur Ahmed has been appointed as the chief executive officer of the BCB. Manzur is right now holding the same post at the Brunei Cricket Association.
   It was learnt that Rafiqul Islam, FCA, has been made the BCB’s chief financial officer.
   The much talked-about umpiring decision review system will be introduced in the upcoming series against New Zealand as the board felt its necessity after it faced criticism from different quarters during the last Test series at home against England in which several decisions went against the Tigers depriving them of a Test win despite having a upper hand at different stages of the game
   The meeting also decided to hand over the responsibility of overseeing the training programme and operation of Bangladesh A team to Mahbubul Anam, senior vice-president of the BCB, while Gazi Ashraf Hussain Lipu will fill the gap of Shakil Kashem, who resigned as the chairman of the GP BCB National Cricket Academy.
   The meeting also approved the constitution of the BCB Welfare Trust.
   Sports psychologist Dr Soumendra Saha, a professor of sports science at the University Sains Malaysia, will provide his services as the consultant of the Bangladesh National Cricket team.
   The board has also decided to seriously consider the recommendations made by the head of Bangladesh delegation on the ICC T20, Asia Cup and ODI tour of England, Ireland and Scotland.

James Anderson marked his 28th birthday by sparking Pakistan’s collapse to 90 for six at tea on the second day of the first Test against England at Trent Bridge here on Friday.
   That left them 264 behind England’s first innings 354 and needing a further 65 runs to avoid the follow-on.
   Anderson, at tea, had three wickets for 21 runs in 13 overs while fellow fast bowler Steven Finn had taken three for 12 in seven.
   Shoaib Malik, the last of Pakistan’s recognised batsmen, was 26 not out and teenager Mohammad Aamer 22 not out, with their unbroken stand of 43 helping Pakistan climb from the depths of 47 for six.
   Although England had lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs earlier on Friday in a Mohammad Asif-inspired slump, their total always looked like being tough for a novice Pakistan line-up to match in overcast conditions ideal for a swing bowler such as Anderson.
   Before lunch, Pakistan lost captain and in-form opener Salman Butt, caught behind off Anderson.
   And the Lancashire seamer, from around the wicket, produced a superb delivery to Imran Farhat which saw the left-hander, aiming to mid-on, bowled off-stump as the ball moved away late.
   Finn then got in on the act with only his sixth ball as 32 for two became 35 for three.
   The Middlesex paceman, playing his first England match since the early season Tests against Bangladesh after undergoing a strength programme, had Umar Amin (two) caught at second slip by Graeme Swann.
   Azhar Ali then fell to Anderson, edging through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior. Replays suggested the ball had brushed Ali’s back leg and missed his bat.
   But although the Decision Review System was being used in a Test in England for the first time, Ali - in only his third match at this level - decided against a referral after consulting with Umar Akmal, the non-striker.
   Finn then made it three wickets for one run in 14 balls as both Umar Akmal (four) and brother Kamran Akmal (nought) were caught in the slips by Swann and Paul Collingwood respectively.
   At that stage, Pakistan had lost five wickets for 15 runs in 40 balls.
   But 18-year-old left-hander Aamer, who’d already starred with the ball, stylishly cover-drove Stuart Broad for four, as did Malik.
   England resumed on 331 for four but ended up finishing short of a total of 400 that looked well within their grasp
   Asif took four wickets for eight runs in 13 balls - all lbw - on Friday, on his way to an impressive return of five for 77 in 27 overs.
   His haul included England maiden century maker Eoin Morgan (130) and Collingwood (82).
   But without their stand of 219 - an England fifth-wicket record against Pakistan that surpassed the 192 shared by Trevor Bailey and Denis Compton at Trent Bridge in 1954 - the hosts’ innings would have been in a sorry state.

A new cricket stadium being built for next year’s World Cup will be named after the world’s most successful bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, a report said on Friday.
   The 22,000-capacity stadium, being constructed in Pallekele in Muralitharan’s home district of Kandy, is due to host three matches of the World Cup in South Asia in February-March.
   The Central Provincial Council in Kandy decided to name the venue as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium to honour the recently retired spinner, the Daily Mirror said.
   The move had the backing of the provincial governor, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, and will be put to Sri Lanka Cricket shortly, the newspaper said.
   Muralitharan, 38, quit Test cricket last week after reaching the unprecedented 800-wicket mark during the first Test against India in Galle.
   He is also the leading wicket-taker in one-day cricket with 515 scalps and said he will be available for the World Cup if needed.
   The matches in Pallekele are Pakistan v New Zealand on March 8, Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe on March 10 and Pakistan v Zimbabwe on March 14.
   Sri Lanka, which co-hosts the showpiece tournament with India and Bangladesh, is due to organise 12 matches at three venues.
   The other venues are the under-renovation Premadasa stadium in Colombo and a new cricket facility being built in Hambantota in the island’s south.

Rivals India and Sri Lanka blasted the featherbed wicket that proved a bowlers’ graveyard after the second Test ended in a high-scoring draw on Friday.
   ‘This one was very unsporting, there was nothing in it for the bowlers,’ said Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose team posted 707 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 642-4.
   India’s score was just 19 runs short of their Test record of 726-9 declared against the same opposition at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai last year.
   Sri Lanka made 129-3 in their second knock before play was called off an hour early with skipper Kumar Sangakkara on 42 and Thilan Samaraweera on 10.
   The match was a poor advertisement for Test cricket in which 1,478 runs were scored for the loss of just 17 wickets on a flat pitch that offered no assistance to the bowlers.
   There were five three-figure knocks over the five days, two of them double-centuries by Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar, besides a 99 from Indian opener Virender Sehwag.
   ‘If there is nothing for fast bowlers in a wicket, it should at least help the spinners,’ said Dhoni. ‘This one was just for batsmen, while the bowlers got spanked all around the park.
   ‘I am glad we took the lead because when the opposition bats first and puts up more than 600 runs on the board, there is always pressure on the team batting second.
   ‘But we played well and built partnerships, so there are a lot of positives to take away from the Test.’
   India’s innings was marked by Sachin Tendulkar’s 203, his fifth double-century, while debutant Suresh Raina made 120 and Dhoni hit 76.
   Tendulkar, at 37 the world’s leading Test and one-day batsman, said age was no hindrance in getting big scores.
   ‘As long as you are mentally strong and prepared to go through the grind, age really does not really matter,’ said Tendulkar.
   ‘I think everyone should just stop talking about the age factor. If I can score a double hundred at 37, I don’t think age really matters.’
   Sangakkara admitted it was ‘hard work’ for the bowlers over the five days, but praised his team’s all-round performance in the match.
   ‘We batted and bowled well, maybe we need to buck up on the fielding,’ said the Sri Lankan captain, who was named man of the match for his 219.
   Sri Lankan coach Trevor Bayliss said such dead wickets were unlikely to ever produce positive results in Tests.
   ‘We need pitches which are good for batting and have something for the bowlers too,’ said Bayliss.
   Sri Lanka now head for the final Test at the P. Sara Oval from Tuesday enjoying a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first match in Galle by 10 wickets.
   India’s last-wicket pair of Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha, who resumed at the overnight score of 669-9, batted until 20 minutes before lunch on the final day to put on a partnership of 39 runs.
   All four frontline Sri Lankan bowlers conceded more than 100 runs in India’s innings, with debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv going for 2-222 from 73 overs.
   Unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis finished with 4-172, fast bowler Dilhara Fernando claimed 1-116 and seamer Dammika Prasad went for 0-101.
   Part-time spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan was the only bowler to contain the Indians with figures of 3-56 from 27 overs.

German sprinter Verena Sailer produced the race of her life to win 100m gold at the European championships after a photo-finish with France’s Veronique Mang on Thursday.
   The event saw the surprise elimination of the fastest woman in Europe this season, Belarus’s Alena Neumiarzhytskaya, in the first round of qualifying, and then Britain’s Laura Turner, not far behind with a time of 11.11sec, was knocked out in the semi-finals.
   It set the stage for Sailer, who won the German national championships and set a European medal as her goal for the season.
   She flew to a personal best of 11.10sec while Mang, clocked at 11.11sec, gave her fastest ever performance as well. France were also celebrating with Myriam Soumare winning bronze.
   ‘It is amazing to think that I am European champion. It was an incredible race and I am still coming to terms with it,’ said Sailer.
   Mang was also delighted.
   ‘I felt good during the run. When you are here in Barcelona at the European Championships you only want to give your best which I did. This has all been like a dream to me.’
   Mang’s compatriot Christophe Lemaitre, who won the men’s 100m title on Wednesday, reached the final of the 200m with the best time in the semi-finals of 20.39sec after an astonishing late burst.
   ‘I knew that in the home straight I was going to hit top speed,’ said Lemaitre, who became the first white sprinter in history to break the 10-sec barrier for the 100m earlier this month.
   There was a Russian double in the men’s high jump with Aleksander Shustov beating Ivan Ukhov to gold.
   ‘From the beginning it was not going well because of the rain but then I found the courage to jump higher,’ said Shustov.
   Bronze went to Britain’s Martyn Bernard, who only just qualified for the final on Tuesday with his final jump, but produced a season’s best of 2.29m to finish third.
   Britain’s Phillip Idowu, the world champion, recorded a personal best with a leap of 17.81m to win gold in the triple jump.
   Going into the competition France’s Teddy Tamgho was the marginal favourite having jumped to 17.98m recently, but on the night he was only able to reach 17.45m, which gave him bronze.
   The silver medal went to Romania’s Marian Oprea, a two-time European medalist who has returned to form after knee surgery last year.
   ‘My buildup to the championships was not great but I am very happy to have jumped so consistently. With the world championships and European championships now under my belt, I am just missing one title - the Olympics,’ said Idowu.
   France’s Roman Barras has won gold in the Decathlon with fifth place in the final event, the 1,500m, enough to give him first place with a total number of 8453 points.
   In the absence of the world record holder Roman Sebrle through injury, Barras was one of the favourites to succeed the Czech as European champion having been in good form coming into the event.
   Behind him Eelco Sintnicolaas, of Holland, and Andrei Krauchanka, of Belarus, took silver and bronze respectively.
   Germany completed a double in the women’s javelin as Linda Stahl and Christina Obergfoll won gold and silver, respectively. Barbora Spotakova, of the Czech Republic, took bronze.

Bangladesh Football Federation looks forward to forming a strong U-19 women’s football team for the 2011 AFC Under-19 Women’s Championship qualifiers.
   The residential camp for the meet, scheduled to be held in Dhaka from September 20, started at the Dhanmondi Women’s Sports Complex recently.
   Bangladesh have been placed in Group B with India, Jordan and Iran. They will start their campaign against Jordan on Sept 20, the opening day, face Iran on Sept 22 before completing their group stage against India on September 24.
   The 33-member preliminary squad, which will be whittled down to 23, is made up of players who performed well in the School Football competition, national championship and international tournaments. Pinky Sanwar of Viqarunnisa Noon School, Jannat Ara Papiya of Azimpur Girls’ High School got the national call-up for the first time for their performances in school football.
   Squad
   Goalkeepers: Sabiha Akter (Jessore), Lusme Dabe Newar(Rangamati), Munya Chowdhury(Satkhira); Defenders: Nurjahan Khandaker Putul (Narayanganj), Khaleda Khatun (Jessore), Rupa Akter (Narayanganj), Anjuman Khandaker Shanto (Narayanganj), Tajnehar (Dhaka), Sabina Khatun (Satkhira), Sarmin Akter Rupa (Jessore), Baly Khatun (Jessore); Midfielders: Maynu Marma (Ansar), Putul (Narayanganj), Shilpi(Jessore), Eity Akhter Suravi (Narayanganj), Shuinu Pru Marma (Ansar), Nuby Ching Marma (Ansar), Ononna (Narayanganj), Asia Khatun Bithi (Narayanganj), Jaya Chakma (Rangamati); Forwards: Pinky Sanwar (Viqarunnesa Noon School), Jannat Ara Papya (Azimpur Girls’ High School), Mirona (Bagerhat), Rehana Khatun Hena (Jessore), Sharmin Akhter Lima (Jessore).

Eoin Morgan insisted he’d never had any doubts about his ability to succeed at the highest level after a debut Test century left England well-placed in their series opener with Pakistan.
   Morgan’s 125 not out helped England end the first day of a four-Test series on 331 for four.
   Together with Paul Collingwood (81 not out), he’d so far put on 213 – an England fifth-wicket record against Pakistan, surpassing the 192 put on by Trevor Bailey and Denis Compton at Trent Bridge back in 1954, after the side had been in trouble at 118 for four.
   Morgan’s century came in only his third innings at this level and was way in excess of his previous best of 45 against Bangladesh earlier in the season.
   ‘It’s extremely satisfying,’ said former Ireland international Morgan.
   ‘To score a Test-match hundred in only my third game is a great achievement and I’m extremely proud of myself,’ the 23-year-old left-hander added.
   ‘It’s huge – a massive moment in my career.’
   Morgan, the first Irish-born batsman to score a Test hundred for England in over a century, since Frederick Fane made 143 against South Africa at Johannesburg back in 1906, might have been left out if Ian Bell had not been ruled out with a broken foot.
   ‘I don’t see it in that circumstance,’ said 23-year-old Middlesex batsman Morgan after an innings that will have bolstered his case for a berth in England’s XI when they begin the defence of the Ashes in Australia in November.
   ‘I see it as an opportunity to score runs.’
   Morgan, best known as an innovative one-day player, went to his century in style with a straight six against off-spinner Shoaib Malik.
   ‘The feeling of getting to three figures was fantastic,’ said Morgan. ‘I was glad he lobbed it up.
   ‘I was expecting him to dart it in and maybe nurdle it for one. But when he threw it up I had to free up my hands and throw everything at it.’
   England, who saw captain Andrew Strauss win the toss and bat, struggled early on in overcast, swing-friendly conditions, with teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer leading Pakistan’s attack impressively with three wickets for 39 runs in 19 overs.
   ‘I think the major factor today was I allowed myself to get in under difficult circumstances.
   ‘It did a lot early on, but me and Paul set up a great platform for ourselves to get past that swing and we took advantage when the wicket went flat and the ball went soft.’
   Morgan, asked if he’d answered questions about whether he had the temperament and ability for Test cricket, replied: ‘I think I have. I also think I’ve improved my game a lot and I’m still improving, especially in this form of the game, so hopefully I’ll have a lot more to contribute.
   ‘I don’t think I have any doubt in my talent. I’m a very confident player and I like expressing myself.’
   The controversial Umpire Decision Review System was used in England for the first time on Thursday and Morgan might not have reached his hundred without it.
   He’d made 78 when he was given out leg before by Sri Lanka umpire Asoka de Silva off the bowling of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
   But Morgan signalled for a review and was reprieved after replays showed the ball sliding past leg stump.
   ‘I had a bit of doubt in my mind, but I walked down the wicket and Colly said I should review it, so that knocked it on the head,’ Morgan said.
   ‘It’s the first time I’ve used the system. It’s been a bit different.’

Sachin Tendulkar had just reached his double-century. He was into the ninth hour of his innings. He had been on the field for the whole match, except for perhaps one session. He had had a few visits from the physio. The tea break was approaching. Twice in the next two overs, MS Dhoni hit shots slightly wide of the outfielders. And Tendulkar hared across for the twos, running as though they were his 199th and 200th runs. That was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the 95 runs Tendulkar added on Thursday to his overnight 108. If a run was there to be scored, he was there to score it.
   After Tendulkar had helped India to relative safety on day three, Thursday ceased being a battle between bat and ball. There was hardly anything to trouble Tendulkar. It had come down to endurance, and the need to bat as long as possible to try and prevent his bowlers from having to bowl in the humidity.
   Tendulkar spoke about the physical challenge of batting for 516 minutes after having fielded for more than five sessions. ‘It’s been challenging,’ he said. ‘Of course the conditions are tough. Yesterday (Wednesday) when I got into the dressing room, I had a long ice bath. I was in the ice tub for a while. Then I did some stretches, had an early dinner, and I was in bed by 8.30.
   ‘I just relaxed as much as possible. Because I went off to sleep early, I was up early morning, sort of relaxed a bit and stretched a bit in the morning. When you are off the field time flies in between. When you are off the field, go back to the hotel and sleep, when you wake in the morning, it’s time to go back to the ground again. But that’s what Test cricket is all about. For almost all four days, I have been on the field. It’s been demanding on the body, but it’s held up pretty well.’
   Another moment that stood out in what was largely an error-free effort was when Suresh Raina brought up his debut hundred. There was as much joy on Tendulkar’s face as on Raina’s. Like Virender Sehwag said, it was difficult to tell who the debutant was. They then spoke for what seemed a longish period between deliveries.
   ‘I was very happy for him,’ Tendulkar said of the moments after Raina got his century and before the next ball. ‘Many guys doubted whether Suresh was a good Test player or not. He has done well, I am very pleased. The way he batted was fantastic. All I told him was, “Enjoy this moment. You have earned something special. This will always be the highlight of your career. You will have many more hundreds, you will achieve many more things in your life, but this will always be something special”.’
   Admittedly this was a flat track – Tendulkar didn’t try to suggest otherwise. But he also knew that – until the follow-on was avoided – India were one mistake away from getting into big trouble. He had to curb the temptation of looking for runs, especially because the track and the bowling were ripe with runs.
   ‘It was tough. There were times when you felt you could go over the fielders,’ Tendulkar said. ‘But also the Test match was poised critically. It was an important phase, and one mistake would have cost us quite a bit. So I felt it was important to just try and control all those temptations, and play a percentage game.’
   Those joyful shots came at intervals. His scoring-rate never fell though he eliminated risks. With not much life left in the match, everybody’s thoughts turned to the elusive triple-century. This was a good chance, there was enough time left, all he needed was for MS Dhoni to stay with him.
   The error from Tendulkar arrived, though. Just after tea, the first ball of Tillakaratne Dislhan’s spell turned a bit extra and Prasanna Jayawardene pouched a bat-pad offering. Tendulkar later said that the triple-century was not on his mind.
   ‘I have always gone out and played,’ he said. ‘People look at records, not me. I would want to score as many runs as possible. Whenever it comes, it comes. It is never too late. I will keep trying, but that is not the end of the world to me. There are many more things to cricket, and that is where the focus is. It’s not on records. If it has to come, it will come.’
   Whatever milestones he passed during the course of the innings – be it the most 150-plus scores, be it drawing level with Steve Waugh’s 168 Test caps, or be it yet another double-century – saving the Test was his top priority, to keep the series alive. And he was a satisfied man at the end of it all. And when he is satisfied, so is the rest of India.

Cricket Australia said Friday it would not re-nominate former Australian prime minister John Howard to take over the leadership of the sport’s international governing body.
   CA said Howard was its best available candidate and had decided not to consider suggesting any other names, and instead would support New Zealand Cricket’s nomination of Alan Isaac for the position of vice-president of the International Cricket Council.
   Howard, a passionate cricket lover, was put forward as Australia and New Zealand’s joint candidate for the ICC’s rotating vice presidency, with the expectation that he would be rubber-stamped as its president in two years.
   But the ICC refused to vote on his nomination after a reported revolt by Asian and African cricketing powers, calling instead for Australia and New Zealand to put forward a new candidate.
   ‘The CA board accepts that the New Zealand nominee, Mr Alan Isaac, is eminently qualified to fill the role of ICC vice-president and president, and given the stance of the ICC Executive Board with the nomination of Mr Howard, will support his name being forwarded to the ICC for ratification,’ CA said in a statement.
   ‘The Board is disappointed and most concerned by the ICC Executive Board’s lack of support of his (Howard’s) nomination and regards it as completely unacceptable that no reason has been provided as to why he has not been accepted.
   ‘In the circumstances, the CA Board is not prepared to nominate any other candidate for the role.’
   Howard’s rejection earlier this month was condemned by the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers, Julia Gillard and John Key.

Robinho has issued a plea to remain at Santos but now looks certain to return to Manchester City this summer.
   Robinho moved to Eastlands from Real Madrid in a £32.5 million deal in 2008, but he has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and was allowed to return to his homeland in a six-month loan deal in January.
   Robinho is still collecting his £160,000-a-week salary from his club and Santos claim that City have asked for 40 million euros in order to seal his transfer away from Eastlands.
   The move back to Santos saw Robinho regain his form and he was one of the more impressive performers for Brazil at the World Cup, but it now appears he will have to return to England.
   Speaking after being given a standing ovation at the end of Santos’ 2-0 win in the first leg of the Brazilian cup final against Vitoria, Robinho said: ‘This display of affection from the fans really touches me because this is my home.
   ‘I hope I can stay but it depends on Manchester City. I hope this is not my last game here but, for now, what I have been told is that they [the negotiations] are at a standstill and I have to go back to Manchester.’
   Nonetheless, Robinho - who has been linked with Turkish side Besiktas, among other clubs - is hopeful Santos will resurrect the move.
   ‘It’s not easy to convince the English to agree a deal, but I trust the leaders of Santos to be successful,’ he said. ‘I think I belong here in Brazil more than the Premier League. My agents have received several offers from clubs in Europe but everything is on hold until Santos meet City.’
   Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro said: ‘We are negotiating and we are hopeful, but Manchester City have made it clear to us they are not going to loan him again and that they just want to sell him. We can try a new loan in January. I think it would be easier then.’

Rafael Marquez, who has been strongly linked in the media with a move to New York Red Bulls, is on the verge of leaving Barcelona, new Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said on Friday.
   The Mexico captain’s exit ‘just needed the final details tying up’, Zubizarreta, who was appointed to replace Txiki Begiristain, said at his presentation to the media at the Nou Camp.
   If the deal with the Red Bulls goes through, Marquez would join former Barca team mate Thierry Henry, the French striker who this month moved to Major League Soccer after he was freed from his contract.
   Marquez, 31, can operate as a centre back or defensive midfielder and would be the Red Bulls’ third ‘designated player’, whose wages are mostly outside of the salary cap, along with Henry and Colombian Juan Pablo Angel.
   He joined Barca from French side Monaco in 2003 and has won four Spanish league titles and two European Champions League crowns.

Sri Lanka won’t be able to displace India from the No 1 position in the Test rankings in this series. It was earlier believed that a 2-0 series win would be enough to take Sri Lanka to the top spot.
   However from August 1, 2010, the rankings will cease to consider all Tests played between August 2006 and July 2007. During that period, Sri Lanka won five Tests and lost just one. Losing out on that good year takes Sri Lanka’s rating points down from 115 to 111, and their current ranking from No 4 to No 5.
   Over the same period, India won two Tests and lost two. Since their recent results have been better, they jumped from 124 rating points to 130. The best Sri Lanka can now achieve from this series is a jump to No. 2 if they win the P. Sara Test, starting Tuesday.
   The ICC Test rankings run over a period ranging from three to four years. The Test table released today includes all the Test series that have been completed since August 2007, making it a three year period (for the purpose of the rankings, a year runs from August 1 to July 31).
   Over the next year, all series played until July 31, 2011 will be added to this table, meaning the ratings will be based on four years of results, with series completed within the last two years carrying greater weight. However, on July 31, 2011, the oldest of the four years of results i.e. the matches played between August 2007 and July 2008, will be dropped, basing the rankings into a three-year period again.
   Last week Kumar Sangakkara questioned the rankings system. ‘If rankings can’t be understood by the public, the players, or the administrators, what’s the use of having rankings?’ he said. His main objection with the rankings is a lopsided FTP, which doesn’t give all sides equal opportunities.
   However, the prospect of becoming No. 1 excited him. He told the Sunday Island: ‘It’s a great opportunity for us. The No. 1 ranking is something that we haven’t got in the past and lot of pride is involved in the whole process of trying to achieve it.’

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Mario Balotelli will turn Manchester City into genuine title contenders.
   It is claimed a 30 million euro deal - rising to 35 million euro with bonuses - has been agreed between the clubs.
   Balotelli has courted controversy on a regular basis during his time in Serie A but, while Ancelotti feels the tabloids could cause problems in England, he expects the striker to be a major success.
   ‘With him, Manchester City will challenge for the title, not just fourth place,’ Ancelotti told La Stampa. ‘Mario is a crazy talent. The Premier League is the ideal place for him.
   ‘He’ll find Roberto Mancini, the coach who launched his Serie A career, and there is almost no racism to contend with here. No alibis or advice for him anymore, except for one thing: he needs to watch out for the tabloids.’
   Asked if Inter were doing the right thing by selling the player, Ancelotti said: ‘Well, 35 million euro is a tidy sum. There is also too much pressure on young players in Italy, so clubs prefer ‘secure’ used goods to the uncertainty of the new.’
   Balotelli is said to have held a goodbye party in Milan and reports suggest the deal could be completed before the end of the week.

Introducing goalline technology at soccer stadiums would prove a cheaper, as reliable aid to referees than UEFA’s method of two additional assistants, according to manufacturers.
   UEFA will expanded the use of five referees to some Champions League matches and European Championship qualifiers this season after a successful trial in the Europa League, but German company Cairos Technologies feel their solution should be used. ‘You need to pay a referee each time for each match and two more referees, that is more expensive than having goalline technology,’ Cairos sales director Mario Hanus told Reuters on the sidelines of the Soccerex Asian forum in Singapore this week.
   UEFA were not immediately available for comment.
   Following Frank Lampard’s disallowed effort for England in their World Cup second round defeat by Germany in South Africa last month there has been much talk at the forum, and in the sport, about using technology.
   FIFA President Sepp Blatter apologised to England after the match and the Swiss said the topic of goalline technology would be discussed by soccer law-makers the International Football Association Board.
   However, last week IFAB, which consists of one representative from each of the four British associations and four from FIFA, left the topic off their agenda which Hanus said was frustrating.
   ‘It was a little surprising for us (the rejection) as we have had so many voices around asking for the technology, players referees some of the club managers etc.
   ‘The Bundesliga, I believe, would be ready to introduce it. Referees all around the globe say ‘please we are the ones who are blamed if we take the wrong decision’,’ Hanus said.
   The next opportunity for IFAB to discuss the matter of goalline technology will be at their business meeting in October, with law-changing unable to happen until after their annual meeting in March. ‘(a few years ago) They asked us to change a few things and we did that and it worked and then the decision was against although we had done those changes.
   ‘We were not expecting it to be introduced worldwide in all stadia but at least in a first league or something.
   ‘There is actually nothing we think that needs to be done but if there was, we are here, we are open to talk.’
   Hanus also rejected concerns about the chip-in-ball technology failing at key moments perhaps due to a power outage, saying it was as reliable as any referee.
   ‘If there is no power in the stadium there will be no floodlights and there will be no match so I would say that is not scaring us.
   ‘The two additional referees can be stuck with an airplane that cannot fly because of volcano ash, there is no 100 percent guarantee in life,’ Hanus said, referring to the Icelandic ash cloud that downed much of Europe’s airspace in April.

Arsene Wenger wants Arsenal to use this weekend’s Emirates Cup clashes against AC Milan and Celtic to send a warning to their Premier League rivals.
   Wenger’s side have gone five years without a trophy and finished well behind champions Chelsea last season, but the Gunners boss is convinced the north Londoners are ready to end that barren spell.
   Arsenal have an early opportunity to underline their progress in a prestigious pre-season tournament, at their own Emirates Stadium, which includes seven-time European champions Milan, Scottish giants Celtic and top French club Lyon.
   After spending most of the close-season fighting off BarcelAona’s attempts to lure Cesc Fabregas back to the Nou Camp, Wenger is able to focus on assessing the development of his young squad and he expects positive signs.
   ‘I am very confident we’ll do better than last season,’ Wenger said. ‘We know in England that the Premier League is the biggest league in the world and everybody invests a lot of money.
   ‘We invest in our work, in our beliefs, in the quality of our behaviour and I am confident that will pay off.
   ‘We finished third last year and we hope we can improve on that. But the race will be tough.’
   Fabregas made it clear to Wenger he wanted to rejoin Barca before the start of the season, but Arsenal are refusing to give in to their captain’s demands and there is no sign of the deadlock being broken.
   The Spain midfielder will be absent this weekend as he recovers from helping his country win the World Cup, but Wenger is certain to face further questions about his desire to keep a potentially unhappy player.
   With Fabregas missing, Arsenal fans will get a glimpse of how the future could look without their talisman.
   New arrivals Marouane Chamakh, a Moroccan forward signed from Bordeaux on a free transfer, and Laurent Koscielny, a French centre-back bought from Lorient for 10 million pounds, are certain to feature for the Gunners.
   While Wenger’s men head into the season with much to prove, Celtic will use their matches against Lyon and Arsenal to rebuild confidence after a potentially disastrous 3-0 defeat at Braga in the Champions League qualifying round on Wednesday.
   Neil Lennon’s team travelled to Portugal hopeful of a positive result to keep them on course for a place in the group stages of Europe’s elite club competition.
   Instead they slumped to a loss that places their progress in severe jeopardy and leaves Lennon with a dilemma over whether to risk his first-team players or rest them for next week’s second leg.
   Milan, who finished third in Serie A last season, will be without Brazilian star Ronaldinho who has a leg injury.

Sir Alex Ferguson has compared new Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez to Wayne Rooney and ruled out sending the Mexican marksman out on loan this season.
   Hernandez, known as ‘Chicarito’, scored on his United debut against the MLS All-Stars in Houston on Wednesday and United boss Ferguson was impressed with what he saw. He believes Hernandez is in a similar mould to United talisman Rooney, meaning the pair might struggle if played together, but the comparison bodes well for Hernandez’s prospects of Premier League success.
   Ferguson said: ‘If we are talking about a combination with Wayne, I think we would need to adjust a bit. They are similar types of players. We will assess Hernandez really well and make sure we can bring him to good consistent form. There are still little things to do but not a great deal. One he gets used to our training I think he will be okay.’
   Fellow young gun Federico Macheda scored a double in the same match and Ferguson confirmed he would remain at Old Trafford with Hernandez to provide cover and competition for Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen.
   ‘I need to keep Macheda and Hernandez. There was a lot of purpose in the way they played their football. To play for a club like this is not just about talent. You need something else and they’ve got something else. I am pleased with that.’
   Former United States coach and current LA Galaxy boss Bruce Arena believes United have struck gold by securing the services of Hernandez after seeing the striker score a superb lob after coming off the bench in the emphatic 5-2 victory at the Reliant Stadium.
   Arena said: ‘Manchester United has a global scouting network and they know where all the great players are. They were obviously well aware of this young prospect in Mexico and they did a fabulous job to secure him at the time they did.
   ‘He is going to have a learning curve and becoming a professional in the environment of Manchester United. One has to believe he is going to be an outstanding player. He certainly has a bright future.’
   Hernandez’s goal sparked wild celebrations among the 70,000 supporters on hand, hardly surprising given that nearly one million Mexicans live in the Houston area. So his return to previous club Chivas Guadalajara for United’s final tour match should be something special.
   Hernandez, who will play a half for each side, said: ‘I don’t know how I will feel yet but obviously this is an effort by all the people who supported me. From the start of my career I owe everything to Chivas and thanks to them I am where I am now.’

A new generation of British soccer fans would be tolerant about professional footballers admitting they were homosexual, according to an online survey conducted by Staffordshire University in England.
   The survey of 2,000 supporters found that only 7 per cent believed that soccer had no place for homosexuals.
   The survey was conducted by culture, media and sports professor Ellis Cashmore and senior sociology lecturer Jamie Cleland.
   ‘The big surprise was that we got what I suppose you’d call a counter-intuitive response and that was that 93 per cent said they felt there was no place for homophobia in football and it should be stomped out and they felt that it brought shame on football,’ Cashmore said in a telephone interview.
   ‘There was a call for greater transparency. A lot of people said they would prefer it if gay footballers came out because they don’t think they would have to put up with that much abuse.’
   Only one professional footballer, England international Justin Fashanu, has revealed that he was homosexual during his career. Fashanu committed suicide in 1998 at the age of 37.
   Players in other sports have been equally reticent. Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas revealed in a newspaper last year that he was homosexual, saying: ‘It’s pretty tough for me being the only international rugby player prepared to break the taboo.’
   Thomas’s candour prompted sympathy from British former National Basketball Association player John Amaechi, who announced he was homosexual after retiring in 2007, plus a warning that homophobia is still present in sports.
   Former England rugby coach Clive Woodward was more positive, saying he expected the sport to take Thomas’s announcement in its stride, while Welsh media reported recently that Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke was considering portraying Thomas in a film.
   ‘The question remains, when will a gay soccer player come out?’ Cashmore said. ‘The fans themselves are of the opinion that yes, we know there are gay players and when we watch football every week we know we are watching gay players, but actually it doesn’t matter to us.’
   Cashmore said homophobia now was equivalent to the racism which blighted British soccer during the 1970s and 1980s.
   ‘Football fans who have for long been characterised as Neanderthal types, the knuckle-dragging kind of macho type who believe homosexuality is still taboo; actually they have changed as well,’ he said.
   ‘We have a new generation of football fans — managers, coaches, players themselves, I class them all as fans in some way.
   ‘They don’t actually care very much about a person’s sexual orientation. But of course the players are living with a legacy and the legacy has become a heavy burden for football.
   ‘It’s going to make it extremely difficult for the first living footballer to come out. For a footballer to come out after his career is over, in a sense that is the path of least resistance.
   ‘It’s still enormously difficult but not as difficult as they think.’

The end of Maradona’s tenure at the helm of Argentina’s national team has dealt a hard blow to his fans, even though his performance as coach was a far cry from his genius as a player.
   Maradona accused Argentine soccer chiefs on Wednesday of conspiring to oust him and many fans think he deserved a more dignified exit despite Argentina’s disappointing showing at the World Cup.
   ‘He is an iconic figure and deserved a more graceful farewell,’ said Federico Garcia, 33, who works in retail.
   ‘Here in Argentina, we love Maradona. I think the heads of the AFA (Argentine Football Association) kicked him out in a dodgy way.’
   AFA’s executive committee voted unanimously not to renew Maradona’s contract as coach on Tuesday, citing ‘unbridgeable differences’ with the former player, who led Argentina to World Cup victory as captain in 1986.
   A solemn Maradona retaliated the following day saying he had been ‘betrayed’ by soccer chiefs and that he had not been given enough time to shine.
   ‘You know that my cycle lasted only for one and a half years. It was the shortest tenure in the past 35 years,’ he said.
   In downtown Buenos Aires, many people said Maradona was ‘stabbed in the back’ and that he was not given a proper shot at running the squad.
   ‘He didn’t do such a bad job as coach. We haven’t been beyond the quarter-finals in a World Cup since 1990, so I don’t think he did much worse than others given that the team was in disarray when he took over,2 said Claudio Yago, 54, who owns a newspaper stand.
   Maradona rose to stardom from a Buenos Aires slum, but his rags-to-riches story hit the rocks after he quit soccer in the 1990s and battled drug addiction, obesity and alcohol abuse.
   His appointment as coach of the national team in late 2008 was a remarkable comeback, especially as he had little coaching experience.
   ‘To be coach of the national team, you have to work seriously and that’s not something Maradona’s known for,’ said geologist Eric Cayo, 33.
   Argentina’s shambolic World Cup qualifying campaign sent alarm bells ringing for fans and critics alike, but convincing victories in their first four games in South Africa propelled the team into the list of tournament favorites.
   Maradona’s dreams of reliving World Cup glory as coach were dashed when Germany beat them 4-0 in the quarter-finals.
   But he was still given a hero’s welcome at home and urged to stay on by team members including World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. Even President Cristina Fernandez said no one deserved to suffer Maradona’s abrupt exit from the job. His die-hard fans say Maradona’s history of beating the odds make him the best coach Argentina could ever have.
   ‘As a coach he lacks many things, but it doesn’t matter because he’s ‘El Diego’,’ said Simon Lampa, a consultant for an insurance company.
   ‘I know there are much better coaches in Argentina, but who cares? Maradona is an idol and he inspired the team, for technical staff he had advisers.’

Germany midfielder Sami Khedira, who played a major part in Germany’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals, is to join Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart, the Bundesliga club said on Friday.
   ‘VfB and Real Madrid have agreed on the midfielder’s move to the Spanish capital,’ the German club said on their website (www.vfb.de).
   ‘As soon as the German international has passed a medical exam, he will put his signature on the contract.’
   VfB, where Khedira made his professional debut in 2006, said they were sorry to let the 23-year-old go.
   ‘One is always extremely unhappy to let go a player who dictates the game and is easily identified with, such as Sami Khedira,’ said Stuttgart’s sporting director Fred Bobic.
   ‘On the other hand we were able to fulfil Sami’s wishes of furthering his career at Real. We wish him all the success with his new challenge.’
   Khedira, who made his international debut in the friendly against South Africa last September, was not expected to feature in Germany’s World Cup team but was given his chance following the injury which kept captain Michael Ballack out of the tournament.
   He formed an impressive partnership with Bastian Schweinsteiger as Germany finished third.
   He has 12 caps and scored his first international goal in the third-place playoff against Uruguay in South Africa.

Former Argentina boss Daniel Passarella has backed Estudiantes coach Alejandro Sabella to succeed Diego Maradona with the Albiceleste.
   Sabella, who worked alongside Passarella during his time in charge of Argentina, took charge of Estudiantes in March 2009 and led the team to success in the Copa Libertadores.
   It is now reported that he will be confirmed as the new coach of the national side on Friday, taking the reins after completing his upcoming commitments with his club.
   ‘I would be very happy to if Alejandro was available to coach Argentina, and for me he should come and get it right now,’ Passarella told Ole. ‘He’s a great person and great coach, and I’m sure that - like everyone in his situation - he would be ready to accept this job.
   ‘I always did my best on the team. It would be a pleasure to see Sabella in the job.’
   Argentina Under-20 boss Sergio Batista has been named as caretaker manager and is expected to take charge of the friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Spain in August and September.

Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal need to sign at least one more centre back before the close of the summer transfer window.
   Arsenal’s defensive options have been severely depleted in a summer that has seen Philippe Senderos join Fulham and William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell leave the club on free transfers. The Gunners were hopeful of agreeing a new contract with Campbell, only to see the former England international join Newcastle this week.
   Wenger has spent a reported £10 million on Frenchman Lauren Koscielny, while Johan Djourou has recovered from a long-term injury that restricted him to only one appearance last season, but his only other established centre back is Thomas Vermaelen.
   Alex Song can deputise in the position but, speaking ahead of the weekend’s Emirates Cup tournament, Wenger confirmed he is still active in the transfer market.
   ‘I wouldn’t like to give you any names,’ Wenger said in a press conference. ‘There are plenty of names that we consider and we analyse. We look at the financial possibilities and the technical potential. But it is impossible for me to come out with a name.
   ‘We are still on the search because at the moment we only have three centre backs and we have seen last season you needed five. I believe we need at least four because we have some other players who can fill in this position but overall we are still on the search.’

Michael Ballack intends to be fit for Bayer Leverkusen’s season opener against Borussia Dortmund, the midfielder has announced to the Bundesliga’s official website.
   The 33-year-old claimed that a late August return is his aim, but it depends on how he feels. ‘When you’ve been out for 10 to 12 weeks, rehabilitation included, it can be the case that you have to put things back a week or so. So I’m not going to put an exact date on it.
   ‘The fitness has to be there, and I’ll have to be 100 per cent.’
   Ballack suffered ankle ligament damage during Chelsea’s FA Cup final victory at the end of the 2009-10 season, and missed the World Cup as a result. During the summer he joined Leverkusen on a free transfer, returning to the club for which he played between 1999 and 2002.

European giants Liverpool and Juventus began life under new coaches with victories in the first legs of their Europa League third qualifying round ties on Thursday.
   A David Ngog brace gave Roy Hodgson’s Liverpool a 2-0 victory at Macedonian minnows Rabotnicki, while Luigi Delneri oversaw an equally straightforward 2-0 win for the Italian side at Irish team Shamrock Rovers.
   Liverpool and Juve have had to undergo the ignominy of the Europa League preliminary rounds after each finished seventh in their respective leagues last season, prompting managerial changes at both Anfield and the Stadio Olimpico.
   With 10 World Cup players including Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole and Javier Mascherano all short of fitness, Hodgson fielded a team partly made up of fringe players at the Filip II Arena in Skopje.
   Liverpool took the lead in the 17th minute when Lucas picked out Ngog and the Frenchman capitalised on Egzon Belica’s slip to dink the ball over goalkeeper Martin Bogatinov and then tap it into the empty net.
   Ngog made it 2-0 shortly before the hour when he crisply volleyed in Martin Kelly’s right-wing cross from six yards out.
   ‘There were a lot of players out there I need to learn about, as some of them I have hardly worked with,’ said Hodgson in praise of his young side. ‘It was a very good exercise in that respect.’
   Juve boss Delneri handed first competitive starts to a number of new signings, including goalkeeper Marco Storari, former Bari centre-back Leonardo Bonucci and on-loan winger Pepe.
   Brazilian-Italian striker Amauri put the Serie A side ahead in the third minute in Dublin, finishing deftly after a sharp one-two with Diego, before netting his second with 15 minutes to play.
   ‘I always felt we could go out and play the way we did and have patches where we could hassle them, but we knew it would be difficult to do that for 90 minutes against a side of their quality,’ said Shamrock boss Michael O’Neill.
   ‘In the end I couldn’t have asked any more of the players.’
   Bundesliga side Stuttgart emerged from their game at Norwegians Molde with a 3-2 victory, but only after the hosts had twice fought back from a goal down.
   Sebastian Rudy’s opener was cancelled out in the 65th minute by a fortunate goal from Mattias Mostrom, who charged down an attempted clearance and sent the ball bouncing past goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
   Zdravko Kuzmanovic restored the visitors’ lead with a free-kick in the 74th minute, only for Magne Hoseth to reply two minutes later, before substitute Martin Harnik’s back-post header settled the game in the 82nd minute.
   Elsewhere, Sporting Lisbon won 1-0 at Norway’s Nordsjaelland and French side Montpellier prevailed 1-0 at Gyor of Hungary.
   A goal from new signing Dennis Rommedahl gave Greek giants Olympiakos a 2-1 win at home to Israelis Maccabi Tel-Aviv but Galatasaray let slip a 2-0 lead in the last 10 minutes to draw 2-2 against Serbia’s OFK Beograd in Istanbul.
   Maritimo of Portugal enjoyed the night’s biggest victory, winning 8-2 at home to hapless Welsh outfit Bangor City.
   The second legs take place on August 3-5, with heavyweights such as Manchester City, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Porto all due to enter the competition in the following round.

Carlos Bilardo, who has been accused by Diego Maradona of betrayal and working behind the scenes to have him dismissed as Argentina’s coach, says the former playing great was to blame for his own downfall.
   Bilardo, who coached the 1986 World Cup winning team led by Maradona, and the 1990 team that lost in the final, said Thursday that until now he has kept his mouth shut for the good of Argentina’s national team.
   During a 10-minute speech Wednesday, Maradona accused Bilardo, the Argentine national team director, of ‘betrayal’ and Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona of ‘lying.’
   The outburst followed the AFA’s decision Tuesday not to renew Maradona’s contract.
   ‘Until now I have been still and have put up with everything for the good of the team, for the World Cup and the players,’ Bilardo said Thursday on radio La Red. ‘I didn’t want to cause problems. But enough is enough. I can’t let myself be more humiliated. My friend doesn’t understand how I’ve put up with this.’
   He said he planned a news conference next week to offer his version of what transpired.
   The AFA said it offered Maradona a four-year contract to continue as coach until the 2014 World Cup, but only if he would drop seven members of his coaching and backroom staff. Maradona declined, although many criticised him for his lack of tactical knowledge and his unwillingness to seek help.
   ‘You can’t always give all of your friends jobs,’ Bilardo said.
   Bilardo took some credit for winning the 1986 World Cup, and finishing second four years later and said Maradona owed him a debt of gratitude.
   ‘I’m a World Cup champion and a runner-up,’ he said. ‘I didn’t depend on Maradona. He depended on me. He hadn’t done much in ’84 and ’85.’
   Grondona, who also replied to Maradona’s charges, said he had not lied to the famous No 10. He acknowledged the job offer was there, but with conditions.
   ‘I continue being sorry that he has gone because it’s very sad,’ Grondona said. ‘But I did not lie to Maradona. I told Maradona that I was content with him, that he had to continue. What he misinterpreted was that the conditions weren’t the same.’
   A national icon who often divides public opinion, Maradona took over as Argentina’s coach 21 months ago, stepping in with little experience on the bench.
   In a roller-coaster ride, he used over 100 players in matches, struggled to qualify for the World Cup and wound up naming a 23-man World Cup team that excluded Inter Milan defender Javier Zanetti and team-mate and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.
   Instead, he selected Ariel Garce for the squad despite the defender only playing his first international match for Argentina in May against Haiti.
   Argentina were ousted from the World Cup in the quarter-finals with a 4-0 rout by Germany in which Germany coach Joachim Low exploited Argentina’s frail defence and lack of midfield speed.
   Argentina youth team manager Sergio Batista will be the interim coach for an August 11 exhibition in Ireland. There is also a September 7 exhibition match at River Plate stadium against world champions Spain.
   Possible permanent successors include two club coaches in Argentina – Alejandro Sabella of Estudiantes and Miguel Russo of Racing.

Barce-lona’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has put an end to speculation that he is leaving the Spanish champions, saying Thursday that he is staying put at the club.
   ‘I am a Barcelona player and I will continue to be one,’ the 28-year-old was quoted by Barcelona’s website as saying at a news conference in Oslo ahead of a friendly against Norwegian side Valerenga.
   ‘The rumours have not affected me because I have not had any doubts that I want to stay. I have taken them as a compliment.’
   Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic fears his former coach Jose Mourinho will create a Real Madrid team capable of ending Barcelona’s recent dominance of Spanish soccer.
   Ibrahimovic, the Barcelona striker who endured a patchy first season at the Nou Camp, played for Mourinho at Inter Milan between 2008 and 2009.
   ‘Mourinho is one of the best coaches in the world,’ Ibrahimovic told reporters ahead of Barcelona’s pre-season friendly against Norwegian side Valerenga.
   ‘When he comes to a new club he will build it up to be a winning machine. It will be difficult to beat (Real), but we are the best team in the world.’
   Barcelona won the Spanish league in 2009 and 2010, and the Champions League in 2009.
   Ibrahimovic, the Sweden international who scored 16 goals in his first season at Barcelona, said he expects to improve in his second, and that the arrival of David Villa should not put his place under threat.
   He admitted he had discussed his situation with coach Pep Guardiola after Barcelona bought Villa, Spain’s top scorer at the World Cup, from Valencia.
   ‘Every time I change clubs, I think the first year is always the (most) difficult one, and from all the clubs that I’ve played in, my best first year has been in Barcelona,’ Ibrahimovic said.
   ‘He (Guardiola) says I’m important, and then I take it as I will play. If you’re not important, you don’t play.’
   Ibrahimovic said Villa was one of the world’s best players who would help Barcelona next season. ‘With Villa on the team we will be even stronger and have even better chance to win the Champions League,’ he said.

Manches-ter United’s teenage Italian striker Federico Macheda believes he can challenge the club’s senior players for a first-team place this season and make a lasting impact on the Premier League.
   ‘I am ready and I hope that the manager will choose me for more games. I think this could be my year,’ he told Reuters after scoring twice in a 5-2 pre-season win over Major League Soccer’s All Stars on Wednesday.
   The Rome-born forward, who turns 19 next month, made an instant impact on his debut in April 2009 with a superb winner against Aston Villa but his progress was hampered last season by injury.
   It was clear from his aggressive display in the friendly in Houston that he is determined to make up for that lost time.
   ‘I had played in the previous tour games but I hadn’t been very happy with my performance, so I really wanted to show to everyone that I was ready,’ he said.
   ‘We’re getting close to the start of the season and so I’m really pleased with those two goals. I have to continue doing well. I have to be ready for any chance that the manager (Alex Ferguson) gives me.’
   With Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen perhaps not ready to fire on all cylinders at the start of the season, and Dimitar Berbatov still trying to find his best form at Old Trafford, Macheda knows he could get a chance early in the campaign.
   ‘Last season I had a lot of injuries – I was out for nearly five months and so I couldn’t really show my ability – but this season I hope to have more space and show what I can do,’ he said.
   Macheda’s opening goal against the All Stars was aided by a dreadful pass from MLS defender Kevin Alston but the Italian, whom United captured from Lazio’s youth team, showed tremendous composure to finish the chance.
   Ferguson, whom Macheda calls a ‘splendid person and a fantastic coach’, said the goal confirmed what he and his staff had long believed about the Italian’s finishing ability.
   ‘We always think Macheda is the best going through on the goalkeeper that we have,’ Ferguson said. ‘He’s outstanding at that in these positions. When he went through, I expected him to score. It was a well taken goal.’
   That is praise indeed from a manager who can call on strikers of the quality of Rooney, Owen and Berbatov.
   The arrival of Mexico striker Javier Hernandez provides yet more competition for places in attack but Macheda shrugged off the suggestion he has a new rival for a starting spot.
   ‘I think we have seven strikers in the team and they are all a challenge, bringing in one more or having one less doesn’t make much difference,’ said the Italian.
   ‘He (Hernandez) is a good lad, very confident and with a lot of quality. He’s calm, respectful and he has been well received by the players,’ Macheda said of the 22-year-old, who also scored on Wednesday when making his debut for the club.
   Macheda said he had long observed the techniques and methods of top strikers, none more so than his childhood hero former Netherlands and AC Milan forward Marco van Basten.
   ‘When I was a kid, I constantly watched videos of Marco van Basten, he was always my idol, a great striker,’ he said.

Barcelona defender Carles Puyol feels Arsenal may be making a mistake by keeping Cesc Fabregas for another season as he ‘doesn’t want to be there’.
   The pursuit of Fabregas looks set to end in failure for now as Arsenal have shown no inclination to enter discussions over their captain, but Barca remain confident of taking the player back to Camp Nou in a year’s time.
   Nonetheless, Puyol feels Arsenal should have allowed him ‘his dream move’ this summer and claimed ‘his heart is already in Barcelona’.
   ‘He is having to stay at a club where he no longer wants to be for another year,’ he told the Sun. ‘I wonder how intelligent it is keeping a player who doesn’t want to be there.
   ‘After seven years of great service, I thought Arsenal could have granted him his dream move. Cesc has given everything to Arsenal to try to win a trophy but they haven’t matched his expectations.
   ‘I won’t say he is in a prison, as we know how privileged we are as football players, but after how clear Cesc made it that he wanted to be in Barcelona, I thought they would have granted him that.
   ‘We all thought a deal would be done this summer, but Arsenal have refused to talk and we are going to have to wait another year to get Cesc home.
   ‘He is far too classy a guy to say it but the truth is he doesn’t want to be at Arsenal this season. His heart is already in Barcelona, even though we must wait another year for his body to be here. We know he is arriving next season. Barcelona have a whole year to sort the deal out.
   ‘He is professional enough still to have a great season and also because he has a lot of respect for the Arsenal fans, but anybody who tries to convince themselves he wanted to stay at Arsenal is wrong.’