Even a betting genius can occasionally have a bad week. After receiving an ultimatum from the wife, “It’s either betting or me.” I immediately had a lumpy bet on Chelsea to beat Betis. To make matters even worse, the threat turned out to be very much like the wife; idle.

Sir Alex Ferguson has also had a week he’d rather forget. On a Satta King Result disastrous trip to the Riverside, United found themselves 3-0 down at half-time. Fergie turned the hair-dryer up to full blast, but the players were just as wet in the 2nd half.

Two days later, a Roy Keane interview severely criticised Rio, Fletcher, Miller, O’Shea, Richardson and Alan Smith, he obviously forgot about Paul Scholes.

With team morale shattered, a midweek defeat in the Champions League was almost inevitable. The Manchester United era of domination is officially over thanks to Mr Keane’s tirade, the bubble has well and truly burst, and all it took was one prick. Chelsea are a confident pick at 5/4 to add to Fergie’s week of woe.

Jose Mourinho used the word ‘voyeur’ to describe Arsene Wenger this week, which is somewhat unfair; I don’t think anybody has derived any real pleasure from watching Chelsea this season.

The smile can return to Wenger’s face this weekend when they take on Sunderland; Arsenal’s reserves won 3-0 at the Stadium of Light in the Carling Cup, imagine what the first-team will do at Highbury.

Charlton are the only team in England with a 100% record on the road, but that stat will come under threat at Ewood Park. Blackburn are a team in Mark Hughes’ image, last week he received a red card for kicking a bag, in all fairness, we’ve all been there.

Craig Bellamy has scored three goals in three games since he returned from injury, the wild Rovers are extremely backable at 5/4.

Alan Shearer came off the bench to score against the Albion last time out; (He’s not the first footballer to be dropped by Graeme Souness.) the Geordie legend has every chance of inching closer to Jackie Milburn’s record against a woeful Birmingham.

The last four league games make depressing reading for the Blues; they’ve lost all four and scored in none. 8/13 is available for a Newcastle team that have won their last three games, which is practically a charitable donation.

Stuart Pearce has nicknamed Andy Cole and Darius Vassell ‘Laurel and Hardy’; Chris Coleman won’t be laughing as Andy Cole scores the goals that will condemn his former club to a third straight defeat.

Vassell scored twice against Aston Villa last week and Peter Crouch will try to continue the trend of ex players returning to haunt the Villans. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Crouch scored, it would be a miracle. Liverpool are awful away, Villa are just plain awful. This match has draw written all over it.

As debuts go, Fabio Capello’s as England manager was reassuring but ultimately meaningless.

After the misery of the Croatia defeat at the same venue in November, Wembley’s sell-out crowd was happy to witness a victory instead, but the contest will pass quickly into memory.

As if it needs repeating, Steve McClraham Taylor both won their first games in charge but ended their reigns in humiliation, while Alf Ramsey lost his but ended up winning the World Cup. Satta King As if it needs repeating, Steve McClaren andGraham Taylor both won their first games in charge but ended their reigns in humiliation, while Alf Ramsey lost his but ended up winning the World Cup.

England’s 2-1 win on Wednesday was unremarkable. Capello’s men dominated the first half hour territorially, although Switzerland looked the more incisive in the final third.

Jermaine Jenas finished off a smart passing move five minutes before half time to give his Italian boss the first goal of his reign, and when Capello replaced the goalscorer and Joe Cole on 57 minutes, it seemed the game would wind down for the remainder into the slumber England friendlies often serve up.

Plaudits, therefore, to Switzerland’s Eren Derdiyok for making a match of the occasion when he lashed a snapshot past David James a minute later – the goal of the evening.

England responded confidently and were ahead again in the 62nd when Steven Gerrard, the Man of the Match, powered through the Swiss backline before laying the ball off to Shaun Wright-Phillips for an easy tap-in.

Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole underlined why they should be next on the teamsheet after Gerrard; Rooney with some deft flicks and impromptu shooting and Cole with some dogged foraging down the left wing, including the incursion which lead to Jenas’ goal.

If David Bentley is David Beckham’s natural replacement on the right, he must improve his crossing to finally dislodge Goldenballs from the running. After one especially overhit centre, the fans in the adjacent corner serenaded the Blackburn midfielder with ‘there’s only one David Beckham’.

Capello’s England has only just begun the metamorphosis from also-rans to contenders, but there were still some interesting hints of things to come. England might have kicked off with some misplaced passes and nervy indecision in defence, but did not resort to aimless long balls like they did against the Croats and showed some rare understanding of the phases of the game as it went on.

Instead of just attacking stubbornly for 90 minutes, for a spell in the first half the Three Lions played keep-ball Latin-style, although their failure to advance out of their own half soon had the crowd jeering, perhaps provoking them to respond with a goal.

For much of the opening 45, Capello’s men showed the importance of playing in the opponents’ half and when leading in the second, they did well by taking the game to the Swiss instead of sitting on their advantage and counting down the clock.

While England never looked like losing to Switzerland – the Euro 2008 joint-hosts lost at home to the USA in October and are ranked 44th in the world (England are 12th), they also did nothing to dazzle the spectators or stake a claim to be up there with Europe’s best.

Still, I think we would settle for humdrum 2-1 wins all the way to the World Cup final in 2010.

If there was anything revolutionary in the air, it was the disciplined regime initiated by the much-travelled Italian, which may have had a knock-on effect on the fans, too.

No one can reasonably complain if he opts to call his captain ‘Gerrard’ instead of ‘Stevie G’, orders the players to keep to rigid meal times like friars in a monastery, and, at long last, has sent the WAGs, agents and assorted hangers-on packing from the team hotel.

The much-trumpeted minute’s silence to commemorate the 1958 Munich air disaster was barely 30 seconds, and was interrupted by two or three morons, but only two or three, which amid 86,857 at Wembley is not a bad ratio.

For the first time in my Wembley memory, I heard nobody in my section boo the visitors’ national anthem. I also failed to spot any flags emblazoned with the names of banned Ulster terror groups, and heard no bone-headed renditions of ‘No Surrender to the IRA’.

Looking around the gleaming new arena with its magnificent architecture, I wondered if at long last the boorishness that has dogged England’s fanbase for years was finally withering away in the face of a new era.

What surprised me most, though, was glancing to my left and finding my eyes fixed upon the familiar form of one of the world’s greatest coaches, looking unfamiliar in an England tracksuit, but brooding over his troops with his reknowned intensity.

Sterner tests will come, beginning with the trip to Zagreb to face Croatia on the 10th of September for a World Cup qualifier.

So far, so good: Capello has a 100% record. And for a non-English speaker picking up a team strangled by player egoes, and a nation demoralized by their failure to perform, he has showed an encouraging desire to do things his own way.

Assessments will change when the meaningful games arrive in the autumn, but for now, Fabio’s road looks the right one for England.

Scoring –

ENG – Jenas 40′

SWI – Derdiyok – 58′

ENG – Wright-Phillips 62′

Line-ups –

England: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Upson, Ashley Cole (Bridge 73′), Bentley, Jenas (Wright-Phillips 57′), Gerrard, Barry (Hargreaves 73′), Joe Cole (Crouch 57′), Rooney (Young 87′).

Switzerland: Benaglio, Lichtsteiner (Behrami 46′), Senderos (Grichting 55′), Eggiman, Spycher, Inler, Gelson (Huggel 84′), Barnetta, Yakin (Margairaz 63′), Gygax (Vonlanthen 46′), Nkufo (Derdiyok 46′).

Redouane Achik (Morocco), Maniel Candido (Angola)

Jerome Damon (South Africa)

Celestin Ntagungira (Rwanda), Enock Molefe

Franck De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Peter Hermans, Walter Vromans

Martin Hansson (Sweden)

Henrik Andren, Stefan Wittberg

Michael Hester (New Zealand)

Jan-Hendrik Hintz, Tevita Makasini (Tonga)

Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

Rafael Ilyasov, Bahadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)

Victor Kassai (Hungary)

Gabor Eros, Tibor Vamos

Stephane Lannoy (France)

Eric Dansault, Laurent Ugo

Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

Pablo Fandino, Maurico Espinosa

Eddy Maillet (Seychelles)

Evarist Menkouande (Cameroon), Bechir Hassani (Tunisia)

Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh (Malaysia)

Yuxin Mu (China), Jeffrey Gek Pheng (Singapore)

Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

Toru Sagara, Jeong Hae-sang (South Korea)

Peter O’Leary (New Zealand)

Brent Best, Matthew Taro (Solomon Islands)

Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)

Jose Luis Camaego, Alberto Morin

Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

Paolo Calcagno, Stefano Ayroldi

Oscar Ruiz (Colombia)

Abraham Gonzalez, Humberto Clavijo

Carlos Eugenio Simon (Brazil)

Altemir Hausmann, Roberto Braatz

Wolfgang Stark (Germany)

Jan Salver, Mike Pickel

Alberto Undiano (Spain)

Fermin Martinez, Juan Carlos Yuste

Howard Webb (England)

Darren Cann, Michael Mullarkey

Not many column inches have been written about Atletico, whose European high point came in tying the 1974 European Cup satta king Final with Bayern, before losing the replay. Their domestic hour of glory was the league and cup double of 1996, but the Spanish capital’s second club have struggled to break the Barca-Real log-jam since. Coach Quique Sanchez Flores, has only been in the job since October, but has hauled the Rojiblancos to the Copa del Rey final as well as this one.

But Roy Hodgson remains the real hero of the hour. He rather resembles an English coach of the ’30s or ’50s, having dragged his suitcase of coaching manuals around eight countries. Should Fabio Capello call it a day now, he would appear an inspired choice to replace him.

Into his seventh decade, Hodgson has distilled a simple football philosophy which has guided one of the Premier League’s poorer teams into a European final for the first time. Fulham, that cosy little club by the Thames no-one has a bad word to say about.

Like Odysseus, he has led his warriors on an odyssey through many trials, the last of which is tonight, before he can bring them home with their booty.

Possible lineups:Fulham – Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Etuhu, Duff, Gera, Zamora

Atletico – De Gea, Valera, Dominguez, Perea, Antonio Lopez, Reyes, Assuncao, Raul Garcia, Simao, Aguero, Forlan

(c) Sean O’Conor & Soccerphile

Win Match Tickets and Signed Shirts – England Team sponsors Nationwide Building Society are offering England Fans the chance to become the Nationwide England Fan of the Week.

By simply uploading a picture of satta king chart themselves supporting the England Team to nationwidefootball.co.uk both in the run up to and during the World Cup, fans can win a range of great England prizes.

NATIONWIDE ARE CALLING ALL ENGLAND FANS

The Nationwide England Fan of the Week will be randomly drawn every Monday until the end of the World Cup. Prizes for winning fans include match tickets to England v Mexico, signed England shirts and other England goodies.

J. League Results 10-11 April 2010

Shimizu S-Pulse 5 Vegalta Sendai 1

Vissel Kobe 0 Montedio Yamagata 2

Saturday 10 April

Albirex Niigata 0 Urawa Reds 2

FC Tokyo 1 Kashima Antlers 1

Kyoto Sanga 0, Nagoya Grampus 2

Omiya Ardija 1 Gamba Osaka 3

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 Kawasaki Frontale 3

Shonan Bellmare 0 Jubilo Iwata 0

Yokohama F Marinos 0 Cerezo Osaka 0

J.League Table

Shimizu S-Pulse P 6 Pts 14

Urawa Reds P 6 Pts 13

Kawasaki Frontale P 6 Pts 13

Nagoya Grampus P 5 Pts 12

Kashima Antlers P 6 Pts 11

Vegalta Sendai P 6 Pts 10

Leading Scorers

Shoki Hirai, Gamba Osaka 5

Ryang Yong Gi, Vegalta Sendai 4

Chong Tese, Kawasaki Frontale 4

Liverpool V Benfica – Dr Joel Rookwood

The red half of Merseyside is finally beginning to warm to the Europa League. It may be the last competition Liverpool wanted to win when the campaign kicked off in August, but with all other possibilities severed, the consolation cup is looking an increasingly attractive proposition. Its Channel 5 broadcasting, Thursday matches, multiple officials, stupid kick off times and involvement of Everton have not done wonders for its reputation amongst the Premier League’s elite. Yet no team has won it four times, with three-time winners Liverpool now favourites to do just that in Hamburg on May 12th. Cue cheekily edited prophetic banner:

Following a dismal Champions League campaign, relegation to the Europa League saw forgettable ties against Hungarian minnows and French also-rans. But in Portuguese league leaders Benfica, the quarter-final presented Liverpool with a first real European test of 2010. Despite losing the away leg, the tie was evenly balanced at 2-1. The once legendary Lisbon outfit had annoyed Liverpool supporters with the manner of victory in the Stadium of Light however, and so when they travelled to the Ground of Noise, the away team and their supporters were dealt a lesson or two. Where eagles dare, Scousers drown. It was not simply off the pitch that Anfield impressed however. Benitez’s side were simply sublime on it. Benfica were the side Liverpool would have wanted to avoid in the draw, but having been pitted against a very good Portuguese side, Liverpool controlled the match throughout. A brave header from every blind girl’s pin-up hunk Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool a deserved lead.

Kopites rubbed their eyes six minutes later as what can only be described as Lucas Leiva effortlessly rounded Julio Cesar to double Liverpool’s advantage. The second half however was all about one man: Fernando Torres. He finished off a move that began in the arms of Pepe Reina and featured the majestic Mascherano, the brilliant Benayoun and the Klipspringer Kuyt. Five passes from goal to goal. A subsequent Cardozo freekick threatened to alter the complexion of the tie but Torres’s second goal twelve minutes later rendered the Paraguayan’s effort consolatory, ensuring Liverpool’s passage to the semi-final in the process. Liverpool will now travel to the Vicente Calderon where Torres will face his boyhood heroes in the Spanish capital. It was not the Madrid fixture we dreamt of, but overcoming Athletico would secure a third European final in Benitez’s sixth season as Liverpool manager. Going one step further and beating probable opponents Hamburg in their own ground would make Liverpool the most successful UEFA Cup (sic) team in history. Domestic failures cannot be dismissed with this prospect, but it does at least demand a reframed perspective. Unfazed, Benitez walks on.

The draw for the group stage of the 2009 AFC Champions League has thrown up some tough challenges for Japanese clubs.

The opening stages of the Champions League are split into regionalised West Asian and East Asian groups, and Nagoya Grampus will have a tough time of things when they make their debut in the competition.

Dragan Stojkovic’s side have been drawn in Group E alongside A-League champions Newcastle Jets, Korean outfit Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i and passionately supported Chinese club Beijing Guoan.

In Group F defending Asian champions Satta Matka Gamba Osaka face a similarly tough task when they come up against K-League runners-up FC Seoul, Chinese giants Shandong Luneng and Sumatra-based Indonesian outfit Sriwijaya FC.

There’s a mouth-watering clash of the giants in Group G, where current J. League champions Kashima Antlers will face off against Korean superclub Suwon Bluewings, with Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua also in the mix.

The final place in Group G will go to the winner of a play-off featuring Thai club Provincial Electricity Authority, Singapore Armed Forces and Indonesian side PSMS Medan, with the fixtures taking place in late February.

Kawasaki Frontale will fancy their chances of making it out of Group H, where they face Australian side Central Coast Mariners, Korean FA Cup winners Pohang Steelers and Chinese club Tianjin Teda.

The group winners and runners-up will both advance to the Round of 16, with the tournament kicking off on March 10.

The full draw is as follows:

Group A: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan), Al Ahli (United Arab Emirates), Saba Battery (Iran).

Group B: Persepolis (Iran), Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), Al Gharafa (Qatar), To Be Confirmed

Group C: Al Jazira (UAE), Esteghlal (IR Iran), Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Umm Salal (Qatar).

Group D: Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan), Al Shabab (UAE), Sepahan (Iran), Al Ettifaq (Saudi Arabia)

Group E: Ulsan Hyundai (Korea Republic), Newcastle Jets (Australia), Beijing Guoan (China), Nagoya Grampus (Japan)

Group F: Gamba Osaka (Japan), FC Seoul (Korea Republic), Sriwijaya (Indonesia), Shandong Luneng (China)

Group G: Shanghai Shenhua (China), Kashima Antlers (Japan), Suwon Bluewings (Korea Republic), To Be Confirmed

Group H: Central Coast Mariners (Australia), Tianjin Teda (China), Kawasaki Frontale (Japan), Pohang Steelers (Korea).

The usually reserved Moore was moved to rubbish Bleiberg’s comments and said he knew for certain the former Roar boss had spoken to team-mates. Minniecon’s subsequent move suggests Moore was telling the truth.

Palmer and Bleiberg’s continued boastful comments seem set to make the Gold Coast the team most rival sides will take aim at when the new season kicks off this coming August.

They previously announced the signings of Wellington’s prolific striker Shane Smeltz and Newcastle’s Adam Griffiths, plunging those clubs’ playoff challenges into crisis.

Another three currently contracted A-League players have made the similar journey to the tourist strip.

Road to South Africa

They may have enjoyed a relatively easy draw, but the Netherlands could hardly have been more convincing as they swept all before them on the way to winning eight qualifying games in a row.

In a group that contained one less opponent than the rest of the European groups, the Netherlands started their campaign with a win away in Macedonia and simply never let up. A narrow win in Oslo over Norway was followed by a satta matka comfortable home victory against Scotland, and with their two main challengers dispatched early on, the Dutch cruised through to the finals and conceded just two goals en route.

Bert van Marwijk’s side might have enjoyed a charmed run to the finals, but they showed in a gritty final-day win in the hostile confines of Glasgow’s Hampden Park that they are also capable of grinding out results.

Analysis

Despite so much expectation, the Dutch still have no World Cup trophy to show for all their undoubted talents.

Grizzled tactician van Marwijk will hope to change all that when he leads his Dutch side at what could be one of the most open World Cups in years, and there’s plenty of experience rippling through his well-balanced squad.

Skipper Giovanni van Bronckhorst, midfield talisman Mark van Bommel and workhorse striker Dirk Kuyt have seen it all before, while mercurial midfielder Rafael van der Vaart seems to have been around for an eternity – despite being just 26.

Perhaps the only weakness resides in goal, where the Dutch have struggled to replace legendary custodian Edwin van der Saar. Ajax shot-stopper Maarten Stekelenburg is the current incumbent, but doubts remain about his composure under pressure.

Key player: Mark van Bommel

The Dutch have a wealth of creative talent at their disposal, so it’s up to the coach’s son-in-law Mark van Bommel to do the dirty work in midfield, with the combative anchorman a tough-tackling terrier in the centre of the park.

One to watch: Eljero Elia

Goals have proved to come by for the Dutch – who recorded three 0-0 draws in post-qualification friendlies, so the tricky wing play of rising young star Eljero Elia could prove decisive in unlocking stubborn defences.

Coach: Bert van Marwijk

When Marco van Basten’s unpopular reign came to an inglorious end, the Dutch turned to Bart van Marwijk to restore order.

At 57, van Marwijk has been around for some time, but it’s only the past decade in spells at Feyenoord and German club Borussia Dortmund that he has made a name for himself, and this is his first major tournament in charge of the Dutch national team.

Recent Previous Tournaments

1998: Semi-finals

2002: Did not qualify

2006: Second round

Soccerphile says

Perennial dark horses, the Dutch are yet to make good on all their promise and lift a World Cup trophy. Once again they go into the finals with high expectations, but the lack of an authoritative goalkeeper, a struggling front line and an inexperienced coach mean that while they should get out of a group containing Japan, Denmark and Cameroon, their fate could lay in the hands of the draw thereafter.

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Article 25

Jobs in the Richest Keluaran HK Country in the World

Qatar may not be the most well-known country in the footie world, but Soccerphile have convered several events in the tiny but extremely rich Gulf country.

That includes the recent play off between England and Brazil in Qatar’s amazing Khalifa stadium.

We’ll be doing a lot more cover if the country get their ambition of holding the 2022 football world cup!

Soccerphile in Qatar

We are able to cover the football in Qatar so well because we have people on the ground in Qatar.

For several years now we have been running the Keluaran HK tourist and resident’s website, Qatar Visitor.

And now we have set up a companion job board, QatarVisitorJobs.com, to provide you with the latest jobs in Qatar.

Why Qatar?

Quite simply, Qatar is the richest country in the world. As a result, the best jobs pay top whack – and you don’t have to pay any tax on your enourmous earnings!

Added to which, Qatar, while still a conservative Muslim country, is a place where you can still have fun. There are bars, an off-licence (yes, an off-licene! we didn’t say it was the fun capital of the world) and even a nightclub.

So unlike Saudi, you don’t have to go dry to earn your dosh.

So click here to check out the jobs board and apply for the latest vacancies.

Familiarity breeds success on J. League opening day

It’s a case of “same again, please” as far as the J. League is concerned, with last season’s bumper opening day clash between Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds reprised for the 2010 campaign.

The J. League has announced the schedule for the opening two rounds of fixtures, with three-time defending champions Kashima set to start the defence of their title in front of a capacity crowd at Kashima Stadium against arch-rivals Urawa.

There’s also a repeat of the recent Emperor’s Cup final as Gamba Osaka host Nagoya Grampus at Expo ’70 Stadium, while last season’s runners-up Kawasaki Frontale kick off the new campaign at home to Albirex Niigata.

Round 2 features a much-anticipated Osaka derby, as promoted side Cerezo Osaka welcome crosstown rivals Gamba to Nagai Stadium, with Kanagawa rivals Yokohama F. Marinos and newly promoted Shonan Bellmare also slugging it out at Nissan Stadium.

The full fixture list will be announced on February 3.

Round 1

Saturday, March 6

Kashima Antlers vs Urawa Reds (Kashima Stadium)

FC Tokyo vs Yokohama F. Marinos (Ajinomoto Stadium)

Kawasaki Frontale vs Albirex Niigata (Todoroki Stadium)

Shonan Bellmare vs Montedio Yamagata (Hiratsuka Stadium)

Jubilo Iwata vs Vegalta Sendai (Yamaha Stadium)

Gamba Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus (Expo ’70 Stadium)

Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Big Arch Stadium)

Familiarity breeds success on J. League opening day.

Sunday, March 7

Omiya Ardija vs Cerezo Osaka (Nack5 Stadium)

Vissel Kobe vs Kyoto Sanga (Home’s Stadium)

Round 2

Saturday, March 13

Vegalta Sendai vs Omiya Ardija (Yurtec Stadium)

Yokohama F. Marinos vs Shonan Bellmare (Nissan Stadium)

Albirex Niigata vs Jubilo Iwata (Big Swan Stadium)

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Montedio Yamagata (Nihondaira Stadium)

Nagoya Grampus vs Kawasaki Frontale (Toyota Stadium)

Sunday, March 14

Urawa Reds vs FC Tokyo (Saitama Stadium)

Kyoto Sanga vs Kashima Antlers (Nishikyogoku Stadium)

Cerezo Osaka vs Gamba Osaka (Nagai Stadium)

Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Home’s Stadium)

After facing a frightening deportation back to war-torn Sierra Leone, Watford’s Al Bangura has been issued with a work permit and can stay in England after all.

Late last year, the Hornets midfielder was sensationally told to leave the UK after four years and with 16 Premier League appearances last season.

Bangura had fled the inter-ethnic violence of Sierra Leone as a 14 year-old after witch doctors murdered his father and threatened his life, and then was almost forced into child prostitution in both France and England by an older man who Satta Matka him passage from Africa.

Happily, he escaped from his potential enslaver, claimed asylum in England, made it as a professional footballer age 17 and became a father, before the shocking announcement this winter that he had to return to his homeland.

“It’s not the end of my career if I go back,” Bangura had warned. “It’s the end of my life.”

“It’s horrible news for all of us,” Watford captain Jay DeMerit told Soccerphile about the deportation threat, before yesterday’s announcement.

“For this thing to happen is extremely unfortunate and we don’t really understand why. Maybe they are trying to make an example of him. As teammates we will do anything we can to help.”

In a heart-warming show of support, Watford’s players and fans wore t-shirts in opposition to his extradition and happily yesterday the UK govt. announced he had indeed been granted a permit and could stay.

Bangura’s initial appeal against deportation failed, after which local MPs and Home Office minister Liam Byrne were involved as the case was given national publicity.

“We thought he had a great appeal,” said DeMerit, “and with a son having been born here and all that comes with living and working in the UK, we can’t get our heads around it. We thought he had everything going for him. We are all concerned for him as he might end up having to return to dangerous circumstances. I hope we can get it all turned around.”

Happily it was, and yesterday’s six-man panel in Sheffield made the only common-sense decision available, to issue Bangura with a work permit, which the player’s lawyers hope can soon be turned into permanent residency.

“We’re all very happy, but most of all we are delighted for Al and his family,” said Watford chairman Graham Simpson.

Korean Exodus To England Set To Continue

For some time now, England’s Premier League has been regarded as football’s Promised Land for those in the K-league and the exodus westwards shows little sign of letting up during January’s transfer window – the last opportunity for clubs to buy and sell players until the end of the season.

At the end of 2007, all four English Taeguk Warriors were active in the league –finally. On the day after Christmas, bumper holiday crowds witnessed the unusual sight of the entire quartet clocking up minutes on the pitch – Park Ji-sung returned from a nine-month injury lay-off for Manchester United, Lee Dong-guk tried to score his first goal for Middlesbrough, Seol Ki-hyeon made a rare start for Fulham and Lee Young-pyo completed another 90 minutes in Tottenham’s colours.

The fluctuating fortunes of Korea’s fantastic four haven’t deterred eager compatriots from trying to join them in the world’s richest league. Cho Jae-jin looks likely to make it a famous five. The Little Emperor has long desired to move from Japan to England. After three successful years with Shimizu S-Pulse, the muscular striker is a free agent and England-bound.

Cho jae-jin in familiar pose

The process hasn’t been entirely smooth. Cho’s agent told reporters that four English clubs had expressed serious interest. Newcastle United was top of Cho’s list but after the Korean media had declared that the deal was done, the troubled Tyneside team told the English press that: “The club has had discussions with the player and his representatives, but has decided not to proceed any further.”

Cho moved from the north-east to the south coast and started talking to Portsmouth at the end of last week. The 26 year-old could provide valuable cover for the club which will lose a number of players in January to the African Nations’ Cup.

Seongnam’s Kim Do-heon could also be on his way to the Premier League to join Derby County or West Bromich Albion of the championship. The championship is England’s second tier but WBA is in with a great chance of winning promotion to the Premier League in time for the start of next season. The club’s coach Tony Mowbray is still unsure whether he will sign the midfielder but at least he is getting first hand experience of dealing with Korean agents.

“The agent is trying to get across that Kim is a big star in Korea,” Satta result told his local newspaper. “There are thousands of people at his wedding, it’s front page news over there so he’s sent me the pictures to make sure I’m aware of it.
“What they don’t always do is work out the time difference very well…I was trying to deal with somebody who is living in Korea and phoning me at strange times.”

Strange times indeed and it is not just senior international player that have been heading west to show what they can do. Captain of the Under-17 team, Yoon Bitgaram had a trial with Premier League club Blackburn Rovers and could become part of the team’s youth program. This will involve a stint in Belgium with Blackburn’s ‘feeder club’ Cercle Brugge.

And all that’s within the first week of the window and while nobody has squeezed through just yet, it is only a matter of time. It will be a busy month.

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