Asian Football Countdown to 2012: South Korea

Entering the top three of our countdown, Goal.com studies South Korea, a country that had ups and downs internationally but an exciting domestic year in spite of scandal

Korean football had an eventful 2011 that included many highs and lows. From the match-fixing scandal that resulted in multiple players recieving bans to the firing of national team manager Cho Kwang-Rae, there were several events that supporters of the Taeguk Warriors will want to put behind them. However play at the domestic level, particularly Jeonbuk Motors' brand of 'never-ending attacking', enthralled fans of the K-League.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2011/12/29/2818645/the-goalcom-asian-football-countdown-to-2012-south-korea

Di Natale presses claim for Italy spot

November 29, 2011

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By ESPNsoccernet staff

Udinese attacker Antonio Di Natale thinks that he has done enough to merit a call-up to the Italy squad having last played for the country in the group stages of the 2010 World Cup.

GettyImagesAntonio Di Natale has not featured for Italy since last year's World Cup

Di Natale, 34, has scored ten goals in 36 appearances for the Azzurri and has been on fire for his club over the past few seasons, but has not managed to convince Italy coach Cesare Prandelli that he is worthy of a place in the side.

The striker is now keen to press his claims as Euro 2012 draw closer.

"I don't think that you need to be a certain age to be part of the [Italy] squad. I think scoring more than 60 goals in two seasons is enough to put yourself in the spotlight for selection," Di Natale told the FIFA website.

"It's just up to the coach to decide whether to pick me or not. In the meantime I am at his disposal. For now I am just concentrating on Udinese, but I would be very happy to represent Italy again."

Prandelli has said that he is monitoring Di Natale's performances closely as he starts to formulate his squad for the summer.

ESPN SPORT.COM

Local club build Laos football league

Hoang Anh Gia Lai chairman Doan Nguyen Duc

Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL) which owns a football club of the same name has said it would help Laos develop its first professional football championship league.

HAGL’s chairman Doan Nguyen Duc said the proposal was still waiting for the approval of the Laotian Football Federation.

If the idea is approved, it won’t be the first time HAGL will have invested in Laotian football, Duc said. In 2009, Duc also sponsored Laos’ football team to train for nearly a year before SEA Games.

Duc said HAGL was yet to decide the exact amount of investment and the company would set up his own team, Hoang Anh Attapeu, in Attapeu, a province in Laos where HAGL is investing, as well as send over Vietnamese coaches.

Duc said he didn’t have much ambition about Laotian football, which only has a semi-professional football league, and was simply trying to market his company’s name to the public through football.

“For instance, 10 years ago, few knew about HAGL. But now, a lot more people have heard about us,” Duc said.

According to Duc, Laos and Vietnam are very closed so when Laotian football achieves, it is good for Vietnamese football and vice versa.

For example, at SEA Games 2009, the stadium in Vientiane was flooded with Vietnam’s national flags.

Football is a healthy competitive sport, Duc said. “If Laotian football improves, Vietnam will also have to set its target higher.”

Sir Alex Ferguson plays down Manchester United transfer talk: I'm perfectly happy with the strength of our squad

anchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that he is happy with his squad and therefore won't make moves in the January transfer window unless a top player becomes available or if his already decimated roster is hit by further injuries.

The Red Devils boss has already dampened expectations of a splurge in the New Year and has claimed that he won't be swayed into changing his stance despite seeing a number of major casualties to his squad.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/12/25/2817532/sir-alex-ferguson-plays-down-manchester-united-transfer-talk

Vietnam coach Falko Gotz dismissed after poor performance in SEA Games

Vietnam coach Falko Gotz has had his contract terminated due to an unimpressive performance at the SEA Games.

Gotz was appointed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in June but, despite creating some positive results with the national team, the poor performances of the Under-23 side at the competition sealed his fate.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2011/12/24/2816497/vietnam-coach-falko-gotz-dismissed-after-poor-performance-in-sea-

Laos looking forward to U-16s

Sunday, 27 November 2011 16:23

Kuala Lumpur: Laos' preparation for the AFC U-16 Championship 2012 has already started in earnest and the current U-16 team is the best so far that will give strong nations a run for their money, Lao Football Federation General Secretary Xaybandith Rasphone said. Laos finished as the third best-placed team in Group F of the championship's qualification and joined group winners Japan and runners-up Korea Republic at the tournament proper, which will be held from September 20 to October 6 in Iran next year. Rasphone, who attended the two-day AFC General Secretary Induction Programme at AFC House, told the-afc.com: "We have gained a place in the AFC U-16 Championship 2012 so we are preparing ourselves to make sure we will be playing better in the matches to come. "We have also signed up a coach from DPR Korea to manage the under 16 team which boasts youngster who are also playing in the Lao League. "Also, we have planned friendly matches against Thailand and Australia hopefully next year and we also want to set up another friendly with a Middle East nation which would be a great out-of-the-region experience for our young players." "This under 16 team is the best that we have managed to assemble so far and we believe we have what it takes to give good competition to some of the best nations in the youth championship." http://www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/men-a-youth/afc-u16-championship/37313-laos-looking-forward-to-u-16s

VIETNAM FUTSAL GEARS UP FOR BUSY YEAR

News around Asia

VIETNAM FUTSAL GEARS UP FOR BUSY YEAR

DECEMBER 25, 2011  

HANOI (25 Dec 2011) – With Sergio Gargelli’s contract as the chief coach of the Vietnam Futsal team having been extended until 2014, the team is now gearing up for what will be a busy season next year.

“Our players are enjoying good conditions, such as meals and accommodations. But the poor lighting and uneven field of the training centre have a strong impact on my players. But we have the chance to go further in the continental and world competitions,” said Gargelli.

After winning the silver medal at the SEA Games in Jakarta last month, the team is not in a confident mood as they prepare for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championship ASEAN zone qualifier which will be held on 21-26 February 2012 in Thailand at the Krungthep-Thonburi Indoor Stadium.

Vietnam are in Group B of the qualifiers against Australia, Malaysia and Cambodia while Group A are Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines. Only the top three teams from the qualifiers will advance to the finals which will be held in the United Arab Emirates in May.

After the AFC qualifiers, Vietnam will also be taking part in the AFF Futsal Championship 2012 which has been slated for 15-23 April which is useful in preparing the squad for the meet in UAE should they make the cut.

The final tournament of the year for Vietnam Futsal will be the 2nd Ha Noi Futsal Open to be held on 10-16 October 2012.

Doctor hopeful that Barcelona’s David Villa can play for Spain in Euro 2012

Barcelona striker David Villa underwent an operation on his broken left leg on Monday evening, and it has now been suggested that the 30-year-old could be sidelined for as little as four months, meaning he could potentially be available for Euro 2012.

Villa sustained the injury in innocuous circumstances as Pep Guardiola’s side played their Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd last week, with initial reports suggesting that he could miss the remainder of the season because of the problem.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/3396/euro-2012/2011/12/19/2810271/doctor-hopeful-that-barcelonas-david-villa-can-play-for-spain-in-

Capital Vientiane beat Host to Win gold medal at 9th National Games

Capital Vientiane beat Host Luangprabang to Win the gold medal at Men's Football Final in 9th National Games 2011 ,Luangprabang, Vientiane beat 4:3 in penalty shoot out after both team didn't score on full time Game. 

ນັກ­ກີ­ລາ​ບານ­ເຕະ​ຊາຍ​ນະ­ຄອນ­ຫຼວງ​ວຽງ​ຈັນ ຍັງ​ແມ້ນ​ກວ່າ ດວນ​ຈຸດ​ໂທດ ເອົາ​ຊະ­ນະ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ (ຫຼວງ​ພະ​ບາງ) 4Œຕໍ່3 ຍາດ​ຫຼຍນ​ຄຳ​ໄປ​ຄອງ ໃນ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ເຕະ­ບານ ກີ­ລາ​ແຫ່ງ​ຊາດ ຄັ້ງ​ທີ IX ຫຼື ໄກ່​ຜູ້​ໂອກ​ເກມ.

ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ກີ­ລາ​ບານ­ເຕະ​ໃນ​ຄືນ​ວັນ​ທີ 20 ທັນ­ວາ 2011 ຜ່ານ​ມາ ນະ­ຄອນ­ຫຼວງ​ວຽງ​ຈັນ ລົງ​ສະ­ໜາມ​ຊິງ​ຊະ­ນະ​ເລີດ​ກັບ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ ຊຶ່ງ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ໄດ້​ດຳ­ເນີນ​ໄປ​ຢ່າງ​ດຸ­ເດືອດ ທັງ​ສອງ​ຝ່າຍ​ໄດ້​ສຸມ​ໃສ່​ບຸກ​ເພື່ອ​ຍິງ​ປະ­ຕູ​ໃຫ້​ກັບ​ທີມ​ໃຜ­ລາວ ແຕ່​ບໍ່​ສ້າງ​ມາດ​ທັບ​ໄຂ່​ແຕກ​ໄດ້ ຈົນ​ມາ​ເຖິງ​ທ້າຍ​ເຄິ່ງ​ເວ­ລາ​ສຸດ​ທ້າຍ ເກມ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ເກີດ​ຊົນ​ລະ­ມຸນ ເມື່ອ​ນັກ­ກີ­ລາ​ຂອງ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ ແລະ ກຳ­ມະ­ການ​ກາງ ເກີດ​ຄວາມ​ບໍ່​ເຂົ້າ­ໃຈ​ກັນ ຈົນ​ມີ​ປາກ​ມີ​ສຽງ ເຮັດ​ໃຫ້​ນັກ­ກີ­ລາ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ​ໄລ່​ທຳ­ຮ້າຍ​ກຳ­ມະ­ການ ເຮັດ​ໃຫ້​ເຈົ້າ​ໜ້າ­ທີ່​ຕຳ­ຫຼວດ ຕ້ອງ​ໄດ້​ເຂົ້າ​ມາ​ຄວບ​ຄຸມ​ສະ­ຖາ­ນະ​ການ ຈົນ​ໄດ້​ຢຸດ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ຫຼາຍ 10 ນາ­ທີ ເຮັດ​ໃຫ້ ຄຳ​ປະ­ສົງ ຊາ​ພັກ­ດີ ຕ້ອງ​ຖືກ​ໃບ​ແດງ ອອກ​ຈາກ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ ຈົນ​ຄະ­ນະ​ຮັບ­ຜິດ­ຊອບ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ ໄດ້​ຕໍ່​ເວ­ລາ​ພິ­ເສດ ທີມ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ​ພາດ​ອີກ​ຄັ້ງ ໂດຍ​ການ​ເຂົ້າ​ປະ​ທະ​ຂອງ ໄຊ​ຍະ​ເວດ ພູນ​ສະ​ຫວັດ ຕ້ອງ​ຖືກ​ໃບ​ເຫຼືອງ​ໃບ​ທີ 2 ຈຳ­ເປັນ​ຕ້ອງ​ໄດ້​ອອກ​ຈາກ​ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ໄປ ຊຶ່ງ​ໝົດ 30 ນາ­ທີ ທັງ​ສອງ​ຝ່າຍ​ບໍ່​ສາ­ມາດ​ຍິງ​ປະ­ຕູ​ໄດ້ ຈົນ​ມາ​ຕັດ­ສິນ​ກັນ​ດ້ວຍ​ການ​ເຕະ​ຈຸດ​ໂທດ ແລະ ກໍ​ກາຍ­ເປັນ​ທີມ​ນະ­ຄອນ­ຫຼວງ​ວຽງ​ຈັນ ຊະ­ນະ 4Œ3 ປະ­ຕູ ໄດ້​ຫຼຽນ​ຄຳ​ໄປ​ຄອງ ສ່ວນ​ຫຼຽນ​ເງິນ​ເປັນ​ຂອງ​ເຈົ້າ­ພາບ​ຫຼວງ​ພະ​ບາງ ແລະ ຫຼຽນ​ທອງ​ເປັນ​ຂອງ​ກະ­ຊວງ​ປ້ອງ​ກັນ​ຄວາມ​ສະ­ຫງົບ.

ການ​ແຂ່ງ­ຂັນ​ນັດ​ຊິງ​ຊະ­ນະ​ເລີດ​ຄັ້ງ​ນີ້ ອາດ​ຈະ​ເປັນ​ບົດ­ຮຽນ​ອັນ​ໃຫຍ່​ຫຼວງ ໃຫ້​ກັບ​ບັນ­ດາ​ແຂວງ ກໍ​ຄື ຄະ­ນະ​ຮັບ­ຜິດ­ຊອບ​ຈັດ​ງານ ຕ້ອງ​ເອົາ­ໃຈ­ໃສ່​ຢ່າງ​ເຂັ້ມ​ງວດ ລວມ​ໄປ​ເຖິງ​ສະ­ຫະ­ພັນ​ກີ­ລາ​ແຕ່​ລະ​ປະ­ເພດ ຕ້ອງ​ໄດ້​ເອົາ­ໃຈ­ໃສ່​ໃນ​ການ​ສຶກ​ສາ​ອົບ­ຮົມ​ບັນ­ດາ​ນັກ­ກີ­ລາ ໃຫ້​ເຂົ້າ­ໃຈ​ວ່າ​ເກມ​ກີ­ລາ ແມ່ນ​ມີ​ໄດ້​ມີ​ເສຍ ແຕ່​ນັກ­ກີ­ລາ​ຕ້ອງ​ມີ​ສາ­ມັນ​ສຳ­ນຶກ ເພື່ອ​ຄວບ​ຄຸມ​ອາ­ລົມ​ໃຫ້​ໄດ້ ເຫດ­ການ​ແນວ​ນີ້ ບໍ່​ຄວນ​ເອົາ​ເປັນ​ແບບ­ຢ່າງ ຊຶ່ງ​ເປັນ​ບັນ­ຫາ​ທີ່​ພາກ­ສ່ວນ​ກ່ຽວ­ຂ້ອງ ຕ້ອງ​ອອກ​ມາ​ຊີ້​ແຈງ.

Original article: vientianemai

MESSI

The schedule for UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine has been confirmed following the draw in Kyiv.

The schedule for UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine has been confirmed following the draw in Kyiv.

Poland will launch the tournament on Friday 8 June at 18.00CET against Greece in Warsaw followed by the other Group A opener between Russia and the Czech Republic at 20.45CET.  The next day the Netherlands face Denmark in Kharkiv and Germany take on Portugal in Lviv to begin Group B, and on 10 June Group C starts as holders Spain play Italy and the Republic of Ireland are matched with Croatia.

Ukraine are involved in the last of the opening set of fixtures, meeting Sweden in Group D in Kyiv after England tackle France in Donetsk. The group stage runs until 19 June, then, after a rest day, the quarter-finals take place over four consecutive nights. The semi-finals are on 29 June in Donetsk and the following evening in Warsaw, before Kyiv stages the 1 July decider.

Match scheduleAll kick-offs CET, Ukrainian time is one hour ahead

Friday 8 June 2012
#1: POL v GRE, 18.00CET, Warsaw
#2: RUS v CZE, 20.45CET, Wroclaw

Saturday 9 June 2012
#3: NED v DEN, 18.00CET, Kharkiv
#4: GER v POR, 20.45CET, Lviv

Sunday 10 June 2012
#5: ESP v ITA, 18.00CET, Gdansk
#6: IRL v CRO, 20.45CET, Poznan

Monday 11 June 2012
#7: FRA v ENG, 18.00CET, Donetsk
#8: UKR v SWE, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Tuesday 12 June 2012
#9: GRE v CZE, 18.00CET, Wroclaw
#10: POL v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Wednesday 13 June 2012
#11: DEN v POR, 18.00CET, Lviv
#12: NED v GER, 20.45CET, Kharkiv

Thursday 14 June 2012
#13: ITA v CRO, 18.00CET, Poznan
#14: ESP v IRL, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Friday 15 June 2012
#15: SWE v ENG, 20.45CET, Kyiv
#16: UKR v FRA, 18.00CET, Donetsk

Saturday 16 June 2012
#17: CZE v POL, 20.45CET, Wroclaw
#18: GRE v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June 2012
#19: POR v NED, 20.45CET, Kharkiv
#20: DEN v GER, 20.45CET, Lviv

Monday 18 June 2012
#21: CRO v ESP, 20.45CET, Gdansk
#22: ITA v IRL, 20.45CET, Poznan

Tuesday 19 June 2012
#23: ENG v UKR, 20.45CET, Donetsk
#24: SWE v FRA, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Wednesday 20 June 2012
No matches

Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: 1A v 2B, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 22 June 2012
#26: 1B v 2A, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: 1C v 2D, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: 1D v 2C, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Monday 25 June 2012
No matches

Tuesday 26 June 2012
No matches

Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: W#25 v W#27, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: W#26 v W#28, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 29 June 2012
No matches

Saturday 30 June 2012
No matches

Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv