Welcome to World Cup 2's

SportTrades World Cup 2's

Welcome to SportTrades World Cup 2's. What is it? Well SportTrades are backing Fabio to bring home the World Cup, before he returns to Italy and Inter Milan. So with that in mind, we want you to select who England will play in the final. In the unlikely event it all goes pear shaped, you will be selecting your choice of who you think will win the trophy instead of England. So therefore we called it World Cup 2's.

This competition is for fun, however, our friends the Glazier family have promised a 10% discount on the future sale of Man Utd for the winner, I am obviously joking. Join in, it will be good fun. Once you have selected your team, email your entry to info@sporttrades.co.uk.

The management at Team SportTrades have started the ball rolling. We have selected our 2,s. We gave our team one restriction, that does not apply to you. No team could be selected twice within the team choices of the management. The selection was in alphabetical order with the Directors picking last. The team that appeared most in the lists provided was Spain, interesting.



Team SportTrades 2's

Adam Dennehey: Spain
Jimmy Drew: Brazil
Pete Lewis: Portugal
Jason Beazley: Argentina
Rob McAvoy: Holland.

World Cup 2010: The Pulse Files - Group D (Part 2)

We complete our look at verdicts for Group D, wait for it, before moving on to Group E. Paddy Power Index and SportTrades Group D Predictions to follow. So here are the reports on Ghana and Serbia.

The following verdicts are taking in full from our friends at Telegraph Sport. The verdict was compiled by John Ley and Jason Butt.

Ghana

World Cup record: 2006 2nd rd.

How Ghana qualified for World Cup 2010: African Group D winners

The Coach: Milovan Rajevac (Serbian, 55). Appointed: August 2008. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.

Rajevac is a Serbian who played for Borac Cacak, Red Star Belgrade, FK Vojvodina and Sloboda Tuzla.

The Country: The Black Stars were the only African side to advance to Round 2 of the World Cup in 2006, the sixth consecutive occasion an Africa nation had progressed beyond the group stages of a finals tournament. And, for the stats geeks, Ghana were the youngest team in the 2006 finals - with an average age of 23 yrs and 352 days.
Ghana beat Sudan 2-0 in Accra to become the first African side to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from the qualifiers. Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari - once of Portsmouth - and Chelsea's Michael Essien scored the goals in each half to give Ghana an unassailable lead at the top of qualifying Group D.

Essien said: "The people of Ghana wanted us to win and we did not let them down. What a fantastic feeling to be the first African country to qualify for the first World Cup to be staged in Africa."

And Anthony Annan hit a late equaliser as Ghana completed their successful qualifying campaign with a 2-2 home draw against Mali.

Verdict: With players such as Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari performing for some of Europe’s top clubs, then Ghana, who threatened to do well in Germany in 2006, could be a major force in South Africa. As long as they remain disciplined - tales of Essien and co going AWOL don’t help - can be dangerous outsiders.

Obviously since this verdict was written Essien has been ruled out of the World Cup through injury.


Serbia

World Cup record: None.

How Serbia qualified for World Cup 2010: European Group 7 winners.

The Coach: Radomir Antic (Serbian, 60). Appointed: August 2008. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.

The former Luton player is held in high regard in England. Witness the reception he received in London as a guest at the League Managers Association’s 1,000 club dinner in November.

The Country: Serbia’s national team was previously Yugoslavia, from 15 January 1992 until 4 February 2003, and then as the Serbia and Montenegro national football team until 3 June 2006 when Serbia declared independence as the successor state to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. It was officially renamed the Serbia national football team on 28 June 2006, while the Montenegro national football team was created to represent the new state of Montenegro.

But that has in no way diluted their capabilities, as seen in qualifying when they finished ahead of France. Serbia beat Romania 5-0 in Belgrade to earn automatic qualification for the 2010 World Cup as unassailable leaders of European qualifying Group Seven.

Antic saw enough to go to South Africa with confidence: "I'm extremely happy, as we sealed a World Cup spot in style,” he said. “If we continue like this in South Africa, we will be a power to reckon with at the World Cup."

One man to watch out for is Milan Jovanovic, the 28-year-old Standard Liege winger. He has nine international goals and has a reputation for being a free-kick specialist. And, of course, there is a Manchester United representative, in Nemanja Vidic, whose fitness will be key to Serbian success.

Verdict: Are developing into a dangerous vibrant force. Rout of Romania shows they will definitely be a country to avoid. Have a great attacking threat while Vidic marshalls the defence. Could be a surprise package and don’t lack motivation to succeed.

Paddy Power Index
Germany 14/1 Serbia 66/1 Ghana 100/1 Australia 125/1

SportTrades Group D Predictions.
1 Germany
2 Australia
3 Serbia
4 Ghana

Tomorrow Group E.

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World Cup 2010: The Pulse Files - Group D (Part 1)

As you know, we will be dealing with Group C and England at the end. We now move on to Group D. You know the format two teams today and two tomorrow, with the Paddy Power Index and SportTrades Group Predictions. So in alphabetical order and with help from our friends at Telegraph Sport here are Australia and Germany.

The following verdicts are taking in full from our friends at Telegraph Sport. The verdict was compiled by John Ley and Jason Butt.


Australia

World Cup record: 1974 1st rd, 2006 2nd rd.

How Australia qualified for World Cup 2010: Asia, Group A winners.

The Coach: Pim Verbeek (Holland, 53). Appointed: Dec 2007. WC experience: Player: none. Coach: 2002 South Korea assistant, 2006 Australia assistant.

Verbeek was assistant to Guus Hiddink in 2002, reaching the semi-finals, and worked alongside Dick Advocaat when he led Australia to the finals in 2006.

The Country: There are those who believe there was political movement involved when Australia were switched from Oceania to Asia for qualiying purposes. It was certainly not taxing for the Socceroos, who eased into the finals without so much as even conceding a goal in the six matches it took them to qualify. A 0-0 draw against Qatar in Doha confirmed qualification for Verbeek's team after they won 14 points in Group A of the final Asian qualifying phase.

Verbeek has been criticised by for playing boring football but the methodical Dutchman insists he is a results-orientated coach. He may be unknown generally, but his experience is vast, and he was key to South Korea’s success in 2002.

An average player, he has coached in Holland, Japan, South Korea and Germany as well as spells as national coach in the UEA and Dutch Antilles.

By September 2009, Australia had risen to 14th in the Fifa world rankings, their highest ever placing, and many believe the squad is now experienced enough to take the country to another level.

Their players are familiar enough: nine of the current squad play in England, including all three goalkeepers. And in Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer, now 37 and an international for 16 years, they have one of the most consistent in the Premier League.

In addition to Everton’s Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill and Blackburn’s Brett Emerton, their squad is supplemented by players who operate in countries as diverse as Russia, China, Italy, Turkey, Holland and Germany.

Verdict: Sailed through one of the easiest of qualification campaigns without even conceding a goal in six matches. Showed their competitiveness and desire to win in last World Cup and will be a danger to any opponent. May no longer have Guus Hiddink in charge but another Dutchman, Verbeek, has proved an organised, shrewd operator with some good players at his disposal.

Germany

World Cup record: 1934 3rd, 1938 1st rd, 1954 Winners, 1958 4th, 1962 QF, 1966 RU, 1970 3rd, 1974 Winners, 1978 2nd rd, 1982 RU, 1986 RU, 1990 Winners, 1994 QF, 1998 QF, 2002 RU, 2006 3rd.

How Germany qualified for World Cup 2010: European Group 4 winners.

The Coach: Joachim Loew (German, 49). Appointed: July 2006. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: Germany (assistant).

The Country: Germany is synonymous with the World Cup finals; they have not missed a finals competition since 1950 and that record was extended as they booked their place with a 1-0 win away to their group rivals Russia.

Miroslav Klose's first-half strike confirmed the victory and saw Germany, who played the last 22 minutes with 10 men after Jerome Boateng was sent off, win the group with one round of matches remaining.

Germany has won the World Cup three times, behind only Brazil (five titles) and Italy (four titles). It has finished as runners-up four times, two more than any other side. In terms of semi-final appearances, Germany leads with 11, one more than Brazil's 10.

In the last 14 World Cup tournaments, Germany has always reached at least the quarter-finals; Germany has also qualified for every one of the 16 World Cups it has entered - it did not enter the inaugural competition in 1930 for economic reasons, and could not qualify for or compete in the post-war 1950 World Cup as the DFB was reinstated as a Fifa member only two months after this tournament.

But they are a world force. In the finals, the likes of Miroslav Klose and the enduring Michael Ballack will fly the flag.

Verdict: There are so many clichés surrounding the Germans who were well-beaten by England in that Berlin friendly last year but who, without much trouble, again qualified for the finals. Would appear far less strong than in recent tournaments but simply cannot be discounted. Any team that wins away in Russia – playing the last 22 minutes with 10 men - needs to be respected while Ballack remains a forceful personality and player. A big threat with a rising star in Mesut Ozil.

Of course since this was written by the guys at Telegraph Sport, Mr Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup.

Tomorrow on the Pulse Files we will be looking at Ghana and Serbia in Group D

World Cup 2010: The Pulse Files - Group B (Part 2)

We finish Group B with a look at Nigeria and South Korea. Tomorrow we will start on Group D, before you jump up and down Group C is last. We will be doing a special feature on England on the final Pulse Files.

Paddy Power Index for Group B will follow the verdicts and also SportTrades Group B predictions. On Monday we will explain and post our findings on World Cup 2's, you will like it.

The following verdicts are taking in full from our friends at Telegraph Sport. The verdict was compiled by John Ley and Jason Butt.

Nigeria

World Cup record: 1994 2nd rd, 1998 2nd rd, 2002 1st rd.

How Nigeria qualified for World Cup 2010: African Group B winners.

The Coach: Shaibu Amodu (Nigerian, 51). Appointed: April 2008. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.

Amodu is in his fourth spell as manager of Nigeria, following previous stints in 1994-95, 1998-99 and 2001-2002.

The Country: The Super Eagles qualified in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 win against Kenya in Nairobi. Nigeria had to win to have any chance of denying Tunisia and they fought back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but conceded a 79th-minute equaliser, only for Obafemi Martins to seal an emotional win.

Afterwards Shaibu said: "This is a typical Nigerian side which you can never rule out when it is faced with adversity. It's fantastic."

The country’s football history has links with Britain. Nigeria played their first unofficial game in October 1949, while still a British colony. The team played games in England against various teams such as Dulwich Hamlet, Bishop Auckland and South Liverpool. Nigeria’s first major success was a gold medal in the 2nd All-Africa games, with 3rd place finishes in 1976 and 1978's African Cup of Nations to follow.

Ampdu keeps coming back to take charge but he has yet to coach at the World Cup finals. He has some familiar players in his charge including captain Nwanko Kanu. In addition, Nigeria can boast Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel, Bolton’s Danny Shittu, Everton’s Joseph Yobo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, and Seyi Olofinjana of Hull. Fulham’s Dickson Etuhu, Charlton’s Sam Sodje and another Everton striker, Victor Anichebe, may also feature for the Super Eagles in South Afric

Verdict: Dramatic qualification sealed through Martins’s late goal against Kenya which showed that the Nigerians can be a force. Have quality in attack and will score goals while there are proven performers in Yobo and Yakubu, as well as Mikel. No-one will relish facing them.

South Korea

World Cup record: 1954 1st rd, 1986 1st rd, 1990 1st rd, 1994 1st rd, 1998 1st rd, 2002 4th, 2006 1st rd.

How South Korea qualified for World Cup 2010: Asia Group 2 winners.

The Coach: Huh Jung-Moo (South Korean, 54). Appointed: December 2007. WC experience: Player: 1986. Coach: None.

Huh has previously coached the Korea Republic national football team twice before.

The Country: Huh was re-appointed coach of the Korea Republic in December 2007, after the leading candidates, Wolves’ Mick McCarthy and former Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier both rejected the job.

And he led the country to a seventh successive World Cup finals place thanks to a 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in Dubai. Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yueng grabbed the goals as Huh’s outfit strolled to a place in South Africa.

He said: "I'm really happy that we made it. We are all satisfied with a performance that saw us ensure a place in South Africa. The players were excellent throughout the qualifiers, they did a great job."

Key to their success is captain Park Ji-Sung, the Manchester United midfielder. He is the only Korean player to win the Champions League and the first Asian to play in a final of the tournament.

Park came to prominence in the 2006 World Cup finals. He scored the equalising goal in the second Group G Match against eventual finalists France and was voted Man of the match. Between these two World Cup Finals, his shirt number shifted from 21 to 7, and he played in every match for South Korea.

And in October 2008 he captained South Korea for the first time in a friendly match against Uzbekistan. Korea went on to win 3-0. Since then he has been the captain for the remainder of the AFC qualification campaign for 2010 and was the top scorer of his team with five goals.

Verdict: The South Koreans secured a seventh successive World Cup finals place thanks to a 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in a tight group. Ji-Sung Park remains the star but they will struggle to make an impression against stronger nations.

Paddy Power Index:
Argentina 7/1: Nigeria 100/1: Greece 150/1 South Korea 250/1
(Prices taking from 28/5/10.

SportTrades Group Prediction.
We agree with Paddy Power odds,

1 Argentina
2 Nigeria
3 Greece
4 South Korea

World Cup, The Pulse Files - Group B (part 1)

The following verdicts are taking in full from our friends at Telegragh Sport. The verdict was compiled by John Ley and Jason Butt.

Now we have started the Pulse Files on the world cup groups, I really feel the final is getting closer. We completed Group A yesterday, and sit down for this, now for Group B. The review of each country will be posted alphabetically, not the order we think they will finish. The first 2 teams in Group B will follow and the remaining teams, Paddy Power Index and SportTrades Group Prediction will be tomorrow.

ARGENTINA

World Cup record: 1930 2nd, 1934 1st rd, 1958 1st rd, 1962 1st rd, 1966 QF, 1974 2nd rd, 1978 Winners, 1982 2nd rd, 1986 Winners, 1990 RU, 1994 2nd rd, 1998 QF, 2002 1st rd, 2006 QF.

How Argentina qualified for World Cup 2010: fourth place in Conmebol (South America)

The Coach: Diego Maradona (Argentine, 49). Appointed: Nov 2008. WC experience: Player: 1982 2nd rd, 1986 Winners, 1990 RU, 1994 2nd rd. Coach: none.
Maradona has won the World Cup and been sent home in disgrace for using an illegal substance. And as a manager, he has much to prove.

The Country: Argentina have won the World Cup twice and a finals tournament without the Albicelestes is unthinkable, yet it very nearly happened with Maradona’s nation securing qualification only in their final game, the 1-0 win in Uruguay securing a 15th finals appearance.

On 16 October 2008, following the controversy over the historic defeat against Chile in the qualifiers, manager Alfio Basile tended his resignation, paving the way for Maradona, the country’s greatest player, to take the helm.

It, too, was a controversial appointment. He won 91 caps and scored 34 goals for Argentina, and that spanned four World Cup finals, including the 1986 World Cup where he captained Argentina to final success over West Germany. Maradona won the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player, a tournament in which he will also be remembered for the infamous “Hand of God”, when he palmed the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton in the quarter-finals.

His reign has been as controversial as his appointment and qualifying was not easy: it took Mario Bolatti's late goal secure Argentina’s place in South Africa. And his squad is one of the weakest in recent history so hopes for a successful campaign in South Africa are not great.

And to add to their problems Maradona was banned from by Fifa for two months following his remarks after Argentina qualified. He told journalists they "take it up the arse", grabbed his crotch and insisted the world's media should "suck it and keep on sucking".

Verdict: Shambolic campaign, shambolic coach. Training is at a whim with Diego Maradona’s chaotic approach undermining a ridiculously talented group of players. If they stick with him, as they surely will, they are doomed to failure. Expect a cynical approach with Argentina trying to out-muscle opponents. A crying shame given the strength of the squad.

GREECE

Greece's World Cup record: 1994 1st rd.

How Greece qualified for World Cup 2010: European play-off winners.

The Coach: Otto Rehhagel (German, 71). Appointed: Aug 2001. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.

Rehhagel is the only person who, as player and as manager, has participated in over 1000 Bundesliga matches. This also explains his nickname Kind der Bundesliga (child of the Bundesliga).

The Country: Greece was seeded in the first pot for the draw of the European qualification zone and their campaign began and ended with matches against Luxembourg. Two losses to Switzerland placed the Greeks one point behind the Swiss group winners, leaving Greece's 2010 World Cup hopes to be decided in a play-off with Group 6 runner-up Ukraine.

And the Greeks confirmed a night of celebration back hom when they secured a hard-fought 1-0 win in the return leg (watch YouTube). Panathinaikos striker Dimitris Salpingidis claimed the only goal of the match sending Greece, the 2004 European champions, into their second World Cup finals after a 16-year absence.

On a rain-soaked pitch of the half-empty, 50,000-seater Donbass Arena, Ukraine’s former Chelsea striker and national captain Andriy Shevchenko missed a chance to put his team into the lead in the eighth minute and Greece replied with a header by Celtic forward Giorgos Samaras, which went just inches above the crossbar from a well-struck Giorgos Karagounis free-kick.

Sofoklis Plavios, chairman of the Greek Football Federation, was jubilant after Wednesday's victory. "I can't find words to describe the atmosphere in the dressing room," he said. "This triumph is unbelievable. No one is saying anything. They're just celebrating and hugging each other. The boys believed in themselves and have brought joy to Greeks. It is an amazing feat to eliminate Ukraine at home."

Verdict: Another case of a coach wringing out every last bit of talent from an apparently ordinary squad. But then, in the shrewd Rehaggel, the Greeks have the man who led them to improbable glory in Euro 2004 and has now taken them to their first World Cup Finals since 1994. Organisation is the key and they will be hard to beat if not always good to watch.

Tomorrow we will be reviewing the remaining countries in Group B, Korea Republic and Nigeria

World Cup 2010 - The Pulse Files: Group A

The following verdict is taking in full from our friends at Telegraph Sport. The verdict was compiled by John Ley and Jason Butt.

Yesterday we looked at the hosts South Africa, today we cover the three other teams drawn in Group A, France, Mexico and Uruguay.

France

World Cup record: 1930 1st rd, 1934 1st rd, 1938 QF, 1954 1st rd, 1958 3rd, 1966 1st rd, 1978 1st rd, 1982 4th, 1986 3rd, 1998 Winners, 2002 1st rd, 2006 RU.
How France qualified for World Cup 2010: European play-off winners.

The Coach: Raymond Domenech (French, 57). Appointed: July 2004. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 2006. He won eight caps as a player and he has made hard work of qualifying for two World Cup finals, even he did reach the final in between.

The Country: France are like England: they have won on home territory and the expectation ahead of every tournament is that they will win the World Cup again.
France came close last time, losing on penalties in the final to Italy when Zinedine Zidane attracted most of the headlines. It should not be forgotten that Les Bleus started the 2006 campaign badly, only just qualifying for the knockout stages, so the luck of their success against the Republic of Ireland should be taken in context.

France's campaign for 2010 qualification got off to a disappointing start with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Austria in Vienna and speculation followed regarding the future of Domenech.

Despite qualification the jury is still out on the coach. A man who is of Spanish and Catalan descent admitted he had problems with former Arsenal player Robert Pires ... because of his Scorpio star sign.
Pires said at the time: "I must be annoying him. It's like being at school. It's like I'm 20 years old and playing football for the first time." South Africa could be the same.

Verdict: Any right-minded football fan will regard the French as the tournament’s bête noire after Thierry Henry’s disgraceful cheating to deny the Irish. They seem to progress in spite of – rather than because of – their coach and like Argentina are guilty of a criminal misuse of talent. However if harnessed, as was eventually proved in the last World Cup, could go far.

Mexico

Mexico's World Cup record: 1930 1st rd, 1950 1st rd, 1954 1st rd, 1958 1st rd, 1962 1st rd, 1966 1st rd, 1970 QF, 1978 1st rd, 1986 QF, 1994 2nd rd, 1998 2nd rd, 2002 2nd rd, 2006 2nd rd.

How Mexico qualified for World Cup 2010: CONCACAF 4th place.

The Coach: Javier Aguirre (Mexican, 50). Appointed: April 2009. WC experience: Player: 1986. Coach: 2002. Javier Aguirre Onaindía, aka 'El Vasco', played in the finals and now goes there for a second time as a boss.

The Country: Mexico was disqualified from the 1990 World Cup (and any other international competition) after using players over the age limit allowed by Fifa in the qualifying round for the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988.

The punishment originally was only going to be applied to the Olympic team and not the World Cup team, but the penalty later affected all Mexican national representatives of all sports for two years.

In the 1990s, after appointing coach César Luis Menotti, Mexican football began experiencing greater success. An important turning point was its participation in the 1993 Copa America, where they finished second in the tournament, losing to Argentina 2-1 in the final.

And Mexico made sure of their 14th appearance at the finals with a game to spare after a comprehensive 4-1 victory over El Salvador - despite a swarm of bees in the goalmouth halting play for 10 minutes. Aguirre's side won six of their nine games to seize the initiative in the group after the job had been started under previous coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Captain Rafa Marquez: "This is a great team and Javier Aguirre is a great coach. We worked hard and got the job done, the credit goes to all to my teammates and to the coach. They are all amazing."

Verdict: Having discarded Eriksson and employed the much tougher Aguirre as coach, the Mexicans rallied. With games at altitude in South Africa they could be very tricky opponents.

Uruguay

World Cup record: 1930 Winners, 1950 Winners, 1954 SF, 1962 1st rd, 1966 QF, 1970 4th, 1974 1st rd, 1986 2nd rd, 1990 2nd, 2002 1st rd.

How Uruguay qualified for World Cup 2010: Play-off winners.

The Coach: Oscar Tabárez (Uruguayan, 62). Appointed: 2006. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1990.
The former AC Milan manager first saw service with his country in 1983 when he took charge of Uruguay’s Under-20s, and assumed control of the senior side in 2006.

The Country: Uruguay were the last country to qualify for the finals, overcoming Costa Rica on Wednesday night. And afterwards, Tabárez vowed to take an improved side to the finals.

A 1-1 home draw with Costa Rica booked Uruguay a ticket to South Africa with a 2-1 aggregate win in the qualifying play-off. "It was very tough," said Tabárez. "This match mirrored the tie as a whole. I'm very happy. Fortunately, we made it, in spite of the way we did it. There is a lot to improve on.

“We'll do so and we'll have the World Cup to prove it. I'm very happy, mostly for the kids. The ones who are younger than eight years old have never seen this and now they can live it."

Captain Diego Lugano was disappointed Uruguay had to go through the play-offs. "I am happy to qualify, but not for the way we've clinched it," the Fenerbahce defender said. "It is unbelievable that we have to suffer this way."

Midfielder Alvaro Fernández added: "We'll never make it into the World Cup comfortably, but it has a special taste."

Verdict: Have wonderful attacking threat in Diego Forlán but they also appear to, at times, suffer from a lack of belief and confidence in the big moments. And they don’t come much bigger than the World Cup.

PADDY POWER INDEX (As from 26th May)
France 14/1 Mexico 80/1 Uruguay 100/1 South Africa 125/1

SportTrades Pulse: Prediction on Group Standings

1st France
2nd Uruguay
3rd South Africa
4th Mexico

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World Cup 2010 PULSE FILES - SOUTH AFRICA

Profile Taking in full from our friends at the official World Cup 2010 website of FIFA.

There is an air of cautious optimism in South Africa as the Rainbow Nation prepares to write what is undoubtedly the most significant chapter of its short football history. A mammoth task lies ahead.

Recent years have brought ample disappointments, but Bafana Bafana have also shown, albeit in patches, that - given motivation and purpose - they can be a potent threat. And there can be no greater motivation than representing their country in a FIFA World Cup™ on home soil.

In 1996, four years after their readmission to international football, South Africa shot to prominence and stunned the African continent by claiming their maiden CAF Africa Cup of Nations trophy against Tunisia at Soccer City in Johannesburg. How ironic that, 16 years later, South Africa will return to the venue where they achieved this first major success, aiming to rewrite the script on an even bigger stage.

Their gallant performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup last June, when they lost narrowly to Brazil in the semi-finals and to Spain in the third place play-off, should certainly serve as a chilling reminder to their detractors that this team, when stretched to its potential, cannot be underestimated. That tournament witnessed several impressive performances strung together by the hosts, and ultimately it was only their inability to convert cleverly-tailored moves into goals that led to their demise.

The road to South Africa
South Africa, by virtue of their role as hosts, gained automatic qualification.

The star players
Talented midfield maestro Steven Pienaar is South Africa's prize assert. In the absence of the country's most successful striker, Benni McCarthy, who remains out of favour, Pienaar brings much-needed innovation and imagination to the side.

Since his arrival at Everton, Pienaar has reinvented himself and matured as an all-round player. While he continues to polarise opinion in his native country, no-one in South Africa disputes the confidence he exudes on the field and his ability to inject inspiration into the team's play. His performances during the FIFA Confederations Cup were yet another reminder that he will be key to any South African success in 2010.

Yet arguably just as vital to the Bafana Bafana cause are two players who have laboured tirelessly and effectively with little recognition: wingbacks Siboniso Gaxa and the enterprising Tsepho Masilela.

The coach
Now in his second stint as a South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira's return was greeted with mixed feelings in South Africa, although the Brazilian's many supporters are adamant that he is the man to lead this side to the ‘Promised Land' in 2010. Parreira certainly has the pedigree, having led his native country to the beautiful game's ultimate prize at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA. The extensively-travelled coach also brings a wealth of experience, which should prove vital in revitalising a South African side struggling with some significant pre-tournament problems. However, Parreira will be hoping to avoid the difficulties he endured during an inauspicious first spell as head coach, which witnessed him fail to lead South Africa beyond the first round at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa have failed to make it beyond the group stages in either of their two previous FIFA World Cup appearances. Clearly, this is a situation they will be desperate to remedy. Their first appearance was in France 1998, six years after they had been readmitted to the global football family. Despite a 3-0 drubbing to France in their opening game, they went on to put a decent show against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, drawing against both. Korea/Japan 2002 was expected to be an opportunity for Bafana Bafana to step up to the next level but, ultimately, they flattered to deceive, crashing out after the group stage despite beating Slovenia 1-0 for their first-ever FIFA World Cup win.

Record
* This is South Africa's third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Their first participation was at France 1998 and they also qualified for Korea/Japan 2002.

* Benni McCarthy scored the country's first goal at the FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw against Denmark on 18 June 1998.

* South Africa's incumbent captain, Aaron Mokoena remains the country's most capped player.

* South Africa hosted and won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 at their first attempt, beating Tunisia 2-0 in Johannesburg's Soccer City. They went on to finish as runners-up at the following edition in 1998, losing to Egypt 2-0 in the final.

What they said
"We are all aware that it is a huge honour to play in a World Cup on home soil; not many players have had such a privilege. We are also aware of the task that lies ahead. For us, the World Cup is our priority, it's our biggest goal. We need to represent our country with pride," Aaron Mokoena, South Africa captain.

PADDY POWER INDEX 125-1 (Price as of 25/05/10)

Group A

1 France
2 Mexico
3 South Africa
4 Uruguay

World Cup 2010 @ Pulse

Two New Features coming to SportTrades Pulse. We will be starting our countdown to the World Cup. The :PULSE FILES - World Cup 2010 will start tomorrow, with Group A and the hosts South Africa. We will leave Group C and England until last.

World Cup 2's, will be the choice of our staff here at SportTrades as to who will be Runners-up in the World Cup. Team SportTrades will select their choice, no team can be picked twice, and please feel free to join in.
There is a condition. SportTrades are backing Fabio and the boys to win in 2010, so England are therefore exempt from the selection. So it,s easy, pick who you think we will be playing in the final.

Get Your Kit On: Colchester United

From our friends at www.football-Shirts.com

Colchester United have announced on the club’s official website that the new home shirt is due to be launched on Friday June 18. The kit launch will be open to season ticket holders only and thus an exclusive event. The new 2010/11 leisure wear will also be launched on the same day.

The shirt will go on sale for the general public on June 26.

The club also announced that they have signed a deal with Reader Offers Limited, the UK’s premier agent for providing the finest in cruise travel. The deal is set to run for an initial two years and will see Reader Offers logo on the home and away shirts of Colchester United.

Jeremy Dickinson, Reader Offers Limited’s Managing Director, said: “We are both excited and proud to be the chief sponsor of Colchester United, especially as the majority of our 125 employees come from the Colchester area.

“We are a results driven company, so much like Colchester United really!”

Club Commercial Manager, Tim Waddington was delighted with the agreement signed with Reader Offers Ltd.

The new shirt is manufactured by Puma and features blue and white stripes with gold detail.

The New Name @ SportTrades: Check Your Pulse

Some of you may have had a journey getting to our new home. Thank you for your patience. The link from our website will be available again in the next few days. I have made our notification general to you all. As we do appreciate your support,the address to Pulse is featured, so go on and add to your favourites.

SPORTTRADES :pulse

To all Our Friends,

You have all been part or contributed to our blog, SportTrades Report.

Can I take this opportunity to thank you.

Today the blog is re-launched, with a brand new name. Many features will remain, but exciting new and updated features are planned.

SportTrades Pulse will replace SportTrades Report as of NOW.

The new address will be www.sporttradespulse.blogspot.com.

SportTrades Pulse is a brand new concept from SportTrades, full details will follow
Next week.

Thank you for your continued support.

Team SPORTTRADES

BT Paralympic World Cup 2010 - Starts Tomorrow

On the eve of the 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup, Prime Minister David Cameron has taken a personal interest in the event and endorsed the value of the competition, as he urged athletes to use this as a crucial stepping stone towards the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Mr Cameron has given his support to the outstanding GB Paralympic team which finished second in the Paralympic medals table in Beijing. The Prime Minister said, “This year’s BT Paralympic World Cup will no doubt be a fantastic showcase for sport once again. It’s a great thrill for British athletes to compete in front of a home crowd and – for those taking part in London 2012 – a chance to test themselves against some of the best in the world.”

Some of the most recognisable names in Paralympic sport are arriving in the North West as over 300 athletes will compete in Athletics, Football 7-a-side, Wheelchair Basketball and Swimming.

Mr Cameron continued, “I hope that this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup will provide everyone involved, from organisers to athletes to spectators, with experiences that will live with them for many years. I wish all the competitors the very best of luck and a thoroughly enjoyable week."

With the London 2012 Paralympic Games just over two years away, the BT Paralympic World Cup is a crucial event in the preparation for the world’s leading sport event.
For the first time this year, a team challenge has been introduced which sees Great Britain take on teams from the Americas, Europe and the Rest of the World, with athletes competing for the overall BT Paralympic World Cup trophy.

As the event prepares to start, Athletics star Oscar Pistorius (representing Rest of the World), GB Swimmer Liz Johnson, Italian Wheelchair Basketball player Roberto Ceriscioli (competing for Europe) and US Football 7-a-side player Josh McKinney (representing the Americas) have appeared together at Manchester City Football Club to mark the opening of this year’s competition.

BT Ambassador Pistorius, regarded as the ‘fastest man on no legs’, will compete in the T44 100m & 400m and says he is excited about the impending challenge.
“I’m delighted to be competing in this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup,” he said.
“The event comes at a key time in my season and I will be looking to set fast times in the 100m and 400m. The London Paralympic Games are just two years away now and to have major international competition in the UK is crucial in my preparations as I look to defend my Paralympic titles and also compete in the Olympic Games.”

UK soul queen Mica Paris has exclusively teamed up with BT to donate her single Hold On as the official anthem to this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup. Mica will be appearing in Manchester as a special guest and will also award the BT Paralympic World Cup trophy to the winning team on Monday 31 May at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

GB’s Liz Johnson is one of the stars who will be hoping to shine in the pool and the BT Ambassador said, “I’m delighted to be competing in this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. The event has really established itself and this is demonstrated by the number of top level competitors at the event. London 2012 is on the horizon and this competition is great preparation for me against the best swimmers in the world.”

Wheelchair Basketball is making its sixth consecutive appearance at the BT Paralympic World Cup and the men’s competition will see Paralympic champions Australia defending their BT Paralympic World Cup title, with Paralympic silver medallists Canada, bronze medallists GB and European champions Italy all fielding world class teams.

Italian player Roberto Ceriscioli said, “It is an honour for Italy to have been invited to play at the BT Paralympic World Cup, against some of the best teams in the world. We are excited about the tournament and hope to get a good feel for how the Paralympics will be in Great Britain in 2012.”

The women’s tournament will see GB looking to avenge their fourth place finish last year, as they compete against Australia, Canada and The Netherlands.

Kicking off a summer of Football, the BT Paralympic World Cup will preclude this summer’s FIFA World Cup, welcoming Football 7-a-side as a new sport to the event.
Great Britain’s elite disability players in the 7-a-side game, which is an adaptation of the sport for athletes with cerebral palsy, will face fierce competition in Manchester from The Netherlands, USA, and the Republic of Ireland at the invitational event.

American player Josh McKinney said, “We are really excited to have the opportunity to play in the country where the next Paralympics is going to be held as we just missed out qualifying for Beijing so the BT Paralympic World Cup competition offers us great preparation.”

ParalympicsGB Chief Executive, Phil Lane, said, “The BT Paralympic World Cup is such a fantastic event and it is now becoming a crucial part of the athletes’ preparations ahead of London in 2012. For me it is also an opportunity to see Paralympic sport at its best, with world class athletes competing against the best in the world.”

BT today announced its long term commitment to Paralympic sport in the UK, helping secure a lasting legacy for the country’s Paralympic athletes through the London 2012 Paralympic Games and beyond.

BT will continue to support ParalympicsGB after the London 2012 Paralympic Games, for the period 01 January 2013 until 31 December 2016, supporting ParalympicsGB athletes as they compete in Sochi in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Suzi Williams, BT Group Marketing and Brand Director, said, “The BT Paralympic World Cup gets stronger every year and reinforces the power of Paralympic sport to inspire, connect and engage people of all ages and backgrounds. The event is now regarded as one of the most important stepping stones to the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

“I am also very proud today to announce BT is increasing its long term commitment to Paralympic sport in the UK, by becoming a partner of ParalympicsGB all the way to Rio in 2016. We are all firmly focused on making the London 2012 Paralympic Games the best they can be, seeing the GB team make Britain proud and providing a lasting legacy for the Paralympic movement.”

Nigel Dove, Head of Marketing at the NWDA, said, “As the excitement builds it is excellent to have future London 2012 Paralympic Games stars competing on our doorstep in Manchester. The Northwest is heavily involved in London 2012 and athletes from Australia and Thailand will be training in Manchester up until 2012, which demonstrates the confidence that elite teams have in the city. Manchester is truly a sport city and can boast some of the best facilities in the world and I am confident can again host a very successful BT Paralympic World Cup which will bring significant social and economic benefits. Good luck to everyone involved.”

Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure at Manchester City Council, said, “Manchester is excited to see the return of the BT Paralympic World Cup for the sixth consecutive year, as a fundamental part of our major events programme. We are committed to once again delivering a world-class event, confirming Manchester’s position as a leading sport city.”

The BBC, the official televised partner to the event, will broadcast live from the Manchester Aquatics Centre on Monday 31 May 2010 on BBC Television.

Tickets for the BT Paralympic World Cup are now on sale and can be purchased via the event website: www.btparalympicworldcup.com or by calling 0844 8471622. Tickets are priced at £6 per session.

BT is the title sponsor of the Paralympic World Cup; the sponsorship runs up to and includes the 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup.

The BT Paralympic World Cup is sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association (CPISRA) and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and supported by BT, ParalympicsGB, the FA, Manchester City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

The event schedule will see Athletics on 25 May, Football 7-a-side on 26-29 May and Wheelchair Basketball on 27-30 May, all at the Manchester Regional Arena and Swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre on 31 May.
Follow the BT Paralympic World Cup on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BTPWC

Get Your Kit On: Newcastle United

Our Friends at www.football-shirts.com have leaked pictures, of what possibly will be, the Toon Army kit for next season. We will just show you the famous black & white stripes. Looks good, I’m biased though.

New leaked images have been released showing what will probably be the new Newcastle United home and away shirts for next season. Newcastle finished the 09/10 season by winning the Championship and earning a return to the Premier League next season

Walsall's freedom of speech problem

With great pleasure we post this story on Pulse. This appeared on the website of our friends at When Saturday Comes - The Half Decent Football Magazine yesterday. It is a first hand account of the ejection of Tom Lines from Walsall. Tom was showing his support for the fans banned for voicing an opinion. The account is remarkable and we are pleased to read that the FSF are looking at matters. SportTrades back the Walsall supporters who want transparency in the running of their club.

When Saturday Comes can be bought from most newsagents, but why not subscribe on-line.

What kind of person is forcibly ejected from a football ground? Well, me actually. On the last Saturday of the season, during the second half of Walsall's game against MK Dons, I was frogmarched out of the Banks's stadium by five stewards as the police looked on. And the reason for this rather dramatic course of action? Ten minutes earlier, during half-time, I had hung a banner from the upper tier of the stand. You can see its controversial message here.

The banner was inspired by the cases of three other Walsall fans who have been banned from the stadium by the club in recent weeks for offences ranging from writing for an unofficial supporters' website to, er, calling a local radio station's football phone-in. Events began on Easter Monday, when a 2-1 win against Wycombe was briefly enlivened by the unfurling of a Cypriot flag bearing the legend "Pension Fund FC".

This was a pointed reference to Saddlers owner Jeff Bonser who, as landlord of the Banks's Stadium, collects almost £400,000 a year in rent from the League One club. This income is allegedly paid directly into his pension to fund a retirement that may be spent at his Cypriot villa – hence the flag. This was hardly an organised protest, more a satirical stunt aimed at injecting a modicum of barbed humour into a largely tedious season. Stewards immediately told the group to put the flag down, which they did. Some good-natured chanting followed but few in the ground could have predicted the response that followed.

Walsall's chief executive Roy Whalley began with an extraordinary attack in the local evening newspaper. This was followed by a wave of bans. The main reason for these individuals being picked out seems to be that each is known personally to the club, making them easy to target – two weren't even involved in the original incident. At the next home game, fans were careful not to display anything containing an inflammatory message but the club's determination to extinguish any dissent led to the bizarre sight of stewards attempting to confiscate half a dozen plain Cypriot flags.

It's important to note that there are more than a few fans willing to stick up for a chairman who, some argue, saved the club from extinction during the early 1990s. But in overreacting to such an extent, Bonser and Whalley have managed to unite almost every supporter in condemnation of their actions. A stunt designed to draw attention to various obscure financial issues had suddenly become a much more easily defined protest about free speech.

Which is how I found myself watching the game on Saturday with an eight metre long banner hidden under my coat. The plan was to put it up briefly, making my point before removing it when requested to do so by stewards – but I didn't get the chance, a steward pushed me out of the way as I attempted to secure the banner, before ripping it down without saying a word. To prevent this reading like a police logbook, all you really need to know after this is that I was forcibly ejected from the ground for the heinous offence of "obstructing paid advertising". I've received no communication from the club since but fully expect to be added to the list of fans banned from the Banks's Stadium for spurious reasons in due course.

All this would be embarrassing enough for Walsall without the whiff of rank hypocrisy that accompanies Roy Whalley's involvement. A former schoolteacher who first came to prominence in the 1980s as a vociferous opponent of the club's attempts to groundshare with Wolves and Birmingham City, Whalley's own protest campaign was so successful that Walsall owner Ken Wheldon was ousted and replaced by Terry Ramsden. Shortly afterwards, Whalley became club secretary. This poacher turned gamekeeper now fights supporters as enthusiastically as he once led them. But in taking potshots at a few kids scrumping apples he has only succeeded in spectacularly shooting himself in the foot.

With the Football Supporters' Federation taking a keen interest in the case it is hoped that the club can be persuaded to rethink the bans. But if they don't, this could become a hugely important watershed for football fans' freedom of speech. Tom Lines

Southampton Unveil new 125 Anniversary Crest

Our friends at www.football-shirts.com have today revealed the crest Southampton will use for their 125th anniversary.

Earlier this month, Southampton Football Club unveiled their new club crest which commemorates their 125 years in English Football.

The club was founded in 1885 and during their 125 year history, the club has managed to lift the FA Cup, once in 1976. The club finished runners-up in the FA Cup editions of 1900,1902 and 2003. The figure 125 replaces the ball while the halo and outline are now in gold.

Club Spokesman, Jordan Sibley said: ”The launch of the crest represents the beginning of our 125 celebrations. We were keen to produce a variation of our crest that subtly celebrated this important club milestone whilst retaining the traditional feel.

“The crest will be used on our bespoke merchandise and club literature, as well as forming an integral part of the 2010/11 Home, Away and Goalkeeper kits.

“We will soon be announcing further details of how the Club will be celebrating this special occasion throughout the forthcoming season, as well as launch details of the new kits.”

Get Your Kit On: Manchester United

Our friends at www.football-shirts.com, provide us with a closer look at Manchester Uniteds away shirt for 2010/2011.

On the 27th April we confirmed that the shirts leaks of Manchester United’s 2010/11 shirts are the actual shirts, with a picture of two mannequins wearing the home and away kits with Old Trafford in the background. Now, we bring you a picture giving a closer look at the away shirt of the club from the front and from the back. The shirt will be complemented by black shorts with a red Swoosh and white sides, and white socks with a black band at the top.

March to the Arch

March to the Arch

After the success of our F.A.Cup Tracker for 2009/2010, won by Accrington Stanley, SportTrades will have a bigger and improved feature next season.

The Triple Tracker will include the F.A.Cup, F.A.Trophy and the F.A.Vase. The first competition to start is the F.A.Cup, in August, followed by the Trophy and Vase in September. Although the rules will be similar for all the Trackers as last season, there will be some slight changes that we will inform you of. March to the Arch will be back in July, to detail those tweaks to Tracker rules and announce the ties that will be our journeys starting point.

We will also be running a Scottish F.A.Cup Tracker, along the same lines as March to the Arch, but we have an organisation who will be backing the feature. As we are in continuing discussions how the feature will appear, we are unable to give further details. As soon as all is finalised on the agreement we will let you know.

SportTrades decided not to operate a World Cup tracker, but we will be launching two features to run up to the first game. Check your Pulse for the announcements within the next few days as to their details. I know you will like them.

CHECK YOUR :PULSE.

Welcome to PULSE.

Readers of SportTrades Report need not worry, the same blog, just a brand new name. All the features will still be covered and many more will be appearing here in the coming months. Your SportTrades team are constantly looking to bring new sports and new angles of mainstream sport to you. We will continue to scan our twitter site, SportTrades Talk, to bring you interesting and amusing stories. To keep in touch with this sporting globe, check your PULSE.

Why the change of name? SportTrades are starting a brand new service for our Partner Clubs and Organisations, called SportTrades Pulse. Within this new concept we will be able to match clubs with companies from our Business Club data base, who are looking to promote their products and services through sport. All Business Club members will be receiving weekly newsletters, with the best opportunities available at SportTrades that week. The newsletters will have a link back to the full list of opportunities at PULSE.

Those nice people in our Media & Communications Department, had an idea and then a long lie down before the pub opened. Why not incorporate our blog within the SportTrades Pulse concept. So there you have it, the reason for the name change.

Remember for updates of whats happening at SportTrades, CHECK YOUR PULSE

Clubs and Businesses who are interested in joining us at Pulse, please send your details to info@sporttrades.co.uk. Below I have included the Information regarding Pulse, from our new Unity through Sport brochure.

Remember from 25th May, to go directly to SportTrades Pulse, our new address will be www.sporttradespulse.blogspot.co.uk.. Alternative access can be made via our website www.sporttrades.co.uk.

SPORTTRADES:pulse

SportTrades believe that sports lifeline is found at
grassroots level . We want to provide a service to all levels,
grassroots to semi professional, searching for minimum to
average investment. Pulse has been devised to provide
organisations with that opportunity and will search for your
business match. Membership to SportTrades:pulse is FREE
to clubs or organisations.

Partner Clubs will provide SportTrades with information
regarding the organisations requirements, in no more than
150 characters (i.e Shirt Sponsor, Community Development
Project etc). The amount of entries per club, for searches, is
unlimited. The information collated will be circulated
amongst members of the :pulse Business Club on a regular
basis.

The Business Club@SportTrades:pulse. The business club
has a data base of a variety of companies, small, medium
and large. All the club members are seeking sponsorship
deals at local, regional and national levels. The Business
Club members receive a weekly :pulse newsletter
and :pulse alerts that feature new requests and new
promotions from our Partners.

Once we have reached an agreement SportTrades:pulse
will charge a 15% commission on the final amount secured.
Our searches are completely FREE to clubs, commission is
only charged on a successful outcome, The Match.
SportTrades:pulse Partner Club membership, email your
club contact details and we will send an application form.

Economic meltdown & fan violence stifling Greek sport

Reuters

A really interesting article from Reuters published by Four Four Two. (www.fourfourtwo.com)

ATHENS - A maelstrom of the country's financial meltdown, a threatened cut in state funding to less popular sporting activities and football violence has combined to put Greek sport at the edge of a numbing precipice.

The multi-billion euro EU-IMF rescue package announced last week has restored a measure of optimism, but the nation's top sporting figures are expecting hard times, with less popular sports expected to be hit hardest by budget cuts.

Greece has embarked on the huge task of cutting its deficit from nearly 14 percent of GDP to 3 percent by 2014 to meet the conditions of the EU/IMF aid.

"From what has been said by the government, the budgets of all federations will be reduced," Spyros Kapralos, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), told Reuters.

"The biggest cuts will be in low category sports. From what I know, the amounts will be drastically reduced."

Kapralos is fronting a number of HOC projects aimed at attracting private sector sponsorships, such as the opening of the iconic Panathinean Marble stadium to tourists.

"The state also had difficulties last year, so that is why it is even more important to focus on programmes in attracting investment from the private sector," added Kapralos.

"Greek sport is used to state funding and this must change. People have to realise that attracting money from the private sector is the way forward," he added.
"It's more difficult to raise money from sponsorships in the current climate obviously so it's about being smart."

FEELING THE EFFECTS

The effects of the crisis are already being felt by Greece's two most popular sports, football and basketball.

Attendances in the nation's top football division have slowed dramatically compared with previous seasons, with an increase of just 1.06% for the current season compared to increases of 17.2% and 33.52% in the two previous campaigns.
"The crisis is certainly impacting Greek football," Super League executive director Patrick Komninos told Reuters.

"We are working hard, though, to ensure all clubs share in revenues sponsorship deals and broadcasting rights deals so clubs have a steady cash flow throughout the season."

In March, the Greek government angered football bosses by suspending funding from state-owned betting company OPAP - a contract worth more than 50 million euro over three years - until crowd violence is stamped out.

"One cannot be sure that violence will be eliminated by cutting revenues," Komninos commented on the controversial move. "Financial sanctions should only be imposed on the clubs that have caused violence instead of blanketing all clubs."

It has proved a widely unpopular move, and one which will put an extra strain on budgets should it continue, according to Kostas Piladakis, the president of Super League club Larissa.

"I don't believe that this decision helps to solve the problem of violence one little bit," he told Reuters.

In basketball, one merger in the top flight has already taken place this season due to financial problems, with Olympia Larissa joining forces with AEL 1964 last December.

"It's fair to say that the majority of the clubs are struggling to keep it up," A1 League president Vasilis Ikonomidis told Reuters.
"TV revenue and sponsorship deals have taken a knock, affecting clubs' incomes significantly."

The majority of clubs are run in an unorthodox manner with often a single person or family continuing to plough money in despite losses.

And while the two big Athens clubs, Panathinaikos and Olympiakos spent more than 35 million euros each on player contracts alone last season, there is a massive gulf between them and the rest of the division.

"Panathinaikos and Olympiakos have never posted positive financial results, simply because their owners spend the money hoping to win trophies and do not perceive their ownership as a profitable business," added Ikonomidis.

"It's something unassailably weird but entirely true. Obviously that's a mentality we have to change."

Not everything is doom and gloom, however. Super League football outfit Larissa, despite enduring a difficult season on the pitch, are investing in a 45 million euro project including a new 16,000-capacity stadium which boasts two shopping malls, tennis courts, cinemas, cafe bars and restaurants.

"Larissa has of course been affected by the crisis just as the rest of Greek football, especially regarding sponsorships," said Piladakis, whose sound financial planning has made the Thessaly club one of the better examples to follow.
"Although we have managed to limit any financial problems and over the next two years and I hope to start seeing the first signs of recovery.

"Generally, there are really many problems financially in Greek football, especially the teams that have public sector debt," he added.

"Successive governments until now have shown too much tolerance in not collecting debts or not rearranging them."

SportTrades F.A.Cup Tracker 2009/2010

SportTrades F.A.Cup Tracker 2009/2010.

That’s that for 2009/2010, Chelsea 1 Portsmouth 0. Chelsea ended up winning the actual competition; the tracker had led us to be following Portsmouth. Accrington Stanley won the SportTrades Tracker and will be receiving their award during the close season. The final finishing positions are listed below.

We will be back next season; we will sit down and refresh the competition. We hope to also include the Trophy Tracker and also the Vase Tracker, to make the season even more enjoyable and of course include the Scottish F.A. Cup. There will be no World Cup Tracker, we might put a jinx on England, but we did think about it.

Next season we wondered about putting this highly successful feature out for naming right sponsorship. We have decided, that if a Sports Related Charity or Project wish to put their name to this feature, then contact us and you will be added free of charge.

At this point, I would like to take a moment to remember the young Swansea City striker Besian Idrizaj, who sadly passed away over the weekend at the age of 22. SportTrades have a close affinity to C.R.Y (Cardiac Risk in the Young) through personal reasons. Although the cause of Besians death has not been released at present, it is likely that it was within the remit of C.R.Y campaigns. Our thoughts are very much with Besians family and friends at this tragic time.
Please visit C.R.Y website to see how you can help fund more screening for youngsters to reduce the occurance of this type of tragedy. 12 young people die each week, all similar cases to Besians.

SportTrades F.A.Cup Tracker 2009/2010 – Final Placings.

The Story: 2009/2010

Stage 1 Barkingside 1 Bowers & Pitsea 4
Stage 2 Windsor & Eton 3 Bowers & Pitsea 1
Stage 3 Thamesmead Town 1 Windsor & Eton 2
Stage 4 Windsor & Eton 0 Farnborough 1
Stage 5 Heybridge Swifts 0 Farnborough 0
Replay Farnborough 3 Heybridge Swifts 0
Stage 6 Farnborough 0 Salisbury City 0
Replay Salisbury City 4 Farnborough 2
Stage 7 Accrington Stanley 2 Salisbury City 1
Stage 8: Accrington Stanley 2 Barnet 2
Replay Barnet 0 Accrington Stanley 1
3RD ROUND
Stage 9 Accrington Stanley 1 Gillingham 0
Stage 10 Accrington Stanley 1 Fulham 3
Stage 11 Fulham 4 Nott’s County 0
Stage 12 Fulham 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0
Replay Tottenham Hotspur 3 Fulham 1
Stage 13 Tottenham Hotspur 0 Portsmouth 2
Stage 14 THE FINAL: Chelsea 1 Portsmouth 0


Sport Trades F.A.Cup Tracker – Merit Table

TEAM APP A/W R G/D G/S
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 4 1 1 1 7
FARNBOROUGH 3 1 2 2 6
FULHAM 3 1 1 4 8
WINDSOR & ETON 3 1 0 2 5
SPURS 2 1 1 0 3
BOWERS & PITSEA 2 1 0 1 5
SALISBURY CITY 2 0 1 1 5
PORTSMOUTH 2 1 0 1 2
*CHELSEA 2 0 0 1 1
BARNET 1 0 1 -2 2
HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS 1 0 1 -3 1
THAMESMEAD TOWN 1 0 0 -1 1
GILLINGHAM 1 0 0 -1 0
BARKINGSIDE 1 0 0 -3 1
NOTTS COUNTY 1 0 0 -4 0

App – Appearances
A/W – Away wins
R – Replays
G/D – Goal Difference
G/S – Goals Scored
* Bonus Appearance: Won Competition

If you are involved with a team who are due to be competing in the Extra Prelim Round and want to kick start next seasons F.A.Cup Tracker, then please contact us at info@sporttrades.co.uk.

This article is dedicated to the memory of Besian Idrizaj

Played in Glasgow: Charting the heritage of a city at play

As part of our trawl through sporting publications, we came across this series of books published by and available at www.playedinbritain.co.uk. The series of books that at present cover Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham trace the journey of the cities sporting and social development. The author Ged O'Brien has provided us with a fantastic publication into the insight, the history and importance of sport within our cities. SportTrades believe in unity through sport and the series of books back that philosophy. The power of sport is universal, it solves problems and where it is unable to, it unites people, providing them with the strength and unity to tackle individual issues. Well worth a visit to the website to view other books available.

Played in Glasgow: Charting the heritage of a city at play - Ged O'Brien

In 2014 Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games, welcoming thousands of athletes and visitors from around the world. Yet as this, the fourth in-depth urban study in the acclaimed Played in Britain series reveals, Glasgow has long been at the forefront of sporting development.

It is well documented - if not always acknowledged south of the border - that the modern form of Association football owes its origins to the 'passing game' of Queen's Park FC in the 1870s, and that by the early 20th century Glasgow's three leading football clubs had the largest stadiums in the world. Nor is it a coincidence that the world's first specialist stadium designer was a Glaswegian engineer.

But beyond Hampden Park and the famed (and often infamous) rivalry of Celtic and Rangers, there exists across Glasgow a fascinating network of Junior clubs, community grounds and hidden heritage. The red, dusty 'blaes' pitch - scourge of many a schoolboy's knees - is as much a part of that heritage as are the swards of Glasgow Green.

Over the last century Glasgow has had three racecourses and eight greyhound tracks. It has a surprising number of long established cricket clubs, and a range of fine Edwardian and Art Deco pavilions too. It was in Glasgow in 1848 that the rules of modern bowling were set out - leading to a higher concentration of greens in the city than anywhere else in Britain. The most popular of these greens, laid out on the site of the 1901 Kelvingrove International Exhibition, will host the 2014 Commonwealth Games tournament. Also in Glasgow is the world's oldest manufacturer of bowls equipment, Thomas Taylor.

As might be expected in Scotland, the map of Glasgow is dotted and ringed by a web of nearly 40 public and private golf courses, many with their own topographic quirks and interesting clubhouses. Less evidence survives of nearly a hundred former curling ponds, although author Ged O'Brien has discovered the 1902 clubhouse of the Partick Club, hidden away in a Glasgow park. O'Brien also reveals where Britain's first black footballer lived in the 1880s when he captained Queen's Park and was capped by Scotland, and the site of the private swimming club where the sport of water polo was invented in 1877. Two other Victorian private baths clubs survive and thrive - the Arlington and the Western - each with original features not to be found anywhere outside Scotland. Less well known is a network of home-made 'doocots', built by rival pigeon-fanciers on wastegrounds across the city as part of a time-honoured local tradition. O'Brien enters this secretive world to explain how it is done.

With its accessible blend of social, cultural, historical and architectural detail, backed up by stunning archive and modern photography and maps, Played in Glasgow offers a new angle on the city's rich heritage as it prepares the next generation of 21st Century sporting facilities for 2014.

Played in Glasgow is sponsored by Historic Scotland and Glasgow City Council.

The review of this book was taken un-edited from our friends at www.playedinbritain.co.uk, please visit their website for details on their full range of publications.

Outside the Long Room: An Ashes Twenty20 Finale

Well our resident cricket writer Jimmy Drew is back again with another edition of the 'Outside The Long Room'. After previewing the World Twenty20 in his last post, Jimmy reviews the tournament in the lead up to the final and speaks about the domestic cricket scene as well. Anyway less from me and over to Jimmy

The ICC World Twenty20 has certainly lived up to expectations so far, and with only the final left to go, there has already been lots memories that will stay with us for many years to come.

England have definitely been the surprise package, and although many pundits tipped them to get to the semi’s, many will be surprised in how they’ve performed in their matches and played with such control, power yet grace so far. It’s also pleasing to see that virtually all the team have chipped in with match winning displays at some stage of the tournament. Bresnan, Sidebottom and Broad provide a good mix in the seam department and this is complemented with the variety of right and left hand finger spin in the form of Swann and Yardy.

Batting wise, although skipper Collingwood himself has struggled so far (maybe he’s saving his runs for the final though!), Kieswetter, Lumb, KP and the ever improving Eoin Morgan have provided England with an explosive top-order which is incomparable to any previous England one day line-up that I can certainly think of. Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan have also chipped in with useful runs too, and fielding wise, we’ve been as good as any other side in the competition.

The inclement Guyana climate at the start of the tournament almost saw England knocked out in the group stage, with messers Duckworth and Lewis playing a pivotal role in both of their matches. In fairness, this would have been difficult for the players and fans to swallow, especially after their fine batting display against the hosts (West Indies), even if their innings against Ireland was just as memorable for different reasons!

Both South Africa and India, in my eyes, are the two teams who will be most disappointed by their performances in the competition. Home to the IPL, the Indians never really got going, with the only highlight that stands out coming from our friend SK Raina who smashed his way to 101 off just 60 balls against South Africa in the initial group stages. As for South Africa, I commented previously that they looked one of the strongest teams going into the tournament on paper, though their game plan let them down and too few many players stepped up to the mark and as a team they didn’t seem to gel at the crucial moments, especially when batting second in games.

As for the Ozzies, then the semi-final I’ve just witnessed says it all about them. Their “never say die” attitude was clear for all to see in this game, and with 4 or 5 overs to go they looked dead and buried. Mike Hussey (pictured top) has once again proved that he’s one of the best players who can adjust his game accordingly to the task in hand. Many a time has he played the anchor role down the middle order in test matches, but unlike so many talented international batsmen, he has that knack of knowing how to build an innings in whatever the context of the game requires. 18 needed off the final over, and with Mitchell Johnson taking a single from the first ball, what odds would you have got on Hussey swatting the following four balls for; 6, 6, 4, 6 to win with a ball to spare and against Saeed Ajmal who’s bowling has been very impressive in the comp, unlike his fielding though.

So, Sunday afternoon sees the love / hate relationship rekindled for what promises to be a great encounter between the old rivals of England and the Ozzies. 20/20 can be so unpredictable, though I’m going to stick my neck on the line and say that if England win the toss and bowl first then the trophy will be heading home to blighty, as we sneak past the ozzies total (which I’m not going to guess what this will be), with 5 wickets in hand and 2 overs left to spare!

Domestically, my tip for the division one crown (Durham), have continued to struggle since my last blog, with Notts over taking Yorkshire at the top of the table and becoming the form team in the LV County Championship (Div 1). This week saw Notts beat the current champions (that’s Durham remember) by a comfortable innings and 62 runs. Despite Broad, Swann and Sidebottom all being in the Caribbean, Notts still managed to bowl Durham out twice, with Pattinson, Shreck, Franks, Patel and Mullaney all getting a share of the wickets.

I remember saying that Notts would be pushing Durham all the way for the title this season, though it’ll be interesting to see how they cope with being top of the table so early on in the season. Have they got the strength in depth and ability to maintain top spot until mid-September?!? Only time will tell I guess.

Bowling wise, Durham have less bonus points than any of the other 17 counties, though with Steve Harmison now back in the team, surely it’s only a matter of time until their fortunes change, though as the saying goes, it’s tough at the top and the sides who have played them so far have settled a few scores on them from over the past couple of seasons. Like Notts and Yorkshire, Lancashire also remain unbeaten and if these teams can continue like they’ve started, I reckon the champions will be one of these three counties.

At the other end of the table, Hampshire’s draw against Somerset stopped their rot of defeats, though with 4 defeats from 5 matches, it could be a long hard season for them. Performance of the week has got to go to Sean Ervine (pictured left) of Hampshire who came in at number 7 with the team struggling on 123-5….a few sessions later and with good support from Nic Pothas and the tail, he produced a career best 237 not out. I’m happy for Sean, but also happy that I brought him into my fantasy team the previous day when he was on 75 not out at the close of play!

Moving onto division 2, Sussex remain top, and after starting the season so well, the East Midlands counties of Derbyshire and Leicestershire have struggled of late, which has resulted in Glamorgan, Gloucester and Middlesex all climbing the table and producing convincing victories in the week just gone. The table is tight though, with just 22 points separating 2nd place and 7th.

One day wise, then the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition is also starting to take shape. Sussex, Yorkshire and Warwickshire top each of the three groups, and there have also been impressive starts for both Somerset and Surrey whilst Worcestershire, Northants and Hampshire are the only three teams who have played matches and are yet to register any points on the board yet. Our friends the Netherlands and Scotland haven’t played any of their matches yet, and it’ll be interesting to see if either cause many upsets over the next couple of months.

On a more local level, the team I play for (Breadsall Cricket Club) have had mixed fortunes so far. The first team have won two and lost one of their league matches so far, though they have also progressed in the cup with a win against Alfreton last Sunday. The seconds meanwhile haven’t started as well, with one wining draw, one losing draw and one defeat so far, plus they are out of the cup. The newly formed 3rd team have only played one league game so far, which they won, so it’s probably too early to pass judgement on them just yet, though we’re hoping they make it two from two this weekend.

Our club website details all of our senior and junior results throughout the season, so why not keep track of our fortunes during the summer of 2010 yourself at www.breadsall.play-cricket.com Lots of info such as as our fund-raising events can also be found on our site.

Junior wise, then our under 14’s narrowly missed out in progressing further in the National Collard Dawn Cup Competition, losing out to Ticknall on Bank Holiday Monday, though with more and more of our under 17’s and under 15’s now playing senior cricket in either the 2nd or 3rd teams, the future is looking rosy for the club as these younger players continue their development.

Off the pitch, works continues on our new changing facility, which will incorporate home and away changing rooms, a score-box, umpires room as well as a garage for storing our ground equipment. Photos of the development can also be viewed online too.

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks time, though in the meantime, good luck to England on Sunday and I’m hoping that by the time most of you read this blog we will be World Twenty20 champions….for one year at least!

Chelmsford Chieftains Seeking Partners For 2010/11 Season

The Chelmsford Chieftains have just come off the back of a highly promising season in the English National League 1 where they finished 4th, just 1 point off second place and 7 points off the title, and came very close (within 4 minutes!) of making the play-off finals.

The club did this incredibly with the youngest team in the league and also their first season in division 1 after an unbeaten 2008-09 season in which they won all bar 1 league game and had an average scoreline of 9-2!

How can you and your organisation be a part of this season’s plans?

The 2010-11 season looks set to be the biggest and best in years for Essex’s premier ice hockey team and the club is looking for advertising and sponsorship partners to help the club in it’s quest for glory.

The Chieftains have many varied and exciting opportunities available for the upcoming season and bookings and requests are being taken now. The organisation will be playing across all age ranges from u-10s through to senior men’s ice hockey, as well as women’s hockey and numerous rec players. The club also boasts some current and former GB international players.

The club expects to attract around 10,000 fans this season and on top of that some of the advertising opportunities are available for ALL rink users to see, which are expected to top 110,000 and likely to be a fair bit more as the Riverside rink is undergoing extensive refurbishment this summer.

Not only are individual opportunities available, there is also the chance to take advantage of a ‘bundle’ of adverts. A typical ‘bundle’ would encompass a rink board, a half page advert in the match night programme and a link on the club’s website which has already attracted over 150,000 hits this year.

The Chelmsford ice hockey organisation is well aware of the economic climate and how businesses are suffering and are not necessarily able to pay up front, and they understand it too having been through downsizing themselves not so long ago. Therefore the club offers attractive payment packages and payment plans, available upon agreement.

Advertising with the club starts from as little as £120 right the way through to £1500 for a shirt sponsorship.

The Chieftains have agreed with SportTrades to be their official media partners and as such SportTrades are requesting that all enquiries to the club for sponsorship goes through the dedicated Account Manager, Pete Lewis. Contactable at Pete.lewis@sporttrades.co.uk or info@sporttrades.co.uk

Get Your Kit On: Portsmouth F.A.Cup Final Special

Our friends at www.football-shirts.co.uk have supplied us with details of the shirts to be worn by Portsmouth at Wembley next week.

It has been a turbulent season for Portsmouth, culminating in a point reduction and relegation to the nPower Championship for 2010/2011.

Followers to the Report will know, that from last August SportTrades have been following the F.A.Cup with their very own tracker. Final tracker details will be posted next week. The tracker, since the first tie, has taking on a life of it's own and the conclusion is the last team we will be following for this season, is Portsmouth. Sorry Chelsea fans, it was just the luck of the draw.

Portsmouth have changed their kit supplier from Canterbury to the Italian company Kappa for the next season. Kappa have designed the Cup Final kit.