http://www.mail.com/in-en/subjects/2186-professional-soccer.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.29/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/in-en/subjects/2186-professional-soccer.html http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159476-valcke-wants-fifa-chief-blatter-to-stand.html RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The prospect of Sepp Blatter reversing a previous pledge and standing again for the FIFA presidency is growing. Before being re-elected unopposed in 2011, Blatter promised to stand aside after serving a final term but he has spent months dropping hints he wants to remain in the job. And Blatter's closest aide, once tipped as a possib... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:50:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159476-valcke-wants-fifa-chief-blatter-to-stand.html 2013-06-18T17:50:55Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159528-eintrachts-goalkeeper-nikolov-to-move-to-mls.html FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Oka Nikolov is leaving the Bundesliga club after 19 years to move to Major League Soccer. Eintracht chief executive officer Heribert Bruchhagen says it is still not clear which MLS club the goalkeeper will join but that his contract with Eintracht had been annulled with immediate effect at Nikolov's... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:45:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159528-eintrachts-goalkeeper-nikolov-to-move-to-mls.html 2013-06-18T15:45:55Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159288-ribery-benzema-prostitution-trial-adjourned.html PARIS (AP) — A trial involving Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema on charges they solicited an underage prostitute has been adjourned until January. The two France internationals face potential prison terms of up to three years each if convicted. Ribery and Benzema were not present as the trial opened in Paris on Tuesday, and... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:57:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159288-ribery-benzema-prostitution-trial-adjourned.html 2013-06-18T13:57:41Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159164-bittencourt-leaves-dortmund-hannover.html HANNOVER, Germany (AP) — Leonardo Bittencourt is leaving Champions League runner-up Borussia Dortmund to join Bundesliga rival Hannover. Hannover says the midfielder received a four-year contract. Bittencourt came to Dortmund from Cottbus but made only five Bundesliga appearances in the past season. Dortmund finished a distant second behind Bayern Munich ... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:04:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159164-bittencourt-leaves-dortmund-hannover.html 2013-06-18T12:04:23Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159102-newcastle-confirms-kinnears-return.html NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle has appointed Joe Kinnear as the Premier League club's new director of football on a three-year contract. The 66-year-old Irishman left Newcastle in 2009 after a heart attack. He had been the club's interim manager following the departure of Kevin Keegan. He is coming back to work alongside current manager Alan Pardew a... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:28:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159102-newcastle-confirms-kinnears-return.html 2013-06-18T11:28:35Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159086-man-united-to-play-friendly-stockholm.html MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United will travel to Sweden for a friendly game against AIK in August as part of the English champions' pre-season tour. The club said on Tuesday that the game, which will conclude United's preparations for next season, will take place on Aug. 6th at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. United will also play in Thailand, ... Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:41:37 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2159086-man-united-to-play-friendly-stockholm.html 2013-06-18T10:41:37Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157538-schalke-signs-german-youth-international-clemens.html GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Schalke has signed German youth international Christian Clemens from second division Cologne. The Bundesliga club says the 21-year-old Clemens, a midfielder, has signed a four-year deal through June 2017. Schalke general manager Horst Heldt says Clemens is a player with "enormous potential" and "we're delighted that we could ... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:24:51 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157538-schalke-signs-german-youth-international-clemens.html 2013-06-17T18:24:51Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157422-bale-applies-to-trademark-goal-celebration.html LONDON (AP) — Tottenham forward Gareth Bale is attempting to cash in on his new-found fame by filing an application to trademark his goal celebration, a heart-shaped hand gesture he dedicates to his long-time girlfriend. The Intellectual Property Office says it has received Bale's application for his "Eleven of Hearts" logo, which he intends to use on clo... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157422-bale-applies-to-trademark-goal-celebration.html 2013-06-17T17:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157118-teams-to-seeded-wcup-playoffs-europe.html ZURICH (AP) — A seeding system will be in place for the World Cup playoffs in the European zone, ensuring the four highest-ranked qualifiers will be kept apart in the draw on Oct. 21. FIFA was criticized four years ago when it announced just before the last round of European qualifiers in October that there would be seedings for the playoffs. This time, w... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:40:07 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2157118-teams-to-seeded-wcup-playoffs-europe.html 2013-06-17T16:40:07Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2156848-fergusons-1st-team-sheet-under-hammer.html DEVIZES, England (AP) — The hand-written official team sheet from Alex Ferguson's first game as manager of Manchester United is expected to raise up to 3,000 pounds ($4,700) when it is sold at auction on Saturday. United's 2-0 loss to Oxford United on Nov. 8, 1986, was the first of 1,500 league games under Ferguson, who retired last month after nearly 27 ... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:12:40 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2156848-fergusons-1st-team-sheet-under-hammer.html 2013-06-17T13:12:40Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2156756-figueroa-joins-hull-release-wigan.html HULL, England (AP) — Honduras defender Maynor Figueroa has joined Premier League newcomer Hull on a free transfer following his release by Wigan. Figueroa has agreed a two-year deal and is reunited with Hull manager Steve Bruce, who also signed the left back in 2008 when in charge of Wigan. The 30-year-old Figueroa set his sights on a move to the KC Stadi... Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:23:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2156756-figueroa-joins-hull-release-wigan.html 2013-06-17T11:23:00Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155530-kinnear-newcastle-return.html NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Joe Kinnear has returned to Premier League side Newcastle as director of football but says he won't interfere with team selections by manager Alan Pardew. The 66-year-old Irishman left Newcastle in 2009 after a heart attack but has now come back to help recruit new players and work alongside Pardew. "Alan's aware of the situation... Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:04:58 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155530-kinnear-newcastle-return.html 2013-06-16T18:04:58Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155300-heinz-flohe-74-wgermany-wcup-squad-dies.html BERLIN (AP) — Heinz Flohe, a member of West Germany's 1974 World Cup-winning squad, has died. He was 65. The German Football Association said Sunday that Flohe died in his home city of Euskirchen late Saturday. He had been in a coma for more than three years following a collapse. The former FC Cologne midfielder played 39 games for West Germany, scoring e... Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:00:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155300-heinz-flohe-74-wgermany-wcup-squad-dies.html 2013-06-16T15:00:35Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155138-ottmar-walter-german-player-1954-wcup-dies.html BERLIN (AP) — Ottmar Walter, a member along with his brother Fritz of the West Germany squad that won the 1954 World Cup, has died. He was 89. The German Football Association said Walter died in a care home early Sunday. "Ottmar Walter was one of the players who made the Miracle of Bern possible," association president Wolfgang Niersbach said in a stateme... Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:55:25 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155138-ottmar-walter-german-player-1954-wcup-dies.html 2013-06-16T14:55:25Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155062-heynckes-rules-coaching.html MUNICH (AP) — Jupp Heynckes has ruled out coaching again and says he's had a worthy farewell with an unprecedented treble for a German club with Bayern Munich, including the Champions League trophy. After Bayern completed the treble earlier this month, Heynckes left his future open, saying he was taking time off. But now he's told Spiegel newsmagazine he ... Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:18:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2155062-heynckes-rules-coaching.html 2013-06-16T11:18:23Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/other/2154114-england-backs-wade-barritt-called-up-lions.html England backs Christian Wade and Brad Barritt have been called up by the British and Irish Lions as injury cover. Wade, a winger, and Barritt, a center, were summoned to the tour of Australia with the Lions having fitness concerns over Wales winger George North. Center Jamie Roberts is also an injury doubt after hurting his leg in the 47-17 win over the W... Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:57:39 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/other/2154114-england-backs-wade-barritt-called-up-lions.html 2013-06-15T21:57:39Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/world/2154294-brazilians-protest-high-cost-hosting-world-cup.html BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — At least 500 protesters complaining against the high cost of staging the World Cup rallied Saturday in front of the National Stadium in Brasilia just hours before Brazil played Japan in the opening match of the Confederations Cup. Riot police were called up to keep demonstrators from getting too close to the stadium as thousands of... Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:22:43 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/world/2154294-brazilians-protest-high-cost-hosting-world-cup.html 2013-06-15T21:22:43Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152376-fifa-rules-male-players-wear-turbans.html ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — FIFA has ruled male head covers are acceptable to wear during matches, a decision that goes against the ban on turbans imposed by the sport's provincial governing body in Quebec. Footballs's world governing body says male players can wear head covers as long as they are the same color as the team's shirt, have a "professional ap... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:33:54 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152376-fifa-rules-male-players-wear-turbans.html 2013-06-14T19:33:54Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152252-manchester-city-hires-pellegrini-manager.html MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City revealed one of the worst-kept secrets in football by hiring Manuel Pellegrini as its new manager on Friday, entrusting a man nicknamed "The Engineer" to revamp the club's playing philosophy and follow the path trodden by Barcelona in search of silverware. Headhunted by City for some time, Pellegrini finally took... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:08:48 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152252-manchester-city-hires-pellegrini-manager.html 2013-06-14T18:08:48Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152634-lille-hires-rene-girard-coach-replacing-garcia.html PARIS (AP) — Lille hired Rene Girard as coach on Friday, replacing Rudi Garcia after the club finished a disappointing sixth in the French league this season. As a player, Girard reached the World Cup semifinals with France in 1982 and won league titles with Bordeaux in 1984, '85 and '87. As a coach, Girard led Montpellier to its only league title in 2012... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:24:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152634-lille-hires-rene-girard-coach-replacing-garcia.html 2013-06-14T17:24:57Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152330-arsenal-appoints-keswick-chairman.html LONDON (AP) — Arsenal has appointed Chips Keswick as the chairman to replace Peter Hill-Wood, who stood down for health reasons after suffering a heart attack last year. Hill-Wood had been chairman since 1982, following both his father and grandfather in the post. Keswick, 73, has served on the Arsenal board for eight years. Arsenal majority owner Stan Kr... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:41:16 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152330-arsenal-appoints-keswick-chairman.html 2013-06-14T15:41:16Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152288-pellegrini-fact-box.html MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Highlights in the career of Manuel Pellegrini, who has been hired as manager of Manchester City: 1953 — Born Sept. 16 in Santiago, Chile. 1973 — Begins 13-year playing career at Universidad de Chile. 1988 — Takes over at Universidad de Chile, his first coaching position. 1990 — Becomes coach of Palestino, also in Chile. ... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:31:08 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152288-pellegrini-fact-box.html 2013-06-14T15:31:08Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151736-malaga-hires-bernd-schuster-coach-5-seasons.html MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Malaga hired former German player Bernd Schuster to be its coach for the next five seasons on Friday. Schuster will replace Manuel Pellegrini, who is expected to take over Manchester City for the fired Roberto Mancini. The 53-year-old Schuster has coached for various clubs after finishing a successful playing career that included stin... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:00:02 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151736-malaga-hires-bernd-schuster-coach-5-seasons.html 2013-06-14T15:00:02Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152186-mancini-eyes-national-team-job-world-cup.html NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Roberto Mancini would like to coach a national team at next year's World Cup in Brazil. Mancini, who was fired by Manchester City a month ago, briefly addressed his status via a phone connection to a news conference for a charity match in Capri. He says, "I want to return to the bench soon, perhaps even with a national team for next y... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:57:53 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152186-mancini-eyes-national-team-job-world-cup.html 2013-06-14T14:57:53Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152156-hearts-fails-to-pay-wages-under-transfer-embargo.html GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Hearts has been placed under a transfer embargo after the cash-strapped Scottish Premier League club failed to pay some players their wages on time. The SPL says in a statement on Friday that "a disciplinary hearing will be convened in due course" where further punishments could be handed down to the Edinburgh club. Hearts said on... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:35:25 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2152156-hearts-fails-to-pay-wages-under-transfer-embargo.html 2013-06-14T14:35:25Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151802-wigan-to-appoint-coyle-manager.html LONDON (AP) — Wigan has agreed on a deal to appoint Owen Coyle as its new manager. Coyle, who was sacked by Bolton in October, will replace Roberto Martinez, who left Wigan to join Everton. Wigan is expected to confirm Coyle later Friday. Wigan won the FA Cup last season but was relegated from the English Premier League. ... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:42:05 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151802-wigan-to-appoint-coyle-manager.html 2013-06-14T11:42:05Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151472-sevilla-signs-romania-forward-raul-rusescu.html SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Sevilla has signed Romania forward Raul Rusescu to a five-year contract following the exit of winger Jesus Navas to Manchester City. Rusescu, who turns 25 in July, led the Romanian league with 21 goals last season to help Steaua Bucharest win the domestic title. The Spanish club said Rusescu's contract includes a 40 million euros ($5... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:47:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2151472-sevilla-signs-romania-forward-raul-rusescu.html 2013-06-14T08:47:28Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2150228-liverpool-agrees-deal-to-sign-aspas-celta.html LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool is set to strengthen its forward line by signing Iago Aspas from Spanish team Celta Vigo. The Premier League club says Thursday it has agreed a deal in principle with Celta for the transfer of Aspas, subject to documentation being completed. British media reported that the striker will cost around 7 million pounds ($11 ... Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:39:24 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2150228-liverpool-agrees-deal-to-sign-aspas-celta.html 2013-06-13T19:39:24Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2148892-barcelona-presidents-messi-paid-taxes.html BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona's current and former presidents set aside their differences and defended Lionel Messi against allegations of tax fraud on Thursday, a case that experts say could carry a prison sentence for the Argentina star. A Spanish state prosecutor filed a fraud complaint on Wednesday alleging that Messi and his father Jorge avoided ... Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:43:06 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2148892-barcelona-presidents-messi-paid-taxes.html 2013-06-13T17:43:06Z http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2149072-chelsea-set-to-sign-schuerrle-leverkusen.html LONDON (AP) — Germany forward Andre Schuerrle is close to completing his protracted switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea, in what would be Jose Mourinho's first signing since returning as manager of the Premier League club. Chelsea said Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Leverkusen over the transfer of Schuerrle, who must now complete perso... Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:37:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/in-en/sports/soccer/2149072-chelsea-set-to-sign-schuerrle-leverkusen.html 2013-06-13T13:37:18Z