Few people are more qualified to comment of the eagerly-awaited Euro 2008 quarter-final between Holland and Russia than Dick Advocaat. John Duerden caught up with the former Dutch boss and current coach of Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg. You were at the Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup –do you miss not being involved? Yes, I really miss it. That kind of championship and that kind of preparation for a coach is always really pleasant. Have you been surprised at how good the Netherlands have been? Well. If you had asked me that four weeks ago, I would have given a different answer. Everything has worked out for the team is a way that has been unbelievably positive. What has changed? They believe in each other at the moment and they believe in themselves as well. They had a meeting with the coach about the system and he changed that. The team likes to play football and it has worked out. He has given them a little bit of responsibility to change the system and they are all very happy with that. Is the defence a weak point? No. you know that the attractive players play in midfield and up front, and they are always the ones that grab the headlines. I think that they have a very decent defensive line with a good number of experienced players. What kind of game do you expect? I think that as I know Guus (Hiddink) he will say the same thing I said to my Zenit team when they played Bayern Munich ‘you have nothing to lose, just show how good you are, make it difficult for the other team and you can surprise them.’ Have you been impressed with Russia? They played well even taking into consideration the weakness of Greece and Sweden. Arshavin said in the Russian media ‘we can’t say that everything is perfect’ but if Russia play the same way against Holland as they played against Greece, they can progress. How do you stop Arshavin? He is a very opportunistic player, very based on himself. He’s a player that you don’t see for 50 minutes and then suddenly, he’s gone and can score a goal, Not a lot of players have that quality. Sometimes you sit on the bench and think ‘I have to take him out’ but you don’t do that because you know that he can change and decide the game in a second. If Zenit players play well, that could be a problem as other clubs become interested? Well, Arshavin is interested in moving to a foreign country. For us it is not so good that this tournament came after the championship because he can show himself and he will definitely do that tomorrow. I hope he will stay. You think he will go? If he gets the right opportunity I think he will go. What about Luca Toni? He played against you this season but can’t find the net for Italy I saw him with Bayern and he did really well. You have to take his supply lines away and make it difficult for him. You have to really close down the sides and cut the crosses because in the air he is excellent and a very good player. Can Spain defeat Italy? That is an exciting match and very interesting but I can’t say which team will win that one. Other teams that have impressed you? I have been impressed with the way Russia played against Sweden and Greece. They have been very fresh, attacking and they like to score goals. I was also impressed with Portugal even though they are now out. Has the competition been good overall? Average. Some good games and bad games. You were linked with the Blackburn job? To be honest, I will finish the Russian season which ends in November and then make a decision. I have heard nothing about it. You had no contact with Blackburn? No, otherwise I would tell you. Who will win tomorrow between Russia and Holland? The best team! (laughs) Who do you want to win? (laughs) I am not going to answer that! Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

World Soccer News for week of 06/01 UEFA considers expelling Porto A four year old referee tampering scandal could cost Porto its participation in next year's Champions' League. The top Portuguese club were recently punished by their FA by a deduction of six points for the 2007/08 championship, which did not hurt them as their advantage over Sporting Lisbon was as many as 20 points. Unfortunately, UEFA have acquired an interest in the case, and the consequences could be severe. "As per UEFA's request, the Portuguese FA have submitted to our attention all the documents related to the sanctions imposed on Porto, and our Control and Disciplinary Body is studying them," said communications director William Gaillard. The scandal dates back to the 2003/04 season, when Porto attempted to bribe two referees to make sure of winning the league. Interestingly, the clubs involved in the European competitions are more prone to wrongdoings, arguably not wanting to risk domestic success because of their international efforts. Standard Liege bought a 1982 league game to ensure the Belgian title and calmly play the Cup Winners' Cup finals (which they lost to Barcelona). Olympique Marseille did a similar thing in 1993 just before the Champions League finals. They were later stripped of the French title, but at least they beat Milan 1-0 and won the European prize. Porto in 2004 won the double under the guidance of José Mourinho. Eduardo da Silva back sooner than thought? Arsenal's Brazilo-croatian striker Eduardo da Silva may be back in action sooner than even the biggest optimists had predicted. While his teammates in Croatia have had a hard time hitting the net without him, Eduardo's rehabilitation in Brazil is doing just fine, as shown by a video shot by TV Globo. The Gunner, injured in late February in a game against Birmingham, is already able to walk without aid, performing leg workouts in the weight room, riding a bike and kicking the ball with the previously broken leg! "I am very surprised by the speed of my recovery. Arsenal hoped I would go back to practice in December, but now the doctors say it will happen as early as July or August at the latest," said Dudú during the interview. Who knows, if Eduardo's progress continues in the same rhythm, it is not unimaginable that he will be fit to face England on September 10th at Zagreb's Maksimir Stadium in the World Cup qualifying campaign. Even though Eduardo's left leg is looking good, 49% of Arsenal's fans think Arsene Wenger should bring another striker to the squad. Barca's members take initiative against Laporta Almost 10,000 of Barcelona's paying members, the socios, have signed a petition for censorship against club president Joan Laporta. According to Barcelona's statutes, if 5% of the members with the right to vote (adults with over a year's tenure as members) sign the petition, then the club has to organize the vote of confidence in favour or against the president. In fact, by May 29th about 9% of the electorate supported the censorship. If two thirds of those who take part in the soon to be organized poll, then Laporta will have to step down. The spokesman for the opposition, lawyer Oriol Giralt, said that something needed to change very high up in the club, and there is no higher instance than Laporta, who was accused by some of his former associates of having introduced "dictatorship" at the Catalan club. Since winning the 2006 Champions League, Barcelona have only won one other prize, the little-valued Spanish Supercup. And that is precious little for the club's 117,000 members and millions of fans world-wide. Russia considering bid for 2018 World Cup Russia could submit a bid to stage the 2018 World Cup, said the Russian FA chairman and sports minister Vitaliy Mutko. "FIFA has not yet started the campaign for that Cup, but we are already considering the possibility of organizing the competition. Currently we are estimating the necessary investment. Out organizing potential is not in question in any way. Luca Toni voted top Bundesliga player The Italian striker Luca Toni has won the poll for the best player in the Bundesliga, organized by the official web page of the German soccer league. Toni attracted 29% of the votes thanks to his 24 goals and five assists in 31 appearances. His chief rival was his French team mate at Bayern, Franck Ribery, who won 27.7% of the vote. Third place went to Werder's Diego Ribas with 12.8% of the votes. The best-placed German (of sorts) was Mario Gómez of Stuttgart, incidentally born to Spanish parents. Moratti sacks Mancini, but how much will it cost? Kicking out a coach who has just won a third consecutive championship and played in a fourth consecutive national cup finals cannot be common, but that's what has just happened at Internazionale of Milan. Inter's trophy-winning coach Roberto Mancini has finally been sacked after several months of speculation that he would have to go regardless of the outcome of the Italian championship. Moratti's arguments were Mancini's own promise to leave after the Champions League loss to Liverpool in early March and the lack of European success throughout the coach's four-year tenure at Inter. A furious Mancini (43) has voiced dismay over the dismissal and advised Moratti through his attorney that he would have to pay him the remainder of the contract that was to run until 2012. Former Chelsea boss José Mourinho looks poised to take over and is already relishing the high profile opportunity. "It's easy to work with me. One just has to follow me," said Mourinho to a Portuguese newspaper. "I am not 'the special one,' as the English press called me. I'm just an excellent coach with no weak points. Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News

World Soccer News for week of 04/21 Standard Liege on top 25 years later An old glory of Belgian soccer, Standard Liege, have finally managed to win the domestic championship, their first in a quarter of the century and indeed the first piece of silverware after 15 years. It has taken a truly remarkable display throughout the season for Standard to emerge on top: a 31-game unbeaten run, which has culminated with a 2-0 win over the archrivals Anderlecht in the decisive match. This is the ninth League title for Standard, who also won five Belgian cups and played in the 1982 Cup Winners' Cup against Barcelona at Camp Nou back then in the times of Arie Haan, Benny Wendt and Simon Tahamata. PSV make it four in a row In the neighbouring Netherlands, PSV have not had a shortage of trophies over the past decades. The Eindhoven team have snatched their fourth consecutive title, 21st in their history, by winning 1-0 at Vitesse. PSV needed just a draw in their last game to stay ahead of Ajax, who demolished Heracles by 5-1 in hope their rivals would trip up in Arnhem. The provincials have dominated the Dutch scene in the past nine seasons, winning seven titles and leaving just two to Ajax. Their successes include eight Dutch cups, seven Supercups, one Champions Cup and one UEFA Cup. Olympiacos continue to frustrate rivals Even more prominent than PSV's in the Netherlands is Olympiacos' rule in Greece, as the red and whites have just added the 36th league title into their trophy room at the end of an emotional season that saw them shrug off a serious challenge by AEK Athens. The crucial win for the Children of Piraeus came on the last day at home against Iraklis, well beaten by 3-1, only two weeks after Olympiacos got thrashed by AEK by 4-0 in the southern derby. This has also been the fourth consecutive championship for Olympiacos, the three previous ones having come with the help of Rivaldo. The famous Brazilian played in AEK this season, but his magic has not been quite enough to turn the balance in favour of the Athens side. How frustrating it must be for the rivals to know that Olympiacos, nicknamed Legend by their fans, have won eleven out of twelve championships since 1997/98. Luca Toni makes good of Kahns words Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said on the eve of the German DFB Cup finals that Luca Toni must be one of the greatest strikers in the history of the club. Toni has been the major force in this marvellous season for the Bavarians who may still wrap up all four available trophies. After picking up the League cup early in the season, Bayern made it a cup double against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday and guess who scored both goals for the winners: Luca Toni. The only goal for the losers was scored by the Croatian Mladen Petric, the man responsible for England's failure to qualify for this year's European Championships. “He is one of the best I have ever seen playing here at Bayern in terms of striking qualities," said Kahn enthusiastically days after the 193 cm tall Italian had achieved another double to put his team through to the UEFA Cup semifinals in the epic clash against Getafe. “He is a predator and there are very few of those around. He is at home in the penalty area and he is always in the right place, so he doesn’t need many chances to score.” Of course, Toni also racked up 20 goals in the Bundesliga, a tally destined to grow in the remaining five matches in which Bayern is expected to clinch the third season's trophy. Eduardo da Silva continues rehabilitation in Rio Arsenal's Eduardo da Silva, currently recovering from the terrible fibula fracture sustained in February, has arrived in native Rio de Janeiro where he is expected to stay for about three months. According to the doctors, the Gunner's condition is satisfactory and his career is not in question. When exactly the naturalized Croat will be back in action is still early to say as only two months have passed since Martin Taylor's fateful tackle. "I would like to stay in Brazil, with my family, until the end of my rehabilitaton, but I am not sure whether Arsenal will allow me or if they will ask me to return to England in July," said Eduardo, whose injury signalled the beginning of a dreadful spell for his team. Five points clear of Manchester United before the incident quickly melted away as the Gunners managed to win just two Premier League games in two months. Croatia's coach Slaven Bilic and the fans fear that the national team might miss Eduardo just as badly as the final stage in Austria and Switzerland is due to start in six weeks. Nereida Gallardo is new Cristiano's sweetheart Her identity could not stay unknown for long. New Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend is Nereida Gallardo Álvarez and she is a Mallorca-born model. The reporters spent a long time searching for her identity and they received some help from other Manchester United players. When the 23-year old Portuguese scored against Middlesbrough, he waved to someone in the box of honour. Seated there was Ronaldo's cousin Nuno and a glamorous beauty who the others had thought was Nuno's fiancé. However, Ronaldo's mates indicated the reporters that the girl in question is in fact their number seven's girlfriend. She is a 25-year old brunette whose proportions read 94-62-94. It can hardly get any better and this may be the reason so many boys all over the world strive to become professional soccer players. The previous Ronaldo's lovers included tv-reporters Merche Romero and Carolina Patrocinio plus the British model Gemma Atkinson and the Colombian actress Mirella Grisales – a highly exciting quartet! Copyright Ozren Podnar & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson will tell you otherwise, but it if anyone in the UK thought club international football was no longer the best, they only needed to follow this weekend's relevant Euro 2008 qualifiers. The fact remains no one club's Champions League success can inspire a country like their national team can on the edge of glory. After a week of nationalistic hyperbole at the prospect of making the finals ahead of the Sassenachs (their derogatory term for the English), Scotland failed heroically by losing 2-1 at home to Italy and will stay on the Eurostar platform, while England advanced to within a point of qualification without playing a game, thanks to Russia's equally calamitous 2-1 loss to Israel.