Trabzonspor coach Senol Gunes has targeted Lee Chung-Yong from relegated Premier League side Bolton as a potential recruit.
The pair know each other well from Gunes’ time as manager of FC Seoul from 2007-09, where he handed Lee his debut with the club.
Lee joined Bolton from Seoul in 2009 in a deal worth 2.5 million euros and has one year left on his contract.
But
the 23 year old midfielder endured a torrid 2011-12 season, breaking
his leg in pre-season before appearing as a substitute in the final two
games as Owen Coyle’s side suffered relegation on the final day of the
Premier League.
Gunes, who steered Trabzonspor into the Champions League last season, has hinted he would love to bring Lee to Turkey.
“Lee
Chung-Yong has always been like a son to me,” Gunes told reporters at
Incheon Airport, after visiting the Yeosu World Expo to promote his
native country.
“I will explore all the possibilities to sign him.
“I will contact him while I stay in Korea.”
Trabzonspor ended the Turkish Super Lig campaign in third place last season.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Rooney ready to make amends
Wayne Rooney has admitted his red card against Montenegro in October
was ‘stupid’ as he will miss England’s first two games at Euro 2012.
Rooney was sent off in England’s final European Championship qualifier for kicking out at defender Miodrag Dzudovic and is now ineligible for England’s group matches against France and Sweden.
The Manchester United striker revealed he ‘regretted it as soon as I did it’.
“It was a stupid thing to do,” Rooney said.
“I regretted it as soon as I did it. I honestly don’t know why I did it.
“It was just one of those moments which I live to regret now.”
Rooney is confident that his England team-mates can do a good job without him before he is available for his country’s final group match against co-hosts Ukraine.
“We’ve got a big squad and a good squad so there’s going to be players available to take over and play the first two games,” the 26-year-old said.
“I just have to make sure I’m in there, getting in amongst the players and getting in the spirit with the players for that first week.”
Rooney believes he owes England’s fans a good performance at international level.
At Euro 2004 his tournament started impressively but ended when he was injured and substituted after 27 minutes of England’s quarter-final loss to Portugal.
Two years later Rooney suffered a metatarsal injury just before the 2006 World Cup, recovered to play in a group match against Trinidad & Tobago but was then red-carded for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho in another quarter-final loss to Portugal.
The Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008 under Steve McClaren, while at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England’s disappointing campaign included Rooney criticising England fans as he left the pitch after a lacklustre goalless draw with Algeria.
“To be honest in all the tournaments, apart from the first tournament at Euro 2004 maybe, the others have ended in disappointment for England and me personally as well,” Rooney said.
“So it’s something I want to put right.”
Rooney was sent off in England’s final European Championship qualifier for kicking out at defender Miodrag Dzudovic and is now ineligible for England’s group matches against France and Sweden.
The Manchester United striker revealed he ‘regretted it as soon as I did it’.
“It was a stupid thing to do,” Rooney said.
“I regretted it as soon as I did it. I honestly don’t know why I did it.
“It was just one of those moments which I live to regret now.”
Rooney is confident that his England team-mates can do a good job without him before he is available for his country’s final group match against co-hosts Ukraine.
“We’ve got a big squad and a good squad so there’s going to be players available to take over and play the first two games,” the 26-year-old said.
“I just have to make sure I’m in there, getting in amongst the players and getting in the spirit with the players for that first week.”
Rooney believes he owes England’s fans a good performance at international level.
At Euro 2004 his tournament started impressively but ended when he was injured and substituted after 27 minutes of England’s quarter-final loss to Portugal.
Two years later Rooney suffered a metatarsal injury just before the 2006 World Cup, recovered to play in a group match against Trinidad & Tobago but was then red-carded for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho in another quarter-final loss to Portugal.
The Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008 under Steve McClaren, while at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England’s disappointing campaign included Rooney criticising England fans as he left the pitch after a lacklustre goalless draw with Algeria.
“To be honest in all the tournaments, apart from the first tournament at Euro 2004 maybe, the others have ended in disappointment for England and me personally as well,” Rooney said.
“So it’s something I want to put right.”
Could low expectations help England this summer?
England are preparing for their first game under new boss Roy
Hodgson. The friendly against Norway marks the start of a new era in
English football.
With the European Championship just over two weeks away Hodgson will have his work cut-out to get his ideas across to his players.
Expectations
England have gone into most international competitions in recent times with big expectations. They have even been favourites with some bookmakers for recent international competitions. However I believe that was because of over-enthusiastic fans hyping the team up.
The whole country gets carried away when England have any sort of success and tends to suffer a bout of depression if the team loses.
I suppose that sums up our football culture. Prior to the start of every international tournament there is this mass wave of optimism in the country that England is finally going to claim silverware.
However, there seems to be little expectation about the England team this time around. Hardly anybody is predicting that England will win the competition and there are no big claims of being the best team in the world.
As a Englishman it feels very unsettling for the country not to be optimistic about our chances of success at a major tournament. However, this could be England’s secret weapon at the Euro’s.
Surprise
England head into the European Championship with a new boss. A new boss means new ideas, so England could just surprise people. The team hasn’t been at their best in the past few months but still qualified for the tournament with relative ease.
Some teams will definitely underestimate the Three Lions and maybe Roy Hodgson’s side can take advantage of that complacency.
Spirit
I’ve heard various players and managers from other nations saying that having a new manager could help team spirit. Maybe they believe that England could produce a performance out of adversity. The team certainly haven’t had long to prepare under Hodgson.
Pressure
The lack of expectancy certainly means that the players will feel under less pressure to perform. Maybe that will give them a freedom in their play that has been missing. At times some England players have looked like rabbits in headlights.
They freeze on the big occasions and don’t produce their best form. With a lack of expectation maybe the team can perform to their maximum and surprise everybody.
Winners
I have to admit I don’t think England have a good enough team to win the European Championship. Most people in England know that and that’s why expectations are so low for Euro 2012.
The Three Lions don’t have enough world-class players to compete with the likes of Germany, Holland or Spain. Football is a funny old game though as a famous ex-footballer used to say and you just never know. England could surprise everybody with their performance but I very much doubt it.
Future
Roy Hodgson must use the European Championship as a stepping stone for the future. He’s came in too late to put his ideas across and bring in his own players, so he really hasn’t had much choice but to select players from the previous regime.
Most people in England have written-off England’s chances at the Euro’s and are focusing on building good foundations for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. I hope by then England will have a stronger team and a manager who is more settled into his role.
Could low expectations help England this summer?
With the European Championship just over two weeks away Hodgson will have his work cut-out to get his ideas across to his players.
Expectations
England have gone into most international competitions in recent times with big expectations. They have even been favourites with some bookmakers for recent international competitions. However I believe that was because of over-enthusiastic fans hyping the team up.
The whole country gets carried away when England have any sort of success and tends to suffer a bout of depression if the team loses.
I suppose that sums up our football culture. Prior to the start of every international tournament there is this mass wave of optimism in the country that England is finally going to claim silverware.
However, there seems to be little expectation about the England team this time around. Hardly anybody is predicting that England will win the competition and there are no big claims of being the best team in the world.
As a Englishman it feels very unsettling for the country not to be optimistic about our chances of success at a major tournament. However, this could be England’s secret weapon at the Euro’s.
Surprise
England head into the European Championship with a new boss. A new boss means new ideas, so England could just surprise people. The team hasn’t been at their best in the past few months but still qualified for the tournament with relative ease.
Some teams will definitely underestimate the Three Lions and maybe Roy Hodgson’s side can take advantage of that complacency.
Spirit
I’ve heard various players and managers from other nations saying that having a new manager could help team spirit. Maybe they believe that England could produce a performance out of adversity. The team certainly haven’t had long to prepare under Hodgson.
Pressure
The lack of expectancy certainly means that the players will feel under less pressure to perform. Maybe that will give them a freedom in their play that has been missing. At times some England players have looked like rabbits in headlights.
They freeze on the big occasions and don’t produce their best form. With a lack of expectation maybe the team can perform to their maximum and surprise everybody.
Winners
I have to admit I don’t think England have a good enough team to win the European Championship. Most people in England know that and that’s why expectations are so low for Euro 2012.
The Three Lions don’t have enough world-class players to compete with the likes of Germany, Holland or Spain. Football is a funny old game though as a famous ex-footballer used to say and you just never know. England could surprise everybody with their performance but I very much doubt it.
Future
Roy Hodgson must use the European Championship as a stepping stone for the future. He’s came in too late to put his ideas across and bring in his own players, so he really hasn’t had much choice but to select players from the previous regime.
Most people in England have written-off England’s chances at the Euro’s and are focusing on building good foundations for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. I hope by then England will have a stronger team and a manager who is more settled into his role.
Could low expectations help England this summer?
J.League wrap: Late winner defeats leaders
An injury-time winner from Takuro Yajima has stolen a 3-2 win for Kawasaki Frontale over J. League leaders Vegalta Sendai.
With second-placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeating Consadole Sapporo 3-1, Sendai’s lead at the top of the table was cut to just two points on Saturday.
After going behind to Yu Kobayashi’s 21st minute opener, Sendai equalised three minutes later when Shingo Tomita scored and were 2-1 up nine minutes into the second half thanks to a goal from Wilson.
But Sendai could not hold onto their lead and Kawasaki tied the match in the 61st minute thanks to Kyohei Noborizato before Yajima ignited the home crowd with the deciding goal three minutes into injury time.
In Sapporo, Hiroshima were too strong for the bottom-placed side thanks to goals from Hisato Sato, Satoru Yamagishi and Koji Morisaki.
A 90th-minute header from Masato Morishige saved FC Tokyo from defeat to Urawa Red Diamonds.
Urawa looked certain to take home the three points when Marcio Richardes slotted home in the 89th minute after a great run from Yosuke Kashigawa.
But just a minute later Morishige powered the ball into the net from a corner to claim a 1-1 draw.
Jubilo Iwata had a big win smashing Omiya Ardija 4-0 with two goals from Ryoichi Maeda, while Shimizu S-Pulse were held to a 0-0 draw by Yokohama F. Marinos.
Those two results allowed Jubilo to move above Shimizu into third.
In the other league matches, reigning champions Kashiwa Reysol overcame Albirex Niigata 2-0 and Kashima Antlers claimed a 2-1 victory away to Vissel Kobe.
With second-placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeating Consadole Sapporo 3-1, Sendai’s lead at the top of the table was cut to just two points on Saturday.
After going behind to Yu Kobayashi’s 21st minute opener, Sendai equalised three minutes later when Shingo Tomita scored and were 2-1 up nine minutes into the second half thanks to a goal from Wilson.
But Sendai could not hold onto their lead and Kawasaki tied the match in the 61st minute thanks to Kyohei Noborizato before Yajima ignited the home crowd with the deciding goal three minutes into injury time.
In Sapporo, Hiroshima were too strong for the bottom-placed side thanks to goals from Hisato Sato, Satoru Yamagishi and Koji Morisaki.
A 90th-minute header from Masato Morishige saved FC Tokyo from defeat to Urawa Red Diamonds.
Urawa looked certain to take home the three points when Marcio Richardes slotted home in the 89th minute after a great run from Yosuke Kashigawa.
But just a minute later Morishige powered the ball into the net from a corner to claim a 1-1 draw.
Jubilo Iwata had a big win smashing Omiya Ardija 4-0 with two goals from Ryoichi Maeda, while Shimizu S-Pulse were held to a 0-0 draw by Yokohama F. Marinos.
Those two results allowed Jubilo to move above Shimizu into third.
In the other league matches, reigning champions Kashiwa Reysol overcame Albirex Niigata 2-0 and Kashima Antlers claimed a 2-1 victory away to Vissel Kobe.
Roma look to Pellegrini
Roma have approached Malaga about Manuel Pellegrini, according to the coach’s agent.
The Serie A club need a new coach after Luis Enrique’s lacklustre stint ended, and have looked to Spain once more.
Pellegrini led the Andalusian side to fourth in La Liga and the coach’s representative has confirmed that the Italian capital city side have been in touch.
“He’s very happy with the experience in Malaga,” Jesus Martinez told Onda Cero.
“Other decisions of the club have nothing to do with him and his clear aim is to continue Malaga’s project with enthusiasm.
“Rumours of contact with Liverpool are not real. Roma called to know his situation but remember that Pellegrini has a contract to fulfill and is proud to do so.
“There is nothing to talk about in the whole affair,” he said.
Pellegrini has previously enjoyed spells in La Liga with Real Madrid and Villarreal.
The Serie A club need a new coach after Luis Enrique’s lacklustre stint ended, and have looked to Spain once more.
Pellegrini led the Andalusian side to fourth in La Liga and the coach’s representative has confirmed that the Italian capital city side have been in touch.
“He’s very happy with the experience in Malaga,” Jesus Martinez told Onda Cero.
“Other decisions of the club have nothing to do with him and his clear aim is to continue Malaga’s project with enthusiasm.
“Rumours of contact with Liverpool are not real. Roma called to know his situation but remember that Pellegrini has a contract to fulfill and is proud to do so.
“There is nothing to talk about in the whole affair,” he said.
Pellegrini has previously enjoyed spells in La Liga with Real Madrid and Villarreal.
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