Kanoute Saves Mosque

MADRID: Mali international footballer Frederic Kanoute has saved a mosque from closure in Seville, the ABC newspaper reported on Thursday.


Kanoute paid 510,860 euros so that fellow Muslims in Seville would not find themselves without a mosque.


Kanoute, who plays for Sevilla in the Primera Liga since moving from French champions Lyon in 2005, has also created a foundation in Mali to help children particulary orphans.-AFP


(news source: The Star, sat. 15 Dec '07, pg.56)


"Assalamualaikum to you brother Kanoute"


picture courtesy of:

http://www.lyon.theoffside.com/

The Italian Job

It is official. Former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello has been appointed as the new England manager.


His appointment was met with much criticism by English/British managers citing it's not healthy for the growth of future English managers. General opinion wants an Englishman to succeed Steve McClaren, however I believe the appointment of Capello was a wise decision.


As the FA of England said, they needed a "world class" manager and Capello is anything less than world class. His record speaks volumes for the man who thrives on pressure & delivered what is expected from him.


Just look at Real Madrid before Capello came along. The spanish giants was sacking one manager after another, like they were sacking a busboy. He managed to get the team together, played cohesively with great discipline & under tremendous circumstances & intense pressure from the Madrid board & fans, Capello brought the the Spanish La Liga title to Madrid.

















And how did they thanked him-by sacking the man. Ungrateful lot.


I think that Fabio Capello is the perfect candidate for the England manager. And I do hope that England will be transformed under his strict guidance & management.


Let's not talk about winning the World Cup. It would be a travesty for England with the kind of quality players they have to not even qualify for it.



pictures courtesy of :

www.realmadrid.com
www.soccerlens.com
www.abc.net.au

Four to the Fore

This weekend the English Premier League's top four teams will slug it out among themselves. North Londoners Arsenal will take on West Londoners Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium, while Man.United will lock horns with one of their bitterest rival-Liverpool.










































It is always intimidating & difficult to go to Anfield & secure all three points. Liverpool always played well at home, and not many teams relish the trip there. However, United's gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson looks forward to the clash every season as one the highlights of his career.


Liverpool was the dominant force in English football back in the 80s, in the old First Division. Man.United was always playing bridesmaid.


Names like Daglish, Souness, Johnston, Lee, Hansen & Rush would give any team the shivers. They were all great players. It took a while for Fergie to break that monopoly, but it was worth the wait.


Presently, Liverpool are lacking that "punch" about them. Honestly, if there was no Stevie G or Xabi Alonso, Liverpool wouldn't be that interesting to watch. It's a good thing they have Fernando Torres. He was a good buy by Benitez.






































I could still remember how Torres was so close to signing for United had the management not balked at the Spaniard's price tag. Well, Torres is the man to watch on Sunday.


Hopefully United skipper Gary Neville would be able to make a comeback in this match.

















Whatever the outcome of these four matches, it does not decide the title just yet, but it does give a psychological boost to the winning team.


pictures courtesy of:


www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.football.co.uk
www.manutd.com
www.arsenal.com
www.liverpoolfc.tv

Baby Time

My wife & I have been trying for a baby a few months now.

After consulting her fertility chart, she said this to me...

"Daddy, when I'm ovulating get ready ok, it's pants off sweetheart !"

I feel like such a gigolo.

picture courtesy of :www. guardian.co.uk

Germany's Fastest Taxi Driver

Michael Schumacher may well be the fastest taxi driver in Germany after the seven-time F1 world champion shocked a cab driver by taking over the wheel in order to be on time for a flight.

Schumacher, flew into the aerodrome at the Bavarian town of Coburg on Saturday and took a taxi to the village of Gehuelz, 30 kilometres away, to pick up a new puppy-an Australian Shepherd dog called "Ed".

But when the former F1 ace, plus his wife & two children, caught a taxi back to the airport they were short on time and, after a polite request, cab driver Tuncer Yilmaz watched in wonder as Schumacher took the wheel.

















"I found myself in the passenger seat, which was strange enough, but to have "Schumi" behind the wheel of my cab was incredible", Mr Yilmaz told the Muenchner Abendzeitung.

"He drove at full throttle around the corners and over-took in some unbelievable places".

Mr Yilmaz was well rewarded for the unusual journey-on top of the 60 euros (US$88) fare, he was also given a 100 euros (US$146) tip.

Schumacher's spokesperson Sabine Kehm later confirmed the story.

(news source: The Star, wed.12 Dec '07)


My comment:

What's the big deal?

In our country we have many "Michael Schumachers" driving on the roads, and they also drive at full throttle & over-take at unbelievable places, and sometimes they end up in unbelievable places too.

















Look around you next time you're on the road. It's not that hard to spot them.



pictures courtesy of:

www.autoracingdaily.com
www.F1wolf.com
www.roamingkiwis.com

Good Weekend Pt 3

At the Riverside Stadium was THE best result in the EPL over the weekend.

















Unfancied Middlesborough played like it was the FA Cup final. They played with a lot of heart, passion & positive attitude. The got a break through a penalty converted by Stuart Downing much to the amazement of their opponent.


















Sorry Toure, but it was a clear foul.



In the second half, Boro didn't rest on their laurels & kept going forward in pursuit of their second goal. In the 50th minute, they were rewarded. Turkish international Tuncay shot from an acute angle & sent every Boro fan in the stadium onto cloud nine.


















I screamed in delight when I saw the ball went in.


So for all the boasting that Arsenal were doing, they have finally learned some humility.


I thought after many years in the Premier League, Arsene Wenger would've known better than to boast about going unbeaten throughout the season. Mr. Wenger next time please don't boast, and don't say things like: "watch us go" or "catch us if you can", because you will only invite trouble, not just from Man.United, Chelsea or Liverpool, but even the smaller clubs would have a real go at you.


Final score: Boro 2....Arsenal...1


Was it a good weekend? Nope....it was a GREAT weekend! :o)


pictures courtesy of: www.premierleague.com

Good Weekend Pt 2

Another great result in the EPL, as fas as Man.United fans are concerned.

















It was supposed to be an easy win for the Merseyside Reds, football pundits on ESPN were all predicting a win for Liverpool. However, it was not to be, as Rafa Benitez & Co. found out, Reading under Steve Coppell were no pushovers.



Scoucers were convincingly outplayed & beaten 3-1 by Reading.


















pictures courtesy of: www.premierleague.com

Good Weekend Pt 1

Manchester United took another three points with a win over Derby County on Saturday.


It was a no-contest actually. On paper, Man.United were by far the more experienced team & with more quality in their side. Despite that it was not a stroll in the park for the Red Devils.

















Derby made it sure that United had to earn their three points for the day. Weather conditions were also conspiring to make things difficult. Heavy downpour was slowly sogging up the pitch & made it difficult for United to play their passing game.











Despite the conditions, a United win was inevitable. Giggs scored his 100th league goal in United colours five minutes before the break. A minute before half time, Carlos Tevez had an air shot, but the ball fell kindly to him again & the Argentine needed no second invitations. United were 2-0 up going into the break.


















After collecting a Wes Brown pass, Tevez added his second & United were 3-0 up. The goal was a beauty. C.Ronaldo added United's fourth from the penalty spot. However, Derby refused to submit & managed a consolation goal.


Final score: Man.United were 4-1 winners


pictures courtesy of:

www.manutd.com
www.premierleague.com

Maradona: Rooney's the best

Former World Cup winner Diego Maradona says Wayne Rooney is better than Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.


The Argentinian ace doesn’t believe AC Milan midfielder Kaka should have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, but neither does he think second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo deserved the accolade.


Instead, the Argentina legend reckons Ronaldo’s United team-mate Wayne Rooney has a far stronger claim to the title of best footballer in the world.
























“I don’t know too well how the election is done, but I think that Rooney is better than Kaka,” Maradona told El Grafico.


"Milan is a team that depends all the time on Kaka but that doesn’t make him the best player in the world.”


Rooney returned to action on Monday against Fulham after almost a month on the sidelines through injury. His ankle strain suffered in training halted a run of eight goals in seven games.


Ronaldo has since picked up the baton, and with two goals against the Cottagers earlier this week he took his tally to 11 goals in his last seven starts. It is precisely that kind of form that has put him in contention – and again in competition with Kaka and Lionel Messi – for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award, to be announced in Zurich on 17 December.


(News source: www.manutd.com)


pictures courtesy of:

www.manutd.com
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Transfer Speculation

Sir Alex Ferguson has said he is unlikely to dip into the transfer market in January, but he has also admitted that the only position he could strengthen is at left back.


Rumours have since emerged that United are tracking Lokomotiv Moscow’s versatile Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic.


The former Serbia U21 captain currently plays in the full national side alongside Reds defender Nemanja Vidic, who signed from Lokomotiv’s neighbours Spartak in January 2006.


Ivanovic would set United back a reported £10million.


(News source: www.manutd.com)


My comment:

Would make an interesting pairing for United's back-line, as well as cover for Patrice Evra.


picture courtesy of : www.juventini-indonesia.org/forum

Tagged

Got tagged by Mirror me. Sorry it took a while to write this. My 7 Silly me:


1) Growing up I always thought that the "bad" guys on telly were actually bad in real life! Was wondering why the police didn't catch them.


2) I used to wear this "Donny & Marie Osmand" t-shirt EVERY single day. Hehe! I was 4


3) Cycled to Klang town coz I didn't know how to take the bus there. I was 13!


4) Will never get out of car until I've parked it nicely in the box. Present day!


5) Always arranged my dollar notes from the newest/cleanest notes to the oldest.


6) Didn't know how to top my handphone's prepaid until the sales person taught me, hehe! Silly huh?


7) Didn't have a handphone until I was 28!


I know, I'm that weird & silly....


Picture courtesy of: www.es.inmagine.com

Miss World China 2007

SANYA (China): A 23-year-old secretary from a small town in China was crowned Miss World in a glittering event themed “The Right to Dream”, hosted by her home nation last night.

Zhang Zilin, from Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, beat 105 contestants to become the first Chinese to win the pageant since its inception in 1951. Source : www.thestar.com.my

The closest that a Chinese representative had come to winning the crown was when Guan Qi became second runner-up in 2003.

Malaysia’s Deborah Priya Henry advanced into the semi-finals along with 15 other beauties in the competition that also honoured World AIDS Day.

They included Miss Angola Micaela Reis (first runner-up) and Miss Mexico Carolina Moran Gordillo (second runner-up). The other finalists were Annie Oliv of Sweden and Valene Maharaj of Trinidad & Tobago.

The newly-crowned Miss World posted only one word – Dream – in her blog.

She had likened her journey in the pageant to a dreamland but she realised it was a dream no more when she was crowned.

With pressure of representing the host nation on her shoulders, the stunning 1.82m-tall beauty queen won the hearts of a panel of nine judges with her poise, intelligence and her quick-minded and convincing comment, in English, on why she should be crowned.

“I’m now standing on the stage of Miss World because 1.3 billion people in China support me.

“The Beijing Olympic Games will be held next year.

“If I become Miss World, I want to be the link between the Miss World Organisation and the world and to use the power and beauty to support those in need,” said Zhang, who received her crown from outgoing winner Tatana Kucharova.

Zhang is an active athlete and likes travelling, reading and watching movies.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela presented a recorded message on HIV/AIDS devastating Africa during the live telecast, watched by an estimated audience of two billion.

picture courtesy of: www.missworld.tv/news