Cups!!! - And The New Season is Drawing Nigh

Not long to go now before the big kick-off.

Next Sunday is the Community Shield between Man Utd and Portsmouth. Next Saturday the Championship and Football League's kick off.

This week we have had a plethera of friendlies, UEFA Cup and Champions League qualifying rounds and this weekend we have a couple of tournaments - one in England and one in Russia.

The first tournament to kick off is the Russian Railways Cup in Moscow. The teams playing are AC Milan, Chelsea, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sevilla.

AC Milan v Sevilla is the first game, followed by Chelsea v Lokomotiv Moscow. Both games being played on Friday 1st August.

On Sunday 3rd August, there is the final and 3rd/4th place play-off.

On Saturday 2nd August, Arsenal, Juventus, Real Madrid and Hamburg kick off for the Emirates Cup.

Arsenal play Juventus and Real Madrid play Hamburg.

On Sunday, Arsenal play Real Madrid and Juventus play Hamburg.

Both Arsenal games kick off at 16:15pm UK time and both Arsenal games are SOLD OUT.

Lampard Staying at Chelsea

Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan completed the signing of Portsmouth's Sully Muntari for £12.75m and then declared Muntari would be their last signing before Serie A 2008/09 season kicks-off.

Good news for Chelsea and Chelsea fans as Super Frank will be staying at Stamford Bridge for the 2008/09 season at least.

The way Super Frank has played in Chelsea's tour matches so far, he has played like a man who wants to stay unlike a man who wants to leave.

To catch his goals against Guandzhou Pharmaceuticals, click here and Chengdu, click here.

Final Weekend - Intertoto Cup

The 2nd legs of the 3rd Round of the Intertoto Cup takes place this weekend. All the winners go into the qualifying rounds of the UEFA.

The most interesting tie this weekend has to be Aston Villa v Odense at Villa Park later on this afternoon not because the tie is square at 2-2 but the reception Gareth Barry might receive from the home fans should Martin O'Neill decide to include him in the squad.

During the week at neighbours Walsall, Barry took some unrelenting stick from the travelling Villa faithful.

Wonder what is in store for him later on today?

ICF Are Calling.....

I got asked this question this morning. Why is David Beckham playing for the MLS All-Stars against West Ham tonight?

Well.... my answer started, "Because he plays for LA Galaxy in the MLS."

What else could I to say?

Yep Beckham is due to play against West Ham. The club that he turned his nose up to when growing up not a mere couple of miles away in Leytonstone and instead joined Man Utd at 14 some 200 miles away. Football is indeed a 'funny old game.'

This entry isn't about Beckham, its about West Ham and the ICF. The 'infamous' ICF (Inter-City Firm) who caused somewhat of a chaos at the weekend in Ohio when West Ham beat Columbus Crew 3-1.

Will the 'real' ICF turn up tonight? Doubt it - the real protaganists of the ICF are probably at home in their armchairs willing on the 'new' generation to do the biz tonight.

Trust me I have faced and seen the original ICF in action - back in the good old days!!

West Ham boys today have nothing on the originals!!

Filling the Void

Cast your mind back to January 2008 - Goodison Park, Everton FC

Visitors: Oldham Athletic -FA Cup 3rd Round

Vid 1 is the winning goal
Vid 2 is the fans celebrations













Irony of it all. Oldham got knocked out by Huddersfield in the next round - Huddersfield got beat by Chelsea in the 5th Round.

My mate up north was gutted when the fifth round draw was made and I told him who Chelsea had drawn.

Still there is always another season.

Calm Down, Calm Down

If I am honest I have had a real s**t time recently.

For the last two weeks work has been THE major concern in my life - everything else including 'my small indulgence' on the internet (this blog) has suffered and my LOVE LIFE too!!! LOL.

From today I hope that I will be here again each and every day especially as the start of the football season gets closer and closer.

Today, there are loads and loads of pre-season friendlies being played involving Man Utd, Arsenal and the like plus Aston Villa start their quest for European glory in the Intertoto Cup 3rd Round 1st Leg away to OB of Denmark.

Deportivo of Spain and Stuttgart of Germany also join the third round fray. Good luck to Villa.

Talking of Villa.

This morning on the radio there was a young lady ringing in to announce that one of her bridesmaid's (one of six) dresses didn't fit. She explained that last week the final fittings for the dresses had taken place and that every thing was fine, except that one dress had to have the shoulder straps cut down. So last night (Friday) dress and bridesmaid were reunited and disaster - instead of the shoulder straps being altered - the dress had been reduced by two dress sizes.

On the eve of this poor girl's wedding one of her bridesmaid's dresses now doesn't fit. The presenters of the radio show took delight in suggesting that the dress hadn't been reduced in size but the bridesmaid had put on a lot of weight in a week so the dress wouldn't fit.

Why am I mentioning this? Well it seems the theme of this young bride's wedding is all about Aston Villa Football Club.

The colour scheme is based on Aston Villa's club colours, Claret and Blue.

Results from today's action will be found in the comments section.

Pre Season Is In Full Flow

Pre-season started in earnest last night with a whole host of games being played to enable our finest footballers to get over their Summer rest and get them hamstrings stretching again.

There was also a full programme of friendly matches today as well as the Intertoto Cup it was a full day of footie action. Hope you were lucky to catch some.

Friday's results:

Brentford 0-2 Ipswich
Buxton Town 1-3 Barnsley
Carolina Railhawks 2-1 Burnley
Colwyn Bay 1-4 The New Saints FC
Eastleigh 2-2 Grays Athletic
Kendal 0-4 Carlisle
Weston-Super-Mare 1-1 Exeter
York City 1-1 Leeds

Saturday's Results:

Aberdeen 0-2 Man Utd
Berwick Rangers 4-3 Airdrie United
Boreham Wood 2-4 Luton Town
Bradford PA 0-1 Macclesfield
Braintree 0-9 Charlton XI
Bromley 1-1 Crystal Palace
Carmarthen 0-5 Cardiff XI
Didcot Town 0-9 Reading
Ebbsfleet Utd 0-6 Charlton XI
FC Sion 0-1 Everton
FC Zurich 2-1 Aston Villa
Fleetwood Town 1-2 Blackpool
Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Bristol City
Glossop North End 2-2 Barnsley
Merthyr Tydfil 1-3 Cardiff City
Newcastle Town 2-4 Port Vale
Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Liverpool
Worthing 0-4 Brighton
Wrexham 1-0 Wolves

In the Intertoto Cup, Hibernian lost 2-0 against Elfsborg and go out of the competition, 4-0 on aggregate.

Intertoto Cup - 2nd Round, 1st Leg

The 1st legs of the 2nd round of the Intertoto Cup were played this weekend - full results here - Hibernian of Scotland joined the competition and were beaten 2-0 at Easter Road by Elfsborg of Sweden.

The resounding result of the weekend was Saturn of Russia beating Luxembourg's Eztella, 7-0 away.

In the 1st round, Eztella knocked out Lokomotiv of Tbilisi on the away goal rule.

The 2nd legs of the competition are scheduled for Saturday 12th July and Sunday 13th July.

Groundspotter

BASHLEY FC (Top) and BROCKENHURST FC

I have been away for a few days.

Very relaxing, very restful and my batteries of life have been recharged.

I know this is gonna sound abit 'trainspotterish,' but when I am out and about I do like to do a bit of ground spotting. I have seen a fair few grounds in my time and on my travels and this weekend I came across two more that I can add to the list..

Bashley FC and Brockenhurst FC.

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS GOAL?

Roberto Di Matteo the scorer of the fastest FA Cup Final goal (43 seconds) has taken over as manager at newly promoted MK Dons.

Roberto takes his first managerial job, without any experience BUT with the qualifications, from Paul Ince who has gone to Blackburn Rovers and who has been given dispensation by the Premier League to obtain his qualifications within two years.

When Robbie scored that famous goal at Wembley I was at work that day but I was lucky to catch it live on the telly. I was lucky however to see Robbie score one of his first goals for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, ironically against Middlesbrough.

Against St Gallen of Switzerland in the UEFA, Robbie wasn't so lucky. He leg was so badly injured in a non-descript tackle that he was forced to retire from professional football some two years later.

In between then and now, Robbie has been busying himself with media work - Chelsea TV, Sky and the like, plus studying hard for his football qualifications and his hard work has paid off.

MK Dons owner Pete Winkelman saw something in Robbie and has taken him on in front of 40 or so more experienced candidates than himself.

Winkelman brought Ince to MK Dons from the northern outpost of Macclesfield and look what a job Ince had acheived at Moss Rose before he left.

Ince has left a legacy at MK Stadium. Johnstone Paint Cup Winners and League Two Champions in his first and only season.

Robbie you have a lot to live up to...... but you ARE qualified!!!

Deco Signs for Chelsea

Deco signed for Chelsea last night in a £9m two year deal from Barcelona and immediately was reunited with his former Portuguese boss, Big Phil.

Deco became Scolari's first signing and he joins fellow International team mate Jose Boswinga who was signed just at the end of last season.

I am convinced that Super Frank will be 'on his bike' simply because I cannot see Deco, Ballack and Frank playing in the same midfield. Mind you it took a season and a bit for Ballack and Frank to gel and eventually the wait became worth it.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho claimed today that Frank is staying at Chelsea and Frank himself has said on many many occasions that he wants to end his career at Chelsea.

'Big Phil' officially started work today and he will get to meet the players for the first time next Monday, when they report back for pre-season training.