Soccer Capsules: Bradley to announce roster for Brazil next week
CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. coach Bob Bradley plans to announce his roster early next week for an Aug. 10 exhibition against Brazil at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Bradley's contract runs through the end of the year, and the U.S. Soccer Federation has not said whether it will offer a new deal to Bradley, who coached the Americans to a second-round finish in this year's World Cup.
Team spokesman Michael Kammarman said a Monday or Tuesday roster announcement was likely.
New coach Mano Menezes selected just four players from Brazil's World Cup team for his 24-man roster. Bradley is expected to pick mostly veterans for the match.
Seattle signs Alvaro Fernandez
TUKWILA, Washington (AP) — The Seattle Sounders FC have completed the signing of Uruguayan midfielder Alvaro Fernandez.
The team announced the signing on Thursday morning. Fernandez has not been added to the Sounders roster as the team waits for his international transfer certificate.
The 24-year-old Fernandez played in four matches for Uruguay during the 2010 World Cup and started in Uruguay's quarterfinal win over Ghana. He comes to Seattle after playing on loan for Chile's Universidad during the 2010 season. Fernandez has also played for club teams in his native country, Mexico and Portugal.
Elsewhere
Fulham hires former Man City manager Mark Hughes
LONDON (AP) — Mark Hughes was entrusted with the tough task of following Roy Hodgson as Fulham manager after the west London club hired him on a two-year contract Thursday.
The Premier League side opted for Hughes, who has been out of work since being fired by Manchester City in December, after failing to prise Martin Jol from Ajax last week.
Fulham had been seeking a manager since July 1, when the popular Hodgson was tempted to join Liverpool by the challenge of reviving the five-time European champion.
Hodgson saved Fulham from relegation within months of joining. He then guided the unfashionable side to its best ever topflight finish of seventh in his first full season and followed that by reaching last season's Europa League final.
"I am joining on the back of two of the most successful seasons in the club's history and that in itself brings with it the challenges of expectation and ambition," Hughes said. "I am confident that with some additions to the squad, hard work and commitment, we can move this club forward in the right direction.
"I'm looking forward to working with the squad as soon as possible and in making sure the on-pitch preparations are complete before the first competitive ball is kicked in August."
Fulham, which lost what was only its second ever major final 2-1 to Atletico Madrid, opens the Premier League season at Bolton on Aug. 14.
Hughes enjoyed success in his first managerial position with his native Wales and then at Blackburn but was fired midway through his second season with Manchester City when the club's wealthy owners began to doubt his ability to guide the team to a top-four finish in the Premier League.
The former Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea striker was aggrieved at his exit from City.
Hughes had spent about $330 million on new players inside a year and lost just two matches until December. But the club's wealthy owner was dissatisfied with a string of draws that left City sixth in the Premier League.
Those draws meant City was on a streak of just two wins in 11 Premier League games when Hughes left. He was succeeded by former Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini but City was still edged to fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot by Tottenham.
Fulham finished 12th last season and is of a similar status to the Blackburn side that Hughes guided to the top half of the Premier League before he was headhunted by City.
"I know that he understands my vision for the club and believes in what we want achieve," Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed said. "We have enjoyed two incredibly successful years and my hopes and dreams for this club are for that journey to continue.
"I am confident that with his Premier League and national team successes, Mark will be a great guy for the job."
-- Stuart Condie
Bilardo hits back at Maradona
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Carlos Bilardo, who has been accused by Diego Maradona of betrayal and working behind the scenes to have him dismissed as Argentina's coach, says the former playing great was to blame for his own downfall.
Bilardo, who coached the 1986 World Cup winning team led by Maradona — and the 1990 team that finished second — said Thursday that until now he has kept him mouth shut for the good of Argentina's national team.
Maradona accused Bilardo, who is the Argentine national team director, of "betrayal" and Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona of "lying" in a 10-minute speech Wednesday.
The outburst followed the AFA's decision Tuesday not to renew his contract.
"Until now I have been still and have put up with everything for the good of the team, for the World Cup and the players," Bilardo said Thursday on radio La Red. "I didn't want to cause problems. But enough is enough. I can't let myself be more humiliated. My friend don't understand how I've put up with this."
He said he planned a news conference next week to air his side of events.
The AFA said it offered Maradona a four-year contract to continue until the 2014 World Cup, but only if he would drop seven members of his coaching and backroom staff. Maradona declined, although many criticized him for his lack of tactical knowledge and his unwillingness to seek help.
"You can't always give all of your friends jobs," Bilardo said.
Bilardo took some credit for winning the 1986 World Cup, and finishing second four years later and said Maradona owed him a debt of gratitude.
"I'm a World Cup champion and a runner-up," he said. "I didn't depend on Maradona. He depended on me. He hadn't done much in '84 and '85."
Grondona, who also replied to Maradona's charges, said he had not lied to the famous No. 10. He acknowledged the job offer was there, but with conditions.
"I continue being sorry that he has gone because it's very sad," Grondona said. "But I did not lie to Maradona. I told Maradona that I was content with him, that he had to continue. What he misinterpreted was that the conditions weren't the same."
A national icon who often divides public opinion, Maradona took over as Argentina's coach 21 months ago, stepping in with little experience on the bench.
In a roller-coaster ride, he used over 100 players in matches, struggled to qualify for the World Cup and wound up naming a 23-man World Cup team that excluded Inter Milan defender Javier Zanetti and teammate and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso.
Instead he selected Ariel Garce to the squad despite the defender only playing his first international for Argentina in May against Haiti.
Argentina was ousted from the World Cup in the quarterfinals in a 4-0 rout by Germany with coach Joachim Loew exploiting Argentina's defensive frailties and lack of midfield speed.
Argentina youth team manager Sergio Batista will be the interim coach for an Aug. 11 friendly in Ireland. There is also a Sept. 7 friendly at River Plate stadium against world champion Spain.
Possible permanent successors include two club coaches in Argentina: Alejandro Sabella of Estudiantes and Miguel Russo of Racing.
Fabregas discusses desire for Barcelona move
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Cesc Fabregas' potential move to boyhood club Barcelona continued to gather steam on Thursday after the Arsenal playmaker confirmed a conversation with Arsene Wenger where he seemed to signal his desire to leave the English club.
"He doesn't want me to leave and my last conversation with him in London was one of the most difficult of my life. It was very painful," Fabregas said in an interview released by Spanish magazine DIR Emotions.
"He's a second father to me, the most important person in my life after my family. He's always behaved so well with me and taken me in like a son, I'm part of his family."
Fabregas' tight bond with Wenger does not seem enough to keep him from returning to the Catalan club, where he came through the ranks before moving to north London as a teenager.
"I am Barca — I'm a club member, my grandfather, my uncle, my cousin (are) ... I've felt for these colors since I was little," Fabregas said in an interview which was held before he traveled to South Africa to help Spain win the World Cup.
"Nevertheless, I'm captain at Arsenal, a Gunner, and it was their that I became a player, where I matured as a person."
Barcelona has already made an unsuccessful bid for the 23-year-old Fabregas and Wenger has been steadfast in his refusal to sell his most prized player.
Speculation about the transfer increased after Spain's World Cup celebrations in Madrid, when Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique put a Barcelona jersey on Fabregas.
Marseille's Souleymane Diawara out up to 6 weeks
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Marseille defender Souleymane Diawara will be out for up to six weeks after tearing his left thigh in Wednesday night's Champions Trophy win over Paris Saint-Germain.
The 31-year-old Diawara limped off shortly before half time as defending French champion Marseille went on to beat the French Cup winners in a penalty shootout after it ended 0-0 in regulation time.
Marseille said on its Web site Thursday that the Senegal defender had tests and that "he is suffering from an injury that rules him out for four to six weeks."
Diawara was the leader in Marseille's defense last season, missing just one of the 38 league games and scoring four goals.
Diawara's injury is a blow for coach Didier Deschamps, who could be without Diawara for at least five league games.
Marseille midfielder Stephane M'Bia faces fine
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Marseille's club president says midfielder Stephane M'Bia faces a fine for turning up several days late to preseason training.
The Cameroon midfielder was absent when the club started its training camp earlier this month, and finally turned up three days late when Marseille played Toulouse in a friendly match on July 21.
Coach Didier Deschamps was very angry about it and president Jean-Claude Dassier told the club's website Thursday that M'Bia "will be punished, that's clear."
The 24-year-old M'Bia, who played for Cameroon at this year's World Cup, was an integral part of Marseille's title win last season, playing equally well in central midfield or central defense.
Rossi scores 3 goals against Tottenham
LONDON (AP) — New Jersey-born forward Giuseppe Rossi scored three goals to lead Spain's Villarreal to a 4-1 exhibition victory over England's Tottenham on Thursday.
Rossi scored in the 21st, 31st and 69th minutes at White Hart Lane. The 23-year-old was born in Teaneck to Italian parents and opted to play for Italy's national team instead of the United States'. While he was on the Azzurri's preliminary 30-man World Cup roster, he was cut when it was pared to 23.
Tottenham, returning home from a U.S. tour, played for the first time this summer with several of its World Cup players: Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, and England's Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch. Giovani Dos Santos, on Mexico's World Cup team, scored for Spurs in the 56th minute.
Ronaldinho out with strained muscle for 7 days
MILAN (AP) — Brazilian forward Ronaldinho has strained his left hamstring and will miss AC Milan's trip to the Emirates Cup exhibition tournament at Arsenal this weekend.
AC Milan said in a statement Thursday that Ronaldinho will be out for seven days with a strained left femoral biceps. He complained of pain Wednesday night after the day's second training session in Milanello and underwent tests Thursday.
AC Milan also plays Panathinaikos on Aug. 6 at Pontiac, Mich., as its prepares for its Serie A opener against Lecce on Aug. 28 or 29.
Since moving to Milan in 2008, Ronaldinho scored 20 goals in 65 appearances but was left off Brazil's World Cup roster.
Ibrahimovic: I'm staying at Barcelona
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he has no intention of leaving the Spanish champions despite the arrival of new striker David Villa.
Ibrahimovic says on the team's website: "I never doubted about staying — I'm a Barca player and I will remain a Barca player."
The Sweden striker, who has four years to run on his contract, says he has had interest from other teams but believes he is "important to the club."
Ibrahimovic joined the Catalan club in 2009 and started his first season well before tailing off to finish with 21 goals in 41 appearances following his $60 million transfer from Inter Milan.
Barcelona spent €40 million ($49 million) to sign Spain striker David Villa from Valencia in June.
Zimbabwe soccer chief suspected of match-fixing
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe's soccer federation says it has suspended its chief executive on allegations of match-fixing involving Asian betting syndicates during a tournament in Malaysia.
The federation said it is investigating betting and bribery charges against Henrietta Rushwaya related to the national team's tour of Malaysia in December.
Zimbabwe lost to Syria 6-0 and to Thailand 3-0.
Rushwaya on Thursday denied wrongdoing and said she will cooperate with the federation's investigators.
The federation said it has reported the case to world governing body FIFA.
Australia makes bid for 2015 Asian Cup
KUALA LUMPUR (AP) — Australia has officially handed over its bid book to host the 2015 Asian Cup — an event for which it is so far the only bidder.
Football Federation of Australian chairman Frank Lowy and chief executive Ben Buckley were on hand to present the bid documents to Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed Bin Hammam on Thursday.
Hammam said the bid "will have my recommendation when it goes before the AFC Executive Committee", which will announce the 2015 host in January.
Australia is also bidding to host the 2022 World Cup, with an announcement due in December. Qatar will host the 2011 Asian Cup.
Stuttgart: Germany's Khedira seeks Madrid move
BERLIN (AP) — Stuttgart's managing director says Germany midfielder Sami Khedira wants to move to Real Madrid.
Fredi Bobic told Thursday's edition of the Bild daily that "Khedira has told us that he wants to go to Real." Bobic added: "Now we have to find a solution."
Speculation that Khedira might move to Madrid has swirled since the 23-year-old midfielder was praised for strong performances at the World Cup.
Khedira has another year on his contract at Stuttgart.
Cologne signs Andrezinho from Guimaraes
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Brazilian defender Andrezinho is joining FC Cologne from Portugal's Vitoria Guimaraes on a two-year contract.
Cologne manager Michael Meier said Thursday that the 28-year-old Andrezinho — whose full name is Andre Ricardo Soares — would be a "valuable reinforcement."
The Bundesliga club didn't give details of the transfer deal.
Celtic signs Israel midfielder Beram Kayal
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Celtic has announced that Israel midfielder Beram Kayal is joining the Scottish Premier League club.
The Glasgow side said Thursday that final paperwork for the 22-year-old Kayal's four-year contract is still to be completed.
Celtic's season got off to a bad start Wednesday, losing 3-0 at FC Braga in the third round of Champions League qualifying.
