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England 2018 technical director Ian Riley says the bid offers “the highest possible upside” for the “lowest risk” to FIFA, adding that the governing body's “evolving” technical criteria now places more emphasis on legacy and sustainability.   Riley, who is currently finalizing England's bid book ahead of FIFA's May 15 deadline, has vast experience in World Cup bid races. The South African previously oversaw his own country's successful technical bid for the 2010 World Cup, and its bid book in 2006 – when it was narrowly beaten into second-place by Germany.   Riley believes England's bid is a safe bet for FIFA. “Within our bid we will present a taste of current stadiums and new build,” he told an audience at the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester last week.   “The low cost of completion and compliance this will produce would provide the lowest risk to FIFA and consequently the potential for the highest possible upside.   “Thirty million fans go to English football matches every season and there are three billion people who watch English football globally every year and we have the biggest football broadcast markets worth around $4 billion. So commercially, we provide a strong market place with low risk and potentially the highest upside for FIFA as a consequence.”   Asked how the race for 2018 differs from the two bids he has previously worked on, Riley said he believes that FIFA's main concern continues to be the stadiums, adding that its requirements are also evolving.   “The requirements are definitely becoming more refined and in some circumstances more onerous,” he said.   “The critical emphasis that I’ve seen [compared to] the last two bids is more defined plans relating to legacy, environmental sustainability and certainly more defined plans relating to the social aspect of a World Cup.”   Riley also spoke about the bid team's unrelenting pursuit of excellence and said that more details about its technical aspects would become apparent as the bid submission date approaches.   “We need to benchmark our technical bid at the highest possible level,” he added.   “I still maintain that 274 days before the bid book is due is early and these things will evolve. The submission of the bid book in May is a key time when those [technical aspects] become in the public domain.”    Anson feels momentum with England England 2018 CEO Andy Anson has paid tribute to the bid's international president David Dein and detailed his gruelling itinerary for the rest of the year.   The influential former Arsenal vice chairman joined Anson's team last month, having previously undertaken informal lobbying missions for the bid.   Speaking after returning from a visit to the Caribbean Football Union Congress - where, amongst other engagements, he and Dein along with bid ambassador David Ginola met with FIFA Ex-co members Jack Warner and Rafael Salguero - a visibly tired Anson hailed “a very good trip.”   “We had a series of meetings with Jack and he was very, very welcoming,” said Anson. “He gave us a lot of advice and we had an awful lot of fun with him as well.”   Warner was scathing about England's bid last October, describing its bid delegations to FIFA Ex-co as “lightweight” – an apparent criticism of Anson and bid chairman David Triesman, who had previously carried out most lobbying work.   “I think he's only ever given us advice to move our bid forward,” insisted Anson.   “What he told us out there was that we’re making progress and he was pleased with the progress we’re making. He gave us more advice, as he gave us advice last time. We listened to him. He's an influential and important guy in the world of FIFA.”   Dein's presence, said Anson, had gone down well on the whistlestop visit to the Caribbean.   “He's a football guy. He was involved at Arsenal for 25 years. He's incredibly well known throughout the world of football. He's a very, very charming and personable guy. He's a professional in terms of presenting and selling the merits of our bid. He's an asset to our team and someone who will be a huge asset going forward for the next nine months.”   Detailing England's schedule before FIFA makes it decision on Dec. 2, Anson said the next nine months promised to be “pretty gruelling”.   His team's next challenge is finalizing the bid book, which will shortly be submitted to printers, and he said that for now it was “all hands to the pump” on that.   “Obviously there's a lot of content to go in there in terms of the infrastructure, the stadiums, the security, the telecoms, the technology, all the aspects of the technical bid that we’ve got to get into place.”   Attention would then turn to the World Cup in South Africa, which Anson described as “a great opportunity to sell our bid”, and the FIFA inspection visit in August. Beyond that the final three months of the bid race would involve extensive campaigning.   “It's really about getting the timing and the pace of the bid right,” said Anson, who admitted that England may have started their campaign too early.   “We started before most of our competitors,” he said. “So we had the first year pretty much to ourselves meeting members of the FIFA Executive Committee, presenting to them and talking about our bid.   “That may have been the right thing to do or it might not – we may have actually started too early with hindsight.   “Now we feel that events are really picking up. Yes, the competition are going and it's pretty intense, but we’re definitely getting the pace right and it feels pretty good right now.   “I feel that the momentum is moving in the right direction, but there's nine months to go – nine months of hard, hard slog ahead.”

Tags: World, Cup, Football, England, 2018
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All the attention at Stamford Bridge is likely to be focused on Chelsea captain John Terry and Manchester City left back Wayne Bridge as they come face-to-face for the first time since off-the-pitch revelations emerged last month. On the pitch, the Blues will hope to have Yury Zhirkov back at left back as they attempt to restore their four-point lead at the top of the table. City boss Roberto Mancini is expected to give an immediate recall to leading striker Carlos Tevez as he bids to ease the pressure on him at Eastlands following a run of poor results   Bridge pulling out of the World Cup has left many speculating over who will replace him as left-back. The following are some possibilities:   Leighton Baines (Everton, age 25, uncapped) Named in two previous squads by Fabio Capello, but has never got beyond the bench. Takes a mean corner and free kick.   Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa, 28, 1 cap). Solid, consistent performer for Villa, but a six-minute run-out as a substitute against Trinidad & Tobago in June 2008 amounts to scant international experience.   Joleon Lescott (Manchester City, 27, 9 caps) Possibly the safest bet in defensive terms, but the central defender could not begin to replicate Cole's attacking threat.   James Milner (right, Aston Villa, 24, 6 caps) A firm Capello favourite for his character and versatility, but has rarely played at left back during his career.   Stewart Downing (Aston Villa, 25, 23 caps) Might do a reasonable job at left back if required, but, again, it would take a leap of faith to put the winger there.   However, favourite Kieran Gibbs has been ruled out as a possible replacement due to being sidelined after his foot injury from November.   Capello has revealled that the spot is currently still open to Wayne Bridge, should he decide to change his mind and return to the team. It seems as if the loss of John Terry's captaincy was not enough for Bridge, who foresaw some intra-team tension rising if he were to stay. At the end of the day it was a simple choice for Bridge, either Terry goes or he does not only for the good of himself but the good of the team.   With Cole and Bridge gone things are looking a little shaky for the England team but there is no doubt that the 'underdog' label that will inevitably be placed on the team will force them to strive for the top, and each win might not leave England feeling invincible, but humbled. This might be the key to World Cup victory.

Tags: England, World, Cup, South Africa, 2010, Wayne, B...
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The League Two side's preparations for Sunday's FA Cup trip to Premier League Fulham were overshadowed by the sale of executive chairman Peter Trembling's majority shareholding in the debt-ridden club to a consortium led by former Lincoln City chairman Ray Trew for just £1.   Trembling, a close ally of Eriksson, completed a management buy-out of County from the Munto Finance group in December but has now left the club with immediate effect.   Eriksson has taken up an offer to continue in a non-active role as joint life president of the Magpies. The former England boss was reportedly earning £40,000 a week in his role as director of football but has not been paid for two months.   County are £1.5million in debt and are due in the High Court on Wednesday week to face a winding-up petition from HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid £600,000 tax bill.   Trembling said: ‘We have been on a relentless search for parties able to invest £25m–£50m.   ‘The new owners of the club are not of the £25m-plus ilk but they do know the football business and, most importantly, have sufficient funds available to ensure the immediate survival of this football club.’

Tags: Sven, League 2, 2, County, Notts
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Sports fans will be able to watch football in 3D in pubs and living rooms before the end of the year, Sky television bosses said today.
 
The broadcaster has already begun testing its technology by filming matches in 3D at stadiums across the country.
 
It today promised that football will form a 'major' part of its 3D TV channel content.
 
Darren Long, Sky Sports' director of operations, said: 'We’ve spent over 18 months recording 3D content, and sport works very well.
 
'Sport is all about emotion, and seeing it in 3D adds to the experience.'
 
The service, which will require individuals and pubs to buy a 3D TV and wear 3D glasses, will work using a Sky HD set-top box.
 
Sky conducted its biggest test so far of 3D football when Arsenal played Bolton at the Emirates Stadium last night. It has also recorded Champions League games in 3D, as well as boxing, golf, tennis, rugby and cricket.
 
Mr Long added: 'It's been amazing showing people 3D footage as we tested, and seeing the amazed expression on even the most cynical person's face. We now believe the time is right for this technology to move into the living room.'
All the major TV makers plan to launch 3D models this year, with LG's set to be the first one out, in April.
 
Viewers will be able to watch 3D Blu-ray discs and Sony is also developing 3D games for its PlayStation 3. Other broadcasters are also experimenting with 3D, and the BBC last year broadcast a Six Nations rugby match in 3D to an invited audience.
 
This year, O2 plans to show England's home rugby games in 3D at 40 cinemas across the country, making the match against Wales at Twickenham on 6  February the first sporting event to be broadcast live to the public in 3D.
 
Fifa world football chiefs and Sony will this year record 25 World Cup games in 3D, and they could be broadcast to locations in London.
 
The BBC has said part of its coverage of the 2012 Games will also be in 3D as well as being available on mobile phones.
 
It is in talks with phone manufactures and networks to broadcast action directly to handsets.
 
'It didn’t catch on for Beijing but it is our big idea for London,' said Roger Mosey, the BBC's director of London 2012.
 
The BBC also has the backing of London Mayor Boris Johnson for the plans.
 
Tags: Sky, Football, Sports, Broadcasts
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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was in the dock on Monday as jurors waited to be called to try his affray case.

The England midfielder, 29, stood next to his six co-accused at Liverpool Crown Court in a dark grey suit and black suede shoes.

Gerrard took his place behind the glass sealed dock in courtroom 4:1 as Judge Henry Globe QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, adjourned the hearing until 2.15pm for legal discussions.

The midfielder arrived early at court to meet his solicitor Richard Green for discussions ahead of the trial opening.

The father-of-two is accused of affray - which he denies.

It is alleged Gerrard was involved in a nightclub melee in Southport in the early hours of December 29 in which businessman Marcus McGee, 34, was injured.

The midfielder was celebrating Liverpool's 5-1 demolition of Newcastle when trouble began.

Gerrard, of Formby, Merseyside, is jointly charged with Accrington Stanley goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin, 28, of Guildford Road, Southport and midfielder Robert Grant, 18, of Enstone Road, Litherland.

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Tags: Gerrard, Liverpool, affray, footballer
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David Beckham had to be held back by security staff after he was booed by his own fans against Milan.

David Beckham was involved in an ugly confrontation with fans at his first home game for the Los Angeles Galaxy after returning from Italy and his spell with Milan.

The midfielder attempted to jump over a barrier as he left the field at half-time into a section of the crowd that had been jeering him.

The former England captain was held back by security staff, who also needed to restrain an angry fan who left his seat and rushed towards the footballer.

The 34-year-old afterwards tried to explain what had happened by saying: "One of the guys was saying things that really wasn't very nice. It was stepping over the line. I said 'You need to calm down and come shake my hand' and he jumped over." Asked whether his intention was to do "a Cantona" and attack the fan, Beckham smiled and said: "No, of course not."

The man was arrested by California State Dominguez Hills police for trespassing because he left the seating area, a Home Depot Center spokeswoman said. "I know there was some turmoil in the corner but I didn't see it so I can't comment," Galaxy manager Bruce Arena said. "Obviously, there were some dissenters in the early going but I think he won over a lot of people by the end."

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Tags: Beckham, David, Football, Fans, Booed, Manchester...
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Football manager shot in heart
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Post-2012 football stadium ruled out
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Football stars back World Cup bid
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Brazil's death toll in football violence tops world list
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Tags: Football, World Cup, Bid, Television, Brazil
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