Grammys drop more than 30 categories

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2011 file photo, actress and singer Tia Carrere is seen backstage with the award for best Hawaiian music album backstage at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Grammys have eliminated more than 30 categories including Native American album, best spoken-word children's record, and best Hawaiian music album. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)

NEW YORK — Men and women will compete head-to-head, some of the more exotic awards like best Native American album and best spoken-word children's record have been eliminated, and the number of categories has been reduced by more than 30 in the biggest overhaul in the 53-year history of the Grammys.

While no musical genres will be excluded from Grammy contention, the changes will make the awards a lot more competitive.
"It ups the game in terms of what it takes to receive a Grammy and preserves the great esteem of which it's held in the creative community, which is the most important element," Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
While the Academy has adjusted its rules and adapted to industry changes over the years, these changes follow its first major examination of the awards structure, a process that took more than a year.

The biggest change will come in the number of categories, cut from 109 to 78. Awards will no longer be given in such categories as rap performance by a duo or group; some of the instrumental categories in pop, rock and country; traditional gospel; children's spoken-word album; Zydeco or Cajun music album; and best classical crossover album.
That doesn't mean that those types of music are ineligible; they will simply compete within larger fields.
Portnow said the changes will make the awards process more rigorous.
"That's appropriate. We are talking about the most prestigious, coveted award and it should be a high bar in terms of the measurement of receiving that," he said.
Separate male and female vocal categories in fields like pop, R&B and country are among those being dropped. Men and women will now compete in each overall field. That is already the case in the field of rock, which does not have male and female vocal categories.
"A great singer is a great singer is a great singer, and somebody that has a gift in terms of their voice, and is at the top of their game in terms of their delivery and emotion, really isn't necessarily defined by gender," Portnow said.
The changes would appear to make it more difficult for artists in lesser-known and less mainstream categories. Tia Carrere won't be taking home any more Grammys for best Hawaiian music album, for example. But she could still win in the new best regional roots music album category, which comprises more genres.
Other changes will require each category to have at least 40 entries instead of 25, and categories that receive between 25 and 39 will have only three nominations instead of four or five.
If a category gets fewer than 25 entries, it will be removed for that year, and if it happens three years in a row, the category will be discontinued and the material will find a new home in a related genre.

Nini/msnbc

Gunman kills 7, wounds 15 in Dutch mall shooting

A wounded victim is carried from the shopping mall near Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday.

'I see the attacker coming ... I see him going by with a big machine gun,' store owner says

 Netherlands — A gunman opened fire with a machine gun at a crowded shopping mall outside Amsterdam on Saturday, leaving at least seven people dead and wounding 15 others, officials and witnesses said.

The attacker was among the dead after fatally shooting himself at the Ridderhof mall in Alphen aan den Rijn, Mayor Bas Eenhoorn said. The suburb is less than 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Amsterdam.
Eenhoorn said that children were among the victims, but he could not confirm whether they were among the wounded or dead, or both.
"It's too terrible for words, a shock for us all," he said.
The gunman's identity was known and it was "all but certain" he acted alone, District Attorney Kitty Nooy said, but investigators were not yet ready to release his name or age. She said he was a native Dutchman from Alphen who has a criminal record.
Witness Martine Spruit, a 41-year-old receptionist, told The Associated Press she was shopping at a drug store when she heard bangs and people in the store hid behind shelves. When they realized a shooting was taking place, customers shouted for employees to lock the doors.
"Then we heard the shots getting further away, so he was walking back and forth," she said. "Then we thought we'd have a look and there were two people lying dead near the entrance ... then he came back shooting so we locked the door again."

Queen Beatrix and Prime Minister Mark Rutte issued statements saying they were shocked and sympathize with the victims and their families.
A witness identified as Maart Verbeek told state broadcaster NOS the attacker had a machine gun and appeared to be shooting at random.
"There was a panic in the mall, a lot of people running," said Verbeek, a pet shop owner. "I see the attacker coming, walking, and I go inside the store ... and I see him going by with a big machine gun."
Hours after the shooting, residents continued to gather at the mall, some of whom appeared to be in a daze.

"You hear about this sort of thing happening at American schools and you think that's a long way away," said Rob Kuipers, 50, a project manager. "Now it's happened here in the Netherlands."
Eenhoorn said several other malls in the town were evacuated, but he would not elaborate on the reason. Dutch television broadcasters showed a bomb squad searching a car parked outside the Ridderhof mall that is believed to have belonged to the shooter.
Nooy said there was "no evidence" to support rumors the gunman was a former soldier, and confirmed his house has also been searched. She would not comment on reports that he left a note.
Witnesses said he had long blond hair, appeared to be about 25 years old, and wore a leather jacket with camouflage pants.
A resident who lives near the mall who gave his name as Marijn said the shooting went on for several minutes. When he went to see whether friends working at the mall were OK, he saw the shooter lying dead in front of a grocery store.
"There was glass everywhere," the resident said. "He was just shooting everywhere as if it were the Wild West."
Images published by the NOS showed the covered body of the shooter just inside a grocery store.
With his voice choking at times, Eenhoorn described the incident as a "disaster of unparalleled proportions" for Alphen, known as a quiet residential suburb, and it was all the more shocking because it took place on one of the first sunny days of spring.

"Under these circumstances, with many people shopping at the Ridderhof today, including parents with children, it's an almost incomprehensible situation," he said.
Although rare, shootings and violence are not unknown in the Netherlands. In 1999, four students and a teacher were hurt in a school shooting and in 2004, a teacher was shot dead by a student.
There have also been two assassinations in the past decade, the 2002 killing of right wing politician Pim Fortuyn by an animal rights activist and the 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an Islamic extremist.
In 2009, a loner drove his car into a group of bystanders during a royal parade, killing eight and wounding 10.
Gun permits are difficult to obtain, but illegal automatic weapons and ammunition are frequently seized during drug busts.
Two people were killed in Alphen in a drug-related shooting several weeks ago. Nooy said investigators do not believe the incidents are linked. She said investigators were trying to trace the gun or guns used in the attack.
One unidentified witness on NOS television said he saw the shooter reload the magazine of his machine gun and continue to fire.
Police commissioner Jan Stikvoort denied reports police were slow to respond, saying they arrived while the shooting was ongoing and reached the gunman just as the shooting stopped.


Nini/Msnbc

I want to stay at AC Milan and win Serie A - Mark van Bommel ( EXCLUSIVE )

The midfielder, who signed from Bayern Munich on a temporary contract, reiterates desire to stay in Italy at the end of his deal and says he feels at home at his new club

Mark van Bommel was one of the star performers in AC Milan's 3-0 derby win over Inter last weekend.

His strong performance kept Wesley Sneijder out of the game and eventually led to a comfortable win for the Rossoneri.

Goal.com spoke with the Dutch international about his transfer to AC Milan in January, his future at San Siro and his ambitions with Oranje ahead of Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine.

Mark, let's start at the beginning: how were your first days at Milanello?
MvB: Very nice. Milan are a big club and I'm proud to be part of one of the biggest clubs of the world. I've supported Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Milan ever since I was a little kid. I even have pictures to prove it if people don't believe it. The fact that I got to play for all three teams is like a dream come true.







 
Will you stay with Milan this summer?
MvB: I'd really love to stay put. Everybody has helped me to feel at home and the club is like one warm family. It also depends on what the club wants though. Obviously I'd like to stay. It's hard to say no to Milan. This isn't the moment to think about my future. We have to stay focused and want to win the Scudetto.

"I want to stay at
Milan,but it
depends on the club"

You have already won seven league titles (four with PSV, two with Bayern and one with Barcelona), do you think you're close to winning your eighth title?
MvB: No. There are still several games to be played. The Italian league is very tough and we have to fight hard to win every game. All opponents are pretty smart and play very carefully. They're all well organised at the back. It's a great and entertaining championship. We have the advantage that we have everything in our own hands. We should only focus on winning our own games. 

What do Milan have that the other teams don't?
MvB: I don't know what's going on at the other teams so I can't say anything about that. I can talk about Milan though and the atmosphere in the dressing room is just fantastic. We all have the same objective and everybody puts the team's interest ahead of personal interest. We have a lot of great champions, but not even the players who end up on the bench complain. The good atmosphere is one of the key reasons behind our success. 

"inter ? They Could Beat Schalke 5 - 0 "

Did Inter's heavy Champions League loss come as a surprise for you? What do you think happened?
MvB: It's hard to say, but Sneijder was full of confidence when I talked to him ahead of the derby. They were confident they could beat Schalke and progress to the next round. But this is football, there are always games that you can't predict the outcome of. Something extraordinary can happen in a derby and the same's possible in the Champions League. A team like Schalke only sits in mid-table in Germany, but they do very well in Europe. I have to say that they took advantage of [Cristian] Chivu's dismissal very well. It will be difficult for them to bounce back, but everything's possible, even a 5-0 win.

Will 'your' Barcelona win the Champions League?
MvB: They're definitely the favourites, but anything can happen in the Champions League. There's no doubt that they play the best football at the moment though.

"Van Gaal sold me in January. Strange..."

Did you speak to Wesley Sneijder after the derby?

MvB: Of course, why wouldn't I? He wasn't angry. We're enemies on the pitch, but friends again after the match. It wasn't the first time we locked horns. We previously met when I played for PSV and he at Ajax and also met last year during Inter-Bayern Munich. Facing him is nothing new, but I admit that I prefer playing alongside him with Oranje. Did I tackle him hard? Yes, but only once. [laughs]

Back to your spell in Germany. Your departure at Bayern came as a bit of a surprise. What happened? There's some talk about a feud with Louis van Gaal.
MvB: Like you, I was pretty surprised, too. Everything happened really quickly. The only thing I want to say about this is that it's pretty unusual that a club sell their captain in January, right? But I don't want to talk about the past anymore. I'm very happy here and feel like I've made the right choice.

What can you tell us about working with Allegri? He's considered to be one of the emerging coaches: you've had several great coaches, do you think Allegri has a big career ahead of him?
MvB: Only time will tell what will happen. All I can say is that he always goes straight toward his objectives. He's very calm and has clear ideas on how he wants something to go. He knows what he wants and knows how to get it. That's a great characteristic for a coach.

"I want to win Euro 2012 with Oranje"

When you've already won so much like you, where do you get your drive to keep going from?

MvB: I'm still eager to win trophies. I'm focused on achieving our short term goals now, like winning the Scudetto. On the long term, I really want to win something with the national side. We were a bit unlucky in South Africa as we could have won the World Cup. However, Netherlands remain one of the strongest teams out there and I'm convinced that we could go all the way at Euro 2012. The tournament is still far away, but my conviction that we can win it made me decide to continue playing for Oranje after the World Cup. I'll say farewell to Oranje after Euro 2012 and will solely focus on club football from there on. 


Nini/Goal
  

Louis van Gaal and Walter Mazzarri among favourites as Juventus make 'informal contact' for new coach

Luigi Del Neri's tenure at Vinovo looks to be coming to an end with Napoli boss top of the list of the club's possible replacements, although experienced Dutchman is in the frame

Juventus are determined not to make a rushed decision on who will come in as the club's new head coach at the end of term, Goal.com can reveal.

A change on the bench is almost guaranteed but the board will only make a decision once the season is over. Luigi Del Neri bought himself time with a 2-0 win at Roma last Sunday but not even the unlikely prospect of Champions League football would save the former Sampdoria coach from the chop.

Louis van Gaal is the latest in a long line of names to be linked with Juve but he has denied that he is Turin-bound.

Goal.com understands Napoli's Walter Mazzarri is the first choice, but for now the Old Lady are exploring various options as they take time to plan for the future.

A source close to matters at Vinovo said: "Van Gaal could be an option, but for now there are three or four coaches who could come to Turin. There is Walter Mazzari, who Napoli may let go of at the end of term. Van Gaal is a new entry, and there is also Luciano Spalletti. Roberto Mancini could also return to Serie A.

"There are plenty of names being linked, but at the moment there isn't any one of them who has the advantage, there is no real favourite as Juventus have not made a decision. They are yet to decide who will be their new coach next season.

"What's certain is that they are looking for a top level coach; a winner, someone who has won before and can guarantee wins in future. Del Neri is not a first-degree coach, he is second-degree.

"A decision looks likeliest at the end of the season, but this also depends on how Juve end the campaign in terms of results."

The Bianconeri have been tentatively linked with the current Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, whose future at the Bernabeu remains unclear. However, the Portuguese is out of the reach of Juve due to his astronomical wage demands.

The source said: "Mourinho would be the one to have at all costs, but the problem would be his wages, he is out of Juve's budget. What's certain is the club are looking for a coach who can win.

"There have been some preliminary contacts [with some of the other names involved] to see if there is a possibility, but these are more informal contacts rather than anything more.

"As for Van Gaal, Juventus have always had links to him ever since he was a candidate to replace Claudio Ranieri."

Juventus' 2-0 win over Roma saw them close the gap on the sixth-placed side to just two points with seven games remaining.

They are currently eight points behind Udinese in fourth, with Genoa visiting the Olimpico on Sunday.

  


Nini/Goal

Bayern Munich can compete with Real Madrid - Mario Gomez

German international feels that Bundesliga giants are better equipped off the pitch than the Primera Division outfit, and reveals that he never wanted to permanently leave club

Bayern Munich attacker Mario Gomez has claimed that the Bavarian outfit have what it takes to compete with Real Madrid and added that his side are even ahead of the Spanish giants in some areas.

"Real Madrid are certainly one of the biggest teams in the sporting aspect of the game. However, overall, I think Bayern Munich can compete with Madrid," Gomez was quoted as saying by Bild.

"I think that Bayern are even ahead of Real Madrid when it comes to everything off the pitch."

Gomez added that he has felt comfortable at Bayern ever since he joined the club from Stuttgart and that he never had the desire to leave the club on a permanent basis.

He continued: "I've always felt very well at Bayern. When I was linked with a move away from the club last summer, I only wanted to leave on a temporary basis to get regular first team action elsewhere. I'm extremely happy that I eventually decided to stay put."

Gomez has been in superb form for Bayern this season and has already scored 19 Bundesliga goals so far.  




Nini/Goal

Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid: Kaka & Ronaldo seal comfortable victory

Los Blancos will head into el Clasico full of confidence after seeing off los Leones with little trouble thanks to two penalties from the Brazilian and the Portuguese's strike

 

An early Kaka penalty in each half proved to be the difference between a much changed Real Madrid side and Athletic Bilbao. 
Jose Mourinho opted to leave out Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso amongst others in preparation for el Clasico and it paid off, as his side cruised to a 3-0 victory.
Ronaldo, however, completed the route in the 70th minute with his 28th goal of the season after entering the fray in the second half.
Bilbao started the brighter of the two sides but were unable to turn their early dominance into a lead, leaving Iker Casillas largely untested.
Madrid were awarded a 13th minute penalty when Angel Di Maria looked to latch onto a through ball and was brought down by Gorka Iraizoz to give away a penalty.
Kaka stepped up with minimal fuss and expertly placed the ball beyond the ‘keeper to give Madrid the lead.
Los Leones re-asserted their game plan after and through Fernando Llorente were creating chances to level. The Spanish striker turned Pepe before introducing Carlos Gurpegi whose effort was deflected wide of the post.
Real Madrid remained content to work on the counter, and when Kaka showed his class with a through ball, Gonzalo Higuain found himself one-on-one. The Argentine looked to set himself but could only fire his shot straight at Iraizoz who had stood-up well to save with his feet.
Iraizoz was called upon again when he met Di Maria 30 yards away from his goal but could only gift the ball to Higuain. The striker didn’t show the same class as Inter's Dejan Stankovic though, as his volley from 40 yards missed the target.
The Basques began to trouble Casillas more regularly as Iker Munain had an effort from distance fumbled by the ‘keeper before Raul Albiol cleared the danger.
Chances were beginning to flow for los Blancos too, as Angel Di Maria attempted an audacious chip that came close to nestling in at the far post.
Athletic Bilbao were in need of something extra before half-time and they came close after a quick break away when Gaizka Toquero pulled wide and crossed for Llorente. The ball fell for Gurpegi after he had burst forward but his shot whistled past the upright. 

The home side began the second-half as they had the first with positivity. David Lopez, a half-time substitute, delivered a precise free-kick and Bilbao should have levelled through Llorente’s header but it was straight at Casillas. The hosts' encouraging start to the half was undone though, when Xabier Castillo needlessly barged into Di Maria in the penalty area, giving away a second penalty.
Kaka resumed his role as penalty taker and hammered it past Iraizoz to double Real Madrid’s lead and give them breathing space ahead of the last half hour.
Toquero wasted a good chance when a cross intended for Llorente reached him at the far post but the striker couldn’t find the target when put under pressure by Raul Albiol.
Llorente was guilty of missing a great chance soon after when his strike partner crossed and the No.9 had a free header. He rose high but he couldn’t trouble Casillas.
Ronaldo scored his side’s third goal after his introduction in the second half when he drove towards goal before cutting back inside and unleashing an unstoppable shot in the opposite corner, all after Granero’s stunning pass.
Madrid looked to see the game off with little trouble as Mourinho introduced Carvalho and Xabi Alonso to maintain their match fitness ahead of their trip to England midweek.
Llorente came close to scoring a consolation for his side but Carvalho’s touch took it away from the striker to ensure a clean sheet for the Madrid outfit.
Los Blancos face Tottenham in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final as they look to reach the semi-finals for the first time in eight years. Joaquin Caparros will hope his side recover quickly ahead of the run-in to the end of the season. His side will still feel confident of claiming a Europa league spot next season as this represents the last tie against a side in the top eight of La Liga.

Nini/Goal  

Owen Coyle delighted with ‘outstanding’ Bolton Wanderers after victory over West Ham United

Scot aiming to put pressure on Liverpool and Everton after watching his side record a convincing victory over the Hammers at the Reebok Stadium

 

 Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle was delighted with his side's performance after a comfortable 3-0 victory over Premier League strugglers West Ham United.
With West Ham fighting for their top flight survival Coyle admits he was vigilant towards the threat of the Hammers but insists he is still targeting a top six finish.
“I said to the lads today, the focus was to make sure we got a valuable three points because given the nature of the Premier League, we know how tight it can be,” he told reporters.
“If West Ham won today, they find themselves five points behind us.
“We didn’t want that after the season we’ve had, we had to make sure we are focussed to put pressure on Liverpool and Everton and sixth position.”
After taking a two goal lead into half-time, Daniel Sturridge’s second-half strike sealed the victory for Bolton and Coyle was pleased with the convincing nature of the performance.
“The performance today was outstanding, the most valuable thing today was the three points but when you get points on the back of a performance like that it's very pleasing for everybody," he added.
“It takes us in good spirits into a massive game next week against Stoke City.”
The visitors never really imposed themselves on the match and despite a lack of quality from the West Ham side, Coyle believes that the credit must go to Bolton for their dominant performance.
“I think sometimes you’re only as good as your allowed to be," he said.
“I think West Ham came up against a very good side today.”
The result sees the Hammers remain in the relegation zone but despite the defeat at the Reebok, Coyle believes that Avram Grant’s side have enough quality to survive in the top flight.
“You have to remember as much as were 3-0 up you’re never comfortable because they’ve got good players," said Coyle.
“They had opportunities because of the quality they have, so I have no doubt that West Ham will pick up points from now until the end of the season.”
On-loan Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge provided his most convincing performance for Bolton since arriving in January with two superb strikes either start of half-time.
Coyle believes that the player is enjoying his spell at the Reebok and points to this as the reason behind his recent excellent form.
“He’s enjoying being at the football club, you can see that in his body language and he enjoys playing with good players and my players are showing that quality and helping him," explained the Bolton boss.
“Each and every game he played, even the game he’s not scored in he contributes to the team and brings us up the pitch.
“He’s got pace to burn, and even as much as the manager I would love watching that type of game because we’re all here to be entertained.”
The Bolton boss admits he is unsure whether the striker will be allowed to extend his stay at the Reebok beyond the current season although he insists he would love the opportunity to keep hold of the player.
“That won’t be my decision, that will be when he goes back to Chelsea," he admitted.
“The same goes with Jack [Wilshere], I was quite close to getting Jack back again this season.
“It would have been nice for that to happen, but having said that, where Jack is now then it’s probably the best thing that’s happened to him because he really blossomed.
“I think Daniel can do the same, I think they’re both set for glistening careers.”

Nini/Goal

Avram Grant adamant West Ham will not be relegated despite Bolton defeat

Boss believes that his side endured 'one of those days' in defeat to Bolton at the Reebok but insists the Hammers will improve in their next six games

 

West Ham United manager Avram Grant has insisted his side will stay in the Premier League despite losing 3-0 to Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium.

Goals by Daniel Sturridge and Chung-Yong Lee did the damage to inflict a defeat that leaves the Hammers mired in the relegation zone.

However, speaking to reporters after the game, the West Ham boss insisted his side would stay up and would show their quality in their remaining six games.

“I believe that we will stay in the league, I believe because it’s not what you say in the first half today,” he said.

“That’s not something that you see every day in our team that was something exceptional.

“We will show that we can play, we will show also that we can recover and respond to a situation like this, this season and we need to do it in the next six games.”

The former Chelsea manager also took time out to praise Bolton who warmed-up for next weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Stoke City in fine style.

“Bolton are not in the relegation zone and they’re not at the top so they play with freedom and they were trying to play football with a lot of good players and they had nothing to lose,” he added.

“We wanted to play different but it was one of those days where everything is going against us.

 “I think even if it’s not looking like it on the pitch sometimes, there is a lot of commitment, they showed it.

“But sometimes there is a danger; everything we are trying is not going well.

“They had a chance in the first 25 minutes and they scored, we had one chance before with Wayne Bridge which we didn’t score, we had chances in the second half we didn’t score.

“It’s one of those days.  It looks like it’s not, but I don’t have a player with their commitment.”

Grant also bemoaned his side’s ability to cope with going a goal behind and criticised his players for their poor possession.

“We started the game good but I think the first goal affected us and we were down and we let them control the game,” he said.

“We lost almost every battle in the first half so that was the key.  We gave the ball away so many times.”

NIni/goal

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti predicts Fernando Torres will score important goals this season

Italian says everyone at Stamford Bridge is hoping Torres will score, but refuses to say who will play against Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted everyone at Chelsea is willing Fernando Torres to break his scoring duck – and predicted he could do it against Manchester United in the Champions League.

Torres had a lively 31-minute cameo after coming off the bench in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic but extended his barren run following his January move from Liverpool to 648 minutes.

However, Ancelotti was impressed by his £50 million man’s display against the Premier League’s bottom club.

“Every one of us wanted him to score today,” said Ancelotti.

“He had a lot of opportunities. He was lively. In 30 minutes, he had three or four chances to score. Sometimes he was unlucky and one time the goalkeeper had to make a fantastic save.”

Asked if he was worried about Torres’ continued drought, the Italian said: “Maybe he will score the most important goals of our season.”

Ancelotti said he knows the team and system he will play at Old Trafford on Tuesday but remained tight-lipped on which two he will perm from Torres, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Although Chelsea must score at least once to stay in the Champions League, he all but ruled out playing all three strikers, as he did when Torres first joined the club.

“It’s not right that the more strikers you have, you score more goals,” said Ancelotti. “To score we need balance in the team.

“I know the system [we will play]. We have to score one goal. It is important not to concede also. We don’t need to score in the first minute, we have 90 minutes. The problem is to score one goal and maybe more.

“Obviously, we have more difficulty compared to last season to score goals. We are not able to covert the chances we created. Today we had a lot of opportunity to score more goals. We were not able to do this.”

Ancelotti’s team climb to third in the table above Manchester City following the hard-fought win over Wigan.

“It was not an easy game between the [Champions League] quarter-final, for physical and mental reasons,” he added. “The first half was not good, the second half more spirit, more fighting. We have to play better [against United], this is normal. If we win there we have to play at 100 per cent.”

Ancelotti was also encouraged by the return following lengthy injury absences of Yossi Benayoun and Alex, who made their first appearances since September and November respectively.

"Both players, who came off the bench today, are fit enough to start at Old Trafford. I’m not sure if they can play 90 minutes but they can start a game, with no problem," he said

Nini/Goal

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez: Fernando Torres fouled Ali Al Habsi in build-up to Chelsea winner

Spaniard accuses his fellow countryman of deliberately elbowing the goalkeeper and is disappointed that referee Howard Webb failed to take any action

Roberto Martinez claimed Fernando Torres elbowed Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi in the face in the build-up to Chelsea’s winning goal at Stamford Bridge.

The Wigan manager was furious with referee Howard Webb for failing to disallow the goal that separated the two teams.

“I have a feeling of frustration about the goal, where Ali is impeded by Fernando Torres, who has his elbow in his face,” Martinez said in his post-match press conference.

“I rate Howard [Webb] very much but I am extremely disappointed he couldn’t make that call. Unfortunately, it means we have nothing to show for a great performance.”

Asked if he had any sympathy for his fellow Spaniard’s continued failure to break his scoring duck at his new club, Martinez replied: “After what he did to my goalkeeper, not at all.”

Wigan’s manager was full of praise for his team’s display and is confident they can beat the drop despite lying bottom of the Premier League.

Martinez said: “I am extremely proud of our performance. I’m 100 per cent sure that if we play in that manner we will stay up.

“We were brave, kept the ball well, frustrated them for long spells and defended really well.

"We performed in a great manner but sometimes when you are bottom of the league, things don’t go in your favour and you don’t find a solution.

“We have been in a very good run in our last eight games. I feel that if the season had started eight games ago, we would be in the top ten. The team has really clicked.”

Martinez said he had no problem with leading scorer Hugo Rodallega storming down the tunnel after he was subbed in the second half.

“I’m pleased by that,” said the manager. “Hugo should want to stay on because we are fighting for our lives. I have no problems with players who want to stay on the pitch. He is a phenomenal boy and a great professional.”


Nini/Goal

Harry Redknapp: Tottenham must try to recover from Real Madrid setback and finish fourth

Spurs boss admits he enjoyed his side's performance and also praises the fans, particularly for giving Peter Crouch a warm welcome after his midweek red card

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has told his side that they must try to put the defeat against Real Madrid behind them and secure fourth place in the Premier League.
Spurs bounced back from their midweek disappointment to put Stoke City to the sword in a 3-2 win, and Redknapp praised both the way that the team played, and the influence of the fans.
“I just enjoyed watching the way we played in the first half, the way we moved the ball about in the first half, it was a pleasure to see it really,” Redknapp told Sky Sports News.
“You know, we got three goals and suddenly got sloppy and gave a goal away. We overplayed, well, didn’t stop them playing.
“They put you under pressure, Crouchy [Peter Crouch] won a couple of great headers in our half at the end and it got very, very tense in the end, but I was delighted with the way we played, especially in the first half."
Redknapp also spoke about the need for Spurs to return to winning ways and finish the season as strongly as possible.
“We've got to come back and go on a run in the league and try to get back in that top four,” he added.
“I had a chat with them on Thursday and I said, ‘look lads, we got beaten last year in the FA Cup semi-final against Portsmouth, and everyone thought that was the end of our season. We came back from that, beat Arsenal, beat Chelsea and went to Manchester City to win and finish fourth, and we’ve got to do that again.’
“We had a setback against Real Madrid, but listen, they could have beaten anybody by four if you go down to 10 men.
“We’ve still got a game to come here on Wednesday, we’ll give it our best shot and who knows what could happen?”
Redknapp praised the fans for their effort and getting behind the team, in particular Peter Crouch, who has had a difficult week following his sending off in the Champions League.
“Well, I thought the fans were great today, I’ve got to give absolute credit to the supporters," he said.
"I just hoped that they would give us a good reception and get behind Crouch; they gave him a great reception and created a great atmosphere. I think they were the difference today.”


Nini/Goal

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish hoping Manchester City are distracted by FA Cup semi-final

Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool

Scot believes cup glory is more important to Roberto Mancini's men than claiming a place in next season's Champions League

Kenny Dalglish has admitted his Liverpool side face a “difficult test” at Anfield on Monday night as they take on Manchester City with the Scot hoping the visitors have their minds on their forthcoming FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.

After the trip to Anfield City then take on United at Wembley next Saturday which Dalglish concedes is a “massive game” for Roberto Mancini’s men.

“It will be a difficult test [Liverpool versus Manchester City]," he said.

"Manchester City are going for a Champions League spot and in a week's time they have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.

"I am sure they will have half an eye on the cup tie because it is a massive game for them.

"It will be a great opportunity for them to get some silverware if they get past United, especially as their task for that game has been made easier because Wayne Rooney won't be available.

"I am sure the Champions League spot is important but I'm sure a trophy is more important to them.

"If they can get that they would view this season as being successful.

"When you see a trophy at the end of it sometimes your concentration wanes a bit.

"Any help we can get if that happens will be beneficial to us and we hope that can be the case."

Dalglish, meanwhile, has something of a selection headache ahead of the game with injuries ruling out Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio.

City’s finances, meanwhile, mean they have no such problems and the Scot admitted he could understand why they may not be as popular as they once were.

"City have a lot of people who dislike them because of envy," he added.

"But there is not one football supporter who wouldn't enjoy their club having just a fraction of the money they [City] get to spend on players.

"They were, for a while, many supporters' second club as they have always been a bit of a romantic club.

"But they have gone more business-like now, stepped up to the plate and spent a lot of money and they will be looking for success."

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