Champions League 2009-10 season: Rangers must beat Stuttgart for fans

GLASGOW: Steven Davis says Rangers owe their fans a performance against Stuttgart at Ibrox today (early tomorrow in Malaysia) after their two previous Champions League Group G home games ended in misery.

The Old Firm side have suffered two heavy losses at Ibrox already this season with both Romania minnows Unirea Urziceni and Sevilla sending them crashing to 4-1 defeats.

Rangers sit bottom of Group G with two points but are just one behind Stuttgart and three behind Unirea as they bid to qualify for the last 16 of the competition.

The match against the Bundesliga cracks is a must win game for Rangers if they are to have any chance of finishing second behind runaway group leaders Sevilla.

And Northern Irish midfielder Davis is desperate to keep their campaign alive after losing a last-gasp goal in the 1-1 draw with Unirea last time out.

"That has made us more determined to win on Tuesday (today)," Davis said.



WALTER SMITH
"The performance was great and to concede so late was harsh. We need to see games through at this level.

"We owe it to the supporters, to the management and ourselves to get a performance and result against Stuttgart."

Stuttgart have had a poor start to their season, sitting just one point above the relegation zone in the Bundesliga.

But Rangers gaffer Walter Smith says he won't be fooled by the German side's stuttering form after he watched them recover from a similar situation last year.

Rangers picked up a valuable point against Markus Babbel's side in their first group match and both sides are still in with a chance of qualifying.

But despite their poor form Stuttgart managed a draw at Sevilla a fortnight ago and Smith expects them to provide another huge test for his side.

Smith said: "Stuttgart had a bad start to last season which led to a change in coach. But then they went on a bit of a run and fought back.

"They were in with a shout of the title but finished third after losing their final game to Bayern.

"Stuttgart are a good side and their form will eventually settle down -- hopefully not by Tuesday (today)". -- AFP

EPL 2009-10 season: Fergie gets touchline ban

LONDON: Sir Alex Ferguson was given a four-match touchline ban for improper conduct by the Football Association (FA) yesterday following an outspoken attack on referee Alan Wiley.

The Manchester United manager, who admitted an FA charge of improper conduct, publicly labelled Wiley as "unfit" after his Premier League champions were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland at Old Trafford on Oct 3.

But yesterday he was banned for four games, of which two are suspended until the end of the 2010/11 season, fined STG20,000 (RM111,600) and warned as to his future conduct following his "grossly improper and wholly inappropriate" comments about Wiley.

Peter Griffiths, chairman of the regulatory commission which decided Ferguson's punishment, said after yesterday's hearing: "Each member of the commission recognised Sir Alex Ferguson's achievements and stature within the game.

"Having said that, it was made clear to Sir Alex that with such stature comes increased responsibilities.

"The commission considered his admitted remarks, in the context in which they were made, were not just improper but were grossly improper and wholly inappropriate. He should never have said what he did say."



ALEX FERGUSON
Ferguson, who will receive the commission's full findings today, has the right of appeal.

The commission said the suspended sanction would be automatically activated should Ferguson be found guilty of a similar charge before the end of the 2010/11 season on top of any sanction imposed for that offence.

Ferguson accused Wiley of not being "fit enough for a game of that standard" and of "walking up the pitch for the second goal needing a rest". The 67-year-old Scot has since apologised to Wiley.

Ferguson issued his apology on United's website following comments his remarks had undermined the FA's 'Respect' campaign, designed to encourage better behaviour towards referees at all all levels of the game.

"I apologise to Mr Wiley for any personal embarrassment that my remarks may have caused and to the FA for going public with my views," Ferguson said at the time.

"My only intention in speaking publicly was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever-increasing demands of the modern game, which I hope will now be properly addressed through the appropriate formal channels."

Following his side's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last month, Ferguson questioned whether Andre Marriner, who took charge of the game at Anfield, had the required experience for a match of such significance.

He also accused Martin Atkinson of being in an "absolutely ridiculous" position when he awarded Chelsea the free-kick that led to their winner against United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. -- AFP

Kelantan fans do no favours for team

WAR zone-like conditions created by Kelantan fans had the reverse effect on their team as they succumbed meekly to Negri Sembilan 3-1 in the Malaysia Cup final on Saturday.

Far from being the inspiration force which had helped sweep Kelantan into their first Malaysia Cup final in 39 years, the supporters did their team no favours with their rancorous behaviour despite filling out two-thirds of the stadium.

The player most affected was leftback Zamri Ramli, the youngest player in the team, whose two costly errors led to two of Negri's three goals. But coach B. Sathianathan, who indicated he may stay on for his first full season in domestic football, refused to blame the crowd for Kelantan's uninspired display.

"I don't see why there should be pressure on the team because they are used to playing in front of this kind of crowd in Kota Baru.

"It has more to do with the inexperience of playing in a final which led to giving away silly goals. After the second goal went in so early (in the second half), heads dropped and they looked short on confidence," said Sathianathan, who steered Kelantan to the final despite taking over the team from Peter Butler just days before the tournament started.

Except for Indra Putra Mahayuddin, who ended the Malaysia Cup as top scorer with 11 goals, Khalid Jamlus and Ahmad Azlan Zainal, none of the Kelantan squad had experience playing in a Malaysia Cup final.


Sathianathan praised his players instead for the way they coped with adversity following their troubled start to the campaign.

"Nobody gave us a chance to even make the final and when I took over the team the target was to get to the quarter-finals. The fitness level of the players shocked me when I came in and I realised what a big task it would be.

"They were down in spirit after their coach abandoned them just days before an important tournament and to have made the final was a fantastic achievement for them," he said.

Sathianathan spoke about strengthening the team with two or three additional signings but when asked if he will be staying on, he said: "If they still want me."

"It's pleasure to work in Kelantan, it is a really nice place. We have a 14-day break but we don't know when the season starts again. We need to be informed if we are to prepare properly," added the coach.

"Next season, we will be back stronger and I'm confident the team will sign two or three more players with experience." -- DEVINDER SINGH

Aidil plays down favourites' tag

AIDIL Zafuan Radzak does not believe Negri Sembilan's 10-match winning run in the Malaysia Cup makes them favourites for Saturday's final against Kelantan at the National Stadium.

The Negri defender thinks his team enter the final as the underdogs, given the blaze of publicity directed towards Kelantan for making their first final after 39 years, a view shared by Selangor coach K. Devan.

The 22-year-old Aidil, who will be making his first appearance in the final, said the underdog tag will ease pressure on his team despite their perfect record in the tournament to date.

"People talk of us having won all of our games but that means nothing when we play in the final. Statistics don't make us champions," said Aidil after being voted the best defender at the 100Plus-FAM National Football Awards in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

"I don't think it puts any pressure on us at all because everyone has been talking about Kelantan winning their first Malaysia Cup. In fact, I'm happy with that because it makes us the underdogs."

But Aidil does believe that Negri have what it takes to lift the Malaysia Cup for the first time since 1948, when it was still known as the Malaya Cup.



FA of Malaysia deputy president Khairy Jamaluddin presents the best defender award to Negri Sembilan’s Aidil Zafuan Radzak at the National Football Awards in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
"I think the advantage we have is that there is a good mix of experience and youth in the team.

"You look at the defence, there is Shukor Adan with me, Idris Kadir and Rezal (Zambery Yahya) in midfield and Hairuddin Omar playing alongside my brother (Zaquan Adha) in attack.

"There is a good balance in the team although I think whoever performs better on the night will win," said the national Under-23 skipper.

There is a sub-plot to the final as Kelantan's Indra Putra Mahayuddin and Zaquan chase the top scorer honour in the Malaysia Cup with Indra leading the way on 10 goals to Zaquan's nine.

But Aidil feels that Zaquan could well become the match winner as he gave an inkling into the telepathy that twins are said to possess.

"In a final, just one goal will be enough. Kelantan have the experienced Indra Putra (Mahayuddin) to rely on but if Zaquan uses his skills and maturity to good effect, he will make Kelantan pay," said Aidil.

Devan, who took Negri to the Malaysia Cup final in 2006, thinks Kelantan fans will be celebrating their first major trophy with Indra, voted the country's most valuable player at the awards, leading the charge.

"I think Kelantan hold the edge over Negri as they have proven match winners in Indra and Norfarhan Mohammad.

" They also have a better pattern of play and are more attack minded," said Devan, who was handed the best coach award.



But there is an added motivation that Aidil believes will drive Negri on.



"We desperately want to realise our dream of becoming Malaysia Cup champions as it will be a perfect gift for Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir for his installation as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan," added Aidil.