Brazilian stars stay put at Fenerbahçe

Fenerbahçe SK captain Alex and left-back Roberto Carlos have both signed contract extensions to prolong their stays at the Istanbul club.

Agreements
Former Brazil skipper Alex, 31, has agreed a two-year deal with the option for a further 12 months, having won two championships with the Turkish club since switching from Cruzeiro EC in 2004. Meanwhile the 35-year-old Roberto Carlos, who joined in 2007 after eleven seasons at Real Madrid CF, has committed for the 2009/10 campaign after activating a clause in his contract. Both players helped Fenerbahçe to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last term – the club's best performance in the competition. This year the Istanbul giants are out of Europe and fourth in the Süper Lig, though only two points off the lead, ahead of their campaign resumption at home to second-placed Trabzonspor on Sunday.

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Chung to step down as head of SKorean soccer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)—FIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon is stepping down as president of the Korea Soccer Association.

Chung, who has led the organization since 1993, said he would not seek a fifth re-election this week. The legislator and businessman did not give a reason for the decision.

“I’ve experienced many breathless moments over the last 16 years” as president, he said on the association’s Web site.

Chung is widely credited with broadening the sport’s exposure at home and promoting South Korean players abroad. He oversaw the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

Candidates in the running to replace him in Thursday’s vote include Cho Joong-yun, the association’s vice president, and Heo Seung-pyo, who ran against Chung for the KSA presidency in 1997.

“I hope that someone who really loves football, someone who has the administrative experience and capacity to promote football, will be elected,” Chung said in a statement.

His FIFA term lasts until 2011.

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com

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Ancelotti says he hopes Kaka will stay at Milan

By Jeremy Inson, Associated Press Writer

Carnago, Italy—AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes Kaka will stay at the team “for many more years,” but confirmed the club is considering the world record offer from Manchester City.

“I think there are dealings under way, and therefore it’s something the club is going to have to do together with the player,” Ancelotti said Friday. “My hope is to be able to coach Kaka for many more years, but we’ve got to be aware of the facts and the club’s evaluation of the offer presented.”

City’s offer for the 26-year-old midfielder, FIFA’s 2007 player of the year, is reportedly worth up to up to $157 million.

Kaka did not stop to speak with reporters at practice, only offering a brief wave. He said Wednesday he wants to “grow old” at Milan, but his spokesman, Diogo Kotscho, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the player will listen to City’s proposals.

A group of about 70 fans gathered outside Milan’s downtown offices Friday evening to protest against a move, shouting “Don’t sell Kaka! Don’t sell Kaka!” A firecracker thrown by the fans exploded near a garage a few minutes before Milan vice president Adriano Galliani exited, according to the ANSA news agency.

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com
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Federer wins Aust. Open tuneup event at Kooyong

By John Pye, AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)— Roger Frederer crushed Olympic gold medal-winning doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka on Saturday to win the Australian Open tuneup event at Kooyong.

Federer, one away from equaling Pete Sampras’ record 14 Grand Slam titles, broke Wawrinka’s serve three times in the first seven games and downed his Swiss compatriot 6-1, 6-3 win in just 57 minutes.

Federer earned his second title at the eight-man exhibition tournament. He won the Kooyong title in 2005, the year he lost in the Australian Open semifinals to eventual champion Marat Safin.

With the Australian Open starting Monday, he didn’t want to waste a minute of preparation time for the season’s first major.

“New season, big opportunities for me,” Federer said. “I’m chasing a lot of records.”

Federer had three wins in the eight-man draw this week and said he saved his best for last, ripping some trademark backhand winners down the line and rarely letting Wawrinka get into the points.

“Sorry Stan!” he said. “It’s a wonderful preparation for the Australian Open. I’m excited. … It was serious, not crazy serious. We have to be tough against each other, but we played some great tennis.”

Federer and his Davis Cup teammate frequently hit together and the No. 2-ranked Federer considers himself a mentor and “like a brother” to Wawrinka.

At Kooyong, he taught 23-year-old Wawrinka that he doesn’t believe in friendly matches, even at exhibition tournaments.

“It’s nice to play him. We played next to each other. Now he’s on the other side,” he said. “I wanted to see how much he’s improved.”

The second-ranked Federer was entered but withdrew from the Kooyong tournament last year while struggling with mononucleosis.

He was beaten in the semifinals of the Australian Open by eventual champion Novak Djokovic, ending his streak of 19 straight match wins at Melbourne Park. He is 31-2 since the 2004 Australian Open, which was the second of his 13 major titles.

“This time is different. I’ve played plenty of matches. Also played Doha,” he said. “Last year was just a matter of playing the tournament. This time I’m trying to win it.”

Federer has a tough draw at the season’s first Grand Slam event, opening against Andreas Seppi of Italy, then possible matches against former No. 1 Carlos Moya in the second round, Safin in the third and Wawrinka in the fourth. Another semifinal against Djokovic looms.

When the possible fourth-round match up was mentioned Saturday, Federer and Wawrinka, sitting side-by-side at the trophy presentation, looked at each other, smiled and nodded.

Rafael Nadal, who ended Federer’s 237-week streak at No. 1 last season after beating him in the French Open and Wimbledon finals, is on the other side of the draw, along with Britain’s Andy Murray.

In the third-place match at Kooyong, Spaniard Fernando Verdasco had a 6-4, 6-3 win over second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.

Gonzalez has one of the toughest opening-round matches at the Australian Open, which starts Monday, facing local favorite and former top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt.

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Motorcyclist dies at Dakar Rally

French motorcyclist Pascal Terry has been found dead three days after going missing during the Dakar Rally.

The 49-year-old had not been seen since Sunday's stage between Santa Rosa and Puerto Madryn, with the race being held in South America for the first time.

However, he was found dead overnight after the fourth stage of the race.

"He was found in a very inaccessible area 15m from his bike," organisers said. "He had taken off his helmet and taken shelter with food and water."

Police were carrying out an investigation to determine the cause of death.

Terry is the first fatal casualty at this year's race which started in Buenos Aires on 3 January and finishes back in the Argentine capital on 17 January.

However, the race has already left British driver Paul Green and his navigator Matthew Harrison in a serious condition in hospital after their car overturned during Saturday's stage.

The 30th edition of the rally is being held in Argentina and Chile instead of Africa because of security concerns in Mauritania which forced the cancellation of last year's event.

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk

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Stoner promises aggressive return

Former MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says he will be more aggressive than ever when he returns to racing in the 2009 season after wrist surgery.

The Ducati rider finished runner-up to Valentino Rossi last year after the injury to his left wrist hampered his chances of retaining his title.

"Everything's fine, though my movements are a little restricted," he said.

"I'm at 80% but I hope to be practically 100% for the first tests in February. I'll be more aggressive."

Having clocked up 10 race wins on his way to the world title in 2007, Stoner won six times in 2008 but admitted he had failed to live up to his own expectations.

"At the start of the year I thought I'd be stronger than in 2007," he said.

"(But) the end of the season was very difficult with my injury as I couldn't brake hard going into the bends.

"In 2009, I shan't have to change my tactics but I will be more aggressive overtaking."

Stoner's team-mate for 2009 will be another former world champion, 2006 title-winner Nicky Hayden, who has moved from Repsol Honda, and the Australian said he was looking forward to working alongside his new colleague.

"Nicky's always been very good to me. We'll try to adapt his bike as well as possible. As we're both English-speakers communication will be easier," he said.

Hayden, who had a famously frosty relationship with team-mate Dani Pedrosa at Honda, said he did not anticipate there being any clashes of ego between the two former world champions.

"The team wants us to work together and to help one another. They are giving me what I need to go quickly and it's up to me to do my job," he said.

"I think my style of riding will adapt well to the machine, plus I've always got on well with Casey. I think we'll form a strong team."

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk

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Shearer queries Man City strategy

England legend Alan Shearer has voiced concerns at the direction Manchester City's owners are taking the club following their reported bid for Kaka.

City have been linked with a bid in the region of £100m for the AC Milan player and offered him a £500,000 weekly wage.

The wealthy Abu Dhabi United Group are keen to sign the world's best players.

"My worry is in three, four or five years time if these people get bored with the club, what does it do to Man City?" Shearer told BBC Sport.

"We're talking about a special player, probably the best in the world, but you can't tell me anyone is worth that."

If midfielder Kaka were to join City for £100m he would become the most expensive footballer in the history of the game.

In 1996 Shearer became the world's most expensive player when he moved from Blackburn to Newcastle, with the current transfer record held by France's Zinedine Zidane, who moved from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001 for £47m.

"I found it an honour and I relished the pressure that went with it," said Shearer.

"But this money is in another league from anything we have ever seen before - it's an incredible amount.

"I certainly wasn't worth £15m in '96 and he's not worth that amount of money now and I'm sure he will be the first to come out and say that."

Shearer won the Premier League title with Blackburn, but failed to win a single trophy during his 10 years at Newcastle.

Kaka has won nearly every domestic trophy there is to win including the European Cup and Serie A title as well as the Club World Cup.

In 2007 he also picked up the Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year awards and was a member of Brazil's World Cup-winning squad in 2002.

And Shearer believes a player should always be influenced by the prospect of winning trophies and medals rather than financial considerations.

"Medals are more important to a player than money, without doubt," said Shearer.

"You can't tell me Robinho has gone to Manchester City for medals because it looks like at this moment in time he has done it for financial reasons because Manchester City are a million miles away from challenging for honours."

When Robinho signed for City from Real Madrid he was unhappy with the Spanish club's willingness to sell him to fund a failed move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United.

Chelsea had been favourites to sign Robinho but Real reportedly refused to sanction a switch for him to join them as they were upset at the Stamford Bridge club's conduct in the matter.

When Shearer won the league with Blackburn the club was bankrolled by former owner Jack Walker's millions.

"It is an interesting time and I hope the money will be spread around other football clubs," said Shearer.

"You have seen it with Chelsea who have bought success and Blackburn did it to an extent with Jack Walker and it is all slightly worrying.

"On the other hand it will hopefully be generated around other football clubs, which is what the game needs."

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk

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