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SPURS NEWS!

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Hans Leitert to our coaching staff.The 35-year-old will join the Club from Recreativo Huelva as First Team Goalkeeping Coach.
Born in Vienna, Austria, Leitert was the national team’s Under-21 goalkeeping coach for six years, as well as enjoying two seasons with Panathinaikos. As a player, Leitert represented his country at Under-18 and Under-21 level before a wrist injury forced him into retirement having been the youngest goalkeeper in the Austrian top-flight during his time with VfB Mödling.
He began his coaching career with his former club’s youth side before taking full-time coaching positions with Rapid Vienna and Austria Vienna. Leitert, who holds a Master’s degree in Sports Science, has also been invited to speak at goalkeeping lectures on behalf of UEFA. Perry Suckling will revert back to his role as Academy Goalkeeping Coach having ably stepped up to First Team duties since October, 2007. Sporting Director Damien Comolli said: “We took a lot of care in our search for a new First Team goalkeeping coach. It is a crucial position at the Club, not only in terms of training and developing the First Team goalkeepers, but also because we have got a lot of quality and potential in goalkeepers of a younger age group - so it was a very important choice for us. “We believe Hans will bring many qualities to the Club. He is a forward thinking coach who likes to employ new methods, a very enthusiastic individual who has lived and worked in different countries with different influences and has also worked with UEFA. He joins us with glowing references and an excellent reputation. “Perry has done a fantastic job during his time with the First Team and I would like to thank him for his work. I know Juande has appreciated his commitment and efforts, but Perry’s passion lies with coaching younger goalkeepers- he was keen to return to his position within our Academy, that is a great ideal to have and we are delighted to have him at the Club.”

 
Steve Harper Sees James As Role Model
Wednesday April 16th, 2008 by Ed Harrison

Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper has been singing the praises of Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, who was probably most responsible on Saturday for stopping Newcastle registering their fourth win in a row.Steve Harper believes the Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, who turns 38 on August 1st, can be a good role model for him.

Harper said:

“Paul (Barron) talks about how thorough he is and the application and thoroughness of his training. He is 37 but looking at him, he is now reaping the rewards of all that hard work in training.”“For last few seasons, he has rightfully deserved to be back as England’s No.1. He has been outstanding.”

“You see plenty of people who have the ability but do not put the work in and they fall by the wayside whereas with the people who may be don’t have so much ability but put the graft in, they get their opportunity.”

“It comes down the player at the end of the day. Paul Barron is a good coach and has worked with some very good goalkeepers.” “David James is a role model, playing for England at 37 and playing in the Premier League for 16 years.” “I will guarantee he will be in the PFA team of the year and rightfully so.”

There’s no doubt David James is one of the most capable goalkeepers for a long long time. The fact that he keeps making bloopers has probably stopped him from getting all the accolades he deserves, but there’s no doubt he’s an outstanding goalkeeper, and he’s always been an excellent club goalkeeper.Certainly Steve has taken care of himself so there’s no reason why he cannot keep playing for another 5 years, which is getting more and more common for goalkeepers these days.

Juan Pablo Carrizo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Juan Pablo Carrizo (born 6 May 1984 in Villa Constitución) is an Argentine footballer (goalkeeper), who plays for River Plate and was supposed to move to SS Lazio in the August 2007 transfer window but the deal fell through over complications over Carrizo's eligibility for European citizenship[1].

He had been with River Plate since he began his professional career, making his debut on the 29th of January 2006 against Tiro Federal where he kept a clean sheet in River's 5-0 win.

He made his International debut for Argentina against Chile, 18 April 2007






LIVERPOOL are lining up a move for Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame after Philipp Degen was confirmed as Rafael Benitez's first summer signing.The Anfield manager has earmarked Rame as he prepares to reshuffle his options behind first-choice keeper Pepe Reina.The 35-year-old Rame, a former France international with 12 caps, has been a regular for the past 11 years with Bordeaux and this season helped them to second place behind French champions Lyon to earn Champions League qualification.Rame still has a year remaining on his contract, but Liverpool are prepared to offer a swap deal with Charles Itandje going the other way plus a small cash adjustment.Itandje was a regular with Lens in the French league before arriving at Anfield last summer, but has failed to impress during his rare first-team opportunities.The hugely experienced Rame was part of the French squads at Euro 2000 and the World Cup in 2002, and played twice against Liverpool in the Champions League in 2005-06.A new goalkeeping arrival is anticipated at Anfield this summer given Scott Carson can leave for around £6million, with Benitez hopeful of taking advantage of Aston Villa’s interest in the England international to thrash out a deal to bring Gareth Barry to Anfield.And 22-year-old David Martin, who recently signed a new contract at Liverpool, will be allowed to gain first-team experience by spending the season on loan at another club, with Coca-Cola Championship side Blackpool having already expressed an interest.One player definitely on his way to Anfield is Degen. The Switzerland international right-back is a free transfer from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and will officially sign a contract with Liverpool on July 1.The 25-year-old, who will represent his country at next month’s European Championships, spent four seasons in his homeland with Basel before joining Dortmund and will provide competition for Steve Finnan and Alvaro Arbeloa.“When I received the offer from Liverpool, there was no doubt I would accept it,” said Degen. “They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I am looking forward to the challenge of establishing myself there and playing in the best league there is.”Liverpool manager Benitez said: “Philipp is still young but has gained great experience from playing in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and on the international stage with Switzerland.“He also played in the Champions League during his time with Basel and so is used to top level football. He is an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality. His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad.“Sometimes you can find these players on the market. When you find a player like him who costs no money it means you can use money for improving other parts of the squad.“He is a good signing, a player of potential, who can help us improve in the wide areas.”Benitez will now aim to close in on £8m-rated Udinese defender Andrea Dossena after he was yesterday omitted from Italy’s squad for Euro 2008, having made his debut last November against South Africa.

Italy’s number two goalkeeper has shone above everyone else at struggling Serie A outfit Livorno Calcio and, as an extremely competent back-up to Gigi Buffon, plying his trade at the bottom end of the league and fighting against relegation rather than turning out for a major club participating in European competition seems incongruous for the talented 26-year-old.

A summer move appears probable. Amelia may be contracted to Livorno until 2011, but his discontentment at the club’s precarious position in the table - just a season after participating in the Uefa Cup - and dislike of President Aldo Spinelli, with whom he had a row, ascertains that a transfer is seemingly inevitable.

Amelia was Italy’s third-choice goalkeeper at World Cup 2006, picking up valuable lessons from the two other, more senior stoppers Buffon and Angelo Peruzzi while undoubtedly gaining from the experience of being a part of the triumphant campaign in Germany.

Standout performances as first-choice Livorno goalkeeper have seen Amelia emerge as a promising and very gifted stopper, and it is widely agreed that he is now second best only to Buffon in terms of the top Italian goalkeepers. Current Azzurri coach Roberto Donadoni oversaw his development during two spells as coach of the Tuscan side, ensuring Amelia is venerated by the man who will select the starting eleven at this summer’s Euro 2008.

Buffon is now 30, and although still dedicated to the national cause, his status as number one is no longer secure. If Amelia does move to one of Europe’s big-hitters and suitably impresses there would be no hesitation, from Donadoni at least, to throw him in for a crucial match, especially if Buffon suffers a drop in form.

For now, however, Amelia must be content with a place on the bench. Buffon has provided sterling service for Juventus once again this campaign, and the bianconeri’s likely return to the Champions League next season can only strengthen his position as first-choice between the sticks for his country.

Amelia said President Aldo Spinelli should resign “if he’s got the balls to do it.”

Spinelli replied, “I’ve tried to teach Amelia some manners but he can’t hold his tongue, like all Romans.”

Presently, Amelia is more concerned with securing a move away from the amaranto rather than immediately displacing Buffon, and has repeatedly proclaimed his desire to find a new home.

Born in Rome, Amelia has previously suggested he would most warmly welcome a transfer to Luciano Spalletti’s side. He was a product of Roma’s youth system but was shipped out to Livorno when still a teenager. However, with current number one Alexander Doni performing capably for Serie A’s most exciting team, such a transfer looks improbable.

There are a host of interested clubs, ranging from Tottenham and Liverpool in England, Valencia in Spain and AC Milan in Italy. Tottenham are openly searching for a new first-choice goalkeeper following a season of poor form for England international Paul Robinson, and they enquired about Amelia in January. Coach Juande Ramos is expected to follow up his interest come the season’s end when the entire Tottenham set-up is to be reorganised, including a major reshuffling of the squad. Amelia’s imposing presence and great consistency is said to be exactly what the Spaniard is searching for after Robinson’s liability to commit blunders and his frailty at set-pieces.

Liverpool previously stated their interest in January 2007, but with Pepe Reina in dazzling form and manager Rafa Benítez happy with Charles Itandje as back-up, there is little prospect of the club stumping up the necessary cash come the summer.

Both Valencia and Milan are realistic destinations. The former have endured a miserable season and are unlikely to qualify for even the Uefa Cup next season - potentially a snag on any potential deal - but Amelia was enthused by their interest, “I’ve heard about Valencia, we’ll see at the end of the championship,” he said. “If they sold [Timo] Hildebrand, then it could be feasible.” Santiago Cañizares has been frozen out at the club by coach Ronald Koeman.

Finally, Milan’s ageing side is in desperate need of a revamp - and where better to start than in defence? Nélson Dida has once again demonstrated his exasperating inconsistency and lack of concentration this campaign and number two Željko Kalac is not getting any more agile at 35. Yet the club may not wish to splash millions on a goalkeeper, particularly if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Amelia could fetch in excess of £10m, but his transfer value would fall drastically should Livorno be relegated. They lie in seventeenth position and perilously close to the drop zone but it seems survival or otherwise, their star player will be leaving them at the end of the season, “Right now, I am focused on saving Livorno. But I hope President Spinelli won’t block me from moving to a big club in the summer.”




Unusual story speaks volumes for Schwarzert
he biggest problem for children today is that their parents don't take enough responsibility for them. They want them out of sight in another room on a PlayStation and are happy to let the school educate them. But schools are not there to educate them in their everyday mentality, their way of life, paying respect and what their morals are. You as a parent have to do that, you have to educate your children as much as possible so that when they go to school they are ready to be educated.'It was not the kind of statement you expected from a footballer, but then Mark Schwarzer was not in your usual footballer's haunt. Middlesbrough Central Library is a rather grand building, the gift of the Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. When it opened in 1912 it was split along austere lines of sex and age but now only the 'Juvenile Library' sign carved into stone above a defunct doorway points to another time when children were seen and not heard. An hour earlier a group of 30 local children had been able to make quite a racket with Schwarzer in the open-plan, bright library that stands inside today.

The Middlesbrough goalkeeper was here as one of the 20 ambassadors for this year's Premier League Reading Stars programme. The players nominate their favourite children's or adult's book and make an appearance where the complete set of books is presented to local libraries. What makes Schwarzer different is that he is the first player in six years of the programme to have played a part in his own piece of literature. He has co-written a children's book called Megs and the Vootball Kids. The children sat attentively as he read excerpts from the work - the library kids seemed ready to be educated.

The book, aimed at nine- to 14-year-olds, is the story of Edward 'Megs' Morrison, a 10-year-old whose family emigrate from England to Australia and he finds a land where football is a minority sport called soccer. 'He goes there, he's got no friends, there's no football team, they create one, he makes friends, they've no coach, they get one who ends up being a Hungarian school cleaner who once played with Ferenc Puskas,' is Schwarzer's pitch.

It is largely autobiographical but it is not just Schwarzer's story of growing up in Australia; it is also that of his wife Paloma (half Spanish and half Filipino), and the journalist who drafted most of the prose Neil Montagnana-Wallace (half Scottish and half English) and his wife Val (who is of Italian lineage). Schwarzer's nod to the past is that Megs supports his boyhood club Liverpool, who he followed because of Craig Johnston, at the time the only known Australian playing abroad. Yet while Schwarzer claims to be 'first and foremost an Australian' he is, as his name suggests, a German second. His parents moved to Australia from southern Germany before he was born, but he found his European heritage created obstacles.

'It can be tough socially when you're an outsider. I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney and of the 1,000 kids at our school perhaps 10 came from an ethnic European background. We were called wogs. The way we often divided our football teams was that if you were from outside Australia then you were on the wog team and if you came from an English/Aussie background then you were on the Aussie team.'

He found greater acceptance only in his later teens when in addition to football, he also played rugby league, water polo and basketball. But he found himself having to prove his worth at his first professional club, Marconi Stallions, a team that began as a social club for Italians in Sydney.

'It was difficult because all of a sudden I wasn't Italian and I wasn't Australian, I was a German again and I was pushed aside a little because I wasn't from their community. But like anything in life it takes time. You need to gain that bit of respect, you need to perform well and then you receive acceptance.'

Megs' journey of acceptance, perseverance and cultural understanding has struck a chord in Australia, where 15,000 copies of the book have been sold. The second in the series of five has just been finished and Schwarzer says the authors have moved on to tackling larger socio-football issues. 'The next book is called Scarves, Sombreros and Diving Headers, but it's not scarves in the traditional football sense. One of the girls in Megs' team wears a headscarf, which is something that has been an issue for girls in Canada and also in Melbourne. We went and interviewed the girl in Melbourne about the impact it had on her and a lot of that is reflected in the book,' explains the Australia international.

'We now know we can use the books as platforms for real issues affecting not only kids but the adults who will be reading to them, too. With the third book, we bring in a boy from Sudan. We're getting a lot more African immigrants in now on top of the Asian immigrants of the last 10 to 15 years. One of the guys from there that heads an African community not far from where I grew up emailed me and said he really enjoyed the book but asked about getting one of the kids from their community into the storyline. He explained that it would be great because a lot of these kids don't speak English and they are trying to encourage them. So we asked these people about the issues in their community and have introduced a character the kids can identify with.'

Schwarzer's acute sense of ethnicity continues to be a factor with his life. Because his son has his wife's olive skin, the Schwarzers were keen to find a school in the north Yorkshire countryside where there were children from other backgrounds. All of this leaves Schwarzer well placed to comment on the impact of foreign players on the English game. He joined Middlesbrough in 1997 after a year at Bradford City and in December he surpassed Dennis Bergkamp's appearance record as the longest-serving foreigner at a Premier League club.

'You look at 1996 and the England national team and was it better than what you've got now? The answer is probably no. There is a fine line between having too many foreign players in one league. Foreign players will only stop the educational path for home-grown talent if the clubs are not putting in the groundwork to establishing the right networks at academies. Over the last 10 years some academies, like Boro's, have done that and progressed while others haven't. I actually think that foreign players benefit everyone in this country, not only the League and its profile worldwide, but children who can watch and learn from the best.

'The English league was always a popular league back in the 70s and 80s but it has never been as popular as it is now. Why? Cristiano Ronaldo is one reason, Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres are others. There's not an English player like them, as much as everybody in England wishes. Wayne Rooney was supposed to be that good but even he hasn't progressed as they've wanted him to.'

Schwarzer is out of contract with Middlesbrough at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to Fiorentina but he prefers to concentrate on today's home game against Manchester United. 'My main goal is to be playing first-team football at the top level because I want to be at the 2010 World Cup.' Now that would be a great story to tell the kids.

'Megs and the Vootball Kids' is available from linthorpepublishing.co.uk/shop for £6.99. 'Scarves, Sombreros and Diving Headers' will be available later this year








































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