Mihajlovic: Inter Success Down To Us, Not Mourinho

Mihajlovic: Inter Success Down To Us, Not Mourinho



Former Inter assistant coach Sinisa Mihajlovic insists that the reason the Nerazzurri have such a strong squad is because of the hard work that he and former coach Roberto Mancini did before Jose Mourinho’s arrival.


The ‘Special One’ has been receiving great praise for the results he has been obtaining thus far at San Siro and great things are expected this term.

However, Mihajlovic has taken another swipe at his old side and he has reminded everyone who have forgotten the work he and Mancini did during their spell there.

“Many people have short memories. When I and Mancini arrived, the Nerazzurri were not considered to be a great side,” said Mihajlovic.

“There were many problems internally at the club and it was myself and Mancini who organised things and we instilled a winning mentality.

“It just goes to show that there is no recognition in football any more.

“The reason Inter are so strong is because of the work that we did. It was a shame that our work was interrupted suddenly because we had achieved great results.”

The former Serbian international and Mancini were both axed at the end of last season following a number of problems with Massimo Moratti.

Mourinho was quickly dragged in through the door and his objectives are to win the Scudetto but, more importantly, lift the Champions League.

Fletcher hoping to heat up in Iceland

Fletcher hoping to heat up in Iceland



Darren Fletcher admits Wednesday's FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iceland is a must-win game for Scotland after making a disappointing start to Group 9 on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat by F.Y.R. Macedonia.

Playing catch-up
They may only be 90 minutes into their Group 9 campaign but George Burley's side are already under pressure following the reverse in Skopje, and Fletcher acknowledges they must take all three points from their second outing in Reykjavik. "It's now a massive game in Iceland," said Manchester United FC midfielder. "We must go there and try to win, not just get a result. You can't afford to start the group with one point or no points. Although we're disappointed we can't dwell on that in Iceland. We have to win because it's a difficult group with not many games if you need to play catch-up."

Improved performance
With Graham Alexander and Kenny Miller nursing knocks, Burley has added another Fletcher, Hibernian FC's Steven to his squad after the youngster struck twice for the Under-21 side on Friday. He also impressed on his debut, setting up Miller for Scotland's goal in a 1-1 draw with Croatia, and Darren Fletcher believes that results like that, allied with an improved second-half showing against F.Y.R. Macedonia, are cause for optimism. "Looking at the second half, if we perform like that in the rest of our games, we will win many more than we will lose," he said. "We camped in their area for the entire second half and got some good crosses in but just couldn't find that cutting edge to get the goal."

Attacking onus
Burley has failed to win in four matches since taking over from Alex McLeish eight months ago but Fletcher is backing his manager to get it right, defending the decision to move from the pragmatic 4-5-1 approach favoured by McLeish and Walter Smith before him to a more adventurous 4-4-2 formation. "Different managers have different styles but we need to progress as a nation," said Fletcher. "We didn't qualify [for UEFA EURO 2008™] and maybe we need to be a bit more adventurous if we want to qualify in future. We will possibly go with one up in certain games but this one called for two up and although we didn't get a result we came on to a decent performance in the second half. We've got to pick ourselves up and use this in the right way, to get a win."

Hyypia 'Disappointed' With Euro Snub

Hyypia 'Disappointed' With Euro Snub



Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has expressed his disappointment at being omitted from his side's Champions League squad...

The 34-year-old central defender has fallen foul to new UEFA requirements which dictate that each competing Champions League side must have at least eight 'association trained' players in their squad of 25 - eight players who have been trained in that club's country of origin. Of those eight, at least four squad members have to have been trained at the club in question.

Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Jay Spearing and Stephen Darby fill those requirements, while Jermaine Pennant, Robbie Keane, Steven Irwin and Martin Kelly all received their football schooling elsewhere in the UK.

Hyypia is one of the unlucky imported players that have been prevented from taking part in the group stage of the Champions League, and he has blasted the club over the timing of the news.

Liverpool turned down bids for Hyypia from other Premier League sides over the summer, only to tell the Finn of his omission after the transfer deadline had passed.

He admitted his shock at hearing the news, and also his disappointment in manager Rafa Benitez's timing.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "The manager's decision to leave me out of the squad is a big disappointment for me. I understand it's partly because of the UEFA regulations, but despite that, the news came as a surprise to me and a shock too.

"But the club had a 'perfect' timing for this: they didn't want me to move elsewhere, so that's why I was told the news of having been left out, just after the transfer window had closed.

"The club went public to say there had been offers for me, but turned them down. So perhaps that means I am still part of the plans for this season.

"I don't know if I would have wanted to move on, had I heard the news about the squad when the window was still open."

Hyypia may still have a Champions League reprieve - should the Reds progress from the group stages, they will have another chance to submit a revised list. In the meantime, Hyypia hopes to play a role in the club's Premier League campaign.

Xavi picks up UEFA EURO 2008™ award

Xavi picks up UEFA EURO 2008™ award




Spain midfielder Xavi Hernández was awarded with the Castrol Player of the Tournament trophy for UEFA EURO 2008™ on Monday in recognition of the stirring displays that helped his country to the title in June. The ceremony took place in Madrid at the Ciudad del Futbol, HQ of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The award was handed over by RFEF president and UEFA Exco member, Angel María Villar Llona on behalf of UEFA and sponsors Castrol.

Technicians' approval
The 28-year-old FC Barcelona player appeared in five matches in Austria and Switzerland, scoring once in the semi-final against Russia as Spain earned their first major international success since beating the Soviet Union to win the 1964 UEFA European Championship. His ability to dictate the pace of the game from midfield brought him to the attention of the UEFA Technical Team who decide upon the Castrol Player of the Tournament, taking into account votes from the public cast on players in the top ten of the Castrol Performance Index. UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh said: "We chose him because we think he epitomises the Spanish style of play. He was extremely influential in the whole possession, passing, penetrating kind of game that Spain played."

Growing reputation
The 1-0 final victory against Germany in Vienna marked Xavi's 63rd cap for Spain since his debut – made together with team-mate Carles Puyol – against the Netherlands on 15 November 2000. He had been an unused squad player with Spain at UEFA EURO 2004™ in Portugal but was a first-team regular by the time of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, and showed maturity and no small amount of brilliance in Austria and Switzerland.

Injured Essien ruled out for group stage

Injured Essien ruled out for group stage


Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien looks set to miss the UEFA Champions League group stage after being ruled out for "several months" with a knee injury.

Injury
The 25-year-old ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament playing for Ghana against Libya on Friday and Chelsea expect him to undergo surgery in a week's time when the swelling is reduced. The club said "a return to full fitness is not expected for several months," which would mean that Essien, signed from Olympique Lyonnais in 2005, would not be able to play in UEFA Champions League Group A, which runs from 16 September until 9 December and involves Chelsea, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, CFR 1907 Cluj and AS Roma. Essien, recently awarded a five-year contract by the London club, said: "There was no challenge but after I cut out a cross and landed I felt awkward and the pain was sharp. I am devastated but these things happen in football."

Roorda's PSV comeback ends in injury

Roorda's PSV comeback ends in injury


PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper Bas Roorda's return from a hernia operation ended in another injury last night as he dislocated a thumb in action for the reserves and looks set to be out for at least UEFA Champions League Matchday 1.

Several weeks out
The 35-year-old second-string stopper underwent surgery in July and was making his return for PSV's reserves against their FC Twente counterparts, only to hurt his left hand 55 minutes in. After treatment in an Enschede hospital, Roorda is expected to be out "for a few more weeks". PSV, whose first-choice goalkeeper is new signing Andreas Isaksson, play Club Atlético de Madrid next Tuesday in their first UEFA Champions League Group D fixture. Having beaten FC Utrecht 5-1 in their opening league game on 30 August, PSV take on Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday.

Jiménez fated to miss Inter openers

Jiménez fated to miss Inter openers


FC Internazionale Milano are likely to be without Chilean midfielder Luis Antonio Jiménez for the first two games of their UEFA Champions League campaign after the 24-year-old was diagnosed with a torn muscle in his left thigh.

Training injury
The former Ternana Calcio, ACF Fiorentina and S.S. Lazio player, who started his career in his native Santiago with CD Palestino, picked up the injury in training on Saturday and has been ruled out of action for a month following medical examinations. That means he will miss Inter's opening Group B games at Panathinaikos FC a week today and and Werder Bremen on 1 October. A substitute in Inter's opening Serie A game of 2008/09, he scored three goals in 15 league appearances for the Italian champions last season.