Latest Football news, Euro and World Soccer

No decision on Van Persie future
Striker Robin van Persie joins up with the Dutch squad having yet to make a final decision on his Arsenal future.

Jermain Defoe attributes England Euro 2012 call-up to gruelling pre-season training regimen
Jermain Defoe thinks a gruelling pre-season training camp in France helped him break in to England’s Euro 2012 squad.

Torquay 1-2 Cheltenham (1-4 agg)
Cheltenham reach the League Two play-off final against Crewe after beating Torquay 2-1 at Plainmoor for a 4-1 aggregate victory.

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Fahey and Foley concern for Irish
Keith Fahey and Kevin Foley now appear to be the Republic of Ireland’s main injury concerns ahead of next month’s Euro 2012 finals.

Dalglish sacking unfair - Hansen
Kenny Dalglish did not get the chance he deserved at Liverpool, says former Anfield team-mate and close friend Alan Hansen

Football Weekly Extra: Kenny Dalglish sacked by Liverpool

Wipe away those tears, kids. It’s the final Football Weekly Extraaa of the season. And what a show we have in store.

James Richardson has Gregg Bakowski, Barry Glendenning and Michael Cox in the pod to analyse the situation at Anfield after Kenny Dalglish was unceremoniously dumped by Liverpool’s American owners. As a wise man once said ‘You come at the king, you best not miss’ – so what now for the once-mighty Reds?

Dalglish wasn’t the only Glaswegian to be handed his P45 by his overseas employers this week. Alex McLeish paid the price for an atrocious season at Aston Villa, and how long can Steve Kean hang on at Blackburn, especially now Big Sam is after him?

Next, we turn our attention to Roy Hodgson’s decidedly underwhelming England squad for Euro 2012 – even if Gary Neville seems like a shrewd appointment to his backroom team.

Finally, we look forward to Super Saturday, in which Blackpool face West Ham in the Championship play-off final and Chelsea travel to Munich to take on Bayern in the Champions League final.

We’ll be back with a special show on Sunday to look back on both of those games – and, this news just in, we’ll be recording a live show in front of an audience on Monday 28 May as we kick off our daily Euro 2012 coverage.

Thanks for all your woofs, tweets and posts during this most epic season of podding. As a parting gift, have a go at this.

Rangers fans could call boycott
Angry Rangers fans could ask the Glasgow club to boycott the Scottish Cup and Scotland squads next season.

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BBC pundits on Euro 2012
BBC pundits on how far can Roy Hodgson take England at the Euros and who are the favourites for glory

Carroll set for Euro 2012 call-up
England manager Roy Hodgson is set to select Andy Carroll in his squad for Euro 2012 while Rio Ferdinand is certain to miss out.

England’s French connection
Who is the Englishman at the heart of the French revolution at Paris St-Germain?

Kagawa: I’ve met with Sir Alex Ferguson
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa claims he has held discussions with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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Tottenham’s Modric to decide future after Euros
Luka Modric has refused to commit his future to Tottenham Hotspur, saying instead that he will ponder the next step in his career after Euro 2012.

De Rossi would welcome Montella Roma return
Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi would be happy if former team-mate Vincenzo Montella were to return to the Stadio Olimpico hotseat.

Barack Obama teases David Beckham over underwear – video

The US president, Barack Obama, welcomes the Los Angeles Galaxy to the White House celebrating their 2011 Major League Soccer cup victory

Euro 2012: England squad announcement - live!

• Rio Ferdinand has already been told he won’t be going
• Who will Hodgson pick and who will he leave out?
• Email paul.doyle@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts
• And tweet Paul, if that’s your thing

Preamble:
Welcome to the announcement of England’s Euro 2012 squad, as brought to you by the fresh-faced new kind on the block, Roy Hodgson. Word is that Rio Ferdinand, Micah Richards and Peter Crouch have been left out and the Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy has been called up but the manager has yet to confirm any of that publicly. So the suspense lingers.

And that’s what this is about, isn’t it? Suspense and drama. I can’t think of a good sporting reason for Uefa limiting squad sizes to 23 players. Why shouldn’t a country be allowed to bring 100 players if they fancy it? Or 300? Or just 11? The more players you bring, the bigger your logistical and man-management worries, of course, but let each country decide on t heir own strategy. A universal quota of 23 seems arbitrary and pointless, except that it creates exciting cut-offs like the one Hodgson is going to talk us through today.

Speaking of talking, maybe Harry Redknapp should do less of it. There he was on Sunday insisting that the injury that forced Kyle Walker to limp off early in the second half against Fulham was but a trifle. “He’s OK, he’ll be better by tomorrow, he’s certainly not a doubt for the Euros,” is what Redknapp said – and now reports tell us that Walker has a broken toe and will not go to the Euros. And nor will Richards, we also hear, which, if true, means that (1) the best three right-backs in the Premier League will not be going to the Euros (since France’s Bacary Sagna is also out) and (2) Glen Johnson is likely to go, which, given that he and Hodgson seldom saw eye-to-eye when they were together at Anfield, suggests England’s new manager is not a man to hold grudges. If Richards has indeed been omitted, that is a surprise but that, at least, is a position where England have ample resources. The other places will be more interesting.

Whichever strikers Hodgson takes will represent a gamble. Even bringing Wayne Rooney is slightly risky given that he’ll miss the first two games. But it would be a bigger risk to leave him at home. After him, who? Daniel Welbeck seems a good bet. And has Andy Carroll’s promising end to the season for Liverpool convinced Hodgson he’s the targetman he wants to use? Should he gamble on the fitness of Darren Bent, the self-indulgence of Daniel Sturridge, the inconsistency of Jermain Defoe, the form of Bobby Zamora, the callowness of Rickie Lambert? How about the rawness of Grant Holt, who was the second-highest English scorer in the Premier League this season and the joint-highest fouler? Is it true that Hodgson has always been an admirer of Carlton Cole and just how far is he willing to push his luck?

And what of the midfield? Will the wild card be old or new, i.e. Paul Scholes or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? Or both? Or neither. Some say the Ox should be carted along instead of Theo Walcott. I think that’s crazy talk - both should go. Stewart Downing, on the other hand, should not. Will Scott Parker be fit? Have Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard got another tournament in them?

And at the back, will John Terry be left out, signalling a shift to a new central defence, featuring, say, Gary Cahill and Joleon Lescott or Phil Jagielka? Or Anton Ferdinand?

To all of these questions and more we will soon have answers. In the meantime, let’s try to tell Roy how to do his job.

PFA chief says Barton deserves to be punished
Professional Footballers’ Association chief Gordon Taylor believes Joey Barton deserves to be punished for his recent behaviour on and off the pitch and admitted “it is not getting any easier” for the players’ union to deal with the QPR captain.

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Premier League awards: Sir Alex Ferguson named best manager; Ryan Giggs wins best player
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson named greatest manager of Premier League era; Ryan Giggs the best player.

Fraser and Craig stay at Staggies
Goalkeeper Michael Fraser and forward Steven Craig are the latest players to sign new one-year deals at Ross County.

The life and crimes of Joey Barton, in pictures
In pics: Joey Barton’s life has been marked by violence on and off the pitch.

Reading takeover still ‘ongoing’
Russian tycoon Anton Zingarevich’s takeover of Reading is still not completed, two months after the original target date.

Wenger sets ‘Invincibles’ target
Manager Arsene Wenger sets his current squad the target of emulating the heroics of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003-04.

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Benzema happy to end career at Real Madrid
Karim Benzema has said that he is enjoying life at Real Madrid so much at the moment that he would consider spending the rest of his career at the Bernabeu.

Nasri mocks Arsenal fans after title triumph
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has mocked Arsenal fans, after seeing the north London side finish third in the Premier League as his new club won the title.

Liverpool silent on Kenny Dalglish rumours
Liverpool have declined to comment on the future of manager Kenny Dalglish on Tuesday, amid rumours the Scot could be set to part company with the club.

Six new faces in preliminary Spain squad
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is one of six new faces in Spain’s 21-man squad for pre-Euro 2012 friendlies against Serbia and South Korea later this month.

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Van Persie to hold Arsenal talks
Striker Robin van Persie will open talks to determine his Arsenal future at manager Arsene Wenger’s house on Wednesday.

Cech and Rosicky in Czech squad
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky are included in Czech Republic’s provisional squad for Euro 2012.

Pardew picks up LMA manager award
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is named LMA Manager of the Year, after guiding his side to fifth place in the Premier League.

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Van Persie to hold Arsenal talks
Striker Robin van Persie will open talks to determine his Arsenal future at manager Arsene Wenger’s house on Wednesday.

McLeish sacked as Villa manager
Alex McLeish is fired as Aston Villa manager after 11 months in charge following the club’s 16th-place Premier League finish.

Mark Hughes will decide Joey Barton punishment, says QPR owner Tony Fernandes
QPR owner Tony Fernandes insists Joey Barton’s fate lies with Mark Hughes after midfielder’s actions against Man City.

VIDEO: Neville appointment delights Hodgson
England manager Roy Hodgson says he is “absolutely delighted” that former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has joined his coaching staff.

Edinburgh A-list stirred by final
Author Irvine Welsh and actor Ken Stott’s nerves are jangling ahead of Hibs v Hearts Scottish Cup final

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Green’s offer for Rangers accepted

• Green has exclusive period to attempt to purchase club
• Deal could settle long-running doubt over club’s future

A consortium headed by the former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green have had an offer accepted for Rangers.

Rangers administrators Duff and Phelps confirmed this morning, on the eve of Rangers’ final game of the season, that the group fronted by Green had been given the go-ahead.

In a statement on the club’s official website, the joint administrator David Whitehouse said: “We are very pleased to announce that we have accepted an offer from a consortium headed by Mr Charles Green for the purchase of Rangers Football Club.

“Mr Green has secured, via a substantial financial commitment, a period of exclusivity to complete the purchase of the club and this is expected to be finalised at a creditors’ meeting on 6 June.

“The structure and quantum of the offer from Mr Green is such that it is acceptable to us as administrators and, having been in discussions with major creditors throughout the process, we believe this presents the best prospect of financial recovery for creditors.”

The announcement looks to have finally settled the long-running doubt over the Ibrox club’s future. Rangers entered administration in February, and players agreed to defer wages up to 75% in order to keep the club going, while they have also been hit with a points deduction and a 12-month transfer ban, though they have appealed against the second of those sanctions.

Potential bidders have come and gone, with the American tycoon Bill Miller being named the administrators’ preferred bidder before withdrawing from the process, while the Blue Knights, the apparent supporters’ choice, have entered a war of words with the administrators over their bid.

Their failure to secure preferred bidder status has opened the door for Green, and he said this morning: “I am delighted our proposal to purchase Rangers has been accepted and we are working night and day to finalise matters.

“This is a great football club with a tremendous history and we will preserve that while building a solid platform for the future. Rangers supporters have every right to believe their club should be a success on and off the pitch and that is exactly what we will strive to achieve.

“At all times we will make decisions that are in the best interests of the club. Not every decision at a club can be popular but I can tell every Rangers fan now that whatever decision is taken they will always be told the truth.

“We will do everything in our power to achieve a CVA [Company Voluntary Arrangement] and we already have a detailed written commitment from Mr Craig Whyte for the transfer of his shareholding.

“I look forward to working with everyone at Rangers, staff, players and supporters, in building a better future. It’s what this great club deserves.”

Rangers accept takeover offer made by consortium led by Charles Green, administrators confirm
An offer for Rangers from a consortium headed by Charles Green has been accepted, club administrators have confirmed.

Man City will clinch title - Lee
Francis Lee, a member of the last City side to be crowned champions, says Roberto Mancini’s team will repeat the feat by beating QPR

Takeover deal for Rangers agreed
Former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green agrees a deal to buy Scottish Premier League club Rangers.

Rangers close in on takeover deal with Charles Green thought to be administrators’ preferred bidder
Former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green looks set to be announced as preferred bidder in 10am press conference.

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Man City will clinch title - Lee
Francis Lee, a member of the last City side to be crowned champions, says Roberto Mancini’s team will repeat the feat by beating QPR

Green’s offer for Rangers accepted

• Green has exclusive period to attempt to purchase club
• Deal could settle long-running doubt over club’s future

A consortium headed by the former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green have had an offer accepted for Rangers.

Rangers administrators Duff and Phelps confirmed this morning, on the eve of Rangers’ final game of the season, that the group fronted by Green had been given the go-ahead.

In a statement on the club’s official website, the joint administrator David Whitehouse said: “We are very pleased to announce that we have accepted an offer from a consortium headed by Mr Charles Green for the purchase of Rangers Football Club.

“Mr Green has secured, via a substantial financial commitment, a period of exclusivity to complete the purchase of the club and this is expected to be finalised at a creditors’ meeting on 6 June.

“The structure and quantum of the offer from Mr Green is such that it is acceptable to us as administrators and, having been in discussions with major creditors throughout the process, we believe this presents the best prospect of financial recovery for creditors.”

The announcement looks to have finally settled the long-running doubt over the Ibrox club’s future. Rangers entered administration in February, and players agreed to defer wages up to 75% in order to keep the club going, while they have also been hit with a points deduction and a 12-month transfer ban, though they have appealed against the second of those sanctions.

Potential bidders have come and gone, with the American tycoon Bill Miller being named the administrators’ preferred bidder before withdrawing from the process, while the Blue Knights, the apparent supporters’ choice, have entered a war of words with the administrators over their bid.

Their failure to secure preferred bidder status has opened the door for Green, and he said this morning: “I am delighted our proposal to purchase Rangers has been accepted and we are working night and day to finalise matters.

“This is a great football club with a tremendous history and we will preserve that while building a solid platform for the future. Rangers supporters have every right to believe their club should be a success on and off the pitch and that is exactly what we will strive to achieve.

“At all times we will make decisions that are in the best interests of the club. Not every decision at a club can be popular but I can tell every Rangers fan now that whatever decision is taken they will always be told the truth.

“We will do everything in our power to achieve a CVA [Company Voluntary Arrangement] and we already have a detailed written commitment from Mr Craig Whyte for the transfer of his shareholding.

“I look forward to working with everyone at Rangers, staff, players and supporters, in building a better future. It’s what this great club deserves.”

Takeover deal for Rangers agreed
Former Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green agrees a deal to buy Scottish Premier League club Rangers.

Steven Fletcher snubbed by Levein
Steven Fletcher will not play again for Scotland while Craig Levein is manager of the national side, the SFA confirms.

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