Edwin van der Sar may not have signed off from international football in the way he would have liked, but he remains proud of his achievements for his country which included a record 128 caps.
The Dutch skipper did his utmost to keep Holland in their Euro 2008 quarter-final tie with Russia on Saturday night after a surprisingly poor display from the Oranje, who had set the tournament alight during the group stages.
But Van der Sar was powerless to stop Guus Hiddink's side progressing to the last four thanks to two extra-time goals, giving them a 3-1 victory overall.
"I had the feeling that we could have saved the day if it had gone to a penalty shoot-out, but that was all gone after they scored their second goal," admitted the 37-year-old. "I think we had a great tournament and unfortunately we couldn't produce the level of play that we did in the first two games [against Italy and France].
"We created too few chances ourselves and gave too much away. Russia played very well, we did not - and that hurts. You have one bad game in the knockout stages and you are out. That's the way it is.
"These are the tournaments I will miss most, they are the nicest to experience," added van der Sar, who also hinted next season will be his last at Old Trafford. "I have reached quarter-finals and semi-finals, but that's not enough. You always want more than that. Every two years there is only one team that wins the tournament, and in my playing days that has not been for me to experience. But I have enjoyed it, that's for sure."
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Monday, June 23, 2008
Real will pay 'whatever it takes' for Ronaldo
Real Madrid are prepared to smash the world transfer record with an £80 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo after the Spanish club's manager, Bernd Schuster, said they would "pay whatever it takes" to lure the Portuguese winger from Old Trafford. With the Spanish champions also offering to pay Ronaldo £182,000-a-week after tax, the potential deal is nearly double what is currently the biggest transfer in football history which occured when Zinedine Zidane joined Madrid from Juventus for £46 million in 2001. With Ronaldo having announced his "dream" of joining Madrid, the club expect the 23-year-old to force United's hand over the sale, or put in a transfer request. Madrid may offer a cash-plus-player deal involving Wesley Sneijder or Robinho.
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Sunday, June 22, 2008
Schuster urges Real Madird to dig deep for Ronaldo
Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has urged his club to 'pay what is necessary' to take Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu.
United continue to insist the winger is not for sale, but with Ronaldo refusing to publicly commit to the European champions a move may be on the cards.
A world-record transfer fee of 100 million euros has been talked about and Schuster insists the Primera Liga champions must be ready to dig deep.
'For a player of his kind of level, we must pay what is necessary,' he told German television channel DSF.
'Because, for us what is most important is to win the Champions League and he can help us achieve that.'
United have reported the Spanish club to world governing body FIFA over what they consider to be attempts to unsettle the player.
And the Madrid boss admitted he would have behaved similarly with such a vital player as Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals in all competitions last season.
'When you have a player of such quality nobody wants to let him go,' he added.
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United continue to insist the winger is not for sale, but with Ronaldo refusing to publicly commit to the European champions a move may be on the cards.
A world-record transfer fee of 100 million euros has been talked about and Schuster insists the Primera Liga champions must be ready to dig deep.
'For a player of his kind of level, we must pay what is necessary,' he told German television channel DSF.
'Because, for us what is most important is to win the Champions League and he can help us achieve that.'
United have reported the Spanish club to world governing body FIFA over what they consider to be attempts to unsettle the player.
And the Madrid boss admitted he would have behaved similarly with such a vital player as Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals in all competitions last season.
'When you have a player of such quality nobody wants to let him go,' he added.
Read more...
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Ronaldo and United at odds over Real transfer
The battle of wills between Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United looks set to continue for some time as the in-demand winger signalled his intention to 'take advantage of a great opportunity' - just hours after the club insisted any offers for the player will fall on deaf ears.
The double winners felt obliged yesterday to post a 'not for sale' notice on their club website as speculation - fanned by the player's own comments immediately after Portugal's exit from Euro 2008 - increased about his future.
However, the player has now gone even further by claiming he will follow the example of his national team boss Luiz Felipe Scolari and seize a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Scolari will take over at Chelsea next month having decided midway through the country's European Championship campaign he wanted to move back into club management.
And Ronaldo said he cannot pass up a 'great opportunity'.
'It [moving to Real] is a dream, a step forward, you can call it what you want,' he said in The Times.
'For me it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it.
'That is why he took advantage of his change. Other people have to take advantage of opportunities, too.'
Asked whether he was concerned his actions would upset United manager Sir Alex Ferguson the winger added: 'It is my opinion. That is why I don't mind if people get upset.
'It is my decision. It is what I want. I don't know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think.'
Ronaldo's United contract runs until 2012 and the club are anxious to dissuade any possible suitors.
The statement on their website, yesterday said: 'Further to Friday's press speculation about where Cristiano Ronaldo's future lies, the club has moved to reiterate its stance on the matter: United are not listening to offers.'
Just as mysterious as Ronaldo's future appears to be, so does a foot problem last season's 42-goal scorer has suffered.
After Portugal exited Euro 2008 this week, Ronaldo claimed he needed an immediate operation as he had been troubled by the injury for three months.
He intimated that he would liaise with United's medical team in the next few days.
Portuguese Football Federation spokesman Onofre Costa told PA Sport: 'Ronaldo has already said he had an injury a couple of months ago.
'But the federation cannot confirm or deny that he's going to have surgery. It is down to his club or the player to decide.'
Real Madrid have made no secret of their desire to sign Ronaldo with United reporting the Spanish club to world governing body FIFA over what they considered attempts to unsettle the player.
Yet despite United's determination to keep their star player, Ronaldo has refused to confirm his commitment to the club since speculation over his future began soon after last month's Champions League final.
Read more...
The double winners felt obliged yesterday to post a 'not for sale' notice on their club website as speculation - fanned by the player's own comments immediately after Portugal's exit from Euro 2008 - increased about his future.
However, the player has now gone even further by claiming he will follow the example of his national team boss Luiz Felipe Scolari and seize a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Scolari will take over at Chelsea next month having decided midway through the country's European Championship campaign he wanted to move back into club management.
And Ronaldo said he cannot pass up a 'great opportunity'.
'It [moving to Real] is a dream, a step forward, you can call it what you want,' he said in The Times.
'For me it is a great opportunity and, as Scolari says, that train passes by only once and we have to take advantage of it.
'That is why he took advantage of his change. Other people have to take advantage of opportunities, too.'
Asked whether he was concerned his actions would upset United manager Sir Alex Ferguson the winger added: 'It is my opinion. That is why I don't mind if people get upset.
'It is my decision. It is what I want. I don't know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think.'
Ronaldo's United contract runs until 2012 and the club are anxious to dissuade any possible suitors.
The statement on their website, yesterday said: 'Further to Friday's press speculation about where Cristiano Ronaldo's future lies, the club has moved to reiterate its stance on the matter: United are not listening to offers.'
Just as mysterious as Ronaldo's future appears to be, so does a foot problem last season's 42-goal scorer has suffered.
After Portugal exited Euro 2008 this week, Ronaldo claimed he needed an immediate operation as he had been troubled by the injury for three months.
He intimated that he would liaise with United's medical team in the next few days.
Portuguese Football Federation spokesman Onofre Costa told PA Sport: 'Ronaldo has already said he had an injury a couple of months ago.
'But the federation cannot confirm or deny that he's going to have surgery. It is down to his club or the player to decide.'
Real Madrid have made no secret of their desire to sign Ronaldo with United reporting the Spanish club to world governing body FIFA over what they considered attempts to unsettle the player.
Yet despite United's determination to keep their star player, Ronaldo has refused to confirm his commitment to the club since speculation over his future began soon after last month's Champions League final.
Read more...
Friday, June 20, 2008
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