JOAKIM LOW: Madrid selling Ozil is incomprehensible

The 24-year-old joined the north London club for a club record fee of €50 million after making 159 appearances for the Spanish giants, and Low simply cannot understand why los Blancos chose to get rid of him.

"For me, it is a bit incomprehensible that Real Madrid would get rid of one of their best players, who is of a high quality and looked more decisive than ever last season," Low told reporters.

"Mesut still needs to feel as though he has complete confidence from his coach.

"From what I heard from Madrid ahead of the transfer, you could feel that the trust was no longer there 100 per cent. Arsenal tried hard to sign him. That did him good.

"Ozil's Arsenal move will be a good transfer for the national team because he will play for a team which has an overall great technique - that is good for him."

Germany will be without Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze for their crucial World Cup qualifiers starting this week, and Low admits he is anxious over the midfielder's fitness following injury problems earlier this year.

"For him it's really bad, for Bayern as well, suffering another major injury, shortly after recovering from a previous one. He will have to fight back," Low said.
"I hope he finds his rhythm back quickly and he will be an outstanding player.
"In 2012 he suffered the same with being out for six months. Now the World Cup is coming closer, so we really hope he won’t be injured too much and too often.

Ronaldo: I really miss Manchester United

7

The 28-year-old winger admits he still holds the Old Trafford club in his heart following a six-year stay but insists he is enjoying life in Spain and playing for Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo admits he misses Manchester United and English football but insists he is happy with life at Real Madrid.

The 28-year-old Portugal captain has been strenuously linked with a return to Old Trafford this summer where he spent six-years before moving to the Berbabeu for a world record 80 million pounds in 2009.

Ronaldo won eight trophies and scored over 100 goals in his time with United and while conceding he is still emotionally attached to the club, he is happy with life in Spain.

"I miss English football," said Ronaldo, speaking at a promotional event in Singapore. "For me, it was one of the best years in my career when I was there in Manchester United. Everyone knows that it is a club that is still in my heart and I really, really miss.

"But now my life is in Spain. I am enjoying playing there too."

Ronaldo wouldn't rule out a return to Manchester.

"Part of my life is there, but in the future we never know," Ronaldo said. "I am really, really happy in the Spanish league."

MANCHESTER-UINGEREZA,
Sir Alex Ferguson ametangaza kustaafu kuifundisha Manchester United baada ya miaka 27 ndani ya Old Trafford.

Taarifa za Fergie kutaka kustaafu zilianza kuzagaa tangu jana mchana na usiku zikazidi lakini hakuna habari yoyote rasmi iliyotoka United mpaka leo asubuhi.
Ferguson aliwasili kazini kama kawaida asubuhi akiendesha gari lake katika uwanja wa mazoezi wa United wa Carrington mnamo saa kumi na mbili.

Akitangaza uamuzi wake wa kustaafu alisema: "Uamuzi huu nimeufikiria sana na sikukurupuka. Ni muda sahihi.
'Ilikuwa ni muhimu kuiacha taasisi hii ikiwa katika hali nzuri na imara na ninaamini nimefanya kazi nzuri sana. Ubora wa kikosi hiki kilichoshinda ligi, na uwiano wa umri wa wachezaji unaonyesha kutaendelea kuwepo na mafanikio katika hatua ya juu - mfumo mzuri wa kukuza vipaji unatoa picha nzuri ya mafanikio ya siku zijazo ya klabu.

'Kutokea hapa, nina furaha kuchukua majukumu ya ukurugenzi na ubalozi wa klabu hii. Sasa naangalia mbele kuzitendea haki kazi zangu.

'Lazima niipe shukrani familia yangu, mapenzi yao na sapoti imekuwa muhimu sana kwangu. Mke wangu Cathy amekuwa mtu muhimu katika maisha yangu yote, kunipa moyo pale mambo yalipokuwa hayaendi sawa na kunisapoti. Maneno hayatoshi kuelezea namna gani wakati huu ulivyo kwangu.

'Kwa wachezaji wangu na wafanyakazi wengine wa klabu, wa sasa na zamani, ningependa kuwashukuru kwa kazi nzuri tuliyofanya pamoja iliyonisaidia kuleta kumbukumbu nyingi za ushindi zisizosahaulika. Bila mchango wao historia ya klabu hii kubwa isingekuwa tajiri kiasi hiki.

'Katika miaka yangu ya mwanzo hapa, utetezi wa bodi kwangu, na Sir Bobby Charlton zaidi, ulinipa hali ya kujiamini na muda wa kujenga timu ya soka.

'Katika kipindi cha muongo mmoja uliopita, familia ya Glazer imenipa kila kitu nilichohitaji katika kuiongoza Manchester United kwa ubora wote na nimekuwa nina bahati sana kuweza kufanya kazi na mtu mwenye kipaji na mwaminifu kama CEO David Gill, Nina washukuru sana.

'Kwa mashabiki, shukrani sana. Mapenzi na sapoti mliyonipa miaka yote siwezi kuielezea. Imekuwa ni heshima kubwa sana kuweza kuiongoza klabu yenu na nimekuwa na ufahari wa muda wangu kama kocha wa Manchester United." alimaliza Ferguson.

(CHANZO:SHAFFIH DAUDA,BBC)

PREVIEW-SUNDERLAND VS MANCHESTER UNITED

Saturday 30 March 2013 | Stadium of Light | Kick-off 12:45

SUNDERLAND

MAN UTD

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Fixture change notice

This fixture was arranged to be played at Stadium of Light on Saturday 30 March 2013 at 15:00. Due to live broadcasting on Sky Sports. it has been moved to a new scheduled date Saturday 30 March 2013 at 12:45.

Check this fixture's TV & Radio listings for updated live coverage information.

Complete change history for this fixture | Subscribe to change alert emails

• MATCH PREVIEW
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Videos

28 March: Martin O'Neill press conference

  

29 March: Sir Alex Ferguson press conference

Match preview

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill: "Injury gives someone else a chance. Who wouldn't want to play United?"

Martin O'Neill has doubts over David Vaughan and Stephane Sessegnon. Vaughan returned early from international duty with Wales nursing a groin problem, while striker Sessegnon did not even meet up with Benin because of a similar injury, and both are being assessed. Carlos Cuellar has been ruled out with the ankle problem he suffered in the 1-1 draw with Norwich and joins Lee Cattermole (knee surgery) and Steven Fletcher (ankle ligaments), who will both miss the rest of the season, on the sidelines.

Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Westwood, Bardsley, Rose, O'Shea, Kilgallon, Bramble, Mangane, N'Diaye, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Larsson, Johnson, Vaughan, Sessegnon, Graham, Wickham.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "I don't think we expected to have this kind of lead but we have to take advantage of that and win our next game."

Nani (hamstring), Phil Jones (ankle) and Paul Scholes (knee) have recovered from their knocks and could be involved at the Stadium of Light. Javier Hernandez and Antonio Valencia are likely to be excused because of their lengthy travels during the international break.

Man Utd (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Amos, Rafael, Smalling, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Buttner, Giggs, Valencia, Scholes, Carrick, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Kagawa, Nani, Welbeck, Rooney, Hernandez, Van Persie.

Match Appointments
Referee: Kevin Friend. Assistant Referees; J Flynn, D England. Fourth Official: L Mason.

Match predictions:
FIFA 13: 1-4; Don Hutchison: 0-1; Dean Sturridge: 0-1. Can you beat the experts? Make your prediction below in the Barclays FanZone.

Sunderland

Manager: Martin O'Neill

Man Utd

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson