Lampard Aims To Have Shoot-On-Sight Policy

Frank Lampard believes he can take full advantage of the new and lighter World Cup ball to help England’s quest for glory in South Africa.

The Chelsea midfielder has already been practicing shooting from long range with the Jabulani ball during England’s training camp in Austria, and Lampard is confident in it being possible to score from almost any distance given the way the ball swerves and moves in the air.

Lampard said: “The ball we will be using does move. I worked on it in Austria.

Mikel - I Couldn't Risk Knee

John Obi Mikel admits he did not want to risk his knee injury after being ruled out of Nigeria's World Cup campaign.

The Chelsea midfielder was scratched from Lars Lagerback's 23-man squad for the tournament in South Africa on Saturday after failing to recover fully from a recent knee operation.

He missed the end of Chelsea's successful season after undergoing surgery, but was hoping to be fit to take his place in Nigeria's World Cup squad.

However, despite training fully with his team-mates on Friday, Mikel has confirmed he is not in a position to play in the World Cup finals.

Mikel told www.kickoff.com: "It is the same knee and I did not want to risk any further damage, also I think it is in the best interest of the team for me to withdraw rather than waste a slot.

"I wish the team good luck and I know that they will surprise people."

Nigeria coach Lagerback has acted immediately to replace Mikel by drafting uncapped Sochaux midfielder Brown Ideye into his squad.

The 21-year-old was one of the unlucky seven players to be dropped from the squad earlier this week when the Swede trimmed his list to 23.

The Nigerians wrap up their preparations for the finals with a friendly against North Korea in Johannesburg on Sunday.

After their opening Group B match against Argentina next Saturday in Johannesburg, Lagerback's team face Greece in Bloemfontein on 17th June before wrapping up their group matches with a match against South Korea in Durban five days later.

Arsenal Will Only Sign Joe Cole If The Chelsea Midfielder Drops Wage Demands By 50%

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will only sanction a move for Joe Cole if the England star drops his £120,000-a-week wage demands, and prove his long-term fitness.

Arsenal have jumped to the head of the queue of clubs lining up to secure Cole’s signature, but the club are unwilling to shatter their salary structure to tie up a deal for a player with a chequered recent fitness record.

Manchester United have also asked to be kept informed of developments and it is understood that Old Trafford would be Cole’s first choice of destination.

But United would be unwilling to give Cole the four-year contract that he is looking for, even though the 28-year-old is available on a free transfer.

The midfielder has already informed Chelsea that he intends to exercise his right to leave under freedom of contract.

Wenger is a big admirer of the player and exploratory talks have been held with Cole’s advisers but the Arsenal manager does not view the player in the same bracket as top earner Cesc Fabregas, who is on £110,000-a-week.

Although the Frenchman has a £45 million transfer kitty this summer, the figure is believed to cover first-year salaries as well as transfer fees.

If Fabregas moved to Barcelona it would remove the club’s highest earner from the wage bill, but Wenger is believed to be willing to sanction a deal that would provide Cole a basic £80,000-a-week with performance and appearance-related bonuses.

There is also concern at the Emirates Stadium regarding Cole’s fitness. The midfielder missed the second half of the 2008-09 season with knee ligament damage and, after missing the build-up to the current campaign, has suffered from a string of minor ailments and struggled to cement a place in Chelsea’s team.

Arsenal rejected the chance to sign Patrick Vieira on a free transfer last season because they were led to believe he would not pass a medical.

Cole has said that he will wait until after the World Cup to sort out his future but it is likely that the deal will be done before that time.

Chelsea Interested In Real Madrid Defender Sergio Ramos

Chelsea are hot on the heels of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to Sport.

The 24-year-old defender had been expected to be utilized by new Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho as a centre-back as he aims to bring in Maicon from Inter Milan for the right side of the defence.

However, reports in Spain claim that Chelsea are willing to lodge a €30 million offer to snare Ramos, who is part of La Furia Roja's squad for the World Cup in South Africa.

It is believed that Mourinho is reluctant to part with Ramos, but the Spaniard's sale could pave the way for the signing of Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini, a top target for the Special One, according to recent speculation.

Ramos has been with the Merengues since 2005, when he completed a €28m move from Sevilla.

Didier Drogba To Return To Ivory Coast Squad

Didier Drogba will rejoin the Ivory Coast's World Cup squad today after weekend surgery on a fractured arm.

However, it is still not clear whether the African Footballer of the Year will be fit to play in the Group G match against Portugal in Port Elizabeth next week.

Drogba fractured the ulna, or inner bone, of his right forearm in a warm-up match against Japan in Switzerland on Friday. The striker had surgery in Berne on Saturday, an operation doctors described as successful.

"His recovery has been extremely encouraging. It is suggested that, at this stage, all the signs are good and there is great hope the captain of the Elephants will be in action with his team-mates as soon as possible," a spokesman for the Ivorian Football Federation said.

The Ivorians depart for South Africa on Wednesday. They conclude their preparations in Switzerland with a friendly against Lausanne Sports in Nyon tomorrow.

Benayoun Considering Options After Benitez Departure

Yossi Benayoun has made it clear that he wants to sign for Chelsea, and the two clubs are continuing a dialogue over his transfer.

A source close to Benayoun's proposed move to Stamford Bridge told Soccernet: "Talks are ongoing, and Yossi has made it clear that he would like to sign for Chelsea.

"However, who knows how the departure of Rafael Benitez will affect the move from Liverpool to Chelsea.

"The problem though, is that Yossi didn't play all the games at Anfield, and won't play all the time at Chelsea!"

"It is no secret that the player did not get on with the manager, and there was nothing more to it than the fact that Yossi thought he was playing well enough to have been in the starting line up far more often than he was.

"For that reason he wanted to quit Liverpool for Chelsea, but now that Benitez has gone, who knows, he might change his mind?"

It appears that Chelsea have intimated that they would make an initial offer of around £4 million while Liverpool are holding out for £6 million, so with the two clubs apparently close in valuation a deal is likely.

Benayoun is viewed as a replacement for Joe Cole, who cannot agree a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Cole asked for £120,000 a week in wages but will now be available on a free transfer, with a number of Premier League clubs chasing his signature.

Having said no to Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham, it leaves clubs like Spurs and Manchester City still in the frame to sign Cole once the World Cup finals are over.

Benayoun has three years left on his £75,000-a-week deal at Anfield, and would be a much cheaper option than re-signing Cole.

The Israel international is due back from a holiday to finalize personal terms with Chelsea next week, along as the Blues meet the £6 million asking price.

Cole Conundrum Continues As Wenger And Ferguson Pull The Plug

According to ESPN, Arsenal FC and Manchester United are no longer in the running for Chelsea FC midfielder Joe Cole. Sir Alex Ferguson and his Premier League counterpart Arsene Wenger have been strongly linked with the 28-year-old Stamford Bridge star, and although there is also interest from Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, early reports suggested the Gunners and Red Devils were the frontrunners.

Reports over the weekend now suggest Manchester United and Arsenal FC have pulled out of the running due to their reluctance to match the Chelsea FC star’s lofty wage demands. Cole is believed to have encountered similar problems while trying to negotiate an extension at Stamford Bridge, but Carlo Ancelotti, like Wenger and Ferguson, has been reluctant to match his alleged £120,000 a week demands. The news will boost Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur’s purported efforts to lure Cole to the City of Manchester Stadium and White Hart Lane respectively, as Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp remain intent of signing Cole.

Cole remains resigned to leaving Chelsea FC due in part to the club’s reluctance to match his demands but in the main, the 28-year-old is concerned by his peripheral role under Carlo Ancelotti. With Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal FC’s Arsene Wenger no longer in the running, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur look set for a straight shootout for his coveted signature.

A source close to the player told Soccernet: “My information is that Joe Cole will not be going to Arsenal or to Manchester United, despite being linked with both of these clubs.”

“Joe Cole has a few options, and has not made up his mind, and will do so when he returns from South Africa. It is still possible that he could decide to stay at Chelsea but that is only a small chance.”

Malouda - France Have Problems

Florent Malouda admits France have 'a lot of problems to fix' and believes leaders need to step up.

Les Bleus have enjoyed considerable success at recent World Cups, taking the title on home soil in 1998 and reaching the final in Germany four years ago.

They also tasted European Championship glory in 2000, with their golden generation sweeping all before them.

Serious cracks have started to appear, though, with a dismal showing at Euro 2008 suggesting they are no longer a force to be reckoned.

Success brings with it great expectation and France have failed to live up to their billing over recent years.

Chelsea winger Malouda accepts as much as he readies himself for this summer's World Cup in South Africa, but he is confident Raymond Domenech has enough quality at his disposal to make amends over the coming weeks.

"The problem is, after what we did in 2006 - and of course there was a great generation in 1998 and 2000 - expectations are very high," Malouda told The Guardian.

"And the Euro in 2008 was a disaster. So when you are in a bad situation everything is coming out and people are pointing the finger.

"The World Cup is really close and honestly we have a lot of problems to fix. When there is tension, when there are high-pressure games, you need characters. You need people to come out and say 'I will take responsibility'."

He added: "Honestly we have a lot of problems. We have to talk about a lot of things. But for that you need someone to take the first step. Guys like (Patrick) Vieira and (Claude) Makelele who can take the lead. If they are not there, somebody has to do it."

France will be looking to Malouda to provide an attacking spark this summer, with his domestic form at Chelsea over the second half of the season suggesting he could make a real impact in South Africa.

The former Lyon man believes he is ready to leave his mark on a major tournament, admitting that he finally feels settled at Stamford Bridge after three years in England.

"People had to get to know me and get used to the way I am. And I needed time to show what I can do." said Malouda.

"I came into a squad that had won a lot of titles with Jose Mourinho. To arrive in a team that has had great success but was on a down period, people expect a lot from you. I had to be patient.

"You know, I had five managers here and each time at the beginning they were trying things before I had their full confidence. I am really happy it is happening now and people can show me that love and affection the same as my team-mates."

Chelsea FC Turn Attention To Germany With Sportfive

Chelsea Football Club, winners of the Premier League and FA Cup, have announced two further European pre-season fixtures. The Double winners, who include the likes of England internationals John Terry and Frank Lampard, will play against Eintracht Frankfurt on 1st August and Hamburger SV on 4th August.

The Sports Promoters (TSP), a wholly owned subsidiary of the international sports agency Sportfive, will promote and organize the two German friendly matches. This will also include a mini training camp for Carlo Ancelotti's squad between games in Frankfurt.

Ron Gourlay, chief executive of Chelsea FC, said: "We are delighted to announce our agreement with Sportfive who will be arranging a major part of our pre-season activity. Following the World Cup, it is important for our players to prepare in the best possible environment and playing matches against opponents like Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV will ensure the team hits the ground running ahead of the start of the new season."

Vincent Tong-Cuong, chief operating officer of Sportfive International, said: "We are very pleased about having signed this agreement with Chelsea FC. They have played an outstanding season and the two friendlies will provide German football fans with another international highlight in this year's football calendar."

Philipp Hasenbein, chief executive, Sportfive Germany, added: "Thanks to our close partnership with the majority of Germany's top clubs we can bring them together with a renowned international opponent like Chelsea and make great events like these friendlies happen. Our subsidiary TSP specializes in the development, execution and organization of sporting events and will be organizing the visit to Germany."

The three European fixtures, including a game against Ajax in Amsterdam on the 23 July, will follow Chelsea's first pre-season match against local London side Crystal Palace on 17 July at the Eagle’s home ground, Selhurst Park.

Summary Of A Season: Joe Cole

The 28-year-old will probably admit it was a frustrating season for him as he struggled to cement a place in the starting 11, but he popped up at important times with some vital contributions, not least his opening goal at Old Trafford in April.

The 2009/10 campaign began with promise, as Joe returned to pre-season training with the rest of the squad in positive mood having recovered well from cruciate ligament damage in January 2009.

A setback was to follow though, and he missed the tour of America, not returning to first-team duty until late September, when he produced a sparkling captain's display against QPR in the Carling Cup, offering 'that bit of fantasy' Ray Wilkins had said he would.

His next three appearances were off the bench before starts against Blackburn and Bolton, both of which were impressively creative.

A first goal arrived in late November as Wolves were pulled apart, and a run of four successive league starts in December and January produced five assists, a goal of his own disallowed at Burnley for offside.

Constant speculation regarding Joe's future perhaps began to take its toll though, and from February onwards he was used more regularly as an impact substitute, his play creating further goals against Man City and Portsmouth before the season's highlight - that delicate, cheeky back-flick that gave us the lead at Old Trafford, before Didier Drogba smashed home to secure three huge points in the title race.

Three late sub appearances in the Premier League, and an FA Cup Final cameo against Portsmouth at Wembley allowed further contribution to a record-breaking Chelsea season, and a late inclusion in Fabio Capello's World Cup squad will have been a huge boost after almost two years out of the national setup.