THE FINAL THIRD

I love when clubs start coming out with their 3rd kit / jersey or the so called European jersey. The reigning Premier League and FA Cup champions have not disappointed us with the release of the 2011 Chelsea 3rd jersey / kit! As is the case with the design of many third kits Chelsea went with a bright fluorescent look in Green that really woks. You may see this jersey in Champions League play but rarely in the Premier League

According to Spanish daily ‘Sport’, Chelsea have submitted an offer to secure the services of former Barcelona technical secretary Txiki Begiristain. The 45-year-old is a former Barcelona player and Spanish international. He was brought into the Nou Camp as technical secretary in 2003 in order to end a barren four seasons without a trophy and has since helped bring incredible success for the Catalans. Begiristain has overseen the transfers of influential stars such as Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o during his time at the Nou Camp.

His last contribution to the club was the summer signing of David Villa . Begiristain left the Nou Camp following the end of Joan Laporta’s term as president. Now, ‘Sport’ reports that Begiristain has received “a significant offer” from Premier League champions Chelsea to become the club’s sporting director. Chelsea are desperate to capture the Champions League and would hope that Begiristain can help Carlo Ancelotti strengthen his squad in order to do so. The Stamford Bridge club reportedly want an answer from Begiristain by September.

Source: IMS Scouting

Cheryl looking fantastic!

After numerous cock ups over the last couple of years you start to wonder how dumb some footballers can be. Ashley Cole and one of his Chelsea teammates are among the least intelligent we can think of. That’s for another post though, let’s stick to Ashley for now.

After getting caught sending naked pics of himself to some some skanky lingerie model you start to wonder if this guy is dumb or is he just so miserable at home that he is starving for some love. We all understand that life can get a little dull when you come home to a women that is wearing on your eyes and has nothing going on. If that were the case then I could see a guy like Ashley wanting to delve into some new options.

Let’s take a look at what Ashley was coming home to though.

Let’s put beauty aside, we can safely say that Cheryl Cole is extremely hot. That said Cheryl Cole was paid a whopping half million dollars for a 30-minute performance at a luxury hotel in Cannes.

The ‘Parachute’ hitmaker who recently split from husband, footballer Ashley Cole, saw her fortune soar by 150 per cent last year and she is roping in millions with private performances.

The 26-year-old will also make the brief appearance at a Cannes dinner and party hosted by luxury jewellery firm de Grisogono, reported Daily Mail online.

She is also believed to be receiving jewellery for her effort at the Hotel du Cap, where guests will include fashion figures Naomi Campbell and Margerita Missoni.

It is the latest money-spinning deal the star has secured. She earned $ 2 million for the last series of the TV talent show ‘X-Factor’, a figure that is expected to rise this year.

She has also signed deals worth $ 1 million each with L’Oreal and Coca-Cola Zero, and seen her debut solo album, 3 Words, go to No.1 all of which has helped take her fortune from 8 million to 15 million.

Her wealth has landed her a spot on the Rich List for musicians aged under 30.

On top of all that she tried to look past a few of Ashley’s first couple indiscretions. Yo Ashley wake up man, if it wasn’t for John Terry you would probably win sleeze of the year.

photo via kickette

The Special One is at it again

Well he is at it again and this time he is definitely not holding any punches. Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho says the Champions League is bigger than the World Cup. I know it sounds a bit crazy but he does have a decent point.

Inter plays Bayern Munich in the final in Madrid on Saturday.
“This game is the most important in the world,” Mourinho said on Tuesday. “It is even bigger than the World Cup because the teams in it are at a higher level than national teams, who can’t buy the best players.

“If you hold it to be important, you have to transmit that to the players.”

Mourinho has led Inter to their first European Cup final since 1972, when they lost to Ajax. It is even longer since Inter last held the cup, in 1965.

After being eliminated in the first knockout round in the last two seasons, Inter ousted eventual English champion Chelsea, CSKA Moscow and defending European champion Barcelona to reach this year’s finale.

Following the second leg at Camp Nou, where Barcelona won 1-0, Inter was accused of playing overly negative football that lacked the flair of 2009 champion Barcelona. Mourinho vigorously defended his side.

“I think that this season I haven’t seen a match like the one between Inter and Barcelona at the San Siro,” Mourinho said. “I haven’t seen a team play the way we did.

“We attacked aggressively against the champion of Europe. We scored three goals against the champion of Europe.

“We won the tie in Barcelona, but everyone talks about Barcelona winning and says we parked the bus in front of the goal. We didn’t park the bus, we parked the airplane and we did it for two reasons. One, because we only had 10 men and two, because we beat them 3-1 at San Siro, not by parking the bus, or the boat or the airplane, but by smashing them at the San Siro.

“I haven’t seen anyone play the way we did against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea isn’t a small team, it is the champion of England and no one plays like that at Stamford Bridge. Only we have played two games of the level we did against Chelsea and against Barcelona.”

Inter and Munich will be missing important players. Inter is without midfielder Thiago Motta and Munich will line up without winger Franck Ribery, both of whom were sent off in the semifinals. “Motta’s absence is more important than that of Ribery for Munich,” Mourinho said. “He is a player who has played a Champions League final and would bring that experience with him. He gives our midfield balance and doesn’t give the ball away easily. It is a great shame that he isn’t playing and it only happened because a fellow player did not behave in the correct way.”

Both teams have concerns over flight plans to Spain, with the possibility that further volcanic ash from Iceland will cause havoc with flight schedules in the next few days.

Inter was due to fly to Madrid on Friday, but it may yet leave on Wednesday to avoid any possible ash disruption.

“The team has to travel tomorrow, but I would rather work here and travel the day before the match,” Mourinho said.

Decisions, decisions, that is the primary thought on the mind of one Michael Ballack. Germany captain Michael Ballack will decide on his footballing future after this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, the Chelsea midfielder revealed in an interview on Tuesday with German Press Agency dpa.

“I have to think over a few things but that was always the case,” said Ballack, who was ruled out of Germany’s squad on Monday after a scan showed he needs at least eight weeks to recover from an ankle ligament injury he sustained in last weekend’s FA Cup final win over Portsmouth.
“I want to be playing football again as soon as possible. I assume that I’ll be fit for the start of the season.”

Ballack’s contract with the newly crowned English Premier League champions runs out in the summer, but the 33-year-old remains confident he will stay at the London club.

“I reckon that I’ll extend my contract,” Ballack said from Germany’s training camp in Sciacca Sicily, where he will remain until Sunday.

Ballack has won 98 caps for Germany and was looking forward to a fourth and probably last finals appearance before Kevin Prince- Boateng’s tackle ended his dreams of playing in South Africa.

Boateng was booked for his challenge on Ballack, who tried to play on at Wembley but was replaced by Juliano Belletti just before the interval.

Germany have been drawn into World Cup Group D, which also includes Australia, Serbia and Ghana.