MOYES EYES BRITISH MARKET

Real Sociedad manager David Moyes says he will look to the British market to add to his squad during the January transfer window.
 
Moyes was appointed as Sociedad boss in November after an ill-fated tenure at Manchester United.
From his six La Liga games in charge, the club have claimed two victories, three draws and a defeat - with their most recent outing resulting in an impressive 1-0 home success over Barcelona on Sunday.
Moyes has also overseen progression to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, but with Sociedad still just four points above the drop zone in the league, Moyes is targeting some new acquisitions.
And with 16 years' worth of managerial experience at Preston North End, Everton and United, Moyes has suggested he will utilise the market he is most familiar with.
"If there's one market I know best at the moment then it's the British market," he told Sky Sports.
"That's not to say the only players we would look to bring in would be from the UK. We've got our own scouting network working in Spain and abroad.
"I'd like to add one or two to the squad, but on loan if it can be done. I've got one or two in mind and maybe some from back home who would like the opportunity to come and play in Spain.

"You never know. January is never a great time for transfers. It can be difficult. If they're the right ones to add I'd be keen to bring them in."

VICTOR ENYEAMA ADDS ANOTHER FEATHER TO HIS CAP

Naija's finest 2014!!!
Juuvi Soccer wishes you more achievements.

ASIAN CUP POSES DUAL CHALLENGE FOR AUSTRALIA

The 2015 Asian Cup could double as Australia's coming-of-age in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), nine years after they joined.
 
Australia's membership of the AFC has not always been welcomed by the other members but hosting the Asian Cup, which starts on Friday, provides the great southern continent with an opportunity to mend bridges.
Whether justified or otherwise, Australia have often been accused of arrogance in Asia, while other AFC members seem to resent the arrival of another powerful team in their confederation.
Having never won a major tournament - apart from the Oceania Nations Cup - many local fans will consider success in the final on January 31 as the key for Australia.
But for many pundits, including former Australia international Craig Foster, the long-term benefits of hosting the continental championships are about more than on-field results.
"The minimum [required to declare the tournament success] is for Australia to emerge in a few weeks' time with a better understanding of who we are, of the cultures that make up our region, and to demonstrate to hundreds of millions of neighbours that we have become part of Asia as an equal, neither above nor below," Foster wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Australia will enter the tournament with just two wins from 11 games since coach Ange Postecoglou took over - including three losses at last year's World Cup - but past history indicates hosting the Asian Cup could set them up for a promising tournament.
In the past 15 Asian Cups, the hosts have only missed out on the semi-finals five times, while six teams have won on their home turf.
With Australia having reached the final four years ago in Qatar, losing 1-0 to Japan in extra time, Postecoglou's side will be aiming high when they take on Kuwait in the tournament's opening game in Melbourne on Friday.
The hosts are also grouped with Oman and regular Asian Cup contender South Korea, while Group B includes Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, China and North Korea.
Group C involves four West Asian teams - Iran, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, while reigning champions Japan feature in Group D alongside Jordan, Iraq and Palestine.
The achievement of Palestine to qualify for their maiden Asian Cup appearance cannot be underestimated due to the discrimination, travel restrictions and violence they face in their homeland.
Simply putting a team together is a success for Palestine, with expats from countries as varied as Sweden, Chile and Slovenia amongst the squad.
From war-torn Palestine to ex-Soviet state Uzbekistan, isolated North Korea to modern Japan, the AFC is one of the most intriguing confederations in world football.

Australia will do well to learn each of their neighbours' stories over the next month if they are to prove themselves to be a genuine part of the AFC.

MANCINI TARGETS ANOTHER WINGER

Inter coach Roberto Mancini wants to add another winger to his squad after acquiring Lukas Podolski on loan from Arsenal.
Podolski completed his first training session in Milan on Monday, thrashing a shot into the top corner during a practice match in a decent showing from the German.
The 29-year-old spent the weekend in Milan but could not train with his new team-mates due to delays with the necessary paperwork.
Mancini named his 25-man squad after training for Inter's trip to Juventus on Tuesday and Podolski made the cut, although the coach insisted his new acquisition will not start, declaring "he'll definitely sit on the bench".
The former Manchester City and Galatasaray boss wants to do more business in January, claiming he needs another winger to complement Podolski.
 
Inter have been linked with Bayern Munich's Xherdan Shaqiri, Ezequiel Lavezzi of Paris Saint-Germain and Hajduk Split youngster Tino-Sven Susic, and although Mancini seemed interested with all three on Monday.
"We needed two wide players and Podolski is one of them. He's 29 years old and has a wealth of experience so I hope he can make a telling contribution to the team," the 50-year-old said.
"Shaqiri is another who could do a job for us but he's a Bayern Munich player. He's a young guy so it's an interesting one for the future, too.
"Lavezzi? Look, he's a PSG player and I think that's a difficult one for us. I don't know what's going to happen, so let's see. Susic is a young player with great quality – he has a big future ahead of him."
Inter currently languish 11th in the Serie A standings, with a solitary league win since Mancini returned for a second spell at the helm in November.
Mancini's men face a tough test in their first league fixture since the winter break with Serie A leaders Juventus awaiting them in the Derby d'Italia.
But Mancini wants his team to believe in themselves and not go into the match taking too much notice of the 18-point gap between them and Juventus.
"We're Inter – we're a big club – and we play every match to win. We might not always end up on the winning side but it's important to have a certain mentality," Mancini said.
"Getting a result in such a big match would give the team a massive boost.

"When the time comes tomorrow, I don't want to see a team that goes out onto the pitch thinking it's an impossible task. I don't think there is the distance between Juventus and Inter that the league standings of the last few years would seem to indicate."

FIFA ELECTIONS NOT PERSONAL - CHAMPAGNE

Jerome Champagne feels the race for the FIFA presidency should not become personal after Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein put his name forward.
 
Champagne confirmed last year that he would be running against Sepp Blatter for the world football governing body's top job.
Blatter and FIFA as a whole have come in for criticism in recent times, with the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups coming under intense scrutiny amid accusations of corruption.
Earlier on Tuesday, Al Hussein announced he would also be standing in a bid to "shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport".
In response to that claim, Champagne released a statement of his own, and heeded a warning about the election turning into a personal battle.
"As I have been saying consistently, the 2015 election is not about personal ambitions or fights between institutions," he said.
"It is about football, its governance but also its future with a clear choice:
- Growing polarisation and inequalities. Or universality;
- Continued inner rivalries and image problems for FIFA and football. Or reconciliation, inclusion and re-building of the reputation;
- Risk of losing control on the game taken away by those wishing to serve themselves. Or stronger governance to serve football at national, continental and world levels as well as the national FAs, the members of FIFA.
"It is about evolution for what needs imperatively to be changed in the future and about continuity for what has been done correctly in the past!
"It is about platforms, concrete proposals and visions! Mine are known, clear and public.
"So let's wait for the release of the other alleged candidates' programmes and let's start the democratic and fair debate that I have been calling upon since the first day of my campaign on 20th January 2014!

"The debate we all and football need."

BLANC SATISFIED WITH PSG

Laurent Blanc hailed Paris-Saint Germain's professionalism after his side overcame a bumpy pitch to beat Montpellier in the Coupe de France.
 
Goals from Clement Chantome, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lucas Moura at Altrad Stadium were enough to secure the capital club's place in the round of 32 on Monday.
The pitch at the Altrad Stadium in Montpellier - the local rugby venue - was less than ideal but Blanc was delighted it didn't stop his player's getting the job done.
Montpellier's regular home ground - the Stade de la Mosson - was unavailable due to flood damage.
"I am satisfied with everything, especially the game put on by both teams, because on a pitch like that, it is hardly possible to offer a good game," Blanc told Eurosport.
"There was commitment and opportunities. For that alone, the game was interesting. It was important for us to start on a positive note and we did that."
It has been a tumultuous week for the Parisian side after South American duo Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi were both fined and banned for two matches after returning late from the Christmas break.
However, Blanc is confident the victory over Montpellier will galvanise his side as they turn their attention to a Ligue 1 clash with struggling Bastia on Saturday.
"I really hope that despite our small problems right now, this victory will help to strengthen the group," Blanc said.
"Now we have to do it again on Saturday against Bastia. The best answer is to be good on the ground."
Goalscorer Lucas Moura echoed his coach's sentiments, insisting the win can act as a catalyst for a strong run of form for the reigning Ligue 1 champions, who currently sit third on the table.
"I think we had a good game, because it is always very difficult to play against Montpellier, a team that defends well," the Brazilian said.

"We must play like this more often and give everything together. If we continue to play like that, we can go very far."

SKRTEL WANTS FA CUP FOR DEPARTING GERRARD

Martin Skrtel is determined to help Steven Gerrard lift the FA Cup in his last season as a Liverpool player.
Gerrard announced last weekend that he would depart Anfield at the end of the current campaign, and subsequently revealed the United States to be his destination.
 
The announcement took many in the sport by surprise, including team-mate Skrtel, who believes the 34-year-old will leave a huge void.
"I found out when I read the newspapers," he told the Liverpool Echo. "I was shocked to be honest.
"He's been here for such a long time and when he's not here after this season it's going to be different. It won't be the same.
'It will be difficult without him. He's the leader on the pitch. He's a great player and a nice guy as well.
"We will miss him both on and off the pitch. It will be really difficult to replace him.
"He has made his decision and we have to respect it. It's up to him and his family. He knows what is best for them.
"We wish him all the best in the next stage of his career.
Gerrard scored both Liverpool goals in a 2-1 FA Cup third-round win at AFC Wimbledon on Monday.
The final of this year's Cup takes place on Gerrard's 35th birthday, and Skrtel hopes Liverpool can go all the way for their departing skipper.
"Stevie showed [on Monday] how important he is for us," he added. "He showed his quality with two great goals and proved what a great player he still is.
"It would be nice if we can win the FA Cup. We want Stevie to finish this career here with another trophy.

"There is a long way to go in the competition but we will try our best."