5/12/2008
Afshin Afshar, lastkick.com

Habib Kashani, Perspolis FC’s President, was hospitalized after suffering chest pains.

Mr. Kashani who was attending the general assembly of the Iranian Professional League checked himself into a hospital after the meeting. According to a hospital spokesperson, Mr. Kashani, who suffers from partially blocked arteries, will undergo a coronary angioplasty procedure, and may still require surgery should the procedure prove unsuccessful.

Kashani had suffered a similar incident only a few weeks ago after a meeting at Perspolis FC headquarters, but was released from the hospital shortly after.

May 12,2008

MIDDLESBROUGH, England (AFP) - A policeman needed  hospital treatment after he was attacked by Manchester City fans at  Middlesbrough on Sunday. Violence flared between City supporters and police during a pitch invasion at the Riverside Stadium, with several officers injured during the skirmishes.

A Police spokesman said the trouble flared after a City fan grabbed a four foot long metal pole used to keep fans off the pitch. City lost 8-1 and seven visiting fans were arrested for public order offences.
(more…)

5/11/2008
by Mark Ogden

WIGAN, England (AFP) - Ryan Giggs secured Manchester United’s 17th English league title with the crucial second goal in a 2-0 win at Wigan on the day that he equalled Bobby Charlton’s 758-game all-time appearance record for the club.
(more…)

A place for non-football and/or random topic posts

Hi Lastkickers,

A few of you contacted me for a place where we could post random stuff. We had the Lastkick Forums for almost a year, but they didn’t seem to be too popular except for spammers who wanted to sell us all sorts of bizarre stuff which they claimed can help grow this and that!! Ahmm!!!!

So to accommodate your wishes I am creating this column that is to serve as a reservoir of random comments.

Meanwhile, if any of you is willing to take on the moderator responsibilities, contact us so we can talk. Maybe we can get the forum back up and going.

Thank you and enjoy the Beautiful Game

5/9/2008
By JOHN DUERDEN, Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)—The chaotic world of Iranian soccer is not often held aloft as an example for others to follow, but as far as FIFA is concerned, the English Premier League should be taking a page out of Tehran’s book.

Soccer’s world governing body has long wanted the world’s richest league to reduce the number of teams from 20 to 18 to free more time for international matches. England’s clubs have fiercely opposed any attempt to trim their numbers.
(more…)

Wed May 7, 2008

BSTSEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea, whose World Cup qualifier against South Korea in March was moved out of Pyongyang because it refused to fly the South’s flag, wants to play the second leg outside South Korea, an official said on Wednesday.

The communist North asked soccer’s governing body FIFA for the change in venue, but South Korea has no plans to give up hosting the June 22 match.
(more…)

5/8/2008

MADRID (AFP) - Less than 24 hours after their humiliating 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico Barcelona have announced that the club’s reserve team coach Pep Guardiola, a former player, will take over from Frank Rijkaard at the end of the season.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced the news on Thursday at a press conference as Rijkaard pays the price for two years without a trophy.

“The administration of the club has decided that at the end of this season Frank Rijkaard will cease to be the coach of Barcelona and the position will be occupied by Josep Guardiola,” Laporta said.
(more…)

Four-midable champions Real humiliate Barca
by Phil Seery

MADRID (AFP) - Three days after wrapping up the title Real Madrid showed Barcelona why they are the new Spanish champions crushing their arch rivals 4-1 in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

An 18th goal of the season for Real captain Raul, another Arjen Robben header and strikes from substitutes Gonzalo Higuain and Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured a historic league double for Real, who won 1-0 at Camp Nou back in December, as they humiliated Barca to cap a fine season.
(more…)

5/7/2008
the-afc.com

ALEPPO - Al Ittihad Aleppo fought back from a goal down to hand last year’s AFC Champions League finalists Sepahan a 2-1 defeat on Wednesday evening, ending the Iranian side’s hopes of progressing to the knockout phase and sending Kuruvchi into the quarter-finals.

Goals from Venezuelan pair Jonathan Perez and Jesus Gomez in four second half minutes denied Sepahan the win they needed to keep their chase of the Uzbeks alive going into the final round of matches.
(more…)

5/7/2008
the-afc.com

KARAJ - Iranian champions Saipa secured top spot in Group B to book their place in the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League with a 1-0 win over Kuwait Sports Club (KSC) on Wednesday evening.
(more…)