Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







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EPL back in spotlight after Olympics
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 08 - 2012


Mike Collett

LONDON – After two glorious Olympic weeks when cycling, rowing, athletics, swimming and boxing have captured the public's imagination, Premier League soccer emerges from the shadows and back into the spotlight this weekend.
For once, in England at least, the trials and tribulations of the big clubs, and their close-season transfer spending sprees have been pushed off the back pages by the exploits of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Michael Phelps, David Rudisha and the others.
Although it will be the usual frenetic, high-octane business on the field when Manchester City kick off their title defense against newly-promoted Southampton and European champion Chelsea visits Wigan Athletic this weekend, some post-Olympic re-evaluation would do soccer no harm.
Twitter and other social messaging sites have seen thousands posing questions such as: “What can soccer learn from the Olympics?”, and in general the answer is that fans want to see an end to arrogant, spoilt-brat behavior and diving and cheating from players.
They want a return to a far more Olympian sporting sense of fair play and even FIFA president Sepp Blatter agreed during the Games that soccer could learn from other sports – and male players could learn something from their female counterparts now playing the game at a high standard.
Blatter told reporters at Wembley: “Absolutely, we can learn a lot. There is even a difference between women's and men's football. In women's football simulation practically doesn't exist. They are not lying down and saying they are injured. They stand up.
“We can learn inside our sport and also outside our sport. You can learn something every day.”
Once the Olympic glow has faded, however, all the fans will probably learn over the next few weeks is what they knew already.
That is that the title will go to either Manchester City or Manchester United, that Chelsea and Arsenal will finish in the top four and that promoted Reading, Southampton and West Ham United will all fight against an immediate return to the Championship.
City, who clinched its first title for 44 years last May with Sergio Aguero's last-minute winner in the final match against Queens Park Rangers, warmed up for the new season with a 3-2 win over FA Cup winner in the Community Shield at Villa Park Sunday.
It has made only one major signing so far, buying England international midfielder Jack Rodwell, 21, from Everton Monday for 12 million pounds ($18.82 million).
Talk of Robin van Persie leaving Arsenal for Manchester City appears to have waned, with the Dutchman, the League's top scorer last season with 30 goals, looking more likely to move to Manchester United.
Manager Alex Ferguson has, according to widespread media reports, made a personal intervention to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to resolve a matter that has gone on since the end of last season, but whether Van Persie joins Japanese striker Shinji Kagawa at Old Trafford remains to be seen.
Kagawa, 23, moved from German champion Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of 17 million pounds to boost United's bid to take the title back from City which begins at Everton Monday.
Arsenal, which finished third last season, has had a busy summer with French forward Oliver Giroud from Montpellier, German striker Lukas Podolski from Cologne and Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla from Malaga all moving to north London.
Wenger hinted that Podolski would make his debut Saturday against Sunderland, although he is not fully match fit, when Arsenal set out on its campaign to end a seven-year trophy drought.
Chelsea, which won two trophies last season, will be without long-term talisman Didier Drogba after he left for Shanghai Shenhua in China, but has been busy spending 64 million pounds on new players, including exciting Brazilian playmaker Oscar, Belgium striker Eden Hazard and Germany winger Marko Marin.
Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich kept faith with Roberto di Matteo after their Champions League success, while Andre Villas-Boas, who was replaced at Chelsea by Di Matteo midway through his first season in March, has a new job, replacing Harry Redknapp as Tottenham Hotspur look to improve on their fourth place last season.
Liverpool, still chasing former glories, has signed Joe Allen from Swansea City for 19 million pounds, and begin life under new manager Brendan Rodgers against West Bromwich Albion, managed by former Liverpool assistant boss Steve Clarke, on Saturday. — Reuters


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