How to Swing a Golf Club - Where to Find the Good Info

There are not less than ten thousand people looking for information on how to swing a golf club. While this sport can be one of the most frustrating thing on earth, it can also be the most fun and the most rewarding. There are millions of ways to find knowledge on this subject, but where do you find the tried and true way that are working for other people. That's a question I asked myself and I found a great place, filled with tons of honest, first hand tips.

Sure, you can pull up a search engine right now and be lead to the thousands of different clubs and balls that claim to improve your game, but none tell you how to swing a golf club. There is no need to waste money on all of the high-tech equipment if you can't even get a decent swinging motion down. Below is what I have found to be most beneficial and finding ways that have helped real life people learn how to swing a golf club better.

It all starts with the use of internet forums. You won't believe how may thousands of posts you can find on how to swing a golf club. The great thing about forums are that they are going to be filled with real life people, who went through the same trials and tribulations as you at golfing. You can find topic after topic on this subject and the psots are filled with honest, common folks that share what has worked for them.

There is nothing better than reading about what has worked for so many other people out there. It helped me out a whole lot when first learning how to swing a golf club (which I am constantly changing, of course!). It's s simple solution to a problem that so many men and women seem to have when they are just starting out.

Want to know where to find the revolutionary, most original tutorial/program on how to swing a golf club? Keep reading...

Adam Woodham is the author of this article and runs the informative golf blog Online Golf Tips, which features a personal review of the true leader in learning how to perfect your golf game. Learning to golf like a pro has never been easier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Woodham

Practice Golf Balls - How to Practice at Home

If you want to make the best of the golf season, use practice golf balls to hone your game and lower your golf score. Let's face it, the golf season in most areas of the United States typically runs from April through October. Although that is seven months of the year, it can be a long seven months when you do not practice.

Who wants to play golf throughout the season without getting any better? It can be embarrassing to tell friends and family that you shot the same score yesterday as you did three or four months ago. You get better at golf by practicing golf shots. And you don' t have to spend a lot of money every day at the golf driving range. You can set up your own practice area in your own back yard.

Here are five things you need to do to improve your golf game, impress your friends and enjoy your time on the links.

1. Set up an easy-to-use golf practice area.
For less than $100, you can buy used golf balls, a golf practice net, golf practice mats or even a golf practice cage and set them up in your back yard. Then, you can practice your golf swing from a driver to a sand wedge.

2. Practice your short game with target games.
Get a used tire, a bucket, or a hula hoop. Practice chipping practice golf balls into the middle of the target to develop a feel for how hard to hit a golf ball. Improve your aim and you'll improve your game.

3. Practice a lot.
Don't think you can take a couple of swings, hit ten golf balls and then think you are ready to take on Tiger Woods. Even the pros hit hundreds of practice shots a day to hone their abilities. If you can't practice for two hours straight, break it up. Hit balls for 30 minutes in the early morning, at noon and in the evening.

4. Focus on one club and master it.
Examine your past rounds of golf and see which "money" shots are important. If you are like most golfers, you can probably save dozens of shots under 100 yards from the green. Adopt a "down in two" mindset so that you expect to hit good shots and take only two strokes to put your golf ball in the hole.

5. Use your imagination.
Sports psychologists work with professionals in all fields, especially golf, to visualize a positive outcome. Take 10 minutes a day to sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes and watch a mental movie of yourself. See yourself as sinking a long putt, driving long and straight down the middle of the fairway, chipping the golf ball into the hole, or hitting a seven iron within six inches of the cup. Imagine jumping up in the air or doing a "Yes!" fist pump with emotion. You will amaze yourself at the results.

When you use practice golf balls and these five tips, you can improve your results. All you need is reliable used golf balls and golf practice equipment to make your practice sessions effective.

Dave Pipitone is an amateur golfer who invests time in practicing golf. To find bargains on used golf balls, visit Dave's site at http://www.used-golf-balls.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Pipitone

Zidane's expert eye on EURO

by Andrew Haslam from Vienna

Zidane was a European champion in 2000 (©Getty Images)

He is watching a tournament for the first time since 1994 and former French international Zinédine Zidane is thoroughly enjoying UEFA EURO 2008™, although he freely admits to not having the first idea who will win.

'Fan's eyes'
"It's been a wonderful tournament with fantastic matches," Zidane, who turns 36 today and retired two years ago following his side's defeat by Italy in the FIFA World Cup final, told euro2008.com. "I've had a lot of pleasure watching the games. It's the first tournament for a while in which I'm not playing myself so I have been following it from outside and enjoying it with my family. I look with a fan's eyes and I really enjoy watching these games because they are top-level matches."

Arshavin admiration
As one of the most world's foremost creative talents it is not surprising that Zidane – in Vienna to hold a coaching clinic for children as part of his role as an adidas ambassador – focuses mainly on the more aesthetic side of the game, with one player in particular catching his eye. "In the game [against the Netherlands] the Russia No10, [Andrei] Arshavin, impressed many of us. Everything he does is surprising. He is very young and it's his first major tournament so to be able to play the way he does is surprising enough to talk about."

Les Bleus let-down
A European champion with France in 2000, Zidane could only watch as Les Bleus lost to the Netherlands and Italy to fall at the first hurdle this time round, although he pinpoints the opening draw with Romania as the crucial factor. "The problem was that we had to win the first game," he explained. "It's so important to start well in such a competition; we had to beat Romania because the following matches were the Netherlands and Italy so we had to win that one. I'm disappointed, of course, because as a fan and ex-national player I had many expectations. I expected them to do better, it didn't work out but I am sure that the French team has a bright future and especially for the 2010 World Cup."

Portugal praise
France aside, Zidane professed to a particular affection for a side who lost in the quarter-finals, adding: "My favourite team was Portugal, but unfortunately they're not in the tournament any more. They were a complete team, had many good individual players who are very strong technically and were strong in defence. It's always important to have good individual qualities and good forwards, but it's even more important not to concede goals and Portugal had this potential before the quarter-final against Germany. Of course they played against a very strong German side which hadn't done so well in their previous matches, but they played a perfect game against Portugal."

'Beautiful teams'
Germany will meet Turkey in the semi-finals in Basel on Wednesday with Spain taking on Russia in Vienna a day later, yet Zidane is still reluctant to single out any one team as likely champions. "Germany are always there for important matches, they're always among the last four and [Michael] Ballack leads his team in a great manner. Russia have proved that they have a great quality as a team, especially against the Netherlands. They're physically well prepared and that allowed them to beat the Netherlands; they were a lot fresher in extra time. There are still beautiful teams and in such tournaments there are always surprises. I hope they will be great matches. I have no idea who'll win; my prediction would not be correct."

Cannavaro senses another Italian surge

by Richard Aikman from Oberwaltersorf

Fabio Cannavaro believes Italy`s team spirit can help them win the tournament (©Getty Images)

Italy have the maturity to add the Henri Delaunay trophy to their world crown according to injured captain Fabio Cannavaro, who believes the Azzurri can overcome Spain in their UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-final.

Momentum
Cannavaro lifted the FIFA World Cup in Germany two years ago but was forced out of these finals on the eve of the tournament, and has now been joined on the sidelines by another injured defender, Andrea Barzagli. The 34-year-old centre-back has nonetheless stayed on in Austria and Switzerland to lend his support to a team who, having struggled initially in Group C, may now have the momentum to surge past Spain in Sunday's Vienna quarter-final.

'False start'
"Sometimes you get off to a false start in tournaments," the Real Madrid CF player told euro2008.com. "But now we've got it together again and have rediscovered our team spirit. The great high we experienced at the World Cup can be repeated again. It's hard for me – not playing can seem easier, but mentally it's a lot more difficult. However, the boys know what they've got to do and they are mature enough to rise to the occasion."

Spain threat
The next big stage for Roberto Donadoni's team is the Ernst-Happel-Stadion where they take on a Spain side who beat them 1-0 in a March friendly. Cannavaro, as a two-time Primera División champion with Real Madrid, knows what it takes to stop their leading forwards. "There's no doubt they have players of great technical ability and they will be fit too because they rested several players [against Greece]. They have an excellent side which we respect, but we are confident we can win.

'United'
"All teams have weaknesses and we'll have to exploit theirs by taking advantage of the space they sometimes leave when going forward," the former Juventus man continued. "Sometimes they are so enthusiastic about attacking that they leave one-on-one situations in defence, so that's something we'll look for. We won the World Cup because we were united as a team – not because we had a phenomenon like [Diego] Maradona – so we know that if we are concentrated and together, we can beat anyone. Perhaps this is the best time to face Spain because playing against the best is more challenging and you know you have to give 100 per cent."

	1. Drag the EURO icon onto the "Home" icon of your browser
	2. Select "Yes" from the pop up window.
	3. You're done!

X

Wimbledon Seeds

World ranking in parentheses

Men

1. Roger Federer, Switzerland (1)

2. Rafael Nadal, Spain (2)

3. Novak Djokovic, Serbia (3)

4. Nikolay Davydenko, Russia (4)

5. David Ferrer, Spain (5)

6. Andy Roddick, United States (6)

7. David Nalbandian, Argentina (7)

8. Richard Gasquet, France (9)

9. James Blake, United States (8)

10. Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus (25)

11. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic (19)

12. Andy Murray, Britain (11)

13. Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland (10)

14. Paul-Henri Mathieu, France (16)

15. Fernando Gonzalez, Chile (14)

16. Radek Stepanek Stepanek, Czech Republic (15)

17. Mikhail Youzhny, Russia (17)

18. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia (22)

19. Nicolas Almagro, Spain (12)

20. Lleyton Hewitt, Australia (27)

21. Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spain (23)

22. Fernando Verdasco, Spain (21)

23. Tommy Robredo, Spain (18)

24. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland (28)

25. Dmitry Tursunov, Russia (31)

26. Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia (26)

27. Nicolas Kiefer, Germany (33)

28. Gilles Simon, France (29)

29. Andreas Seppi, Italy (30)

30. Gael Monfils, France (32)

31. Feliciano Lopez, Spain (35)

32. Michael Llodra, France (34)

Women

1. Ana Ivanovic, Serbia (1)

2. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia (2)

3. Maria Sharapova, Russia (3)

4. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia (4)

5. Elena Dementieva, Russia (5)

6. Serena Williams, United States (6)

7. Venus Williams, United States (7)

8. Anna Chakvetadze, Russia (8)

9. Dinara Safina, Russia (9)

10. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia (10)

11. Marion Bartoli, France (11)

12. Patty Schnyder, Switzerland (12)

13. Vera Zvonareva, Russia (13)

14. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland (14)

15. Agnes Szavay, Hungary (15)

16. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus (16)

17. Alize Cornet, France (17)

18. Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic (18)

19. Maria Kirilenko, Russia (19)

20. Francesca Schiavone, Italy (20)

21. Nadia Petrova, Russia (22)

22. Flavia Pennetta, Italy (23)

23. Katarina Srebotnik, Slovenia (24)

24. Shahar Peer, Israel (25)

25. Lindsay Davenport, United States (26)

26. Sybille Bammer, Austria (27)

27. Virginie Razzano, France (28)

28. Alona Bondarenko, Ukraine (29)

29. Amelie Mauresmo, France (30)

30. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia (31)

31. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark (32)

32. Sania Mirza, India (33)

Hayden hoping to run pneumatic valve engine at Donington

2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden would prefer to run the pneumatic valve Honda engine this weekend in Britain.

The Honda decision over whether to use the pneumatic valve RC212V engine is a `will they/won´t they´ saga worthy of a British soap opera, and post-race testing in Catalunya provided a further cliffhanger ahead of this weekend´s visit to Donington Park.

Even Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden is going to be kept guessing, with his team choosing their Donington direction at the last minute having assessed data from the 2006 World Champion´s testing runs.

`I´m quite excited about Donington. I hope I´ll be able to use the pneumatic valve engine but we´ll see what the decision is, we´ll go with what the team says,´ notes Hayden, whose teammate Dani Pedrosa will definitely be continuing with the standard spring valve version of the motor.

Hayden continued, `Going into a race weekend with new parts is never easy, so if we use the engine we´ll just try to learn as the weekend goes on and get it dialled in. The weather can be a big issue at Donington – it can do anything. The track itself is almost like two tracks. The first bit is awesome – you´ve got to be brave through Craner, you need some guts, because it´s pretty exciting down through there. I quite like it if the bike is working good.´

`The last bit of the track is a lot of hard braking. No matter how good you hit the first part of the track, if you can´t get through the two little hairpins at the end of the lap it kills your lap times,´ said the American. `The two sections are completely different so it's a compromise with the set-up. What works through the first part can be a bit different to what works through the last part, so it's not an easy track for the suspension guys and the chassis guys.´

Hayden, with whichever version of the Honda RC212V that is selected for the task at hand, will be on track from Friday morning for the opening practice sessions of the bwin.com British Grand Prix.

source : http://www.motogp.com

Racing Numbers for Donington Park

Thursday, 19 June 2008

With less than 24 hours before the first practice sessions for the bwin.com British Grand Prix, here are some of the intriguing Racing Numbers for the Donington Park date.

451 – The number of 125cc Grand Prix races that have taken place since the last win by a British rider – Chas Mortimer at the Spanish GP in 1973.

130 – The number of premier class Grand Prix races that have taken place since the last time a British rider finished on the podium in the premier class – Jeremy McWilliams at Donington in 2000.

49 – Marco Simoncelli's 250cc victory in Catalunya was the 49th win in Grand Prix racing for the Gilera factory, broken down by class as follows: 500cc: 35, 350cc: 4, 250cc:2 and 125cc: 8.

29 - With his victory in Catalunya, Dani Pedrosa now has 29 GP wins in all classes – the same as Loris Capirossi. Of the current riders only Rossi has more GP victories.

3 – Following the crash of Loris Capirossi and Toni Elias being black-flagged in Barcelona, there are only three riders who have scored points in all seven MotoGP races held so far this year: Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Shinya Nakano.

source : http://www.motogp.com

Grieving Boulahrouz to play on

by Berend Scholten from Lausanne

Boulahrouz battles against Adrian Mutu in the Netherlands` final group game (©Getty Images)

Khalid Boulahrouz has told Netherlands coach Marco van Basten he is available to play in Saturday's UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-final against Russia despite the death of his baby daughter, who was born prematurely on Wednesday.

'Really hard'
"I understand that it is really hard for Khalid and we will have to support him as best we can," said Van Basten. "Still, our focus has to be on Russia and that is what Khalid also wants." The 26-year-old Boulahrouz, an ever-present so far in the Oranje defence, has been with his wife Sabia at a hospital in Lausanne, where she was taken after suffering complications with her pregnancy. He will have freedom to leave the Dutch camp as and when he chooses, explained Van Basten, who said: "He is always allowed to go and visit his wife."

Hiddink reunion
Looking ahead to the quarter-final meeting with a Russia team led by former Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink, Van Basten said: "I really find it nice for Guus. After a bit of a difficult start, Russia have started to play very well during this tournament. They are an attack-minded team, with technically skilled players." That said, Van Basten acknowledges that his side are favourites, adding: "I think this group can handle that."

Scolari wary of Germany danger

by Simon Hart from Basel

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari surveys the scene in training (©Getty Images)

Luiz Felipe Scolari put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and started reading to the packed room of journalists: "No17 Germany – 1m98, No13 – 1m88, Klose – 1m82, No21 – 195. I have to worry about that – and that my players are 115cm, 120cm." It was a moment of comedy yet it illustrated one of the Portugal's principal concerns about their UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-final opponents Germany.

Aerial threat
For all Portugal's powers of self-expression, Scolari said he was anxious about their ability to handle Germany's aerial threat. "I have to worry about finding some way of dealing with their free-kicks," said the Brazilian, whose players – taking the probable starting XIs – concede on average seven centimetres to their opponents. Yet Scolari also recognised the Germans' ability on the floor, starting with a player he will soon be working with at Chelsea FC. "He is a great player, with a lot of technical quality. He is one of the great players in this tournament," he said of Germany captain Michael Ballack, scorer of the goal against Austria that earned a quarter-final place on Monday.

Löw suspended
Ballack was suspended when Scolari oversaw Germany's 2-0 defeat by Brazil in the 2002 FIFA World Cup final and the Mannschaft enter this contest with another absentee on their minds in coach Joachim Löw, who will watch from the stands after his dismissal during the Austria game. Löw's assistant Hans-Dieter Flick and goalkeeping coach Andreas Köpke will relay his plans, and team manager Oliver Bierhoff admitted: "Coaches act on instinct as the game progresses and this won't be possible, so it is important for him to be able to set things up properly before the match." That will include instructions on handling Cristiano Ronaldo. "The best player in the world" is how Bierhoff described him before adding: "You can never stop him for 90 minutes but it is very important that the defence and midfield stay very close together when he has the ball." Scolari's own comments underlined Ronaldo's significance to his team. "He has a strong will to win that I've not seen in anyone else and this rubs off on others."

Fitness doubts
Germany have Bastian Schweinsteiger back after suspension, though it remains to be seen whether he will replace Clemens Fritz on the right or fill the left-wing slot with Lukas Podolski, calf problem permitting, moving up front alongside Miroslav Klose. Another fitness doubt is Torsten Frings, who broke a rib against Austria. Bierhoff said the midfielder was "very positive" and though Thomas Hitzlsperger could deputise, Germany fans will not need reminding how Frings was missed in their World Cup semi-final defeat by Italy two summers ago. For his part, Scolari will select "the same team" that beat Turkey and the Czech Republic. Portugal's coach insisted the decision to rest eight players from Sunday's 2-0 loss to Switzerland had not harmed their momentum and was optimistic about securing a third successive EURO semi-final. "Let's see if we can improve our finishing – if we do, we have a good chance." Yet he will not need telling, as Bierhoff noted, that "Germany often become stronger when facing good teams".

Judgement day awaits France and Italy

by Matthew Spiro from Zurich

Raymond Domenech is keeping team selections close to his chest (©Getty Images)

There may be little love lost between France and Italy but their two coaches were in agreement over one matter ahead of the eagerly anticipated Group C showdown in Zurich: for both Les Bleus and their transalpine rivals the final has come early at UEFA EURO 2008™.

Dramatic evening
"This is the kind of game every player dreams of being involved in," France coach Raymond Domenech enthused, while his Italian counterpart Roberto Donadoni said: "We know what's at stake and we're ready to put our hearts and souls into it. For us, this is already a final." Few could have predicted that the two 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists would be locking horns on Tuesday knowing that even a victory may not prove enough to reach the quarter-finals. With one point each after two matches, Romania could render their efforts fruitless by beating the Netherlands in Berne to hold on to second spot. It promises to be a dramatic evening, although Domenech is urging his men to focus only on events at the Letzigrund Stadion. "We have to forget the other game completely," he stressed. "We still have a tiny chance but it will only happen if we win our game."

'Find a balance'
Like the world champions, who lost 3-0 to the Dutch in their opening game, France suffered their heaviest defeat in UEFA European Championship history in losing 4-1 against the Netherlands – and Domenech admits improvements are needed. "We've been trying to get the Dutch game out our heads for the last three days," the 56-year-old said. "Despite the result, there were positives to take from the performance, notably concerning the number of chances we created. But we need to find a balance. Against Romania we made a lot of effort to defend, whereas against the Netherlands we made a lot of effort to attack. Against Italy we'll need to do a lot of defending and attacking."

Vieira absent
Domenech will again be without Patrick Vieira due to a thigh injury and, though he remained coy on the subject of team selection, Eric Abidal, Lassana Diarra and Karim Benzema are being tipped to feature after missing out last time. Italy coach Roberto Donadoni was also keeping his cards close to his chest, saying: "I already have a good idea of my lineup, but this time I won't reveal anything beforehand." The former AC Milan midfielder is not expected to repeat the five changes he made for the 1-1 draw with Romania, although Antonio Cassano may start in place of Alessandro Del Piero, while Massimo Ambrosini and Gennaro Gattuso are pressing for recalls.

Keen rivalry
Ever since David Trezeguet's extra-time winner in the UEFA EURO 2000™ final, France-Italy games have been keenly contested. The Azzurri gained revenge for the Rotterdam defeat by triumphing in Berlin two years ago, yet Domenech's side reclaimed the upper hand with a victory in Paris in qualifying. Donadoni suggested the rivalry was not a significant factor, however, saying: "It's just like any other game. It's an important game, but playing France is no different to playing the Netherlands or Romania. Both sides will be extremely motivated and will try to win. It should be exciting. I can't wait for the game to start."

Austria aiming to repeat history

by Andrew Haslam from Vienna

The Austria squad receive their instructions (©Getty Images)

Thirty years on from Austrian football's most famous day Josef Hickersberger has history on his side when his team meet Germany in Vienna for a place in the UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-finals, although the coach is looking elsewhere for inspiration.

Vienna memories
A 3-2 win in Cordoba in the 1978 FIFA World Cup knocked out then holders West Germany, Austria's sole victory in ten competitive fixtures against West and the unified Germany. Much has been made of that triumph – in which Hickersberger played – in the build-up to a game that will decide second place in Group B, yet the coach said: "Too much has been said about Cordoba. For me, history is repeating itself. In 1989, we played the German Democratic Republic in Vienna in a decisive qualifier for the 1990 World Cup and won [3-0]. The names are different now, but we're looking forward to the match."

'Alles oder nichts'
The front cover of the Kurier newspaper's magazine supplement bears the simple headline "Alles oder nichts", and for Austria the equation is equally straightforward: win or join co-hosts Switzerland in making an early exit from their own party. With the Austrians having lost 3-0 to Germany in February and being without a win against these opponents since 1986, that may look a tall order but Hickersberger is full of confidence. "We're in excellent shape," he said. "We're better than we were in February and we have a decent chance. This is the biggest match of my life and it will be the biggest match of all time if we win."

Crucial point
Ivica Vastic's added-time penalty snatched a draw against Poland on Thursday, when Germany lost 2-1 to Croatia, and the Austria coach – missing only the suspended Sebastian Prödl – has seen enough in the first two games to be optimistic. "Germany weren't that good against Croatia and they have problems. One or two players are injured, they're not playing that well and we have home advantage. I'd put our chances at 40 per cent – people might think I'm pessimistic but that's quite good. The important thing is we have a chance and if you'd told me that a year ago I'd have been more than grateful."

'Push the limit'
Germany coach Joachim Löw has encouraged his players to "avoid pointing the finger at each other" since that defeat by Croatia and is anticipating a positive reaction. "I promise you the team will play differently," he said. "Thirty million people will be watching in Germany and we have to win for them and for our nation. The match against Croatia is a thing of the past. We'll have to push to the limit because Austria have improved in the last few weeks and months. They're a team of fighters but we will go the extra mile."

Trio available
Marcell Jansen misses out with a shoulder problem while Bastian Schweinsteiger is suspended following his red card on Thursday, although top scorer Lukas Podolski (foot), Philipp Lahm (calf and shin) and Heiko Westermann (hand) are all poised to play, with the last-mentioned wearing a protective cast. Löw believes his side will meet expectations, adding: "A little pressure doesn't hurt – my team will deal with that. If we play well, there's no need to be afraid of our opponents. We'll play our game, impose our style and show what we can do."

Toyota to pay tribute to Andersson at Magny-Cours

Toyota will run their cars with a black band around the monocoque at this weekend’s French Grand Prix as they remember their first team principal, Ove Andersson, who was killed during an historic car rally in South Africa last week. In addition to the black bands, the design of the Toyota garage at Magny-Cours will also include black and a book of condolences, to be given to Andersson’s family, will be available in the team's motorhome for all F1 personnel and media to sign. “We want to achieve a strong result this weekend as a tribute to Ove because without him I'm not sure whether Toyota would be competing in Formula One now,” said driver Jarno Trulli. “He helped build up the factory from scratch back in the rally times to what it is now; a real Formula One facility with the potential to produce world championship-winning cars. He loved motorsport and it was his passion to see Toyota succeed so I hope we can achieve something fitting this weekend." "Obviously this is a sad time for the team and we are all shocked about what happened to Ove,” added Pascal Vasselon, Toyota’s senior general chassis manager. “This gives us added motivation to succeed this weekend.” source : http://www.formula1.com

Golf Tips to Get the Perfect Swing

All golf players that that do this for a living, still look for ways to improve their golf. And they do this every day. As long as you remember that it is your golf swing the one driving the score, you have every chance of becoming invincible. Still, you also need a perfect hand-eye coordination, creativity, vision, balance and athletic ability to play golf.

One of the most challenging games one can learn during a lifetime is golf and how to play it well. You can go after many golf tips, but it is always wiser to follow simple approaches that can be applied and that can help you be a better player and improve your swing.

The easiest golf swing is many times the most effective when trying to hit the ball further and straighter. So here are a few simple but effective tips:

•The Grip
The foundation of your swing stands in the grip. Developing the right grip is essential to getting the perfect swing.

Here are a few different grips: the interlocking grip (with the left index finger and the right little finger combine and interlock, especially if you have thick hands, or even shorter hands); the overlapping grip (having the right little finger sit on top of the index finger of your left hand, used by most male golfer); or the baseball grip (without overlapping the index finger of the left hand and the little finger of the right hand, but make contact with each other. It is used by the majority of beginners)

•The Stance
The stance that you want is having your weight equally balanced. For this, standing relaxed over the ball is of great importance, since any tension can affect the quality of the swing. So, you have to make sure you follow this one. It's best to bend at the hips also with a slight flex in your knees. Remember to keep your spine erect and not rounded.

•The Backswing
As long as you are slow and deliberate, you can get the perfect backswing. Do not be quick about it, as the power is actually generated more on your downswing. Also keep your left arm as straight as you can while going as far back as possible.

•The Downswing
Try to keep your head in the same position - it's the key to the downswing. Begin it downswing from your hips, while keeping your head behind the ball. It is not advised to use your right hand so as to generate more power, as it will be generated by the angle formed between the clubs and the wrists. Again, do not be quick about your downswing; it is better to have a gradually increasing speed on the downswing along with good balance.

•The Follow Through
It is important for your head to come up with your right shoulder, with your chin over your right shoulder while your head is facing the target. This will complete the follow through. Being patient while learning all this tips is essential. You can also practice your swings without actually hitting the ball, to start with. You will become more and more comfortable doing it like this.

Remember: relax and focus on your targets when you are on the course! And practice, practice, practice!

Cheers Jedd. http://www.golfinstructions.com.au Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jedda_Barton

Ana Ivanovic - The New WTA World Number One

So Paris has a new queen and her name is Ana Ivanovic; her tennis history begins in Belgrade, Serbia where she was born 20-years ago...her early days in the sport were very difficult due to the constant war issues her country was going through but none of this could stop Ana from achieving her dream to become a professional tennis player. By the age of 5 she was already practicing tennis and some years later in 2004 Ana made her debut at the Junior Wimbledon tournament where she caught the attention of many in the tennis world.

As she moved forward Ana began to show her natural talent as she overcame players such Venus Williams, Tatiana Golovin, Amelie Mauresmo and Nadia Petrova; by the end of 2005 Ana had reached the 16th position in the WTA world ranking. But it was in 2007 when Ana really had her breakthrough as she had an excellent performance at the Australian Open followed by her first Tier I clay court title at the Qatar Telecom German Open and she reached her very first Grand Slam final at the French Open where she played the recently retired Justin Henin who defeated Ana by 6-1, 6-2 and such performance catapulted her to the world number four position by the end of 2007.

Then Ana began this year by participating in several events as she approached the Australian Grand Slam where she reached the finals and played Maria Sharapova who defeated Ana in a very close match; both women knew this to be of great importance for their careers as it would have been Ana's first Grand Slam title and for Sharapova her true come back to the number one position which she was not able to retain for long as the Belgium Justin Henin was number one for more than 140 weeks.

Nevertheless; Justin's announces her sudden retirement and Sharapova becomes the world's number one tennis player but again her days were already counted as Ana fought her way to the finals at the recent Roland Garros where she defeated Dinara Safina in three sets. This was a match that many will call magical as both players Ana and Dinara produced the best tennis we could have expected. At the same time we see how Ana keeps growing strong and her game unfolds smooth in all surfaces; but it was Paris that delivered Ana's childhood dream a very well deserved one by the way.

Now that Ana is at the top there is obviously more pressure on her and her game style as she will need to prove she is good on all surfaces...and this is how she approaches Wimbledon as she states "For sure, I want to go to Wimbledon and win the title, because every tournament you play you want to win," Ivanovic said. "Obviously, now a lot of players will play their best tennis against me. But I still think I have a good chance. I've been working hard. So now I will relax a little bit, recover and also prepare on the grass before Eastbourne and Wimbledon".

Despite the very demanding schedule tennis players such as Ana have to cope with...it is real pleasure to see Ana behaving on and off court as she makes the game look so easy while she tries to live a normal life doing what it is very evident that she adores which is to play good tennis and be the best she can.

WTA Tennis content as well as information in the sports betting industry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Claudy_Beckford

Van Nistelrooy savours Dutch high

by Berend Scholten from Lausanne

Van Nistelrooy stretches for the ball in the 4-1 win over France (©Getty Images)

Netherlands forward Ruud van Nistelrooy said the UEFA EURO 2008™ tournament was fast becoming the highlight of his ten years with the national team.

Enjoyment
"Looking at the moment we are in right now, I can say it is the best period for me in ten years with the national team," he said in the press conference at Lausanne's Olympic Museum on the eve of the Netherlands' final Group C game against Romania. "In 1998 we also had a great group, when we played with different generations and some amazing players, but now we are really enjoying how we are performing in this tournament."

'Surprised ourselves'
Van Nistelrooy admitted that Marco van Basten's men had surprised themselves with the quality of their performances. "We have played some good games before also, but we ourselves never expected to play like this either, we surprised ourselves a bit. But we train hard for it, work very well together, with a group of good people, so that is also the reason it goes so well", said the Real Madrid CF player, who made his international debut in November 1998, not too long after the Dutch had reached that year's FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

Maintain momentum
Although the Marco van Basten's team have already secured first place in Group C, following wins against Italy and France, Van Nistelrooy stressed the importance of keeping the momentum going against Romania. "We want to continue to play the way we did in the first two games, that is the objective. We put a lot of hard work in it to get to this level and we do not want to lose this momentum," said Van Nistelrooy, who may potentially make way for the AFC Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Although a Romania win in Berne would eliminate France and Italy, the 31-year-old stressed the different permutations were not playing on Dutch minds. "We do not think like that, we'll go into the game as we always do. We'll go in with a clear focus, as we want to keep on going, keep on playing well. Like I said, we do not want to lose the momentum."

Hamilton on France penalty: I’ll just have to pass some cars!

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton insists his ten-place grid penalty at this weekend’s French Grand Prix will not affect his preparations for the Magny-Cours race. Hamilton, who takes the drop as punishment for his pit-lane crash in Canada, says he will be relying on a mix of strategy and aggression to get him back into contention. "Mentally, it’s just something that you learn to overcome quickly,” said the Englishman of the penalty. “We’ve already looked at the best ways of optimising the strategy to help us move up the field and I guess I’ll just have to pass some cars if I want to get into the points!" The French circuit is not the easiest of tracks on which to pass. Indeed, in the words of Mercedes’ Norbert Haug, “according to our experience of Magny-Cours there is some kind of ban of overtaking.” Nevertheless, Hamilton believes it is possible. "You can dive down the inside into the Adelaide Hairpin and also have a look into the penultimate corner,” he said. “But an area we can really focus on is the strategy - Magny-Cours has a relatively short pit lane which does open up the strategic options available to us in the race." Hamilton’s penalty will inevitably force McLaren to alter their overall approach to the coming Grand Prix weekend, but Martin Whitmarsh, the team’s Formula One CEO, remains hopeful of both cars delivering strong results. "Obviously, we go to France knowing we only have the capability to field one car on the optimum strategy, so our job will be a little different from normal,” he said. “But we still expect to extract the very maximum performance levels from both cars. Both Lewis and Heikki (Kovalainen) are very confident about their chances and we will be working hard with the strategists and engineers in order to provide them both with the optimum strategy for the race." Historically, Magny-Cours has not been the most successful of circuits for McLaren. Last year Hamilton came home third after starting second on the grid, while then team mate Fernando Alonso finished seventh. Source : http://www.formula1.com

Donington date awaits MotoGP World Championship

Monday, 16 June 2008

Milestones, debuts and a title battle awaits MotoGP at the bwin.com British Grand Prix.

Following the briefest of respites, the relentless pace of the MotoGP World Championship resumes as the series heads to Donington Park. The bwin.com British Grand Prix takes place on June 22nd and, as always, the stakes are high for all involved.

The man leading the way in MotoGP is Valentino Rossi, the rider who has made Donington Park a home-from-home in his eight top cylinder category visits to the British track. The Fiat Yamaha rider will be celebrating his 200th Grand Prix appearance, and has won five MotoGP races at the circuit, including his first 500cc victory back in 2000.

The Italian is on a stellar run of six podium finishes from the first seven races of 2008, including consecutive victories in China, France and Italy. Second place in Catalunya, from ninth on the grid, at the most recent round reflected a performance that was vintage Rossi.

A gap of seven points separates Rossi from nearest rival Dani Pedrosa, the rider who took a comprehensive victory ahead of his rival in round seven. Repsol Honda´s Spanish star has also only once finished off the podium this season, with a 2006 victory at Donington Park in his rookie season adding further credence to his chances of a win there on June 22nd.

Pedrosa may have some extra engine power at his disposal in Britain, with Honda´s RC212V pneumatic valve engine tested by the factory riders in an extended stay in Barcelona. A decision on whether to run this or the standard spring valve version will likely be taken on the eve of the bwin.com British Grand Prix.

Third in the World Championship, Jorge Lorenzo´s title challenge took a big blow in Catalunya. A Friday crash put the Spaniard in hospital and out of his home race, although he will be able to return to action at Donington Park after recovering from concussion. The Fiat Yamaha rookie has had a fantastic start to his maiden year of 800cc racing, but two races without picking up points have taken their toll on his chances of catching teammate Rossi.

On a purple patch in the premier class, 2007 World Champion Casey Stoner is taking things race-by-race as he remounts his attempts at retaining the crown. The Australian was the winner on British soil in his title-winning year, and has ample experience of the track through his formative years in the national championship. The Ducati Marlboro rider would aid his cause no end with another victory in the Midlands.

Joining Stoner on the podium last year, Colin Edwards is the highest placing satellite rider in the premier class, riding for the Tech 3 Yamaha team. Courting suitors for a 2009 ride, `The Texas Tornado´ has turned heads with his resurgent form this season, as has sixth placed Andrea Dovizioso in his rookie year.

One of the riders many fans will be keen to watch on raceday will be Edwards´ teammate, James Toseland, making his first MotoGP appearance on home soil. A previous winner of superbike races at the track, expectations are high for the local hero as he aims to become Britain´s first home premier class victor at Donington Park. The last British podium finisher at the track in the blue riband category was Jeremy McWilliams in 2000, who claimed third in the race in which Rossi took his first MotoGP win.

The top ten is completed by Rizla Suzuki´s Loris Capirossi, Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden and San Carlo Honda Gresini veteran Shinya Nakano. However, Capirossi will not be adding to his points tally in Britain, a Catalunya crash breaking his finger, forcing him out of this weekend´s race and giving an early MotoGP debut to Rizla Suzuki replacement Ben Spies.

Source : http://www.motogp.com

Pedrosa on top form for Donington visit

Friday, 13 June 2008

Dani Pedrosa should be fully recovered from his Catalunya test crash for the bwin.com British Grand Prix, as he aims to continue a great run of form.

Repsol Honda´s Dani Pedrosa goes into the eighth GP of the year at Donington on a superb run of form, and with time to recover from a highside crash at the Circuit de Catalunya in testing on Monday after his sensational home win, he is expected to be as competitive as ever on British soil.

Although his team-mate Nicky Hayden could switch to the new pneumatic-valve engine at Donington, Pedrosa will continue with the conventional spring-valve engine for the trip to England. The Spaniard suffered a heavy fall on the first day of post-Catalunya testing and was thus unable to fully acquaint himself with the pneumatic-valve version - and therefore prefers to stay with the machine he is more acquainted with.

Given Pedrosa´s form of late and the general view that top-end power (which the new motor is aimed at delivery more of) is not crucial to success at Donington, the Catalan rider´s decision to stick with a winning formula is the logical choice.

Trailing general standings leader Valentino Rossi by seven points - the Italian having taken the championship advantage with three consecutive wins in China, France and Italy - Pedrosa is nonetheless the in-form rider in the premier class over the last ten races, with a highly consistent run which commenced towards the end of last season.

In the ten Grands Prix since he crashed out in Japan last year Pedrosa has only twice finished off the podium (he was fourth on both of those occasions), has similarly only twice failed to qualify on the front row, has achieved three victories and has taken four pole positions.

During that period the 22 year-old has accumulated a total of 189 points, more than any other rider in the class – a return which compares to 162 points for Casey Stoner over the same period and 169 points for Rossi.

Having won the 2006 MotoGP race and the 2004 250cc contest at Donington Pedrosa will take his good form into the British round of the championship knowing he is one of the hot favourites for another victory, but in his typical down-to-earth style he is taking nothing for granted.

`Winning in Catalunya was great but there are still many races to go, so we have to keep pushing,´ says the man from Sabadell, just outside Barcelona. `I crashed on the day after my home race, hurting my back and shoulders, but I will be okay for the next one.´

Assessing the peculiarities of the Donington track, Pedrosa continued, `It is quite a strange circuit, quite smooth but not so grippy, and it often rains there. My favourite part of the track is the uphill section all the way to Coppice. I don´t like the last part, it´s very slow and tight. You need a set-up similar to Le Mans, so the bike accelerates hard and brakes well too. You also need as much grip as you can get because the surface is quite slippery.´

`The two different parts of the circuit require different riding styles. The first requires a smooth style, the second a very aggressive style,´ he concluded.

source : http://www.motogp.com

History warns against drawing conclusions

by Trevor Haylett from Vienna

Ruud van Nistelrooy puts the Netherlands ahead in their Group C clash with Italy (©Getty Images)

Spain and the Netherlands have made the early running in the race to be crowned kings of Europe, with Germany and Portugal not far behind. But a look back to previous tournaments emphasises the danger of making hasty predictions at this early stage of UEFA EURO 2008™.

Portugal revival
Remember four years ago when the host nation lost to Greece in their first fixture but then recovered to find a route that led all the way to the final? In Austria and Switzerland, Portugal could become the first team to book a quarter-final place should they beat the Czech Republic in Geneva tonight and the other Group A tussle in Basel between Turkey and Switzerland ends in anything other than a home win. The qualifying ticket with one group game to go could, alternatively, be in Czech hands should they win and Turkey fail to do likewise.

Improvements needed
The way Luiz Felipe Scolari's team recovered in 2004 shows that the despair of a first-day defeat can be overcome. Italy and Russia were on the wrong end of three-goal reverses against the Netherlands and Spain respectively, yet they need not be too despondent. Improvements can be made and sooner rather than later. On the other side of the coin, those with three points already to their name – a list that also includes the Czechs, Croatia and Sweden – will be much more satisfied. Perhaps none more so than the Spain. Top of the scoring charts after the first round of games, they have, in David Villa, a player on cloud nine after scoring the first hat-trick in a UEFA European Championship final tournament for eight years. Perhaps Spain have at last assembled a team who can end their long drought for a major trophy. Not since 1964, when they made host status count in this competition, have they truly given their supporters something to shout about.

Serious thinking
The Netherlands have produced the first surprise result of the tournament – burying Italian pride in a three-goal, counterattacking masterclass. Next, against France in Berne, they have to show that was no fluke. For Raymond Domenech's team some serious soul-searching has been undertaken since they launched their campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw with Romania, the only stalemate in the eight matches that have taken place so far. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup the French also began disappointingly, with two draws. Then they put matters right and travelled all the way to the final, beating Spain in the Round of 16. A Spanish team, no less, that had begun with a 4-0 victory. Tournaments evolve, things can change in an instant. So, like Italy and Russia, the other teams languishing on zero points – co-hosts Austria and Switzerland, Turkey, Poland and defending champions Greece – should not call time on their challenge just yet.

Group A decider could go to penalties

by Paul Saffer from Basel

Turkey goalkeeper Volkan Demirel may have an important job to do on Sunday (©Getty Images)

If Turkey and the Czech Republic draw their final Group A match in Geneva on Sunday, second place and a quarter-final berth will be decided on penalties.

Shoot-out chance
The Czech Republic lost 3-1 to Portugal on Wednesday evening and then Turkey beat Switzerland 2-1 – both after added-time goals. That leaves the Czech Republic and Turkey level on points, goal difference and goals scored, and according to Article 7.08 in the official 2008 UEFA European Championship regulations, in that instance, if the two equal teams are playing in the last game, their match is decided by spot-kicks after 90 minutes should it finish level.

Regulations
Article 7.08 reads: "If two teams which have the same number of points, the same number of goals scored and conceded play their last group match against each other and are still equal at the end of that match, the ranking of the two teams in question will be determined by kicks from the penalty mark, provided no other teams within the group have the same number of points on completion of all group matches." The full regulations can be read by clicking here. Whoever finishes second in Group A will play the winners of Group B in Vienna on 20 June. Portugal, as Group A winners, face the Group B runners-up in Basel the night before.

Precedent
The situation has arisen before in a UEFA final tournament. In the 2002/03 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Germany, Italy and Sweden went into their last group game exactly level. A last-gasp Italy goal made the score 3-3, and Sweden won the shoot-out 4-1, though they were to lose to Norway on penalties in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, while Turkey have never been in a major penalty shoot-out, the Czech Republic beat France 6-5 to reach the 1996 UEFA European Championship semi-finals and Czechoslovakia defeated West Germany 5-3 in the 1976 final and France 9-8 in the 1980 third-place match, giving the nation a major tourmament record of three wins out of three with all 20 attempts converted.

Experience
Meanwhile, both likely goalkeepers on Sunday have recent experience of major penalty shoot-outs. Turkey's Volkan Demirel saved three spot-kicks as Fenerbahçe SK defeated Sevilla FC 3-2 on penalties in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round in February. Fenerbahçe then lost to Chelsea FC, who reached the final only to be beaten 6-5 in a penalty competition by Manchester United FC in Moscow, Petr Čech saving from Cristiano Ronaldo.

UEFA confirms referee appointments

by Paul Saffer from Basel

The referees are based near Zurich (©UEFA)

UEFA has announced the appointments of the officials who will oversee the six group matches starting with the Italy-Romania fixture in Zurich on Friday evening. The 12 referees on duty in Austria and Switzerland have all overseen one match so far, each assisted by a team of two compatriots with whom they have been working in UEFA competitions this year, along with a selection of eight fourth officials. Further appointments will be announced later in the tournament.

UEFA EURO 2008™ appointments for matches 13-18
Date	Match	Referee	Assistant 1	Assistant 2	4th Official
Fri 13 Jun	Italy v Romania	Tom Henning Øvrebø (NOR)	Geir Åge Holen (NOR)	Jan Petter Randen (NOR)	Ivan Bebek (CRO)
Fri 13 Jun	Netherlands v France	Herbert Fandel (GER)	Carsten Kadach (GER)	Volker Wezel (GER)	Grzegorz Gilewski (POL)
Sat 14 Jun	Sweden v Spain	Pieter Vink (NED)	Adriaan Inia (NED)	Hans Ten Hoove (NED)	Craig Thomson (SCO)
Sat 14 Jun	Greece v Russia	Roberto Rosetti (ITA)	Alessandro Griselli (ITA)	Paolo Calcagno (ITA)	Olegário Benquerença (POR)
Sun 15 Jun	Switzerland v Portugal	Konrad Plautz (AUT)	Egon Bereuter (AUT)	Markus Mayr (AUT)	Ivan Bebek (CRO)
Sun 15 Jun	Turkey v Czech Republic	Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)	Stefan Wittberg (SWE)	Henrik Andrén (SWE)	Grzegorz Gilewski (POL)

Swiss fans rally round beaten Nati

by Steffen Potter from Basel

Swiss supporters are still backing their side (©Getty Images)

Around 2,000 fans flocked to see the Nati train in Freienbach on Thursday morning, despite Switzerland being the first team eliminated from UEFA EURO 2008™ following their 2-1 defeat by Turkey on Wednesday.

Enthusiastic support
The Swiss players were afforded an enthusiastic welcome after suffering two narrow defeats in Group A. The crowd, mainly made up of schoolchildren, rose from their seats and chanted "Hopp Schwiiz" and "Schwiiiizer Nati" for some ten minutes when the team emerged from the dressing room. The players and coach Köbi Kuhn were visibly moved by the support shown and lined up to thank their fans while injured striker Alexander Frei was standing on the pitch on crutches, a symbol of the broken Swiss ambitions in this tournament. Although their team went out of UEFA EURO 2008™ due to a deflected shot by Turkey's Arda Turan in added time, the fans' passion has not been dampened.

Training demand
Switzerland are training at FC Freienbach's Chrummen Stadium, and president Beat Abegg has seen a boost for his club since their home was chosen by the Swiss Football Association some years ago. "The amount of youth players wanting to play here is so incredibly high that we had to set up a waiting list for new members," he said. Demand was also huge for tickets for public training sessions. "The Swiss are very passionate about football," added Abegg. "When we distributed the tickets for the public training sessions, they were gone in the shortest time." It seems the fans have a keen sense of the team's achievements during this tournament, as the reception for their fallen heroes was even more enthusiastic than in the first public training before the tournament started.

Deco sets sights on closing stages

by Andy Brassell from Geneva

Deco knows the pressure will increase in the later stages of the competition (©Getty Images)

Deco hopes the individual quality in Portugal's squad will leave them in a strong position to successfully negotiate the knockout phase of UEFA EURO 2008™.

Knockout threat
The 30-year-old had an influential role in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Czech Republic, scoring the opener after eight minutes, then setting up Cristiano Ronaldo for the goal that put his side back in front midway through the second half. With Luiz Felipe Scolari's men now certain of a place in the quarter-finals, Deco warned of the demands that would face them beyond the first round. "In competitions like this, going into the sudden-death situation, you can go out even if you play really well," he said. Yet the FC Barcelona midfielder believes with the creative strength in depth they have, Portugal are well placed to reach the later stages. "We are conscious that our best can get us through. From now, I hope this is what will happen."

Tough test
Deco admitted that Karel Brückner's side represented a far sterner test than Portugal had faced in their opening game with Turkey. "We scored first but ended up finding it difficult. However, we kept our spirit intact and that was the most important thing," he said. The speed of Portugal's breaks had proved crucial, he thought. "We defended a lot and tried to play on the counterattack. I think it's vital that we managed to do that." On a personal note, Deco feels he is edging ever closer to his best form. "I was missing the rhythm of games," he said. "A month ago I wasn't playing. The last game I played with Barcelona was against Manchester United [FC], I think." Two games in five days have left him feeling sprightly. "Today I felt much better," he concluded.

Ronaldo ready to go all the way

by Michael Harrold from Stade de Genève

Cristiano Ronaldo was Portugal's match-winner against the Czech Republic (©Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo said Portugal had a "good chance" of winning UEFA EURO 2008™ after his Carlsberg Man of Match award-winning performance put them on the verge of a place in the quarter-finals – a step subsequently confirmed by Turkey's victory over Switzerland.

'Very happy'
Ronaldo played a part in all three Portugal goals, combining with Nuno Gomes and Deco for the first on eight minutes, striking the second with 63 minutes played, then teeing up substitute Ricardo Quaresma for the third in added time. "It's a very good feeling," he said. "We have almost reached our aim, which was to get out of this phase and reach the next. I was very happy to help my team-mates win. We played really well even though the Czech Republic played very well in the first half and we found it difficult to penetrate their defence. We played as a team and know how to sacrifice everything for the team. We have a good chance [to win the competition] but we must respect our opponents who want to win as much as we do."

'Football festival'
György Mezey was part of the UEFA Technical Team that selected Ronaldo as Man of the Match. He said: "You do not need to explain why he is Man of the Match. He scores goals and sets them up and did very well throughout the game. It was a very good game, a football festival played between two very well-prepared teams with fantastic individual performances. In one-v-one situations they were not able to mark Ronaldo, he was always dangerous." Czech Republic coach Karel Brückner added: "Ronaldo is one of the best players. He is a very dangerous weapon but the Portugal team is not only about Ronaldo. They have other very good players, but Ronaldo might be the best at EURO 2008™."

Red cross ambassador
Beaming as he collected his Carlsberg Man of the Match award shortly after the game, Ronaldo dedicated his goal to the Score for the Red Cross campaign, of which he is the ambassador. "My goal goes to the Red Cross which makes me very proud," he said. The Score for the Red Cross campaign is the official UEFA EURO 2008™ humanitarian project launched by UEFA together with the International Committee of the Red Cross. For the first time, UEFA is directly linking its support to what happens on the pitch – every goal scored during the finals, except in penalty shoot-outs, will be worth a €4,000 donation. Fans can also make donations so click here to Score for the Red Cross.

Bilić bullish ahead of Germany test

by Graham Wood from Klagenfurt

Slaven Bilić played for Croatia at centre-half (©Getty Images)

Croatia coach Slaven Bilić believes his team have as much reason to be confident as their opponents Germany ahead of this evening's head-to-head between the Group B rivals in Klagenfurt.

Confidence high
Following their winning start against co-hosts Austria four days ago, and Germany's 2-0 triumph over Poland, the match at the Wörthersee Stadion should provide an enthralling spectacle with victory for either side potentially securing them early progress to the quarter-finals. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Bilić showed he has plenty of faith in his troops. "We approach this game with just as much self-confidence as Germany," he said. "Like them, we also won our first match and we are relieved after the negative pressure we had beforehand. The winning start has give us great belief in ourselves and the way we are playing."

Great power
Despite the obvious faith in his own team, Bilić clearly holds the Mannschaft in high regard, stating that Croatia can consider themselves potential UEFA EURO 2008™ title candidates if they claim a win. "I definitely would consider us a strong contender if we beat Germany," said the 39-year-old. "I believe any team that beats Germany can hope to beat anybody." Croatia's training session was hampered by a deluge of rain, but the outlook is a lot brighter on the injury front. Luka Modrić is ready to feature after training alone on Monday as a precautionary measure due to a slight pain in his achilles tendon and Mladen Petrić is also free of his recurrent back injury, though may well be sacrificed if Bilić tinkers with his lineup.

Tough challenge
Germany coach Joachim Löw admitted his players are feeling more upbeat than ever, but expects a tough night against the Croatians. "It is true that over the past few months we have become more and more self-confident," said the 48-year-old. "We've proved that we've been able to implement what we've practised in matches. We are confident going into the game, but Croatia are a good team with attack-minded players and we will face a tough challenge. We want to dictate our pace on the game – that will be our aim."

Aiming for victory
Asked if he would settle for second place in the group, Löw said it was not an issue he had given much thought to. "It is logical tomorrow that we want to win, simply because both ourselves and Croatia have three points each," he said. "But so far, I haven't spent much time thinking about whether we will be first or second. We want the win because I think it will put us in the quarter-finals." With a fully-fit squad of players, the only potential change Löw may make to his starting XI could be to give defender Arne Friedrich his chance in place of Marcell Jansen. Hertha BSC Berlin defender Friedrich, who was a first-team regular at the last World Cup and UEFA EURO 2004™, could return to right-back with Philipp Lahm moving to the left.

UEFA Euro 2008 Tournament Winner Prediction (Gambling Tips & Prices)

It is time once again for a summer of football. 16 teams will contest a month of action packed football matches. The competition promises passionate victories, superb goals and upsets galore. In 2004 bookmakers would have taken a massive sting when Greece were crowned champions of Europe. With Europe's finest on show throughout who would have predicted that? With so many selections to choose from and important factors to take into consideration picking an outright tournament winner is not an easy task. Below is a detailed breakdown of the main tournament contenders and crucial information needed to help you make your pick.

The Champions of Euro 2008

This year there are 5 possible tournament winners.

France - Priced @ 9.6

The World Cup 2006 finalists will want to go one step further in this competition and avenge their World Cup final defeat to Italy. France is the highest priced pick for a number of reasons. Their pre tournament friendly's have been under par and lacked the passion. They are in the toughest of the 3 groups contesting against the likes of Italy and the Netherlands. France do have a wealth of players at their disposal including in form Frank Ribery. France will be looking for a performance from Thierry Henry if they are to progress to the knock out phase and this season at Barcelona has been nothing to go by. Patrick Vieira is out for the Romania game and will have to decide whether or not he plans to continue for the rest of the tournament. Expect a price crash if France can get through the group stages. Bet with a view to a trade.

Germany - Priced @ 5.0

Germany we feel undeservedly begin the competition as tournament favourites. We believe that they are strong contenders but should not be the favourites. Germany's side of youngsters looked exceptional at the World Cup with super pace, constantly picking off sides on the counter. Coach Joachim Löw has experimented with squads during the recent friendly's but it is believed that there will be few changes made to the side that featured in World Cup 2006. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski all feature. The German side looked like tournament winners in 06 but without home advantage on their side they will not be victorious in this competition.
Player to watch Michael Ballack.

Italy - Priced @ 7.8

The World Cup 2006 Champions are a good price @ 7.8. They have sustained a major blow however with the withdrawal of captain Fabio Cannavaro who damaged an ankle ligament during a training session. Roberto Donadoni has made a number of changes to the 2006 side. With the retirement of Alessandro Nesta and Francesco Totti many Italian players will be looking for their chance to shine. They are in the most difficult group locking horns with both France and the Netherlands. Italy are a good bet but it is doubtful they will hold both the World Cup and Euro titles at the same time.

Portugal - Priced @ 8.8

Portugal are the pick of the bunch at a great price of 8.8! The Portuguese were priced at 27/1 at the World Cup and were semi finalists. A hero's welcome was given to big Scolari's side as they landed in Switzerland. You would have thought that they had already won it! Portugal feature a star studded line up including this year's soon to be crowned 'FIFA World Player of the Year' (it will be a fix if not). We are of course talking about Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a completely different player to 2006 and after being this season's top scorer for Manchester United he will be looking to double up with the Golden Boot. A number of young players will be on show in this tournament all playing their hearts out for Scolari's vote. Nani being amongst them. With the Players, the Price and the mass support from the locals Portugal are a bargain at 8.8.

Spain - Priced @ 6.8

Spain are up there amongst the favourites mainly because of the stars amongst the side. Cesc Fabregas, David Villa, Fernando Torres, Carlos Puyol, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez to name a few. The downside to Spain is that they are bottlers and tend to choke in the latter stages of competitions. In their opening World Cup games they were on fire and it was goals galore during the group phase. As soon as they faced quality opposition they didn't look half as good submitting to France. Spain a good price @ 6.8 but definitely look to trade in the knock out rounds.

Soccer Engine UEFA Euro 2008 Tournament Winner Prediction - Portugal @ 8.8

By James Tillson - http://www.soccerengine.net Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Tillson

Who Will Win Euro 2008?

Euro 2008 is due to kick off in a couple of days time and football fans are starting to debate about who they think will win the tournament. In this article I am going to give my prediction as to which team I believe will end up lifting the trophy, I hope you enjoy the read.

Firstly I would like to mention how disappointed I am that my home nation, England, is not playing in Euro 2008. The team only have themselves to blame as they really are becoming too big for their boots. They think and speak as if they are the best in the world; in truth some of them need a good kick up the backside. Watching England over the last few years has been a complete bore and not competing in Euro 2008 may just bring some of the players into the real world.

The bookmakers have Germany as the 4-1 favourites. The German team always seem to perform at the major football tournaments, much to my frustration. I sure hope they do not win Euro 2008 however would not be surprised if they did.

Italy will be in confident mood as they will be going into the tournament as reigning World Cup winners.

My big tip for Euro 2008 would have to be Spain; I have even had a £25 bet on them to win the tournament. Players like Torres, Alonso and Fabregas should prove too much for many of the competing countries.

I can not see beyond the three countries I have already mentioned. I really think the winner of Euro 2008 will come from either Spain, Germany or Italy and will be rooting for the Spanish.

Steve Hill is a webmaster from Birmingham, he has interests in a number of websites including:
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The Azzurri Leading EURO 2008 Group C

As the EURO 2008 approaches all 16 teams which will participate in the international competition get set and ready to play their group rivals. Of the four groups the Italians have been selected along with Romania, the Netherlands and World Cup runner up bitter France.

Les Blues' will be indeed one of the strongest rivals to defeat as after the 2006 World Cup the French Coach Raymond Domenech began to shift this direction and new talent was added to the team to replace the empty spot left by the ex galactico Zidane. Domenech has called to training a total of 29 players from which he will decide the 23 that will participate at the EURO 2008.

"You can't say there won't be problems, won't be any injuries," Domenech told RTL radio station on Wednesday. "We have to think ahead. Everyone has to stay vigilant and ready. I envisage all the possibilities."

On June 9 France will meet Romania in the opening round game; this will certainly be a very interesting game as Romania Coach Victor Piturca has also began his preparations for the European championship which include 14 players from the local league besides Inter Milan captain Cristian Chivu and VfB Stuttgart striker Ciprian Marica who Piturca hopes would be able to play as he is still recovering from an injury.

On the other hand, we have the current World Champions the Azzurri whose football has been very steady and has delivered many triumphs; but we know the Italians have only captured one EURO Cup title back in 1968. It is true that Italy is the favorite to win this tournament due to reasons such as their strong game and their excellent level of players. But there is still a question left unanswered regarding the current 44 year-old Italian Coach Roberto Donadoni who has been with the Italians for a relatively short period.

Donadoni who previously replaced Marcello Lippi has a contract which expires at the end of the EURO 2008; but he has been offered an extension in order to secure his place with the team. Until now Donadoni has not accepted the agreement and stated "To me the current situation does not represent a problem." "I am going into it (Euro 2008) with great enthusiasm."

Previous to Donadoni's announcement of his 23 players Italy will participate in the last friendly game versus Belgium at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence next May 25th. It is believed players such as: Pippo Inzaghi, Alex Del Piero and Antonio Cassano will be part of the roster.

Nevertheless; the Italians' face a very big task ahead of them but the team has one of the best chances to make this dream come true for many around the world; as well as for their countrymen at home land where the sport of football was horrendously hit by a wave of match-fixing scandals and some of the most recognized teams were moved down to the Series B and their points removed.

Claudia Beckford provides outstanding EURO 2008 content as well as information in the sports betting industry. http://www.instantactionsports.com/uk/

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