Ilkay Gundogan to Manchester City

Ilkay Gundogan to Manchester City

Sports abc   2:03:00 PM

German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan became Pep Guardiola's first signing at Manchester City on Thursday, inking a four-year deal with the Premier League club and bringing an end to his tenure with Borussia Dortmund in the process.

City announced the transfer on the club website and released the following clip of their new signing addressing the supporters:

"The opportunity to work with a coach like Pep Guardiola is something I am really looking forward to and I am flattered to be the first signing the Club has made this summer," the new signing told the club's official website. “I can promise the City fans I will give everything to help us win titles both in England and the Champions League. These are exciting times."
Gundogan struggled to overcome a back injury in 2013-14 and only flashed limited top form in 2014-15, but that didn't stop him from becoming a popular transfer target. His overall success with Dortmund, paired with the fact he's still just 25, ensured his value remained high.
He enjoyed a solid 2015-16 Bundesliga campaign for BVB, registering one goal and three assists in 25 appearances. His 87.8 per cent pass-completion rate ranked 14th in the league, according to WhoScored.com. As these numbers illustrate, Gundogan loves to commit opposition defenders:

A dislocated knee cap will keep him out of UEFA Euro 2016 with Germany, though, a factor that many will suggest makes this deal a gamble for City.
Still, he's a central midfielder with terrific passing ability, great vision and a creative eye. Gundogan emerged as one of the most promising young playmakers in Europe early in his career, and those expectations will follow him to the Etihad Stadium now the club and player have reached an agreement.
He had previously signed a contract extension with BVB in 2015, which was set to last through 2017, but that clearly didn't stop the transfer talk.
Gundogan admitted in January his future was still up in the air, telling German outlet Bild (via Jack Wilkinson of Sky Sports):

No decision has been taken yet and of course everything has to be thought through because the length of one's career is limited.
To be honest everything is still open. I think it will go into that direction. When I sign, it will most likely not be for just a year.

Those remarks came amid another up-and-down season. There were flashes of the top-end player he's been expected to become, but consistency remained an issue. That's never a surprise for a player trying to find a rhythm after injury woes.
Although it's probably difficult for Dortmund to see him go, it's not a surprise the move was made, as the transfer makes sense for both parties. Making a deal while his value remained high was key for Dortmund, while the player could benefit from a new challenge.
Indeed, for Gundogan, the change of scenery gives him a chance to build on the foundations he forged with Dortmund to reach an elite level. He was well on his way to becoming one of his generation's best midfielders before injuries halted his progress.

Staying healthy is always important, especially for young players during their development. Working back into top form while also building chemistry with new team-mates is easier said than done too. It's a challenge that's going to test Gundogan both mentally and physically.
His arrival at the Etihad Stadium will come with a heavy burden. When fit, he'll likely assume a deep-lying playmaker role, providing the link between the back line and the forwards while freeing up attacking midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.

There will be an onus on him to push on too. Gundogan's best years came under former manager Jurgen Klopp when he was handed a licence to carry the ball from deep and pick incisive passes in the final third. If this latest injury hasn't robbed him of his dynamism, he'll be hopeful of fulfilling that kind of role again upon return.
Based on Gundogan's past success with Dortmund, he will make a positive impact as long as he avoids further injury issues. His talent is undeniable, and that's why top clubs continued to show interest.
Now he's found a new home, he must prove all of the prior hype is warranted.

Joachim Low's Germany Have Many Questions to Answer in Bid for More Glory

Joachim Low's Germany Have Many Questions to Answer in Bid for More Glory

Sports abc   9:15:00 AM

It has been a strange start to Euro 2016, one that has outlined a tournament of teams who have flickered towards life without really catching fire.

Nobody has been terrible, nobody has been brilliant, and every side—with the possible exception of Italy—has shown weakness.

What’s most surprising, perhaps, is that two years on from winning the World Cup, none of the doubts that floated around Germany in Brazil have been dismissed.

Their opening game against Ukraine showed the best and worst of Germany. For the first and last quarters of the game they were excellent, their passing crisp and precise, their movement good.
From the 58th minute to the start of injury time, Germany dominated possession to the extent that Ukraine didn’t have a shot. At a time when the Ukrainians were chasing the game, that is remarkable. No side in the first round of games, in fact, had as much possession as Germany did.

And yet at the same time there was a manifest vulnerability. From the mid-point of the first half to about 10 minutes into the second, they creaked and wobbled.
Yevhen Konoplyanka exposed Benedikt Howedes’ slight clumsiness again and again, making him look like exactly what he is, a centre-back playing at full-back.
The suggestion is that with centre-back Mats Hummels likely to be fit enough to start against Poland, Howedes could stand aside for Shkodran Mustafi, who played at centre-back against Ukraine.


Jerome Boateng cleared off the line. There was an effort ruled out for a borderline offside. Manuel Neuer made a couple of good saves. Particularly towards the end of the first half, Germany were rocking.
The question is why? The commonest explanation is complacency. As Germany lost in qualifying to Poland and the Republic of Ireland and then in friendlies to England and Slovakia, the buzzword was Turniermannschaft; tournament team. There was a claim that Germany would raise their level when they needed to.
Poland, perhaps, is the biggest test of that.
At a press conference in Evian-les-Bains, Boateng described Poland as the "most dangerous opponent of the group." Although Germany beat them 3-1 in Frankfurt, the Poles had already won 2-0 in Warsaw.
“We have, among the coaches, analysed our weak points,” coach Joachim Low said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“I think the strength of the Polish team is that they are well organised and they wait for counter-attacks.
"They have a team that is focused on a very quick transition game. They are better than the Ukrainian squad because they have better players for that. They have fast players going forward, not dribbling but one of the strongest counter-attacking teams that I’ve seen over the last two years.
"They have very experienced players playing abroad: [Arkadiusz] Milik, [Robert] Lewandowski. They have a very compact squad with individual quality and, of course, players that play in the Bundesliga and know our players very well.”

In terms of qualifying, it doesn’t really matter. It’s entirely possible that Germany could qualify even with defeats in their final two games. A loss to Poland followed by a draw against Northern Ireland would almost guarantee their passage to the last 16.
This is more about establishing how good this Germany side is and whether the success in Brazil was the beginning or the end of a cycle.

“In comparison to the World Cup two years ago, we now have a deeper squad with players of the same quality,” said Thomas Muller, per the Observer's David Hytner. “So, in that respect, I think we are even stronger than two years ago.”
But the sense of Germany over Low’s decade in charge is of a team that has never quite been at ease with itself.
At Euro 2008, they were surprisingly vulnerable in defence, reprising the open spirit of Jurgen Klinsmann’s side. By 2010, they were devastating playing on the counter but struggled against opponents who refused to come at them.
The attempts to become more proactive since then have been of dubious success. At Euro 2012, Greece exposed how lax they were at the back in the quarter-final before Italy punished them in the semi-final.
Even at the World Cup two years ago, it was a fitful Germany. They were ruthless in thrashing Portugal after the early dismissal of Pepe, and they could hardly have been more surgical in puncturing the absurd nationalistic bubble of Brazil in the semi-final, but around that there were some far less impressive displays.
They were very fortunate, for instance, to draw 2-2 with Ghana in the group stage, and Algeria could easily have eliminated them in the round of 16. It was after that game that Low went on his now-famous jog along the beach during which he decided to restore the 35-year-old striker Miroslav Klose to the starting lineup. The result was two 1-0 wins and the evisceration of Brazil.
Yet still doubts remain about Low—and not just about his personal hygiene (he bafflingly apologised for thrusting his hands inside his trousers during the game against Ukraine, blaming his actions on “adrenaline").
His tournament record is ostensibly superb—final, semi-final, semi-final, winners—and there are those who would argue that he has played a key role in overseeing the development of the new Germany, but the counter-argument is that with these players, whose emergence is a function of the academies and the clubs, Low’s record is only around par.
In terms of indelible performances in the past six years, slaughtering a Brazil high on hysteria—however remarkable that victory will look in the history books—isn’t a great return.

These are quibbles, of course. Low’s leading role in Germany’s resurgence is outlined by Raphael Honigstein in Das Reboot. But having got this far, having implemented a system that has produced players this good—albeit with a shortage of full-backs and centre-forwards—it may be that only one tournament success comes to be seen as a slight underperformance.
The World Cup success brought a sense of relief that that generation had, at last, won something. The question now is whether it can tighten up sufficiently to ensure that triumph is not the sole high point.

United States Beats Ecuador, Moves On To Next Round of Copa America

United States Beats Ecuador, Moves On To Next Round of Copa America

Sports abc   9:01:00 AM

Last night [Thursday, June 16] there was another big sports game that wasn’t the NBA Finals. The US Men’s soccer team defeated Ecuador, 2-1, in Seattle in a chippy game to advance to the next round of the Copa America tournament.
Each team saw a player sent off, after Ecuador’s winger Antonio Valencia received a second yellow in the 52^nd minute, and the US’ Jermaine Jones received a red card for a subsequent confrontation with Valencia. But an early goal from Clint Dempsey and a follow up goal from Gyasi Zardes were enough to ensure the US came out on top.
While Europe has the European Championship going on at the moment, the Americas have their own tournament, the Copa America, which started well before the Euros did last week. With this win, the United States moves into the semi-final round, and they are awaiting the winners of the Argentina vs. Venezuela game.
Argentina are the heavy favorites to win at this point of the competition, but with strong sides from Columbia and Mexico still in the tournament, there is still a lot left to play for. And, after barely escaping the group stage, the US will be looking to follow up these two consecutive wins by clinching a place in the Copa America finals.
The US’ next game is on Tuesday, June 21^st at 9 pm EST.

England vs Wales Euro 2016: Harry Redknapp rates the teams

England vs Wales Euro 2016: Harry Redknapp rates the teams

Sports abc   8:23:00 AM

Player ratings
England play Wales today in a match that will settle 'Battle of Britain' bragging rights.
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey lead a talented Wales team's strong cast of stars, but are England better?
Harry Redknapp runs the rule over each player to find out

Joe Hart
We’re blessed with some good goalkeepers, including Fraser Forster and Jack Butland, but Joe Hart is still the best by some distance. He’s only 29 but it feels like he’s been around for a long time, this is a big tournament for him.

 
Kyle Walker
I believe Kyle and Danny Rose will be crucial players when you consider the way Wales set up with three at the back. He’s a good attacking full-back with genuine pace and he will be vitally important for England on Thursday afternoon.

Gary Cahill
He may have struggled at times for Chelsea and this central defensive partnership doesn’t come close to Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, but Gary deserves his place. He hardly had a thing to do against Russia but he’ll definitely be busier against Gareth Bale.

Chris Smalling
He’s improved massively over the past two years and is now one of the first names on the England team-sheet. He’s strong and possesses deceptive pace and I think he can stand up to whatever Wales throw at him

Danny Rose
Previously a left-winger, Danny is now an outstanding left-back. He’s quick and aggressive with a low centre of gravity who looks to bomb forward. He put in some great crosses against Russia and I’m expecting the same again.

Eric Dier
This is a huge game for Dier and he needs to get to grips with Gareth Bale very early in the game. He’s doing an excellent job sitting in defensive midfield but people at Tottenham still tell me he’s going to be a brilliant centre-half later into his career.

Dele Alli
I wouldn’t swap Dele Alli for anyone in the world – if Paul Pogba is worth £70million I shudder to think what Alli  is worth. He’s an amazing talent and will only get better. One of the best young players in Europe, without a doubt.

Wayne Rooney
Wayne remains a fantastic footballer and all the criticism he’s received will not affect him in any way. He can do any job for the team, whether he’s up front, in midfield or sitting behind the forwards. Still a huge influence for Roy Hodgson.

Adam Lallana
Adam is a very clever player who always seems to find good positions. He had some good opportunities against Russia and if you’re being critical you’d have to say he should have put at least one of them away.

Raheem Sterling
Raheem got a bit of stick the other night and yes, his final ball does let him down. He’s been in and out the team at Manchester City but I think he deserves another chance. He’s got real talent if he can turn it on.

Harry Kane
Some people are saying he looks tired but never write off Harry Kane. Everyone was saying he was a one-season wonder at the start of the season yet he ended it with the Golden Boot. He will score goals given the chance but let’s hope he’s not still taking corners.

 
Wayne Hennessey
Will start if anywhere near fit. Has great physical presence and despite mistakes for Crystal Palace, reserves his best for Wales.

James Chester
He’s a good competitor and the system that Chris Coleman employs suits him. He’s primarily a right-back but can move to the centre to cover if the defence gets stretched.

Ashley Williams
I’ve always been a big fan of Williams, he’s a leader and winner. He reads the game well, is competitive and is clearly respected by the squad. He’s someone you want in the trenches alongside you.

Ben Davies
Ben is too good to be a No. 2 left-back at club level and has struggled to get in at Spurs because of Danny Rose. Maybe he needs to have a look at that over the summer because he’s a very good player and would get in most Premier League teams.

Chris Gunter
I had Chris at Tottenham when I was manager, he was always a good lad full of energy. He was outstanding against Slovenia but this will be much tougher  - he will have both Sterling and Rose running at him and it could be a long afternoon.

Neil Taylor
Another player with great technique, he’s always impressed me with his set-pieces. He will try to get forward but if England have got five players coming at them he could get penned in. Will have to keep possession of the ball very well.

Joe Ledley
What an amazing story for Ledley to come back from injury and that will give him an even bigger incentive to impress against England. If Ledley does replace Jonny Williams, Chris Coleman will clearly have gone for a physical presence.

Joe Allen
Perhaps another player who is unlucky not to play more at club level, Joe Allen has proved he can hold his own at international level. I don’t think he gets enough credit because he’s a really calming influence in that midfield.

Gareth Bale
Easily one of the top five players in the world, Gareth could win the game on his own if he's on it. He will target the centre-halves and try to find pockets of space. A huge threat to England hopes. 

Aaron Ramsey
Aaron would easily get into the England team if he was English and he’s an outstanding player. He plays a little further forward for Wales than he does at Arsenal and will be another key player for Chris Coleman.

Hal Robson-Kanu
He will get all the support he needs from Bale and will want to add to his record of scoring important goals. He’s got some pace which will stretch the England defence and England can’t underestimate him just because he’s played most of his career in the Championship.

Total
England: 90
Wales: 80

Bulls Will Trade Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves Only If Andrew Wiggins Is Included In Deal

Bulls Will Trade Jimmy Butler to Timberwolves Only If Andrew Wiggins Is Included In Deal

Sports abc   3:42:00 PM

Earlier this week it was revealed that the Chicago Bulls are shopping a trade for their star guard Jimmy Butler. Of course many teams would like the services of Butler but it seems as though the Bulls have zeroed in on the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics as the likely landing spots for him. Namely due to the fact that the teams hold the No.5 and No.3 picks in this month’s draft respectively. Talks began to intensify, with many pundits assuming that Butler would be in Minnesota, which would automatically make them a contender in the West.
Today though, it looks like that potential trade might have some kinks to work out. According to ESPN’s Darren Wolfson, the Bulls are only willing to trade Butler to the Timberwolves only if Andrew Wiggins is involved in the deal. Wiggins, who was the number one pick in the 2014 NBA draft has been one of the best young stars in the league with a bright future ahead of him. It is difficult to imagine that they would part ways with him for Jimmy Butler but only time will tell.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74.

Sports abc   2:49:00 AM

The three-time world heavyweight champion, who had battled Parkinson's disease for 32 years, was admitted to hospital with a respiratory condition earlier in the week.
His family's spokesman Bob Gunnell confirmed Ali's death in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday evening.
The funeral will take place in Ali's home town of Louisville, Kentucky.
The spokesman said the Ali family "would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and support" and asked for privacy.
Ali, hailed as "The Greatest" after winning the heavyweight championship of the world three times, is survived by his fourth wife Lonnie - whom he married in 1986 - and multiple children, many of whom were reported to have flown to their father's bedside on Thursday and Friday.
He had been admitted to hospital most recently in early 2015 when he was treated for a severe urinary tract infection initially diagnosed as pneumonia. At his last public appearances, he looked increasingly frail, including on April 9 when he wore sunglasses and was hunched over at the annual Celebrity Fight Night dinner in Phoenix, which raises funds for Parkinson's treatment.
Ali has suffered from Parkinson's for three decades and trembled badly while lighting the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta.
Doctors say the illness was probably caused by the thousands of punches Ali took during a career in which he travelled the world for big fights.
Tributes quickly flooded in for Ali, born Cassius Clay, as news of his death broke.
George Foreman, Ali's friend and rival from the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" fight, said: "We were like one guy - part of me is gone.He said he wanted Ali to be remembered as a "brave" humanitarian and not just a boxer.
He said: "Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest human beings I have ever met. No doubt he was one of the best people to have lived in this day and age.
"To put him as a boxer is an injustice."

 He loved London. If he had been born and raised in London he never would have changed his name," he said.

Lionel Messi defends himself at court trial

Lionel Messi defends himself at court trial

Sports abc   10:21:00 AM

"I didn't know or read anything, all I know about is playing football"

 

Lionel Messi insisted to the Judge in a Barcelona court that he knew nothing about evading €4m in tax from image rights as he was only focused on football and trusted his father and lawyers to handle the financial aspect of his career.

The Barcelona FC Star is being tried in court for tax evasion totaling €4million and together with his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, declined to take questions from the state prosecutors but gave testimony in the court in Barcelona claiming ignorance of his tax affairs, the same defense strategy he used in 2013 while in court for tax evasion.

He and his father Jorge stand accused of defrauding Spain of over €4million in taxes by using offshore companies in Uruguay and Belize to conceal image rights earnings in the period 2007-2009.

"I didn't know anything, all I know about is playing football and winning. I left it all to my Dad," Messi said, wearing a dark suit and tie. I only knew that sponsors would pay X amount of money, that I had to do adverts, photos and things like that.'' continued Messi, according to quotes gotten by Mirror Sports.

"I never read anything... I would sign where [the lawyers] said. I signed [the adidas contract] when I was 18, I was in another world."

Jorge Messi, had earlier said he didn't realise the Belize company that managed image rights deals didn't pay taxes in Spain, and that he never informed his son, Messi of the details of sponsorship deals saying all he's ever wanted to do was to make Messi's life easier..

"Since the start of Leo's career I only tried to make his life easier," he said. Leo knew nothing of these companies. He didn't read the contracts. They needed his signature, he went and signed but he didn't read anything and nor did anyone explain it to him."

More photos...

John Cena Receives An Interesting “Welcome Back” Present During His WWE Raw Return

John Cena Receives An Interesting “Welcome Back” Present During His WWE Raw Return

Sports abc   11:23:00 PM

Monday, May 30] was a major day to pay tribute to fallen soldiers (Memorial Day) while celebrating the return of one of wrestling’s hottest superstars.

 Last night during a live telecast of WWE Raw, John Cena made his return to action since his surprising cameo at Wrestlemania 32, when he helped The Rock fight off the creepy and mysterious Wyatt Family. Expected to make a full comeback in nine months after his shoulder surgery in January, Cena defied all odds to make his epic return back into the ring and the crowd went wild. Fans went bananas when AJ Styles decided to confront Cena to let him know that the “new era” is here to stay.

With the WWE planning to reinstall the company’s draft, fans are skeptical of how and where Cena will land, seeming very intrigued with his new feud with the league’s brightest superstars such as AJ Styles and the Bullet Club. Will “The Face of WWE” end up on Smackdown on Tuesday nights, fighting his way to a record setting 16 World Heavyweight championship belts under his resumé? Or will he remain at Raw and let AJ Styles prove to him and fans why he was regarded as the best wrestling free agent? Only time will tell but until then, welcome back John. Get well, champ!

Serena Williams In Pursuit of 22nd Grand Slam at French Open

Serena Williams In Pursuit of 22nd Grand Slam at French Open

Sports abc   11:35:00 AM

Home

Hip Hop News | Trending Hip Hop Stories

Famed tennis players Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic are in pursuit to break more records. According to USA Today, when the two professionals step onto the tennis court to begin their French Open campaigns, not only will they face their respected opponents, but they will also go up against history.
For Williams, she’s on the continued chase for a 22^nd Grand Slam, her third attempt to tie Steffi Graf’s record. For Djokovic, however, he’s looking to complete the career Grand Slam—winning all four majors at least once.
“I will try to get my hands on this title this year,” Djokovic said. “But if it doesn’t happen, you know, there is always another year, because I don’t have any intention of slowing down yet.”
Williams chases her 22nd Grand Slam for a third consecutive major; it took her four attempts to reach number 18, which stressed the athlete out, a feeling Williams would rather not relive.
The French Open begins yesterday [Sunday, May 22].