Merkel goes for goal with Germany at World Cup final

You half wonder if Germany might apologise for winning the World Cup on Sunday. After the total demolition of the Brazilian side in the semi-final, victorious German footballers tweeted a torrent of sympathy. 

Of course, it is hard to know how much is the work of PR agencies on their behalf, but the sentiment was out there and appreciated. 

"Brazil, I love you", "Brazil will always be the land of soccer" and "You have a beautiful country, wonderful people and amazing footballers" - so tweeted the victorious German footballers in an out-pouring of magnanimity which won them friends.

Germans remain uneasy about gloating - but perhaps less uneasy after Sunday.

 

Thousands have flocked to Berlin's Fan Mile to watch Germany's successful run in the competition 

In the run-up, it is true the flag has been flown from cars and balconies - but not that much in a country that has barely stopped for breath in what seems like the inevitable route to the World Cup final. 

Germans will tell you that triumphal nationalism tied to a round ball is still not fully acceptable. 

Victory assured? But, whatever the qualms, if Germany beats Argentina, there will be tumultuous celebration. It would be the first time a European side has won a World Cup in South America. The team would return to be mobbed by hundreds of thousands at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. 

 

Germans hope for a repeat of the 1974 World Cup, when West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer led his team to victory 

The excitement across Germany is high and rising at the prospect of lifting the World Cup for the fourth time after a long wait (1954, 1974, 1990 were the previous victories, and then only as West Germany). This would be the first time a united Germany has won the title. 

In Berlin, the Fanmeile (Fan Mile) is cordoned off with lines of big screens stretching through the Tiergarten and enough beer and sausage on order to feed 100,000 people. 

Across the country, beer sales are already up 15% this World Cup and a German victory would no doubt empty the barrel. 

Artificial beaches have rows of deckchairs ready for the game. Any restaurant which does not have the obligatory screen will be deserted. 

The stadium at FC Union in Berlin has been converted into a living room after fans were invited to bring their own sofas. There are now 750 of them stretched across the pitch in front of the screen. 

 

A stadium in Berlin has transformed into an open air living room for public viewings of World Cup matches 

 

The Bild front page read "7-1. No words for it!" after Brazil's catastrophic defeat to Germany in the semi-final 

Bild, Germany's most popular newspaper, is devoting acres of space to the World Cup. Headlines are so big they could be read from the Moon - or Argentina. 

There is a universal confidence in Germany that the result will turn out right. Ask anyone and they will say that Germany is a team while Argentina is Messi. 

Close down the Argentinian star, they say, and victory is assured. Probably - but there is many a slip between plan and field. 

Clenched fists The Maracana Stadium in Rio might not feel that hostile at the final. All those friendly tweets to Brazilians might work some sympathy. And Brazil and Argentina are rivals - two big beasts sharing the same turf. 

Angela Merkel will be there and a victory for Germany will be a victory for her. She has tied herself to the team in a way which has brought her support back home. 

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel posed with the German squad after they beat Portugal in the group stage 

 

Chancellor Merkel's trademark celebratory gesture has been warmly received by fans back home 

After the 4-0 trouncing of Portugal, she was there in the dressing room, posing for selfies and for a team photo. The Forsa polling institute said there was an up-tick in support for her. 

She is not known for public displays of emotion - quite the opposite - but when Germany scores, she has a gesture which has become something of a trademark: she jumps to her feet with both her fists clenched in delight, a bit like a little girl overcome with surprise. 

It is a brilliant image which plays very well on the front pages back home. 

How many times will she rise in delight on Sunday? 

(By Stephen Evans BBC News, Berlin )

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Messi's World Cup ends on a bitter note

Messi's World Cup ends on a bitter note -- Lionel Messi's final act in the 2014 World Cup was lifting a free kick high over the bar, wasting Argentina's last chance to equalize in the final against Germany.

It was far from a fitting finish for the four-time world player of the year.

This was supposed to be Messi's World Cup, just like the 1986 tournament belonged to another Argentine great, Diego Maradona.

But after carrying his team through the group stage in Brazil with four goals, Messi seemed to run out of steam.

He created chances in the final Sunday but, like the rest of the team, lacked the finishing touch to turn the game for Argentina.

''I'm hurt for losing the way we did. We were close to penalties,'' Messi said. ''I think we deserved a little better, we had chances.''

He was a picture of disappointment as he collected the trophy for the tournament's best player, and then stood in silence at the entrance to the player's tunnel, watching the Germans receive the trophy.

''At this moment, I don't care at all about that prize, only lifting the trophy matters,'' Messi said.

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said he thought Messi deserved the best player award, ''because he played an extraordinary role. He was the fundamental factor in the team.''

Messi has won everything there is to win with club team Barcelona, but many critics say he needs a World Cup title to be considered among football's all-time greats.

''He's been there for quite a while already, in the pantheon of the greats,'' Sabella said, when asked to compare Messi with players like Maradona and Brazil's Pele.

Germany's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, recipient of the Golden Glove trophy, stands next to Argentina's Lionel Messi after he receive the Golden Ball trophy following Germany's 1-0 victory over Argentina after the World Cup final soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, July 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Messi stood out in an otherwise mediocre Argentine team in the group stage, scoring against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran and twice against Nigeria.

The free kick he curled inside Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama's left post was a masterpiece. Then, game by game, Messi's influence started waning.

Against Switzerland he had little impact until extra time, when he drilled a hole in the Swiss defense and set up Angel Di Maria's winning goal. In the next game, against Belgium, he started the movement that resulted in Gonzalo Higuain's first-half winner and helped Argentina keep possession as the Belgians tried to level the score.

Man-marked by Nigel de Jong, Messi struggled to find space in the semifinal win over the Netherlands, and besides a few runs and deft passes into the area against Germany, he didn't rise to the occasion.

His last chance came in the final seconds of extra time as he was given a free kick about 10 meters (yards) from the area. Messi wiped the sweat off his face, took aim and sent his final shot of the World Cup well over the target. ( sports.yahoo.com  )

READ MORE - Messi's World Cup ends on a bitter note

Lionel Messi's World Cup final was full of vomit and sadness

(Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Lionel Messi's World Cup final was full of vomit and sadness - Before the first half of the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany was even over, Lionel Messi was vomiting. This, unfortunately, is nothing new for Messi, nor is it something that seems to bother him very much. It also was not the low point of his night.

(Getty)

He gave Germany a few scares in the first 45 minutes and he had one last chance to change the result with a free kick in the final seconds of extra time after Germany made it 1-0. But, through no fault of his own, it just wasn't meant to be for Leo Messi as the better team won their fourth World Cup title and beat Argentina in the final rounds of the tournament for the third straight time.

To the surprise of many, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball after carrying Argentina through the group stage with four goals. Yet even this high honor couldn't cheer him up as that crowning achievement — a World Cup title — remains the one thing missing from his overflowing trophy room.

Of course, anyone would be upset after coming just short of winning the World Cup, but for Messi it's so much worse than for any of his teammates. Since establishing himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, there has been a sole, droning, inescapable focus for everyone who knows his name. "When's he going to win a World Cup? He needs to win a World Cup. Why can't he do it at the World Cup? World Cup, World Cup, World Cup." (That's an exact quote, by the way.)

So to stand on the pitch and watch Germany celebrate meant more than just one major loss for Messi. It also the start of at least four more years — if not a whole lifetime — of being prodded with obsessively critical World Cup talk. "Yeah, all that amazing stuff you constantly do every year is great, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WORLD CUP?" And after coming this close, it will probably take it to a new level.

Keep that in mind as you look at these pictures of Messi after the match...

"Your kindness is both infuriating and so comforting, Bastian. I don't want anymore hugs right now, but maybe in a few hours we can build a Lego pirate ship together if you're not too busy being happier than I am."

"Maybe I'll throw my runner-up medal as hard as I can just to show how little second place means to me. ... Nah, I'll probably just keep it and auction it off for charity at some point. That would be nice."

"I'm going to call this my Golden Ball of Sadness."

"I'd rather wear that itchy turtleneck that grandma made for my birthday last year than this medal. Hopefully Sepp Blatter doesn't ask why I'm not wearing the medal he gave me like she does with that turtleneck every time I see her."

"Maybe I should change my name to Sven Guacamole and start a new life as a school counselor."

"Nah. The kids at the school would probably still ask me why I haven't won a World Cup even if they don't know who I am." ( sports.yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Lionel Messi's World Cup final was full of vomit and sadness

Germany wins World Cup on Goetze's goal

Germany wins World Cup on Goetze's goal -- Mario Goetze produced the piece of individual skill that Lionel Messi couldn't muster.

With two quick, deft touches, Goetze ended Germany's 24-year wait for another World Cup title - and denied Messi the one title he needs to forever take his place among the game's all-time greats.

Goetze scored the winning goal in extra time to give Germany a 1-0 victory over Argentina on Sunday in a tight and tense World Cup final that was decided by one moment of brilliance.

Goetze, who wasn't born when West Germany beat Argentina in the 1990 final, controlled a cross with his chest in the 113th minute and in one fluid motion volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Sergio Romero and inside the far post from five yards out.

It was a goal that gave Germany its fourth World Cup title, equal second with Italy on the list of all-time champions and just behind Brazil's five.

''It's an unbelievable feeling. I don't know how to describe it. You just shoot that goal in, you don't really know what's happening,'' Goetze said. ''And then at the end of the match, having a party with the team, the whole country ... it is for us, a dream come true.''

At the final whistle, Germany players fell into a pile in the middle of the pitch in celebration. Messi walked past them with his hands on his hips - still in the shadow of his compatriot Diego Maradona, who led his country to the 1986 title.

Goetze went on as a substitute for Miroslav Klose toward the end of regulation time and his fresh legs made the difference.

Andre Schuerrle broke down the left flank, sending his cross into the area, and the Bayern Munich midfielder did the rest with a clinical finish. The goal echoed that of Andres Iniesta four years ago, when the midfielder scored in similar fashion but from the other side of the area to give Spain a 1-0 extra-time win over the Netherlands.

According to Germany coach Joachim Loew, it was exactly as he'd planned when he made the substitution.

''I said to Mario Goetze, 'OK, show to the world that you're better than Messi and you can decide the World Cup. You have all the possibilities to do that,''' Loew said. ''I had a good feeling with him.''

Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas, and the victory ends a string of near misses since winning its last major title at the 1996 European Championship. The team lost the 2002 World Cup final to Brazil, the Euro 2008 final to Spain and was eliminated in the semifinals in both 2006 and 2010.

Argentina had not been back in the final since that 1990 loss, and has now been beaten by Germany in the last three World Cups.

''This was our chance, and we felt that way. We couldn't do it. We have to lift our heads and suffer the pain,'' Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano said. ''Obviously, the pain is tremendous.''

It is Germany's first World Cup title as a unified nation, having won as West Germany in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

The Germans faced Argentina in both the 1986 and 1990 finals, during Maradona's heyday. This time, they were up against Messi, the four-time world player of the year who has set a slew of scoring records in leading Barcelona to every major club title and is widely considered the best player since Maradona.

But in the biggest game of his career, Messi came up short.

He had one good chance to score when he was sent free in the area just after the halftime break, but sent his shot wide. It was a difficult angle, but still the type of chance he so often converts for Barcelona.

Messi threatened intermittently throughout the match, but was effectively smothered by the German defense. His free kick in the 120th minute went well high.

Messi, who scored four goals in the group stage but none in the knockout rounds, then had to trudge alone up the stairs of the Maracana Stadium to accept the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player, shaking hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel along the way.

Shortly afterward, the German team made its way up the stairs for captain Philipp Lahm to raise the hallowed 18-carat gold trophy as confetti rained down and fireworks exploded in the sky.

''It's incredible how hard we worked and what a performance we produced,'' Lahm said. ''It's an incredible feeling.''

Until Goetze's winning goal, the game was more notable for top-class defending than creative attacking, but both teams had their share of chances - particularly in the first half.

Gonzalo Higuain fired wide when gifted a chance in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and later had a goal ruled out for offside.

Germany defender Benedikt Hoewedes hit the post just before halftime with a header.

Germany had entered the game as the favorite after its 7-1 semifinal drubbing of Brazil. But Argentina proved to be an entirely different proposition.

''I'm very proud of the team. They played a great game against a great team,'' Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said. ''I salute the players, they made the country proud for the championship they played.''

After Germany's last win in 1990, then-coach Franz Beckenbauer predicted that a unified Germany would be ''unbeatable'' in the future. It took 24 years to prove him right but with young players like Goetze, the next wait may not be as long.

''We, I think, deserve this trophy,'' Goetze said.

---

Lineups:

Germany: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Benedikt Hoewedes; Christoph Kramer (Andre Schuerrle, 31), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil (Per Mertesacker, 120), Thomas Mueller; Miroslav Klose (Mario Goetze, 88).

Argentina: Sergio Romero; Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Ezequiel Garay, Marcos Rojo; Lucas Biglia, Javier Mascherano, Enzo Perez (Fernando Gago, 86); Ezequiel Lavezzi (Sergio Aguero, 46), Gonzalo Higuain (Rodrigo Palacio, 78), Lionel Messi. // ( The Associated Press )

READ MORE - Germany wins World Cup on Goetze's goal

Five reasons why Messi stands out in football world

Lionel Messi 

Five reasons why Messi stands out in football world  - A four-time world player of the year, Argentina's Lionel Messi is gifted with talents that most footballers can only dream of. What makes him special is that he possesses not just one or two but a combination of special skills that give him an edge over just about everyone. 

Although he hasn't played brilliantly in every game of this World Cup, Messi's talents have been on display on Argentina's road to Sunday's final against Germany. Here are five traits that explain what makes the Argentina captain so difficult to stop. 

Speed 

There are plenty of players who could outrun Messi in a 100-meter dash. But running with the ball is a different story. Messi can control the ball at close to top speed, making him an excellent dribbler. Also, it's his acceleration rather than his top speed that cuts up defenses. Few defenders can keep up when Messi revs up from standstill, creating space for his left-foot shot. 

Balance 

Like former Argentina great Diego Maradona, Messi uses his short stature to his advantage. His low center of gravity enables him to make quick turns and to stay on his feet when challenged. Often, the only way to knock him off balance is to foul him. Defenders at the World Cup have been taking turns tackling Messi to spread the risk of getting booked around the team. 

Accuracy 

Messi is one of the world's top free-kick takers, striking the ball with impressive accuracy with his magic left foot. Almost always he hits the target or just misses it — you rarely see Messi blast a free kick five meters over the crossbar. In Argentina's final group-stage match, Nigeria gave Messi two free kick opportunities near the penalty area toward the end of the first half. He elegantly curled the first one over the wall, but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was well-positioned and stopped it. By the second free kick, Messi had fine-tuned his aim, and struck the ball perfectly inside the post. Enyeama jokingly asked the referees during the break to not give Messi any more free kicks. 

Patience 

Patience is a perhaps and underrated virtue for a football player, and it's one that has served Messi well in the World Cup. Every opponent has come with a plan to stop him, by closing down his space and tackling him as soon as he touches the ball. As a result Messi has looked out of the game for long periods. But instead of hanging his head and getting frustrated, Messi keeps looking for openings, patiently awaiting a moment when defenders take their focus off him for just a split second. That's when he strikes. Against Iran, that moment came in injury time when he scored his second goal of the tournament. Against Switzerland, it happened in extra time as he set up Angel Di Maria's winning goal with a piercing run down the middle. 

Intelligence 

Messi also stands out for his ability to read the game, mapping out paths to the opponent's goal in his mind before the opponent does. That's key to understanding why he's such a prolific scorer. Knowing by instinct where a gap will open up for a quick pass or shot gives him an advantage over others, though it can also complicate things for the team. Sometimes Messi lets chances slip away by being too smart for his Argentina teammates, who aren't in sync with him to the same degree as Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez in Barcelona. ( republika.co.id )

READ MORE - Five reasons why Messi stands out in football world

Ghana ready for World Cup rematch against US

Ghana's Jordan Ayew celebrates after an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014 against South Korea. Ghana won 4-0. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Ghana ready for World Cup rematch against US — In its final exhibition before facing the United States in the World Cup, Ghana practiced celebrating.

Captain Asamoah Gyan scored a breakaway goal against South Korea and then launched into the azonto, a two-step dance popular in Ghana. Soon he was joined in the corner of the field by a cluster of teammates, their hands, hips and feet moving in impressive synchronicity.

Past World Cup matches against the United States have given Ghana plenty to celebrate. The rivalry will be renewed Monday in Brazil, and the Black Stars want to be ready.

"The United States are a very, very good team," coach James Appiah said. "It's not going to be easy. We have to make sure our players are playing their roles well. We hope to give them a very good game."

The Ghanaians have every reason to be optimistic, because they eliminated the United States from the past two World Cups. So they'll have the azonto cued up, and other dances ready as well.

"We've got different styles — three or four," Appiah said with a smile. "The players have to decide which one they want to use, but we hope to showcase one of them during the World Cup."

Team officials help Majeed Waris (18) off the field during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014 against South Korea. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Ghana defeated the United States in group play in 2006, and in the round of 16 in 2010. A 4-0 victory against South Korea in Miami on Monday suggested Ghana will again be a handful.

"Bring them on, bring them on — the United States," a reporter from Ghana shouted with a grin in the press box at halftime of the exhibition. "America, we are coming."

The victory over the U.S. team four years ago sent Ghana into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. Ghana was embraced as "Africa's Team" in the first World Cup on the continent and came within inches of becoming the first African squad to reach the semifinals, but lost to Uruguay in a shootout after Gyan hit the crossbar on a late penalty kick that would have won the game.

FIFA rankings suggest Ghana is the underdog in talent-laden Group G, which also includes the No. 13-ranked United States, No. 2 Germany and No. 4 Portugal. But no one is likely to take the Black Stars lightly.

"They are a very good team, young, very good mentality," former U.S. national team coach Bora Milutinovic said after watching Ghana beat South Korea. "It will be a big challenge for all teams in this group. Everybody is very strong. It is like a small World Cup between four teams."

Soccer fans cheer for the Ghana National team as it plays South Korea during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

There's been some turnover on the Black Stars' roster since they last faced the United States. Only six starters from the game against the Americans in 2010 are on this year's squad, which includes 16 World Cup newcomers. Ghana is the youngest team in the tournament with an average age of 25 years, 6 months.

Ghana may be without striker Majeed Waris, who hurt his left thigh early in Monday's friendly. An MRI exam revealed a tear.

The team doctor said Tuesday he hopes Waris can return "pretty soon," but added the striker might be left off the roster, which must be submitted by Sunday.

The squad will include Gyan and midfielder Sulley Muntari, both playing in their third World Cup, and star midfielder Michael Essien of AC Milan. Defender Jonathan Mensah and forward Kevin-Prince Boateng are also World Cup veterans.

"We've got experienced players. We've got youthful players," Appiah said. "The experienced players want to leave a name before they go, and the younger ones want to make a mark."

Rising stars include 22-year-old Jordan Ayew, whose father, Abedi Pele, is considered Ghana's greatest player. Ayew scored three times Monday against South Korea after entering the game as an injury replacement.

When asked after the match to select two players likely to emerge as stars in Brazil, Appiah demurred.

"It's really difficult to pick two of my players who I think can make an impact in the World Cup," he said. "I'll choose 11 for you."  ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Ghana ready for World Cup rematch against US

Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League - Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini risks a UEFA sanction after launching a scathing attack on the match referee after his side's 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Barcelona took charge of the last 16 tie thanks to a second-half penalty from Lionel Messi and a late Dani Alves strike at the Etihad Stadium in Tuesday's first leg, and Pellegrini blamed match official Jonas Eriksson for his side's defeat.

In a wide-ranging attack, Pellegrini accused Eriksson of making two mistakes over the penalty decision and even questioned why a Swedish official had been given control of the game.

He also said that Eriksson should not have been in charge because he had been criticised by Barcelona following his performance in their 0-0 draw at AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the 2011-12 competition.

Eriksson sent off City defender Martin Demichelis for bringing down Messi in the incident that yielded the 54th-minute penalty and Pellegrini said: "I think that the referee decided the game.

"Before the penalty there was the foul on (Jesus) Navas, when he (Eriksson) was three metres from the player, so he saw it without any problem.

Manchester City's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany (2nd R) reacts after Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes makes a save near his line at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"From the beginning I felt that the referee was not impartial to both teams. The penalty on Martin Demichelis was not a penalty -- it was outside the box."

Asked why he had spoken to Eriksson at the final whistle, Pellegrini replied: "Just to tell him that he had decided the game. He must be very happy, because he decided the game."

The Chilean added: "He didn't have any control of the game. He decided for Barcelona from the beginning until the end.

"I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in such an important match and a referee that made such important mistakes against Barcelona (in an earlier match)."

When he was asked to explain his reservations about Eriksson's nationality, Pellegrini said: "I think there are more important football (nations) than Sweden in Europe.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring from a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"It was a big game with two important teams. I think maybe in that kind of game, you need a referee with more experience.

"I think the best (biggest) mistake was to put a referee that damaged Barcelona in the stage of group (sic).

"This referee whistled the Barcelona-Milan game and he made an important error against Barcelona. Today he arranged (atoned for it)."

With Pellegrini preoccupied by his gripes about Eriksson's performance, it was left to captain Vincent Kompany to vow that City had not given up on the tie.

"If the tempo was in this game, it would have been to our advantage," he told ITV.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi's successfully takes a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"If the game is the same as today, and we manage to stay away from some fouls, we have got a chance."

Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino felt that the outcome of the game was "fair", but he warned against complacency ahead of the second leg at Camp Nou on March 12.

"I'm not necessarily confident (about going through), but it's true that we've done a good game in the away leg," he said.

"We just have to repeat the same performance."

Media focus prior to the game had centred on the extent to which Barcelona have lost their mantle in the light of their 7-0 demolition by eventual champions Bayern Munich in last season's semi-finals.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho described Martino's side "as the worst Barcelona of many, many years" and Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas said that he and his team-mates were pleased to have silenced their critics.

"We had a point to prove, and we did it very well," he told ITV.

"Some people were talking a bit too much before the game and now they have to shut up for a few days." (AFP)

READ MORE - Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

With Di Canio, Sunderland’s real action will be off pitch

With Di Canio, Sunderland’s real action will be off pitch - Not so much on the pitch, where the delivery of excitement has been more than a touch limited this season. No, the action will all be in the away team’s technical area.

If Sunderland fans thought that their previous manager Martin O’Neill could get a little exercised on the touchline, with his St Vitus Dance twitches and attempts at the world standing high jump record every time his team scored, they have seen nothing compared to what their new man will bring.

For Paolo di Canio, the manager’s job consists of delivering 90 minutes of theatre.

Sunderland supporters should brace themselves for drama when their team take on Chelsea on Sunday.

Never in the history of the Premier League has there been a dugout presence like him. To say he lives every minute of his team’s action is an understatement. Across an hour and a half he rants, he rages, he storms. If you thought Rafa Benitez’s intricate semaphores were entertaining, wait till you see Di Canio flapping.

When he was in charge at the County Ground, Swindon Town supporters found themselves for much of the game looking at the dugout. To let the eyes stray on to the pitch was to miss the real action.

The moment he walks out to take up his position, Di Canio appears to be on the very brink of explosion, Vesuvius on the lip of eruption. Everything and anything sends him into a frenzy. Referees, assistants, the opposition: he will go apoplectic at the merest infraction.

It is not just the open questioning of the integrity of officials that has seen him in hot water. He was once sent to the stands at Swindon simply for the alarming nature of his body language. It was, the referee decided, inappropriate to see a man apparently intent on physical violence storming around on the touchline.

But what most enrages Di Canio, what seems to provoke his fury, is the performance of his own team. A man of such demanding standards he makes Roy Keane look soft, much of his time in the dug-out is spent screaming abuse at his own players.

Or turning round and complaining in the most dramatic fashion to his assistants every time someone does something wrong. Those on the bench will have quickly to learn to listen to him endlessly slagging off their colleagues. Boy, this is a man who takes some pleasing.

In his habit of making very public his critique of his players, Di Canio will find himself unusual among Premier League managers. The orthodoxy in the competition is for bosses to restrict their negative observations to the privacy of the dressing room or the training ground.

Sure, Arsene Wenger, Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce and the rest can get very animated on the touchline. But it is usually about a refereeing decision or a foul. Rafa Benitez is so careful about not singling out individuals he won’t even praise them. When invited at press conferences to eulogise a Frank Lampard goal or a Petr Cech save, he will say yes it was good, but so was the performance of the other players.

The only manager who comes close to showing Di Canio’s impatience is Roberto Mancini, who can get very overwrought about his team’s performance. Maybe it is an Italian thing. Or maybe it is a reflection of the fact that, unlike Benitez, Ferguson and Wenger, Mancini and Di Canio were both brilliant footballers themselves, and they shudder when they see their players failing to do what they could easily have managed in their day.

Either way, it does not necessarily promote long term harmony in a dressing room. But it can produce results. As was evidenced at Swindon where the rows, fallings-out and exclusions were legion, even as the team progressed up the league table.

One thing is for sure, Sunday is going to be something new for the Sunderland players. There are those who believe that O’Neill had lost a lot of the energy that once characterised his management. Certainly he looked and sounded very flat in his final appearance on the touchline last weekend. That was reflected, so insiders say, in a kind of laissez-faire attitude around the club. He was frequently absent from training, leaving the detail to his lieutenants.

Well, it won’t be like that with Di Canio. His arrival at the Stadium of Light will have been like chucking an alka seltzer into a still, calm glass of water. All this week he will have been on the training ground in the faces of the players, demanding more, insisting on more, screaming for more.

It may prove short term. He may well crash and burn. As his demeanour on the touchline will suggest, it does not necessarily do much for your club’s wider dignity having a certifiable lunatic in charge.

But watching him in action over the next few weeks, Sunderland supporters may well come to the conclusion that a rocket up the backside of the kind Di Canio will deliver is precisely what is needed to rescue their club from ignominy. After all, they are the ones who have been obliged to watch Adam Johnson this season. // By Eurosport | Jim White

READ MORE - With Di Canio, Sunderland’s real action will be off pitch

Gunning for them! Arsenal players brawl with armed riot police as ugly scenes mar Ronaldinho's super strike in Brazil

Gunning for them! Arsenal players brawl with armed riot police as ugly scenes mar Ronaldinho's super strike in Brazil - At least four players from Argentine club Arsenal were detained for interrogation after a confrontation with Brazilian police at a Copa Libertadores match on Wednesday.

Police said at least two officers and a journalist sustained minor injuries in the brawl after Atletico Mineiro's 5-2 win over the Argentine club in the city of Belo Horizonte.

The players will likely be charged after throwing punches and kicking the officers who were trying to protect the referees as the final whistle blew at the Independencia Stadium.

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Violence: Arsenal players clash with riot police who came onto the pitch to protect the referee

Fight: Disturbing scenes took place when the players tried to voice their dissatisfaction with the officials

Armed: A Brazilian anti-riot police officer aims his pellet shotgun at Arsenal players

Television images showed some of the players - who were not immediately identified - attacking the officers, who used shields and batons to protect themselves.

Some officers also had shotguns loaded with rubber bullets, although local police official Claudia Romualdo said no shots were fired at players. Police also were prepared to use tear gas to control the situation but it also wasn't needed.

The altercation began after several Arsenal players approached the officiating crew following the match to complain. Some police officers immediately arrived, shoving the players away and upsetting the Argentines.

Mindless: An Arsenal coach tries to calm down his players as they clash with the riot officers

Protection: The referee and linesman were heavily protected as they left the field

The confrontation continued as police tried to escort the players from the field.

'The officers were positioned to provide safety to the visiting players so they could go into the locker rooms, but inexplicably they attacked the officers again as they left the field,' Romualdo said.

She said one of the players hit her with a kick to her chest.

'What happened here is deplorable,' Romualdo said. 'This is not about sports. When our law is broken, obviously we need to take action.'

Problems: Argentinian clubs are angry with Brazil after Tigre were forced to stay off the field in the final of the 2012 Copa Sudamericana citing safety concerns after allegedly being assaulted by the police at half-time

Fiasco: The trouble continued into the dressing room as Arsenal were still unhappy with their treatment

Recompense: Nicolas Diego Aguirre (back right) of Arsenal and other teammates caused significant damage to the dressing room which Atletico Mineiro have said they will charge them for

Every Arsenal player and the entire Argentine delegation was kept from leaving the stadium until authorities were able to identify those who attacked the officers.

Atletico Mineiro club director Eduardo Maluf told local media that Arsenal's locker room was damaged by the Argentine delegation. He said the club will eventually ask Arsenal to pay for Atletico's losses.

'They came here to fight,' Atletico Mineiro coach Cuca said. 'I was tired of seeing their defensive midfielders kicking (our players) away from the ball.' 

Ronaldinho scored two of the goals for Atletico Mineiro, who has won all of its five matches to lead Group 3 of the Latin American club competition. Arsenal is third in the group. Only two teams will advance to the next round.

Brawl: The trouble started at the end of the first-half between both sets of players

Firing on all cylinders: Ronaldinho scored twice during the game, including one sumptuous finish

Old days: At moments the two-time winner of FIFA's World Player of the Year looked back to his very best

Video: Ronaldinho hits a powerful chip straight into the top corner

Dailymail.co.uk : PUBLISHED: 08:41 GMT, 4 April 2013 | UPDATED: 12:11 GMT, 4 April 2013

READ MORE - Gunning for them! Arsenal players brawl with armed riot police as ugly scenes mar Ronaldinho's super strike in Brazil