JUNE 18 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

JUNE 18 – SHORT CORNERS: INTERNATIONAL SOCCER NEWS NOTES AND RUMORS

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES ANNOUNCED

The 2010-11 Premier League fixture list has been released and the opening weekend features some very intriguing big-club battles.

Newcastle United will have a harsh welcome back to the Premier League when the travel to Old Trafford to battle Manchester United.

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton was hoping for a little easier of a start.

“It’s a tough start for us, we would have preferred a home game to kick the season off but you take what you get.” He told Soccernet. “We can take heart and confidence from the 1-1 draw we earned at Old Trafford two years ago on the opening day of the 2008-09 season. Villa at home the following week is another tough one but a great game to begin our home campaign. You tend to look at the number of back-to-back games you have against the top six/eight teams and our fixture list looks to be fairly balanced in that respect.”

Tottenham will host Manchester City at White Hart Lane after the two were engaged in such a fierce battle for the last Champions League spot last season..

Though Liverpool still is without a manager, Anfield play host to Arsenal who won both fixtures last season between the two clubs.

Defending Champions Chelsea will be at Stamford Bridge to host newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion, which will see former Blues midfielder Roberto Di Matteo return to Stamford Bridge, this time as manager of West Brom.

Chelsea won’t meet a ‘Big Four’ team until Arsenal comes to Stamford Bridge October 2 with a return leg at the Emirates scheduled for Boxing Day.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF 2010-11 PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

LIVERPOOL TALK WITH FORMER MADRID BOSS PELLEGRINI

Former Real Madrid manager Manuel Pellegrini is apparently in the running to land the vacant manager position at Liverpool.

Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish is, according to the Guardian, is in charge of finding the successor to Rafa Benitez at Anfield Road, and met with the Chilean manager this week in London.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is also in the running for the vacant post and an official offer is rumored to be made to him next week. Hodgson, however, seems quite comfortable at Craven Cottage and is happy to downplay speculation.

“I’m happy at Fulham. It is all speculation and I can’t enlighten you. I don’t know any more than you do,” Hodgson said.

SOL CAMPBELL HAS OPTIONS

Sol Campbell is weighing his options for next season.

35-year-old Campbell is deciding on either a one-year contract extension at Arsenal and a two-year deal at Celtic.

The former England defender returned to the Premiership and the Arsenal team he spent 5 years at, after playing with League 2 side Notts County.

“I don’t know yet where I will be playing my football next season.” Campbell told Soccernet. “I might still stay at Arsenal, but will need to talk with Arsene Wenger after the World Cup finals, and I have had an offer from Celtic, which I am giving serious consideration to.”

“Other clubs have also been in touch after the level of my performances for Arsenal last season.”

LEVERKUSEN WANTS BALLACK

Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen is hot on the trail of Michael Ballack who will be released by Chelsea at the end of the month.

“We know that he has two definite offers and we are now ready to start negotiations,” Leverkuesen general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser told the Express. “We will do all we can to bring Ballack back. We are in close contact with him and his agent.”

The German International played for Leverkuesen from 1999-2002 before he joined Bavarian giants Bayern Munich.

Ballack is getting offers from other Bundesliga clubs, clubs with deeper pockets than Leverkuesen, such as Wolfsburg or Hamburg.

“If he does come to us, then he is going to have to make sacrifices,” Holzhauser added. “We cannot compete with what the others are offering.”

LUCA TONI OUT AT BAYERN

Italian striker Luca Toni has had his contract at Bayern Munich terminated by mutual consent.

Toni spent the end of last season on loan at Roma after it was clear that he didn’t fit into Bayern manager Louis van Gaal’s plans, though he still had a year remaining on his contract.

“I would like to thank Luca Toni with all of my heart for his performances and goals, particularly in the 2007-08 double-winning season,” Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. “I wish Luca Toni now all the best with the future at his new club.”

That ‘new club’ is still unknown, though Serie A side Genoa is reportedly interested in the 33-year-old.

Tags: 2010-11 SEASON, ARSENAL, ARSENE WENGER, BAYER LEVERKUSEN, BAYERN MUNICH, BUNDESLIGA, FIXTURES, FULHAM FC, GENOA, glasgow celtic, HAMBURG, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, kenny dalglish, LIVERPOOL FC, LOUIS VAN GAAL, LUCA TONI, MANUEL PELLEGRINI, MICHAEL BALLACK, premier league, PREMIER LEAGUE MANAGERS, REAL MADRID, ROMA, ROY HODGSON, SERIE A, SOL CAMPBELL, Wolfgang Holzhauser, WOLFSBURG