Beckham and Galaxy deliver against Melbourne Victory

The one man show David Beckham, came to Melbourne and delivered. Down on the 80,000 who turned out to the Sydney Olympic stadium 4 years ago when Beckham and Galaxy last toured Australia,  34,608 turned out to join in on the Beckhmania. After a healthy reception at Visy Park yesterday, and media appearances at the children's hospital and a clinic with school kids it was down to business. With mixed performances against A League teams in the past, the Major League Soccer Champions were not going to take the friendly lightly. Coach Bruce Arena, clearly talking tough in the lead up, stating that there would be no reason why his team would not go all out for a win, before they break for 6 weeks. With Melbourne missing prized recruit Harry kewell unavailable due to hamstring problems, Beckham clearly was the crowd pleaser, earning generous applause every time he stepped near the football and with the expectations of a transfer to Europe during the January transfer window, an opportunity beckoned to show interested clubs that his career is far from finished. It was Carlos Hernandez though for Melbourne continuing on from his wonderful A league form opening up the scoring in the 16th minute, with a left footed strike from just inside the penalty area finding the back of the net. The Costa Rican international played apart in the Victory's second 6 minutes later, as he assisted Isak Cernak.

Traditionally Friendly matches between clubs can be arduous affairs, though this was an exception as Beckham lived up to the hype so many fans were waiting to witness, with crisp passing, and wonderful ball control. Both teams playing out the encounter with an intensity that usually is not evident in games such as these in the past. The first half was not all Melbourne Victory, with the Galaxy awarded a penalty from an errant handball, Robbie Keane cooly slotting the spot kick home on the stroke of half time. Keane would strike again in the second half locking the game up at 2 -2 and sending the friendly into an unusual penalty shoot out to decide the result, With the Galaxy winning 4-3.

16th Minute - Melbourne Victory Goal - Carlos Hernandez

22nd Minute - Melbourne Victory Goal - Isaka Cernak

41st Minute - LA Galaxy Goal - Robbie Keane

50th Minute - LA Galaxy Goal - Robbie Keane

photo: courtesy of Fairfax

Fast Forward Football News

AFL NEWS -

Melbourne President Jim Stynes has presented big name recruit Mitchell Clark with his famous number 11, By the time Stynes retired in 1998, he made the number famous by winning the 1991 Brownlow medal, four club best and fairests and becoming a cult figure in the game as he made the irish transition to AFL a success. 

Marc Murphy and David Beckham, champion footballers of two different codes, came together yesterday at Visy Park and exchanged their respective jerseys in a feel good moment in front of the press. Beckham is out in Australia on tour with La Galaxy who will take on Melbourne Victory in a friendly tonight at Etihad Stadium.

Richmond's Brett Deledio looks set to unleash in season 2012, as a move to the midfield beckons for the former number 1 draft pick. After years of playing off the half back line Damien Hardwick has hinted a move into the midfield to free - up Deledio and allow his natural game to progress, as the Tigers look to add depth into their side.

St. Kilda has appointed former player Troy Schwarze as a specialist defensive coach for season 2012. Schwarze managed 71 games for the saints in 7 seasons, before retiring in 2006. His comeback to the club finishes off the appointments made to a new look saints coaching panel which includes, Aaron Hamill, Max Hudghton, Danny Sexton, Dean Laidley and Adam Kingsley 

NFL SCORES FROM WEEK 13

Lions 17 - 31 Saints

Cowboys 13 - 19 Cardinals

49ers 26 - 0 Rams

Packers 38 - 35 Giants

Ravens 24 - 10 Browns

Colts 24 - 31 Patriots

Jets 34 - 19 Redskins

Panthers 38 - 19 Buccaneers

Broncos 35 - 32 Vikings

Falcons 10 - 17 Texans

Bengals 7 - 35 Steelers

Raiders 14 - 34 Dolphins

Titans 23 - 17 Bills

Chiefs 10 - 3 Bears

Eagles 14 - 31 Seahawks

Chargers v Jaguars - yet to play

English Premier League: Round 14

Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle

Blackburn 4 - 2 Swansea

Manchester City 5 - 1 Norwich

Queens Park Rangers 1 - 1 West Bromwich Albion

Tottenham 3 - 0 Bolton

Wigan 0 - 4 Arsenal

Aston Villa 0 - 1 Manchester United

Everton 0 - 1 Stoke

Wolverhampton 2 - 1 Sunderland

Fulham v Liverpool - kick off 6/12 @ 7am Australian Eastern Time

The Magic of Mike

If there was a top 50 list for Sport Journalists, Mike Sheahan would be number 1 in a heartbeat. If a doctorate of the AFL existed, Mike Sheahan would be the first person to become a doctor of AFL ahead of all others.

The man is as big a name one comes across in the game with out having played at the highest level. When it was announced yesterday, that he was stepping away from the position of Chief Football writer of the Herald Sun, a position held for the past 18 years, he was a trending topic on twitter, in times of social media it is justification of how big a name he actually has become. 

Sheahan took over from the legendary reporter Alf Brown in 1979 and became the chief football writer of as it was known then as the Herald. Between 1985 and 1989 he had a stint as the media director of the VFL and then spent 4 years at the Age, before returning to the Herald Sun in 1993 where he has been ever since. Aside from working in the print media, he was involved in Talking Footy during the 1990s on the seven network and more recently On the couch on Fox Sports, and his thoughts heard every Saturday afternoon on Radio 3AW's Football preview between midday and 2pm.

 In an industry which has grown enourmously to the point where there are not sufficient jobs to cover the amount of people wanting to become journalists, Sheahan has been able to separate himself from the general reporter, and rise to the top of his profession over a long period of time. It can always be counted on Mike to give a balanced view on proceedings in football, due to his non-association with any AFL teams, though many have suspected there is a soft spot for the Melbourne football club, though this has never been evident in his articles.

Since 1990 his ranking of the top 50 players after seasons end has become an institution and is always hotly debated over the radio talkback lines. Sheahan's published opinions may be forthright, but in this day and age, where many football journalists, hide behind irrelevant numbers and statistics, Sheahan is in a league of his own when it comes his thoughts about the game of Australian rules. Whether these opinions are always correct is not the point, the fact that he has such great thoughts and ideas on the greatest game in the world is a testament to the man himself, where many times he takes the risk of falling on his on sword Never one to sensationalize of story or to make the story something that it isn't, he has opted for accuracy over controversy for the entirety of his career, thus making him a credible source of news and somebody all the football clubs and their players enjoy dealing with.

 As the Chief Football writer of the Herald Sun Sheahan has made a habit of breaking the big football news in town that people care about and want to read, with an impeccable knowledge for the game, and an uncanny nous for sourcing credible information, Sheahan has spent his entire journalistic career capturing front and back page headlines of Melbourne's major metropolitan newspapers on many occasions, because when Mike writes it Melbourne reads it.

Photo courtesy of News Limited

CRICKET: 1ST TEST AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND

Australia has not been beaten at the Gabba in a Test match since 1988. For the first time in the past 23 years, the Aussies are heading into a home test series, more vulnerable then they have probably been, and the most they have in the post Warne and McGrath era. It will be the youngest team representing Australia since 1985  On the opening morning of the first test against New Zealand this coming Thursday half the team that took on South Africa only a week and half ago will be missing, with notable absentees being rock solid all - rounder Shane Watson and tear away boy wonder Patrick Cummins, which inevitably leaves gaping wholes in the Aussie side. Peter Siddle will spearhead one of the most inexperienced bowling line ups to don the baggy green cap. Mitchell Starc, Ben Cutting and James Pattinson have barely played a handful of test matches between themselves, will round out the aussie pace attack, whilst Nathan Lyon will fill the spin role. With Shane Watson ruled out, crash and bash sensation David Warner will make his test debut and partner Phil Hughes at the top of the order. Only a year on from struggling to cement a spot in the New South Wales Sheffield Shield team, Warner now is seen as a direct threat to the place of former captain Ricky Ponting's future in the test team. If Warner fires, and makes runs the rational option would be to slot Watson back into the side in the middle order, thus who should make the way for Watto's return, surely not Usman Khawaja as he looks on the verge of having a break out summer, and his going to be a regular fixture in the test team for the next decade or so. Thus Ponting will need to back up his half century from South Africa, and possibly even notch up his first triple figure score since he made 209 against Pakistan in January 2010. Traditionally the Black Caps have struggled against the Australia on the fast bouncy pitches of Brisbane and Perth, but with the lack of experience in the Aussie side this time around, the cross Tasman rivals would be licking their lips after having a solid hit out against Australia A at Border Field last week.

Many a New Zealand side have come to our shores and have been mentally defeated before a ball has even been bowled, this time around though, the Kiwis have equipped themselves with a bonafide batting superstar in Ross Taylor and a stable middle order comprising of Brendan McCullum and Jesse Ryder. The main weakness though with the tourists is like the Aussies, a lack of depth in their bowling stocks, though Tim Southee has performed admirably on Australian soil in the past, and Vettori is a seasoned campaginer who may even surprise the newly formed opening Partnership of Hughes and Warner by spearing in his left arm spinners at the top of the innings with the new ball.

David Warner burst onto the International scene
at T20 level in 2009.
photo courtesy of cricketnews.com.au

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS: Round 13

Stoke City 3 - 1 Blackburn Rovers

Bolton Wanderers 0 - 2 Everton

Chelsea 3 - 0 Wolverhampton

Manchester United 1 - 1 Newcastle United

Norwich City 2 - 1 QPR

Sunderland 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic

West Bromwich Albion 1 - 3 Tottenham Hotspur

Arsenal 1 - 1 Fulham

Swansea City 0 - 0 Aston Villa

Manchester City 1 - 1 Liverpool