More than half season gone and Jose Maurinho still looking for a job the latest developments in Spain and Italy now indicate he may have once again surface with another strong European club. Barcelona’s inconsistency in the league season and rival Real Madrid riding high speculation is Frank Rijkaard to switch side to Chelsea, thus a vacant place at Nou Camp. Though the 46 years old loud mouth Maurinho not yet with a single word many started dreaming his come back next season with Barcelona. Not only the Spain side, the Italian giant Inter Milan is also said to be in the line up to sign Jose Maurinho. With Mancini’s sudden decision to quit Inter the one and only one Maurinho is said to be favorite to do the job under club owner Massimo Morrati.

Ethiopia wins six medals to claims third spot
Derese, a new athletics star born

It took more than two hours witch hunting before the 13 world indoor athletics championship organizers came to their senses to believe an Ethiopian new athletics star born. Short distance runner Derese Mekonen achieved a mile stone winning World Indoor 1500 meter gold medal. Though it is athletics' cardinal sin not to believe one's own eye, for the champion it turned out an easy matter and has already forgiven the sinners. Being home to world renowned long distance athletes Ethiopia has never been enlisted in the short distance winners' list.
Reining IAAF world best athlete of the season Meseret Defar shared the record of Indoor Athletics championship hat trick with Gabriella Szabo after her win the 3000 meters show down. World and Olympic champion Meseret clocked 8:38.79 to claim her third successive 3000 meters while compatriot Meselech Melkamu finished second in 8:41.50. Mariam Alaoui of Morocco came third crossing the finishing line in 8:41.66. The three thousand meter title seems to stay with Ethiopians for long.
Though Kenenisa Bekele said no to defend his 3000 meter title, the legacy remained in the family name, thanks to fantastic performance by younger brother Tariku Bekekle who claimed the gold medal followed by fellow country man Abraham Cherkose. Tariku clocked 7:48:23 while Abraham came second in 7:49: 96. One of the 1500 meter hottest favorite Ethiopian Kutre Dulecha failed to win the top spot but made it to the medal table coming third.
The 12th World Indoor Athletics championship most amazing victory went to Sudanese teenager Abu baker Kaki Khamis who won the men's 800 meter gold medal clocking 26: 53. Despite the appearance of world renowned athletes, Olympic silver medalist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi European indoor champion Dimitry Bogdanov and Asian champion Suad Kamel. Khamis eighteen years and 262 days made his country proud while flabbergasted his contenders. Mulaudzi claimed silver while Dimitry got bronze. A record 159 nations taking part in Valencia the final medal count brings Ethiopia third with a total six medals with USA and Russia finished first and second with thirteen and twelve gold medals respectively.

Saint George closing the gap on
the league table

Crushing Addis Ababa Police 4-0 in mid week Saint George is just two points behind the league's leader Mugher Cement despite having six matches at hand. Full time domination over Police, the country's number one soccer club Saint George appears too strong compared with any one of the league sides. Saints are now fourth on the premier league table with 27 points from eleven matches. Saint George entertains knock out cup holders Harar Brewery today.
In the mean time arguably the side with the biggest fans Ethiopian Coffee FC could not manage to run away from relegation threatened zone. After a disappointing 1-1 draw on Wednesday against Ethiopian Water Works FC, the fans are left with no choice except speculating the fate of their beloved side for the coming year.
One of the capital city's strong side Electric is now progressing high with no defeat in the past four matches. Though a slow start in the season, the side's current form is second only to Saint George, the club with the best of taints in the country. The mid week 3-1 away win over Fasil Kenema FC helped Electric to claim sixth place on the table with 21 points out of eleven matches. The week end's biggest clash Ethiopian Coffee Vs Electric took place yester day at Addis Ababa stadium.
Mugher Cement FC still on top of the league table with 29 points out of 17 matches, defending champion Awasa Kenema has already shouldered in to top spot with equal points but a goal difference. Awasa has 29 points from 17 matches that means four matches in hand than the leaders.
Trans Ethiopia comes third with 28 points from 17 matches while new comer to the league Southern Police stands fifth with 24 points from 16 matches followed by Defense Force with 21 points out of 10 matches.
Methara Sugar FC is the other side to harvest goals in mid week after the 5-0 home victory over visitors Baher Dar University. The result helped Methara to revive in the league table after long stay in lower table. Southern Police is so far the season's surprise package for its consistent form unlike the other new comers.
To day Nyala encounters city rival Agricultural Marketing, Insurance entertain Tikur Abay with the days biggest Addis Ababa fixture Saints against Brewery. Saints Saladin Said still leading the top scorer table with nine goals.

English fans saved from boring FA cup final replay
Giant killer Barnsley hottest favorite

English FA Cup is back in to its old glory once the big fours kicked out of action at the fifth round. Wimbledon’s 1-0 cup final victory over the then European giant Liverpool refreshed on Sunday when Barnsley’s Kayode Obejayi out leaped rusted on substitution bench Blue’s goal keeper Carlo Cudicini to give his side the most famous 1-0 victory. The record FA champion Manchester United also lost at Old Trafford to the only surviving premier league side Portsmouth. League leaders Arsenal and Liverpool out in the fourth round, Wembley now is left to giant killers Barnsley, Bristol City, West Bromwich and Portsmouth.
When lion hearted Barnsley thrashed out Liverpool at the fourth round only to be paired with FA Cup defending champion Chelsea many said what unlucky the side is. How ever Simon Davis’s side never flinched for the Blues visit rather ready for one more adventure and it turned out true on Saturday in their own back yard. Despite the presence of Portsmouth, Barnsley is now hot favorite to the title.
The 1927 champion and promotion favorite Cardiff tarnished twelve on the premier league table Middlesbrough to 2-0 score line. The only side to win the cup out side England, the Welsh side’s two goals through peter Whittington and Roger Johnson now brought the youngest premier league club’s manager Gareth Southgate’s survival in question.
The encounter between Bristol City and West Brom is the only fifth round match that turned out true to
expectation, that of West Brom ’s victory. The five times FA champions crushed Bristol City to 5-1 although the score line a bit exaggerated. The home side battled to risk a defeat at own backyard but the day appeared in the visitor’s favor for they managed to find the back of the net an easy target.
Once hammering Arsenal 4-0 at the fourth round with astounding superiority no one except the Portsmouth believers dreamed a quarter final win at the Devils own back yard. How ever Harry Redknapp’s side currently sixth on the premier league table and a side that managed to frighten all big fours turned up side down the 51 years old history of not winning at Old Trafford. With all the best of Ferguson’s squad in the line up the visitors stood their ground with a little luck to go together. When substitute goal keeper Tomasz kuszczak brought down former Liverpool Milan Baros, things got out of hand for Sir Alex Ferguson who ended furious enough after the match to call the football association’s attention. Nigerian …scored from the spot kick to give the visitor’s the booking to the semi final at the cost of Manchester United. The famous victory meant a relief for the sport’s fans for they got saved from watching last year’s boring 120 minutes between United and Chelsea.
The Wembley semi final brought the only premier league surviving side Portsmouth against former five times champions West Brom and Welsh side Cardiff Vs hottest favorite for the title Barnsley .

Public rally in opposition to FIFA took place
EFF called FIFA to reconsider

A public demonstration to oppose the world soccer governing body’s latest ruling of reinstating Dr Asheber W/Giorgis to EFF presidency held in Addis Ababa stadium on Sunday. More than 4000 participants armed with placards in Amharic and English sent a message to FIFA, to reconsider it’s one sided decision that favors the former president
FIFA may have good reason to deny recognition to the newly elected EFF executive body on grounds of keeping its member nations in orderly fashion when it comes to hierarchy. How ever the organization is obliged to give clarification why it did not react or interfere when Ethiopian football federation suspended football for the past nine months. As far as it is the ultimate decision maker in world soccer it should have ears and eyes every where what is actually happening surrounding the sport. Thus FIFA failed on that aspect and need to have a second taught what better way there is to save football in one of African football confederation founding member Ethiopia. If the article that says “The General National Assembly is the highest office in a nation’s football,” belongs to FIFA and that very body is responsible for the removal of the former president, the way how the power transfer took place may be the reason for FIFA’s irritation. Famous for its “I don’t want any precedent jeopardizing the organization’s principles” stand, the over seer of more than 155 member nations FIFA may be right to be careful not to give an opening with out knowing who is coming in.
The problem is what counter strategies FIFA has if those who came to power turned out monsters once sworn office. Case in point is the way Dr Asheber came to power. He was considered champion of Ethiopian football when elected in the presence of FIFA high officials to lead EFF presidency. Two years in his reign, the sport on its dying bed before his coming to power, not only died in agony but the corpse hidden away. In its more than fifty years history, the sport has never been in suspension for nine months or a premier league boycott in such big numbers. Yet FIFA ruled EFF to bring back Dr Asheber and company to power.  Does it mean even if one became a dictator or come to the sport’s distraction can stay in office as far as it has FIFA’s blessing? Does emailing and faxing are the most important factors to stay closer to FIFA? The soccer governing body needs to answer these questions or need to reconsider its position and at least send a fact finding committee to Ethiopia .
The demonstrators in the stadium carried coffins filled with foot balls followed by mourners who wore black t-shirt with FIFA logo stamped on it. In a speech to the demonstrators EFF president Ahmed Yasin said it is not time to be deviled the past, rather time to all the sport fans to lock hands together for the sport’s future. “In the mean time EFF is also committed to maintain the good relationship with FIFA”
The president remarked.