We Need To Be More Cynical - Gennaro Delvecchio

Ex Sampdoria player Gennaro Delvecchio believes that his new team needs to be more cynical, in order to be higher up on the Serie A Ladder.

Commenting to Rai Sport, the Catania midfielder says that even though his team may be last, to take a stronger approach in beating opposition teams going forward.

"We need to be cynical," Delvecchio said.

"We haven't been as concrete as we would have liked.

"We need to begin playing well away in Udine [against Udinese], where we will put everything we have into the match, with lots of determination."

Catania have suffered a 2-1 loss to Sampdoria on the opening day of the season, and a 3-1 loss to Parma last week.

Real Madrid Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy Targets World Cup Place

Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has told Spanish publication Marca that he would relish the opportunity of playing for the Netherlands at next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The Dutch striker said that he hasn't forgotten how to score goals and will always seek to push himself before adding that he has a new challenge: "Playing at the World Cup."

Van Nistelrooy, who has bagged 33 goals in 64 internationals, including 26 goals in 37 competitive outings for the Oranje, announced his retirement from international football for the second time after Euro 2008.

His only previous involvement at the World Cup Finals was in Germany in 2006 where he was restricted to a substitutes role, scoring once against the Ivory Coast.

He also said that he could play "an important role" in the current Madrid squad, which he described as the best he has ever been involved in.

"Physically I am a new person, I feel three years younger," said van Nistelrooy who has returned to fitness after a nine month absence due to a knee injury.

"This [Madrid] team is the best I've been at in my life. I can prove to be important."

Brazilian Legend Ronaldo Rejected The Chance To Join Roma - Report

Considered one of the best players in the world during his prime, former Inter striker Ronaldo was closely tracked by Roma in the summer's transfer period.

According to a report from globoesporte.com, Il Fenomeno rejected the possiblity to join the Giallorossi, as he had no intention of leaving Corinthians, as he has refound the passion and love for the game.

In addition to the capital outfit, the Brazilian also denied himself the opportunity of joining the likes of  Tottenham and Blackburn in the English Premier League.

Ronaldo's agent Fabiano Farah said that he feels accepted at his club, and is like a family.

"He feels accepted at Corinthians," Farah said.

"For everything that he won, and for everything he represents, Corinthians is like a family and he is happy there."

The Homeless World Cup 2009 Kicks Off In Milan

Preparations are in full swing for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but so too are preparations for another World Cup, due to start in just three days.

Now in its seventh year, the Homeless World Cup is an annual football event, which uses sport to create social change by offering homeless and marginalized people an opportunity to participate in a team sport, build their confidence, improve their health, and change their lives.

And with over 70 per cent of participants going on to improve their lives, through finding stable shelter or employment, coming off drugs, or reuniting with families, the Homeless World Cup is successfully addressing what had been considered an almost unsolvable, multifaceted problem.

Like all the best ideas, it was devised over beers, when The Big Issue Scotland founder Mel Young and Megaphon street paper editor Harald Schmied were at a conference about homelessness and realised that there weren’t actually any homeless people in attendance.

They devised a conference where homeless and marginalized people could represent themselves: the Homeless World Cup.

The 2009 Homeless World Cup will include over 500 players hailing from 48 nations who will compete in a week-long street soccer event in Milan.

The matches comprise of two seven-minute halves with four players per team, including a goalkeeper, on court at any given time.

In contrast to football’s offside rule, the Homeless World Cup has an onside rule: one player must be in their opposition half at all times, ensuring plenty of fast, attacking football and goals.

There’s also a team of reserve players from the host country—in this case Milan—which can be called on to play if team members from another country are unwell, injured, or unable to play.

2008 saw underdog Afghanistan defeat historic enemies Russia in the grand final to win the Homeless World Cup, while 2007 champions Scotland finished fourth.

All three are likely to be fierce competitors this year.

2009 is also likely to see the Italians, whose national team are the reigning World Cup champions, rise to the occasion and try to make it a World Cup double.

The HWC runs from 6-13 September inclusive.

Cagliari, Bari & Roma Fans Warned Not To Travel Next Weekend - Report

It's not often that fans are warned to not support their club on the weekend, but it is even rarer when three sets of fans are told to do so, as is the case in Italy at present.

Cagliari, Bari and Roma followers have been advised to stay home when their beloved players take to the field, due to a high security risk, next weekend.

According to Sportal.it, a meeting held by the Security for the Safety of Sporting Events Committee (Comitato di analisi per la sicurezza delle manifestazioni sportive), looked at the first two weeks of the season, and have warned the three clubs to not allow their supporters to travel for a precautionary reason.

Cagliari are set to play Fiorentina; Bari will play Palermo and Siena will be up against Roma.