Soccer Rising Star

Ezequiel Garay

Personal information

Full name : Ezequiel Marcelo Garay
Date of birth : October 10, 1986 (1986-10-10) (age 20)
Place of birth : Rosario, Argentina
Height : 1.89 cm
Playing position : Defender

Club information

Current club : Racing de Santander
Number : 4

Ezequiel Marcelo Garay (born October 10, 1986 in Rosario, Argentina) is an Argentine football player, who currently plays for Racing de Santander in the Spanish La Liga. His favoured positions are on the right wing and in central defence. His previous club were Newell's Old Boys of Argentina. He has been linked with a move to Manchester United F.C. and has been quoted as being very pleased with this, but will continue concentrating on Racing de Santander.

"It's a joy that such a great team as Manchester (United) is paying attention to me, but at the moment there is nothing official. I had not had a chance to speak with my agent about this news. The club hasn't said anything either, so there's no point getting overexcited."

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Nani

Personal information

Full name :Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha
Date of birth :17 November 1986
Place of birth :Amadora, Portugal
Height :1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position : Wing forward

Club information

Current club : Sporting Lisbon
Number : 18



Nani started his career at his local club Massama on the outskirts of Lisbon before joining Sporting Clube de Portugal youth system.

Nani is the latest outstanding talent to be produced by Sporting’s seemingly endless conveyor belt of world-class wingers. The same system that produced Luis Figo, Simão, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma appears to have unearthed another sensation capable of attaining the heights of such exalted company.

His speed, strength and skill have led many to compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo. He is equally at home on either flank.

He broke into the first team at 18 years of age, and made an immediate impression with his dazzling footwork and extreme speed, scoring 6 goals in his debut season.

Nani enjoyed a blistering start to the 2006/07 season with two goals in Sporting’s first two matches and another on his international debut where he gave a man-of-the-match display against Denmark.

He has been compaired to Cristiano Ronaldo, and Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has stated, that he would love bringing another major talent to the club.

He has attracted the interest of English Champions Manchester United and Premiership Losers Chelsea, with rumours coming out of Manchester believing that he is a transfer target for Sir Alex Ferguson this summer (2007) as a replacement for veteran left winger Ryan Giggs. Nani could join Ronaldo in Manchester, making arguably the most lethal wingers on the planet playing in the same Manchester United team.

News Out Field

O'NEILL LANDS BARCLAYS AWARD

source : www.premierleague.com


Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been named Barclays Manager of the Month for April.

O'Neill's side recorded three successive away wins in the Barclays Premiership and spent the entire month unbeaten in the league.

Villa enjoyed their travels last month with victories at Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Manchester City.

And their strong away form was complemented by solid home draws against Everton, Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth.

This is the first monthly award O'Neill has collected since November 1999 when he was manager at Leicester City and is his fourth overall.
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Ronaldo nets Football Writers' Association award

Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association.

The Manchester United winger topped the journalists' poll ahead of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

Ronaldo's team-mates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were third and fourth respectively.

It caps a superb season for the Portugal international, who also collected both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year trophies.

Ronaldo, 22, has been in awesome form for United, as the Red Devils remain on course for a Barclays Premiership and FA Cup double, having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The achievement is all the more remarkable considering the somewhat harsh criticism the Portuguese winger received from some fans during the early stages of the season following England's demise at the World Cup.

Ronaldo will be presented with his latest prestigious accolade at the FWA Footballer of the Year dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on May 17.

Chairman of the FWA, Paul Hetherington said: 'After the events of last summer at the World Cup, the vote of the Football Writers' Association shows that what we are all interested in is honouring the best player in the country.

'There has been no agendas carried over from last summer.

'This was a heavy poll of our members. Cristiano has been a runaway winner, and deservedly so.'

Hetherington added: 'We also know we have a player who is absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this accolade.'

Former England captain Alan Shearer - voted Footballer of the Year himself when at Blackburn in 1994 - will propose the toast the FWA, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary.