Franck Ribery

The French winger scored one of the best goals of the  2012-13 season on Saturday, displaying perfect technique as he volleyed home a shot with power and precision. It was the second of two goals he scored on a day when he was at his absolute best.

Ribery’s famous strike came in the second half of Bayern Munich’s 4-3 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach. The thrilling contest marked the end of a fine Bundesliga campaign for rampant Ribery and record-breaking Bayern.

Ribery scored 10 goals (and added 15 assists) in the 27 league games in which he played, saving the best for last.

Although he the 2007–08 German Footballer of the Year award (after an outstanding first season at Bayern), manager Jupp Heynckes thinks 2012-13 has been the pinnacle of his impressive career, according to FIFA.com.

“Franck’s having a superb season, probably the best of his career It’s no real surprise he scored twice,” Heynckes said. “He’s been unbelievably team-oriented the whole season. That’s where he’s come on incredibly.”

Ribery and Bayern hope to stay at the top over for a little while longer. They face domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday and Stuttgart German cup final on June 1.

Ribery will have a busy summer after the ball stops rolling. He hopes to sign a contract extension, which would give him the chance to end his career at Bayern. French club Paris Saint-Germain is monitoring the situation, and it could launch a transfer bid if Ribery doesn’t sign a new contract.

The contract isn’t even Ribery’s most pressing summer issue. The 30-year-old will stand trial in June after he had sex with an underage prostitute in 2008. He could face up to three years in prison  if he is convicted in a French court of paying to have sex with a minor.

Observers would never know Ribery has trouble in mind judging by his recent play and moments like this.

See Ribery’s volley in the video below.

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The 38-year-old burst into tears as he walked off the field in his final game as a player. The emotional moment brought the Ligue 1 (French first division) game between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest to a temporary halt, as Beckham’s PSG teammates hugged him one-by-one before he made his way to the bench.

Beckham was used mainly as a substitute during his four-month stay in Paris, but he took center stage on Saturday. He captained his team, started in the midfield and even had an assist during the 81-minute finale.

When Beckham’s number was called, the crowd at PSG’s Parc des Princes (which included former French President Nicolas Sarkozy) chanted his name and gave him a standing ovation. The fans were joined by both sets of players and coaches. The former England captain could not hold back the tears as his 20-year career came to a close.

Beckham said he struggled to keep his emotions in check for most of the second half, according to the Associated Press.

“To end my career in front of a crowd like that, with players like that, it’s very special,” he said. “It started about 20 minutes before that, to be honest. I started thinking and then, you know, I couldn’t concentrate by then, and it was difficult. You know, you try to hold the emotion back because it is what it is, but it’s difficult.”

Beckham is a world-famous celebrity, but his iconic status rode on the back of his considerable soccer success. He always put the game ahead of his many extra-curricular activities, which makes the emotional send-off a fitting one.

See Beckham’s final moments as a professional soccer player in the video below.

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Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Squawka

Philippe Coutinho

The result was the perfect send-off for Carragher, who played the 737th and final game of his glittering 17-year Liverpool career.

The Reds stalwart came within inches of a dream finale when his brilliant second-half effort from distance rattled the post.

Jordon Ibe enjoyed an encouraging senior debut and this was epitomized by his first-half assist for the opening goal.

Just two minutes into the encounter, Coutinho was unfortunate to be foiled by a refereeing decision when his attempt was deemed to not have been a goal.

The unmarked Brazilian met a Stewart Downing corner with a header that appeared to cross the line before it was cleared, although appeals for an opener were ignored.

Reminiscent of recent fixtures, Coutinho was an influential force yet again and created a chance for himself in the 18th minute.

The 20-year-old skipped past a challenge with ease before dragging a low shot wide.

The youngster certainly atoned for his wayward shooting in the 23rd minute with a thunderous strike that broke the deadlock.

After being teed up by Ibe, Coutinho wasted little time before hammering an unstoppable 25-yard drive that fizzed beyond the outstretched arm of Robert Green and into the corner.

Liverpool didn’t allow the goal to alter their momentum as they maintained pressure on the visitors for the remainder of the half.

A typically powerful surging run forward from Glen Johnson resulted in the fullback scooping a left-footed attempt over the crossbar. Meanwhile, the Reds restricted QPR to more speculative efforts, such as Andros Townsend‘s audacious long-range shot that flew well wide of the target.

In identical fashion to the opening period, the Reds troubled the visitors’ back line immediately.

The first of a flurry of attempts came from Jose Enrique when the Spaniard’s deflected 25-yard drive was parried away by Green.

A minute later, the energetic Ibe came agonizingly close to finding the net in stunning circumstances. The winger shuffled inside from the left flank before rifling a vicious effort that flashed across the face of goal.

Five minutes into the second half, yet another Reds shot changed course and forced Green into making an improvised save.

Johnson raced into the 18-yard box and fired a powerful shot that ricocheted towards the top corner, forcing the QPR custodian to change direction and palm the danger away.

Shortly after, Carragher came painfully close to capping off his final Reds appearance in simply amazing fashion.

As the loose ball fell to the feet of the defender 25 yards from goal, Carragher swiftly spun and slammed a beautifully struck drive that crashed off the post.

The Reds poured forward in the final quarter of an hour as they looked to end the season on a high.

With 10 minutes remaining, substitute Suso‘s stinging effort from an acute angle could only be parried into the path of Downing by Green. The winger responded with a goal-bound effort that was unfortunately blocked.

As the end of the match approached, Carragher was replaced by Sebastian Coates, allowing the defender to receive a standing ovation from the Reds faithful as he bade a fond farewell to Anfield.

Liverpoolfc.com journalists’ man of the match: Jamie Carragher.

Photo via Liverpoolfc.com

An Australian television personality fell victim to a classic teleprompter prank Wednesday. It was something straight out of the hit movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The real-life television host was reading a script off of the teleprompter as highlights of Chelsea’s victory over Benfica in the Europa League final were broadcast. Everything was going according to plan until she reached the end of her prepared remarks: “The Blues defeating Portuguese side Benfica in Amsterdam …”

It was there that a colleague added a little treat to the end of her script, and the host couldn’t help but read all the way to the end.

See the hilarious prank in the video below.

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Beckham’s ability to strike a dead ball — hitting it over a wall of defenders with power and making it dip or swerve past a goalkeeper with grace — set him apart from his peers. It was a weapon his teams used to their advantage, as any free-kick inside of 40 yards instantly became a scoring opportunity.

Beckham converted 65 of them into goals during his illustrious playing career. He scored 29 for Manchester United, 14 for Real Madrid, 12 for the L.A. Galaxy, seven for England’s national team, two for Preston North End and one for AC Milan. Of the 114 goals Beckham scored between 1993 and 2013, more than half came from set pieces.

Beckham announced his retirement on Thursday, effective at the end of PSG’s 2012-13 season. Fans and pundits are recalling his finest moments, many of which include his free-kicks. We’re all familiar with the feeling of anticipation as he ran up to the ball. The same applies to that feeling of déjà vu we felt as the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Watch all 65 of Beckham’s free-kick goals in the video below.

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The 38-year-old Beckham, who recently won a league title in a fourth country with Paris Saint-Germain, said Thursday he will retire after the season.

“I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” the former England captain said in a statement.

Beckham, whose forays into fashion and marriage to a pop-star wife have made him a riveting international celebrity, has two more matches left at PSG. He has been giving his salary to a children’s charity.

He started his career with Manchester United and also played for Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy, winning titles with all those clubs.

“If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy. I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams,” Beckham said.

On the international stage, Beckham made 115 appearances for England’s national team — a record for a player other than a goalkeeper.

“To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country,” Beckham said. “I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country. I’m honored to represent England both on and off the pitch.”

With United between 1992 and 2003, Beckham won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and the Intercontinental Cup. Beckham left United in 2003 shortly after manager Alex Ferguson accidentally struck Beckham’s eye with a football boot.

Beckham spent four years in Madrid — winning the 2007 Spanish title before making the surprise move to Major League Soccer, where he won the title twice.

There were highs and lows in Beckham’s international career. He was blamed for England’s elimination from the 1998 World Cup for his petulant red card against Argentina, but scored the winning goal against the same team at the World Cup four years later.

Beckham responded to jeering at the 2000 European Championship with an obscene hand gesture to England fans, but was lauded by the same supporters a little more than a year later when his last-minute free kick against Greece secured a place at the 2002 World Cup.

England dropped Beckham in 2006 in an effort to renew the team with younger players after a quarterfinal exit at that year’s World Cup. Coach Steve McClaren recalled him the following year after a run of stuttering form, and he returned for the remainder of England’s unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2008 European Championship.

His last England appearance came against Belarus in October 2009. He missed the 2010 World Cup because of an Achilles injury, but went to South Africa as part of Fabio Capello‘s backroom staff.

“I want to thank all my teammates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from,” Beckham said. “I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.”

Beckham had already started planning for his post-playing career earlier in the season, becoming an ambassador for Chinese soccer.

“Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love, however I feel like I’m starting a new adventure and I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead,” Beckham said. “I’m fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it’s my time to give back.”

The Liverpool duo are part of coach Roy Hodgson‘s 22-man selection for the matches at Wembley on May 29 and Rio de Janeiro on June 2.

Andy Carroll, currently on loan at West Ham United, is also in the squad.

England squad in full:

Ben Foster, Joe Hart, Alex McCarthy, Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, Kyle Walker, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Sturridge, Danny Welbeck.

The Chelsea captain missed his team’s UEFA Europa League final against Benfica with an ankle injury, but you’d never know it based on the trophy presentation and victory lap. Terry participated in the postgame celebrations wearing his full Chelsea uniform.

The sight wouldn’t be so strange had Terry not spent the entire game wearing a slick suit complete with a matching tie and vest. But Branislav Ivanovic scored the winning goal late in stoppage time, and Terry ran off to change. He emerged minutes later wearing Chelsea’s jersey, shorts and socks.

Frank Lampard captained Chelsea in Terry’s absence, but he shared the honor of lifting the Europa League trophy with the injured Terry.

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard missed the final because of a hamstring injury. He wore a suit during the game and kept it on for the postgame revelry.

Terry became the butt of many Internet jokes last year when he traded his suit for a uniform at the UEFA Champions League final. Once again, but changed into his full uniform to hold the European Cup aloft with Lampard. The only difference was that he missed last year’s Champions League final due to suspension.

Terry holds the Europa Leauge trophy in full Chelsea gear below.

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Rogers is the subject of trade talks between Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy and Chicago Fire. The Galaxy are hoping to acquire his rights, which would pave the way for his return to professional soccer and MLS, FOX Soccer reports.

“The Galaxy is officially interested in getting his rights, in having the right to sign him,” Fire president of soccer operations Javier Leon said Tuesday. “We’re going to have a conversation with them about what it would take to consider giving up on a player that we feel strongly would be a starter on our team.

“If at this moment the Galaxy are going to say they want him, we would expect to get a similar value. Therefore we will speak to them and we’ll listen to what they have to stay.”

Rogers is out of contract and has been practicing with the Galaxy in recent weeks, which suggests he is considering making a comeback. He reportedly would only consider playing in Los Angeles so he can be close to his hometown and family.

The 26-year-old most recently played in England with Leeds United and Stevenage. Prior to that, he starred in MLS with the Columbus Crew, where he was part of teams that captured the MLS Cup in 2008 and the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2009. He also played 18 games for the U.S. national team between 2009-11. Columbus traded Rogers’ MLS rights to Chicago in February (before his announcement), meaning the Galaxy must work out a deal with the Fire in order to acquire him.

NBA veteran Jason Collins revealed his homosexuality in April, but he is a free agent and not currently on a roster. If Rogers returns to the field with the Galaxy, he would become the first openly gay male professional athlete to play a major team sport in North America.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Police in Lincoln City, Ore., said 42-year-old Richard Swanson was hit at about 10 a.m. while walking south along U.S. Highway 101 near the city limits. He was declared dead at a hospital. The driver has not been charged.

Lt. Jerry Palmer said investigators found materials among Swanson’s belongings listing his website, breakawaybrazil.com.

Swanson set out on the trek to promote the One World Futbol Project, based in Berkeley, Calif., which donates durable blue soccer balls to people in developing countries.

“We are deeply saddened to learn about Richard’s death,” Lisa Tarver, chief operating officer of One World Futbol Project, said in a statement. “He was a very inspiring man who in a very short time walked his way into many lives. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Police said Palmer’s soccer ball was recovered.

Kristi Schwesinger, a Seattle interior designer and close friend of Swanson’s, said he had been a private investigator for many years, and switched to a new career as a graphic designer, but was laid off recently, and looking for an adventure.

“He was at a point in his life where he had raised his kids,” she said. “Both his boys (Devin and Raven) had graduated from high school. He had no mortgage. He had sold his condo recently and was between jobs.

“And he loved the game of soccer,” she said. “He stumbled on this great organization, One World Futbol, and decided this would be his passion the next year.”

In an interview with The Daily News in Longview, Wash., Swanson said he picked up soccer just five years ago and played on club teams and rooted for the Seattle Sounders.

“I felt destined that I should go on this trip,” he said.

His website said he left Seattle on May 1, and the trip would take him on foot for more than a year through 11 countries before reaching Sao Paolo, Brazil, where the World Cup soccer tournament will be played.

“It will be a trip of a lifetime where I will push myself further than I ever thought possible,” he wrote.

Swanson started out in flip-flops, and managed to spend 13 nights but switched to hiking sandals in Portland, Ore., Schwesinger said. He stayed two nights in Vancouver, Wash., with his son, Devin, but otherwise had been able to sleep on on the couches of one stranger after another who befriended him and helped him on his journey.

“It was all by word of mouth, Facebook, media contacts, friends and family who put the word out,” Schwesinger said.

Swanson spent Monday night in Lincoln City, where he was able to soak in a hot tub, and eat a gourmet breakfast, before he set off for Newport, not knowing where he would stay, she added. He posted photos and stories about his new friends on a Facebook page chronicling his journey.

Friends are talking about creating a foundation in Swanson’s memory, and sending his two sons to Brazil for the World Cup, Schwesinger said.

“The hardest thing is he was so young,” Schwesinger said. “Just today we were planning his surprise birthday party for Sunday. He was so young, so full of life, so excited by the journey he was on. To be taken from us so soon is really heartbreaking.”

Photo via Facebook/soccerly

One game to go. How are you feeling about retirement now?

Carragher: People keep asking me. The answer will come after the game. We just want to concentrate on the game. I’m looking forward to getting my tickets sorted and hopefully get a win, then I can look back and give you a better answer.

Have you, at any time, reconsidered retirement, or has Brendan [Rodgers] asked you to reconsider?

Carragher: No, not really. We’ve had a couple of chats about different things over the season, not just since I made my decision. The more I’ve been in the team, the more I’ve wanted to stick with my decision and go out playing. I’ve been quite fortunate really that at the time that I announced it, I kept myself in the side. I can go out playing, which is something I’d prefer rather than maybe stay another year and be in the stand, on the bench or wherever it may be.

What will be the best memory of your Liverpool career?

Carragher: Istanbul. Nothing will beat that — the [UEFA] Champions League final. There’s no point going over the game. I think we all know what happened that night. It’s difficult to ever top that.

What was it like, that feeling, to lift the European Cup?

Carragher: We’ve never won the league, which is a disappointment. If we’d have won that, maybe I could have compared the two. We’ve won FA Cups, Carling Cups, the UEFA Cup, but nothing compared to the Champions League. It’s the biggest and best trophy that you can win as a footballer in club football. It’s what we achieved.

Given the step you’re taking after your football career, does it rule out management or is that something you’re still looking at in the future?

Carragher: I’ve never ruled anything out or in. I’ve gone down this road for a couple of years. I’ll see if I enjoy it or if I’m any good at it, and see where it takes me. I’ve been playing football all my life, and I’m looking forward to doing different things and seeing where it takes me.

How emotional are you going to be at the weekend?

Carragher: I won’t be crying, put it that way!

Are you somebody who might have a “Wish I could have…”  when you retire?

Carragher: I wish I’d have won the league. But you’ve given it everything and done as much as you can in terms of what you put into it. It’s a team game. There are different managers and coaches who have helped you along the way. You do your best. I’ve done all right.

You’ve been part of a close-knit family for all of those years. That’s a big part of your life that’s suddenly going to change.

Carragher: People automatically think of Anfield. I think of this place [Melwood]. This is where you come every day. This is where I’ve been coming since I was nine years of age. Anfield is sort of the icing on the cake where you go at the end of the week or every couple of weeks. It’s special, but this is where you come every day, the people you see, the people on the gate, the girls upstairs in the canteen, Ann on reception who is the only one who has been here longer than me — she’s just pipped me. It’s probably coming here and the characters and people you meet every day. You’ll have to fill that void in your life.

Will the door still be open for you? Do you plan on coming back?

Carragher: Ask Brendan on Friday. He’s the boss. Once you’re done, you’re done. I’m sure I’ll be welcome to come in for my lunch one day and watch training, but I don’t think it’s something I’ll be doing.

When did you first realize it was time to go?

Carragher: About 12 months ago, the end of the season. I was in and out of the side with Kenny. I was thinking about it in the summer, but I had a year to go and a new manager coming in. I knew then it was always going to be my last season.

Going back to your debut, would have you taken then what you have achieved?

Carragher: If someone had offered me to be here until the end of my career — the trophies, the big games we’ve played and won, the stadiums I’ve played in — I’d have bitten their hand off for that. I’m very lucky to have played with some great players, top managers and given the opportunity to experience those wins and sometimes losses. I’ve very lucky.

You mentioned the league title … why did Liverpool fall short?

Carragher: Very simple — we weren’t good enough, all of us. There’s no fancy reason or excuse. Other teams in that particular season were better than us. A couple of times we went close, but it was Manchester United or Arsenal. It’s not something I lose sleep over. I’ve been very lucky to achieve some of the things I have. If you look at everyone, there’s always something someone hasn’t done. There’s always more to achieve, whatever you’ve done. I’m pleased with how it’s gone.

You and Steven Gerrard always seem to be together — are there any concerns about Liverpool not having that local heartbeat in the team when you’ve gone?

Carragher: I’m probably more concerned about who he’s going to sit next to on the coach on the way home. I had that problem at the weekend coming back from Fulham when he wasn’t there. I was on my own!

Every club will say they want to bring players through from the academy — that’s why you have academies and put so much time and money into it. But the players have got to be good enough. If they’re good enough, brilliant — get them in there. It’s always good to have a few local lads in the side. That’s the aim of everyone.

Now that Alex Ferguson has retired at Manchester United, does it give everyone else an opportunity?

Carragher: I think it does a little bit more. He’s obviously been a top manager — his record is there for all to see. They’ve got another top manager in David Moyes. I’m sure he’ll do a great job there. I’m sure everyone is looking at it and seeing how it will go. Maybe it will give other people a chance to get in there if there is maybe a bit of uncertainty at the club. But Manchester United are probably aware of that as well, so I’m sure they’ll be doing everything to stop that.

In terms of the Liverpool you’re leaving, are you excited about the future of the club?

Carragher: I am. I’m always positive about the club. The last few years haven’t been great for us, with league positions and missing out on the Champions League. But with the new manager coming in and the run we’ve been on in the second half of the season, it gives us a lot to look forward to for next season.

How would a “team of Carraghers” cope in the Premier League?

Carragher: A lot of 0-0s!

Paul Scholes came back from retirement after half a year — can you see something similar for yourself?

Carragher: No, I don’t think so. The manager has known for a while that I’m retiring, so I’m sure he’s got plans in place and different players that he wants to bring in, ideas of what he wants to do.

How did if feel physically when you were [having cramps] in Istanbul?

Carragher: Not good! It was just one of those things. You’ve got to play on. Plenty of players have been in that situation and done the same — mine’s highlighted because of the magnitude of the game and everyone was watching. I’m not the only player who has had cramp in football and carried on — there are plenty of other players who have done that. It was just part of the game, that’s what made it so special. There were lots of different incidents and things going on. I’m just glad to have been part of it.

Who were the players who were inspirational for you during your time here?

Carragher: When I first got into the side, I’d say John Barnes. He was the captain and a great player — one of the top players to ever play for the club. As I came into the side a bit more, I’d say Steven Gerrard, even though he’s younger than me. He’s an inspiration, not just for younger players. It doesn’t matter if it’s a younger player or an older player. You watch the way he plays, what he’s done for us and how he’s won us a few trophies — he’s added to my medal collection! I’d say those two.

Defensively, who have you learned the most from?

Carragher: The best center-back I played alongside was Sami Hyypia. I thought he was a great player for the club. We’ve had lots of players, but it could also be a coach. We had Phil Thompson here, [Rafa] Benitez was brilliant at setting up defenses. He brought my game on a lot in terms of playing at center-back because that was his expertise — making a team solid. It’s difficult to pick one person. I’ve had a lot of help from a lot of different people.

How did you feel when your position was under pressure?

Carragher: It gives you motivation. Football is a fight, really, whether it’s opposition, or sometimes it can be within your own dressing room in terms of getting a place. We’re all mates. We’re a big squad, but when the team goes up, there’s only one name that you look for. It’s added motivation, but if it hadn’t have happened, I’d have still motivated myself some other way. I’ve always been that type of lad. It pushed me on and made me a better player.

Have your recent performances made you think you could carry on?

Carragher: It’s made me go the other way, to be honest. It’s made me think it is the right time. It’s nice that I’m in the side and people are saying I’m doing well and why not stay for another year? It’s better than them saying you should have gone a year ago. I prefer it to be like that and get out while it’s going well because it can easily change.

How has the game changed during your era?

Carragher: Anyone who has been in football the amount of time I have, you look from day one until now. There are big changes. The sports science side of it has come on more than anything — doctors, how to train and all this type of stuff. I think that has been the big advance in the game during that time. Four or five years ago, the Premier League was its best. I think it’s dipped a little bit at the moment. A few years ago, ourselves, Chelsea and Manchester United were always close to winning the Champions League for two or three years. I think that was the height of the Premier League — hopefully that’s something that I’ll be able to talk about next season and we get the Premier League back up there. It would be nice to see some more top players coming in and give the league a little bit of a boost.

Rio Ferdinand has announced his England retirement today. Do you look back and think it would be nice to have had a few more games at that level?

Carragher: I wish he’d have retired years ago — I might have got a few more games! He’s been a great player, he’s retired from England. He’s a similar age to me, so it was always going to come up at one time or another. Him and John Terry were the cornerstones of the England side for 10 years, and it was just timing really — it was difficult for me to get in. They’re two great player,s and I wish them well.

Is there anything you won’t miss about being a professional player?

Carragher: The feeling when you get beat, but I suppose I’ll have that as a fan — watching and I won’t be able to do anything about it if results aren’t going well for Liverpool. So that feeling after a defeat. You’re pretty low for a few days.

Photo via Liverpoolfc.com

Roberto Mancini

Mancini was fired as Manchester City’s manager on Monday, exactly one year after ending the club’s 44-year quest for domestic supremacy. He departs after three-and-a-half years, two major trophies and one long-running saga about his job security.

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, the club has failed to achieve any of its stated targets this year, with the exception of qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League,” a club statement said.

“This, combined with an identified need to develop a holistic approach to all aspects of football at the club, has meant that the decision has been taken to find a new manager for the 2013-14 season and beyond.”

Two words in City’s statement, ”failed” and “holistic,” are more important than all others, for they sum up Mancini’s exciting, yet turbulent, reign at the Etihad Stadium.

Overall, Mancini was no failure as City’s manager. Winning the Premier League and FA Cup ensures that label can’t stick. The tangible success City achieved on his watch ended generations of fans’ suffering, and his reputation remains intact in England, Italy and beyond. He won’t see out the last four years of his £7.5 million-a-year [$11.5. million] contract, but he’ll begin his job search with a pocket stuffed with one year’s salary severance pay. Napoli, AS Roma, Inter Milan, AC Milan, PSG, AS Monaco and Chelsea are just a few of the clubs that are reportedly interested in hiring him. Others will emerge in the coming weeks.

But Mancini’s time at City wasn’t exactly successful either. He joined the world’s richest club in December 2009, spent close to £300 million ($458 million) assembling his squad, won and lost leagues and cups and couldn’t advance past the group stage of the UEFA Champions League … before he lost his job.

The real failure is that the 2012-13 campaign will go down as a missed opportunity for both Mancini and City. They stunned Manchester United and other domestic rivals by winning the league last season. Had they built on that success and progressed on the field, all the talk would be about City’s looming era of domination and its bright future under Mancini. Instead, both club and manager must assess what happened, reset themselves and put things right next season.

City’s stalled for a number of reasons, many of which concern the second keyword: “holistic.” There was a fundamental disconnect between how Mancini behaved and how he should have behaved in these unique times and circumstances.

Mancini’s job was under threat as late as April 2012 when it looked like United would win the league. United collapsed, City surged to victory and Mancini was rewarded with a lucrative, five-year contract extension. Normally, this would have strengthened his position, as the new deal represented the full support of owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak.

But everything changed — first in August when Ferran Soriano was hired as City’s new CEO, then in October when Soriano recruited another former Barcelona administrator, Txiki Begiristain, as director of football. The club started moving forward and Mancini wasn’t the one driving. He acted like he was, and that won him few friends when (and where) it counted.

Mancini’s man-management shortcomings saw him clash with star players — including captain Vincent Kompany and goalkeeper Joe Hart – both publicly and privately. He repeatedly blamed City’s failure to strengthen in the summer transfer market, particularly its fizzled pursuit of Robin van Persie, as the main reason for its weak title defense (doing so both in public and in private).

Mancini’s inability (or unwillingness) to strengthen ties between City’s youth and senior teams is another oft-cited reason for his dismissal. The same can be said about his personal relationships with senior officials, especially youth director Brian Marwood in addition to Soriano and Begiristain.

By most accounts Mancini was aloof and abrasive with players and bosses inside the walls of the club, while he came across as combative and domineering when discussing them in public. Could he still train players, prepare for opponents and manage egos in the dressing room? Yes, but his attempts at exerting total control at the very time when he lost itleft him isolated, an island unto himself. Mancini either would not or could not adapt to changing circumstances. Players and bosses saw this months ago. It was made clear to the public Monday.

Some say Mancini’s firing was too harsh or ruthless and that he should have been given another year on the job. City was out of the Champions League in December, Mario Balotelli (Mancini’s troubled but talented “son”) was sold to Milan in January and United all but wrapped up the league title by late February. City bosses would have been well within their rights to fire him two months ago. They might have looked better had they done so before news of their courtship of Manuel Pellegrini turned Mancini into an object of sympathy. Mancini’s clandestine 2009 arrival creates a strange symmetry to the whole affair.

The end of Mancini’s era is holistic failure on his and the club’s part. There’s a thin line between success and failure at the elite level of the game, and Mancini’s final season shows what can (and often does) happen when all members of an institution aren’t pulling in the same direction. City finished second in the league, runner up in the FA Cup — a record which fails to meet the demands of the club’s 10-year plan.  Blame the owners. Blame Soriano, Begiristain and Marwood. Blame Kompany, Hart and the other players. Certainly blame Mancini. For years, City has had a reputation as a bit of a madhouse. The estimated $1 billion Mansour has poured into the club since 2008 hasn’t really changed that perception, and that is one expensive and holistic failure in itself.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Brendan Rodgers

The Reds will end 2012-13 in seventh in the Barclays Premier League — one position higher than last term, although they head into this weekend’s final-day clash with Queens Park Rangers 11 points off fourth place in the table and qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

However, with a year of experience at Anfield under his belt, coupled with further additions to the squad in the summer, Rodgers is confident his side will continue to progress next season.

“This year has provided a great learning curve for me, and I look back and see that it was learning that I needed,” he told the Liverpool Echo. ”I knew the expectancy of the club, but going into next season, I am a much better prepared manager for that.

“We want to make significant improvements next year in the points total, because the reality is, we are 30 points behind the leaders and 11 points behind the top four.

“But I’ve seen enough, and if we improve our mentality in the summer — by signing players who have that consistent winning mentality — we can then improve again, like we have done in the second half of the season.

“That’s the job of the recruitment team and the club, to identify those types of players. They might not always be the best players, but what we need in the second year of this project is to find a great level of consistency. There is a process of getting into the top four and becoming champions, and that is consistency.

“This club didn’t win two league games in a row for over a year. That came earlier on in the season, and when you step back and look at that, it is nowhere near good enough if you are going to succeed.

“You build a mentality in your group, and you get the types of players who can be on it every single game. I’ve loved every minute of being here and the small steps of where we want to go. But now I want to make bigger steps.”

The 18-year-old goalkeeper made his professional debut for Moldovan soccer team Milsami-Ursidos on Saturday, and he won’t soon forget what happened. Mitu scored one of the worst own-goals in soccer history … just ten minutes into the game.

After making a save, Mitu got up and tried to throw the ball to a defender. The ball had other ideas, as it slipped out of his hand and went straight into the goal.

The gaffe clearly embarrassed Mitu, but he kept his composure in the immediate aftermath. His teammates and coaches followed suit and didn’t yell at him. They didn’t want to make matters worse for the young shot-stopper.

However, opponents Rapid Ghidighici took care of that for Mitu. They scored a last-minute goal to win the game 2-1.

Mitu has the rest of his career to make amends for that error, but don’t expect him to replace Victor Valdes as Barcelona’s No. 1 this summer.

See Mitu’s shocking own-goal in the video below.

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Sunday’s game was stopped for 97 seconds during the second half when visiting Roma supporters would not stop chanting at Milan players Mario Balotelli and Kevin-Prince Boateng. The league fined Roma 50,000 Euros, equivalent to almost $65,000, on Monday.

“Appalled to read about racist abuse in Serie A last night,” Blatter tweeted Monday. “Tackling this issue is complex, but we’re committed to action, not just words.”

Blatter added that FIFA’s taskforce against racism and discrimination is “serious about devising a unified approach for FIFA’s 209 members.”

Referee Gianluca Rocchi made the decision to suspend the match briefly after warnings issued over the stadium speaker system went unheeded. Roma captain Francesco Totti had also attempted to calm the fans to no avail.

Balotelli was born in Italy to Ghanian immigrants and is the star forward of Italy’s national squad. Boateng was born in Germany to a German mother and a Ghanian father and plays for Ghana’s national team.

The match at Milan’s San Siro stadium ended 0-0.

Roma general director Franco Baldini said it was uncertain whether the chants were racist.

“The boos were directed at Balotelli because he’s a feared player,” Baldini said, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport. “The nature of the chants was not clear. And I clearly heard the Milan fans chanting ‘romano bastardo’ — ‘roman bastard’ — which is just as discriminatory. It’s difficult to figure out where the border is between racial discrimination or simple boos.”

This was the first time a Serie A match was suspended due to racism.

In January, Boateng famously walked off the field with his teammates after enduring racist abuse during an exhibition against a fourth-tier Italian club.

“The perception is still that in certain areas of the stadium you can do anything,” Italian players’ association president Damiano Tommasi said. “It’s important to make those people feel more and more in the minority.

“The goal is to make people who behave poorly leave the stadium, although that’s not simple for reasons of public safety,” Tommasi added. “It’s always a very fine line between penalizing the majority of people who go to the stadium to enjoy the show and punishing the minority who ruin it. It’s not simple but it seems to me that yesterday everyone was in agreement with Rocchi’s decision.”

Watch the Milan-Roma game come to a temporary halt in the video below.

Coentrao was at the center of one of the soccer season’s great bloopers on Saturday. The Portuguese fullback sat on the bench — as he often does — just before Real Madrid’s game against Espanyol. The problem is that he wasn’t supposed to be there.

Coentrao wasn’t included in Real Madrid’s 18-man gameday squad, meaning he should have been watching the game from a luxury box alongside Pepe, Sergio Ramos and other spectating teammates.

As Coentrao sat down, Iker Casillas (who has grown increasingly familiar to the view from the bench) was the only one who seemed to notice something wrong. Casillas whispered something to Coentrao — we’ll bet it was “what are you doing here?” — but it still didn’t register.

It was only after Coentrao’s other teammates caught on and started mocking him that he realized his mistake. He got up to leave, but it was already too late. Under-fire manager Jose Mourinho joined in the fun. Cristiano Ronaldo then confirmed what most were thinking: Coentrao’s a bit of a space cadet.

Watch Coentrao take the seat of shame in the video below.

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The veteran midfielder is set to extend his Chelsea career into its 13th year. The Blues will offer him a new contract this week which he will happily sign, according to the Mail.

“And it also appears that — almost by weight of public demand — the west London club will award one of football’s nice guys with a further 12-month contract extension,” the report says.

Lampard’s good news comes just days after he broke the club’s all-time goal-scoring record. He scored twice on Saturday — his 202nd and 203rd goals in Chelsea colors — to pass Bobby Tambling‘s longstanding mark.

For much of the season, it looked like Chelsea would decline the chance to keep Lampard and let him leave as a free agent this summer. His existing contract expires in June and the L.A. Galaxy were leading the chase for Lampard, having offered him a lucrative contact to come to Major League Soccer.

Lampard considered the offer, but he always preferred to keep his family in England and finish his career at Stamford Bridge.

“I’d love to carry on as long as I feel I can do and I feel I’m fit,” Lampard told Sky Sports on Saturday. “I’d love to do that, for another three or four years. I’d love to emulate those boys.

“Ryan Giggs [has] got an aura around him. All the players at the club look up to him. He’s the mark.”

At the beginning of 2013, Chelsea was determined to move on from the era of the “Old Guard” (a group of influential veterans including Lampard, captain John Terry and Ashley Cole), but public pressure and the expected return of Jose Mourinho have made the Blues slow their revolution, according to the Star.

“Manager-in-waiting Jose Mourinho has persuaded owner Roman Abramovich to reward the club’s record scorer with a new contract, similar to the one fellow England star Ashley Cole signed earlier in the season.

“Chelsea had hoped to announce his deal prior to Wednesday’s [UEFA] Europa Cup Final against Benfica.

“But it is understood Lampard’s agent, Steve Kutner, was yesterday [Sunday] still trying to net the best possible terms.”

Lampard became a Chelsea and Premier League legend by marrying his talent with a fierce determination and commitment to professionalism. Those qualities helped him score double figures in the Premier League for ten straight seasons. His coaches, teammates and fans never lost sight of that legacy and they have seemingly made sure that Chelsea directors don’t either.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Photo via Facebook/Chelsea Football Club

Daniel Sturridge

The 23-year-old was in devastating form at Craven Cottage on Sunday, firing a hat trick past Mark Schwarzer in Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Fulham.

Sturridge arrived on Merseyside in January 2013 from Stamford Bridge, where his game time had been limited by competition in the form of the formidable Dider Drogba.

However, the Reds’ No. 15 says he has learned plenty about the importance of mental strength from time spent in the company of the Ivorian hitman.

“Being strong mentally is the one thing that can separate you from anyone else,” Sturridge said. “When I worked with Drogba at Chelsea, the one strength he had above everybody was his mental strength. I learned a lot from working with him about what it takes to be a top player. Hopefully I’ll become one.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to score a hat trick. Hopefully I’ll have a long career ahead of me with Liverpool.

“I am a lot more peaceful, and I’m playing with a clear mind. Before there were a lot of things going on, and mentally it was hard for me. It’s difficult when you do well and then don’t play the next game, as you feel ‘what more can I do?’”

The win at Fulham extends the Reds’ strong finish to the current campaign to one defeat in the last 11 games.

Sturridge is optimistic about the future. However, he is keen to remain cautious about raising expectation levels too high ahead of next season.

“We’re playing well, and we’ve got a lot of good players here,” Sturridge said. ”But I don’t want to put any pressure on ourselves by talking about the top four for next season. We just need to focus on the one league game we’ve got left and then come back and work hard in preseason.

“We need to leave the manager to do his job in terms of whether he’s going to make any signings, and as players, we all just need to come into work every day with the right attitude and implement what the manager wants us to do.”

Photo via Facebook/Liverpool FC

Mancini will be fired from his job as Manchester City’s manager this week after failing to build on last season’s success. Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini is the overwhelming favorite to replace Mancini on the City bench, according to  the Telegraph.

“While his departure has yet to be confirmed, the Telegraph understands that his contract will be terminated before City depart for a post-season trip to the United States next Monday [May 20] and that the home game against Norwich City on May 19 will be his last — unless the club acts before the Reading clash,” the report says.

“Mancini’s hopes of seeing out the remaining four years of his £7.5 million-a-year [$11.5. million] contract are over, however, with the only issue now revolving around the timing of his dismissal.”

Mancini will leave City after three-and-a-half years of turbulent excitement at the Etihad Stadium. He oversaw the club’s rise to the forefront of the English game by assembling and managing a star-studded squad to unprecedented success. He helped end a 35-year wait for a major trophy when City captured the FA Cup in 2011. He guided City to glory in 2011-12, capturing the Premier League title and ending a 44-year search for domestic supremacy.

But City’s progress stalled in 2012-13, as it failed to advance out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, finished a distant second to Manchester United in the Premier League and lost to Wigan in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Although Mancini signed a lucrative contract extension last summer, his failure to hit specified targets this season has no reportedly prompted City’s board to part ways with the Italian.

Mancini retained the fans’ support throughout this difficult season, but he publicly clashed with the board and a number of players at various points. Mancini repeatedly assured the media that he had the backing of City owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, but that changed in late April when Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, met with Pellegrini’s agent, Jesus Martinez, in Madrid. Mancini’s contribution to the club’s trophy case and impressive win percentage of 59.2 (forged over 191 games) was not enough to keep the confidence of City’s decision-makers.

City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners have grand ambitions for the club, and they have already spent untold riches to take City to the top of the English game. But they want more and have entrusted Begiristain and CEO Ferran Soriano with the task of positioning City for long-term success. If Mancini thought he was an essential part of those future plans, he was wrong.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Epic Pictures Group says it is financing and developing a Rocky-style film after buying the rights to dramatize a biography about the Barcelona soccer star.

The Beverly Hills-based company says the biopic will chart Messi’s rise from a modest background in Argentina and how he ”overcame his physical shortcomings to become one of the greatest players of all time.”

Co-founder Shaked Berenson hopes ”audiences will be uplifted by this incredible tale of fighting for your dreams.”