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Don Balon

Posted: 20/11/2008 | The Socceroos escaped from Bahrain with a lucky win in their World Cup qualifier last night and no one knew it more than coach Pim Verbeek. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 19/11/2008 | The Socceroos have shown their support for team mate Craig Moore who recently underwent surgery for testicular cancer. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 17/11/2008 | FFA chief executive Ben Buckley has taken the unusual step of writing to all members of the association's Football Family data base to counter an attack on the code in News Limited papers on the weekend. | CommentsComments (4)
Posted: 13/11/2008 | Adelaide United's dream run in the Asian Champions League ended with a thud at Hindmarsh Stadium. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 11/11/2008 | Sydney FC captain Tony Popovic has announced his retirement as a player after a 20 year professional career which has seen him play in England, Japan, Qatar and Australia. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 10/11/2008 | Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has selected 24 players in his squad for the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier against Bahrain in Manama on November 19. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 29/10/2008 | There are reports circulating in the Turkish media this morning that Harry Kewell is suffering from Autoimmune Hepatitis. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 28/10/2008 | Football facts, figures and trivia as we head into Round 10 of Hyundai A-League 2008-09 | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 27/10/2008 | Sydney FC has taken a big step towards ensuring its long term success with the re-signing of midfielder, Alex Brosque. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 24/10/2008 | A glancing header by Harry Kewell was enough to get Galatasaray's UEFA Cup Group B campaign off to a winning start. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 23/10/2008 | Adelaide United booked a historic Asian Champions League football final showdown with Japan's Gamba Osaka, after a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor in Tashkent last night. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 22/10/2008 | Australian football is on the cusp of something great and it has taken a small South Australian club to reach the dizzy heights of Asian football. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 22/10/2008 | Football Federation Australia (FFA) has fined Queensland Roar coach, Frank Farina, $2000 for criticising a match official. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 21/10/2008 | Two St George and Sutherland Shire junior footballers have been selected in the Young Socceroos squad to contest the upcoming AFC U19 Championships which will be held in Saudi Arabia from October 31 to November 14. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 20/10/2008 | Australia’s brand new national league competition – the Westfield W-League – kicks off this weekend. | CommentsComments (4)
Posted: 13/10/2008 | Sydney has missed out on the Socceroo's final home match in round 4 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers with Melbourne selected to host the encounter. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 13/10/2008 | The Qantas Joeys have been knocked out of the AFC U16 Championships after falling to the United Arab Emirates 3-2 in the quarter finals of the tournament in Tashkent overnight. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 1/10/2008 | Sydney FC rookie Shannon Cole has continued his remarkable rise as a footballer by earning selection in the Socceroo squad for the World Cup qualifier against Qatar. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 26/09/2008 | Socceroos Mark Bresciano and Vince Grella have written letters of support for the Melbourne Heart syndicate. | CommentsComments (10)
Posted: 25/09/2008 | Adelaide has become the first Australian team from the Hyundai A-League to make it through to the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 23/09/2008 | Six graduates of the Johnny Warren Football Foundation Program have been named in the 23 player squad for the upcoming AFC U16 Championship to be held in Uzbekistan, October 4-18. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 23/09/2008 | Australia face a tough path to the 2009 under-17 soccer World Cup and will play two-time Asian champions Saudi Arabia and China in their qualifying group. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 22/09/2008 | It's Turkish delight for Socceroo Harry Kewell at his new club Galatasaray. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 19/09/2008 | Spitting at someone on the football field is a cowardly act. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 19/09/2008 | Australia's chances of hosting a World Cup have been boosted by the appointment of Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman, Frank Lowy, to the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 15/09/2008 | With a name to match his hairstyle, Fabricio's curly perm was the subject of much amusement among Newcastle fans. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 15/09/2008 | Football Federation Australia has launched the 2008-09 Football e-diary. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 11/09/2008 | The Silk Road may eventually lead to South Africa after the Socceroos re-opened their World Cup campaign with a gutsy 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in difficult conditions last night in Tashkent. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2008 | The Socceroos have arrived in Tashkent ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 5/09/2008 | Mark Schwarzer, has described the Hyundai A-League as a "massive success". | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 2/09/2008 | Manchester City have pipped Chelsea to the signature of Robinho from Real Madrid while the red half of Manchester hails the capture of Berbatov. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 2/09/2008 | The Dutch training venue brings back happy memories for the Socceroos. It is where they started their lead-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 28/08/2008 | The Board of Football Federation Australia (FFA) confirmed yesterday that teams from the Gold Coast and Townsville will expand the League to a 10 team competition next year. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 27/08/2008 | Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has selected an extended 27-player squad for the upcoming international friendly match against the Netherlands. | CommentsComments (4)
Posted: 22/08/2008 | Alex's Angle with Sydney FC's Alex Brosque | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 20/08/2008 | The Socceroos have drawn with South Africa 2-all in an enthralling match at Loftus Road Stadium in London this morning. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 18/08/2008 | Pim Verbeek has made a number of changes to his squad for the international friendly match against South Africa. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 15/08/2008 | Sydney FC has completed its senior squad with the signing of versatile Sydney Olympic midfielder Shannon Cole. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 11/08/2008 | Australia held their own against their South American opposition for much of the match until, Argentinean striker Ezequiel Lavezzi scored in the 76th minute against the run of play, confirming his team’s passage to the quarter-final stage of the tournament. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/08/2008 | Coach Pim Verbeek has selected an 18-player squad for the upcoming international friendly match against South Africa at Loftus Road Stadium in London on Tuesday, August 19. | CommentsComments (2)
Posted: 6/08/2008 | The Olyroos will kick-off Australia’s competition schedule at the XXIX Olympiad in China when they face Serbia in their opening match of the Football tournament at the Shanghai Stadium tomorrow. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 5/08/2008 | The seven Australian based Hyundai A-League clubs will participate in the 21 round competition which will begin on September 26. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 4/08/2008 | The South Coast bid needs an underwriter to the tune of $2 million per season for the club's first five seasons to have any chance of impressing FFA brass. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 28/07/2008 | Westfield today announced a landmark agreement in support of the fastest growing team sport for women in the country – women’s football. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 25/07/2008 | Sydney FC has called in the cavalry to boost its injury depleted ranks, with the club today finalising a short-term deal with former Adelaide United striker, Dez Giraldi. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 24/07/2008 | Football Federation Australia (FFA) has awarded ''exclusive negotiating status'' to the North Queensland Football Club (NQFC) in its bid to have a Townsville based team in the Hyundai A-League competition from 2009-10. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 22/07/2008 | Menai's Marc Warren scored a crucial goal to help the Joeys claim Australia's first title in Asia | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 15/07/2008 | Watch boozy Sergey's staggering performance . . . after wetting his whistle just a little bit too much. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 11/07/2008 | Sydney FC has won the race to sign rising Sutherland star, Brendan Gan, with the 20-year-old agreeing to a one year deal. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/07/2008 | Remi Gaillard is a French ''freestyle'' footballer who gets up to no good with his feet and his football. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 7/07/2008 | The Socceroos will meet the 2010 World Cup hosts, South Africa, in London on August 19 followed by a clash with Euro2008 quarter-finalists the Netherlands in Eindhoven on September 6. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 4/07/2008 | Kewell was rumoured to have been one of three overage players being considered for the squad. | CommentsComments (3)
Posted: 4/07/2008 | Turkish giants Galatasaray are claiming on their website that they have signed the star Socceroo to a three year deal. | CommentsComments (12)
Posted: 3/07/2008 | The Socceroos' schedule will see them kick-off round 4 of World Cup qualification with an away game against the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 1/07/2008 | My first son will be named Fernando, after Fernando Torres, the hero who fired Spain to a 1-0 victory against Germany in Vienna. | CommentsComments (3)
Posted: 1/07/2008 | The Sutherland Sharks take on Sydney FC in a trial game this Thursday night as the count-down to the Hyundai A-League continues. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 11/06/2008 | And so Spain celebrated in the rain what was a perfect start to their bid for a first European Championship title since 1964. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 10/06/2008 | Football Federation Australia (FFA) today confirmed that it has received advice from FIFA that Vukovic, is not eligible to play in international competition with effect from February 25, 2008 to January 25, 2009. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 9/06/2008 | IT'S not often I agree with FIFA President Sepp Blatter. This after all is a man who decided it would be a good idea to book players for 'over zealous' goal celebrations and said women footballers should wear tighter shorts to attract more fans. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 6/06/2008 | Goal II: Living the Dream, PG, sees budding football star Santiago Munez joining Real Madrid. | CommentsComments (1)
Posted: 5/06/2008 | As part of England's cunning plan to win the World Cup 2010 the team took the tactical decision to not qualify for the European Championship. | CommentsComments (12)
Posted: 4/06/2008 | Never Say Die Matildas is an up-close and personal account of the passion, sacrifice and skill required by players to perform at an elite level. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 3/06/2008 | FFA’s view is that the Hyundai A-League has the capacity to be at least a 12 team competition. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 3/06/2008 | Kaz Patafta has signed with the Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC has signed a 17-year-old striker from Manly. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 2/06/2008 | The Socceroos can consider themselves lucky to have collected all three points in their vital 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Iraq at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane last night. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 29/05/2008 | Football Federation Australia (FFA) confirmed today that it has received advice from FIFA indicating the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches scheduled for Brisbane on Sunday and in Dubai on June 7 can proceed. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 22/05/2008 | It wasn't easy getting a Chelsea supporter to open up after this morning's Champions League loss to Man United but Calo did his best to contain the bitterness. | CommentsComments (4)
Posted: 22/05/2008 | A lifelong Manchester United fan speaks of the joy of this morning's European Champions League victory over Chelsea. | CommentsComments (2)
Posted: 21/05/2008 | Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek confirmed Kewell will captain Australia in Friday's friendly international against Ghana at the Sydney Football Stadium. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 21/05/2008 | Despite the assurances of his club manager Kevin Keegan that Barton is a changed man Judge Henry Globe sent him to jail. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 19/05/2008 | Sydney FC will play a trial match against the high-flying Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw Park on July 3. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 19/05/2008 | The FIFA Club World Cup comprises the champion club from each FIFA Confederation. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 16/05/2008 | Johnny Warren played 42 times for the Socceroos including the 1974 World Cup. For more than 30 years he became the face of football in Australia through his tireless commitment to the development of the game. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 15/05/2008 | Aussies Nick Carle and Richard Garcia are going to Wembley. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 13/05/2008 | The Australian coach has made it clear an impressive performance against Ghana will see the players given the chance to push for selection in the next qualifier against Iraq. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/05/2008 | Today’s signing of a five year agreement between Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the Australian Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is a significant step forward for the domestic league. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/05/2008 | Okay, so it's a Nike advertisement but it's a bit of fun and worth a look. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 3/05/2008 | Police are investigating claims by the AC Milan striker that a transvestite prostitute tried to extort money from him following a row at a Rio de Janeiro motel on Monday. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 2/05/2008 | Football Federation Australia (FFA) today announced that the Hyundai A-League 2009 Grand Final will be played on a Saturday night. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 29/04/2008 | Kewell has endured a miserable spell with injury and now looks increasingly likely to be axed by Liverpool. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 22/04/2008 | Australia is yet to win a medal at the Olympic Games having had their best finish of fourth in Barcelona in 1992. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 19/04/2008 | During his time at Southampton Matthew Le Tissier scored some of the best goals you're ever likely to see. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 10/04/2008 | Ronaldinho's little sister? | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 10/04/2008 | The Italian league has been in decline for years but the aging Milan team have papered over the cracks for the last few seasons due to their Champions League performances. | CommentsComments (4)
Posted: 5/04/2008 | The final of four matches in the current phase of 2010 qualifying campaign will see the Socceroos up against China at ANZ Stadium on Sunday, June 22. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 12/02/2008 | Want to see all the latest English Premier League goals but you don't have Fox Sports? | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 12/02/2008 | Let's hope we see a few goal celebrations of this calibre in the A-League grand final. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/02/2008 | Has Socceroos striker Scott McDonald been sinking too many pints in Glasgow or was his shirt two sizes too small last night? | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/02/2008 | Some things you won't see in the A-League. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 6/02/2008 | Verbeek now has a squad of 21 players which will be reduced to 18 for the match tomorrow. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 1/02/2008 | Qantas has provided the Socceroos with travel in first class to give them optimal conditions for comfort and recovery on the trip home. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 26/01/2008 | Round 21’s Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory match ranked as Fox Sports most watched regular season game in the history of the A-League. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 23/01/2008 | Every Australian Hyundai A-League club is represented in the squad with finalists Newcastle Jets providing seven of the 39 men including for the first time in a Qantas Socceroos squad twins, with both Joel and Adam Griffiths included. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 23/01/2008 | ''We are not being heavy handed; the FFA has the right to schedule Finals matches where it sees fit,'' FFA Chief Executive Officer, Ben Buckley. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 9/01/2008 | A Socceroos team made up entirely of A-League players was beaten 2-1 by the Olyroos in a trial match at Marconi stadium yesterday. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 14/12/2007 | It was never like this when Tommy Anderson used to be part of the SBS team of soccer experts, Les must be thinking. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 11/12/2007 | In June 2004 Duut was appointed assistant at Feyenoord under Dutch legend Ruud Gullit and remained in the role until mid 2007. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 7/12/2007 | Verbeek said he was looking forward to helping Australia qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and and also wanted to play a role in developing the game in Australia. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 1/12/2007 | David Beckham appears set for a rematch with an A-League club in Hawaii, when LA Galaxy take part in the championship. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 26/11/2007 | China, Iraq and Qatar will be Australia's opponents in the third round of Asian Football Confederation qualifying after the Qantas Socceroos were seeded directly into this stage of the qualifying process. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 2/11/2007 | The introduction of a national youth league with all Hyundai A-League clubs (except Wellington) involved plus the Australian Institute of Sport | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 30/10/2007 | John from Five Dock has been a Sydney FC member since the inception of the A-League. Here he tells Don Balon of his frustrations with the current Sydney FC administration and its lack of leadership and vision. | CommentsComments (2)
Posted: 25/10/2007 | Known to have a fiery temper, it will be interesting to see if Kossie is able to stay out of trouble as the pressure to get Sydney into the finals race builds. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 6/10/2007 | Dida was stretchered off with an ice-pack to the face but the only long-term injury he is likely to suffer is the jibes and cat calls from the stands as rival fans remind him of his embarrassing and gutless display. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | There is an argument that by allowing a free-to-air broadcaster to also show some of its exclusive A-League content, it's a form of advertising for potential new Foxtel subscribers. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | FOXTEL has entered into a multi-million dollar three-year agreement as a marquee partner of football in Australia. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | The challenge for A-League clubs is to show faith in these these young kids and give them the opportunity to develop their skills and experience in a professional league. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | Timesonline, using its worldwide resources and army of soccer analysts, recently produced a list of the world's top 50 modern-day footballers. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | Let's face it, they might have brains which give them automatic admission to MENSA but can they follow a simple 4-4-2 game plan? Evidently not. | CommentsComments (0)
Posted: 8/09/2007 | A blog dedicated entirely to football for all you football tragics out there who can't get enough of the world game. | CommentsComments (0)
Don Balon
Don Balon has his eyes on the main game.

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