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Mixu Paatelainen has left his post as Kilmarnock manager to coach the Finland national team.Paatelainen was the target of recent interest from Championship side Scunthorpe United and Kilmarnock were also eager to retain his services, but the lure of coaching his national side, for which he made 70 appearances as a player, was too strong.

Kilmarnock assistant coach Kenny Shiels will take the reins for the side’s Scottish Premier League game at St Johnstone on Saturday.

“Following careful consideration Mixu has decided that the honour of managing his national team is one which he cannot refuse,” a Kilmarnock statement read.

“He will take up his duties with the Finnish FA immediately.”

Paatelainen was a fan favourite at Rugby Park, and has drastically reversed the club’s fortunes since his appointment in June last year.

Kilmarnock finished second from the bottom in 2009-10, but are currently fifth in the SPL and within grasp of a Europa League berth.

“Mixu’s short reign at Kilmarnock has witnessed a dramatic improvement in the club’s fortunes in the SPL,” the statement continued.

“Several club records have been broken, including longest scoring run in a league campaign.”

“Our travelling support has been treated to a feast of attacking football, which has yielded more goals than any other club away from home bar one.”

Juventus striker Alessandro Matri says it will be important to maintain winning form in order to book a European spot for next season.The Italian giants sit one spot outside the qualification spots in seventh on the Serie A table, two points behind Roma, who are currently in one of the two Europa League positions.

But Matri, who scored in the 3-2 win against Genoa on Sunday, said Juventus needed to build on their run of three consecutive wins.

“In the second half we showed a great will to win and determination which we’ll have to maintain until the end of the season,” Matri said.

With six games remaining, Juventus are six points adrift of the fourth-placed Lazio, who hold the UEFA Champions League qualifying spot at the moment.

The on-loan striker has now scored seven goals since arriving from Cagliari in January and was pleased he had already begun settling at the Turin-based club.

“Thanks to my team-mates and the fans, who have welcomed me in a wonderful way,” Matri said.

“Here there are many more pressures as compared to those at Cagliari, but thanks to the group I?ve been able to fit in just fine.”

PSV Eindhoven moved top of the Eredivisie with a 2-0 win over Heracles as second-placed Twente drew away at De Graafschap on Sunday.The stage is set for a thrilling finish to the season with three games to go, with PSV moving ahead of Twente thanks to a superior goal difference.

Ajax are a point back in third after they too recorded a win on Sunday, at NEC Nijmegen.

But it is PSV who are now in prime position after goals from Balazs Dzsudzsak and substitute Marcus Berg set up the win at Heracles.

They had to wait until the dying minutes for Berg’s sealer, with goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson saving a penalty from Heracles attacker Willy Overtoom 15 minutes before the end.

The losing hosts, who sit in ninth, played out almost all of the second half with 10 men after midfielder Mark Fledderus picked up a second yellow card in the 46th minute.

Twente were within minutes of collecting three points but conceded a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw against De Graafschap.

Veteran midfielder Denny Landzaat had given his side a 72nd-minute lead, only for Roier Meijer to hit back one minute before the end of regular time.

Ajax kept their title hopes alive with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over NEC Nijmegen.

Lasse Schone gave NEC a fourth-minute lead, but the visitors equalized in first-half stoppage time through Serbian forward Miralem Sulejmani.

Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld scored the winner in the 66th minute as Ajax moved within a point of top spot, while NEC sit in 11th.

Feyenoord romped to a 6-1 win over strugglers Willem II in the day’s other game.

Georginio Wijnaldum and Ryo Miyaichi both scored doubles, with Bruno Martins Indi and Luc Castaignos also on the scoresheet.

Feyenoord’s six goals – two in the first half and four in the second – came after Andreas Lasnik had given Willem II a surprise 20th-minute lead.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has been included in the provisional 40-man England squad for the European Under-21 Championships in June.Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has also been selected by manager Stuart Pearce, along with four other players who have already received full international honours.

The 40-man squad for the tournament in Denmark will be reduced to 23 players by June 1.

The availability of Wilshere to the national team is a source of concern for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

He is reluctant for the 19-year-old to take part in the tournament immediately after playing his first full season at senior level.

Carroll, 22, scored his first international goal for England in a friendly against Ghana on March 29, but has made no secret of his desire to also line-up for the under-21s.

“It can only be good for my career,” Carroll said in March.

“It’s important to start winning international tournaments early and hopefully you can take it to the world stage.”

Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Manchester City defender Micah Richards, Arsenal fullback Kieran Gibbs and Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck, on loan at Sunderland, are the other players selected who have already been capped at full international level.

England’s first match of the tournament is against Spain on June 8. The full squad is:

Goalkeepers: Frankie Fielding (Blackburn Rovers), Scott Loach (Watford), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Alex McCarthy (Reading).

Defenders: Joe Bennett (Middlesbrough), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Michael Mancienne (Wolverhampton Wanderers – loan from Chelsea), Ben Mee (Leicester City – loan from Manchester City), Kyle Naughton (Leicester City – loan from Tottenham), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), James Tomkins (West Ham United), Kieran Trippier (Barnsley – loan from Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Aston Villa – loan from Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Jack Cork (Burnley – loan from Chelsea), Tom Cleverley (Wigan Athletic – loan from Man Utd), Mark Davies (Bolton Wanderers), Adam Hammill (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland), Jonathan Howson (Leeds United), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Henri Lansbury (Norwich City – loan from Arsenal), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton Wanderers), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Scott Sinclair (Swansea City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Nathan Delfouneso (Burnley – loan from Aston Villa), Gary Hooper (Celtic), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley), Freddie Sears (West Ham United), Daniel Sturridge (Bolton Wanderers – loan from Chelsea), James Vaughan (Crystal Palace – loan from Everton), Danny Welbeck (Sunderland – on loan from Man Utd), Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town).

Footballers are not renowned for their trend setting abilities and being on the cutting edge of what is cool, particularly in the ’80s. We have seen mullets, shorts getting that little bit shorter and as we evolved into the Premier League era little was to really change on that front. Patrick Vieira brought the slapping a lump of Vicks onto the front of the shirt, Robbie Fowler had the nose plaster and more recently Gareth Bale has found some use for electrical tape, other than to protect wires within your home.

So as a homage to all that is truly naff and has graced the land of football is this top ten of the worst football fads and please feel free to add any you think I have missed in the comments section.

Click on Patrick Vieira’s Vicks stained shirt below to view the gallery

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List compiled by Joe Walsh

I think most Reds fans would agree that Liverpool need another central defender this summer. With the constant injury worries over Daniel Agger, and Sotirios Kyrgiakos expected to leave in the summer, there has already been speculation over who the Merseyside club would be interested in buying. Gary Cahill has been suggested in many reports, but another player speculated is Birmingham City ’s Scott Dann .

No doubt the Blues have missed Dann since he was sidelined for the rest of the season after a serious hamstring tear in January, and I firmly believe that if he was fit, Birmingham would not be in the relegation battle they are in now. His record alongside Roger Johnson last season was nothing short of superb, with an unbeaten home record and conceding 47 goals.

At 24 years old too, Dann would also fit into FSG’s strategy of bringing in young talent to the club, and the fact he was born in Liverpool would also make the move even more attractive. It has been a rapid rise for the Scouser as only 5 years ago he was sent out on loan to Hednesford Town in the non-league. He started life at League Two side Walsall after impressing on trial at the club in 2003.

He moved up the youth ranks of the club and was a regular in the Saddlers’ reserves side in the 2004/05 campaign. By the end of the season, it was thought best for him to go out on loan to gain first team experience and he made the move to Danish club Koge BK for the rest of the season. On his return from Denmark, Dann joined Conference North side Redditch United in October 2005 before being recalled at the end of the year. An injury crisis at Redditch’s Conference North rivals Hednesford Town meant Dann was afforded the opportunity of first team football at the non-league club. After playing just three games though, he returned to Walsall due to injury.

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Dann’s career at this stage did not look too promising but after signing a short term deal to stay at the Bescot Stadium, he got his chance in the Walsall first team during the 2006/07 campaign. It would prove to be the making of the player as he was an integral part of the side which helped the Saddlers to the League Two Championship. He was rewarded for his fine form with a new long term contract and he continued his good form in League One, helping Walsall establish themselves in the division.

By this time, he was attracting interest from bigger clubs and Coventry City paid a sizeable fee for Dann in the 2008 January transfer window. After helping City avoid relegation from the Championship, he was named captain for the following 2008/09 season. After helping the side finish 17th in the Championship, Dann was be on the move again after only a year and a half at the Ricoh Arena. Newly promoted Premier League side Birmingham City paid Coventry £3.5million for Dann in June 2009, instantly striking up an excellent partnership at the centre of defence with another new signing Roger Johnson helping them to finish 9th in the table. During the campaign they went a record 12 matches unbeaten, with plaudits crediting Dann and Johnson for Birmingham’s success in the top flight.

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The second season has been more difficult for Birmingham but it didn’t stop Dann helping the Blues to the Carling Cup final. In the semi-final against West Ham however, he paid a heavy price with a torn hamstring, and an operation was needed which has kept him of action until the summer. Birmingham City rate him at £10million, but if the club are relegated, they will no doubt listen to offers for the player.

Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool

Birmingham City defender Roger Johnson could be on his way out of the club, according to The Daily Mail.

Johnson was signed by Birmingham two summers ago from Cardiff for £5 million and played in all 38 of Birmingham’s league games. Despite the club’s Carling Cup success, they were relegated on the final day of the season and several Premier League clubs look set to move for the star defender.

Blackburn Rovers could move for the player as a replacement for 19-year old Phil Jones, who looks set to join Manchester United in a £16 million deal. Sunderland are also keen on the 28-year old whilst last season’s relegation rivals Wolves have reportedly had a £6 million bid rejected.

Despite approaching the final year of his contract, Birmingham have quoted Sunderland a £14 million price tag and are keen to hold on to the central defender as they prepare for life in the Championship.

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Johnson isn’t the only player linked with a move back to the Premiership with striker Cameron Jerome reportedly a target of Bolton. Likewise, the club’s top earner, 6ft 8in striker Nikola Zigic, could be free to leave in order to cut the cost of his £55,000 weekly wages.

Adel Taarabt has raised the stakes in his contract tussle with Queens Park Rangers by hinting he could leave the promoted club.Taarabt was instrumental in QPR’s success in the Championship last season, finding the net 19 times and picking up a league-best 17 assists as the London club fought their way back to the English Premier League.

Now, the Morocco international feels he deserves a payday for his efforts in helping QPR gain promotion, but has seen his requests stonewalled by the club.

Taarabt said he was insistent he will not stay for the same wages as the club is likely to end up back in the Championship before too long.

“I helped QPR win promotion but they will not offer me a better contract. They say I am already on big wages,” Taarabt told the Mail on Sunday.

“They want me to stay four years on the same terms. But I don’t want to sign for four years then after one year I am going to be back in the Championship.”

“No disrespect, but if we keep the same players, it will be very difficult to stay in the Premier League when you are playing Man United and Chelsea.”

“I understand that QPR have changed my life. People had almost forgotten me when I joined from Tottenham. But I don’t think they are being fair to me.”

Newcastle United have reportedly expressed an interest in Taarabt, who moved to QPR after finding first-team opportunities scant at White Hart Lane.

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Asked if he would be interested in a move to the Magpies, the 22-year-old said: “People say Newcastle will be good for me, that the fans love players like me.”

“It is fantastic to play in front of 50,000 supporters every week. I do not need one of the very big clubs at this stage.”

Coach Mano Menezes said it was a sad day for Brazil after they were knocked out of the Copa America by Paraguay on Sunday.Paraguay beat the defending champions on penalties after their quarter-final match finished 0-0 after 120 minutes, with Brazil missing their first four spot-kicks in the shootout.

Brazil had a plethora of excellent chances during the match, but a combination of poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Justo Villar came back to haunt coach Menezes and his side.

“Defeats always bring sadness, because we worked to win,” Menezes said.

“We have to get out of a match like this one with the clear notion of how much Brazil has evolved, to the point of being far superior throughout the entire 120 minutes.”

“It was not enough because we did not score the goal we worked so hard for.”

“Today we did our best to win. Only the goal was missing. We need to have maturity and be calm to analyse this properly.”

Paraguay failed to register a shot on target during the 120 minutes, and have progressed to the last four of the competition despite failing to win a match in the tournament so far.

“We lost a place (in the semi-finals) to an opponent who have drawn four times (in the competition),” Menezes said.

“These are the hard things about football and we have to live with them.”

“Football is not just about wanting. It is a series of things. We have two great teams, Argentina and Brazil, out of the semi-finals. I do not believe there are teams who get into a match with no desire to win.”

Paraguay goalkeeper Villar admitted Brazil had been the better side, but praised his team-mates for remaining focused in the face of the onslaught.

“It was incredibly tiring to play against Brazil, but the team maintained order and concentration and that is why we came out ahead,” Villar said.

“Brazil dominated the whole game and we had to fall very far back, but then in the penalties our strikers were better, but that’s a lottery.”

Championship side Ipswich Town have acquired some more English Premier League talent – signing Arsenal midfielder Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.The England Under-19 international became the club’s second signing in the space of 24 hours, after they secured the services of Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale on a season-long loan deal on Monday.

Emmanuel-Thomas said he wanted more game time at senior level after being starved of opportunities under Arsene Wenger, and he believed Portman Road was the place to find minutes on the pitch.

“Obviously it came to the stage in my career at Arsenal where I needed to be playing games. I had a decision to make and Ipswich seemed the right place for me,” Emmanuel-Thomas told Ipswich’s official site.

“I was impressed with what (manager) Paul Jewell had to say – and the team he is building. I know he is looking to bring in more players and it is the club’s ambition to get in the Premier League.”

Stockdale has made the switch after making 13 appearances for the Cottagers, but should incumbent Mark Schwarzer fall injured, it is believed Fulham can recall their on-loan shot-stopper due to a clause in his loan deal.