Holger Osieck was left to rue missed opportunities after Australia fell to Japan’s extra-time goal in the final of the Asian Cup.

The Socceroos enjoyed plenty of chances over the course of 120 minutes at Doha’s Khalifa Stadium, but were unable to breach Japan’s defence.

A technically accomplished volley from Tadinari Lee in the second half of extra time proved the difference, and Australia’s German coach could only watch on helpless after his players failed to find the net.

“We had our opportunities and what is always encouraging is the way we play and we create opportunities,” Osieck said.

“However, it is crucial to convert them and later on in the game it backfired and that is a problem. We had to be more clinical in our finishing and it’s not enough to win a game if you don’t score.”

“I’m very proud of my players, their performance and their attitude. I give them credit and really feel sorry for the boys that they didn’t get the reward for their efforts.”

“You can imagine in our dressing room it’s not a great atmosphere, everybody’s really sad.”

“All in all, our team represented Australia in a great way.”

Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward Lee found himself unmarked inside the box to strike the late winner, but Osieck refused to point fingers after the lapse.

“It was late into extra time and there was fatigue and it was probably the only positional mistake that we made,” he said.

“It was a very costly one and I don’t want to blame anyone. It was definitely not our regular defensive positioning but to have a go at any of the players is inappropriate.”

“We had six games in an intense tournament and twice we had to go into extra time so if there was no fatigue, then the players must be robots.”

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Australia captain Lucas Neil echoed the thoughts of his coach after seeing the team’s efforts undone by a single, costly error.

“We didn’t punish Japan when we had the half-chances and then one lapse in concentration punished us,” Neil said.

“It was probably due to fatigue in extra time but at this level it’s probably only going to take one mistake to win or lose the game.”

A wonder goal from Wayne Rooney sealed victory in the Manchester derby and extended their lead at the top of the Premier League. Elsewhere West Ham came back from 3-0 down to grab a point at the Hawthorns, while Tottenham’s 3rd win on the trot sees the North Londoners move back into the Champions League places.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Fergie out to land his man this summer; Chelsea eye Arsenal’s chief scout to replace Arnesen, while Julian Dicks to join the Hammers coaching staff.

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Fergie out to land his man – Sky Sports

Chelsea want Arsenal scout to replace Arnesen – Daily Telegraph

Manchester United’s £1.8bn asking price a put-off for Qataris – Daily Mail

Dicks to join Hammers staff – Sky Sports

Spurs lead the way in summer fight for Ipswich starlet Connor Wickham – People

Massey walks line again – Daily Telegraph

West Ham to face Olympic Stadium fight over moving into Orient’s patch – Daily Mail

Roma lining up Ancelotti as Ranieri eyes Prem return – Mirror

Exclusive: FA Cup Final switches to 5.30pm start in 2013 – People

Baines focused on self improvement – Daily Telegraph

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Stoke boss Tony Pulis has blamed a ‘shocking’ decision from the linesman for his side’s 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday.The Potters led 1-0 after a Rory Delap header on 53 minutes and looked set for victory until on-loan striker Carlos Vela equalised for West Brom with three minutes remaining.

However, replays suggested both Vela and fellow striker Peter Odemwingie were offside in the lead-up to the goal, something which drew Pulis’ ire.

Pulis told Sky Sports: “We’re disappointed but we’ve not played well tonight. I thought that’s as poor as we’ve played all season.”

“Give West Brom credit for coming back at us after we’d scored the goal but then looking at their goal, it’s a shocking decision by the linesman.”

“If he (the linesman) can’t get that right then what’s he doing officiating at our level? It’s a poor, poor decision.”

“If it’s on the other side or far away whatever then fine but when it’s that close and he’s looking at the line, as he is – I’ve just seen the pictures now, he’s looking at the line – they’ve got to get those decisions right, they’re very, very important decisions.”

Vela could have won the match for the Baggies late on, forcing Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic into two excellent saves, and West Brom manager Roy Hodgson said his side had deserved a point even if their goal was controversial.

“Whenever you have a goal like that against you, you consider yourself unlucky,” Hodgson said.

“I couldn’t say whether or not it was (offside) but whenever you concede that type of goal you have the right to be frustrated or angry.”

“With the number of chances we created and the number of opportunities I think one goal is the least we could expect for our efforts.”

Hodgson is yet to have a win since replacing Roberto Di Matteo as manager at the Hawthorns, but the former Liverpool and Fulham boss said he was happy with the result which keeps West Brom one point above the relegation zone.

“I think you have got to be pleased when you come to Stoke and get a point,” Hodgson said.

“At times you thought we could have even taken all three points, but it was a good team performance and I am very happy with that.”

“I am happy with a point also because at least it keeps us going in the right direction.”

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has insisted he will send his team out to attack when they host reigning league champions Chelsea on Monday.Chelsea suffered a dip in form around the new year period but appear to be nearing their best again after beating English Premier League leaders Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.Blackpool were hammered 4-0 by Chelsea in west London in September and also shipped six against Arsenal in August.But despite those heavy defeats, Holloway will not encourage his side to sit back when they host Chelsea.”I’ll have to come up with something to try and hurt them and obviously we’ll try to attack because we want to win the game,” he said.But Blackpool will be without top scorer DJ Campbell and captain Charlie Adam, who are both suspended for the clash.And Holloway admitted: “I don’t think we’re the same team without DJ Campbell or Charlie Adam so I’m going to have to look for some different strengths in the players I’ve got left to pick.” “If you watched us last Saturday (when Campbell was sent off early on and Adam was suspended) we didn’t look anything like our usual selves and we weren’t playing the usual diagonal balls without Charlie.””It’s a good job we’ve still got him. He’ll be back in after this game because he’s an integral part of what we do.”On Chelsea’s mixed form, the Blackpool manager added: “I think they’re in fine fettle. They had a sticky spell.””The club has moved on and have just bought somebody (Fernando Torres) for 50 million pounds. Do I agree with that? Probably not. Can I argue with it? No. But they have and I have to deal with that.”There is good news for Holloway regarding some of the squad’s injured players. Defender Stephen Crainey could return in time for the clash after recovering from an ankle ligament injury he suffered in January.Meanwhile, midfielder Malaury Martin and defender Chris Basham are also in contention after featuring for the reserves during the week.

Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova acknowledges his side face a tough challenge when they travel to face Valencia in La Liga.Reigning champions Barca defeated Valencia 2-1 in the first meeting between the two sides at the Camp Nou in October.They won 3-0 at home in the 2009/10 season, but could only draw 0-0 away at Valencia’s Estadio Mestalla.And Vilanova knows to expect another battle when Barca hit the road to face the league’s third-placed team. “We think that it will be a game like the previous two against Valencia, who are a good team and never make things easy,” Vilanova said.”Unai Emery is a very good manager, and the team always play well. Their play down the wings is dangerous, if they can overcome our pressure. On the counter they are dangerous … They are a fast team and make things difficult. They have some clever players as well.” While the Mestalla has been credited with playing a role in Valencia’s strong performances at home, Vilanova believes their record has more to do with the quality of the team.”It isn’t hard to play at the ground, rather that the team are hard to play against,” he said.”We have beaten them at home, but not there yet. We were able to draw with them the first year that we played, and they had more chances the second year than we did. They do a lot well and they pressurise well, bring the ball out well and have a good strategy.” “They are good in defence and it will be a hard game. What can we do? Well, if we are at our best, and they aren’t, then it is possible to win.”

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