Thursday Soccer Roundup

Good news for Iraq, FIFA lifted the 1 year suspension that would have prevented Iraq from participating in World Cup Qualifying matches and the Confederations Cup.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/29/sports/SOCCER.php

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11996_3624377,00.html

It's official, but not much of a surprise, Roberto Mancini has parted ways with Inter Milan. I highly, highly suspect that we'll be seeing Jose Mourinho passing the side of the pitch at the San Siro next season. Word is, he has spent the last 5 months learning Italian. It appears that the Special One is urging Inter to go after Frank Lampard, Ricardo Carvalho, and, of course, Didier Drogba.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/29/ufnmour229.xml

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0529/inter.html

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/mourinhointer-move-reignites-lampard-rumours-1388073.html

http://www.agi.it/engsport/news/200805271456-spr-ren0047-art.html

After last Thursday's devestating loss to the new San Jose Earthquakes, the Houston Dynamo had a small rebound on Wednesday night when a stoppage time goal by Dwayne DeRosario gave Houston a 2-2 draw against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. This match, which was moved from its originally August date to make room for Ozfest, is the only Dallas leg of the Texas Derby this season.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/5806907.html

Siena has a new coach, Marco Giampaolo.

http://goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=712610

Will World Cup 2010 really take place in South Africa? In light of recent violence directed at foreigners, could be the breaking point for FIFA and result in moving the World Cup to another country. Said violence resulted in the death of 56 people. A South African caller into a daily soccer program stated that this violence was planned and he now doubts his country is capable of hosting soccer's premier event. Where could the games be relocate too? England, Germany, Australia, or the U.S., probably the country that could most easily put on the Cup with little notice.

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL29751938.html

http://football.uk.reuters.com/world/news/SYD32119.php

Donadoni has named his squad for Euro 2008:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Livorno), Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla)

Defenders: Cristian Panucci (Roma), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Andrea Barzagli (Palermo), Marco Materazzi (Inter), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Midfielders: Rino Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini (Milan), Daniele De Rossi, Simone Perrotta, Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Mauro German Camoranesi (Juventus)

Forwards: Luca Toni (Bayern Munich), Marco Borriello (Genoa), Antonio Di Natale, Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)

Standby: Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina)

http://goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=714009

Stay tuned for Episode 12 of World Soccer Wrap: Serie A, with expected topics including the final week in Serie B, the promotion of Chievo Verona, transfer rumors, Mancini, is Roma for sale or not, and much, much more.