Coach Graham Arnold aims to put smiles on Australian faces on Wednesday by emulating the great Socceroos team of 2006 and advancing to the knockout stages of the World Cup.

Australia head into their final Group D game knowing a win against Denmark will be enough to see them reach the round of 16 for just the second time in the nation s history. A draw would also be enough unless Tunisia beat defending champions France.

Arnold was an assistant to Guus Hiddink 16 years ago and he understands the size of the prize on offer.

He said: That s the whole purpose. My whole goal is to put smiles on Australian faces. It s not about me, it s about the game in Australia.

If you re not Australian and you don t know, football is probably the fourth or fifth-main sport.…

Boss Chris Hughton has done a superb job at Brighton Hove Albion

On Monday, Brighton Hove Albion sealed promotion to the Premier League following a 2-1 win over Wigan and rivals Huddersfield Town drawing 1-1 at Derby.

The Seagulls have not been in the top-flight of English football in 34 years.

The feat is truly an impressive one for the south coast club. Everybody involved deserves immense credit for the achievement.

Chris Hughton is so underrated

It’s easy to underrate Seagulls boss Chris Hughton. The former Republic of Ireland international comes across as such an understated and humble character. However, he does not get the credit he deserves.

Nobody in football seems to have a bad word to say about him and he seems to be a very ge…

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone claims Saul Niguez has the potential to become one of the world s best midfielders.

Saul, 22, emerged from the youth set-up to make his first-team debut in 2012, having started out across the Spanish capital at Real Madrid s academy.

A season-long loan at Rayo Vallecano in 2013-14, the campaign in which Atleti won LaLiga, proved a formative experience, the midfielder returning to stake a regular claim in the starting XI at Vicente Calderon and helping the Rojiblancos to reach the Champions League final last year.

Addressing the media before his team s match away to Granada on Saturday, Simeone expressed his belief that Saul can reach the very highest level. 

Always since I got to the club, beyond the goal of winning t…

Mats Hummels let out a laugh of indignation as Stuttgart scored their fifth and final goal in Saturday s 5-1 trouncing of Borussia Dortmund, the defender left at a loss as the visitors claimed a remarkable victory.

But there was no such reaction from Lucien Favre, as Dortmund s coach half-heartedly greeted a couple of his players and coaching staff before disappearing down the tunnel in sheepish fashion, wearing an almost gaunt expression.

Perhaps he knew what was coming – at the very least he will have had a suspicion given he called the loss a disaster in his post-match news conference.

It proved to be Favre s final match in charge as a run of three successive Bundesliga home defeats proved the final straw for the club s hierarchy, who dismissed the Swiss man…

Robert Lewandowski remains committed to Barcelona amid speculation over his future, with his agent refuting reports the Poland striker wants to leave.

Reports in Spain suggested Barcelona are considering the contract of 35-year-old Lewandowski as Xavi looks to bolster his attacking line-up after missing out on the LaLiga title to rivals Real Madrid.

Lewandowski s agent Pini Zahavi rubbished reports that he is set to meet with Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, however.

This is nonsense, Zahavi told Polish journalist Tomasz Wlodarczyk, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

He wants to play one more year in Catalonia. He has signed a contract for four years.

It will depend on his performances in the 2024-2025 season a…

Burnley s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed as a late Micky van de Ven winner clinched a 2-1 home win for Tottenham on Saturday.

Vincent Kompany s men had to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to keep their survival hopes alive, and it looked possible when Jacob Bruun Larsen fired the Clarets ahead in the first half.

However, Pedro Porro struck to level, before Van de Ven rifled home with eight minutes to play to condemn Burnley to the second tier and boost Spurs Champions League hopes.

It s a result that ends Spurs run of four straight defeats and leaves them four points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with two games to play.

Burnley nearly got their noses in front after just five minutes, though Guglielmo Vicario was equal to Vitinho s…

Celtic have ruled out making a January move for out-of-favour Everton winger Aiden McGeady, who made his name at the Scottish Premiership club.

The Republic of Ireland international, who started his professional career at Celtic before joining Spartak Moscow in 2010, signed for Everton from the Russian side in 2014 but has only made one League Cup appearance this season.

Manager Ronny Deila has previously said wage demands would prove to be a major stumbling block if his club tried to make a move and his assistant John Collins has now confirmed a transfer will not be possible.

I would rule that out – yes, said Collins when asked about the prospect of the Scottish champions attempting to bring back McGeady. I don t think it was realistic.

Aiden is a Pr…

Sol Campbell says the squad depth of Manchester City is the only thing that could stop Arsenal from winning this season s Premier League.

The Gunners face City in a crucial fixture at the Emirates Stadium on Monday as they continue their bid to end a title drought that has run since the Invicibles team of 2004, of which Campbell was a part.

Arsenal are sitting two points behind shock leaders Leicester City after 16 games, with Manuel Pellegrini s men a further point back in third place.

Manchester United and Tottenham round off the top five, but Campbell – who played for Arsene Wenger s men between 2001 and 2006 prior to a second spell in 2010 – is only worried about City.

City have the bigger squad and when injuries kick in they will have depth, t…

Greek giants Olympiakos are hoping to sign Cameroon midfielder Eyong Enoh from Ajax, .

The 27-year-old, who spent last six months on loan at Fulham, has a deal until June 2015 at Amsterdam Arena, but Ajax plan to cash in on him at the earliest opportunity.

The Cottagers boss Martin Jol is eager to sign the player outright, while Besiktas are also showing interest at the moment.

However, De Telegraaf reports that Olympiakos have already been given permission to negotiate a long-term deal with the Cameroon international.

Eyong Enoh arrived at Ajax from Ajax Cape Town in the summer of 2008 and has since featured in exactly 100 Eredvisie matches, scoring 3 goals.

After losing his place in the side at Amsterdam Arena, Enoh joined Fulham on a six-month…

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson does not believe John Terry will have any problems finding a new home as he prepares to leave Chelsea.

Terry, 36, said goodbye to Stamford Bridge on Sunday when Premier League champions Chelsea crushed relegated Sunderland 5-1 as the veteran captain was substituted to a standing ovation in the 26th minute – the number he wears for the club.

The defender s 22-year-association with Chelsea will officially come to an end following the FA Cup final against Arsenal this weekend having announced his intention to move on at season s end.

Eriksson – the man responsible for Terry s England debut – paid tribute to one of football s finest centre-backs, telling Omnisport: It s sad. It s sad for Terry, the fans and for everybo…