The Polish Energy Group (PGE) will pay 8.5 million euro to acquire rights to name of the EURO 2012 stadium in Gdansk.

PGE Arena Gdansk, previously the Baltic Arena, will start using the new name on 31 May and continue doing so until 2015.

PGE – which made its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange last November when the state treasury sold a 20 percent stake in the power giant – will pay 35 million zloty (8.5 million euro) for the naming rights.

The city of Gdansk sold the rights in order to cover some of the costs of the stadium’s construction. “The money will also cover maintenance costs, which are estimated at 10 – 12 million zloty (2.5-3 million euro) a year,” says Michal Kruszynski from the Euro 2012 Investments Office in Gdansk.

Tenders for the sponsorship contract for the Gdansk stadium was opened in November 2009. PGE and the oil firm Lotos were the final competitors for the contract which also includes the display of the company’s logo at the stadium.

PGE Arena Gdansk will host a quarterfinal of EURO 2012 and three group matches. The stadium, which is designed to look as if it were made of Baltic amber, has a capacity for 44,000 spectators. Construction of the PGE Arena Gdansk started in 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in 2011. The cost of the investment will amount to 630 million zloty (150 million euro).

Source: TheNews.pl (http://www.thenews.pl/business/artykul132314_polish-energy-giant-snaps-up-gdansk-stadium-.html)

ROSS COUNTY keeper Michael McGovern thought his world had fallen apart just 10 days ago at Hampden.

Tomorrow, a few thousand miles away from Scotland‘s National Stadium, McGovern will feel on top of the world when he grabs his first senior international cap for Northern Ireland.

The keeper is set to be handed an outing against Turkey in Connecticut after a call to New York – and it could not have come at a better time after his day of hell in the Scottish Cup Final.

McGovern was shattered after County’s failure as his error handed United a lead they never lost.

Having played a key role in the run to the Final, the nightmare hit him hard.

However, salvation has come in the shape of Northern Ireland boss Nigel Worthington, who was not going to allow one error to cloud his judgment.

Worthington preferred to concentrate on the stellar season the former Celtic kid had at Victoria Park and handed him a ticket for the team flight to the US.

McGovern admits it has come as a massive boost. He said: “I received a call a few weeks ago to ask if I would be available and then a letter arrived.

“It makes my summer holiday shorter but I’m not bothered about that because this is a wonderful opportunity for me.

“To play at senior level for your country is a massive honour.

“I have 10 caps for the Under-21 side but I have yet to play for the full team even though I have been in a couple of squads.

“I know a few of the boys in the squad and it is very exciting.”

It is the perfect pick-me-up for McGovern after Hampden but the keeper added: “I’ve been able to have a think about the entire day of the Cup Final.

“It was a massive disappointment and it took a couple of days for me to get over it.

“But when you look at the season, we had some massive achievements.

“We equalled our best ever points tally in the league and reached the Final – you can’t be too disappointed with that.” McGovern has been terrific for manager Derek Adams and Worthington’s call has justified his move from Dundee United.

The 25-year-old had struggled to get a look in at Tannadice after leaving Celtic.

McGovern said: “I needed to play games and it has worked.

“Being involved here with my country proves it was the right move.

“If I can do well on this trip, I would like to think I might get involved in future.”

McGovern may be too modest to say but the door is clearly open for a young keeper to force his way into the plans of Worthington for the Euro 2012 campaign.

Maik Taylor played through the World Cup 2010 qualification with Partick Thistle’s Johnny Tuffey as back-up.

However, Taylor is 38 and Worthington needs some fresh faces to break into the scene and provide a new generation.

McGovern said: “I haven’t looked into things too much in terms of the overall squad and the position with the keepers.

“There could be an opportunity for me but first things first, I need to focus on this trip and make sure I do myself justice.”

Motherwell star Stephen Craigan, Rangers hitkid Andrew Little and new Aberdeen signing Rory McArdle have joined McGovern on the trip.

Gers duo Kyle Lafferty and Steven Davis did not make the journey.

Source: Daily Record (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/world-football/2010/05/25/northern-ireland-cap-call-lifts-staggies-keeper-michael-mcgovern-86908-22283581/)

NEW Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster is aiming to reclaim his England place for Euro 2012 after Edwin van der Sar’s form meant he had to quit Manchester United.

Foster has made the £6m switch to St Andrew’s after missing out on Fabio Capello’s squad for the World Cup finals this summer.

He had effectively become third choice at United – behind Van Der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak.

But the 27-year-old is looking to make the same impact for Birmingham as Joe Hart, who is heading to South Africa with England after a successful season on loan from Manchester City.

Read the full article here>>

A UEFA delegation paid a visit to Poland’s cities of Poznan and Gdansk on Wednesday for Euro 2012 football championships preparations.

UEFA’s expert were briefed on the progress of work on the Gdansk stadium, road investments and the expansion of the Gdansk airport, spokesman for Gdansk mayor Michal Brandt said Wednesday.

The delegation will also visit Warsaw and Wroclaw.

The Euro 2012 event will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine. Polish cities of Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan will hold the matches.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-05/19/c_13304347.htm

England manager Fabio Capello has committed himself to the job until after the 2012 European Championship.

The Italian has had a clause removed from his contract that could have seen him leave or be ousted after this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

Capello took over from Steve McClaren in December 2007 on a £6m-a-year deal until the summer of 2012.

“I have a contract with the FA and it will finish when they decide to sack me,” said 63-year-old Capello.

He has transformed England after McClaren’s side failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

The national team have won 16 of the 22 games under Capello’s guidance, with four defeats and two draws.

England breezed through their World Cup qualifying campaign, winning all but one game, and Capello is optimistically preparing for the tournament opener against the United States on 12 June in Rustenburg, South Africa.

“Managing a national team has been a new experience for me,” said the former AC Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid boss.

“I discovered new things about what I have to do and the relationship between the players and the manager.

“Now we are arriving at the most important moment. I understand the pressure, the confidence of the country in this team and it is really exciting. I am very focused.”

Under Capello, England have lost to only Ukraine in the qualifiers as well as France, Spain and Brazil in friendlies.

And the manager believes his side have a genuine chance of being involved in the World Cup final at Soccer City on 11 July.

“I am sure we are strong,” he said. “The only big team we haven’t played against is Argentina.

“We lost some of those games but I understood a lot.

“We did not play any of those matches at home either, which is important.

“I know the value of my team and know the value of other teams.”

England play Mexico at Wembley on 24 May and Japan in Austria six days later as part of a pre-World Cup training camp.

Capello will then whittle his 30-man training squad down to the final 23 who will board the plane for South Africa.

England will also play Algeria and Slovenia in the group stages.

Source: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8684954.stm)