By Ollie Irish

Batigol leaves Jaap Stam for dead then unleashes hell with his right foot. Brilliant.

Asked to make a list of my favourite ever strikers, Batistuta would be in the top 10, no question.

                          

By Ollie Irish

Serie A players plan to go on strike on September 25 and 26 because of a dispute over contracts, the Italian footballers’ association announced today.

“The association, in perfect symphony with the players of Serie A, has decided not to go on the field for the fifth round of matches of the Serie A championship on Sept. 25 and 26 in protest against requests to impose new contractual rules,” AC Milan’s Massimo Oddo told a news conference.

Why are they planning to strike? Well, it’s complicated, but a collective contract between the association and the league guaranteeing players’ rights expired in the close season and attempts to draft a new deal have so far faltered.

Allied to the absence of an agreement, the players’ association has reportedly grown concerned by the trend of Serie A clubs trying to force players to move in the last year of their contracts, when they are no longer wanted.

Of course there’s still time for a strike to be averted, and no doubt the TV networks will get involved quickly, as the prospect of losing an entire weekend of lucrative top-flight football will cause major poopage in the pants region.

                          

By Ollie Irish

Links!!!

TOP LINK WAG Danielle Lineker (pictured) hopes her teenage stepsons don’t think of her as a lingerie model. We have no idea why she might think that – BBC

Wesley Sneijder marries model Yolanthe van Thingy Thingy in Tuscany. Doves are released. Real doves – Goaly Moly

The 10 most enthralling transfer tales this summer – The Spoiler

Lecce celebrate return to Serie A by hiring wrong-faced models to help launch their new kits – FSC

Dimitar Berbatov gets new ink – Kickette

Top ten managers at the 2010 World Cup – Zonal Marking

Aston Villa want Celtic trickster Aiden McGeady for around £10m – Mirror

An embarrassing interview with Thierry Henry – MLS Talk

Reflections on South Africa 2010 – Pitch Invasion

Alex Ferguson rules out spending spree at Man Utd. Er, would that be because United have no money to spend? – Guardian

* * * * *

And some shameless self-promotion:

NEWS: Pies is now providing syndicated content to excellent US sports site With Leather - Check it out

Follow Pies on Twitter

Like Pies on Facebook

Follow our sister site Anorak on Twitter

Like Anorak on Facebook

                          

By Ollie Irish

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 12

Luis Fabiano’s agent claims that the Brazilian striker is only prepared to leave current club Sevilla for AC Milan in Serie A.

The Rossoneri reportedly made an offer for Fabiano last July with the forward apparently very keen to move from Spain to Italy.

“Either Fabiano joins Milan straight away, or he will stay at Sevilla for another year,” agent Luis Fuentes told Corriere dello Sport.

Fabiano currently has just one year left to run on his current contract with Sevilla and he seems reluctant to sign a new one.

I think Fabiano is very much a Milan type of player, and one who can continue the lineage of strikers like Marco van Basten, George Weah and Andriy Shevchenko – although he is not quite in the same class as that magnificent trio.

                          

By Ollie Irish

The pass by Milito to Stankovic is superb (even if he didn’t fully mean it), the assist by Stankovic is gorgeous (like something Bergkamp or Scholes might pull off), the finish by Maicon is BRUTAL. Perhaps not the prettiest goal you’ll ever see, but so damned effective – much like Inter’s boss Jose Mourinho, then.

Check back all week for the rest of the top ten.

Top 10 Goals Of The Season, No.10 – Samir Nasri, Arsenal Vs Porto, Champions League