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MADRID, Spain -- Luis Aragones, the former Spain coach who shaped the teams rise from perennial underachiever to global powerhouse with a long-awaited title at the 2008 European Championship, has died. Joel Matip Liverpool Jersey . He was 75. The Spanish football federation announced the death early Saturday, saying Aragones died at a Madrid hospital. He had been battling leukemia. Federation president Angel Maria Villar said Aragones would be remembered as "very special" -- both for his contributions to Spanish football and as a person. "With him we have lived the beginning of an extraordinary phase in football as well as for Spanish society," Villar said. "This has been a painful dawn for our football." Aragones had a successful playing career as a sharpshooting international forward who earned 11 caps for Spain, and then spent the rest of his life as a much-travelled coach. However, he will mostly be remembered for what happened on June 29, 2008, when his team beat Germany 1-0 in Vienna to claim its first major title in 44 years. "Luis Aragones changed the history of Spanish football," Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas said. "And for that we will always be thankful." The Euro 2008 triumph was the culmination of Aragones four-year reign as Spain coach, having taken over a team that for the last 20 years had earned a reputation for always coming up short in major tournaments. But Aragones instilled a new sense of belief in his players, even after losing to France in the second round of the 2006 World Cup. He also made the team adopt the quick-passing "tiki-taka" style of football made famous by Barcelona, and which his players came close to perfecting at Euro 2008. Led by Barcelona midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta -- and the goalscoring of David Villa -- Spain went undefeated through the tournament, but needed a penalty shootout against Italy to advance from the quarterfinals. While Aragones stepped down after the tournament, the team went on to win its first World Cup two years later and then added an unprecedented third straight major title at Euro 2012 under his successor Vicente del Bosque. "Without a doubt, our current run of success is a result of his legacy," Del Bosque said on Saturday, after paying his respects to Aragones family. "He had a long history of coaching experience and he had a special appreciation for the game." But Aragones time in charge wasnt without controversy. He made a racist slur about France striker Thierry Henry -- who is black -- during a training session in October, 2004, and followed that remark with an outburst about Englands colonial past. His comments were believed to have prompted ugly racist chants directed at Englands black players during a friendly against Spain in Madrid. The Spanish Football Federation refused to bow to pressure to fire Aragones, although it fined him 3,000 euros, a punishment which many felt was too lenient. Denying he was a racist, Aragones explained that his comment about Henry was an attempt to motivate forward Jose Antonio Reyes, and he received important backing from several black players he had coached previously. In February, 2007, Aragones won a legal appeal against the Spanish Committee for Sporting Disciplines ruling that his behaviour could have fostered "violent, racist or xenophobic acts." Spanish media also often complained about his grouchy demeanour and had regularly called for his dismissal during the two years before the teams triumph. There was another uproar toward the end of 2006 when he dropped the national teams all-time leading scorer and captain, Real Madrids Raul Gonzalez, arguing that he was past his prime. It proved a masterstroke. The team embarked on a 22-game unbeaten run which culminated with the 2008 title, making Aragones the oldest coach to win a European Championship title. Despite the victory, the Spanish federation made no attempt to persuade him to extend his contract and five days later he moved abroad for the first time to take charge of Turkish club Fenerbahce, a couple of weeks before his 70th birthday. "Im leaving because there wasnt more done for me to stay," Aragones said at the time. His playing career began 43 years earlier, when Aragones joined Atletico Madrid. He scored 123 times in 265 games for the team -- the second highest in its history -- and helped the club win three Spanish league titles and two Copa del Reys. It also reached the 1974 European Cup final, where it lost to Bayern Munich in a replay. Aragones, nicknamed "The Sage of Hortaleza" in reference to the Madrid suburb of his birth, was then appointed as Atletico coach and led the team to the 1975 World Club Championship, the 1976 Copa del Rey and the 1977 league title. He coached Atletico on a total of five occasions and he had two spells each at Mallorca and Real Betis. He was also in charge of Barcelona, Espanyol, Sevilla, Valencia and Oviedo in a career total of 757 games, a Spanish league record. Aragones is survived by his wife Pepa, five children and 11 grandchildren. Daniel Sturridge Liverpool Jersey . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. Jordan Henderson Liverpool Jersey .com) - Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard notched a win, while second-seeded two-time champion Ana Ivanovic, third- seeded Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova and fifth seed Sabine Lisicki all exited the draw at the Generali Ladies Linz tennis event. http://www.footballliverpoolstore.com/Women-James-Milner-Liverpool-Jersey/ .5 million. The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2.OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators are in need of answers after a pair of weekend losses on home ice. Captain Jason Spezza hoped to find them by holding a players-only meeting on Monday. Frustration was setting in after 5-2 loss to San Jose on Sunday followed Fridays 2-1 defeat to Anaheim at the Canadian Tire Centre, and Spezza felt it was time to clear the air. "You can tell guys left the rink (Sunday) night frustrated, myself included," Spezza said. "When you get frustrated its useless. Being frustrated and not talking about it can be a useless emotion so when you get frustrated as a group, and I sensed I was frustrated and the guys were frustrated, that its important to talk about it so things dont just fester." The decision to make it a players only meeting was to allow everyone to have a voice and not feel censored. Spezza said the team talked for about 35 minutes and is hopeful the dialogue will result in a better performance Tuesday night when the Senators take on the Chicago Blackhawks. "The worse thing you can do is to just keep letting things go the same way without discussing things and keep coming to the rink and continuing not playing how we want to play," said Spezza. "It was a good, open conversation. We talked about our starts not being where they want to be and maybe how we approach games maybe has to change." Of the Senators 11 games this season they have given up the first goal eight times. On both Friday and Sunday they gave up a two-goal lead. Most alarming over the past two games has been the Senators play in their own end and the number of mistakes being made that ultimately result in goals against. "Mistakes happen, thats just the nature of this game," said goalie Craig Anderson. "Right now, for whatever reason, were making mistakes and the puck ends up in our net. Its one of those things where we need to be a little more assertive and a little more confident in what were doing out there as opposed to trying to play a little timid. "I think everyones trying to play not to make a mistake as opposed to just playing hard and live with the mistake you make." Senators coach Paul MacLean is hopeful the meeting will help players find solutions, otherwise he says things will likely be taken out of their control and "the next thing that happens is people start leaving." "We feel we have a real good group and we have an opportunity to be very good," he said. "We have some ggrowing pains right now, but at the end of the day if things dont get better changes get made -- thats the history of the game. Curtis Jones Liverpool Jersey. " Overall MacLean has no issue with the effort being put forth; if anything he believes its a matter of individuals trying to do too much. He also admitted that getting the puck out of their own end has been a concern. "Weve been known in the past as being a pretty efficient team and getting out of our zone and not spending a lot of time there," said MacLean. "To this point in time we havent been that. For me right now our execution or our passing hasnt been to the level it needs to be." Its clear much of the Senators troubles stem from play in their own end, but MacLean says Anderson "has been one of our best if not our best player." He also on to highlight out the play of backup goaltender Robin Lehner and forward Zack Smith. As a whole the Senators defensive corps could be better. Erik Karlsson has been great offensively, but he has made glaring mistakes defensively. The young trio of Jared Cowen, Eric Gryba and Patrick Wiercioch have all struggled at times as well. "Our forwards have to help them more than they have to this point, but they also have to help themselves," said MacLean. "They need to play better. They need to get themselves settled in and pass the puck better than they have." Of the Senators 11 games, eight have been against Western Conference opponents, including two against the both the league-leading Sharks and third-place Ducks. "Right now were nearing the end of probably the toughest stretch in our schedule as far as opponents," said MacLean. "Thats not an excuse, but weve played some very good teams over the first 12 games of the year, finishing off (Tuesday) in Chicago. Weve had some competition which has been a test for us and have we come through it, has there been a little bit of adversity. "This team has gone through adversity in the past and come out of it a pretty good group and a pretty dedicated group and thats my expectation is what will happen." Notes: No decision has been made on the Senators starting goaltender for Tuesdays game. LW Clarke MacArthur could be back in the lineup after missing Sundays game with a minor injury. MacArthur took part in a full practice Monday and said he would have to wait and see how his body reacted to the workout. The Senators havent won in Chicago since the 2000-01 season. ' ' '