AC Milan midfielder Stephan El Shaarawy has ruled out the chance of him leaving Italy in the summer no matter who came in for him, as reported by Sky Sports.
The Italian international has made plenty of headlines both in his native country and in England this season after his sparkling displays in both Serie A and the Champions League.
The 20-year-old is considered one of the hottest young prospects in Europe and the majority of major clubs are interested in him including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.
Mario Balotelli’s arrival in Milan caused a stir all over Europe and many Italian pundits have claimed that the partnership between Balotelli and El Shaaraway has been non-existent since January.
Rumours were circulating that El Shaaraway and Balotelli wouldn’t be able to play together, but the talented playmaker as dismissed that.
“There’s no truth in the criticism that Balotelli’s arrival has hurt my form. We understand each other perfectly and have done good things in each game we have played together,” El Shaarawy told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
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“I am happy to play at AC Milan and any suitor, even from abroad, doesn’t interest me.”
Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz is set to finally end his Manchester City hell this summer by leaving the club on a free transfer, according to the Express.
Santa Cruz is set to return to his native South America to join Brazilian club Botafogo as his contract at the Etihad finally comes to an end.
The 31 year old striker arrived at City for a whopping £18million in 2009 from Blackburn Rovers but just 24 appearances and around £16million in wages later; he is set to leave the big spending club Premier League champions.
Santa Cruz must be seen as one of the biggest financial disasters in Premier League history and his once promising career has stuttered massively.
The Paraguayan has been on loan in Spain for the past few seasons, firstly with Real Betis and this season with Malaga who have enjoyed success in La Liga and the Champions League.
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It has been a week that no true football fan will ever forget as Sir Alex Ferguson finally decided it was time to bring to an end his illustrious career as manager of Manchester United.
Manchester United will always be Sir Alex Ferguson’s creation. He made the club become the powerhouse in world football it is today. He did this by making the club itself the most important aspect and every club wanting success should learn from this. He made sure that no player was bigger than the club, that every individual fan was as important as anyone else and even that the club came before him and what he often wanted.
His ability to manage players and staff, to understand the game to the smallest of details and to understand what it takes to make a football club successful is why he has been as successful as he has. Sir Alex’s time at United is probably the only example of a manager being allowed almost complete control to make decisions which were in the interests of the club.
So many clubs have the rule over their managers and with Mancini now gone from United’s bitter rivals City it looks once again that united will remain an exception to the rest of the football world who seem fit to hire and sack new managers on a whim.
The man expected to replace Mancini offers the perfect example of a manager who in the past has be shown no support from the club that appointed him. Manuel Pellegrini had a brief spell as manager of the iconic club that is Real Madrid. I’m sure he went their full of hope that he could achieve great things and with a club like Madrid there is no reason to think otherwise.
It was apparent very quickly this wasn’t going to be the case though with the owner of Madrid telling Pellegrini not to play the likes of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben who were arguably Madrid’s best players at the time. Pellegrini rightly ignored him but in turn knew by doing so that his reign at the club would be short lived and so it turned out.
My point here though is that we may never see what Sir Alex has created at united again. Players and owners alike go to that club and learn from and respect the man in charge. No other club is like this instead we see extravagant owners and player power take rule over any manager and this is true of so many clubs.
Sir Alex is not just a great manager he is a true gentleman of the game and has touched every aspect of football in his time as manager of United. Coventry City Football club is no exception and the club has many associations with the legend himself.
Of course there has been meetings between the two clubs ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. City’s record against United isn’t exactly great but then again very few clubs is. Only two wins since the beginning of the premier league in 1992 doesn’t make for a great read but they were victories to savour.
Highfield Road, December 1997 brought about city’s first victory in 18 attempts since the beginning of the premier league in 1992. Two Coventry City legends if like me you were growing up in the 90’s gave city fans a day to remember. The game looked lost as City trailed 2-1 with around 5 minutes to play but then a Dion Dublin penalty levelled it for City. A point would have been more than enough for every city fan but Darren Huckerby produced one of the most memorable goals in city’s recent history. It was the mazy dribble to leave Gary Neville sprawled on the floor followed by the coolest of finishes to send Highfield Road into pandemonium and left Alex Ferguson less than impressed.
A year before this great game saw a sad day and a horrific incident take place in a match between the two sides. It was to be the last ever match for one Coventry City player who suffered one of the most horrific injuries in the history of the premier league. David Busst’s extensive leg break ultimately ended his playing career.
A testimonial for Busst took place and this was to bring about another example of the truly great man that Sir Alex is. He didn’t just bring his young guns with him he brought his full squad of players and gave the game the mark of respect which we have all come to expect from him.
City’s most recent meeting with united surprisingly brought about a win for the Skyblues. A trip to old Trafford in the 3rd round of the carling cup saw city come out 2-0 winners thanks to a small, pacey frontman who goes by the name of Michael Mifsud.
Yes Sir Alex sent his young guns out but he would of expected them to go out and still beat what was let’s be honest not a great Coventry side. United did have the likes of Nani, Anderson, Carrick and even Gerrard Pique in the side so it was far from being a weak side and any victory at old Trafford is something worth celebrating. It is and will continue to be one of the few highs that us Coventry fans have had in recent times and one thing that is for certain is that our victory left Sir Alex chewing more vigorously than usual as he had plenty to reflect upon.
We have not just came up against Sir Alex though as we have had little influences from him in many different forms with Ex managers being his former players, our current manager being given rave reviews and young academy graduates being loaned to us to give us a helping hand.
Ex managers include the likes of Gordon Strachan and more recently Mark Robins who were both successful with the club in their own ways. Ex-players like goalkeeper Luke Steele and midfielder Oliver Norwood had a real impact at the club. It was nice to know that Sir Alex trusted our club to look after and help nurture some of his young talent.
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Sir Alex is a man who has affected everyone in the world of football and he will go down in football’s history books not only as the best manger the world has ever known and probably will ever know but as a true gentleman of the footballing world.
Thank you Sir Alex for everything you have done for the beautiful game
Stoke are set to unveil Mark Hughes as the club’s new manager after talks between the two parties progressed rapidly.
Hughes has always been the hot favourite to succeed Tony Pulis at the Britannia Stadium but an announcement seems to be imminent and Hughes will be appointed barring any last minute hitches.
The news of Hughes’ imminent arrival has not gone down well with some sections of the Potters faithful following his failed spell with Queens Park Rangers, but his record before that has convinced Peter Coates that he is the man to take Stoke to the next level.
The Welshman worked wonders with Wales and Blackburn, while many believe he was harshly treated at Manchester City and would have guided them to success given more time.
Hughes also did a good job at Fulham and only once has one of his teams finished outside of the top 10, something that will have been noted by Coates and his board.
The finer points of the deal still have to be ironed out but Hughes could even be confirmed as boss by the end of the day.
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It’s either an act of desperation or shrewdness – and I’m holding back on applauding Manchester United’s sense, if there is any, in extending the contract of Nani – a player who looked certain for the exit door this past summer.
Nani’s contract extension this past weekend signalled another high-profile U-turn at the club, following on from Wayne Rooney’s stay at Old Trafford; though how willing the striker was to do so remains unanswered. Nani’s minutes were limited last season through injury, while his production has been nowhere near what is expected from a player who should be deemed an integral part of the setup at United. For his talents, Nani is clearly ahead of both Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia.
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But United had an opportunity to get rid and upgrade their options from the flanks. It’s been said countless times that the club wasted their time in pursuing Cesc Fabregas, where they could have turned to Ander Herrera much earlier and perhaps another wide player too. A five-year contract for Nani will obviously be dressed up in a positive light – I don’t expect anything else from the club – but it just marks another baffling decision by the new regime.
It’s off the back of the Marouane Fellaini signing, a good player but clearly not the type the club were chasing this summer, while it just adds to the clumsy and ineffectual nature of the summer market. United are a good team, but where have the additions, or players retained, made this team an obvious contender in the face of other Premier League title rivals?
I’ve previously made the point that the manager does a lot for a team in getting them over the line or making them look better than they are. Isn’t it a much fairer summary of this United setup to say they’re a team who walk a fine line between challenging for Premier League honours and just being a top four team. There’s nothing at present, even with van Persie, that places them firmly in the group of title-challengers. Extending Nani’s stay, and for a deal as long as five years, does very little to act as a battle won for the club.
There has to be questions asked as to what Nani can bring to the team at present. Ok, maybe there is a chance to start afresh under a new manager, but Nani’s inconsistencies are not something of a 21-year-old who is new to the big time in European football; Nani is 26 and has never looked to be a player who can be a realistic superstar at Old Trafford. There have simply been too many false dawns.
Moreover, how does this continue to impact Shinji Kagawa, who has seen minutes on the left of the attack and who certainly offers more in the final third than the Portuguese winger. Kagawa’s game is geared towards getting the best out of Robin van Persie, so isn’t it too much of a risk to go with a player in Nani who has offered very little over the past two years at the expense of a player who was once the second most important player at Borussia Dortmund? If Nani is just seen to be a squad or impact player, then that’s one hell of an investment for a player who isn’t a regular each week.
Is the contract extension for Nani a smart piece of business from a footballing perspective?
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Roy Keane was vigorously defending himself on Wednesday’s press conference, trying to evaporate the perception of him as a mad dog, unwilling to ever yield to a leash. “I’m not some sort of animal,” said the former Manchester United captain. “There’s nothing to tame.” Are you sure about that, Keano?
His track record certainly suggest that there is a beastly side of his being that needs attention. His exit from the Ireland World Cup squad in 2002, and the career-ending tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland – an assault that was planned and calculated – are both examples of egocentric, ruthless and frankly horrific behavior that confirms Roy’s dark side. There is no doubt he has a demon in him. He might disregard Sir Alex Ferguson’s recent book, but the row he caused which would eventually prove his downfall at Man United essentially springs from his gung-ho mentality and desire to have things his way. Fergie disposed of Keane after he publicly criticized his teammates and then orchestrated what Fergie regarded as a mutinous ambush. We all know no one, except for Alex Ferguson, was bigger than the club during his reign. Keano had to go, compliments of his demanding, controlling nature and his ego. Paradoxically the same attributes that made him great.
So with a record like Roy Keane’s, can you see him ever be anyone’s sidekick?
I’m sure Martin O’Neill has considered his decision carefully. He’s as aware of Keane’s faults as he is confident of his pros, I’m certain. But there are still a few question marks on whether the solution of Roy as an assistant will ultimately benefit the Irish. O’Neill’s knowledge of the game is well documented, and he showed in his time at Aston Villa that he can make an average team perform well.
Likewise, Keane has a relatively successful record as a manager. He rallied Sunderland to promotion in his first season as manager in 2007, though he failed to establish his team in the top flight, and resigned the following year. A lot of signs again pointed to Keane’s relentless persona as both the architect of the promotion, and the element that eventually caused the Wearsiders to turn against him. Rumor had it the squad celebrated his resignation. It’s simply an example of how a strict regime can wear and tear on footballers. Everything can be overdone, and in Roy Keane’s case, I believe it is a matter of moderation.
Because let one thing be clear – I have massive faith in Roy Keane as a manager. He has been schooled by Brain Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson – two of the most successful managers in British history. And evidence has it that pupils of Fergie make good, reliable managers. Keane will have that same policy that ensures no one grows bigger than the team. Also, being a bit of a mad dog is no obstacle for being a manager. In fact it seems like it can be an advantage. Some of the most celebrated managers are known for their unpredictable temperament. ‘El Loco’ Marcelo Bielsa bares his nickname for obvious reasons, and Hungarian Bela Guttman won everything everywhere in a 20-year period from the 50’s to the early 70’s, but no club could ever be bothered to keep him any longer than two seasons. And don’t tell me José Mourinho doesn’t come across as a bit of a nutter.
So Keane have all the tools to become a good manager. His knowledge of football was on a respectable level in his playing days. But will he be able to stand down and let Martin O’Neill call the shots? I struggle to imagine Keane in an assistant manager position, simply because he is not a character that ever gives way. I have heard that Martin O’Neill is the kind of manager that is rarely seen on the training pitch, but shows up to manage the team on match day. So during training, Roy Keane will bark and batter the team during sessions, and then O’Neill will take control and do things his way during games. Luckily for the Irish squad, they don’t have to experience this on a day-to-day basis.
I could be wrong, but putting Roy Keane in a position below anyone seems like a gamble to me. Perhaps the new regime is exactly what the Irish internationals need, and perhaps Keano settles in his position. However, if he is to do this, he must relinquish his ego.
“There’s nothing to tame”? Oh yes, Roy, there is.
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According to the Guardian, James Milner is not bothered in any way by fans labeling him “Boring Milner†if it results in him winning his second Premier League title and then boarding the plane for England in the World Cup.The Manchester City midfielder’s sensible nature and style of play is mocked with a twitter account under the name BoringMilner, which tweets his life of supposedly defrosting the freezer and looking forward to vacuuming.Milner however sees things from the bright side.”It’s got a few followers now, hasn’t it?” Milner said. “It’s a bit of fun and I’ve read a few of the tweets. If people think I’m boring, well, as long as I’ve got a Premier League winners’ medal I don’t really mind being as boring as you want.”Hopefully I’ll be going to the World Cup finals as well. That’s the plan. It’ll be an amazing stage to play on and I’d love to go but you get there by playing good football for your club. I’ll do that as well as I can and hopefully it will get me on the plane.”Milner came on as a second half substitute in their 2-0 win over Newcastle at St. Jame’s Park and believes it was a very important result in the race for the title.”It feels like a massive result because these are the type of really tough tests that you want to win if you have any hopes of topping the table,” Milner said.”Everyone knows we can play good, attractive football because we’ve scored so many goals but these are the sort of games where you have to dig in and grind out a result. It’s a sign of a very good team that we can grind out a win like that from probably the least possession we’ve had all season.â€On a sour note, City’s Samir Nasri will be out up to 8 weeks after a challenge from Newcastle’s Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.
Reading boss Nigel Adkins has ruled out the chance of striker Adam Le Fondre leaving the club this month, as reported by Sky Sports.
Le Fondre smashed a first half hat-trick to see off Bolton yesterday and the former Rotherham man moves into double figures for the campaign, just as he did last season in the top flight.
A number of Premier League and Championship clubs have been linked with a move for the 27 year old including Sunderland, Fulham and Nottingham Forest.
However Adkins has ruled out such rumours and is desperate to keep his current squad together and possibly even add to it to try and get the Royals back into the Premier League.
“My stance on Adam has been exactly the same since I joined the club. He is a great goalscorer and we’ve got no intention of letting him go anywhere else” Adkins said.
“Whether we are linked to or bring in other forwards is irrelevant. We value Adam very highly and if you want to be successful, you need to have a strong group of strikers.
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“The way he has performed today was very important to us.”
We’re just months away from one of the most anticipated tournaments in sport – the World Cup in Brazil.
But while everyone pays attention to the build up to what is regularly labelled as the ‘biggest sporting event in the World,’ there has been a significantly more important World Cup going on in Brazil – The Street Child World Cup.
The Street Child World Cup tournament not only provides children with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play football with people from all over the world, it is an important platform that draws the world’s attention to the struggles of street children.
In 2013, BT Sport’s charitable initiative, The Supporters Club, gave substantial grants to aid three charities to send teams to take part in the Street Child World Cup.
Team Brazil Girls, Tanzania Boys and India Boys each received a two-year investment in their sports programmes which support local street children. Tanzania Boys and Brazil Girls both won the Street Child World Cup in early April.Team Brazil (girls) come from the IBISS charity who work in the toughest 60 slum communities in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
Team Tanzania have been recruited by the Caretakers of the Environment charity based in Mwanza, who provide emergency support, on-going rehabilitation and education to Mwanza’s street children. Team India have been brought together by Karunalaya, a charity that works on the streets of Chennai supporting hundreds of children living around the railway station and seven slum areas.
Brazil girls and Tanzania boys won their respective tournaments, while the other supported team, India, were unfortunate not to progress from their group.
To see just how much of an impact this event and The Supporters Club can make on street children around the world, BT Sport are filming a one-hour documentary that follows the three teams on their journey through the tournament. The doc will be presented by former Arsenal defender Gilberto Silva and will premier on 5 May on BT Sport 1 at 8pm.
Click on Gilberto Silva to see some images from the tournament
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Manchester United had to come from behind to beat Liverpool 3-1 in Miami in the final game of their US preseason tour.
It brings to a close a sequence of games in North America where United went unbeaten and saw the rediscovery of form of a number of players, as well as the importance of new signing Ander Herrera.
It would be natural to get carried away at this stage, but it is hard not to be impressed by the work of new manager Louis van Gaal.
With the season less than two weeks away, here are FIVE things we learned from United’ win over Liverpool…
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Van Gaal having an immediate impact
Football – LA Galaxy v Manchester United – Chevrolet Cup – Pre Season Friendly – Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States of America – 23/7/14Manchester United coach Louis Van Gaal (R) and assistant coach Ryan GiggsMandatory Credit: Action Images / Brandon ParryLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Though Man United’s defence and central midfield still needs a little work, going forward, the team look completely revitalised and happy to work to Louis van Gaal’s tactical setup.
It was the case in all US preseason games, not just in the win against Liverpool. The team look far more fluid now than they did under David Moyes, with the problem of integrating Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney into the same starting XI a thing of the past.
We know all about van Gaal and his reputation across European football, but if these games in preseason are anything to go by, the Dutchman is making easy work of the apparent colossal job to turn the club’s fortunes around of the events of the past year.
It may just be a preseason friendly, but United certainly didn’t have a comeback in their locker last season. Van Gaal’s influence is clear for all to see.
Ashley Young could have a future at the club
It was widely expected that Ashley Young would be sold this summer and finally bring to a close his chapter with Manchester United.
But the winger has apparently looked to start afresh where he is, picking up the award for best player at the International Champions Cup.
Young has shown his worth to van Gaal this summer, performing in wing-back roles and showing his flexibility to play on either flank. His performances, especially with basics such as crosses into the box, have drastically improved under the new manager.
The win against Liverpool provided just another reason for van Gaal to keep hold of Young for the season ahead.
A big season ahead for Rooney
Football – LA Galaxy v Manchester United – Chevrolet Cup – Pre Season Friendly – Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States of America – 14/15 – 23/7/14Wayne Rooney – Manchester UnitedMandatory Credit: Action Images / Brandon ParryEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Maybe all Wayne Rooney needed was a change from Alex Ferguson.
Last season, Rooney was surprisingly one of United’s best players, though such was their overall poor form throughout, that isn’t really saying much.
But Rooney clearly reacted positively to something different in David Moyes, and is looking to follow the same path under another manager in Louis van Gaal.
Rooney has looked lively in preseason and started United’s comeback against Liverpool by scoring their first goal.
Having been close to an exit from Old Trafford, the club are now tied to the player after his recent contract renewal. But it’s looking far from a bad thing, with the England international one of many to thrive under the guidance of van Gaal.
Phil Jones still has some work to do defensively
There’s something about the way Phil Jones defends that shouldn’t fill most with confidence, always acting in a last-ditch effort to prevent a goal, but often conceding a free kick within range or a penalty.
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The same as the case for Liverpool’s opener, in which the United defender felled Raheem Sterling inside the box. For much of the first half, Jones struggled with the pace of Liverpool’s forward, and further raising doubt as to his immediate suitability for the centre-back role.
Perhaps it can be attributed to a lack of consistency in game time, owed to regular injuries. But such is the manner of Jones’ mistakes, it generally points to his own shortcomings as a defender. It’s something van Gaal will need to address over the coming season.
United need at least two new centre-backs
There’s no way Man United can get through this season with the centre-back options currently available to van Gaal. Yes, Thomas Vermaelen has been linked, but even if he arrives – which may not be the case, with Arsenal unwilling to sell and Barcelona also interested – further reinforcements will be needed.
It isn’t just a matter of injuries with regards to Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans; the former two are still short of being good enough to be regulars at centre-back for the club.
The pursuit of Mats Hummels is a waste of United’s time, with Dortmund uninterested in entering negotiations for the centre-back. But in the win against Liverpool, van Gaal would have seen more than enough evidence that he’ll have to seriously reconsider his suggestion that United’s transfer business could be done.