Manchester United and Chelsea will look to step up their interest in Juventus’ Milos Krasic in January after the winger claimed he would be interested in a move to the Premier League according to the Metro.
The Serbian international has featured just six times this season under new manager Andre Conte; after being a key player last year; and with Juventus flying at the top of Serie A he may find it hard to earn his place back in a winning side.
Having only spent one season in Italy after his £15million move from CSKA Moscow last year, Krasic has failed to impress his new manager and he feels it could be time to move on if he is not playing regular first team football.
The English giants could battle it out for Krasic’s signature along with teams from Germany and Spain as the 27-year olds agent, Dejan Joksimovic confirmed they were open to offers.
“My client has already turned down two offers and I don’t think he would accept Borussia [Dortmund], mainly because of his wage. I don’t think they can afford him,” said Joksimovic.
“His future depends on what happens at Juventus in the next months. If he starts playing regularly then he could stay in Italy otherwise he will have to go.
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“He would certainly move to a top division like the Bundesliga or the Premier League.”
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has stressed to his team the importance of continuing their good run of form, and knows that the battle to finish in the top four will be a close one.
A 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Monday night lifted Spurs to third in the Premier League standings, and made it eight wins out of nine games for the North London side.
Despite their excellent form, the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are also pushing to finish in the top four, and Redknapp knows the race will go down to the wire.
“When you look at the table it just shows you how tight it is going to be at the top,” he told Mirror Football.
“There is still nothing between us, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United and Man City – although City have pulled away a little bit.
“It has been a fantastic run of results for us since the start of September.
“In my opinion, any side with top-four aspirations needs to try to maintain that kind of form for the majority of the season – as much as maybe two points a game over the course of the campaign,” he stated.
Spurs take on West Brom at the Hawthorns on Saturday.
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Many of us like to think of ourselves as great football managers who could do a better job than a lot of those in the world of football. This is purely down to our exploits in management games like Championship Manager. Being good in the virtual world doesn’t automatically translate to the real world though, just ask some virtual stars who fell by the wayside when it came to stepping on the pitch.
Cited as a decisive factor in over 30 divorce cases, the addictive Championship Manager (later Football Manager) series successfully managed to develop a cult status amongst football fans the world over. Aside from its groundbreaking eschewal of graphics in favour of text, the series gained infamy for its ability to predict the promising futures of top players before they became famous, having foreseen the development of the likes of Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney years before the pair gained widespread notoriety.
However, the series is equally as infamous for its ability to unearth duds. The following cult heroes are indicative of when Championship Manager has gotten it wrong, as all of these virtual sensations have found footballing success elusive…
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Click on the image below to see some of Championship Manager’s cult heroes
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Compiled by Zarif Rasul
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Aston Villa have announced that they have finalised the loan signing of Robbie Keane.
The veteran Republic of Ireland striker is available due to the break in the MLS season, and will move to the Birmingham-based outfit from LA Galaxy until February 25th.
Keane could be in line to face current team-mate Landon Donovan in his debut as Alex McLeish’s men take on Everton on Saturday, and the Irish forward is looking forward to getting started.
“I’m delighted to be back in the Premier League. This is only short term, of course, but there has been a lot of speculation over the years linking my name to Villa and, finally, I’m here,” he told the club’s official website.
“I’m excited about it and I know I’ll really enjoy my time here. It’s only for two months but I will do my absolute best in these two months.
“Villa is a great club, a club with a massive tradition and standing in the game and Villa Park is one of the finest stadiums I’ve ever played in.
“If selected to play on Saturday, I will genuinely be looking forward to it and I’ll be excited to be involved again in Premier League action.
“I’ve been training with the players here for the past few days and it’s been great but I’m not naive enough to think I’ll just walk straight into the team.
“If I can help and contribute to the overall effort of the team then hopefully I will be of benefit to Aston Villa. That’s my aim,” he concluded.
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Liverpool have confirmed that they have signed a new kit deal with Warrior Sports, after Adidas decided not to renew their contract with the Merseyside club.
Adidas have revealed that the Anfield side’s lack of success in recent seasons prompted them to walk away from Kenny Dalglish’s men.
“We thought what Liverpool were asking and what they were delivering was not in the right balance,” CEO Herbert Hainer is reported to have said in The Daily Mail.
“There was a gap between their performance on the field and what the numbers should be.
“It all depends on the success and the effort and the popularity, the exposure on TV and revenue you can generate by merchandising.
“This all has to be brought in line between what you offer and what you get. We thought what Liverpool were asking was not… right, then we said we will not do it – that’s the end of the story,” he concluded.
Despite this, Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre responded to the criticism, and feel that Adidas’ have been shortsighted.
“We are disappointed Adidas seem to point to a lack of European football as a reason not to agree a new deal, and cannot see that we are on a par with the biggest football brands in the world,” he commented.
The Reds new deal with Warrior Sports is said to be worth £150million, and will last for six years.
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Everton captain Phil Neville has accepted an invitation by the FA to help coach England under-21’s, the club’s official website have revealed.
The Young Lions have a fixture against Belgium at the Riverside Stadium next week in Middlesbrough, and the seasoned professional will assist Brian Eastick and John Peacock, with usual boss Stuart Pearce taking control of the senior side on an interim basis.
The game is an important one for England, who are currently top of their group for European Championship qualification, with the Belgians in second place.
Everton revealed that Neville could be keen on a coaching role once he hangs up his boots, and this may be the first step to a successful career on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Stuart Pearce has admitted that he is available to lead the senior side into Euro 2012, should the authorities feel he is the right man to do so.
“I am available and I have tournament experience if they (the FA) need me to step into the breach in the summer,” he told a press conference at Wembley shown on Sky Sports.
“That is obviously a decision for the employees here. They know exactly where I am, they know exactly what I want to do.
“If they need me to take the squad in the summer I will do that with pleasure.
“If they need me to coach a manager that is coming through the door, I will do that with pleasure as well.
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“Beyond that, at this moment in time, I consider myself after the summer the Team GB manager and Under 21 manager,” he concluded.
Arsenal is set to battle it out with PSG for Stephane Sessegnon, according to the Mirror.
The Benin international has been in sensational form this season and has played a big part in Sunderland’s recent resurgence under Martin O’Neill.
Arsene Wenger has been keeping tabs all season on the versatile Sessegnon, who would give Arsenal some much needed options in midfield. The midfielder is valued at £10m and could provide the ideal replacement for the likely summer departure of Andrey Arshavin.
Whether Sessegnon wants to move to North London remains to be seen, as the 27-year-old remains unsettled in England largely down to his family’s unwillingness to leave their Paris home.
If PSG were to follow up their interest with a summer bid then it is more than likely that Sessegnon will welcome a return move, although Arsenal are clearly waiting in the wings just in case.
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You can be blessed with the quick feet of Lionel Messi, the vision of Paul Scholes or the technique of Cristiano Ronaldo but it will all amount to nothing without the vital ingredient of self-belief. The psychological demands of the beautiful game are all too easily overlooked, when in fact they help contribute to some of the most exciting and often surprising incidents in the sport.
I think we’re all in agreement that Barcelona were the superior side in their recent Champions League clash against Chelsea. Had one of their multiple chances at the Bridge found the back of the net then perhaps we would be reading a different fairytale altogether, rather than this modern day version of David and Goliath. Their failure to score coupled with the outcome of El Clásico planted a seed of doubt at the heart of the Catalan giants, which continued to grow as the clock ticked down.
You could sense the atmosphere had changed after Messi crashed his penalty against the crossbar, as Barcelona continued to knock on the door rather than searching for an alternative route past a resilient Chelsea rearguard. As they swept the ball across the box in an arc formation it began to dawn on me that their failure to penetrate through had left them bereft of ideas. This was highlighted by the usually assured Lionel Messi picking up a booking for a rash challenge, a clear sign that the unyielding confidence of the Spanish giants was crumbling away.
Forgive me if I appear to be belittling the achievements of Chelsea, who were sensational across the entire 180 minutes. Whereas their opponents were found lacking, Drogba and co were thriving on the confidence Roberto Di Matteo has installed in them since his transition from sidekick to top dog. The Blues knew that it would be foolish to compete with Barca’s own brand of football, but instead of letting this demoralise them they were buoyed by their own belief that they could weather the storm and punish them on the break.
You need look no further than Fernando Torres for evidence of the fragile nature of self-confidence. In the not too distant past the Spaniard was idolised in Merseyside, flourishing in the admiration of the fans, his fellow team-mates, his manager and perhaps most importantly the national press. Introduce the concept of being valued of £50m and suddenly all that washes away and is replaced by the weight of expectation. Torres has endured a torrid journey in his search for that defining moment of inspiration and if Gary Neville’s reaction is anything to go by, he found it at the Nou Camp.
The importance of confidence is even more apparent in the Premier League, as it helps shape the contrasting fortunes of a number of clubs. Newcastle are a team playing with a creative freedom gifted to them by Alan Pardew, a man who has somehow bought a sense of cohesion and team spirit to a club that was once in disarray.
The Toon Army could arguably be credited with stealing Tottenham’s crown as the most exciting team in the division. The Lilywhites flaunted a similar style of attacking football in the early part of the season that led many to hail them as outside title contenders and portray Harry Redknapp as the front-runner for the vacant England role. However, the club have struggled to overcome the significant defeat against their North London rivals Arsenal and have unquestionably entered a state of freefall. Redknapp is often praised for his man management skills so it will interesting to see if he can resurrect his teams battered mentality before they slip out of Champions League contention altogether.
If we drop down into the Championship, Reading represent the perfect example of a team blossoming under a manager who shares the gift for motivating and inspiring his players. Much like Di Matteo, Brian McDermott isn’t blessed with a wealth of experience but they both possess a natural talent for getting the best out of their players. Compare these two with someone like Sven Goran Eriksson, who has enjoyed success across the continent and is regarded as a master tactician. In spite of this I feel the Swede was always hampered by his ability to ‘gee up’ his squad, which inevitably accumulated to his failure with the England national side and a growing number of domestic clubs in the country.
It’s logical to suggest that you can never have too much confidence given the ‘world beater’ attitude it inspires from within. However, we know this is not the case and we only have to look at the likes of Nicklas Bendtner and Mario Balotelli to witness how an inflated ego to be detrimental to ones career. It can also be seemingly impossible to get back, hit a bad patch of form or endure a spell on the sidelines and you might witness players literally trying to hide on a football pitch. Has Michael Owen ever been the same since he pulled up all those years ago in his Liverpool shirt? Will we ever see the forgotten talent of Manchester City’s Michael Johnson boss a midfield again?
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Confidence therefore is vital, without it and you won’t even see a pass let alone attempt it. Too much of the stuff and you lose all sense of reality, trying audacious lobs from the highway line much to the frustration of those around you. As the title race reaches its peak City will be buoyed by their recent run of form whilst United confident from the fact they’ve been here before. Who will emerge triumphant? No one knows and that should inspire confidence about the state of English football from within all of us.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’m confident Chelsea will be joined by the Special One in the final.
The award season is now upon us and with the announcement of the six nominees for the young player of the year being disclosed and although both Gareth Bale and Sergio Aguero are likely to be the favourites, I thought I would take a closer look at the outstanding young performers in the Premier League this 2011/12 season.
If there’s one thing that managers love, it’s a talented young star to lead their team into the future. There are currently many emerging players in the Premier League, producing the sort of displays that deserve recognition. Although the experienced pros often gain a lot of praise the impacts of young stars can be invaluable to all sides, no matter what their ambitions.
Some have emerged from youth systems, while others have been poached from clubs at home and abroad, but no matter what their origins their achievements should not slip under the radar.
To qualify for the team, the performer has to be 23 years-of-age upon the beginning of the campaign, this list shows a fantasy eleven who fit that criteria, and obviously has been performing to a high standard this season:
Click on Joe Allen to unveil my starting XI
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Let me start this week’s blog by welcoming striker Clive Platt to Sixfields. He has signed a 2 year deal at the club and will join on 30th June when his contract expires at Coventry City.
Clive brings with him a lot of experience to Sixfields as the striker has taken in more than 600 senior appearances and scored more than 100 goals. With the lower leagues being his bread butter, he has spent time at Peterborough United, Walsall, Rochdale, MK Dons, Notts County and also has previous experience working with Aidy Boothroyd during his time at Colchester United. Hopefully this means that Aidy will know how to get the best out of the 34-year-old front man.
During 2011/12 he made 23 starts and 10 substitute appearances for Coventry City, scoring four goals. Aidy has said he will be basing a lot of his signings on leadership qualities and desire to play. I have no doubt in my mind that Clive has all this and more and can’t wait to see him in the Claret & White next season.
One thing I am concerned about is where this signing leaves last season’s top scorer Adebayo Akinfenwa. I can’t see the two of them playing together as they are similar in what they offer in the power stakes. I really hope something can come from the two of them, maybe use Bayo for an hour and then bring Clive of the bench and use his skills to finish off the game. This would be solution for me to eventually see them working well together in the same team. It also concerns me that Aidy has said that if the right offer comes in he will sell Akinfenwa which I think a majority of fans will be seriously worried about as where would have been now had it not been for his 18 goals last season?
John Johnson has signed a new contract with the club which I am really pleased about as he can play anywhere across the back-line and even fill in at defensive midfield. I really felt towards the end of last season he started to knuckle down and work hard being rewarded with fine performances for the club. He has signed a one year deal with the option to extend to another year which is a great move by the club. So come on Johnno keep on going from strength to strength. Anthony Charles has also signed a one year deal with the club. He joined in January after a big injury layoff and I like Aidy Boothroyd do believe that there is more to come from the big defender. With a full pre-season behind him Charles can go on and play a key part in the squad next season.
Last Thursday saw the Richard Butcher memorial game take place at Sixfields in honour of the late midfielder and youth product of the club, from what we heard in a speech made by the Macclesfield vice-chairman. Richard was a top guy, the ultimate professional and he is sorely missed in the football community. It was an entertaining game between the Wembley ‘97 winning team and a Cobblers all star team. Over 1,500 fans turned up to watch the game that all stars who went onto win the game 3-2. It was good to see so many of the old pros turn up and play for the all star team including Russell Wilcox who was part of the Graham Carr Division 4 winning team in 1986/87 season. Hopefully lots of money was raised for what is a great cause.
Our pre-season friendlies have recently been announced, two of which will be at Sixfields against Derby County & Chelsea U21’s which I believe should bring a good turnout from the people of Northampton.
Speaking of Derby they are apparently the front runners to sign our very own Michael Jacobs, I just hope this saga ends soon and Michael either decides to stay or go, the sooner the decision is made the sooner Aidy Boothroyd will know whether or not he will have funds needed to rebuild our squad ahead of the new season.
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