Aston Villa have agreed to postpone Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Bolton, due to Fabrice Muamba’s health problems.
The Trotters midfielder collapsed in his side’s FA Cup fixture against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Saturday, and is now in critical condition in hospital.
With the Bolton players obviously not in the right frame of mind to play the midweek fixture, Villa have agreed to postpone it until a later date.
“The thoughts and prayers of Aston Villa Football Club are with Fabrice Muamba and his family,” a statement on the Midlands club’s official website reads.
“Our thoughts also extend to his teammates, the management staff and all at Bolton Wanderers Football Club at this terrible time.
“The club, without hesitation, has agreed to Bolton’s request to postpone our Barclays Premier League game scheduled for Tuesday at Villa Park.
“We also wish to thank our supporters for their expressions of sympathy and support for the Muamba family and all at Bolton Wanderers,” it concluded.
Villa boss Alex McLeish also expressed sympathy for Muamba’s plight, and spoke of the player’s excellent calibre and attitude.
“Like everybody, I am shocked and saddened by what happened to Fabrice during Bolton’s FA Cup game at White Hart Lane and subsequent developments.
“I have worked with Fabrice as a player at Birmingham and he has always been a terrific lad, nothing other than the perfect professional.
“I can say that in my experience he trained every day the way he went to play in games, full of intensity and enthusiasm.
“He is a manager’s dream in terms of his commitment to the team and to his club and I know that Owen Coyle will feel the same way about him.
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“My heart goes out to his family and it is overwhelming to think what they are going through right now.
“The massive response throughout Europe and the world of football underlines how everybody has been touched by this tragic development and I pray that Fabrice is able to pull through,” he confessed.
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has stated that the Italian giants will not make summer moves for Manchester City attacking duo Carlos Tevez or Mario Balotelli.
The Serie A champions had a long-running transfer saga over the possible purchase of the Argentina international last summer and throughout January, but could not meet City’s valuation.
Meanwhile, Balotelli is in Roberto Mancini’s bad books after a red card against Arsenal was the latest in a long list of disciplinary matters.
However, Galliani has maintained that the Rossoneri will not be tracking either Tevez or Balotelli in the summer.
“I don’t know who he is,” the supremo joked when asked about Tevez, according to Mirror Football.
“Mario said he is happy at Manchester City, there is nothing else to add.
“In the future, if he returns to Italy there won’t be just the options to go to Inter Milan or AC Milan, there may be other clubs like Juventus.
“But then again, Mario is good for City and will remain there,” he concluded.
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With Tevez reinstated to the Etihad Stadium first team and Balotelli believed to have made up with Mancini, the pair’s future is yet to be determined.
After seeing his side overtaken in the title race by neighbours Manchester City, Sir Alex Ferguson is facing his first trophless season since 2005 – a campaign which is sure to disappoint the 70-year-old which will see him look to strengthen his side in the summer.
Ferguson has handled various transitional phases for United effectively by still bringing in various trophy successes.
In his time at the club Ferguson has shown he is not afraid of going against the grain in letting established players move on with the likes of Ince, Keane, Hughes, Beckham, Stam and Van Nistelrooy all deemed surplus requirements – this allowing the clubs philosophy of bringing young players through as the new guard to be achieved rewardingly time and time again.
In previous transfer windows the acquisitions of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and David De Dea show Ferguson is always looking to the future with the likes of Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Paul Pogba expected to play major roles in his squad next season.
However to fully develop a squad who will be looking to establish themselves again domestically and in European competition next season – a number of high caliber signings will be needed to manage yet another successful transitional period.
Ex-United legend Gary Neville said to The Mirror that Ferguson will be aware of the need to strengthen this summer. “I’m sure he’ll improve his squad,” said Neville. “I think he has to. He’s an honest person and he’ll recognise there are areas of the squad he needs to strengthen.”
With his side again in transition the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Park Ji Sung, Michael Owen and Anderson could see themselves leaving the club this summer, as well as Fabio who is being lined up for a season long loan move. This summer transfer window therefore shapes up to be a pivotal one for Manchester United and Sir Alex.
So which areas need strengthening? Who could be brought in to make the difference?
Defensively it is expected a new left back could be sounded out to provide competition for Patrice Evra. The Frenchmen has been ever present in the United starting line up this season, stepping in as the club captain for the injured Nemanja Vidic.
However the 30-year-old has lost his previous form in the last 18 months which has saw performances dipping dramatically – something which may alert Ferguson into feeling it is time to bring in a successor. The likes of Jordi Alba, Guilherme Siqueira, Aly Cissokho and Leighton Baines have all been linked with moves in recent months.
A situation many fans at Old Trafford feel has failed to be addressed is that of United’s midfield redevelopment. With an ageing Paul Scholes being brought out of retirement in January and instantly becoming a key player alongside Michael Carrick – various critics and fans think new additions are desperately needed as United have very much been found wanting in this area this season – especially in Europe where they were taken apart first in the Champions League group stages which resulted in their eventual elimination to the Europa League, where they were ousted by an impressive Athletic Bilbao.
With Park Ji Sung’s days looking number, Anderson failing to impress largely due to yet another knee injury and no return date mooted as of yet for an ill Darren Fletcher – Sir Alex will be searching intensely for at least one new midfield acquisition.
A player who could fit the mould is 23-year-old Spaniard, Javi Martinez. Having captained Spain’s U-21’s to winning the 2011 European Championships last summer – the midfielder has continually been impressive throughout the season for Bilbao who have also utilized his defensive capabilities at times this term by playing him as a make shift centre back due to injuries.
Physically he is set for the Premier League as his 6ft 3in frame makes him a difficult opponent to knock off the ball – his main strengths however lie in his composure in possession, his range of passing and his defensive capabilities. Martinez is in the mould of a Xavi Alonso and has also been catching the eye of both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
With 7 caps also for the senior national side he is definitely progressing into one of the future important figures internationally for his country.
Centrally also United have been accused of lacking creativity, something Sir Alex may also be looking to address with the signing of an attacking midfielder. An option could be Shinji Kagawa who has helped Borussia Dortmund regain the Bundesliga for a second successive season.
The Japanese icon has refused to sign a new deal at the club which has forced Dortmund into accepting he will be for sale this summer. Kagawa has scored 16 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions this season continuing his sensational form from last season.
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Although slight in stature, Kagawa has flourished in a league which is herald as having similar sort of playing style to the Premier League – which has saw the playing styles of Mata, Silva and Nasri used to good effect at their respective clubs. The 23-year-old is also thought to fancy a move to the Premier League with Manchester United his preferred destination.
It is well known Sir Alex Ferguson is an admirer of the sensational Eden Hazard who he has been keeping tabs on throughout the season. The 21-year-old Belgian has also admitted his interest in becoming a Premier League player next season which could see a battle between both Manchester clubs along with Arsenal and Spurs in the upcoming transfer window.
Ferguson has his fair share of wingers at Old Trafford but with Ashley Young not setting the world alight in his first term at Old Trafford and Nani continuing to be frustratingly inconsistent – a different threat from the wings could be essential.
Hazard can operate on either flank and also just behind a striker effectively, his pace and dribbling talents are also balanced with his dangerous final ball delivery and menacing finishing prowess. An expensive proposition for Sir Alex, but one that could infuse fear into the rest of Europe who take stock of a rejuvenated Manchester United.
Elsewhere in the forward department it looks as though Berbatov and Owen will both be on their way in the summer. This potentially leaves United short on firepower for the coming season with just Rooney, Welbeck and Hernandez recognised as first choice strikers. Ferguson is known to enjoy the dilemma of having four strikers to choose from and may be on the lookout for a significant striker purchase in the summer. He has saw the likes of Llorente cause his side hell in the Europa League and will have noticed the form of Edinson Cavani at Napoli over the last two seasons. Any move for either striker will be expensive but a welcome addition to a largely wasteful United side at times this season.
So it’s the end of another season and how quick this one has gone but fear not as no doubt in a few weeks we’ll all be cheering England on in Euro 2012.
Back to the Cobblers and we ended the season with an away game at Rotherham in what was to be their final game at the Don Valley Stadium. It turned out to be one of those typical end of season matches where neither side had anything at stake but we still took a good following with 549 making the trip north.
Michael Jacobs was named in the Cobblers side for his 100th appearance, despite lots of speculation about his future a host of clubs are apparently chasing his signature. The club have offered him a new deal and should he not accept that we will have a tribunal decision on a fee should no-one come in and meet the valuation Boothroyd and chairman David Cardoza have set on the young 20-year-old midfield maestro. An unnamed championship club have had a bid turned down already and Derby County manager Nigel Clough has also disclosed that Jacobs is one of a number of players he is looking at while in the crowd at the Don Valley Stadium was Leeds United assistant manager Mick Jones was he casting his eye over our young star.
Onto the match itself both sides had a chance in the opening 10 minutes Lewis Grabban hit the outside of the post, and Cobblers loanee from Liverpool Toni Silva had a volley well saved by Rotherham keeper Rhys Taylor. On 31 minutes Rotherham had the lead the Cobblers defence failed to clear a corner when Alex Revell pounced a hit a shot that bounced of the ground and over keeper Neal Kitson’s head. Lewis Wilson hit a volley just wide as the Cobblers looked to respond, Rotherham then had a chance to double their lead just before half time as Ben Pringle hit a sweet volley that was well saved by Kitson.
A fairly un-eventful second half produced little until Adebayo Akinfenwa saw his header land on the roof of the net. Clarke Carlisle was booked following a no nonsense challenge on Danny Schofield, Brett Williams then fired just over the bar for the Cobblers and that was followed up by Lewis Wilson heading into the side netting as the game entered stoppage time.
Cobblers fans were thinking that a defeat was going to signal the end of a disappointing season and then as we entered the final minute of stoppage time Luke Guttridge floated in a delightful free-kick that was met by the head of Adebayo Akinfenwa and we had equalised with what was virtually the last touch of the game, the big man lifted his shirt to display his own t-shirt from his clothing range 2 Big 2 Play Football Ha Ha and celebrate his 18th goal of the season, not a bad return from the front man considering how we have struggled this season.
The final whistle was blown to bring to the end a season that promised so much but failed to deliver and we look on to next season.
One man I hope we can sign is Clarke Carlisle as he has helped to make our defence a more solid unit and has led from the front being made captain upon his arrival which was a shrewd move from Aidy Boothroyd. From what I can gather from Carlisle is that we as a club have helped him find a love for playing football once more and that he also hopes a deal can be done so he can stay with the “Teyn”.
Boothroyd will be looking to ship some high earners out who have not figured in his plans those players. I assume they will be Arron Davies, Paul Turnball and maybe Jake Robinson. Maybe being the word with Robinson and he has flattered to deceive really. He came to us having scored a hatfull of goals for Torquay last season and after scoring a scorcher from distance in a pre season friendly against Nottingham Forest I must admit I was optimistic about him, But too many times he can overplay and try and take men on instead of having a dig or finding that killer cross.
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I am sure Boothroyd has targets in mind and I just hope the Michael Jacobs saga gets ended sooner rather than later so that the manager can get on with his plans for season 2012/13. The hard work starts now for Aidy and he will be looking for players with the right mentality, who know maybe play-offs for us next season, anything will be better than fighting relegation though.
Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy’s relationship has been described as that of the ‘odd couple’ on more than one occasion. The two hardly seem to have an awful lot in common, bar maybe the odd financial trip to Monaco; you couldn’t really imagine them knocking a few back in the Bricklayers together.
But regardless of what supporters think about the pair individually, collectively, they need more than a touch of marriage counseling. As Redknapp pulled his first punch in the protracted contract situation yesterday, there can be no doubt that the longer uncertainty lingers around, the more damage that is done to all parties- both Redknapp, Levy but most concerningly, Tottenham Hotspur.
For better or worse, Tottenham Hotspur have some huge issues to address this summer. They currently possess a frontline that consists of one, recognized out-and-out striker in Jermain Defoe- and even he is considering departing. With Louis Saha being released and Emmanuel Adebayor returning back to Manchester City, Tottenham simply have to bring attacking reinforcements in.
Likewise, the futures of several first-team players must be resolved. Players like Dos Santos, Kranjcar and indeed Jermain Defoe all need to be considered- let alone the Bentley’s and Jenas’ of this world. Decisions will need to be taken on the futures of younger players like Harry Kane and Tom Carroll, about whether they are to be sent on loan or kept in the squad. And the looming issue of Gareth Bale but more prominently Luka Modric must be addressed. If the latter, for example, chooses to throw his toys out the pram and demand a move, a decision will need to be taken on a player that may no longer want to play for the club. The decision to sell and the reinvestment of such money will have to be taken.
As I’m sure many of you may have figured already, there is a pattern emerging here. All these decisions have to be carefully considered and swiftly implemented. History shows quite prominently, the pain that Spurs have inflicted on themselves by dithering in the transfer market. Both the Dimitar Berbatov debacle and the failure to bring in Adebayor and Parker till deadline day, emphasize the need to find your targets and bring them in early. Tottenham cannot afford to hesitate whilst their first-choice transfer targets are snapped up by other teams or play another off-season game of risk with Luka Modric.
But events in the boardroom are delaying the conclusion of any of these decisions and harming all parties involved. No one can say for sure what is currently flowing through the mind of Daniel Levy, but you can’t help but sense he has at least mulled over the thought of making some serious changes at White Hart Lane.
Whether you are pro-Redknapp or anti-Redknapp, it cannot be denied that he is currently a divisive figure amongst supporters and perhaps in the higher echelons of North London, too. On one hand, he offers both stability and consistency all wrapped up in a superb brand of football. No one can take for granted his record in the league, finishing fourth, fifth and fourth again in the last three seasons. The aesthetics on display at White Hart Lane are a whole world away from what supporters were witnessing four years before and it’s important to remember that. Managerial shuffles at Anfield and down the road at Chelsea offer more than a touch of the ghost of Christmas future. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; the players enjoy playing for him and if the squad stays intact, fans can expect to be well up there in the race for fourth again next season.
But there is of course, a far more negative perception of the former Portsmouth boss. For all Spurs’ style they have so often lacked substance and for a team that were sitting in third on a ten point cushion in late February, finishing fourth has gone down, understandably, like a lead balloon. Tottenham should not have finished beneath Arsenal this past season and there are many who feel that Redknapp was unable to stop the rot when the chips went down or change a game tactically.
But perhaps the most toxic sticking point and maybe one of the real catalysts of the current uncertainty, was the fate of Redknapp’s team once the England job cropped up. Again, it is so difficult to indulge in speculation, although Redknapp was widely reported to have had a lucrative, four-year deal on the table back in March. If he wasn’t prepared to commit then, it rings hollow for him to moan about running into the last year of his contract, now. His comments to Sky Sports yesterday were cheap and unprofessional; regardless of what happens now, it is difficult to imagine Levy was particularly enamored with Redknapp discussing contractual issues in public.
The main sticking point appears to be the length of the contract on offer, with reports suggesting that Levy has only offered a one-year rolling contract after the end of next season. And why not? It’s good enough for Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola, who only sign 12-month deals. With respect, both Manchester United and Barcelona are in stronger positions to do that, but you can see why Levy has gone down that road- Redknapp is 65 and his chance for a lucrative deal has supposedly been and gone. He isn’t likely to be rewarded for his loyalty now.
However, the one-year rolling deal is rendered academic if Levy won’t back him. When you’re Manchester United, it’s easy to invest heavily with Ferguson on a rolling deal, as in all likelihood, the team is always likely to challenge for honors. If massive investment is needed at the end of next season, for example, will Levy want to give Harry a huge war chest if he may theoretically only be there for one more year? Likewise, would players be spooked by the lack of security at the club? Daniel Levy has more than a slight dilemma.
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Ultimately, somewhere along the line a compromise might have to be reached. Because whoever the manager is at Spurs, be it Harry Redknapp or anyone else, they must be backed and backed quickly. Levy is the man who holds all the cards, but his next move could be one of the most important he ever makes.
What would you do if you were Daniel Levy? Stick to your guns or cave to ‘Arry? Tell us what you think at follow me on Twitter for all things Tottenham @samuel_antrobus
Having a pop at a professional footballer is akin to shooting fish in a barrel, you’d have more chance of finding someone who thinks Bob Diamond was actually deserving of his £20m bonus from Barclays than you would a person who is sympathetic to a footballers plight. Nevertheless, are footballers offered enough care and support after they’ve hung up their boots?
The big white elephant in the room when this topic rears its head is of course, Paul Gascoigne, a tortured soul if ever there was one. Football was his release, his form of escape, but not a week goes by now without pictures emerging of him in some state or other, or some other ‘wacky’ story about the former England international.
It’s preying on the weak, that’s all it is – here is clearly a man struggling with some well-documented mental health issues, beset by past troubles of alcohol and drug addiction and a known sufferer of depression, yet it seems as if he’s treated as little more than the new Kerry Katona for quick and easy copy. It’s shameful, but do we dislike seeing him in such a state because of the impact it has on us, or is it really out of genuine concern?
Nobody wants to see a childhood hero in such a state. Reports of Gascoigne getting his life back on track have been doing the rounds for as long as I can remember, so something is clearly amiss. Is it simply that the support structure isn’t there? Should the PFA be doing more to help?
Once you become a professional footballer, you are of course looked after by the PFA, but they appear to wash their hands of you once you have retired. Technically, it is the ‘Professional Footballers Association’ so with finite resources and an ever-increasing body of members to look after, you can forgive them to an extent for focusing on the needs of the present as opposed to the troubles of the past, but surely some form of halfway house has to be there to make the transition into ‘normal’ every day life less bumpy.
Footballers go from a climate of chumminess, where everything is spoonfed for you, to nothing. The camaraderie is clearly there and by and large it seems a pretty enjoyable job to have for the most part, but they are thrown by the wayside somewhat once they’re no longer of any use to the profession. In no other industry aside from professional sport is a person virtually retired once they reach the age of 40, left on the scrape heap to twiddle their thumbs for another 30 years or so.
Like I said earlier, many will not sympathise with the struggles of a former pro, they’ve had their cake and they’ve eaten it and then some. The mess is of their own making, but struggles aren’t strictly the reserve of retired footballers, with Tony Adams, Paul Merson, Matthew Etherington and Adrian Mutu all suffering from various forms of addition, whether it be gambling, alcohol or drug-related while they were still playing.
Mario Balotelli is often made out to be this zany character, which completely ignores that the majority of stuff written about him isn’t a) true at all or b) actually a complete non-story. The lack of context is startling, it completely ignores the difficult upbringing he had when his parents had to request foster care for him because their living conditions were so poor. But sure, he does crazy stuff sometimes, so let’s all laugh at him.
Former Blackburn centre-half Colin Hendry was declared bankrupt in June 2010, a year after his wife died of an infection caused by cosmetic surgery. The root cause of his gambling addiction is of course intertwined with the difficulty of his home life, since she was first taken ill in 2002. Rumours persisted in late March that Steve Kean was set to offer him a coaching position at the club as he sought to protect himself from the fans’ ire with the return of a club legend, but no such move materialised and he last worked in football in 2008 as manager of Scottish club Clyde, which he had to resign from to take care of his wife. A desperately sad story.
Football does not owe you a living, but it should owe you a duty of care, for a time after you leave the game at least. There are various ways to make a quick buck once you retire, with many (although some of them really shouldn’t be) taking to a media career, while others stay involved in the game through coaching and management. But it’s those that slip through the net and that do none of the above where the problems are likely to arise.
It’s not practical to ‘look after’ and keep monitoring players long after they’ve quit the game, but the sheer amount of stigma’s associated with the sport need looking at. Things like depression and whether a person is gay or not are still hugely taboo subjects and it’s clear that while these players are still playing, that they don’t feel comfortable enough to talk openly about their problems and preferences with either their team-mates or their club and more needs to be done to address this in the future.
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Being mentally prepared for the next stage of your life is a bigger cause for concern than most will let on, and without the right support structure around you, it’s simply a recipe for disaster. This isn’t a preachy diatribe aimed at sympathy for those that squander their talent due to ill-advised and poorly thought out decisions, but rather a call to arms for more to be done to help those less adjusted to the rigours of modern life. Football can be a release, but once it lets you go, it can be an awfully lonely place out there all by yourself.
Should Arsenal face losing Alex Song to Barcelona, they could consider a move for Celtic’s defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama as a replacement, reports the Daily Mail.
Both the Gunners and Manchester United are believed to have been keeping tabs on the Kenyan, who is unhappy inScotlandhaving been frequently played out of position in central defence.
Speculation has been rife in the last couple of days linking Song to the Nou Camp, and having ruled out a move for Yann M’Vila despite the reported closeness of securing a deal, Arsene Wenger could now look to Wanyama as cover for the Cameroonian.
At £7 million, Celtic could make a substantial profit on the 21 year old they signed from Beerschot AC last summer for just £900,000. Having appeared 29 times and scoring 4 goals in least year’s campaign, Arsenal and United will both be hopeful Wanyama’s year in the British game gives him enough experience.
Both Premier League sides started the summer well, securing two early signings, but no transfer market action has taken place for either club since. Arsenal however, could also be close to the signing of Santi Cazorla, as they look to close last seasons 19 point gap between them and second place Manchester United.
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Back in February, when Neil Warnock signed a deal to manage Leeds United, it’s fair to say more than a few eyebrows were raised. The man, whose name can be rearranged to reveal a rather tasteless nickname bestowed upon him by his fellow professionals, has caused more than his fair share of controversy over the years with his outlandish press conferences, post-match interviews and touchline incidents. For some opposition fans, Warnock and Leeds United were a match made in heaven, an unpopular manager in charge of a side everyone loves to hate.
Well, to stoke the fire a little bit more, consider how a man notoriously famous for opening his mouth before he thinks would cope with a Chairman who is also a big fan of shall we say, ‘speaking his mind.’ Welcome to Elland Road, where Neil Warnock and Ken Bates have (for the time being), formed possibly the most outspoken Chairman/Manager partnership in the entire Football League. In tribute to one of the league’s most honest and outspoken managers, we bring you 15 of the best Neil Warnockisms.
Click on Neil Warnock below to unveil the list
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Manchester United begin their bid to reclaim the Premier League title tonight, as they travel to Goodison Park to face Everton.
United lost their crown in the most dramatic fashion last season, when Sergio Aguero netted a stoppage-time winner to send the trophy to the Etihad.
Striker, Danny Welbeck is determined to put the disappointment behind him, claiming how Sir Alex Ferguson’s words helped to drive the younger players onto future success.
He told the Daily Telegraph said: “We were travelling home from Sunderland on the coach and he went round all the young players and said to them ‘Never forget this, because this will win you titles.
‘This will make some of you into men and be the best you can be.’ “When the manager says things like that to you, you really want to take note of it.”
Welbeck faces increased competition upfront with the arrival of marquee signing, Robin Van Persie from Arsenal, but the England international is expected to sign new five-year contract this week.
Ferguson’s business in the transfer market is not over yet, as Dutch full-back, Alexander Buttner, is expected to fly into Manchester today and complete a move from Vitesse Arnhem.
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England manager Roy Hodgson has called up midfielders Adam Lallana, Jake Livermore and Raheem Sterling to his squad ahead of tomorrow night’s encounter with Ukraine, according to the FA.
The trio have been added to the England squad as cover for Theo Walcott and Daniel Sturridge who both missed training today. It is thought that Walcott will miss the Ukraine clash at Wembley due to a ‘virus’.
Hodgson has revealed that the England medical team are confident that Sturridge will recover from his stomach cramps suffered over the weekend. Hodgson is also hopeful that the illnesses suffered by Walcott and Sturridge are not part of a bug that is going round the England camp.
As for the three men who have been added to the squad, Hodgson has stayed consistent to his policy on selecting players on form for their Premier League clubs. Southampton’s Lallana, Tottenham’s Livermore and Liverpool Sterling’s have all be stand-out players for their struggling outfits so far this season.
Hodgson has admitted that the players aforementioned will not start the match against Ukraine, but could be potentially make an impact from the substitute’s bench and as a result cement their places in future England squads.
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