Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is set to make a return to international football, after rediscovering fitness according to The Daily Mail.
The combative midfielder missed the majority of last season due to a bowel condition, with fears that Fletcher may well be forced to hang up his boots due to the medical condition.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson has been patient with his countryman over the last nine months, and the player has slowly but surely returned to health and then fitness.
Fletcher played the entire 90 minutes against Newcastle in the Capital One Cup in midweek, which the Red Devils won 2-1, and is now eager to make a return to Premier League action.
With Scotland failing to impress in their first two World Cup qualifier, under-fire boss Craig Levein is set to recall Fletcher for the critical fixtures against Wales and Belgium in October.
“I met Sir Alex before the game,” Levein admitted.
“The very fact Darren is playing this match for Manchester United tells you that he is ready to be involved in first-team football again.
“I will obviously have to wait and see how he is after tonight. But I think this is the first step in really getting him back into the fold again. Sir Alex said he would be happy for him to be involved.
“It’s just fantastic to see him back, especially knowing what he’s been through and how hard he has had to fight.
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“What is really encouraging for me is that he is absolutely desperate to get back to playing for Scotland,” he concluded.
right-back Kyle Walker has stated that he will be fulfilling a dream if he gets a starting jersey for England’s World Cup qualifying fixture against San Marino on Friday.
The Spurs defender is expected to fill-in for suspended regular Glen Johnson, and add to his three existing caps.
However, it would be Walker’s first appearance in a competitive fixture for his country, and he is looking forward to stepping out at Wembley.
“On a personal note it is a fantastic opportunity for me to get into the team. I’ve been patient and waited for that. Hopefully on Friday I can show everyone what I can do and have a good game,” Walker told reporters, published in Sky Sports.
“A first competitive start is what I’ve been waiting for, for a long time now. For all my career, since I was seven, I’ve wanted to play for England, and put that jersey on.
“At the end of the season it was a disappointment, having worked so hard to get into the England team, to have that little niggle on my toe.
“But it was fantastic the manager gave me the phone call, saying it was sad he couldn’t take me there but saying I was in his plans and he had belief in me.
“I had a good last season, winning the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award and a few more awards, but that’s just the start and hopefully I can go on,” he commented.
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‘s Ricardo Vaz Te has had surgery on the dislocated shoulder he suffered against Arsenal earlier this month and now faces up to twelves weeks on the sidelines.
The Hammers’ play-off final hero was being closely monitered by the West Ham medical team since the injury earlier this month and it was decided keyhole surgery was the best option to ensure the forward wouldn’t have any problems in the future.
Manager Sam Allardyce told West Ham’s official website: “First and foremost Andy Rolls and his medical team have researched the best possible treatment and the quickest recovery, which was keyhole surgery.
“There would have been a slightly quicker option to get him back but we would have been unsure on the stability of the shoulder and it could have been more susceptible to dislocate again.
“We think we’ve chosen the best option to strengthen the shoulder and get him back as quickly as we can.”
Allardyce now has to work who will be the best person to fill Vaz Te’s boots and he has the likes of Modibo Maiga, Yossi Benayoun, Matty Taylor, Gary O’Neil and youngster Robert Hall eagerly waiting for a chance to prove themselves.
“We’ve got some good players ready to step up in place. Matt Taylor has been there and there are others in the squad that haven’t quite played as much such as Gary O’Neil,” Allardyce added.
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“Whichever option we pick it’s up to them to step up to the mark. They need to provide the attacking opportunities that we need.”
Manchester United’s ageing midfielders Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have been pivotal to the Red Devils’ success over the last twenty years.
However, Giggs, 38, and Scholes, 37, are out of contract at the end of the current Premier League season and it is unknown whether either will continue playing at Old Trafford or decide that it’s time to hang up their boots.
This campaign, the former Wales international has become somewhat of a fringe player. Despite making six appearances for United, three of them have added up to just 22 minutes of game time.
It appears that Giggs has fallen behind the likes of Tom Cleverley, Nani, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Shinji Kagawa in the pecking order; however the veteran midfielder believes Sir Alex Ferguson will need his legendary cool head towards the end of the season.
“With the players we have I don’t expect to start every game,” admitted Giggs.
“I am just trying to pick up games wherever I can and influence them like I have done in the past.
“But I am experienced enough to know that come the business end of the season, the experienced lads will be needed and I will be ready.”
In regards to his future in football beyond next summer, the Welsh winger told The Telegraph earlier this month: “If I’m not enjoying it, if I’m not contributing like I have done in the last couple of years then I’ll finish. I’m 39 in November.
“When I do finish playing, I’ll try to find the next best thing. Management does interest me. The nearer I get to finishing, the more I think about it,” added the Welshman.
Meanwhile, retired England international Paul Scholes is also considering a role in management at the end of the season and hopes it will be for his beloved Oldham Athletic.
When quizzed by a fan, the central midfielder refused to rule out taking up the Latics hotseat, replying: “It’s quite difficult to say. I don’t know what will happen when I stop playing and Oldham have a manager.
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“But I love Oldham and it’s the first result I look out for every week. I take my lad to watch them whenever I can.”
Considered one of the greatest players ever to pull on a Swindon Town shirt, it’s no surprise that Don Rogers has a stand named in his honour at the County Ground.
If signing for the club just under the noses of local rivals Bristol City didn’t endear him enough to supporters, then scoring the winning goal in a League Cup final saw the exciting winger elevated to God-like status amongst the Robins faithful.
Joining Swindon on a youth contract as a 15-year-old in 1961, Rogers made his debut a year later and eventually went on to clock up 490 appearances and score 181 goals over two separate spells at the club.
By the 1965/66 season he had become a regular in the Robins first team and topped the scoring charts for three years in a row to cement his place as an integral figure for the club.
But it was in 1969 League Cup final that his finest hour arrived as he single handedly took Arsenal apart with a virtuoso display. With the game poised at 1-1 and in the midst of a tense extra time period, Rogers took advantage of a loose ball to fire home and hand Swindon a deserved 104th minute lead.
Five minutes later he sealed an extraordinary victory, springing a rapid counter attack and running unopposed towards the Gunners goal before rounding Bob Wilson and slotting into an empty net.
His performance that day attracted interest from clubs higher up the English football pyramid and just three short years later he was signed by Crystal Palace for £147,000. A mixed two-year spell at Selhurst Park was followed by a move to Queens Park Rangers that saw a certain Terry Venables and Ian Evans move in the opposite direction.
But by 1976 Rogers was back at Swindon, after making only 18 appearances for the Rs, but his stay didn’t last long and in November of that year he signed for then non-league outfit Yeovil Town on loan.
Two months later he returned to the Robins but retired in 1977 after suffering a hip injury that robbed him of the rubber like flexibility that allowed him to slip past defenders.
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After hanging up his boots Rogers went into the shop business opening a store in Swindon called ‘Don Rogers Sports’ supplying trophies and team wear to hundreds of sports clubs during the last 40 years.
A brief flirtation with management saw Rogers take over at Hellenic Football League side Lambourn Sports in the 1990s and guide them to the promotion.
He is currently president of the North Wiltshire Youth League team and manages a team called Shaw Under-14s. In March 2008 his loyal service to the club was recognised as the East Stand at the County Ground was renamed the Don Rogers Stand.
I’m going to start this by saying that I think Carl Fletcher is a great guy, a top bloke, and I believe that he genuinely cares about Plymouth Argyle. He showed great commitment to stick with us through the administration years as a player and did a marvellous job keeping us in League Two last season as manager.
Sadly though, I feel that Fletcher is no longer the man to take us forward, and barring a miracle run of results it is time we parted company with him.
Performances this season have been incredibly inconsistent and we have only really seen glimpses of the team at their best in the 4-1 dismantlings of Northampton and Barnet as well as the 3-1 victory over Rochdale.
Most fans ignored the wild claims coming from the boardroom in pre-season and accepted that this campaign would be one of mid-table ‘obscurity’, with little chance of promotion but more importantly an even smaller chance of being involved in yet another relegation battle.
One half of that realistic expectation has been achieved; it would took a godsend for Argyle to be involved in the end of season mix-up, but sitting in 19th place in the League Two standings, just four points above the drop zone, is far from the comfort many fans wanted this season.
A 3-0 loss at Fleetwood, the side’s fifth defeat in six games, means the Pilgrims have taken just one point from the last possible 15 whilst also bowing out of the FA Cup.
I wanted Carl Fletcher to be successful with us, I really did, but with the side slipping ever closer to the relegation zone something simply has to give. Fletcher might make a good manager in years to come, but at the moment he is far from the leader we all wanted him to be.
I struggle to see us getting anything from our next two fixtures against Bradford & Chesterfield and although many see the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy as a joke competition, I want us to take it seriously – we have a genuine chance of progressing to the area semi-finals with a tie against fellow strugglers Oxford United – I don’t want Fletcher to mess up that chance for us.
Following those games we then have a home tie against York, who have only lost once on their travels before the all important West country Derby at Exeter. Our rivals have been chortling at us for the last few years, so this game will be the first chance we get to reclaim some of our local pride, yet in the form we are in we may as well hand the Grecians three points and not bother playing to save face.
Calling for Fletcher’s head was one of the last things I wanted to do this season but if we lose to Bradford then surely it is time for change. Due to our early exit from the FA Cup we have a two week break from league games after the Chesterfield match, I’m starting to see it as a window of opportunity to remove and possibly replace the manager.
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The announcement earlier this month that it is planned for Euro 2020 to be spread around 13 different European cities has faced much protest from fans.
A survey by fan organisation Football Supporters Europe found that 82 per cent of fans asked rejected the plan. Many, understandably, are worried about the cost of flying around Europe if they want to go to several games.
So, can the idea of having the competition spread across different cities work? Or could it turn out to be a big disaster?
A concern that has been brought up about the idea is if staging the matches in different cities around Europe could mean that it may lack the character of other normal competitions.
Could it be said that not having the competition in one or two specified countries might wreck the atmosphere of the competition? For example, what would the London 2012 Olympics have been like if it had been held in 13 different cities? One of its great successes was the enthusiasm of people in this country who were excited to have the Olympics being held in London.
Additionally, it seemed that those in Poland and Ukraine during Euro 2012 were excited to have the competition. Could it be said that one of the beauties of this kind of competition is looking at a particular country or two in greater focus, the culture of the host country or countries and learning more about them?
Is it also a risk that less people may come to some group games? A worry has been put across already that increasing the number of qualified countries from 16 to 24, a change which comes in from 2016, may decrease quality of play.
Some football fans may want to go to as many games as possible, but it is not hugely possible for all these fans to go to all the games they would want to attend. Some fans may usually go to all of the group matches their home team are playing in, but would people do this if they were all in different countries? And if fewer fans go to some games than in previous competitions, can UEFA be sure that local people where the venues are will suddenly go to matches which they do not have a direct interest in? It could be said that the atmosphere of the competition could be damaged if fewer fans attend matches.
The idea could also pose problems for sponsors; however it could give them more exposure commercially. Additionally, it could cause problems for broadcasters, who would need to organise coverage around the number of locations.
However, it could be said that having matches in various locations around Europe would reduce the financial cost of having one host country, if those organising the venues had to build new stadiums and airports, with some European countries suffering financial difficulties. UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said: “It will be a lot easier from a financial perspective for all the countries … the fact that the Euro moves to 24 teams bears additional burdens on the host nations, the requirements are becoming bigger and bigger.”
However, could it also be said that maybe a better option in the circumstances would be to give it to a country that can provide the right finances to host such a competition.
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Although potentially one advantage of the arrangement is that one of the host cities could be in a country that does not usually get to have a competition like this. Additionally, could it be said that an element of excitement does exist around the idea of having different European locations?
Michel Platini has said that UEFA has had contact with fan groups over concerns. However, we will have to wait to find out whether the idea turns out to be successful.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers does not want Liverpool to bow down to agent demands when offering youngster Raheem Sterling a new deal.
Sterling turned 18 yesterday and is in the process of being offered a new long term contract at Liverpool, but reports this week suggested that the two parties could not agree on a wage.
Sterling broke on to the scene at Anfield this season under Rodgers, who has given plenty of youngsters a chance in various competitions, and his individual performances have seen him quickly become a fans favourite.
The 18-year-old joined the club from Queens Park Rangers as a youngster but is now a key member of the Liverpool squad, who travel to Upton Park today to face West Ham.
Rodgers however is not comfortable with the current prices being bounded about for young English talent in modern day football and is hopeful the same will not happen with Sterling.
“I don’t want the club or the kid being affected by over-the-odds demands.” Rodgers told The Telegraph.
“I think there’s a value I see in a young player that hasn’t achieved anything. All the figures that get bandied about for kids these days can destroy them.
“I’m in the business of trying to help nurture these kids, and money distorts the reality. It’s just one of these things that will get done. I’m confident that it will do.
“There’s still 18 months left [on his current deal]. He’s a young kid and we just want to make sure that everything’s right for him to be nurtured.
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“With young players, contracts get handed out left, right and centre to a kid who’s not done anything, getting a four-year deal on decent money, and then clubs wonder why in two or three years it’s gone wrong.
“It’s gone wrong because you’ve taken away his hunger.”
Just two days to go until Christmas and we’re giving away an intriguing book written by a striker who has played in the Premier League for the likes of Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur – Louis Saha.
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Fancy winning a copy of Louis Saha: Thinking Inside The Box?
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The winner will be announced tomorrow, when we will also be unveiling our prize for Christmas Eve. Don’t forget to come back to FootballFanCast.com then!
Atletico Madrid were yet to taste defeat this season. Yes, they’ve lost games this campaign, notably against Real Madrid and Barcelona, but it’s the psychological defeat handed out by Athletic Bilbao this past weekend that was alien to this season’s Atletico team.
In their 3-0 loss away to Bilbao, Atletico were without the injured Radamel Falcao; Gabi and Mario Suarez were both absent in the middle of the pitch; Cate Diaz partnered Diego Godin in defence; and Koke was on the bench. Ok, there is comfort in knowing that the team were light of some of their most important players, but it was a defeat that stung, it was a defeat that showed that this team can be beaten all over the pitch.
But that’s been the difference this season. Diego Simeone has turned this group of talented players and a club who were perennial losers into the nearest challengers to Barcelona for the La Liga crown.
The Madrid derby against Jose Mourinho’s team was a scrappy affair that betrayed the positive work ethic of Atletico and the spellbinding talent of Real’s attack. In the following league game, Simeone’s team smashed six past Deportivo. Falcao scored five.
In the match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou later that month, they took the lead via Falcao when the Colombian accelerated past a hapless Sergio Busquets and cheekily chipped Victor Valdes. Atletico looked fearless, they chased down Barcelona’s attackers and really forced the Catalans to raise their game. It was one of the more intriguing high-profile games we’ve seen this season in Spain.
But it’s Falcao’s name that is continuously linked away, with Chelsea pushing their way to the front of the queue and Real Madrid also making their interest heard. It seems an inevitability that the striker will move on from the Vicente Calderon at the end of the season, but is it as straight forward as that?
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Let’s make this clear: this is a new Atletico team, a team who know how to win and who have tasted phenomenal success in the form of silverware since Simeone has taken charge. It spoke volumes of the Argentine’s impact last year when many were arguing that he should be in the mix as one of the top three managers in Europe when awards were recently handed out. It should send waves around Europe that this Atletico side are second in La Liga, ahead of a team managed by Jose Mourinho and led by Cristiano Ronaldo and his 35 goals in all competitions. Forget what’s going on at Real Madrid for a moment; that is outstanding from Atletico.
This is a team who are a sure bet to be playing Champions League football next season, and it seems beyond doubt that they’ll go straight into the draw after finishing either second or third (there’s hope for something more, but hugely unlikely). They’re into the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, and if they beat an under-performing Sevilla side who have only recently appointed Unai Emery to take over from Mauricio Pellegrino, they will got to the final and face either Barcelona or Real. Falcao hasn’t been used in the Europa League and they’re through to the next round; they remain second and well within touching distance of another trophy this year to add to the UEFA Super Cup. Remember, Barcelona aren’t invincible, as Real Sociedad proved last week. So whatever way you want to cut it, this Atletico side are taking the fight to all fronts.
But the question is why would Falcao stay? Well, why not? It could all be talk to keep the situation calm and the ship steady until the end of the season, but he’s said he’s comfortable at Atletico. Comfort is one thing. Yes it’s nice and he’s a hero. Trophies have already been won and there could be more. Well there is almost a certainty that trophies will be added to his cabinet at Chelsea, and certainly Real Madrid. But the bigger picture is his relationship with Simeone. It’s clear the manager sees a little bit of himself in Falcao. There’s no jealousy or rivalry for supremacy; El Tigre knows he’s the top dog at the Vicente Calderon, but could he have done it without a manager like Simeone? Players like Falcao don’t come around very often, and they don’t always need a partnership with a strong manager. However, Gregorio Manzano’s short reign at the club really didn’t bring much out from anyone. Yes there were goals, but not like this.
Falcao knows he’s hot property and that he can demand whatever he wants. He’s a player who falls into the minuscule category of world talents who are the closest thing to a guarantee in football. If you have Falcao leading the line for your team and a strong support behind him, take that one to bank.
What can England and even Real Madrid offer Falcao? Money, of course, but what else? Let’s not take anything away from his current team-mates: this is a wonderful group of talented individuals at the Vicente Calderon, of which all of the starting XI could strongly argue their way into the first XI of the very best in the Premier League. Simeone’s future remains the priority, but the club are not afraid to add quality when they see a deal. Rayo Vallecano’s fabulous 20-year-old sensation Leo Baptistao is reported to be on his way in the summer, and Depor’s Pizzi will also wear the colours of Los Colchoneros, another player who has been fantastic to watch this season.
If a trophy doesn’t come this season, Atletico will reshuffle the deck in the summer and have another go next year. They’re playing well, winning football and the whole team are working well for one another. I’m not about to argue that Falcao may stay at the Vicente Calderon for the rest of his playing days; that would be delusional. However, I am saying that there is no rush from anyone at the club to move him on.
Of course, it’s not all in the hands of Atletico. Falcao’s release clause currently sits at 60 million euros, and while they’re powerless to stop the advances of those with the finances available, how many clubs do genuinely have the muscle to push for such a deal? Real Madrid? Unlikely, provided they can raise significant funds via the sale of current players (Ronaldo maybe). Chelsea? Yes, it’s possible, but even Roman Abramovich may be a little shy of parting with that sort of cash following his last £50million signing.
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The greater point here is that there may be a real possibility that Falcao stays at his current club for one more season. He’s mentioned in the past that he’d like to experience another league, while at the same time he’s always spoken highly of Real Madrid. But Atletico are one of the best teams to watch on the continent with one of the best young managers. Notably, their away record hasn’t been equal to that of their excellent home record, but it’s something they’ll surely be looking to iron out.
The upside if Falcao is sold is that the team will have the finances to replace him. History suggests they’re certainly not reluctant to spend big. But for now, this new, winning Atletico may have too much of a good thing going on. It would of course be a wonderful thing for Spanish football if Atletico can keep Falcao for at least one more year. And with Simeone at the helm, that may be the biggest trophy on offer.