All posts by h79snht.top

Socceroos captain Lucas Neill has categorically denied reports that he led a player revolt against former manager Pim Verbeek.Respected football scribe Les Murray claimed in his recently released book, ‘The World Game’, that Neill had told his team-mates to ignore the Dutchman’s orders ahead of the Socceroos’ disastrous 4-0 loss o Germany in their opening game at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Murray wrote that Neill had asked Verbeek to leave the change room prior to the match, erased his notes on a whiteboard and told his teammates to ‘ignore this bulls**t’ and to play like they normally play.

Murray claimed that Neill’s comments were made in frustration at his refusal to select a striker in the team’s starting line-up, with the likes of Harry Kewell, Josh Kennedy and Brett Holman all starting on the bench as Australia was routed.

But Neill hit back on Friday, claiming that the allegations were simply not true.

“I’m on holiday and I’m absolutely shocked by this. Yesterday I was shocked about it and a little bit angry. (It’s) clearly not true,” Neill told Fox Sports News.

“It’s unfair to make me a scapegoat and say I’ve undermined the manager. If it’s just a way to sell a book, then so be it, I’ve seen that done before. But I don’t want it to be me and I don’t want it to be me having my name and my reputation (tarnished).”

Neill revealed that he did not even have the chance to speak to his fellow players before the loss and re-iterated that he would not undermine Verbeek.

“As a captain, I’m not going to undermine that guy, he’s my manager and he is my boss. Whatever he says, I’m going to get all the boys believing in that,” he said.

“In the end Schwarzy (Mark Schwarzer) started talking in the changeroom before the game and as a senior pro, I respected what he was saying and before we knew it, it was time to go out. I actually didn’t get to give my captains speech.”

Verbeek stepped down as Australian manager following Australia’s World Cup campaign, which ended in the group stage, but Neill said it was unfair to judge his rein on that one performance against Germany.

“To say that Pim is a bad manager, that’s not true. He had one bad game out of 16,” Neill said.

“Pim won us so many great games in tough places and with one or two games to spare we were in the World Cup.

“We hadn’t been to the World Cup for 30 (32) years and all of a sudden we are going again to two consecutive World Cups and he did it with time to spare. That’s credit to a man who didn’t go down well in everyone’s books.”

Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia has admitted that Carlos Tevez has the ability to have a real impact on the title race.

The Argentina international has been away from the game due to continued controversies, however after returning to action against Chelsea, where he set up the winning goal, Valencia has spoken of the South American’s threat.

“If Carlos plays against us, I’m sure he’ll be motivated. He’s an excellent player, able to change a match in an instant. What he did against Chelsea was no surprise,” the Ecuador international told The Sun.

“But for Tevez to score the winner? I hope it doesn’t happen. And for us to fail and lose the title will bring pain for months. But I’m confident in my team.

“There’s a lot of pride in Manchester that our two clubs are the best in England. Our challenge is to win all our matches and to arrive with an advantage over City on derby day.

“I’m not saying whether that game will decide the title but it’s clear the winners will deliver a morale blow to the other club. So I expect a big battle and for us to avenge our 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Tottenham Hotspur have been handed renewed hope in their reported interest in trying to sign Brazil striker Luis Fabiano from Spanish side Sevilla.

The 29-year-old had previously ruled out a move to White Hart Lane, but appears to have had a change of heart.

He is quoted as telling ESPN: "I must admit it's only in the last few weeks I have understood just how big Spurs' ambition is."

The South American frontman had previously stated:"I have heard Tottenham Hotspur made an inquiry about me.

"But, with all respect, that is not somewhere I am going to be able to win the Premier League or the European Cup in the next three or four years.

"There would be no point in me joining Tottenham. I might as well stay at Sevilla, as it's the same thing.

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"Sevilla are actually bigger when you look at how much we have been in the European Cup, so there would be no point me moving to a smaller team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis was relieved to see his side end a run of five straight defeats with a hard-fought 3-2 win at home to Birmingham City.

Goals from Robert Huth and Ricardo Fuller put the hosts 2-0 up with 19 minutes to play at the Britannia Stadium, before the Blues scored twice in four minutes to level the scores, only for Dean Whitehead to bundle home a winner five minutes from time.

Pulis said afterwards:"When they got the second goal it was very deflating.

"But I thought in the first half it was as good as we have played, getting the ball wide nice and early and we caused them lots of problems.

"The big disappointment was that we weren't coming in at half-time more than one goal up.

"We started the second half well and then had a mad 15 minutes where, after Ricardo's fantastic goal, they pressed on and had nothing to lose.

"After the previous 70 minutes, we started to take a step back and fair play to Birmingham, they kept going and they nearly nicked something.

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"But we've got a great group of players who never give up and they are resilient.

"What we needed was a win, which we have got and it has lifted us a little bit."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

I was very shocked to find out that one of Fulham’s poster boys has decided to jump ship now that his contract has come to an end.

I am talking about the seemingly ageless Danny Murphy who has swapped the middle class Craven Cottage for the tops turvy roller coaster ride that is going on at Ewood Park.

Word on the street was that QPR made a late bid for the Premiership journey man but were unable to offer what Steve Kean could and so Murphy will be a Blackburn Rovers player next season. If you thought that was strange then you should see who The Daily Mail think Fulham are lining up for a replacement.

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey!

Reports are saying that even though Ramsey is settled at Arsenal he may be forced to leave due to some imminent transfers for example the much talked about Yann M’Villa but it seems that they are jumping the gun a little bit.

Arsenal haven’t actually signed another midfielder yet and even if all the rumours are true about M’Villa then surely the Brazilian Denilson would be the one Wenger lets go not the young and highly promising Welshmen.

Aside from a few shaky displays toward the end of last season Ramsey has returned from his horrendous injury at the hands – or should I say feet – of Ryan Shawcross with aplomb and was rewarded for his efforts by receiving the armband for his country when under the late great Gary Speed.

He shows maturity, patience on the ball and good passing. All attributes that Arsene Wenger believes to be essential for any holding midfielder so why on earth he would be considering selling him to a fellow London club is beyond me.

Stranger things have happened however and although I think due to Ramsey’s age he won’t be let go by Wenger I think that, as a replacement for Murphy, Ramsey would be great. Right now he is a squad player for a team that is used to playing in all the major competitions and may benefit from being made the dictator of midfield.

He would bring a new injection of energy and vision to this Fulham side that is trying to be reinvented by Martin Jol. Jol has made the clever decision that in order to bring the club forward he must move away from the blueprint of Roy Hodgson and apply his own philosophy on the club. This has been shown by the new and exciting players Jol has brought in and helped to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League. Ramsey could be the marquee signing if somehow Jol could convince him to move.

A player like Ramsey and a strong centre forward that will get you goals are needed more than a new poultry free owner of Blackburn Rovers for Fulham next season. Without them they will certainly struggle to maintain a top half finish and a push for Europa League places.

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The likeliness of Aaron Ramsey himself swapping the Emirates for Craven Cottage is about as likely as Mario Balotelli chucking his career as a footballer to go and live on an island somewhere and spend the rest of his days fishing in peace and serenity but then again Chelsea did sign Steve Sidwell.

Older custodians of the game can seem sanctimonious when complaining about the youth of today. The typical refrain is that these young starlets, bolstered by their aggressive agents are demanding excessive wages before they have proved their worth. But when that view is voiced by current Premier League stars such as Ryan Giggs and Didier Drogba, is it time for football to take note? These two decorated players have achieved a substantial amount and are still consistent performers in their thirties. The context in which young players break through to the professional ranks today is markedly different. By receiving too much too soon are today’s youngsters lacking the drive and work ethic of these two influential players?

At the age of 36 Giggs won the PFA Player’s Player of the Year in April and the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Award last December. Cynics may argue, with some justification, that the Welshman had won the sentimentality vote. Nonetheless it was testament to the performances he has delivered over the years, being the only player to score in every PL season. When questioned in a recent Guardian interview about the substantive money now sloshing about the system, even for youngsters, he said, “It just takes your eye of the ball. And you’re not as hungry as players used to be. You think you’ve made it before you’ve done anything.”

Giggs’ long-time agent Harry Swales concurred. “They get to be 16 or 17, they score two or three goals, the newspapers blow them up to be something superhuman.” Giggs revealed that when he made his first team debut as a 17-year old he was paid around £40 a week. To say that today’s climate is million miles away would be an understatement. The former Wales international is perfectly comfortable with the concept of a footballer earning vast sumes (he is worth a reported £24 million) but evidently believes you have to pay your dues first. His comments correlate with Chelsea’s Drogba who spoke nostalgically about his formative years when returning to the club where it all began, Levallois on the outskirts of Paris. Former coach Srebrenko Repicic said, “In his first season, Didier was only paid if we won. The bonus was 200 Euros, which was a lot of money for him, but if we lost he got nothing.” His distaste for losing has persisted and he fondly remembers his time there. “This is where you learn your values, like sharing and solidarity. They are sometimes lost in pro football.”

But do the words of Giggs and Drogba resonate? They manifestly do in the blue half of Manchester where Roberto Mancini has warned Adam Johnson to stay grounded. Given the winger’s form he may have seemed an unlikely target but the Italian disciplinarian clearly maintains that he can improve and work harder. Additionally there was outrage in some quarters at the wage demands of their summer signing Mario Balotelli. The volatile but highly talented former Inter Milan starlet is yet to feature in the PL. The Milanese Champions League winners allegedly offered to double his wages but the 19-year old opted for a transfer and the opportunity to earn £180,000 a week. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was unusually downbeat when appearing on a BBC documentary concerning England’s chances at the next World Cup. He questioned the ability of the next generation when compared to their inflated egos and forthright agents.

However young, emerging players cannot be blamed for the milieu in which they operate. Since the likes of Giggs and Drogba broke through football, for good or ill, has altered fundamentally. Would they have rejected the grand opportunities being offered to Balotelli and others. Moreover the majority of fans are unperturbed by the scale of players’ wages but particularly if they are perceived to have earned them. By definition young prospects, yet to reach their twenties, have not earned the right to command such lucrative contracts. Youngsters could still be handed these contracts but with a caveat that wages will incrementally rise in tandem with performances. The argument may seem needlessly moralistic but proven winners such as Giggs attribute their enduring spirit and character to a relatively humble start.

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Costa Rican club Saprissa booked their place in the last four of the CONCACAF Champions League with a 2-1 win over Olimpia.Saprissa led 1-0 from the first leg at home through Armando Alonso Rodriguez’s goal and it was the midfielder who broke the deadlock in Thursday’s return fixture at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.Defender Gabriel Badilla set up his Costa Rica international teammate Rodriguez, who beat Olimpia goalkeeper Noel Valladares to open the scoring in the 25th minute.The Honduran hosts levelled seven minutes into the second half when striker Roger Rojas met Wilfredo Barahona’s corner to power the ball home and make it 1-1 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate.But Olimpia’s hopes of mounting a comeback were dashed just after the hour mark.Substitute Luis Cordero – who had only been on the pitch for five minutes after replacing Josue Martenez – struck to make it 2-1 and restore the two-goal aggregate cushion for Saprissa.They will now meet Real Salt Lake in the last four after the American side defeated Columbus Crew in an all-Major League Soccer quarter-final.Elsewhere, Monterrey will take on Cruz Azul in all-Mexican semi-final.

As the Premier League returns to the fore this weekend after the international break Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will hoping his side can kickstart a season that has seen him court unwarranted criticism so early into his reign as manager. Expectations have certainly been raised by the arrival of Rodgers and his ‘tiki-taka’ priniciples with the Northern Irishman’s influence on the Merseyside clubs style of play evident in their opening fixtures of the new term. One issue that still burns is where captain Steven Gerrard fits into the new philosophy. The Reds skipper is renowned for his wide range of passing but Rodgers belief in patient ball retention doesn’t fit Gerrard’s credo and at times he has appeared restricted in the midfield. The signings of Joe Allen and Nuri Sahin are both indicative of the new ideology and Gerrard currently sticks out like a sore thumb often being unable to resist the temptation to pump a long-ball up towards Luis Suarez which has often caused the breakdown of attacks. Whether Rodgers can school the 32-year-old in his beliefs remains to be seen but as the old sayin goes “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”.

This week on FFC what will Rodgers have learnt about his squad and managing the Reds in his short time at Anfield and which German ace is he closely monitoring?

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Best of FFC

Joe Allen: Overrated or Undervalued?

Why FSG need to step up to the plate here

A genuine cause for concern at Liverpool?

What are the ‘key things’ Brendan Rodgers will have learnt by now?

Has he leapfrogged him at Anfield Already?

Liverpool keeping tabs on German ace

Brendan Rodgers insists transfer signing was never on the cards

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Best of WEB

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Should Sterling Just Be Allowed To Shine? – Live 4 Liverpool

‘I’m worried’ – John Barnes reveals his fears for ‘fantastic’ LFC star’s future… – Liverpool Kop

Jonjo Shelvey: Coming of Age – This is Anfield

I’m in charge! Rodgers dismisses FSG’s big transfer idea. Good news? – Liverpool Kop

A Tactical Glossary – Some Terms for the Modern Age – The Tomkins Times

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Time For Gerrard To Choose – Live 4 Liverpool

Liverpool – The Truth at last – This is Anfield

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Quote of the Week

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“I’ve never had a problem with Pepe. He’s been brilliant for me. He’s a key member of the squad here. Absolutely first class, he’s been. He understands what it is I’m trying to do. He understands the philosophy and he’s a really, really good guy. Off the field, he’s important for the group, he’s a big voice in the changing room, and I’ve had no feelings at all that he’s ever wanted to leave. I’ve never felt anything like that whatsoever. I’ve good communication with him. I speak regularly with Pepe. He’s one of the senior players.” Brendan Rodgers dismisses speculation Pepe Reina could leave Liverpool

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Featured Video

With the sight of Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini generously handing out fruit pastels just after half time during the City game, it made me wonder not just about why Mancini has a fondness for the sweets, but about the other traits managers have become famous for over the years.

Of course we are all used to seeing managers of just about every level getting irate and swearing on the touchline – even getting sent to the stands on occasion, with their job just about the most pressurised one in football. Every substitution is analysed and focused on, every word spoken in a press conference, so is it really any wonder that from time to time a manger loses it or does something slightly out of the ordinary on the side-lines?

Here is a look at the top ten traits of a manager – from ones so recognised they should be copyrighted by the manager who originated them to ones that all manager have been guilty of from time to time.

Click on Rafa Benitez below to unveil the 10

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Manchester United winger Nani has reportedly retracted his initial increased wage demand, according to The Sun.

At the latter end of last season, Nani, 25, initially requested a pay increase from £90,000 to £130,000 pounds a week which would mean a weekly pay rise of just under 50%. However, in the second half of the 2011/12 season the winger suffered a subsequent loss of form, scoring only two goals.

Nani’s loss of form continued to slump during Portugal’s Euro 2012 campaign and seemingly has failed to improve after a disappointing performance against Everton on Monday, which eventually saw him replaced by Ashley Young with just over ten minutes remaining. The Sun now claims that Ashley Young will now start ahead of Nani when Manchester United play Fulham at Old Trafford tomorrow.

As a consequence, Nani has dropped his wage demands in fear of losing his place in Sir Alex Ferguson’s first eleven. Nani faces stiff competition in his position, with Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and veteran Ryan Giggs also able to perform on both wings. Sir Alex Ferguson has told the winger that in order to receive a wage increase he needs to emulate the kind of form that saw him in the PFA team of the year at the end of the 2009/10 season.

Nani earns considerably less than the United top earners. These include Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie who comfortably exceed the £10 million pound income received per annum. This is compared to the £4 million pounds Nani earns per annum. Conversely, Nani still earns less than his colleagues vying for the same position Ashley Young and Ryan Giggs, but still earns more than Antonio Valencia.

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Nani was rumoured to be of interest to both Real Madrid and Zenit St. Petersburg in the summer but consequentially to these rumours Manchester United have said that with two years left to run on Nani’s contract, they would not be willing to let him go for any less than £25 million pounds.

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