Tag Futebol

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly on Wednesday gave the go-ahead topaceman Ashish Nehra, who was stopped from bowling in the first Testagainst Zimbabwe, for the second Test but opener Sadagoppan Rameshcontinued to be a doubtful starter having not recovered fully from aback injury.”He (Nehra) would play,” Ganguly said with a finality after a look atthe wicket at the Harare Sports Club where the second Test starts onFriday.There were doubts over Nehra’s inclusion in the team for the secondTest after the umpires stopped him midway in his 27th over of theZimbabwe second innings in Bulawayo and disqualified him from bowlingfor the rest of the innings for damaging the pitch in his followthrough.Nehra, whose boots damaged the pitch near the non-striker’s wickets inhis follow-through, was warned twice by the umpires and on the thirdoccasion he was stopped from bowling.Coach John Wright too supported Nehra’s cause saying the bowler hadperformed very well in the Bulawayo Test claiming five wicketsincluding the prized wicket of Andy Flower in both the innings.However, Ramesh, who struggled with the bat in the first Test, has notrecovered from the injury he sustained while fielding in Bulawayo, andis not sure of playing here. “His back has not improved much,” saidGanguly. “We would have to keep a close watch on his fitness.”Ramesh took two outstanding catches in the second innings of the firstTest, the second being an air-borne one-handed catch to dismiss dangerman Andy Flower during which he injured his back.If Ramesh has to sit out, his state mate Hemang Badani may make hisdebut and asked to open the innings with Shiv Sunder Das.Meanwhile, Ganguly looked pleased with the pitch at the stadium whichseemed a bit more spinner-friendly than the one at Bulawayo.Zimbabwe coach Carl Rackemann said the pitch here would be verydifferent from the first Test. “This is a different track. It willhave a lot of pace though there might not be as much sidewaysmovement,” he said.”Having said that, I think the track in Bulawayo was outstanding andeveryone, be it a batsman or a bowler, had a chance in the middle,” hesaid.Rackemann felt had his bowlers performed a little better the fate ofthe first Test would have been different. “I have no doubt on thisscore. I think we didn’t bowl as well as we should have to Harbhajan(Singh). We allowed him to get away with easy runs. We would make sureit doesn’t happen here.””If we bowl with discipline and bat the way we did in the secondinnings, we could spring a surprise on the Indians,” he said.Zimbabwe are fancying their chances here with Travis Friend, whomissed the first Test with a thigh injury, recovering fast and lookingalmost a certainty for the Test.The paceman bowled at full tilt for 45 minutes in the practice sessiontoday and was confident of playing here. “I have missed out on fiveTests in the last season because of injuries. I don’t want it tohappen here again,” Friend said.Friend, who has a special ability to bounce on any surface, said hestill feels a niggle in his thigh. “Hopefully it will come right intime,” he said.

Malcolm Waller’s bowling action has been found to be legal upon reassessment, and the Zimbabwe allrounder can now resume bowling in international cricket, the ICC has announced.Following remedial work at the University of Pretoria earlier this month, Waller underwent reassessment, which concluded that the amount of elbow extension in his offspin deliveries was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under ICC regulations.Umpires can report Waller in the future if they believe his action is suspect or that he is not reproducing the action that has been declared legal during this assessment.Waller was reported after the second Test against Bangladesh in Khulna in November 2014. Following an assessment carried out in December, his action for his offspin deliveries was found to be illegal, and he was suspended from bowling in internationals.

Tottenham are preparing for a crucial January window with the club hierarchy reportedly willing to back under-fire manager Thomas Frank with significant spending.

The Sun reports that Spurs could invest up to £150 million next month as they look to address clear weaknesses in both attacking and defensive areas following a disappointing first half of the campaign.

The north London club currently languish 14th in the Premier League after suffering five defeats in their last eight matches across all competitions.

Frank finds himself under mounting pressure after the club’s failure to build on the promising foundations laid during his first few months in charge, with supporters increasingly frustrated by the lack of consistency and identity in performances.

Wide attackers have emerged as the primary focus for recruitment chiefs ahead of January, with Spurs desperate to add pace, creativity and goal threat from the flanks to complement their existing options.

Related Tottenham officials sent to club as Spurs eye Hazard-like 'magician' after Semenyo snub

Spurs are craving a new left-winger.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Antoine Semenyo was Tottenham’s top target for the upcoming window following his impressive performances for Bournemouth this season, with the Ghana international combining explosive pace with impressive output in the final third.

However, landing the 25-year-old has been far from straightforward given strong competition from Man City, who are understood to be in pole position to sign Semenyo and trigger his £65 million release clause.

Spurs now find themselves forced to ‘rethink’ their entire transfer strategy for January following Semenyo’s apparent preference for joining City rather than moving to north London, according to TEAMtalk.

Tottenham make 'fresh explorations' for Man City winger Savinho

The outlet and journalist Dean Jones have a fresh transfer update surrounding the Lilywhites’ plans today, detailing their Semenyo alternatives as Frank chases a quality left-winger.

The club recently touched base about Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, but early indications suggest they will not have much chance of signing the highly-rated Turkish winger either as he eyes a new contract in Turin.

Maghnes Akliouche and Yan Diomande have also been identified as ambitious transfer targets, though these moves are more realistically planned for the summer of 2026 rather than next month.

As per Jones, Tottenham have now made ‘fresh explorations’ around whether Savinho, who was chased during the summer, remains genuinely interested in departing Eastlands despite his recent contract extension.

The 21-year-old impressed during his time in France with Troyes and subsequently at Girona, attracting interest from multiple Premier League clubs before ultimately choosing to join Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Savinho penned a new deal at City last summer despite indications that he ‘fancied’ a move to Spurs, but he has struggled significantly to tie down a regular starting role in Guardiola’s loaded attacking lineup.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Make smarter sense of Tottenham’s January plans—subscribe to the newsletter for deep player profiles, realistic target assessments and tactical-fit breakdowns so you can follow every potential deal. Subscribe Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Make smarter sense of Tottenham’s January plans—subscribe to the newsletter for deep player profiles, realistic target assessments and tactical-fit breakdowns so you can follow every potential deal.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The Brazilian’s limited opportunities have raised questions about whether he made the correct decision to extend, especially with the 2026 World Cup looming next year.

This situation could potentially open a door for Tottenham to revive their interest if the player becomes frustrated with his peripheral role.

However, before Spurs attempt to formally test the water with any offers for the ‘incredible’ City forward, they want to understand precisely how keen he would be on making the switch to north London.

Intermediaries are now expected to uncover what the future holds in the player’s mind, with Tottenham looking to bring in a standout attacking talent to bolster Frank’s squad.

Related Tottenham player set for January exit talks after returning from injury

A Spurs departure is on the cards for him.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Carlos Tevez throws his toys out of the pram and the football world unites in sheer disdain at the actions of the Argentine forward. Am I the only one who saw this coming – given the fractious relationship between the player and the football club?

Tevez is something of an enigma in football, a complete one off and a player who in my opinion has no real love for the game. He wouldn’t be the first who plays the game simply as a living and the Argentine himself has suggested more than once that he is considering quitting the game for good. The very fact he initially joined West Ham and then had the sheer audacity to cross the Manchester divide tells you everything you need to know about a player who clearly has no emotional attachment to the game. He will kiss the badge and all that to appease his fans, but as he showed with United and now City, he will happily look after No.1 as and when it suits him.

The reason I wasn’t surprised at the events in Munich was that for the first time this summer, what Carlos Tevez wants he didn’t get. The Argentine was on a one man mission to get himself out of the Etihad Stadium and used every medium possible to let everyone know how unhappy he was in Manchester. I guess the sheer arrogance of the player thought that there would be a queue of teams as long as his arm willing to buy him, but everyone steadfast refused to pay the reported £40m asking price on his head and the player had to remain at City. Unfortunately the player and his advisors had no one to blame as the Citizens put him on the market and were prepared to take a £7m loss on the player to grant Tevez his move. The fact is no one wanted him and he had to return to City with his tail firmly between his legs.

What Tevez couldn’t have bargained for is that City have moved on without him and he returned being stripped on the captaincy and another Argentine had stolen the love and affection of the City faithful. Suddenly the player who thought he was untouchable in these parts was no longer needed, leaving the player well and truly up the creek without a paddle. It was only a matter of time before he cracked and that came out in Munich last night – I’m just surprised it hasn’t happened sooner.

So where does Tevez go from here? I am sure City will look through his contract and see if there are any loopholes within that allow them to further their punishment. I am sure Carlos is privately thinking ‘job done’ and he will force his move, however I hope for football that Manchester City hold firm and let him rot in the reserves. They are probably the only football club who can afford to do so and I hope they do and make a stand against these parasites within the game. It is about time the clubs took control once again and put these multi-millionaire prima donnas in their place once and for all.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

It’s been a strange old season so far for Liverpool. The fans have certainly had to put up with a lot already, even more than usual in fact. Roy Hodgson came and went, but not before making some questionable decisions, like Paul Konchesky for example, who is now playing Championship football. And now Kenny Dalglish has finally taken the reins and brought some much needed normality to the club. But what is King Kenny doing that Hodgson wasn’t?

On the face of things, he has pretty much the same squad, minus Konchesky who has hardly been missed, and of course Fernando Torres. Surely, Hodgson must be sat at home feeling pretty let down watching players like Raul Meireles smash goals in and Maxi Rodriguez actually offer something positive.

Admittedly, Dalglish has made a few changes which most of us were crying out for the former boss to make a long time ago. Christian Poulsen was getting in ahead of Lucas and Jonjo Shelvey, Sotirios Kyrgiakos was often preferred too over Daniel Agger and the less said about Konchesky the better – especially with Martin Kelly proving to be such a talent. But other than that, should we just put the turn in Liverpool’s fortunes down to the fact that he’s a man motivator? I know that ‘King Kenny’ breathes the club and is as close to the club’s all-time cult hero as Anfield is ever likely to see, but wasn’t Roy Hodgson quite good at getting the best out of his team himself? We shouldn’t forget that he took a very ordinary Fulham to the final of the Uefa Cup not that long ago.

Liverpool have had their critics – I’m not ashamed to admit that was one of the biggest, but I still felt that Hodgson was dealt a bad hand. He inherited an average squad with a couple of underperforming gems and was expected to work miracles. Yes he made some bad signings, but doesn’t every manager? Surely the rest of the team who are now playing for their shirts the way Dalglish and co would have done, should have been doing it for Hodgson as well? It takes a lot more than a club icon to make better normal players better.

In terms of Meireles, it just looks as though all he needed was time to adapt to life in the Premier League. So the fact he wasn’t doing a job straight away, does that make Hodgson a bad manager? What it says to me is that he recognised a good player, but won’t get credit for bringing him to the club because he wasn’t given the chance to see the Portuguese star settle into life at Anfield. Instead we attribute his new found quality down to Dalglish getting the best out of him.

There is no doubting that Kenny Dalglish has done a marvellous job at turning the club around so the decision to replace Hodgson seems vindicated, especially as his 6-month spell wasn’t exactly successful. But I hope within the realms of football management, his ability to coach a side hasn’t now been tarnished. He has proven pedigree and his ill-fated reign at Liverpool wasn’t all down to his bad spending and tactical naivety. The players simply didn’t want to play for him and the fans soon turned on him – a brutal combination.

King Kenny will continue to motivate the troops at Liverpool, but I hope Hodgson will be back doing the same thing at a club who want him there, sooner rather than later.

Like my rants? Follow me on Twittr @Joino

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that his side’s attempts to sign Andy Carroll on loan have been unsuccessful.

The England international is believed to be surplus to requirements at Liverpool after Brendan Rodgers’ appointment, and has been linked with both a loan and permanent exit from Anfield.

The Upton Park team were one of the potential suitors for the burly forward, but Allardyce has confessed that the chance of Carroll moving to the newly-promoted club is slim.

“I would probably have stuck my neck out and said we would almost certainly stay up with him on board,” The Daily Mail report the West Ham boss as saying.

“We wouldn’t have thought we would have had any chance of signing a player of Andy Carroll’s capabilities but it became clear a couple of weeks ago there was a possibility of a loan. Unfortunately at this moment, it’s not the case.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

After the two week international break, where England have put themselves on the brink of qualification for the Euro Championships, a welcome return to the Premier League action is nearly upon us. It seems like an eternity since Rooney was sticking three past Arsenal and Dzeko hammered four past Tottenham, but in just over 48hrs the battles will resume.

Three games in, the Premier League has been exciting and at its entertaining best with goals aplenty. While the usual suspects remain at the top end of the tree, few would have expected the likes of Wolves, Newcastle and Wigan making up the top 8. Mick McCarthy (ever the optimist) claims that all he cares about is where the next 30pts are going to come from to ensure Premier League safety.

Elsewhere it has been a bad start in North London – with both clubs in the bottom four and suffering heavy defeats at the hands of the Manchester Clubs and Messrs Wenger and Redknapp will be hoping that their NEW transfer window signings will kick-start their stuttering starts to the season. Arsenal could have no fewer than five players making their debuts at the Emirates this Saturday, as Wenger finally puts his hand in his pocket, to freshen up his squad.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It promises to be an absolute feast of football, but to give you a taste of the thrills and spills we have witnessed so far in the opening weeks of the Premier League season – go to the excellent ESPN Goals App for a review of season so far.

Click here to download the ESPN Goals App – a must have for every football supporter!

Manager Luigi Delneri is expecting a warm reception from Sampdoria fans when he leads Juventus out at his former club on Sunday.

Juve sit in sixth place on the Serie A table heading into the clash at Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris – eight points ahead of Sampdoria in tenth.

Delneri played one season for Sampdoria in the early 1980s and returned to manage the club last season, guiding them to fourth place in the league.

The Italian said there would be mutual respect between him and the fans when he takes up his place in the technical area.

“They (Sampdoria fans) will definitely be expecting applause from me. Our relationship was short, only one year, but it was very deep from an emotional point of view,” Delneri said.

“We carved out some great results together so I will definitely be happy to meet them. On the other hand, I think they will also be happy to meet me and be grateful for what we did together last year.”

“I’ve always held that club in high regard. Both as a player and as a coach, we know each other very well.”

The 60-year-old boss said he was wary of Sampdoria’s presence up front – featuring the likes of Giampaolo Pazzini and new loan man Federico Macheda – as well as their tactical nous.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“Juventus will be even more spurred on by Sampdoria because they are a strong and solid team. They are a side that knows how to keep the play on the pitch and know how to find the right resources. We should pay particular care to what we do best, and do it as fast as we can,” he said.

“We have to pay attention to their pressing tactics and to some of their key players, especially to their strikers, because they are really strong up front.”

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.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

Club Name:  Middlesbrough

Last season in brief:  Pre-season expectations were very high, we had two of the SPL’s top goal scorers in modern history in Boyd & McDonald and on paper looked like a very good hard working team and of course all of this under the guidance of the ‘wee ginger man’ Strachan.

The bookies fancied us, the wee man had been given the customary financial backing by the ever reliant Steve Gibson. What could go wrong?

Strachan had invested in players from a league that was to be fair, no better than league one standard. They didn’t gel, we got some unlucky injuries i.e. Willo Flood on the first day of the season and Strachan was persistent in attempting to make ‘his’ players and system work some times to the detriment of our own promising younger players, a good example of this would be young Joe Bennett who he nearly destroyed when subbing him when he’d came on as sub then farming him out loan.

So left flirting with relegation and facing a real possibility that it could happen, Strachan did the decent thing and admitted defeat walking away without a severance package from the club.

Once the fans had heard that ‘mogga’ Tony Mowbray was in the frame to take over, there was no going back. Mogga was and is a cult icon hero amongst theAyresomeParkregulars during the 80’s.

So in came Mowbray who tried to influence his footballing style on a rigid and poor performing team. In short, Mowbray did bring stability and at times fans could see the attacking football that he is has promised.

He wasn’t afraid to blood the youngsters once relegation was avoided, with young academy products such as Joe Bennett catching the eye and showing promise for the future.

2010/2011 Final Finish: 12th

Who’s New: Malaury Martin 22 year old French midfielder on the books atBlackpool, however injury put pay to any impact, capped at every level Martin could be a real interesting addition.

Curtis Main, released byDarlington, Mowbray offered the 20 year old striker a trial and was impressed enough to offer him a contract.

Who’s Out: Boyd to a Turkish league team I’m not even going to attempt to spell- Free.

Finally Digard has got his permanent move to Nice-Nominal Fee.

Andrew Taylor to Cardiff- Free

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Who to Watch: Young Joe Bennett, after being shot on the proverbial football scrapheap by the ‘ginger’ one, ‘Mogga’ came in and rejuvenated the player who in turn repaid the faith showed in him to put in some classy performances which in turn attracted the attention of a number of premier league clubs.

Merouane Zemmama he maybe no Juninho, but hopefully this season he can wave his magical wand and conjure us up much needed victories. I suspect that if fit, most of the play will be coming through this little Moroccan.

Who’s going up: It’s hard to look past Leicester & West Ham really, though I think McClaren will be there or there abouts with Forest. But I think I’ll plumb for Leicester.

Who’s going down: Peterborough, Doncaster and Bristol City.  For no particular reason but to just pick 3 teams I feel will struggle.

Where will you finish: Heart: 2nd, Head: 10th. If we are pushing for a playoff space come late May, I and many other Boro fans will be delighted.