US midfielder Bobby Convey, who spent the past four seasons with English side Reading, signed Tuesday with the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.
Often a player needs a change scenery in order to relive his career. While injuries haven’t helped Convey’s cause the last couple of years at Reading, it was clear his careering was stalling there. A wise move on San Jose’s part adding a former U.S international with something to prove to there squad.
Why is everyone kissing Capello’s ass? I could understand if these quotes were coming from the English players who will try to get on Capello’s good side but Casillas is playing for the defending European champions. English players should be praising Casillas and Spain not the other way around.
Real Madrid Fans Want Klaas-Jan Huntelaar To Stay – AS Poll
A large number of Madridistas have banded together to show their support for their under-fire Dutch striker.
It is weird to say the least that a month into life at Madrid, rumours of Huntelaar happiness are starting to surface. Huntelaar will have to go through what Ricardo Quaresma is still trying to over come. It’s one thing being a big fish in a small pond and having everyone at a club caters to your every need, to playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world where you are surrounded by world class players.
Arsene Wenger Wants Inter Starlet Santon At Arsenal – Reports
The Gunners’ manager is hoping to lure the young Inter defender to the Emirates, according to the latest reports.
A couple of good performances, mostly as a substitute and now Arsenal appear to be interested? Let’s forget the whole Mourinho-Wenger factor for a second. With Inter’s aging back line it’s highly unlikely Inter Milan will part with one of there prized young players anytime soon.
Guus Hiddink could earn up to £2.5m for a four-month stint as Chelsea’s caretaker manager. (Various)
Other estimates suggest the Dutchman could pocket as much as £4m and he is expected to fly to England on Saturday to watch his new team in their FA Cup tie at Watford. (Daily Express)
Hiddink has agreed to manage Chelsea and Russia until the end of the season following Luiz Felipe Scolari’s dismissal as Blues boss. (Various)
Hiddink is just about the best Chelsea could do as a short term replacement. Long term however, here we have Hiddink who has bounced around from team to team pretty much his entire coaching career and renowned as an excellent national team coach. Hmmm where have I heard that one before?
Blues chief executive Peter Kenyon could be the next man to leave Stamford Bridge after he expressed a desire to see Scolari given more time. (Daily Mail)
Don’t think many Manchester United fans would be sad to see Peter Kenyon go, who in his defense has down a pretty good job at Chelsea.
Senior Chelsea players, including goalkeeper Petr Cech, midfielder Michael Ballack and striker Didier Drogba, met Abramovich before the 0-0 draw with Hull as the owner prepared to sack his club’s manager. (Daily Star)
Doesn’t shock me at all to see hear about players who wanted Scolari gone. In fact I’m shocked its only been three players thus far.
Pompey’s former technical director Avram Grant is set to be named the club’s new manager – unless Eriksson is sacked by Mexico this week. (Daily Star)
I’d be shocked if Grant would be foolish enough to coach Portsmouth. His hands will largely be tied once any club comes along with enough cash for his players.
Manchester City fear they will lose striker Daniel Sturridge at the end of the season because of the 19-year-old’s huge wage demands. (Daily Mirror)
When you play for a team who is willing to pay 100 million for a player it’s only natural you are going to ask for the moon come contact time. Besides if Manchester City doesn’t give Sturridge what he wants another club will come close enough to convince Sturridge to jump ship.
Joe Kinnear’s future as Newcastle manager is in doubt after doctors told him he needs an emergency heart bypass operation. (The Sun)
Sadly news to hear if Kinnear has to step down. His Joe Pesci type rant his first day on the job was one of my highlights this season.
Brazil turned on the style to beat world champions Italy 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday and end coach Marcello Lippi’s bid for a record 32-match unbeaten run.
Elano and Robinho scored first-half goals to help Brazil make light of Kaka’s absence and put on a performance at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium which belied their coach Dunga’s reputation as a dour tactician.
Interesting to see Elano who can’t catch a game for Manchester City score for Brazil against Italy yesterday. Even when Elano was playing in the Ukraine, Brazilian coach Dunga hailed him as an important piece to the overall puzzle. With World Cup Qualifiers starting up again next month, a win against a world power like Italy should leave Brazil in a confident mood after a slow start thus far in qualifying.
It’s one thing to say no currently to Real Madrid. It would also be refreshing to see Ribery spend the prime of his career at Bayern. With all that said once and if Real Madrid flashes enough money most players haven’t turned it down.
Mijatovic To Be Sacked By Real Madrid This Evening – Reports
Various newspapers in Spain believe the sports director will be sacked this evening…
When the man who has brought you to the club is no longer president, add to the fact Real Madrid are a distant second to Barcelona currently. With all that being the case it wouldn’t come as a shock to see the axe fall on Mijatovic.
Lippi going for world record against Brazil
Italy coach Marcello Lippi will set a world record of 32 matches without defeat if the world champions defeat five-times World Cup winners Brazil in Tuesday’s friendly international at the Emirates Stadium.
WASHINGTON — Christian Gomez is returning to D.C. United.
Gomez, the 2006 MLS MVP, and goalie Mike Graczyk were traded to D.C. United by Colorado on Monday in a deal that sent midfielder/defender Ivan Guerrero to the Rapids.
With DC United and Marcelo Gallardo parting ways it seems like they are wisely trying to right a previous wrong by bringing back former MVP Christian Gomez who seemed out of place last year in Colorado.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti to replace the axed Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Italian has an agreement to leave the San Siro Stadium at the end of the season. (The Sun)
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich tried to talk Ancelotti into the Chelsea job last summer. Carlo Ancelotti didn’t bite then nor do I see him jumping ship mid season to manage Chelsea.
Roberto Mancini and Frank Rijkaard head the managerial shortlist as Chelsea only want an experienced coach currently out of work, allowing them to take over immediately. (Daily Telegraph, Times)
Roberto Mancini down fall with Inter Milan was the same as Avram Grant sacking at Chelsea. Both failed to win the Champions League. Despite that little fact Mancini is a fine coach in his own right. Remember saying last summer Rijkaard was the man Chelsea should of looked to all long. His Barcelona teams played “beautiful football” while winning titles in Spain and more importantly the Champions League. Also up until the bitter end Rijkaard did a masterful job managing the massive egos that comes with coaching a club like Barcelona.
Scolari’s agent says Chelsea’s failure to sign Robinho contributed to his downfall. “He wanted Robinho but Chelsea didn’t want to spend the money,” said Acaz Felleger. (Daily Mail)
It didn’t help, that much is certain. Also losing Steve Clarke was a factor. Finally selling Wayne Bridge for 11 million pounds and not being able to spend it on another player all helped seal Scolari’s faith.
Portsmouth are lining up former England and Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to replace Tony Adams at Fratton Park. (Various)
Even with his shaky standing as the Mexican national team coach it’s doubtful Sven will want to save Portsmouth from the mess they are currently in.
Ex-Chelsea boss Avram Grant and Alan Curbishley, the bookmakers’ favourites, do not figure prominently in Portsmouth owner Alexandre Gaydamak’s thoughts. (Daily Telegraph)
Grant is another case of a manager unlikely to be interested. Curbishley would be good in this spot. During his time at Charlton always had time comfortably mid table. Looking how far Charlton has fallen since he has left? Currently they are last in the Championship with a one way ticket to the third tier of English football. Plus he somehow managed to keep West Ham up in 2007. Then again he also had Carlos Tevez to call upon back then.
Liverpool striker Andrey Voronin, currently on loan at Hertha Berlin, says he would go back to Anfield to ease the striker crisis after the departure of Robbie Keane. (Various)
Don’t think many Liverpool fans are going “If we have Andrey Voronin we’d be top of the table.” Out of sight, largely out of mind.
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is backing keeper Paul Robinson to become England’s number one once again, despite missing out on Fabio Capello’s squad to face Spain. (Express)
Despite Paul Robinson’s miss against Croatia which clouds things, he wasn’t really that bad of a number one for England.
Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex says the credit crunch has put a stop to extravagant spending by WAGs. (The Sun)
A rise in legal fees thanks for Gerrard’s recent arrest doesn’t help matters either. (Hey sorry the joke was there)
Luis Felipe Scolari has been sensationally sacked by Chelsea.
The Brazilian, who joined the Premier League club last summer, was expected to reinvigorate the club’s fortunes and lead them to titles at home and in Europe, but after a poor run of form the axe has fallen.
Can’t say this move shocks me considering Chelsea’s itchy finger when it comes to managers. Also after the way Scolari announced he was leaving Portugal mid way through Euro 2008 can’t say I’m able to shed a tear for Scolari either. With the Champions League coming up in a couple of weeks Chelsea must of felt a change was needed not only to advance in this years Champions League but to even qualify for next year’s Champions League.
Avram Grant’s name is always on the list but that would be like going back to an ex on the rebound. It just wouldn’t work out long term besides, Grant already had the knife firmly placed in his back by Chelsea last summer. Why sign up for more of the same? Chelsea should look to West Ham for their next coach. No, not Gianfranco Zola but his number two and former Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke. Chelsea haven’t been the same since he left plus he commands the respect of the Chelsea players.
- There are gifts but then they are gifts like the one Christian Poulsen received. In extra time the Catania player completed missed clearing the ball which allowed Poulsen to fire the winning goal home. Down a man Juventus showed a lot of heart keeping pace with Inter Milan by winning 2-1.
- Ok, so it was from a rare header but it made me happy to see Luis Figo score on the weekend against Leece. Even at his age there are few players with Figo’s touch on the ball. Just watching him drill corners and crosses all game long is a thing of beauty. (Goal is at the 2 minute mark of the clip.)
- Left it late but thanks to a Miroslav Klose double in the 87th and 90th minute Bayern Munich edged out a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.
- Ricardo Oliveira making an instant impact for new club Real Betis has he scores was the winning goal in the derby match against Sevilla.
- Louis Van Gaal may not be riding high in the spotlight of Barcelona anymore but he has had the midas touch all year long for AZ. Currently AZ are running away with the Dutch Eredivisie by a massive 11 points over Steve McClaren lead FC Twente.
- For 12 million you’d think Alfonso Alves can find the back of the net against Manchester City. Four clear chances were nicely stopped by Shay Given making his Manchester City. Some credit should go to Given but still a top level striker needs to slot one of those chances home.
- Look foolish in picking Middlesbrough as my surprise team this off season. They have surprised me alright but not as the team who could finish in the top half of the table.
- Mark Hughes is lucky Manchester City won this weekend since after Jo’s two goals for Everton the press would of been all over Hughes for not getting anything out of Jo when David Moyes can.
- First Arsenal, now Chelsea. Can Aston Villa now leap frog Liverpool for second spot after another win on the road against Blackburn.
- Speaking of Chelsea, yes Chelsea got jobbed on a hand ball in the box that wasn’t called but there was nothing in their display against Hull where one could say they deserved the full three points.
- Don’t really know how Scolari will turn this mess around. With Brazil and Portugal he can invoke national pride and build this family atmosphere where his players are altogether taking on the world. Even with a Brazilian clubs like Grêmio and Palmeiras this bonding works since enough players at the club would of grown up cheering for the club. At Chelsea this style does not work. You’d be hard pressed to find five people from the top down who grew up cheering for Chelsea as a kid. These players are professionals, they play for Chelsea because of the money and their standing in world football. It’s highly unlike these players go out to a pub with each other after the game. The relationship with each other ends after the final whistle.
- I see Arsene Wenger play the blame the ref card after Sunday’s match against Tottenham. It’s a nice deflection and all but he really should be furious with Emmanuel Eboué for just being dumb. On a yellow card why in the world are you kicking out like that? With Eboue contact running out this summer Arsenal may be best served just letting him go.
- Not the biggest fan of Manuel Almunia but his save in the dying moments against Luka Modric was a key moment if Arsenal are to sneak into a Champions League spot.
- Get better Joe Kinnear, who after Newcastle’s 3-2 win against West Brom should be feeling better this morning after being admitted to hospital for high blood pressure.
- Not a game to remember but Ryan Giggs turned back the clock and was the difference between Manchester United and a West Ham team who have given United trouble through the years.
- By the time this is posted Tony Adams should be out of a job. What a way to lose a job is all I can think of. Being up twice only to lose in the final moments against Liverpool is a tough way to lose a job. What in the world is Peter Crouch doing passing the ball back like that to set up the first goal. Dirk Kuyt should not be scoring on the short side even if his shot was a rocket. Finally why in the world is Fernando Torres given that much space for the 3rd goal. He is only the best striker in England for crying out loud. Why he is getting a free header late in the game.
- You dodged that bullet there Rafa as you would of been questioned from here to next week about your team selection heading into the Portsmouth match.
- For a player who wants to play week in and week out, you gotta finish your chances Ryan Babel. Let’s be honest Captain Dan from Forrest Gump would of found a way to score in the same spot Babel missed with a wide open net.
- José Bosingwa sure looks a lot like Bert from sesame street.
