There Is Only One Sinnacle

Aston Villa’s veteran goalkeeper Brad Friedel, 40, is heading for Tottenham, despite interest from Liverpool. He believes he will see more first-team action at White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror

Would be a smart move for Friedel linking up with Tottenham. Friedel still has another year or two of top flight football left in him.

Tottenham have slapped a £50m price tag on left-sided player Gareth Bale, who is believed to be a target for Juventus and Inter Milan. However, they will let midfielder Luka Modric go for about £25m – despite denying the Croatian is on his way to Chelsea or Manchester United. Daily Mirror

There is no chance that Gareth Bale is twice the player Luka Modric is.

Barcelona’s opening offer for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is likely to be at the £30m mark. Arsenal want £50m and may stand a better chance of getting it from Manchester City.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Meet someone in the middle at 40 million and let this be over him.

Manchester United will lose out to Real Madrid in the race to sign Benfica’s left-sided star Fabio Coentrao. the Sun

Portuguese players playing for Real Madrid will always make me happy but Marcelo has done nothing to lose his job or for Real Madrid to even bring another player in his position.

Sevilla are set to offer Arsenal £8m for unsettled Brazilian midfielder Denilson.
Full story: Daily Mail

Arsenal should be set to ship Denilson off at that price.

Russian side Zenit St Petersburg have had a bid to swap their defender Bruno Alves for Chelsea’s Alex rejected, despite also being prepared to include cash in the deal.
Full story: Daily Mail

For the love of god why? Alex is a great 3rd central defender but Bruno Alves is still a much better player. Again Porto sold Alves at just the right time.

Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson has been weighed up by four Premier League clubs after being released by Birmingham, with Sunderland believed to be one of the interested parties.
Full story: Daily Mail

I love it when clubs say they have released players. No, the truth is Larsson wanted no part of signing with Birmingham.

If Gerard Houllier is given a clean bill of health in his final medical examination it will leave Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner unable to terminate his contract on the grounds of ill health – which would have reduced the Frenchman’s payout. It means Houllier would cost £5m to sack.
Full story: Daily Mail

It was the right move for all involved for Houllier and Aston Villa to agree to walk away. The stress of football management isn’t won’t your health.

What Rui Costa retiring for me must be the same as Paul Scholes retiring for many Manchester United fans as a era is slowly coming to a close. As for me personally while I respected Scholes game and have even more respect for what the likes of Xavi and Zidane have said about him I never throught he should of been mentioned with the likes of those players. A great player yes, a superstar who won games on his own no.

Sorry this was late as I was sick. Some would say maybe I’m sick of Barcelona winning which is true but congrats to Barcelona who are the best team in Europe after running circles around Manchester United who very much looked like the opening act compared to Barcelona headlining the show.

I can’t blame Sir Alex Ferguson for going toe to toe with Barcelona but much like 2009 the likes of Extramarital Giggs and Michael Carrick couldn’t slow down Xavi, Iniesta and Messi. In other words bring on those Luka Modric rumours. One thing I did like is Barcelona letting Eric Abidal lift the Champions League trophy. Wasn’t a big fan of the violence which oocured on the streets of Barcelona. Stay classy Barcelona but congrats on winning your 4th European title.

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has turned down an incredible £20m a year offer from Juventus and is now set to stay at Eastlands. Daily Mail

Considering Carlos Tevez is home sick moving further away from Argentina by going to Juventus wouldn’t be the smartest of moves.

Liverpool are poised to make a bid for Birmingham centre-back Scott Dann, who is a lifelong fan of the Anfield club, after his side’s relegation to the Championship. Metro

Sunderland are after Birmingham’s other first choice centre-back, Roger Johnson, who could be available for £4m. Mirror

Hopefully that works out better than the last time Liverpool went after life long fan Robbie Keane. I like both Scott Dann and lifelong Chelsea fan Roger Johnson. Picking up Dann wouldn’t be the worst choice Liverpool could make. He is almost as good as Gary Cahill but a lot cheaper.

Inter Milan hope to land Arsenal full-back Gael Clichy, who is out of contract next summer.
Full story: The Sun

Considering Clichy has some experience what i was like when Arsenal was actually winning titles I don’t blame him for throwing in the white towel.

Villa have joined Tottenham and Liverpool in the fight to sign £10m-rated West Ham midfielder Scott Parker. Full story: The Sun

Considering all the players rumoured to be leaving Aston Villa this is a fight Aston Villa will want to win badly.

Arsenal boss Arsenal Wenger will offer £10m for giant Blackburn defender Christopher Samba this summer. Wenger is willing to spend big money before next season and signing a dominant centre-half is one of his top priorities. (Daily Star)

Always been a big fan of Samba. Can’t say I’ve been the biggest fan of Arsenal.

Salomon Kalou will wait to see who takes over as Chelsea manager before deciding whether to stay, with Arsenal ready to make a move if the forward chooses to leave Stamford Bridge.
Full story: Metro

Chelsea should make the decision for him and tell Kalou to find himself a new club.

Arsenal will battle it out with Liverpool for the signature of £15m Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing this summer. (Daily Star)

Can’t see Arsenal going that high but Downing would be a useful player for both Arsenal and Liverpool. Maybe Arsenal can actually score from a set piece with Downing chipping them into the box.

United have been working on two formations for the final. They will start 4-4-2 and go to 3-4-3 if they fall behind, with Antonio Valencia pushing up alongside Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney in attack. Nani has been playing the “Messi role” in training, while Michael Owen has been playing in the style of David Villa. Full story: Daily Telegraph

Come on Nani, do it for Portugal and Ronaldo.

Jack Wilshere has told Manchester United that the key to beating Barcelona is to “get in their faces”. Wilshere was instrumental when Arsenal beat Barca in the first leg of their last 16 match.
Full story: The Sun

If Manchester United wins I’d going to love reading how Sir Alex Ferguson is a genius for following much the same blue print as Jose Mourinho did but without the red cards thrown in the way.

Barcelona pair Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol took a photo of Cesc Fabregas off the wall at Arsenal’s training ground – then posted a picture of themselves gawking at it, on Twitter.
Full story: Metro

I love how Arsenal decided to let Barcelona use their grounds. Why doesn’t Wenger let someone from Barcelona sleep with his wife while he is at it. Barcelona beats them in the Champions League, they go on about Fabregas every summer and yet Arsenal say go right ahead use our gronds we’ve stopped playing football since February.

For the people who read my website I hope you get my Specials reference as the title. If so that is a sign we’d get along smashing in real life. Also for the people who read this site outside of Canada sadly this post will mean little to you.

Now for the reason I’m writing this post. You see I work a block away from the Giant Rogers empire in Downtown Toronto and every once in a while I see Keith Pelley head of all this Rogers Media doing a power walk back to his office. On a side note I also see Hockey Central’s Doug MacLean walking he dog which I find likable. Ok, back on topic every once in a while I’ve been meaning to bump into Keith Pelley to say hey read my site to get an idea on how to make people stop hating Setanta Sports for hoarding most of the top football matches. Then I realize Keith Pelley has better things to do so I don’t bother. Today my friends, Rogers Sportsnet will be holding their upfront event to get those evil advertisers to buy their stuff this fall. Keith Pelley will be there but I’m too chicken again to bump into him but Scott Moore or “thing two” as Bob McCown would say will be. I briefly talked with Scott Moore last year when he was at CBC so today my goal is to get him to take 10 minutes at some point to read this. Keeping my fingers cross.

Maybe it’s just me but I see Setana Sports Canada has this own little island in the Rogers media empire left alone to drift without any direction and since I love soccer I figure it’s high time I give my ideas to bring Setana Sports and soccer in general closer to the Rogers empire. With that here we go.

First thing I’d do is change the actual name of the channel. When people think of Setana sports they think of that expensive channel that usually airs the best EPL game on the weekend. They may also think of Setana as the station which went broke trying to complete with Sky Sports over in England. Neither very positive. Mind you I’m sure the people at Rogers have heard this many times before.

The second thing I’d do is combine and expand Setana Sports within the framework of the Rogers Sports Pack. Last time I checked Soccer is a sport so it should be a part of the sports pack. I’d use this to expand Setana Sports by providing more content. For example MLS has been in Toronto for five years now. Why don’t any television providers offer MLS Direct Kick for all the out of market game? I’d combine MLS Direct Kick with the likes of NHL Central Ice, MLB Extra Innings, and NFL Sunday Ticket. Truthfully, I know being able to see Sporting Kansas City isn’t going to make a mad dash to order the Rogers Sports Pack but I’m all about increasing content to football fans.

With this in mind the same way NFL Sunday Ticket lines up all the NFL games on Sunday Rogers should do the same with EPL games. I know they sell the package online but bring that to my TV where if I’m a Tottenham fan and I wanted to watch Tottenham vs Sunderland I’m able to watch it much in the same fashion I could watch the Chicago Cubs vs St Louis Cardinals on MLB extra innings.

The Canadian Soccer rights landscape pretty much looks like this Rogers/Sportsnet has the rights to EPL, TheScore has rights to Serie A, TSN has MLS, Euro Sports World Lique 1 in France, GolTV/MLSE has the rights to La Liga, Some South American soccer and the Bundesliga. Teams like Boca Juniors, River Plate, Many Mexican teams, Porto, Benfica and Sporting in Portugal, Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, Ajax, PSV in Holland, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, and AEK Athens in Greece are shut out. There is a lot of football from parts of the world with a large Canadian immigration base that isn’t covered. Show those games in a newly created “World Football Package” for a lack of a better term.

Now the pricing not that this is my specialty. I figure there should be three programming packages for the Rogers Sports Package. One would be $50 a month and that includes Setana Sports, the extra soccer I mentioned above, MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, OHL, and Nascar.

You can then keep the current setup for the people who don’t like soccer and don’t want to pay extra for it. Mind you these people should like soccer.

Then you can have a soccer only sports pack of $25 dollars a month which gets you Setana Sports, Goltv, Fox Soccer Channel, Euro Sports World, and to go along with my ideas for expanding football coverage. $25 is the bare minimum what I should spend going to the bar once to watch a match.

My last point is regarding the Sports Pack itself. While it’s marketed to the hard core sports fan let’s face it a great deal of people who are into sports to that degree also like to gamble of it. Let’s get a sponsorship package together with someone like Bodog. I saw them only yesterday sponsoring the TSN top 10 during Sportscentre. The Sports Pack would be an ideal fit for them to pour money into before the United States busts Calvin Ayre.

That’s it for now. I wouldn’t to keep this under 1000 words since it’s only a blog post ot a novel so things like digital integration shall wait. If Scott Moore ever does read it I’d be honoured. First and foremost I’m a fan who wants to see soccer keep growing in Canada but hey if Rogers ever creates a head of soccer programming they now know where to find me.

Manchester City and Chelsea are on alert after Sergio Aguero revealed he is leaving Atletico Madrid. The £40m-rated Argentine striker is also a target for Atletico’s bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Full story: the Sun

Would be about time Chelsea signed Sergio Aguero after three years of trying. Poor Atletcio Madrid who got rid of personal favorite Simao in January and will now lose Forlan, Aguero and De Gea this summer.

Former England defender Sol Campbell is leaving Newcastle along with Shefki Kuqi.
Source: Newcastle Evening Chronicle

If a tree falls…….

Alberto Aquilani’s agent says the midfielder’s future will be decided next week. The 26-year-old has spent this season on loan at Juventus from Liverpool and Franco Zavaglia says there is a more than 50% chance the player will stay in Turin. Source: Gazzetta Dello Sport [Italian]

Liverpool will have to knock something off as Aquilani isn’t worth 16 million to Juventus. These two clubs should meet at 10-12 million and call it a day.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has labelled former Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho, who is the current boss at Real Madrid, “pathetic” and “insecure”. Source: Le Iene [Italian TV show]

All I gotta say right there. What is pathetic is a club with the history of A.C Milan losing against Tottenham in the Champions League round of 16. A club which Real Madrid had no problem taking care of in the next round.

Heurelho Gomes’s future at Tottenham is in further doubt after the goalkeeper reportedly told former club PSV Eindhoven he wants to rejoin them. Daily Mail

Tottenham should send Gomes back to PSV or any other club who wants him.

Arsene Wenger has dropped a major hint that he is ready to make a spectacular move for Karim Benzema. Wenger says a move for Real Madrid’s French striker “doesn’t seem impossible” even if it would represent a big change in transfer policy for the Arsenal manager. Daily Mirror

I’ll believe this when I see it but if Arsenal want to hang on to their top four status something major has to change.

Arsenal and Liverpool are leading the chase to sign Lille’s £10m-rated striker Gervinho.
Full story: talkSPORT

Great story this year with Lille winning France’s Ligue 1 this season. Love seeing a club come out of the blue to win a league something you never see in England, Spain and Italy.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has opened the door for Cristiano Ronaldo to make a sensational return to Old Trafford. the Sun

It’s one thing to open the door, it’s another to open your wallet.

Italian club Inter Milan are preparing a £15m bid for Arsenal’s Cameroon midfielder Alex Song.
Full story: Daily Star

Why? That’s 10 million too much. I even think Sulley Muntari is better than Alex Song.

Porto president Pinta da Costa is convinced Andre Villas-Boas would reject any approach from Chelsea offering him the chance to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge – despite the coach having a release clause of £13m. Daily Mail

Porto never miss a trick. Love how even the coach has a release clause.

Chelsea players tried to help former boss Carlo Ancelotti get over his sacking by taking him out partying in a trendy London nightclub. The Italian was given his marching orders after the Blues’ defeat by Everton on the last day of the Premier League season. Metro

That would of been one great party to go too.

The former club of Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez – Argentina’s Boca Juniors – say there is “good chance” he could rejoin them. City captain Tevez, 27, has hinted at a return home.
Full story: Daily Mirror

I don’t respect Tevez at all. He took the Manchester City money, he shouldn’t be such a moody sulk when he was free and clear to go anywhere he liked two years ago.

Left-back Gael Clichy has told Arsenal that he wants to leave the club with Inter Milan emerging as favourites to land the 25-year-old’s signature for £5.5m. Full story: Goal.com

After six years of false promises I’d want to leave too.

Aston Villa keeper Brad Friedel, 40, has been offered a two-year deal by Liverpool, the club he left 10 years ago. Spurs, West Brom and German side Schalke are also interested in the American.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Can’t see Friedel wanting to go back to Liverpool to play back up.

Manchester United have made their move for Ashley Young – and his Aston Villa team-mate Darren Bent reckons the £15m-rated 25-year-old winger is on his way. Daily Mirror

Everyone knows Ashley Young is as good as gone.

Juventus are set to go head-to-head this summer with Inter Milan for Manchester United winger Nani, 24. Full story: Metro

Juventus would of had a chance 12 months ago if they made this move.

Nicklas Bendtner, 23, has told Arsenal he wants to leave this summer, with Bayern Munich among the clubs interested in signing the £9m-rated Danish striker. the Guardian

Arsenal should of said we wanted to sell you anyway.

This entire Ryan Giggs story makes me laugh. It also makes me wonder if Ryan Giggs still thinks it’s 1991 has clearly he has never felt the power of the internet.

I couldn’t care less if he had an affair with a fame whore. I do think he is a moron for not thinking people would find out about it. What makes me shake my head at how backwards Ryan Giggs is to the modern world is the fact he sought out this “super injunction” thinking just because it stopped the British press from reporting that no other outside media outlet was going too either. Of course a Spanish newspaper killed that pipe dream a couple of weeks ago and basically confirmed the rumour that it was indeed Ryan Giggs who had this affair. Don’t get me started on privacy issues because one of the trades off you make for being a millionaire football player is the fact if you have an affair people are going to want to know about it. You know his wife must be pissed when Giggs is going to this length to kill the story.

It just kills me that he is going after twitter for this. Like British MP John Hemming said “it would not be practical to imprison the 75,000 Twitter users who had named the player.” Giggs is acting like an old relic who clearly is not in touch with modern communcations. It also kills me that a lawyer (I guess nothing Lawyers do should shock me) went along with this thinking hey let’s go after twitter cause the world revolves around some silly British “super injuction.”

After a forgetable season by all accounts Juventus finally did what many excepted them to do for months and fire head coach Luigi Del Neri.

The problem with Del Neri is the fact he can be a really good coach at a club like Sampdoria where players will buy into his style of play but with club like Juventus they have there own stamp as to how football should be played. These side where never able to make the switch coupled with the fact Juventus are still paying for poor transfer dealings the past couple of years meant Luigi Del Neri was facing an uphill battle right fro the start.

Bring on Louis van Gaal if the rumours where too who wouldn’t be the worst replacement but one who will wear out his welcome like always in 2-3 years.

After going down to defeat against Everton on the final day of the season Chelsea wasted no time parting company with head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

At the end of the day it’s much easier getting rid of the coach than the players but it was clear from December onwards something wasn’t right in that Chelsea locker room and Ancelotti ended up paying the price for it. This now begs the question who is Roman Abramovich going to hire now and how quickly will he then turn around and sack him. It’s not like there are a ton of coaches who have the resume Ancelotti has. You know somewhere Rafa Benitez is telling his agent to make the phone all. Avram Grant could only wish to be considered. Guus Hiddink would work if he is willingly to give up his comfortable national team job for the week in and week ou pressures of th EPL. While I love Andre Villas Boas he’d be foolish to make Chelsea his next job right now. He created a successful Port team by making every player feel like family and having them all pull together for the team. There is no way he can do that with these Chelsea players who want to win first and foremost for themselves.