With less than six months left before Euro 2012 Fabio Capello has decided to leave his job as head coach of the English football team. You know what? Good for him, make no mistake he may not be warm and fuzzy or even a good fit to be the English coach but Fabio Capello is a brilliant football mind. People like Capello must hate people who are in powerful positions in football yet are utter fools.

Make no mistake again that the English FA is one of the worst run organizations around. Look how badly they have messed up the John Terry saga which turned out to be the final nail in the coffin for Capello to quit. Terry is a fool for not saying sorry the second videotape evidence showed what he said but we all know John Terry has no moral compass. The English FA, supposed leaders in English football are even bigger idiots for putting their head in sand and passing this off to the courts instead of giving Terry the same 8 games Suarez got.

England never really clicked on Capello anyway it’s like they never completely bought into his system which is understandably cause England thinks they are literally on there own little island when it comes to football when the fact is the rest of the world has blown by England in many aspects of the game.

Despite drawing 0-0 to Liverpool what a week Harry Redknapp has been having. He beats his tax evasion charge and now with Capello gone everyone is lining up Redknapp to take over. Surely they would let him carry on with Tottenham until the end of the season. It would be a tough blow for Tottenham fans to see Redknapp leave during their best year in forever really. With Capello in charge I couldn’t see England making it out of the final eight in Euro 2012. Maybe with an English coach they will catch lightning in a bottle that month. Then again if John Terry hangs around maybe England never recovers from the distraction and goes home early.

Somewhere in the meat packing district of New York hipsters ask to be taken to their queen and just like that this chick from Arcade Fire happens. Let me get out out the way the fact I kinda like this song. Please don’t hate me.

What bugs me about this video however is the headphones this chick is wearing at the start of the video. Beats by Dre headphones are not good enough, instead this chick wears headphones stolen from my grade school stock room. Anyone who has ever made it to grade two knows those 1950′s style headphones don’t work so in the end she must be wearing them as a fashion statement.

Song thumbs up – video crap

As most people who have read this site know few things annoy me more than Arsenal when to comes to football. So let me come right out and say this, WTF is taking so long for Arsenal to lock up Thierry Henry on a short term loan from the New York Red Bull.

Even more to the point why does it take Arsenal so long to do anything? It took them forever to sign Arshavin from Zenit three years ago. For some reason Arsenal got an extra two days to get that deal done. It also took them forever to finally sell Cesc Fabagas and Samir Nasri when everyone knew they were out the door. Of course Arsenal waited until the last day of the transfer window to sign players and now we have Thierry Henry.

This should be a slam dunk for Henry to make his return to the club that he loves. It would give new life to their fans and Henry can still add something on the field. Of course it wouldn’t shock me that this drags on so long that MLS season would start before Arsenal could close out this deal. It kills me knowing that Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis was the number two guy at MLS for many years. You’d figure he be able to speed up the process but no I still don’t get to see Henry return to Arsenal when it makes too much bloody sense not to happen.

Catching up on events of the last few days another no doubter was the fact Manchester City asked the Ivory Coast FA to keep Yaya and Kolo Toure a bit longer before sending them off to play in the African Cup of Nations. Another no doubter was the Ivory Coast FA saying nope.

Obviously I don’t know how these back room dealings work but if there isn’t cash involved there sure as hell should be. I mean really if Manchester City says we will give you 500k to build a soccer field in the Ivory Coast if you let us keep the Toure brothers a couple of days longer do the Ivory Coast FA turn it down? Throw in an extra 100k into the back pocket of who runs the Ivory Coast FA and it sounds like a done deal to me. You know FIFA is going to turn a blind eye to any money being sneaked under the table.

When the news finally became official that Carlo Ancelotti will take over the reins at PSG no one should of been shocked the least of which being former coach Antonie Kombouaré. You have to feel sorry for the guy since Kombouare was a lame duck from the start. Mind you hurt feelings are quickly eased with his 4 million dollar payout.

Quite simple if a club like PSG wishes to jump into the elite of European football they need an elite coach and no one can doubt Ancelotti resume. Big name players are going to have a hard time jumping ship to PSG with a guy like Antonie Kombouaré in charge no disrespect to the man. Plus the club itself wants to send out a signal to the rest of the football world that they are a team on the rise. It’s like buying a million dollar house with a Toyota Yaris parked up front. It’s just not going to cut it. Ancelotti is a Ferrari in the coaching world so it was only a matter of time before PSG got their coach to take this project forward.

In a case which seemed like ages to complete the English FA handed Luis Suarez and eight game ban for his alleged use of a racism term against Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

This case is a tough one to form an opinion one. What I do think however is that Luis Suarez makes it very easy by his actions to have a governing body like the English FA decide to make an example out of him. First off he isn’t the England captain, second Suarez’s one finger salute against Fulham and pulling a Mike Tyson with Ajax last year biting another player doesn’t help with his character issues. The English FA couldn’t be seen as soft against Racism and Luis Suarez is a perfect player for them to make a statement.

Liverpool fans won’t be happy losing far and away their best player but hopefully this is a signal for every other player to think twice before saying something racist in the heat of the moment.

You know me, every time a Portuguese team loses it effects me so now I am recovered from Porto not making it to the Champions League knockout stages. Moving on everyone who reads this state knows I love throwing dirt on Arsene Wenger but the man has had no luck with it comes to the Champions League. A.C Milan book ended with Barcelona during the last four years.

Of course my eye is on Benfica vs Zenit a match up which both teams will think they can win. It is what it is but if Benfica could of held on to Angel Di Maria, Ramieres, Fabio Coentrao this Benfica team could of been considered a top four team but hopefully this current Benfica squad can advance to the final eight of the Champions League.

Lyon (Fra) v APOEL (Cyp)

Napoli (Ita) v Chelsea (Eng)

AC Milan (Ita) v Arsenal (Eng)

Basel (Swi) v Bayern Munich (Ger)

Bayer Leverkusen (Ger) v Barcelona (Spa)

CSKA Moscow (Rus) v Real Madrid (Spa)

Zenit St Petersburg (Rus) v Benfica (Por)

Marseille (Fra) v Inter Milan (Ita)

It’s easy to harp about Barcelona and Real Madrid being better then everyone else. One of the many reasons why is because they are confident with being arrogant. Simply put Manchester United got what they deserved, crashing out of the Champions League. Manchester United didn’t beat Benfica or FC Basel in any of their four games.

Speaking on FC Basel, what a great performance. It’s amazing how FC Basel basically slapped Manchester United in the mouth with the early goal. Usually that wakes up a sleeping giant but Manchester United just couldn’t raise there game to match FC Basel.

I’m not going to go on about Manchester United thinking something is really wrong. Let’s not sound the alarm bells here. The last time Manchester United crashed out in the group stage of the Champions League (also with Benfica in their group) two years later they won the Champions League. Right now Manchester United have players who are on the team based on potential rather they players who deserve to wear the shirt week in and week out cause of talent on that day.

With Manchester City also crashing out is the EPL still the best league in Europe? As someone I follow on twitter wisely said so much for Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, James Milner leaving Aston Villa for Champions League football.

What a mix of emotions right now if you are a Ajax and Lyon fan after Lyon turned around a 7 goal difference to advance at the expensive of Ajax.

You are damn right I’m betting against Ajax this weekend

Real Madrid is just scary good right now. With Barcelona and Real Madrid playing like this I’m giddy for this Saturday.

I realized most of you came for the site for the EPL Gossip (hell, it was all I posted about for a period of time.) As I got bored of posting the same thing day after day I figured doing a best of look back is the best way to meet in the middle so let’s make this a Sunday tradition shall we?

Monday

Blackburn Rovers will hand manager Steve Kean a January transfer kitty of £10m as the Ewood Park club try and buy their way out of relegation trouble. Full story: Daily Mirror

They could give Kean 100 million and it wouldn’t matter. Any decent player of some quality isn’t going to Blackburn to play for a know nothing coach like Steve Kean. Beating a promoted club at home yesterday doesn’t change the facts. Well aside from Everton screwed up letting Yakubu go.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has denied John Terry got himself deliberately booked against Wolves, meaning he misses the Carling Cup clash with Liverpool rather than a crucial Premier League game. Full story: the Sun

Why are these things even an issue? For example is Xabi Alonso got his yellow card last week to miss the Sporting Gijon match instead of the Barcelona match it’s just smart.

Tuesday

Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel says he is happy to remain in Portugal despite rumoured interest from Manchester United and Chelsea. Full story: Manchester Evening News

Good player but he isn’t ready yet. Ricky van Wolfswinkel should stay in Portugal and enjoy his football for another year before moving on.

Arsenal scouts are watching Cologne and Germany striker Lukas Podolski, who could be available for £20m as he is out of contract in 2013. Full story: Daily Mirror

I’d take the chance and cut the cheque for Podolski who scores goals for fun with Germany but has never repeated that form at club level.

Morocco international striker Marouane Chamakh could soon be leaving Arsenal as Paris St Germain are understood to be readying a £10m transfer bid. Full story: Metro

I still like Chamakh who is a bad fit for Arsenal and when you are a free transfer clubs aren’t going to go out of their way to give a player a second chance.

Wednesday

Liverpool are planning a £12m move for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Jadson. Full story: Caughtoffside

I don’t think Shakhtar picks up the phone for a 12 million dollar offer to Jadson.

Italian giants Inter Milan are prepared to pay a huge asking price to beat Liverpool and Arsenal to the signing of Lille midfielder Eden Hazard. Full story: talkSPORT

Inter are a club who badly needs a shake up and signing Eden Hazard would go along way to do that.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson says fielding Manchester United’s kids in the Carling Cup can help him find the next David Beckham. Full story: Daily Mirror

That didn’t turn out too well for United who were flat against Crystal Palace.

Thursday

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is gearing up for a January double swoop for Blackburn midfielder Junior Hoilett and Chelsea’s out-of-favour striker Nicolas Anelka. Full story: Metro

Love how the papers link Tottenham to ever Chelsea cast off but Junior Hoilett would be the one I look at if I’m Harry Redknapp.

Senegal striker Moussa Sow has issued a come-and-get-me plea to Arsenal. The 25-year-old has scored 29 goals in 48 league games for Lille since joining from Rennes 18 months ago. Full story: the Sun

Arsenal are saying we should of got you as a free transfer.

Lucho Gonzalez’s agent has put Premier League clubs on red alert after expressing the Argentine midfielder’s desire to leave Marseille. Full story: the Sun

Everyone knows I love Lucho Gonzalez. I hope he does move on to England.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is lining up a £30m January move for Borussia Dortmund’s 19-year-old Germany international Mario Gotze. Full story: Daily Mirror

For Arsenal’s sake I’d love to see it happen but I don’t think it will until the summer.

Spurs face competition from Barcelona for Sporting Lisbon star Joao Pereira, 27. Full story: talkSPORT

Smart of Joao Pereira agent to put a 7 million dollar release clause in his contract. Dumb of Sporting to agree to it.

Sources on Wearside suggest Mark Hughes is travelling up to the North East for an interview today following the departure of Steve Bruce. Full story: Sunderland Echo

But Blackpool and former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has backed Martin O’Neill to succeed Bruce, claiming he would be a great acquisition for the club. Full story: talkSPORT

Has someone asked Martin O’Neill how was it like being out of football for 18 months after quitting Aston Villa only to come back to a club with the same or even less level of talent?

Carlo Ancelotti, sacked by Chelsea at the end of last season, says the club’s “old” players are to blame for their run of bad results, not his successor Andre Villas-Boas. Full story: Daily Mirror

Carlo Ancelotti is class, he didn’t have to do that and it would of been easy to throw dirt on Andre Villas Boas.

LA Galaxy soccer coach Bruce Arena has revealed that President Barack Obama called him in the early hours of the morning on their tour of Indonesia to congratulate him on winning the MLS Cup. Obama spent several years growing up in Indonesian capital Jakarta and has cited it as giving him an appreciation of the beautiful game.
Full story: USA Today

If someone told me that the President of the United States was on the line I would automatically assume they were joking.

Friday

Aston Villa are closing in on a deal for Nice striker Yannick Djalo. The 25-year-old is available on a free transfer after Fifa refused to ratify his transfer from Sporting Lisbon in August, leaving him unable to play for the French side.
Full story: the Guardian

Alex Mcleish is the worst EPL manager since Gary Megson. Aston Villa will be the place where strikers go to die.

Sunday (didn’t like anything on Saturday)

Chelsea may offer England midfielder Frank Lampard to Tottenham as part of a deal to bring Luka Modric to Stamford Bridge. Full story: Sunday Mirror

Oh yes I’m sure an old Frank Lampard is going to be the tipping point in Tottenham selling Modric.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul has emerged as a surprise January transfer target for Spurs. The Netherlands international has impressed Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp this season.
Full story: Metro

You really can make the case that Tim Krul has been the best goalie this year in England.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed that the club have accepted transfer requests from defender Alex and striker Nicolas Anelka. Full story: London’s Evening Standard

Liverpool are considering making a move to re-sign Anelka in January. The Frenchman could be available for as little as £4m. Full story: caughtoffside.com

Not a chance Chelsea sells Anelka to another English club.

I was watching the Chelsea vs Newcastle match yesterday where it hit me that Tim Krul could be Patrick Roy’s twin. Also noticed that Juan Mata and Andre Villas Boas can switch places as well with how they also look alike.