Sepp Blatter has offered the alarmist prediction that FIFA will cease to exist as an organisation if he is ousted as President.Swiss Blatter, 75, has held the top job in football’s governing body since 1998, but is now being challenged by Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam.
The election to date has been fought on issues such as alleged corruption within FIFA and the potential for reforms to key processes, specifically the World Cup bidding and voting structure.
But Blatter has now made by far the most sweeping statement yet in his campaign, suggesting that FIFA’s continuing existence depends on his re-election on June 1 to an office he has held for 13 years.
“The FIFA presidential election is not about candidate A or candidate B, it is about whether there will be any candidates at all in future,” Blatter said.
“The ballot on 1st June could lead to a seismic shift with irreversible damage.”
“Quite simply, the survival of FIFA is at stake. It is a question of whether the game’s established world governing body will continue to exist after this date or whether it will disappear into a black hole.”
“Is it that dramatic, you may ask. The answer is, theoretically, yes, it is.”
Blatter has already received the public backing of UEFA and South American football federation CONMEBOL and is supremely confident of seeing off the challenge of Bin Hammam.
“I am confident that I will win the election with a clear two-thirds majority,” he said.
“South America, Central and North America, Europe, Oceania and a significant part of Africa and Asia will continue to support my ideas. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile outlining what the alternative would be, i.e. none at all.”
“What applies for every carpenter also applies for us: the roof will only hold as long as the foundations are in place.”
“If the ground beneath crumbles, the entire edifice will collapse. And that is precisely what is at stake on 1st June. All or nothing.”
Like some sort of anti-hero suit, whoever dons the Arsenal goalkeeping jersey seems to lose any sense of decision-making, command, communication or skill. Whether it is Manuel Almunia or Lukasz Fabianski, they are likely to fall victim to the intense pressure and scrutiny that they now face on a daily basis (as I myself am doing as I write these words). There is a target who the club approached, who subsequently turned them down out of loyalty to his current employers; not the Irishman on the Eastlands bench, or the aussie beach-bum in West London, but a Mr Krzysztof Dowhań. The coach has been brought to my attention by Michał Zachodny, who wrote an excellent article about the man HERE.
He is nearly as anonymous as his name would lead you to believe, but Dowhań is the current goalkeeping coach at Legia Warsaw, and just after the Gunners signed Fabianski, they tried to tempt his old coach to follow him to London. Dowhań was tempted, but ultimately decided that his heart remained in Warsaw, and that there was still work to be done.
The Polish national team have never been the most feared side in world football, and by the same token haven’t churned out a huge amount of talent to the top leagues. They do have however, have a decent record in producing goalkeepers. With Fabianski at Arsenal is the, in my opinion, more exciting Wojciech Szczęsny. Manchester United have Tomasz Kuszczak, Celtic employed the services of Artur Boruc before his move to Fiorentina, and Liverpool’s most recent Champions League victory included a memorable performance form Jerzy Dudek. All of the above have worked with Dowhań at some point in their career.
Having never made it as a professional himself, Dowhań began coaching at a relatively young age and hasn’t stopped since. He has adapted his own style of coaching with an emphasis on enjoyment, and easing pressure out of situations to maximise concentration. Those that have come under his tutelage have only the highest praise for him.
Maciej Szczęsny, father of Arsenal’s current understudy, and a former Polish international keeper himself (for anyone wondering, he is also the only player to win the Polish league with three different clubs) said of Dowhań:
“At 33, with the majority of career behind me, I didn’t think I could learn anything new. That is until I trained with Dowhań.”
Arsenal’s current goalkeeping coach, Gerry Peyton, has been at the club since 2003. After the particular relationship shared by David Seaman and Bob Wilson which was such a fruitful success, there may have been a problem filling that void. Jens Lehmann was a very good goalkeeper, clearly erratic at times, and obviously mad, but very good none the less. Since his departure, a problem has existed.
Under Dowhań, Fabianski was considered arguably the brightest light in young goalkeepers across the continent. At the moment his confidence is shot, and what may have done him the power of good was having his friend, and mentor with him when moving to a new country, new league and new challenge in his life, all at the age of 22.
Maybe there is now an argument for the club to try and lure Dowhań once more, even on a part-time basis? The goalkeepers I have mentioned above have all made mistakes, but their form was far better under Dowhań, and attracted their big moves in the first place. Perhaps it is merely a pipe-dream, and a solution that is, in all reality, not that feasible. For Arsenal, they have two young Polish keepers who flourished under a former teacher, and it is potentially much cheaper to acquire his skills in some form, rather than shell out on an expensive replacement. Wenger has publicly backed his keepers in blind vehemence; this could be a far more discreet, and in-house solution to a problem he, deep down, knows exists.
To READ Michał Zachodny’s article ‘Why Fabianski Isn’t Working’ then click HERE
*
*
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Why not visit Michał Zachodny’s excellent ‘POLISH FOOTBALL SCOUT’ Website by clicking HERE
25 years is an astonishingly long time in football. But that’s how long Sir Alex Ferguson has been in charge of Manchester United. His success is obviously well publicised, but something often missed amongst his pile of major trophies are the number of people who have graduated from Fergie’s players to Fergie’s opponents. Evidently their former mentor had a significant effect on their career paths, but to what success? Steve Bruce, an early Fergie fledgling, became the first managerial casualty of the new Premiership season and whatever you think of Sunderland’s kneejerk reaction to remove their manager, results at the Stadium of Light have just not been good enough. It is clear that Ferguson had a profound influence on his time in management. The pair have a strong relationship, something highlighted by Bruce’s use of the loan market, dipping into United’s reserves on a number of occasions, with Danny Welbeck providing the best example of the merits of this policy. Sir Alex has been publicly critical of Bruce’s removal from Sunderland, lamenting the lack of patience the Black Cats’ fans showed to his former captain. So what impact have Sir Alex’s protégées had on the managerial world?
Sir Alex has mentored a lot of current managers.
Steve Bruce
A regular on the managerial merry-go-round during his early days, taking charge of Sheffield United, Hudderfield, Wigan, Crystal Palace and Birmingham, all in 3 years. However, his time in charge of the Blues saw Bruce really prove his worth, guiding them back to the top flight in 2002 for the first time in 16 years, then finishing higher than city rivals Villa the following season, a feat no Birmingham manager had achieved since the 1970’s. Mid-table mediocrity, relegations and promotions kept Steve on his toes, until Wigan came calling after a fall-out with the board. A decent couple of seasons followed at the DW Stadium in the Premier League, before he stepped up the ladder again, replacing Ricky Sbragia at Sunderland in 2009. Although there were signs of promise, indeed at the turn of the New Year, Sunderland looked set to mount a European challenge, the loss of prolific strikers Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan left Sunderland short up front, prompting a shocking run of form that left them hovering precariously above the drop-zone. So poor Steve suffered the ignominies of modern football, as chairman Ellis Short took swift action in the wake of a brewing crisis as the supporters felt out of love with their adopted Geordie.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (B-) A lot of potential already, but still needs work. Should bounce back soon.
Roy Keane
The ultimate gladiator in Fergie’s all conquering Treble team, but aside from one decent promotion with Sunderland, his exploits with the Black Cats didn’t match the extravagant amount of money he spent. And the less said about his time at Ipswich the better. Being out of a job probably suits Roy better, as it gives him more time to walk those beloved dogs.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (D-) After one good result,Roy has declined beyond all recognition. Needs to control his temper.
Bryan Robson
Captain Marvel himself was one of Sir Alex’s golden boys, but he is a walking disaster at managerial level that teams have finally learnt to avoid. Fans of Middlesbrough, Bradford City,West Brom or Sheffield United will not be providing him with a decent job reference any time soon. He even resigned from that oh-so-difficult Thailand job this year.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (E)Bryan’s efforts are nothing but disastrous. Needs to think long and hard about whether he is up to the challenge.
Paul Ince
His larger-than-life personality ensured he and Ferguson never saw eye-to-eye during his spell at Manchester United and it seems such character traits have been transferred into management, lasting just 177 days in charge of Blackburn, ruining Ince’s hopes before they had even begun. Failure at MK Dons and Notts County has since followed.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (U) Expelled. Simply not good enough and never will be.
[divider]
Continued on Page TWO
[divider]
Gordon Strachan
He had a decent start to his career, building solid regimes at both Coventry and Southampton, before stepping up to the Celtic job, whereupon he gained six major honours including three successive titles. His tenure was impressive, but his time at Middlesbrough was less inspiring, lasting just a year in the role.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (B-) Some impressive work, but has slacked recently. Needs get back to his best quickly.
Alex McLeish
A firm Ferguson favourite at Aberdeen and his transition into management has been reasonable. Spells at Hibernian and Rangers helped underline the potential that eventually landed him the Scotland job, a reign that provided a historic victory in Paris, remember James McFadden’s spectacular volley? Birmingham then came-a-calling, where he enjoyed a mixed bag of results, including winning the League Cup last season, only to suffer a disastrous relegation the same year. This prompted a controversial switch to Aston Villa, one that left a sour taste in the mouths of both sets of rival fans and he is yet to win over the Villa Park Faithful this season.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (B) Consistent achievement with a couple of blots on the copybook. Solid performer.
Mark Hughes
Almost took Wales to the 2004 European Championships in his first job, before transforming Blackburn Rovers into a solid Premiership outfit. Thaksin Shinawatra then decided Hughes was the man to head up his new City Regime, a challenge the Welshman readily accepted. However, he faced enormous pressure following the Arab takeover, especially when he splashed a cool £32.5million on Robinho. His sacking in December 2009 did seem rather harsh though, particularly given successor Roberto Mancini failed to improve on the fourth position City occupied at the time. An odd year followed at Fulham, where he and Mohamed Al-Fayed failed to see eye-to-eye and Hughes resigned this summer citing lack of ambition as his reason for leaving.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (B) Proven quality at the highest level. Needs to continue the good work.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The game’s first real super-sub sealed the 1999 treble with his goal off the bench in the Champions League final. He cut his teeth managing United’s reserves, before moving back to his homeland in Norway to take charge of Molde, where he won the Tippeligaen in his first year in charge. Very promising stuff from the baby-faced assassin, who has also turned down the Norwegian national job, meaning he could well be Fergie’s heir apparent.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (C+) Terrific start to his education. Well on the way to stardom.
Laurent Blanc
The current French manager, can hardly be counted, given that he only made 48 appearances under Sir Alex at the twilight of his career. But he has made a cracking to life in the hot seat, winning the French League with Bordeaux and now hopes to turn England over in next summer’s European Championships.
Fergie’s School Report Says: (B+) Already hitting the heady heights. Watch this space for further glory.
So who of the current crop could do it? Well, Ryan Giggs is the obvious answer. Many people have suggested he is the perfect man, not just for management in general, but to replace Sir Alex himself. Giggsy would definitely have the right temperament and he more than anyone has had long enough to see how Ferguson does it. David Beckham? Not so much. He has already ruled out the possibility of going straight into management, stating that “at the moment I have no interest in being a coach or becoming a manager.” It is looking increasingly likely that Sir Alex Ferguson’s skills and talents have been wasted on those he brought to fruition as players and there is a worrying correlation growing between playing under Ferguson and failing as a manager. He needs somebody to step up to the plate and inherit his unbelievable talent. The challenge is on. Let’s hope it’s one that Eric Cantona takes up…
A goal within the first minute from Javier Hernandez gave Manchester United a 2-1 win over Chelsea to all but seal the Premier League title.The Mexican striker gave his side an incredible start, scoring the opening goal after just 36 seconds, and Chelsea never truly recovered with Nemanja Vidic making it 2-0 after 23 minutes.
Frank Lampard did set up a nervy finale with a 68th minute effort, but the result means United can clinch a record 19th league title if they at least draw at Blackburn Rovers next Saturday.
Sir Alex Ferguson pumped his fists and bowed to the crowd at the final whistle and his side could not have made a more exciting or impressive start to their most important match of the season.
In fact they took the lead after only 36 seconds, one of the fastest-ever goals seen at Old Trafford.
It was Hernandez who scored it, racing onto a superb straight through-ball from Park Ji-Sung and taking advantage of a slip by David Luiz to calmly side-foot home.
The noise inside Old Trafford was incredible and the home crowd soon had more to cheer when a short-corner routine saw Giggs beat his man on the left and dink over a cross for Nemanja Vidic to head home a second goal in the 23rd minute.
In a riveting match both teams had plenty of other chances too in a pulsating first half that saw both goalkeepers in top form.
Van der Sar saved a follow-up shot from Salomon Kalou after Florent Malouda’s cross caused havoc in the United defence and then the Dutchman also produced a stunning one-handed save from a Kalou header just seconds after the home team had made it 2-0.
But Petr Cech was also busy. He denied Rooney a stunning goal when he dived full stretch to save a 30-yard pile driver and produced an equally impressive stop deny Park’s fierce drive from the left.
The second half proved more even and although United had chances their opponents, who brought on Ramires and Alex at half-time for Luiz and Mikel, never gave up.
And having survived a penalty scare when Lampard appeared to handle a Valencia cross, the Blues made it 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to go.
It was Ramires who crossed from the left, Ivanovic who headed down and Lampard who applied the finishing touch with Vidic playing him onside.
United almost wrapped up things a minute later, but Alex produced an incredible goal-line block just when it seemed Rooney was set to score.
That set the stage for a frantic finale in which Rooney and Hernandez had half a dozen chances to make the game safe before the final whistle eventually blew and the roof came off Old Trafford.
Alexander Hleb is one of football’s oddest cases. During his time at Arsenal it was clear to see that he was a supremely talented footballer. Whilst never exactly a showboater, Hleb was always mightily good with the ball at his feet, capable of floating over challenges and he had the ability to pick out some wonderful passes. Yet one could never quite get away from the feeling that something was missing from his game. Perhaps this was a certain indecisiveness in the final-third – in fact, the figures speak for themselves. From 2005 – 2008 Hleb made 89 Premier League appearances for Arsenal – he scored just 7 goals. Just for a point of comparison, let us contrast this with Samir Nasri, who plays a similar role in the Arsenal set-up to the one once filled by Hleb. Nasri’s Arsenal career began in 2008 and he has since made 61 Premier League appearances, scoring 11 goals, a statistic more becoming of an attacking midfielder.
Despite this, it would be churlish of me to disregard the quantity and quality of the assists Hleb bestowed to Arsenal. He was also very much a player in the ‘Wenger-mould’ – in that he is one of the last players on Earth you’d expect to see belting a hopeful long ball forward. Hleb, perhaps to his detriment was predominantly an unselfish player, only daring to shoot when no other option presented itself to his left or right. Despite Arsenal and Barcelona sharing a similar style of attacking football and overall philosophy, it was still something of a shock when Hleb made his move to the Nou Camp in 2008. Many pundits wondered where Hleb would fit into the Barcelona squad. Unsurprisingly, Hleb found the competition too tough in Barcelona’s scandalously good midfield. At one stage Hleb admitted to the Daily Mail: “I regret my move from London, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it now.” He was sent out on loan in the summer of 2009 to his former club: VfB Stuttgard. Yet, the following year there was still no room for him within the Barcelona set-up and Hleb found himself seeking a return to the Premier League.
Hleb has mentioned numerous times in interviews that he misses Arsenal’s style of play and longs to be part of Wenger’s set-up once more. However, an offer from the Gunner’s chief was not forthcoming. Despite reports that there were offers on the table from Tottenham and Liverpool (although he appears to have dodged a bullet here) Hleb eventually found the healthy wage-packet he would be receiving from Birmingham City’s billionaire owner too tempting an offer to turn down. On deadline day the Blues were able to secure Hleb’s services on the basis of a season-long loan from Barcelona. Alex McLeish seemed delighted claiming that “On paper he’s up there with the best players I’ve ever signed. He’s definitely in that bracket of ‘world-class player’.” Hleb, himself is certain that Birmingham will combat ‘second-season syndrome’ and that they “can move much higher than ninth place” (where they finished last season).
On that account, time will tell. Time will also tell whether Hleb turns out to be a good fit for the Blues. Obviously Birmingham City is a whole different kettle of fish from the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona. Does Hleb have what it takes to alter his style of play and get ‘stuck-in’? Despite all these questions remaining up in the air, having a player of Hleb’s quality and ability can only be a good thing for City. My feeling is that if Hleb works hard for the Birmingham City cause, gets his head down and adds a few more goals to his game, he could find himself being courted once more by the top teams in the Premiership and abroad. He might even find himself peaking Arsène Wenger’s interest, who has shown in the last couple of seasons that he is not afraid to re-sign players. You have to wonder, when Hleb took to the field for the Blues last Saturday and Arsenal began to reassert their control during the second half of a rather tetchy game, did Hleb long once more to be a part of this fast, free-flowing football?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
If you like what I have to say and want to hear more, please follow me on Twitter.
Newcastle have confirmed that they will be without Sammy Ameobi for the foreseeable future, after the attacker picked up an injury in a reserve fixture.
The 19-year-old suffered a knock in a reserve team game against Wigan on Tuesday night, and was forced to leave the field of play after a heavy challenge.
The Tyneside club have stated that the England under-21 star will be on the sidelines for a few months.
“Sammy Ameobi will be sidelined for a period of time, likely to be a number of months, as a result of an injury sustained in the reserves’ win over Wigan,” an official Newcastle statement read.
The news will be a blow given the fact that Demba Ba is away on African Cup of Nations duty, and may force Alan Pardew to consider buying a new attacker in the transfer window.
Meanwhile, Andy Carroll’s agent has rubbished claims that the striker could be on his way back to Newcastle.
Reports in the British tabloids have linked the under-performing Liverpool forward with a move back to his former club, but this will not be the case according to agent Mark Curtis.
“Andy is happy at Liverpool,” the representative told BBC Sport.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Mirror Football has reported that Emmanuel Adebayor will not be signing permanently for Real Madrid. Manchester City chiefs hoped a successful loan spell at Real Madrid would allow City to cut their losses with Adebayor – who fell out with the hierarchy at Man City less than 18 months after his £25m arrival from Arsenal.
Adebayor scored twice in the Champions League against Spurs and has become a popular member of the Real Madrid squad. But the Spanish giants are unwilling to meet the £15m asking price. All of this causes a major problem for Adebayor because he is now set to return to a club that doesn’t want him and his £100,000 per week wages means there are unlikely to be many suitors for the Togo player at a level he feels he should be playing at.
It appears that there is no future for Adebayor at Manchester City because the player doesn’t see eye to eye with the current manager Roberto Mancini and Manchester City signed Edin Dzeko as a replacement in January. This all is likely to mean that Manchester City will be forced to sell Adebayor at way below market value just to get rid of the player.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
To be dubbed ‘the next Zidane’ or ‘the next Ronaldo’ is usually the kiss of death for aspiring, young footballers. Whereas other players tipped for the top, will go onto prove themselves as the real deal and reach the peak of their profession. Here is a list of ten of Europe’s best young talents who just may actually live up to the hype and expectation.
10. Douglas Costa, 20, Shakhtar Donetsk
Eye-catching 20-year-old Douglas Costa’s reputation soared following a string of impressive performances for Brazilian side Gremio, where he scored on his debut. Compared favourably to Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, Costa also starred at the South American Youth Championship in January last year.
His performances led to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk tying the quick-footed attacker down to a five-year deal earlier this year. Costa has astounding vision, magical dribbling skills and is a specialist from set-pieces. His early performances at his new club have seen him linked with a move to Old Trafford.
[youtube LcZPye-oSqY]
[divider]
9. Alan Dzagoev, 20, CSKA Moscow
Dubbed as the ‘future of Russian football’, attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev has spent the last two years plying his trade with the Army Men. Similar in style and stature to Arsenal’s Andrei Arshavin, the 20-year-old is quick, intelligent and extremely skilful.
Dzagoev already has eight caps for Russia and has recently been linked with a move to Chelsea. The playmaker impressed Sir Alex Ferguson during his side’s 3-3 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in November 2009, scoring an outstanding goal from an acute angle in the entertaining Champions League clash. Watch the goal below-
[youtube HW7rZrYDPBE]
[divider]
8. Marko Marin, 21, Werder Bremen
German sensation Marko Marin made a multi-million pound move to Werder Bremen last summer where he has impressed with some inspiring performances.
Marin made two appearances at the World Cup in South Africa, however the midfielder made little impact. Despite this, Marin has been tipped to light up the Bundesliga this season and Inter Milan manager Rafael Benitez admitted he was a huge fan of the attacking midfielder before his side’s clash against the Germans yesterday evening.
[youtube YlMCNLUj0A4]
[divider]
7. Moussa Sissoko, 21, Toulouse
Tottenham Hotspur had a bid of over £15.5m rejected for box-to-box midfielder Moussa Sissoko last summer, a player who is also attracting interest from Barcelona and Inter Milan, as well as a host of other Premier League sides.
Having broken into the TFC side at 18, Sissoko quickly established himself as a first-team regular, where his powerhouse performances have earnt rave reviews. He has also featured for France on several occasions. Check out his best bits, in a questionable Big Brother style montage below-
[youtube 3ITBvggd3R0]
[divider]
6. Edin Hazard, 19, Lille
Modestly described on one sports website as ‘the best talent in the world’, sprightly attacker Edin Hazard has spent the last few years terrorising defenders in France where he has made 77 appearances for Lille.
Already a key member of the Belgian national side, Hazard was voted Ligue One’s Young Player of the Year consecutively from 2009, the first time the award has ever been presented to a foreign player. It has been won in the past by luminaries such as Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery and Zinedine Zidane. The former has also personally recommended the player to the Real Madrid hierarchy, saying:
“Eden is technically gifted and very fast. He will be a major star in the future. I would take him to Real Madrid with my eyes closed.”
[youtube VQTyv2oh5AA]
[divider]
Continued on Page TWO
5. Stevan Jovetic, 20, Fiorentina
Curly haired Serbian winger Stevan Jovetic announced himself to the rest of Europe with a well-taken double in Fiorentina’s 2-0 win against Liverpool in the Champions League in September exactly a year ago.
The player’s agent claimed both Manchester United and Real Madrid were trailing the ‘Montenegrin Messi’ over the summer. Jovetic however suffered a knee injury in pre-season, a cruel blow which will keep him on the sidelines for up to six months.
Technically-gifted playmaker Miralem Pjanic moved to French side Lyon in 2008 where he has established himself under manager Claude Puel.
Pjanic scored the goal that knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League last season and has since taken Brazilian legend Juninho’s No.8 shirt at the Stade de Gerland. The future certainly looks a bright one for this talented youngster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hKBoofuHDY
[divider]
3. Romelu Lukaku, 17, Anderlecht
Romelu Lukaku is currently scoring for fun in the Belgium league and is at present one of the hottest properties in world football.
Lukaku was prolific at youth level, scoring an astonishing 68 goals in 68 matches with FC Brussels and 121 goals in 88 matches with Anderlecht.
At 15, the forward managed to score 26 goals in 17 matches despite playing against opponents four years his senior. Since breaking into the Belgian side’s first-team, the striker has already plundered 25 goals in 57 games and attracted interest from both Chelsea and Barcelona.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zwqE3dxwps
[divider]
2. Sotiris Ninis, 20, Panathinaikos
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Greek sensation Sotiris Ninis has been hitting the headlines in his homeland ever since becoming the second youngest player ever to wear the Panathinaikos shirt at the age of 16.
His performances have seen him linked with a move to Old Trafford as a potential replacement for midfield maestro Paul Scholes. Football’s world governing body describes him as:
“Ninis is equipped with delightful technique, incredible vision, staggering pace and a shot of considerable power.”
[divider]
1. Alexis Sanchez, 21, Udinese
Known in his homeland as ‘the wonder boy’, winger Alexis Sanchez has already made over 100 appearances in club football.
Sanchez has pace, trickery and confidence in abundance and has already been linked with a host of top European sides. The exciting talent is a major fan favourite at the Stadio Friuli and any side keen on Sanchez will have to break the bank in order to sign one of the world’s most wanted footballers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY9FoCNlSsM
[divider]
*
You can read more of my blogs HERE or follow me on Twitter.
Carlos Tevez’s agent has revealed that his client wants to join AC Milan rather than Inter Milan this January, as his exit from Manchester City gets closer.
The Argentina international has had a controversial last 12 months at the Etihad Stadium, and following his refusal to enter the field of play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and decision to return to his homeland without consent, will be sold during the transfer window.
Scudetto holders Milan have been locked in negotiations with City over a deal for the last month, with the Premier League leaders already turning down a loan offer for the South American attacker.
However, Inter have also stated their interest in the temperamental forward, and reports in Italy stipulate that Claudio Ranieri’s men have made an offer for him.
Despite this, Kia Joorabchian, who has been the architect of Tevez’s last two transfers, has stated that the chance to play alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the San Siro would be his ideal solution.
“Carlos told me that he wants to play with Ibrahimovic at AC Milan,” the representative told Sportmediaset.it.
When asked about the latest news regarding Tevez’s future, City boss Roberto Mancini admitted that he was unsure where the Argentinean would end up.
“Maybe it could be Inter that is interesting because the revenue is better and Milan the same but I don’t know the latest news,” the Italian coach told reporters.
“Maybe we can find a good solution in January. It is important for Carlos because it is three months that he has not played,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Arsene Wenger conceded defeat in Arsenal’s title challenge and told supporters to blame him for the club’s failure to capitalise on a golden opportunity to end their trophy drought. It appears that the Gunners have never recovered from their Carling Cup defeat and it makes you wonder how different the rest of the season could have been had they come out victorious at Wembley.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include; Ancelotti claiming the title race is still very much on; Owen Coyle talks up Sturridge’s England chances, while Dalglish confirms there have been no developments over a new Liverpool deal.
*
Wenger: Blame me for Arsenal’s frail end to the season – Guardian
City’s spending restricted by Uefa rules – Daily Telegraph
‘The title race isn’t over yet,’ insists defiant Chelsea boss Ancelotti – Daily Mail
Dalglish – No news on deal – Sky Sports
We must focus on league, says Mancini – Guardian
Rooney gives Fergie more worry over things said in Tweet of the moment – Daily Mail
Bolton boss talks up Sturridge’s England chances – Mirror
‘We have nothing to fear from United’ – Daily Telegraph
Freddie ready for rescue act – Sun
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Sunderland star Henderson makes his point to the Stadium of Light boo boys – Daily Mail