football !!

Oops! Latest rumours: Despite City's win at Eastlands, rumours are abound that Mark Hughes will be sacked as manager on Saturday evening. Former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is believed to have been spotted in Manchester, while Guus Hiddink has also been linked with the City of Manchester Stadium hot-seat.

 

not so long back! they were saying his job is not in jeopardy..results now say otherwise!!!

 

Bye-bye Sparky!

City axe Hughes and recruit Mancini | Latest News | Football News from TEAMtalk

City have released a statement confirming Hughes, who has lost just two games this season, has had his contract terminated.

Former Inter Milan coach Mancini was at Saturday's Premier League game against Sunderland, which saw City beat Sunderland 4-3.

Mancini will be assisted by former Manchester United number two Brian Kidd.

 

Awful if it´s true that Terry was getting "easy money" like this and none went to the charity...??

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Chelsea back captain John Terry over 'helping to fix training ground visit for £10,000' | Mail Online

The News of the World claimed that £160,000-a-week Terry took a £10,000 payment, £8,000 of which he wanted to go to the 'Make A Wish' charity for children with the other £2,000 going to a middleman.
Chelsea, however, deny any wrongdoing and say they will be stepping up security procedures.


Read more: Chelsea back captain John Terry over 'helping to fix training ground visit for £10,000' | Mail Online


Terry was caught on film seeming to suggest that he could be in hot water if his employers found out he was providing access to the Blues' Cobham facility. The 29-year-old seemed to agree to further tours, provided no one blabbed.

Sitting alongside the Chelsea skipper in the training ground canteen was Tony Bruce, a man said to be a ticket tout who was acting as the middle man in the deal.
Bruce, 58, took the £10,000 cash payment, which had been placed in a folder by the reporter.

'If the club finds out, it's a little bit...' Terry told the reporter. 'If anyone finds out, then we can't do it no more.'


Read more: Chelsea back captain John Terry over 'helping to fix training ground visit for £10,000' | Mail Online

 

I have a question for you liverpoolians....how much are you guys willing to pay for Arshavin?

 

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has vowed to "run around naked in the snow" if he signs a new forward in the January transfer window.

He added: "I have trust in (Fabio) Borini and (Daniel) Sturridge. We don't need to sign another. They will have an opportunity in January to show their quality.

"The only problem is that they are young. We have to have courage to play them as they have a lot of quality. It's right to put them on the pitch and give them an opportunity.

"It's not a gamble. It would be a gamble if they didn't have any quality. But now they have to show they do."

 

Pepe´s replacement?

Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic admits it would be a dream to play for Real Madrid, despite talk of a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Ivanovic said in Politika: "I've had no contact with Real Madrid and my agent has contacted me in the past two days.

"If it is true that Real Madrid are interested in me, I'm flattered, because this club is a dream of every player. But I have not decided on a possible transfer."

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger would like kick-ins to be introduced after claiming teams with long-throw specialists have an "unfair advantage".

He told the club's official website: "(The rule I would change would be) maybe to play throw-ins by foot. Why not? I think it would make the game quicker."

Wenger believes the advantage gained by teams possessing long-throw specialists is unfair.

"For example at Stoke, for Rory Delap it is like kicking the ball," he added.

"It is a little bit of an unfair advantage. He is using a strength that is usually not a strength in football."

Radical though it sounds, Wenger insists the suggestion would not be the most revolutionary change to the game as football evolved to its current format.

"Football is the most popular team game in the world and one day some crazy guy said 'we don't use the hands'," added the manager.

"How could you have imagined on that day a game that is completely natural to play with your hands would become the most popular sport?"

 

Edwin van der Sar has been placed on indefinite compassionate leave by Manchester United after his wife suffered a brain haemorrhage.

The 39-year-old goalkeeper, who has been absent since last month's win over Everton with a knee injury, had been given permission to return to Holland over the festive period and receive treatment from the Holland team doctor.

But his 36-year-old wife Annemarie van Kesteren collapsed last Wednesday as van der Sar and his young family were preparing to celebrate Christmas and the Holland international has been granted permission to stay away from Manchester.

Sir Alex Ferguson said: "Annemarie had a problem over in Holland a week ago and has been admitted to hospital. That is the best place for her to be. They have examined her twice and are trying to get to the root of it.

"I have told Edwin to stay over there. There is no point in him being here. The best thing is for him to be with his wife. Hopefully she will make a good recovery."

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Wishing all the best to your wife Annemarie, Edwin!

 

Football joke of the year:

Controversial Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has blasted modern day footballers for losing touch with reality.

The 27-year-old, who was sentenced to six months in jail for assault and affray amid a catalogue of misdemeanours in recent years, insists the trouble he has brought upon himself has kept his feet firmly on the ground.

However, he admits many of his fellow professionals are cocooned away from the lives led by those who pay to watch them play.

Barton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "A lot of them are so detached from reality it's untrue, and there was a stage when I was like that.

"It's only the fact I'm grounded by the trouble I have been in that's forced me away from being in the football world.

"Driving round in flash cars and changing them like you change your socks, wearing stupid diamond watches and spending money like it's going out of fashion in the middle of a recession when some people are struggling to put food on the table for the kids - it's not the way to do it."

Barton's time behind bars following an incident in Liverpool city centre marked the low-point in a career which has been blighted by his behaviour, which at one point saw him stub out a cigar in a team-mate's eye and attack then Manchester City colleague Ousmane Dabo.

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Always try to find an excuse pt trillion...

Blackburn Rovers forward El Hadji Diouf has suggested the recent cold weather has contributed to his poor form for the club of late.

Diouf scored only his second goal of the season on Monday as his second-half header secured Rovers a 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland.

 

Leeds shocker dumps Manchester United out of FA Cup

Jermaine Beckford's first-half goal secured a memorable 1-0 victory for Leeds United at Old Trafford here on Sunday and ended two of Sir Alex Ferguson's proud Manchester United FA Cup records.

The veteran manager had never lost in the third round and never been knocked out by a team from a lower division in 22 seasons of FA Cup football but the League One leaders, 43 places below their hosts, ensured both records disappeared along with United's interest in the tournament for another season.

Defeat also meant United had lost in the third round of the FA Cup for the first time since being beaten by Bournemouth in 1984.

Leeds shocker dumps Manchester United out of FA Cup - Yahoo! News

 

Liverpool were also lucky to come away with a draw (1 - 1). Man Utd have been crap this year. Didn't see that result, but def. the shcoker so far.

 

Sir Alex not happy with the duration of extra-time, again:

"After a second-half punctuated by petty disputes and an injury to Beckford, plus five substitutions before the additional time was shown, Foy added an extra five minutes.

According to Ferguson, it was not enough.

"The referee gave five minutes," he complained. "That is an insult to the game and the players out there."

 

He always has something to complain about...too much or too little injury time...especially if things don't go his way.

 

YouTube - Alex Ferguson loses his balloon...and misses the bus!

watch fergie and the balloon/bus...

 

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron has revealed he has snubbed an offer from Roberto Mancini to join Manchester City.


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Arsene Wenger says he will have no option but to buy a striker this month if Nicklas Bendtner's comeback from a groin problem is delayed again.

According to reports, Wenger is preparing to launch a £9million bid for Carlton Cole if Bendtner is ruled out despite the West Ham striker being out of action since November.

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Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira has given a strong indication that he is poised to join Manchester City in this month's transfer window.

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Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has confirmed the club are interested in bringing Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida back to Spain.

Atletico have been closely linked with a move for Merida, whose contract with Arsenal expires this summer, and Cerezo admits the Rojiblancos are keen on signing the Barcelona-born 19-year-old for next season.

"Of course we are interested. He is one of the best young players in Europe," Cerezo told Marca.

"But just as we are thinking of it, many other teams in Europe will be thinking the same. I'm sure that he has many offers because that is what someone of his quality deserves."

Merida's representative, Joseba Diaz, insists nothing has been signed with Atletico or any other club, saying the only team they are currently in talks with are Arsenal.

 

Vieira to City soon it seems:

Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira is expected to meet Manchester City officials later on Thursday ahead of a proposed move to Eastlands.

 

Liverpool's disastrous season plunged to new depths on Wednesday as they lost 2-1 to Reading in their FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield.

Liverpool were booed off after their 2-1 extra-time defeat to the Berkshire side, another night of disaster for the Merseysiders in a campaign that has seen them dumped out of the Champions League while languishing off the pace in the title race.

And Benitez will await scans on Thursday on injured stars Steven Gerrard (hamstring) and Fernando Torres (twisted knee) who both came off during the club's third-round exit.

Benitez said: "People have been talking about me for three months, I am used to it.

"All we can do is continue to work hard, to think only of raising spirits for our next match.

"Everyone is very disappointed, it was a massive competition that we wanted to do well in.

"As for me, I will continue to do my best all the time, we have to carry on, we have to improve.

 

Liverpool will never walk alone....in the bottom half of the league!

Also, Sol Campbell has made a return to Arsenal, which pretty much seals the fate of Senderos, who will most likely be gone by the end of the season. Arsenal still need to pick up a Sol-Campbell-sized Strike though!

 

Arsenal, defo. Come on you Gunners! Pride of London, we're taking it home this year!

 

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