It is often forgotten that on Saturday February 27th 2010, there were two victims at the Britannia Stadium.
The pantomime villain in all of this was Ryan Shawcross, mention that name to most football fans and all they will say is ‘Ramsey’. The Stoke defender, was at the time, one of England’s best up and coming centre backs and was incidentally called up to the national squad for the first time that night. He didn’t get on the pitch, but it seemed many call-ups and caps were to follow.
However, ever since that dreadful incident two years ago, Shawcross’s development as a player has been stopped in its tracks. I, and most Potters fans, would have expected that by now Shawcross would be playing for one of the top 6 clubs, and a regular in the England squad. But the former Manchester United player hasn’t made the exact progress we predicted.
Last season he was made captain, after the dip in form of cult hero Abdoulaye Faye, and it was a bold move by Pulis to do so and one that I questioned. Shawcross, perhaps further burdened by responsibility, had arguably his poorest season to date with Stoke. He was a solid 6 out of ten for the whole season, where as his centre-back partner Robert Huth constantly over shadowed him at both ends of the pitch. Ryan looked a man slightly short on confidence, despite leading us to our first FA cup final in the clubs history. He was solid, but never as spectacular as he expected and hoped.
But this season he has grown, finally putting the Ramsey incident behind him. He oozes authority at the back, barking out orders and being a real team leader, something last season he wasn’t so much of. He has been ever present at the team’s heart, in a season where he has had to contend with alternating between Jonathan Woodgate, Matthew Upson and Robert Huth as partners in defence, and Asmir Begovic and Thomas Sorensen in goal.
He is far calmer on the ball then previously, is a massive threat from set-pieces and reads the game as good as any. His confidence has increased tenfold. Not a man who enjoys the public eye, he is rapidly proving me wrong as the right man to captain this side, another master stroke by Pulis, why do I ever doubt him sometimes?
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The best thing about it is that it is unlikely he will leave in the summer. Shawcross is our captain, our leader and our hero and Stoke is in his heart. Forget Crouch for a second, England may have to start making room for Shawcross in their 2012 squad.
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola was once again on the touchline barking out orders on Tuesday afternoon as he managed a group of Indesit Football Talent competition winners at The Emirates Stadium in the pouring summer rain. I caught up with him post-match to talk all things Chelsea, Champions League and his managerial future.
Did you enjoy today, did it make you want to get back into the managerial game?
It was great, it was fun, but above all it wasn’t about us. It was about the people that came here and spent the day like a proper footballer. But I enjoyed it; they enjoyed it which is the most important thing.
Also, for me personally, the closer you get to the pitch, the better you feel. Obviously if I could get even closer it would be even better! But we are getting ready for another opportunity and we will see when it comes.
So the Champions League Final on Saturday, are you excited?
Very much so, it is a game which has lots of expectations and I am sure it will be a great final. There will be a lot of emotions in there.
Without the likes of John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Ramires, can Chelsea still win it?
Obviously it is a difficult task because they are missing key players and they are playing against a very good team in Bayern, but if you analyse the season of Chelsea they have been through difficult times but they always come through. Also, you can’t forget that in the team that will line up on Saturday, there are players that played in the final a few years ago in Moscow, so I am sure they will be doubling their attention and strength in the game. But I don’t think it is right to say that Chelsea starts the game having already lost it, I would pay respect to them.
How pleasing is it to see Roberto Di Matteo doing such a good job at Chelsea?
I am delighted, delighted for Chelsea, delighted for Roberto because he is a good guy, he is a Chelsea legend and Chelsea boy, so to see somebody doing well in your own club, you feel so pleased for that.
You often hear that he was a quiet character in the dressing room, were you surprised he actually moved into management?
Yeah, he is quite calm, he is laid back, but he has so much determination. In his career, I have known him for a long time and I know he looks quiet but he is a very, very determined and strong person.
He brought back Eddie Newton, so there is a few Chelsea old boys back at the club, are you expecting a call soon?
No, you know Chelsea is a great club for me and for those who have played there, but as long as somebody is doing well at the club and on top of that if they are someone who has played with you and is friends with you I am very pleased for that. It would be fantastic to have that opportunity, but as long as the club is so well looked after I don’t mind, honestly I really just wish for the club to do well, that’s the most important thing.
In a fantasy world and you were starting for Chelsea on Saturday, who would you like to play up front with, Didier Drogba or Fernando Torres?
I think Didier Drogba is the one who has to start on Saturday because of what he has done. He is a guy that every time they play an important game he puts his trademark on it which is a guarantee for Chelsea. Obviously Fernando has done quite well, he came back so strong and I am sure when he comes on he can make a big difference but Drogba is the man. In every single final or important game we play, he scores; he has been such a leader. I think he will start, but Fernando could come on and change the game.
So how close are you to getting back into management, have you given it a lot of thought recently?
Yes, there have been a few opportunities but I preferred to take a little bit of time off you know to do things for me, but now is the moment and obviously I am looking forward to finding a job.
Is it also nice to see Paolo Di Canio doing so well at Swindon?
Oh I am delighted. I spoke with him after the promotion and he has done a great job and he really didn’t have an easy task, he has done it in his own style. Paolo is Paolo!
What are your thoughts on Italy’s chances in Euro 2012?
Unfortunately, he hasn’t got the best team honestly, but they are a very young team and I like the manager very much. I don’t think that on paper they can win it, but football is so incredible because you can say one thing and it can just turn around, I don’t think they will win, but they will play a good tournament. I think the cycle is now going towards Germany; they have some great young players.
When you managed the Italy under-21’s, you briefly coached Mario Balotelli, how did you personally find him?
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Hard, sometimes he can be very hard, or he can be very easy it all depends on him. For me Mario can be a top player, when I say top player I mean top, top, top player but at the same time he has to understand that the person goes with the player. Your personality, the way you handle your temperament also determines the value of you as a player. Mario could be the player of the Euros, it is all down to him and I think he will have an important role. I saw the strikers and he will probably become one of the main strikers for Italy so he has a big opportunity, it is just down to him to use it in the right way. You can’t control it, I can’t control it, he is the only one who can do that.
Another place where you managed was West Ham, they are in the Play Off Final on Saturday, do you think they will go up?
They have a great chance, there is no doubt they have the best side in the Championship in my opinion, so the ball is on their hand. Whether they can do it I don’t know, but they have players in the team that have enough experience and quality to play these teams and games so we will see what they can do. I keep my fingers crossed for them, it is a good club and I really wish to see them playing in the Premier League.
Do you think you were harshly treated at Upton Park?
I think football sometimes is like that, it is a rule of football. Sometimes you have to work with a chairman and a club and your ideas are not appreciated and they want to get on with that and maybe do something else. I can’t complain though, I had a very good time with West Ham and I am very grateful for them to allow me to manage a Premier League club, I done what I was supposed to do there, with all the difficulties and I have no grudges at all.
Finally, is it true you went on an eventful fishing trip with Faustino Asprilla, how was that?
Yes, yes, it was absolutely terrible! You know when fishing you line up one next to each other and throw the ropes, but you have to be very careful how you throw it because the waves can take it close to the others ropes. He made such a mess of it. He crossed all of the lines and it took us half an hour to get all of the lines in. We had to cut them with scissors. Never again! We can maybe use him as bait! Good players, very good friend, terrible fisherman!
Robert Pires, Daniele Massaro and Gianfranco Zola coached winners of the Indesit Football Talents competition which offered football fans across Europe the opportunity to compete at Emirates Stadium. For more information please go towww.indesit.com/weworkyouplay
Wayne Rooney is carrying a minor injury and will not be risked in England’s international friendly against Norway next Saturday, Roy Hodgson has confirmed.
The Manchester United man is part of the Three Lions squad for Euro 2012, but is suspended for the first two games of the tournament against France and Sweden.
Hodgson has confirmed that Rooney will sit out the match against the Scandinavians, but may well play against Belgium in the final warm-up fixture against Belgium on June 2nd.
“Wayne has been playing with a minor injury for the last three or four games which needed a couple of weeks to clear up,” the England boss told reporters, published by Sky Sports.
“He won’t be involved in the Norway game and I don’t know whether I will select him for Belgium at this stage.
“I offered him a couple more days’ rest but he was adamant he wanted to be part of it when we meet up for the Belgium game.
“The fitness side doesn’t bother me. If he needs a bit of topping up we will do that. But his enthusiasm for the task was fantastic,” he concluded.
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For a number of years top European clubs have looked to the Americas in search of the next big thing. Many players have successfully made the trip between the continents, producing fine displays and winning top honours in, arguably, the greatest club football continent on the planet.
Although many stars from Central and South America settle in Spain, Premier League clubs have always scoured the leagues of the region in search of fresh talent.
Chelsea recently snapped up the promising Lucas Piazon, who has been likened to Real Madrid superstar Kaka, showing that English clubs are increasingly looking at the South American market in search of young, affordable talent for the future.
Although Argentinian and Brazilian clubs attract much of the attention, sides from all across the continent are consistently producing top quality talent with a view to exporting them for high levels of profit.
This list looks at 10 players currently performing in the Americas, who could be set for a move to the Premier League in the not too distant future…
Click on Neymar below to see the TEN South American Stars
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What are your thoughts? Find me @Alex_Hams to have your say
Newcastle have approached Liverpool to enquire about the possibility of taking Andy Carroll back on loan, Sky Sports report.
The England international striker has had an inconsistent time at Anfield since a £35 million move to Merseyside back in January 2011.
With Brendan Rodgers taking over from Kenny Dalglish Carroll’s future is unclear, with new signing Fabio Borini thought to be the Geordie attacker’s replacement.
The Northern Irish manager has previously admitted that he may well send the targetman out on loan for 2012-13, and Newcastle are now said to have made a bid.
Initially Carroll would re-join the Tyneside outfit on a season-long loan deal, with a permanent move in the offing next summer.
AC Milan and West Ham have both also been linked with a move for Carroll in the off-season, but as yet there has been no news over where the striker will play his football next term.
Newcastle have Senegalese attacking pair Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse at their disposal, but did sell Leon Best to Blackburn this summer.
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With less than three weeks to go until the start of the season, Neil Warnock seems to be assembling a squad that is capable of getting out of this league and back to the big time. The main squad building has been done and all that is needed now are the two or three players that can win a match out of nothing.
At the end of last season the main priority was to sort out the defence and it was something that the gaffer got straight on with, bringing in Portsmouth captain Jason Pearce, then the experienced duo of Adam Drury and Paddy Kenny. All three of these are likely to be regular fixtures in the starting line up throughout the season which will give the side a more solid out look. With Martin Crainie possibly signing up it will give added competition for Tom Lees to get that centre back spot which can only be good for the team. One position in the defence is yet to be filled however with no new right back and Paul Connolly looking ever the more likely to be leaving it is something that Warnock needs to address. Rumours that Lee Peltier is the man that Leeds want have been going on for most of the summer but seem to have died down over the last few days.
One thing that will be key this season is that the club cannot concede as many sloppy goals as they did last season. Silly little mistakes need to be cut out if the club are to make a serious challenge for the title. I’m sure the gaffer will have been working on this throughout pre season and improve the composure of our players.
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One area where the club now has real strength in depth is the middle of the park with David Norris, Paul Green and already fans favourite Rodolph Austin. These three will provide the necessary steel as well as going on to score goals as well. Luke Varney came into the club last week when his deal was finally agreed and hopefully he will fill the void left by Robert Snodgrass when he departed for Norwich City. I would expect another wide man to come into the club as it is an area where we are pretty light on the ground, possibly a loan from a Premiership club might be the way off adding extra competition.
Probably the most surprising signing of the summer so far has to be the return of Andy Gray. He will provide good cover for Luciano Becchio and Ross McCormack as well as giving an extra option until Davide Somma returns from injury later this year. The club are still actively searching for another striker and Craig Mackail-Smith seems to be the man on the top of the list with rumours of talks taking place could he be the man that Warnock wants in by Saturday. Another name being thrown around is that of George Boyd. A quality wide man with an eye for a goal, he is just the type of player Leeds need. A match winner some would call him but whether or not the club make a move for him we have to wait and see.
This Championship season looks like it could be the closest one yet with most clubs doing good bits of business. However if Neil Warnock can get these crucial signings that he is talking about to the club then I don’t see another team better equipped than us to get back to the big time. Elland Road needs to be a fortress this season and the fans can help that by turning up week in week out singing their hearts out for the team, almost sucking the ball into the back of the net at times.
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This could be our year!
Thomas Johnson – @tomsjohnson – borninyorkshire.blogspot.co.uk
Spanish giants Barcelona are closing in on a move for Arsenal midfielder Alex Song according to reports in the Catalan press reports The Independent.
According to daily papers Sport and Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona’s sports vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and director of football Raul Sanllehi flew into London on Tuesday to finalise a deal, and it is believed it could be completed within hours.
Reports have claimed Arsenal turned down an initial bid of €15 and are hoping to hold out for over €20 million. However it is believed Barcelona will get their man for a fee of between €18 and €19 million.
The deal would see Song reunited with former teammate Cesc Fabregas, who made the same switch from North London last summer.
There has been no official word from Barcelona on the transfer, but Javier Clemente, who was Song’s International manager with Cameroon from 2011 to 2012 believes Song would fit into new coach Tito Vilanova’s plans perfectly according to ESPN.
“He is a player with some things from (Seydou) Keita and some from (Yaya) Toure. For me he has more imagination in attack,” Clemente said.
“Physically he is very strong, dynamic, he works very hard and is very good technically. He is at Barca level.”
Barcelona are confident the deal will be tied up in time for their first La Liga game of the season against Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp this weekend. The Cameroon international will become only their second summer signing, following their move for full back and Euro 2012 star Jordi Alba from Valencia.
Arsenal fans, who are still preparing themselves for life without Robin Van Persie, will not welcome the news.
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Song, who provided countless assists for the Dutchman last term, is a firm fan favourite at the Emirates, and even the news that Rennes’ midfielder Yaan M’Vila has been lined up, as a replacement will do little to appease the Arsenal fans.
The transfer window is an unnerving time for clubs without the financial ‘war chests’ at the disposal of the Premier League elite. Renowned scouts begin flocking to pre-season games – like vultures circling their prey – as they seek to identify potential targets.
At the height of media speculation it’s difficult for a player not be tempted by the bright lights of the big time but fans continue to live in hope they can keep hold of their prized assets. However, with the transfer window slamming shut in just 14 days, clubs will begin to step their pursuit, especially if their season gets off to a rocky start.
With this in mind I have collated the top ten players that should have Premier League clubs giddy with excitement.
Click on Jack Butland below to unveil the 10
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Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub
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I doubt players like Nicklas Bendtner give much worth to a number, just as long as he can show the world how much his wages are each week. For other players and specifically those of particular nationalities, there’s a lot of significance in a squad number.
Lionel Messi was given the no.10 shirt following the departure of Ronaldinho to AC Milan. There’s a lot of weight and responsibility in that number, especially due to it’s reputation in South American football. But clubs like Barcelona were hardly going to give a famous number to a player like Alex Hleb or Martin Montoya.
However, the importance of numbers do work both ways. Clubs want to hand responsibility and the prestige of certain numbers to their best players. At Arsenal, Jack Wilshere was recently given the no.10 after Robin van Persie found more worth in an extremely forgetful number elsewhere, while newcomer Lukas Podolski also chased the Dutchman’s former shirt. But Arsene Wenger’s decision to hand Wilshere the number was symbolic of the faith he has in the player and his position at the club moving forward. His position on the pitch and as a leader for the club.
It’s also not something that’s central to just football players. You’re sure to find players in many other sports who chase a number due to it’s meaning, while others land on a number and never change for the rest of their career. Does it hold worth beyond just being a throwaway gimmick? Sure, and it’s a strange one, yet wholly understandable.
And we can take it a step further and into the world of gaming, where I’m sure serious addicts of FIFA or Football Manager are going to offer their latest signing a respectable number and one in keeping with his talent and importance to the side.
William Gallas looked ridiculous in the no.10 shirt while playing for Arsenal, and not just because of the player who wore the number before him (although it did have something to do with it). But no Arsenal fan will complain at the decision to hand Wilshere the number. Quite simply, defenders have no place in a shirt number that is so regularly associated with one of the key attackers in a team.
No one will ever wear Wayne Gretzky’s no.99 shirt in the NHL again, while Bryce Harper is making the no.34 look increasingly more fashionable in the MLB. The importance of Michael Jordan’s 23 has been transferred to football with David Beckham opting for that number upon his arrival at Real Madrid, yet I’m sure he’d swat away the worthlessness of the number 24.
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Players like to feel comfortable in their numbers, and a classic no.9 striker needs his worth to be made a little more obvious with the correct number of his back. To outsiders, it’s all just sports nonsense, like which shin pad you put on first or the album that has to be played before a game.
One thing is certain, like Gallas at Arsenal, Michael Owen really shouldn’t have worn the no.7 at Manchester United. Again, probably a lot of old nonsense, but certainly not to those who are more used to players like Beckham, Eric Cantona or Cristiano Ronaldo carrying the traditions and importance of the number.
Sir Alex Ferguson became the first manager to win 100 Champions League games as Manchester United beat Galatasaray 1-0 at Old Trafford, Manchester Evening News reports.
The result could prove to be vital for United, who only managed two points from their opening two matches in last season’s competition- causing them to exit at the group stages.
Michael Carrick’s seventh-minute goal should have been the platform to a more convincing victory, but the Turkish champions continued to create numerous chances, with David de Gea forced to make some vital saves.
But Ferguson understandably did not reflect on his latest milestone and seemed to be more focused on the result.
He said: “After the experience of last season which was an unusual one for us, the result was the most important thing. Getting three points from the first game, is a bonus.
“For our club, it is more than that, it is about playing the brand of football we are recognised for and at times we did. The first 15 minutes we played very well and got the goal.
But the 70-year-old Scot will be worried by the Red Devils’ careless possession play and the way the Istanbul side cut through his team so easily.
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Although, what will be even more concerning for the United manager is the number of missed chances, particularly in the second-half, as Nani missed the team’s third penalty in a row and Javier Hernandez spurned several opportunities to score.
“Fortunately half time came at a good time for us because we were far more solid, they didn’t make any chances at all. We missed so many chances second half, that was the worrying part”, he added.