Liverpool attacker Luis Suarez has admitted that he would like to play in La Liga in the future.
The Uruguay international has had a good and bad season, with sublime performances on the pitch counteracted by a racism scandal that heralded an eight-match ban.
With Suarez refusing to shake victim Patrice Evra’s hand upon his comeback and constantly berated by the media, a move out of the Premier League has been rumoured for the South American.
Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are thought to be keen to sign Suarez this summer, but the Anfield side want to keep their talented but temperamental forward.
However, Suarez has stoked the flames of transfer rumours by admitting that he would like to play in Spain one day.
“I hope to play in Spain in the future because together with the English and Italian leagues they are the best in the world. Any player would dream of playing there,” he stated on Twitter.
Despite the comments, Liverpool are thought to be confident of agreeing a new contract with the attacker.
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With 123 players alone being released by Premier League clubs after last season, the competition to find a new club is fierce. But former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has taken an interesting step to finding a new contract by releasing a series of online videos to prove his fitness. But will Hargreaves’ attempt to find a new club work and what lengths will players go to find a new club?
Hargreaves spent four injury-ravaged seasons at Manchester United, making only 39 appearances (and just 11 minutes of playing time in the last two campaigns) and the 30-year-old is now looking for a new club to try and prolong his career.
The series of 20 YouTube videos show the midfielder running, working in the gym and briefly kicking a football. Hargreaves’ efforts bare a resemblance to Michael Owen’s brochure back in 2009. After his contract at Newcastle United expired Owen sent out a 32-page document to a number of top clubs. The pages included Owen’s career history, a medical review and labeled him a ‘global football star’.
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Such a tactic, like Hargreaves’ videos, could be seen in two ways. Both came from players with stalling careers and this could be seen as a desperate last attempt to find the right club when their football on the pitch couldn’t sell themselves to prospective employees.
Or it may be an innovative way for players to promote their talents, with Hargreaves clearly aware of the worldwide appeal of the internet and sites like YouTube. With the public using these websites to show off their skills (e.g. the very popular singing videos), why shouldn’t footballers take advantage of the same tools?
Maybe soon we will see footballers leaving a message on sites like Twitter and Facebook in an effort to find a new club?
Owen’s brochure may have been a risky move but the same summer he earned a move to Manchester United. It is unclear whether the document had anything to do with Sir Alex Ferguson taking a risk on Owen but maybe the new lengths players go to attract a new football club do actually work?
There is very little chance that Hargreaves’ videos will attract the interest of a team like his previous club United but there have been reports linking Hargreaves with a move to the MLS with Toronto FC or Vancouver Whitecaps. This move could give Hargreaves the chance to resurrect his career and fitness away from the glare of English football.
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Whether Hargreaves’ self-promotion works as well as Owen’s remains to be seen but for now he may have to put up with comments and views on his videos, rather than professional contracts.
They say that it’s unfair to judge the league until the new season is at least 10 games old, well with this weekend’s fixtures signalling it’s 13th fixture, I think it’s fair to say some patterns have emerged over the last couple of months, but the one that has caught my eye has been Arsenal’s Alex Song transformation from destructive anchor man into a liberated creative force.
Song started his Arsenal career in that most inevitable of places for an aspiring Arsenal youngster – the Carling Cup. He has switched between holding man and centre half, a versatility which while to his undoubted benefit to get noticed early on in his career, may have come at an overall cost to his development up until now.
The feeling has always persisted with Song, that Wenger one day harbours ambitions to play him at centre half. But, much has been the case with Jack Rodwell at Everton, another player earmarked to be the ball playing centre half in the Rio Ferdinand mould, while he’s fully capable of playing to a reasonably high standard given time to develop at the back, the energy you lose from him in the middle of the park is simply too big an asset to ignore and that is where both Song and in my opinion, Rodwell’s future career lies.
Thankfully, after emerging as a player of real promise and potential last season playing for Arsenal in the midfield anchor role, Song’s performances in midfield appear to have put any plans to shift him backwards very much on the back burner for the foreseeable future and he’s now sure to be one of the first names pencilled in on the team sheet come Saturday morning.
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What has been different this season to last though with Song’s play, has been his willingness to get forward more and join his team-mates in instigating and creating attacks further up the pitch. This can be best evidenced by his run of three goals in three games earlier one in the campaign against Shaktar Donestk, Man City and West Ham and his sumptuous cross for Marouane Chamkh’s first in the vital win against Wolves.
But has this shift in position come at a cost? With the deployment of Jack Wilshere as a ball-playing shield in front of the back four a la Xabi Alonso, we have seen, dare I say it, a more creative Arsenal than we have for some time, but a more fragile one when put on the back foot.
A lot of people place too much stock on the supposed mental fragility of this Arsenal side, but to me, their resilience is without question, and while I would add a word of caution against Song permanently taking up space a full 10-15 yards further up the pitch as it could leave the backline exposed, to my knowledge at least, we are seeing the next stage in development in Song, from midfield hatchet man to all-round bustling brute more in the Michael Essien mould.
People often, rather incorrectly in my opinion, label Michael Essien’s best position as a holding midfielder, but in the absence of Frank Lampard, Essien has been afforded a freedom and space he’s not often accustomed to and at times to devastating results. He has offered a consistent and potent attacking outlet for Chelsea this season while chipping in with a few goals himself too.
Much like Song, both Essien’s gift and his curse throughout his career to date has been his versatility. Essien’s technical gifts are often overlooked in favour of his at times, simply overwhelming physicality. But make no mistake about it, when given the opportunity to display the full array of his talents, you’d be hard pressed midfielder, if not player, in the entire Premiership.
It may be some way off yet, but I see Essien as the example with which Song should look to follow. The basis of a potentially great holding man was very much in evidence last season with Song, his positional discipline and tenacity a joy to behold for the purists among us.
If all else fails with this new experiment, and the freedom that Song has been granted starts to come to the detriment to the whole team, then he at least has that to revert back to, which is no small thing in itself it has to be said, but there’s a feeling that Song simply has a lot more to offer than just breaking up play and playing a square five-yard pass to a team-mate.
For the time being at least, Song appears to be revelling in his new found freedom. With the space on the pitch between attack and defence squeezed year on year, the fact that Song is playing 15 yards further forward make a huge difference to his role in the team. This season is a pivotal one in terms of the evolution of Alex Song’s career, if he takes the chance he’s been offered and continues to exude the authority and power going forward, something which resembles a young Michael Essien, Arsenal could be getting a whole lot more than just a hatchet man.
Written By James McManus
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Manchester United winger Nani has urged his side to go to the Etihad Stadium and get a result next Monday, but admits his disappointment at dropping points at the weekend.
The reigning champions saw their lead at the top of the Premier League cut from five points to three points after a 4-4 draw with Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Despite the close-knit nature of the title race, the Portugal international is staying positive ahead of next week’s derby fixture.
“There is anger from the players because we wanted to win against Everton,” Nani told MUTV.
“We’re disappointed to lose four goals. But that’s football. It can happen sometimes.
“We have to keep believing in our qualities because we still have a great opportunity to win the title. It’s a huge game.
“It will be a difficult game, but if you want to win the league you cannot think about the atmosphere or the opponents. Of course we can win,” he defied.
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Sepp Blatter said he will bear no grudge against England following their attempts to delay the Presidential elections. The non-election sees Blatter retain his position as the head of FIFA for the next four years and although another sixteen associations followed England’s suit in abstaining from the voting; the 75 year-old declared ‘Don’t worry about the English’ in his victory speech.
In the papers this morning we have seen a mixed bag of stories that include Bent aiming to prove he is England’s No.9; Wenger targets tall players, while Berbatov insists he will not quit Manchester United.
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I will not bear a grudge against the English, insists Blatter – Guardian
Bent aims to prove he is England’s No 9 – Daily Telegraph
Hughes’ Fulham deal expires as Houllier’s exit opens the door to Villa Park hotseat – Daily Mail
Hiddink hints Chelsea return is on cards – Guardian
Messi: I’ll never play In Prem Lge – Sun
Wenger targets tall players to end Arsenal’s wait – Guardian
I will not quit United – Berbatov – Mirror
Allardyce stunned as takeover tale overshadows his first day at West Ham – Daily Mail
Liverpool lead £13m chase for Sunderland midfielder Henderson – Daily Mail
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Spurs midfielder set for £7m move to Italy – Mirror
Boss Alex McLeish praised the mental approach of his players after Birmingham City secured a first win in seven league games with a 2-0 victory at home to Blackpool.
Goals from Liam Ridgewell and Nikola Zigic eased the pressure on the Blues, who had slid uncomfortably close to the relegation zone and McLeish was pleased to see his side do the business.
He commented:"We are always looking for perfection and players are aware I'm ranting and raving on the sidelines, kicking every ball with them.
"We tried to make sure there was no anxiety through the team, because when you've been on the kind of run we've been on recently and you don't get a break, people start to get a little bit uptight and anxious.
"To be fair to the players, they were very cool. They played some good football, they defended stoutly and we got the breaks that perhaps we haven't had recently.
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Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias have revealed that they still call the club’s stadium St James’ Park, not the Sports Direct Arena.
The Tyneside club made the decision to sell the naming rights to their home to raise revenue, to the fury of the outfit’s supporters.
However, Llambias has admitted that he and the club’s executives still use the stadium’s iconic name.
“Do you think me and Mike call it the Sports Direct Arena? We call it St James’ Park, because it is St James’ Park,” he admitted to Mirror Football.
“The naming rights is such a passionate thing. It’s not about being disrespectful or taking away the tradition or the history of the club – it’s about trying to get another Yohan Cabaye out there on the pitch. That’s how we see it.
“To optimise our commercial side, we needed to get that in there – other clubs do it.
“We’ve had to take the criticism on the nose. We’re not riding roughshod over people’s love. People come to see our players on the pitch. It’s about us, the fans, the manager, the players and the region – it’s an emotional thing.
“If we wanted to ride roughshod, we’d just put the ticket prices up. That’s not happening.
“We know we’ve got a huge responsibility, and we know there’s a lot of emotion involved and we are emotional people, too. We are not being disrespectful. Mike and I understand and feel for it.
“The only area of income we can really build is the commercial revenue. We don’t want to put ticket prices up. We have a 10-year ticket deal and now we’ve announced a nine-year deal.
“We’ve increased our family area to 7,500 and for an adult and a kid it’s 500 quid a year. We’re trying to fill the stadium at a price we can afford. We can’t have it half-full, because we’d lose that spirit.
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“There are only a few ways to increase our income. We know the naming rights is contentious, but that income is something we need,” he stated.
West Ham United are expected to appoint a new manager within the next three weeks after sacking Avram Grant yesterday. The Israeli, who also oversaw Portsmouth’s relegation to the Championship in 2009/10, was dismissed within hours of the Hammers’ 3-2 defeat at Wigan Athletic, a result which ended the side’s six-season stay in the Premier League.
The following managers have all been linked with the vacant Upton Park post, but which one is the right man to replace Grant?
Steve McClaren
The former England manager is currently the bookies’ favourite to take over the reins at Upton Park. After a dismal spell with the national side, the 50-year-old managed to rebuild his reputation on the continent after leading Dutch outfit FC Twente to the Eredivisie title for the first time in their history in 2010. He soon moved on to German side Wolfsburg, but was sacked in February after just nine months at the Bundesliga club.
After rising to prominence as Sir Alex Ferguson’s number two at Manchester United, McClaren performed minor miracles with Middlesbrough and led the Teesside club to a League Cup triumph (the club’s first major honour) in 2004 and a UEFA Cup final in 2006. These successes were largely forgotten after his tenure with England, and West Ham United could provide him with the perfect opportunity to restore his domestic reputation.
Chris Hughton
Harshly sacked by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley earlier this season, Chris Hughton was hotly-tipped to take the vacant West Bromwich Albion job after Roberto di Matteo’s dismissal, but his desire to bring his own backroom staff with him meant that he eventually lost out to Roy Hodgson.
He admirably guided Newcastle back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, leading the Magpies to the Championship title despite the departures of high-profile players such as Michael Owen, Damien Duff and Obafemi Martins. West Ham United owner David Gold has already admitted that he expects the club’s England internationals to leave this summer, and Stratford-born Hughton, a lifelong West Ham fan (he also spent two years at Upton Park as a player in the early 1990s), could be the man to rebuild a depleted squad.
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Martin O’Neill
The 59-year-old has been out of work since leaving Aston Villa in August over disagreements with club owner Randy Lerner. O’Neill enjoyed a successful spell at Villa Park, as he presided over three successive sixth-place finishes. He has won silverware with both Leicester City and Celtic, including two League Cups, three Scottish league titles and three Scottish Cups.
O’Neill was heavily linked with the club earlier this year, but is alleged to have changed his mind about replacing Grant in January after club insiders leaked reports of his impending arrival. Whilst his earlier interest in the post would suggest that he is ready for a return to club management, it is unclear whether or not he would be willing to manage in the Championship.
Neil Warnock
Despite leading QPR to the Premier League in emphatic style, speculation suggests that Neil Warnock may find himself out of a job as the club’s owners seek a more glamorous name to take them forward in the top tier. Despite his chequered past with West Ham United, he has expressed his admiration for the club and its traditions and would relish the prospect of reviving the Hammers’ ailing fortunes.
Warnock has demonstrated tangible success at lower-league level, having achieved seven promotions with six different clubs.The controversial Yorkshireman has also shown that he can work well under high-profile owners at Loftus Road, and would be more than capable of dealing with messrs Brady, Gold and Sullivan should he decide to make the switch from west to east London this summer.
Sam Allardyce
Like Martin O’Neill, Sam Allardyce has already seen himself linked with the Upton Park post this season. However, unlike O’Neill, Allardyce has failed to garner support amongst the club’s supporters. West Ham fans are fiercely proud of the club’s tradition for playing free-flowing, attacking football, and this style may be at odds with Allardyce’s more direct style of football.
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Despite this, Allardyce has shown himself to be as an effective manager at Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. Whilst he may not ensure entertainment, he almost certainly guarantees results, and a move for Allardyce could be a wise one if the club’s owners are intent on securing a swift return to Premier League football.
Who would you like to see replace Avram Grant? Let me know below or on twitter.
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has heaped praise on Russia playmaker Andrey Arshavin following a number of fine performances this term.
The former Zenit St Petersburg man has proved to be one of the Gunners' stars so far, scoring five goals and laying on several others in the process.
Now, with one-and-a-half-years remaining on his existing terms, the Frenchman would like to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium.
"If you look at the stats, he is the player who has created more chances than everybody else in the Premier League this season, so his numbers are quite surprising to people who think he has not done so well," Wenger said.
"I believe that since the start of the season in the Premier League, he has been better at creating chances than anyone else.
"He has a long future at the club – as long as his contract lasts at least, or until we extend his contract, and that is for I think 18 months.
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Dennis Bergkamp believes that Arsenal have become extremely predictable and that they need to adopt a more ‘English mentality’ if they have any hope to succeed. The Dutchman suggests that the Gunners need to be more divisive on the pitch with their play and that they need some strong characters inside the changing room and around the club.
Elsewhere in the news Wolves look to Alan Curbishley; Martin Skrtel talks up Liverpool’s chances, while Andre Villas-Boas is being undermined at Chelsea according to his former employer at Porto.
Carlos Tevez returns to Manchester City with the threat of further fines. The Argentine got a police escort back into England, but hopes to rebuild some bridges and get his career back on track – Guardian
Dennis Bergkamp claims that Arsenal is predictable at present and need to adopt an English mentality – Guardian
Wolves are ready to interview Alan Curbishley with the view of him taking over the reins at Molineux following the sacking of Mick McCarthy – Guardian
Andre Villas-Boas is being undermined in his role as Chelsea boss, as his former employer at Porto Pinto da Costa revealed that the players have been engaged in conversation with Jose Mourinho – Daily Telegraph
Martin Skrtel has talked up Liverpool’s chances of landing a cup double, as well as qualifying for the Champions League this season – Independent
Scotland manager Craig Levein is risking the wrath of the English FA by moving for some of the nation’s best young talent, with a view of getting them to switch allegiance. The likes of Josh McEachran and Jonjo Shelvey have been those targeted – Daily Mail
Tottenham have agreed a £3.1m deal with Sau Paulo to take Brazil U20 Captain Bruno Uvini to White Hart Lane – Daily Mail
Manchester United has been linked with three players this morning as Fergie looks to freshen up his squad. Benfica duo Garcia and Gaitan are two of the names reportedly on United’s shortlist – Daily Mail
Sammy Lee has returned to Bolton for the third time in his career, to become Head Coach at the Reebok Stadium – Daily Mail
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David Moyes won’t be looking to extend the loan spell of Landon Donavan for the fear of ruining Everton’s relationship with LA Galaxy – Mirror
Paul Scholes has given his first hint that he will stay on at Manchester United next season – Sun