could be on his way out of Liverpool after Serie A giants Inter Milan made a move for the Liverpool striker, the Daily Mail understands.
It’s the second time in 12 months that the Italian club have tried to sign Kuyt and speculation was fierce that he could be on the move.
That was heightened after the Dutchman was left on the bench for the opening day draw against Sunderland but returned to the fray in Saturday’s 2-0 against Arsenal.
His agent Rob Jansen revealed that Inter had been in contact again as they seek a replacement for Samuel Eto’o who is poised to leave the San Siro for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.
Jansen said: “Inter Milan have made an attractive offer for Dirk. However, the clubs have yet to agree a deal.”
Despite the interest from Italy it’s thought that Kuyt would be unwilling to leave Anfield where he is a big part of Kenny Dalglish’s plans.
Since signing for the club in 2006 he has become a firm fans favourite with his work ethic and cult hero status endearing him to the Kop.
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The 31-year-old only signed a contract extension at the end of last season and it’s unlikely that he would be prepared to disrupt his family who are settled on Merseyside.
Everton manager David Moyes has praised Tim Cahill, as the attacking midfielder looks to add to his five previous goals against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.
The Australia international was a doubt for the clash, as he was suffering from a shin injury, but to Toffees fans relief he has been declared fit to play against the Anfield club.
Ahead of the clash, Moyes has labelled Cahill as one of the best signings he has ever made.
“From day one, Tim has been nothing but magnificent. The way he goes about the job, the way he puts himself over, he’s been magnificent,” the Scottish coach stated in a press conference.”He is going to be one of a kind in our time, and I just hope he has something to show for it, a trophy, when his time comes to an end.”He is massive because of his attitude and energy. He beats the drum and keeps everybody at it. And he has a great record of scoring when it matters, important goals and that won’t change.”He has helped me, because part of any new manager who comes into a job is to make good signings to help your own position and to help the team get better. Tim was such a great early signing for me,” he concluded.Cahill’s inclusion will be a massive boost to Everton, as he has become a lynchpin in the Goodison Park team and will be sure to be a handful for Liverpool on Saturday.Written By Gareth McKnight[divider]FREE football app that pays you to view ads[ad_pod id=’qs-2′ align=’left’]
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has announced his retirement from international football, claiming the reason he will no longer play for Serbia is due to criticism from the press.
The centre-half has made 56 appearances for his country, but missed a penalty in the 1-0 defeat to Slovenia earlier in the month that cost the Serbs a place in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Vidic follows in the footsteps of Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic who has also announced his retirement, and feels he has given all he could for the nation.
“The basic reason for my international retirement is that my commitment for the national team has been criticised by the media and therefore by the public as well for some time now,” a statement on the Serbia Football Association website reads.
“I’ve been under fire although I turned up to play for Serbia even when I was injured and sometimes I did so against the advice of my club.
“I have come forward with this statement in order to root out any hear-say talk as to why I’m quitting the national team, to make sure they keep a good atmosphere ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
“I am also convinced the upcoming generation has the potential to give the nation plenty to cheer about and I will be with them whole-heartedly as a fan,” he concluded.
The news will be welcomed by Sir Alex Ferguson, who will hope his influential defender will be less injury prone in the future due to playing less games.
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Fifa have dismissed the English FA’s request for the national side to wear shirts with poppies embroidered into the material on Saturday against Spain.
The British nation were keen to wear the poppies as a mark of respect to support Remembrance Day, but the world governing body has rejected the request, as it is seen to go against the neutrality of the game.
“We regret to inform you that accepting such initiatives would open the door to similar initiatives from all over the world, jeopardising the neutrality of football,” a letter from Fifa to the FA reads.
“Therefore, we confirm herewith that the suggested embroidery on the match shirt cannot be authorised.
“There are a variety of options where The FA can continue supporting the cause of Remembrance. One of them already was approved by Fifa, the Period of Silence,” it concluded.
Sports minister Hugh Robertson also wrote a letter to Fifa on Tuesday in support of the poppy being included in the England strip, but the heartfelt approach was rejected by the governing organisation.
There have been suggestions that if England were allowed to wear poppies it would offend Germany or the German people, but this has been dismissed by DFB general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach.
“I am totally surprised (by the suggestion that German people might be offended) because it just hasn’t been mentioned here,” Niersback told The Daily Mail.
“The Federation has not heard of, or been involved in, any discussions about poppies and whether England should be allowed to wear them on Saturday.
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“I cannot imagine we would have any objection to the idea of England’s players having poppies on their shirts. It just wouldn’t be a problem to us. It wouldn’t be an issue,” he concluded.
Manchester United have dominated the Premier League era in English football under Sir Alex Ferguson combining young talent, experienced heads and shrewd work in the transfer market over the years. United were able to combine both playing attractive football and winning trophies – something that is becoming less of trend.
The Premier League has always had the teams that are known for long ball, physical football, but I feel that there are more teams than ever in the English game overall that are ruining the way our football it being displayed to the world. Thankfully however, some teams have decided that they will continue to play attractive football and they surely are the teams we all want to watch as a neutral.
After watching Newcastle’s excellent win at Stoke City last night it occurred to me of how much teams have to adapt depending on their opponents. Stoke City only seemed interested in throwing the ball into the penalty area and pushing their way to goal with every attack. It was extremely ugly to watch and I was delighted that Demba Ba dismantled them at the other end for a victory for style, even if they did not play champagne football on the night.
Manchester City are another breath of fresh air, playing exciting attacking football that has been a joy to watch throughout the first quarter of this season. Signings such as David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri evidently show that Roberto Mancini prefers neat passing to long ball football.
Some will argue that the money has made it easy for them to play good football but this is not always the case. When Chelsea came into their fortunes, they signed the likes of Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel and were not as pleasing on the eye as City have been this season. When Chelsea are on Sky, not many non-Chelsea fans will honestly say they are excited to watch them, unlike City.
Arsene Wenger has come under increased pressure to bring in trophies at the Emirates Stadium over the past 12 months, but rather than lose their identity and become a boring, former 1-0 side, they have stuck with what they know and may finally be seeing the rewards. Recent years have been tough for the Gunners lonely trophy cabinet but pleasing for football fans in general who have been able to enjoy watching any game that involves the North London club.
Fans will always want their club to be successful and Mancini and Ferguson have proved that it is possible to achieve this playing great football. Managers and coaches have their own ideas and get reputations how their sides play on the pitch.
Sam Allardyce at West Ham has come under criticism all throughout his managerial career for his style of play. However, West Ham fans seem fairly content that their side can play his style of football and win games and eventually earn promotion.
Some say the West Ham way of playing is the neat, one touch football that has been slightly lost this year in replace for some good results and a positive league position. However, playing the West Ham way over the past two years has not worked and so a change was needed at Upton Park. So if West Ham gain promotion then their fans will be happy and the manager will keep his job.
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If your club plays poor football and wins, you will be happy. If it plays good football and loses you will be left frustrated. If you play great football and win then you’re probably from Manchester.
As much as we love football for being unpredictable, it wouldn’t be the same without the large swathes of predictability that embody certain aspects of the season. I’m talking about the perpetual cycle of events, circumstances and press activities that make football what it is. That makes football the sport we know and love, and what better time to work ourselves up in to a media fuelled, football hungry frenzy than the January transfer window. We’re less than two weeks away from Christmas now, which means we’re about three weeks away from January when we’ll be swamped by all those familiar stories, facts and feelings that seem to consume football fans at the beginning of every new year. For some fans it’s a time of opportunity, a time when everyone and anyone is coming to your club. For other fans it’s a tense and nervy affair as you attempt to fend off the rich, oil drenched fingers of your fellow clubs. Here are ten things to look out for this January.
Click on Damien Comolli to unveil the top 10 things to expect in January
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Liverpool climbed to within two points of the Premier League top four after Craig Bellamy scored and created another to inspire his side to an easy win over Aston Villa.
The Reds struck twice in the space of four first half minutes to see off Alex McLeish’s men and win for the sixth time in their last 11 games to put themselves in with a chance of moving into the Champions League places over Christmas. Kenny Dalglish’s side were rarely troubled by the home side and had the game sown up within the first 15 minutes with Bellamy having a hand in both. The Welshman scored the first before setting up Martin Skrtel for the second to underline his status as one of the seasons transfer bargains. Villa will be disappointed that they didn’t test Pepe Reina on a more regular basis and McLeish will be unhappy with his players after another limp display although. Their cause wasn’t helped after key striking duo Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent picked up injuries and missed the game at Villa Park with Emile Heskey struggling up front against his former club. Dalglish on the other hand will be feeling the polar opposite after his side turned in a confident performance whilst his decision to play young Jonjo Shelvey from the off ultimately paid off.
Having spent most of the season on loan at Blackpool it was surprising to see the 19-year-old thrown straight into the mix by his boss but didn’t disappoint slotting in alongside his more experienced colleagues with ease. He played a key role in the opening goal on 11 minutes flicking Stewart Downing’s corner into the path of Bellamy who made no mistake turning the ball past Brad Guzan to make it 1-0. Four minutes later the lead was doubled with Bellamy turning provider whipping in a corner that was met by Skrtel with a superb glancing header. The Reds continued to dominate in the first forty five minutes but failed to increase their advantage as they pegged Villa back into their own half. Charles N’Zogbia did prove to be the home side’s brightest player and he was the architect of their best chance of the first half firing an effort over on the half hour mark before slamming the ball into the side netting of Reina’s goal minutes later.
However it was the visitors who looked more likely to score with Bellamy proving a nuisance throughout with his cross finding the unmarked Daniel Agger at the back post only for the Dane to head the ball wide. Villa offered little in terms of an attacking threat without Bent and Agbonlahor and were lucky not to concede again with Luis Suarez uncharacteristically squandering two chances. After a relatively quiet first half the Uruguayan sparked into life scampering into a through ball before beating Richard Dunne and James Collins only to see his stinging strike crash back off the cross bar. The wood work would deny him again soon after with the striker’s deft chip from the edge of the area beating Guzan but once again agonisingly clipping the bar for the 17th time this season.
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Former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric has insisted that he and Harry Redknapp are not guilty of cheating the public revenue.
The pair are up in front of Southwark Crown Court over claims that the executive paid the now-Tottenham boss £189,000 into a foreign bank account in illicit fashion, but Mandaric has restated that the payment was above board.
“I wanted to do something special for Harry because he means more to me than a football manager. This was something as a friend,” he told the court, as reported by Sky Sports.
“If this was something to do with employment, I would have done something entirely different.
“The payments were something special for my friend … That’s all I wanted to do.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that it was completely away from his duties, his bonuses, his salaries … It has nothing to do with it. It is an entirely different subject,” he concluded.
The jury had been previously told last week that Redknapp’s off-shore bank account had been bolstered by payments following the sale of Peter Crouch, but both the coach and Mandaric have claimed their innocence.
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If you were lucky, or should I say brave enough to witness my article on the top 20 worst Premier League shirts in history last week; you would have not only found that the nineties was a bad era of fashion, but goalkeepers jerseys in particular incorporated designs more extravagant than most.
From Schmeichel’s bright orange triangular contours, to David James series of swiggles, dots and a few more dodgy placed swiggles all on one Liverpool goalkeeper’s jersey, the visuals have paid credence to the myth that goalkeepers are a strange breed and that they are all mad!
But just why are goalkeeper’s jerseys more bright, loud and vibrant than the outfield kits? Do goalkeepers have a secret motive or secret weapon? Let us examine.
All stoppers need that extra bit of help. I mean it is the hardest job in the game, isn’t it? Keeping the ball out of the net. Everton’s Tim Howard currently sports a jersey G.I. Joe would be proud of. Football fans would have been AWOL not to notice the American’s army-like camouflaged number this term. Whilst Howard may wear it to fade and logically disappear into the Goodison backdrop after a possible keeping howler, the jersey is extremely off-putting for the opposition.
Whilst possibly ambitious to ponder upon the prospect of goalkeepers and kit makers conducting secret meetings in an old, disused factory before the eve of a new season, the growing trend of effervescent jerseys continues; this time at Stamford Bridge.
Petr Cech has built a reputation as one of the league’s best shutout merchants since his arrival from Rennes in 2004, but the Czech has been owner to a large range of particularly bright garments from his wardrobe.
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In the 2010/11 campaign, Adidas crafted a bright yellow goalkeeper’s kit and the season before, Chelsea fans will recall a bright orange predecessor. Whilst this equipment may have made Chelsea’s number one look like a big construction worker or a large traffic cone, it would be foolish not to surmise that these illuminating designs are distracting for opposing strikers.
Of course, brightly outfitted keepers clearly distinguish the separation of the role from the outfield for the viewer, but the lively colour schemes are likely to possess diverting qualities in the eyes of a striker bearing down on goal.
Manchester City’s Joe Hart has been arguably the best stopper in the division this season, but Welsh strikers in particular have been the victim of another goalkeeping masterstroke.
Back in September of last year, Hart wore a ‘minty monstrosity’ according to TalkSport in the qualifier with Wales that seemingly sported countless white and green crosses of St George against the nearly undistinguishable crest of the Three Lions.
TalkSport too corroborated the essence of this article in surmising
‘The Three Lions are going for the old ‘distract the opposition by temporarily scrambling their brain with this crazy kit’ tactic’
Whilst this article may be a little tongue in cheek for your tastes, there is definitely something in the decisions to employ such infamous jerseys.
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Howard, Cech and Hart may represent just a few of the many examples of gruesome garments worn over the years, but serve as contemporary evidence that the secret weapon myth most certainly lives on.
Am I clutching at straws or have you too noticed this phenomenon? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
Andre Villas Boas has admitted that he is interested in Porto trio Hulk, Joao Moutinho and Alvaro Pereira, and may make a move for them in the summer.
The Portuguese coach was expected to raid his former club for players when he took over at Stamford Bridge in the summer, however as yet no additions from the 2010/11 Europa League winners have been made.
However this could be set to change in the summer, as Villas Boas looks to strengthen for next season.
“We have Kalou and Malouda, both of whom are nearing the end of their contracts, while Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge are the future,” he told Portuguese radio station TSF, translated to English by Sky Sports.
“As such, there will surely be a place to fill and I see room for an explosive player on the wing, someone who is strong in one-on-one situations and Hulk fits that profile.”
When asked about Moutinho and Pereira, he also was not ruling out a bid for the duo.
“They could surely play in the Premier League and at Chelsea,” he admitted.
Finally, with Villas Boas under pressure to end the season well, he has confessed that his job is not safe just yet.
“The pattern of behaviour of the owner has led to a (manager’s) downfall in similar situations or even ‘better’ situations.
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“What will be the reaction? It will be one of the two, a continuation of the project and full support or just the cultural pattern that has happened before. We don’t know,” he concluded.