Inter chief Ernesto Paolillo says a big bid for Wesley Sneijder will be considered, as speculation over the midfielder’s future rumbles on.Netherlands international Sneijder, 27, is still believed to be keen on joining the English Premier League champions, but it seems his wage demands have been a major stumbling block.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson tried to cool talk of their interest in the player after saying he knew nothing of negotiations between the clubs, while Inter manager Gian Piero Gasperini has intimated the Serie A outfit still relies on him
But Inter chief executive officer Paolillo has said a top offer from England will be evaluated and did not close the door on Sneijder leaving if United submit a suitable bid.
“If an offer we cannot refuse arrives, whether for Sneijder or other players, then we will start to think about a replacement,” Paolillo told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Sneijder is a reference point for our club, but then football always evolves and anything can happen.”
“But there are no talks, and so we are not thinking of changing.”
Sneijder is likely to play for Inter in Saturday’s Supercoppa Italiana clash against city rivals AC Milan in Beijing.
Blackpool will try to put a turbulent week for boss Ian Holloway behind them on Wednesday when they welcome West Ham to Bloomfield Road.
Holloway this week stood by his pledge to tender resignation if his team was fined for fielding a weakened side against Aston Villa in the English Premier League in November.
The Blackpool boss made 10 changes for that match – in which Blackpool were only denied a draw by a last-minute James Collins goal that gave Villa a 3-2 win – resulting in a 25,000 pound fine being handed down by the Premier League.
“He (the chairman) will be getting my resignation because that is how strongly I feel,” Holloway told the Blackpool Gazette on Friday. “It is up to him whether he chooses to take it.”
Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston, however, has refused to accept Holloway’s resignation, meaning the Englishman will be at the helm for the foreseeable future.
While Holloway has endured a hectic week, his side will try to best prepare for the visit of West Ham – a fixture in which they need to secure maximum points after a dismal January.
Since their 2-0 win over Sunderland on December 28, Holloway’s gallant side have suffered one-goal defeats to Manchester City, Birmingham, West Brom, Sunderland and Manchester United, with their only success a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Avram Grant’s West Ham side are in dire need of three points of their own to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League, with just one win and a draw from their past five league games.
Both sides are anxiously awaiting news from the physio, with Stephen Crainey still doubtful for Blackpool with an ankle injury while Matthew Gilks and Billy Clarke are missing with knee complaints.
Chris Basham is out with a broken leg, but they will be buoyed by the return of striker Marlon Harewood, who came off the bench in their last match – a 3-2 loss to Manchester United.
David Carney will be back on deck after Asian Cup duties with Australia.
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West Ham have their own fitness concerns, with Portuguese defender Manuel Da Costa doubtful with an ankle injury and midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger to miss out with a thigh strain.
Grant will be hoping for more good form from Nigerian winger Victor Obinna, whose hat-trick on Sunday helped West Ham to a 3-2 FA Cup fourth-round win over Nottingham Forest.
It remains to be seen if new striker Robbie Keane will be available after his loan move from Tottenham.
We all know there are teams, managers and players in world football who are more than happy to sacrifice the aesthetically pleasing side of the game in order to win. From Herbert Chapman to Jose Mourinho, certain managers have stressed that the game is about winning and the subsequent tactics they have used were as a necessity in their search for victory. However, is it possible that in modern football there is, with some teams, the tendency to swap substance for style?
For the past seven years Arsenal have been accused of just this. It is, however, an overly simplistic analysis of a team who have come close to winning, and should have won, a trophy on a number of occasions. Nevertheless, nobody could argue that Arsenal have not, to a certain extent, sacrificed an element of the functionality that made the early Wenger years so successful in search of a more idealistic form of the game.
The midfield giants of Vieira and Gilberto Silva were lost and replaced by Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini, Tony Adams and Sol Campbell were exchanged for more technically gifted centre halves like Vermaelen and Gallas and instead of the direct, no-nonsense style of Freddie Ljungberg on the wing the team now has players like Walcott and Gervinho who exude pace but often confuse themselves as much as their opposition.
Now, I know I’m being a little harsh and that obviously a lot of the better players retired or got too old and had to be replaced but it is undeniable that a change in strategy took place. Out went the height and the power and in came technical ability.
When Viktor Maslov introduced pressing in 1960s Ukraine many attributed him with the death of attacking football. His side’s athletic, hard working approach to the game denied the time and space on the ball that encouraged flair. Just as Maslov changed the way players trained and defended other managers like Rinus Michels with his ‘total football’ inspired a generation of modern managers to achieve success through playing football the ‘right’ way.
Football is about trends – trends in formations, trends in tactics. When one club sees another achieving success in a particular way it is only natural to copy that style. Even within the last decade we have seen teams copy the approach of both Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan and of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
The difference between the two is that (arguably) whilst Mourinho’s tactics at Inter Milan or Chelsea can achieve success with the emphasis more on organisation or physical attributes, Guardiola’s relies more on technically gifted players.
Whilst the teams focusing on functionality, defensive strength and a collective sense of organisation are only in danger of becoming overly boring the teams that focus on movement, expansive passing and an exceptionally attacking style of play risk losing the balance and efficiency of the team.
Take Spain, for example. In their first game against Italy they played four defenders and six midfielders. Admittedly Fernando Torres’ form had been below par and David Villa was injured but the Spanish still had options. So consumed have their thoughts become with the success of the Barcelona team over the past decade that they considered it appropriate to play a team of Italy’s defensive calibre with no striker.
Now, I’m not saying that I necessarily disapprove of De Bosque’s attempts at innovation. In fact, I applaud them; and Cesc Fabregas, playing as a false number nine, did manage to grab a goal. However you can’t help but think that to play a real striker as the focal point of your attack in an international competition is totally necessary.
Spain changed this approach for the next two games and it seems wise that they did. The idea of playing with only midfielders is born from Pep Guardiola who has mentioned it consistently throughout the year. However, Spain and other teams looking to emulate Barcelona should consider how, as a consequence of tinkering with his team year after year in the quest for ‘perfect’ football Guardiola’s side have lost out to the practicality of Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
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Yes football is about trends –copying the successful ones – but clubs should be warned of the dangers of seeing aesthetically pleasing football as the end goal instead of winning. It is something that both Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola have been accused of more and more as time goes on and should act as a warning for the smller teams like Wigan and Swansea. What starts with players and managers appreciating the positive comments from the media about how they play their football can quickly turn in to a stubborn obsession in which they claim that that is just the ‘Arsenal’ or ‘Swansea’ way. In fact, no such ‘way’ exists. Before Wenger Arsenal’s ‘way’ was to grind out 1-0 wins.
I’m not trying to dissuade nor criticise for attacking football, clearly it is better to watch, but there are dangers associated with perpetrating delusions of grandeur and developing a certain football snobbery about the way that different clubs play their football.
When title-chasing Chelsea make a improved £27million bid for your star player most clubs could be forgiven for admitting defeat and accepting the inevitable. But when faced with the Stamford Bridge side’s pursuit of Luka Modric, Tottenham and Daniel Levy have stood firm. Is this an admirable resistance from the Spurs chairman or a big mistake?
Tottenham have long been dreaming of a regular place in the top four and the Champions League. The obvious way to increase their chances of competing at the top is to keep your best players and few have been as impressive in a Spurs shirt as Luka Modric. The Croatian playmaker was one of the players of the season across the Premier League last term and such form has seen Chelsea make two failed bids (of £22m and then £27m). Despite reports that Chelsea will make a fresh bid for the player and include Yossi Benayoun in a swap deal, Tottenham look like having a good chance of holding onto their wantaway star.
Chelsea’s approaches for Modric have always been met with the firmest of rebuffs from their London rivals. Despite the player making it clear he wanted to leave and even claiming that Spurs had gone against a verbal agreement, Levy has insisted that Modric will not be sold at any price. But is Levy right to take a zero tolerance approach?
It is a risky approach but Levy’s stance shows a firm commitment to the cause at Tottenham. Spurs will never develop if the likes of Modric are sold and especially if the midfielder only moves across London to close rivals and league opponents. Modric’s ability to dictate games in pockets of space was influential to Spurs last season. The fact that he only scored three goals and assisted another three in 32 league appearances doesn’t tell the whole story as to how important Modric is to Spurs. Their resistance also sends out a message of intent to the footballing world that Spurs are building a team ready to fight for honours over the next few years.
There are also factors of loyalty and business to consider. Back in May 2010 Modric signed a new six-year deal, whereby he committed himself to Spurs and in the return the club put their faith (and money) into the fact he would continue to perform successfully for them over many years. To demand a transfer only a year later raises serious questions over why he put pen to paper on such a long deal (even with the reported verbal agreement made to consider any bids from bigger clubs when he signed the deal).
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With Spurs looking likely to turn down any further approaches and still have Modric at the start of the season, should other clubs follow suit? Many clubs are faced with the prospect of their players demanding moves to bigger clubs but should the likes of Carlos Tevez at Manchester City or Samir Nasri at Arsenal show a sense of loyalty and be prepared to fight for their clubs in the new season? When faced with an under-contract star kicking up a fuss, chairman and managers could follow Levy’s example at Spurs and not let one player dictate the transfer dealings or seasons plans at a club.
But is it a good plan for clubs to realistically follow? By insisting that Modric stays Levy is risking the player losing all interest and focus on the pitch and suddenly a £27million packet in the bank balance would look a long way off if this transfer saga effects his form. Arsenal have taken a similar approach for years with their influential captain Cesc Fabregas. Their insistence that the World Cup winner stays at the Emirates may have meant that the club has kept hold of their best player but this transfer saga has slowly worn away at the club and Fabregas’ return to Barcelona has now become inevitable. If the talk of a move to Chelsea continues then how long will Levy let it have an effect on the pitch?
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Tottenham are playing a risky game but Levy and Spurs can be commended for trying to keep hold of their best players. If Modric can commit to the club and put all the transfer talk behind him, then their resistance will be a fantastic move for Tottenham and set an example for clubs across England.
Should Levy let Modric go or continue to reject any approaches? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
Come the January transfer window Liverpool Manager Roy Hodgson and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli have a tough job on their hands. They have to show that their club still has the ambitions of a top club without the exorbitant budget that has been available in previous transfer windows. The aim, I’m sure will be a push for fourth place in the Premier League. To help them meet their end and to placate the fans, new recruits are sure to be necessary.
The club’s owners Fenway Sports Group are sure to insist that Roy Hodgson is more careful with his spending than the likes of Rafa Benitez have been in the past. Speaking to the press about the matter Hodgson said, “I would be very disappointed if I went out in January and spent a lot of money on the wrong players and then found that come the summer, we are no better off.”
So what exactly is his aim over the January transfer window? What kind of players are the club looking to add to their squad? Hodgson’s belief is that the emphasis has shifted from quantity to quality. The new additions must be such “that everyone who watches us, fans, journalists, can see why we have bought them, like Raul Meireles. We are looking for players who will make us better.”
The Portuguese midfielder joined Liverpool this August and following Steven Gerrard’s hamstring injury has taken centre stage in the Reds’ midfield. His performances have made him a fan favourite and his commitment to Liverpool’s cause has often made his fellow teammates look lachrymose in comparison.
It’s certainly true that more players like Meireles would help to bolster Liverpool’s attempt to earn a position in next season’s Champions League. With limited funds available it’s clear that Liverpool can’t afford to bring in lots of unproven players.
The focus must now be placed upon quality, not quantity. I would recommend going after players like Luis Suarez and Moussa Sissoko who are really going to add something to the Liverpool squad. The reports that Liverpool are interested in the likes of Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia does not fill me with much hope.
If necessary, Liverpool can utilise the players they have in swap deals or to rack up the finances necessary for transfer fees. It seems to me that the likes of Maxi, Skrtel and Spearing have come to the end of their time at Anfield.
It’s time for a January clearout. Once the manager has got rid of the dead weight, the focus can be placed upon bringing in players with the quality to help make Liverpool competitors once more.
Whether Roy Hodgson has the managerial nous to do this remains to be seen. January will be a big month at Liverpool Football Club.
For more footballing debate and discussion please feel free to follow me on Twitter @ThePerfectPass.
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Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all to win at 15/8!
Steven Gerrard expects England to deliver a similar performance to the one that earned them a point against France when they take on Sweden at the Olympic Stadium on Friday evening.
The England skipper provided the assist for Joleon Lescott’s goal in Donetsk as the Three Lions turned in a solid, disciplined display but Gerrard believes the shackles will be removed by Roy Hodgson against the Swedes in Kiev.
“I would think the same level of performance against France will be good enough to beat Sweden,” Gerrard said. “I would say so with all due respect to Sweden who are a good, strong team, but they are not France.
“I think we can be a little bit more bold and a little bit more ambitious and get at the Swedes a little bit more. We are confident if we reach the same level of performance, it will be enough for a victory.”
England haven’t beaten Sweden in seven previous World Cup or European Championship meetings and Gerrard admits he and his teammates are confident of ending that unwanted sequence and securing their first victory in Group D.
“Although we are confident, that’s not to say we won’t be trying to learn from the mistakes we made in the first game. We’ve analysed what we did right and wrong against France and we will be trying to improve on our performance as well.
“I’m really happy with the start we’ve made to the tournament. It was really solid and we’ve left ourselves a good platform to build on. The boys are confident we will be on four points after this next game and that will be a good start to this group.”
Sweden were beaten by Ukraine on Monday and now require a win to stay in the hunt for a place in the last eight and coach Erik Hamren is expecting more from his players.
Hamren admits he is partially to blame for their poor performance against the co-hosts but admitted that whilst some players gave 100% the whole team needs to show full dedication during games if they are to progress in the tournament.
“We’re not reaching the level we want to and that’s my responsibility as a coach,” he said.
“We didn’t show the courage we were supposed to. Only five or six players did. We all need all the players doing that.
“We were cowards in the first half and should have done more. I’m not happy with the team, I was expecting more.”
Team News
Glen Johnson should start at right back despite being on antibiotics for a toe infection but Martin Kelly is likely to miss out again as he struggles to overcome a virus. Wayne Rooney sits out the final game of his suspension meaning Danny Welbeck is likely to continue in attack.
Johan Elmander could start up front alongside captain Zlatan Ibrahimovich for Sweden after proving his fitness despite breaking his foot at the tail end of last season.
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Key Players
Steven Gerrard
It was a captains performance from Gerrard against France as he abandoned his attacking desires to dig in alongside Scott Parker and provide protection for the England back four. He’ll be expected to make more of an impact in the final third on Friday evening and take the Three Lions to the brink of the last eight.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Despite being written off by large sections of the media Ibrahimovic was Sweden’s best player during the defeat to Ukraine. His goal displayed the predatory tendencies that exist in his 6ft 5in frame that was also used to great effect holding up the ball and winning a vast majority of his aerial duels. Will pose a huge threat to England’s back four should the correct service be provided.
FIFA have blocked the golden opportunity to see the workings of goal line technology after vetoing its use at this weekend’s Emirates Cup. It is a decision that leaves everyone in the game bemused and a sign that the governing body is set to turn a blind eye to progress once again.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Beckham being sick at England’s failed World Cup bid; Petr Cech questions the hiring and firing at Chelsea, while Tottenham put a £9m fee on Peter Crouch’s head.
*
Beckham ‘sick’ over failed bid – FFC
Barton rules out United move – FFC
Given tips Ireland revival – FFC
Wenger wants action on tapping up – FFC
De Jong: Balotelli must change his ways – Guardian
Cech questions Abramovich’s hiring and firing – Independent
Wenger foiled by goal camera ban as FIFA rules out technology at Emirates Cup – Daily Mail
Ferguson admits United are unlikely to make more signings – Guardian
He’s yours for £9m! Spurs willing to let Crouch leave in latest reshuffle – Daily Mail
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McCarthy warning for ‘twits who tweet’ – Guardian
Pardew unimpressed with Enrique Twitter rant – Independent
Aguero set to complete £40m Man City switch tomorrow – Mirror
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti claims he will have funds made available to him if he wishes to add to his squad in the January transger window.
Chelsea have recently hit a poor run of form and there has been some speculation that owner Roman Abramovich has become impatient with the Italian and that Ancelotti has lost his backing.
However, Ancelotti insists he has the support of the owner and that he will receive funding, and he may consider strengthening his side in January following injuries to four key players.
They will also be determined to get their title bid back on track, after slipping into third, picking up just two points in four games, but Ancelloti will be slightly reassured by the option of bringing in new faces; centre backs David Luiz and Gary Cahill, who are at Benfica and Bolton respectively, have been linked to Stamford Bridge.
"I spoke to the owner after the game on Wednesday and we spoke about what we can do in January," said Ancelotti.
"If we need to improve our squad in January, we'll be able to do this.
"The owner is available for us to do this.
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"But now's not the time to think about this. We have to play with these players against Tottenham."
Chelsea face Spurs on Sunday at White Hart Lane, but will be missing Frank Lampard, Alex and Jose Bosingwa. Spurs can recall Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric and Alan Hutton, after the trio were rested against FC Twente midweek but Rafa van der Vaart (hamstring) has not yet recovered, although Younes Kaboul is in contention to start following his thigh problem.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester City have apologised to Sir Alex Ferguson after striker Carlos Tevez held up an offensive banner goading the Manchester United boss during title celebrations.
Roberto Mancini’s men had a parade through the city on Monday to celebrate their dramatic last-gasp Premier League triumph, and the Argentine forward was seen holding up a banner saying ‘RIP Fergie’.
The Etihad Stadium outfit have been quick to say sorry to the legendary Scottish manager, and stated that the banner was handed to Tevez by a fan.
“The creation of the tasteless material is in itself reprehensible and in accepting and brandishing it, Carlos has made a significant error of judgement,” an official statement read.
“The club wishes to express its sincerest apologies to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United Football Club for any offence or distress caused.”
The South American attacker also publicly apologised to his former boss, who he claims he still has a lot of respect for.
“I got carried away in the excitement of the moment and I certainly didn’t mean any disrespect to Sir Alex Ferguson, who I admire as a man and a manager.”
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South Korea’s K-League has handed lifetime bans to 10 players found guilty of match-fixing at a hearing on Friday.In the toughest penalty ever handed down in South Korea’s top-flight, prosecutors revealed that the players had been paid by several gambling brokers in exchange for helping their teams lose two matches in April.
Eight of the players came from the Daejeon Citizen team, with one player found to have received US$110,000 dollars and shared it with seven teammates.
Another player caught up in the scandal was found dead in a hotel room in May, with a national news agency reporting a suicide note discovered at the scene referred to the match-fixing ring.
An 11th player, Pohang Steelers midfielder Kim Jung-Kyum, was handed a five-year ban for betting on a game after a tip-off from another player.
The players could face jail time if found guilty in court.
The K-League resumed on Saturday after halting action in May, when the allegations emerged.
State-run sports bookmaker Sports Toto has stopped taking bets on games at the request of K-League club owners, while the government has threatened to terminate funding.
“This is an unacceptable incident. There were some players acting against pure sportsmanship during the process (match-fixing),” Korea Football Association director Kim Jon-Kook said.
“Also, some innocent players were involved in those illegal matching-fixing due to pressures around them.”
The league has urged players to own up to their involvement in return for reduced punishments.
The players’ clubs have not escaped their own punishment, with Daejeon to lose 30 percent of its share from the sales of Sports Toto. The loss will amount to around US$250,000, while Gwangju FC and Sangju Sangmu Phoenix both lose 10 percent of their shares.
The KFA is now looking to adopt the football governing body FIFA’s early warning system, which alerts authorities to unusual online betting activity and is aimed at stopping match-fixing.