Spurs European push takes a blow

Tottenham Hotspur’s push for European football next season has taken a blow with the news that influential midfielder, Didier Zokora, has left for Spain to join Sevilla. Zokora has signed for the Spanish side on a long-term contract and for an undisclosed fee and it is news that has put the breaks on any hope of European football next season that Harry Redknapp currently has.

Redknapp had stated his intent to keep his most influential players at the club while adding in a number more in the hope that Spurs could challenge for a Champions League place in the coming campaign. Zokora was the sort of player that could have played a big role in this push as he has the ability to play in a number of positions outside of the midfield.

They will also miss his aggression and although at times his temperament was questioned, he was loved by the Spurs fans for his headless running around and launching into tackles that reminded many of an English centre back and not an Ivory Coast play maker. It is this very sort of mentality and player aggression that led to his name being roared out around White Hart Lane on a weekly basis and it will definitely be a quieter place for his departure.

However, Spurs should take some light out of the transfer because firstly Sevilla matched the asking price that Spurs wanted for the player, which is thought to be a lot more than the Spanish side originally wanted to pay. This means that they will have even more funds to use when buying players once Redknapp has decided, which summer transfer targets he wants to go for.

It has also created a space in the middle of the spurs midfield that will allow a congested part of the squad to ease slightly. It provides an opportunity for a better and more high calibre player to come to the club and walk into the squad, filling the position with little ease.

However, it is very difficult to replace such an influential player who made over 100 appearances for his side. Zokora was the sort of player that we all love to see coming to the Premier League and making a name for himself. He did not appear to be an egotistic man and he did not appear to be afraid of any thing. He flew around the pitch putting himself on the line on more than one occasion.

It may have been the arrival of Wilson Palacios from Wigan Athletic in January that tempted Zokora to make a move, as they are both very similar players. However, the point is that in a squad pushing for a Champions League place you need a lot of players that are of a high standard and are ready to walk into a side whenever someone else picks up an injury or has a bad run of form.

It will be unlikely that Zokora will be bitter about the way things have unfolded at Spurs but it could turn out that he is the exact type of players that the club needed if they pick up one or two injuries during the early part of next season. Sevilla on the other hand should be very happy at this moment in time because they have signed a player that will help them move forward in Spain.

Zokora arrives there with all of the knowledge and technical ability that he has picked up playing in England. The Premier League is a lot quicker than La Liga so Zokora should fit in nicely to Sevilla’s side. He will be sharper than a lot of the other players though he may have to learn that you cannot launch into tackles over there in the same way that you can do here because the referees do tend to protect the players a lot more.

When a club has a clear vision of where it wants to go during a close season period then sometimes you just have to make sacrifices. Zokora was a well liked player and person by both the fans and the clubs but it just panned out that he does not fit into Redknapp’s plans for next season when Spurs will be going all out to finish in the top four.

It seems that all parties are happy and there is no distinct sign of bitterness so each will happily wish the other well. Zokora gets to go and ply his trade in what Cristiano Ronaldo recently called the best league in the world and Spurs have an opportunity to bring an exciting player into their team that they otherwise would not have had the chance to sign.

The move may also allow Zokora to realise any international ambitions he has because the Ivory Coast do have a lot of talented players playing in leagues all over Europe. This means that competition for places is fierce and he would have had no chance of an international slot of he was not at a club that was playing him every single game.

This was not always the case at Spurs whereas at Sevilla he has a chance to make a first team place his own, meaning that the powers that be at the Ivory Coast FA would see this and realise it. So whenever an international match comes around he would be one of the first names on the list in terms of players that would be the sharpest and the most match fit.

He will be a sad loss to the Premier League. Every English fan loves to see an unsung hero running out on the pitch every week and haring around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes. It will be sad to see him go as we have to watch a game that has so many egos and players that so often abuse their gifted positions, it would be great to see more Didier Zokora’s coming to the Premier League but sometimes the ambition of a club is too great to play to the fairy tale.

Ancelotti fends off the rumours.

On what should have been a relatively important day for Chelsea, it was another Premier League story that marked the unveiling of Carlo Ancelotti as the new headman at Stamford Bridge. There was no definitive end to the ongoing speculation that John Terry will be going to Manchester City at the end of the month as the Italian fended off the question with a mixture of nerves and broken English.

There is no doubt that this man has a presence. It was almost as if the world had come to a complete stop when he strolled into the press conference room to take his seat and answer the first few media questions that were thrown in his direction. Needless to say the Terry issue was one of the first and the message that came across was probably not the one that Chelsea’s new boss desired.

Ancelotti’s opening comments were all very cliché: “Roman and I have the same objectives. To do very well this season and to win. I would like to have a team that plays well, plays good football, creative football, and naturally that win. It's important to win but also to be a team with good characteristics, to play well and with organisation.”

Chelsea fans would have been looking for a defintive sign that this would be the man to take them back to the success that they are experienced during the Jose Mourinho era. It is clear that at times yetserday he wanted to say certain things but because he was speaking in borken English he could not always get his message across.

This may well have been the case with the whole John Terry story. He insisted that Terry would be captain of the club next season but this is all that he said on the matter, he gave very little away. It is important not to read too much into this because the Italian is a very smart person who has been in the game for a very long time. Sometimes managers like to toy with the press a little bit as so many have stated in the past their dissatisfaction at media intrudement.

The Italian has a clear sign and direction that he wants to take the club towards and he clearly recognises that he needs his best players committed to the future of the club if he is able to do this. It is important to remember that Ashley Cole has still not signed a long term contract on top of his current deal with the club. So there are clearly questions hanging over one or two players.

The point is that Ancelotti is not a stupid person he knows better than just to toy with an issue such as the John Terry affair that is floating around at the moment. He probably tried to get his message across in as clear and as positive a nature as he possibly could. However, because he is not a native Englishman it is slightly harder for him and therefore the speculation will carry on.

What Chelsea really need is for John Terry to stick his head out into the open for five minutes and commit his future. This would take a lot of pressure off of the gaffer who has only just got in through the door. Ancelotti would have been expected a heavy media element in his Premier League way of managerial life but he probably didn’t expect it to be so dominant on the very first day that he officially took up the top post at Chelsea.

Chelsea as a football club have publicly stated their discontent at being so far behind Liverpool and Manchester United last season. The appointment of Ancelotti is a statement of intent that they intend to compete both domestically and on the European front when the new season starts up again. It is because of this that it would be non-sensical for the club to let their captain leave or any other high profile player, because it would completely contradict the managerial appointment they have just made.

It can only get easier for the manager from this point on because there probably won’t be a bigger or more important player linked with an exit from the club. Once this story brushes over, as Terry surely must stay at Chelsea, then it will allow the club to develop, get better and start winning trophies again.

If Terry continues to say nothing and just puts more pressure on the manager then there will come a point when all parties would have had enough. A Terry exit to any other club but one in the top four would be truly bizarre and would leave many questioning the ambition and logic of a player that has turned himself into an England and Chelsea legend over the last four or five seasons.

All in all though Ancelotti made a very good first impression as Chelsea’s new manager and head coach. As with so many managers when they come into a new position they all state the same thing but Ancelotti clearly has the calibre and the respect of the players in order to make these statements a reality. He knows what it feels like to win the Champions League as he won it at AC Milan and he knows what it takes to win a very tough domestic league.

It is extremely hard to guage someone like Ancelotti because he gives so very little away but he has a good basic grasp of the language and the culture of this country. He seems intent for the long haul and seems intent that all of his players share the same vision and rive as he does if Chelsea are to rediscover their success.

Chelsea could have done a lot worse but the hard work starts here. They will have to ignore and fight off many tempting bids for a lot of their star players but they cannot give in to any of these if they want to fulfil on the ambition that Ancelotti has just displayed, to do otherwise would efy logic.

The arrival of Michael Owen at Manchester United has been met with a lot of mixed reaction. There is a group that sees the move as a further sign thatSir Alex Ferguson is going a bit mad in his old age. The other group of people believe that United have snapped up one of the best goal scorers of recent times and that it could come to help the club substantially.

It had been well publicised that Owen was looking for a move away from Newcastle United after they got relegated. However, the point is that it was smaller Premier League clubs that were the expected destinations and not the actual champions of England.

Owen must not be able to believe his luck, after all his best days are behind him and he is still on a good wage packet, which turned out to be the main difference between himself and his previous club. It means that he will be earning a lot of money and probably not playing a great deal as United are likely to make a lot more signings during the transfer window.

Ferguson will say though that his club have snapped up a proven player for free and have the advantage of experience and calibre to call upon if needed. Nobody in a million years would have expected United to sign Owen and it seems that his arrival at Old Trafford is nothing more than a stopgap. If the former England front man can get fit and stay fit then he could well end up having a much larger role to play in the side but as we have so often seen in the past, this is always a lot more difficult as far as Michael Owen is concerned.

It is a good move for the player but a debateable one for the club. United have £80 million in the bank and need to make good the loss of two brilliant players that have already left this season. It is no disrespect to Owen but he is hardly the man that Ferguson would have had in mind to replace the Portuguese guy that has just left for Real Madrid.

It is nothing more than a smart and shrewd business move that can allow United to strengthen further in area while continuing the pursuit of many other targets. Owen should realise how lucky he has been and this should act as an incentive to work his socks off for his new club. If he does then it could have a number of added advantages and turn out to be one of Ferguson’s best ever signings when he does eventually retire.

What Owen brings to the club is a lot of experience in a relatively non-egotistical person. Experience is every thing to a lot of the younger players in the side that are trying to make a name for themselves and Owen can offer so much as far as this is concerned. All of the youths at the club will know who he is and what he has done so they will pay attention and listen. You do not play for Liverpool and Real Madrid as well as captaining your national side if you are a bad player.

Yes it is fair enough to say that Owen is not the player that he was maybe five or six years ago but the point is that class is permanent and form is temporary. The reason that Ferguson has signed Owen is because firstly, he is a good player, he can still score a lot of goals and offer an awful lot to any side. The other reason he has signed Owen is because he can offer so much more to the club than any other squad player he could just go and pick.

Owen has already stated his intent to put everything behind him and get his fitness exactly right for the new season. A fit Michael Owen is a daunting proposition for any side. Furthermore, United have not had a goal poacher since Ruud Van Nistelrooy left for Real Madrid a couple of years back.

These sort of players have the ability to pick up a lot of scrappy goals, which quite often can make the difference between winning and losing in a lot of games. These players are priceless and Owen is one of them.

It is naïve to say that he will be able to run around and sprint past most defences because those days are behind him. Michael Owen cannot do now what he was once able to do, as is the case with all ageing players. He has a better ability now to be able to read the game and get into the right positions and will no doubt pop up with a few important goals in the Premier League and Champions League at some point during the next season.

The argument that Ferguson is losing it is there for all to read and consider but it is a difficult one to read into when you consider every thing that Ferguson has so far achieved at his club. Fair enough he has made one or two debatable decisions this summer but he so often gets it right and this could well turn out to prove just the same.

No club wants to lose their best player but it is impossible to keep that player if he does not want to stay in the side and at the club. Ask any manager in the Premier League and they will say that they would rather have a lower quality player who is busting to get into the side than a high quality player who does not give a second thought to the club, the team mates or the fans.

Michael Owen’s career is back on track and only time will tell whether it has been a good move for all concerned. He will have to work very hard this summer to get fit enough to warrant a first team place but it is obvious that he does not want to sit on the bench and it is obvious that this transfer has revitalised him.

Many will laugh at Ferguson but he could be proven right all over again by the time the new season kicks off again in August.

Sven backs Pearce

Stuart Pearce could well be our next England manager. At least, that's the view of Sven Goran Eriksson who believes the national under-21 coach would be a worthy successor to Fabio Capello.

He would certainly be the fans'choice, representing what everyone would like to see in a manager. Guts, determination, leading from the front and a straight, no nonsense attitude. How many times did we see Pearce on the England pitch, bursting with anger at a poor performance but still managing to contain his emotions?
Pearce has done a marvellous job by guiding the under-21s to England's first major final in 25 years.

Ironically, it was penalties which got them through against Sweden, a curse which has usually seen England dumped out of the big tournaments. Eriksson firmly believes Stuart Pearce can make the step up from national under-21 coach to first team manager. "If he has proven it at under-21 why shouldn't he be able to do it with the senior team?" he told BBC Sport.

"Yes it's a big step, but I think he can do it in the future. Why not?" Pearce, now 47, already works with senior coach Capello on England duty. Reaching the finals of the European tournament is a brilliant achievement and one which will look pretty good on Pearce's footballing CV.

Hull to make Owen a hero?

Michael Owen is to leave Newcastle United at the end of June, an announcement which comes as no surprise whatsoever. The Toon Army might have wanted him to stay, to show his loyalty and to help the club fight for its place back in the Premiership. But Owen has made no bones about the fact that he believes he still belongs in the top tier, despite his injury toll and obvious dip in form.

Owen, who is now 29, will be available for a free transfer from Newcastle and the clubs will be in a queue to snap him up, no matter what his recent performance on the pitch. Given the chance, Owen can be a great player again. He just needs to find his confidence and start scoring goals to open the floodgates. Where best to kick-start his revival? According to Hull, they are the club Owen should opt for.

Manager Phil Brown has shrugged off the laughs by confirming their interest in the England striker is absolutely serious. He believes they do have a chance in achieving the coup of the century and so does club chairman Paul Duffen. Brown says Owen joining Hull is not out of the question and they would not have made an approach had they not thought it possible. He believes Owen will not be tempted by the best offer or money and that he needs to find a club where he can play consistent football, not sit on the bench waiting for the chance to prove his worth.

Likewise, Duffen says Hull would be a great place for Owen to be. They are already trying to sign striker Marc-Antoine Fortune, though Celtic are also in the running. On the face of it, Hull and Michael Owen does not seem a perfect match. Hull only narrowly missed relegation by a point last season and are already being tipped to go down this time. Yet Newcastle will be fired up in the First Division with a steely determination to get back into the top flight. Which club could give Owen the best platform?

Some fans believe a big club like Manchester United should go for Owen though that is unlikely to happen. Owen needs a club which has faith in him, a crowd to cheer not jeer him on, a regular slot in the team and plenty of goal-scoring opportunities. But he also needs good opposition from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United to give him that extra incentive.

It’s a shame Owen isn’t staying with Newcastle but things were obviously not right behind the scenes. At least he has had the decency to come out and praise Alan Shearer, describing him as the right man for the manager’s job and “Newcastle through and Newcastle”. Perhaps Liverpool might throw their name into the hat or Manchester City or even a club from abroad?

If Owen really sits down and thinks about it, joining Hull would not be a bad option at all if he can overcome the lack of glamour associated with the club. He could become a hero there in his own right and get them back up the table, whilst boosting his own self-esteem.

Owen should perhaps listen to his own words. He says Alan Shearer is going to be a great manager. He might be learning the ropes at the moment but he has to start somewhere. Owen can be a great player again but location, location, location is going to be everything in his next vital decision.

City say goodbye to one of their brightest youngsters

It appears that the financial situation at Manchester City has forced the club to over look a number of younger players, this has resulted in Daniel Sturridge being snapped up by Chelsea. Sturridge, 19, made a few first team appearances at City and has been tipped by many pundits as becoming a future England centre forward.

It appears to be a healthy and productive bit of business on the part of Chelsea who are looking to develop experience and youth under the management of Carlo Ancelotti. Sturridge refused a new Manchester City contract but because he is under the age of 24 years old, Chelsea will have to pay a fee as the player cannot move under the Bosman ruling.

It should be quite worrying for a lot of Manchester City fans because the owners said they would continue to allow young and developing players a chance to play in the first team. This is the first direct example that contradicts this and suggests that City will buy their way into the future, which can be a lot less stable than investing in the youth of the side to help the club grow.

Chelsea fans may be a bit puzzled as to why they have signed this particular player but it is a good move for a number of reasons. Firstly, Sturridge is not a bad player and has already proven that he can cut it at the top level. He will create competition for places with his enthusiasm and energy and it will only be a matter of time until his skills develop to a much more advanced level.

Secondly, it has to be considered that for a club with the size and stature of Chelsea, their youth teams have not been the best in the country over the last couple of years. They have all of the ingredients necessary to produce products from a great academy but for some reason it just does not seem to be happening. The arrival of Sturridge is a statement of intent that Chelsea want to bring in greater quality players into their youth sides and they want everyone to see that they are investing into the future of football.

Manchester City boss, Mark Hughes, may not have actually wanted to sell the player is he is clearly a very talented young man. However, with the pressures that the owners at City are likely to place on him over the next one or two seasons, he cannot afford to be carrying players in the squad and has to look to free up this space to bring in higher quality. This will increase the depth of the City squad and means that when a senior player picks up a bad injury, there is already a high-class replacement waiting to step in.

It is harsh on a player as young and inexperienced as Sturridge but he couldn’t have picked a better club to be going to. He now has the chance to get into one of the most admired first teams in the country and settle into a city that should suit him down to the ground.

American broadcaster snaps up the rights to Premier League games.

Disney owned ESPN will show all of the matches that Setanta would have broadcast when the new season gets under way. The American broadcaster has snapped up the rights to show 46 live games next season that will be played on Saturday tea time and Monday evenings.

ESPN have also got the rights to show at least 23 games a season between 2010 and 1013. It is a very shrewd and astute move from the company that have no prior experience in hosting live English football to an audience that will have specific expectations. The broadcaster say the matches will be sold to the audience through Bskyb and it could mean a very different viewing experience to what we are used to.

It had been thought that Sky might make a last minute move to add a maximum of 23 more games to their live schedule for the season, which kicks off in mid-August. However, it appears that they made no attempt to block the bid from ESPN, which has brought live English Football to an American broadcaster for the first time in history.

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, said: “The timescale of our process was tight to say the least, and it is to the great credit of ESPN that they committed themselves to adding Barclays Premier League football to their already impressive portfolio of sports rights.”

“The speed at which we have been able to conclude this deal means that the preparations for next season will be able to continue without interruption and fans and clubs will have certainty over the broadcasting of Barclays Premier League matches for the next four seasons.”

The other reported bidders were Bskyb themselves and the English domestic Channel 4. If Channel 4 had managed to snap up the rights then it would have been a huge step forward for the mainstream audience for the first time in a long time. Ever since the days when ITV held all the rights to show Premier League highlights on a Saturday evening, the majority of the audience in England has been deprived of football unless they hold a subscription to Sky television.

Fair enough Match of the Day still does a terrific job for the BBC, but the point is that ITV were willing to show the matches at around 7-8pm in the evening, which made it a lot more viewable for a lot of people.

However, there should be a small sort of childish excitement at the fact that some Americans will have a say in how we watch our Saturday football. It can be expected that things may be glammed up quite a bit, which many people wouldn’t mind. We are so used to a specific routine from various broadcasters that it could actually go down quite well if the agenda is bent slightly.

Apart from Sky, the other bidders should not be downbeat about this whole affair. The domestic channels especially should continue to work hard and it would be fantastic if at some point in the near future they could acquire the rights to show matches live.

Carlos Tevez. Where next?

Where next for Carlos Tevez? Manchester City? Chelsea? Certainly not Liverpool it would appear. Whether or not Sir Alex Ferguson has laid down the law and told Tevez he can’t go to their arch rivals is pretty immaterial. Striker Tevez was on loan to Manchester United and out of contract and it seems highly unlikely that the manager could have enforced such a condition.

But Tevez himself seems to have ruled out going to Anfield as he says he has too much respect and love for the Manchester United fans. Let’s just see if money will talk on this issue. Hot favourites have to be Chelsea, though Manchester City will be snapping at their heels. Tevez says he wants to go to a club with plenty of ambition which wants to go places. He’s interested in commitment and intent and in achieving “great things”. Both Chelsea and Manchester City fall into this equation but so do Liverpool who will be aiming to knock Manchester United off their perch. Not of interest to Tevez?

Hopefully, the Argentinean striker will receive better treatment at his next club. Granted, Tevez did not score that many goals for Manchester United but it would be hard to fault his work-rate and commitment which contributed to the club taking the Premiership title. He was popular with most of the fans and the players and, in the end, though Manchester United did drag their feet over offering him a new deal, they did want him to stay. The one big thing he did wrong was to go to the papers, a move always guaranteed to get Sir Alex Ferguson’s back up. He detests being held to ransom and, from that moment on, the writing was on the wall.

Sir Alex must have been fighting with himself behind the scenes. On the one hand, he obviously wanted to get rid of Tevez and teach him a lesson. On the other, he realised he was a pretty decent player and could have filled a vital gap following the departure of Ronaldo to Real Madrid. So, following a protracted silence, Tevez was eventually offered a lucrative 25.5 million pound deal which would have kept him at Old Trafford for five more years. His agent obviously thought it was a pretty decent offer but Tevez delivered the ultimate snub, saying no thanks and I am off.

In a statement on his behalf, Tevez said he just got the feeling that Manchester United weren’t that keen on him staying. He wanted more time to consider the deal and if United had given it to him, it was more than likely that he would have stayed. But they didn’t and that was that. Tevez out of the door. Of course, there is always a very small chance that Tevez will change his mind and stay at Manchester United which would be a real turn up for the books. But, as that old saying goes, anything can happen in football.

Another Premier League side is snapped up.

Another Premier League team has been snapped up, this time by a member of the United Arab Emirates royal family. It adds to the growing global view that the Premier League is a candy shop where anyone with a few hundred million in the bank can come along and snap up a side causing growing anger and frustration at the influx of foreign owners.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqar al-Qassimi has bought up a 60 per cent stake in one of the current Premier League sides but news is not being released of which it is until a few days have passed. It means that another club can now join the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Portsmouth in having an owner that does not come from this country.

It contrasts quite interestingly the way that massive football clubs are run in Spain, where no single person can nail down and own a club. This has been linked to the financial power that Real MadridReal Madrid and Barcelona are currently whipping up, financial power that vastly outweighs any financial investment that we have seen so far from an owner in the Premier League.

However, the point is that whoever the UAE member has snapped up can look forward to a future of no debts, big name players and maybe even a lot of success. Although it is quite worrying to see another club that will be controlled entirely by one person, who can make demands and arrangements as they see fit. The power in football is moving away from the area that it should be in and although the fans of this club in question can be positive, they should be equally cautious.

If this is a big club then it will be a lot easier for the current structure to move forward quickly. The high calibre playing staff should already be in place for next season and the business model of the club should be solid. This means that the new owner will have a lot less work to do and it will allow the team to maybe snap up a couple of players at the last minute who would otherwise have not been accessible.

If it is not a big club then it is likely that the owner will have a lot more work to do. The football club of today is seen as a business and all hard working business men like to see profits from their investments. This could mean a complete overhaul of the business model of the club in question. This could dent the immediate prospect of success on the pitch until the club is turned into a financial machine that churns out results in this aspect, something that would have nothing to do with the football.

This view is substantially more worrying for the fan of this mystery club. They will only care about the football so long as the finances are stable. They see their club as a sports club and not a business and the owner has to keep this in mind when he is making decisions that could potentially annoy a lot of people. Just look at what Mike Ashley did to Newcastle United.

City set to poach Tevez from under the noses of their city rivals.

Manchester City are the reported favourites to poach Carlos Tevez from beneath the very nose of their city counterparts as the players loan deal at Manchester United is approaching a rapid halt. Tevez has made no secret of his desire to stay at United but it is thought that the current Premier League champions are not willing to pay the £25 million that will make his services permanent.

Having already paid up to £10 million to have him on loan for two seasons you can understand why but the point is that if Tevez goes to City it will anger hundreds of thousands of United fans that once adored and respected the Argentine. Fair enough he may have had a few disagreements with the manager and the club but that is not reason enough to throw back in the face, the support of many United fans that helped him through a rough patch.

If Tevez has any sense or wants to remain any good contacts at United then he will not even think about this deal and will look for a move elsewhere. Many United fans would probably rather see him join Liverpool that Manchester City and this is saying a tremendous amount.

It would be a brilliant signing for City because it would add to the growing talent they are currently assembling. Mark Hughes is trying to put together a squad that clearly retains all of the major personal values in football. These are hard work, honesty and respect and all of the players he has brought in so far do not appear to have egos and would fit into this thesis perfectly.

However, the summer transfer market has so far thrown up many surprises that mean seemingly certain deals can be changed at the last minute. United, if they wanted to, could still sign up Tevez as hard as this may seem because they are due a lot of money from Spanish giants Real Madrid. Madrid themselves were also heavily linked with Tevez and it could be the case that they steal in with some last minute negotiations to take him to the Real revolution.

The main problem as far as United are concerned is the fact that they do not have any control over the Argentine. As his current deal at United is only on a loan basis, they can have no influence over the club that he chooses to join after the next few days, when the loan expires. Sir Alex Ferguson would obviously like him to go to a foreign club but he cannot change the mindset of the player if he wants to remain in England.

It would be nice for the matter to just be settled as it has been dragging on for an extended period of time now. Tevez will want to settle down and work on his future career and City will want to work out who they can go for if they can’t make good of the rumours linking him to Eastlands.

Torres key to Liverpool's success

If there's one player Liverpool need to hold on to, it's Fernando Torres. Reports are once again linking him with a move back to Spain but staying at Anfield seems to be a top priority for the ace striker. Let's hope it remains that way. If Liverpool want to challenge Manchester United for the Premiership and gain further European success, Torres is key to their ambitions.

Torres was one of the first players to be offered a new contract to stay at Liverpool.
Although the Spain striker still had four years remaining on his original six-year contract, Liverpool presented him with improved terms and added an option to take the deal through to 2014.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has described Torres as one of the best strikers in the game today and he is convinced he can only get better. "Every major side would want him in their team, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club," Benitez said recently.

"He's a special talent but still has the hunger to improve his game."His faith in Torres seems to be reciprocated.Torres says a lot of other players committed themselves to Liverpool this summer and he was no exception.He believes their ambitions, and his, can be met by the Reds next season and is convinced he will win both the League and the European Cup with Liverpool.

"The winning tradition is very clear at Liverpool. I want to be involved in a little piece of their history. As long as Liverpool want me, I will stay," he has told the national press. "I am happy with my contract and would not leave just to earn a little more somewhere else. To want any more would be greedy and that is not me."Liverpool pushed Manchester United all the way in the title race last season before having to settle for second place.Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard and Benitez himself have already signed new contracts in the last two months.

"We've made huge progress this season and now we need to take the next step," Benitez added on the club's website."We are building something special here and securing such important players on long-term deals means we can move forward with confidence. This sends out a very positive message to everyone connected with the club."

England young boys put Spaniards to the sword.

The England under 21 side have put Spain to the sword by beating their opponents 2-0 to reach the semi-finals of the European Under 21 Championships. Goals from Frazier Campbell and James Milner were enough in a match that England controlled from start to finish.

It was quite a fitting contrast to England’s first match where the side managed to scrape a result against Finland and with only ten men. It should give the side confidence going into their semi-final match, as they will be looking to make up for the heartbreak, which marred their defeat at this time last year.

Theo Walcott also played a blinder ad it was nice to see the question of who has the best under 21 side between England and Spain being convincingly answered. Stuart Pearce must be credited for getting every single little detail right and having put out one of the tournament favourites, there is no reason why England should not go on and win this event.

It could have been an even bigger win for the English but Milner had a penalty saved earlier in the match by Spanish goalkeeper, Sergio Asenjo. In an essence the result probably didn’t reflect how good England actually were and it was more of a case of a well earnt victory and modest score line as opposed to a poor performance, which the side managed to scrape through.

Pearce would be the first person to say they performances don’t generally matter until you are actually in the final and playing against the best other team there is. However, he will be pleased that England played so well and saw off such a good side in unforgiving style. It will give the players immense confidence as their semi-final opponents quiver in their boots at the prospect of meeting this new machine.

The England coaches seem to be a very shrewd bunch of people and there can be no doubt that now England have got themselves into a position where they can win the Euros, they will do everything they can to make sure preparation is perfect. They should also not take a single risk because if they do and it doesn’t come off there will be a lot of criticism by the time they arrive back in England.

It would be naïve to say at this stage that England are certain to win the event because there are good teams left in the competition but the main job that Pearce will now have is being able to keep the younger members of the squad firmly rooted to the ground before he releases their infinite enthusiasm in the next two matches, providing England do get through their semi-final encounter.

It was nice to enjoy a little bit of smug self-satisfaction in a summer where the Spanish continue to knock the Premier League and the obvious quality it has. On this occasion it was proven that English football is far superior to any thing the Spanish can offer up.

Real will miss out on David Villa.

Real Madrid will miss out on signing Valencia striker, David Villa, after shooting themselves in the foot over the transfer fee. Valencia are thought to value the Spain front man at around £40 million but were asking Madrid to pay in excess of £50 million.

This could be due to the way that Madrid have already been acting in the summer transfer market with the signings of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. The only reason that Valencia would have been asking so much for their best player is the simple fact that Madrid quite clearly have more cash stashed away than any other club in Spain.

It could mean a new chance for either Barcelona or Liverpool to sign Villa and they would probably get him for the smaller fee of £40 million. It is thought that Villa wants to stay in Spain but he has said if he does go abroad then the only club he would join would be Rafael Benitez’s side.

It has been no secret that his strike partner for Spain, Fernando Torres, has expressed his immense interest that the club do whatever it takes to bring him to the Premier League and if it happened then Villa wouldn’t have a problem settling down because so many of the Liverpool squad are from Spain, including the manager, who once managed Villa when he was in charge of Valencia.

Madrid’s Director of Sport, Jorge Valdano said: “If Barca have offered 50 million for Villa, plus Bojan and Caceres, I would sell if I was Valencia because we're not going to try and top that. We have been in discussions over the last week and there were disagreements. On top of money, they want a player and that was causing problems.”

“What had seemed to be a deal on track instead became twisted. We don't know why the price became so high.”

The reason the price became so high is quite simple. When you start throwing your money around as a football club then other clubs with the best players will automatically want more as the original club can obviously meet a high valuation. This was demonstarted perfectly in the Premier League when Manchester City were quoted over £100 million for Kaka and then only a few months later, Milan sold him for just over half of this amount.

A move for Villa looks pretty much set in stone and the only remaining problem is where he goes. Obviously he would like to stay in Spain and Valencia would probably prefer to accept the offer from Barcelona but if the player wants a new challenge then he would be a fantastic signing for Liverpool. He could well be the player that the English side needs to push on across all fronts next season and it could be an arrival that helps Rafa Benitez keep a lot of his more influential players.

Liverpool would have a hard time though in matching the financial and player offer that Barca have put together but it is all now down to Villa.

Torres knocks the league of his own country.

Spain striker, Fernando Torres, has launched a heavy attack on Spanish clubs for using deep pockets to buy foreign players instead of raising home grown talent. Torres is said to be increasingly upset by the amounts of money that football clubs can so freely spend to buy in a player from any part of the globe, when talented young Spaniards get over looked.

Torres himself does not play in Spain but for Liverpool in England, however, he clearly feels that young English players get more of a chance in the Premier League than Spanish players do in La Liga. Foreign imports are said to be one of the main reasons the English national team has not done so well in modern times.

The point is that it is no secret that the English side his having its best spell in recent memory under Fabio Capello because there are more English players turning out in the Premier League than ever before. Torres shouldn’t really be worried because the Spanish national side are the current European champions, but he clearly has worries for the future.

Torres said: “We have the best national team in the world and a lot of money would be spent on our players, but Spanish clubs don't do it. They would only do it for foreign players.”

He does have a very valid point. David Villa is reportedly on the verge of making a £40 million move to Real Madrid and Liverpool have so often showed over the last couple of seasons that they will pay good money for Spanish players because Rafa Benitez believes they are technically the best.

Torres’ comments echo a lot of what has been said in this country. The fact that young and good players from their host country cannot get into a side because a foreigner can be so easily bought, creates a boundary which prevents a lot of young players from ever fulfilling their potential.

This is the very topic, which has meant the introduction of a quota system into the Englsih football league. From the start of next season, every club from the Championship downwards must have a minimum number of home grown players in their squad. It is a sensible system that will safeguard the future of English football.

Spain seem to be very gifted when it comes to their national team but if Madrid are ging and spending £140 million on two players that are not Spanish then it creates the same concerns that have been floating around in England for so long. Although Spain may be better positioned to deal with the effect this can create on Spanish football, there will come a point when the next generation of Spanish players has to walk into the national side and Torres’ comments will be looked upon.

He is quite correct and the powers that be that control the Spanish game need to be working hard on a variety of ways that means a great national side will not fall apart in future years because of a lack of control over the La Liga handling of the trasnfer system.

Real Madrid set to axe a whole host of talent.

Real Madrid are reportedly looking to axe a whole host of talented players as they continue to make room for the Madrid revolution that is currently taking place at the club. Madrid have splashed out over £130 million on two players so far this summer and club president, Florentino Perez, wants players sold so the buying can carry on.

The likes of Arjen Robben, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze are all said to be going on the transfer list as Madrid look to make initial funds to go with the reported 300 million euros that Perez is said to be personally funding. A whole host of Premier League clubs should be on red alert as offers are likely to flood in for the players.

Madrid are still locked in negotiations over Valencia striker, David Villa, as his current club want £40 million for his services, a figure that Madrid have refused to meet. It could well act as proof that Madrid do not currently have bottomless pockets and it seems that they will accept offers on nearly anyone in the squad in order to make a number of other moves near certainties.

It is a strange move because it seems to damage the immediate future of the club. Huge signings are one thing but the matter that propels a club to success is the quality that lies in the fringes of the squad. A lot of these players being talked about can play a big part for Madrid and they would do a very good job if they went to another side. Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo may be the best players in the world but they cannot hold a side together by themselves.

Furthermore, maybe Perez should not promise the players arriving at Madrid stupid amounts of money and fortune. This would mean that they would not be forced to sell some of the club’s most influential players in order to facilitate the Glacticos dream of one man.

Barcelona seem to have wasted no time at all as it has been confirmed that they are also in talks about signing David Villa, meaning that Madrid could miss out on one of their most prominent targets due to some blanket and blitz decision making.

Van Nistelrooy would be a terrific signing for any club that wishes to go for him. Spurs are reported to be readying a bid but the Dutchman seems keen to stay where he is and does not appear to have lost a single bit of his touch in front of goal. When he is fit again he would be one of the first names down on that Madrid starting line up and the Spanish club needs to remember just how influential some of these players can be before they start axing them left, right and centre.

Nobody would blame a club sniping in and snapping up a Madrid player who would be better served trying to earn some good success at a lesser club than being a small fish in a big pond at Madrid. A lot of people said that this big spending would have repercussions and this could be the start of it.

Ronaldo at it again

Oh dear! Cristiano Ronaldo is at it again. Even though the ink has yet to dry on his 80 million pound move to Real Madrid from Manchester United, the World Player of the Year is winding everyone up. And does he know how to do so. In an interview with a French magazine, provided everyone got the translation right, he apparently reveals that he loves antagonism.

He’s reported to have said “I do not care whether opposition supporters like me or not. I love it when people jeer me. It doesn’t bother me.” Well, fair enough. Everyone gets their motivation from somewhere. Whether it’s praise from the supporters or the manager, a few little digs from the national press, scoring goals, picking up silverware or a regular place in the team.

Cristiano Ronaldo has made no bones about the fact that he likes to be in the international spotlight, one of his reasons for moving to Real Madrid. After all, there will be no greater stage as new president Florentino Perez bids to build the greatest football team in the world. Perhaps Ronaldo believes his new world record-breaking status earns him the right to put himself right up their on the highest pedestal. But he won’t be endearing himself to everyone and we can expect some fireworks on and off the pitch.

Football enthusiasts will well remember the 2006 World Cup when he was targeted by fans for his part in the sending off of Wayne Rooney during England’s match against Portugal. Ronaldo says “It’s true a lot of people hate me but there are even more who love me. I feel bad only when I play bad. But for me, that does not happen very often. I want to rewrite the history of football. I am aware I am already among the best of the best.”

Wow. What an ego. Although there will be many raised eyebrows at his comments, most people will be able to shrug them off and have a bit of a laugh at his expense. He’s a great player, yes, and we will excuse him if diplomacy is not one of his strongest points. But there was one further comment in his interview which was out of order. “I love to see the hate in their eyes, to hear the insults.” Is this really the attitude we want to foster? Hate is a very strong word and not something which should be encouraged in football. Better to have a healthy respect for our rival teams.

Football today is all about families and encouraging children to follow the sport. When they read about one of their heroes welcoming insults and talking about hate, what sort of message does this send out? Clubs around the country are clamping down on thugs or fans who use bad language. It will not help matters if top players like Ronaldo simply add fuel to the fire. So come on Ronaldo. Have a think next time you are interviewed. Yes, talk about motivation and how you want to do the best for your players and your team. You have left one proud club to go to another with a long pedigree which prides itself on ethics and standards. Cut out the talk about hate and insults and show your determination where it matters most. On the pitch.

Inter Milan are the first side to cotton on.

Inter Milan have become the first side to cotton on to how to deal with the Real Madrid spending fiasco. The Italian champions have quoted the Spanish shoppers a price of £80 million for front man, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. This means that if Real want to sign their man then they will have to pay the same price that they have just offered Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

It appears that Jose Mourinho is no mug and this news is the first bit of evidence that the Italian giants are the first to know how to handle the Madrid spending spree. Madrid seem intent on buying their way back to success and out of trouble and are looking to poach the best players from sides all over Europe.

The way to combat this is quite simple; think of the most ridiculous price that you would accept for each player and then quote that figure. This is exactly what Inter have done and it is the best proof yet that a club is standing up to Madrid and is refusing to be pushed around over their best talent.

It is highly unlikely that anyone at Madrid would rate Ibrahimovic in the same light as Ronaldo and Inter may have priced Madrid out of the market for their front man. It is quite a simple and clever tactic that has been used by Mourinho that allows the club to state that a player is not for sale in the only way that Madrid would understand.

By setting the price so high, they are effectively saying that their best player is their most valuable asset and a high price tag seems to be the only way to put Madrid off. If United had said that they wanted £130 million for Ronaldo then Florentino Perez may not have been so happy in signing a monumental cheque. It is completely pointless clubs selling off their best assets to a side that is deploying themselves in black and white.

This news could also prompt Madrid in having to reorganise slightly in the respect that it is likely to make other clubs adopt the same idea. They will already have a price in mind for many of their players but once they know Madrid are interested then they can put a few million on top because of the way Madrid are acting in the summer transfer market.

It is an incredibly backward way for football to be run but it is the only way to stop Madrid sniffing around a player in the same way that they did with Ronaldo, until they ultimately got their way. It seems that price tags are the only thing the Spanish side have come to understand and this may well spark light bulbs in the heads of many important people at big clubs.

Fair play to Mourinho for using some initiative to try and get a mega deal that would have seen a player sold for drastically more than he is actually worth. Madrid will now have to be careful with their next targets as clubs could now look to take advantage in mega proportions.

United about to start their spending spree

Manchester United are about to start their £80 million spending spree with the news that deals are being lined up for Wigan’s Antonio Valencia and Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o. Valencia has been linked with a move to Old Trafford over the last few months but the news of a possible deal for Eto’o is more surprising.

The Barca front man is said to be growing a little frustrated at the Nou Camp and could well favour a move to England. The only English club that had been linked with him was Liverpool but with United’s new cash injection, they could well turn out to be a more inviting proposition for one of the best strikers in Europe.

Eto’o is also being tracked by Manchester City who want to offer the player the highest wages in the Premier League to take a gamble on an unproven side. United will be hoping that Eto’o does not adopt a mercenary attitude and joins them for slightly less but with a better chance of success and developing himself as a player.

They will probably have to spend up to about £30 million for Eto’o and with a £17 million deal already accepted by Wigan, that is well over half of the new cash spent already. It leaves just enough for United to either take a gamble on one of the hottest young talents in the game in Karim Benzema or opt to bid for Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery.

However, Ribery is likely to cost a lot more than the money United would have left over so they would have to dig into the pockets of the treasury at the club a little deeper. The point is that whoever Sir Alex Ferguson decides to bring in, they will have to have genuine, world class talent and potential if United are to make good the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo.

A spokesman for the Glazer family, who won Manchester United, said: “The idea that Manchester United are motivated by a debt burden is just not true. Cristiano Ronaldo decided, after six years, it was time to move on and the manager said, ‘OK.’ Sir Alex Ferguson is in total control of his squad. He is empowered to make whatever decisions he thinks are in the best interests of Manchester United.”

“Only the paranoia of some supporters would lead you to believe the owners are not going to continue investing in the team. A substantial number of world-class players have been brought to the club in the past few years and that will still be the case.”

The news about a possible bid for Eto’o makes you read between the lines a little bit in the respect that it suggests Carlos Tevez may not stay at the club. They may still try and do a deal to make him a permanent United player but this would cost a large sum of money and when there are so many talented players freely available, Ferguson may well decide to look elsewhere.

Toure could prompt a number of Arsenal exits.

Former Arsenal captain, Kolo Toure, could be about to walk away from Arsenal following strong speculation of a bid from Manchester City. The defender is said to be getting frustrated by the lack of progress that Arsenal are making on both the domestic and European fronts.

The wealth of Manchester City is now public knowledge so if the player does want to move then it may just be a case of how much and when. The worry for Arsenal fans is that the exit of one of their best players could see the departure of others, most notably Cesc Fabregas, who has been heavily linked with a move to Spain.

Arsenal value the player at roughly £15 million, which City would have no problems in matching. If the move happens then Toure could join the relatively new signings of Gareth Barry, Wayne Bridge and possibly Glen Johnson in forming one of the best defensive systems outside of the top six teams in England.

Toure broke into the Arsenal side when the team were reaching the end of the golden era that saw them go an entire league season without losing a single game. It was this sort of era that he probably thought he was joining up with but now that Arsenal have been blatantly shown to be no where near as good as other sides he may seek to move on.

For Manchester City it would be a terrific signing. Mark Hughes has said he is looking to improve his side all the time and will not go for world-class players until the side have created some success and stability. By buying up the fringe players floating around the Premier League, City could effectively do what Everton have done in recent seasons and push the big clubs very close.

This would raise their reputation and calibre and would make the side a much more interesting proposition for bigger stars around Europe. They will have a job hanging onto Robinho this summer who reportedly wants to go to Barcelona but if they do then there is no limit to what the side could push on and achieve.

Toure will also want to maintain his international chances and he cannot do this unless he is a first team regular in a top class Premier League side. Arsenal have only warranted this description on a few occasions this season and a move could revitalise the international career of Toure who clearly has some big ambitions despite his relatively old age in football of 28.

Arsenal should have seen all of the signs coming when Toure handed in a transfer request last January. Although he later withdrew it the point is that once a player states that he has little intention to play for a side it is very difficult to keep him. Toure will love Arsenal forever and the fans will always have a place in his heart but it may just have become a case of it being the right time for him to move on to a new challenge.

United need to rebuild quickly.

Now that the Cristiano Ronaldo saga is finally over, Manchester United are faced with another problem, the need to rebuild the current side quickly to cope with the loss. You can do an awful lot with £80 million but United are unlikely to receive the full amount all in one go, which means Sir Alex Ferguson will need to be wise in the way he handles the funds.

United have numerous options. They would do well to get Carlos Tevez on a permanent contract before he decides to go elsewhere. It is clear just how much the Argentine loves the club and the fans love him, a nice thing to consider when there are very few loyalties in the game. Tevez also has a work ethic that no amount of money can buy and although he will never have the quality that Ronaldo did, he is miles ahead in terms of effort and energy.

United will also need a world class winger to come in as well. A deal for Wigan’s Luis Valencia looks almost certain but it is likely that Ferguson will want to go for a real high calibre player to come in and strengthen things even further. Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich is one option but the German club’s price tag of over £50 million could put United off.

The club should have faith in the manager. There was a mixed reaction yesterday when news reached the fans about Ronaldo’s departure. Some were happy to see him go and others thought it was the end of the world. This not the first time Ferguson has got fed up with a player and eventually sold him, David Beckham, Roy Keane and Ruud Van Nistelrooy all went the same way. Each time Ferguson has come back and reinvented the side and still won numerous trophies.

It could be that through Ronaldo’s departure two or three doors of opportunity are opened up for United that would otherwise have not been there. It is naïve to say they won’t miss him because any player who leaves that can score 30 goals a season will be a massive loss. However, the point is that some of his performances this season were ordinary and buy freeing up funds and space for two or three more players, United could consolidate their challenge in England as well as in Europe.

Ferguson will probably already be hoping that his side face Real Madrid at some point next season just so he can show Ronaldo that he is not missed and that they do not need him. The potential finances that United have are now huge, they doubtless had a few million in the bank before the transfer and now that it has become a reality they could afford two absolutely world class players. Whether Ferguson goes down this route remains to be seen.

United have a very strong squad and will be looking to make it even stronger. Yes the fans should be down because they have lost a great player but it is pointless trying to keep someone who clearly wants to go elsewhere. Now Madrid have the ego problem and United can rebuild.

Stuart Pearce shrugs off the worries.

England Under 21 manager, Stuart Pearce, has shrugged off the worries that Theo Walcott will run himself into the ground this summer by playing too much football for different England sides.

The Arsenal winger has been said to be quite fragile by Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, however, after the Under 21’s thumping win at the weekend, Pearce is insisting that Walcott is as enthusiastic as ever and just wants to play as much as he possibly can. Walcott is also a growing figure in the national team and has made some impressive performances when he has been called upon by Fabio Capello.

This is likely to mean that he will feature in all senior England games this summer as well as taking part in the Under 21 European Championships. Pearce clearly does not see this as a problem, he said: “If I was giving advice I would say if you are picked for the national team then play all the games you can. I did. I speak from experience, not as someone who picked and chose my games.”

The worry is that because Walcott is still a young man then he will not be aware of the limitations that high pressure sport is likely to put on him. Furthermore the worry for Arsenal is that when they try to hit the ground running after the summer, they will be left with one of their best players who has nothing left to give.

However, this remains to be seen and the criticism of the decision to include Walcott in both England parties will only be created if the player cannot handle so many intense games. You have to be able to back a young player to know when it is time just to admit to the boss that he is feeling it and needs a break.

Wenger needs to have a little bit of faith in the experience of Capello and Pearce as well as the logic of Walcott that if things are getting too tough then all parties concerned can reach a decision that will benefit everyone. It is no good wrapping up such an explosive player in cotton wool because you fear he will get tired and not be ready to play for his club at the start of next season.

Both England sides, as well as the Arsenal team, have big squads that are capable of being able to play without Walcott in the first eleven. It is for this reason that there shouldn’t be a single worry associated to the young man’s fitness or temperament. If he wants to play then he will do and doubtless he will jump at every chance he is given to win an England cap, regardless of whether or not it fits in with Wenger’s line of thinking.

It is certain that if Walcott plays for England this summer and scores a few goals, hence lifting his potential price tag by a few million, then the last person who will be complaining will be the Arsenal manager.

England can take one step closer to World Cup qualification.

England can take one step closer to virtually guaranteeing their place in the World Cup next year with a victory over Andorra this evening. England sped to a 4-0 thumping over Kazakhstan at the weekend and another three points tonight will solidify their spot at the top of their group.

Fabio Capello could rest a number of players for the match against the 196th ranked team in the world. David Beckham, Glen Johnson and Emile Heskey are all just a booking away from a suspension and could potentially miss an important match against Croatia in September.

Capello is experienced enough to know how to handle the situation and although he will want to romp to another win he could use the situation to field a number of fringe players in the England side. This could also mean a rest for a lot of the more high calibre stars in the side that have spent long seasons battling away at their respective clubs.

Speaking ahead of the match, Capello said: “I have thought about this problem. I have to decide whether some players on yellow cards should play.” “If we score quickly it will be an easy game. Andorra will be waiting in front of their box with ten players defending.”

The only other players missing for England will be defender Rio Ferdinand, who has been struggling ever since picking up an injury against Arsenal in the Champions League, and Gareth Barry, who is suspended.

Although the match may not appear high in significance, it will be the perfect chance for many in the national team to banish the memories of missing out on qualification for Euro 2008. A lot of players said they felt hurt that evening when England were beaten 3-2 at Wembley by Croatia and the images of Steve McLaren cowering under an umbrella have to be laid to rest.

There is no doubt that under Capello England have become a very under rated force. Tactically the national side is one of the best in Europe and the way the manager utilises the immense talent he has in the squad has been significant in some impressive victories in recent times. Only Spain and France have cracked the defences in meaningless friendlies.

Andorra could well become overwhelmed by the occasion of playing at Wembley in front of what is sure to be, a sell out crowd. This could create the perfect scenario for England to dance around their defence and once again create an impressive score sheet that will send shivers down the spines of defences all over Europe and the world.

As much as they undoubtedly will want to spoil the party it would take an insane individual or someone who knows something that no one else does to bet against England in this encounter. If England get anything other than the three points available then it would of have been a truly terrible performance. The side will be going out with a clear intention and that is to make sure that we are all going to South Africa to have a massive party next year.

Newcastle continue to resist common sense

Newcastle United have continued their venture of making a laughing stock out of themselves by virtually ignoring Alan Shearer is putting everything to do with the club up for sale. It means that Newcastle United have a price tag of £100 million and any club who is interested in players can approach for talks.

This is all before Shearer has been confirmed as the boss for next season and means that he does not have a say in what is going on because he is not a contracted member of the staff. The senseless decision making could mean that Shearer misses out on the chance to keep key people at St James’ Park for next season and once again risks the future of the club.

At a time when Shearer needs to be meeting with everyone available at the club in order to stabilise the immediate future, the club are stalling about offering him a contract and once again creating a situation that allows everyone to sit back and have a good laugh at their expense.

Last week Shearer met with Managing Director, Derek Llambias, on one occasion and he even had to work hard to make this a reality. It really does make you scratch your head in amazement at what is actually going on at the club. Any normal thinking person would have thought that relegation may have sparked a few light bulbs in many heads at the club but it seems to amazingly be having an opposite effect.

A statement from the Newcastle Supporters Club reads: “It is vital that Mike Ashley acts quickly to quash the rumour and hearsay that surrounds the appointment of Alan Shearer as our manager.”

One irate fan even commented on a newspaper website: “Newcastle should knock the stadium down and start selling Manchester United shirts, it’s the only way they’ll make a success out of football.”

Further dissatisfaction was created by the fact that anyone interested in buying the club or the players was asked to e-mail the admin address of the club. Needless to say this prompted a mass surge of abuse from supporters of clubs in other parts of the country and would have done the morale of the 120 staff at Newcastle no good at all.

There really is something drastically wrong with the way this club is being run. The logical decisions that you would think did not require a second thought are now turning into decisions that could bring the club down and prevent it from returning to the Premier League for decades let alone in the next couple of seasons.

A whole host of Championship sides have already started building and working towards success next season yet Newcastle still have no permanent manager and an owner that does not want to be there. They have been in the laughing stocks for far too long and it is about time someone took some control, got rid of the people creating all of the problems and got the club some respect.

The future looks bleak for former England star.

Michael Owen has been a frustrated figure at Newcastle United for a very long time and his association with the club has now dented his future for the rest of his career. Owen has been plagued by injuries since he joined Newcastle and will now be forced to seek a move elsewhere that will be nowhere near the calibre of what he would have liked.

Owen has virtually no prospect of winning another England cap because of the fact he has played at Newcastle for the last couple of years and he will be hard pushed to find another side that will be willing to pay him the wages that he was earning at St James’ Park.

He still does display the old elements that turned him into a Liverpool legend and helped him form the reputation of one of the most feared strikers in the world. However, these days are long gone and these old elements are not produced on a consistent enough basis to have any dramatic impact on the shape his future will now take.

Doubtless he will get a move back to the Premier League. There will be a club that will be willing to take a risk on him, as he is clearly a very good player. However, the tussling is likely to come with the contract. Owen will want good money as he feels that he can justify it but a club signing him now would be much more likely to want to pay him on a game by game basis as opposed to giving him a large amount of cash each week.

He can wave goodbye to his chances of joining a top six club, which will also mean an end to any England aspirations he may have. It will be much more likely that a new team coming into the Premier League or a mid-table side would be interested in him. For him to have any hope of playing for his country again he would have to smack in 30 goals for the side he potentially joins which has been showed to be impossible from previous seasons.

Newcastle is a boat that is rocking from side to side at a pretty violent rate so Owen would be well advised to sacrifice a bit of wealth in order to join an established Premier League club. He may just have to take the fact that he will never get back to the level that he once played at but he appears a modest enough man to be able to join another side and play his heart out regardless.

In a respect he is guilty by association but the fact is that this should not prevent him finishing his career somewhere that he can hold his head high and show everyone that he will go out with style. He has a lot of hard work to do and needs to get his head down. Not many people would blame him for jumping ship at Newcastle if he did so but he needs to be careful and clever with his next move.