Brazil international Neymar has expressed his desire to one day play for Chelsea in the English Premier League.Fresh from a match-winning brace in his country’s 2-0 friendly victory over Scotland at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, the 19-year-old Santos forward said a move to move to London sometime in his career is on the cards.
“Chelsea’s a great club. It’s a dream of every player to play at Chelsea. If one day it happens, I will be very happy to come,” Neymar told Sky Sports.
“When the moment comes we are going to sit with my family. We are going to think about it and discuss the options.”
The teenager was sought after by Chelsea’s recruiters prior to the the 2010/11 English Premier League season, but told the club he was not yet ready to move so far away from his South American home.
“Last year, when Chelsea came, we sat together and we thought it wasn’t the time yet. If it happens this year, we are going to sit again and going to discuss about it,” he said.
A product of Santos, Neymar is content to stay at the Brazilian powerhouse. He claimed that divine intervention would help him decide on whether he one day plays for Chelsea, which is currently home to three of Neymar’s countrymen: David Luiz, Ramires and Alex.
“I am happy there (at Santos) and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right decision and things will happen.”
The Netherlands will have their toughest test yet in Euro 2012 qualifying when they travel to Hungary on Friday.The Dutch have impressed in the first major campaign since the World Cup final in South Africa last year, allowing just two goals in four games while scoring 12 to go top of Group E.
They will tackle Hungary at the Puskas Ferenc Stadion in Budapest, with the hosts also in superb form which has taken them to second place in the group.
Both countries have won their respective friendlies since the last qualifying games – the Dutch beating Turkey (1-0) and Austria, and Hungary beating Lithuania (2-0) and Azerbaijan (2-0) – meaning one side will drop their winning run on Friday.
Veteran Ruud van Nistelrooy has been recalled to Bert van Marwijk’s squad, to cover for injured stars Arjen Robben, Theo Janssen and Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Attila Tokoli has been called up to the Hungary squad, with manager Sandor Egervari hopeful he can cover for the loss of Mainz forward Adam Szalai.
Elsewhere, Palermo star Josip Ilicic is confident Slovenia can cause an upset against Italy in their Group C top-of-the-table clash on Friday.
“My intention is to come back to Palermo as a winner and with a grin from ear to ear,” Ilicic said.
Slovenia manager Matjaz Kek said he was spurred on by the quality of their opposition ahead of the match, with the chance of going equal top on points with the Azzurri on the cards.
“These challenges really motivate teams, so bring on Italy,” Kek said.
“We know that we are hosting a side that has won the World Cup four times and I?d call them a football super-power in terms of tradition and world-class players.”
Norway will be without goalkeeper Jon Knudsen and Stoke striker John Carew for their crucial Group H meeting with Denmark on Saturday.
Crystal Palace’s Steffen Iversen is back in the squad replacing Rosenborg BK forward Morten Moldskred.
Brondby IF goalkeeper Stephan Andersen and FC Midtjylland midfielder Jakob Poulsen return to the Denmark squad after long-term injuries.
Danish coach Morten Olsen is bidding for at least a point in Oslo.
“They have a way of playing that makes it hard for any opponents, but they also have some weaknesses we can try and exploit,” Olsen said.
In other fixtures on Friday, Austria host Belgium (Group A), Serbia welcome Northern Ireland (Group C), Luxembourg play off against France (Group D) and reigning European champions Spain take on the Czech Republic.
On Saturday, Armenia and Russia go head to head in a top-of-the-table clash in Group B, while Ireland meet Macedonia as they bid to climb the group’s standings.
Wales take on England in a battle of the British nations in Group G, while Andorra and Slovakia meet and Bulgaria host Switzerland in Group B matches.
Georgia have a tricky clash against Croatia in Tbilisi, Malta are at home to Greece in search of their first qualifying points and Israel and Latvia do battle in Group F.
In Group D, third plays fourth as Bosnia-Herzegovina meet Romania while Albania host Belarus.
Minnows Kazakhstan have a tough trip to standings leaders Germany in what looks to be a Group A mis-match, with Cyprus taking on Iceland in Group H.
Two sides with contrasting trajectories on the English Premier League table meet when Wolverhampton host Everton on Saturday.Everton has turned around their mid-season blues with a five-match unbeaten run, so far culminating in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa.
With little fanfare, the Toffees have climbed to seventh in the standings, four points behind their sixth-placed Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
Over at the Molineux, Wolverhampton could be forgiven for despairing after a weekend of unfavourable results conspired to keep them second-bottom on the table and a point from safety.
Of course, Mick McCarthy’s men have no-one to blame but themselves for their 4-1 shellacking at Newcastle United, but wins to Birmingham and West Brom and draws for Aston Villa and Wigan certainly did not help their survival plight.
With the season reaching the pointy end and an intriguing relegation battle unfolding between at least seven sides, a slip-up at home against Everton could be a critical error.
But the signs are still good for Wolves, who have lost just two of their last seven and look a vastly improved side from earlier in the term.
Wolves have made a habit of responding emphatically after disheartening defeats. Their Boxing Day loss to Wigan was followed up with victory at Liverpool, and a similarly poor showing at West Ham turned itself around at Chelsea.
McCarthy, something of an old hand at relegation scraps, is keenly aware of the need for cooler heads at the Molineux, and has warned his troops keep calm and consistent against Everton.
Over at Goodison Park, though, they might be getting a little carried away.
Fresh from swiping seventh place from Bolton, Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has warned Liverpool to watch their backs as David Moyes’ men look to “get some more results and push even higher”.
But the Premier League is a fickle competition, and with the Toffees a mere three points away from Sunderland in 12th it would be hasty to focus on anything other than Saturday’s match.
On the injury front, Tim Cahill is in doubt to front up for Everton as he continues to nurse a foot injury, joining Louis Saha, Mikel Arteta, Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini on the sidelines.
Wolves have no new injury concerns, and could be welcoming back Stephen Hunt to the first team after the Republic of Ireland international got through a reserves clash against Manchester City on Monday.
Fellow midfielder Adlene Guedioura is also available after recovering from a broken leg, with McCarthy indicating the Algeria international may get a run on the weekend.
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew said English Premier League managers are being made scapegoats for players’ poor performances.His comments come in the wake of Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier spending time in hospital with an unspecified health problem.
Pardew’s men held title-chasing Manchester United to a credible goalless draw on Tuesday but face an equally difficult challenge when they travel to relegation-threatened Blackpool on Saturday.
He said: “From my earlier time in the Premier League to now, the emphasis seems to be so much more on the manager for good and bad, and I don’t really think that’s healthy or right, if I am honest.”
“It’s about the clubs and players. They are the guys who go out there and perform and get you off your seat, they are the ones who really should be spoken to and discussed.”
“Personally, I don’t suffer too badly with stress, although my grey hair gives that away a little bit – but I had grey hair when I played and if you saw me play, it would be stressful.”
First-choice goalkeeper Steve Harper was missing on Monday and will again miss out for Saturday’s trip to Bloomfield Road.
Harper’s understudy Tim Krul put in a credible performance in midweek and will again start between the sticks.
Pardew said: “Harps is not right and we will have to review him over the next couple of weeks.”
“He is not necessarily out of the season, but it could be that he needs a small operation just to sort this little problem out.”
“It is not a major problem but we will have to look at that and weigh it up over the next couple of weeks.”
Also out are midfielders Dan Gosling (knee) and Hatem Ben Arfa (broken leg).
Chelsea host Newcastle for the second time at Stamford Bridge this term, after the boys from the North took the spoils at their last visit.United won 4-3 in a thrilling Carling Cup encounter in West London last year, with Shola Ameobi netting twice in the upset result over Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
A lot has changed at St James’ Park since, with notable differences to the first-team squad being striker Andy Carroll and manager Chris Hughton – both being moved on respectively.
Both sides fielded second-string outfits in United’s entertaining win in September, and both Ancelotti and Alan Pardew could look to do the same, with Chelsea’s title hopes all but gone after their 2-1 loss to Manchester United last start.
Should Sir Alex Ferguson’s men earn a point or more at Blackburn on Saturday, this match will be rendered a ‘dead rubber’ for both sides, and a chance for some youth to be injected with an eye to the future.
Striker Fernando Torres should have the chance to add to his lone goal for Chelsea, should Ancelotti start with the Spanish World Cup winner.
The Italian boss opted to start proven front man Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou in their most recent English Premier League clash, against Manchester United.
Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns going into Sunday’s affair, while United will be minus long-term absentees Hatem Ben Arfa, Stephen Ireland, Alan Smith, Dan Gosling, Leon Best and Mike Williamson.
PSV Eindhoven’s sporting director Marcel Brands, has come out this week, stating that Tottenham Hotspur’s Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes wants a return to the Dutch outfit, that he spent four years with before joining the Lilywhites. Gomes has had a mixed season for the North London side, mainly turning in solid performances but in the run in to the climax of this Premier League season the keeper has shown signs of returning to his error prone ways. Despite the clangers and the reports, Harry Redknapp is adamant that he is not looking to offload the shot stopper, but if these rumours were to become true, would Spurs really care absolute losing their current number one?
It would be easy for me to go “No, thanks for reading.” but obviously, there is more to any debate in football. A good goalkeeper earns you 6-8 points a season, yeah I know that’s only two wins but that would have meant this season that Newcastle would have finished eighth instead of twelfth and Wigan would have finished tenth as opposed to sixteenth, they are just some examples. Off the top of my head I’ll admit I’m struggling to see where Gomes has earnt Spurs points this season but when you consider that Tottenham have earnt 24 points this season from losing position, surely Gomes had a say in the keeping his side in those games?
Shall I list all the mistakes the keeper has made? We all know the cock ups,Chelsea, Real Madrid and most notably Blackpool. I say most notably Blackpool because that two penalties scenario, exemplified Gomes perfectly. An impressive penalty save, followed almost instantly with the bizarre decision to bring down Gary Taylor-Fletcher, for another penalty which Blackpool scored to take the lead; the do’s and dont’s of goalkeeping in one movement.
I think the real issue Spurs fans and ‘Arry face, is in their heart of hearts they know Spurs need to move Gomes on to pastures new, but who do they replace him with? Cudicini was always only ever going to be back up, and the best goalkeepers from Europe are all linked with Manchester United’s vacant goalkeeping spot. Ben Foster provides a option that, with all due respect to the Birmingham keeper, a Spurs of about five years ago would have happily signed, not this team, one chasing Champions League football. There is also Brad Friedel to consider and should Redknapp persuade the former Liverpool keeper to move to White Hart Lane, he would merely only be a short term option. Outside of those two options, who do Tottenham realistically sign to benefit their European aspirations?
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Spurs fans at the moment have a case of, ‘the best of a bad bunch’. Until Manchester United take their ‘pick’. Gomes will remain at Tottenham, with Spurs fans crossing their fingers that United don’t take up until two minutes before the transfer window closes to sign Edwin Van Der Sar’s replacement.
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“He’s big he’s Brown he’s Wesley Brown the hardest man in all the town with orange hair beware, come and have a go if you dare!”
How many times have we heard that chant this season? On away days he can be heard for the entire half -time such is the level of popularity afforded Longsight’s finest.
Any player that comes through the youth ranks and spends 13 years winning a bag full of titles and a brace of Champions Leagues, making over 350 appearances for United is going to be something of a legend.
It’s not just the trophies Brown’s helped United win or the amount of appearances he’s made. it’s the way he gets stuck in, fearless in a tackle and hard as nails, without descending into dirtiness.
Ever since Brown burst onto the scene in 1998/99 Wes amazed everyone with his natural defensive talents, I like every other Red have been a big admirer.
Brown’s had many highlights during his Old Trafford career, least of all setting up Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener in the 2008 Champions league final a season where the defender played over 50 games.
Brown hasn’t managed to play 50 games since then, over three seasons.
He now sees himself behind Fabio, Rafael and John O’Shea in the right back pecking order and Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling in the centre back positions.
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Brown’s been a loyal servant to the club and even retired from England to focus on his United career. The fact that Brown was a peripheralfigure at the celebrations on Sunday and wasn’t even elligible for a medal says it all really.
Brown’s a truly gifted defender and if it wasn’t for injuries that have plagued his career I think he would have rivalled the likes of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand as a starter at the centre of England’s defence- or almost certainly made the right back spot his own.
Although I’d be sad to see him leave and know that ifg another defensive injury crisis arises he could be very useful, I think he deserves better than playing in the reserves more often than the first team.
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In the past I’ve always thought Brown would never leave United but have to concede that the lack of games he’s getting and his age- 31- mean that his exit looks increasingly likely.
If Brown does leave you’d be hard pressed to find any Red who wouldn’t wish him all the best.
Wesley Brown Redflagflyinghigh salutes you sir.
Read more of Justin’s articles at Red Flag Flying High
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On Thursday 2nd June, Mark Hughes resigned as Fulham manager, and despite his claims to the contrary, he was expected to take up the vacant Aston Villa post, following the departure of Gerard Houllier on health grounds. As it turned out, things were never going to be that simple. Almost two weeks later, and Aston Villa are still looking for a manager, and the new hot favourite is not inspiring the Villa faithful, not surprisingly. Elsewhere though, clubs have done rather well out of the yearly merry-go-round.
As football365.com’s Mediawatch section showed this week, few in the media know what is going on regarding managerial moves. Here are some of the newspaper headlines the site highlighted:
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‘Alex McLeish has emerged as the favourite to take over from Gerard Houllier at Villa Park after resigning from his post at Birmingham’ – The Daily Star, June 13.
‘Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner is set to move for Everton boss David Moyes’ – The Daily Mirror, June 11.
‘Simon Grayson is the new favourite for the Aston Villa manager’s job following a flurry of bets on the Leeds United boss’ – Metro, June 11.
‘Roberto Martinez has been given permission by Wigan Athletic to speak to Aston Villa about the vacant manager’s position’ – The Guardian, June 9.
‘Villa move for Rafa’ – Sky Sports, June 8.
‘Steve McClaren set for Aston Villa manager’s job’ – The Daily Telegraph, June 6.
‘A candidate who has so far remained under the radar could yet come to the fore at Villa Park, with Owen Coyle of Bolton Wanderers having been mentioned’ – The Guardian, June 3.
‘Aston Villa eye former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti’ – The Daily Telegraph, June 2.
‘Mark Hughes has moved a step closer to joining Aston Villa following his resignation as Fulham manager after only 11 months’ – The Metro, June 2.
‘Villa tempting manager Moyes as Everton feel the Premier League pinch’ – The Daily Mail, May 28
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As it turned out, Fulham wasted little time sourcing Hughes’ successor, appointing Martin Jol, to general applause. The genial Dutchman is a popular figure with the British media and fans alike, and is another sound appointment by Mohammed Al Fayed. He’s not the Messiah though, as some would have you believe.
Aston Villa though have wasted plenty of time. None of us really know what is going on behind the scenes, but all evidence points to a board that do not know what they want. Lerner’s low profile at Villa is similar to his profile at another club he owns, the Cleveland Browns, but I have read that there he has a general manager to make managerial decisions – perhaps he is struggling with not having the same structure for Villa.
Hughes seemed the obvious choice for Villa, but Lerner was apparently put off by the way he left Fulham. He was reportedly put off appointing McClaren because of a fans backlash, but in time that may be a decision Lerner and the fans come to regret. Villa went for Martinez, but he said no – this was naturally made out to be a snub, but did Villa actually offer him the job, or just talk to him?
The result was a new contract at Wigan for Martinez, and then the totally coincidental sudden resignation of Alex McLeish. And immediately Villa fans everywhere wished Lerner had appointed McClaren.
Nothing has been decided yet, but McLeish’s appointment would be bewildering. If it happened, then why wasn’t Lerner put off by the way he left Birmingham (by email) or by the reaction of the fans (outrage/depression) to his possible appointment, in the same way Lerner was put off Hughes and McClaren? And why appoint a man who despite having the 3rd biggest net spend of the last two seasons led a team to relegation with the lowest goal-scoring record of the last two seasons. It seems unlikely that McLeish’s particular brand of football will be packing out Villa Park next season. Having celebrated Birmingham’s relegation, Villa fans must be secretly wishing now they had stayed up. In football, be careful what you wish for.
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Whilst all this has been happening, other managers have been brought into the rumour mongering mill, most notably David Moyes, linked with the Villa post, a move which seems unlikely. Predictability Carlo Ancelotti’s name was bandied about until he announced his desire to take a break.
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But for me, the team that did best of all cannot be found in the Premiership – I refer to Nottingham Forest. Having dismissed Billy Davies, they moved quickest of all and appointed Steve McClaren. McClaren will slowly morph into a Nottingham accent, duck, but he remains a fine appointment for the club. A certain Forest-supporting football journalist has commented on being open-minded over the appointment, but if I was a Forest fan I would be very pleased indeed. The scepticism from most remains because of THAT England reign, and the “wally in the brolly” was pummelled as another type of rain helped knock England out of the European Championships on a miserable night at Wembley.
Credit must be given to McClaren though. Not many would have gone abroad to repair their reputation. Not many would have won a title with Twente, and whilst his Wolfsburg tenure was less successful, he was undermined somewhat by those above him. It was not his team to run. And he brought silverware to Middlesbrough, reached a European final and won a treble as a Manchester United coach. Not a bad CV for a Championship manager.
But with McLeish’s exit, so the endless cycle continues. As I type, Steve Cotterill is the favourite for the Birmingham job. Should that happen, then Portsmouth will be on the lookout for a new manager, and on it goes. The cycle can only be broken, as it must be eventually, by an out-of-work manager getting re-hired. Alan Curbishley, come on down (until Hughes shows his hand).
Fulham and Nottingham Forest can look forward to the new season confident of performing well, though Fulham would no doubt like to hold onto a manager for a bit longer this time. For Birmingham the uncertain times ahead have become even more uncertain, but the big losers could well be Aston Villa who are looking to appoint a manager few fans want. If McLeish is appointed, he has a mammoth task turning the fans around. If they will let him.
The transfer window is well and truly open with a flurry of bids and rumours taking place. Liverpool have seen a bid of for Stewart Downing rejected; Wenger is looking at Motta, while Modric heads for Spurs talks with both Manchester United and Chelsea waiting in the wings.
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Man City tell Tevez they must get £50m or he is not leaving – Guardian
Clichy: I’m over the Blue Moon – Sun
Gerrard set to miss the start of the season – Mirror
Fábregas frustrated over haggling – Guardian
AVB to show ‘watch and yearn’ video to Chelsea stars – Mirror
Newcastle defend use of £35m Carroll fee – Daily Telegraph
Villa reject Liverpool bid for Downing – Guardian
Sneijder to snub Chelsea and United as Inter boss backs his star to stay – Daily Mail
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Wenger: We’ve gotta get Motta – Sun
Modric heads for Spurs talks as Chelsea and United prepare to pounce – Daily Mail
Newly appointed Feyenoord boss Ronald Koeman believes he has a team capable of taking the Eredivisie by surprise this season.The former Dutch international signed a one-year deal to replace Mario Been at the Rotterdam club and end his two year absence from coaching.
Koeman, 48, said he had the players to cause a surprise in the league after Feyenoord finished 10th last campaign, their worst result since 1989-90.
“Feyenoord is a great club for me to resume my career as a coach,” he told the club’s official website.
“With Jean-Paul van Gastel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst I have two great assistants next to me who I also already know well.”
“I am strongly convinced that we could be very surprising this season. There is indeed plenty of quality and talent in this young squad.”
“Just like the players and the entire club, I share a burning ambition to show that we are much more able than the recent past has shown.”
Koeman managed AZ Alkmaar in 2009 after stints at Ajax, Benfica, PSV and Valencia and is returning to the club where he ended his days as a professional player.
As a midfielder and defender, Koeman won two European Cups, five Dutch titles, three Dutch Cups, four Spanish titles, the Spanish Cup and was part of the Netherlands squad that won the 1988 European Championships.
After moving into management, he led Ajax to two Eredivisie titles and PSV to the Dutch league crown in 2006-07.