The agent of Benfica midfielder Javi Garcia has stated that two anonymous Premier League clubs have stated an interest in his client, but that no official offers for the Spaniard have been made as yet.
Manchester United have in the past expressed an interest in Garcia, while both Arsenal and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the midfielder.
Garcia has been a key man for the Estadio da Luz outfit this season, and played a part in leading the Portuguese club into the Champions League knock out rounds.
He could well be on his way out of the club in the summer, and Manuel Garcia Quilon has stated that Garcia has suitors all over Europe.
“There are not and there have never been any concrete offers,” the representative told O JOGO, translated into English by Sky Sports.
“But I can tell you that there are several clubs following him very carefully, especially two Premier League clubs. Then there is also one Bundesliga and one Serie club.
“But the player is calm and is now only focused on his work with Benfica and to win titles.
“Nothing has been discussed with [Benfica] president Luis Filipe Vieira, but if a good offer for the club and Javi arrives at the end of the season, we will analyse it and then we will see,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The midfielder is thought to have a buyout clause in his contract set at the amount of €30 million (£25.1m).
Frank Lampard has stated that Chelsea’s slump in form is down to the players, and not under-fire manager Andre Villas Boas.
The Stamford Bridge club dropped out of the top four with a 2-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday, with talks of crisis heightened by Roman Abramovich’s presence at the club’s Cobham training ground.
Despite rumblings that the Portuguese coach’s job may be under threat, Lampard feels the players are just as much to blame as their boss.
“Of course we do, it’s a group thing,” the England international told Chelsea TV when asked if the players need to look at themselves after the defeat.
“It was a bad performance from start to finish.
“When you come to Everton, the one thing you know they’re going to do is fight you, press you and make things tough and we didn’t react to that.
“We created two or three chances and that’s not up to standard. We can only take that on the chin and apologise to the people who came up and watched it because that’s not good enough for Chelsea.
“We have been fighting to win leagues. Now, we are fighting for fourth and that hurts, so we have to react.
“We know we are in a bad way and we have to dig ourselves out of it.
“Different players do come in but whoever plays has to live up to the standards we have set.
“If we play like we did at Everton against Napoli, we will give ourselves a mountain to climb,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Meanwhile, the club have also confirmed that John Terry is back in training after a knee injury, and will look to make a return to action in coming weeks.
Decisions. We all make them on a minute to minute basis, whether it be what to drink or what to do that day. Football is no different. Players can be accused of making bad decisions – Theo Walcott is a prime example of this, managers too – Wenger subbing the Ox springs to mind, and owners make the biggest decisions of all – who to hire and who to fire.
Much like the decision of the British public to elect the peanut butter KitKat chunky as their winner of choice, I felt the same amount of despair and dismay at the decision of Abramovich to fire AVB. Not because I was an AVB fan; in fact as past articles will show, that is far from the case, no simply because this meant yet another manager bit the dust with Chelsea who seem to go through them at the rate Towie cast members go through fake tan.
Now that the dust has settled somewhat on the events at the Circus – sorry Stamford Bridge, certain things have transpired, well that is if they were not clear enough already. AVB was ill equipped to handle the mammoth task at a club, which despite the owner saying he was willing to give time, the case still remains anything but.
Not only that, but player power is at arguably a greater and more unacceptable height than ever before, with the kissing of the badge and proclamations of love for the club from certain players – yes Frank I am talking about you – seeming hollow and somewhat meaningless given the so called ‘old guard’ made it perfectly clear that they would rather see Chelsea finish outside of the top four than keep AVB in a job and help him do well.
[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]
Yes you may not like the manager or his philosophy, but at the end of the day players owe something to the club and the fans that idolise them, and when you are putting more effort in to destabilise the dressing room and let the press know exactly what you think instead of giving it your all on the field, there is a serious problem.
I, more than anyone, would be the first to say that the way AVB went about certain things was totally wrong, such as the treatment of Alex and Anelka and the dropping of certain players, but that is no reason for the players to behave in the way they did towards the end of his tenure.
Media outlets have reported that it was with a heavy heart that Abramovich finally wield the axe on the young Portuguese manager’s head, and is fully aware of the players’ involvement in forcing his hand, and if this is the case, Abramovich needs to take this issue in hand right now and put an end to the most powerful dressing room in football, otherwise Chelsea could well find themselves being the club no one wants to manage in the summer – a job described as ‘hell’ by yet another failed manager or the blues, Scolari.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Mourinho and Guardiola have both been linked with the job, and despite some very expected flirting on the part of the Special One, both are set to sign extended contracts at their current clubs, and who can blame them? Chelsea fans have made it perfectly clear that Benitez or indeed the ‘Spanish Waiter’ is not wanted at the Bridge, yet they may find themselves short of any willing candidates come June.
Should the club fail to get into the top four and face the ramifications from that it will become even more of an unattractive proposition to any manager. The decision to take the Chelsea job seems to be turning into somewhat of a career suicide mission these days, and it seems clear that the Old Guard felt that they could do a better job than AVB at managing the club, and the way Chelsea are going that may well be one of the only options left to the Russian owner in the summer – either that or finally have a go himself!
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has praised the impact of Nikica Jelavic at Everton, after the striker started his time at Goodison Park positively.
The Merseysiders bought the eastern European marksman from cash-strapped Rangers in the January transfer window, and Bilic feels that his former club have signed a player with potential to be one of the best attackers in the Premier League.
“I’ve known Nikica since he was a child and I watched Everton a lot, even before he came, and always imagined he’d suit them perfectly. I’ve always been quite sure about Nikica,” Bilic told The Guardian.
“They needed a guy who is not only a finisher but is also great in other areas and they have found a natural goalscorer who is great in the buildup.
“He can hold the ball up, he’s just perfect for Everton’s style. You need a bit of luck at the start, which he got and now his confidence is sky high. He never panics, he’s such a cool finisher. It doesn’t surprise me how well he’s doing.
“When I read about £20m transfers, getting him for £5m looks like a bargain. It’s great for Everton,” he stated.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
New England manager Roy Hodgson is believed to be considering leaving former captain John Terry at home for Euro 2012, according to The Daily Mail.
The Chelsea skipper is due to stand trail in July for allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, and Hodgson has to consider whether Terry and the victim’s brother Rio Ferdinand can both be in the same squad.
The newspaper indicate that the West Brom boss is thinking about opting for Ferdinand and not Terry, but will hold talks with both players before making his final decision.
The England squad for Euro 2012 is due to be released after the end of the Premier League season, with next Monday believed to be the date that Hodgson will reveal the contingent that will travel to Ukraine and Poland.
Other central defenders in the mix are Joleon Lescott, Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
England manager Roy Hodgson has called Wayne Rooney the side’s ace in the hole, stating that the Manchester United man is raring to go.
The talented forward was sent off against Montenegro in the Three Lions’ final qualifying fixture, and as such is serving a ban and will miss the first two games of Euro 2012.
With England drawing their first match against France 1-1 and with Sweden next to play on Friday, Rooney will return for the crunch clash with Ukraine next week.
Hodgson has admitted that he wants to see improvement in the final third, and that Rooney will be the man to give them it.
“Our real ace in the hole should be Wayne Rooney because he is very fit and raring to go,” said Hodgson according to The Telegraph.
“He really can’t wait to get on the field and if he can play like Wayne Rooney, then we’re going to be a bit more difficult to beat for some of these teams because you can only benefit from having someone of his quality in your team.
“It’s in the final third where we need improvement. Once or twice, especially in the first half against France, there were some very promising counter-attacks and they broke down because we tried a one-touch pass to finish it off rather than taking that extra touch.
“The French were just the opposite. They don’t play a lot of one-touch football around the penalty box. They play a lot of two, three touches, holding on to the ball and asking another question. Sometimes we want to try and finish it off too quickly. That’s because of the intensity of the Premier League.
“You must remember we had Ashley Young, who hasn’t always played that position, and Danny Welbeck, who is 21 and did really well. You’ve got to make allowances for the fact that they had Karim Benzema, who is much older and playing for Real Madrid, and Samir Nasri. You can expect a bit more from them when they get in the final third than I can expect from our players at the moment.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“Glen Johnson made some good raiding runs down the right. The pass and the movement for James Milner’s chance was the type of thing we are looking for. That was a really good attack. A few other attacks foundered on the fact that we didn’t quite get the last pass right. We must make allowance for the fact that everyone was quite nervous going into the game,” he concluded.
The art of diving is an all too familiar occurrence in the Premier League, with players, at times, selecting the root to floor over an opportunity to score.
It’s a wide held belief that the phenomenon of simulation is restricted to foreign players, with the English spirit of fair play and sportsmanship making such acts preposterous. While to an extent the import of such acts coincided with the arrival of global talent, more and more home-grown stars are turning to the dark arts, in a bid to aid their team.
With the sheer pace of modern day football, referees face the impossible task of deciding, in a split second, whether said player is the victim or just a crook.
This list looks at 20 players who have frequently opted to bend the rules, exaggerating, and mostly, fabricating contact to aid their teams:
Click on Andrew Johnson to unveil the list
[divider]
[divider]
What do you think? Find me on Twitter @Alex_Hams to have your say
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has walked away from his role with the nation, after a disastrous Euro 2012 campaign.
The Oranje had high hopes of reaching the latter stages of the international tournament in Ukraine and Poland, but lost all three games against Germany, Portugal and Denmark in Group B.
A lack of clinical edge in attack was the main reason for the pointless campaign, with an uncharacteristic shortage of goals blighting the talented team.
The news of the trainer’s departure has been released by the Dutch FA, with the nation looking for a new boss with immediate effect.
“On the initiative of Bert van Marwijk and the KNVB, van Marwijk decided on Wednesday to end the coach’s contract with immediate effect,” The Guardian report.
“The agreement between the FA and coach officially ran until the 2016 European Championship.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that there has been no further developments in Robin van Persie’s situation with the club.
The Netherlands international has stated that he will not extend his current contract in north London, which expires next summer.
The Gunners are desperate to keep him whilst Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus are hot on his heels; the French coach has confessed nothing has changed.
“There is nothing to elaborate. The options are clear – we want to keep our players,” Wenger told reporters, published in Sky Sports.
“I would be happy for him to stay in the English Premier League – at Arsenal.”
Meanwhile the Gunners have been linked with a move for Malaga winger Santi Cazorla, and Wenger has admitted that the Spaniard is a player of quality.
“You see I have come here to say as little as possible! I am ready to talk a lot, but not a lot about transfers, because it is a very fragile subject and a very secret subject.
“But I share the opinion of Mikel Arteta – he [Cazorla] is a great player.
“We bought Giroud and Podolski and I hope that we bought Diaby and Wilshere too, who didn’t play at all last season. We will add Wilshere to the squad as soon as possible. But we are not at the end of it [transfers] – we will still bring players in,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Arsenal are currently on a pre-season tour in Asia.
Manchester City are set to wrap-up a deal for Swansea winger Scott Sinclair on Tuesday, Sky Sports claim.
The Premier League champions are eager to bring in a new face or two before the transfer window closes, with Jack Rodwell the only signing of note so far this summer.
After selling Adam Johnson to Sunderland last week, a place for a new wideman has arisen, with Sinclair a target over the last month.
The talented attacker is in the last year of his contract at the Liberty Stadium and has refused to extend with the Welsh side.
With Swansea facing losing their player for nothing next summer, Michael Laudrup will sell Sinclair to City for a fee believed to be in the £6.2 million range.
It is thought that only loose ends over the deal need to be tied up, which will happen on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.