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The European Championship has finally been immortalised in Lego, just days before the 2012 tournament gets under way in Poland and Ukraine. MORE: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/oddballs/9 ... z1wpWpiq9N
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REVERSE SNUB OF THE DAY
No way Jose! Good news for Man City as Silva snubs talk of Madrid switch
David Silva is not interested in swapping the champions of England for the champions of Spain.
The Spanish playmaker's agent has dismissed talk of a switch from Manchester City to Real Madrid.
Jose Mourinho picked Silva out as a potential target to bring to the Bernabeu as he aims to build on his success in the country's capital.
But Julio Llorente said: 'David has signed a long deal with Manchester City and is very happy at the club.
'Football is always unpredictable but he wants to stay in England.
'Real Madrid is a big club as well and they were interested when he was at Valencia [whom he joined City from] but the deal was not possible.
'We are ignoring the plans of Real Madrid because he is very integrated at City and winning the Premier League has only increased his commitment to the club.'
This is more good news for City, after Sergio Aguero pledged his future to the club.
Aguero, who along with Silva was a key part of the title-winning side, was another player linked with a move to Madrid.
Javi Martinez Snubs* Interest From Manchester City, Plans Athletic Bilbao Stay
Manchester City target Javi Martinez has insisted he is happy at Athletic Bilbao following speculation that he is wanted by both the Premier League Champions and Barcelona, reports talkSPORT.
(* that's more like it!)
Utility man Martinez can play at centre back or holding midfield and starred as Bilbao beat City’s neighbours Manchester United on their way to the Europa League final last season.
Robert Mancini was reportedly considering a £25 million bid for the 23-year-old, with new Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova also ready to pounce.
But level-headed Martinez, who is part of Spain’s squad for Euro 2012, has distanced himself from the speculation, insisting he is happy at San Mames. The Basque stopper admitted that manager Marcelo Bielsa signing a new contract was a big factor in his decision.
“The fact I’m being linked with Barcelona is a sign that I’m playing well but I’m not thinking about any of that, I’m concentrating on the Euros and trying to get as many minutes as possible with the national team,” Martinez said.
“The fact that Bielsa is staying is great news for the club. I think he wants to continue on the work he has done so far and give continuity to the group. There’s a lot of talk about potential transfers but both [Fernando] Llorente and I have contracts,” he added.
“I’m not thinking about leaving. I’m an Athletic player, if you ask me what I think about being a target for Barcelona then I will say that’s just a sign that I’m doing well. But I’m at home at Athletic and I have a contract.”
City are not short of talent at holding midfield but both Yaya Toure and Nigel de Jong have been linked away from Eastlands this summer.
Vincent Kompany on Tevez, racism and the revolution in Belgian football
Is it good or bad to have Carlos Tevez back in the squad? "Any team in the world should believe they would be stronger with Carlos in the team. If there's one thing you always get with Carlos, it's 100 per cent commitment when he's on the pitch."
'It was very common for me and other black players to be racially abused and it was never reported'
Much has been made of the racism issue in English football this season. What is your opinion on that? "First of all, I have never been abused in England. What makes me angry, is that a big deal is made out of one incident on the pitch [between Patrice Evra and Luis Suárez], but not enough is being done about racism in the sport as a whole. As a young footballer in Belgium, it was very common for me and other black players to be racially abused and it was never reported. I see it happening still in Europe, and if you don't take action in the lower leagues and at junior level, it will only be a matter of time before it spreads. That worries me a lot."
At City you have a lot of big players with big egos. Is that a problem? "We do have big players, but they are all good professionals. Everyone knows what they have to do: win trophies. That's all that matters and that belief shapes the team."
Do you think that City have that winning mentality now? "Of course, every single player has and if anyone doesn't then they have a problem with me."
Even Mario Balotelli would think twice about that.
Full GQ Article: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=43186
Vieira: Richards can be a key player for England in the future
Manchester City’s football development executive, Patrick Vieira, has told talkSPORT that Micah Richards can go on to be a key part of England’s future despite his Euro 2012 snub.
Roy Hodgson left the 23-year-old right-back out of his original 23-man squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
And Vieira admits that the decision not to pick the defender puzzled him, especially as Richards had played well during Man City’s Premier League title winning campaign.
He told Drive Time: “We don’t have all the answers in our hands to make a comment but not calling Rio Ferdinand or Micah Richards is a surprise, but at the end of the day it is the manager’s choice and we don’t know what is going on behind closed doors.
“I don’t know any players who don’t want to play for their country. I haven’t spoken to Micah since the last game of the season and I know that he was quite disappointed not to be part of the squad and I can understand that because that was his target. He was working really hard for it.
“He’s still young and I believe that in the future he can one of the key players for England.”
AUDIO: http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/ ... ure-173665
Balotelli pulls out of Italy training with knee discomfort
The controversial striker could not complete the Azzurri's afternoon session, but according to the team's doctors, he will be able to resume practice on Tuesday
The Manchester City man complained of slight discomfort in his right knee and was given permission by Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli to leave the session early.
According to the team's medical staff, Balotelli has suffered a minor muscle overload and is expected to resume full training on Tuesday.
The news will come as welcome relief to Prandelli, who found out earlier today that Andrea Barzagli could spend up to 20 days on the sidelines because of a calf problem.
Italy will begin their Euro campaign on Sunday against Spain before taking on Croatia and Republic of Ireland.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has reiterated to Manchester City that defender Thiago Silva, 27, is not for sale. talkSHITE
And that’s just for starters, say Manchester City fans
Sergio Aguero scores the dramatic goal which clinched the Premier League title for Manchester City
After years of painful famine, Premier League champions City will tuck into a trophy feast over the next five years.
That's the verdict of euphoric Blues fans responding to an end-of-season survey on our website manchestereveningnews.co.uk.
The Blues faithful reckon the 2011 FA Cup win and the 2011/12 title victory will prove a mere taster of what's in store at the Etihad Stadium over the next few years.
Almost 91 per cent of respondents believe Roberto Mancini's men will repeat last season's table-topping performance in the 2012/2013 campaign.
And over 80 per cent of fans believe City will win at least one trophy per season for the next five years.
That is a remarkable turnaround given the Old Trafford banner that counted City's 35 trophy-less years was only torn down just over 12 months ago.
The near £1bn that owner Sheikh Mansour has poured into the club has turned City into an irresistible force.
And the manner in which they clinched the title on that historic Sunday in May will surely give the club a steely conviction to go with their undoubted quality.
Fans from both the Blue and Red halves – plus the watching world – were in disbelief as injury-time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero against QPR turned agony into ecstasy for City.
Well over a thousand fans in our survey reckon that tumultuous five-minute spell was the best in the club's history.
Almost 85 per cent voted the Aguero-inspired title win as their top moment as a City fan, easily beating off competition from the 1968 league win, the 1999 play-off victory over Gillingham, the 2011 FA Cup success and the 6-1 thrashing of United at Old Trafford last season.
But although fans expect domestic dominance, European glory may require more patience.
The majority of fans reckon City will reach the semi-finals of the Champions League next season, with just 14 per cent predicting victory in that competition.
The Premier League remains the most-prized possession by fans though, with over 90 per cent rating the domestic title as their top target for next season.
When it comes to summer squad re-shaping, Blues fans are backing a tactic of evolution over revolution.
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been splashed on players and wages since the Abu Dhabi owners took over in 2008 in what the club openly admit has been an accelerated spending programme.
While teams – and indeed countries – across the world have been left flailing in the face of some of the toughest economic conditions ever, City have never spent more.
Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli, James Milner, David Silva, Edin Dzeko and Samir Nasri all cost in the region of £25m, while last-day hero Aguero was a recession-busting £38m. MuEN
View from a blue has compiled its pick of the season in all aspects of City. Bollox Towers previews 3 key picks ...
Goal of the Season – It would have to be Aguero’s against QPR for sheer importance and the celebrations that followed but that would be repetitive so I’ll look elsewhere. There were some superb strikes in terms of their individual quality, such as James Milner’s at home to Aston Villa when he spread the ball 70 yards out to Adam Johnson before receiving it and guiding it into the corner. Goals from Yaya Touré, with the opener away to Newcastle, and Samir Nasri, with the late winner at home to Chelsea, stand out for their importance, but for pure team work, I’ll give it to Adam Johnson for the sixth at Carrow Road.
Sergio Aguero picked the ball up out wide on the right and sent a pinpoint, searching ball into the penalty area for Gael Clichy, who cushioned it perfectly into Johnson’s stride to guide it home. It was a brilliant team move and encapsulated everything that was good about City in the final month of the season.
Pass of the Season - Not a particularly common category, but I just wanted to highlight David Silva’s mouth-wateringly delectable pass to Dzeko for the 6th at Old Trafford. Controlling the ball before volleying it perfectly it Bosnian’s path, it was a joy to watch.
Player of the Season – This could quite feasibly be one of six or seven players and that is the reason why we won the league. There have been consistently superb performances from a number of members of the squad, not least Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Gael Clichy and Yaya Touré, but my top three are David Silva, Gareth Barry and Sergio Aguero.
The Spaniard’s displays in the first half of the campaign were nothing short of magical and although he suffered a blip in form from Christmas onwards, his early showings should not be forgotten. Barry, sitting in front of the defence, was exceptional throughout, mopping up everything in midfield and enabling the more creative options to influence the game. But, for me, the player of the season was Aguero. To score 30 goals in his first year was an incredible achievement, but his game is about so much more than just scoring. We are fortunate to have him and the scary thought for opposition defences is that he will only improve.
FULL AWARDS: http://www.viewfromablue.com/2012/06/04 ... on-awards/
Joleon Lescott's mission: to stop the talk about Rio Ferdinand
Alex Ferguson may not rate him, but Joleon Lescott no longer doubts himself and looks set to start against France
Maybe it was just an accidental oversight on Sir Alex Ferguson's part or, knowing the way the Manchester United manager occasionally works, perhaps there was an intentional dash of mischief involved when he was asked recently about the central defenders England should take to Euro 2012 and Joleon Lescott, from the other side of town, did not warrant a mention.
The other option is that he simply does not regard him particularly highly, or at least believes he should be half a dozen back in the list. "You have John Terry and Rio Ferdinand and Gary Cahill," Ferguson said. "Then you have Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. But after that, there is not a lot."
And that was it: no name-check to acknowledge Lescott's contribution for Manchester City, or his performance when England beat Spain, the world champions, at Wembley last November. No, Lescott was in the "not a lot" category, which hardly counts as a ringing endorsement when it comes from the most successful manager in the business.
In which case it is probably for the good that Lescott no longer appears to doubt himself, certainly not in the way that was commonly suspected after the £24m move from Everton in 2009 turned him into the sixth most expensive defender on the planet. He will board the flight to Krakow on Wednesday after the best year of his professional life and, next Monday, we can expect to see him start England's opening game against France now Cahill has been ruled out with a broken jaw and politics appear to have done for Ferdinand. Yet Lescott, by his own admission, knows he still has plenty of people to convince.
He admitted as much during some friendly jousting recently with a group of football writers when the subject cropped up of working with Gary Neville, and the complications of an England coach having a Sky role that meant he would occasionally criticise his own players. Lescott was asked whether there was a television pundit who was particularly hard on him and shook his head. "It's more yourselves," he replied. "I'm just glad none of you are picking the team."
He was smiling at the time, but there was a definite sense of someone who believes he gets a raw deal. "Everyone talks about Rio and whether JT should be going because of all the stuff that's happened," his City team-mate, Micah Richards, says. "But I don't see Joleon's name being mentioned and I can't name an English centre-half who has had a better season. He just doesn't get the credit he's due and I don't know why that is. Maybe, it's because Roberto Mancini doesn't come out and say 'Joleon is the best' every two minutes. I really don't know. All I can say is that if you watch our games he's been unbelievable."
Almost certainly, it is a legacy of a difficult first year at City, when Lescott could not keep his place in the team, his transfer fee was used against him and there were legitimate questions about whether he was good enough for a club of this ambition. Lescott has been playing catch-up ever since, not just in terms of changing the public perception but convincing City's management, too, given that Mancini initially planned to bring in another centre-half last summer.
The player Mancini really wanted, Thiago Silva, was out of reach at Milan and, in the end, City pulled out of a £20m move for Cahill on the grounds they were unconvinced it would be a notable improvement. Lescott and Vincent Kompany then set about forming the most parsimonious central defensive partnership in the Premier League last season, just as they had the previous year. It is Kompany, however, who gets the vast majority of the praise.
For England, there have been only 11 starts since the first call-up five years ago and only once occasion, under Fabio Capello, when Lescott has begun three matches in a row. Otherwise, his international career has been spent mostly around the edges. Five more appearances have come as a substitute but there have also been 26 different matches when he has been either unused or not even been on the bench and, at times, it has been difficult for him to feel so peripheral.
Lescott was originally left out of Stuart Pearce's squad to face Holland in February and, though the general idea was to go with younger players, the people closest to him say he took the decision badly. In the end, the 29-year-old was brought in because of injuries to other players but never got a single minute on the pitch.
He did, however, demonstrate against Spain that, fully focused, he can distinguish himself against the most accomplished opponents, albeit ones who were not overly exerting themselves. Capello played Lescott alongside Phil Jagielka, his former Everton colleague, and they excelled. Reunited again for the Norway game ten days ago, they helped England keep another clean sheet.
Yet Roy Hodgson is planning a Terry-Lescott partnership against France and there have been only two occasions when the two players have started together as centre-backs, and none in the last three years. Both ended in victories, without a goal conceded, though that would probably be expected considering the opposition on both occasions: Andorra. The opposition in Donetsk on Monday will be very different and Lescott will have done his job if nobody is talking about Ferdinand afterwards.
OTHER BOLLOX
Eden Hazard: Chelsea complete transfer of Lille midfielder
Chelsea have completed a deal to sign midfielder Eden Hazard from French club Lille.
The Belgium international, 21, has agreed personal terms and passed a medical with the Blues.
"When they won the Champions League I told myself, 'Why not Chelsea?'," said Hazard.
"There was a struggle between Chelsea and [Manchester] United but, for me, Chelsea has the best project. It's a wonderful club."
MORE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18324490
New Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has warned the Anfield board to forget about selling striker Luis Suarez, 25. The Sun
Tottenham's Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, 29, has refused to rule out the prospect of joining Schalke, in a bid to be closer to his wife who works for a German TV channel. The Metro
Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong is a wanted man, with both Monaco and Russian side Rubin Kazan interested in signing the 25-year-old. Daily Mail
Chelsea target Lucas Moura, 19, won't be leaving Sao Paulo until 2014 at the earliest. The striker has already reportedly been the subject of a £30m bid from the Blues. talkShite
Tottenham are planning a double raid on West Ham to sign goalkeeper Robert Green, 32, and defender James Tomkins, 23. The Metro
Wigan and Fulham are both chasing Derby striker Theo Robinson, 23, who scored 12 goals last season. The Sun
West Brom midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, 25, claims he is wanted by Newcastle and Tottenham. "We have already started talking to teams like Newcastle and Tottenham," he said. "I'm leaving it all in the hands of my agent." Daily Star
Arsenal are in talks with Anderlecht's Argentine midfielder Lucas Biglia, 26. However, they face stiff competition from Real Madrid. The Sun
QPR boss Mark Hughes is eyeing Fraser Forster, 24, as a potential new number one. The goalkeeper has spent the last two seasons on loan at Celtic from Newcastle. Daily Mirror
Sunderland want to sign Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady, 26, who is halfway through a four-year deal at Spartak Moscow. Daily Star
Turkish side Eskisehirspor want Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, 31, despite him only recently signing a new deal at the Emirates. Daily Mail
Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has emerged as the new favourite to replace Brendan Rodgers at Swansea.
After being forced to pull out of Euro 2012 through injury, Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard, 33, could be in line for a call-up to represent Team GB at this summer's Olympics. Daily Mail
Harry Redknapp's future as manager of Tottenham Hotspur appears increasingly uncertain before he heads into contract discussions with the club's hierarchy this week. The Times
Rio Ferdinand is refusing to quit playing for England, despite his latest snub by manager Roy Hodgson. The Manchester United defender has told friends he has no intention of retiring from international football. Daily Star
Hodgson does not want Ferdinand to quit England and has texted the player to assure him he wants him to be part of his future plans. Daily Mirror
Hodgson is under mounting pressure to justify the omission of Ferdinand after the Manchester United central defender told friends he considered the decision to be "morally very suspect" and fears increased about its capacity to unsettle the team ahead of Euro 2012. The Guardian
Hodgson has cracked down on his England players' sponsor appearances, telling five of his squad to cancel a proposed Nike event in London yesterday in order to rest ahead of the squad's trip to Poland tomorrow for their Euro 2012 base camp. The Independent
Wayne Rooney and Elton John discussed all things from hair transplants to the singer's belief his 17-month old son Zachary is a budding football star when they recently met backstage at his Million Dollar Piano show in Las Vegas. The Sun
Off-field problems add to Hodgson's England headache - Phil McNulty
Two words on Rio Ferdinand's Twitter timeline poured fuel on the fire of a debate that now threatens to overshadow England's final preparations for Euro 2012.
When Belgium's Dries Mertens needlessly and nastily shoved Gary Cahill into goalkeeper Joe Hart in England's 1-0 win at Wembley on Saturday, he not only caused Chelsea's defender a double fracture of the jaw, he also gave new manager Roy Hodgson a serious headache.
With Cahill a serious doubt from the moment the incident occurred - his absence was confirmed on Sunday afternoon - it was clear much of the attention would centre on whether Hodgson would turn to Manchester United defender Ferdinand as his replacement.
Ferdinand was the most high-profile exclusion from Hodgson's 23-man squad for Poland and Ukraine and the questions surrounding his absence will no doubt be revisited in the build-up to England's first game against France in Donetsk on 11 June.
Hodgson was at great pains to point out the omission had been for "footballing reasons" and not because of any diplomatic difficulties surrounding the court case involving fellow defender John Terry, who will stand trial after Euro 2012 for alleged racist abuse of Ferdinand's brother Anton, a charge he denies.
But once it emerged that Liverpool's young defender Martin Kelly was the preferred choice to replace Cahill, Rio Ferdinand made his feelings clear, tweeting: "What reasons?????!!!"
Hardly a coded message, it is a clear indicator that Ferdinand still questions the rationale behind Hodgson leaving him out of the summer showpiece.
Those supporting Ferdinand's case will point to his vast experience, especially after the loss of wise heads Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard to injury, and his proven ability to handle the biggest games in a long, distinguished and successful career.
His representative Jamie Moralee said: "Lampard, Terry, Barry, Gerrard; all ageing but they go to the tournament. Why is Rio different?
"To treat a player that has captained and served his country 81 times (in this
manner) is nothing short of disgraceful. Total lack of respect from Hodgson and
the FA as far as I am concerned."
The case against, meanwhile, may actually have been articulated most clearly by his own manager at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson saying before England's Euro 2012 squad selection: "You play something like a game every four days. Rio Ferdinand couldn't do that."
If Hodgson is minded to elaborate on the "footballing reasons" behind his decision to leave Ferdinand out of his plans, he may well use Ferguson's fears about his fitness.
Terry himself has now been passed fit after complaining about a tight hamstring against Belgium - and England's central defensive pairing will now exercise Hodgson's mind in the coming days.
Kelly will act as deputy for his Liverpool colleague Glen Johnson at right-back and has very limited experience as central defender - not enough to be seriously considered as an option in this tournament.
Of course Manchester City's Micah Richards could also have come into the equation had he felt able to make himself available for England's stand-by list.
This decision looked increasingly rash on Sunday afternoon and for all the injustice Ferdinand clearly feels he has suffered, he has at no point suggested he feels hurt enough to withdraw his international services - although it remains to be seen how long that remains the case.
It also means the list of potential tasks to be performed by Manchester United youngster Phil Jones now includes cover at right-back, central defence and central midfield. Hodgson will hope he does not go lame between now and the time the action starts.
Manchester City's Joleon Lescott, who had an outstanding season at Etihad Stadium, is now favourite to partner Terry although there is a logistical difficulty in that both prefer the left side of the central positions.
There is another alternative partnership embedded in England's squad, however, one that is tried and tested and one that may yet come to the rescue in the coming weeks.
Lescott and Everton's Phil Jagielka formed a formidable partnership at club level when they played together at Goodison Park and they have looked comfortable together for England. It is something Hodgson will be very aware of.
Belgium's Mertens has a lot to answer for after his awful barge on Cahill. He has not only caused an opponent to fracture his jaw in two places - he has potentially disturbed the peace of England's preparations for Euro 2012.
MORE BOLLOX LATER ...
