CITY BOLLOX
Micah Richards is ready to quit Manchester City in January in a bid to put his once-promising career back on track.
And if the defender does leave in the next window, City manager Mark Hughes will move for Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm as a replacement. Richards, rated at £15million, has become disillusioned with life at Eastlands after a series of run-ins with Hughes and the coaching staff. Despite the huge Abu Dhabibacked revolution in full swing at City, Richards is disenchanted with the direction of his game and has told close pals a move away from the Blues could re-ignite a career which two years ago saw him earmarked for greatness with club and country.But since then the muscular 21-year-old defender has lost his way. The form which catapulted him into the England side as a teenager has evaporated spectacularly and as things stand he has no chance of going to the World Cup in South Africa next summer. England boss Fabio Capello has serious reservations about Richards' tactical and positional play and although he has speed, strength and athleticism the Italian coach believes Glen Johnson and Wes Brown represent a far better bet at right back as main choices. Torrid That has left Richards in the cold on the international front and although he has been a regular for Stuart Pearce's under-21 outfit, I understand Capello won't consider the youngster until his game intelligence improves dramatically.
Richards' poor form was highlighted in the recent Manchester derby when 35-yearold Ryan Giggs gave him a torrid time and the City defender was ball watching and out of position when Michael Owen scored the dramatic stoppage-time winner for United.
Harsh words were exchanged after that game and Richards has now reached the conclusion that a move in January could be the best way forward. I understand Richards has even identified which clubs he would be prepared to join - with Aston Villa certain to lead the chase if Hughes sanctions his departure in January.Martin O'Neill is a longstanding admirer of Richards and would jump at the chance to pair him up again with Richard Dunne who signed from City in a £6million deadline-day deal. In the past United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all shown an interest in the youngster - but that was when he was performing well and rated in the £20million plus bracket. Then, City would never have sold their prized youngster but now the dynamic at Eastlands has shifted - and the value of Richards has dropped along with his performance level.The club want only the best and Hughes will again be handed hefty funds in the January window to add the extra pieces to his jigsa. For the first time there is a willingness from the club to trade Richards at the right price enabling Hughes to make a major play for 25-year-old German international Lahm
http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/ ... _page.html
Manchester City WILL win the league, says Sven Goran Eriksson http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Ma ... 85349.html
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is monitoring midfielder Yossi Benayoun's situation at Liverpool as he prepares for the January transfer window. News of the World http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/5 ... ridge.html
City forward Robinho could make a loan move to Barcelona in January, with the Manchester club hopeful that midfielder Yaya Toure will come in the opposite direction.News of the World http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/5 ... ember.html
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Premier League clubs have been put on alert by a possible hitch in midfielder David Beckham's proposed loan move from LA Galaxy to AC Milan in January. Milan have been asked to pay the full value of Beckham's contract for his stay, around £70,000 a week, but they do not want to give more than £40,000.News of the World
Milan want to swap Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko.News of the World
Portsmouth's David James wants to move to Tottenham to ensure that he goes into the 2010 World Cup finals as England's first-choice goalkeeper. Sunday Telegraph
Arsenal defender Gael Clichy is a £16m target for Real Madrid - the Frenchman's representatives have been contacted by the Spanish club with a view to a deal next summer. News of the World
Former Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Boudewijn Zenden is set to complete a move to Sunderland at the end of this week. News of the World
Manchester United and Chelsea are checking on Brazil's 19-year-old Vasco da Gama midfielder Alex Teixeira Santos at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. News of the World
United have stepped up their search for a top goalkeeper after losing faith in Ben Foster. (Sunday Express)
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is keen to sign Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique.News of the World
Bolton manager Gary Megson is preparing a bid of around £2m to sign Newcastle midfielder Alan Smith in January. News of the World
A contractual dispute is hindering Portsmouth's efforts to sign Zimbabwe full-back Onismor Bhasera from South African side Kaizer Chiefs. Sunday Times
WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... essia-merz
OTHER BOLLOX
The Football Association will make a formal complaint to Fifa after Ukraine fans hurled burning flares at the England players during Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Dnipropetrovskt.Sunday Times
Sven-Goran Eriksson is on the brink of quitting as Notts County's director of football.News of the World
Portsmouth still face the threat of administration despite the club's largest takeover - because of £10m of debts to tax authorities.Mail on Sunday
Pompey manager Paul Hart has just two games to save his job - he needs results against Tottenham and Hull or he will be sacked with new director of football Avram Grant taking charge of the team. News of the World
Sir Alex Ferguson's apology to referee Alan Wiley for any embarrassment caused by comments the Manchester United boss made about him has been snubbed by Wiley's colleagues.
The referees' union Prospect has threatened to sue Ferguson after his statement of apology seemed to question the fitness of all referees. News of the World
Ferguson's apparent bid to escape a Football Association ban for his controversial comments may yet end in failure with Alan Leighton, head of the referees' union, calling for the Scot to be severely punished. News of the World
Tom Hicks has paved the way for Prince Faisal al-Fahad bin Abdullah bin Saud to become a major Anfield stakeholder by signalling his eagerness for a new investor to buy out George Gillett, following yet another fall-out between Liverpool's American co-owners.Sunday Times
American businessman Stan Kroenke still owes Arsenal board members £50m despite edging closer to taking full control of the club.Sunday Times
Businessman Barry Moat is on the brink of completing his takeover at Newcastle but insiders admit he is frustrated that managing director Derek Llambias has slowed the deal by going on holiday. (News of the World)
The average Premier League player's salary has reached £1m a season, total player wages are on the verge of hitting £1bn a season and Premier League clubs are collectively £2.8bn in debt. News of the World
Stuttgart midfielder Alexander Hleb says he made a huge mistake by quitting Arsenal for Barcelona in 2008. News of the World
AND FINALLY
Not content with trying to conquer the world as a player, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is already planning for future campaigns - as a football manager. The 23-year-old has become one of the youngest England players to begin trying to qualify as a coach, having commenced studies for his Uefa B licence. Sunday Times
Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard's latest knee injury was cured by renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman's use of a dead man's cartilage. News of the World
Referee Mark Halsey, who is suffering from cancer, has astonished colleagues by asking for a return to Premier League duty. Halsey has begged referees boss Keith Hackett to put him back in the firing line but Hackett cannot oblige until the 48-year-old official has beaten the illness.News of the World
Concerned by claims that the Football Association is not making great enough use of the Royal Family in its efforts to bring the World Cup to England in 2018, Prince Williams has let it be known that he is keen to take on a more prominent role.Sunday Telegraph
Former Chelsea midfielder Dennis Wise has returned to football after his ill-fated Newcastle United spell by linking up with Spartan South Midlands side Chalfont St Peter. And Wise's former team-mate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink could make it a Chelsea double in Non-League with a playing comeback for Blue Square South outfit Woking. (The Non-League Paper)
The mancityfans.net football forum
The BEST FORUM in all the land and all the world
