Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook has suggested Liverpool sounded out Roberto Mancini as a replacement for Rafael Benitez before the Italian moved to Eastlands. Daily Telegraph (See yesterday's bollox)
Ipswich manager Roy Keane believes former Manchester United team-mate Mark Hughes should never have joined Manchester City. "I wouldn't have got involved with City - never," he said.The Sun ZZZZZZZ http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... urkey.html
Joe Corrigan was well up the record appearance list for Manchester City when he called time on his illustrious career.
Including domestic cup and European games he clocked up over 600 appearances for the club, and only Alan Oakes, from the same era during the great days of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison at the old Maine Road ground, had more outings for the Blues.
Peter Keeling caught up with him for a chat and to reflect on ‘the good old days’ at City...
Q: In an era in English football when Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence reigned supreme, you had some great trophy winning times with City. Were you always destined to make a career in football?
A: By no means. In fact the start of my sporting life was playing rugby at Sale Grammer School. But I always wanted to be a football 'keeper, and I started playing local League football in goal at the age of 14, and never looked back or held a rugby ball again.
I had trials for Ipswich Town, but Maine Road scout Harry Godwin spotted me, and I achieved my ambition when he "sold" my potential as a keeper to the club that was to be my life.
On his recommendation Joe Mercer gave me my chance at Maine Road, and I was lucky enough to go on and earn regular First Division status eventually and was in the team that won the Community Shield, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup as well as the First Division championship.
Q: Was there any particular moment in your career that brought tears to your eyes?
A: There were a lot of emotional moments in those great years with City, but particularly special on a personal level was when I was named in the Hall of Fame at Maine Road and the great Bert Trautmann, who headed three keepers on the "Fame list" came to me and said: ‘this club will always know how much they relied through their history on three people: Frank Swift, Bert Trautmann and Joe Corrigan’.
It was the thrill of my life to be named by a truly great world class sporting personality like Bert alongside himself and Frank Swift, and memory of the thrill of that moment will never leave me.
Q: Were there any moments to match that?
A Yes, and this time it was an opponent, Jack Charlton, who after a City game against Leeds United, then one of England's most consistently successful clubs, said of me (only 20 year old at the time) after one match: "I've not been beaten in the air so easily for a long time as I was by young Corrigan today."
He added: "It was frustrating for me how this boy just took the high balls off my head as though he was picking cherries. Normally I can put any 'keeper off, but I simply did not worry him."
To hear the great World Cup winner Jack Charlton, who was built like a giraffe, and was an awesome opponent, was an incredible boost and thrill for me at the time.
Q: At the age of 60 you are stilll heavily involved as a scout for the Football Association after a fantastic playing career and a high profile spell as goalkeeper coach at Leeds, Middlesbrough, Barnsley, Aberdeen and for ten years at Liverpool among other clubs?
A: Yes, the coaching and scouting gives me great satisfaction. I cover the North West of England for the FA in terms of scouting, Ray Clemence does the south, and is a key part of the England team manager's backroom team, Simon Smith looks after the North East, and Martin Thomas the Midlands.
Q: You were one of the Maine Road heroes for a long time. Who were your heroes as a young man making his way towards fame?
A: Well, like every supporter who had the privilege of seeing Frank Swift and Bert Trautmann, they are the first two names for me to mention. But Liverpool's Ray Clemence was one of the top England keepers, and I was a great fan of his.
He just seemed to continue forever in his marathon playing career. He was so consistent, making outstanding saves after outstanding saves.
And he was a great example to young 'keepers, while at different times keepers like the great Gordon Banks and later Shilton, Parks, Stepney, Coton, and of course one of Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest signings Peter Schmeichel, all set wonderful standards for youngsters looking for a role model.
Q: As a coach and a scout as well as a former England star do you have any fears about the present trends in English football, and do you have any worries about England's goalkeeper position as the final months tick down to the World Cup?
A: Yes. I don't think, as South Africa approaches, that we have a firm enough idea about who is our Number One 'keeper.
We've had Green, Kirkland, Hart, Robinson, Foster and one or two other promising 'keepers treading on David James' heels, but they have not had enough experience, which was the same problem in Bobby Robson’s reign when there was nobody ready to fill in for Shilton or Clemence because all the up and coming 'keepers got was few minutes as sub, and hardly ever had a full 90 minute stint.
I think this is a key problem that we have to get right before the team travels to South Africa.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Redknapp is also tracking former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, as well as West Ham defender Mathew Upson and Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.Daily Mirror
Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul is one of Mancini's January transfer targets. The Italian is lining up a potential £8m swoop for the Frenchman. The Sun
Mancini is also keeping tabs on Palermo's Danish central defender Simon Kjaer, who is also attracting interest from Manchester United. Daily Star
Aston Villa are ready to outbid Liverpool to land £12m-rated Sunderland striker Kenwyn Jones.The Sun
But Stoke boss Tony Pulis is also keen on the Trinidad and Tobago international. Daily Star
Portsmouth may not be able to extend Jamie O'Hara's loan stay from Spurs because of the club's transfer embargo preventing them from bringing in new players. The Sun
Newcastle are lining up a move for Rangers striker Kris Boyd in the new year. Daily Mirror
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola could be resigned to losing defender Matthew Upson in January. The Times
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce must sell before he can make a swoop for Stoke striker James Beattie. The Sun
OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti faces a crisis up front after losing all his strikers for Monday's derby against Fulham.
The Times
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed he held talks with Steven Gerrard about the midfielder's struggle for form. The Guardian
Manchester United look set to give striker Mame Biram Diouf his debut next month after the Senegal international was finally granted a work permit.Daily Mail
WAGVENT CALENDAR
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FINAL BOLLOX
Liverpool want "placenta doctor" Marijana Kovacevic to take up a permanent role with the club. The Serb, who has worked with players such as Robin van Persie as well as Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, uses fluid from the placenta of a horse to treat injuries. Daily Mail
more soon!
