Wednesday's Humble B*ll*x (updated)

Before we start today's offering we would just like to say how sorry we are here at B*ll*x Towers with the news that Carlos Tevez's move from Man City to Corinthians is off. We are deeply sorry and promise to never er .. um .. we can't remember as we are not able to answer due to us not being there at the time. For weeks now this saga has rumbled on in the media and public arena and has probably been the most humble experience of our time here reporting the daily football going ons at Mancityfans.net. Carlos Tevez's move from Manchester City to Corinthians has fallen through because the Brazilian club pulled out. City thought a £40m deal had been agreed for the Argentine striker after he told the Premier League club he wanted to return to South America. But Corinthians said there was not enough time to sign the the 27-year-old before the Brazilian transfer window closes on Thursday.
Corinthians still want Tevez and hinted an agreement may be reached in January. Now all of this of course will be reported, commented on and predicted in other articles and threads on Mancityfans.net, for this we accept no blame or responsibility believing we were let down by employees lower down in the organisation who we cannot name at this time. We think its rather app that this may well appear in joehartenglandsnumberone Blog in the next few hours. With that out of the way I am off to scoff a custard pie for breakfast whilst you digest todays humble offering ...
Wesley Sneijder 'offered to Man City in Carlos Tevez transfer swap' ... Doh!
Inter Milan have reportedly proposed a sensational swap deal with Manchester City that would see Wesley Sneijder exchanged for Carlos Tevez.
The trade would come as a massive blow to City’s neighbours United, who despite recent denials, are still keen on the playmaker and would be devastated to see him move to their title rivals.
Italian sources though, have told Manchester Evening News that Inter are keen on the wantaway Blues forward, and are willing to sacrifice the Dutchman in order to get him.
A swap deal would also likely suit City and Tevez, who are both supposedly eager to avoid a deal with Corinthians.
The Brazilian’s transfer proposal for the striker is beginning to look increasingly complicated, and a straight exchange for a £35million-rated player may prove the more attractive option to the Eastlands outfit.
Tevez was prepared to join Corinthians as a last resort, but a move to Milan would keep him playing at the top level, as well as represent a realistic relocation destination for his family.
Mancini will strip Tevez of City captaincy if he doesn't join Corinthians (Doh! again)
Roberto Mancini does not want Carlos Tevez back at Manchester City – and is prepared to strip him of the captaincy if he returns.
Mancini will be disappointed if Tevez’s £42.5million move to Corinthians falls through after City did everything to accommodate his transfer back to South America to be nearer his family.
The manager is planning for the new campaign without the Argentinian and is closing in on a £40m swoop for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero.
Mancini has grown tired of trying to appease Tevez and will assert his authority over him if he returns to the Etihad Stadium next month.
Mancini has earmarked Vincent Kompany to succeed Tevez as skipper and may press ahead with the change even if he stays.
Kompany is already City’s captain in everything but name and is seen by the club and the players as the voice of the dressing room.
Stripping Tevez of the captaincy would be the most public sign that the striker’s star treatment is over.
Tevez would have to fight for his place if his compatriot Aguero arrives and Mancini is keen to end the perception that City are a one-man team, who are too reliant on the former Manchester United hitman.
City are favourites ahead of Real Madrid and Juventus to activate the wantaway Aguero’s £40m release clause.
Atletico would prefer to sell Aguero to City and the Juventus offer falls short of their £40m valuation, while they are loathe to lose him to bitter rivals Real.
City’s talks with Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin are progressing and Mancini confirmed a formal bid is imminent.
“Maybe in the next days,” he said. “I have not spoken to anyone about it, but probably. I think so.”
Corinthians have until 4am tomorrow to complete Tevez’s signing before the Brazilian transfer window closes and the Sao Paulo club are contesting
City’s demands to pay the fee in four £9.6m annual instalments, plus the £3.86m add-ons.
They want to pay the first part in February and believe they have proved they have the cash to finance the deal after faxing City copies of their £35m-a-year TV deal.
Mancini said: “The clubs are talking. They only have one number and it does not work at the moment.”
Corinthians claim City have threatened the deal by inserting a clause that the first payment is made when Tevez signs.
Director of football Roberto de Andrade said: “The fee is agreed, but the problem is the method of payment. We want to start paying next year.”
City & Chelsea are being linked with a mystery bid for Javier Pastore
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/07/20/ ... ore/45639/
Beckham relishing City challenge
LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham is looking forward to taking on Roberto Mancini’s big-spending Manchester City this weekend.English Premier League side City continue their pre-season tour of the US at the Home Depot Centre on Sunday, where they will face Beckham’s Western Conference-leading Galaxy.
However, Beckham wants his side to focus on their midweek MLS match against the Columbus Crew before turning their attention to the City friendly.
“You know we’re concentrating on tomorrow’s game first,” Beckham said. “Once that game’s out of the way then we’ll look forward to the game on Sunday at our own stadium with a world-class team with a lot of great players in it.”
“We’re looking forward to it. It’s going to be one of those games that fans are going to enjoy, I’m sure. We’ll concentrate on tomorrow night first.”
The Galaxy were comprehensively beaten in their last high-profile match against one of Beckham’s former clubs, Real Madrid.
But despite going down 4-1 to the La Liga giants over the weekend, Beckham believes Galaxy’s players will learn from the experience.
“I think it’s always great for any player to play against world-class opponents because it makes you a better player, it improves you, you learn from it,” he said.
“It’s like playing against Real Madrid. As difficult a game as it was, you learn and you watch these players.”
“It’s what I used to do as a young kid and it’s what all the young kids on our team do. You watch the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo, these players that you can learn from.”
Milner not impressed with pitch
James Milner believes Manchester City will have reason to be thankful if a minor injury for Yaya Toure is the only price to be paid for being forced to play on a pudding of a pitch in Vancouver.
Although the surface at the DC Stadium passed an afternoon inspection, it soon became apparent it was not fit for purpose.
Privately, some connected with the Blues questioned whether the game should have been played, although in the end, the visitor emerged from the 2-1 win largely unscathed.
Although Toure will have to be assessed after sustaining a first-half ankle injury, manager Roberto Mancini has already played down fears of a long-term problem for the midfielder, describing the knock as 'not serious'.
And for that, Milner feels, City has cause to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It was probably one of the worst pitches we have played on," said the England midfielder.
"I am not blaming anyone but it is not ideal in pre-season and probably increased the risk of injury.
"There were big chunks coming out of the pitch, so turning was difficult.
"You try to put it out of your mind but when it is taking you five steps to turn round, subconsciously you are bound to think about it.
"Yaya has got injured and if it is not too bad, maybe we were a bit lucky to get away with it."
If nothing else, the concern over Toure stopped conversation about Carlos Tevez for a short while.
Even though he is now at home in South America, the Argentina star has cast a vast shadow over City's preparations for the new campaign.
The statement Corinthians released playing down Roberto Mancini's claim of a £40 million ($60.14 million) deal being done had been anticipated by the Blues hierarchy, who want to see proof of Corinthians' ability to pay before they reluctantly accept Tevez is leaving.
However, in confirming he expects a bid for Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero to be lodged within the coming days, Mancini has shown he is already looking to the future.
It seems his players share those sentiments, although Gareth Barry is not prepared to put the boot into a man who has combined excellence on the field with endless distractions off it.
"There has obviously been the odd chat about Carlos," said the England midfielder.
"He has made it clear he is ready to leave and the players will respect his decision.
"We would be sad to lose him because he is a class player who has worked really hard. He has helped the club win its first trophy and he has always given 100 percent. We are grateful for that.
"But if you believe what you read, then yes, he has played his last game."
For now, it will have to be taken on trust that Aguero is up to the job of replacing his fellow countryman.
Certainly performances for Atletico indicate he is, even if a fee of £45 million ($67.66 million) means the 23-year-old could hardly be described as a snip.
"Aguero is a very exciting player from what I have seen on TV," said Barry.
"He is a class act. Names like that will excite fans and the players."
With or without Tevez, City must advance from last season's very productive effort, which secured it an automatic Champions League slot in addition to ending a 35-year trophy drought by beating Stoke City in the FA Cup final.
Barry confirms that Wembley triumph has strengthened his team-mates' inner resolve, although he actually believes expectations were higher in the campaigns prior to this one.
"It was a lot worse before we won a trophy," said the 30-year-old.
"Obviously the expectation is high but it seems a lot more settled.
"Winning the FA Cup is a reminder that we can go the full distance in a competition. That drought is finally over.
"We cannot just rest on that though. It is important that we don't keep still.
"We need to keep believing and building on the progress we made last season.
"We have to move forward to try and reach the levels other clubs have maintained over the years."

OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham and Aston Villa are locked in a battle with Italian side Lazio to sign Lyon's 21-year-old playmaker Miralem Pjanic. talkSHIT
Bolton have been given the green light by Spanish giants Barcelona to sign young winger Jeffren Suarez for £5m. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Sao Paulo's 20-year-old full-back Bruno Uvini. talkSHIT
Arsenal are in advanced talks with Bayern Munich for the transfer of France forward Franck Ribery. footybunker.com
Stoke and West Ham are set to make offers for Bolton's left-sided midfielder Matthew Taylor, who has a year left on his contract. talkSPORT
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is also launching a £10m bid for Tottenham's Peter Crouch as he attempts to land an experienced Premier League striker. Daily Mail
Liverpool have invited Mexican striker Marco Bueno for a 10-day trial and are in talks with club Pachuca over a potential five-year deal for the 17-year-old. Daily Mail
Leicester City remain hopeful of beating Premier League side Swansea to the signing of Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge. talkSPORT
The Swans have had a £1.8m bid for Routledge accepted, but Nottingham Forest are also in the hunt for the 26-year-old. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have again been scuppered by Manchester United in the transfer market, this time for 19-year-old Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell. Metro
Director Sergejus Fedotovas is confident Hearts midfielder Rudi Skacel is close to agreeing fresh terms. The Tynecastle club are set to take up their option to extend the Czech's contract by a further 12 months following talks. Daily Record
Chelsea captain John Terry says he wants to stay on at the club when he retires to become the manager at Stamford Bridge. Daily Mirror
Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart says Spurs have enough quality to compete for trophies next season - if Croat midfielder Luka Modric stays at White Hart Lane. talkSHIT
Southampton teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he is ready to step up to the Premier League. Daily Mirror
Spurs' Brazilian midfielder Sandro has played down fears he faces three months on the sidelines with a knee injury, saying he is likely to be out for only one month. talkSHIT
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits he would not have blamed Dimitar Berbatov for demanding to quit after he was left out of the Champions League final in May. The Bulgarian broke down in tears on hearing the news. talkSHIT
The new Premier League season is likely to be the last to feature goal-line controversies after its chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said he was hopeful technology could be introduced in time for the 2012-2013 campaign. The Guardian
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has asked all the club's northern-based players, including recently signed goalkeeper Shay Given, to relocate to Birmingham. Daily Mirror
Defender Oliver Gill - Reserve Player of the Year - has turned down a new contract at Manchester United to enrol at Durham University. His father David is the club's chief executive.Daily Mail
New £4.8m Newcastle signing Yohan Cabaye was initially refused entry to the United States after being accused of not paying for some dentistry work completed there while he was playing for Lille. the Sun
BOLLOX BOLLOX
Manchester United and City snub Snoop Dogg's shirt request
He may be one of the most famous ‘football fans’ in the world, but Snoop Dogg still couldn’t blag a free shirt from Manchester United OR City from his recent gig in the north-west.
The Doggfather, who’s good pals with Old Trafford hero David Beckham, revealed he requests a new shirt in every city he visits, but amazingly was dealt a snub from two of the most fame-hungry clubs in England.
‘I got about 100 (shirts) now,’ said the rapper.
‘Can you believe they didn't give me a shirt tonight?
‘I'm in Manchester and they didn't get me a football jersey? I don't know whether United or City - guess I'd just have to have both.’
The 39-year-old, who is promoting his latest album Doggumentary, also revealed it’s not his own name he asks for printed on the back of his souvenirs, but instead one of United and City’s main title rivals.
He said: ‘I have the players I like, like Didier Drogba. He's a really good guy.’
If you want free stuff in the future Snoop, best not mention that…
Corinthians still want Tevez and hinted an agreement may be reached in January. Now all of this of course will be reported, commented on and predicted in other articles and threads on Mancityfans.net, for this we accept no blame or responsibility believing we were let down by employees lower down in the organisation who we cannot name at this time. We think its rather app that this may well appear in joehartenglandsnumberone Blog in the next few hours. With that out of the way I am off to scoff a custard pie for breakfast whilst you digest todays humble offering ...
Wesley Sneijder 'offered to Man City in Carlos Tevez transfer swap' ... Doh!
Inter Milan have reportedly proposed a sensational swap deal with Manchester City that would see Wesley Sneijder exchanged for Carlos Tevez.
The trade would come as a massive blow to City’s neighbours United, who despite recent denials, are still keen on the playmaker and would be devastated to see him move to their title rivals.
Italian sources though, have told Manchester Evening News that Inter are keen on the wantaway Blues forward, and are willing to sacrifice the Dutchman in order to get him.
A swap deal would also likely suit City and Tevez, who are both supposedly eager to avoid a deal with Corinthians.
The Brazilian’s transfer proposal for the striker is beginning to look increasingly complicated, and a straight exchange for a £35million-rated player may prove the more attractive option to the Eastlands outfit.
Tevez was prepared to join Corinthians as a last resort, but a move to Milan would keep him playing at the top level, as well as represent a realistic relocation destination for his family.
Mancini will strip Tevez of City captaincy if he doesn't join Corinthians (Doh! again)
Roberto Mancini does not want Carlos Tevez back at Manchester City – and is prepared to strip him of the captaincy if he returns.
Mancini will be disappointed if Tevez’s £42.5million move to Corinthians falls through after City did everything to accommodate his transfer back to South America to be nearer his family.
The manager is planning for the new campaign without the Argentinian and is closing in on a £40m swoop for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero.
Mancini has grown tired of trying to appease Tevez and will assert his authority over him if he returns to the Etihad Stadium next month.
Mancini has earmarked Vincent Kompany to succeed Tevez as skipper and may press ahead with the change even if he stays.
Kompany is already City’s captain in everything but name and is seen by the club and the players as the voice of the dressing room.
Stripping Tevez of the captaincy would be the most public sign that the striker’s star treatment is over.
Tevez would have to fight for his place if his compatriot Aguero arrives and Mancini is keen to end the perception that City are a one-man team, who are too reliant on the former Manchester United hitman.
City are favourites ahead of Real Madrid and Juventus to activate the wantaway Aguero’s £40m release clause.
Atletico would prefer to sell Aguero to City and the Juventus offer falls short of their £40m valuation, while they are loathe to lose him to bitter rivals Real.
City’s talks with Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin are progressing and Mancini confirmed a formal bid is imminent.
“Maybe in the next days,” he said. “I have not spoken to anyone about it, but probably. I think so.”
Corinthians have until 4am tomorrow to complete Tevez’s signing before the Brazilian transfer window closes and the Sao Paulo club are contesting
City’s demands to pay the fee in four £9.6m annual instalments, plus the £3.86m add-ons.
They want to pay the first part in February and believe they have proved they have the cash to finance the deal after faxing City copies of their £35m-a-year TV deal.
Mancini said: “The clubs are talking. They only have one number and it does not work at the moment.”
Corinthians claim City have threatened the deal by inserting a clause that the first payment is made when Tevez signs.
Director of football Roberto de Andrade said: “The fee is agreed, but the problem is the method of payment. We want to start paying next year.”
City & Chelsea are being linked with a mystery bid for Javier Pastore
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/07/20/ ... ore/45639/
Beckham relishing City challenge
LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham is looking forward to taking on Roberto Mancini’s big-spending Manchester City this weekend.English Premier League side City continue their pre-season tour of the US at the Home Depot Centre on Sunday, where they will face Beckham’s Western Conference-leading Galaxy.
However, Beckham wants his side to focus on their midweek MLS match against the Columbus Crew before turning their attention to the City friendly.
“You know we’re concentrating on tomorrow’s game first,” Beckham said. “Once that game’s out of the way then we’ll look forward to the game on Sunday at our own stadium with a world-class team with a lot of great players in it.”
“We’re looking forward to it. It’s going to be one of those games that fans are going to enjoy, I’m sure. We’ll concentrate on tomorrow night first.”
The Galaxy were comprehensively beaten in their last high-profile match against one of Beckham’s former clubs, Real Madrid.
But despite going down 4-1 to the La Liga giants over the weekend, Beckham believes Galaxy’s players will learn from the experience.
“I think it’s always great for any player to play against world-class opponents because it makes you a better player, it improves you, you learn from it,” he said.
“It’s like playing against Real Madrid. As difficult a game as it was, you learn and you watch these players.”
“It’s what I used to do as a young kid and it’s what all the young kids on our team do. You watch the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo, these players that you can learn from.”
Milner not impressed with pitch
James Milner believes Manchester City will have reason to be thankful if a minor injury for Yaya Toure is the only price to be paid for being forced to play on a pudding of a pitch in Vancouver.
Although the surface at the DC Stadium passed an afternoon inspection, it soon became apparent it was not fit for purpose.
Privately, some connected with the Blues questioned whether the game should have been played, although in the end, the visitor emerged from the 2-1 win largely unscathed.
Although Toure will have to be assessed after sustaining a first-half ankle injury, manager Roberto Mancini has already played down fears of a long-term problem for the midfielder, describing the knock as 'not serious'.
And for that, Milner feels, City has cause to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It was probably one of the worst pitches we have played on," said the England midfielder.
"I am not blaming anyone but it is not ideal in pre-season and probably increased the risk of injury.
"There were big chunks coming out of the pitch, so turning was difficult.
"You try to put it out of your mind but when it is taking you five steps to turn round, subconsciously you are bound to think about it.
"Yaya has got injured and if it is not too bad, maybe we were a bit lucky to get away with it."
If nothing else, the concern over Toure stopped conversation about Carlos Tevez for a short while.
Even though he is now at home in South America, the Argentina star has cast a vast shadow over City's preparations for the new campaign.
The statement Corinthians released playing down Roberto Mancini's claim of a £40 million ($60.14 million) deal being done had been anticipated by the Blues hierarchy, who want to see proof of Corinthians' ability to pay before they reluctantly accept Tevez is leaving.
However, in confirming he expects a bid for Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero to be lodged within the coming days, Mancini has shown he is already looking to the future.
It seems his players share those sentiments, although Gareth Barry is not prepared to put the boot into a man who has combined excellence on the field with endless distractions off it.
"There has obviously been the odd chat about Carlos," said the England midfielder.
"He has made it clear he is ready to leave and the players will respect his decision.
"We would be sad to lose him because he is a class player who has worked really hard. He has helped the club win its first trophy and he has always given 100 percent. We are grateful for that.
"But if you believe what you read, then yes, he has played his last game."
For now, it will have to be taken on trust that Aguero is up to the job of replacing his fellow countryman.
Certainly performances for Atletico indicate he is, even if a fee of £45 million ($67.66 million) means the 23-year-old could hardly be described as a snip.
"Aguero is a very exciting player from what I have seen on TV," said Barry.
"He is a class act. Names like that will excite fans and the players."
With or without Tevez, City must advance from last season's very productive effort, which secured it an automatic Champions League slot in addition to ending a 35-year trophy drought by beating Stoke City in the FA Cup final.
Barry confirms that Wembley triumph has strengthened his team-mates' inner resolve, although he actually believes expectations were higher in the campaigns prior to this one.
"It was a lot worse before we won a trophy," said the 30-year-old.
"Obviously the expectation is high but it seems a lot more settled.
"Winning the FA Cup is a reminder that we can go the full distance in a competition. That drought is finally over.
"We cannot just rest on that though. It is important that we don't keep still.
"We need to keep believing and building on the progress we made last season.
"We have to move forward to try and reach the levels other clubs have maintained over the years."

OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham and Aston Villa are locked in a battle with Italian side Lazio to sign Lyon's 21-year-old playmaker Miralem Pjanic. talkSHIT
Bolton have been given the green light by Spanish giants Barcelona to sign young winger Jeffren Suarez for £5m. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Sao Paulo's 20-year-old full-back Bruno Uvini. talkSHIT
Arsenal are in advanced talks with Bayern Munich for the transfer of France forward Franck Ribery. footybunker.com
Stoke and West Ham are set to make offers for Bolton's left-sided midfielder Matthew Taylor, who has a year left on his contract. talkSPORT
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is also launching a £10m bid for Tottenham's Peter Crouch as he attempts to land an experienced Premier League striker. Daily Mail
Liverpool have invited Mexican striker Marco Bueno for a 10-day trial and are in talks with club Pachuca over a potential five-year deal for the 17-year-old. Daily Mail
Leicester City remain hopeful of beating Premier League side Swansea to the signing of Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge. talkSPORT
The Swans have had a £1.8m bid for Routledge accepted, but Nottingham Forest are also in the hunt for the 26-year-old. Daily Mirror
Arsenal have again been scuppered by Manchester United in the transfer market, this time for 19-year-old Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell. Metro
Director Sergejus Fedotovas is confident Hearts midfielder Rudi Skacel is close to agreeing fresh terms. The Tynecastle club are set to take up their option to extend the Czech's contract by a further 12 months following talks. Daily Record
Chelsea captain John Terry says he wants to stay on at the club when he retires to become the manager at Stamford Bridge. Daily Mirror
Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart says Spurs have enough quality to compete for trophies next season - if Croat midfielder Luka Modric stays at White Hart Lane. talkSHIT
Southampton teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he is ready to step up to the Premier League. Daily Mirror
Spurs' Brazilian midfielder Sandro has played down fears he faces three months on the sidelines with a knee injury, saying he is likely to be out for only one month. talkSHIT
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits he would not have blamed Dimitar Berbatov for demanding to quit after he was left out of the Champions League final in May. The Bulgarian broke down in tears on hearing the news. talkSHIT
The new Premier League season is likely to be the last to feature goal-line controversies after its chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said he was hopeful technology could be introduced in time for the 2012-2013 campaign. The Guardian
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has asked all the club's northern-based players, including recently signed goalkeeper Shay Given, to relocate to Birmingham. Daily Mirror
Defender Oliver Gill - Reserve Player of the Year - has turned down a new contract at Manchester United to enrol at Durham University. His father David is the club's chief executive.Daily Mail
New £4.8m Newcastle signing Yohan Cabaye was initially refused entry to the United States after being accused of not paying for some dentistry work completed there while he was playing for Lille. the Sun
BOLLOX BOLLOX
Manchester United and City snub Snoop Dogg's shirt request
He may be one of the most famous ‘football fans’ in the world, but Snoop Dogg still couldn’t blag a free shirt from Manchester United OR City from his recent gig in the north-west.
The Doggfather, who’s good pals with Old Trafford hero David Beckham, revealed he requests a new shirt in every city he visits, but amazingly was dealt a snub from two of the most fame-hungry clubs in England.
‘I got about 100 (shirts) now,’ said the rapper.
‘Can you believe they didn't give me a shirt tonight?
‘I'm in Manchester and they didn't get me a football jersey? I don't know whether United or City - guess I'd just have to have both.’
The 39-year-old, who is promoting his latest album Doggumentary, also revealed it’s not his own name he asks for printed on the back of his souvenirs, but instead one of United and City’s main title rivals.
He said: ‘I have the players I like, like Didier Drogba. He's a really good guy.’
If you want free stuff in the future Snoop, best not mention that…