Monday's B*ll*x
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:06 amNigel de Jong wants to stay with Manchester City.
The future of the Blues midfielder has been the subject of debate as his contract is due to expire at the end of next season.
So far he has failed to agree another, even though City officials are adamant they want the combative 26-year-old to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium.
Now De Jong has provided more grounds for optimism by stating his own hopes for the future.
"There is no concern about my contract," he said.
"I have spoken my mind, it is up to the club to decide what they want to do now.
"I have been here for three years and I am happy.
"I am here to win prizes. We won the FA Cup last season, now we are doing well in the Premier League. For me there is no reason to move on."
It is welcome news for City, even if the words themselves do not bring a new deal any nearer.
Indeed, the table-topping Blues are in the box seat in any contract negotiations given how Carlos Tevez has gone from being indispensable to someone manager Roberto Mancini can happily do without in the space of 12 months.
Tevez will again be absent on Tuesday night when City take on a Napoli outfit who stand between them and a place in the Champions League last 16.
The Serie A outfit claimed a point at the Etihad Stadium in September as City struggled to adapt to their new surroundings.
And though Mancini's side have stabilised their position since, he knows no trip to the imposing San Paolo stadium will be easy, even if he can dredge into his own personal memory bank for victories there, including one against a side containing legendary Argentina star Diego Maradona.
"I played there for 20 years," said Mancini.
"I scored goals, I lost, I won. But Napoli are a very famous team who won two Scudetto with Maradona.
"Then they had economic problems and went down to Serie C. But with the new owner they are back now and doing very well.
"There will be 70,000 people in the stadium and the atmosphere will be fantastic, totally different from any other stadium in Italy.
"It will be important for us to focus on the game and not concede a lot of space for Naples because they are a fantastic team."
MANCHESTER CITY'S Stefan Savic is a January target for Roma.
The Montenegro defender, 20, snubbed the Serie A side for City in the summer. Sun
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
OTHER BOLLOX
Blackburn are set to approach Fulham for £2m contract rebel Andy Johnson. Daily Mail
Tottenham are lining up a move for Germany international Lukas Podolski as they cannot afford to keep Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent basis. Metro
Liverpool are targeting Swansea winger Nathan Dyer in the January transfer window. caughtoffside.com
Sunderland are eyeing a move for former Liverpool winger Albert Riera, who is currently with Turkish club Galatasaray. Daily Mail
Arsenal have reassured Arsene Wenger that they want to keep him as boss until at least 2014 regardless of whether they secure a Champions League place at the end of the season. Daily Telegraph
Tottenham assistant boss Joe Jordan has spiced up the build-up to their Monday night clash with Aston Villa by claiming Spurs striker Jermain Defoe could yet pip Villa forward Darren Bent to a place in England's Euro 2012 team. the Independent
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has hit out at Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville after he said the Blues' attack-minded defender David Luiz played as if he was being controlled by a "ten-year-old on PlayStation." Villas-Boas said: "It's a stupid approach to an opinion. If that's the way he wants to take the game, that's ridiculous."
the Times
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has promised manager David Moyes he will have money to spend in the January transfer window. Daily Express
Former West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is planning on a return to the Premier League and is confident he will be offered an opportunity in the near future. Talksport.com
Blackburn boss Steve Kean faces a grilling from the club's owners after the Rao brothers were harassed by fans before their crunch match with Wigan. Daily Mirror
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has unveiled his new touchline celebration - jumping on the back of striker Jose Callejon and enjoying a piggyback along the pitch. Metro
BINGO BOLLOX
Get your BINGO cards - Prizes galore etc
viewtopic.php?f=119&t=40735&start=25
The future of the Blues midfielder has been the subject of debate as his contract is due to expire at the end of next season.
So far he has failed to agree another, even though City officials are adamant they want the combative 26-year-old to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium.
Now De Jong has provided more grounds for optimism by stating his own hopes for the future.
"There is no concern about my contract," he said.
"I have spoken my mind, it is up to the club to decide what they want to do now.
"I have been here for three years and I am happy.
"I am here to win prizes. We won the FA Cup last season, now we are doing well in the Premier League. For me there is no reason to move on."
It is welcome news for City, even if the words themselves do not bring a new deal any nearer.
Indeed, the table-topping Blues are in the box seat in any contract negotiations given how Carlos Tevez has gone from being indispensable to someone manager Roberto Mancini can happily do without in the space of 12 months.
Tevez will again be absent on Tuesday night when City take on a Napoli outfit who stand between them and a place in the Champions League last 16.
The Serie A outfit claimed a point at the Etihad Stadium in September as City struggled to adapt to their new surroundings.
And though Mancini's side have stabilised their position since, he knows no trip to the imposing San Paolo stadium will be easy, even if he can dredge into his own personal memory bank for victories there, including one against a side containing legendary Argentina star Diego Maradona.
"I played there for 20 years," said Mancini.
"I scored goals, I lost, I won. But Napoli are a very famous team who won two Scudetto with Maradona.
"Then they had economic problems and went down to Serie C. But with the new owner they are back now and doing very well.
"There will be 70,000 people in the stadium and the atmosphere will be fantastic, totally different from any other stadium in Italy.
"It will be important for us to focus on the game and not concede a lot of space for Naples because they are a fantastic team."
MANCHESTER CITY'S Stefan Savic is a January target for Roma.
The Montenegro defender, 20, snubbed the Serie A side for City in the summer. Sun
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Blackburn are set to approach Fulham for £2m contract rebel Andy Johnson. Daily Mail
Tottenham are lining up a move for Germany international Lukas Podolski as they cannot afford to keep Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent basis. Metro
Liverpool are targeting Swansea winger Nathan Dyer in the January transfer window. caughtoffside.com
Sunderland are eyeing a move for former Liverpool winger Albert Riera, who is currently with Turkish club Galatasaray. Daily Mail
Arsenal have reassured Arsene Wenger that they want to keep him as boss until at least 2014 regardless of whether they secure a Champions League place at the end of the season. Daily Telegraph
Tottenham assistant boss Joe Jordan has spiced up the build-up to their Monday night clash with Aston Villa by claiming Spurs striker Jermain Defoe could yet pip Villa forward Darren Bent to a place in England's Euro 2012 team. the Independent
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has hit out at Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville after he said the Blues' attack-minded defender David Luiz played as if he was being controlled by a "ten-year-old on PlayStation." Villas-Boas said: "It's a stupid approach to an opinion. If that's the way he wants to take the game, that's ridiculous."
the Times
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has promised manager David Moyes he will have money to spend in the January transfer window. Daily Express
Former West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is planning on a return to the Premier League and is confident he will be offered an opportunity in the near future. Talksport.com
Blackburn boss Steve Kean faces a grilling from the club's owners after the Rao brothers were harassed by fans before their crunch match with Wigan. Daily Mirror
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has unveiled his new touchline celebration - jumping on the back of striker Jose Callejon and enjoying a piggyback along the pitch. Metro
BINGO BOLLOX
Get your BINGO cards - Prizes galore etc
viewtopic.php?f=119&t=40735&start=25