Wednesday's B*l**x
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:46 amWhy Manchester City fans have NEVER had it so good
You won’t have any difficulties spotting Manchester City fans on the beaches of the Mediterranean this summer.
They will be the ones thoroughly enjoying the sunshine, sipping a cold beer or two and beaming back at the sun with fixed grins. And they will occasionally jump to their feet to run around in a circle, twirling their shirts around their head, Sergio Aguero-style.
For the simple truth is that now is the golden age to be a Manchester City fan.
The old stereotype of the hangdog Blue, sardonically bemoaning his lot and professing his undying loyalty in the same breath, has gone forever.
The old anthem “City Till I Die” has lost its mournful, resigned tone and is now an ode to optimism and longevity.
Anyone who doubts it should have watched the closing stages of the Euro 2012 tournament.
The Premier League styles itself as the “best league in the world” and yet just three players of the 44 who started the semi-finals in Poland and Ukraine ply their trade on these shores – City pair Mario Balotelli and David Silva, and United’s Portuguese star Nani.
While that statistic exposes the self-deception of English football’s place in the grand scheme of things, it makes for better reading for City fans.
As well as Balotelli and Silva, they were also able to enjoy watching Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott play well, and score goals, for their countries.
Silva showed moments of inspiration redolent of his early-season form for the Blues, and popped up with a smart header to get the final off to a great start for Spain.
He is the only player from outside the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to have nailed down a place in the history-making Spain team, underlining how lucky fans are to watch him every week.
Meanwhile, Balotelli lit up the semi-final win over Germany with two great goals, and appears to be learning that scoring a goal is not just part of his job description, but also a thing to be enjoyed.
The claims of his agent that he is worth £200m are exaggerated, to say the least, but his stock has soared over the course of the tournament.
The player who trooped off the field at the Emirates on Easter Sunday, red-carded, disgraced and apparently destined never to play for the Blues again, is a distant memory. His club manager Roberto Mancini stressed the importance of Balotelli’s part in Aguero’s title-winning goal on that never-to-be-forgotten final day – he spoke of it as a possible turning point in the player’s life, a moment when he realised the true value of achievement, perhaps.
Of course, with City the next soap opera is just around the corner, and the fans remain to be convinced that Carlos Tevez’s new-found contentment with life in Manchester is anything but a passing phase.
But Blues are already looking forward to the new season, replete with new-found optimism, and fidgeting with the desire to do it all again.
Mancini won’t allow any laurels at Carrington when the first batch of players returns for pre-season training next week, never mind letting anyone rest on them.
I'm not finished yet - David Silva sets his sights on more silverware for Manchester City
His history at Inter makes interesting reading – after winning the first title, Inter were unstoppable the following season, eventually winning it by a record 22 points.
You get the feeling that City will not be another Blackburn Rovers, who – strengthened by the millions of benefactor Jack Walker – won their first league title for 81 years, and then slid silently back into the morass again.
Anyone who was at the Etihad Stadium on May 13 had the distinct feeling that they were not attending a climax of the revolution brought about by Sheikh Mansour’s money, but rather a starting point.
The overwhelming sense, speaking to players, to Mancini, and to others around the club was that they were already restless for more, to turn a triumph into a legend, and then turn a legend into a dynasty.
The manager himself is close to signing a new deal which would allow him to plan for the longer term, a luxury which few City managers in history have been afforded.
That sense of continuity and solidity is something which has eluded the Blues for too long, and will help them to attract new players as well as to develop the playing side of the club from the academy level upwards.
Robin van Persie is clearly high on the wanted list, and if he wants to stay in English football, City would undoubtedly be his best option, especially if he wants to add to the single FA Cup winner’s medal from his eight seasons over here.
The Blues can sell themselves as never before, both to new fans in far-flung parts of the globe and to the cream of world football talent, and the work has already started on new training facilities which will be the envy of every club on the planet.
William Wordsworth, on contemplating the French Revolution, mused “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!” He might have been a City fan, circa 2012.
Man City prepare title defence in Austria
Premier League champions Manchester City will prepare for the new season at a training camp in Seefeld, Austria from July 9-20, during which time they will play three friendlies, the club says.
Roberto Mancini's side will play Saudi club Al Hilal - now coached by French former PSG boss Antoine Kombouare - on July 13 in Innsbruck.
They will then meet German second division side Dynamo Dresden on July 17 and Turkish top flight side Besiktas on July 20 at the same venue.
Players who competed in Euro 2012, such as Italy's Mario Balotelli and Spaniard David Silva, have been given three weeks off by Mancini and will not be in Austria.
World and European champions Spain prepared for their successful Euro 2012 campaign in Austria in May.
City keep winger in the loop
Roberto Mancini is ready to tell Adam Johnson that he can leave for the right price - if Manchester City sign a replacement.
Mancini will hold talks with the ex-Middlesbrough star today as the pair try to resolve the future of the talented Johnson, who started only ten Premier League matches last season.
Sunderland, Liverpool and Everton are interested in the England international but City are yet to receive any formal offers for the 24-year-old winger.
Mancini snapped Johnson up from Boro in February 2010 for a fee of around £7million, handing him a four and a half year contract.
But the Italian has grown increasingly frustrated with his lack of tactical discipline and did not give him a place in their matchday squads for the two big end-of-season clashes against Manchester United and QPR.
City will want another wide player in through the door before they let Johnson go and will feel they can make a profit on the transfer if a bidding war breaks out between rival Premier League clubs.
UEFA Under Fire for Manipulating Mario Balotelli's Moment for Live TV By Gabe Zaldivar (Pop Culture Lead Blogger)
Here is one I hope we don't see everyday.
Barry Petchesky of Deadspin has the latest on a poignant moment we all thought was too good to be true.
And it seems it was as UEFA allegedly placed footage at certain parts of the live feed to make for better TV.
Many soccer fans around the world were taken aback by a German fan shedding a single tear after Italian super striker Mario Balotelli headed home the game's second goal in the 36th minute of the Euro 2012 semifinal.
It was almost too perfect.
On one hand, you had Super Mario standing statuesque after he put the Azzurri up two in the first half. On the other, you had the camera crew finding the one German fan who overreacted by crying way too early than is warranted.
Even ESPN's Adrian Healey remarked, via Deadspin.
It's too early for tears.
It would have been more precise to say it was too late for tears. You see, the fan's name is Andrea, and she was just as shocked as the millions watching to hear she had been crying at Balotelli's goal.
Petchesky breaks down and translates what was found from the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung
Her name was Andrea, she came from Dusseldorf, and she was surprised when she started getting texts from friends asking why she'd started crying with nearly an hour of play remaining. She hadn't, Andrea told them.
Instead, she said, she had been overcome with emotion during the playing of the national anthems, before the match kicked off. A camera recorded her then, and the footage was inserted into live TV later on, at the moment it would have the most impact. The emotional power of sport, on cue.
If we weren't already cynical enough about television and what we are usually spoon fed.
Deadspin does well to report networks were caught unaware, and were merely utilizing the live feed offered to them by UEFA, and many were upset.
"We have complained to UEFA that the impression was aroused that these were live pictures,'' ZDF editor-in-chief Peter Frey said. "That does not correspond to our journalistic standards.''
Petchesky goes on to note we are regularly bamboozled in local news broadcasts when footage of anchors shaking their heads in agreement are often used instead of the real deal.
Fine, but I don't see how that makes any of this fine and dandy.
The great thing about sports is we sit back and believe the usual ploys of reality TV are far from the pitch, field or court.
I always considered sports to be the best in reality television precisely because it's not scripted and not messaged in any way.
Sure, the discussion before and after the game can be ridiculous, but the images of the crowd and the tenor of the moment were all untouched, or so we thought.
Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and now this. What's a sports fan to believe in anymore?
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
OTHER BOLLOX
AC Milan are interested in signing Liverpool striker Andy Carroll. Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the son of Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, has been acting as a transfer consultant for the Italian club and has identified Carroll as a potential signing. the Sun
Everton are keen on signing Oscar Cardozo after Benfica put a £16m price tag on the striker. Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, PSG and an unnamed Premier League side are also tracking the Paraguayan, 29. talkShit
Tottenham are ready to back new manager Andre Villas-Boas in the transfer market to the tune of £50m this summer. The Portuguese is keen to bring Marseille striker Loic Remy, Ajax and Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, CSKA Moscow and Russia midfielder Alan Dzagoev and Birmingham keeper Jack Butland to White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror
Villas-Boas wants to launch his reign as Tottenham manager by signing Brazilian attacking midfielder Oscar from Internacional. The 20-year-old is priced in the £20m bracket by his club.
Villas-Boas could be set for a big summer spending spree with Spurs The Sun
Sunderland, Stoke and Fulham are all interested in Wolves' Steven Fletcher, but the Midlands club have warned any suitor will have to pay £10m to sign the striker. Daily Mirror
Everton boss David Moyes is considering making a move for out-of-contract former Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, 26 Daily Mail
Italian side Napoli are looking to push ahead with a move for Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles after seeking talks with the player's agent. talkShit
Chelsea are closing in on a £6m deal for Inter Milan full-back Maicon, 30, with the Brazilian's agent due in London later this week for talks. Metro
Manchester United and Chelsea are set to be in a tug of war for Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel this summer, after Benfica revealed that they are ready to cash-in on his talents. Daily Express
Malaga and Galatasary want Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner as the Denmark international closes in on a move away from the Emirates Stadium. Bendtner's agent Jesper Lynghus told Denmark newspaper bold.dk last month: "The interest is overwhelming, just as it should be after the way Nicklas performed at Euro 2012."Daily Mail
Asamoah Gyan will finally leave Sunderland in a £7m move to United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain. the Sun
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert wants to sign Rennes' £2.5m-rated midfielder Yacine Brahmi, 22. the Sun
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has broken his silence over the future of captain Robin van Persie by vowing to keep the striker "at all costs". The two men are expected to talk over the phone this week as Van Persie continues to stall on a new three-year deal worth £130,000-per-week.
Van Persie and Wenger are expected to discuss the striker's future next week Metro
The Arsenal boss has also turned down the opportunity to coach the French national team following Laurent Blanc's resignation. Daily Telegraph
Manager Brendan Rodgers is optimistic about persuading Luis Suarez to sign an extended deal with Liverpool despite rumours over the striker's future. Rodgers has insisted Suarez, whose contract expires in 2016, is happy at Anfield despite speculation the 25-year-old could be moving to Serie A champions Juventus. Metro
Incoming manager Gianfranco Zola could face a player backlash at Watford following the the sacking of Sean Dyche. Daily Mail
Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has been involved in an ugly confrontation with an irate Shanghai Shenhua fan, who questioned the Frenchman's poor performance and refusal to perform a traditional end-of-match bow.Daily Mirror
GOLDEN BOLLOX - Wed Aug 19, 2009
Manchester United have been stunned by claims from Nemanja Vidic's agent that the centre-back wants a move to Barcelona. Daily Mirror
However, Vidic's adviser Paolo Fabbri has denied quotes attributed to him in the Spanish media that the Serbian international had been tempted by an offer to join the European champions.Daily Express
Everton boss David Moyes is set to make a £12 million double raid for Tottenham midfielder David Bentley and defender Alan Hutton.
Daily Mirror Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is seriously considering an amazing switch to Notts County after being offered a player/coach role by County director of football Sven Goran Eriksson.Daily Mirror
Liverpool have made a £2m swoop for AEK Athens centre-half Sotiris Kyrgiakos. The Sun
The Reds are also keeping tabs on Stoke's Ryan Shawcross, although the Potters are desperate to keep hold of the defender.Daily Mail
West Ham defender James Collins has rejected a £5m move to Stoke.The Sun
Hull are set to bid for Aston Villa's unsettled defender Luke Young. Daily Mirror
Forward Victor Moses wants to quit Crystal Palace after being left out of their starting line-up against Ipswich last night. Daily Mirror
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has ruled out a move for Portsmouth goalkeeper David James. Independent
more bollox later ....
You won’t have any difficulties spotting Manchester City fans on the beaches of the Mediterranean this summer.
They will be the ones thoroughly enjoying the sunshine, sipping a cold beer or two and beaming back at the sun with fixed grins. And they will occasionally jump to their feet to run around in a circle, twirling their shirts around their head, Sergio Aguero-style.
For the simple truth is that now is the golden age to be a Manchester City fan.
The old stereotype of the hangdog Blue, sardonically bemoaning his lot and professing his undying loyalty in the same breath, has gone forever.
The old anthem “City Till I Die” has lost its mournful, resigned tone and is now an ode to optimism and longevity.
Anyone who doubts it should have watched the closing stages of the Euro 2012 tournament.
The Premier League styles itself as the “best league in the world” and yet just three players of the 44 who started the semi-finals in Poland and Ukraine ply their trade on these shores – City pair Mario Balotelli and David Silva, and United’s Portuguese star Nani.
While that statistic exposes the self-deception of English football’s place in the grand scheme of things, it makes for better reading for City fans.
As well as Balotelli and Silva, they were also able to enjoy watching Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott play well, and score goals, for their countries.
Silva showed moments of inspiration redolent of his early-season form for the Blues, and popped up with a smart header to get the final off to a great start for Spain.
He is the only player from outside the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to have nailed down a place in the history-making Spain team, underlining how lucky fans are to watch him every week.
Meanwhile, Balotelli lit up the semi-final win over Germany with two great goals, and appears to be learning that scoring a goal is not just part of his job description, but also a thing to be enjoyed.
The claims of his agent that he is worth £200m are exaggerated, to say the least, but his stock has soared over the course of the tournament.
The player who trooped off the field at the Emirates on Easter Sunday, red-carded, disgraced and apparently destined never to play for the Blues again, is a distant memory. His club manager Roberto Mancini stressed the importance of Balotelli’s part in Aguero’s title-winning goal on that never-to-be-forgotten final day – he spoke of it as a possible turning point in the player’s life, a moment when he realised the true value of achievement, perhaps.
Of course, with City the next soap opera is just around the corner, and the fans remain to be convinced that Carlos Tevez’s new-found contentment with life in Manchester is anything but a passing phase.
But Blues are already looking forward to the new season, replete with new-found optimism, and fidgeting with the desire to do it all again.
Mancini won’t allow any laurels at Carrington when the first batch of players returns for pre-season training next week, never mind letting anyone rest on them.
I'm not finished yet - David Silva sets his sights on more silverware for Manchester City
His history at Inter makes interesting reading – after winning the first title, Inter were unstoppable the following season, eventually winning it by a record 22 points.
You get the feeling that City will not be another Blackburn Rovers, who – strengthened by the millions of benefactor Jack Walker – won their first league title for 81 years, and then slid silently back into the morass again.
Anyone who was at the Etihad Stadium on May 13 had the distinct feeling that they were not attending a climax of the revolution brought about by Sheikh Mansour’s money, but rather a starting point.
The overwhelming sense, speaking to players, to Mancini, and to others around the club was that they were already restless for more, to turn a triumph into a legend, and then turn a legend into a dynasty.
The manager himself is close to signing a new deal which would allow him to plan for the longer term, a luxury which few City managers in history have been afforded.
That sense of continuity and solidity is something which has eluded the Blues for too long, and will help them to attract new players as well as to develop the playing side of the club from the academy level upwards.
Robin van Persie is clearly high on the wanted list, and if he wants to stay in English football, City would undoubtedly be his best option, especially if he wants to add to the single FA Cup winner’s medal from his eight seasons over here.
The Blues can sell themselves as never before, both to new fans in far-flung parts of the globe and to the cream of world football talent, and the work has already started on new training facilities which will be the envy of every club on the planet.
William Wordsworth, on contemplating the French Revolution, mused “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!” He might have been a City fan, circa 2012.
Man City prepare title defence in Austria
Premier League champions Manchester City will prepare for the new season at a training camp in Seefeld, Austria from July 9-20, during which time they will play three friendlies, the club says.
Roberto Mancini's side will play Saudi club Al Hilal - now coached by French former PSG boss Antoine Kombouare - on July 13 in Innsbruck.
They will then meet German second division side Dynamo Dresden on July 17 and Turkish top flight side Besiktas on July 20 at the same venue.
Players who competed in Euro 2012, such as Italy's Mario Balotelli and Spaniard David Silva, have been given three weeks off by Mancini and will not be in Austria.
World and European champions Spain prepared for their successful Euro 2012 campaign in Austria in May.
City keep winger in the loop
Roberto Mancini is ready to tell Adam Johnson that he can leave for the right price - if Manchester City sign a replacement.
Mancini will hold talks with the ex-Middlesbrough star today as the pair try to resolve the future of the talented Johnson, who started only ten Premier League matches last season.
Sunderland, Liverpool and Everton are interested in the England international but City are yet to receive any formal offers for the 24-year-old winger.
Mancini snapped Johnson up from Boro in February 2010 for a fee of around £7million, handing him a four and a half year contract.
But the Italian has grown increasingly frustrated with his lack of tactical discipline and did not give him a place in their matchday squads for the two big end-of-season clashes against Manchester United and QPR.
City will want another wide player in through the door before they let Johnson go and will feel they can make a profit on the transfer if a bidding war breaks out between rival Premier League clubs.
UEFA Under Fire for Manipulating Mario Balotelli's Moment for Live TV By Gabe Zaldivar (Pop Culture Lead Blogger)
Here is one I hope we don't see everyday.
Barry Petchesky of Deadspin has the latest on a poignant moment we all thought was too good to be true.
And it seems it was as UEFA allegedly placed footage at certain parts of the live feed to make for better TV.
Many soccer fans around the world were taken aback by a German fan shedding a single tear after Italian super striker Mario Balotelli headed home the game's second goal in the 36th minute of the Euro 2012 semifinal.
It was almost too perfect.
On one hand, you had Super Mario standing statuesque after he put the Azzurri up two in the first half. On the other, you had the camera crew finding the one German fan who overreacted by crying way too early than is warranted.
Even ESPN's Adrian Healey remarked, via Deadspin.
It's too early for tears.
It would have been more precise to say it was too late for tears. You see, the fan's name is Andrea, and she was just as shocked as the millions watching to hear she had been crying at Balotelli's goal.
Petchesky breaks down and translates what was found from the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung
Her name was Andrea, she came from Dusseldorf, and she was surprised when she started getting texts from friends asking why she'd started crying with nearly an hour of play remaining. She hadn't, Andrea told them.
Instead, she said, she had been overcome with emotion during the playing of the national anthems, before the match kicked off. A camera recorded her then, and the footage was inserted into live TV later on, at the moment it would have the most impact. The emotional power of sport, on cue.
If we weren't already cynical enough about television and what we are usually spoon fed.
Deadspin does well to report networks were caught unaware, and were merely utilizing the live feed offered to them by UEFA, and many were upset.
"We have complained to UEFA that the impression was aroused that these were live pictures,'' ZDF editor-in-chief Peter Frey said. "That does not correspond to our journalistic standards.''
Petchesky goes on to note we are regularly bamboozled in local news broadcasts when footage of anchors shaking their heads in agreement are often used instead of the real deal.
Fine, but I don't see how that makes any of this fine and dandy.
The great thing about sports is we sit back and believe the usual ploys of reality TV are far from the pitch, field or court.
I always considered sports to be the best in reality television precisely because it's not scripted and not messaged in any way.
Sure, the discussion before and after the game can be ridiculous, but the images of the crowd and the tenor of the moment were all untouched, or so we thought.
Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and now this. What's a sports fan to believe in anymore?
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
AC Milan are interested in signing Liverpool striker Andy Carroll. Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the son of Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, has been acting as a transfer consultant for the Italian club and has identified Carroll as a potential signing. the Sun
Everton are keen on signing Oscar Cardozo after Benfica put a £16m price tag on the striker. Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, PSG and an unnamed Premier League side are also tracking the Paraguayan, 29. talkShit
Tottenham are ready to back new manager Andre Villas-Boas in the transfer market to the tune of £50m this summer. The Portuguese is keen to bring Marseille striker Loic Remy, Ajax and Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, CSKA Moscow and Russia midfielder Alan Dzagoev and Birmingham keeper Jack Butland to White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror
Villas-Boas wants to launch his reign as Tottenham manager by signing Brazilian attacking midfielder Oscar from Internacional. The 20-year-old is priced in the £20m bracket by his club.
Villas-Boas could be set for a big summer spending spree with Spurs The Sun
Sunderland, Stoke and Fulham are all interested in Wolves' Steven Fletcher, but the Midlands club have warned any suitor will have to pay £10m to sign the striker. Daily Mirror
Everton boss David Moyes is considering making a move for out-of-contract former Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, 26 Daily Mail
Italian side Napoli are looking to push ahead with a move for Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles after seeking talks with the player's agent. talkShit
Chelsea are closing in on a £6m deal for Inter Milan full-back Maicon, 30, with the Brazilian's agent due in London later this week for talks. Metro
Manchester United and Chelsea are set to be in a tug of war for Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel this summer, after Benfica revealed that they are ready to cash-in on his talents. Daily Express
Malaga and Galatasary want Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner as the Denmark international closes in on a move away from the Emirates Stadium. Bendtner's agent Jesper Lynghus told Denmark newspaper bold.dk last month: "The interest is overwhelming, just as it should be after the way Nicklas performed at Euro 2012."Daily Mail
Asamoah Gyan will finally leave Sunderland in a £7m move to United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain. the Sun
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert wants to sign Rennes' £2.5m-rated midfielder Yacine Brahmi, 22. the Sun
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has broken his silence over the future of captain Robin van Persie by vowing to keep the striker "at all costs". The two men are expected to talk over the phone this week as Van Persie continues to stall on a new three-year deal worth £130,000-per-week.
Van Persie and Wenger are expected to discuss the striker's future next week Metro
The Arsenal boss has also turned down the opportunity to coach the French national team following Laurent Blanc's resignation. Daily Telegraph
Manager Brendan Rodgers is optimistic about persuading Luis Suarez to sign an extended deal with Liverpool despite rumours over the striker's future. Rodgers has insisted Suarez, whose contract expires in 2016, is happy at Anfield despite speculation the 25-year-old could be moving to Serie A champions Juventus. Metro
Incoming manager Gianfranco Zola could face a player backlash at Watford following the the sacking of Sean Dyche. Daily Mail
Former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has been involved in an ugly confrontation with an irate Shanghai Shenhua fan, who questioned the Frenchman's poor performance and refusal to perform a traditional end-of-match bow.Daily Mirror
GOLDEN BOLLOX - Wed Aug 19, 2009
Manchester United have been stunned by claims from Nemanja Vidic's agent that the centre-back wants a move to Barcelona. Daily Mirror
However, Vidic's adviser Paolo Fabbri has denied quotes attributed to him in the Spanish media that the Serbian international had been tempted by an offer to join the European champions.Daily Express
Everton boss David Moyes is set to make a £12 million double raid for Tottenham midfielder David Bentley and defender Alan Hutton.
Daily Mirror Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is seriously considering an amazing switch to Notts County after being offered a player/coach role by County director of football Sven Goran Eriksson.Daily Mirror
Liverpool have made a £2m swoop for AEK Athens centre-half Sotiris Kyrgiakos. The Sun
The Reds are also keeping tabs on Stoke's Ryan Shawcross, although the Potters are desperate to keep hold of the defender.Daily Mail
West Ham defender James Collins has rejected a £5m move to Stoke.The Sun
Hull are set to bid for Aston Villa's unsettled defender Luke Young. Daily Mirror
Forward Victor Moses wants to quit Crystal Palace after being left out of their starting line-up against Ipswich last night. Daily Mirror
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has ruled out a move for Portsmouth goalkeeper David James. Independent
more bollox later ....