ON SNOW PATROL ... Here's . . . .
Mario’s packed ‘n ready
MARIO BALOTELLI is all packed up and ready to join AC Milan in a £24million deal.
The Manchester City striker, 22, has given notice on his rented house in Cheshire and has also begun flying his possessions back to Milan.
His representative Mino Raiola was in Italy this week for talks over a move back to the San Siro.
City boss Roberto Mancini is now happy to see the back of a player who has caused him nothing but trouble since his £22m switch from Inter in 2010.
Despite AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi recently calling him a ‘rotten apple’, the Italian giants still want him to spearhead their strikeforce. Balotelli is also desperate for the move having grown disillusioned at City and homesick for Italy.
He is a lifelong AC Milan fan, despite winning the Serie A title with Inter under Mancini, and it would be a dream move for him.
City will hold out for £24m but it now looks certain that his turbulent City career is almost over.
Balotelli has scored just once in the league this season and was recently involved in a furious training ground bust-up with boss Mancini.
Now first-choice striker Sergio Aguero is fit again, Balotelli will be back to fourth choice behind him, fellow Argie Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko (A Sun Exclusive apparently)
MANCHESTER TITLE RACE
PTS +7 GD +3
I nearly retired after Mancini bust-up, admits Tevez
The Argentina international striker revealed that he was close to calling time on his playing career after the well-publicised row with the Manchester City manager last season
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez admits he considered retirement after his fall-out with manager Roberto Mancini.
The 28-year-old fell out with Mancini during City's Champions League group stage match against Bayern Munich last season, when Tevez refused to take his manager's orders to warm up on the touchline.
The Argentine was vilified and told he wouldn't play for the club again, leading him to fall out of love with the game and seriously consider retiring from it completely.
"Last year I almost retired," Tevez told Rock and Closs.
"I had lost the desire to play, alone in my room, crying. When the bad times come, they all come together. With the Argentina national team we were eliminated from the Copa America at home, after the fight with Roberto [Mancini] I did not want anything more to do with football.
"Luckily today I'm fine, I regained the desire to play."
Tevez explained how much he dislikes being left out of the team but also said that he is more relaxed than he was before and enjoys a more 'cordial' relationship with Mancini now.
"My relationship with Mancini is cordial, I'm hot blooded, I do not like to go out or be on the bench," he added.
"Before, when he took me out of the team or did not include me on initial lineup, I insulted him ... now I'm more relaxed."
Tevez has scored 10 goals in 28 games for Manchester City this season and says he is physically ready to help the club push on for the second part of the campaign.
"Physically I'm fine. I feel good and fast. Maybe I'm missing goal-hunger, now I think more about accompanying the play or generating a pass-goal."
SNUB COUNT - 172
Roberto Mancini warns Vincent Kompany to improve his tackling
Roberto Mancini has urged Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany to “pay more attention to his tackles” following his controversial red card against Arsenal.
Kompany will be free to play against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday after successfully appealing against his dismissal at the Emirates. But with Kompany earning a three-match ban for a similar challenge on Manchester United winger Nani last season, Mancini admitted the Belgian needed to adapt his playing style to avoid further problems with referees.
“Sometimes, when a defender is under pressure, he can make a bad tackle and I think Vinny needs to pay more attention because this has happened twice,” Mancini said. “We could have a problem if we have another situation like this and I spoke with Vinny and told him to pay more attention when he tackles. Sometimes it is better not to tackle.”
Mancini, meanwhile, insisted that Pep Guardiola’s decision to manage Bayern Munich had not changed his own situation at Manchester City.
Former Barcelona coach Guardiola had been linked with City following the appointments of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain as chief executive and sporting director respectively at the Etihad. Guardiola worked with both men at Barcelona.
Mancini said: “I understand people should write that every manager wants to take this place [City job] because it is a good place.
Joleon Lescott has shrugged off speculation surrounding his future and claims he is fully committed to Manchester City.
Reports during the winter transfer window have suggested that Lescott could be allowed to leave the Etihad Stadium, with Roberto Mancini currently favouring other centre-half options.
A switch to Aston Villa has been touted, with Lescott having grown up supporting the Birmingham-based club.
The England international is aware of the reports, but insists there is no substance to them.
He has offered no indication that he is looking for a move and maintains that he is prepared to stay at City and fight for a starting spot.
Lescott told the Daily Telegraph's Carlfeedthegoat "I came to the club to win trophies. I have done that and I feel there is a chance to win more this season.
"So I am more than happy to stay and fight for a place in the team.
"I went to see the manager about my situation and what we said will stay between us, but we both came out of the conversation happy and content with what we spoke about.
"While I would like to start every game, I am also aware that, with the strength of the squad, that just isn't going to happen, but I am more than happy to play my part whenever needed."
City were a bit lucky last season
Fulham manager Martin Jol risked upsetting Manchester City supporters ahead of today's meeting by claiming they were “a bit lucky” to win the title last term.
The Sky Blues snatched the title off fierce rivals Manchester United with a last minute winner against QPR.
“I feel that they are in a similar position to what they were before - all of the top three clubs,” the Dutchman said.
“They have to fight for everything and last year, of course, they were a bit lucky - (to win it) on the last day, in the final seconds.
“And maybe it could be the same (this season) because it was quite exciting. There is not a lot between teams like City and Manchester United.
“They are out of Europe but they can live with it and focus on the league now so that is one advantage they have got over United.”
GOLDEN WAG 19-1-2010
[spoiler]Melissa Satta
[/spoiler] Stoke manager Tony Pulis has insisted that striker Michael Owen, 33, will not be moving anywhere on loan during the January transfer window. Owen has made just five appearances since joining the club in the summer. Sun
Liverpool have launched an £8m bid for Inter Milan's Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 20, after becoming increasingly frustrated in efforts to sign Blackpool's former Reds youngster Thomas Ince. Daily Telegraph
Queens Park Rangers are chasing Porto and Portugal defender Rolando, even though the 27-year-old Europa League winner has turned them down three times already. Daily Mirror
Meanwhile, QPR's hopes of signing Rennes and France midfielder Yann M'Vila, 22, have been complicated by interest from Rubin Kazan and Tottenham Hotspur. Times
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, 34, is close to agreeing a deal with LA Galaxy for next season - but he will definitely remain at Stamford Bridge for the rest of the current campaign. London Evening Standard
Stoke City are close to signing 22-year-old United States and FC Dallas winger Brek Shea. nbcsports.com
Arsenal want 20-year-old French midfielder Gilbert Imbula, who has starred for French second-tier side Guingamp in recent seasons and holds the record as the youngest player to play in the division, at 17 years, one month and four days. DSSC
West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson, 22, is attracting attention from a number of Championship clubs, including Black Country neighbours Wolves. Blackburn, Bolton and Leeds are also keen on taking him on loan. skysports.com
West Ham are ready to abandon their pursuit of Blackburn left-back Martin Olsson, 24, as they are not keen to offer more than the £2m bid which has been rejected. London Evening Standard
West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke has held talks with striker Peter Odemwingie, 31, and defender Jonas Olsson, 29, after interest from Queens Park Rangers, and told the pair to forget about leaving the club. Express and Star
Former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira says eight years without a trophy is too long for the Gunners and playing beautiful football is not enough any more. Sun
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he is in a "healthy disagreement" with his board over the merits of the club's transfer policy. Daily Telegraph
Nigel Adkins knew he was going to be sacked by Southampton after watching television - before he met with executive chairman Nicola Cortese. Daily Mirror
Mauricio Pochettino will walk head first into a supporters' protest when he takes charge of Southampton, with fans set to wave white handkerchiefs in protest after five minutes of Monday's televised game against Everton. Guardian
Adkins, 47, scribbled a message on a flipchart for his Saints players after being given his marching orders: "Keep smiling. Have faith and belief that you are doing the right thing. Keep looking to improve." DSSC
Lucas Radebe, the former Leeds United and South Africa captain, expects more Premier League players will follow Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, 30, and decide not to play in future Africa Cup of Nations because of its scheduling. Independent
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has warned his Newcastle United players before Saturday's home game with Reading that 29-year-old Royals striker Pavel Pogrebnyak is "one of the worst players I've seen for falling over and buying free-kicks". Guardian
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has waded into the Luis Suarez row by blaming foreign players for the escalation of diving in the English game. Daily Express
Rafael Benitez is ready to gamble on defender John Terry's fitness and recall the 32-year-old Chelsea skipper for Sunday's league game with Arsenal. Times
Blackburn Rovers co-owner Venkatesh Rao has vowed to win the hearts of the club's supporters, with the family expected to make an appearance at Ewood Park for Michael Appleton's first game in charge. Lancashire Evening Telegraph
BBC Radio 5 live's 606 newsletter reports how former Aston Villa manager John Gregory showed his guitar-playing talent at a recent supporters club meeting.
Boss Paolo Di Canio joined fans to shovel snow off Swindon's pitch before their scheduled League One game with Shrewsbury. Reports circulated on Twitter that Di Canio also ordered in pizza for the volunteers to thank them. DSSC
GOLDEN BOLLOX 19-1-2010
GARY NEVILLE insists Manchester United were right to get rid of Carlos Tevez because he was overpriced.
The Reds balked at a £25million asking price after the Argentine had spent two years on loan at Old Trafford.
Now the striker, 25, is in red-hot form for rivals Manchester City and they meet tonight at Eastlands in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-finals.
But United's club captain agreed with boss Alex Ferguson that at the end of last season the figures just did not stack up.
Neville said: "The manager over the years has made many decisions with regard to players coming and going - and he has almost always been proved correct.
"Over a period of 20 years he may have got one or two wrong, and I think he has admitted that himself, but he knows exactly what he's doing and he understands when a player's time is up. I can't disagree with his decision on Tevez. He was a good player for us but, if the financial demands are too big, then that's just the way it goes.
"Other good players have left this club in the past, it's not the first time it's happened.
"We have the best manager in the world at putting teams together. He's done it successfully for 20 years. There have not been many people who have questioned him over the years and been proved right."
Tevez has 11 goals in his last nine starts and will be desperate to add to that tally tonight in one of the biggest clashes between the city rivals for many years.
Neville admitted: "Our two Carling Cup games against City are massive. It's a derby and one of the biggest games we have played against City for a long time.
"Certainly we expect it to be a difficult game. They are in good form and it's always difficult away against City. We will have to be at our best for the game.
"I've only seen one of City's games since Roberto Mancini took over as manager - their 3-0 win at Wolves. City impressed me in that game but I haven't seen a great deal of them."
United full-back Patrice Evra dismisses the rivalry with City, claiming that while it's a big game for the blue half of Manchester it is just another match for the red half.
He said: "It's an important game against City, a big game, but I only talk about it because I want to win this game and have a chance to win a trophy.
"Maybe that's the difference between United and City. We play the game to win and to win the Carling Cup, they play to win against Manchester United."
While United struggle under crippling debt, City can boast being the richest club in the world under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour.
But Neville says there is no paranoia at Old Trafford over City's increased strength.
He said: "I don't see the game as a chance to reassert our dominance over City.
"We're quite comfortable with where we are. We are second in the league, in the Carling Cup semi-finals and in the second phase of the Champions League.
"People might think something is going on in Manchester between the two clubs, but we can't afford to get involved in that."
LAHAD'S BINGO CIRCLE OF BOLLOX
A perfect place to honour the Fez & Nipple Tassel wearing one ....
King Kev wrote:We will be having a poll to decide what message to have put onto the plaque. If you would like to put forward a suggestion to go into the poll please post it in this thread. http://mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewtopic ... 21&t=44934
Please keep in mind that the club may refuse to engrave the plaque with 'lick me out' so whilst I am sure Danny would have approved, maybe it would be better to chose a more poignant heart-felt message.
Bingo's wife Diana will have the final say on whatever message is chosen.
