FERGUSON HIT BOOZE AFTER CITY WIN
ALEX SLURGUSON admits watching Manchester City win the title last season drove him to drink.
The Manchester United boss was left stunned when the Blues secured a last-gasp win over QPR on the final day of the season to be crowned champions.
Fergie thought United had claimed a record 20th league crown when his side won at Sunderland, while the Blues were losing at home.
But Roberto Mancini’s men completed a stunning fightback before Sergio Aguero’s winning goal in stoppage-time saw the Blues become champions on goal difference.
The dramatic scenes saw City win their first title since 1968 and cap a miserable end to the season for Fergie.
United blew an eight-point lead with just six games remaining to finish the campaign without silverware.
Now Fergie has revealed he hit the bottle to deal with the pain of his neighbour’s triumph.
When asked if he had had time to reflect on what happened, the Scot said: “Red wine helps!”
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand admits losing out to City gave him sleepless nights for weeks.
Ferdinand says he will never forget that dramatic afternoon in May and plans to use the pain of it to drive United to glory this season.
“At first it was one of those things you couldn’t get out of your mind,” he said.
“For the first couple of weeks you’re waking up in the middle of the night, thinking about what happened and how it could have ended differently.
“You don’t get over it, but you put it to the back of your mind for the few weeks after that.
“It’s hard, though, because you’ve always got people reminding you about it, whether it’s fans of different teams or fans of United.
“But you use that as inspiration for the following season.” Star
Turkish delight: Bursaspor plot £6m swoop for Manchester City defender Kolo Toure
Boss Ertugrul Saglam has revealed the club have been in talks with the former Arsenal captain and hope to conclude a deal in the next few days
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is wanted by Turkish side Bursaspor.
Toure has failed to agree a new contract with Premier League champions City after falling out of favour with boss Roberto Mancini.
The ex-City skipper has already admitted he would relish the chance of regular football elsewhere.
Toure was signed by former City boss Mark Hughes for £16million in 2009 but is now available for as little as £6m.
Bursaspor have tabled a bid in that region and are hopeful of concluding a deal for the 31-year-old in the coming days.
The boss: Roberto Mancini is ready to let Toure leave the club
Talks are ongoing between the two clubs and Bursaspor boss Ertugrul Saglam said: "We have been in talks with Kolo Toure over the past two days.
"It would be one of the most important transfers to be completed by an Anatolian side. Obviously nothing is certain until he signs pen to paper.
"However, we are working hard to try to finalize a deal."
Former Arsenal star Toure, who was handed a six-month ban for failing a drugs test in March 2011, made just eight Premier League starts for City last season.
Manchester City facing up to tough squad decisions
The good, the bad, and the ‘could turn ugly’ – that is the story of Manchester City’s squad as the transfer carousel finally lurches into action.
The Blues have roughly split their current squad into three groups in assessing where they stand this summer – those who simply cannot be sold, those who must go, and those who would be available if someone came up with the right price.
The club is closely guarding its views on each player, but M.E.N. Sport reckons it knows who falls into which category.
Roberto Mancini has been told that the club has to sell before it can bring in the new players he wants to boost his team’s Champions League campaign, and defence of the Premier League crown.
There are 13 players who appear to be simply unsaleable, as they are staple players and have either been wrapped up on long-term deals, or will be before the summer is out.
David Silva and Vincent Kompany top the list of players who City want to tie down with lucrative new contracts, while Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli are already on long-term deals.
Mancini also has no intention of getting rid of Gareth Barry, Joleon Lescott, James Milner or Micah Richards – as well as being useful players, they also contribute to the home-grown quota needed in every 25-man Premier League squad.
The ‘sell, sell, sell’ is even easier to compile.
Top of that list are two players who have hung around like a bad smell, going out on loan to get them out of the way as Mancini was not impressed by their attitude.
Wayne Bridge has already headed out on loan again, going to Brighton for the season, with City still having to contribute the bulk of his £90,000-a-week wages, and Tottenham are believed to be close to a £5.5m deal for Emmanuel Adebayor.
Roque Santa Cruz is held in higher regard by Mancini, but suffered dreadful injury woe at City – if he can settle a severance package he will sign for Real Betis in Spain.
Michael Johnson is another who has been blitzed by injury, although his lifestyle has also not helped, and he is likely to go on loan and see out a contract which expires next summer.
Vladimir Weiss is also likely to be sold – he has not developed to the point of being a first-team player, and needs to go elsewhere to get football.
It is the middle group, of players who are not indispensable, and would be sold if the right deal came in, that is the most intriguing.
Younger players Dedryck Boyata and John Guidetti may go out on loan, but the club would certainly be interested if anyone started offering money for them. Guidetti is lining up a move to Lazio, possibly a season-long loan, and Mancini would be interested at how he coped in the tougher arena of Serie A after last year’s goalscoring exploits at Feyenoord.
The three biggest names on our ‘available’ list are Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Nigel de Jong. Mancini is not desperate to get rid of any of them, but would also sell if his principle summer targets – Robin van Persie and Javi Martinez – can be landed and a buyer found.
Tevez’s chequered history means City cannot be sure whether another fall-out is around the corner, while Dzeko has yet to convince he can be top-class in a system which doesn’t suit his style. De Jong has been a warrior and a fan- favourite but, with his contract running down, and the Dutchman no longer an automatic choice, they would be prepared to sell.
Aleks Kolarov also falls into that category. Mancini would keep the Serbian left-back, but he is not happy at being edged out of the team by Clichy and would be allowed to go if one of several Italian suitors comes up with a decent offer.
Adam Johnson is another who need not be kept at all costs. He did not start a game from March 3 until the end of the season, and was left out of the 18-man squad entirely for the crunch Manchester derby at the end of the campaign.
Martinez dismisses Barcelona transfer talk
Javi Martinez has ruled out a move to Barcelona after declaring his happiness with life at Athletic Bilbao.
The young Spaniard has been attracting interest from across the continent following a series of impressive performances for the Basque outfit.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also believed to be tracking the 23-year-old.
However, Martinez has insisted he is happy at Athletic and is not averse to seeing out his contract at he San Mames.
"I don't see myself playing for Barcelona. I am very happy at Athletic. I have a contract until 2016 and the truth is that I see myself at Athletic [until then]," he told Antena 3.
"I've read a lot of things in the newspapers, but not everything that's being said is true. If we were to believe all the rumours, I'd have signed for seven different teams already."
Martinez has become an integral member of the Athletic starting XI, making 54 appearances as Los Leones secured a top-10 finish in La Liga and navigated their way to the final of both the Europa League and Copa del Rey.
UNTOUCHABLE
Hart, Richards, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Yaya Toure, Milner, Silva, Nasri, Aguero, Balotelli
AVAILABLE
Boyata, Kolarov, Savic, Kolo Toure, De Jong, A Johnson, Dzeko, Tevez, Guidetti
DISPOSABLE
Bridge, M Johnson, Weiss, Adebayor, Santa Cruz
Centre-backs Kolo Toure and Stefan Savic are also expendable, with Bursaspor saying they are in talks with Ivorian and another Turkish club, Besiktas, eager to tie up a deal.
“We have been in talks with Kolo Toure over the past two days,” Bursaspor manager Ertugrul Saglam.
If he goes, Savic is likely to remain as cover – otherwise he could be loaned out. MuEN
OTHER BOLLOX
QPR want to loan midfielder Joey Barton, 29, to the Championship, with Blackburn favourites for the player. Daily Mail
Fulham hope £9m plus Clint Dempsey, 29, will be enough to tempt Liverpool into allowing Andy Carroll, 23, to move to Craven Cottage. the Guardian
Liverpool have agreed a £11m deal to make Fabio Borini, 21, Brendan Rodgers's first signing, with the Italian expected to complete the move by the weekend. Liverpool Echo
Borini's arrival could see Craig Bellamy leave Anfield, with QPR and Cardiff both interested in signing the Liverpool striker. The Times
Tottenham are interested in Atletico Madrid striker Adrian Lopez, 24, and are willing to pay the £15m get-out clause in his contract. talkShit
Porto boss Vitor Pereira admits Tottenham want Joao Moutinho, 25, but insists the White Hart Lane club will have to pay £31.5m to land the midfielder. London Evening Standard
Southampton are hopeful of pushing through a move for Crystal Palace right-back Nathaniel Clyne, 21. Daily Mail
Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia, 22, has said he wants to move to West Bromwich Albion. "I felt more desire there," he told French journalists. "Obviously, it is less glamorous than Arsenal but I'll be able to continue my progress." Express & Star
AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed he has agreed a £51.3m (65m euros) deal to sell striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 30, and defender Thiago Silva, 27, to Paris St-Germain. Gazzetta dello Sport
John Terry, 31, should be sacked by Chelsea if he is found guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, according to Professional Footballers' Association chairman Clarke Carlisle. Daily Express
Nottingham Forest's new owners want Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson, 40, to take charge of the team after they sacked Steve Cotterill. Daily Mirror
But, former England, Chelsea and Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle has emerged as a contender for the vacant position. the Sun
West Ham's Ricardo Vaz Te, 25, is considering his West Ham future after being turned down for a wage rise. Daily Mirror
Kyle Walker, 22, says the Tottenham dressing room will give new boss Andre Villas-Boas a chance to succeed at White Hart Lane. "He is going to give us a chance; we are going to give him a chance. Hopefully we will gel and win trophies." the Guardian
Portsmouth striker Kanu, 35, plans to sue the club for six years of unpaid earnings in a 'breach of contract' dispute. the Sun
Swansea will hold new contract talks with Team GB-selected winger Scott Sinclair in August. The 23-year-old's current deal expires next summer, and Fulham, Aston Villa and Liverpool are all believed to be interested in buying him. Daily Star
New Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert, 42, has written to supporters asking for help to turn around the club's poor home form by making more noise. Birmingham Mail
MORE BOLLOX LATER
The mancityfans.net football forum
The BEST FORUM in all the land and all the world
