ROUND-UP
There are growing calls for Fernandinho to earn the international recognition his performances at City deserve this morning.
So far, the Blues’ holding midfielder has been overlooked by Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari but, as he showed yet again against Arsenal where he picked up man-of-the-match honours for a superb display, but if the groundswell of opinion is anything to go by, his exile may soon end.
Stuart Brennan, writing in the MuEN, was just one of the impressed journalists at the Etihad on Saturday, reporting: “The quiet, understated midfielder put on a masterclass of holding midfield play, and netted two top-quality goals to underline his growing importance to a team which can sweep all before it if can find consistency in its attacking brilliance.
“Every great team needs a top holding midfielder, a player who gives the stability and possession which allows genius to express itself.
“But to label Fernandinho as a ‘water-carrier’ – as Eric Cantona once called Didier Deschamps - is a gross underestimation of a player who not only breaks up the opposition, but also sends the Blues springing onto the attack.
“His passing, long and short, has been exemplary and, as we twice saw against Arsenal, he can finish when he does get the chance to go forward himself.
“’Ferna’, at the age of 28, has just five caps, his last coming in the defeat by Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia nearly two years ago, and has been studiously ignored by Scolari.
“His City team-mate Samir Nasri, and manager Manuel Pellegrini, feel that is bound to change before Brazil convene again for a friendly against South Africa in March.
“Nasri was blunt about Scolari’s continuing oversight: ‘I think it is a mistake,” he said. ‘I have a great respect for the other Brazilian players but when I look at their squad I think he deserves a place in there.
“’Sometimes a manager makes choices but it is not finished yet and if he continues to play like this he can be in the squad for the World Cup.’”
Well said, Samir. And Samir is quoted again, this time on ESPN, but this time sharing his thoughts on the Blues’ Champions League prospects.
ESPN report: “Manchester City warmed up for the fate of the Champions League final 16 by tearing apart Premier League leaders Arsenal in a 6-3 win on Saturday.
“And Nasri believes that result, alongside the 3-2 comeback against Bayern Munich last week, would stick in the minds of their European rivals.
“’Everyone around Europe will look at that game against Arsenal," Nasri said. ‘And when you see a team perform like we did - on top of what we did against Bayern in midweek - you are a little bit worried about playing us.’
“Nasri said City did not fear any team in the draw, but admitted there were a number of potential match-ups he would like to avoid.
“’No, I'm not worried by who we could face,’ Nasri said. "I don't think Real or Barca will be happy to play Manchester City. But if I had to pick the draw, of course I would go for Paris Saint Germain, Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.’”
We’ll know soon enough…
Aleksandar Kolarov eyeing Italy Return?
Transfer speculation has constantly surrounded the Blues Serbian Left Back since his arrival to the Etihad in 2010.
Kolarov failed to receive what he felt was inadequate playing time under Italian Gaffer, Roberto Mancini. While Kolarov has been featured much more this season, rumors are still continuing to swirl as the transfer window gets set to open.
Mirror Football is reporting that Kolarov is gaining interest from Italian sides, Inter Milan and Napoli.
Kolarov spoke on the matter, stating:
“I would love to return to the Italian league one day. We will see when the time is right. I didn’t get to play matches when I expected to during Roberto Mancini’s time. I’ve been playing more since Manuel Pellegrini’s arrival. But let’s see what happens.”
Kolarov has played very well for the Blues this season, but only has 18 months remaining on his current deal. This all smells of media conjecture, but anything can happen in sports.
With City battling for another English title, and progressing to the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, I would be very surprised for Kolarov to move this January, passing up on potential silverware.
GOLDEN BOLLOX 16-12-2010
Noel Gallagher Says Tevez Will Stay At Manchester City
So, Noel Gallagher, what do you make of Carlos Tevez's claims that he wants to leave Manchester City because he does not like the chief executive? "Well," said the rock star and City's most famous supporter. "He would be the first person I've ever heard of to leave a football club because he didn't like someone in the office."
Not buying it then? "Not at all. For a guy who can't even speak English how are we supposed to believe he has got a relationship with the executives in the first place, unless he's been trying to get himself a new deal anyway.
"He has two choices now if he means this – he either leaves or he retires. But I think there's more to it than meets the eye.
"Everyone was saying the same thing about Wayne Rooney: 'He's going, he's definitely going.' What is happening now is that Rooney's agent has set the bar when it comes to modern‑day transfer requests. But I would still put money on Tevez being here next season."
And what will be the crowd's reaction when City play Everton on Monday and Tevez turns out for the first time since announcing to the world that he wanted an Oasis-like split?
"He's been the best player we have ever had in my book and, as long as he is doing it on the pitch, they won't turn on him. I won't be booing anyway and I think it will be all right because he's not the kind of player who will go missing."
Gallagher is in Turin for Manchester City's Europa League tie against Juventus tomorrow. The Eastlands club have already qualified for the knockout stages. "It is disappointing because of the timing of it. Why not wait until the end of the season?
"The one thing that goes against Carlos is that he already plays for Man City so nobody can link him to us. He can't say: 'Oh I want to go to Man City because they are offering me £200,000 a week,' when he's already getting £280,000 a week out of us."
Barcelona will listen to massive €100m Manchester City bid for Andres Iniesta
Manchester City are reportedly preparing to make a stunning bid for Barcelona's influential midfielder Andres Iniesta .
Barcelona would be desperate to hold onto the player who has just made the three-man shortlist for the 2010 FIFA World Player of the Year award. But, according to Yahoo Sports, Manchester City believe that with Barcelona's financial situation far from being healthy, they can persuade the Nou Camp club to part ways with the 26-year-old with a massive €100m bid.
Yahoo Sports quotes a source indicating that a €100million bid from Manchester City for Iniesta would not fall on deaf ears, saying, “He has had an amazing year and he is part of the fabric of [Barcelona], but that doesn’t mean the right offer won’t be considered and possibly accepted.”
Most major Spanish dailies are giving prominent coverage to the story this morning. Iniesta is contracted to Barcelona until 2015, having played at the Nou Camp for his entire career.
Nasri: Real Madrid & Barcelona will not want Manchester City in the Champions League
The France international says Manuel Pellegrini's men are full of confidence after beating Bayern Munich but are hoping to draw either PSG, Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri says neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid will want to face his team in the Champions League.
The draw for the knockout stages for the tournament will take place on Monday and, having finished as runners-up in their group, City could face either of the Spanish giants.
However, the France international says Manuel Pellegrini’s men are confident having already beaten reigning champions Bayern Munich in the tournament.
“I’m not worried who we get in the Champions League. I don’t think they Real Madrid or Barcelona will be happy to play Manchester City,” he told reporters.
“But if I had to pick the draw, of course I would go for Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.
“I don’t want to play Real or Barcelona. But if we do get them, they will be worried about us.
“Everyone will look at this game and when you see a team perform like we did – on top of what we did against Bayern – you are a little bit worried about playing us.
“We had so many chances to score more – I think they know we’re a real threat for any team who come to the Etihad and for the title.
“We are going to try and break those records. But when we go on the pitch we don’t have this obsession about scoring five, six or seven goals. We just try to do our job and win.
“But we have so much attacking ability that when we have chances, we score."
City followed up their midweek victory over Bayern with a 6-3 win over league leaders Arsenal on Saturday and Nasri says his team thrives against the top sides.
“We’re really confident. But we always seem to perform well against one of the big teams,” he added.
“We did it against Manchester United, Tottenham, against Bayern in midweek and now we’ve done it against Arsenal.
“Now we have to do it away from home, because we’ve struggled from the start of the season to perform as well away as we do at home.
“When we play a big game it is easy to get the motivation. Big players always respond when it’s a big game.
“But now we know the title race is open. We’ve come back to three points behind Arsenal and next week they play Chelsea, so we have to keep the pressure on them."
Champions League draw 2013-14: live
Follow live updates from the Uefa Champions League and Europa League knockout stage draws at 12pm on Monday December 16, 2013. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -live.html
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Gunners sweat over Wilshere fate as midfielder faces ban for obscene gesture directed towards Manchester City fans
TV cameras showed Wilshere raising his middle finger to Man City fans
Arsenal are waiting to hear what punishment could be coming Jack Wilshere's way after the midfielder aimed an abusive hand gesture towards Manchester City supporters during Saturday's 6-3 loss at the Etihad Stadium.
The Football Association will review the full match report of referee Martin Atkinson before deciding whether to launch a disciplinary case against Wilshere after television cameras showed him raising his middle finger in the direction of home fans.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the club will accept any punishment the FA hands down.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was suspended for one match, fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct after he made the same gesture to home fans as he walked off the pitch following a 1-0 defeat at Fulham in December 2011.
A possible ban for Wilshere could be compounded by bad news on the injury front, with Arsenal awaiting an update on Laurent Koscielny after the defender suffered a deep cut attempting to prevent Alvaro Negredo scoring City's second goal.
The heavy defeat at City saw the Gunners' lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League cut to two points, with the visit of second-placed Chelsea next up on December 23.
Wenger believes his side's response to the bitter disappointment of Saturday's humiliation could define their season.
'It is how we respond in the next game, that is what makes a season. It can happen,' Wenger said.
'You could see we played on Wednesday away from home and we were not as fresh as we can be, but it is how we respond now.
'There are always positives in a game and there were a lot of them, but still we have to come back to reality.
'It is about us defending together in games like that and we did not do that.'
Meanwhile, midfielder Mesut Ozil has apologise for failing to applaud the visiting fans at full-time of Saturday's match.
'Sorry I didn't thank the fans at the end of the game!' Arsenal's record signing said on his Facebook page.
'You have been brilliant to me and I know you had travelled a long way and spent your money to support us.
'I was upset with the result and know I should have come to you to say 'thank you' and I know it is a big Arsenal tradition win, lose or draw.'
GOLDEN BOLLOX 16-12- 2012
SAMIR NASRI HITS THE WALL AT MANCHESTER CITY WITH ROBERTO MANCINI BUST-UP
SAMIR NASRI is facing a battle to save his Manchester City career following a bust-up with boss Roberto Mancini.
Nasri was involved in a heated exchange with Mancini in the wake of their side’s crushing derby defeat to Manchester United last weekend.
The pair fell-out after Mancini blamed Nasri for Robin Van Persie’s winning goal that saw United triumph 3-2 and charge six points clear at the top of the table.
The Italian was fuming with the Frenchman after he took his place in the wall but dangled out his leg to deflect Van Persie’s free-kick past Joe Hart.
Nasri has missed some training sessions this week after claiming he was ill however he started at Newcastle yesterday lunchtime.
But Starsport understands Mancini is growing tired of Nasri’s lack of influence and could decide to sell him next summer, provided he is still in charge.
He has told the French flop he wants to see a significant improvement between now and the end of the season.
Nasri has been a huge let-down since joining the champions from Arsenal in August 2011 in a £26m deal.
Mancini last night claimed Nasri had missed training with a ‘headache’ and appeared less than impressed with him.
He said: “Someone asked how many people were in the wall? Three? I said, no, two-and-a-half because Samir turned when he shot.
“It was a mistake. It is finished. It’s important that next time it will be different. I think Samir knows this.”
Ex-Arsenal midfielder asked Wenger to ‘take him back’
Former Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri looked into the possibility of re-joining his former club, it has emerged.
Nasri, who famously admitted that he will always be an Arsenal fan, has kept in close contact with his ‘second father’ and Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger since joining Manchester City in a £24 million deal last summer.
French tactician Wenger keeps in touch with many of his former players, especially fellow compatriots such as Nasri with whom he had built up a close relationship with during the Frenchman’s three years in North London.
25-year-old Nasri justified his reasons for leaving Arsenal last season as City went on to win the Barclays Premier League title, although the ex-Marseille midfielder hasn’t been involved as much as he would have liked so far this campaign due to injury problems.
Homesick?
Creative midfielder Nasri flourished under the guidance of Wenger and bagged fifteen goals and five assists in his final full season at the club and still misses many of his former team-mates, along with his old Hampstead-based mansion.
His relationship with City boss Roberto Mancini is also reportedly ‘strained’ after the Italian criticised Nasri for ducking out of the way of Robin van Persie’s free-kick winner in the Manchester derby last Sunday.
A return to Arsenal is highly unlikely because of Nasri’s £180,000-a-week wage demands, City’s reluctance to strengthen a ‘rival’, added to the fact that many Arsenal supporters still feel resentment over the circumstances in which he left the club.
[spoiler]
Now Kolarov is caught in race storm
Police probe Manchester City's Serbian defender after apparent row with fan brandishing an Albanian flag
Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov will be investigated by police this week about alleged racist remarks made to an Albanian fan during his side's victory against Newcastle yesterday.
Kolarov, who was a substitute, was believed to have become embroiled in a verbal row with at least one supporter who was waving an Albanian flag as he warmed up on the sidelines during the game at St James' Park. Northumbria Police confirmed they have received a complaint from a supporter alleging that racist language was used by the 27-year-old Serbian player. There is a history of tension between Serbia and Albania, particularly over the disputed Kosovo region.
"Northumbria Police has received a report of racist language having been used at the St James' Park stadium during the Newcastle United-Manchester City match today," said a police statement. "Northumbria Police take such allegations extremely seriously and inquiries are ongoing into the incident."
The probe into Kolarov follows the recent row involving the Serbia and England Under-21 teams which resulted in Uefa punishments for racial abuse that have this week been criticised as too lenient.
Neither Manchester City nor Newcastle would comment on yesterday's incident, although it is understood that Kolarov will be questioned by police this week. He went on to replace Samir Nasri and was later substituted himself.
MCF.net THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=44749
Manchester United target, 21-year-old Spanish midfielder Koke, is unwilling to leave Atletico Madrid in January. Inside futbol
Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay wants three new players in January. He is looking for a defender, midfielder and an attacking player to improve the spine of his team. Daily Mirror
Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna, 30, is not ready to commit to a new deal at the Emirates. Daily Mirror
Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz wants to join Anderlecht in January to improve his chances of regular football ahead of the World Cup. The Costa Rican, 28, has started just seven league games this season. Sun
Fulham are hoping to sign former forward Clint Dempsey on loan during the MLS close season. West Ham and Stoke also want the American, 32, who left Tottenham for the Seattle Sounders in August. Telegraph
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is already sounding out replacements for coach Andre Villas-Boas after his team's humiliating 5-0 defeat by Liverpool. DSSC
West Brom will target Molde manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they look to replace Steve Clarke. Express
The Baggies could also move for Real Madrid assistant manager Paul Clement. Sun
Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan is also on West Brom's shortlist, along with Solskjaer, Clement, ex-Baggies player Martin Jol and Michael Appleton. Guardian
GOLDEN BOLLOX 16-12-2009
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reopened his feud with Manchester City boss Mark Hughes following Emmanuel Adebayor's alleged stamp on Robin van Persie on Saturday. Wenger, who used to accuse Hughes' Blackburn side of being too physical, said: "You ask 100 people, 99 will say it is very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes."
The Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... ughes.html
City are in talks with their legal team in a bid to save Adebayor from a potential four-match suspension following Football Association charges of violent conduct and improper conduct as a result of his actions against the Gunners.Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... y-ban.html
Althou the MuEN thinks otherwise . . .
City set to accept Adebayor ban http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ebayor_ban
Bored of the Ade controversy Liverpools co owner goes back to basics . . .
Hicks - City must curb spending http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 22,00.html
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor appeared to recreate his controversial celebration from Saturday's 4-2 win over his old club Arsenal after scoring in training on Tuesday. The Togo striker, who has been charged with improper conduct for running down the pitch to celebrate in front of Gunners fans, smiled as he ran and slid to his knees in front of his team-mates. (Various)
Watford boss Gianfranco Zola is on the brink of parting company with the club after losing their last five games at home. Mirror
Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto posted a picture of him and Spurs forward Emmanuel Adebayor on Twitter in apparently good spirits after watching their side lose to Liverpool. DSSC
Manchester United are confident Wayne Rooney, 28, is ready to begin discussions on a new four-year contract worth £50m with Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez, Anderson and Alex Buttner among those who could be leaving Old Trafford. DSSC
Liverpool and Arsenal are among five Premier League sides chasing £12m-rated Hoffenheim winger Kevin Volland, 21. Mirror
Chelsea are hoping to beat Manchester United to the signing of £15m-rated Fredy Guarin, 27, after making an offer for the Inter Milan midfielder. Metro
Chelsea's chances of signing Adrien Rabiot, 18, could be dashed should Paris St-Germain fail to sign midfielder Paul Pogba, 20, from Juventus. Express
Manager Arsene Wenger, 64, will sign a new contract with Arsenal in the next month to keep him at the club until 2017. Mirror
Manchester United boss David Moyes says the money is in place to make a major signing that would demonstrate the club's ambition - however he might not be able to do a deal in January. Observer
Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen has offered his former Manchester United colleague Mike Phelan the chance to be his number two at Craven Cottage. The pair worked successfully under Sir Alex Ferguson at United. DSSC
Defender John Terry, 33, is set for a new one-year contract at Chelsea after impressing boss Jose Mourinho. Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has defended the £15m summer signing of 24-year-old striker Andy Carroll, who has been out injured since August. London Evening Standard
Norwich boss Chris Hughton says the club will not be selling any of their key players in January. Norwich Evening News
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, has launched his own Facebook-style social network - all about himself. Metro
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has admitted to a secret addiction to feeding birds and says he spends almost £2,000 a year on bird feed. Sun
GOLDEN BOLLOX 16-11-2011
Mirror reveal what sparked the Balotelli v Richards bust-up
Mario Balotelli has lived up to his ‘Mad Mario’ tag with another amazing bust-up.
The Manchester City striker was engulfed in yet more controversy when he became embroiled in a heated exchange with Micah Richards at the club’s Carrington training ground after the defender told him to “grow up”.
The pair laid into each other and had to be pulled apart by shocked team-mates in another embarrassing incident for the club, which was witnessed by spectators and photographers.
Incredibly, the two are the best of friends.
The row was sparked by a pass from England defender Richards, which did not reach Balotelli
The Italian striker said: “If you won’t pass to my feet, I won’t move.”
Richards, who had been unimpressed by Balotelli’s contribution to the training session, replied: “Grow up Mario.”
When Balotelli burst into a string of expletives in Italian, Richards launched himself at his friend.
Several players, including James Milner, Yaya Toure and captain Vincent Kompany, jumped in to separate the two.
They were then brought together by manager Roberto Mancini for a stern lecture in front of team-mates, and immediately made up, by shaking hands and laughing off the incident.
Richards played down the row in Twitter comments afterwards, when he said:
“Me & Mario are all good! these things happen in training & we shook hands after. it shows passion! #ctid”
City officials confirmed the incident later, but insisted no action would be taken against the pair, and manager Mancini will not fine the players.
But after seeing his team suffer their first defeat of their Premier League campaign at Chelsea on Monday, it is the last thing the Italian needs as he prepares for Sunday’s crucial showdown with Arsenal.
It is just the latest in a long line of controversies involving Balotelli since his £22milion move from Inter Milan last year, and team-mates are well used to his antics.
He is currently living in a hotel in the middle of Manchester after his multi-million pound country house caught fire when his friends set off outdoor fireworks in the bathroom before the 6-1 victory in the Manchester derby in October.
And before Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea, Balotelli broke a curfew by staying out until 1am on Sunday morning at an Indian restaurant.
City have had several training ground incidents in recent months.
Balotelli was involved in another bust up with defender Jerome Boateng last season, and also fell out with skipper Kompany, while Kolo Toure scrapped with Emmanuel Adebayor.
On Thursday night, a club insider played down the latest flare-up, saying: “It was something and nothing. It happened in the heat of the moment.
"These things happen on every training ground virtually every day of the week. They shook hands afterwards and there are no hard feelings.
"They are good mates and will remain so.”
GOLDEN WAG
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]GOLDEN EUROPE BOLLOX
Five Premier League clubs set to learn European draw fate
Andre Villas-Boas won the Europa League with Porto last season Arsenal and Chelsea will find out on Friday who they will face in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Both teams topped their groups, meaning they avoid Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
However, they could be given a tricky tie against AC Milan at the ceremony in Nyon, which precedes the Europa League draw.
Champions League qualifiers
Group winners: Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Benfica, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, APOEL, Barcelona.
Group runners-up: Napoli, CSKA Moscow, Basel, Lyon, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, Zenit St Petersburg, AC Milan.
The two Manchester clubs will join Stoke City in the draw for the next round of the Europa League.
However, on a miserable evening for British clubs on Thursday, Tottenham, Birmingham and Celtic were all knocked out of the competition.
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is particularly keen to avoid AC Milan, with Basel, who got the better of Manchester United, appearing to be an attractive draw, with Napoli, Marseille, Lyon, Bayer Leverkusen, Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA Moscow also possible opponents.
"[There is] one team with seven European titles and, for sure, those will be the ones to try to avoid," said Villas-Boas.
A trip to Russia would present challenges in February and March and Villas-Boas, whose Porto side played CSKA and Spartak Moscow in the Europa League knockout stages last season, said: "It happened to me last year in Porto twice and I have no problem with it.
"The synthetic pitch is also always difficult at CSKA but it's something that we think our players can handle.
"Zenit is a different story, a natural pitch.
Europa League qualifiers
PAOK FC, Standard Liège, Hannover 96, PSV Eindhoven, Legia Warsaw, Sporting Lisbon, Stoke City, Athletic Bilbao, Metalist Kharkiv, Braga, Atlético Madrid, Schalke 04, Twente, Anderlecht, Lokomotiv Moscow, Lazio, Besiktas, Steaua Bucharest, Salzburg, Wisla Krakow, Rubin Kazan, Club Brugge, Udinese, AZ Alkmaar, Man City, Trabzonspor, Man Utd, Ajax, Valencia, Olympiakos, Porto, Viktoria Plzen.
"Of course, it will be very, very cold. But normal circumstances."
United and City might find themselves in the less glamorous surroundings of the Europa League, but Reds striker Wayne Rooney is still desperate to win the trophy.
"I don't think the manager's won the Europa League, so I'm sure he'll want to win it," he said.
"Every competition we enter we want to win.
"There are some good teams but we have to believe, keep working and hopefully we can go on and win it."
The round of 32 draw will see the 12 group winners and the four best third-ranked teams from the Champions League group stage drawn against the 12 Europa League runners-up and the four remaining third-ranked teams from the Champions League. Winners and runners-up from the same group cannot face each other, and neither can teams from the same country.
MCF.NET THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=41193
Manchester United target, 21-year-old Spanish midfielder Koke, is unwilling to leave Atletico Madrid in January. Inside futbol
Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay wants three new players in January. He is looking for a defender, midfielder and an attacking player to improve the spine of his team. Daily Mirror
Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna, 30, is not ready to commit to a new deal at the Emirates. Daily Mirror
Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz wants to join Anderlecht in January to improve his chances of regular football ahead of the World Cup. The Costa Rican, 28, has started just seven league games this season. Sun
Fulham are hoping to sign former forward Clint Dempsey on loan during the MLS close season. West Ham and Stoke also want the American, 32, who left Tottenham for the Seattle Sounders in August. Daily Telegraph
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is already sounding out replacements for coach Andre Villas-Boas after his team's humiliating 5-0 defeat by Liverpool. DSSC
West Brom will target Molde manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they look to replace Steve Clarke. Daily Express
The Baggies could also move for Real Madrid assistant manager Paul Clement. Sun
Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan is also on West Brom's shortlist, along with Solskjaer, Clement, ex-Baggies player Martin Jol and Michael Appleton. Guardian
Watford boss Gianfranco Zola is on the brink of parting company with the club after losing their last five games at home. Daily Mirror
Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto posted a picture of him and Spurs forward Emmanuel Adebayor on Twitter in apparently good spirits after watching their side lose to Liverpool. DSSC
GOLDEN BOLLOX 16-12-2009
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reopened his feud with Manchester City boss Mark Hughes following Emmanuel Adebayor's alleged stamp on Robin van Persie on Saturday. Wenger, who used to accuse Hughes' Blackburn side of being too physical, said: "You ask 100 people, 99 will say it is very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes."
The Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... ughes.html
City are in talks with their legal team in a bid to save Adebayor from a potential four-match suspension following Football Association charges of violent conduct and improper conduct as a result of his actions against the Gunners.Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... y-ban.html
Althou the MuEN thinks otherwise . . .
City set to accept Adebayor ban http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ebayor_ban
Bored of the Ade controversy Liverpools co owner goes back to basics . . .
Hicks - City must curb spending http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 22,00.html
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor appeared to recreate his controversial celebration from Saturday's 4-2 win over his old club Arsenal after scoring in training on Tuesday. The Togo striker, who has been charged with improper conduct for running down the pitch to celebrate in front of Gunners fans, smiled as he ran and slid to his knees in front of his team-mates. (Various)
Manchester United are confident Wayne Rooney, 28, is ready to begin discussions on a new four-year contract worth £50m with Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez, Anderson and Alex Buttner among those who could be leaving Old Trafford. DSSC
Liverpool and Arsenal are among five Premier League sides chasing £12m-rated Hoffenheim winger Kevin Volland, 21. Mirror
Chelsea are hoping to beat Manchester United to the signing of £15m-rated Fredy Guarin, 27, after making an offer for the Inter Milan midfielder. Metro
Chelsea's chances of signing Adrien Rabiot, 18, could be dashed should Paris St-Germain fail to sign midfielder Paul Pogba, 20, from Juventus. Express
Manager Arsene Wenger, 64, will sign a new contract with Arsenal in the next month to keep him at the club until 2017. Mirror
Manchester United boss David Moyes says the money is in place to make a major signing that would demonstrate the club's ambition - however he might not be able to do a deal in January. Observer
Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen has offered his former Manchester United colleague Mike Phelan the chance to be his number two at Craven Cottage. The pair worked successfully under Alex Ferguson at United. DSSC
Defender John Terry, 33, is set for a new one-year contract at Chelsea after impressing boss Jose Mourinho. Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has defended the £15m summer signing of 24-year-old striker Andy Carroll, who has been out injured since August. London Evening Standard
Norwich boss Chris Hughton says the club will not be selling any of their key players in January. Norwich Evening News
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, has launched his own Facebook-style social network - all about himself. Metro
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has admitted to a secret addiction to feeding birds and says he spends almost £2,000 a year on bird feed. Sun
