All posts by h79snht.top

England’s qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil begins starts next year once again raising the hopes that our national team might finally progress past the quarter finals.

A pretty straight forward group stands in the way of the Three Lions and a new man is likely to be at the helm considering current boss Fabio Capello has declared that he’ll leave after next years European Championships.

With the supposed Golden Generation, the likes of Lampard, Gerrard and Terry, all ageing and on the way out it will be up to Capello or the new man to bring through the next batch of England stars.

Ian Wright recently gave his unique insight into who he thought would be in the starting eleven come to big kick off in 2014.  (Read Here).

For England to succeed in the tournament they need a mix of young flair along with a few experienced heads. We’ve lacked any sort of leadership over the last couple of years with the captains armband being handed over more times than the box used during pass the parcel.

There are some quality young players out there who are playing regular football and will do for the next couple of years giving them some experience before the finals. Then there are the players who are more knowledgeable who will be used to the big game situations and will provide a calmer head.

I think that the 2014 World Cup could be England’s most successful of the modern era to date. Not saying we’ll win it but i’m certain the players that are coming through will put on a better show than the class of 2010.

So here is my prophesied England starting eleven for the 2014 World Cup Finals!

Click on Jack Wilshere to see the England XI for Brazil 2014 (should we qualify of course)

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Fulham have added to their options in attack by signing forwards Bryan Ruiz and Orlando Sa on transfer deadline day.

Ruiz joins for a fee of £10.6 million from Dutch side Twente, and turned down an offer from Newcastle to move to Craven Cottage according to The Daily Mail.

Alan Pardew’s side are believed to have bid £12 million for the Costa Rica international, but he was convinced to move to London by Fulham boss Martin Jol, who knows the former Eredivisie attacker from his time coaching Ajax.

Sa meanwhile, moves from Porto on a free transfer, and has signed a three-year deal with the Cottagers.

The 23-year-old former Portugal under-21 starlet spent last season on loan at Nacional, and is delighted to have moved to England.

“I am happy to have completed my transfer to Fulham and the Premier League today. This is an enormous opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to joining the team and entering the next phase of my development,” he told Fulham’s official website.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“It’s a wonderful challenge for me and I am keen to bring my qualities to Fulham and the Premier League.”

[ad_pod id=’qs-1′ align=’center’]

In the 21st century, football is a sport that is driven ferociously by the national media with breaking stories and latest scandals bringing in the big bucks for newspapers, television companies and websites. With this clamour for a story that will jump to the public’s attention footballers are now being approached to be interviewed and offer their opinions on matters that should – at times – be kept behind closed doors.

In a recent video interview, Fernando Torres placed the blame for his dreadful form and goal-scoring record at Chelsea on the shoulders of his supposedly ‘slower’ teammates. Whilst there is no disputing that Torres might actually have a point, it seems illogical to voice such grievances in the press instead of keeping it ‘in-house’. With social networks like Facebook and Twitter also becoming home to the musings of footballers these days, is it right that these players are allowed to speak as freely as they do? More to the point, why do footballers have so much to say these days?

I’m pretty much expecting the argument of ‘they’re human beings and should be allowed freedom of speech’ to follow. Whilst I agree partly with the fact footballers should be allowed to speak their mind and have opinions like everyone else, their words carry a truckload of significance in both the lives of fans and others in the footballing sphere – not least, in this instance, Torres’ ‘slower’ colleagues.

Like Joey Barton before him, Torres has gone about airing the displeasure he holds with his teammates the completely wrong way. Unlike Barton, who took to Twitter when he decied to rant about Newcastle’s owner Mike Ashley and ended up becoming the most talked about footballer in the country, Torres spoke to the official La Liga website and is now insisting his words weren’t translated accurately. Regardless of whether the interview was interpreted incorrectly, and and regardless of whether what he said was taken out of context, he still shouldn’t have openly criticised his teammates in the first place. But why did he do it? Frustration, attempting to shift the blame? Or something more sinister?

[ad_pod id=’vip-2′ align=’centre’]

One thing that is for certain is that footballers are becoming more vocal in the written press and online, and in my opinion the amount of power they now hold in the game is the root cause. Fame and fortune have risen considerably along with the level of disrespect that players now seem to have for their clubs. Some are more concerned with keeping their name in the headlines and having their share of the limelight than anyting else.

Torres’ outburst comes just a matter of days after he was benched by manager Andre Villas-Boas for Saturday’s win against Sunderland, pushing him out of the Stamford Bridge spotlight. Would he have uttered the same words if he was still in the starting 11 or am I just clutching at straws? It’s just a theory, but I think it’s valid to say that players are now starting to come out with more controversial quotes in an effort to remain in the spotlight and garner attention towards themselves. Players know that journalists and fans will put whatever they say under fierce scrutiny and debate, keeping them relevant – whether it’s good press or bad.

Players like Torres who earn millions of pounds a year seem to have adopted a ‘no-fear’ approach when talking to the press. What do they need to worry about if they get fined or reprimanded further by their club? They earn a more money in a week than most will in a year. Some blame could be attached to the media who, in their line of questioning, could subtly coax out the responses that they know will bring in the sales for their employer. Then there is the argument that footballers should be wiser and more intelligent in how they handle certain questions and the way they answer them so not to cause controversy. People may say there is no way of telling if a footballer is being incredibly naïve or extremely astute in what he is saying during an interview.

My view is that footballers go into interviews knowing what they are going to say. They are embroiled in a perpetual crusade to remain firmly in public glare and free themselves from the risk of sliding perilously into insignificance. They feed journalists with the juicy material which they know will be splashed all over the front pages giving them prime exposure and keeping them fresh in the minds of the public.

[divider]

Fancy a Premier League Box Experience? Click on banner below to find out more

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[divider]

Steve Kean’s future at Blackburn Rovers remains in the balance as the Venkys suggested that they will be sitting down together to discuss the best way forward. The Rovers team are currently on a tour of India allowing the Venkys to showcase their football club; however with the team struggling back in England and fan protests towards the manager has somewhat soured the tour. The Venkys suggested that they will take supporter feeling into consideration, before they make any decision on the next steps forward for the Lancashire club.

Elsewhere in the news today Sir Alex Ferguson expected a challenge from City; Suarez rights off Liverpool’s chances, while the Premier League TV rights disputed.

Ferguson expected City challenge

Premier League TV rights disputed

Szczesny wants Arsenal captaincy

De Gea explains doughnut scandal

Kean’s future in the balance

Suarez rights off Liverpool chances

Gareth Bale gets accolade

Newcastle set reopen negotiations with £8m bid

Everton beat off Spurs to land £2m Bantams ace

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Liverpool join Premier League rivals in £18m chase

Welbeck backs Ferdinand to return

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

With the January transfer window sneaking up on the Premier League sides, it is a chance for unhappy players to earn a move away from their current club to earn some first team football on a regular basis. Whether it be an older player hoping for one last hurrah at a big club or an international player looking to break into their side for the Euro’s next summer players will definitely be on the move after Christmas.

The January transfer window can often be the start of a clubs escape from relegation or push for the European places but it has also come in for some criticism in the past few years. Some players have moved in January in the past for extortionate prices, for example Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres, and not lived up to their hype, so it could be described as a time for panic buying. We are hoping for some more big money signings at the big clubs to bring even more talent to the Premier League and for squad players to get their chance at new clubs ahead of a captivating end to the Premier League season, followed by Euro 2012.

Click on Craig Gordon below to unveil the 10 players likely to move on in January

[divider]

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Compiled by Brad Pinard

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has admitted that the absence of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard is a blow for the club, but the team can succeed without the long standing duo.

Gerrard has suffered an injury setback after a seven month lay-off, and will be unavailable for 2-3 weeks due to an ankle injury, whilst Carragher is also on the sidelines at present.

Despite praising the homegrown pair’s influence on the Anfield outfit, the Scottish coach has confidence in the remainder of his squad.

“We would much rather have both of them available, but if they aren’t then we can’t walk about with self-pity. We have to brush ourselves down and get on with it,” Dalglish told Mirror Football.

“The response from the players has been fantastic, and it was a great achievement for the boys to get a result at West Brom last Saturday without them. I think that’s a reflection of how strong the squad is now compared to maybe how it was at the end of last season.

“I don’t think at the end of last season we’d have coped as well without Carra and Stevie as we have now. We won’t be complacent in any way, shape or form. The sooner they are back then the better we will be,” he concluded.

Liverpool host Swansea on Saturday at Anfield, and the Merseyside faithful will be baying for three points to bolster their top four finish ambitions.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

As football moves into month number twelve,

Into the action we must delve,

We shouldn’t be surprised Blackburn scored four,

If you feed the Yak, then he will score

The Nigerian forward on fire for Rovers,

Still can’t silence the Steve Kean loathers,

Arsenal win as you would’ve assumed,

van Persie scores, normal service resumed

In the North East, Newcastle lose,

In the eyes of the Toon it’s quite some ruse,

A very lucky man is David Luiz,

Not a great weekend though for referees,

Norwich thrashed by Manchester City,

Mancini’s men took no pity,

Balotelli steals the headlines once more,

Using his shoulder he managed to score.

His madcap antics don’t seem to have an end,

Surely he’s driving Mancini round the bend!

Player of the Weekend

First there was Feed the Goat. Now, in the feeding stakes at least, it is the time of the Yak. The man who goes by the name of Aiyegbeni Yakubuis doing all he can to keep Blackburn afloat. He became the first player in the Premier League to net four in this campaign as Blackburn secured their second win. Having been shipped out to Leicester on loan last season by Everton, some were questioning whether he could still hack it in the Premier League. Ten goals so far says he can.

Goal of the Weekend

Although there were some 29 goals this weekend, there weren’t too many screamers. So for sheer audacity, let’s give Mario Balotelli some recognition. Where most players would head the ball in from a yard, the Italian forward decided to shoulder the ball over line nonchalantly. Only Balotelli…

[divider]

[gigya_reactions]

[divider]

Save of the Weekend

Tim Krul managed to earn Newcastle a point last weekend at Old Trafford. He did all he could to save the Toon this weekend but his attempts were ultimately futile as Chelsea ran out 3-0 winners. However, his penalty save from Frank Lampard was sublime. The Dutch ‘keeper tipped the Englishman’s spot kick onto the post and Krul has to be rated as one of the top stoppers in the Premier League at the moment.

Controversy of the Weekend – “Who is the last man?”

The laws of football are open to interpretation as all managers will testify. However, decisions made by Mike Dean and Stuart Attwell will get many talking over the coming days.

At the Sports Direct Arena, David Luiz hauled down Demba Ba and had the forward not been fouled he would have been clean through on goal. However, Dean deemed this to only be worthy of a yellow card. Meanwhile at White Hart Lane, Gary Cahill was sent off after Scott Parker nipped in and stole the ball from him on the halfway line. Despite Zat Knight looking like he could cover, Attwell thought Cahill had committed a professional foul and dismissed him.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Two undoubtedly questionable decisions but Newcastle had their fair share of fortune with a penalty decision at Old Trafford last weekend – swings and roundabouts some might say. However, this doesn’t justify what was a wrong decision on Saturday yet they lacked the mental strength to overcome Dean’s decision. As for Bolton they had hardly made an awe inspiring start at White Hart Lane. Owen Coyle might want to question why Gary Cahill is attempting to do a Cruyff turn out of trouble.

Nevertheless, there needs to be consistency from referees and currently certain laws of the game are perhaps too open to interpretation. Whilst there is a continued lack of consistency, players won’t know where they stand and managers will continue to criticise referees. It’s time for officials to be helped – laws need to be clarified and video technology must be brought in to assist.

Where do you stand on the matter? Tweet me @arhindtutt or why not comment below.

[gigya_comments]

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he was happy with Manchester United’s 2-0 win over QPR on Sunday, but feels that his team should have scored more goals.

An early opener from Wayne Rooney was backed up by an excellent individual effort by Michael Carrick, in what turned out to be an easy day in London for the Premier League champions.

Despite the three points, the Scottish coach feels his side should have had the game wrapped up in the first half.

“I thought it was a good performance but I thought we were wasteful with the chances we had in the match,” he told Sky Sports.

“We should have really had the game won by the 30 minute mark but their goalkeeper had two fantastic saves, obviously we missed a couple of really good chances.

“But all in all, it was a very good performance,” he continued.

Carrick’s strike was his first in almost two years, and Ferguson is happy with how the midfielder is playing currently.

“I think (Carrick’s goal) puts the game to bed really and he did fantastically well. He’s been at the top of his game now Michael, I’m really pleased with his performances and he gave us that control in the middle of the pitch with Phil Jones.,” he stated.

Finally Ferguson applauded his team’s response to being eliminated from the Champions League, and feels his players have reacted well to the disappointment.

“We are not immune to losing a game, obviously we don’t want to lose big ones it has to be said. But, in the nature of our club, it’s been put down as another day in the history of Manchester United and we get on with it.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“We don’t sit and moan about it, we do something about it and I think the players have done that,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

Fulham manager Martin Jol has admitted that he is eager to sign at least one player on loan this January, but has stated that it won’t be Catania striker Maxi Lopez.

The Cottagers have been linked with a move for the Argentine forward, who has also been a target for AC Milan in recent times, but the Dutch coach feels a temporary move for the South American is unlikely.

“We said we would like to do something on loan with one or two players,” Jol stated in a press conference, published in Sky Sports.

“Catania were probably not in a situation to put Maxi Lopez, who is a good player and scored some goals for them, on loan.

“I don’t think he will go anywhere else on loan. It is a non-starter,” he admitted.

Jol was also quick to deny claims that his side were over-reliant on Clint Dempsey for goals, despite the fact that the United States international bagged a hat-trick in the club’s last match.

“We have other players that can score. We have got goals in us, with Bryan Ruiz, Moussa Dembele and Bobby Zamora, who was involved in at least three goals the other day,” the trainer stated, this time in The Sun.

“We have got the quality but I can’t deny that Clint is very different for us this year.

“Maybe he was in the past. I think so because he was our top scorer before.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“You always like your top scorer to be up front but if it’s Clint, it’s Clint. If it is Bobby, it is Bobby. It doesn’t matter to me,” he confirmed.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

‘Exiled to Russia’ is the first phrase that comes to mind. At least it was before Anzhi Makhachkala became a force in Russian football and began flexing their financial muscle. Their acquisitions in the recent past have been impressive: prolonging the career of Brazilian legend and club captain Roberto Carlos and making Samuel Eto’o the highest paid player in world football. In a time of economic crisis and Uefa’s clamping down on reckless spending, Anzhi are certainly not shying away from fulfilling their ambitions and sneaking in the backdoor to pick up some of Europe’s top performers. The impeding signing of Christopher Samba definitely came out of left field, and where the player was expected to sign for one of the top clubs in the Premier League this summer, he will now at the very least triple his wages in Russian football. An act of greed, or is the Congolese defender fulfilling an ambition by joining the revolution in Eastern Europe?

A breakdown in relations at Blackburn between the club and their captain Christopher Samba has led to discussions of a promise to allow the player to leave the struggling club at the end of the season. Samba was denied a move to one of London’s ambitious sides in either Tottenham or QPR in January, with the club insisting the player was to remain where he is. But in spite of Samba’s desire to leave Blackburn as soon as possible, is the fringes of European football really the most desirable place, even if the cash does flow like water?

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Anzhi are a side, like most with serious money, who want to make an impression in the Champions League and go on to win the trophy. A realistic vision, or one that will be laughed off in a similar manner which greeted Shakhtar Donetsk and their hopes of a European trophy. There’s no question that the Ukrainian side have helped to raise the profile of football in Eastern Europe through winning the Uefa Cup in 2009, along with teams such as CSKA Moscow who are competing regularly in he Champions League and the Luzhniki Stadium hosting the all English 2008 Champions League final. It just seems a little odd that Samba has chosen a destination so out of the way of the public eye, where a similar big move could have been achieved in England and with perhaps greater chance of success in Europe.

The signing of Samuel Eto’o last summer has been a smart move for the club—who are based in the Republic of Dagestan. His arrival will surely pave the way for many other top names in Europe to follow, and Christopher Samba may even further increase the profile of one of Europe’s richest clubs. In that sense it could be a great coup for the club, who have once again materialised out of nowhere to pick up a player who would have potentially been on a number of top clubs’ radar.

In spite of their location, they are comfortably building a squad and a foundation with which to conquer Russian football and make their mark in Europe. Will Samba’s move open the door even wider for European based players and specifically those from the Premier League? Or is his signing seen as nothing more than an opportunity for a big pay day? Much was said about Eto’o’s move to Anzhi, and the view was that one of the best strikers in Europe still had something to offer the Italian, Spanish or even English leagues.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It might be unwise to simply dismiss Samba’s move as an act of greed, but at this stage Anzhi are hardly the European superpower that they one day hope to be. The Russian league, while boasting a number of top talents, cannot lay claim to being one of the premier football leagues in Europe. Like Eto’o, Samba still had much to offer a high-profile club competing at the top end of an elite league, and his departure, at least for now, may be seen as premature.

[ffcvideo file=”tfcbep4″ type=”mp4″ image_type=”jpg”]