Johan Elmander leads a host of names preparing to leave English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers.Sweden forward Elmander – who hit 12 goals in all competitions for Bolton – elected not to sign a new deal at Bolton and joins Jlloyd Samuel, Joey O’Brien and Tamir Cohen in leaving the club on free transfers.
Elmander arrived at the Reebok Stadium in 2008 for a club-record deal of 8.2 million pounds, but is now expected to join Turkish club Galatasaray.
Owen Coyle paid tribute to the departing quartet, who have all been at the club for multiple seasons.
“I wish all the players who are departing the club all the very best,” Coyle said.
“I want to thank them for their efforts and professionalism. Ultimately when these decisions come about they’re made for footballing reasons.”
In further changes to Coyle’s squad, loanees Daniel Sturridge and Rodrigo have both returned to parent clubs Chelsea and Benfica respectively.
Sturridge was particularly impressive in his loan stint, hitting eight goals in 12 appearances.
Forward Robbie Blake has won a one-year extension to his Bolton contract, while the club is in negotiations to prolong the stay of winger Ricardo Gardner.
Goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi also returns to the club after a season-long loan at Premier League rivals Wigan.
West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo admitted his team had caught Manchester City at exactly the wrong time as Roberto Mancini's side produced one of their best displays of the season to beat the Baggies 2-0 at The Hawthorns on Sunday.
City had lost their last three games in all competitions and the pressure was increasing on boss Mancini, who was able to welcome Carlos Tevez and Nigel De Jong back in to his side following injury.
Mario Balotelli scored both City's goals before being sent off, while Albion had Youssouf Mulumbu dismissed in the closing stages.
Di Matteo said after the game:"There is never a good time to play a team like City because they have so many good players. It's a shame we found them in good form.
"I think it's fair to say City were very good and we need to give them credit. They never let us settle into the game – especially in the first half.
"We tried to press them but they were good and moved the ball around in a one-touch style. They had good possession and quality players on the pitch. They were coming off the line, rotating and they just had quality on the ball.
"Balotelli showed sheer power and strength to hold off our defender on their second goal and it was difficult for our boys.
"In the second half, we managed to get closer to them and we put them under a little bit of pressure.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
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 were a bit unfortunate in hitting the post and crossbar.Maybe, if we'd got one goal back, it would have lifted the crowd and ourselves a little bit more and given us a better chance.
"In terms of Youssouf's second yellow card, there was no doubt about it. But he wasn't aware he had received a yellow card for the first one. That's why he was surprised."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Now a lot of you may have been surprised by the move of Samuel Eto’o to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala at the start of the season, especially with him being linked to some of the best teams in Europe.
Having said that, when you have played for some of the biggest teams in Europe and you reach the pivotal age of 30, as soon as a club comes to you with a three-year-deal worth 20 million Euros per season you don’t really take time to think twice.
Straight out of Kadji Sports Academy in Cameroon, Samuel Eto’o found himself plying his trade in Spain with Real Madrid’s B team. Unable able to break into the first team in 1997 he secured loan moves to various other La Liga clubs and eventually parted company with Real Madrid and joined Mallorca on a permanent deal in the year 2000.
The Cameroon striker was their all time leading scorer with 54 goals, later rewarding him with a move to Barcelona in 2004, where Eto’o accumulated 130 goals in 200 appearances for the Catalonians winning a Champions League trophy with Barcelona, making him one their top ten greatest goal scorers of all time.
[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]
As we all know, his time at Barcelona lasted until 2009 which saw the prolific striker move to Italy with Inter Milan where he managed 53 goals in 103 appearances while also bagging another Champions League trophy with the Italian Giants.
Now, I’m not one to pass judgement on players who do their job well, but surely the sheer dominance of of Samuel Eto’o leading the frontline of any superior team in Europe would have been an excellent prospect. The Former Barcelona player was linked with moves to Arsenal, AC Milan, Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Cameroon international would have been no stranger to the Premier League or even the Bundesliga; two leagues in which he evidently didn’t play in. His stats show that he has an over 50% goalscoring ratio, no matter where he goes.
Eto’o at any top European club would have been a huge asset to many potential buyers, for the very fact of the matter is he guarantees you goals. Although the price range would have been off-putting for some clubs, especially with his age to consider, it would have been a risk worth taking due to his experience and footballing ability on the pitch. You don’t win three Champions Leagues for nothing.
The only issue I would have with him in the Premier League at this stage is maybe his ego; he’s always been known to fall out with players and staff, but in some cases that can be used as a positive if handled correctly. Samuel has always been known for his controversy; it was only last year that the Cameroon Football Federation handed him a 15 match ban for his role in the national teams strike.
So far, for Anzhi, the 30 year old has bagged eight goals in 12 appearances, so it’s quite hard to say he is not worth what he’s being paid, ok, maybe just a bit much but you understand where I’m coming from. Will there still be time for him to perform at the highest level after his contract is up? I doubt it; Anzhi looks to be the last straw for Samuel in a very successful career.
In his defence you’re going to get a little bit of arrogance with every good player, and it can pay off once a player is delivering the goods at the highest level, and that’s what he continues to do.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
So although I am disappointed to not see him in the Premier League especially, I do understand his reasoning behind resisting the chance.
Manchester City have celebrated their drought-breaking FA Cup win with an open-top bus parade through the streets of Manchester on Monday.The Sky Blues defeated Stoke City 1-0 in the final at Wembley earlier this month, securing the club’s first major trophy in 35 years and sparking scenes of wild celebration in the city.
An estimated 10,000 people lined the streets in support of the players and manager Roberto Mancini, who also led the club to their maiden Champions League berth with a third-place finish in the English Premier League this term.
Mancini was taken aback by the level of support at the parade.
“I’m enjoying it for our supporters. I’m surprised because I didn’t think there would be as many people as this,” he said.
Belgian defender Vincent Kompany predicted big things to come for the club, telling fans the challenge now was to close the gap on cross-town rivals and league champions Manchester United.
“I’m really proud – it is a big achievement you know,” Kompany said.
“It is not just about winning the FA Cup and getting further, it’s especially about the fact that it hasn’t happened for 35 years at this club.”
“It’s definitely a sign of intent for what we want to achieve at this club so I’m very happy about it. I hope this is the first of many.”
Assistant manager Brian Kidd, who made more than 200 appearances for United in his days as a striker, said the club are ready to juggle the Premier League with life in Europe’s top-tier competition.
“Well it’s like everything, I think we will have to prioritise again,” Kidd said.
“For me the Premier League is our bread and butter. I always feel our aim is to do well in the Premier League.”
“With the players that we have got we will have to prioritise, the Champions League, the Premier League, the (FA) Cup and the Carling Cup.”
Temperamental striker Mario Balotelli was absent from the parade, having been given permission by Mancini to return to his native Italy for personal reasons.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is keeping his fingers crossed that the injury picked up by Darren Bent while on England duty proves not to be too serious.
Bent will miss Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro with an abductor muscle injury.
The in-form striker was set to partner Wayne Rooney up front in a rare England start and had admitted to being "gutted" and "angry" at his untimely injury setback.
Bent had impressed Fabio Capello after scoring seven goals in nine club appearances this season.
His availability is now a concern for Black Cats boss Bruce ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter with Blackburn Rovers.
"Benty's had a scan and England have confirmed he won't play any part tonight," Bruce told his club's official website.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
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're hoping it's not too serious but Darren's still with England at the moment so we won't put any time-scales until our own medical team have had a chance to assess the injury."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Martin O’Neill has saluted Sunderland goalscorer Frazier Campbell, after the striker bagged the equaliser against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
A Barry Robson goal had given The Championship side the lead in the local derby at The Stadium of Light, but Campbell popped up in the second half to force a replay.
O’Neill praised his returning attacker, and is glad to have him fit and available for selection after serious knee injuries.
“I am really, really delighted for him, and I think everybody is around here – it’s hard not to be with the injuries he has sustained,” the trainer told Sky Sports.
“He took it brilliantly as well – it may well have been his first or second touch.”
The Bantams looked to have equalised just before half time when Craig Gardner found the Middlesbrough net only for the goal to be disallowed; the Northern Irish manager feels hard done by.
“I have been told it was given for offside, and it wasn’t offside.
“The referee is adamant that’s what the linesman gave it for. There is supposedly a suggestion of handball beforehand, which I don’t think he saw.
“I said to the referee at half-time, ‘Was it handball or offside?’, and he said, ‘I never mentioned handball’, so if it was given for offside, it should have stood,” he ranted.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The replay at The Riverside Stadium is set to be played on Tuesday 7th February, with the winner hosting Arsenal in the next stage.
Vegalta Sendai climbed to the top of the J-League with a 1-0 win at home to Avispa Fukuoka on Tuesday, with Kashiwa Reysol losing the lead.Japan international Shingo Akamine struck the winning goal for hosts Vegalta in the 78th minute at Sendai Stadium.
The win lifts them into first place on the table at the expense of Kashiwa, who went down 2-1 away to Montedio Yamagata.
Hideaki Kitajima had levelled for Kashiwa after defender Hidenori Ishii put the hosts ahead, but striker Yu Hasegawa’s effort seven minutes from time secured all three points for Yamagata.
Defeat leaves Kashiwa second, one point behind Sendai.
Yokohama F. Marinos are two points off the pace in third following a 2-0 win away to Urawa Reds, with forward Kazuma Watanabe and defensive midfielder Shohei Ogura on target for the visitors.
In other matches, Brazilian Bruno Lopes scored the only goal as Albirex Niigata saw off the visit of Vissel Kobe 1-0, while Kawasaki Frontale beat Jubilo Iwata by the same score-line thanks to a last-minute strike from Yu Kobayashi.
Ventforet Kofu needed an equaliser from Yoshiro Abe to draw 1-1 at home to Omiya Ardija, who led early in the match through Keigo Higashi.
Finally, David Mujiri’s 70th-minute goal saw Sanfrecce Hiroshima win 1-0 away to Shimizu S-Pulse.
Former Spurs boy Rohan Ricketts’ shares some of his ‘off the pitch’ memories…
The banter was hilarious. Robbie Keane and Jamie Redknapp great people to be around. They would love to wind each other up by secretly sending prank texts from the other one’s phone. Robbie would text Louise Redknapp pretending to be Jamie and then Jamie would get revenge by texting the Ireland manager from Robbie’s phone.
Of course there’s also all the usual stuff you have to put up with like someone cutting up your brand new Armani suit and putting sh*t in your shoes. But sometimes the wind-ups aren’t always so obvious.
When I was at Barnsley, Andy Johnson had a phobia of cotton wool so we put loads in his jeans. When he came back after training he put his hands in his pockets and started freaking out and having a bit of a seizure. He got so mad that he threatened to bring in a dead rat because he lived in a farm house and had some big ones kicking about.
I remember one player at Spurs who had slept with this girl who was in the public eye and she wasn’t the best looking. When the boys, especially Robbie Keane, found out about it they never stopped hammering him about it. They even got her number from his phone and started calling her up.
You do get some guys who are goody two shoes – a bit more sensible than the rest. They get ripped to pieces every day with banter and if they’re not strong they end up wanting to leave the club. Sometimes it gets too much because players don’t stop. Players are like hunters who can smell their prey – if they sense weakness they’ll kill you.
At Spurs there was one player who used to get hammered because the others didn’t rate him. They’d banter about his bad touch and that he was ‘stealing a living’. They’d make out they were only joking but you know never a truer word said in jest. It got really bad one Christmas party and I don’t know if it affected him but he left Spurs pretty soon after.
I’ve met some players that are so crazy you do wonder where they’d be if they weren’t playing football. There was this one guy who kept me laughing the whole time. Once we went on tour and out of nowhere he ran across the hotel lobby and did a two footed tackle on a plant pot in and smashed it to pieces. He was only wearing his flip flops!
Then there was this other bloke was at Tottenham who was ruthless. We were on tour one time and he needed to go to the toilet but his roommate was in there so instead he shat on the floor . Then he put a £50 note on it and left the room. I used to ask him what he was going to do at the weekend and he’d always say something like: “Get drunk, get into a scrap and end up in a cell. Bob’s your uncle, I’ll be back in Monday morning.” He knew he was going to get arrested before he was even drunk!
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
I’ve seen players fight each other in the dressing room. I remember after one game a really big name star was talking to younger player who called him a ‘****** ****’. The star just smacked the kid and busted his nose up for being too mouthy. In terms of physical size they were as big as each other but the big name player is a star and in his mind that made him King Kong…
Rohan’s full diaries are available at Sabotage Times
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has appealed the FA’s charge of violent conduct, relating to the game against Brighton at the weekend.
The France international was cited for kicking out at Brighton’s Adam El Abd in the 1-0 defeat for the Tyneside club.
An FA regulatory commission will now hear Cabaye’s appeal on Wednesday, before making a decision on the incident.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew is standing by his player, and feels that there was no malice in the incident on the part of the Newcastle man.
“I am absolutely livid about it, if I am honest, because firstly, when the incident happened, I didn’t see anything wrong with it,” the Toon trainer told Sky Sports.
“I have reviewed that about seven or eight times and seriously, he (Cabaye) is trying to stop the boy (El Abd) falling on him.
“He does make a gesture to push him away and in doing so, catches him just on the lip.
“If you find that that was a malicious attempt to do that then, my goodness, you have never played this game,” he stated.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Marauding wing-back Dani Alves said he wants Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to extend his contract, which expires at the end of next season.The Brazilian Alves, whose attacking forays from the back have been a trademark of the hugely successful Barcelona side, said he could not envisage the 40-year-old Guardiola managing anywhere but at Camp Nou in the future.
“Everyone has their cycle and one day his will come to an end. We hope his cycle will last for a very long time because we can’t imagine Barca without Guardiola,” the Brazilian told El Mundo.
The former Sevilla star said Guardiola, who enjoyed a successful playing career with the Blaugrana in addition to stints with Brescia and AS Roma in Italy’s Serie A, garnered ominous respect from within the playing group.
“We follow him with our eyes shut. He is very intelligent, he always knows what he is doing,” Alves said.
“To not follow Guardiola would be foolish. Since we are not foolish we will follow him until he gets tired of us.”