Why City should cash in on Balotelli.

After signing for £24 million from Inter Milan in the 2010 summer transfer window, Mario Balotelli has attracted an awful lot of attention, both positive and negative. The Italian is a journalist's dream with his on and off the field antics, most notibly posing in an AC Milan shirt whilst playing for rivals Inter months before his transfer to City. But after only starting 33 games in the Premier League since joining, many fans are growing frustrated with his poor performances. Many would suggest that Mancini sees 22 year old Balotelli as his almost 'adopted Italian son' and feels the need to play him as often as possible in order to get the best out of him. But City fans would prefer for Tevez and Aguero to start instead. The inclusion of Balotelli from the start has again been scrutinised this season due to Edin Dzeko's superb early form, scoring 5 more goals than his team mate.
   It has been reported in Italy that Serie A giants Juventus, AC Milan and former club Inter Milan are interested in bringing the tempermental striker back to his native country, and Mancini should definitely cash in. Balotelli seems to be a nightmare to coach, after reports have suggested he has been at the centre of many training ground bust ups, and so in my opinion the sooner he leaves the club, the better. Although he is young, and so some will argue he has time to mature and develop furhter as a player, he still seems to be the troublesome piece in an ever changing puzzle at the Etihad. Take the cash and bring in some else!




Dan

Belgium - The Surpise Package For 2014?

After slipping to an all time low 71st in the FIFA rankings just five years ago, and failing to qualify for Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Belgium's national team have come a long way. The emergence of many young and talent footballers has been a breath of fresh air since the teams "Golden Era" in the 1980s and 90s under Guy Thys.
    With most national teams, the majority of the players play their domestic football in their home nation, increasing their chances of being watched on a regualr basis and establishing themselves in the set up. This is not the case for Belgium. A great deal of what would be classed as their strongest starting 11 play their club football in the Premier League, which in truth, can only be a positive thing for the country. Notable household names such as Vincent Kompany (captain), Eden Hazard and Marouane Fellaini are vital players for some of the biggest clubs in the division. But there are so many more, such as Kevin Mirallas, who signed for Everton in the summer joining team mate Fellaini. The attacking potential that Belgium have to offer is frightening, especially when you consider the age of these players. When playing three attacking midfielders and a striker, the average age if 22, with the youngest being Romelu Lukaku at 19. This boy has got bags of potential, and has everything a player needs to be a world class striker. He still has a lot to learn, but who wouldn't get excited by a player labelled 'The new Drogba'.
    Of course, this team needs a lot of time to gel and gain experience. Some may say 2014 is a little too soon for such a young sqaud. But with the team sitting top of Group A on goal difference, the transition period seems to have already been completed. If they can keep all the young stars improving everytime they play, some big nations such as Spain, Argentina and hosts Brazil may be in for a shock when the Red Devils turn up in Rio.




Dan Youde

Work Experience

When the time comes for me to pack up and head off to university next September, I aim to be studying journalism. During this course, I would hope to branch off and specialise in sport journalism in particular, which many of you would've already realised is my main interest in life. To bulk up my application and make myself more credible for a place, I need to step up my game and organise some work experience. During the October half term, I did just that.
    I had luckily got myself three days shadowing the sports journalists at Granada Reports in Manchester, who cover the main sports stories across the North West. In this blog I will share with you the experiences and skills I have gained from being involved with such a fantastic team.
    Firstly, as I walked into the office, I realised that journalism as a whole had an awful lot more to it than i had previously imagined. However, my expectations were exceeded by the end of the three days. The first day involved getting to know everyone in the department and becoming familiar with all the equipment I would be using for the very first time. Getting to know everyone was easy. There were four sports journalists who made me feel right at home straight from the start and welcomed any questions and queries. This was crucial for me as I felt that if we hadn't had gotten on as well, I wouldn't of gotten the best out of my time there. But anyway, the first day flew by. I had to help with editing pieces to go on air that night, and to be stored for later use, and I also got to watch the show from the gallery. It was very interesting to see how everyone coped up there, as they had to get everything right in order for the show to run smoothly. However, the atmoshpere was a lot more laid back, with there being a mixture of joking and hard work.
    The second day involved me going out around lunch time with one of the reporters, Dave, to UCLAN sports centre. Waiting for us there were the England Rugby League Team who were posing for a photoshoot and then having a training session ahead of the Autumn internationals. Before the shoot, we were aloud to interview players such as Sam Tomkins and Chris Hill. These interviews, along with the photos from the shoot and a few recordings of the team's training session, would go towards creating a 'package' that was used the next day. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, meeting international stars and getting stuck in. But I learnt another lesson....journalists have to be patient! We waited over an hour on the pitch for the players to get chaged out of their suits to come out and train. Madness, right!? When we returned, I analysed Dave editing the piece and watched the show once again from the gallery. Another enjoyable day.
   Sadly, the final day arrived, but it had the potential to be a great one. I had to get in early, which meant getting up at 5:30 to get the into Manchester at 9!! Me, and Chris headed out to the velodrome to get an interview with Olympic Gold medalist Steven Burke. We arrived and begain filming their training on the track, which was phoenominal to see up close. When the session had finished we once again had to wait, this time for about 45 minutes, until Steven came up for the interview. I stood behind the camera as Chris asked the questions, and we concluded with a handshake. An honour! We got back just in time for me to travel to Liverpool with Dan, the youngest of the 4 journalists, for David Price's press conference at Jamie Carragher's bar ahead of his fight with Matt Skelton. After setting up, Dan recorded the presser and got an interview with David outside. This time, we didn't have to wait at all really. 1 out of 3 eyy! This time, I observered the show from the studio floor, getting to see Tony and Lucy (The presenters) up close whilst they work. This gave me a fabulous insight into a presenters time on air, and how professionally the conduct themselves. Sadly though, this was my last day and I said my goodbyes and headed home. The sixth train ride in 3 days...!
    This experience has definitely developed my understanding of how a sport journalist goes about their business, and has enhanced my desire to become one even more. So I thank Mike, Dave, Chris and Dan for putting up with me and sharing their experiences with me over those three days. They were more than enoyable.




          Dan

Future Three Lions

Goalkeeper: Joe Hart (25) - After breaking into the Manchester City team, pushing Shay Given aside, Joe Hart hasn't looked back. His impressive performances have helped him nail down the number one slot for both club and country. Hi age is also no matter, as goalkeepers can carry on until their late 30's. Just look at Brad Friedel.

Right Back: Kyle Walker (22) - His blistering pace and determined to succeed attitude has helped Walker stamp his authority on the right back position as Tottenham, which is a credit to him at such a young age. When given the opportunity, he will get forward to help with attacks, but he also has the fitness levels to get back and defend.

Centre Back:  Steven Caulker (20) - He was impressive during his loan spell at Swansea City, striking a formidible partnership with Wales Captain Ashley Williams, and he now has his chance to prove himself at a higher level. He won't get many chances in the coming year. But after the next world cup, keep an eye out for Caulker making crunching tackles in an England shirt.

Centre Back: Phil Jones (20) - Despite injury ruling him out of the start of this season, Jones will have to prove himself again, firstly at United and then at England level. A few blunders cost his team vital points last season, but at the age of 20 years old he has a long time to mature and learn some 'tricks of the traid' from Ferdinand and Vidic.

Left Back: Kieran Gibbs (23) - Having to push Ashley Cole out of the left back role would have been near impossible a few years ago. But after his latest Twitter scandal, it seems there is a limited future for Cole. Gibbs is a young and enthusiatic player, who has been in the Arsenal first team for many seasons now. Watch out for forward runs and deadly crosses.

Right Midfield: Theo Walcott (23) - This boy has been around for ages since his move from Southampton to Arsenal. Despite playing a bit part for his club and country, mainly making his appearances from the bench, its time for him to step up. He needs to work on his control and his final delivery. But I feel if he was to be in the starting 11, it would be on the wing instead of his prefered position, up front.

Centre Midfield: Jack Wilshere (20) - If he can stay fit, then Wilshere can be the missing piece in England's puzzle. Injuries have tarnished his early career, missing the whole of last season through ankle, foot and heel problems. But his creativity shown in the games he has played has excited many fans across the country. This boy is a fantastic talent.

Centre Midfield: Tom Cleverly (23) - He has broken into the Manchester United first team, scoring his first goal against Newcastle last season, and he has no intention of looking back. The only concern with playing these two in midfield is that there is a lack of 'steel' to it. But if they click together, England fans can expect a lot of goals.

Left Midfield: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (19) - Not many would believe that this boy was only 19 years old. His level of maturity is second to non for both club and country, as he has made many appearances so far. He has a very bright future ahead of him, and after scoring his first senior England goal against San Marino, fans can expect many more from the left wing.

Centre Forward: Danny Welbeck (21) - His partnership with Wayne Rooney at United has been replicated for the national team, and that has given Welbeck a fantastic foundation to build upon. He hasn't necessarily been amongst the goals for England, scoring only 2 goals in 11 appearances, but he shows much a great deal of promise for the future.

Striker: Andy Carroll (23) - The past few years for Carroll have't been the best, after being considered a 'flop' at Anfield. But securing a loan deal to West Ham could reignite his career, both for club and country. He has all the attributes to be the ideal number 9 for England, its whether he can gel with the rest of the team and convert the chances created.

Bench:
 - Jack Butland (19)
 - Chris Smalling (22)
 - Leighton Baines (27)                                                                        
 - Jack Rodwell (21)
 - Jordan Henderson (22)
 - Daniel Sturridge (23)
 - Wilfred Zaha (19)

            

4 reasons why Chelsea CAN win the league.

After winning the Champions League for the first time last season, Roberto Di Matteo's men will be looking to develop and build upon their triumph in Munich by adding the Premier Legaue title this season. I write this now as Chelsea are drawing 1-1 away at Arsenal after 43 minutes.

1. Plently of creativity: The summer signings of Eden Hazard and Oscar have most definitely added a lot more balance and fluidity to Chelsea's attacking midfield options. Along with Juan Mata, they have many options if an injury occurs, and each option is as good as the next. Each player in this position has similar characteristics to those at Barcelona. Small, quick and nimble. For me, the stand out player has to be Hazard, and if Chelsea were to keep him fit throughout the season he can create many assists and contribute with at least 15 goals to help mount a challenge.

2. Torres?: After last seasons disaster, Fernando Torres is showing signs that he is coming back to his best. He was second to Didier Drogba, but after his move to China, Torres is now spearheading Chelsea's attack. I write this after Torres has scored a very smart and technical goal against Arsenal, which can only be promising for Chelsea fans. The only problem is that if Torres does get injured, the only back up is Daniel Sturridge, who hasn't been anywhere near as good as he was at the start of last season. Keep him fit and he will score.

3. The skipper's focused: Under AVB Chelsea's defence was very leaky indeed, but Di Matteo seems to have sorted that out and Terry's decision to retire from International football is a massive boost. Despite it being a big loss for England, losing one of their most influential and controversial leaders, Chelsea will be relishing having their captain fully fit after every international break. This seems even more important as David Luis' defending still seems very shaky and Gary Cahill hasn't seen too much first team football so far this season.

4. Manchester mayhem: The final reason why Chelsea can win the league is because defending champions Manchester City, and strong contenders Manchester United are both leaking goals. Vidic has been ruled out for 3 months, and with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling still out, there are definite gaps in their back four. Man City have also been shaky, breaking up the Lescott Kompany partnership a few times this season has been a bad decision, and Alexander Kolarov's defending is very questionable.


Dan

Handshakes. Yes Or No?

QPR met Chelsea this weekend for the first time since John Terry was cleared of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in the fixture last season. Due to this being a high profile incident, with a lot of emphisis being put on respect within the game over the past couple of years, there has been some debate whether the pre match handshake should be scrapped or not. John Terry, who isn't a new comer to being snubbed, after Wayne Bridge refused to shake his hand after he had an affair with his ex girlfriend, was refused once again, a long with team mate Ashley Cole. In my opinion, Anton Ferdinand's actions were completely necessary. I believe that if you don't respect a player, then you shouldn't have to shake his hand at the start of a game. This would get rid of any 'false respect' being shown at the start of a game, which could lead to certian players taking their anger out on others. The pre match handshake should be omitted, leaving players just to shake hands with their counter parts at the end of the game, either congratulating them or consoling them on the game and their performance.

Keep Quiet & Pass The Ball

England started their World Cup qualification campaign with a bang in Moldova. The favourite's for the group, questionably position 3rd in FIFA's recent international rankings, were far to strong for a mediocre Moldova team. With a goal from Defoe, two from Frank Lampard, and Baines and Milner both getting on the England scoresheet for the first time (Baines can be thankful for the deflection), it would seem like the perfect start to the campaign. But this is why we tend to fail in the later stages of tournaments, because we get to hyped up by battering the lower teams and struggle when faced with a bit of gyle and drive from stronger opponents. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a very impressive first half, and so did Tom Cleverly who many believe will play an almost Cesc Fabregas like role in the heart of England's midfied for years to come. But putting 5 past a very poor team, who actually haven't scored a single goal this calender year, is nothing to rave about. The first test in England's group will come on Tuesday night when Ukraine travel to Wembley to set up a rematch of the group game at the European Championships. In Moldova, England showed positive signs, by keeping the ball far better and closing down quickly once they had lost it. But against Ukraine this approach will be tougher, so the team will have to prove they can play, in what i believe, is the only possible to succeed in the International game. To keep the ball with confidence. With midfielders such as Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick and Cleverly at Hodgson's disposal, this approach doesn't seem at all that difficult. But his job from now untill 2014 will be to mold his team into a passing team, rather than a 'route one' 'long ball' team. Sadly, this may mean that Andy Carroll doesn't get much of a look in, as he has already been asked to leave Liverpool because he 'doesn't fit the system'. But with the young talents of Welbeck and Cleverly, along with Wayne Rooney, these three players at least can develop an undertsanding at club level that will only be benefical to the national team. 3-0 to England on Tuesday. Lets hope the post match Moldova hype hasn't caused me to believe this.




Dan

Top 5 Tranfers Targets

The transfer window has already thrown up a few surpises, most notably Robin van Persie's £24 million move from Arsenal to Manchester United. However, with the end of the window just over 24 hours away, there are sure to be some more big moves and shocks throughout the football world.

1. Andy Carroll to West Ham United/Newcastle United.

There has been a lot of contreversy over Andy Carroll's £35 million move from Newcastle to Liverpool, especially after many disappointing performances. So there is little surprise that the reds are looking to offload the Geordie flop. It was believed that earlier in the window, West Ham had had an initial loan deal worth £2 million accepted, with a view to a £17 million permanent deal if the Hammers stay up. This came to nothing! His old club Newcastle, are also believed to be interested in bringing the 6 ft 3 inch striker back to Tyneside. They also have ahd a loan deal rejected earlier in the window, as Liverpool look to secure a permanent deal, starting at £15 million. Expect this one to go right to the wire on the final day. And if it does, look out for a replacement to be lined up in the final minutes.


2. Joao Moutinho to Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham would be expected to be in the market for a creative midfield payer since the departure of Luka Modric to Real Madrid, and Moutinho of Porto would seem to be a perfect replacement. Reports have suggested that they are willing to spend £24 million of the £27 million they gained from the Modric sale on Moutinho, which would leave money to go towards the potential signing of Hugo Lloris from Lyon. Many Spurs fans will be praying that this deal goes through, as they now lack a considerable amount of creativity in the centre of midfield.


3. Scott Sinclair to Manchester City

The lack of involvement in this summers market from Manchester City has surprised quite a few football fans in England, and this transfer will had to the amazement. After already snapping up Jack Rodwell from Everton for £12 million, it seems Roberto Mancini has been told he needs to adpot more 'home grown' talent into his side, and it is clear this has displeased the Italian. I can't help but feel that this signing will be ever so similar to the Adam Johnson move, with a promising young player being left on the side lines and forced to play minimum football. Poor move for Sinclair in my opinion.


4. Dimitar Berbatov to Fulham

After signing Robin van Persie, the opportunities for a decent run of games for Berbatov seems near impossible. He is now stuck behing Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck and Hernandez, which could suggest he would be stuck in the reserves or forced to settle with Capital One cup games. This signing would suit Berbatov in particular, as he would get the chance to team up with Martin Jol again, who were both together at Spurs. The deal though will see a considerable loss in money for United, who signed Berbatov for £30 million, and will probably settle for a fee in the region of £5 million. Good move for Berbatov, bad business by United.


5. Clint Dempsey to Liverpool

This has definitely not been the friendliest of deals over the years. Clint Dempsey, who had a fantastic season for Fulham last term, has initially gone on strike at the London club as he tries to force through a move to Merseyside. This would be good business for Liverpool, as they are in desperate need of a forward who 'fits into Rodger's plans'. However, Fulham have supposedly reported Liverpool's conduct in their manner of dealing with this transfer, and so it could heat up towards the final day whether the switch will be made.


These I believe are the top 5 transfers to look out for on the final day of the transfer window. Lets hope its as exciting as last season!



Dan.

With the new Premier League season less than a month away, this is how I feel the table will look like at the end of what wil hopefully be a memorable campaign.

Arsenal (4th) - Arsenal can only get off to a better start than they did last season, with them sitting in the relegation zone after half a dozen games. Having lost Nasri and Fabregas last season, and van Persie on the verge of an Emirates exit, many would fear for their Champions Legaue credentials. However, I feel Podolski and Giroud can form a prolific partnership and with Jack Wilshere returning to full fitness, there will be more creativity in the Arsenal midfield.

Aston Villa (16th) - I feel the dissapointment that came with Alex Mcleish will continue into Paul Lmaberts reign at Villa Park. Having lost key players such as Gareth Barry, James Milner and Olof Melberg in recent years, I feel this Villa squad really lacks the quality and experience to succeed in this league. Despite having good young talent, such as Barry Bannan and Nathan Delfouneso, only Darren Bents goals will keep them in the league.

Chelsea (3rd) - After coming through a rough patch under AVB, Chelsea seem to be back to their best and will be right up there next season. Fernando Torres looks like he's getting back to his best and I feel he will challenging for the golden boot. Eden Hazard will be a welcome addition to the squad, although he will have to toughen up match up to the defenders in this league. It will be a three way title challenge, and Chelsea will be right in the thick of it.


Everton (8th) - David Moyes has done a great job during his time at Everton, but I see this season being less successful for the Goodison park faithful. Jelavic's goals will be the most important aspect of their play, and the re-signing of Steven Pienaar when it is put through will give Everton fans some hope. But I feel their defence is still a little brittle, and with rumours surrounding the future of Leighton Baines, I just think they will let in too many goals to sustain a challenge for Europe.

Fulham (12th) -  The end to Fulham's campaign was fairly successful last season, with Pogrebnyak joining from Stuttgart on loan and Clint Dempsey having a very prolific season in front of goal. However, since then, Pogrebnyak has moved on and joined Reading on a permanent basis, and Clint Dempsey has told his club that he wants to join Liverpool. Because of this, they wont be a success in the league this year, as they have also lost Andy Johnson to QPR.

Liverpool (5th) - After a very poor season for Liverpools standards last term, only things can get better surely. The new signings have had a year to settle in and should become more accomplished this year, and the arrival of Brendan Rodgers will excite fans due to his philosophy. If they can keep important players fit, such as Gerrard and Suarez, then they will definitely improve on their 7th place finish from last year.

Manchester City (1st) - The reign of the 'noisy neighbours' is likely to continue in my eyes. There isn't going to be as many signings coming into the Etihad this summer, but the team has a stronger bond after winning the league last season. With Carlos Tevez staying and featuring from the start, the goals will flow more freely this season as he will form a prolific partnership with Aguero. Vincent Kompany will inspire his team to victory again this term.

Manchester United (2nd) - I'm afraid to say that this season there will be more domestic dissapointment for Ferguson and his men. The signing of Kagawa from Dortmund is promising is a very promising one, and Wayne Rooney will be hoping to get his hands on the golden boot. However i feel the riches of neighbours City will out do the red devils for another season.

Newcastle (7th) - Alan Pardew perfromed miracles last season for the toon army, and he'll be looking for more bargain buys this summer. Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Papis Cisse all played a vital part in Newcastle impressive season, and they'll be hoping it will continue into this campaign. However, the quality of these players will attract bigger clubs, and so i can't see them staying after this season. Andy Carroll has been linked with a return to his former club, but can they repeat their heroics of last season? Maybe not.

Norwich (11th) - Chris Hughton will have a mixed reception from Norwich fans, as many of them will still be missing Paul Lambert. Grant Holt has shocked many fans by handing in a transfer request, but i dont think he'll be able to find a bigger club then Norwich at his age. They have good all round players, and fans can expect another mid table finish this season.

Queens Park Rangers (10th) - After escaping relegation by the skin of their teeth last season, QPR fans will be hoping for a better return this time round. The signings have come thick and fast, but they seem to be a very talented squad. The villian tag that Joey Barton holds has been a spanner in the works, but with a new captain may come a better league position. With Mark Hughes' philosophy, they will be a tighter unit and still be able to score goals up field.

Reading (18th) - Having come up victorious from the Championship, many things are expected from the champions. The signing of Pavel Pogrebnyak will provide them will goals, and they will be hoping that the experience of Jason Roberts will help stir them away from the relagation zone, but i feel they will be heading straight back down to the second division.

Southampton (19th) - Anothe rone of the promoted sides with great expectations for the coming season. Sadly though, I think they will be going back down at the first attempt due to the lack of premier league experience and defensive qualities on the south coast. Rickie Lambert will be the main goal threat, however he is growing older and maybe one of two seasons will all he will be able to hack at the top level.

Stoke (13th) - The word consistancy comes to mind when thinking of Stoke City. Tony Pulis has installed a great deal of confidence at the club and striker Peter Crouch will be the main threat once again this season. A fairly mid table finish is all Stoke fans can expect this season, with the squad similar to the one that was promoted a few seasons ago.

Sunderland (9th) - Without strikers Gyan and Bendtner goals may be hard to come by this season for Martin O'Niell's men. However, the rest of the squad is very accomplished and with Craig Gardner settling into the North East club, thinks are looking up. Two strikers are needed, but overall it should be a successful campaign.

Swansea (17th) - Brendan Rodger's style of play gained Swansea many fans last season. However, he has moved on now and Michael Laudrup will be hoping to emulate the success. His main aim will be to keep the club in the league, and with loanee Siggurdson now playing for Tottenham, that may be more difficult that expected. I feel they will just survive.

Tottenham (6th) - The departure of Haryy Redknapp has seen AVB appointed head coach. His style of play wasn't effective at Chelsea, and I feel the same will be said at Spurs. Modric is on the verge of leaving and without him, Tottenham will lack the creativity needed to succeed in the league. A dissapointing season looks to be on the cards, despite tying down Adebayor to a permanent deal.

West Brom (15th) - Steve Clark has big shoes to fill after he was appointed successor of new England boss Roy Hodgson. A good overall squad of players has seen the once 'yo-yo club' install a feature of stability, and I feel this will continue into the new season. Odemwingie will need to be on top form to keep them away from trouble.

West Ham (14th) - After suffering the heart ache of relegation two seasons ago, West Ham are back in the big time. They have some vital premier league experience in players like Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan, and this will keep them away from going down once again. Losing goal keeper Rob Green will be a set back, but they should be fairly comfortable this term.

Wigan (20th) - Roberto Martinez looks set to be staying at the DW for another season, but maybe he should have taken the chance to go to a bigger club when he had the chance. Victor Moses will almost certainly move onto bigger things either this summer or in January, and with his departure will leave a lack of goals. Only Connor Salmon and Franco di Santo will be left, and these players are not premier league quality. Sadly, it will be a season to forget for Wigan fans.







Dan

Luka Modric could cause Tottenham to drop out of the top four for years to come. The bright young Croatian who has taken the Premier League by storm in recent years has been the shining star in Tottenham Hotspurs revival from flirting with relagation under Juande Ramos, to reaching the Champions League quater final under Harry Redknapp. Signing from Dinamo Zagreb for £16.5 million weeks before the 2008 European Championships seemed to be a piece of magic from Spurs as Modric performered brilliantly throughout Croatia's campaign and was even named in the team of tournament.
    During his time at Tottenham, he has made 20 assists and scored 18 goals. However, his performances build up so much more upon his stats. He has been the bright spark in a relatively uncreative central midfield, which includes holding players such as Scott Parker and Tom Huddlestone. This ability to be able to pick a pass from nowhere and create a goal from nothing has attracted an awful lot of interest from Europe's top clubs. Last summer, Chelsea made an offer of £22 million which was rejected due to Modric being tied to a 5 year contract. However, Modric was determined to move on. This year he is more than likely to get his wish, after seeing Harry Redknapp parting company with Tottenham last month. Despite Andre Villas-Boas being appointed as head coach, Modric has asked to leave Tottenham and AVB is reluctant to let him go. The main interest has come from Real Madrid and Manchester United, however it is believed that Chelsea may come back in for their previous target. With his imminent departure, Tottenham have to solve their midfield problems after also losing Nico Kranjcar. Joao Moutinho would be the likely replacement as he possesses similar qualities as the outgoing Croatian, and he has also worked under AVB at Porto where the coahc made his name. Although with Redknapp leaving and Modric following him, i can only see an exodus of Spurs' top players such as Bale and van der Vaart. The signing of Gylf Sigurdsson may excite some Tottenham fans, but i can't see him replacing the Croatian sadly. This is how Modric may be Tottenham's downfall....!



Dan

The arrival of Brendan Rodgers at Anfield will excite many Liverpool fans after seeing his Swansea team play a certain type of football which resembles the very successful Barcelona team of today. He led his side to their highest league finish in the clubs history, as they ended up in 11th place, beating Liverpool 1-0 at home on the last game of the season. However this appointment may reignite memories of Roy Hodgsons time in charge of the Reds. He was successful at Fulham, and Liverpool believed his great experience would be enough to create a new era at Anfield. Sadly, Hodgson was sacked after just six months in charge. Liverpool fans will be hoping for the complete opposite from their new man. It will be up to Rodgers to try to get the best out of Kenny Dalglish's signings, who have come under a vast amount of criticism for their lack of contribution considering the high fees paid. Stewart Downing has not performed anywhere near the level he can achieve this season, and his stats are ones that any winger would be embarrassed about. He made 28 appearances in the Premeir League, scoring zero goals, and creating zero assists. Quite some distance from the 15 assists his father had predicted him to get for Andy Carroll alone before the campaign started. Andy Carroll has also come under fire from critics after his massive 35 million pound switch from Newcastle. In 26 league appearances, he scored 6 goals, and only grabbed 11 goals overall in the season. He has showed signs of improvement during the later stages of the campaign, especially in cup competitions and for England at the Euros, but he needs to be hitting 20 goals a season at least to repay his price tag. However Kenny did get it right with the signing of Luis Suarez in football terms. Since his arrival in January, he has scored 21 goals, including a vital equaliser in the win against Everton in the FA Cup semi final. There have been very noticable issues though. Luis was banned for 12 games after allegedly racially abusing Patrice Evra, an offence which he still denies today.

With a new manager comes a new philosophy and new signings. Brendan's first target was to raid his old club and snatch Gylfi Sigurdsson before he could sign a permanent deal with Swansea. An 8 million pound offer was accepted by parent club Hoffenhiem, only for Tottenham to swoop in offering higher wages, causing the Icelandic international to sway towards a move to Spurs. This deal is still in the balance, and it is believed he will make his mind up today (1.7.2012). Another player who it seems the Reds have missed out on is Kuban Krasnodar striker Lacina Traore. the 6 ft 8 inch Ivorain forward, dubbed 'the new Adebayor' has moved to big spending Russian side Anzhi. Traore would have fitted in well at Liverpool, but there would have been doubts if he had the ability to hack it in the English game. As it seems Liverpool will miss out of Sigurdsson, there are reports they are in the market for Bolton midfielder Mark Davies. As a Liverpool fan myself, i find it laughable that a club with such great history and credentials would consider a payer who hasnt even broken into Bolton permanently, especially after they have just been relagated. I would have hoped that Brendan would attempt to sign bigger players, so that the club could once again challenge for the title, but buying players like this would only hinder our credentials. Adding Davies to the squad would only develop the idea that Liverpool have gone from having one of the best midfields in the world (Gerrard, Mascherano and Alonso) to have one struggling to stay in the top haf of the table (Spearing, Shelvey and of course, Davies).


However, there have been some names involved in speculation who could get the fans excited. Firstly is the rumour that 21 year old Uruguayan midfielder Gaston Ramirez could be swapping Bologne for Liverpool in a 20 million pound switch. The midfielder, who signed a proffesional contract with the Italian team in 2010, has made 44 appearances for his team this season, scored 8 goals and created 4 assists in a fairly mediocre side. At 21 years of age he has the potential to be one of the best, and joining fellow Uruguayans Suarez and Coates will do wonders for him settling in the English game. Another player who i personally would welcome to Anfield is Juan Vargas. The Peruvian winger is very impressive at creating assists and would add some experience to a fairly young side. Lst season he gained 7 assists after only starting 18 games, and would provide competition for wingers Stewart Downing, Craig Bellamy and Jordan Henderson.



As well as bringing in new players, Liverpool can welcome back Joe Cole from his impressive loan spell at Lille. He helped the French side finish third and left a lasting impression on the fans and the manager, who said "we will remember him very fondly as a player but also as a man". Cole's arrival will add competition to the midfield and it also may be a deciding factor on whether Alberto Aquilani will stay at Anfield next season. The Italian has been out on loan for the past two seasons to Fiorentina and AC Milan, but it seems Milan don't want to make his move permanent and it may leave him with no option but to play his football in England. The former Roma playmaker may recieve a frosty reception should he decide to stay, but if he contributes with performances we know he is capable of, then the fans should be won over sonner rather than later. Liverpool's player of the season, who has been linked with Manchester City, has played down talk of a move to the champions. The Slovenia international who endured his best season in a Liverpool shirt, cooled talk of a 22 million pound switch to the Etihad, saying that he is "very excited about the new season". Liverpool will be hoping from more of the same from Pepe Reina, who this week has come under speculation linking him with a move to AC Milan. The fee believed to be offered by AC is in the region of 22 million pounds and may see the Spanish number two opt for a new challenge as he gets older. The Reds have already lined up a replacement in Hugo Lloris, which makes this rumour seem more believable. But fans would be devastated to see their number 25 leave the Kop.


Fans will be hoping for a better season than last, and a good start to the project that John W Henry has entrusted to be led by Brendan Rodgers.



Dan.

With the second semi final dawning upon us this evening between Germany and Italy, its fair to say we can look back on these games with great footballing memories and huge drama throughout every game. However we can all also recall this tournament in a negative view as Uefa's decision to pick Ukraine and Poland to host the games has come under a great deal of scrutiny due to how backwards the two countries are in terms of racism and football violence. With countries Spain, Russia and Croatia all fined for racist behaviour during the tournament, and the Dutch squad being racially abused during a  pre tournament training session, its fair to say that these games hsould have been placed somewhere else. Before the tournament,
Italy's Mario Balotelli had stated that if he was subject to racist abuse that he would 'walk off' of the field, saying 'If [racism] does happen i will leave the pitch and go home'. He also made an over elaborate statement saying that if anyone was to throw a banana at him, he would 'kill' them. Extraordinary that a footballer can almost get away with murder threats to anyone visiting Ukraine and Poland which shows how immature this boy is and how much he needs to grow up. English players Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott traveled to the Euros without their families support as they stayed at home in fear of the racist abuse which may greet them upon arrival. An extremely poor start to the European Championships, however footballing matters have some what balanced out the argument to a degree with the dramatic games that have been put on show.


The Championships give players a chance to impress suiters if they're looking to move onto bigger and better things, or for older players to prove to critics that they still have what it takes to play at the top level. The involvement of Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain was welcomed very much so by the English fans and he showed some impressive bursts of energy in the opening game of their group against France. Of course, the boy is only eighteen years of age, but under the management of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal he has the perfect platform to develop into one of the best players in English football in my opinion. The twenty two year old selected to fill the left back role in the Spanish team, Jordi Alba, has also impressed me very much during these three weeks. His ability to get up and down the wing to help out with attacks and also defend is a credit to his great fitness levels, and he also shows great signs of pace. It seems like his calm and direct performances have impressed others as well, as he is on th verge of an 11 million euro switch to Barcelona. Despite the Russians not qualifying to the later stages of the tournament, one wonderkid has left his impression on the championships and many fantasy football players. The twenty one eyar old CSKA Moskva player scored three goals in the group stages and outshined the likes of Kerzhakov and Pavlyuchenko in the Russian forward line. After Russia's exit, he has been heavily linked to join the building process at Arsenal, who have already purchased the German forward Podolski, and Oliveir Giroud from Montpellier.



However there have been players who have been on the scene for a long time now, also known as 'the old guard'. Steven Gerrard has been one of England's most influential players over the past decade, and Euro 2012 saw him captain his country for his second major international tournament, after leading the three lions in South Africa at the World Cup. After a particular unimpressive tournament from the English, Gerrard was one of few to stand out with his contribution and attitude. He came up with 3 assists from fantastic deliveries and scored a penalty in the shoot out against Italy in the Quater Final. Gerrard also installed a certain degree of harmony in a squad which was surrounded by controversy before the games due to the ommision of Rio Ferdinand, described by Roy Hodgson as being becasue of 'purely footballing reasons'. Andrea Pirlo has also showed that he has still got what it takes after many fantastic performances so far. With age he has lost pace, and so the help of De Rossi in midfield has brought the best out of the player who was released by AC Milan because they thought he had 'lost his legs'. Against England in the Quater Final he dominated the midfield and created many goal scoring chances with his strikers unable to convert. However i feel his ability and composure was sumed up beautifully during the penalty shoot out, where he had the audacity to chip the ball down the middle of the goal, leaving Joe Hart red faced.



These championships have also cropped up some big upsets. In Group A, Russia were expected to qualify comfortably in what has been described as 'the easiest group'. However, after drawing to Poland and being beat by Greece they had to settle for thrid place and the first plane home. They would have gone home bitterly dissapointed after many had tipped them to be dark horses in the competition due to their quite impressive strike force, which included Kerzhakov, Pavlyuchenko and Pogrebnyak, who had a huge impact during the end of the seasons at Fulham. The biggest shock in my opinion was one that nobody had expected, with the Netherlands being sent packing as they went out as bottom of Group B with no points. I would have expected them to be up there to win the tournament, but extremely dissapointing displays from Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder caused their exit in my opinion. After Pieters had to pull out the tournament and with van Bronkhurst retired from international football, Jetro Willems had to fill in at left back. The inexperienced full back showed his vulnerablity as many teams exploited the wings and got most of their joy from that area, especially Germany who were ruthless. Holland's tournament has been some what sumed up with the resignation of coach van Marwijk despite having four years left on his deal.
                                                                                                         


The tournament has thrown up many shocks, incredible drama, and huge controversy. After all though, that is football, and it will never change. I'll leave you with a piece of magic.




                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                         Dan.

                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OQTLLPE3J4