Tuesday 20 July 2010

Agents keen for a piece of the Man City pie



"Today he's at Chelsea. Maybe there will be surprises before August 31. I haven't spoken to just anybody. The only contact I've had directly was with City."


"At his age I can no longer hide the financial aspect. The club that want Didier will have to meet the price."


Thierno Seydi – Didier Drogba’s agent

There are so many things wrong with this quote it is untrue - starting with ‘we can no longer hide the financial aspect’.

What, because money wasn’t an issue when he moved to Chelsea in 2004?? In fact I bet the financial aspect has been at the forefront of any of his £80,000 a week contract negotiations since then and the very reason agents are so involved in football.

Jol leaves Fulham and the rest of us all confused

Football - SV Hamburg Press Conference - HSH Nordbank Arena, Hamburg, Germany - 16/12/08..SV Hamburg manager Martin Jol during the press conference Photo via Newscom


I think Fulham would be doing a fantastic bit of business if they lured Martin Jol away from Ajax and back to the Premier League.

Apart from appearing thoroughly likeable  (and we can’t have enough likeable coaches in the division in my opinion) they are getting a manager with a decent track record and European experience – attributes many Cottagers fans probably thought they had seen the back of when Roy Hodgson left for Liverpool.

That move is still in doubt, with Ajax scrambling to keep their man with promises of transfer funds and a stop to player sales. Indeed the reports surfacing this morning suggest The Dutchman has had an about turn and decided to stay in Amsterdam after all (the cynical side of me suggests he has played Ajax and Fulham off each other - maybe he isn't so nice after all!)


If Jol does return he probably fulfills all the criteria Fulham fans will have wanted in a new boss and perhaps more importantly will have a coach that has a point to prove.

Sunday 18 July 2010

Arsenal in for Jags, Rafa in for Pienaar – another Everton exodus begins?

May 01, 2010 - United Kingdom - Football - Stoke City v Everton Barclays Premier League - The Britannia Stadium - 1/5/10..Everton's Phil Jagielka.


Well at least we beat Brisbane, is perhaps what most Evertonians will be consoling themselves with this morning after the Sunday press once more linked two of our best players with moves away.

The first is not a new one.

Arsenal have been linked with Phil Jagielka for weeks now and the Mirror alleges we have rejected a £14million bid with the Gunners set to raise their offer to £16million.


Thursday 15 July 2010

And the latest star to roll off the Everton production line is....

Jan. 16, 2010 - London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Football - Everton v Manchester City Barclays Premier League - Goodison Park - 16/1/10..Seamus Coleman (L) of Everton and Carlos Tevez of Manchester City.


I don’t know where Everton would be without its excellent youth Academy.

Ray Hall and his staff deserve enormous credit for the fantastic job they have done over the past 20 years, producing some of the country’s best young talent.

I know many people talk about the West Ham Academy and the ‘golden’ generation of players at Manchester United, but you would be hard pressed to find a youth set up that has consistently produced quality young players like Everton’s.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Arsenal and the great World Cup pundit conundrum

Spain's national soccer team players celebrate their World Cup victory on a stage in Madrid July 12, 2010. Spain stunned the Netherlands to win their first World Cup on Sunday in sensational fashion with a goal in the last minutes of extra time. REUTERS/Andrea Comas (SPAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)


It was interesting to hear the thoughts of the so called ‘experts’ following Spain’s World Cup final win over Holland on Sunday.

The Spanish were roundly praised for their dominant brand of possession football and were seen as deserved winners of the tournament. Holland meanwhile were heavily criticised for their aggressive style as they sought to unsettle the Spanish midfielders.

But one thing struck me as rather odd.


Monday 12 July 2010

Gosling is making a far worse error than Everton

Football - Everton v Tottenham Hotspur Barclays Premier League - Goodison Park - 9/5/09..Everton's Dan Gosling and Gareth Bale of Tottenham in action Photo via Newscom


It was the transfer story that came out of nowhere. Dan Gosling, a steady if promising young player at Everton, suddenly taking the club to a tribunal to force a free transfer away from the club.

We may never know exactly what went on but it seems Everton believed Gosling would sign a contract extension that they verbally agreed on some time ago.

Somewhere in the middle of that though Gosling has suddenly developed an oversized ego and began making demands regarding regular first-team football, his preferred position and level of wages.