Tag Futebol

Celtic have apparently, on the face of league results, cruised through their first seven games this season but an air of concern still looms over the Glasgow team’s defence.

Celtic Boss Neil Lennon was pleased with the final result despite the visitors, Hamilton Academical, dominating the early stages Saturday’s match and taking an early lead only three minutes in.

This highlighted the all too familiar question that Celtic’s current defence is suspect and lacks the consistency and discipline that you would think a title contending team would possess.

Celtic Manager Lennon however, remained optimistic and refused to pile on any unnecessary pressure onto his centre-back pairing of Glenn Loovens and Daniel Majstorovic. Lennon furthermore, remained defiant and explained that any issues surrounding the team’s defence were minor and it was something they would be working on in the coming weeks.

Is Lennon’s optimistic nature matched by the 60,000 fans that invest their hard earned money and walk through the turnstiles every week? As a Celtic fan myself, I won’t have any complaints if the team is winning and we sit above the ‘blue side of the city’ in the league standings.

However, this skin deep approach does only scratch the surface. Currently the Hoops only top the table on goal difference and you soon realise that if it is a similar story come the end of the season every goal counts even at these early stages. Celtic will most certainly have to shore up a defence that flatters to deceive if they want to rescue the title from the West End of Glasgow.

The Celtic team’s nervy centre-back pairing of Loovens and Majstorovic, during the early stages of the Hamilton Accies match, did however, inadvertently highlight the fact that Celtic might have found a hidden gem in ‘on loan’ goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Lennon acknowledged one of his latest acquisitions by saying “Our goalkeeper was fantastic and he had to be. He had to make some very good saves to keep the score down and allow us to get back in to the game”. I think most; if not all, of the 60,000 fans would have matched Lennon’s confidence in his new stopper.

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It would not be unfair to say that since Forster’s arrival the Celtic defence has improved and there seems to be a new found assurance between the goalkeeper and the club’s defence

Individuals who have taken their place between the sticks prior to Forster shall remain nameless, but have not exuded the same amount of confidence that the current keeper instills in ‘the faithful’ who flock to Celtic Park each week. Communication between, not only the centre-back pairing, but the whole back four seems to be stronger and in turn has improved not only the manager’s but the fans’ confidence in the team.

This said, The Bhoys are showing signs of improvement every game since they crashed out of Europe earlier on in the season, which leaves me with this final thought: maybe, the 60,000 fans that invest their hard earned money and walk through the turnstiles every week should have total confidence in ‘Lenny’. How can we not when he is yet to lose a domestic league game.

A lone figure sits in a recently vacated office. A smouldering gun rests silently in his hand. He knows this was an extreme measure and he could well live to regret it, but he could no longer ignore the growing unrest around him. Outside, he can hear the latest name being scratched off the door. Another manager has been fired.

Martin Allen became the latest name to join the list of controversial managerial departures this season. Mick McCarthy and Neil Warnock have both been dismissed from the top flight whilst fellow League One side Huddersfield recently axed Lee Clarke, despite just three defeats in 55 matches.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway took to his Independent column to launch a scathing attack on ignorant chairmen that grace the Football League.

“It is all madness but that’s what you get when you have chairmen who don’t really know much about the game.

“Some chairmen have egos so big they can’t cope – and that is when we get the boot.”

It’s important to remember that despite the wealth that is splashed about in the modern game, very few clubs are ever likely to make a profit. Therefore from an owner’s perspective, a business that makes a loss can only be justified if it remains successful.

There seems to be two main types of chairman, the foreign entrepreneur who uses the club as an extension of his wealth or the ‘fan’ of the club, whose vision and judgment is often clouded by their emotions. Either way if you fail to match the targets laid out before you or replicate past achievements then you’ll barely have time to decorate your new office.

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Roman Abramovich is arguably the most frequent wielder of the sack axe, having appointed an impressive seven managers since his takeover in 2003. His most recent dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti raised a few eyebrows considering his maiden double winning season, but it appears his lust for the Champions League knows no boundaries.

Sheikh Mansour has also coupled his injection of millions into the club with the ruthless dismissal of Mark Hughes. During his brief 18-month spell in charge Hughes had guided City to sixth in the League, having lost only twice in the league all season, plus he had reached the semi-finals of the Carling Cup. It seems however that perfection is the standard requirement for the Premier League elite these days.

It would be harsh to tarnish all league chairmen with the same brush. Wigan’s Dave Whelan has stood firmly by Roberto Martinez despite their constant flirtation with the drop zone. His allegiance paid off when Wigan avoided relegation on the final day of last season, yet it remains to be seen whether they can repeat the same feat this time round.

Elsewhere Blackburn owners the Venky’s have been, dare I say chicken, in regards to sacking Steve Kean, much to the displeasure of Rovers fans. Phil Gartside and Randy Lerner have also stuck by their men in the face of growing criticism from their fans. On the surface these actions appear loyal and commendable but let’s not forget that these managers were the chairmen’s own appointments and dismissing them would be acknowledging that they were wrong in the first place, and no one likes doing that.

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As I’m writing this article the news of Niall Quinn’s departure is spreading like wildfire on Twitter. The former Sunderland chairman has achieved a great deal during the past six years including guiding the club back into the Premier League under Roy Keane. It’s also worth pointing out that former manager Steve Bruce was sacked just a month after Ellis Short replaced Quinn as chairman, although few would question that decision today.

Despite the apparent trigger-happy culture that surrounds football management, just two managers have been sacked in the top flight. Is this the start of a more understanding, considerate ethos amongst chairmen? Doubtful, as always it’s largely due to the vast expenditure required to turf out the old and implement the new. However, Martin O’Neill’s inspired revival at Sunderland may just prompt a few more chairmen to partake in a spot of spring-cleaning.

Are you happy with your club’s current chairman? Do they have the clubs best interest at heart? Leave a comment below or find me on Twitter @theunusedsub

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Arsenal offer the most expensive season ticket in the country at £1,825, with the most expensive single ticket for a match at the Emirates costing £94, and yet this week the Gunners have announced that they will be increasing season ticket prices for the 2011-12 campaign by 6.5%. The club, who have not won a trophy since 2005, maintain they have given careful consideration to the rise, which is in line with inflation and the 2.5% increase in VAT.

Chief Executive, Ivan Gazidis, accepts that the decision to implement the increase was a difficult call to make, having frozen them for some time. “We thought about this increase, the first in three seasons, very carefully. We fully understand fans are facing rising costs in many areas of their lives and their club faces the same issues,” he explained. Arsenal will make approximately £4.5million over the next year as a result of the increase, which has caused uproar amongst the Supporters’ Trust for obvious reasons.

It has been reported that Arsene Wenger retains roughly £40million to be purchased on transfer fees and player wages, and has had this money available since last summer. The fact that the Frenchman chose to delegate his fortune so modestly on the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Sebastian Squillaci and the free signing, Marouanne Chamakh, not to mention bringing Jens Lehmann back to the club for a handful of appearances on the bench, has left Gunners fans feeling defrauded. The argument is; how can fans be required to pay more to watch exactly the same level of performance and without actually seeing their money spent on new recruits to improve on prior failings? What do Arsenal need £4.5million for when the manager is so reluctant to spend it?

Seven-time Champions’ League winners, AC Milan, offer a season ticket which at the time of writing exchanges to £116.90, or £22.90 more than one game at the Emirates, and includes all home European matches. Considering the club spent £20million on Robinho and attracted Zlatan ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano to the San Siro within the last nine months, the Rossonieri faithful are reaping astonishing value compared with English fans. Wigan are the only Premier League club who offer their fans close to this rate, their £295 fee actually being the sixth cheapest of all 92 football league clubs. Only Accrington Stanley, Bradford City, Hereford United, Crewe Alexandra and Port Vale offer cheaper season tickets than Roberto Martinez’s side, and this sorry fact seems confusing when placed against the value fans receive on the continent.

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I had a look at what the Bundesliga has to offer earlier this week (article here), and it appears German fans enjoy the most reasonable, perhaps idealistic, match-day experience. The average cost at the turnstiles at clubs in Germany’s top division is around £10, and also doubles as a free rail pass, which guarantees fans at least one easy transport route to the stadiums. Premier League fans can only dream of such stability and efficiency, but even football league clubs’ supporters suffer from exorbitant season ticket prices, with Ipswich offering their most expensive seat at over £1,000, the fourth highest in the country behind Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Arsenal do not need the extra money they are asking of their supporters but know they can get it. Unfortunately this situation affects English fans year on year, and continually leaves spectators wondering what the extra money will be used for. In the Gunners case, a section of observers are debating whether or not the added season ticket profits are directly assisting to pay for Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the club, or if they are being filtered out in other ways. For now, we must accept that football operates on a simple supply and demand principle, which never ensures new signings or more trophies but always works to the detriment of supporters.

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Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is relieved that Dirk Kuyt's ankle injury has proved to be far less serious than was first feared, with the Dutch forward set to be back in action within a month.

The 30-year-old forward was injured during the Netherlands' Euro 2012 qualifier against Sweden on Tuesday evening, amid fears that he could be sidelined for a lengthy period.

However, after the injury was looked at by the Reds' medical staff, Hodgson told reporters:"The initial rumours coming out of Holland were that it was going to be a really long injury, maybe months.

"But our doctor and our sports science people are much more optimistic. They think it is more likely to be one month – or if we are lucky three weeks.

"He seriously twisted his ankle with ligament damage and we are going to miss him for some matches that's for sure.

"He does recover very quickly and the thing about Dirk is that he is always anxious to get back on the football field.

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"If it can be done in three weeks it will be three. If it can be two he'll do it in two, but we are looking at a lay-off.

"It's disappointing because it is the second time he has gone away with the national team and come back and missed weeks for us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Plugging a gap for the season ahead or merely just borrowing to boost a meagre squad, the value of a loan signing should never be glossed over. Players tired of picking splinters from their backsides after a frustratingly sustained period on the substitutes bench, wild-eyed youngsters hungry for a taste of first team action and the golden oldies attempting to prolong their career at a level that was beyond them years ago. Loan signings come in all shapes and sizes but no matter what their appearance or age there is still a slow burning debate that hangs around their necks. Should they be permitted to play against their parent clubs?

Before football became riddled with trivial rules and regulations loan players could take to the field against their parent club and no one would bat an eyelid. Obviously in those days the two sides would either come to a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that would see said player remain on the sidelines when they came head to head or simply let him play. Nowadays the ruling (section 7.2 of rule M.6) forbids a loan player to go up against the club that holds his registration. What this means is that clubs can send a member of their squad out on loan and potentially watch him wreak havoc on their rivals. It’s a tactic that has been employed to great effect by Sir Alex Ferguson many times over the years.

Still, the question remains; should they be allowed to play against their parent clubs and is it unfair on loan clubs and adversaries? Looking at it from the parents’ point of view it’s glaringly obvious why they don’t want their player performing against them. As a Newcastle fan I’m well aware of the potential ramifications of that happening. Coming towards the end of the 2003/04 season Lomana Lua Lua was sent on loan to Portsmouth and consequently went onto score a vital equalizer against the Magpies that ultimately cost them a place in the top four that year. I recall my mood at the time was one of anger that Sir Bobby Robson had turned down the chance to keep Lua Lua well way from the Fratton Park pitch that fateful afternoon. But in my haze of anger there was a sense that because Portsmouth had paid to loan him then they should have the right to play him regardless. In this day and age no loan deal passes without a few bundles of cash being exchanged a share of a player’s salary being discussed. In the case of a loan club the reasons as to why their short-term acquisition should be authorized to compete against their parent club is crystal clear.

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If they’ve paid for the services of a player, whether it be six weeks or six months, the loan club should be permitted to turn out against the parents. My opinion is it puts the parents’ rivals at a disadvantage when competing against the loan club. The game between Manchester City and Tottenham last Sunday offered one a flagrant example of why this rule is fundamentally flawed. Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan at Spurs from City, was forced to sit out the game at the Etihad Stadium because of that exact rule. That forced Harry Redknapp into a reshuffle playing the slightly smaller Jermaine Defoe in Adebayor’s usual lone striker role. Despite scoring Defoe was unable to physically impose himself on City’s colossal back four also missing two chances after being unable to reach the ball due to his 5ft 7in frame. What is the likelihood that the 6ft 3in Adebayor would have been able to offer more of a presence in the Spurs final third and connect with the opportunities that Defoe couldn’t advantage of? Both the opportunities could have put Spurs ahead in the game and had a huge bearing on the Premier League title race. Adebayor’s absence gave Roberto Manicin’s men a comprehensible advantage that hasn’t been afforded to their rivals in the top half of the league.

Looking at his contributions over the entire season the he has scored nine goals in 19 games during his time at North London being involved in 14 wins and only one defeat. In the six matches he has scored in Spurs have won four striking twice in the 4-0 win over Liverpool. He was also on target in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea whilst two of his six assists came against Arsenal and Newcastle all of whom are challenging in the top six. Is it fair that Adebayor is allowed to have a negative impact on City’s rivals but when it comes to facing them he has to sit in the stands? In the interests of fairness the problems that exist within the loan system and the ‘parent club rule’ need to be revised. It could cost teams the chance to fight for titles, qualify for Europe and could even be the difference between promotion and relegation. One thing is for sure; Tottenham aren’t the first and certainly won’t be the last team to be stung by such a prejudiced ruling.

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The Premier League has recently agreed a new deal for the sale of its overseas TV rights. Whilst it refuses to announce the exact figure, the amount is estimated to have doubled from £625 million for the previous deal to a staggering £1.2 billion over the next three years. The Premier League will therefore distribute record TV money during the 2011/12 season with even the bottom club guaranteed at least £37 million in rights alone. And, surely fans across the country are rubbing their hands in anticipation as they hope to see the money invested in big-name signings and wages to match.

Whilst the average £5 million increase in income per club is unlikely to make or break Chelsea or Manchester City’s season, for the likes of Stoke City and West Brom the money could make a huge difference as they look to establish themselves as Premiership sides. Likewise, more established clubs such as Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers have slipped down the table this season and, if invested wisely, the money could bring about a U-turn in their fortunes.

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But, football’s finances are still far from secure and don’t expect to see a huge spending spree quite yet. Whilst the likes of Chelsea and City have introduced huge amounts of wealth into the game which has been redistributed through transfer fees, many clubs are still stuck with bulging wage bills. For example, whilst the Premier League received £1.9 billion in income during the 2009 season, £1.3 billion of this was spent on wages. Likewise, most clubs have announced season ticket increases for next year. The most notable of these has been Manchester United who, last week, revealed they would be charging an extra £1 a game across the board.

More worryingly for the top end of the table of UEFA’s incumbent Financial Fair Play laws are set to come fully into effect by 2014. This is where the extra £5 million will be appreciated by Chelsea and Manchester City as they look to balance their books rather than face expulsion from European competitions.

Financial conservatism has clearly been adopted by the Premier League clubs in recent transfer windows. In the most recent January window, the big spenders by some margin were Chelsea and Manchester City. With the exception of Aston Villa, the other big investor was Liverpool. However, this was mostly funded not by new owners, but by the reinvestment of the £50 million received for the sale of Fernando Torres. With news of the increased TV income now public, some clubs will be forced to spend money as they look to keep both managers and fans happy. But, expect next month’s annual Football Finances Review by Deloitte to prove interesting reading about the real financial health of the game.

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FootballFanCast.com WORLD Exclusive: Robbie Savage’s Face in a Baby Scan…

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With the season about to start I wrote an article about the possible gamble of a Premier League club choosing to buy Hatem Ben Arfa. The French forward had been linked with a number of clubs, both here and abroad, and was almost certain to leave Marseille for pastures of the greener variety. The abilty that Ben Arfa has is not the sticking point; he is good enough to make in the Premier League, good enough to make it in any league he chooses. But it is the petulant baggage that he carries on his shoulders which may have deterred clubs from making their move.

Newcastle have not been deterred. The canny piece of the deal in which they have done, is that Ben Arfa has arrived on loan, thus if there are any reoccurrences of the misdemeanours that have blighted his career, then Newcastle can wash their hands of him, without any real financial loss.

Newcastle did well to come away from Goodison Park on Saturday with a win. Although Everton are far from their best at the moment, for Newcastle to go away and get three points is a massive boost for the team. There were a few players in particular who shone for Newcastle; Joey Barton continues to impress and rehabilitate, and leading man Any Carroll was good without being spectacular, but it was Ben Arfa, making his first start for the club, who really caught the eye.

The former Lyon and Marseille man, and Clairefontaine graduate, is unerringly comfortable on the ball. Whether it is staying out wide on the left and heading to the by-line, or drifting inside from his flank to get more of the ball, he can be potent in either fashion. His pace and close control make him tough to dispossess, and as Tim Howard is now more aware of, has a fierce strike to add to the heady mix.

It appears Ben Arfa could fill a creative gap that may be lacking at St James Park. As mentioned above, Barton is having a really good season, and Kevin Nolan is a key figure in support of the lonesome Carroll, but Ben Arfa could really make the left-handed berth his own. And for Carroll, having Newcastle’s newest recruit on the left, a rejuvenated Wayne Routledge on the right and Nolan just behind, could provide him with both support and ammunition.

It is easy to see Geordie fans falling in love with Ben Arfa, he is just their sort of player. What money on him running Stoke ragged next weekend in front of the home fans? The only question mark is over his temperament. Joey Barton has obviously had his problems (seemingly all in the past), Andy Carroll is not retreating flower and there is still the Steven Taylor contract dispute rumbling on. Things seem to be going well for Newcastle at the moment, and a disruptive influence is not what they need. Ben Arfa has had scuffles and bust-ups with opponents, teammates and his managers at both his clubs in France – Chris Hughton will have to keep him in check.

Should the promising start to turn sour, then Hughton and Newcastle will be able to move on, and let Ben Arfa head back to his parent club. If his performance at Everton was merely a glimmer of what he will produce this season, thenNewcastle have pulled off a transfer coup.

Get updates on my articles by following me on twitter.

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Hatem Ben Arfa has been awarded Goal of the Week for this stunner:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QKqBiCLO_88%3Fversion%3D3

Chelsea defender John Terry pleaded not guilty to a charge of racism at court on Wednesday, and will now undergo a full trial in July.

The England international was accused by Anton Ferdinand of making a racist remark in The Blues’ 1-0 defeat to QPR back in October at Loftus Road.

Terry was not present at the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, but his lawyer pleaded his innocence, sending the incident to trial.

The court date has been set for July 9th, which falls after the completion of Euro 2012, and before the start of the 2012/13 Premier League season, Sky Sports reveal.

Terry has maintained his innocence throughout the investigations, and has been backed by Andre Villas Boas and Chelsea as being wrongly accused of the claims.

The centre back did not feature in his side’s 1-1 draw with Swansea on Tuesday night, and Villas Boas has admitted that the skipper will be given leave away from the club if so required as the court proceedings continue.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Fourth-placed Villarreal kept up the pressure on Valencia with a hard-fought 1-0 win at home over Real Zaragoza on Monday.The result cut third-placed Valencia’s buffer over Villareal to six points with six games remaining as the two sides chase the third and final automatic Champions League place in La Liga.

A fourth-placed finish would see that side be forced into the qualifying play-offs for Europe’s richest club competition.

American-born Italian international Guiseppe Rossi scored the decisive goal of the match from the penalty spot with 20 minutes to play after he was upended by a crude challenge from Argentine midfielder Leonardo Ponzio.

The match itself was a spiteful affair, which saw seven players booked and Real Zaragoza’s Nigerian striker Ikechukwu Uche sent off for a second caution in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when referee Javier Turienzo Alvarez booked him for diving.

The loss leaves Zaragoza in 17th place, with only goal difference separating them from the relegation zone.

After the drama of transfer deadline day the obligation of Premier League clubs to name a 25-man squad, which cannot include more than 17 overseas players passed by virtually unnoticed yesterday. Managers such as Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger labelled the new regulations as “ridiculous,” arguing that it will harm those who have to play games in European competitions. But with Arsenal’s staggering number of under-21 players who are not subject to the new restrictions, they boast a squad of 70. For all the scare mongering and dire predictions, prominent players including Owen Hargreaves and Roque Santa Cruz did make their respective squad lists. Whether through injury, inexperience or poor form below is a list of those who will be ineligible to play PL football at least until January.

Jonathan Woodgate

News reports have inferred that the last minute arrival of Rafael van der Vaart at White Hart Lane squeezed Woodgate out of Spurs’ 25-man squad. The 29-year old defender has been plagued by a persistent groin problem. Having not played since last November it is believed that one last ditch attempt at surgery may provide a cure. Harry Redknapp has said, “It’s so sad for Jonathan. He’s such a good player and a great lad as well.”

Ben Alnwick

Woodgate’s colleague at Tottenham, Alnwick has additionally been left out of their squad. The 23-year old goalkeeper who joined from Sunderland in 2007 made his PL debut on the final day of last season at Turf Moor. Although categorised as a senior home-grown player his place was effectively made redundant after Stipe Pletikosa joined on loan from Spartak Moscow.

Luke Daniels

Another young English goalkeeper who has been omitted from a PL squad is West Brom’s Daniels. The keeper has suffered from a back injury which scuppered his proposed loan spell at Bristol Rovers. He is expected to recover in the coming months but would have faced stiff competition from Scott Carson, Boaz Myhill and Dean Kiely. Daniels will be hopeful of a chance to feature in the Carling Cup of for the Baggies reserve team.

Luke Moore

A slightly more surprising omission at the west Midlands clubs is that of striker Luke Moore. The 24-year old who cost the club £3.5 million from Aston Villa in 2008 has been deemed surplus to requirements. The forward who once won the FA Youth Cup at his former club is expected to seek a loan switch to a Championship side.

Michael Kightly

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The 24-year old winger has not featured for Wolves since last November having suffered a patella tendon injury. He has faced further set-backs in his rehabilitation and is being tipped to go out on loan once he returns to fitness. The midfielder who scored 8 times during the club’s promotion winning season has been earmarked for a return to their PL squad in January.

Mamady Sidibe

The burly striker’s season and hopes of making Stoke City’s squad were cruelly dashed after he snapped his Achilles tendon during the home defeat to Tottenham. Stoke boss Tony Pulis has claimed that the Mali international may be back sooner than first thought but the Welshman and Peter Coates have been industrious in the transfer window. The club signed four players on transfer deadline day including former Barcelona forward, Eidur Gudjohnson and Jermaine Pennant.

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