New Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio has warned his players that they will have to adhere to a strict disciplinary approach.
The controversial Italian was drafted in over the weekend in a bid to steer the Black cats clear of relegation from the Premier League, following Martin O’Neill’s sacking.
With the club perilously close the drop zone, the former Swindon Town boss has wasted no time in letting his squad know just what he expects of the both on and off of the pitch:
“You have to know how to manage your players,” he is quoted by Sky Sports.
“It is obvious you have different egos in the Premier League, but you have to have strict rules, discipline, and work hard on the field during the week otherwise the product you deliver on Saturday is not good.
“That won’t change. It’s not just Paolo Di Canio’s opinion, all managers around the world think the same.
“If everybody interprets the game wrong because they do not train properly during the week or because there is no discipline you have an anarchists’ team.”
Sunderland are winless in their last eight top-flight games, a run which has seen them slip to 16th in the table, just one point above the drop zone.
Di Canio believes that a lack of confidence has been a major factor in the club’s slump and is determined to reverse this trend:
“From the last two games I watched against Norwich and Manchester United it is clear that some players are not fully confident, probably because the last few results weren’t good,
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“But I am sure through my job and my staff’s job we can help them to restore this belief and play as they used to play before.”
Di Canio faces a tough start to his time at Sunderland, with trips to Chelsea and Newcastle awaiting.
When the transfer window edges closer, outlandish rumours tend to dominate the social media channels.‘Lionel Messi spotted at Manchester Airport’ is an example of the type of ridiculous speculation that does the rounds.Now, a rumour has emerged regarding Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, whose contract at Anfield is due to expire at the end of the season.Liverpool-based comedian Adam Rowe tweeted on Sunday that the Germany international has purchased a property in the city.
It remains to be seen whether the unlikely source has inside information or he was trying to cause a stir on social media.
Nevertheless, a Liverpool fan picked up on it and opened a thread on Reddit discussing whether this news has anything to do with Can’s footballing future.
Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.Comment from discussion Doesn’t mean he’s staying but Emre Can has just bought a house in Liverpool according to Adam Rowe.
Can is not expected to play a part in Tuesday night’s crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium due to a back injury.
The midfielder has not featured in Jurgen Klopp’s side since the team’s 5-0 thrashing of Watford at Anfield on March 17.
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Sunderland versus Newcastle is one of the most renowned derbies in English football.
The rivalry between the two sets of fans is crazy, extreme and, let’s face it, a little bit mental (mostly in a good way!). The derby which will take place on Bank Holiday Sunday is causing great concern as the kick off time is 4pm and despite the police’s best efforts, the Premier League are refusing to move the time.
So, why is a 4pm kick off such a bad idea? The simple answer is alcohol.
Many fans love to have a drink before they go to matches and a late kick-off means more drinking time – especially on a bank holiday when they have got the Monday off, too. One of the other concerns is that after the problems and aggravated crowds at last weekend’s game at the Stadium of Light, things may kick off again.
Sunderland fans are less than happy about their current position in the league as they sit just one point above the relegation zone. The crowd disturbances and the fans trying to storm the dugout during their 4-0 home loss to Aston Villa were blamed on drunken supporters, so if things haven’t gotten any better since then, it could get even worse.
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Northumbria Police raised objections to a later kick off time earlier in the year, hoping for a lunch time fixture, as they generally do not cause as much issues amongst fans because the pubs haven’t been opened as long. These opinions were ignored by the Premier League and Sky Sports.
But previous fixtures have also shown that earlier kick offs do not always make things any better. In April 2013, violence erupted on the streets of Newcastle after a midday game between the two rivals.
All-in-all, I am not sure the kick off time is a good idea. I agree that whilst the police will always do their best job at the match and around the ground it is usually in the city centre where the trouble happens. When fans start to drink excessively before or after the games that’s when the anger and disruption usually occurs.
It is bound to happen, especially with the trouble Sunderland are in – their fans are bound to be more angry and have more pent up energy. No matter what time the kick off is in the Tyne Wear derby, it will always be one for the passionate fans.
All fans of any team want to win a derby and while the fans in the North East come out as more passionate, that is the be all and end all. The just want to win.
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There will always be a bit of trouble no matter what time the match starts, the most important thing is that the officials have enough time to plan to stop as much trouble as possible.
Here in the Football Transfer Tavern one of our Manchester United fans has just made a quip about Luka Modric possibly joining the club, claiming that he would give even Wayne Rooney a run for his money in the looks stakes. Whilst the club may have been privileged enough to have players like David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo don the famous red shirt in the past, we have turned our attentions to those who do not exactly make a claim in becoming the next Armani model.
There may be a slight debate about to rage however with United fans claiming that there are far more shall we say less fortunate looking players at other clubs and Old Trafford have the pick of the bunch. The non-biased of us in the tavern disagree however and some of the players in the Red Devils history books make you quite frankly hope that their WAGS are content with the money and fame being married to them, because let’s face it, their looks flatter to deceive!
Click on Old Trafford to reveal the top ten ‘ugliest’ Manchester United players of all-time.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is having quite the season at Liverpool as he attempts to make the transformation from academy player to first-team regular.
At just 19 years of age, the local boy will continue to develop and make improvements before becoming the finished article.
On Wednesday night, though, the right-back put in a man-of-the-match display against Manchester City.
Prior to kickoff, it seemed that out of anyone, Alexander-Arnold would be the possible weak link as he was tasked with marking Leroy Sane.
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In the end, though, the teenager stepped up and completed his job in style as Liverpool earned a 3-0 win at Anfield in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
News has since emerged in The Times claiming that Alexander-Arnold was wanted by RB Leipzig in January.
The publication states that following Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona, Liverpool tried to speed up Naby Keita’s arrival from Leipzig, but the German club were only willing to do a deal if the Reds’ young right-back was included.
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The Anfield outfit reportedly refused to offload Alexander-Arnold, and so far it looks to have been the right decision judging by his midweek performance.
On Reddit, Liverpool fans have been discussing the rumours.
Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).Comment from discussion RB Leipzig suggested that a deal involving Alexander-Arnold would be one solution to smoothing Naby Keïta’s early arrival in January to Anfield but Liverpool refused. (@_pauljoyce).
Despite overseeing what has so far been an impressive league campaign for the Hammers in 2014/15, last weekend’s disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of West Brom has seen many of Big Sam’s detractors come out in full force once again at Upton Park. Successes on the road, as well as two very promising home victories against Manchester City and Liverpool respectively this season, have so far masked the angst between Sam Allardyce and the Boleyn Ground faithful – but now it seems tensions are finally starting to boil over.
Whilst the West Ham chairman certainly doesn’t deserve such abuse, several Hammers fans confronted David Sullivan after the loss to the Baggies last Saturday, asking why Sam Allardyce was still in place at Upton Park. It seems that, despite a somewhat successful campaign in the Championship and three steady seasons in the top-flight of English football, the marriage between Sam Allardyce and the West Ham fans has simply been a largely unhappy one.
With Big Sam’s contract due to expire at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, and the Hammers expected to arrive at their new home of the Olympic Stadium in the not too distant future, does the former Bolton and Newcastle boss deserve a new contract with the East Enders, or has his time at Upton Park finally come to a natural end?
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Whether it be through his failure to accept the proposed ‘West Ham way’, the over-dependence on certain favourites within the Hammers squad, or his apparent rejection of exciting players who could have made a difference at Upton Park, the number one issue surrounding Sam Allardyce has been his playing style. The big man has had to deal with such talk throughout most of his career and is probably sick of hearing about it now. After all, West Ham have definitely played some great stuff under the their current manager, and as some performances this season have clearly outlined, Big Sam certainly has it in him to mix it up when he has to.
However, having said all of that, there is an undoubted belief among many of the Upton Park faithful that Sam Allardyce still hasn’t clocked on to how the fans want their team to be playing. With many left somewhat aggrieved as a result, this notion is most commonly symbolised by Big Sam’s over reliance on Kevin Nolan.
For as good a captain the former Newcastle skipper has been for the Hammers during his time at the club, his days as a first team Premier League footballer sadly seem to be over. The 32-year-old no longer contributes enough to warrant his almost guaranteed place within Big Sam’s starting XI, which to the widespread frustration of most West Ham fans, has seen the likes of Morgan Amalfitano and Mauro Zarate somewhat left out of Allardyce’s plans this season. For the South American striker in particular, a move away from Upton Park has forcibly become a necessity that many fans didn’t want to see.
But to be fair to Big Sam, West Ham have displayed a more positive approach to their Premier League matches this campaign, largely going out for the win and not simply respecting the point as they have done with ill-fated results in the past. With the likes of Diafra Sakho, Alex Song, and a rejuvenated Stewart Downing playing in a more centralised role on board, West Ham have been a great deal easier on the eye this season, and have often succeed in the league as a result. However, much of this change has been brought about by fan pressure rather than on the back of Sam Allardyce’s decisions – and it is this that is seemingly holding back a new contract former the former Bolton man.
For that reason, it seems unlikely that the West Ham fans will ever fully take to Sam Allardyce. Someone with a strong link to the club, such as current Besiktas boss Salven Bilic, would likely appease the lack of connection between the manager and fans at Upton Park at the moment, even if it means Big Sam’s tailor made squad will have to get used to a slightly different managerial direction.
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Although Allardyce backers could state that West Ham are exactly where most would have expected them to be, a mid-table team free of relegation fears but with nothing much left to fight for in 2014/15, the club’s upcoming relocation to the Olympic Stadium has simply required everyone to step up their game up a notch. In light of such news, maybe a more ambitious manager will therefore be required if the move away from Upton Park is ever going to be considered a worthwhile success for the club and it’s future endeavours.
With four sides still living it up in the FA Cup and Tranmere’s game snowed off, the majority of the weekend’s remaining League One fixtures were of importance at the bottom end of the table.
You’d have bet on 0-0 as the most likely score line at Fratton Park where Portsmouth and Hartlepool, two sides who in all honesty have been absolutely hopeless this season, clashed.
Well, had you made that bet you’d of lost, as Pool walked away with a rare three points following a 3-1 victory.
Without a win in 15 games, Pompey’s plight looks all the more desperate, but for bottom place Hartlepool there is just the tiniest glimmer of hope to cling to.
Scunthorpe are back in the bottom four after a 1-1 draw at Carlisle, who remain a healthy seven points clear of the drop zone.
U’s defy the odds
The form book was well and truly chucked out of the window in North Essex, as Colchester, on a run of nine straight losses, beat in-form Walsall.
It was Jabo Ibehre, formerly a fan’s favourite with the Saddlers, who did the damage. The big striker opened the scoring on 79 minutes, before Freddie Sears grabbed a goal to make it 2-0.
The U’s, who have stuck by manager Joe Dunne, move above Scunthorpe and out of the relegation zone on goal-difference.
Another key clash at the bottom took place at the New Meadow where Shrewsbury and Bury drew 0-0. Neither side is likely to be particularly happy with a point.
Pressure grows on Westley
Graham Westley’s Preston could soon be looking over their shoulder towards the drop zone if they don’t start winning at home.
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A 2-2 draw with Coventry makes it ten without a win at Deepdale and the locals are getting restless.
There was a home win at Brisbane Road, as Leyton Orient beat Notts County 2-1, ending the Magpie’s 22 game unbeaten run on the road.
The only member of the top six to feature this weekend was Bournemouth. The Cherries are now up to fifth after a Brett Pitman hat-trick gave them a 3-1 victory at home to Crewe.
As reported by The Mirror earlier this week, Manchester United have been heavily linked with a potential move for Celtic defender Kieran Tierney this summer.
The paper reckon that the Red Devils are set to firm up their interest in the Scotland international with a formal offer for the player, who is rated at £25m.
Tierney has been a stand-out at the Scottish champions for a few seasons now and has flourished under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers.
He’s won plaudits from Celtic fans for his committed displays at left-back, believing he could eventually become a future captain at the club, despite all the talk linking him with a move to the Premier League.
United badly need reinforcements in the position this summer with Ashley Young not getting any younger and Luke Shaw falling out of favour with Jose Mourinho.
Supporters though are not wholly convinced Tierney is the right choice.
Some reckon it’s a great idea…
Others though are less convinced and are looking for a signing like Alex Sandro or Ryan Sessesgnon…
Manchester City (4-4-1-1): Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Demichelis, Clichy, Navas, Fernando, Toure, Jovetic, Nasri, Aguero
Manuel Pellegrini still has a number of injuries to consider, with Aleksandar Kolorov, Edin Dzeko, David Silva, Matija Nastasic, and Vincent Kompany all unavailable for this fixture. Eliaquim Mangala returns from his suspension, meaning Dedryck Boyata, who played in the 4-1 win over Sunderland is likely to be benched to make room for French defender. With Dzeko still out injured, Manchester City may once again opt to play Stevan Jovetic on the left flank with Samir Nasri being deployed just behind in-form striker Sergio Aguero.
Roberto Martinez will likely keep his formation despite picking up a loss against Tottenham Hotspur followed by a draw with Hull City recently. He is still hit with three major injury concerns as John Stones, Antolin Alcaraz, and Darron Gibson all not going to take part in his match. James McCarthy is currently a doubt for this fixture, but Martinez could wait until the last moment before deciding whether he should include him into his upcoming plans. Samuel Eto’o could either start behind Romelu Lukaku or be brought into proceedings a little later into the match with his manager deciding to rest him during the increased game week. Steven Naismith is also a doubt for the match and based on his condition, it is believed that he won’t be able to return to full fitness in time.
What the fans are saying…
Remember this?
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//www.youtube.com/embed/P3pXDQ4hC2s
Everton were so close to causing a huge upset towards Manchester City’s title bids at the end of last season, but a very vital 3-2 victory for City ensured that they were well on their way to being crown champions of England once again.
Last week I wrote an article suggesting Arsene Wenger should leave Arsenal gracefully, before his career in North London comes to a bitter end. At the time, the Gunners were 10th in the table, with their worst Premier League start under Wenger since he took over in 1996. I was labelled by Arsenal fans as an uninformed alarmist, and one commenter compared my opinions to those of Piers Morgan.
Perhaps my timing was bad, it was after a 2-0 defeat to Swansea that left Gunners fans slightly sensitive to say the least, and I admit my manner was rather negative, I did not do the French manager much justice considering his many achievements in the Premier League over the years. In total, Wenger and his philosophy has earned the club 11 major trophies.
Last weekend, Arsenal greatly improved to beat West Brom 2-0 in what may prove to be an important fixture come the summer should the Baggies, fuelled by successful management debutant Steve Clarke, continue their good form through to the business end of the season. But I still believe Wenger’s time at the club will eventually end with a nasty and brutal divorce unless he decides to quietly step aside.
It is not necessarily Arsenal’s performance this season, although in many games they have simply been not good enough, but more the long period of slow stagnation that seems to have come over the club. I believe the Frenchman and his philosophy is becoming more and more outdated in the modern era of football.
In defending his transfer policy, Wenger has highlighted some of my concerns: “It is about sweat, thinking, working hard. You have a big tradition of that in England. I am scared all these qualities today have less importance in the game. I don’t say that money doesn’t play a part in it, but it is not only about that. We have to continue to believe that it is not only about that because what is the game about then?”
You have to admire the man’s principles, Wenger never spent big in the past and generated a team that were nicknamed “The Invincibles” because of their successes, including their incredible feat of going a whole season undefeated.
He’s a man who’s bought young talent and slowly developed teenagers into World Class footballers. It is understandable for Wenger to think he can carry on doing that, the likes of Jack Wilshire, Carl Jenkinson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will no doubt develop into top level players, but this process is beginning to work to the detriment of the first team.
There seems to be a constant transitioning at the club, between players who are learning their trade, and those edging on greatness, however the former tends to limit the heights of the latter. Arsenal haven’t won a trophy now since the FA Cup in 2005, however they have made their way to two cup finals since then, including the Champions League in 2006.
The problem is, it is near impossible to have enough young talent at one time to develop into a whole new starting XI of top class players in the future. Consider the sheer amount of youngsters who fail to develop after a certain level and never reach their full potential – there is always an element of luck involved. Other clubs tend to supplement the ones that make it by importing experienced players at the top of their game; however such players come with large transfer fees and wage demands, which are two principles Wenger’s philosophy stands firmly against.
The club’s wage structure severely limits Wenger’s ability to attract top level players, not to mention keep his stars. It is a fair point that money should not be the sole motivation to join a club and there should be an element of loyalty that some Arsenal players have lacked in the past, but unfortunately that is not how football works now days. Players are assets, and made constantly aware of it by their agents. Like any other business, employees need to be offered competitive salaries or they will be constantly lured to other clubs willing to offer them more.
Furthermore, there is another side to this argument that is over-looked by Arsenal fans who label those who leave the club for league rivals as traitors. Players remember winning trophies when their careers are over, and that will always be their overall aim. They will never strive to be a loyal servant to a club or to consistently qualify for the Champions League; they will strive to win accolades through their own skill and hard graft.
I’m a firm believer that you have to spend money to generate success in the Premier League, which has been proved by Chelsea and Man City, and therefore I will always dispute Wenger’s money-pinching transfer policy, but what concerns me more is the manner in which he lets his players leave. Letting Robin Van Persie leave for £24million has essentially handed the title to Manchester United, and ended Arsenal’s chances of making a title bid with one swift transfer. It is hardly the first time Wenger has allowed a player to leave for a bargain fee.
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I get the feeling that to Wenger no player is worth £50million for example, and in many respects that is true. The amount of money in the Premiership is deplorable, but Wenger’s failure to accept the rules of the market place is systematic of how his philosophy has endangered the club he loves.
I agree with many of Wenger’s principles; restriction of players’ wages, the notion that no player should be worth vast sums of money, the idea hard work and talent should outweigh the power of the purse, but I can only agree with them as principles. Pragmatically, Wenger’s philosophy can no longer work. It is impossible to compete with the over £900million spent by City’s Sheik owners, and the money spent by Abramovich at Chelsea. Manchester United still spend around the £20million mark on many of their recruits.
Unless Wenger can move with the times and accept that money is a vital part of the game, he is allowing the club and himself get left behind as the Premier League evolves. It is not that the club is moving backwards necessarily, it’s that its failing to move forward. Eventually, Wenger and Arsenal will have a difficult decision to make. If the fans ever wish to see trophies again, they will have to cast their talisman head coach aside for a fresher perspective of the game.