Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has refused to be drawn on his side’s bid to sign unsettled Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.
Chelsea had a rumoured bid of around 35 million pounds rejected by Liverpool, and despite speculation the Spaniard was keen on a move away from Anfield, Ancelotti refused to discuss the situation on Friday.
“I don’t want to speak about this, you will have to ask the club. He is not my player and I have to have respect for Liverpool. I don’t like to speak about this,” Ancelotti said.
The 51-year-old Italian said he was pleased with the backing he had been given by the club’s board to bolster his squad.
“I am happy because the club is doing a fantastic job in this transfer market. The club is trying to do everything to improve the squad,” he said.
And Ancelotti defended striker Didier Drogba who, despite scoring 10 goals this season, has been plagued by inconsistency.
“Drogba doesn’t have a problem. He can play with anybody,” Ancelotti said.
“For tomorrow I don’t need more strikers. Maybe in the future, I don’t know.”
Meanwhile, Ancelotti has failed in his bid to land Brazilian defender David Luiz from Portuguese side Benfica, with the club releasing a statement declaring talks had halted.
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“The negotiations between Benfica and Chelsea FC with regard to the potential transfer of David Luiz, were concluded today without the parties reaching an agreement,” the statement read.
“Benfica are happy to be able to keep in their ranks a player with the sporting quality and moral shown by David Luiz.”
“Unlike some news that had come up these last few days, David Luiz never tried to force his exit, he is an exemplary professional, worthy of the shirt he wears.”
Before I am labelled simplistic for distinguishing between the two, I understand that football is very much both. But what’s interesting to debate is how much of a job it is considered by players and managers and how much of it still has the spirit of being a game. Two things prompted me to consider this question. The first was hearing Raul speaking of Cristiano Ronaldo’s professionalism with regards to training at Real Madrid, seemingly surprised by it. And the second was reading an interesting quote from Fabio Capello commenting on the ‘nervous tension’ that is instilled in young footballers in Italy.
Raul was asked about Ronaldo in an interview earlier this month and conceded (and I can’t help but speculate that he was maybe surprised by it himself):
“He is one of the best professionals I’ve seen. He is the first to arrive and the last leave training. I see him and say to myself, ‘I have to train harder’.”
It is easy to dismiss Ronaldo’s frank, outspoken media snippets and flagrant bravado as working in opposition to the idea of a professional who takes his job seriously. But the truth remains, as Ferguson and his old United teammates will vouch; he is a dedicated and committed pro. Frank Lampard is another example of a man not blessed with overt natural ability with the ball at his feet but has worked on the training ground with frightening tenacity to be one of the world’s best midfielders. I always wonder why more don’t exhibit the same level of commitment to their profession. But perhaps the true reason is that it remains only a job for so many professional footballers. Ronaldo is someone who is compelled, by a sheer love for the game as well as a commitment to his profession, to stay the extra hours and put in the time required to maintain and improve on his own standards. Perhaps that level of pure love married with ambition is what is lacking in the generic professional because they view the game as a means to an income; it is only a job for those few hours required to be at training.
Fabio Capello voiced an interesting reason why he believes in Italy that the game is considered a profession before anything else:
“In the Italian psyche there is a certain type of nervous tension which is instilled into young footballers from an early age and the result is that when they are on the pitch, they would rather be somewhere else. To them it’s a job. It’s not fun, not a game. When I was at Real Madrid everyone would stay and eat and go to the gym together. In Italy they’ll stay as long as they have to and then they’ll go. We don’t have this joy inside us. It’s almost as if they don’t like being footballers.”
Yet this is the exact same reasoning that saw Alex Ferguson state that the Italians have a ‘bigger respect for the profession’ than we do. He believed players in England did not give aspects of football that make it a job for professionals i.e. training, preparation, and nutrition large enough consideration and application (Beckham commented on the consummate professionalism of AC Milan’s method when he arrived on loan last year). On the one hand the Italian approach is depressing if Capello feels that young footballers do not have the love for the game that remains, thankfully, a prerequisite for young English players. Yet on the other hand it is a deciding factor in their longevity and sustained successes.
It is a fair assumption that in England it is appreciated when players compete to their maximal output, where effort and determination are lauded and recognised by fans even if the end product is a little off. I have written previously about that not being the case in Italian football (see ‘Can European Glory Salvage the Italian Game?’) and how competing without reward is an alien concept. Again, it is an example of the contrasting ideologies prevalent in differing cultures.
There certainly remains an intrinsic demand for competing at all times, even when the match is lost, in England. And I think it stems from having a very basic love for the game. Jose Mourinho saw this at work with his squad at Chelsea:
“If I don’t tell the payers that it’s compulsory to stretch after training, they’ll finish the session with shooting practice or kickabouts…I have players, and I’m talking some of my very best players, who think they can play ninety minutes at maximum effort one day and, the next day, play another ninety minutes just as hard.”
This is a naive stance from the payers because, physiologically speaking, the drains of ninety minutes are massive but it is indicative of a desire to always play – a love for always playing. The progress on the tactical front have certainly added a ubiquitous professionalism to football in this country; after all, a team simply cannot be successful if they do not temper a love for playing with the need to respect the many factors that go into winning (knowledge, practice, discipline etc). As far as teams are concerned the emphasis is on being professional. Results dictate success. But the best individuals (Ronaldo and Messi) merge an insatiable – and evident – enjoyment for the game first with the diligent and dedicated commitment they learn about the job afterwards.
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Sir Alex Ferguson would be delighted with a professional showing from his Manchester United after their debacle in midweek. It was important 3pts for the Red Devils as they look to stay with the pace at the top of the Premier League.
At FFC this week there’s been plenty of United blogs that include the Pogba conundrum; in defence of David De Gea, while the curse of the Rio Ferdinand model.
We also have a selection of the best United blogs from across the web.
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The curse of the Rio Ferdinand model
Caption Competition: A Nemanja Nightmare for United
Transfer activity at Old Trafford?
Not what Manchester United or City would have wanted
When Paul Pogba is ready, he won’t be held back
In defence of David De Gea
Travesty perhaps, but it shouldn’t paper over the problem at United
Simply an unwanted distraction?
Wenger set to join Fergie in pursuit of £20m Spaniard
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Call Me Crazy But I Have To Agree With Kenny Daglish – Red Flag Flying High
It’s the midfield, stupid II – United Rant
Blogging Reds discuss Jones, Rooney, Carrick and Lindegaard – The Busby Way
The Pogba Situation Needs A Rooney-Like Response – The United Religion
Documentary: The Mark Hughes Story – 7Cantonas
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Click on Daniela Martins to see her in all her glory
Charlie Adam missed a penalty as Liverpool’s hopes of reaching the Premier League top four took a hit after they were held to a goalless draw by Wigan.
The summer signing from Blackpool saw his spot kick saved by Latic’s goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi after Luis Suarez saw his acrobatic effort blocked by the hand of Gary Caldwell. The fact the Uruguayan was even on the field irked many in the football sphere after the FA found him guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. However despite that being the main talking point before kick off and Liverpool showing their solidarity by wearing t-shirts bearing Suarez’s image it failed to overshadow a pulsating encounter in the North West. Wigan played their part as well and manager Roberto Martinez will be delighted that his side have now held two of the leagues biggest clubs in consecutive games as they look to escape the relegation zone before the new year.
It was the visitors who started the opening half the brightest although without the usual vim and vigour from Suarez who appeared uncharacteristically subdued amidst a sea of jeers from the Wigan supporters. Still, the Reds looked the more likely to score and manager Kenny Dalglish will be disappointed that his side failed to convert the chances the created with Jordan Henderson, Martin Skrtel, Dirk Kuyt and Glen Johnson all seeing efforts saved by the impressive Al Habsi. That seemed to wake the hosts up and they soon settled into the slick passing routine that has become their hallmark under Martinez. Mohamed Diame lashed a shot into the side netting from 40-yards before Pepe Reina had to be at his best to keep out Victor Moses swerving effort after the winger’s mazy run from the half way line.
Liverpool regained their momentum in the second half and were presented with a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock when Caldwell blocked Suarez’s over head kick with his arm leaving referee Michael Oliver with no option but to point to the spot. Adam stepped up but could only to Al Habsi claw the ball asway as Dalglish’s men missed from 12-yards for the fourth time this season. It seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Reds although they should have taken the lead just minutes after their penalty miss with Dirk Kuyt hooking over from six yards when it looked easier to score. Wigan had one more chance left in them and it was Moses who came close to snatching three points but could only stab the ball wide from close range as they moved to within one point of safety.
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Many of us like to think of ourselves as great football managers who could do a better job than a lot of those in the world of football. This is purely down to our exploits in management games like Championship Manager. Being good in the virtual world doesn’t automatically translate to the real world though, just ask some virtual stars who fell by the wayside when it came to stepping on the pitch.
Cited as a decisive factor in over 30 divorce cases, the addictive Championship Manager (later Football Manager) series successfully managed to develop a cult status amongst football fans the world over. Aside from its groundbreaking eschewal of graphics in favour of text, the series gained infamy for its ability to predict the promising futures of top players before they became famous, having foreseen the development of the likes of Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney years before the pair gained widespread notoriety.
However, the series is equally as infamous for its ability to unearth duds. The following cult heroes are indicative of when Championship Manager has gotten it wrong, as all of these virtual sensations have found footballing success elusive…
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Click on the image below to see some of Championship Manager’s cult heroes
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Didier Drogba has been linked with a possible switch to Spurs from Chelsea. But would it be a good transfer for Spurs to consider and would Chelsea be keen to do the deal?
There can be little doubt that Didier Drogba has been one of the finest signings we have seen in the Premier League. He was in sparkling form last season when he led the top scorers chart with 29 Premier League goals. This season he has had his problems with injury and illness, but has still managed to score 13 goals in all competitions. However, Drogba is now 33 and there will be questions on how many more years he can continue to compete at the highest level. All this will need to be taken on board for Spurs to decide if he is the right signing for them.
At this time it is somewhat unclear how willing Chelsea would be to cash in on their prize asset. Drogba will have one year left on his contract in the summer and it may represent the last time Chelsea can expect to get a decent fee for him. However, the current Chelsea manager is not keen to sell Drogba. But the decision may not lay with him, if Chelsea changes manager in the summer.
The forward line at Spurs has been below par this season and it’s not hard to see why they would be in the market for a proven goal-scorer. But with a transfer fee of around £10m and the player now 33 it remains to be seen if this deal represents good value for money. Drogba on a free transfer would be an excellent bit of business. Spurs need to access how many seasons at this level Drogba has left in him, if it’s four or five – then do the deal. However, the reality is, it may only be one or two and in that time Drogba may find that injuries start catching up with him.
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Due to the unknown nature of the future of Drogba, I would suggest Spurs look to recruit a younger player that can grow and develop with the club and be sure of playing for at least four to five years. That said I can see Chelsea cashing in on Drogba in the summer and allow Fernando Torres to become the main striker at Chelsea. As some other people have said signing Torres for £50m was a strange thing to do if Drogba was to stay.
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As a Leeds United fan I’ve been subjected to the constant moaning of Ken Bates about the “greedy agents” ruining our beloved game for too many years now. A rant about agents has become as much a part of his programme notes and weekly Yorkshire Radio interviews as his narcissistic ramblings about how football, and indeed the entire world would be a better place if only everyone would listen to his wisdom.
But it’s not just the outspoken Leeds United chairman who constantly attempts to vilify football agents. Listen to any manager or chairman from any division on the planet for long enough and sooner or later they’ll be blaming agents for everything that is wrong with the modern game of football. Complaining about their fees, whilst pocketing millions of pounds a year themselves from the “broken game” they so love to whinge about is an irony lost on them all it seems.
The truth is that modern football is run by ruthless businessmen who are in it solely for the money. There’s the odd exception to the rule of course, but very few clubs are a plaything for bored billionaires with too much spare time on their hands and a desperate need for attention. And even they are motivated by their own narcissism and vanity, as opposed to the almost religious love for our clubs supporters like you and I share.
From the players, to the coaches, to the executives, to the owners and beyond. There are very few people at any football club who are there because they love the club and want to selflessly give their time and effort to see it succeed.
But fans know all this. They know they are the only people who care more about the football club than what the football club can do for them. Every fan reading this will be able to identify at least one ex or current chairman, manager or player they consider to be a greedy, money-sucking leech. Mention Harry Kewell for example within earshot of a Leeds United supporter and you better be braced for a total onslaught.
But chairman, managers and players are just doing a job we reason. They’re no different from a plumber or an electrician really. Supporters of clubs on the brink of financial ruin will still defend a players right to draw a wage whilst the administrators are auctioning off pieces of their stadium.
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So why then, in an era where our beloved game is so rife with overpaid individuals do we have such a problem with football agents? Why are they the one evil that ourselves and our football club unanimously agree on? It’s simple really, it’s because we don’t see them as necessary.
Chairman are necessary as they’re the ones who pay everyone else. The management and coaches are necessary because they bring in the players and deal with the team.
And the team? They’re the reason we turn up to Oldham on an indescribably cold Tuesday night in the middle of winter when a combination of ice and rain is being smashed into your face by gale force winds. Why else would you stand in a three-sided stadium, protected from the elements by nothing more than a replica shirt and a scarf, screaming anthems out at the top of your voice constantly aware that your toes may drop off at any moment?
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The agents meanwhile are portrayed as the shady characters lurking in the background, waiting to suck every penny they can from our poor defenceless football clubs. They don’t pay our heroes to run around chasing an air-filled piece of leather. They don’t decide which players will be charged with leading our teams to success, and they certainly don’t contribute anything to our fortunes on the pitch.
What agents do is unforgivable. They demand wages for their clients our clubs can’t afford and then tout their players in the press to try and find them more money elsewhere. More unforgivable still is that they then take a healthy percentage of all this money for themselves!
And this is what the fans find so hard to stomach. No-one has a problem with paying their star winger twice what everyone else in the team earns so long as he commits his future to the club. No-one minds paying several million pounds to capture a new striker. No-one really minds that chairmen and executives profit heavily from our clubs regardless of how well we do on the pitch. But when a third party comes in and tries to take a slice of the action, that’s where we draw the line.
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Agents earn a very healthy living from football, there’s no denying that. But they are as essential to professional footballers as lawyers are to your football club.
A footballer’s contract is a legally binding document drawn up by the club’s lawyers to secure their services. It’s a document that in this day and age can be worth millions, sometimes tens of millions of pounds. In it, is everything from how a player is expected to conduct themselves in public, to how much they’ll earn/lose if circumstances at the club change (promotion/relegation for example).
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The club’s lawyers and advisors will draw up this contract ensuring everything is in the best interests of the club, whilst at the same time trying to keep the amount paid to said player to an absolute minimum. These people are hired by the clubs to look out for the club’s best interests – the player is simply a pawn in their little game.
Meanwhile, the agent will be there to act on behalf of our often dim-witted yet loveable footballers. This is a man with vast experience of contract negotiations who knows exactly what kind of fee the player can command elsewhere and will do everything in his power to ensure the club don’t underpay him. If that means he has to instruct his client to go elsewhere, then why shouldn’t he? The player after all is simply doing a job, and the agent’s job is to ensure he gets paid as much for doing that job as possible.
Of course, the agent isn’t doing all this out of the goodness of his own heart. He’d be a rubbish businessman if that was the case. It all comes down to money. The club, owners and chairmen are all doing their utmost to ensure they get their slice of the pie and so too are the players. We’ve all come to accept money is all that matters in football these days. Agents are simply the stockbrokers of the beautiful game.
Read more of David’s articles at www.thescratchingshed.com
Reports gathering pace from both The Daily Mail and the Mirror suggest that Robbie Keane will become a Leicester City player within the next 48 hours.
If Keane signs for the Championship club, it will represent Sven-Goran Eriksson’s biggest capture of the summer at the club, and is hoping to convince the Republic of Ireland international to take a step down in division by offering a lucrative salary in order to get his man.
Leicester have now targeted Keane in response to their failure to sign another Republic of Ireland international striker, Shane Long, who instead chose to join West Brom earlier this week in a £7 million deal. They have also had three bids rejected by Bristol City for their forward, Nicky Maynard. Eriksson, who has already signed 11 players during this close-season, still feels they need to bring in a proven goalscorer: ‘I always said if we can get a striker with a good goal-scoring record, we are going to try. If there is a proven striker who can score 20 goals, then we will work hard to bring him in’.
Robbie Keane is now thought to be that man and an initial bid of around £3 million has been made. Although the transfer fee seems low, Tottenham are looking to reduce their already high wage bill and allowing Keane to leave would reduce that figure significantly.
If Keane moves, Leicester represent his 9th professional club – alongside Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan, Tottenham, Liverpool, Celtic (loan) and West Ham (loan), amassing nearly £80 million in total transfer fees paid for his signature.
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Juventus have confirmed that they have agreed a fee in excess of five million euros for the transfer of Denmark international midfielder Christian Poulsen to Liverpool.
The 30-year-old is set to join the Reds as a replacement for Javier Mascherano, having spent the last two seasons with the Serie A club.
He previously enjoyed successful spells in Spain with Sevilla and Germany with Schalke.
Meanwhile, Mascherano has spoken of his desire to seek a fresh challenge away from Anfield.
He told Sky Sports after Argentina's 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland:"The only thing I want to say is I don't have nothing against the Liverpool supporters, the Liverpool people.
"My problem is not to play for Liverpool. I'm very proud to play for Liverpool. It's another thing.
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Chris Coleman is widely expected to be named as the new Wales manager on Thursday, as their Football Association have called a press conference.
The Celtic nation are looking for a new boss after the tragic suicide of Gary Speed, and Coleman has admitted that he would feel guilty should he be given the job.
“It’d be a stupid man who goes in there and takes the job, whether it’s me or anyone else, and changes everything. If it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it,” he told Sky Sports.
“But it’s a very sensitive situation. If I’m offered the job and accept, I will have mixed emotions. I don’t think you turn down Wales, and it would be the pinnacle for me.
“In another situation, I’d probably be on cloud nine. But, ideally, Gary, who was a close friend of mine for many years, would still be sitting here doing a great job for the country.
“I almost feel a little bit guilty even talking about the job because Gary is no longer with us,” he concluded.
Coleman has recently stepped down from his post as coach of Greek side Larissa.
By Gareth McKnight
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