Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill has urged England goalkeeper David James to make a decision over whether he will remain with the club next season in the near future.
The Pompey hierarchy have held talks with the 39-year-old following England's dismal World Cup campaign, but James has not yet indicated if he will remain on the South Coast following relegation to the Championship.
Cotterill told The News:"I probably think we will know very soon as to what David is going to do. We need to know if it's not going to be with us. We need to move on.
"So sooner or later there's going to have to be a decision made there. We're definitely going to need to know and maybe if David can't make his mind up, we've got to make a decision.
"He could contribute as a coach here. We've chatted about a few things in the area. But, like I say, at the end of the day, sooner or later there's got to be a decision made.
"We need to know what he is going to do."
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Meanwhile, Senegal midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has left Fratton Park to join Greek side AEK Athens.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
It must be difficult when your brother is a multi-millionaire footballer who all the fame and fortune in the world when you are a run-of-the-mill footballer just trying to get by in the lower leagues.
There are many brothers in football who have had equal amounts of success as each other and have made it to the top of their game but what about the players whose brother has dwarfed their own success. These footballers remain forever in the shadow of their famous brother and some struggle to make a career for themselves.
This is a list of players who had to take a back seat while their more famous brother developed into a household name. We’re sure that their parents love them just the same…
Click on Stephen Jagielka to unveil the top 10
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Compiled by Aidan McCartney
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Liverpool’s lacklustre defeat to West Ham this week has only served to highlight that the second-coming of Kenny Dalglish has merely been papering over the cracks. Expectations were lessened around the club at the beginning of this season and yet the side have still struggled to meet them at times. So with that in mind, what should be considered a realistic expectation in terms of the club’s ambitions with concern to next season?
Dalglish’s much heralded return to the club after the sacking of Roy Hodgson has prompted a resurgence of sorts for the club both on and off the pitch. Dalglish has united the club in a way only a true club legend can. He’s galvanised the club and the players seem all the more happier on the pitch for it. His appointment on a full-time rather than interim basis looks all but assured at the end of the season, perhaps even sooner.
The Scot is often credited with being a master man-motivator, rather than an astute tactician. To be honest with you, that would appear to be being unkind to Dalglish who hasn’t been afraid to chop and change and experiment since he took charge of the club once again and to great effect. But his arrival and the improved results and performances on the pitch have left many fans giddy at the prospect of next season, as they estimate that Dalglish will have more of a chance to mould the side into one of his own making.
The fact of the matter remains though, that the playing squad is woefully under prepared to mount anything more than a sustained challenge for a European place at the minute, let alone a Champions League place. The arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in the January transfer window to point to a promising future, but that is all it is at the moment – promise. The arrivals of Suarez and Carroll have addressed the imbalance with the forward line at the club, yet the imbalance throughout the rest of the squad remains a pressing issue.
The side lacks sufficient depth and quality all over the park. It lacks width and at times a degree of guile. Dalglish will know more than most the effect a new manager can have on a club. It creates a competitive atmosphere that more often than not leads to an increased level of performance. The real test starts now.
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To return to the subject matter, I’d say that 6th place in the league and a decent cup run should constitute the minimum expectations for next season and that anything more should be considered a bonus. Many of you may have realised that the above expectations were what the club had hoped to achieve this season and it’s worth noting that the club maintain on course, despite their troubles, to do just that this term.
It’s also worth remembering that Roy Hodgson was appointed as the club’s manager with the mission statement of achieving stability. He was thought to be a steady hand on the tiller. His tenure proved to be anything but stabile in the end, yet there needs to be a reality check with concerns to future ambitions.
A rebuilding process was always required for the club to achieve anything in the future. The same ethos remains today despite the improvement under Dalglish. It’s easy to get carried away by what many outsiders may perceive as the ‘cult of Dalglish’ and there must be a very real worry that a over-estimation of expectations may occur in the near future.
Upon taking control of the club from those that shall not be named, NESV stated that they came to the club with a long-term vision in mind and that they understood that the success the fans so craved, was not likely to happen over night. They espoused the virtues of incremental steps in terms of development on and off the pitch as opposed to a radical overhaul. This sensible leadership in the boardroom can only help foster sustained success on the pitch and their approach will pay dividends if it’s adhered to.
There appears to be a real sense of togetherness under Dalglish at the club and it feels as if a burden has been lifted. The West Ham result, while a setback, does not mean that all of the hard work since Dalglish’s return to the club has been undone; no, the bubble-bursting defeat merely serves to put the result and the club’s current relative standing into some sort of perspective.
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The club finally appears to be heading in the right direction, but a modicum of realism needs to return to the club after the honeymoon period is over. This current Liverpool side is brittle and in need of serious investment. Their deficiencies are clear for all to see, but this change must come over a long period of time, as NESV quite correctly proposed.
Dalglish has done brilliantly so far since his return and he’s helped to create a positive atmosphere at the club, something which has been missing around Anfield for quite some time. But please forgive me for this dose of cynicism, but it may take the club a little more than the return of the King to truly challenge for anything in the near future. Liverpool can finally look forward rather than back for the first time in nearly two years, and the relief has been evident.
However, when it comes to next season, while the playing staff may need addressing in certain areas, the expectations placed upon them do not and fans of the club will be wise not to even consider altering them for the foreseeable future. The mission remains the same and the rebuilding process looks to be back on track under Dalglish, but patience is a virtue as the old adage goes, and it’s a quality Liverpool fans may have to rather reluctantly accommodate over the course of next season.
After an awful summer for the England team following a dismal World Cup campaign many believe Fabio Capello should be moved on as many questioned his tactics, regime and selection. It would appear that the bookies favourite to succeed Capello as England coach is Harry Redknapp, are Tottenham set for an uncomfortable few weeks as the rumours gather pace?
Redknapp has already stated that the post is one that interests him:
“I’m English, who wouldn’t want to manage England?
“There’s not an Englishman – whether it’s me, Roy Hodgson or Sam Allardyce – who would turn the job down because it’s our country and we want to manage our country.
“No-one is ever going to turn that job down.”
Are these sorts of comments a come-and-get-me plea towards the FA, or just a show of patriotism from the Tottenham manager who says any manager should be proud to take charge of his country’s national team?
The White Hart Lane faithful will obviously be hoping that it is the latter, but the bookmakers think otherwise and Hodgson’s imminent arrival at Anfield to take the Liverpool hot seat will shorten the Spurs man’s odds even further.
Many people in football such as Lawrie McMenemy and former England international Paul Merson have touted Redknapp as a perfect candidate for the England job.
McMeneny believes that Redknapp is able to handle the big name players for England as he has done so well at Spurs when many initially had their reservations about him taking the job at the north London club.
The ex-Southampton manager said:
“He would be able to handle the dressing room as well as anyone and when it comes to handling the big players, Harry has proved he can do it.
“They’re all different and they don’t need coaching, but they do need managing. Harry has proved he can do that.”
Whilst Merson argues that although Capello is a proven manager it is time for a change as he argues that England’s World Cup campaign was disastrous. Merson has bemoaned England’s showing over the past few weeks as there wasn’t one single impressive performance out of their four matches, which suggests that the Italian is perhaps wrong for the role.
Continue reading on Page 2…
Merson, the former Arsenal man, also believes that there is no better candidate for the job than the current Tottenham manager, but admits that the FA will have to pay a fortune in compensation to both the current boss and Spurs to make such a move come to pass.
“People will think I am only saying it because I’ve played for him [Harry Redknapp], but believe me everyone of those players would want to play for him.
“They need to play with the confidence that if they do give the ball away it won’t be the end of the world, they won’t get that with the manager waving his arms around, elbowing Stuart Pearce off the bench.”
As for Redknapp himself, I’d question whether it would be worth it for him to leave the Lilywhites after working so hard to earn the right to compete in the UEFA Champions League. Surely the chance to manage in the Champions League is a strong enough pull to keep ‘Arry at Spurs and away from the Three Lions position?
However, some critics in the past have questioned Redknapp’s loyalty considering his actions in the past. In 2004 Redknapp left Portsmouth to go to bitter south-coast rivals Southampton (relegated them), then he returned to Portsmouth, won the FA Cup with them then ended up walking out on them again to replace Juande Ramos at Tottenham.
Although the Tottenham fans won’t like it Redknapp is also many England fans’ favourite to take over from Capello and will hope that he can bring a younger look to the squad. Some quarters are also arguing that the next national coach should be English as someone like Redknapp may play a style which suits our players more than Capello’s laborious and predictable 442. But England had a bad experience under their last English coach Steve McClaren and have since found some stability under the current boss.
Are the Tottenham fans worried that they could lose their manager to England?
Do the England fans want Harry Redknapp as the England coach, should the FA stick with Capello, or would you prefer another candidate for the Three Lions role?
Follow me on Twitter: ajwilliams1987
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Click on image below to see the PORTUGUESE babes at the World Cup
David Beckham has stated that he hopes Rio Ferdinand stays at Manchester United, despite rumours the veteran could be set for a move to the MLS.
The centre half has lost a place in the national squad, and with persistent injury concerns and the emergence of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling at Old Trafford, is no longer guaranteed a starting berth in Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting XI.
Rumours in the press state that Chicago Fire are keen to offer the ageing defender one last bumper payday, but Beckham feels Ferdinand should stay with the Premier League champions.
“It’s unfair for me to even comment on a player that’s under contract at Manchester United, loved by the fans. He’s a very good player,” he told The Daily Mail.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard those rumours but I’m not even going to comment because he’s a Manchester United player and as a [former] Manchester United player I want him to stay there,” he stated.
Beckham’s own future has been subject to speculation, with a move to big spending Paris St Germain of interest to the LA Galaxy man.
“I love Leonardo. He’s a great manager, a great person. I’m flattered that he wants me to go and join the team in Paris.
“I think there are big things happening in France at a number of clubs. It’s an exciting time. Leonardo going there and the money that’s at the club. It’s an interesting club,” he concluded.
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Looking back over his time at Newcastle United, sports-retail business tycoon Mike Ashley has had an eventful few years on Tyneside as owner of the club. First impressions of Ashley lead us to believe that he was a genuine supporter by donning the Black and White striped shirt and sitting with the fans at away games instead of sticking to the corporate seats. However, from the business side of it, you have to give Ashley credit for steadying a sinking ship at St James’ Park given the large amount of debt that was paid off during his takeover. Now with more details on the Andy Carroll transfer coming out, it looks likely that Mike Ashley simply couldn’t refuse a good business deal when he sees one, regardless of what the fans or player think.
The whole debate about Mike Ashley and Newcastle United is as intriguing as it is puzzling. As a neutral looking in on this conundrum, it’s easier to look at both sides of the scale in order to assess what is really going on. In the past, I’ve spoke in favour of Mike Ashley due to the fact that despite his controversial decisions, he has tried to do the right thing in terms of running a successful football club – but by (metaphorically) slapping fans in the face on the way. The statement by the club in spring last year detailed a 5-year-plan that would see the club break even by 2016, which would leave them in a very healthy position with the new financial rules that will be coming into play and also in comparison to other clubs. That is why the transfer bid by Liverpool for Andy Carroll was one that Ashley simply couldn’t reject.
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Former chairman Freddie Shepherd has said: “When I was chairman Liverpool tried to buy Alan Shearer and I refused point blank. It can’t be done…” But despite the emotional attachments to keeping Carroll, Ashley saw too much business logic in accepting the deal. With £30 million paid up front it was like Newcastle have been given a healthy bonus to improve the squad as whole. Also with a 25-per-cent sell on fee on the deal too, Ashley certainly got his worth although many Newcastle fans would say that Carroll was priceless. It remains to be seen whether manager Alan Pardew will have the £30 million to spend on the squad come the summer.
Perhaps selling Carroll on deadline day was a bad business decision given the gamble on the team being able to stay up without him thus putting pressure on Pardew and the squad. Despite looking from a distance on the positives Ashley has made at the club it is clear why the loyal Toon Army have a problem with the running of their club. When Alan Pardew took over in December he made clear that keeping Carroll at the club was his main aim and that he’ll do everything in his power to make it happen, but despite any reassurances that he got from Mike Ashley and Director Derek Llambias – it proved a failure. It’s not just Pardew’s comments that have been contradicting, Llambias’ statements since 2009 have been highly contradictive; no wonder the fans have a lack of trust.
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The news that Chelsea have been looking at Brazilian midfielder Ramires is not altogether surprising, especially considering the paucity of both quality and numbers that the club now possess in the middle of the park, but should Carlo Ancelotti be able to negotiate the successful transfer, we could seriously be looking at one of the transfer coup’s of the summer with the Benfica man currently one of the most underrated midfielders in Europe.
Ramires’ agent Luis Carlini has stated that “Many clubs from the big European leagues have been in contact about Ramires. Chelsea and Bayern have spoken to Benfica, but I can’t say more.” So it would appear that a move elsewhere in on the cards.
With Michael Ballack having departed for pastures anew after not having his contract renewed by the West London club, he set sail for former club Bayer Leverkusen. Deco too looks set to leave with a well-documented desire to move back to his homeland of Brazil not going unnoticed, and a move to Fluminense imminent. The club also let go of utility player Belletti this summer who was also capable, should the occasion call for it, of doing a shift in the middle.
This leaves the club with only three recognised central midfield players in their first team squad in Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien. Michael Mancienne cut his Premiership teeth at holding man for Wolves last season on loan, his energetic style of play, distribution and bite in the tackle proving a useful commodity for Mick McCarthy’s relegation threatened side, but such was his success last term for the club, that McCarthy wishes to have him back again this season either on loan or a permanent deal, and his stay at Chelsea only looks assured should they fail to add to their squad.
Lampard is a nailed on inclusion, and despite a poor World Cup he had a magnificent season for the reigning Champions last term and there are no worries about him. Mikel though remains something of a conundrum for me personally. Brought in to do an unfussy job quietly and efficiently, he more often than not does the exact opposite and his lack of development despite the large amount of game time he has acquired the past few seasons is a cause for concern and he has to be seen as more of a squad player as opposed to a guaranteed starter.
It is with Michael Essien though that the club has its greatest worry. The Ghanaian midfielder has started just 25 league game in the last two seasons and 40 across all competitions in the same time. Essien is quite simply a beast of a player, and when fit, he’s one of the most destructive midfielders in the world, but his fitness, or rather lack of it, means that manager Carlo Ancelotti cannot pencil his name in for next season’s team sheet with any degree of certainty.
This is where Ramires comes in. He is like Essien-light if you will. Not quite the midfield enforcer of the current Chelsea player but with a bit more pace, agility allied with a decent range of passing. Ramires missed Brazil’s exit to Holland at the quarterfinal stage of the World Cup with a suspension, but his rise to prominence has been a sharp one both within the national team and within European football.
Signed by Benfica for £6.5m last summer from Cruzeiro, the 23 year old has managed to force his way into the Brazil national team set-up under former manager Dunga and he went on to play four of Brazil’s five World Cup games this summer.
What does remain to be seen though is whether Benfica will want to let go of one of their most prized assets, a year after signing him, and more importantly, with the player in question only one year into a five-year deal, particularly after they just agreed to let go of star player Angel Di Maria to Real Madrid for £20m just last week.
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Ramires would appear to be angling for a move by saying “I came to Europe to win championships. It is normal that I would look at any offers from clubs in bigger leagues but I am currently under contract and Benfica will have the final say.”
He may not come cheaply, but Benfica are fundamentally a selling club, and at the right price, Ancelotti should be able to get their man. Central midfield looks to be in need of some serious reinforcement and with Ramires in tow, Chelsea could go a long way to plugging an evident gap in their squad.
Barcelona are lining up a shock move to bring Bolton defender Gary Cahill to the Nou Camp in January, according to the Daily Mail.
Manager Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen his defensive options and has taken a shining to Cahill after his consistent performances over the last two years.
The 25-year-old is now a regular in the England setup and was the subject of intense transfer speculation over the summer with Arsenal and Tottenham chasing his signature.
Both failed with £10 million bids as the Trotters stood firm over their valuation but they would be hard-pressed to deny Cahill a move to the European champions.
However, with his current deal at the Reebok Stadium running out at the end of the season, Cahill would be free to discuss a move with other clubs and the La Liga giants are considering bringing him in to strengthen their back line.
Injury to skipper Carlos Puyol has forced Guardiola to partner midfielders Sergio Busquets or Javier Mascherano with Gerard Pique in the heart of defence.
The Spanish coach is concerned that his team will be vulnerable at set pieces without a defender who is dominant in the air and has identified Cahill to provide some aerial strength.
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Owen Coyle will face a monumental task to try and keep him if Barcelona formally indicate their interest, with Cahill desperate to cement his position as an England starter.
Borussia Dortmund underlined their Bundesliga title credentials after beating defending champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on Saturday.The result all but ends Bayern’s title challenge this season, with Louis van Gaal’s side now 16 points adrift of league leaders Dortmund, who showed why they have been the team to beat all season with an entertaining win at the Allianz Arena.Bayern would have been hoping to capitalise with rookie keeper Mitchell Langerak making his first start in goals for Dortmund, but it was the visitors who drew first blood when Lucas Barrios opened the scoring after just eight minutes.Both sides were creating a plethora of chances, and it was no surprise when Bayern levelled through Luiz Gustavo seven minutes later.But Dortmund were back in front almost instantly after Nuri Sahin placed a curling shot past the outstretched hands of Bayern goalkeeper Thomas Kraft, before Mats Hummels’ goal on the hour mark sealed a telling victory for Juergen Klopp’s side.Hannover and Mainz kept the pressure on the Bundesliga leaders with both sides recording hard-fought away wins.Hannover had an 89th minute header from defender Christian Schulz to thank for their 1-0 victory over St Pauli, a result that lifts them into third place on the table ahead of Bayern Munich.Meanwhile, a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim ensures Mainz remain in fifth spot on the table.Mainz took the lead through Andreas Ivanschitz at Rhein-Neckar-Arena, but the hosts looked to have salvaged a share of the spoils when David Alaba equalised seven minutes from time.Enter Elkin Soto, and the Colombian midfielder secured all three points for Mainz just two minutes later when he found himself on the end of a Marcel Risse cross to fire home the winner.Elsewhere on Saturday, Cologne moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a surprise 1-0 win over Freiburg thanks to a Lukas Podolski goal.Relegation battlers Kaiserslautern claimed a valuable point at home with a 1-1 draw against Hamburg, while Schalke and Nuremberg also drew 1-1 when Raul cancelled out Jens Hegeler’s opener for the visitors.
John Barnes reckons that if Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are unhappy at the club, then they should both follow Benitez out of Merseyside this summer.
So, the question is, has Barnes’s latest assessment of his former club proven his lack football knowledge? Or is the Anfield legend’s latest statement of his former club a correct one?
Liverpool have had one of their worst season’s in recent memory. They finished in 7th place in the Premier League, Internal chaos caused major problems between the clubs owners and Benitez, and as a result, the Spaniard decided to leave the club last week, which may spark a mass exodus of players at the Merseyside club this summer.
Nonetheless, Liverpool legend John Barnes feels that if any player is unhappy at the club then they should leave, including the likes of Gerrard and Torres. Barnes claimed:
“Liverpool don’t want Gerrard and Torres to go – but if they don’t want to be there, let them move on. The fans would have to understand that and still get behind the club.”
He finishes off by saying:
“Any player who doesn’t want to be at Liverpool should go… no matter who they are.”
The former Kop winger spent 10 years at the Merseyside club and Barnes believes that Liverpool can survive even if the Kop do lose their biggest stars this summer. He also believes that too much focus on the Liverpool captain and Spanish striker this season has affected the team in whole.
“Look at this history of the club, Kevin Keegan went and people were worried but they got stronger. Kenny Dalglish was a legend but he retired and left and they’ve gone on and won trophies since then.”
Barnes added:
“I think there has been too much focus on Gerrard and Torres. They are important players but that affected a lot of the others in the team. The more we focus on them, the more we believe we can’t compete without them.”
Some (if not all) Liverpool fans reading this may think Barnes needs to check himself into a psychiatric ward, as many would believe that losing Gerrard and especially Torres would be suicide for the club. These fans maybe correct in their assessment of the situation, however, does Barnes have a point to? If a player seems displeased, then is there any point of keeping him at the club?
Granted, Gerrard and Torres are the biggest stars of Liverpool and no doubt keep the side ticking. The likely departure of the duo this summer, in retrospect, would spell the end for the Merseyside club in many fans eyes. It is believed that Liverpool have minimal funds available to strengthen their team this summer, and in order to gain money they would have to sell their stars.
Gerrard and Torres have not yet stated if they wish to stay at the club next season or not, claiming they will decide their future after the World Cup. This has not helped the situation, and their words have left Liverpool fans sweating until the completion of the tournament.
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Nonetheless, two players do not make a club, and like Barnes has declared, if the duo are unhappy with the current circumstances then they may as well leave, even if it means years of rebuilding for the famous English club.
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