Chelsea defender Cole apologises for blasting FA on Twitter
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has apologised for his rant against the Football Association (FA) on his Twitter account after England football's major body revealed reasons for their damning verdict ...
2012-10-06 05:30:02
Pirlo still wants to play for Italy says coach
Italy head coach Cesare Prandelli insists that Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo wants to continue his international service for the national football team. There have been rumours that the ...
2012-10-06 05:40:02
Lambert defends selection policy
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has defended his policy of only revealing his starting line-up to his players shortly before kick-off...
2012-10-06 08:30:00
Lambert backs Villa young guns
Paul Lambert is predicting "big careers" for Aston Villa's rookie defenders Matthew Lowton and Joe Bennett if they maintain current progress...
2012-10-06 14:01:00
Man. Utd.: Fergie- Keeper rotation to continue
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was impressed by David de Gea's midweek performance at Cluj but will continue rotating his goalkeepers for the immediate future.De Gea, 21, who joined United for a reported £18.9million last year, was dropped after the opening two Barclays Premier League games of the season. The Spaniard has returned in the Champions League and Capital One Cup but has lost his number one status with Anders Lindegaard taking over for the last four league matches.Ferguson must now decide whether to retain De Gea or switch back to Dane Lindegaard for the trip to Newcastle, and he said: "He (De Gea) was excellent, he is an outstanding goalkeeper, the young lad, he is getting better all the time. I don't know whether I should play him on Sunday or not but the way we have been doing it in the last few weeks has worked quite well for us."He added: "Everybody wants to play, goalkeepers are no different, but the way I look at it at the moment is getting the two of them experience will help me in the long term."Obviously at some stage one of them will take over if he shows a real consistency in top-level performance and he has shown a maturity."At the moment neither of them have got that big-game experience. They will get that in time."Ferguson seems at ease with the fact he currently does not have a first-choice goalkeeper and he feels both players have plenty of time to establish themselves.Former United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was 40 when he retired in 2011 and Ferguson has pointed to other examples of players enjoying long careers.He said: "Peter Schmeichel was 27 when he joined us. Everyone was talking about a young goalkeeper joining us but he was 27, and he gave us eight great years."Goalkeepers can play until their late 30s quite easily, look at Brad Friedel for instance, and Peter Shilton played in the 1990 World Cup and I think he was 40. Goalkeepers can last longer. If they look after themselves even better, but as long as they keep their agility and their speed they can play to a good age." Source: PA
2012-10-06 06:47:00
Arsenal: Virus causing concern for Wenger
Arsene Wenger revealed Arsenal would go as far as stopping players shaking hands if it meant keeping a virus from spreading through the squad.The Gunners hope to have Per Mertesacker available for Saturday evening's trip to West Ham after the German missed the midweek Champions League win over Olympiakos with a flu-like illness which had also previously laid low England forward Theo Walcott, midfielder Francis Coquelin and captain Thomas Vermaelen.While the current outbreak is nothing like an epidemic, Wenger maintains the club are always cautious in regards to prevention, and he said: "We have improved the level of hygiene in the dressing room, we clean everything. It is funny, but shaking hands is one of the biggest things to spread virus."He added: "I shake hands with everybody, but we are advised not to do it when there is a high level of risk."At the moment it has passed and is not a high level. A few have it, but it is not (necessarily) the case that they got it here."Having 6ft 6in centre-back Mertesacker available again would be a tactical boost for nullifying the threat of fit-again West Ham forward Andy Carroll."Mertesacker has made a big leap and he came back (from his broken ankle] very fit," said Wenger. "He looked very sharp on the first day that he came back, he lost some weight and of course that helps."Arsenal responded from last weekend's disappointing home defeat by Chelsea to stay on course for qualification for the knockout stages in Europe.Gervinho netted his fifth goal in as many games during the 3-1 victory, having been moved to a central striker's role following the sale of captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United. Wenger is confident the whole side can now provide a collective attacking threat."When Van Persie was injured of course it's not only that you can't score goals any more, it is the psychological consequences on the morale of the team," Wenger said. "Players ask you already, 'does Van Persie play on Saturday or not?' when he has two or three days out." Source: PA
2012-10-06 06:47:00
Chelsea: Terry to decide on appeal
John Terry and his advisers will spend the international break deciding whether to appeal against his four-match ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.The Chelsea captain has 14 days to make a decision and the publication of the full judgement by the FA regulatory commission appears to have diminished the likelihood of that happening.The commission described the Chelsea captain's defence as "improbable, implausible and contrived".The commission said there was "no credible basis" for Terry's claim he had only been repeating words he thought QPR defender Ferdinand had accused him of saying during the match at Loftus Road last October.The commission said they were satisfied the words "f****** black c***" were intended as an insult by Terry. The commission's report stated: "There are further aspects of Mr Terry's defence that the commission finds improbable, implausible and contrived, and which serve to underline and reinforce our decision."The commission is quite satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that there is no credible basis for Mr Terry's defence that his use of the words 'f****** black c***' were directed at Mr Ferdinand by way of forceful rejection and/or inquiry."Instead, we are quite satisfied, and find on the balance of probabilities, that the offending words were said by way of insult."The commission said that character references from a number of people, including black players, made it clear that Terry was not racially prejudiced."It is accepted by everyone involved in the criminal and disciplinary proceedings that Mr Terry is not a racist," added the commission.Terry had been cleared in Westminster magistrates' court in July of a racially-motivated public order offence. Source: PA
2012-10-06 08:19:00
Sunderland: Johnson warns Citys young stars
Sunderland winger Adam Johnson claims experience has taught him that young players have little chance of breaking into the Manchester City team.Johnson spent two-and-a-half seasons at the Etihad Stadium before leaving in the summer after his first-team opportunities became limited to substitute appearances."Now, if I was a young lad, I wouldn't go to City," he told several morning newspapers. "It is excellent when a club like City come for you. Hard to turn down. But you don't actually play for the champions - you're a squad member, which is totally different."The 25-year-old England international now believes players should think about the likelihood of them being involved in manager Roberto Mancini's first team if the opportunity to join City arises.He added: "It's not that you're not good enough, it's just that the likes of Yaya Toure are going to play ahead of you, no matter what you do."Johnson was recruited from Middlesbrough and has FA Cup and Premier League medals to show from his time in Manchester, however he was not involved on the final day of the season when City dramatically beat QPR and missed out on England's Euro 2012 squad.He suspects the large size of the champions' squad, packed with internationals, means some players are bound to develop frustrations if they are not selected regularly by Mancini.He said: "I think it would only be a matter of time before senior players become unhappy."You can probably have too many world-class players at once - everyone wants to play and they're not happy to be squad players."You're going to have trouble picking a team, and leaving people in the stands. I was one of them last season." Source: PA
2012-10-06 09:17:00
Tottenham H.: I always had faith - AVB
Andre Villas-Boas never doubted he would turn around Tottenham's season after their poor start.Many were shocked this summer when Spurs chairman Daniel Levy sacked Harry Redknapp and replaced him with Villas-Boas, who had just endured a torrid eight-month spell in charge of Chelsea. Villas-Boas' critics were given further ammunition when the 34-year-old's team failed to win any of their opening three games.But the Portuguese has turned around the club's fortunes in recent weeks, winning three straight league games, and he said: "I have never doubted my abilities, I always trusted them. It's funny how things change so dramatically."He added: "The Premier League is completely unpredictable. We started the season (badly). We are now fifth from the top."You have to perform at this level. This is the early stages in the Premier League."Villas-Boas is not a man to rest on his laurels, however. He knows a lot still has to be done to achieve the top-four place Levy demanded of him when he signed a three-year contract at White Hart Lane in July.After last weekend's memorable win at Old Trafford, Tottenham's lack of ruthlessness reared its head again on Thursday night when they dominated their Europa League game against Panathinaikos but only came away with a point after the Greek hosts scored a late equaliser.The Spurs boss has been encouraged by his team's improved results in the Barclays Premier League, but he now wants them to maintain their push for Champions League qualification by beating Aston Villa on Sunday and Chelsea the following weekend."We want to cement our position at the top because we understand that being at the top can drive our ambitions upwards," Villas-Boas said. "We have won three (league) games on the trot. Now we go into two difficult home games."We understand we made history by winning at Old Trafford, but if we want to take that step forward, we have to win the next couple of fixtures." Source: PA
2012-10-06 13:49:00
Rep. of Ire.: Brady replaces Doyle
Manchester United winger Robbie Brady has been drafted into the Republic of Ireland squad after Kevin Doyle was forced to withdraw through injury.The 20-year-old midfielder, who made his senior international debut in the 4-1 friendly victory over Oman last month, will join up with the squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Germany and the Faroe Islands on Monday.Manager Giovanni Trapattoni turned to the youngster after a scan on the thigh injury Doyle suffered in training with Wolves on Friday revealed the full extent of the damage.A statement released by the Football Association of Ireland said: "The Football Association of Ireland today announced that the results of Kevin Doyle's scan showed clear signs of a muscle injury that will rule the player out of international duty for the forthcoming double-header."Robbie Brady, who was on standby will be called up in his place."Brady will be joined in the squad by Sunderland midfielder David Meyler, who received a late call-up on Friday. Source: PA