PFA to be there for King

November 1, 2009


Gordon Taylor insists the players’ union will support disgraced footballer Marlon King.

The shamed Wigan striker was given an 18-month prison sentence for sexual assault and actual bodily harm after punching a 20-year-old female student in the face in a nightclub.

King has been sacked by Wigan and pictures of the injuries suffered by the student have now been published in a Sunday newspaper.

Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said: “Everybody in life can have big problems to face and this is probably his biggest and I hope he’s able to overcome it and if he needs help to get his life back on track I assure you we’ll be there for him.

“We will be pleased to give any of our members who has got problems support to get his life and his career back on track.

“We have a known record for that. I think we’ve got almost 50 cases in the past few years where such help has been requested and been given and for the most part we’re pleased to say it has been successful.”

Former Arsenal player Tony Adams and Newcastle’s Joey Barton are two high-profile examples of footballers who have served jail terms and returned to the game.

Taylor believes King will be able to resume his football career when he has served his sentence.

He told BBC Radio 5Live’s Sportsweek: “If he serves his time, is contrite and shows a willingness to get his life back on track then that (football) is his skill and that’s the right of every individual.

“There are many managers who have taken on players who’ve had chequered careers both on and off the field. Sometimes they have been able to change them and other times not.

“It’s not going to be an easy situation to accept but I would hope with the passage of time, with the right approach from Marlon and the willingness to get his life back on track then that’s a situation that hopefully may resolve itself and he’s still young enough to be able to do that.”

Taylor, however, revealed the PFA had not been contacted by King or his agent Tony Finnegan.

Abhimanyu Rajput

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Hull not interested in Barton

July 18, 2009


Hull on Saturday dismissed reports linking them with controversial Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton.

Hull want to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season but say they are not planning to offer the 27-year-old a Premier League lifeline.

Assistant manager Brian Horton said: “Joey Barton is a very good footballer. I know him, I have done things with him in Manchester.

“He has obviously had issues and that is a shame because he can be a very good footballer but at this present time I don’t think it’s an area that really needs to be looked at.”

Hull have had a frustrating summer in the transfer market with three high-profile targets opt for other clubs.

They lost Fraizer Campbell and Marc-Antoine Fortune to Sunderland and Celtic respectively with an attempt to sign Michael Owen also came to nothing as Manchester United stepped in.

Horton added: “It is frustrating, we are trying like hell.

“But they have gone to three big clubs. If we were losing Joe Bloggs from Division Three it would be a different matter.

“We want to bring someone in but we need to have a bit of patience, things will evolve.

“It’s not the fact we are not trying to get better players in.”

HULL, England (AFP)

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Hull deny Barton rumors

July 18, 2009


Premier League side Hull City have denied reports linking them for a possible summer swoop of Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton.

The Liverpool born midfielder, who is one of many high-earners at St James’ Park, could be offloaded by the Magpies following their unxpected relegation.

While Tigers boss Phil Brown is keen to strengthen his squad after only narrowly avoiding the drop last term, but has no plans to bring in the controversial 27-year-old to the KC Stadium.

When asked if there was any truth in the rumours, assistant manager Brian Horton said: “No.”

“Joey Barton is a very good footballer. I know him, I have done things with him in Manchester.

“He has obviously had issues and that is a shame because he can be a very good footballer but at this present time I don’t think it’s an area that really needs to be looked at.”

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

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18/07/09: Transfer Rumors

July 18, 2009


‘Liverpool will intensify their efforts to sign Valencia striker David Villa.’ – The Times

‘Portsmouth striker Peter Couch will decide over the weekend whether to join Sunderland or Fulham as both clubs have bid £12m for the England international.’ – Daily Star

‘Pompey may also allow full-back Sylvain Distin leave the club, with Aston Villa poised to bid about £3m.’ – The Independent

‘Liverpool could get Dutch International Wesley Sneijder, if Alonso transfer to Real Madrid does take place.’ – L’Equippe

‘Meanwhile, Liverpool FC Steven Gerrard has said that he does not see Xabi Alonso at Liverpool next season ‘ – Marca

‘Manchester City’s hopes of completing a deal for Emmanuel Adebayor are in the balance as the Arsenal striker is keen on a move to Chelsea.’ – The Times

‘FC Dynamo Kyiv’s Pape Diakhate is one transfer target Bordeaux have not given up, according to the player’ – L’Equippe

‘Arsenal want Blaise Matuidi and could soon make an offer to St-Etienne, who could ask for 10M to 12M Euros.’ – Le Parisien

‘Manchester City are set to make an improved offer for Everton defender Joleon Lescott after having a £15m bid rejected.’ – The Times

‘Everton would be considering West Ham’s Matthew Upson as a replacement for Lescott, should he leave Goodison Park.’ – The Times

‘Hull are ready to offer Newcastle £3m over three years to sign midfielder Joey Barton.’ – The Sun

‘Sunderland have made an enquiry about Tottenham defender Alan Hutton.’ – The Times

‘And Spurs could sell another defender, Pascal Chimbonda, to Blackburn.’ -The Times

‘AS Nancy Lorraine are in contact with Bordeaux for a possible swoop of it’s three players Ayité Floyd, Sheikh Diabaté and Florian Marange’ – L’Equippe

‘Aston Villa have made Leeds a ‘take it or leave it’ offer of £4m plus add-ons for midfielder Fabian Delph.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Tottenham are also ready to join the bidding for Delph.’ – Daily Express

‘Meanwhile, Spurs have been given until the start of next week to agree a fee with Real Madrid for striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar.’ – Daily Express

‘Stoke midfielder Seyi Olifinjana is in talks to join French club Monaco.’ – Daily Star

‘Lorik Cana could be in the Bundesliga next year with Werder Bremen and Hamburg both keeping an eye for the player. Shakhtar Donetsk and Fenerbahce are also interested.’ – Le Parisien.

‘Wigan are hopeful of signing Espanyol centre-back Roman Golobart on a free transfer.’ – The Sun

‘Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is giving a trial to Zimbabwe left-back Onismor Bhasera.’ – Daily Star

‘Wolves are optimistic they can beat Celtic and Wigan to the signature of Hamilton midfielder James McCarthy.’ – Daily Star.

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

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Ecuadorean star completes move to Birmingham

July 8, 2009


LONDON (AFP) – Ecuadorean international striker Christian Benitez became newly-promoted English Premier League side Birmingham City’s record signing on Tuesday when he completed a move for a reported 8million pounds.

The 23-year-old’s move had been held up because a medical suggested he had a knee problem so City reduced their initial offer to Mexican side Santos Laguna of 9million pounds to the fee agreed on Tuesday.

“It is the right time for me to make this move,” Benitez was quoted on the club’s website.

“I am looking forward to playing for the Blues.

“I will be giving everything to score as many goals as possible and share good times with this club.”

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said that their new signing was a real coup for the club.

“Christian is a tremendous prospect who has lit up the South American international scene,” said the former Rangers and Scotland manager.

“The signing is really exciting for everyone at the club and I’m really looking forward to working with him. I look forward to seeing him in a Blues jersey.”

Benitez becomes McLeish’s sixth signing of the close season while there are rumours that he is also keen on bringing in two of the more controversial midfielders in English football – Lee Bowyer and Joey Barton.

Bowyer is expected to sign on a free transfer later in the week from West Ham after a successful loan spell last season while Barton is effectively persona non grata at relegated Premier League side Newcastle United.

McLeish’s other signings have been former Ireland international Stephen Carr, Scott Dann, Roger Johnson, England Under-21 goalkeeper Joe Hart – a season-long loanee from Manchester City – and Giovanny Espinoza.

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Tuesday’s Transfer Rumors

July 8, 2009


‘Bayern Munich have set a price tag of £69m for French midfielder Franck Ribery. The German club have given Real Madrid a deadline of 16 July to match the price.’ – Bild

‘Inter Milan target Ricardo Carvalho is ready to leave Chelsea this summer but will only consider a move to another top European club. “I would like to open a new page in my career,” he said.’ – Corriere dello Sport

‘Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing to make a £20m raid for Real Madrid’s Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar. ‘ – The Sun

‘Meanwhile, Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has launched an ambitious bid to sign one of Real Madrid’s other Dutch strikers, 33-year-old Ruud van Nistelrooy.’ – The Sun

‘Real Madrid have made a cut-price £5m offer for Liverpool’s Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa.’ – Daily Mirror

‘And the Spanish side are believed to want any move for Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso sorted out in the next fortnight.’ – Press Association

Liverpool are close to signing 16-year-old Esbjerg midfielder Nikolaj Kohlert on a three-year deal.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Chelsea will make one last attempt to sign Bayern Munich’s French midfielder Franck Ribery.’ – Daily Star

‘And Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will consider making a bid for Real Madrid’s Dutch forward Wesley Sneijder if he misses out on Ribery.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Manchester City will turn their attention to Everton defender Joleon Lescott after losing out in their bid to sign Chelsea captain John Terry. The Eastlands club had made an initial offer of £15m but will now up that.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Going in the other direction could be City’s Brazilian striker Jo, with Everton boss David Moyes ready to take him to Goodison Park on a season-long loan deal.’ – Times

‘Aston Villa and Sunderland lead the race for Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch. However, Pompey are unlikely to recoup the £12m they spent on the 28-year-old.’ – Various

‘Sunderland boss Steve Bruce also hopes to land Tottenham striker Darren Bent for £11m.’ – Daily Star

‘Bruce also wants Manchester City defender Richard Dunne in a £4m deal.’ – Daily Mail

‘However, Bordeaux have refused to sell Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh to Sunderland because the French club’s president Jean-Louis Triaud does not think the Black Cats are “a big English club”.’ – The Sun

‘Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is also ready to swoop for Fulham defender Brede Hangeland, 28, for £9m with West Ham’s Matthew Upson also a potential target.’ – Various

‘And Villa are also preparing a bid for Sporting Lisbon’s 23-year-old midfielder Miguel Veloso after Bolton had an £8m bid turned down.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is waiting to see if Manchester City’s Welsh striker Craig Bellamy becomes available once the Eastlands club’s spending spree is over.’ – Various

‘Spurs are close to agreeing a deal to sell midfielder Didier Zokora to Spanish side Sevilla.’ – Daily Mirror

‘And Lazio have made an offer to sign Spurs’ midfielder Adel Taarabt.’ – The Times

‘Swedish striker Marcus Berg is a target for Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham. The 25-year-old’s club FC Gronigen value him at £5m.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Bolton boss Gary Megson will turn his attention to West Brom’s Jonathan Greening if his £3.5m bid for Swansea midfielder Ferrie Bodde is turned down.’ – The Sun

‘Blackburn are interested in Le Mans defender Gregory Cerdan who would cost the club £2m.’ – The Times

‘Fulham are ready to bid £500,000 for MK Dons’ 25-year-old defender Dean Lewington.’ – Daily Mirror

‘South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi is being tracked by Portsmouth and Fulham. The 24-year-old plays for the Golden Arrows.’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Burnley want Valencia’s Spanish Under-21 international Stephen Sunday on a season-long loan deal.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Wolves have ended their interest in defender Matt Mills after failing to meet Doncaster’s £3m asking price.’ – Daily Star

‘Middlesbrough’s Turkish striker Tuncay has sparked a scramble for his signature after the £7m-rated star insisted he wants to play in the Premier League.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Leicester have had a £1.5m offer for Peterborough striker Craig Mackail-Smith refused.’ – Daily Star

‘Sheffield United have made an improved offer of £2m for Manchester City striker Ched Evans.’ – Daily Mail

‘Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune will sign for Celtic for £1m less than he would have earned by joining Portsmouth or Hull.’ – Daily Record

‘Celtic have started talks with Nancy about the transfer of midfielder Landry N’Guemo.’ – The Sun

‘Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will decide this week whether to make an approach to Rangers for Barry Ferguson or to Newcastle for Joey Barton.’ – Daily Record

‘Twente Enschede have joined Burnley and Coventry in the race to sign Hearts winger Andrew Driver.’ – The Sun

‘Hamilton Academical could offer former Rangers star Marvin Andrews a deal with the SPL side.’ – Daily Record

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

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Blues after bad boy Barton

July 6, 2009


Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is offering to pay £25,000 a week to Newcastle to take Joey Barton on loan for the season.

The package will be considered by the Toon outfit once they have a new owner and manager, but it is still less than half of what Barton earns.

So, if McLeish gets the nod to take on the fiery midfielder for the Blues’ return to the top flight, it will mean that relegated Newcastle must still pick up around £2million of his salary.

Birmingham have short-listed Barton along with Rangers and Scotland star Barry Ferguson and even Patrick Vieira as possibles for their midfield leader role.

The St Andrews club would be happy to take on Barton for a year at the cost of around £1.3m, but do not want to buy him.

Barton is quite happy to stay on Tyneside but could be forced out if Alan Shearer, or any other manager, refuses to play him.

The Barton problem is just one of many at Newcastle where a handful of players are fancied on loan by rival clubs, like Kevin Nolan, who need Toon to ‘sponsor’ those deals because of the size of the salaries.

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

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Saturday’s Transfer Rumors

July 4, 2009


‘Manchester City are closing in on Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o, with the Catalan club now appearing willing to sell the Cameroon 28-year-old.’ – Manchester Evening News

‘AC Milan are targeting Real Madrid striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano.’ – Reuters

‘Manchester City are ready to make Chelsea defender John Terry the highest paid player in the Premier League by offering the England captain weekly wages of £300,000.’ – The Sun

‘Meanwhile, Real Madrid are ready to move for fellow Blues defender Ashley Cole who has rejected a new deal at Chelsea.’ – The Sun

‘Chelsea are preparing a big-money offer for Wolfsburg’s goal sensation Edin Dzeko.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Out-of-favour Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been offered a deal by Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev.’ – The Times

‘Liverpool will insist on taking Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo in a swap deal before allowing midfielder Xabi Alonso to move to the Bernebau.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Liverpool are being put off by Udinese’s £18m asking price for Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler.’ – Daily Mail

‘Tottenham striker Darren Bent has opened talks with Sunderland and is on the verge of a £10m move to the Stadium of Light.’ – The Sun

‘Sunderland’s £9m keeper Craig Gordon says he is ready to stay at the club and fight for his place after falling out of favour last season.’ – The Sun

‘The Black Cats are battling it out with Arsenal for the £12m signature of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh.’ – Daily Mail

‘Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he will not stand in striker Emmanuel Adebayor’s way if he wants to quit the Gunners.’ – The Sun

‘Gunners striker Robin van Persie is set to end speculation linking him with a move away from Arsenal by signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2014.’ – The Independent

‘Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo is wanted by Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.’ – The Telegraph

‘Everton defender Joleon Lescott could be forced into handing in a transfer request if he is to get his £15m move to Manchester City. – Daily Mirror

‘Everton are ready to end the stand-off between themselves and Cardiff City and move for £5m-rated midfielder Joe Ledley.’ – The Sun

‘Portsmouth are set to make a £7m bid for Olympiacos’s Argentine midfielder Fernando Belluschi.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Blackburn are set to move for veteran 35-year-old Italian striker Christian Vieri.’ – Daily Mirror

‘Blackburn have also inquired about Paris St Germain’s £2.5m-rated left-winger Jerome Rothen.’ – The Times

‘Bolton are closing in on West Brom defender Paul Robinson and Swansea midfielder Ferrie Bodde.’ – The Sun

‘New Wigan manager Roberto Martinez says he has no plans to sell star midfielder Lee Cattermole, who is being targeted by Liverpool and Tottenham.’ – The Sun

‘Newcastle have been told they must sell striker Obafemi Martins and defender Babricio Coloccini to help smooth the sale of the club.

‘ – The Times

‘Meanwhile, Birmingham City are considering a loan bid for midfielder Joey Barton.’ – The Times

‘Defender Lucas Neill is ready for a U-turn and could return to Upton Park and sign a new contract at West Ham.’ – Daily Mail

‘Birmingham are interested in Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere who is available for around £3.5m.’ – Daily Mail

‘Reading are set to launch a £1m bid for Nottingham Forest striker Nathan Tyson.’ – The Sun

‘Wolves have dismissed speculation linking them with a £1.5m move for Leicester City striker Andrew Keogh.’ – The Independent

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

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Newcastle poised for tense finale to relegation soap opera

May 20, 2009

England’s most popular soap operas thrive on a weekly recipe of misery, doom and gloom that is gobbled up by television viewers seeking some relief from their own trials and tribulations.

In that sense, the final weekend of the Premier League season is quite similar.

With Manchester United already polishing the trophy again after sealing a third consecutive title last week, neutral television viewers are salivating at the prospect of watching the suffering of fans of Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Hull City and Sunderland as their clubs desperately scarp for top flight survival.

Like the inevitable rubber-neckers at road traffic accidents, there is something cruelly compulsive about the raw emotions of relegation D-Day.

For those poor fans at Villa Park, the KC Stadium, Upton Park and The Stadium of Light, fingernails will be whittled down to nothing as their sides hover between survival and exile from Planet Premier League and all its hype and glamour.

Sadly, there is usually one club that the majority of neutral voyeurs want to see fall off the cliff — and this year they play in black and white stripes.

Newcastle are seen as a club suffering delusions from grandeur, a trigger-happy approach to hiring and firing managers and for many, the epitomy of all that is rotten with the Premier League.

Massive salaries for sub-standard overseas players, big debts, big egos. Big fat nothing in the trophy cabinet. It sounds very much like Leeds United of a few seasons ago and look where they are now.

West Bromwich Albion gained tremendous respect this season for their football and their dignity despite already being relegated. They are bound to come back sooner rather than later.

Middlesbrough too have shown admirable loyalty to manager Gareth Southgate, a young English coach who trusts young home-grown players.

Hull have also contributed fully to an interesting Premier League season, their first in the top flight, playing exciting football in the early months and at one stage mixing it with the big boys in the top six.

Newcastle have also added plenty of colour. Kevin Keegan’s shock exit, the fans bitterness to owner Mike Ashley which involved threats to his safety, the recruitment of a manager with a heart condition and a nice touch in Anglo-Saxon expletives, plenty of player strops and finally the recruitment of TV pundit Alan Shearer as coach, yet another Geordie Messiah.

Add in the antics of wildman Joey Barton and the sulking Charles N’Zogbia (named Insomnia by recovering manager Joe Kinnear) and it really is a heady brew.

So thanks Newcastle….it’s been great fun watching you this season and we will all be tuning in for another 90 minutes of black (and white) comedy on Sunday.

PHOTO: Newcastle United’s manager Alan Shearer (R) and his assistant coach Ian Dowie gesture to their players during their English Premier League soccer match against Fulham in Newcastle, northeast England May 16, 2009. REUTERS/David Moir

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Flop art fuels football compensation culture

May 19, 2009


PARIS (AFP) – In football’s parallel universe, it pays to fail. Manchester United celebrated an 11th English Premier League title at the weekend – as well as eyeing a potential third European crown under Sir Alex Ferguson – which was achieved on a 2008 wage bill of 121 million pounds ($185 mln).

By comparison, Chelsea, out of the title race in England and Europe, have spent 148 million pounds ($226 mln).

Up in England’s under-performing north-east, Newcastle United welcome 50,000 fans to a home game who deliver a million pounds ($1.4 mln) in gate receipts.

The club also receives tens of millions more in TV income and have also enjoyed a couple of lucrative, if brief forays into the Champions League.

Billionaire sports retailer Mike Ashley, who bought the club in 2007, paid off only part of a debt mountain estimated at around 150 million pounds including outstanding transfer payments.

But the club which lifted the last of its four league titles in 1927, and has won nothing for 40 years, has one of the biggest wage bills in the country.

Veteran striker Michael Owen earns a reported four million pounds a season and even derided ‘bad boy’ Joey Barton makes around three million.

Add ten managerial changes since Kevin Keegan first resigned in 1997 – and the compensation bill for his myriad – and trophyless – successors has rocketed.

Even in the two years since Ashley took charge, compensation payouts have topped 15 million pounds – including a reported 1.5 million for unlamented executive director (football) Dennis Wise, whose original appointment came following a similar payout to his former side Leeds.

“There are no plans to appoint a replacement in this role,” Newcastle announced, prompting the London Times to note wryly: “That was a couple of million quid (pounds) in salary well spent then.”

Add to that more than 20 million on signing disparate and largely second rate players and it is hard to identify the club’s business plan – particularly considering Newcastle sold two of their best players, Shay Given and James Milner, on the way to potential relegation which would risking lost income of around 50 million pounds.

On the plus side, another million for coach Alan Shearer’s touchline services for eight games will prove money well spent if the ultimate gamble pays off with survival by the skin of Geordie teeth on Sunday.

If diehard Newcastle fans have been crying in their beer all season failure doesn’t have to leave a bitter taste.

Ask Sven-Goran Eriksson, sacked as Mexico coach after poor World Cup qualifying form.

The suave Swede’s reward?

A third massive payoff in three years, coming after his jettisoning as England coach after the 2006 World Cup fisaco in Germany which netted him a reported three million pounds – (he was originally in line for six) – and then another reported million following his one-year tenure with Manchester City.

Beyond football, England may ponder the value of a truncated early summer cricket Test series against a West Indies side whose board demanded a reported 1.4 million dollars rather than the usual 250,000.

That was on the basis that the series was set up at short notice with players recalled early from the money-spinning Indian Premier League.

Given the West Indies’ abject showing Lords and Chester Le Street, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) might feel the money could have been better spent.

But in these credit-crunched days some glimmers of light have appeared, not least the impending arrival of a financially streamlined version of Formula One despite myriad team howls of protest.

Back in the rarified world of football, Louis van Gaal earned a move to Bayern Munich by guiding AZ Alkmaar to the Dutch league title on an annual budget of just 20 million euros, the sixth lowest in the top flight.

As cutting one’s sporting coat according to one’s cloth becomes de rigueur amid the global downturn, maybe there’s hope even for Newcastle.

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