Mowbray welcomes back Celtic´s walking wounded

October 17, 2009


Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has been handed a fitness boost ahead of Saturday’s game against Motherwell as the Scottish Premier League prepares to get under way again after the international break.

The Hoops’ gaffer had an injury headache before his previous fixture against Rangers at the beginning of the month with a number of first team regulars sitting out the 2-1 defeat at Ibrox.

But the international fixtures have afforded his stars a two-week break allowing many to recover from their knocks and strains and take their place in the squad to face Motherwell.

Midfielder Scott Brown was forced to pull out of Scotland’s friendly with Japan last weekend due to a niggling injury on the ankle on which he underwent surgery in May.

But after a consultation with a Harley Street expert the 24-year-old has rested the ankle for the past fortnight with the Celtic medical team optimistic this has alleviated the problem.

Another player close to a top team return is striker Marc-Antoine Fortune.

The summer signing has been missing for the past seven weeks after picking up an ankle injury in the Champions League defeat to Arsenal.

However Mowbray hopes both players will soon be firing on all cylinders as the Hoops aim to keep their one-point advantage at the top of the SPL.

Rangers have the chance to put pressure on their rivals by going top if they win against St Johnstone in the early kick-off game so Mowbray knows he needs his best players available.

“I hope Scott is going to be okay for the Motherwell game,” Mowbray said.

“We’ve been nursing him through the last few weeks and he needed a break. We wanted to give him a rest and the specialist felt that would benefit him too.

“That’s why Scott didn’t go to Japan and hopefully it will help him over the coming weeks.

“Marc-Antoine Fortune is another player that we’re assessing closely and we hope he isn’t too far away,” Mowbray added.

“Marc had some rehab to do, but he’s been back running on the grass and things seem to be fine with him.

“He’s looking fit and strong, but we’ll move him on to twisting and turning this week and then contact football before too long.”

Australian international Scott McDonald had to pull out of the Socceroos squad to face the Netherlands but should be back to face his former club while full-backs Andreas Hinkel and Danny Fox are responding well to treatment on hamstring injuries.

However, Mowbray won’t face a dilemma over which central defensive partnership will face Motherwell.

Glenn Loovens’ appeal against a one-match suspension was rejected so Gary Caldwell will return to partner Stephen McManus against Jim Gannon’s side, who are aiming to break into the top four with a win at Parkhead.

In the early kick-off game Rangers travel to Perth to take on St Johnstone. Walter Smith, too, will welcome back several players with Lee McCulloch and Kevin Thomson both back in training.

Madjid Bougherra returned unscathed from international duty with Algeria and Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty are expected to be fit as Rangers aim to build on their Old Firm victory.

The game has come too soon for American international Maurice Edu as he continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.

In Saturday’s other fixtures Aberdeen host Hearts, Dundee United face Hamilton, bottom club Falkirk take on St Mirren while third-placed Hibernian welcome Kilmarnock to Easter Road.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Hearts

Celtic v Motherwell

Dundee United v Hamilton

Falkirk v St Mirren

Hibernian v Kilmarnock

St Johnstone v Rangers (1230)

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Fortune agrees terms with Celtic

July 8, 2009


GLASGOW (AFP) – Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune has agreed personal terms and passed a medical with Scottish Premier League side Celtic, the club confirmed on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old is expected to sign for the Glasgow club in preference to offers from English top-flight clubs Hull, Fulham and Portsmouth.

Nancy agreed a fee of about 3.8 million pounds (six million dollars) with Celtic and Hull for the player who was on loan to West Brom last season.

Fortune arrived in Glasgow on Monday and is likely to be Celtic manager Tony Mowbray’s first signing at the club.

Mowbray admitted that his club were unlikely to be able to match the wages offered by top flight English clubs but hoped Celtic’s stature and the fact that he worked with the French Guianan at West Brom last season would prevail.

“I’ll either be sitting watching him shaking someone’s hand and holding a shirt up somewhere at an English Premier League club, or you will all come back here in a few days’ time and meet the guy yourself,” said Mowbray.

“My advantage is I have worked with him – he knows me as a coach. I know his strengths and weaknesses.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that the English Premier League clubs get 30-35 million pounds each year off their television deals and the Scottish clubs don’t.

“But what I do know is we have a huge pulling power from the support and the history and tradition of this club.

“Believe it or not, there’s a lot of footballers who play for the love of the game as well as the money that goes with it.”

Fortune’s Nancy team-mate, defensive midfielder Landry N’Guemo, is also poised for a season’s loan at Celtic.

Mowbray has been looking for reinforcements after Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and midfielder Paul Hartley left the club having not been offered new contracts.

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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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West Brom can make quick return says Mowbray

April 14, 2009

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WEST BROMWICH, England (AFP) – West Brom were tipped to make a swift return to the Premier League if they fail in their relegation battle, manager Tony Mowbray insisted on Tuesday.

“If we go down we will be strong next year. If we keep people like (Jonathan) Greening, (Robert) Koren, (James) Morrison, (Marc-Antoine) Fortune and (Jonas) Olsson, I believe we would be strong in the Championship,” said Mowbray.

The Baggies, seven points off the safety zone with only six games remaining, look doomed after just one season in the top flight.

Mowbray though suggested his side could play their way out of the Championship.

“Hopefully we could come back with a good crop of players who have been through this experience this year and know what it takes.

“Also hopefully I would be a coach, who understands the league better, understands the quality of the opposition and knows what it takes to win games.”

Greening has already indicated that he will be willing to stay at West Brom if they go down and to sign a new contract.

But on-loan Arsenal striker Jay Simpson has made it clear he wants to return to the Emirates Stadium in the summer rather than extend his stay at the Hawthorns.

Mowbray admits that relegation will be a blow to the progress he feels the club have been making over the past couple of seasons.

He said: “The disappointment is, that if we drop out of this league, we are going to lose a little bit of the progress we’ve made.

“I feel if we could stay in this league, it would be so much better next year because we would be able to add one or two quality players and go to places and let teams know they’re in a real match.”

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Nancy’s Marc-Antoine Fortune targeted by West Bromwich Albion

January 8, 2009

Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune has told the French press that he is aware of the interest shown in him by England Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

Fortune also said that his agent informed him that he had been targeted by West Bromwich and is excited about that interest shown in him.

He added that it would be a challenge to try to assist West Bromwich move away from the bottom of the Premiership and it has always been his desire to play in the English Premier League.

Written by: Dave Cohen

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