Podolski: I can understand boos

November 1, 2009

Cologne striker Lukas Podolski admitted the fans had every right to jeer following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Hannover.

The Germany striker has called for crisis talks after Cologne slumped to 15th in the table, just one place above the bottom three.

“We have all got to question ourselves, me included,” he said.

“We have a week and we have got to try to get our self-confidence back by discussing things.

“Otherwise, there’s no point even going to (Hertha) Berlin. We may as well stay here.”

Podolski joined Cologne from Bayern Munich for a club-record fee of 10million euros in the summer, but has yet to live up to the high expectations placed on his shoulders.

Around 45,000 fans turned up at the Mungersdorfer Stadion again, but were sent home disappointed with another lacklustre performance from their side.

“I can understand the fans’ disappointment,” said Podolski. “We were weak and deserved to lose. We showed absolutely nothing.

“You could see that our opponents mastered us and we did not play as a team. You cannot win games like that.”

Cologne travel to the capital next weekend for a true relegation battle with bottom club Hertha Berlin, who have won one game all season and are currently five points from safety.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Bayern, bayern munich, boos, bottom club, cologne, disappointment, five points, game, Germany, hannover, hertha berlin, high expectations, lacklustre performance, Lukas Podolski, mungersdorfer stadion, opponents, relegation battle, self confidence, shoulders, striker

Davis quashes transfer rumors

July 27, 2009

SPL side Rangers’ midfielder Steven Davis has denied rumors of handing down a transfer request and has stted that he has no desire to leave the club.

The Northern Ireland international, who joined the Gers on a full-time basis last summer following a successful loan spell, helped the Glasgow giants to a League and Cup double.

But with successes apart, the Ibrox club is set to sell some it’s first-team players during the current transfer window.

Having plied his trade in England with Aston Villa and Fulham prior to joining Rangers, Davis has seen his own future thrown into doubt.

However, the24-year-old claims he is happy in Scotland and does not expect to be among those heading for the exit.

“I’m a Rangers fan so I knew how big the club was. Coming here has only backed that up,” Davis told the Sunday Mail.

“Teams raise their game against Rangers in the SPL so it is never easy.

“But the quality might not be the same as the English Premier League which is probably the best in the world.

“I enjoyed my time in England, playing against good teams and testing myself.

“But I don’t have it in my mind at the minute to return. I am enjoying my time at Rangers but maybe in the future I would like to play in England again.”

He added: “It has been well documented everyone is up for sale if the price is right.

“I don’t think I am going to be put in that situation so I’m not thinking about it. We knew in January the club needed to sell a player.

“Birmingham had a bid accepted for Kris Boyd but he opted to stay and the players here were delighted.

“We know the financial situation the club is in and that there might not be any more players signing. So the responsibility is on our shoulders.

“But we showed last year this squad is capable of winning. And a few young lads are getting a chance.”

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abhimanyu, Birmingham, Boyd, Davis, England, English Premier League, financial situation, fulham, giants, Glasgow, happy in scotland, kris, Northern Ireland, premier league, rajput, rangers fan, scotland, shoulders, Steven Davis, successes, sunday mail, time basis, transfer request, transfer rumors, Villa, young lads

Barry vows Villa won´t choke

March 6, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Gareth Barry has vowed that Aston Villa will not choke under the pressure of being chased down by Arsenal in the race for Champions League football next season.

Villa have the chance to recharge their batteries in sunny Dubai this weekend as a result of their exit from the FA Cup.

Martin O’Neill and his squad will also have a chance to reflect on what has led to the dip in form that has seen fourth-placed Villa take just one point from their last three league games, reducing their advantage over Arsenal to three points.

England midfielder Barry however has insisted that the players are looking upwards to Liverpool and Chelsea rather than glancing nervously over their shoulders.

"We’ve just got to try and see it through in the final part of the season," Barry said. "But we would prefer to be looking up, chasing Liverpool and Chelsea. That is the aim, rather than thinking about Arsenal. You’ve always got to think like that, no matter who you are. We are still in there.

"Some of the the results (elsewhere) keep giving us chances. The players, the manager, the fans, everyone at the club realises you’ve got to try and take it while it is there this season.

"We are right in there still."

Villa’s success this season has been built on their away form — ten wins in 14 matches on the road — and Barry admits they could do with an improvement at Villa Park, where 20 points have been dropped, with the most painful setback coming last weekend, when a 2-0 lead was squandered in a 2-2 draw with struggling Stoke.

"It would have been nice to put the home form to rest last weekend, and we were looking at three points but, all of a sudden, we lost concentration," Barry reflected.

"It felt almost like a defeat after the game. It was a massive disappointment. We should have been able to see the game through, and it was a lesson to be learnt.

"It is baffling that we have dropped as many points at home; if we were playing as well as we are away, we would be top of the league."

O’Neill meanwhile is looking forward to having experienced Dutch defender Wilfred Bouma available to help the push for a Champions League spot.

Bouma has been sidelined since July, when he dislocated an ankle, but played in a midweek reserve clash with Chelsea at Villa Park.

"While he still has a way to go in terms of proper fitness and getting over everything, I’d be hoping that he will be able to come and help us along in the final stretch of the season," O’Neill said. "He certainly has his determination, enthusiasm and drive back."

"The rest will be a bit of a process now over the next couple of weeks. But I hope that reserve game will hasten things on for him."

Written by: AFP