Week 14

Football Academy · Cult Status

Week 14

Football Academy · Cult Status

Sulaiman Al-Fahim promises Genoa talks

Rising speculation has surrounded the backing available for the Genoa manager should they reach Serie A and Sulaiman Al-Fahim has promised there will be talks held as soon as the division they play in next season is decided.

"I have promised some money will be given to the manager but I still don't want to openly discuss figures. As soon as we can secure promotion I will sit down with the manager and we can discuss plans for next season. The sooner everything is resolved the sooner we can plan for next season."

Bond hits out at Manifold

In a week where Manifold's commitment to Fulham has been praised by many including the fan consortium waiting to buy the club, Newcastle's assistant and caretaker manager Kevin Bond has done the opposite.

"We had an agreement to send Rickler and Lee out to Terry. They needed games and we thought it would be a good gesture to help out a manager facing such adversity. We gave them free pick of the order they took the players and rightly he took the best player. Now he has pulled the plug on the deal and I think it's shocking. You would think someone experiencing the dismay of administration would have more humanity!"

Reports coming from Atletico Madrid suggest a similar loan agreement has fallen through with Fulham backing out of the agreement with them also.

madhibee · Cult Status

Soccer Star grabbed an exclusive interview with the reigning English champions manager John Brady as he seeks to retain the title again this season.

(Q) Do you enjoy such a high pressure management position?

(A) I am enjoying managing Chelsea immensely. I am well aware of the pressures that come with the job but that was the main reason why I left Barcelona. The fans expect good football and I hope that the team is providing them with that. Another pressure I need to deal with is keeping the team fresh. There have been a number of teams who have suffered from ageing teams in the past and I do not want to be in the same position.

(Q) You must feel like everyone is gunning for you hoping you drop points?

(A) Of course I do. If I were in their shoes I would be wishing for the same. Chelsea have been the dominant force in football for the last 3 seasons and my aim is for that to continue. But as the league table shows, there are teams out there who are improving with each passing season so it will not be easy.

(Q) How many trophies can you deliver to the expectant Chelsea fans and board this season?

(A) We are still in all three competitions so we could win all three or nothing. I dont like to say that we will win this cup and that cup as it is disrespectful to all of the other teams still in the competition. Chelsea have not won the domestic cup for a couple of years now so would love to win that for the fans. However, Sheffield Wednesday will be no pushovers so concentration will be essential to get through that tie.

(Q) Victor Herrero Forcada looks a good prospect for the future but will you use him or loan him out to gain experience?

(A) At the moment he will be in the first team as he is currently the only right midfielder at the club. It was difficult to let go of Joe Cole as he is both a model professional and a pleasure to manage. He will still be a top player for a few years yet but I had to look at the bigger picture and keep the club fresh. Forcada is definitely one for the future and I have absolutely no doubt that he will become a fans favourite.

(Q) If you win everything on offer at Chelsea will you consider it a job well done and look for a new challenge?

(A) I would be delighted if the team won the treble in my first full season at the club. Last season we won the league and the European cup but it wasnt really down to me as the team was flying at that stage.

As for a new challenge, I think that with the other teams improving all the time it will be a challenge to keep Chelsea at the top of the tree. I may look for something different in the future but right now I am focussed solely on Chelsea and providing the fans with an entertaining football team.

Turney · Cult Status

Marca grabbed an exclusive interview with the Valencia manager. Since arriving the club have been propelled up the table and now are challenging for a European qualification.

(Q) You must be delighted with the results since you arrived Martin?

(A) Absoutely, the players have reacted very well to the ideas I have implemented into the team and the new training methods I have introduced and this shows in the results that we have been getting.

(Q) Do you think Spanish football suits your style of management better than English football did?

(A) Quite possible although I must say that if I had the same working relationship with the Chairman at Newcastle as I have now developed with Juan Soler at Valencia then I think my results as manager of Newcastle would have improved. I just feel that Mr Mort never felt I was the right man for the job and this had a negative effect on the team.

(Q) Can you really break into that top 3 this season?

(A) Absolutely, we have still got to play the big 3 and if we can get positive results from these games then we can not only finish in the top 3 but can also challenge for the title this year.

(Q) What position are you looking to strengthen next?

(A) I am happy with the team I have at the moment and we have some quality young players coming through so I see no need to add to my current squad.

(Q) Any comments on the situation at you old club?

(A) Its sad to see a great club like Newcastle in such a sorry state but when you have a chairman at the club like Mr Mort who doesn't seem to have the best interest of the club in mind and more his bank balance. I can only see a change in fortune for the club if a change of ownership occurs.

-- Edited by Turney at 21:29, 2009-02-28

-- Edited by Turney at 21:30, 2009-02-28

Tezza · Cult Status

Fulham's troubled manager Terry Manifold reacted quickly to Newcastle's Kevin Bonds very public atack in the press.
"The offer of the Newcastle players was never seen as a package." "I was offered two players to help the situation and I took Rickler because he is a quality midfielder." I am not bringing in players who can't hold a place against the existing players." "We have a huge mountain to climb here and whilst I only have limited controI I will excersise it."

"Under the current situation where when I arrive at the ground in a morning I am not sure what my team looks like, I will decide what holes to fill and with who."

"I have tremendous support here with everybody pulling together to try and get as much as possible out of the rest of the season."

"This week I will be looking for a quality GK and ST." " Luke is a really promising GK who will have gained a lot from this years exposure but I may need a little more experience for the run in." "With me losing Reginaldo Ferreira I am lalso acking that punch up front."

"Together we will fight every inch of the way, we are not out of this league yet."

-- Edited by Tezza at 09:02, 2009-03-01

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Sky Sports News - Interview with Sheffield Wednesday Manager Steve Davies-Evans

Bryn Law - Steve, Are you happy with your win today?

SDE - Yeah, obviously coming here and claiming a win is a huge boost for our promotion chances, I am proud that the players dug deep and grinded out an important win.

Bryn Law - You have kept another clean sheet, How important is it that your team build from the back?

SDE - Well I think that if we make ourselves hard to score against, it means we may only have to score one or two to win a game rather than having to win 4-3 or 5-4 every week with a poor defence. I thought the backline was excellent today and I know Andrea (Cupi) has been giving the strikers abit of stick after he scored the winner.

Bryn Law - Cupi seems to have really helped steady the ship at the back, does he add a good degree of experience to the team?

SDE - Definatley, We have brought in some experinced players in the past few weeks and the likes of Cupi and Drogba who have played top flight football have really taken the younger lads under their wing in order to help them push on.

Bryn Law - Didier Drogba was a massive 1/14 on to score the first goal in the game, were you disappointed not to see him on the score sheet?

SDE - No not at all, Didier is a good striker and will get goals for us, but for now he is getting used to how we play and he isn't expect to do that all in one game especially in conditions like that.

Bryn Law - You have brought in Mark Gonzalez from Liverpool this week, what is your thinking behind this loan?

SDE - Well Mark is a great player and has played very well this season for Liverpool and we are hoping that he can come in and help give us an extra cutting edge. I think Fransico (David Sousa) has done a superb job but he's starting to feel abit tighter after games so we wanted to bring Mark in and we are delighted Liverpool allowed him to join us.

Bryn Law - You have Reading this week. Are you confident you can get something from another away trip after they took points off Sunderland?

SDE - I think we have to be confident, we are on a good run and we will go there in good spirits. They don't have a manager at the moment so the whole club will be pulling together so it's up to us to break them down and hopefully pick up 3 points.

Bryn Law - Will you be resting players with the big game against Chelsea in the cup coming up?

SDE - We will not be resting players because of the cup game. We may well rotate players that are feeling abit tired etc but we are totally commited to the league and we will put a side out against Chelsea that is the best at that time but we have 2 games before then in the league so there's a long way to go.

-- Edited by Bluebird99 at 12:33, 2009-03-01

Luke_C · Cult Status

Gazzetta grabbed an exclusive interview with AC Milan manager Luke Coakley who is leading the Milan club back into Europe it seems.

(Q) Are you pleased with the speed you've turned around the squad since arriving?

(A) Ideally everything would be done yesterday but these things do take time. Its very important that we got the right players at the right age and for the right price, and so far we have. I needed to reduce the age of the squad and add a bit more balance and quality to certain areas and Im now pleased with what we have. Its been tough because we havent worked with any transfer budget but we have still managed to sharpen up the squad. I would say we are 3 players short of being in an ideal position but Im pleased.

(Q) Are Milan still in the hunt for the title or are the top 2 teams too far ahead?

(A) Still plenty of points to play for and our aim is always first place. Roma are strong but they have an aging squad so it will be interesting to see how they manage to rotate and stay in the title race. Juventus are strong and have been building for a couple of seasons now but we are chasing them down and only 3 points in it. Its a strong league but we are still confident we can push the teams above us until the very end.

(Q) The fans have been starved of Europe for some time now, will it be a priority next season or too much of a strain?

(A) The fans are this club and I know how much it means to them to be in Europe. When I joined I agreed with the chairman to drop tickets to £5 until we get back into Europe and we are very hopeful of getting that Euro place this season and then next season of course we will be in it to win it. I dont really understand some clubs who battle all season to get into Europe and then field reserves teams and treat it as an inconvenience. Its my job to make sure the squad is strong enough to battle on all fronts.

(Q) Aaron Lennon has become disillusioned with life in Milan with reports you'll ship him out soon, can you comment?

(A) Lennon is a player I have been trying to sign for quite some time and Im delighted to have him. It does take a while to settle to life in Italy for some players and the football is very different to the Premier League so we made the decision to send him to Cheivo to play in a good attacking team pushing for promotion just until the end of the season. Ray at Cheivo is a quality manager and took Pato last week so im hopeful both can be a big hits and will be raring to go for us at the start of next season. I have had big offers for both Pato and Lennon in recent weeks and both are strictly not for sale, both will be massive players for this club in the very near future.

(Q) Can you finally deliver the trophies a club like AC Milan deserves?

(A) This is a great club that deserves Trophies and of course that is what we are building towards. We were very disappointed to go out of the cup so early this season but we were at a stage with the squad where we simply didnt have the players to fight on all fronts. We are now a lot stronger and we will continue to build and improve.

Raymond · Cult Status

Gazzetta grabbed an exclusive interview with the manager of Chievo. The newcomer to management is hoping to get the club back to Serie A.
(Q)
Are you pleased with the start to your career Raymond?

(A)
Yes, I am very pleased, the chairman here has welcomed me with open arms and has advised exactly what he wants, stability, success and attacking football.

(Q)
Do you think your team can still catch the top 2?

(A)
What a question to ask, of course we can!

We will be in the hunt no doubt but we have to be realistic, Genoa are in a fantastic position and may well be out of sight, Udinese are playing well and Atlanta are on there tails but we must remain focused and not forget the teams playing well around us. Napoli and Livorno are well placed and remain a threat and I am sure Messina with there talented striker Montella may come through and have a say in things.

(Q)
Is the squad strong enough to win if you find yourself in the play-offs? (A) Why would it not be? We have a good blend of youth and experience. The philosophy we are building is one of attacking and entertaining football, should we find ourselves in the play-offs we will do all we can, we need to ensure our brand of football remains positive and that the fans are happy. The chairman, the fans and the squad are all on the same page, they know where they want to be and its up to me to get them there. (Q) How important is the capture of Pato on loan? (A) The lads not bad is he!Honestly, from what we have seen from him on the training ground Alexandre is going to be a world star.

We heard the rumours regarding his dissapointment of being in Seria B, all I can tell you is that the lad wants to play at the highest level and myself and Luke (AC Milan) appreciate that.

Lets just say I have spoken to the player and he is happy to be here so that he can continue to his footballing education, Alexandre is hungry and wants to score the goals that will not only gain Chievo promotion but put Luke on notice, myself and Luke will be in close contact regarding the players development.

(Q)
Do you see your future with Chievo or somewhere else?

(A)
My future is here at Chievo, I will be here for as long as they want me. Ray Farnell looks out of the office and sees Pato showing off his tricks to the squad, he thanks the Gazzeta and explains, gents I must leave you to coach to Pato, that boy is something else!

Fletch · Cult Status

Blades Boss Andy Fletcher Praises Starlet Quinn

After only coming through the youth team haflway through the season, 22 year old Midfielder Stephen Quinn earned praise from his Mentor, Andy Fletcher.

I decided to leave Stephen on the bench for the steel city derby, he's an excellent talent but its always a tough game and he needed to see what is expected of everyone on the pitch.

It was a tight game against Forest, we didn't play the best game we have this season and they limited our opportunities, having said that we were always pushing and I'm delighted for Stephen on his debut goal. Llorente who we signed on a free last week also got 90 minutes and I was pleased with his work rate, he also set the goal up.

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Sampdoria and Cadiz announce link-up

Serie A outfit Sampdoria have today announced the immediate link-up with Liga B side Cadiz. Bluecheriati boss Mark Rollings was known to be searching for a haven in which to post his young starlets for competitive match practice and the news that his search has finally come to an end will please all at the Genoa based club.

In a press conference arranged at the Samdporia training complex both managers took time to explain the reasonings behind agreeing to the relationship.

Sampdorias Mark Rollings;

I am delighted that I have finally been able to initiate such a link and even more delighted that it has come with a club so renowned with developing players ability. Cadiz has a tremendous track-record of squeezing every ounce of talent out of younger players and I am confident that our lads will see the benefit of their times there.

To show our intentions we have already agreed the loan of our young starlet Pietro Arnulfo, and he will be leading the line for Cadiz in Liga B from next week. Pietro has looked incredibly talented in his appearances for us this season and I cannot wait to see the impact he has in that division. I have to thank Ashley Davies for agreeing to such a link and I hope we can work together for the success of both our football clubs.

Ashley Davies (Cadiz FC);

Sadly prior to my appointment it had been a year of underachievement at Cadiz CF! I wanted to establish a link with a manager I could trust and with a club who had a long term youth policy. I thought Cadiz had some talent, But the age brought it down. I had received some offers to become a feeder club and decided to link up with Mark (Rollings) at Sampdoria, His managerial record speaks for itself!

I am delighted at being able to bring Pietro Arnulfo in straight away and am confident he can lead the attack as we try and get Cadiz out of the bottom of the Segunda. Having some goal scoring difficulties I think that Pietro will fit in, Getting a couple of assists and a goal in the Serie A, Id like to thank Mark for setting this up"

-- Edited by Spartikus47 at 16:48, 2009-03-02

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Sheffield Wednesday boss speaks of tragic disaster

Steve Davies-Evans has today challanged the footballing community to remember the familys of those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. On April 15th 2009, it will mark the 20 year anniversary since that awful day when 96 fans lost their lives during an FA Cup semi-final between Nottingahm Forest and Liverpool.

"We as a club are very aware that the anniversary of the disaster is fast approaching and I speak for the whole club when I say that all our thoughts are with the families of the victims from that tragic day. It's an occasion that puts football into perspective and makes you realise that there is far more important things than kicking a ball around. When we all get upset of a result or loss, maybe we should all think abit more about the seriousness of accidents like this and how they affect people.

We will be holding a memorial on the 15th April when we will have players and managers come to the ground to pass there respects along with the families. Football is a wonderful game that brings happiness to alot of people but sometimes we need to remember the important times. These were fans and fans that are no longer around to cheer on their team, we are thankful that more weren't fataly injured that day.

The chairman has agreed to build a memorial garden outside the stadium where fans can also pay their respects."

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Patience key as Samdporia prepare for Inter showdown

Sampdoria boss Mark Rollings has moved to praise his fans patience and loyalty ahead of his sides clash with Italian giants Inter Milan. Rollings has time and again chosen to rest his star men against the bigger sides in Serie A, choosing instead to focus on the games against sides around him. At the mid-way stage of the season the policy seems to be bearing fruit as the Blucheriati sit seven points clear of the Serie A drop zone and fans are optimistic that their new boss will achieve pre-season expectations and cement another season in Italys Premier club competition.

Rollings moved to single out the loyalty and patient attitude of his fans as crucial in the clubs plans bringing numerical success.

"Quite simply the fans have been outstanding. We havent had an empty seat at home this season and we have the highest attendance figures in the whole of Italy. That is simply staggering and I cannot praise the fans enough for the commitment they have shown this club over the first part of the season. I will personally promise the fans that if they continue this exceptional support the chairman and I will invest in stadium expansion and allow even more of the wonderful people of Genoa in to watch us play. The fans understand that, at this stage of our development, we simply cannot compete with the likes of Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma and AC Milan. We choose to utilise our squad players for these games and ensure that we have a fully firing eleven for games against those more within our grasp."

Rollings was also quizzed on his thoughts on Inter Milan. The Welsh boss turned down the chance to take the reins at the San Siro last summer and journalists were keen to gauge more recent opinions on that decision.

"It is common knowledge that Inter Milan approached me in the summer. It was an incredibly flattering and tempting offer but at the time I wanted to stay with Coventry and manage them in the Premier League. Obviously events conspired against that and now I am here at Sampdoria. I do not regret my decision in the slightest as had I not turned the offer down I would not have had the chance to manage this great club. Inter are simply playing in a different league at the moment, and with so many games to go it is important that we manage our older pros effectively. What is the use of me sending out the likes of Petrov, Edu, Woodgate, Rothen and DAgostino to possibly push Inter close but ultimately losing, then having them injured for the games against Brescia, Empoli and Ascoli? I have a reasonably big squad and players who will not let me down. I understand this policy means the chances of us getting a result against the bigger teams is slim but my foremost concern is maintaining this clubs Serie A status."

Rollings controversial policy has seen his side on the end of heavy beatings, not least the recent 5-0 home defeat to league leaders Roma. However, his fans seem to understand their managers methods and are showing as much by voting with their feet.

-- Edited by Spartikus47 at 10:14, 2009-03-04

richj363 · Cult Status

SPURS STILL FIGHTING

Spurs boss Richard Jefferies spoke to fans gathered at a Social Evening at White Hart Lane to set out his plans for the future.

How have you found things since moving from Spain ?

RJ Well obviously life has changed a great deal, and i have many more talented players within this squad, It has been very enjoyable despite the results but i am confident we are moving in the right direction.

Are you confident of staying up ?

RJ Confident yes, certain no. When i came here we has a wealth of attacking players but very little defensive quality, the selling of Zakora just before i got here left the team very light in that area, I have brought Ben Watson and Jeremy Toulanlan in but had to sacrifice Aaron Lennon to secure Watson. I know despite what has been written and said the players are all behind me and we are all pulling in the same direction.

If the worst does happen and we find ourselves in the Championship next season i'm sure we will bounce straight back up. The last three games have shown a dramatic improvement and i'm looking for that to continue for the rest of the season.

redrob · Cult Status

Gazzetta caught up with Rob O'Brien for an exclusive interview. The under fire manager dropped more points this week against a surprisingly strong Parma side.

(Q) After a good start over here, you're struggling to find form Rob. Was it just the 'new manager' affect or has something significant changed since that good start?

(A) You always have the new Manager factor when you take over a club were the players are looking to impress the new boss but it doesnt stop there. We have a good group of players here at Fiorentina, and we did have a good start to the season which has dropped of over the last few games, but we were back to winning ways last week and now will take that performance into the coming game with Milan.

(Q) Are the Italian players finding it hard to adopt your British approach to the game, or is it simply a language issue?

(A) Its true the players are going to need time to adapt to the way I want them to play and to incorporate the more attacking approach that Im implementing into our home fixture especially. We have a sound defence, in fact one of the best in our league but we need to blend this with an attacking style I am trying to incorporate which in turn I believe will bring our loyal fans flocking to our games. As for the language problem there is no; problemo;

(Q) Despite some journalists labelling your midfield as one of the best in the league you still struggle to win games. Does the blame therefore fall on your strikers?

(A) No Not at all Smith and Mista are having a good season for us. This is my first season in charge and the Midfield as well as the strikers are both adapting to the new style of football we are trying to implement here at Fiorentina which we believe will take us to new heights, also we are really happy that Gonzalo Higuain has come in to help us in that area for the rest of the season with Alou going in the opposite direction, but this is just sort term as Alou is iatrical in my plans for building a balanced midfield for next season. As for one of the best midfields in the league I think our fans we be excited to know that I am in negotiations to turn us into having one of the best midfields in the world all will be reviled this weekend coming.

(Q) Palermo and Parma are having fine seasons. Can you recover and overtake them still or has the growing task become too much this season?

(A) Definatly our target for this season is for forth spot at least. We are just four points off Parma at the moment and hope to improve on that this week.

(Q) Are you unhappy at your treatment by some sections of the fans who seem to have turned on you since dropping to 7th in the league?

(A) No not at all but I understand it, they want success and its my job to deliver that. We need the support of our fans now more than ever and I ask then to get behind me and the team and trust what we are trying to do as we move forward

(Q) You have a very healthy bank balance. Will this be spent on one star player to help lift you out of this mess?

(A)Yes I can ensure the fan that I have captured the signing of one of the worlds Greatest players if not the Greatest. Who we will unveiled this coming Match day I believe this Signing I have made will help us push for forth spot at least and also bring the fans in their droves to watch him and the rest of our team.

-- Edited by redrob at 13:09, 2009-03-05

-- Edited by redrob at 13:11, 2009-03-05

-- Edited by redrob at 13:13, 2009-03-05