Week 10

Football Academy · Cult Status

Week 10

Football Academy · Cult Status

Villarreal press conference

Fernando Alfonso called an expected press conference following a humiliating defeat to newly promoted Celta Vigo. Villarreal, expected to rebuild in the middle of the division this season, slumped to 11th place following the loss.

"I want to thank Simon Newcombe for his work over the past 9 weeks. We appointed him knowing he had spent a long time in London at the club he supported and we hoped his experience would help us rebuild as a squad towards a brighter future. For whatever reason things have not worked and while the players could take some blame for this we have to stop at the manager at the end of the day and 4 points from 9 games is not acceptable. We are over 10 points off where our target pre season would put us and we felt that was achievable and fair. I can confirm Villarreal and Simon Newcombe are parting ways with immediate effect and I am confident a new manager can be appoint as soon as this afternoon if we can follow up leads with haste."

Spanish pundits have recently criticised a youth policy identical to that of Arsenal which Newcombe failed to find success with in London but has since employed at Villarreal anyway. The sale of Joe Cole to raise funds was followed by the signing of 17 year old 'Koke' from Atletico Madrid who has appeared out of his depth at times in La Liga according to fans.

Reports from England are already suggesting Newcombe will look for a swift return to his homeland where his career has been spent prior to this move to Spain. Wigan and Southampton are reportedly ready to offer him a contract while it is believed both Lazio and Messina are currently looking for managers.

Real Madrid press conference planned

The Spanish media is ablaze with stories and rumours as Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has called for a media gathering this afternoon following the breaking news at Villarreal. After a poor start to the season Madrid are apparently well off the title race in Spain and seem to have handed the title to fierce rivals Barcelona in the season Barcelona manager Adam Goble was told to deliver silverware. Reports that Paul Janyshiwskyj has been distracted by personal problems have remained unsubstantiated in Spain but following the Villarreal news, speculation is a second leading Spanish manager could be on the way out the door leading to a potential new induction of foreign managers into the Spanish game.

Simon · Cult Status

Rampant Cortez helps Valladolid see off 12 man Bilbao, Chievo vs Torino plus transfer rumours

Dispite several key players being left off the Valladolid team sheet, Valladolid's win this week in their pre-Christmas victory over recently promoted Athletic Bilbao was record breaking. The largest win was previously 4-0 against Real Mallorca last season, while the most goals scored was 5-1 several seasons ago.

There was also controversy in the game with many decisions going against Valladolid, something that was consistent in Valladolids feeder club, Chievo's game against Torino. Valladolid have massively bolstered Chievo's squad with several key players such as Enrique Gonzalez, Jack Collison, Jesus Velasco and Hatem Ben Arfa. While Velasco has been keeping the defence water-tight, the other three have been running riot in recent games; particularly future star Enrique Gonzalez. The striker has four goals so far in the season and obliterated the Torino defence this week. Ben Arfa threaded Gonzalez in to score the first and despite many chances, striking the woodwork, a disallowed goal, and an obvious penalty which was not given, the striker failed to put his name on the score sheet again. Surely the only thing holding Gonzalez back from a first team place at Valladolid is his finishing? New signing for Valladolid Jack Collison put the second past the Torino keeper in a fantastic solo effort.

There are rumours abound that Valladolid are making a huge signing this week with Christiano Ronaldo, Robinho and Pato just three of the names suggested. However amongst these rumours there are also whisperings that the deal may involve the in-demand, home-grown talents of David Cortez heading the other way. Manager Simon Jenkins has refused to comment thus far, however while some fans are excited to hear of a possible epic signing for the club, others are skeptical of Jenkins decision to sell the clubs top scorer, particularly as fellow strikers Quagliarella and Saviola have been short of goalscoring form; while star youngster Karim Benzema is also into his 360th minute of football without a goal despite being the top scorer in La Liga a couple of weeks into the new season.

Football Academy · Cult Status

Real Madrid sack manager

Ramon Calderon tonight announced they had sacked manager Paul Janyshiwskyj. Rumours about personal distractions were dismissed but a poor run of results has forced the hand of the Real Madrid president as he watched Barcelona pulling further ahead in the La Liga title race.

"A change needed to be made. I will look at potential new managers and review all of them before making a decision. We have no one in mind as yet so we will take time deciding who will best suit this prestigious club."

Rumours suggest newly available Simon Newcombe could take the position, while ex-Sevilla manager Stuart Price and Real Mallorca boss Mark Galeozzi are also names being mentioned by Spanish football pundits to take the position.

Kaka back in Italy

Following just a brief spell in London with Arsenal, Brazilian superstar Kaka has moved back to Italy to the rivals of his old club Fiorentina. Genoa chairman Sulaiman Al-Fahim announced the completion of the signing tonight after all the paperwork was completed in a deal which has been kept heavily under wraps.

"Kaka is a world class player who we want to be associated with our club. We have ambitions that we fell match those of Kaka so we are delighted to be able to present him with a Genoa shirt to wear. Kaka and Riquelme in the centre of the park is a mouth watering prospect for any club."

The further £25 million investment needed to secure the signing of Kaka is likely to increase pressure on manager Chris Ratcliff who has led Genoa up the tables in Italy although couldn't stop his team fading at the end of last season missing out on all silverware. Fans will no doubt now believe their team are capable of anything, and some pundits are already tipping Ratcliff to be sacked before the end of the season due to these pressures.

Football Academy · Cult Status

Villarreal appoint Yeo

Gimnastic manager Jackie Yeo has been announced as the new manager of Villarreal this Christmas morning. A good present for Villarreal fans, Yeo is experienced in Spanish football having also plyed his trade in the English leagues prior to that. With a wealth of experience, Yeo is the opposite to previous manager Simon Newcombe. Newcombe had experienced football at the top with Arsenal, but had never managed in Spain where as this will be Yeo's big move in his career, the most prestigious club in his list of previous teams managed.

Fans are pleased already after the board revealed they were pleased with the ambition and drive shown by Yeo in the private conversations, with the chairman admitting he now feels more confident of the team turning things around, and possibly even coming close to their pre-season target of top half still.

jackieyeo · Top Flight Player

Villarreal Press Conference

Rhino · Cult Status

RE: Week 10

Football Academy · Cult Status

The Spanish media have released a report following the situation at the biggest club in Spanish football, Real Madrid. In a season where the team have dropped off the title race and it seems they have handed the trophy to arch rivals Barcelona, the sacking of the manager will mark a new era but whether that is back as champions, or as a much smaller club fighting to remain mid table, is yet to be seen. Marca follows the stories surrounding the events this week.

The Candidates

First to apply was Real Mallorca boss Mark Galeozzi. This season Mark has managed to transform Mallorca from a struggling team fighting just to stay up, into a team capable of challenging the top 4. Carroll, Brown, Woodgate, Lampard, van Persie, Kalou and Ashton have all joined from English teams giving a very tough English presence in the free flowing Spanish league. A 3-1 win over high flying Espanyol showed the power in the Mallorca team last week and suggested fans could realistically be looking much higher than simply survival at the end of this season.

Mark has previously managed Preston in the low leagues of England. He was an outstanding candidate for the Mallorca job when he was appointed, being one of the most notable up and coming managers turning a team stripped by financial problems into a team challenging for promotion, having spent next to nothing. Pundits in England pointed to Mark as the role model for new managers who should learn their tactical trade in the low leagues before looking to step up. Mallorca have since been transformed with a heavy transfer policy employed to totally change the team who gained promotion from the Segunda Division, which may be as much a negative as a positive in his application.

The second applicant for Madrid is the Parma manager Chris Hanton. Chris has spent a couple of seasons at Parma and spearheaded the overhaul of the extremely old squad that was left there by the previous manager and a long period of caretaker management. A fantastic early run of results this season has almost guarenteed Parma are safe from relegation allowing for further time to safely rebuild the team, and like Mark at Mallorca Chris has also dipped into the loan market to sure up weaknesses.

Prior to a move to Italy Chris is a heavily travelled manager which may be as much a negative as a positive in his application. A short stint at Manchester City was cut dead when he fell out with the chairman over targets, and a similar story happened at Spurs before that when he walked out rather than be sacked. At Atletico Madrid Chris managed to express his attacking philosophy and achieved some good results which have helped Atletico Madrid to progress under future managers. Whether managing Real Madrid's rivals will negate his application is debatable.

In his early career, Chris spent some time at Manchester United in between two spells in Germany. Starting his career with Werder Bremen he surprised many leading them to the domestic double and won a big move to Manchester United (the city where he would later return to manage their rivals!!). However at United targets were not met and Chris was removed from the post and returned to Germany where he was still highly regarded from his Bremen days and was appointed Hertha Berlin boss.

The only other candidate so far is the Aston Villa manager Liam Riste. Liam is maybe the dark horse in the race for the vacancy coming from struggling Aston Villa, but it is already believed he is seen as another talented upcoming manager having been speculation he was about to join Levante a season ago before stating his desire to stay at Villa and help them stay up in the Premiership. Riste began his career in the Championship and guided an aging but ex-Premiership squad up to where the fans and chairman all believed they still belonged.

Investment from the chairman has seen them compete with the big guns in the Premiership and they surprised many last season by staying up against the odds. This season suggests an even tougher challenge lies ahead with Spurs punching well above the relegation battle once again, removing one of the potential strugglers who Villa need to finish above. Liam has never managed outside the Midlands, let alone England which may be a draw back in his CV however he would be the cheap and upcoming manager which could represent the new era at Real Madrid.

Surprise Candidates

The option is there for Real Madrid to approach someone who hasn't specifically requested to be considered for the vacancy. With such a historic club, they have a big pulling power over most managers and have the funds to pay compensation to most clubs for stealing a manager away.

Gareth Gardner (West Brom) - Believed to want away from the Midlands club who have remained over achievers under all three of their managers, the other two now plying their trades in Spain interestingly.

Stuart Price (Manchester City) - The ex-Sevilla manager was a constant thorn in Real Madrid's side and took trophies away from them when he managed their rivals. With his team 9 points behind a dominant Chelsea he may be tempted back to a country he found much success in.

Steve Jenkins (Juventus) - The Welshman has turned Juventus into one of the power houses in Italy when he took over after their recent promotion back into Serie A. Should he feel he's achieved everything Juventus can in a league where many teams are having to rebuild he could be tempted to move to a new challenge in a new country.

Craig Radford (Manchester United) - The ex-Espanyol manager has experience in La Liga already and despite doing well in bringing down the age of his current team they are a comfortable 9 points behind a strong Chelsea team. With Espanyol progressing well since he left, he may feel there is unfinished business in Spain.

Reactions

Real Mallorca fans are likely to be disappointed with the decision Mark Galeozzi wants to move on. Mallorca promised a bright future before their relegation to the Segunda Division and under Mark they have returned to that promise once again. They have the players to compete higher in a very hard league, but they are likely to accept his achievements are bound to draw interest from bigger teams.

Parma have needed a manager to rebuild their team for about 4 seasons prior to Chris Hanton's arrival. The fact that he has managed at a higher level probably means fans knew he wouldn't remain at the club indefinately even when he first signed.

Aston Villa fans will probably not react badly to their managers want away application. He had the chance to leave a season ago and remained to help the club achieve its goals which they have done under his management.

Real Madrid

Their first team is a fantastic mix of high ability players and they have one of the best first 11 teams in the world still despite their current run. No matter who comes in, expectations will remain sky high and the pressure will be on from day one to get the big names of Robinho, Adriano and Rooney bringing trophies back to the white side of Madrid. The team isn't too old, although the defence is likely to need an overhaul with all three centrebacks being world class but also being 32, 33 and 34 repectively. What Real Madrid lack is depth. The reserves players have had a run out this season and despite putting in gutsy performances, the fans have turned on them for a few key losses such as the 5-4 loss to rivals Sevilla last week.

Timeline

Real Madrid have announced today that any applications should be submitted before Wednesday's league matches for final considerations to be made. An announcement is expected before the week 11 league games to allow the new manager time to bring home trophies this season.

Football Academy · Cult Status

Rumour Mill

Liverpool are set to sack their manager despite a 4-0 win in the Cup over Coventry.

West Ham fans are devastated at the sale of star striker Carlos Tevez.

Real Valladolid have hailed the signing of Carlos Tevez after he scored two in their 3--2 cup win over Espanyol at the weekend.

Robbie Keane has urged manager Gareth Gardner to stay at the club after they reached the English Cup quarter-finals.

Dirk Kuijt's 5 goals in the cup at the weekend have made him a target for both Genoa and Real Madrid.

Kaka has told Genoa fans they can win the league but they all need to believe in the players who are at the club now.

Genoa manager Chris Ratcliff has been told he needs to win a trophy to remain in the job following a £25 million cash injection by the owner to secure Kaka from Arsenal.

Real Valladolid manager Simon Jenkins is being lined up to take over from Chris Ratcliff at Genoa to further the clubs ambitions of silverware.

Steve Jenkins was spotted getting off an aeroplane in Madrid amid reports he is a candidate for the Real Madrid job.

Athletic Bilbao manager Mark Rollings has been told there are no pressures this season after the chairman bought into his long term plans.

Newcastle want to bring Paul Harrington back to England as manager.

Spurs veteran Italian midfielder Massimo Donati has told fans they can reach Europe having been dumped out the English Cup early this year.

Messina want Birmingham manager Walter Hsu to fill the vacant hot seat at the Serie A club.

Lazio scouts have been sent to England to watch Fulham boss Dave Davies-Evans in his next match.

Inter Milan have been contacted by 3 leading managers over the vacant managerial position.

Sheffield Wednesday's owner has told the manager he will be given a large transfer war chest if he gets the team promoted.

Raymond Farnell has been linked to the Levante position in some Spanish newspapers.

Rhino · Cult Status

Q) La Gazzetta interviewed Real Madrid candidate Chris Hanton following his teams cup heroics. How pleased with an extra time win over Messina are you?

(A) Thrilled as i wanted a cup run this season, it was a close game and a great game to watch but Ramon has been in fine form since his loan move from Man City and he deserved the winner as he was the best player on the pitch tonight.

(Q) Do you share the belief Parma are playing too well to be dragged into a relegation dogfight?

(A) Well we are playing in the right fashion as we always do, we could try and shut up shop and get a point but we play to win every game and sometimes that may cost us but overal im happy with the way we are playing and i think its enough to keep us out of the dog fight.

(Q) Are you pleased to have captured Denilson as one of the few big money deals you've been able to afford since arriving here?

(A) Chuffed to bits, he is a player i have wanted to bring in to parma from the day i joined the club he is young and is good going forward and has a good eye for a tackle i think he will be loved by the fans for years to come.

(Q) What are the reasons behind wanting to move away from Parma?

(A) What reason could be bigger than Real Madrid i would just love a crack at the top of the european game and to make them a force again, Its nothing against Parma i love the club and its fans but when a job the size of Real Madrid comes along you have to take notice.

(Q) How do you rate your competition for the Real Madrid job?

(A) Tough to be honest i think Mark is the one to watch tho as he has made Mallorca a force!

mg1 · Cult Status

(Q) Marca caught up with Real Madrid candidate Mark Galeozzie following his teams cup narrow win. Was it a case of result over performance against Levante Mark?

(A) Yes, we took the opportunity to rest a few players for this game and we were very pleased with the victory. Perhaps the win wasn't as convincing as some of the fans might have hoped but Levante are very well organised side who are difficult to breakdown.

(Q) Do you agree your team are one of the dark horses to win the Spanish Cup?

(A) There are some very good teams left in so it will be a difficult competition to win but we will certainly hoping to go as far as we can in the competition this year. I am very pleased to have reached the quarter finals and I am looking forward to the draw.

(Q) You must be delighted with the big step up in quality your team has shown this season compared to last?

(A) The season has seen a big improvement in both performances and results which is exactly what we were hoping for. After staying up last season we made a concerted effort to push on and not get involved in a relegation battle the season. I am delighted with the effort everyone has put in this season and find myself looking at catching the teams above us in the table rather than worrying about the teams below.

(Q) What are the reasons behind wanting to move away from Real Mallorca at a time of such promise and enthusiasm around the club?

(A) I am enjoying my time here at Mallorca and turned down an offer to move clubs at the beginning of the season. There are very few clubs I would consider leaving Mallorca for but Real Madrid are a huge club with a great fan base and tradition so once the position became available I felt that the time was right to put my name forward for the job.

(Q) How do you rate your competition for the Real Madrid job?

(A) Chris is a manager I know quite well and I have already wished him luck in his application. He has a vast wealth of experience and have no doubt if he is given the position he will do an excellent job.

Liam I do not know quite as well but he has done very good job at Villa. I know from experience how difficult it is to keep a club up straight after promotion so Liam achievements last season certainly suggests he is a very good manager who would do well at Real Madrid if given the job

-- Edited by mg1 on Tuesday 29th of December 2009 05:11:01 PM

Liam · Cult Status

(Q) Soccer Star grabbed a chat with Villa manager Liam Riste on a night of English Cup action. Are you disappointed not to have a match on an exciting night like this Liam?

(A) Well to be honest I'm not. We had a great cup run last season reaching the Semi-Finals which I thought was a fantastic achievement for a newly promoted side. If I'm being honest, that cup run was a hindrance to our survival as my Aston Villa team were an ageing side; so injuries nearly cost us Premiership football. It's all part of the learning curve and I opted to give the youth a run-out in the early rounds to see how they would fair. Unfortunately they were beaten in the 90th minute but the focus is now on survival!

(Q) Many are tipping your side to go down again this season, surely you can't beat the odds a second season running?

(A) I believe we are capable of survival again this season, otherwise I would have taken the Levante job pre-season! We have tougher competition this season for survival and some teams are over-achieving at the moment, however, my plan was to finish strongly and if that involves another photo-finish, then so-be-it. I believe Aston Villa have a good enough team now to rise up the table again!

(Q) Who do you think will drop out of the Premiership this season in what seems to be a transition season for many teams across the board?

(A) Well I am very friendly with numerous Premiership managers so I don't really want to touch on this subject too much; but I believe Middlesbrough have very tough job on their hands as their team isn't quite ready to hold their own. West Brom are having a good campaign, but they may struggle come the end of the season along with Newcastle and Watford who are punching well above what I would consider their weight at the moment. But they both lack managers so again I believe their decent form lately will die off.

(Q) What are the reasons behind wanting to move away from Aston Villa, having previously stated your intent to stay despite offers from abroad in the past?

(A) Real Madrid are such a prestigious club and it is very rare that a job like this comes along, so you've got to be in it to win it I suppose. Real Madrid are in turmoil at the moment and I am eager to try and turn that around! It is hard to believe they are in this state but I believe I could turn their fortunes around come the end of this season, hence my application.

Yes, I turned down an offer from Levante pre-season which I never considered to be perfectly honest. Their situation was the same as my Aston Villa team that I adopted along time ago, and as much as I believed that I could manage Levante to all that they wanted, I have grown such a strong bond with the fans and chairman at Aston Villa, I couldn't leave them for either the same sort of challenge or a team where I wouldn't personally see myself settling into happily after leaving Aston Villa.

(Q) How do you rate your competition for the Real Madrid job?

(A) Well as I have been made aware, I was the third candidate to apply for the job. I knew that their were going to be top quality managers applying for this job as it is such a special job which only occurs once in a blue moon. I have been made the dark horse in the fight for the Real Madrid job, as the competition has vast experience under their belts. I am not as friendly with my competition as I am with other managers, but I am fully aware of who they are and what they have achieved in their careers.

Firstly, Mark has turned Real Mallorca into a strong team within La Ligue and has a proven track record. His achievements means that he is a very strong candidate for the job!

Secondly, Chris has an outstanding record supporting his application for the Real Madrid job. He has managed massive teams before which is obviously an instant highlight, but for one reason or another is now Parma manager.

I wish both the managers the very best of luck and I believe that the competition is very strong, but it is expected as the Real Madrid job is a 'Dream Job' for any manager!

Steve · Cult Status

La Gazzetta caught up with manager Steve Jenkins following an action packed week of Italian Cup football.

(Q) How did you enjoy the Italian Cup matches this weekend not being involved yet?

(A) Interesting as always, though I was surprised at some of the exits - particularly Milan. The teams reaching the quarter finals are quite a mixture and it makes the draw most interesting - certainly some underdogs have the chance of the draw working in their favour this year (which has not been the case for the past few years).

(Q) Fiorentina are in blistering form, are you worried about meeting them in the next round?

(A) I am always wary of meeting good teams. For the neutral I think Fiorentina v Juventus would be the natural final this year, to showcase Italian football.

(Q) Chus Herrero has been linked with a move away from the club this week, are the reports true?

(A) It is true to the extent that I receive regular interest in my players, and yes there has been some serious interest in Herero this week. Given their age I think I have the best central defensive trio in any league so it would take a considerable offer to tempt any of them away. The latest offer was below others I have already rejected so it seems the three amigos will be together for a little longer at least.

(Q) Do you feel the pressure on Montella is too much for a player of his age to lead a team like Juventus in attack?

(A) If you are good enough then you are old enough. Montella would be the first to recognize that it is the team that produces the conditions for individual players to excel. With Bojinov as a striking partner, and other youngsters dos Santos, Maniero and Falah also on the club's books Montella is aware that he has to be outstanding to command a regular first team place as a striker in this team.

(Q) Your name has been linked to the prestigious Real Madrid job this week, is that something that would interest you?

(A) Never say never; but for most of the managers applying it is a step up in their careers and a job they are actively seeking. If Real Madrid came knocking for me it would depend very much on the package being offered to attract me away from Juventus - as I would consider it a sideways move at best!

Stu · Cult Status

(Q) Soccer Star grabbed a chat with Manchester City manager Stuart Price on a night of English Cup drama. You must have been pleased with a comfortable win Stuart?

(A) Derby were a team we were expected to beat. I was pleased the players got the job done. We put out a strong team because I enjoy the cups and if we had lost there would have to be some big changes

(Q) Can you deliver a trophy this season?

(A) I think a cup final or qualifying again for europe are really possible targets for us. Chelsea look good for the league so we have to look at other competitions

(Q) How pleased have you been with new signing Vagner Love's contribution?

(A) Love was a big signing for us. We need some star players if we can start to challenge Man United and Arsenal for the places behind Chelsea. We have a lot of players out on loan so we have a very small squad. Love has been thrown in at the deep end and has learnt the English game really fast. He has been scoring and setting his new team mates up so I hope that form can continue

(Q) What are the teams in the Premiership going to have to do to stop the rampant Chelsea ?

(A) Beat them! They have started to replace some great players with some younger players. This is our chance to get some teams back even with them. If Arsenal us and Man United can beat them in one season I think one of us has a real chance to break the trend of Chelsea winning this league

(Q) Your name has been linked to the prestigious Real Madrid job this week, is that something that would interest you?

(A) I have to admit it is tempting to be mentioned in the same sentence as such a big team. I have huge respect for them from my time with Sevilla and part of me would love to return to Spain with a new team and try to reproduce what I did at Sevilla against my old team. I have always said when the time is right I will want to move to a new team. I could have sat at Sevilla with the young team I had and run them in to the ground winning some more titles but I thought I had reached a peak with that team and nothing I could have done would have topped where I was so I left them. My job at Man City is to win some thing for these loyal fans and that might not mean winning the league from Chelsea but I can not walk away from this job till I have delivered that trophy

I would like to wish all the managers luck with their applications and any of them will do a great job with that team

Football Academy · Cult Status

Fulham shareholders meeting

At a shareholders meeting within the stadium this evening, Fulham FC have announced the sale of the club to current Barcelona manager Adam Goble for a fee believed to be larger than £5 million. Hanton bought out the debt riddled club at the start of the season and under manager Dave Davies-Evans they sit in the play-off places and have cleared a large proportion of their debts. With debts believed to be worth less than £5 million still at the club they are in a much healthier position and fans will be pleased at the chance of Barcelona loanees arriving at the club following the half way point of the season. A statement from all parties is expected shortly.

Rhino · Cult Status

Hanton Departs The Cottage Hot Seat

Fulham football club can confirm that chairman Chris Hanton has sold the club to Barcelona manager Adam Goble, Mr Goble will take charge of the club right away and will be watching his new side at Sheffield Utd later this evening.

Mr Hanton had this to say as he left the cottage this afternoon

"I wish Adam and Dave all the best for the future and I hope they can take the club up this season, Im sure the club will move forward with these two guys at the top"

-- Edited by Rhino on Wednesday 30th of December 2009 04:35:04 PM

Goblets · Cult Status

New Chairman of Fulham and Barcelona Manager, Adam Goble, today spoke to the press to explain his decision to take over the London Club -

Press - "Adam, congratulations on your new acquisition. Seems a little strange that you would take over now?"

AG "Thanks, I'm very pleased. I dont think its strange. Everyone knows Chris and myslef have an excellent relationship, we discussed things, I had players there already with some more I want to go, it seemed the most logical thing."

Press - "So, how do you plan to push things forward at Fulham?"

AG - "By keeping hold of the Manager."

Press - "That simple?"

AG - "Yes, completely. Dave is an excellent Manager, certainly someone I can work with, the players can work with and who has the knowledge to really take the team club forward. Barca players will go there to grow and I will look at the finances to see if I can give him extra funds to purchase players he feel he needs. This isnt my club, this is Daves...I just hold the purse strings."

Press - "So what will you demand as return on your investment?"

AG - "My money is mine to do with as I please. I'm not looking for returns. At the end of the day Fulham is a club that fans have been coming to for many years. It has a heartbeat and I have no desire to take that from it, plus its the closest I'm likely to ever get to Chelsea! I hope that Dave is as pleased with the takeover as I am. I'm sure he will speak with you all soon."

With that the new Chairman left the press conference for a tour around Craven Cottage and a private meeting with Dave Davies-Evans

bigwave1927 · Cult Status

SSN. Good evening, we are at Fulham FC's pre match press confrence.

SSN. David another whirlwind week at Fulham then!! new chairman.

DDE. Its never a dull momment here, another week another story. I am very pleased that Adam has taken over the club. He has been helping us out with players already this season so we kind of have a working relationship.

SSN. You have been heavily linked with a move away in the next couple of weeks, with the likes of Lazio, Messina and Palermo scouting you.

DDE. If you say so, ive not seen there scouts at the games. At this momment in time i am Fulham manager, what happens in the future i dont know, we will have to wait and see how my disscussions go with the new chairman. I need to make sure he has a plan in place that if not this season then next we can get this club promoted.

SSN. You are having a fantastic season.

DDE. We are and its a credit to the lads on the pitch i am so proud of each and everyone of them. A huge chunk of the success must however be placed on my shoulders (he grins jokingly). A couple of players are leaving us this week but we are bringing in a very good young lad to help our strikers out.

SSN Every end is a new begining Dave

DDE. Its sad to have to say goodbye to chris after such a short time but we must move on and from today we work towards our promotion.

DDE.Many Thanks

Football Academy · Cult Status

Real Madrid statement

A message given to the Spanish media from Real Madrid has stated that a statement will be held at 2pm this afternoon. It is believed a new manager will be announced in time for both the new year and also for the second half of the season. It is thought only three managers are in for the running between Liam Riste (Aston Villa) Mark Galeozzi (Real Mallorca) and Chris Hanton (Parma). Some pundits in Spain have already claimed no matter which takes over, the prestigious club will fail to materialise as a title challenger this season.

Football Academy · Cult Status

Real Madrid appoint Hanton

A statement from Real Madrid has confirmed Chris Hanton, current Parma manager, is the new head coach at the Madrid club. Hanton has spent the last few seasons in Italy but has experience of Spanish football as well as having won silverware in the past. Chairman Ramon Calderon is thought to have demanded a vast improvement immediately in the team performances and fans remain expectant at the delivery of trophies this season still.

Moratti wants Galeozzi

Inter Milan owner Massimo Moratti has surprised many by publicly stating his desire to appoint Real Mallorca manager Mark Galeozzi as the new Inter boss. Following the failed application to the Real Madrid job, Galeozzi's future has been thrown into doubt with fans wanting him to stay but pundits suggesting it is his time to have a pop at a top club to prove his qualities. "Mark has the qualities we need. His failure to claim the Madrid position is a blessing for us, it opens a door. We have contacted Mallorca and been given permission to talk to the man himself."

Luke_C · Cult Status

Luke a great 1-4 victory over Inter Milan comes so quickly as the melt down against Inter in the cup just a few days ago, how can a team play so differently?

Firstly I have to apologise to the fans for what was a shocking performance by us in the Cup. We put out a very similar team as in the league but we seem to have ones of those days which is totally unacceptable. Everyone at the club has to take some blame, myself and the players but Im delighted with the way we came back in the league. We looked strong in defence and we know we will always score goals; both our strikers are in top form.

Youre now out of the cup, nearly out of Europe and behind in the league, do you feel any pressure and what is now your target for the season?

I feel pressure everyday in this job because Milan is the biggest club in world football. Until we are winning every cup possible every season I will still feel that pressure. Going out of the cup was a massive blow but we will pick ourselves up and look to win ever match. We are not out of the league either, as it stands we are one point behind Juventus and although they have a game in hand we have to continue to put the pressure on. We still have plenty to improve on and we will continue to work on that.

So changes need to be made?

I have money to spend and players that Im looking to move out but only when I can find the right players to bring in.

Juventus manager suggested Fiorentina were a closer and stronger rival and suggested your high turnover transfer policy has had a negative effect on the club?

Fiorentina are in great form and scoring for fun at the moment and it will be interesting to see how that continues but again we are in touching distance of them.

Our transfer policy from the start has been bold in reducing the age of the squad since I took over but now is the time we are looking to add quality as well. Players like Schweinsteiger came in, filled a gap and left but we made a profit and him going out on loan allowed us to bring in Kasper as goalkeeper so I can only see him coming to the club as a positive impact. I would say the core of the squad is now very settled with key players like Baines, Van Buyten, Anyukov, Milner, Iniesta, Aqualini, Niang, Plastmati Mido and others all signed to long term and we are looking to add to those players to add some depth and quality.

Could we also have your thoughts on recent management merry go round starting with Chris Hanton taking over at Madrid?

I was only speaking to Chris this week and suggested to him what an idea candidate he wasJ. He has vast experience so now is his time to shine, he already knows his way around Madrid and I wish him all the best. If he needs to give Ronaldinho any more experience then he knows where I am (laughing).

And also rival club Inter announcing they want Mark Galeozzie to come to the San Siro?

Unlike Real Madrid, Inter will always remain in their local rivals shadow irreverent of success so its not quite the same calibre of job but I would love to see Mark here for a few peronis. I think he was vastly unlucky not to be travelling to Madrid now.

Tezza · Cult Status

Atalanta Team News.

Interview with Manager Terry Manifold.

Press.

Before Christmas you did speak of getting 7 points from the next three matches. On my reckoning you only have 1 with a match to go?

TM.

Yes it is a little disappointing. We came back from a bad start against Palermo to lose, by a single goal. Palermo are a very good side. Today we could only force a draw against Livorno. We can still get 4 points with a win against Chievo next week.

Press.

Is your season over then as far as the Club target goes?

TM.

No it isn't, there is still a long way to go. The next match I see as the one that will shape this league. A win against Chievo next week will put Atalanta back in third place. Thats where we should be. Over the next nine weeks it will be the squad that will be important, strength in depth. I can see the two leaders being drawn back to the pack over the next few weeks.

If you examine our goals difference you will see that we are pretty compact at the back. I think it is the mid field that we need to look at. I will hopefully be able to add to the mid-field in order to get a few more goals. I was pleased to see that Kevin Smith got back on the score sheet today and I did notice that Tavera scored for Atletico Madrid. He will come back a better player for the experience.

Press.

I admire your optimism?

TM.

You can't afford to be anything else. We work hard all week and at the moment it is not being reflected by the results we are having. But as you well know, it can all change with one match.

We need a good run-in. We will be ready. Thank you!

-- Edited by Tezza on Friday 1st of January 2010 01:45:33 AM

-- Edited by Tezza on Friday 1st of January 2010 01:46:20 AM

Rhino · Cult Status

Real Madrid TV talks to new manager Chris Hanton

RMTV - Welcome back to Madrid Mr Hanton

CH - " How did I know that was the first thing that would be said to me, Its lovely to be back.

RMTV - How do you think the fans will react to you after managing arch rivals Atletico.

CH - " I hope they are just glad they have a manager to get them back to the top of the league and to challenge for trophies this season, I will win them over im sure."

RMTV - You have just flown in from Italy after your old team Parma's game, how was that to leave them

CH - " Its always hard to leave a team but when I giant like Real Madrid want you its a no brainer,I Left on a good note as Parma won 3-2 and are well clear of the drop now so I think the target of staying up is nearly complete so I can leave a proud man"

RMTV - Whats the plan of action at Madrid

CH " Win trophies as soon as poss., we need to get the best team on the pitch and start showing La Liga that Madrid mean business.

RMTV - We understand a team for England and a Spanish team have made you offers for Adriano and Robinho

CH - " Well I don't know how you hear about these things but I can confirm a English Premier league side made an offer for Adriano after 10 minutes of me becoming manager, It has been refused"

RMTV - Can you confirm any transfer targets for the future.

CH- " I have already made 3 offers for 3 top players and im waiting for replies, I will be honest players will leave but I will never under sell this clubs star players and in return this clubs needs the world best to perform in the Bernabeu"

RMTV - Your first few games in charge are tough ones the last European group game against Manchester City then across the city against arch rivals Atletico Madrid

CH - " It writes itself doesn't it, both old clubs of mine and both very good teams with outstanding managers, Its so important to qualify for the later stage of the European cup and its just as important to get the 3 points in the Madrid derby"

RMTV - Thanks Mr Hanton for his time

-- Edited by Rhino on Thursday 31st of December 2009 06:20:25 PM