Week 21

Tezza · Cult Status

Week 21

Football Academy · Cult Status

Dismal Bilbao relieve Rollings

Mark Rollings has been relieved of his juties at La Liga basement club Athletic Bilbao tonight following a dismal 5-0 loss to Real Valladolid. In a game Bilbao were expected to lose, Bilbao had just 2 shots all game and were booed off the pitch by their normally loyal fans. In a post match interview with Spanish TV the fans reaction had obviously taken its toll on the players with defender Ustaritz blaming the managers pre-match comments for the lack of unity on the pitch. "If your manager says he wants another job hours before a game it does nothing for the players. We went out tonight not sure what we were doing. How can we fight for someone who is thinking about being at a different team?"

The normally loyal fans obviously have made the players question where their loyalties should lie and the board have reacted in similar fashion. The post-match press conference was causing a stir from the off with Mark Rollings noticeably absent as the press arrived. The chairman opened by saying the manager had been put on "indefinite garden leave. We have shown 100% commitment to Mark under difficult circumstances and believed loyalty despite a dreadful season would be repaid in the long term by a better squad being built and better results in two seasons time when Mark led them back into La Liga. We feel now that Mark has just been warming this seat until something better came along so rightly the players, fans and board feel betrayed."

There has been no comment from Everton tonight on the application Rollings made for the vacant managerial position.

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Rollings shoulders responsibility

Departing Athletic Bilbao manager Mark Rollings tonight released a short statement in response to strong words from his board after the Welsh manager was spectacularly relieved of his duties. Rollings kept his response short and sweet and was clearly in no mood to embellish.

"I take full responsibility for today's showing against Valladolid! When making the application for the vacant managerial position at Everton I knew I risked feeling the wrath of my current board and fans. The players had been showing some promise the last few weeks, and today I got the tactics wrong. I know Valladolid would be strong, and with a young squad they are still fresh so I felt we needed to try something different...it didn't work, and the buck stops with me. I am sorry to the fans and the board of Bilbao and do not resent them for their decision.

I have had no contact with Everton, but reiterate my desire to take the great club back up the English league system, should the opportunity arise.

If indeed this is the end of my Bilbao tenure I want to wish the board, fans and players every success. The foundations are in place for the club to move onto the next level, with homegrown talent, and with the excellent attitude of everyone involved I have no doubt they will soon fulfill their potential."

Ashley-ccfc16' · Cult Status

Ashley, what are your feelings on todays result? and future plans?

' Same as every week, we play a strong game but still end up loosing 1-0. The squad and infrastructure hear is perfect, If you asked me are the team play off contenders I would say yes, all this club needs is a decent manager that will put time and effort into the club, seeing what going wrong, If that is sorted this club can become a big hit in Italy! Having received a private offer for a different job I may well take it up at the end of the season but only on part time basis as other things come first than football. Hopefully in a few weeks a manager can be put in place hear at the start of the season and pull off to a good start! For now i will fulfill my role as manager till the last game'

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Rollings admits to being in "limbo"

The managerial career of young welsh boss Mark Rollings has been thrown into self proclaimed "limbo" following his sacking from Basque outfit Athletic Bilbao this weekend. Rollings had admitted to close friends he is "completely unsure" as to what his future holds following his dismissal and a tight lipped approach thus far from his covet towards Merseyside club Everton.

A source close to Rollings stated; "Mark was disappointed to be immediately relieved of his duties in Spain, although he understood the anger from board and fans. He doesn't begrudge the direction they have taken but is keen to now resolve his personal situation. He enjoyed the challenge at Bilbao and feels he has a lot to offer the right club. He feels Everton are that club but has admitted he has had no indication as to how his application was received at the club. He has shown at Coventry he can achieve success in England and wants to turn Everton into a Premier League outfit".

Rollings will not want to prolong his time out of the managerial circuit, after admitting feeling revitalized by his stint in Spain.

Simon · Cult Status

Another one bites the dust

Bilbao manager Mark Rollings has become the third manager to be sacked immediately after losing to Simon Jenkins' Real Valladolid. We caught up with Jenkins after the Monday morning training session.

"So Mr Jenkins, do you feel guilty for the sacking of Mark Rollings?"

"To be honest, no I don't. We beat them in the first half of the season and he didn't get sacked then did he? I think what got him sacked was the fact that he sweet talked the Chairman into believing he would immediately take the club back up and then tried to cut and run at the first opportunity. That must have been a real kick in the teeth for the Chairman and if I were him I'd have done the same thing. As soon as he applied for the Everton job I knew he was gone from Bilbao."

"Talk us through your league position"

"I am hoping to win both my remaining games. I'm pretty sure that Athletico Madrid still have to play Sevilla so assuming they both win their other game; if Madrid win I will catch Sevilla and hopefully take fourth on goal difference. But if Madrid lose I will overtake them. La Liga is now the only league left not to have the chapions decided and there is no doubt that all eyes will be on the Spanish league in the last week of the season. It just goes to show what rubbish the Spurs manager was talking when he said the Premiership was 'the best and strongest division in the world' a couple of weeks ago."

"So you think you will beat Barcelona in the last game of the season? That is a bit optimistic don't you think?"

"We beat them in the first half of the season and our team has only improved. Adam is a good friend but I wont hold back against them and if we take all three points they definitely wont get any silverware this season which will probably spell the end of his time at Barce."

"So you think that the tally of managers sacked immediately after playing you will increase before the end of the season?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your time."

"No problem."

-- Edited by Simon on Monday 22nd of March 2010 05:51:19 PM

Sinky2707 · Cult Status

Sinclair Feels for Rollings

Jonny Sinclair spoke to the Italian media about the latest manager in europe to be sacked and after being sacked earlier this season by Ascoli, Sinclair knows the boat Rollings is in.

'I was disappointed to hear he had been sacked for exactly the same thing I did and state his interest in another job and now hasn't got a job, the job i was interested in didn't turn out and I've ended up at Parma and I can't be more pleased. Hopefully Mark will get the job at Everton because he kow his way around the english leagues and he could do a superb job for them and get them back where they belong but you never know what is going to happen and he could easily receive a better job offer anyway i wish him luck for the near future'

CRadford7 · Cult Status

United Bow Out Of Europe

Last night saw Manchester United defeated by their arch rivals Manchester City in the European Cup Semi Final.

Some will argue that United were a little unlucky not to progress with the Red side of Manchester creating the more chances. However, City's forwards were more lethal in front of goal, as their three strikers each bagged a goal.

United were forced to line up with only two defenders due to the suspension of Matteo Gentili, which meant they had to fill their midfield. This saw the on loan Jermaine Jenas excel in a role which he is all too familiar with.

No doubt manager Craig Radford will be gutted with the result. However his team really dug in, as his two wide men, who are extremely attacking were reluctant to push on too much due to the lack of defenders that started for United. This saw them effectively act as wing backs.

Both Radford and United will be itching to get bragging rights next time the two teams meet in the English Cup Final on March 29th.

-- Edited by CRadford7 on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 09:43:41 AM

Stu · Cult Status

Fans
European Dreams

Stuart you must be over the moon with reaching two cup finals this season?
"Over the blue moon! It has never been easy and at times I thought we were going to be denied but the players really came through for me and they will get their deserved cup final experiences now. Credit has to go to the red half of the city who have not just been our rivals in Manchester but in the league and cup all season long"

Why did you play a cautious team when they had no right back available?
"I thought they would lose their fullbacks and pack the midfield. If I had thrown men forwards they could have dominated the game and we would be sat here talking about what a great loan signing Jenas was for them. I knew what team I wanted to play weeks ago and their player availability did not change my mind"

You were missing Zokora but it did not show last night
"I wanted to pick him but our midfield has been stretched all season with our young players out on loan and others lost in transfers to buy players in different positions. It was a big blow losing Zokora because he is part of the way we play in the big matches. When I saw he was missing I thought that might change the game but we did well with out him"

Is Craig complimenting your strikers the highlight of the game looking back?
"The strikers were all good but for me our strength to fight even outnumbered in midfield is a big talking point so I have to feel confident in my tactics. We played the same tactics against Chelsea this season and got very close to them even when we rested players in the league match"

Talking of Chelsea are you looking forward to the final?
"They knocked out a good Juventus team and I have to find a way to beat them now. The league is over for us so we can start looking ahead to the English cup final against Craig again"

What do you think of Mark being sacked at one of your feeder clubs?
"I think he wanted to go and with his record this season you can understand the chairman wanting to make changes. I think Mark would do a good job for Everton and they could do a lot worse than make him manager. We have had some bad luck this season with feeder clubs Mark being sacked and Chris leaving Parma for Real Madrid. We have players at clubs not being played like Weiss at Parma. I am not happy about it but it means I will have to make changes next season because I cannot recall any players so they are stuck"

And of your own future at Man C?
"No comment"

richj363 · Cult Status

Spurs delighted with win over Chelsea.

Spurs manager Richard Jefferies spoke to the press on Tuesday lunchtime after reflecting on the win over the champions.

" It was a great performance from our lads and although you never expect to win against a team like Chelsea I did think we would give a good account of ourselves. I know they played a weakened team but the so did we, Paul Robinson was not in goal and we also rested Xavi, Berbatov and King and Palmiteri are out on loan. So to win with such a young inexperienced team was great"

" With a bit of investment at the end of the season i know we can achieve even more, I would like to thank the fans for their support and also my chairman who has constantly backed me during my time here"

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Lazio confirm Davies-Evans as new boss.

Italian giants SS Lazio have today confirmed that they have appointed former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Davies-Evans as their new manager. Davies-Evans who was in his second spell with Forest has moved to Rome with immediate affect.

The appointment has been met with some surprise by both Lazio and Nottingham Forest fans.

Davies-Evans gave his first official interview to Sky Sports News but we've also caught up with Lazio fan Guiseppi Lorenzo and Forest fan Dave Clarke.

(Guiseppi Lorenzo - Lazio) - "I don't really know a great deal about him. I've heard he's done a couple of ok things back in England. He had a decent season here a few years ago with Cagliari but we'll have to see how it goes. Maybe an unknown is exactly what we need?"

(Dave Clarke - Forest) - "I thought my mate was joking when he told me. Lazio? Maybe they did their research on You Tube? To be fair, He didn't do a bad job at Forest with his hands tied and nobody could really blame him when he left for Blackburn, it was a bigger club and it was the team he supported. I guess he couldn't turn down the oppertunity of a huge club like Lazio. Best of luck to him, I'd like to see the board go out and take a punt on a good manager like Gareth Gardner. I'm not sure he'd leave Inter Milan to come here but I think he'd do a decent job.Either way, we'll move on and hopefully have a better season than last time out."

Georgie Thompson (Sky Sports News) "Steve, Congratulations on the appoitment. Were you shocked how quickly this has come about?"

SDE - "Yeah it has all been abit whirled-wind but I'm delighted to be here."

SSN - "What are your plans for Lazio"?

SDE - "Well we need to work with the squad over the next few weeks so that I can asses what changes need to be made, if any. We have a great core of players so I'll be looking to continue their good work and hopefully push on and try and move us up the table. We're mid-table now so we need to be looking to make a vast improvement. I know a few managers in this league and it's a tough, tough league so I won't be under-estimating how tough a task I have infront of me."

SSN - "Have you any players in mind?"

SDE - "I have a few but I don't want to comment on players that are already contracted with other clubs. I will be contacting the managers involved and I'll see if we can do anything."

SSN- "Lastly Steve, Many Lazio fans have stated that they don't really know much about you or how you play. What can the fans at the Stadio Olimpico expect?"

SDE - "Well hopefully I'll give them clean, attacking football but mostly, I hope to bring them success. This is a great team with very passionate fans so I want to give them more enjoyable times at this wonderful stadium."

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Rollings lands at Goodison

Everton have moved to appoint departed Athletic Bilbao boss Mark Rollings after the welsh manager spoke openly about his desire to join the Merseyside club. In a short press conference at the clubs traning HQ Rollings declared his delight at the move.

"I have spoken frankly about my desire to join Everton, even at the expense of my position at Bilbao. I realised it was a risky move but am thankful that the Everton board have shown the faith in me to realise their ambitions of a return to Premier League football. I will immediately set about making that happen!"

Rollings also paid tribute to his old club.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bilbao and would like to thank once the dust has settled the fans and board will think the club is in a better state now than when I took over. Some of the talent at that club is frightening and they are ready to explode on Segunda. Although I believe it was my track record at Coventry which appealed to the Everton board I believe I learnt just as much in Spain about how to build a squad and for that I cannot thank everyone at Bilbao enough!"

And finally Rollings spoke about his desire to reignite his associate relationship with Manchester City.

"Stuart helped us a lot this year and I will be picking up the phone to see if he is interested in doing the same next season. Everton will only benefit from any link with Stuart and Manchester City."