Week 21

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Week 21

bigwave1927 · Cult Status

Gazzetta news.

Today we have tracked down quiet manager Dave Davies-Evans.

GN. Dave great win this week that propels you to third????.

DDE "Fantastic result against one of our play off rivals, the team worked hard and Rubbes got a brace for us."

GN. We have heard so much from Terry at Atalanta and nothing from you???

DDE. Terry thinks that we are nailed on for a play off final, we have a long way to go yet to get to the final. Terry took a spanking this week against the worst side in the leauge. He will say though that he rested loads of players but so did we."

GN. we have heard comments from Atalanta when they beat Brescia about shot's arosss the bows, what do you feel about this???.

DDE. Terry is under so much pressure i feel sorry for him, he has to come out with silly commments like this. He also reported us to the Italian fa about one of our results that was repelled. He is so scared of us.

GN. Cheers Dave.

DDE. The wine is slipping down lovely tonight. 3rd place is where we belong.
Thanks guys.

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Everton boss pledges to offer resignation for failures

Toffees boss Mark Rollings has promised fans and board at the famous club he will offer them
his resignation if he fails in his bid to deliver the league one title. The revelations broke after Rollings watched his side suffer only their second loss of the season, in a thrilling encounter with in-form Southampton. The manager found it difficult to contain his disappointment with the result but praised his opponents.

"Firstly you have to congratulate Steve and his side. We knew this was the crunch game and so it proved. They were excellent and have picked up another scalp. I only hope that they now go on and win the play-offs, providing were not involved in them of course.."

In a dramatic twist Rollings then promised fans and board that he would leave his future in their hands should he fail in his quest to win the league.

"there is no point in skirting around the fact our mission this season was the league title. If that doesn't happen there is only one man to blame. Expectations need to be at the maximum at this club so we can get them back up to premier league football. Ultimately as the key stakeholders of the club I want to leave it up to them about whether they think I am the man to deliver what is needed."

Rollings was clearly hurting over the loss but departed he post match press call with a final line of defiance.

"it's not over yet! We have not got ourselves in this position without knowing how to fight. We will deliver 6 points from the next two and see whether Leicester can match that!"

LAG01 · World Class Player

The Real Sociedad manager Louis Galeozzie speaks to Sociedad TV following scenes of celebration after securing survival in La Liga.

STV: A well earned point against a quality Athletico side has ensured survival in the top flight with two games to spare, how does it feel?

LG: I would just like to congratulate the lads as it has been a tough season and todays point was well deserved and down to their continued hard work and dedication throughout the season. The fans and this club deserve top flight football and I am just glad we will have it again next season. I would just like to congratulate the staff, players, chairman and supporters and hopefully we can round things off with two more good performances before the summer break.

STV: Many predicted an immediate return to the Segunda following your previous campaign in the top flight where the club achieved only a one point return during the whole season. Did you approach this season differently?

LG: Yes, following promotion from the Segunda in my first season it was evident that survival was going to be a very tough task but we did not expect a return of only one point. I let down both the fans and the club and a chairman who had supported me throughout the promotion season.

It was for this reason that I set myself the challenge of an immediate return to La Liga and led me to trade some of the young talent that came through such as Kenan Kodro and Javi Ros, as it was evident that we needed to bring in a bit more experience if we were to gain immediate promotion and stand any chance of survival this season.

I know many fans were disappointed to lose Kodro in the middle of last season as he was banging in the goals but I managed to secure his loan back from Athletico as part of the deal in addition to Ze Castro a world class player who went a long way to ensuring promotion last season.

I also felt we needed to target certain teams which did lead to some heavy losses against the top teams.

Following last years play off victory I felt it was not a time to get carried away as only half the job was done. I swore to myself and the players following relegation from La Liga that we would gain an immediate return and secure survival this year.

Credit for the teams survival must go to the players who have been magnificent this year in a notoriously tough league for teams coming up. The Board has also been fantastic providing the financial support which enabled us to bring in a few new faces which were needed to achieve the goals we set for the club.

STV: Vicente made a big impact following his arrival from Sampdoria any chance of signing him on a permanent basis?

LG: No one player should be singled out as the squad has been magnificent throughout but a quality player like Vicente will also make a difference to any side in the division and he was a welcome addition in the second half of the season.

I can only thank "Bish" at Sampdoria for letting us sign him on loan he returned the favour of a few seasons ago when a we let him have a couple of players on loan when he was at Almeria.

Any club would welcome a player of his quality into their ranks on a full time basis but I would be surprised if Bish would be prepared to let a player of his quality go.

STV: Espanyol and Celta Vigo to go what are your expectations?

LG: We will need to keep our feet on the ground and start preparations for a tough game at Espanyol where hopefully we can put in another performance of the quality we showed today. And if we can round the season off with three points at Celta Vigo it will be a fitting end to what has been a good first season back in the top flight.

Football Academy · Cult Status

English Title Race

This week Manchester City wrapped up the English title in a rare occasion as the previously champions Chelsea finally toppled from their perch after years leading the England. Chelsea and both Manchester clubs have fantastic records against the teams outside of the top three so this season has largely fallen on who can secure the most points when the three sides meet each other. Between them, they've only lost 5 games in a combined 60 games, and Chelsea have been restricted by coming off second best against both rival Manchester clubs at times this season. Manchester United who at times seemed to have thrown away an early challenge have recently pulled themselves back in contention for second place at least, with Chelsea just one point ahead going into the final two matches of the league season.

Manchester City appear to have finally toppled Chelsea due to a fantastic defensive record. At a time where many clubs across Europe are building teams to simply outscore each other, Manchester City have conceded just 24 goals in the league, 17 better than both Manchester United and Chelsea. In a season that seems to be summed up by the battle of the blues Chelsea and Manchester City, they now have to face each other in Mondays European Cup semi-final before facing each other again in the English Cup final a few weeks later.

Italian Title Race

Italy has truly been dominated by AC Milan and Juventus this season. AC Milan are 17 points clear of 3rd placed Sampdoria with Juventus a further 4 above them. As the only top flight division yet to be decided you could foolishly think that this is the most competitive of all three countries, however the gulf between these two and the rest tells a very different story. In a fitting finale to the season, with Juventus only needing a win to secure the title with two games remaining, it is AC Milan they must travel to and beat this week to clinch the title a week early. Since the departure of Luke Coakley, AC Milan have continued to perform well with the assistant putting an emphasis on the younger players to ready them for next season and hopefully, a new manager.

The battle for 3rd will be more interesting with only two points separating Sampdoria, Fiorentina and surprise package Palermo. Sampdoria have come on leaps and bounds this season investing in old experienced players to lift them from mid table obscurity. Fiorentina have had to recover after coming so close to the title last season only to be hit by fitness issues in the run in and finish well off the pace. Their new generation have arrived this season and have performed admirably in what the manager will no doubt describe as a rebuilding season. Palermo the dark horses for 3rd have come from nowhere. Many Italian pundits have put their success down to others failures, stating they have been severely underestimated by 'better' teams this season allowing them above the likes of Genoa and Inter Milan in the table.

Spanish Title Race

Real Valladolid secured their much anticipated first league trophy this week making their fans wait an hour into their match against bottom of the table Celta Vigo before banging in four goals and claiming the trophy. Valladolid have been tipped to succeed in this division and no doubt their rivals will critically look at the managers who sold players such as Carlos Tevez who have added much needed experience to the youthful core of the squad that has been gaining experience since Simon Jenkins took over back in the Segunda Division. More entertaining perhaps has been the fight between the next three teams. Sevilla were long touted as the team to rival Valladolid but have fallen away in the last two weeks dropping points to both Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two sides around them in the league. Some have questioned Liam Riste's experience at the sharp end of the table and will no doubt do the same next season with Sevilla not only losing the title race with two weeks to go but also handing Barcelona 2nd place and being pressured to hang onto even 3rd place now.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have felt the pressure all season. A mix of their aging superstars and new youth prospects have had to gel immediately to contend with fan and boardroom pressures and the race for the top three has at times been labelled the race not to be sacked. Real Madrid are the unlucky team at present sitting 5 points behind Sevilla needing a miracle to claim a place in the top European Cup next season. Despite sitting in 2nd place if Barcelona can hold off the advances of Sevilla in the run in, it will probably feel like a successful season still to manager Adam Goble.

Tezza · Cult Status

ATALANTA NEWS.

Atalanta's manager Terry Manifold was a little reflective about the results of Friday match against Torino.
"The result wasn't a complete surprise,I was experimenting with a different formation and it clearly did not work. I will also use next weeks match to try something else out" Terry said, "We were also a little unbalanced at the back with Beevers being out." "Better now then in the play-offs."

When I asked Terry about comments made by the Ascoli manager,Terry replied " Does that really surprise you?" "I am very pleased with the position we are in and that is all I will say." "There are also rumours about me and another Club, I wonder if Dave had a hand in that"

With that Terry said his goodbyes and said, "I will let you have my pre-match report as usual.

Besty · Cult Status

Best targets return to form

FA Evo news caught up with Genoa manager Jamie Best after his sides 4-3 loss to Sampdoria.

Jamie you must be disappointed with that result?

Of course, it was tough to take for the team. We created as many chances but we were just not clinical enough in front of goal. Sampdoria are a very good side and it's credit to Chris (Sampdoria manager) that they sit 3rd in the table, he has done a fantastic rebuilding job there. The positive thing for me is that we pretty much matched them and hopefully with further improvement we will manage to reverse the result next season.

So you think you will still be at Genoa next year?

I really hope so, i am loving the job here and i am committed to the team, the players have given me 100% and i want to repay that commitment now and in the future. It's not down to me though and i need to try and get two positive results from the remaining games to prove that i deserve to be here again next season. Whatever happens though i want to thank the players for their efforts, i want to stay in Italy but moreso i want to stay at Genoa.

You went pretty quiet on the transfer front in the lead up to the deadline, do you regret this?

Not at all, i am happy with the squad here and again its about building for next season, there is a team full of potential and i expect improvement in the close season. We had a number of offers for players at the club but i wasn't willing to let my key players go, especially for the deals that were being offered. the players have backed me and i want to back them, i believe we can vastly improve our position next season and we may also have the excitment of the club featuring in Europe next season if we can hold down our current position.

A mention for the club you are chairman of after their promotion to La Liga?

Jonnie has done excellent at Bilbao since i appointed him there, the quality of players he has attracted the club is credit to him, the lads and he deserve the promotion and the chance to challenge the teams in the top division, it will be exciting for the fans also to see their players pit their witts against some of the top players in Europe. My congratulations go out to Jonnie and his team and i am sure now he will go on to take top spot from Zaragoza and be crowned champions of the Segunda division. Thanks must be given also to those teams that have helped Jonnie and Bilbao by loaning them players such as Djalo of Manchester United, Radovanovic and Salvio of Atletico and Everton respectively, without the assitance of these managers Jonnie's job would be even more difficult so its credit to them and him for building good relations.

Football Academy · Cult Status

Hot Property - A look at the potential summer close season activites

Stars of the future have been given a great opportunity this season with some of the biggest clubs around Europe rebuilding and looking for the next generation of superstars at their club. This may have brought intense pressures on the managers but its given some players the chance to play for clubs they could only have dreamed of. On top of looking for these upcoming talents we'll look at those who have stamped their authority on this season as well as the managers who have performed that which fans would have wished for pre-season. Here is your list of whats going to be the hot property over the coming pre-season.

The Cardiff and Russian number one Igor Akinfeev is no doubt going to be on a few back pages this summer. Cardiff have a new manager in Luke Coakley however he looks unable to save them from their impending relegation and Akinfeev is far too good for the Championship. As one of the top goalkeepers in Europe right now, he may well be one sold off to generate some rebuilding funds for the new manager once the transfer window opens. Genoa, Juventus, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with a move already.

John Brady has an impeccable record for Chelsea, the most distinguished manager in terms of trophies over the last seven seasons, his Chelsea side have finally failed to defend their league title and face two crunch matches that could make or break their season in the two cup competitions in the coming few weeks. It may be that Brady decides it's time to leave and try his hand at a new challenge, and if so he will no doubt be highly sought after by some of the elite calibre teams.

Young Welsh star Aaron Ramsey has found life tough at Manchester City since his big money move. The lions share of his matches over the last few years have been for teams on loan and this summer could be a crunch decision time. Ramsey will certainly be hoping to secure his place in the Manchester City first team but if not, he is sure to be one of the top players on the loan market. An almighty scrap will then be expected, especially following heroic performances for both Everton and Leicester this season, helping the two teams into the top two places in League One.

Watford are a team potentially going places. Their assistant manager has led them to 5th in the Premiership and seemingly clinched a place in the new second tier European competition next season, a huge feat for a team not so long ago playing in the Championship. With the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Gareth Barry, and Javier Portillo gracing the clubs pitch this season they will be hoping to attract a manager to lead them in their historic journey into European football next season.

English and Middlesbrough left winger Adam Johnson faces a tough few weeks and his team prepare for the Championship play-offs. Against some tough opposition and with ex-Inter Milan manager just a few games into his tenure in the job, it may not be their season this time around. If they do fail to go up it could be Johnson's last for the club. The already talented player is expected to develop into a top winger over the next five seasons and Boro may find it hard to hang onto such a prospect if they're onto in the second tier of English football.

Lee Cattermole was the deadline day deal that got away. In the week leading up to the close of the transfer window he handed in a formal transfer request at Newcastle, despite them being comfortably top of the division. A large number of high profile clubs were linked with him and reports suggest a final hour move to a top La Liga club was rejected. Newcastle are thought to want in the region of £20 million for the midfield general who is arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe at the moment. Already on top teams target list he could be one of the first to be snapped up when the seasons winnings are handed out come the summer.

Wigan have had an up and down season this year struggling to find the right manager, and face a race to survive a point behind Derby with two games remaining. One shining light to their season has been the arrival of striker Callum McManaman from the youth academy at Wigan. Not known for producing quality, not many were expecting what was to come next. McManaman easily leads the clubs top scorer list for the season with not only 12 goals in 22 games, but also chipping in with 9 assists, all this for a team at the wrong end of the table. A bigger team may take a punt on him come the summer, especially if Wigan are relegated.

Charlton produced one of the stars of the youth introduction at the mid season point this year. Jonjo Shelvey was handed a professional contract and at only 17 already looks a confident midfielder, one of the first names on lowly Charlton's team sheets. Shelvey turned down a move to Inter Milan shortly after joining up with the full Charlton team, however such a talent is unlikely to remain at an unmanaged club in the lowest league for very long.

Another player loaned out this season with great effect has been Giovanni dos Santos. The Juventus striker is currently with League One leaders Leicester and Italian papers have been reporting non stop all season a seemingly endless list of clubs he's been linked to both on loan and permanently. Struggling to get a game regularly for the Italian league leaders he has amassed 23 goals and 14 assists in 21 games and the 23 year old who is already a significant talent is expected to develop further over the coming years if such form continues. While a move to a rival Italian side might be unlikely, such a talent out of favour will attract interest from England and Spain over the summer.

Chievo have had a tough season and are facing Serie B next season however Lucas Finazzi has spent time out on loan at Portsmouth and while his loan hasn't stood out in terms of performances, those in the know in Italy believe given the right manager and training environment he could develop into a top midfield player. Short of funds and likely needing to rebuild next season in Serie B, something will have to give and the manager may see fit to cash in on Lucas Finazzi should a top team come knocking with the right amount of cash.

AC Milan striker Maxi Lopez has scored a staggering 35 goals adding 19 assists in just 23 games for the second placed Italian team. At 30 he represents the problem Milan's core offers an incoming manager, namely they are all pushing the wrong side of 30. He could be sold as part of a rebuilding scheme and his tremendous goal tally will undoubtedly attract interest in a big money move with a number of top clubs lacking the cutting edge that Maxi Lopez would offer.

Another talent plying his trade in the bottom league of England, Preston central defender Billy Jones has already attracted interest from some top flight teams but Preston were able to hang onto him until the transfer window closed. With no manager in place it's thought the club will cash in on him come the summer to fund rebuilding.

AC Milan have been unmanaged since Luke Coakley stepped down to prompt a move to his home town club Cardiff. Narrowly they look to have lost the title race to Juventus but have comfortably put the rest of the league in its place with a massive points tally. The board will be looking for someone to finish the rebuilding as the majority of the squad reaches their 30s and will want someone with the ambition and know how to challenge for the trophies that evaded the previous management team.

Across the city the same could be said about Inter Milan. Gareth Gardner moved to Middlesbrough ending his stint at the club where a serious amount of rebuilding had been required. Many believe the job has been left half finished and with fans expecting a much improved season in the year to come the pressure will definitely be on to build the squad and achieve results. However such a prestigious club is rarely on offer and after this season, the only way surely for Inter Milan is up.

Central defender Simon Kjaer was brought through the Palermo youth system at just the right time, the club having the best season by far in the clubs history. Many however believe this to be a fluke, with teams such as Genoa and Inter Milan expected to thrive next season and reclaim their places near the top. If Palermo fail to appoint a manager and don't make the right noises about fighting off such high class opposition in the league table, the likes of Simon Kjaer may well move on to teams who do have title ambitions.

Yoann Gourcuff has arrived as part of the rebuilding at Roma and arguably outside the top two Roma have been the most successful in attracting top youth players. Yoann Gourcuff has had a solid season and if Roma can find a couple more gems they could be dark horses next season. However such a talent at a team not in the title race this season will alert other teams to his presence, and Roma could have a fight on their hands keeping him.

Fellow Roma central midfielder Djordje Rakic joined from promoted Reggina and could be facing his old club next season. Rakic is arguably a perfect fit for Gourcuff, balancing the youthful and highly talented Roma midfield. However like Gourcuff Roma will face a fight to keep him when such developed defensive midfielders like Cattermole are attracting £20 million price tags.

More proof of Roma's investment into the future lies in their left midfielder Juan Angel Albin who joined from Spain. He has the same great potential of Gourcuff and Rakic and with Pennant on the opposite wing they create a formidable midfield for the future. This will bring its own pressures with such media and potential likely to bring these players to the tops of managers want lists. With Genoa expected to flash the cash again this summer, Roma could be teams first port of call when budgets are announced.

Chris Bishop has led Sampdoria to 3rd in the Italian league and if they can fend off Fiorentina and Palermo to qualify for the elite European tournament next season this would be a headline grabbing achievement. Chris Bishop has stepped up well and could be in line for a big summer move if he can be convinced to leave, the only blot on his copy book potentially being the age of the Sampdoria squad he has built, similar to those of the likes of Roma and Inter Milan 3 years ago, little thought of youth production has been made and the core of the squad consisting of Woodgate (34), Poulsen (34), Van Persie (31), and Yakubu (32).

Teenage winger Brian Sarmiento joined Ascoli on loan from Real Madrid for the latter half of this season and has produced a solid if uninspiring string of performances on the right for the Serie B club. He will be hoping to get the chance to play for a Real Madrid team in the process of moulding the new generation of players into a side that can sustain a title challenge. Brian Sarmiento definitely has the potential to become a very good winger however the alternative is that Real Madrid decide not to carry too many youngsters in their team next season for fear of poor results, and he could be facing the door if this happens.

Long serving Atalanta manager Terry Manifold could be on his way out of the Serie B side, whether they win the play-offs or not. Reports breaking in Italy suggest he's in negotiations already with a fellow Serie B club, which would surprise many if he made a step sideways instead of up into a top flight team. A number of promotion chasing Championship clubs had previously been linked with a move for him however these could be cut short if he agrees a move to another Serie B team.

Returning fans favourite Huw Evans faces a fight on his hands next season. Not only has his team walked comfortably to promotion alongside Reggina this season, but his return has got many fans dreaming of a better time in Serie A. Previously they've been promoted and instantly struggles for Huw Evans may want to change the team a little, and Fabiano Santacroce is likely to be the big name who will attract the large cash offers. Fabiano Santacroce has been a rock in the Brescia defence but a number of top Italian clubs have reportedly already been scouting him this season.

Seb Carter has led the surprise rise of Empoli into a contender in the Serie B play-offs. While the top two places seemed safe with Reggina and Brescia just weeks into the season, Empoli started well but began to fall backwards during the middle of the season. Fans will hope the inexperienced manager can deliver a dream promotion against managers with huge amounts of experience in Serie B in the play-offs however if they manage it, they could find their manager is pinched from them, with Empoli unlikely to have the funds to stand much chance of survival in the top flight.

One of those experienced managers in the play-off race in Serie B is Andy Fletcher. Having never managed in the top flight, he has plenty of experience and has led the regeneration at Napoli that has pushed them into 6th place a narrow three points above 7th. Andy Fletcher will be one who could be stolen by a bigger club should a successful season culminate in promotion, and his experience could attract interest even if they fail to go up.

Striker Ezequiel Lavezzi is the star at the centre of the Napoli team, with a solid 14 goals and 10 assists in 21 appearances for the Serie B club. With the potential to develop into a top striker, if Napoli don't go up Ezequiel Lavezzi will likely find his eyes wandering to greener grass and reports suggest a number of top flight clubs are monitoring the situation, and could swoop as early as this summer when the budgets are announced for the new season.

Signed from cash strapped Cadiz, Israel Suarez Alvarez is a 16 year old with plenty of potential. Manager Jonathan Petty has been brave putting him in the centre of an explosive attacking line up this season in Serie B however Serie A will be a totally different prospect. Should results not come early on and the pressure starts to build, Reggina might find selling such young prospects becomes more attractive in favour of funding better more experienced purchases.

Sergio Gontan Gallardo has spent time on loan in a successful Reggina team however when he returns to Atletico Madrid he may find no place for him. Atletico Madrid will have ambitions of breaking the top three and possibly even challenging for trophies, and are unlikely to be able to carry a teenager, no matter how big his potential. Whether the club puts Sergio Gontan Gallardo up for sale or loan, he is likely to attract a large amount of interest from clubs across Europe.

Reggina's manager himself will be one manager who is likely to attract some interest over a potential move to bigger and better things. Having failed to live up to the demands of Sunderland, Jonathan Petty has built a Reggina side whose fast flowing attacking football has been something other Serie B teams couldnt live with. His emphasis on attack has blown away most of the division this season although tough times face him if he stays with them into Serie A where a weak defence will be fully exploited. If he can be tempted away from a likely relegation battle with Reggina next season, he could be managing a top half team in the top flight next season.

Parma midfielder and youth product Alessandro De Vitis has spent a short while in loan in Serie B with Udinese following his promotion from the Parma youth team. However with Parma facing the prospect of Serie B football next season the management team will be faced with two options. Alessandro De Vitis could play for them but at the chance to develop their own youth players could come at the cost of not gaining automatic promotion back to the top flight. Alternatively Alessandro De Vitis could be sold, and at just 17 he is already hinting at being a top standard defensive midfielder in the future. A team who could afford to plan in such long term, Parma definitely are not, and this may force their hand over his future at the club.

After success in England, Paul Harrington has turned a middling Atletico Madrid team into a squad on the verge of breaking the top three. They have given impressive performances in the Spanish Cup in particular over the last two seasons and it seems the Welshman is getting the pieces in place to challenge in the league. One obstacle for this could be the availability of the AC Milan job, a team close to his heart. Whether his ambitions to take Atletico Madrid on a stage further can outweigh the draw of trying to fulfil the high expectations of the red half of Milan will be a question only answered come the summer.

With the future of manager Adam Goble potentially in doubt should they come out of the battle between 2nd 3rd and 4th badly, Barcelona fullback Kyle Naughton could be one of the first to be sold off. The 20 year old might consider himself fortunate to get into the Barcelona first team at present however his potential means he could turn into a very useful left back in some years time.

Another young Barcelona talent is striker Bojan Krkic who came through their youth system. Scoring 15 goals and with 10 assists this season in 17 games, he has hinted that he is more than just potential, and as such big teams may be willing to put him straight into their first teams. Manager Adam Goble has shown faith in Bojan Krkic giving him a role in their prestigious strike force and as such would be an expensive signing should the manager remain at the club over the summer.

Gustavo Munoz was another player raided from cash strapped Cadiz in recent times. He might not be a stand out player at the heart of Celta Vigo's defence at the moment but his unusual qualities with impressive speed adds to his overall potential. At 16 still his price is well within many teams affordability which could be a massive reason for interest in him growing over the summer.

Coming through the youth system at Espanyol, Javi Marquez has shone both at Espanyol and out on loan. As the youngest player of notable ability in their midfield he has an important role in the clubs future with many other key midfielders pushing 30 in the squad. However Javi Marquez has attracted a lot of interest since he signed professionally for Espanyol and that interest is unlikely to have gone away come the summer with him already having played 22 times this season, contributing 6 goals and 7 assists from midfield.

Joe Hart holds the number one shirt at Real Madrid at the moment but with the Madrid team struggling to live with Real Valladolid, Sevilla and Barcelona in the league, the team is facing a big overhaul and the future of manager Chris Hanton is less than certain. The position of goalkeeper is one a number of big clubs lack a key player in currently, or who own an aging player in goal at the moment, and this could lead to a bidding war over Joe Hart should Real Madrid's season end badly.

On loan with Real Madrid at the moment is Lukas Podolski who was loaned straight out from Manchester City after being signed through their scouting network. Lukas Podolski has been highlighted in a recent media disagreement between Real Madrid and Sevilla's managers and his performances for Real Madrid have been outstanding so far. If they are to drastically rebuild their squad then making the signing of Lukas Podolski could be high on their agenda, however if he keeps these performances up for them he will certainly attract interest from other teams as well.

Real Valladolid have finally reached champions status under the manager who took charge of them near the foot of the Segunda table many seasons ago. Simon Jenkins could not be looking at interest from other, more prestigious clubs who want that sort of success at their clubs. While he's developed the youth well at the club and will obviously have deep attachments to the squad he has built almost entirely from the ground up, trying to win Europe may seem a step too far with this club and dominating Spain may not be enticing enough an offer to keep him. With a number of big Italian teams already unmanaged and the future of key Spanish managers in doubt, Simon Jenkins could top many chairman's wish lists for their next manager.

Dale Price arrived at Recreativo Huelva a short time ago but has built on the existing foundations of the squad and looks set to achieve an impressive 7th place finish which could qualify him into the second tier of European cup football next season. With this success though and with a number of high profile jobs available, Dale Price could add his name to the strong contingent of Spanish managers potentially up for a step up the career ladder in the world of football.

Athletic Bilbao striker Fernandillo has hit the headlines this season after a big money move from Almeria. He has been impressive in the Spanish Segunda Division scoring 17 times in 23 appearances and leading his team to top of the table and promotion. However the problem many promoted teams face with their young talent is if results don't come immediately the relegation fight panic grips and youth is cashed in for quality and experience to help retain top flight football. Fernandillo will no doubt command a large transfer fee but his exploits this season could justify a big club making such an offer if Athletic Bilbao look in need of new blood.

Having won promotion with an unfancied Sheffield United manager Jonnie Adams surprised some by moving to Athletic Bilbao but has built another promotion team quickly and successfully currently topping the Spanish Segunda Division with two games remaining. Athletic Bilbao could have a fight on their hands next season not just trying to survive in the top flight against much bigger opposition but also to keep their successful manager who is reportedly already in talks over a move away come the summer break.

An Athletic Bilbao youth product this season, Xabier Etxeita has become the rock at he heart of their promotion winning defence. Despite this success and the turning away of a number of interested clubs initially after he signed a professional deal, Xabier Etxeita is a quality player at a young age in a position that many top European teams are currently short of. This could lead to a very big summer move away, certainly if the manager leaves the central defender will be high on other managers priority lists for pre-season purchasing.

Callum Ward is another of the strong contingent of Spanish managers potentially up for a step up in the career ladder. Having taken on a lowly placed Getafe team he has quickly moulded a team capable of explosive attacking ability few have coped with at Segunda level. Up against some highly rated teams like Villarreal and Racing Santander in the play-offs will be a stern test but should he deliver the surprise promotion fans are now dreaming of, bigger clubs around Europe could come knocking to offer him bigger challenges elsewhere.

Steven Gerrard was a huge capture for Racing Santander to aid and eventually cement their position in the Spanish Segunda Division play-offs this season. However it's not often such a player stays in the low leagues unless they are retiring. With no plans for this to happen as of yet, if Racing Santander did fail to get promoted they might find European Cup teams trying to take the English international back to top level football. Even if they did manage to get promoted, when things start to get inevitably tough for a relatively small team compared to many in the top flight of Spanish football, it could be Steven Gerrard sold to fund relegation saving transfers in.

Racing Santander might not have set the division alight following their appointment of ex-Arsenal manager Simon Newcombe but they have slowly and steadily built a good stable squad and positioned themselves at the head of the play-off group of teams. A tough looking play-offs lies ahead however whether promotion comes or not, the sheer amount of experience Simon Newcombe has will undoubtably attract some level of interest from higher teams looking to appoint someone of his experience.

Real Zaragoza manager Ashley Harris has led his team to promotion this season. While many expected it, the title of Segunda champions is anything but secured however with a promotion under his belt; Ashley Harris could be an attractive opposition for Italian and English teams looking to add an experienced head at their helm. Out of all the potential managerial moves out of the teams in this league though, he may be the most likely to stay with his club. Real Zaragoza are a team deserving of La Liga football every season and the challenge would remain for him to deliver that dream, and potentially build on it to give the fans something more than just La Liga relegation fights every season, which is what they've experienced at that level in recent times.

(Sorry if you feel your hot prospect on the move isn't listed, but as you can see, I think I had plenty here!!)

-- Edited by Football Academy on Sunday 5th of September 2010 08:20:06 PM

Ash · Cult Status

Real Zaragoza Promoted

Spanish media caught up with Real Zaragoza manager Ashley Harris following his side's first defeat of the season against Athletic Bilbao.

Media: You Lost but yet secured promotion, what's the mood like in the dressing room?

AH: It's a bit strange to be honest. We lost and the lads are bitterly dissappointed about that but yet at the same time, due to Santander's result we have confirmed our promotion to La Liga. We wanted to go through the season unbeaten and win the league but we must remember that the ultimate goal was to secure promotion and we have achieved that so we have many things to be proud of this season. Everyone at the club is delighted that we have achieved prmotion this season.

Media: How to you feel the match itself went?

AH: I think we played reasonably well considering the injuries that we had. Bilbao just about edged the game but on another day we might have just nicked a point with the chances we created. However congratulations to Jonnie at Bilbao who has done a fantastic job there since he joined and they too fully deserve the promotion that they have achieved. It was a good game of attacking football that i'm sure the fans enjoyed and unltimately we just coudn't do enough on the day.

Media: Are you still confident that you can hold off Bilbao and secure the Segunda title?

AH: Well we shall see. It's certainly going to be an interesting end to the season. As Jonnie pointed out, we do have the harder fixture list, but i have told the lads that it is in our hands and if we win our final 2 games we will be champions, whereas Bilbao will be looking at our result just as much as their own in the hope we drop points, so i still feel were in a good position and we have a good chance of securing the title.

Media: A tough game then this week against the in form Getafe. Can you win?

AH: It certainly is a tough game. Getafe are probably the inform side in the league at the moment but they have the play offs to look forward too and they may have one eye on that. We again have 4 players out for this game so it will be tough for us but this is what football's all about, it's a squad game and it's a good chance for some of our fringe players to show what they can do, so hopefully we can put in a good performance.

Media: Thanks for your time
AH: Always a pleasure.

-- Edited by Ash on Wednesday 8th of September 2010 01:08:30 PM

Sinky2707 · Cult Status

After a disappointing 6-0 loss to Juventus and the confirmation of relegation now a reality Jonathan Sinclair remains positive ahead of Cheivo this week and for next season.

'Well relegation had been on the cards for while sadly I think a lot of the youngsters we have are a couple of seasons short of being Serie A quality next season we will try and get back up at the first attempt and try and have a much better campaign than we have had this season'

What plans do you have for new season?

Well firstly we'll look to increase the stadium capacity a bit by at least 2,500 because our attendances have been full even in our struggle and I urge our supporters to keep coming next season because I believe the relegation has made players tougher and better players we will be a big force in Serie B and hopefully we can get promoted at the first attempt and back in Serie A where I do honestly believe we deserve to be playing our football and we want to prove that to everyone again next season.

On the transfer front I think whit the funds we have, we're going to have to loan players in because I don't want to sell any of young talent Alessandro De Vitis has been reported in the media that he could be offloade well this is definately not the case we want to keep for long term I'm happy he's been getting first team experience at Udinese and that'll put him in great shape for next season in our battle for promotion.

I hope also that some of our youth products are ready to make the step up because the more bodies on board the better of course they have to prove they are good enough to step up but I sure hope some of them are.

Chievo this week, the battle for bottom place how do you think it'll go?

I don't honestly know we beat them in the cup but we lost to them in league 3-2 and 2-0 up I was furious to say the least. I don't Ray is very good manager and he has got some quality player Walter Pandiani and Adam Lallana we will have to keep quiet and we have to control the midfield because we know all about Jeremy Toulalan and he can pull the strings in midfield if given the chance.

I really hope do beat them it'd be nice to finish at least ahead of someone this term.

Who do you think will be your main rivals next season?

Well it very much depends who goes up from the play-offs I think the best bet to go up is Ascoli or Atalanta to go up from the play-offs at the moment.

Chievo I think will be our main rivals followed by Ascoli, Atalanta and Napoli who all have good solid squads and can could give us problem also Empoli, Messina and Siena who always seem to give as good as they've got even if they might not have the quality that some of the other teams in this league have.

Anything else to add?

Yes I can say I've passed my driving test and now I'll be driving to work instead of walking or getting a lift off the wife, the lads have been teasing me about it ever since I got here. Sadly most of them aren't much better Francesco Pambianchi can't swim, Gorka Elustondo and Peter Crouch can't ride bikes Peter is to talk to ride them and they take the mickey out of me!

-- Edited by Sinky2707 on Thursday 9th of September 2010 12:42:42 PM

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Saints ready for stiff test - Davies-Evans

Southampton manager Steve Davies-Evans has claimed that his side faces their hardest game to date when they travel to The Walkers Stadium this weekend to take on top of the league Leicester. Davies-Evans who started his career at Leicester has stated that he thinks they finally have what it takes to clinch promotion.

"It'll be a great game. I always enjoy going back there but I think this is our hardest game to date. The chairman [Steve Jenkins] has put together a formidable team there and we will have to be at our best to get anything from the game. We will be making some changes so that the players who have played the last few games can get abit of a rest. Hopefully we will still be competitive but it's all about being fit ready for the playoffs now. We have Preston at home next week and we are likely to be adopting the same sort of philosophy against them depending on the situation after this weeks game."

Tezza · Cult Status

ATALANTA NEWS.

As Terry Manifold, Atalanta's manager, prepares for this week's match the talk at the ground is how will this week's match with Seina will go. Terry has made it clear that he will once again rest key players and try out a different tactic. "All I am doing is paving the way for a good play off match against Ascoli," "Thats the match we really need to win."

"I am looking forward to seeing the facilities at Seina, it should be a very interesting contest." With that the manager made his excuses and left the room.

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

Defiant Rollings focused on promotion

Everton boss Mark Rollings has issued a rallying call to his Toffee troops ahead of their crunch promotion match with Reading this weekend, and clarified his committment to the Everton cause following post-match comments following the loss to play-off hopefuls Southampton. Speaking in an open Q&A PR session at the clubs training complex Rollings faces a string of questions surrounding his future, promotion, and future Everton plans.

On his loss to Southampton...

"I don't mind saying that I was bitterly disappointed losing to Southampton. In reflection I made the wrong selections in key areas and it cost us. I have learnt another valuable lesson about the side I have so we must take the positives. Also, and this is no side-shotted criticism of Steve, we played a Southampton team who have approached the challenges they faced this season very differently to how we approached ours. Come day 1 of next season when we may well, and I hope this is the case, both be in The Championship, we will be much better prepared for the season ahead. Steve will definitely build another side who will be very competitive but we have a side here who we have built for that challenge."

On his future...

"Steve and I spoke after the game, and as always he was very humble. I spoke of my future and he made things very clear as to how he saw it. I didn't say anything I don't stick to now. Everton are a Premier League sized club and we need to get the expectation levels back up to those standards. That starts with me as manager and I have to push myself to set the example. I don't want to leave Everton, and I hope after promotion is sealed I can sit down with the board and plan for future challenges."

On promotion...

"We have a chance to clinch it in front of our own fans this weekend and I don't think I have seen the lads as hungry as they have been this week in training. We will be ready for Reading this weekend and we are going out to show why we are in the position we are in. Will we be promoted after the 90 minutes? It will take a very good Reading performance to prevent it!"

And finally, on future plans...

"I will be getting in touch with a number of clubs this week to try and use the loan market again. We over-used it this year and that hurt us in terms of flexibility in the middle of the season but we still benefitted from some quality players. I will also be looking to get some of the academy prospects into the first team squad to give them their chance to shine. We have the likes of Seamus Coleman, Dan Gosling, Jose Baxter, Conor McLeny and many more waiting in the wings. We have a famous history of top young talent and thats something I will continually look to tap into."

Bluebird99 · Cult Status

Davies-Evans backs Rollings to be an Everton success

At his press conference today Southampton manager Steve Davies-Evans was asked about the comments made in the papers today from Everton manager Mark Rollings.

Press: Steve, have you read Mark [Rollings] comments?

SDE: Yeah I have and to some degree I totally agree with him.

Press: In what way?

SDE: Well, Mark stated that our teams have gone about business in very different ways this season and that's a point of view I share. Of course, we were in totally different situations to start off with so that was always going to be the case. Mark and Everton were out and out favorites to win the league and they deserved to be. Everton hired a top notch manager in Mark that will always build a team very capeable of progression both now and for the future. He took over a team with assets that he could either sell or move on in swap deals. We didn't have the luxury of both. Our chairman provided us with funds which I was very appreciative of. We have then slowly over the season built a team that it possibly capeable of promotion. We still have players that are here for the future. The spine of the team is built on that but we needed a few more special players that are here for the here and now. Mark has built a team that has both quality now and potential for the future and that you have to comment him on.

Press: He said that he hopes both teams are in the Championship next year

SDE: I agree with him there too [laughs]. Everton are up as far as I'm concerned and thats the way I like it. Everton and Leicester are the best two teams in this league and that post the hardest threat to our promotion hopes so I am glad they will be out the way. I feel we have a better chance against the teams currently occupying the 3 remaining playoff spots.

Press: Were you surprised by Marks intention to offer his resignation if they fail to win the league?

SDE: Yeah I was and I told him that. Everton would hopefully turn it down straight away as they know what they have in Mark. Yes it's nice to win a league but getting promotion is the main aim and that's what he will deliver. Mark has every chance of being a true success story at Everton. He wanted to join the club for a long time and I can see them being equally as competitive in the Championship.

Press: On your own team, does this Southampton side have what it takes to reach the Championship?

SDE: Well I think we do aslong as everyone stays fit. We had a poor start to the season but the second half has seen us go on a great run and everyone is enjoying their football at the moment so long may it continue.

Press: Have you already started planning for next season?

SDE: Yeah I think you have to. We have arranged one deal that will see a straight player swap. Ashley Chambers will join Roma on a permanent deal that will see Santa Vivo stay with us. He's been superb in Midfield this season and we'd like him stick around. We have also lined one or two loans up so hopefully we will be in a higher division and will give the fans something to really enjoy. If not, we will continue to try and get out of League 1

Simon · Cult Status

Valladolid celebrate a fruitful week

Valladolid manager Simon Jenkins spared a few minutes from a week of celebrations to give a statement about the club, it's successes and his future:

"I'm delighted that we have won the league and to have had it wrapped up a couple of weeks before the end of the season is a bonus. Individuals have put in flawless performances this season, but the team have worked together marvellously. We also got one over on our Italian rivals Juventus in the European semi final which leaves us league winners and finalists in both the domestic and European cup. Can we win the treble? I honestly don't know; it'll be tough but there is no doubt that everyone will pull together and give it their all. I'm sure I'll have the support of my rivals in Spain if it means taking the European trophy away from England. What of my future? The season is not over and therefore the situation may change in a single kick of the ball. My situation at the moment? That I do not wish to disclose. Cheers."

Tezza · Cult Status

ATALANTA NEWS.

Atalanta's manager wasn't available after the match to give his Post Match Interview but he did release this statement.

We are still working towards promotion this year. Todays match has no bearing at all on that preparation. We tried something different today, with the long ball, and the 66 minute goal from Siena just confirmed my veiw that it will not be a tactic I will be using in the play-offs. Ascoli dropped a point today which was not in my plans. My long term strategy is to meet them in the final.