Archive for June, 2007

Shearer Slams Liverpool Ace

Reports in todays papers suggest that Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy could be set to return to Newcastle. The player left the North East after fall outs with the manager at the time, Souness.

However, Alan Shearer has said he hopes there is no truth in the rumours, as he does not want Bellamy anywhere near his beloved club.

“Has no-one learnt their lesson about signing Craig Bellamy?” said Shearer.

“If only Rafa Benitez had rung me I would have told him exactly what he was like. I hope there isn’t anything in (the Newcastle reports).

“I was having a few days away in France with Gary Speed and Steve Harper and the wives and I picked up the newspaper. I was having a fantastic day.

“But when I read Bellamy for Newcastle I thought I would definitely have to have another drink. I had several.”

Chelsea Players Are Melons, says Jose

Jose Mourinho has grabbed headlines since coming to the Premiership three seasons ago. Today he has spoken out about the hit-and-miss nature of bringing through young players at Stamford Bridge, using an analogy which we are likely to see quoted for some time to come.

“Young players are a little bit like melons. Only when you open and taste the melon are you 100 per cent sure that the melon is good,” Mourinho said.

“Sometimes you have beautiful melons but they don’t taste very good and some other melons are a bit ugly and when you open them, the taste is fantastic.

“One thing is youth football, one thing is professional football. The bridge is a difficult one to cross and they have to play with us and train with us for us to taste the melon.

“For example, Scott Sinclair, the way he played against Arsenal and Man United, we know the melon we have.”

Liverpool Striker To Serie A In Exchange For…

Following months of speculation, further reports suggest that Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy is set for a move to Italy.

After his £7 million move from Blackburn, he has had a rather difficult season. Fights with team mates, court cases and just 9 goals in 33 starts (41 appearances) is said to be enough for Rafa to want to get rid.

Both Roma and Juventus have been tipped to move in for the Welsh striker. It appears Liverpool would appear to make a deal with Roma, in hope of an exchange for Brazilian winger Mancini.

Reds Broke My Heart

Real Madrid were crowned La Liga champions last night, after an incredible comeback over the past few months of the season.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, in his first season with Real Madrid, ended the season the highest scorer. However, a whole year after his departure from English champions, Manchester United, he again reveals the heartache this move gave him.

“In my first season here having a season like this, winning the league and finishing top scorer, it is great,” van Nistelrooy said.

“I couldn’t imagine I would have a season like this, scoring 25 in the league, and I just feel the hard work has paid off with this. It’s great to be part of a team like this.

“It was difficult to leave United to be fair, that broke my heart but I had to pick things up and I got the motivation to get the best out of me again and start all over again.

“Now I am just happy that we won and that the season was tremendous. I just want to thank all the United fans that have supported me over the last year, and still do.”

Jose After Premiership Striker

Benni McCarthy has had a great first season in the Premiership with Blackburn Rovers, but has made it known he is interested in moving to a bigger Premiership club. He first declared his interest in a move to the Champions, Manchester United, and more recently said he would be keen to play for Chelsea.

However, Blackburn have told clubs that the striker is not for sale. Jose Mourinho cannot help but have admiration for McCarthy though.

“Benni had a great first season. He quickly settled into the English game,” Mourinho said.

“He is the kind of striker every coach wants and I am no exception.

“I’ve worked with him successfully in the past at Porto. I do like Benni.

“I’m not surprised about his achievements. He could score goals anywhere.

“If he stays injury free, he’ll surpass his achievement of last season.

“I saw the possibility of us reuniting at Chelsea but he has a contract.

“I could tell that he wanted to play for me again because we had a wonderful time together.

“But Blackburn said he was not for sale and you have to respect that.”

United To Swap Defender For Striker

Despite Louis Saha’s claims that he will in fact be available to start the season, Manchester United must be wary not to rely solely on the injury plagued striker. The French forward was missing for the last few months of United’s season, and it appears Sir Alex is ready to add a new striker to his squad.

He has long been an admirer of Barcelona’s Gudjohnsen, who left Chelsea last season. It has been reported today that Manchester United will finally sign the forward, if United’s Pique, goes in the opposite direction. The young defender has had a successful season in La Liga, and has said he would be interested to stay in Spain.

Wenger Ready To Sell Henry

For a few seasons, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has been linked with a move away from the London club everytime the transfer window opens. Henry reiterated time and again that he was committed to the club.

However now, after two years of finishing 4th and David Dein leaving, it appears as though Henry has had enough, and is on the way out.

It has been reported that Wenger has met the Barcelona’s financial director, and opened talks over the player leaving for the first time.

If Henry had been sold last summer, before a season of injury and below par performance, his transfer fee would have been double what will be paid now.

Mourinho Accuses United Of Buying The Title

Manchester United were crowned Champions this season, after Mourinho’s Chelsea won the title for the two previous years.

Chelsea had been criticised of “buying the title”, after spending hundreds of millions on transfers alone, let alone wages.

Manchester United have agreed terms for the signing of Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. In total, this will cost United around the £30 million mark, with the fee increasing to £50 million based upon success and performance.

For the two years before this, Manchester United were only spending the money they had earnt from sales in the transfer market. This lead to Ferguson making astute signings in players such as Vidic (£7 million), Evra (£5 million) and Van der Sar (£2 million).

Mourinho today has embarrassingly claimed that it is Manchester United who are buying the title, adding to the argument that the Chelsea man is starting to lose his marbles. After the recent slanderous attacks on Cristiano Ronaldo and claims Liverpool aren’t a big club, Jose has more regretful comments to add to the list.

“I’m not worried,” Mourinho claimed. “I don’t even want to mention the fact that Chelsea are now spending nothing while United are spending a lot.

“They do their jobs and we do ours. I don’t care about their signings.

“United can only play with 11 players and if they played them all, Ryan Giggs would be out, which would make me very happy,” he added, trying to find the bright side.

“When Chelsea were spending, everybody said we had the obligation to win. ‘Chelsea are buying their titles,’ they said.

“Now I’m waiting to see if people put us in the last place of the title candidates as they have to put United first, Liverpool second — they haven’t spent much yet but they will — and then Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Newcastle.”

Liverpool To Sign West Ham Midfielder

It has been reported today that Liverpool are set to sign West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

Despite high hopes of big spending from the fans, after the new American owners have come in, they have yet to see any excitement in the transfer market.

Benayoun has been said to be keen on the move, and a bid around the £3 million mark would secure the transfer.

West Ham To Break Records For Striker

After escaping relegation on the last day of the season, it appears as though West Ham do not want to find themselves in that position again.

It has been reported today that West Ham are signing Darren Bent on a 5 year deal for a massive £17 million, which is backed by the new owners.

Reports suggest that this signing will take Curbishley’s spending under West Ham to £121 million.