Manchester United will play Juventus in a testimonial game for Gary Neville at Old Trafford on May 24.Neville, 36, announced his retirement on February 2 after enjoying a 602-game, 18-year career with United.
Neville, who made his senior debut against Torpedo Moscow in a UEFA Cup tie in 1992 aged 17, and was part of the side that won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League in 1999, is touched by the gesture from the club.
“I am delighted to be given this game by the club, it is going to be a very emotional night, especially as I pull on that red shirt once more,” Neville said.”I intend to savour every moment and I hope the fans can share in my special night.”
The right-back, who has been capped 85 times for England, has pledged to donate the match proceeds to community projects and supporter initiatives in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Neville retired after a series of injuries had affected his performances; and his last competitive match was on January 1 in the 2-1 Premier League win against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
Carlos Tevez has been handed a two-week suspension by Manchester City chiefs while the club figures out how best to punish for his reprehensible attitude in the Champions’ League defeat to Bayern Munich. Tevez’ refusal to leave the bench during the second half of an abject performance by his team has drawn strong criticism from all quarters, and City boss Roberto Mancini will be looking to ensure that the club supports the hard line he took on Tevez’ actions in the post-match press conference.
Elsewhere in this morning’s headlines, there’s good news for Darren Bent as the Aston Villa striker nears a return from his month-long injury lay-off; more bad news for Bolton’s Stuart Holden, whose knee injury has not healed as expected – meaning the American is back on the treatment table; and an unrepentant Harry Redknapp plans to once again rest his big names for tonight’s Europa League showdown with Shamrock Rovers as he looks ahead to the weekend’s North London Derby.
Carlos Tevez suspended by Man City
Dirk Kuyt issues warning to rivals
Lampard want to play regularly
Oxlade-Chamberlain stars in Arsenal win
Darren Bent gives Aston Villa a welcome boost
Redknapp to rest big names again
Villas-Boas laments poor finishing
Bolton’s Holdon on sidelines for six months
Doyle signs new Wolves contract
Titus Bramble in hot water
Arsenal in Real fight for Hazard signature
Liverpool and Spurs set to go toe-to-toe for striker
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Three London rivals in fight to snap up Brighton wonderkid
Dermott Desmond is pondering over another loan move for out of favour Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane.
The Celtic owner was responsible for bringing his fellow Irishman Keane to Parkhead back in January 2010 for a six month loan deal. Keane impressed on his loan move scoring sixteen goals in nineteen games for The Hoops. It was still not enough though to stop Celtic having a poor season which ultimately saw then manager Tony Mowbray being sacked and Neil Lennon being brought in. With the team now re-galvanised under Lennon, Desmond is again thinking of bringing Keane back to the club he supported as a kid.
With all the drama and hype over last season Celtic fans will be desperate to see the squad strengthened and go one better next season and win the title. But the loan move for the Republic Of Ireland star seems a strange one for some of the Celtic fans and has left them wondering if a move for Keane is really the best way forward. Firstly, the loan deal in January 2010 cost the club two million pounds. What would he be expecting this time round seeing as it looks as though his next club will be his last before he hangs up his boots. Can Celtic really afford to fork out all that money on a players wages and only be able to keep him for a year. Secondly, they already have a younger potentially better forward in Gary Hooper.
Hooper has been a big hit with the Parkhead faithful and had a great season last year so would the arrival of Keane see him fall down the pecking order? Seems pretty strange that Desmond would want to splash money on something he already has in the making with Hooper rather than use the money to buy a decent centre half something the club has needed for years. Lastly Keane is 30. How many years does he really have left? He’s had an appalling season, scoring only 3 goals having warming the bench for most of it and it looks as though his legs have gone.
There is no doubt keane is good player but what kind of message does it send splashing out money on a guy who is looking for a retirement plan when there is the potential to find a young world class player who is looking to kick start their career. Keane himself has stated publicly ” I am not getting any younger.
I am Tottenham’s player and I’m sure they will want to get a bit of money for me “. So with this having being said I think the Hoops should look else were in the transfer market.
This deal would obviously suit Robbie Keanes personal agenda but would certainly not suit Celtic’s agenda.
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As the Premier League reaches its quarter stage, many players have excelled and impressed in the opening nine games with some high score demolitions and last gasp winners. However, some players have not been up to expectations and this is a chance to name and shame.
The Champions of last year have been embarrassed by their rivals; however they have inflicted similar defeats of their other rivals. Some teams have underachieved so far and some the complete opposite but there is no denying that some players have just been poor. Whether it be missed chances, lack of effort, goalkeeping howlers or defensive mistakes, plenty of performances have raised eyebrows this season for good and bad reasons and here is a list of the top 10 players that have disappointed so far this season.
Click on Roger Johnson to unveil the top 10 players to have disappointed this season
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Compiled by Brad Pinard
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The future of Cesc Fabregas has been discussed in detail for the last two years. Ever since he has become a top class midfielder, he has been linked to his boyhood club, Barcelona. Arsenal do not rely on Fabregas and his presence in the squad has become disruptive. I think Arsenal should sell Fabregas this summer.
If Fabregas leaves, Samir Nasri can take over the central role. Nasri has been excellent this season and I fully believe he will become as good as Fabregas (if he is not already). In Jack Wilshere, Arsenal have another exciting central midfielder. Wilshere has out-performed Fabregas at times this year and I believe he is good enough to play in a three man midfield. With the combination of Wilshere and Nasri I don’t think Arsenal will miss Fabregas.
So, not only do Arsenal have sufficient cover, but I also think Fabregas has given all he can for Arsenal. It seems to me that everyone has been talking about the fact that Fabregas has not won any major silverware, more than they do about Arsenal not winning any silverware. This is a distraction for the other members of the squad.
Before the Barcelona game, Fabregas hugged and joked with the Barcelona players. That night Fabregas looked like a kid in a playground, not a general going into battle. I cannot imagine Patrick Vieira or Tony Adams acting in this way. The night was ‘his’ not Arsenal’s; he was returning to his old club. I don’t think that benefitted anyone in the team, a captain should be more professional. At the Nou Camp, he put personal history before the future of Arsenal.
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Arsenal is a club where the future is always talked about. They have developed ‘next-year syndrome’ where improvement and development are more common than success. This is something they need to rectify. The Fabregas-Barcelona saga in the last two years has contributed to an attitude where people consider the future of Arsenal and not the present. I say let him go this summer and be done with it.
If Fabregas leaves, Arsenal could be left with between £35-45m; a huge amount of money. With that cash, Wenger, being Wenger, could buy four good players with the potential to become great. I would rather see him buy two quality players in their prime.
Which areas to invest the money would be another matter, personally I would like to see them try and involve Mascherano in the transfer, a defensive-minded midfielder, who is disciplined in a positional sense, could be just what Arsenal are missing. But there are also problems on the wing and in goal to remedy. If Fabregas leaves, who should Arsenal bring in?
I have heard many people calling for the purchase of a new defender but I don’t think that is necessary. Thomas Vermaelen is going to be fit next year, his return will make a difference. Furthermore, Djourou has developed well. Interestingly, Arsenal have conceded just 8 goals in the 17 Premier League games Djourou has started and kept 9 clean sheets.
But before I get any more carried away with future transfers, it needs to be said that Barcelona might not buy him. Their fans are definitely not convinced. Xavi and Iniesta currently boss the Barcelona midfield and are two of the best players in world football. Xavi is 31, so while Fabregas is the ideal long term replacement, he might not be a regular for another three or four years.
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I doubt Fabregas would want to leave Arsenal for anywhere other than Barcelona. So if they do not make a good enough offer this summer, the player will remain at The Emirates. This could mean another few years where the Fabregas story takes precedent over Arsenal’s.
If you agree that Fabregas should be sold this summer you can follow joe on twitter @joeaustin8
With Stewart Downing on the brink of completing his £20m move to Anfield, questions are being raised over the future of Joe Cole who, according to the Metro, is set to move in the other direction as a potential replacement for the Villa winger.
Kenny Dalglish has made no secret of his desire to strengthen the Liverpool midfield, and is believed to have spent somewhere in the region of £50m on Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam as well as Stewart Downing. These signings can only suggest King Kenny is not entirely happy with his current crop in midfield, and players such as Joe Cole and Raul Meireles must surely be considering moves away from the Kop rather than being benchwarmers for those players that have been brought in.
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Having profited significantly from the sales of both Ashley Young and now Stewart Downing, Aston Villa chief executive Paul Falkner has insisted that “there are replacements in the market who can strengthen our squad.” Alex McCleish is said to be keen to bring Cole to the West Midlands, and will be desperate to fill the voids left on both flanks following the departure of Young and Downing. Villa are also chasing Charles N’Zogbia of Wigan and it is thought that should talks between Cole and the Liverpool hierarchy confirm that the 29-year-old is not part of Dalglish’s plans, then this will almost certainly pave the way for Aston Villa to offer him an escape route.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper on Saturday, West Ham’s new manager Sam Allardyce said that his side would ‘at least’ make the play offs next year ‘unless I become the worst manager ever overnight and the players become the worst there has ever been.’ Now it’s one thing to be bullish and supremely confident, and another to be arrogant and underestimate the task ahead of you. The West Ham side that toiled dismally through the entirety of last season, at or incredibly close to the foot of the premiership table, has been stripped of 12 of its senior players and could still potentially lose Robert Green and Carlton Cole along with Scott Parker before the season begins. It seems foolish to take a return to the Premiership for granted even if the board are throwing money at it.
Allardyce signed Kevin Nolan from Newcastle United to lead this charge straight back up, an astute purchase. Nolan was talismanic when Newcastle faced a similar task, no doubt his experience will be invaluable. Alladyce has also signed Matthew Taylor and Joey O’Brien from Bolton as well as Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke. He is building a strong core for his new side but to turn this West Ham team around Allardyce needs more. He needs his optimism to be infectious.
The necessity for success in no way guarantees it but it is clear that the West Ham owners are desperate for an instant return to the top flight. Attracting Premiership players to a championship club must require some fairly reckless wages, (Nolan is rumoured to be on £55,000 a week) and Sullivan and Gold evidently feel the short-term gamble is the best approach. They have only two attempts before the move into the Olympic stadium.
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West Ham are currently the favourites for automatic promotion in a very competitive Championship, but Allardyce has yet to do the hard work. The chairmen are applying the pressure just through this impressive spending and West Ham certainly did not respond well to pressure last year. Allardyce has to change the mentality at the club and he has to shake off a season of underwhelming performances. Somehow, he has to convince this squad of his genuine belief that he can take West Ham into Europe, that will not be an easy task. Having a strong squad is not enough.
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If Allardyce fails to convince Green and Cole to stay he could face a very difficult season in the Championship. The last time they were relegated it took two years to come back up, with the reckless spending of this summer, that could cripple the club this time.
The usual doubts and pessimistic cries were not out of place when they greeted Laurent Koscielny as he arrived at Arsenal from Lorient. The club were in desperate need of a centre-back who had the strength, presence and authority to not only marshal the back-four, but someone to complement Thomas Vermaelen as well. From first appearances, Koscielny looked anything but all of those: his strength certainly wasn’t telling, despite his 6ft 1in frame, and his huge lack of experience which only amounted to one season in the top flight in France, had most wondering if this was to be another one of Arsene Wenger’s gambles that was about to go horribly wrong.
18 months removed and Koscielny is rightfully praised as the best centre-back at Arsenal – even above fan favourite Thomas Vermaelen. A settling in period was, of course, required. A number of mistakes highlighted Koscielny’s lack of experience at the highest level, but they were broken up by undoubted moments of genuine quality. Koscielny’s second season at Arsenal has proved to be a huge success for the player thus far, in spite of one of the club’s poorest seasons in recent memory. The full-back crisis at the club has seen Koscielny partner new arrival Per Mertesacker for much of the season, while Vermaelen occupied the left-back spot. Interestingly, there were many who believed Koscielny would be playing back-up to the vastly experienced German and club vice-captain Vermaelen. But his qualities shone through, and particularly in high-pressure matches; notably the 5-3 away win to Chelsea. In certainly Arsenal’s greatest night at the Emirates, Koscielny put in a performance of exceptional quality against Barcelona last season, playing a huge role in shutting out Lionel Messi for much of the game and breaking up a Barcelona attack which resulted in Arsenal’s winner.
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Nigel Winterburn expressed his view that people in England are too quick to judge a player and not allow him a settling in period. But once Koscielny noticeably bulked up and became more confident in his own abilities, we’ve seen one of the most consistent centre-backs this season. The qualities that Thomas Vermaelen has been praised for possessing is equally correct in description when referring to Koscielny: he’s comfortable on the ball, able to play out of defence, and, most of all, is extremely calm in dispossessing an opponent. His reading of the game is outstanding, his pace and precision in the tackle is equally impressive, and along with the experience of those around him and the confidence of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, his game have been allowed to flourish.
Often portrayed as one of the quieter characters in the Arsenal dressing room, the President at his former club Lorient insists that here is a player whose surface is calm, but underneath is a passionate, aggressive winner. His aggressive style of playing, while keeping the attractive art of defending alive, suggests as much. He never looks to shy away from confrontation, and as has been mentioned, is extremely valuable in high-profile games.
Laurant Koscielny’s rise to one of the most important players at Arsenal is hugely impressive. An 18-month turnaround has seen an vastly inexperienced player become one of the best performers in the Premier League. An impressive feat and one which has offered him his first international cap for France.
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Arsenal fans should certainly rejoice at the fact that the much troubled defensive back-line finally has some stability: a mixture of experience, leadership and Koscielny’s undoubted talent that will only greatly increase with each year at the North London club.
Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova was full of praise for his side’s gutsy 1-0 La Liga win over third-placed Valencia at the Mestalla on Wednesday.Vilanova – speaking in the absence of manager Pep Guardiola, who had been admitted to hospital with a back problem – said they were relieved to take all three points from a fellow top-four side, despite not being at their clinical best.”We know that there are many games to go, both away and at home. We always know that we can draw or lose, because this can happen against any team in this league,” he said. “We knew that this was one of the difficult grounds, and we hadn’t been able to win here in two years. We had many chances in the first half, especially for (goalscorer Lionel) Messi. We knew that anything could happen, and that is why we celebrated so much.”Vilanova said the La Liga champions were expectant of victory at the Mestalla, but knew it was going to be a tough contest with their Champions League rivals.”We expected a good result, but not a 0-4 or 0-5 here. We knew that it would be hard, the result is great for us and we know that you can’t win every game by a landslide,” he said. “We made changes to be more attacking, not to be more defensive. We are happy, because in the first half we had more chances on goal than them. We are satisfied.””The minutes were ticking away and we had to risk a bit more. We put Pedro on as a goalscoring option, knowing that we could concede a goal as well.” “We saw that Valencia were a little more tired and that we had more of a chance. He played a good game and was good up front, which is what we hoped for. Sometimes you think about the effects of travel, but this isn’t the case.”
With results like this, there is no point or need to dissect or analyse; everything just went right. What makes me happiest, as a Red, is that under Kenny, I’ve been able to say that more often than not. Not a single player shirked his duty, hid from the spotlight or let up for a second. Those were the things we’d been used to for a good few years and it feels as if those times are slowly returning.
However, a special mention should go to two players: Maxi Rodriguez (obvious, yes) and Jay Spearing. Firstly, Maxi stepped in and bagged a hat-trick. With this little Argie it’s either one or the other. There’s not grey area; he’s either anonymous or one of the best players on pitch and on Saturday he put in a superbly intelligent performance. Some may say he was just ‘in the right place at the right time’ but that requires a sharp, incisive footballing brain. There are strikers who would love to have that ability and Maxi showed on Saturday that he is more than capable of being much more than just a squad player. Keep it up Mr. Rodriguez.
As for Spearing, I would be the first to admit that I’ve never rated him very highly but he has had a fantastic couple of games. He’s stepped in to a pretty massive void and we haven’t missed the man that would normally fill it. That’s not to suggest that Spearing is going to replace the Captain; that’s absurd but as a stand in, he’s been doing a great job and I’d be more than happy for him to continue in this vain and continue to prove me wrong.
It’s Newcastle up next and we take a run of great performances and results, with a cumulative 11-1 goal difference from our past three home games, Newcastle have got a lot to do if they want to match us. And the two aforementioned stars from the weekend are more or less guaranteed to start; it’d be criminal to replace them after their showing on Saturday.
Read more of David Tryer’s articles at the excellent Live4Liverpool
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Listen to the third episode of our brand new podcast – The Football FanCast. – Featuring Razor Ruddock, Gary O’Reilly and singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin, who performs a live version of his cult tribute to Mark Viduka, with Razor on backing vocals!