Portugal head coach Carlos Queiroz has called into question the decision to allow striker Didier Drogba to play for the Ivory Coast with a small cast still protecting his broken arm.
Drogba played the last 25 minutes of the goalless stalemate between the two sides in Port Elizabeth, with Queiroz seemingly far from happy.
He told reporters:"It's not for us to decide whether Drogba should play or not, it depends on FIFA.
"During the delegates' meeting which was held, the FIFA delegates decided the referee's decision was final. That was a bit odd as far as we were concerned.
"There are rules and regulations and for example, sometimes players can't play wearing a string bracelet, but a player can fracture his arm and play with a plaster cast and put at risk the Portugal players.
"I would like to know if the rules are the same for everybody.
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"If you can't play with a simple string bracelet and somebody can play with a strapping as Drogba did, that's a little bit unusual.
"Maybe the rules will be changed now, we don't know."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
The words common sense and Newcastle United don’t often go together. Certainly, the Toon Army have seen some interesting times at St James’s Park since the Premier League began, ranging from Kevin Keegan’s infamous rant about Sir Alex Ferguson to Mike Ashley’s beer swilling appearances in the home shirt of those who despise him so much. Things are looking up these days for the Magpies after Alan Pardew’s men mounted an assault on the Champions League last season with new signings Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse all excelling.
Transfers don’t always go that well on Tyneside, indeed there seems to be no shortage of names that makes any Newcastle fan cringe by simply remembering them. Considering the club attracts some of the most passionate and vocal fans in the league, they’ve been represented on the pitch by some appalling footballers. We revisit the past two decades of Newcastle history and put together the worst Newcastle United transfer XI since the Premier League began.
Click on Lionel Perez to unveil the XI
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Roberto Mancini has stated that his Manchester City team will look to win against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday, but knows it will be a tough test.
The Etihad Stadium outfit drew 1-1 with Napoli in their first game of the tournament, and will take on a reinvigorated Bavarian side, who beat Villarreal 2-0 in Spain in their first fixture.
Despite a daunting task at hand, the Italian coach is urging his team to go for three points.
“We are not here to lose. We know it will be difficult but we want to win if possible,” he stated in a press conference.
“I am certainly satisfied with the progress we have made, even if we need to improve a lot. This is the second game for us in the Champions League. Now we are a good team.
“But if we want to arrive on the top like Bayern Munich, who have such a big history, we need to work very hard,” he continued.
Mario Balotelli, who scored at against Everton at the weekend, is suspended, which may give Carlos Tevez a chance to play.
“I have four fantastic strikers, but I can’t play four strikers in all the games. Mario played against Everton. Carlos, tomorrow, could have a chance.
“I will decide the team tomorrow. I am sure that I can choose well because I have Carlos, Edin (Dzeko) and Sergio (Aguero) to pick from,” he stated.
Despite not winning their first game at home, Mancini does not feel the pressure to gain qualification is building just yet.
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“We wanted to beat Napoli but we need to understand that in the Champions League you can also draw at home.
“The most important thing is that we get 10 points to reach the second stage. Against Napoli we just wanted to win. With that pressure you can make some mistakes.
“Here it will be different because we know it will be a tough game. I am sure we will do well tomorrow,” he concluded.
Victor Montano was on target for Rennes in a 2-0 win over Nice on Sunday, but they remain five points behind Ligue 1 leaders Lille.
Centre-forward Montano, capped once by Columbia, opened the scoring in the 52nd minute at the Stade de la Route de Lorient.
Just six minutes later and Montano’s strike partner, Togo international Razak Boukari, doubled the advantage from the penalty spot.
Defeat leaves Nice in 16th place, perilously close to the relegation zone and just two points better off than third-bottom Monaco.
Rennes remain second, but are five points behind Lille after the league leaders also won 2-0 at home to Toulouse.
Ivory Coast international Gervinho put the hosts 1-0 ahead six minutes before half-time at the Stade Lille Metropole.
It took until the final exchanges for Lille to guarantee the win, but substitute Tulio De Melo made sure with a second goal in the 90th minute.
Elsewhere, Valenciennes jumped three places to 12th with a 3-0 win over Brest.
The surprise front runners early in the campaign, Brest have now won just once in their last eight league matches and slip to 10th on the table following their latest reverse.
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Goals from defenders David Ducourtioux and Milan Bisevac put the hosts two goals ahead inside 22 minutes at the Stade Nungesser.
Front-man Gregory Pujol wrapped up the scoring on 69 minutes.
Millwall have recently returned from a 3 game pre-season tour of Ireland from which they may have come home with 2 wins and a draw under their belts.
The Lions may also come home having filled one of the centre forward positions; a major concern before the trip; in the shape of Shaun Batt
After three good performances in Ireland, Batt has surely but himself in Kenny Jacketts’ mind for the upcoming season. Two goals in three games was a good return for the injury prone forward. Yes, they may have been against Longford Town, but goals are goals no matter where or how they are scored. Plus Batt would have been desperate to just score in a match since his horrific two year sidelining injury.
But the tour of Ireland did show one of the weaknesses that have now come into Batt’s play since the injury. Durability of a set period of games, three games in six days, and this proved too much for “BATTman’ as he limped off in the final game of the tour.
With the league calendar, especially in the final weeks of the season and around Christmas, being ever-so similar, three games in seven days, it could see Jackett picking and choosing which games for Batt to play in.
Despite the problem that may come about with durability over quick game periods, Jackett has describe Batt as “There are signs that he is getting back to the player we saw when he joined us from Peterborough,” which can only be positive for the team, and Batt himself.
I believe that Batt could prove to be a surprise player in the team this season. Since the injury, surprisingly he has got faster and a lot stronger. He is also huge so a big strong and fast player to play against, I wouldn’t fancy it. Batt is also a player who goes in 100% for every ball despite the previous injury he’s not carrying the stigma about getting injured again, a very good prospect.
The question is who would he play with?
Who knows if Darius Henderson will be at The Den come August, but I could see that as a good partnership due to Henderson power and prescience, epically in the air, this also added on with Batt’s blistering pace.
The obvious choice would be Andy Keogh as he will now be considered the Lions main strike point. But I see both Keogh and Batt as similar players, both “Real ‘Wall” type players – always chasing down lost causes and putting tackles in on the wing, whereas someone with Henderson’s positioning and style of play would suit Batt. Hendo upfront would leave Batt to chase when needed.
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Despite this it also looks likely that Jackett will dip into the loan market in order to add tooth the Lions attack, with Arsenal youngster and England U-19 international Benik Afobe looking like being Kenny Jacketts’ main striker target after keeping an interest in him since the beginning of last season. Less then three weeks until the first competitive game against Crawley in the Capital One Cup, anyone else counting down the days like me?
Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has stated that the Anfield club have a real chance of breaking into the Premier League top four this season, and that he is happy with how the campaign has started.
The Merseyside outfit have taken seven points from their first three fixtures, and underwent something of a revival since Kenny Dalglish took over the reigns last term.
With a busy summer transfer window, which included the acquisition of the England wideman from Aston Villa, Downing has talked up The Reds’ chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
“If we keep playing the way we are at Liverpool, we’ve got a hell of a chance of being in the top bracket. We have started the season very well but we’ve got a tough run of games coming up, starting with a trip to Stoke this Saturday,” he is reported to have said in Mirror Football.
Downing has commanded a starting place for England in recent games, and also expressed his satisfaction of how the campaign has started on a personal level.
“It’s also been a good start for me with club and country. It was nice to play against Wales and the main thing is we’ve got another win under our belts,” he concluded.
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Liverpool travel to take on Stoke at the Brittania Stadium on Saturday, and will look to maintain their unbeaten start.
Norway striker John Carew has moved a step close to leaving Aston Villa after reportedly passing a medical at Stoke City on Thursday.
Carew, 31, has struggled to force his way into the plans of Villa boss Gerard Houllier in the first half of the season, starting just six games and failing to score.
The arrival at Villa Park of record-signing Darren Bent means Carew would have been likely to fall further down the pecking order.
Stoke now appear to have beaten off competition from Premier League rivals Fulham in the race to sign the former Valencia and Lyon man, who is understood to have passed a fitness test late Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Stoke assistant manager Dave Kemp confirmed that the two English Premier League clubs were in talks.
“(Carew) is a very good player and one we would be interested in,” Kemp said.
“To say we were targeting John Carew (is not necessarily true) but (Darren) Bent goes there so it might become an option and that is what happened.”
“He is a quality player and we would be interested in a player of that ilk.”
“He is a very experienced, top-level Premier League striker and he would bring much to the team so we would like to sign him – but so would a number of other clubs possibly.”
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“There have been discussions but nothing has been finalised.”
The deal is likely to be completed on Friday, but it is unlikely to feature in Stoke’s trip to Fulham on Saturday.
Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Caen teenage striker M’Baye Niang.
The 17-year-old burst onto the Ligue 1 scene 18 months ago and has impressed with his physicality, movement off the ball and eye for goal.
His side were relegated from the French top flight last term, despite the youngster’s individual performances, and as such Caen will be willing to cash-in on their starlet should a sufficient bid be received.
Mirror Football have City as the frontrunners to sign the attacker, as Brian Marwood is believed to have invited the youngster to the Etihad Stadium for talks over a possible move.
However, The Daily Mail state the Tottenham have invited Niang to have a trial with them, and will make an offer should the forward suitably impress.
Arsenal have already had Niang training with them and as such Arsene Wenger now has a decision to make over whether or not to enter the bidding, with the player’s valuation thought to be in the £5-6 million mark.
Niang has represented France at under-16, 17 and 21 levels already despite his tender age.
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Arsenal target Juan Mata was among the goals as Valencia defeated Hamburg 2-1 in their pre-season friendly in Germany on Tuesday.Mata gave his side the lead with a delicate back heel, before Spain under-19 international Juan Bernat doubled the advantage in the 70th minute. Hanno Behrens nabbed a late consolation for the hosts.
Next up for Unai Emery’s side is a match with Romanian champions Cluj, while Hamburg start their Bundesliga campaign against champions Borussia Dortmund on Friday.
Valencia meanwhile will be hoping to still have Mata at their disposal when they start their domestic campaign against Osasuna on August 20.
A Sandro Wagner goal was the difference between Bundesliga club Werder Bremen and English Premier League side Everton.
Wagner exploited Everton’s defensive frailties to head home the winner on 37 minutes.
Promoted Premier League side Queen’s Park Rangers had more fortune in their friendly with Football League graduates Crawley Town, winning 4-2.
Charlie Wassmer scored a brace for the new League Two boys, but QPR were too strong, with Heidar Helguson scoring twice and Kaspar Gorkss and Lee Cook also finding the back of the net.
The January transfer window can be a chaotic mess at times; usually the breeding ground of panic buying, overpriced average players and a minimal amount of successful and viable signings. The top players are tied to their clubs, the smaller clubs fighting off relegation are determined to keep their stars and the players being floated about by agents and clubs are either unwanted, injured or put simply rubbish.
According to business advisory firm Deloitte, Premier League clubs spent just £30 million in the 2010 January transfer window. In the midst of an age of austerity most clubs prefer to focus on a loan to buy strategy, 70% of deals in the 2010 January window were of this ilk and the 2011 window looks set to follow the same pattern. Long gone are the days of £170 million (2009) and £150 million (2008) being spent. Even free spending Manchester City are going to have cut back on the spending and wage budget if they are going to have any hope of meeting UEFA’s impeding financial regulations (not that the impeding signing of Edin Dzeko will aid them in that respect).
Nevertheless you can still expect a flurry of ridiculous and unneeded signings, mainly in the bottom half of the table. For the top half most squads are set in stone with the only activity likely to be outgoings. There are five teams that will certainly be active in bringing players in, whether it’s to save their ailing title bid, pull themselves out of a relegation battle or to maintain a steady and unexpected ascent of the Premier League table.
Chelsea look to possess the squad with the most immediate need for investment, in the space of three months they have regressed from world beaters to a team that may struggle to finish in the top four. They have the smallest squad in the Premier League, with only sixteen players registered out of a possible twenty-five at the beginning of the season (obviously excluding players under the age of twenty-one). It is a statistic that has been catapulted to prominence in the absence of key players and a large proportion of their defensive unit spending spells on the treatment table. A defender is a must and the club have apparently had a £17 million bid rejected by Benfica for their Brazilian centre-half David Luiz. Potentially one of the best defenders in the game, Luiz would inject both youth and pace into the centre of Chelsea’s defence and the ability to fill in at left back further enhances his suitability for the champions. Benfica are said to want an outlandish £37 million and with City also interested it would make sense for Chelsea to try and rush through a deal. Before either City swoop in or they lose even more ground on Manchester United.
There will certainly be a degree of transfer activity for Liverpool this window. Former Spurs and Arsenal affiliate and the ‘Director of Football Strategy’ at Liverpool, Damien Comolli, is now overseeing Liverpool’s transfer activity. Comolli has been utilising his knowledge of European football over the last couple of months to fit in to NESV’s philosophy of creating superstars rather than buying them.
Multiple names have been linked with a wide man the most obvious target. Rennes’ Sylvain Marveaux was recently spotted at Anfield. The Frenchman posseses a striking similarity to one time Liverpool target Florent Malouda’s style of play and could give Liverpool a natural width that neither Kuyt or Maxi Rodriguez can supply. Whispers have intensified regarding a possible loan move for Manchester City’s Emanuel Adebayor to provide cover, assistance and more importantly competition for a misfiring and seemingly uninterested Fernando Torres.
A transfer window doesn’t go buy without a flurry of signings for West Ham and this window will follow the same routine as Avram Grant tries to get West Ham out of trouble. Numerous names have been linked as usual and a move for Steve Sidwell has had to be canned due to Roma’s inability to raise the necessary funds for Valon Behrami. The rest of West Ham’s supposed transfer interest is what you would expect from a club that thought a waist busting Benni McCarthy was the answer last season. Liam Lawrence of Stoke is allegedly the subject of a £4 million bid, just days after he secured a free transfer to Portsmouth and the owners also see perennial crock Wayne Bridge as worth of £90,000 a week.
The transfer window gives Aston Villa’s Gerard Houllier the chance to bring in some of his own players to the club. Spurs’ young right back Kyle Walker has already been brought in on loan to provide cover for the injured Luke Young. The club have continued the theme of claret and blue madness by rivalling West Ham for the ridiculously overpaid Wayne Bridge, despite having a superior left back already on their books in Stephen Warnock. Houiller will try to offload the likes of Carew and Ireland to fund any moves and the main target has to be a goal scorer. With Agbonlahor playing wide, Carew frozen out and Heskey being Emile Hesky goals could soon be in short supply. A reuniting of Michael Owen and Houiller could be on the cards and would suit both parties. Omar Cummings, a Jamaican from MLS side Colorado Rapids has been on trial and could be given a loan deal if he impresses.
Steve Bruce’s Sunderland side have deserved all the superlatives they have received thus far and it seems Bruce isn’t willing to rest on his laurels as he pushes for a European spot. It has been revealed that the club have approached both Sulley Muntari and Stephane Sessegnon from Internazionale and Paris Saint Germain respectively. Both moves show how far the club has come under Bruce’s tenure and should cement the clubs top half finish. Cover in the defence is also an issue for the Black Cats and the answer could well be a move for Richard Dunne who is amongst a clutch of Villa players seemingly frozen out by Houiller.
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It’s always an excited time for fans as newspapers and online sites rage with speculation, usually inane and inaccurate rubbish, but every now and then that piece of ridiculous speculation becomes fact. Hopefully by January 31st we will have an array of new stars demonstrating their talents in our league. Not to forget the return of a more than familiar face under the tutelage of Harry Redknapp.
Written By Lee Wilson at ‘This is Futbol’
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