FOOTIE FROG

Blues Banned from Buying

2009-09-03T14:31:00.003+01:00

FIFA have banned Chelsea from registering players for the next two transfer windows.

The embargo follows a contractual dispute surrounding the Blues’ signing of Gael Kakuta from RC Lens in 2007.

The French club had lodged a claim with FIFA which sought compensation for breach of contract from Kakuta and that also requested sporting sanctions to be imposed on both the player and Chelsea for breach of contract and inducement to breach of contract respectively.

The Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) ruled that such a breach had indeed taken place, and that Chelsea were responsible for inducing it.

As a result, Kakuta, described by Frank Lampard as having 'amazing talent', has been ordered to pay €780,000 to his former club, and a four month restriction on his eligibility to play in official matches for Chelsea has also been imposed.

Chelsea have been banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the two consecutive registration periods following notification of the decision. This effectively means that the Blues cannot sign players until January 2011. Harry Redknapp must be quaking in his boots...

Premier League Preview - All Gunners Blazing

2009-08-29T10:32:00.003+01:00

(As written on Soccerlens...)

After surprisingly struggling in matches against Birmingham and Burnley, and unconvincingly-yet-convincingly beating Wigan, Manchester Utd ‘welcome’ Arsenal to Old Trafford at 5.15 tomorrow for an early-season (but late in the day) titan clash.

All the Gunners are blazing in the Premier League so far, comfortably winning their opening games, scoring a staggering ten goals and conceding only two as they continue to shame their pre-season critics. That’s obviously ignoring the five goals that Arsene Wenger’s men put past Celtic en route to Champions League qualification.

Four competitive games, a measly 3 goals against and an astonishing 15 goals in that oh-so-important ‘F’ column. So who’s the key man? Well, sadly for Sir Alex, it’s Arsene. Wenger has changed the Arsenal formation to a fluid 4-3-3 system, so Fergie can forget plans of wafting Van Persie’s socks under Vidic’s nostrils - everyone in an Emirates stamp is filling his boots.

United, on the other hand, are a one-man show. Wayne Rooney has greedily jumped into the spotlight vacated by Ronaldo, and is carrying more than his fair share of the attacking burden on his broad green shoulders. Though Berbatov and Owen both opened their accounts against Wigan last week, neither has looked particularly sharp, with Sir Alex already having leapt to defend the former, and Alan Hansen bizarrely championing the latter on Match of the Day last week, when all he had was video evidence to the contrary. I remain to be convinced as to whether Owen’s exaggerated ducking and weaving in the box is, as we are meant to believe, the replacement of his pace by more intelligent movement in the area. Or whether he realises his penalty-box disco moves have managed to fool Sir Alex, and, should he prolong them, he might be getting a phone call from a gruff Italian, inviting him to South Africa.

Goal scoring aside, it is the creation of chances that seems to be Man Utd’s weakness at the minute. While Arsenal’s attacks are quick, clinical and more cutting than a Red-Bull-hopped Jeremy Kyle defending his mother, United have been slow and limited. Missing the penetration of their old mercurial winker (yes, winker), still hoping that Nani becomes even half the player Ronaldo was, and waiting for Valencia to find his feet, the Red Devils find themselves in somewhat of a transition period. With injuries also taking their toll on this weaker squad – particularly in defence, where Rio Ferdinand’s absence couldn’t be more obvious – Arsenal have their biggest chance in years to go to Old Trafford and come away with the spoils.

Cesc Fabregas may be missing for the visitors, but their passing and movement should still be superior. Denilson is looking like the man Wenger promised the Arsenal faithful, and Diaby, Eboue and Arshavin are all in fine form.

To be Premier League champions you need your big players to perform in the big games. United’s usually do, and their chances in this match rest on their stars standing up to be counted. Carrick needs to find form quickly, and, with Fletcher, must out-battle the Gunners in the middle of the park. Vidic has to return to his commanding presence at the back, and without Rio to help him much responsibility lays on his not-inconsiderable forehead at set-pieces. Neutralising the aeriel threat of Vermaelen and particularly free-scoring Gallas will be key.

The winner of this one is bound to be whoever makes the most of their possession. If United can carve out enough opportunities for Rooney, then judging by his excellent recent displays, he will take them. He will certainly be up for this one. However, if Arsenal can recreate their sparkling team performances of late, and I have a suspicion that they might, the passing and breaking of Arsene’s ‘total football’ club could prove too much for Sir Alex’s one-man side.

Elsewhere this weekend…

Saturday, August 29

Chelsea v Burnley

Burnley will be brimming with confidence after defeating Man Utd and Everton in their last two league games, and Chelsea should expect a tough first half. It may take an hour to score, but when they do, count on the Blues to add to it. Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Burnley

Blackburn v West Ham

This one doesn’t exactly inspire, with neither side in form – or particularly impressive when they are. The Hammers looked like beating Spurs last week though, so I think they can nick this one. Prediction: Blackburn 0-1 West Ham

Bolton v Liverpool 

With no goals, points or signings worth discussing things don’t look good for Megson’s men, and though the Reds have looked shoddy so far, not even home advantage should save Bolton in this one. Prediction: Bolton 0-2 Liverpool

Stoke v Sunderland

Red and white with goals all over. Stoke are strong at home and have added Huth and Tuncay to their ranks whilst Sunderland are in good form with Bent and Jones more than a handful. Prediction: Stoke 2-2 Sunderland

Tottenham v Birmingham

Tottenham to comfortably continue their rich vein of form. Goals shouldn’t be too tricky to come by, and simple to prevent. Prediction: Tottenham 3-0 Birmingham

Wolves v Hull City

Both sides could go gung-ho in this one, but I expect Hull’s experience to just nick it, and Altidore to open his Tigers account. Prediction: Wolves 1-2 Hull City

Sunday, August 30

Portsmouth v Man City

More misery piled on Pompey, as takeover distractions mean Adebayor slips in unnoticed and scores a couple. Unless Pompey sign a new team tomorrow, that is. Prediction: Portsmouth 0-3 Manchester City

Everton v Wigan Athletic 

Pointless. Everton, that is, not the match… Things should change on Sunday though, as toothless Wigan visit. Prediction: Everton 2-0 Wigan

Aston Villa v Fulham

Villains fans got all excited with their win at Anfield, assuming they weren’t as bad as they had started. Then they went out of Europe midweek (yes, already) to Rapid Vienna (one of the best sides in Austria, you know). Things aren’t quite right at Villa Park yet, but a win over visiting Fulham, who also lost midweek, to a side that nobody has ever heard of (no, really – Amkar Perm – who?!?) and they should be back on course. Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Fulham

Jimmy Bullard is back!

2009-08-27T10:48:00.004+01:00

Been missing Jimmy Bullard since his knee-injury lay-off?

Well don't worry, last week's Soccer AM shows he is back and better than ever, struggling with the filming of Sky Sports' pre-match profile! It's a classic, enjoy!

Premier League Spotlight - Is real football ruining Fantasy Football?

2009-08-25T17:56:00.012+01:00

Things aren’t going quite the way you’d hoped if you, like myself, are a ‘Fantasy Football’ lover. Armchair experts across the UK have been shouting at their televisions on Saturday night as results have gone somewhat wrong. We sit in front of Match of the Day and avoid reality by cheering on members of our dream team, so disappointed are we with the hapless hoofing of their favourite real-life squad. And usually it’s fun. But so far this season, the Premier League has been ruining Fantasy Football. And why? Because the players that are meant to be good, the ones that cost the most to pick – the ones you have scrimped and saved on every couple of thousand pretend pounds to afford… are crap.

Don’t get me wrong, it makes for a very interesting start to the Premier League season, but it’s more than a little infuriating! Liverpool losing twice, Man United struggling twice in their opening 3 games, one of last year’s tightest defences Everton letting in a goal a minute, and the debut of Blackburn’s £7m Kalinic making ‘the future of Croatian football’ look very bleak indeed. Ok, so I knew that last one was a long shot. But you get my point.

And, after they made it 3 points from 9, equalled last season’s tally of defeats, and, er, got stuffed at home (losing for the first time in 32 matches) Liverpool’s 1-3 defeat to Aston Villa is this week’s Premier League spotlight.

Despite an action-packed first couple of minutes, Liverpool’s midfield looked nowhere near as inventive and incisive as Villa’s in the first half, with a surprisingly bold and confident first 45 from Martin O’Neill’s men, who until Monday had won only twice in 18 competitive matches (Newcastle & Hull). Woeful defending from set-pieces cost the Reds dearly, with first Lucas nodding into the wrong onion bag and then Curtis Davies heading home unmarked, seconds before the whistle. And while the second half improved for Liverpool, as they besieged the goal of their former ‘keeper Brad Friedel to yield a Torres goal, they could not haul the game back. Captain Wonder Stevie Gerrard to blame as, in his attempts to do everything, he proceeded to dump Nigel Reo-Coker on his backside in the box. A clinical Ashley Young put the game, but not the talking points, to bed.

Though the talk of titles lost is far too premature, (Man Utd having looked equally poor at the start of several of their Championship winning seasons) there are some major problems with this Liverpool side. The main one being how do you solve a problem like Alonso? Xabi left for the Galacticos, but the metronomic midfield maestro has not been replaced. Alberto Aquilani was signed to fill the void, but aside from being an entirely different type of player, the Italian is injured. As he has been much of his young career to date.

The difficulty is, that without another striker, the Reds cannot risk Gerrard in midfield. But without Alonso, there is nobody in the Liverpool midfield that can pass. So the captain, red-and-yellow ‘G’ on his blue lycra undergarment just visible, has to charge around the pitch for the ball, unable to do that dove-tailing trick that worked so nicely last season.

It is a dilemma for Benitez, who, as the subs bench has been screaming recently, has precious few options. With only Voronin, or N’Gog (Babel never is, never was, and never will be a proper striker) to fill the striking berths, the Spanish tactician may well be regretting spending £18m on Glen Johnson. Not that he isn’t good – ironically he has been Liverpool’s star performer thus far – but because, even if Aquilani can somehow answer the Alonso question, Liverpool are still going to be where they were last season – one striker short of a picnic.

Results elsewhere saw Ancelotti’s Chelsea train continue to chug towards the title, his formation stuck on ‘diamond’ mode. Drogba and Anelka have formed a good partnership at its pinnacle, both scoring in the 2-0 win at Fulham, but it remains to be seen if Ancelotti can change his tactics if needed…

Manchester United finally stopped their run of woeful performances with a 5-0 rout at Wigan, although it was the least convincing hammering Footie Frog has seen, as Utd really struggled in the opening 45. Goals from Rooney (2) Berbatov, Owen and Nani proved that the Champions flow when the floodgates are opened, it’s just a matter of opening them with a team lacking in creativity.

Abou Diaby netted two fine goals as Arsenal romped past visiting Portsmouth 4-1. Kaboul nodded a reply that could have been added to, had Utaka not tripped over his own feet, but Gallas and Ramsey both scored to seal the win, as Arsene’s fluid 433 oozed through Portsmouth’s hole-ridden side. Worryingly for Pompey, David James had to be in superb form just to keep it at four…

City’s spending continued to pay dividends, as an Emmanuel Adebayor goal was enough to dispatch plucky Wolves at Eastlands. The Togo international linked well with Tevez throughout, but City struggled to turn a wealth of chances into goals, and it nearly cost them. They need to be more ruthless for a top 4 spot.

Also challenging for that Champions League place is Spurs, who continue to defy the odds by failing to play like Spurs. A masterstroke on the part of Harry Redknapp, who evidently saw that it had never worked for them in the past, and proceeded to shake things up – actually making the most of the wealth of talent available. Their perfect start was threatened as Carlton Cole pretended he was England class again, firing the Hammers in front in from long range in front of Capello, but goals from fellow Lions hopefuls Defoe and Lennon burst the West Ham bubble.

Burnley won. Yup, again. Anyone who took a risk on a couple of them in the Fantasy side has done ok. I doubt this dream will last, but if Bikey can play as he did on Sunday, and if they can play the hapless Everton every week, then it just might. Oh – it helps if people like Wade Elliot continue to nab a goal.

A Kenwyne Jones double gave Sunderland victory over Blackburn after Gael Givet had netted for Rovers in the first half, proving that the power and options in the Black Cats’ strikeforce should be enough to propel them up the league this season.

Goals look hard to come by for Bolton however, as their defeat at the hands of Kamel Ghilas of Hull leaves them pointless and goalless after their opening couple of games. If they fail to bring in another striker this week, they, along with Pompey and Wigan, may not be able to secure the goals to keep them out of the danger zone.

Birmingham are fast proving to be the most boring side in the League, and, despite the ridiculously expensive signing of 'Chucho' Benitez, they are similarly goal-starved up front. Their striking woes are shared by Stoke, whose key man, James Beattie, went off injured in the St Andrews stalemate.

Premier League Spotlight - Back with a Bang!

2009-08-17T13:51:00.007+01:00

Well, that’s it! After 2 months of kicking balled socks around your home, and trying (in vain) to fixate yourself on another sport… Footie came back – with a bang! The opening weekend of the Premier League season crushed the football world's lazy illusions and predictions surrounding the forthcoming season.

Arsenal’s gifted youngsters silenced their critics in emphatic style at Everton, coming away from Goodison Park with not just 3 points, but a +5 in their goal difference column. The Gunners hammered 6 past Tim Howard – 1/6 of what the American international conceded in the entire last season, and the Toffees could only muster a solitary Saha goal in reply.

Arsenal equalled the opening day goal record set by Liverpool against Crystal Palace in 1994 playing some sumptuous football. All departments looked solid and classy – their tackling, distribution and finishing oozed a style and confidence surprising for a team that has received so much negative press. Belgian centre-back had a wonderful debut, his powerful header capping a match where he was always first to the ball; his tackles were inch-perfect, and Arsenal fans will be hoping that their worries surrounding the loss of Toure were for nothing. More promising for the North London faithful, though, were the performances of their midfield. Criticised by many in the press (Footie Frog included) as lacking bite and some years from being the finished article, Denilson and captain marvel Cesc Fabregas enjoyed an afternoon of total control. The former scored a superb 20 yard strike, while the latter pulled the strings expertly in midfield, grabbing a brace in the process.

The Saha goal was of little consolation to the Everton fans, who saw a distinctly unimpressive defensive performance from their side. This was mainly because Jo Lescott - who had said prior to the match that he wasn’t in the right mindset to play - played. Failing to deal with the barrage of Arsenal crosses and set-pieces, he looked equally uncomfortable following the probing Red runners. With unusual lapses in concentration and skill, the England international was seemingly elsewhere in his mind… perhaps on a different pitch wearing a lighter shade of blue?

lsewhere this weekend…

Man Utd proved Footie Frog right in one respect. Last entry I mentioned the importance of attacking creativity to the Red Devils’ season. They showed little of it against Birmingham, scraping a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. The United excuse will be that they had several stars out, but their front 4 (Berbatov, Rooney, Nani and Valencia) was their first-choice attack and it struggled badly. Far from the fast, fluid attacks of last season, United looked scrappy and disjointed. Whether the return of England international Carrick and the often-frustrating Anderson will herald a massive change we will have to wait and see…

Liverpool and Chelsea looked similarly weak. Tottenham battered the former at White Hart Lane, with sterling displays from debutant Bassong, who headed the winner, and the quickly-becoming fan favourite Palacios. Liverpool looked second-best all over the park, with several injuries and a quick scan of a bench containing academy and distinctly average players proving their worrying lack of strength in depth.

Chelsea’s blushes meanwhile, were spared by a Drogba double – a Ronaldo-esque free-kick in the first half, and a 92^nd minute cross dropping over helpless Hull ‘keeper Myhill, to prevent the Tigers from grabbing a point at the Bridge. With 27 shots, and goals coming from a set-piece and mis-aimed cross, the Blues need to work on converting their chances if they want to secure the title for which they are favourites.

Sunderland (1-0 at Bolton) and Man City (2-0 at B’Burn) got off to their expected winning ways with debut goals from Darren Bent and Eman Adebayor respectively, Villa surprisingly fell 2-0 to Wigan, thanks to a sublime volley from Hugo Rodallega, a deflected Zamora goal saw Fulham scrape past depleted Pompey, whilst promoted Wolves and Burnley lost 2-0 to Stoke and West Ham respectively – welcome to the Premier League echoing around articles in the press.

Premier League Preview - Club by Club

2009-08-11T20:09:00.004+01:00

Hey guys! Footie Frog is back and can't wait for the new season to get underway... below is a little look at each club and how I think they're shaping up a few days before the big kick-off... Enjoy!

Arsenal:

It will undoubtedly be another season of over-reliance of both youth and the fitness of injury prone stars, but the prospect of Eduardo, Arshavin and Rosicky all returning after a full pre-season is exciting. Or should I say was. Rosicky is already injured. Again. A whole summer of rumours about Chamakh and Vieira wasn’t exactly inspiring, but looks even worse with the (albeit fiscally fantastic) departures of Toure and Adebayor. Is there enough bite in midfield? Will they get enough goals? Will the defence hold out? A pre-season full of questions.

Aston Villa:

Worryingly weak at the back. Having their best centre-back and centre midfielder leave, Martin O’Neill had to make sure he added to a thin squad. While Fabian Delph is an exciting replacement for Gareth Barry, there has been little activity in the way of defenders. Zat Knight has been sold to Bolton, leaving only Cuellar and Davies as recognised centre-backs. Still, at least O’Neill only spent most of his budget on another attacking player…although Downing can’t even play til December…the mind boggles…

Birmingham City:

Relying on a defence made up of inexperienced ex-Championship players and an £8m Ecuadorian striker nobody has heard of, from a club nobody has heard of, in a league that isn’t very good… makes sound business sense, no? No.

Blackburn Rovers:

Cheques written for a variety of players this summer – all but one will surely fail to set pulses racing. Nikola Kalinic was dubbed ‘the future of Croatian football’ by Slaven Bilic, and he certainly has quality, having notched up a ratio of a goal every two games at Hajduk Split. If he fails to adapt quickly though, Blackburn will find themselves in the same situation as last season – struggling to buy a goal.

Bolton Wanderers:

Unsurprisingy, blowing most of the Anelka windfall on Johann Elmander has turned out to be a mistake. Failed to make a big impact last season, and reduced the funds available for this term. Megson has brought in cheap, sensible, defensive players and opted to place all of his eggs in Elmander’s not-so-prolific basket.

Burnley:

A small, rather weak squad has hardly been enhanced this summer. David Edgar and Tyrone Mears will both bring in experience… of relegation… and the rest of the signings have hardly been noteworthy. Except Steven Fletcher. The Scot striker has a fine record in the SPL, but charged with the task of keeping a very ‘Championship’ side in the Premier League, may crumble under the pressure. If he doesn’t succeed, neither will Coyle’s men.

Chelsea:

Little has changed from this time last year. Another new manager is expected to bring silverware to the Bridge, and with a very similar squad. The fact that the Blues managed to hold onto Terry and Carvalho among others will have buoyed the fans almost as much as United’s loss of Tevez and Ronaldo. Zhirkov is a quality addition, but for him and the others to succeed, the tactics must be right.

Everton:

Only last season’s loanee Jo has (re) joined the Everton ranks this summer, and David Moyes will be hoping that he can sustain last term’s initial impact. With Saha and Yakubu both returning to fitness, we should see an improvement on the Everton that managed to impress against the odds last season. It remains to be seen if want-away Lescott will get the move he desires. If not, back the Toffees to do well.

Fulham:

Roy Hodgson did a superb job last season but many in and around the Cottage feel that a repeat of those heroics are unlikely. Brede Hangeland declared that the team are ‘focussing on survival’ and when you add the extra games brought by European football to a relatively thin squad (that has been bolstered only by Stephen Kelly and Bjorn Riise,) it’s not too difficult to see why.

Hull City:

It has been a summer of nearly-men for Hull. Zamora, Owen, Fortune and Campbell have all flirted with Phil Brown, who recognised the need for a goalscorer to join the Tigers’ ranks, but none were drawn to the KC. Eventually Brown was able to bring in exciting young USA international Jozy Altidore, but only he and Seyi Olofinjana have been added to side that only just avoided the fate that could beset them this time round.

Liverpool:

Have their best shot at the title in years. Possessing arguably the strongest starting line-up of any of the ‘big four’, expectation is high at Anfield. The loss of Alonso to Madrid was a sore point, but provided Aquilani is fit and settles quickly, he should add to the side a dynamism not possessed by the Spaniard. Liverpool’s strength in depth, however, is not that of the other major title challengers. They lack quality cover in defence, and should Gerrard or Torres get injured (as last season) it could spell the end of their bid for title 19 (as last season.)

Manchester City:

A host of quality signings hasn’t, in pre-season at least, yielded the results Mark Hughes was expecting. Some of his bids for defenders have screamed desperation, and though Lescott’s head has been turned, Matt Upson seems a more likely late-purchase. While many see City as 4^th-spot contenders, there will likely be too much disharmony (both in the tactics and the egos) for City to provide the consistency needed. The defence still looks shaky, the midfield disjointed, and who will Hughes pick up front? If results don’t go his way early on, the job-centre could be calling.

Manchester United:

As solid as ever at the back, their season will live or die on their midfield. With Ronaldo and Tevez gone Sir Alex’s men not only need goalscorers, they need their creative players to come to the fore. A lot of pressure rests on the shoulders of Nani and Anderson, not to mention Ronaldo’s replacement Valencia. Berbatov, Rooney and Owen can and will all score goals, but only if they get the ball.

Portsmouth:

Best players Crouch and Johnson have moved on this summer, and only free transfers Finnan and Mokoena have replaced them. Loan signing Piquionne will be charged with getting the goals needed to keep Pompey in the top-flight. With the less-than-prolific Kanu, Nugent and Utaka fighting for a place beside him, things do not bode well for Pompey. If the threadbare squad gets any thinner in the next few weeks, relegation looms ominously.

Stoke City:

No real additions to last season's squad, and surprisingly few players leaving. Another couple of bodies should be brought in towards the end of the window, just to provide some strength in depth (particularly up front to lighten Beattie's load). But with good team spirit, solid tactics and an intimidating ground, not to mention an intelligent manager, little needs changing for Stoke. Provided Beattie keeps scoring and they play as they did last season, there'll be no worries at the Britannia.

Sunderland:

Bruce’s capture of Darren Bent was a masterstroke. Capable of scoring enough goals to keep them in the division, he could form a powerful partnership with Kenwyn Jones. Though Bruce has not addressed the lack of attacking creativity in midfield and quality defenders at the back, the purchase of Lorik Cana from Marseille will give them some bark and more than a little bite in the middle of the park. Injuries, though, could see them struggle.

Tottenham:

Seemingly hell-bent on assembling the largest squad of good-but-not-great players football has ever known, Harry Redknapp has brought in Crouch and Bassong for big money. Kyle Naughton represents a promising future, but it all seems a bit too-many-cooks-not-enough-ingredients at Spurs. They need to pick the right players in the right positions and stick with it.

West Ham:

A squad with little talent has barely been bolstered this summer. Luis Jimenez has been brought in, but whether he will adapt to the pace and rigour of the Prem after a miserable time in Italy is to be seen… Much depends on the form and fitness of Ashton and Cole up front, whether the left wing slot can be filled, and whether Upson listens to Mark Hughes’ overtures.

Wigan:

Have suddenly turned into relegation candidates. A lack of goals, little creativity in midfield, and a defence that works in fits and starts is a recipe for disaster. Roberto Martinez has to inspire his players and quickly adapt to management at this level. James McCarthy is the one exciting signing at the JJB, and certainly a rising star…

Wolverhampton Wanderers:

Do not be surprised if Wolves do a Reading or Hull and shoot up the table early on. They have a well-drilled, well-gelled side, and talents like Ebanks-Blake, Kightly and Henry could shine on the big stage. Kevin Doyle from Reading and Serbian international Nenad Milijas both bring much-needed experience to the squad. The place they do look a little shaky is at the back, and they could be frequently outpaced and overpowered.

Sbragia Steps Down

2009-05-24T20:44:00.001+01:00

Ricky Sbragia has resigned as Sunderland manager after the Black Cats managed to retain their Premier League status.

Chelsea beat Sunderland 3-2 at the Stadium of Light on the final day of the season but the failure of local rivals Newcastle United and South-Shields born Phil Brown’s Hull City, means that the Wearsiders will play their consecutive season in the top flight.

Sbragia took over from Roy Keane in December, and has dragged the Black Cats from the relegation position that they occupied, but now feels that he should make way for a more high-profile boss and chose not to take up the option of a second year in his contract.

"I got the opportunity to manage the club and kept them in the Premiership," he told Sky Sports.

"I'd liked to have done it in better style but I'm really pleased we stayed up.

"I had a chat with (chairman) Niall Quinn this week and feel I've come to the edge. To be truthful, I think they need a bigger name to carry this club on.

"I've done everything I came to do and now it's time to have some time on my own.

"I feel there's a foundation now and it's up to somebody else to take it on, and I'll be thoroughly enjoying seeing Sunderland move up that table next year."

Niall Quinn’s gratitude to him was evident, and he maintained that, though Ricky will be taking a break from football, he will be returning to the club in some role:

"We've done a deal to keep Ricky. He's got a job for life at this football club.

"He's been through five or six of the toughest months of his life and stood up to be counted when I needed him," Quinn added.

"We were in a bad way, we knew how tough it was going to be, and he maybe made it hard on himself by doing so well at the start and having everybody thinking we were going to Europe but he got us there.

"From the bottom of my heart, I can't thank him enough for what he's done for this football club."

Premier League Spotlight - Final Day

2009-05-24T20:10:00.004+01:00

That’s it, the final whistle has blown on the 2008/2009 Premier League season, and on the involvement of Newcastle United and Middlesbrough in the League next year. Neither could manage that vital result, and even victories for Manchester United at Hull and Chelsea at Sunderland weren’t enough to keep the perennial Premier Leaguers in the division.

Newcastle’s fans will look back on today and think ‘if only’. Gareth Barry’s deflected strike 5 minutes before half-time condemned them to their first season outside the top-flight for 16 years, but after 20 minutes, it was the Toon that looked like they would come away from Villa Park with the spoils. Steven Taylor had shot cleared off the line, and Obafemi Martins fired a right-foot volley over from close range. Barry’s goal seemed to kill off Newcastle, and a lacklustre display in the second half provided their fans little in the way of hope that the deficit would be overturned. Michael Owen came on, but seemingly failed to touch the ball – the half-chances that were available fell Ameobi’s way. The limp display and miserable day were compounded late on when David Edgar saw red for his second booking.

Fellow North-Eastern strugglers Middlesbrough knew that they had a tough job to stay up, and their miracle looked a long way off when Carlton Cole put West Ham ahead from close range. Boro battled for parity, and managed to achieve it through a fine Gary o’Neil finish, but Brad Jones couldn’t hold Junior Stanislas’ 58^th minute strike, and relegation was confirmed.

Hull and Sunderland live to fight another day despite failing to win, thanks to two stunning goals. One from young United midfielder Gibson, who arrowed a the game’s sole strike past Myhill from 25 yards, and one to seal the golden boot for 19-goal hitman Nic Anelka, who’s side won 3-2 at the Stadium of Light.

Elsewhere, despite their 2-0 defeat at Everton, Fulham have joined their opponents and Aston Villa in next year’s Europa League, rounding off a terrific season for Roy Hodgson and the Cottagers faithful. The reason for this was Tottenham’s 3-1 loss at Anfield, which saw Sami Hyypia’s final appearance, Fernando Torres’ 50^th Red’s strike, and a point-proving goal for Robbie Keane as he scored against his old club for, well, his old club.

Arsenal once again made their fans dream of the much-vaunted ‘evolution’ as they produced a scintillating display to beat Stoke 4-1. Van Persie added a couple of goals to his tally to make his season seem more respectable.

Man City’s fans will similarly be looking forward to next season, having all the money in the world, but the players preparing to be replaced beat Bolton 1-0. Wigan managed to beat Portsmouth by the same score, and Blackburn and West Brom played out a stalemate at the Hawthorns, in the Baggies last Premier League match for at least a year.

So, here’s how it finished:

POS	NAME	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Man Utd	38	16	2	1	43	13	12	4	3	25	11	+44	90
2	Liverpool	38	12	7	0	41	13	13	4	2	36	14	+50	86
3	Chelsea	38	11	6	2	33	12	14	2	3	35	12	+44	83
4	Arsenal	38	11	5	3	31	16	9	7	3	37	21	+31	72
5	Everton	38	8	6	5	31	20	9	6	4	24	17	+18	63
6	Aston Villa	38	7	9	3	27	21	10	2	7	27	27	+6	62
7	Fulham	38	11	3	5	28	16	3	8	8	11	18	+5	53
8	Tottenham	38	10	5	4	21	10	4	4	11	24	35	0	51
9	West Ham Utd	38	9	2	8	23	22	5	7	7	19	23	-3	51
10	Manchester City	38	13	0	6	40	18	2	5	12	18	32	+8	50
11	Wigan Athletic	38	8	5	6	17	18	4	4	11	17	27	-11	45
12	Stoke City	38	10	5	4	22	15	2	4	13	16	40	-17	45
13	Bolton	38	7	5	7	21	21	4	3	12	20	32	-12	41
14	Portsmouth	38	8	3	8	26	29	2	8	9	12	28	-19	41
15	Blackburn	38	6	7	6	22	23	4	4	11	18	37	-20	41
16	Sunderland	38	6	3	10	21	25	3	6	10	13	29	-20	36
17	Hull City	38	3	5	11	18	36	5	6	8	21	28	-25	35
18	Newcastle	38	5	7	7	24	29	2	6	11	16	30	-19	34
19	Middlesbrough	38	5	9	5	17	20	2	2	15	11	37	-29	32
20	WBA	38	7	3	9	26	33	1	5	13	10	34	-31	32

Champions League: Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal

Europa League: Aston Villa, Everton, Fulham

Relegated: West Brom, Middlesbrough, Newcastle

Survival Sunday School

2009-05-23T23:42:00.004+01:00

D-day. Crunch-time. Last chance saloon. Survival Sunday sponsored by Ford… However you brand it – whatever hyperbolic name it is given, tomorrow means the end for 2 of 4 Premier League sides. Whether you have your fingers, toes, hell, even eyes crossed for ‘Boro, the Black Cats, the Tigers or the Toon, tomorrow will be painful. If not for you, then for the one next to you, or for the one next to them. Whoever it is, I feel sorry for the poor sod. Still, I suppose it serves you/them right for cheering on a horse doomed from the beginning... the North-East horse.

It hasn’t been a great (even mediocre) season for followers of Tyne/Wear/Tee* (*delete as appropriate) side based outfits. The famous ‘hotbed’ of football is now tepid at best, when as little as 6 years ago Newcastle finished 3^rd, and as little as 3 years ago Middlesbrough were UEFA Cup finalists. So what went wrong? Well… transfers.

For Middlesbrough this is, to some extent, understandable. A rookie manager was frequently given a very specific budget - whether this was in proportion to his knowledge, or the belief in him by Steve Gibson is debatable, but it certainly affected Southgate’s plans in the windows. It always meant that it was a matter of when, not if, for his team that was forced to combine local youths and the odd overpriced, over-rated and under-tested foreigner; the men he panic-bought to get the goals to keep his team of kids in the top flight. Except they didn’t. Ever.

When Gibson had the courage to back Gareth, fear and naivity got the better of the former England defender, and rash decisions were made, such as the purchase of Afonso Alves. Why Southgate failed to learn from the signing of Kezman, I will never know, but Southgate saw a striker who had an insanely successful year in the DUTCH DIVISION and instantly decided he was the saviour. He completely ignored the fact that Alves had no proven record elsewhere, and didn’t even prove his season wasn’t a fluke at Heerenveen. Not necessarily a problem for a couple of million, but Southgate immediately spunked 12 of them all over the grateful Dutchmen.

Credit where it’s due, Southgate has unearthed and nurtured the likes of David Wheater, Matthew Bates, Ross Turnbull and Andrew Taylor, giving them a wealth of first-team opportunities rarely afforded at most clubs. It does seem, however, that Southgate has merely succeeded in fattening up these piglets for a relegation market-sale, where they will be greedily snapped up by Premier League clubs hunting a bargain. This is my fear for Boro if they are relegated. Many sides sell their first-team and rely on their youth… Boro’s youth is their first team…

This wanton waste of cash is the same at Newcastle and Sunderland. The former are infamous foe selecting random Europeans with glowing reputations and, coincidentally, excellent agents. (See Messrs Kluivert, Luque, pictured) Toon chiefs tell them to name their salary and just pray they perform, whilst completely neglecting the areas in desperate need of re-enforcement.

One only needs to look at the wealth of injury-prone international ‘stars’ in Newcastle’s squad and the amount they have cost (in fees and wages) to see how bad the problem has been on Tyneside. The signing of Michael Owen is a prime example – Shepherd was desperate to be the man that signed Owen, so desperate that he paid wages that most top clubs laughed at. Now Owen is one of three strikers with ‘top-class’ reputations, but that have, this season, managed bugger-all in front of goal. When you realise that they cost nearly £30 million in fees, and ‘earn’ a reputed quarter of a million per week between them it beggars belief. Not just that this has happened, but that it has happened AGAIN… Maybe relegation will be a good thing for the Toon, maybe they will learn from it…

For Sunderland, however, throwing money around has been a relatively new phenomenon. Mainly because they didn’t have it before Roy Keane. Though I don’t believe they had it during his reign either, he was allowed to spend at will. And like (coincidentally) an Irishman in a brewery, there was no stopping him - he proceeded to tap every last club for their dregs.

During his 100 match reign he spent a whopping £80 million, hurling wads of cash at Tottenham’s reserves, and the likes of Michael Chopra and Kieron Richardson. Not unproven players, this was worse – ones proven to be average at best. Should Sunderland go down tomorrow, debts could be the next big problem at the Stadium of Light. Most of their players will be sold off on the cheap, and, if they are unable to recoup a decent amount of their substantial outlay, or make their wage bill sustainable, a financial nightmare could overcome the club.

As I said, there will be tears tomorrow. Whether they are shed by you, the one next to you, or the one next to them… stop it. Now. You knew it was going to happen eventually. In the East they call it Karma. Maybe tomorrow will serve a purpose in the evolution of British football. Maybe clubs will wake up and realise that it’s performances, not reputations that win you matches. Ooh hang on – isn’t Crespo leaving Inter..? Now someone should snap him up…

Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Screenshot and Lowdown...

2009-05-21T11:16:00.005+01:00

It would seem that our much-loved game is going to be even better, with the legendary designer 'Seabass' providing IGN with the biggest list of enhancements to the game for years... I'm telling you, it's exciting...

The team has expanded for development of PES 2010, with the creation of a number of dedicated departments focused on different aspects of the game, such as online. The key additions/changes to the game are:

Gameplay: "PES 2010 focuses on enhancing the excitement of matches between players, making for a truly challenging experience that will constantly test the player. Intuitive zonal defending will cover spaces and players need to look constantly for new ways to attack. PES 2010 focuses on being a real football simulation, as it requires both strategic play and quick reactions, as in real life. In addition to key out-field elements, goalkeepers are more versatile and with abilities matching those of modern shot-stoppers. The game's referees have also been reworked, with smarter AI elements allowing them to make more balanced calls during matches."

Improved Visuals: "PES 2010 has undergone a major visual revamp, with its celebrated player likenesses and animations now even closer to those of real-life players – including live player expressions to be depicted with an improved lighting system which differentiates between various conditions! Stadium detail is also massively improved, with the grass and other in-stadium elements finely depicted."

All-new Animations and Moves: "Animations now dovetail into each other seamlessly, with dribbling and shots on goals worked into dribbling animations. More individual skills are also on show, including new flicks and tricks that have a definite showing on the way a game flows. Several elements have been completely reworked, with the dribbling, turning and kicking animations greatly enhanced, while there is a noticeable change in pace when a player passes a ball from a standing position than from within a run."

Enhanced Master League: "Master League has been thoroughly renewed with the enhancement of managerial aspects, which enables users to enjoy managing a team for a longer career lifespan. Seen by many as a key contributor to the series' success, the Master League elements in PES 2010 have been bolstered by far-ranging and vital new additions, dedicated to enriching the mode."

AI: "The Tokyo team has worked to improve the AI of the game, with Teamvision 2.0 implemented. Midfielders and defenders now work together to cover open space and close down attacks, meaning that cover can be provided for lower-ranked defenders. This also has the additional effect of removing soft goals, thus returning PES 2010 to its simulation roots. In terms of attacking, players can also now move several players (at) once, sending them into different areas, opening up more goal-scoring possibilities than ever before. As such, PES 2010 necessitates a new level of control from the player. Strategic thinking is as important as quick passing, but the new system greatly opens the way the player oversees control of the team. In free kick scenarios, for instance, players can now instigate the runs of the players awaiting the ball in the penalty area."

Individual Play Characteristics: "In previous PES games, the team formation has determined the movements of the players. PES 2010 introduces a new system wherein the individual attacking and defending nature of the players is integral to the way they play. Each player enjoys unique AI tied into their best abilities, and is reflected in the actions of their team mates – i.e. if a player who is known to be a good crosser of the ball is in possession, more players will flood the penalty area to receive it. Similarly, if a player is known to be good with close control, defenders will work to cover their stronger side, while lone strikers will be automatically supported by midfielders on receipt of the ball."

Strategy Use: "A new power gauge system allows users to balance their strategy in a quick, but wide-ranging way before a match. Every element – pass frequency, movement, the line of defence, width of play, or the position of the front line – can be altered to match those of a favoured club: Juventus Turin are a dangerous side on the counter-attack, for instance, while FC Barcelona use width in their attack. These formulations can be altered at any point, too, with Home and Away matches forcing different circumstances on the user, as does the rigours of a Master League season."

Enhanced Online: "A new dedicated section of the Tokyo team is committed to improving the online side of PES 2010. More downloadable content is also planned. Konami has supported PES 2009 with the release of new licensed teams, transfer updates, etc, and this support will grow for PES 2010. Team and content updates are planned throughout the game's lifespan. These will make the game even more bespoke to the player's match day needs."

Match-Day Atmosphere: "Crowd reactions to the on-field action are now more varied, with all new chants and cheers. The subtle difference between Home and Away matches will be reproduced, and the crowd will react spontaneously to specific situations in a game, showing their disdain or pleasure as fouls are committed and goals scored. Likewise, the commentary has been altered to offer a fresher, more concise overview of the game."

Penalties: "An all-new system has been implemented, offering greater control, placing and accuracy."

Exclusive Europa League License: "Konami has strengthened its relationship with UEFA and can announce it has secured the exclusive video game rights for the Europa League Licence (formerly known as the UEFA Cup). In addition Konami will be enhancing and developing the use of the UEFA Champions League within PES 2010 to make even better use of the best club football competition in the world."

Told you, didn't I?! Wishing away the Summer already? Oh, just me then...

Tadpoles To Watch - Centre Back 4...

2009-05-21T09:59:00.007+01:00

The final centre-back to be chosen for Footie Frog's wonderkid squad is...

...Dmytro Chyhrynskiy (above, right - Zimbio images)

FactFile:

Full Name: Dmytro Anatoliyovych Chyhrynsky

Date of Birth: November 7, 1986 (age 22)

Height: 6ft 3in

Club: Shakhtar Donetsk

Position: Centre-Back

Overview:

“The Ukrainian Beckenbauer” was recently tipped by IM Scouting to become a leading player in any top class team in the world. This, to anyone that has seen Chyhrynskyi play, is far from surprising. The cool Ukrainian centre-back oozes class, and despite his tender 22 years has racked up some 80 appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk. He has a wealth of European football experience too, having competed in the Champions League at only 18 years of age, and having played many games in the soon-to-be Europa League. What is surprising, however, is that the reputation of this shining talent has only just started to filter across Europe. Semi-worshipped in his homeland, the name Chyhrynskyi (maybe because of it's spelling) has only recently popped up in the transfer rumour sections of websites and papers, with many fans looking baffled - by both who he his, and how to say his name.

If you are a fan of one of the clubs linked with him - pray that he comes. Far from being the usual cheap European import, the commanding centre-back could bring much to any Premier League side. His speed, strength, aerial prowess and technique on the ball are all already of a Premier League standard, and with some 10 years to go until he reaches his peak, he would be an exceptional investment. A born leader, last season he was made vice-captain of the Orange and Blacks, and has retained this position, and if he remains at the Donbass Arena he is sure to become club captain in the not too distant future.

Footie Frog can't see this happening however, as the publicity surrounding this man is increasing by the day. Last night his side beat Werder Bremen to add the UEFA Cup to his astonishing list of honours that already included the Ukrainian Premier League, the Ukrainian Cup, UEFA U-21 Championship Runner-Up Medal (and Team of the Tournament selection) and 15 international caps to date... It is only a matter of time before he is snatched from Shakhtar and soon this guy's name (or, more likely, his number) is going to be on everybody's lips.

Weekend Spotlight - Champs and Chumps

2009-05-18T10:20:00.007+01:00

It was a tale of two ‘United’s this weekend. Manchester secured the point they needed against Arsenal to land their 18^th Premier League title and bring Sir Alex’s beloved club level with Liverpool in the record books. In stark contrast however, Newcastle blew the opportunity handed to them after they beat Middlesbrough on Monday by failing to perform at home against Fulham, leaving CocaCola Championship football likely for the first time in 17 years…

Gary Neville (I know - did he even play this season?!) & Co celebrate... BBC image...

Hello title, goodbye Tevez…?

Ironically, Man Utd were outplayed by Arsenal, whose stubborn defence actually shut out the impressive Red Devils attack – failing to allow them to even register a shot on target for the entire game. Though it will have been a squeaky-bum lunchtime for many fans, knowing that Liverpool were facing West Brom, the game never felt like it would go Arsenal's way.

From the kick-off, the atmosphere and the manner in which the game was played out told the story – it was just an annoying precursor to the celebrations. And fair enough, really. United’s whole squad has been exceptional this season – they have had to deal with more injuries and pressure than usual, and have risen to the challenge. Of course, that challenge is much easier to rise to when your front line is worth more than the stadiums of many opponents…but hey, we won’t go there…

One member of that golden front line looked like he had waved his final goodbye on Saturday. Despite the jeers and boos from the crowd towards the treatment of him, and their roars of support whenever he touched the ball, Carlos Tevez looks to be heading out of Manchester. Well, out of the red half at least, with rumours persisting that Mark Hughes is lining up the hefty bid that the United board could not justify.

The double-armed wave to the entire ground when replaced by Park Ji-Sung was touching, and I’m sure that many United fans would rather see someone with Berbatov’s approach to the game saying cheerio. Tevez has always worked his ‘socks’ off in every game since moving to Manchester, and whilst he would cost a lot to sign up, you do question the decision to buy Berbatov for £30 squillion, when players such as the impressive Huntelaar were available for half that.

Still, who am I to question champions? It will be interesting though, to see if Tevez comes back to bite them in the, er, ‘socks’…

Shearer - not celebrating. At all.

Two birds with one stone?

It was back to crisis mode on Tyneside and Newcastle’s defeat to Fulham on Saturday was more than most fans could take. A nerve-racking match at St. James’ saw Newcastle’s players once again fail to realise that Premier League survival was on the line, and though they were slightly unfortunate to have a goal disallowed that may have saved their season, and to come up against a magnificent performance from Mark Schwarzer they never showed the urgency and passion required to build on last week's effort.

It has all been too little too late really, and if they go down I’m sure that many people will be queuing up to have a go at Mike Ashley, referees, or the weak team that Man United are bound to field against Hull at the weekend, but, in reality, the Toon have been too poor, too often. Unusually though, it hasn't been the defensive errors now synonymous with the black-and-white shirt that have dragged them into the mire. It has been the complete lack of creativity. And goals.

Newcastle have drawn an incredible 13 matches this season - more than any other club in the top flight - and they got a goal or two more they would not be in this mess. Many of their matches had stats showing a mere 1 or 2 shots on target in the entire game, and whilst Owen, Martins & Co have been much-villified for the lack of goals, the finger of blame has to be pointed straight at a distinctly uncreative midfield.

The sale of Milner (and, to a lesser extent N'Zogbia,) in the transfer window did not help matters in that respect, but messrs Duff and Gutierrez should be putting in the occasional performance that would justify their frequent international call-ups. But they haven't. In fact, according to some rumours, they have not put in a cross all year...

Even the most optimistic Geordie will be looking at the away trip to Villa next week in despair…shaking his head, wondering how it has come down to this for this huge club. Newcastle go into that final match at Villa Park knowing that they must better Hull’s result against Manchester United to retain their top-flight status, or whether the same stone that killed the Baggies will also hit the Magpies.

Premier League Preview - Simmering and Bubbling

2009-05-15T12:04:00.005+01:00

So another season is drawing to a close, and Premier League clubs are making the dip before the finish line with the penultimate round of matches taking place this weekend. Far from cooling down however, the League is bubbling wildly thanks to last weekend’s results.

West Brom and Newcastle both picked up vital wins that offer a glimmer of light at the end of a dark season, but only if the former can pick up an unlikely victory against title-chasing Liverpool on Sunday, and the latter can defeat in-form Fulham at St. James’ Park tomorrow. Hull and Middlesbrough both suffered last weekend, leaving the lights well and truly out unless they can pick up something positive against Bolton and Villa respectively. In fact, the Villains basically hold the life of several Premier League clubs in their hands, as next week they welcome Newcastle to the Midlands, and given the form Martin O’Neil’s men have been in so far in 2009, there could certainly be points up for grabs for both Boro and the Toon.

Though it has seemed it, not everything is sewn up at the top of the table either - the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th placed teams could all be different in just over a week’s time. Man United’s win over Wigan in midweek has put them 6 points clear, but the ever-hopeful Liverpool will be praying that Arsenal can take 3 points away from their trip to the North-West.

Footie Frog can’t see it happening though – Arsenal are as solid as paper in the rain at the moment; their defence has been pulled apart with unbelievable ease by United in Europe and by Chelski last week. When you add in the opportunity United have to win the title at Old Trafford on Saturday, a chance rarely available to them in their title-laden history, and when you consider that they could celebrate it in front of one of their rivals, Arsenal’s odds are cut even further.

The middle of the table, however, has simmered down. Everyone is now playing for prize money, trying to snatch as many points as possible before the finish to allow the club a little extra in the transfer kitty come July. There is still a possibility that 7^th place in the League could be enough for Europa League (I know, the name still makes me cringe too…) if Chelsea beat Everton in the FA Cup final. So Fulham, Spurs, West Ham, and Man City could still, in theory, nab some squad-exhausting trips to Eastern Europe next season. With most of these sides playing a relegation-threatened team in one of their final games, and with Man City travelling to Spurs this weekend, a little excitement has been added to their otherwise relatively dull lives. Wouldn’t it be fun, if, after all their efforts, Everton won the cup… No? Cruel? Oh, it was just a thought…

The Fixtures...

Man Utd v Arsenal: United win the title emphatically, Fabregas dreams of Madrid as title is paraded before him…

Bolton v Hull: Away trip proves just too much for struggling Tigers, who scurry home with tails between their legs…narrow home win…

Everton v West Ham: Pretty meaningless game for Everton, whose players will have one eye on the Cup Final - the Hammers can come away with a draw…

Middlesbrough v Aston Villa: If Newcastle can beat you, you know you’re in trouble; the Villains should take a nail gun to ‘Boro’s coffin – away win…

Newcastle v Fulham: Confidence will be soaring at St. James’, and the fans will be buzzing…whether the Toon can break down the resolute Fulham defence as they did with ‘Boro is another mater entirely, draw…

Stoke v Wigan: Does anyone really care? No, I mean really… even their fans? Uninspiring home win…

Tottenham v Man City: Both pretend to be big clubs, both pretend the Europa League is important, both will try their hardest not to win this… but City will succeed – narrow home win…

West Brom v Liverpool: It’s unfair for people like Marc-Antoine Fortune to keep doing this to the Baggies faithful… Liverpool will remove the frustration that hope brings - away win…

Chelsea v Blackburn: Blackburn are safe, Chelsea are solid at home - a place where Big Sam should probably just stay this week - home win…

Portsmouth v Sunderland: It isn’t what they ideally need, but it looks the most likely… the Black Cats will continue their snails pace escape from relegation with another draw…

Tadpoles To Watch - Centre Back 2...

2009-05-14T14:13:00.004+01:00

Simon Kjaer:

FactFile:

Full Name: Simon Kjaer

Date of Birth: March 26, 1989 (age 20)

Height: 6ft 3in

Club: Palermo

Position: Centre-Back

Overview:

This towering young Dane is reported to be attracting admiring glances from Liverpool and Chelsea, and it’s not difficult to see why. Snapped up by Palermo after his former club FC Midtylland rejected the overtures from Lille and Real Madrid, the brilliantly blonde centre-back has settled nicely into Italian football with some fine performances since joining last July. Athletic, pacy, and dominating in the air, Kjaer has all the attributes to be a top-class defender.

He has a similar playing style to that of Rio Ferdinand or compatriot Daniel Agger – he is remarkably comfortable on the ball and enjoys getting forward, having notched 3 goals so far this season for the Rosanero in an impressive 20 Serie A starts. Palermo president Zamparini is desperate to keep the starlet – ‘It is better for him to be a first team regular here than sit on the bench elsewhere…he is a great kid as well as an excellent player…’ but the player’s agent has alerted many top European clubs to the £11m clause in Kjaer’s contract that would allow him to move on in the summer.

Footie Frog would not be surprised if some of them seized the opportunity. Kjaer is bound to be a star for the Danish team for many years to come, having been called up to the national squad already this season, and should he continue his outstanding progression Palermo will probably need European qualification to keep hold of him.

Tadpoles To Watch - Centre Back 3...

2009-05-14T14:08:00.004+01:00

Matthias Jorgensen:

FactFile:

Full Name: Matthias Jattah-Njie Jorgensen

Date of Birth: April 23, 1990 (age 19)

Height: 6ft 3in

Club: FC Kobenhavn

Position: Centre-Back

Overview:

Danish football fans reading this will be smiling, safe in the knowledge that their defence should be solid for years to come, as Matthias Jorgensen is another exciting prospect for the nation.

Jorgensen, who stands an impressive 6’3” tall, is a calm, reliable central defender who, though he prefers being a centre-back, can also play on the right side of defence. Like the aforementioned Kjaer, he possesses decent technique and was compared to Liverpool's Daniel Agger owing to his ability to build from the back. Jorgensen’s agility and stride make him a fairly fast player, but he is capable of being much quicker. He is extremely strong and confident in one-on-one situations, and his height and power make him a force to be reckoned with in the air.

He received the ‘players’ talent of the year award’ last season, and has since gone on to become a cornerstone of the Kobenhavn defence, earning rave reviews for his performances this term. He has technique and composure beyond his years, and many people have gone as far to say that the natural ability he possesses for his position is unmatched in Scandinavia.

Footie Frog would be surprised if the starlet does not go on to showcase his talent on a stage more impressive than the Danish Superliga in the next couple of years, but he is at the right club to get early experience of European football. From there, the sky is the limit…

Amphibious Apologies!

2009-04-25T17:44:00.001+01:00

Sorry guys! Footie Frog is crazy busy... will start up again soon though, promise!! FF x

Premier League Preview - One Line Predictions Part II

2009-04-10T11:09:00.002+01:00

The second (and final) update whilst on holiday, Footie Frog fans will once again have to settle for the ‘diet’ version of my weekend preview. And, after being remarkably correct last weekend (I’m pretty too, you know,) with 8/10 opinions bang on, I’m going to see if I can keep it up this weekend. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems, and even what seem to be the most straightforward of predictions can be turned on their head when Premier League lives are on the line… Sunderland could pull off a great upset and beat United, Newcastle could wither under the pressure at Stoke… Middlesbrough could even score a goal or two. Ok not everything can be turned on its head!!

Of course, the weekend’s fixtures for the top of the table are made more interesting by the midweek European results, with Liverpool and Man United failing to get the result they required in the first leg of their respective quarter finals. Only time will tell as to how their confidence will be affected by an unusually uninspiring week in Europe, and whether nerves are getting the better of both teams at the top. Chelsea’s sensational victory at Anfield could now spur them on to a powerful title-challenging run-in, so both United and Liverpool will need to focus on the job in hand, ignoring their royal blue shadow.

Arsenal managed a decent result away at Villarreal, playing some smooth, flowing football in the process, and with their team now nearly entirely recovered (barring Gallas – out for the remainder of the season) Aston Villa will be kicking themselves at their earlier poor form, as Martin O’Neil and crew will know, like the rest of us, that Wenger’s men won’t drop many points before the end of the season. Villa now cannot drop any, and must hope that Liverpool and United both beat the Gooners…

This seems to be a running theme this year. Everyone seems to be just watching the games around them, hoping others do them a favour, rather than concentrating on winning their own games. Every team has been guilty of it, from Newcastle United to Manchester United, and as soon as they take their eye off the ball, something goes wrong. Top to bottom need to concentrate hard on the remaining few games, because let’s be honest, if everyone relied on everyone else, nobody would win anything…

Chelsea v Bolton – Megson’s men will try to set-piece them to death, but in vain, home win.

Liverpool v Blackburn – Midweek misery melts away as backlash beats Blackburn, home win.

Middlesbrough v Hull – Goals haven’t been easy to come by for either of these two, the odd one will win it, which, bizarrely, Boro will get… home win.

Portsmouth v West Brom – Baggies will battle hard and prise a precious point… draw.

Stoke v Newcastle – Pressure too much for the Toon, who can only muster a draw.

Sunderland v Man Utd – No upsets here, as United put Porto in the past. Away win.

Tottenham v West Ham – A very London affair, a very exciting draw.

Wigan v Arsenal – Arsenal scintillating, Wigan scrapping… the former, just… away win.

Aston Villa v Everton – the clash of the pretenders to fourth place, in reality this is a fight for fifth, and Everton are stronger, away win.

Man City v Fulham – City dire in midweek, Fulham poor away, there’ll be zombies on the pitch, but it won’t be a thriller… a sneaked home win.

Cristiano Finally Leaving?

2009-04-04T00:22:00.005+01:00

(above, Ronaldo mock-up)

Before Sky Sports News, and many others, Footie Frog has caught wind of something that needs to be brought to the attention of football fans everywhere.
Cristiano Ronaldo. Real Madrid…. back on?

Well maybe, maybe not. We will have to wait until the Summer, obviously. But early indications are that Real Madrid have had secret discussions with the United superstar, and the latter could be prepared to move in a 75 million pound deal.

A saga that has rattled on and on, with promises being broken as quickly as they are made, and truths becoming lies with the same alarming speed, Footie Frog looks at these reports with a skeptical eye, and urges you to do the same.

Reports are that Ronaldo's representatives have held extensive talks with Madrid and, according to several informed sources, the Spanish club were informed in September that Ronaldo had no intention of remaining in Manchester beyond the end of the current season.

No big surprise there, then.

But what has resurfaced is a meeting in December, where one of Real's club's directors, Pedro Trapote, informed the El Mundo newspaper:

"If you are asking me what we are going to do now, then I would tell you that we have already signed the best player for the summer," in a secretly recorded interview.

Asking for clarification as to whether he meant Ronaldo, he added:

"The best of the best. It is Cristiano, there is no other. It is better that we do not say anything at the moment, though. It is best to not say anything because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it now."

United's official stance has been that Ronaldo is contracted until 2012 and is not for sale. While this stance has not publicly altered, both the Madrid (with Roman Calderon, irritant to Sir Alex no longer in charge) and Ronaldo parties believe they have made a private breakthrough, with claims that the two clubs began talks earlier this season and that United have now accepted Ronaldo's position.

The Portuguese winger’s family have said several things regarding the transfer:
"The mistake last year was to speak about Madrid so much," Ronaldo's godfather, Fernao Sousa, said recently.

"This year hardly anyone is saying anything and it is certain the transfer will go much better."

Ronaldo's cousin, Luis Felipe, said:

"He's won everything with United and he needs new challenges with a new team."

Anyway, as I said, take all of this information with a pinch of salt – nothing in football (and certainly regarding Ronaldo) is ever quite as it seems. Especially when a man as stubborn as Sir Alex is involved. But this just may be too big for him, and if ‘seems’ is anything to go by, the Glazers will be the only people in Manchester relieved to see him elsewhere next term.

The irony of all this of course, would be that Calderon, the man who worked tirelessly to get the icon to come to the ‘Galacticos’, may have at last got his man. Unfortunately it will be the Summer’s new president (presumably Florentino Perez) that will be munching on the fruits of his labour.

Premier League Preview - One Line Predictions

2009-04-03T23:47:00.001+01:00

It seems that every week recently has been offering up toe-curlingly exciting clashes - well, exciting if you’re lucky enough to be a neutral. For those fans who find themselves cradling their head in fingers without nails, mumbling about luck, and praying to anyone from Buddha to Allah, Chris Kamara to Footie Frog for three points – THESE LAST 8 MATCHES ARE HELL! Every other match seems to be a ‘6 pointer’, a ‘must-win’, or a ‘mustn’t-lose’. NHS hospitals everywhere are readying their cardiac wards for a huge influx of football fans in what is sure to be a stressful, but exhilarating end to the season.

Unfortunately Footie Frog is on holiday in Spain this week and so will struggle to provide the usual full analyses for this time. I will try my best however to get out what I can, starting with my ‘One Line Predictions’ for this weekend:

Arsenal v Man City: No Brazilians, no Bellamy, no balls flying in for City – home win.

Blackburn v Tottenham: Movement of resurgent Spurs too much for Rovers - away win.

Bolton v Middlesbrough: More woe for Southgate as Bolton trot to victory – home win.

Everton v Wigan: No Zaki and rubbish Rodallega means travel trouble for Wigan – home win.

Fulham v Liverpool: Fortress Fulham to frustrate again – draw.

Hull v Portsmouth: Robot resplendent, Pompey have strike advantage – away win.

Man Utd v Aston Villa: As usual, Villa take it to ‘em, but not hard enough – home win.

Newcastle v Chelsea: Shearer factor works… for a while – away win.

West Brom v Stoke: Outfought, outplayed, out of luck for the Baggies – away win.

West Ham v Sunderland: Sunderland need this one; shame – home win.