Manchester City's recent £10million recruit Craig Bellamy has denied going on strike at West Ham to get a move away from Upton Park.
The Wales skipper joined City last week after an apparent argument with the Hammers, who would not let him join Tottenham.
It was suggested Bellamy refused to play for Gianfranco Zola to ensure he could quit the London outfit, on the basis that he had become disillusioned with life at the club.
However, Bellamy insists he remains on good terms with Zola, who he spoke to after the Hammers' FA Cup win at Hartlepool on Saturday, and never went on strike.
"I have a great relationship with Gianfranco," said Bellamy. "I've heard all this talk about me going on strike but I have absolutely no idea where it has come from.
"I cannot understand it. Maybe in the past I have done some things that I shouldn't but this one is not true."
Bellamy is expected to face one of his old clubs, Newcastle, at Eastlands on Wednesday alongside fellow new arrival Nigel de Jong as City look to make a charge away from the bottom half of the table, with Bellamy thinking a UEFA Cup spot is still a possibility.
"I still think we can finish in the top six this year," said Bellamy.
"It is still an aim for us but if not it is what we should be going for next season. I have never been outside the top six in my whole career and I want that to carry on."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Hint of BLUES takeover
German investment manager Holger Heims has claimed a group of up to eight international investors are preparing a takeover offer for Chelsea.
Speaking to Reuters, Heims of Falcon Equity, said that he and a group of six to seven other investors from Europe, the Middle East and Asia are considering an approach, with Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim - board member of Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment - involved.
Reports have claimed that Blues owner Roman Abramovich could be willing to entertain offers for the club after being hit hard by the global slowdown, however Chelsea have since played down the claims.
Heims, though, said: "We have no intention of launching a hostile takeover. This is only possible as a friendly deal."
Russian billionaire owner Abramovich insists he has no intention of selling the club - a position underlined by chief executive Peter Kenyon at a fans' forum recently.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
English Premier League weekend fixtures
Playing on Saturday (GMT)
Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion (1245)
Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers (1500)
Everton v Hull City (1500)
Fulham v Blackburn Rovers (1500)
Middlesbrough v Sunderland (1500)
Newcastle United v West Ham United (1500)
Portsmouth v Manchester City (1500)
Stoke City v Liverpool (1730)
Playing on Sunday (GMT)
Wigan Athletic v Tottenham Hotspur (1330)
Manchester United v Chelsea (1600)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Manchester City selling players
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has reportedly made Brazilian duo Elano and Jo and Israel defender Tal Ben Haim available for transfer.
According to The Guardian, Hughes 'has identified a small but influential group of Manchester City players he fears are trying to lead a dressing-room mutiny'.
The report even suggests that one fringe player has been to see the club's executive chairman Garry Cook to complain about Hughes' management.
Ben Haim, who cost City £5million when they signed him from Chelsea in July, is likely to join his old manager Sam Allardyce at Blackburn.
Jo, a £19million former club-record signing from CSKA Moscow, has been linked in Italy with a move to Inter Milan, while other reports have suggested the 21-year-old could make a loan move to Everton.
Dietmar Hamann, Michael Ball, Javier Garrido, Kasper Schmeichel, Nedum Onuoha and Darius Vassell are all thought to be available, while other reports suggest that former starlet Michael Johnson could also be sold.
According to The Guardian, Hughes 'has identified a small but influential group of Manchester City players he fears are trying to lead a dressing-room mutiny'.
The report even suggests that one fringe player has been to see the club's executive chairman Garry Cook to complain about Hughes' management.
Ben Haim, who cost City £5million when they signed him from Chelsea in July, is likely to join his old manager Sam Allardyce at Blackburn.
Jo, a £19million former club-record signing from CSKA Moscow, has been linked in Italy with a move to Inter Milan, while other reports have suggested the 21-year-old could make a loan move to Everton.
Dietmar Hamann, Michael Ball, Javier Garrido, Kasper Schmeichel, Nedum Onuoha and Darius Vassell are all thought to be available, while other reports suggest that former starlet Michael Johnson could also be sold.
Ferguson determined to beat the blues
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Sunday's clash with Chelsea holds all the importance of an end-of-season title decider.
Ferguson welcomes the Blues to Old Trafford on Sunday at an unusually early stage of the season.
Every campaign since 2002/03, the Red Devils have faced Chelsea in the closing weeks of the season, with their summit meetings frequently termed decisive in the title race.
However, after September's 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, this weekend's match will be the final league meeting of the current season.
But Ferguson, whose side could move to within one point of Luiz Felipe Scolari's men with two games in hand, is not playing down the significance.
"That will be a big game. It's unusual to have it in January, it's usually towards the end of the season," the Scot told Inside United.
"It's been later - in the last two or three games - for the last two seasons. It doesn't matter when you play Chelsea, though, it's always going to be a massive game.
"It's a little different with the timing, but we're still aiming to win it. They've done very well away from home but not so well at home so it's been interesting from them this season."
Ferguson welcomes the Blues to Old Trafford on Sunday at an unusually early stage of the season.
Every campaign since 2002/03, the Red Devils have faced Chelsea in the closing weeks of the season, with their summit meetings frequently termed decisive in the title race.
However, after September's 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, this weekend's match will be the final league meeting of the current season.
But Ferguson, whose side could move to within one point of Luiz Felipe Scolari's men with two games in hand, is not playing down the significance.
"That will be a big game. It's unusual to have it in January, it's usually towards the end of the season," the Scot told Inside United.
"It's been later - in the last two or three games - for the last two seasons. It doesn't matter when you play Chelsea, though, it's always going to be a massive game.
"It's a little different with the timing, but we're still aiming to win it. They've done very well away from home but not so well at home so it's been interesting from them this season."
Top match between the two teams highlights:
Defoe move to Totteham from Portsmouth
Portsmouth have agreed terms with Tottenham over the transfer of Jermain Defoe, Sky Sports News understands.
The England striker has been Harry Redknapp's main target in the January transfer window.
Pompey have thus far rejected Tottenham's advances, but now the two clubs have agreed a deal believed to be worth around £15million.
Defoe is now due in North London to undergo a medical at the club he left just 12 months ago to link up with Redknapp at Fratton Park.
The 26-year-old could be unveiled as a Tottenham player again as early as Tuesday evening when Spurs take on Burnley in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.
The England striker has been Harry Redknapp's main target in the January transfer window.
Pompey have thus far rejected Tottenham's advances, but now the two clubs have agreed a deal believed to be worth around £15million.
Defoe is now due in North London to undergo a medical at the club he left just 12 months ago to link up with Redknapp at Fratton Park.
The 26-year-old could be unveiled as a Tottenham player again as early as Tuesday evening when Spurs take on Burnley in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Aston Villa win to get fourth place
Gareth Barry ensured Aston Villa avoided another knockout humiliation by scoring a fortunate 61st-minute winner to see off Coca-Cola Championship battlers Hull 1-0 at the KC Stadium.
Just over one month ago, Villa slid to an abject Carling Cup quarter-final defeat at League One Doncaster which appeared to leave manager David O'Leary's future in doubt.
• Barry hails Villa triumph
But on Saturday Barry capped a much more purposeful Villa display with his long-range chance which caught defender Leon Cort and looped over goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to snatch the visitors' crucial goal.
The circumstances were particularly harsh on Cort, who five minutes earlier looked set to head the home side into the lead, only for an alert Lee Hendrie to block his powerful effort on the goalline.
Substitute Stuart Elliott also came close to grabbing a late equaliser, but Villa were good value for their win, with striker James Milner on outstanding form throughout.
O'Leary must have been dreading the long trip north in the wake of that 3-0 defeat in south Yorkshire, which left his highly-paid stars open to much ridicule.
But the spanking new KC Stadium certainly held more appeal to Villa than run-down Belle Vue, and it was immediately apparent that the big-money visitors were up for the task of reaching round four.
After soaking up an energetic start from Hull in which Barry cleared a Craig Fagan chance and Jason Price blazed high over the bar, the visitors settled into a spell of dominance.
Hendrie blazed over the bar from long range, and Gavin McCann burst into the Hull box, only to be denied a shooting chance by a fine challenge from Damien Delaney.
In the 12th minute the excellent Milner came closer when Juan Pablo Angel played a neat pass in the box and the former Newcastle man struck a low shot which squeezed just wide of Myhill's left-hand post.
Villa thought they had grabbed the lead after 15 minutes when Hendrie skipped over a Milner cross and Angel poked home - but referee Chris Foy had blown for offside.
Myhill had to be alert in the 22nd minute to parry Hendrie's difficult bouncing effort from the edge of the box - and moments later he tipped a long-range piledriver from Steven Davis over the bar.
Villa were by now in total control and came close again in the 26th minute when Milner cut inside Kevin Ellison on the right and let fly with a 25-yard effort which beat Myhill but was just too high.
But all the visitors' good work threatened to come undone deep into first-half injury-time when the home side served warning that they were still in with a chance of heaping more knockout woe on their opponents.
Fagan poked the ball goalwards in a crowded box, only to see Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen - who had been a virtual spectator up to that point - get down well to turn the ball out for a corner.
Peter Taylor's hosts needed to capitalise on their fine finish to the half, but were almost denied that chance when Luke Moore waded dangerously into the City box before his shot was blocked by Cort.
Finally Hull began to make more significant in-roads in the 55th minute when Delaney's deep cross ran through to Price - but his rising shot was caught by Sorensen.
Just one minute later Hull came even closer when Cort rose highest to meet Keith Andrews' corner in the box, only to see his goal-bound header denied in last-ditch fashion by the alert Hendrie.
A goal now seemed inevitable at either end and it was Villa who grabbed it in fortunate fashion when Barry's speculative effort took its wicked deflection off Cort and sailed past a helpless Myhill.
But Taylor's men, struggling for form in their league campaign, refused to give in and hit back with a fine effort from substitute Elliott which flashed just wide after Ryan France's excellent cross.
Milner continued to look dangerous for Villa in the final 10 minutes as the home side searched with increasing desperation for an equaliser which never really looked like coming.
Barry hails Villa triumph
>Gareth Barry insists the painful memory of Aston Villa's Carling Cup humiliation at the hands of Doncaster has been erased after seeing off the challenge of Hull to win their FA Cup third-round tie 1-0.
Barry's deflected 61st-minute strike beat unlucky hosts Hull when his long-range effort caught defender Leon Cort's thigh and looped up and over the helpless Boaz Myhill into the back of the City net.
Five minutes earlier Lee Hendrie had been forced to boot off the line to deny Cort at the other end while substitute Stuart Elliott flashed an equalising chance just wide.
'We had a few chances and I thought we deserved the goal in the end,' Barry told BBC1.
'I picked it up deep and it fell to me just right. I had a dig and it took a deflection and went into the top corner but I'd take that all day. It fell nicely and I was in space and luckily enough it went it.
'It was difficult, he was positive he was onside so we're disappointed but we dug deep and kept the clean sheet.
'We've forgotten about the Doncaster performance now but we had forgotten about that after that game.'
Tigers midfielder Jason Price could have had a penalty but Chris Foy waved away the appeals when Barry appeared to pull him over in the area.
'I was leaning back and his arms were all over me, I thought it might have been a penalty but he didn't give it,' said Price.
'We passed it well today but at times we couldn't get near them. That's the way things go.
'We had chances and if they go in, the game's different - but they didn't.'
Hull v Aston Villa
Just over one month ago, Villa slid to an abject Carling Cup quarter-final defeat at League One Doncaster which appeared to leave manager David O'Leary's future in doubt.
• Barry hails Villa triumph
But on Saturday Barry capped a much more purposeful Villa display with his long-range chance which caught defender Leon Cort and looped over goalkeeper Boaz Myhill to snatch the visitors' crucial goal.
The circumstances were particularly harsh on Cort, who five minutes earlier looked set to head the home side into the lead, only for an alert Lee Hendrie to block his powerful effort on the goalline.
Substitute Stuart Elliott also came close to grabbing a late equaliser, but Villa were good value for their win, with striker James Milner on outstanding form throughout.
O'Leary must have been dreading the long trip north in the wake of that 3-0 defeat in south Yorkshire, which left his highly-paid stars open to much ridicule.
But the spanking new KC Stadium certainly held more appeal to Villa than run-down Belle Vue, and it was immediately apparent that the big-money visitors were up for the task of reaching round four.
After soaking up an energetic start from Hull in which Barry cleared a Craig Fagan chance and Jason Price blazed high over the bar, the visitors settled into a spell of dominance.
Hendrie blazed over the bar from long range, and Gavin McCann burst into the Hull box, only to be denied a shooting chance by a fine challenge from Damien Delaney.
In the 12th minute the excellent Milner came closer when Juan Pablo Angel played a neat pass in the box and the former Newcastle man struck a low shot which squeezed just wide of Myhill's left-hand post.
Villa thought they had grabbed the lead after 15 minutes when Hendrie skipped over a Milner cross and Angel poked home - but referee Chris Foy had blown for offside.
Myhill had to be alert in the 22nd minute to parry Hendrie's difficult bouncing effort from the edge of the box - and moments later he tipped a long-range piledriver from Steven Davis over the bar.
Villa were by now in total control and came close again in the 26th minute when Milner cut inside Kevin Ellison on the right and let fly with a 25-yard effort which beat Myhill but was just too high.
But all the visitors' good work threatened to come undone deep into first-half injury-time when the home side served warning that they were still in with a chance of heaping more knockout woe on their opponents.
Fagan poked the ball goalwards in a crowded box, only to see Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen - who had been a virtual spectator up to that point - get down well to turn the ball out for a corner.
Peter Taylor's hosts needed to capitalise on their fine finish to the half, but were almost denied that chance when Luke Moore waded dangerously into the City box before his shot was blocked by Cort.
Finally Hull began to make more significant in-roads in the 55th minute when Delaney's deep cross ran through to Price - but his rising shot was caught by Sorensen.
Just one minute later Hull came even closer when Cort rose highest to meet Keith Andrews' corner in the box, only to see his goal-bound header denied in last-ditch fashion by the alert Hendrie.
A goal now seemed inevitable at either end and it was Villa who grabbed it in fortunate fashion when Barry's speculative effort took its wicked deflection off Cort and sailed past a helpless Myhill.
But Taylor's men, struggling for form in their league campaign, refused to give in and hit back with a fine effort from substitute Elliott which flashed just wide after Ryan France's excellent cross.
Milner continued to look dangerous for Villa in the final 10 minutes as the home side searched with increasing desperation for an equaliser which never really looked like coming.
Barry hails Villa triumph
>Gareth Barry insists the painful memory of Aston Villa's Carling Cup humiliation at the hands of Doncaster has been erased after seeing off the challenge of Hull to win their FA Cup third-round tie 1-0.
Barry's deflected 61st-minute strike beat unlucky hosts Hull when his long-range effort caught defender Leon Cort's thigh and looped up and over the helpless Boaz Myhill into the back of the City net.
Five minutes earlier Lee Hendrie had been forced to boot off the line to deny Cort at the other end while substitute Stuart Elliott flashed an equalising chance just wide.
'We had a few chances and I thought we deserved the goal in the end,' Barry told BBC1.
'I picked it up deep and it fell to me just right. I had a dig and it took a deflection and went into the top corner but I'd take that all day. It fell nicely and I was in space and luckily enough it went it.
'It was difficult, he was positive he was onside so we're disappointed but we dug deep and kept the clean sheet.
'We've forgotten about the Doncaster performance now but we had forgotten about that after that game.'
Tigers midfielder Jason Price could have had a penalty but Chris Foy waved away the appeals when Barry appeared to pull him over in the area.
'I was leaning back and his arms were all over me, I thought it might have been a penalty but he didn't give it,' said Price.
'We passed it well today but at times we couldn't get near them. That's the way things go.
'We had chances and if they go in, the game's different - but they didn't.'
Hull v Aston Villa
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
