Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has called some of the football his old club are playing under Louis van Gaal “miserable”. .. Despite Van Gaal taking United to third in the table in his first season in charge, some critics have had issues with the style of play employed by the Dutchman. . Another ex-player, Gary Neville, caused a stir when he compared them to a pub side earlier this season, while Scholes also has issues. . Writing in the Independent in the wake of the midweek win over Burnley, he said: “Part of being a Manchester United player…
Author: David F.
Manchester United target Miranda in the summer transfer window. . Man United have repeatedly been linked with a move for Miranda this season but reports emerged last month that suggested Atletico wanted to keep the defender. . That now appears to have changed with the Spanish club reluctant to extend Miranda’s contract. . Miranda has a wealth of experience at the highest level and played a vital role in Atletico’s La Liga win last season alongside defensive partner Diego Godin. . He also helped the club earn a runners-up spot in the Champions League in what was one of Atletico’s…
Nigeria international striker Brown Ideye has been named in the Barclays English Premier League team of the week for the first time after his sensational display on Wednesday night helped West Bromwich Albion record a 2-0 win over Swansea City at the Hawthorns. . Ideye scored one and provided the assist for the other as the Baggies won comfortably and he has now been rewarded with a place in the prestigious team of the week. . The 26-year-old was one of two WBA players named in the list (defender, Craig Dawson was the other). . Robert Green of Queens Park…
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard could become “one of the best players in the world” if he gets protection from referees, according to former Blues star Pat Nevin. . Hazard, 24, who has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract at the club, is the most fouled player in the league this season, with opposing players being penalised 74 times. . “If he’s going to last his five-and-a-half years he’s got to get a bit more protection than he’s getting just now,” Nevin told BBC Sport. . “If he gets that then he could turn out to be one of the best players…
Barcelona and Real Madrid’s top players could move to England in the wake of the Premier League’s new television rights deal, La Liga president Javier Tebas has warned Spain’s leading clubs. . Sky and BT Sport have paid a record £5.136bn for live Premier League TV rights for three seasons from 2016-17. . Tebas said Real Madrid and Barcelona’s superstars could now leave Spain. . “Well yes I think so. We have a serious problem, and we won’t be the best league in a year,” Tebas said. . “We’re going to lose a lot of value in the market because…
England manager Roy Hodgson has all but confirmed Tottenham striker Harry Kane will be in his squad for next month’s double-header with Lithuania and Italy. . Hodgson described the 21-year-old, who has scored 23 goals in 35 games this season, as combining “everything you’re looking for in a centre forward”. “Is he worth a place in the squad now? Of course he is,” said Hodgson. . Captain Wayne Rooney is likely to continue in attack, despite adopting a new midfield role at Manchester United. . Kane, who only made his first Premier League start for Spurs in April, is currently…
Chelsea striker Diego Costa claims his challenges are “strong but noble” and that he has never seriously injured an opposition player. . The Brazil-born Spain international, 26, has just served a three-match ban for a stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can in their League Cup semi-final last month. . “My challenges are strong but noble at the same time.” Costa said in an interview with Sport magazine. (external) . “Check my records, you’ll find I’ve never caused a bad injury to a player.” . Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed the stamping incident was an accident and the player has been targeted…
Oladipo has a message for Africans trying to succeed in sports. . More than being selected No 2 by the Orlando Magic in the 2013 NBA draft, it turns out that Victor Oladipo won two battles. . First, the 6-foot-4 guard adopted an extraordinary mental strength. . Second, he proved doubters wrong. . Now, the former Indiana University stand out is taking his own experience to help others succeed. . In Thursday’s post-practice session at Steinberg Wellness Centre in Brooklyn, New York, the 22-year-old born to Nigerian parents addressed the media, and explained why self-belief can make a major difference…
Nigeria Under-20 men’s national team coach Garba Manu has released a 22-man team to engage the Ghanaian Under-20 side in a two-game international friendly to take place in Ghana. . Team captain Musa Muhammed, leads a cast that includes a host of members of the victorious Under-17 team that won the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the UAE two years ago. . Regulars like Chidera Eze, Akinjide Idowu, Taiwo Awoniyi, Zaharadeen Bello and Samuel Okon made the list for the friendlies. . Others in the team for the trip include goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo, Obinna Nwobodo, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Ifeanyi Matthew, Abdullahi…
Just like the CAF Champions League, this season’s CAF Confederations Cup also begins this weekend and two of Nigeria’s teams, Dolphins of Port Harcourt and Warri Wolves will be looking to make their mark in the competition. Incidentally both sides will be on away turf for the first leg of their fixtures. . Dolphins: Domestic Front: Dolphins are the luckiest of the Premier League quartet in the Continent this season. They ended last season in 7th place and teams like Nasarawa United, Giwa FC and Abia Warriors put up performances that probably earned them a place in the Continent. However…
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has taken a swipe at title rivals Chelsea by claiming the Premier League leaders are nothing special. . Second placed City are in danger of surrendering the title they won last season after falling seven points behind Jose Mourinho’s team following a run of four leagues without a win. . However, Manuel Pellegrini’s side finally returned to form with a 4-1 win at Stoke on Wednesday and French star Nasri is convinced they can still overhaul Chelsea before the end of the season. . After drawing twice with Chelsea this term, Nasri sees no reason…
Real Madrid had mixed news on the injury front on Thursday, with centre back Pepe returning to training but fullback Fabio Coentrao joining a lengthy list of sidelined players. . Coentrao, like Pepe a Portugal international, had picked up a calf muscle injury, Real said on their website (www.realmadrid.com). . The La Liga leaders and European champions did not say how long he would be out of action but local media reported he would not be available again for at least a week and a half. . Real are already missing midfielders James Rodriguez, Luka Modric and Sami Khedira as…
Nigeria U20 male national team coach Garba Manu has released a 22 man team to engage the Ghanaian U20 side in a two game international friendly to take place in Ghana. . Team captain Musa Muhammed leads a cast the includes a host of members of the victorious Under-17 team that won the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the UAE two years ago. . Regulars like Chidera Eze, Akinjide Idowu, Taiwo Awoniyi, Zahradeen Bello and Samuel Okon made the list for the friendlies. . Others in the team for the trip include goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo, Obinna Nwobodo, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Ifeanyi…
Gary Neville believes Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal hasn’t “cracked” despite showing signs of pressure – and insists he’ll win the Premier League within three years. . Neville, speaking in Singapore ahead of the opening of his Hotel Football project at Old Trafford, said the Dutchman was on track and that criticism was wide of the mark. . A frustrated Van Gaal this week issued a four-page dossier to combat claims United were playing a “long-ball” game, a move seen as a sign that the pressure was starting to tell. . “He’s quite clearly not cracked,” former defender Neville…
LvG must see to that
I’d say yes, He looks like a great future coach
Martin Odegaard only made his debut for Real Madrid Castilla at the weekend but the most talked about teenager in football was back training with Cristiano Ronaldo and Co this week. . The 16-year-old Norway international entered the fray as a second-half substitute against Athletic Bilbao B during the Segunda Division Group II clash at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium to make his official bow in the famous white strip. . But Odegaard was back in the big time midweek when he was pictured training with Carlo Ancelotti’s first-team squad as they prepare for Saturday’s La Liga match against Deportivo…
Premier League clubs are determined to ensure the new £5.1bn domestic TV deal does not go straight into the players’ pockets, according to Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. . Ex-Spurs owner Lord Sugar compared the new deal with prune juice, saying it will “go in one end and out the other”. . But Woodward has indicated a desire among clubs to avoid that scenario. . “The general mood in the Premier League is that clubs are determined not to be continually loss-making,” he said. . United’s staff costs, which include player wages, were £48.7m in the six months to…
Ivory Coast’s football team has been rewarded with millions of dollars in prizes by the country’s government for winning the Africa Cup of Nations. . Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara is giving each member of the 23-man squad a house worth $52,000 (£34,000) and the same amount in cash, the government says. The team beat Ghana’s Black Stars 9-8 on penalties in the tournament’s final in Equatorial Guinea. There were also six-figure rewards for the Ivorian Football Federation and the team’s technical staff – in total the government has shelled out more than $3m (£2m) in celebration of the victory. .…
Both Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the Football Association after players from both teams were involved in an on-pitch incident. . The clubs are charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves properly during the game. . Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic will not face any further action over an incident involving Everton’s James McCarthy in the 86th minute