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Premier League may have too much money for England team to succeed - Seifert
By Kris Voakes
Oct 8, 2014 16:26:00
The German football league's CEO has claimed the English top flight's significant wealth means young Three Lions hopefuls are rarely given enough opportunities
The English Premier League has become too rich for the England national team to succeed, German football league chief Christian Seifert has claimed.
Seifert spoke of the success of his nation's academy structure at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in London, which has led to great success at both domestic and international level in comparison to other nations, with this summer's World Cup triumph the pinnacle.
And the DFL chief executive suggested that the wealth in the English club game may have hindered the progress of potential international players across the country.
"Sometimes you can have too much money, and maybe I am referring to England. Because I am not sure we would have 15 World Cup winners playing in the Bundesliga if we had the big contracts like in England," he explained.
"The English league has so much money compared to us. We have right now €2.4 billion and are the number two. But if you have that amount of money like the Premier League, and you can afford nearly every player around the world, how motivated are you then to put your cards on the young players who need maybe one or two years? So it is not an easy situation."
Seifert also insisted that the idea of relocating a round of Bundesliga fixtures - or even taking the DFL-Supercup on the road - is a non-starter, amid revised talks of a so-called '39th game' in the Premier League to be played on foreign soil.
"I would say we have a completely different approach," he stated. "I think it is a creative idea. I am not sure if it would work with Fifa, but we have a completely different approach in terms of our idea in German football.
"Personally, I have a very clear idea about German football in the next years, not only about the Bundesliga. German football has been said to have a holistic approach, and our idea is that we want to bring the game, the financials [sic] and the society all to experience the Bundesliga. We want to be successful in all of these dimensions."
Meanwhile, the Bundesliga will continue to operate for now with 18 clubs – in contrast to the 20 teams of other leading nations – with Seifert warning that, if anything, that number could be reduced in future years in light of the unpopular move by Uefa to introduce a new Nations League.
"It would make no sense, for sporting reasons, to have 20 teams. If you look at the amount of games that top players have to play in one season, then I would say it is already over-engineered. As far as I see, a lot of other major leagues would like to go back to 18 but they don't know how to handle it.
"We have 34 matchdays, we don't have a League Cup, we have a winter break, and maybe this is another argument why the German national team is in a different shape when it comes to a World Cup. Adding two teams would be a purely commercial decision.
"I'm not the biggest fan of some developments like the Nations League, which makes it harder for the coaches to say they will choose some younger players because they can win something and it is not a friendly game anymore.
"If this is the direction in the future, then I am not sure that 20 or 18 is the right number of clubs in top leagues, maybe it goes down to 18 or 16."
Petr Cech has heavily suggested he will look to leave Chelsea in the near future if he remains second choice to Thibault Courtois.
Thursday 9th October 2014
After more than 10 years and almost 500 appearances at the Blues, including over 150 clean sheets, Cech was controversially snubbed by Jose Mourinho at the start of this season.
Belgium goalkeeper Courtois, 22, was preferred having enjoyed three successful seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid, meaning Cech has played just twice for the Blues this term and only 66 minutes in the Premier League.
And Cech told Czech Radio: “I think they know me well enough at Chelsea to know that the situation is definitely not the way I would imagine.
”With the European Championships in 2016 and the national team in mind, there is no time for me to sit on the bench and not to play.
“I have not spoken to anybody at the club but if the situation will not start to improve for me then I will want to solve it.”
Cech replaced Courtois in the win over Arsenal on Saturday after the Belgian suffered a blow to the head in a collision with Alexis Sanchez.
Courtois' injury is not thought to be serious, however, and he is expected to train with Belgium on Thursday before taking part in their upcoming European qualifiers against Andorra and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Cech moved to Stamford Bridge from French club Rennes in 2004, subsequently making 481 appearances and winning the Champions League, three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Europa League.
Sir Alex Ferguson has broken his silence over Louis Van Gaal's appointment as Manchester United manager to give his backing to the Dutchman's Old Trafford revolution.
Thursday 9th October 2014
Ferguson retired in May 2013 after publicly anointing David Moyes as his successor, but the former Everton man lasted just 10 months and guided United to their worst Premier League finish.
Van Gaal was the biggest spender in the summer transfer window bringing in over £150million worth of new talent, including new British record signing Angel di Maria - while he also offloaded 14 players.
In quotes carried by the Daily Telegraph from a forthcoming MUTV documentary, Ferguson said: "Louis van Gaal has made a lot of changes and, thinking about that, actually maybe he's doing the right thing, to clear the decks and build his own team - because he's got the experience and coaching ability to do that."
Van Gaal endured a difficult start to his Old Trafford career with his side's defensive problems highlighted by a dramatic 5-3 defeat at Leicester last month.
But since that loss United have defied a mounting injury list to secure successive wins over Everton and West Ham and move up into the top four.
Roy Keane has warned Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho he would be "knocked out" if he tried to shake hands before the final whistle in Sunday league football.
Friday 10th October 2014
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert refused to take Portuguese's hand as he prepared to head down the tunnel before the end of his side's 3-0 defeat by the Blues at Stamford Bridge on September 27, and his assistant Keane's reaction was even more withering.
Asked about the incident as he launched his new autobiography, The Second Half, in Dublin on Thursday afternoon, Keane said: "It's disgraceful.
"I've seen him doing it to other managers, it is a disgrace. The game is still going on. You wouldn't do that on a Sunday morning, you would get knocked out."
But while Mourinho found himself in the firing line, it was Keane's former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson upon whom the spotlight fell as Keane discussed the falling-out between the pair as his time at Old Trafford drew to a close in 2005.
The relationship between the two men deteriorated beyond the point of no return with the then United captain's infamous MUTV interview and his reference to Ferguson's involvement with the syndicate which owned racehorse Rock of Gibraltar helping to bring matters to a head.
Keane, who insisted he only ever had " five, six" one-to-one talks with the Scot during his 12 and a half years at United, was nevertheless not afraid to have his say, but admitted other managers were intimidated by Ferguson.
He said: "I think a lot of managers would probably be intimidated by him, probably bow to him. I think a lot of managers are heavily influenced by him, of course.
"I think (Everton boss Roberto) Martinez reckons he was misquoted a few years ago (saying) that Ferguson had his disciples. He obviously does.
"When a manager takes players away from being on loan - I think it was Preston when Ferguson was manager - when his son (Darren) got the sack, and, all of a sudden, the players are coming away on loan."
Ferguson used his own autobiography, published last year, to settle his own scores with Keane and Beckham among those to come in for criticism, a move described as "ridiculous" by the Irishman.
The Scot suggested at one point that the hardest part of the midfield enforcer was his tongue, a barb which produced a cutting response.
A smiling Keane said: "Well, what do you think? I kick pretty hard.
"I think it was a cheap dig. He was never critical when we were winning trophies and he was getting his new contracts, getting this after him, Sir this.
"He was not pulling me or other players, saying, 'Listen, you need to relax a bit'. That was the game and I appreciate the game. The game finished, but it was all the carry on afterwards."
While Keane moved on to Celtic to finish his playing days before himself heading into management, Ferguson rebuilt once again at Old Trafford before retiring in a blaze of glory, leaving the club in a period of transition which created issues for successor David Moyes that are currently being addressed by Louis van Gaal.
However, Keane does not blame his former manager for what he left behind.
He said: "I wouldn't be critical of Ferguson, but sometimes when you're leaving, it gives the manager a chance to make their own mark. He (Moyes) brought in one or two players, didn't get the players clearly that he was after in the summer.
"But I don't think that's the manager, it's the chief executive (Ed Woodward) who can probably look at himself. I'm sure if you ask the chief exec, he will say, 'Yeah, we missed out on a few deals'. There were two or three lined up that fell through, and they ended up getting one or two on transfer deadline day, (Juan) Mata in January.
"But maybe the damage was done then. I was going to Old Trafford and there was a lot of negativity around. They got no momentum and it was as if David Moyes was snookered from the first few weeks.
"That negativity can get into the dressing room, and that's why I felt it was a weak dressing room. They should have dealt with that and the players should have done better.
"I saw a number of games and whatever has gone on - politics, managers leaving, lack of players coming in - they should have done better and they did let him down, without a shadow of a doubt."
In the book, Keane talks candidly about his issues with alcohol and anger, and the mistakes he has made during his career to date, and it has proved a cathartic exercise.
However, asked if it has been hard work being Roy Keane at times, and if he now likes himself more, he replied with a smile: "That's a bit heavy. I'm contented and comfortable with who I am, yeah."
Courtois defends Chelsea’s handling of head injury
Oct 12, 2014 18:14:00
The Belgian shot-stopper says club doctor Eva Carneiro took all the appropriate steps and that he only needed to be substituted as a precaution against Arsenal
Thibaut Courtois has defended Chelsea’s decision to initially allow him to continue playing despite having suffered a blow to the head in their Premier League clash with Arsenal.
The Belgium international was involved in a collision with Alexis Sanchez and briefly remained on the pitch after assessment from the club’s medical staff, though was substituted when his vision became blurred and he started bleeding from the ear.
The west London club have been criticised for their handling of the incident, with the debate surrounding head injuries and concussion resurfacing once more, but Courtois insists all the appropriate steps were taken.
“The doctor... did well, I think,” Courtois told Sky Sports. “She asked me the questions she needed to ask and I could repeat [the answers] immediately so I was feeling well and didn’t have to come off.
“I didn’t feel I was knocked out but I was hit. I didn’t have a headache or anything, but after a few minutes I felt worse and worse. Then I started to feel a little dizzy and I couldn’t see the ball anymore, and there was a little blood coming from my ear.
“Because I saw trouble, I went off. I know you have to be careful, but I was not really knocked out so I could have carried on if I was not seeing blurry [sic].”
Courtois says he was still experiencing side effects from the impact several days after, but was given the all-clear and is now expected to start for Belgium against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Monday’s Euro 2016 qualifier.
“I had some neck pains, dizziness and headaches for a few days afterwards. I had neurological tests to see if my brain was responding correctly and, after it was OK, I travelled to Belgium,” he added.
Moyes ready to return after Manchester United failure
By Alex Young
Oct 12, 2014 07:42:00
The Scot was sacked after just nine months at Old Trafford but he feels the experience will serve him well ahead of a potential role at another high-profile club
David Moyes says he is ready to return to football management following his sacking by Manchester United.
The Scot was hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson to take over the reins following the latter's retirement, but was dismissed just nine months later as the reigning champions finished seventh in the Premier League.
Moyes was in talks with Galatasaray during the summer, only for Cesare Prandelli to be appointed, and feels his experiences at Old Trafford will serve him well ahead of a potential role at another high-profile club.
"I'm ready to go," he told The Telegraph. "I've no time scale. I'm enjoying the break but I'm a football man and I want to work. I feel my best years are still ahead of me and I do feel I am still a young manager.
"I've lots to learn and lots I want to put into practice. I think I am better equipped to take over a job like Manchester United now than even when I did take over because I've had a chance to see what happens, what goes on.
"I felt I was ready when I left Everton, but, obviously, when you get in, you see things and you realise that experience and knowledge you can only get from being in the job. But, unfortunately, I only got nine months."
Manchester United are a 'few years' away from winning titles, insists Keane
By Chris Davie
Oct 12, 2014 10:00:00
The former Old Trafford captain believes the club's lack of experience in defence will prevent them from competing for the Premier League this season
Roy Keane believes Manchester United are still "a few years" away from winning another major trophy.
After a disastrous campaign under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal has been tasked with getting the club back into the Champions League and was supported by six new first-team signings this summer.
United sit fourth in the Premier League with 11 points but Keane, who won 13 trophies during his 12-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, predicts a title challenge will be difficult.
"It's been a bit better these last few weeks," Keane said in an interview with BBC's Football Focus.
"Clearly they are going to win lots of football matches because they've got lots of goals in their team now. Going forward, the players they have available - amazing.
"But, in terms of winning the bigger prizes again - the Premier League and Champions League - I think that might be a few years down the road yet. Only in a sense that defensively they look to rebuild.
"You can win football matches going forward, with lots of goals, but I think at the back with the lack of experience, and injuries problems at the moment, it will be very hard to win titles."
The French champions called for changes to current regulations which would allow more modest clubs to spend lavishly in order to compete fairly with Europe's elite
Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City lobbied for rule changes to Uefa's Financial Fair Play in a meeting with European football's governing body on Monday.
Both PSG and City have spent big in recent years and the two clubs were fined €60 million apiece by Uefa earlier this year for breaching FFP rules, although the body said two thirds of that money will be returned if the teams fulfil their financial obligations over the next two years.
But at a meeting in Nyon on Monday described as "constructive" and "encouraging" by Uefa president Michel Platini, the pair pushed for an extension to the monitoring period which would permit other clubs to spend big just like those two and allow additional time for teams to balance their books.
Uefa originally devised FFP to stop clubs from risking their financial futures for short-term benefit, citing "reckless spending and financial insanity" as the reason behind the regulations, so it seems unlikely the body would agree to such changes.
However, the rules mean rich sides are at an advantage because they can continue to spend lavishly as long as their income remains high, while many of Europe's elite teams - such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United - are allowed to keep on signing expensive players despite their significant debts.
Uefa described the latest discussions as "full and frank" in a statement on Monday.
"We have succeeded in reducing the cumulative losses of European clubs and in stabilising European football's finances," Platini said. "We must now work together to ensure that clubs can grow and prosper in the future – and today's discussions were an encouraging step in that direction."
It will be tough for Chelsea to win the Premier League - Silva
By Dejan Kalinic
Oct 13, 2014 09:19:00
The Premier League champions have fallen behind in the title race early this season following the almost flawless start made by the Blues but the midfielder is unconcerned
Manchester City midfielder David Silva has warned Chelsea that they will find it tough to win the Premier League despite their current five-point advantage.
Jose Mourinho's men have made a great start to the campaign, winning six of their opening seven league games to pull clear of last season's champions City.
However, Silva feels the unpredictability of the Premier League ensures the current leaders will encounter problems at some stage of the season.
"Chelsea have made great transfers, they have a great team, a great squad," Silva said after featuring for Spain in their 4-0 win over Luxembourg in Euro 2016 qualifying on Sunday.
"But it doesn't mean things are going to be easy, especially in England."
One of Chelsea's close-season signings, Diego Costa, finally ended his goalscoring drought at international level with a goal in Spain's win.
And Silva insists the Brazil-born striker, who has enjoyed immediate success in the Premier League, had simply been unlucky in previous outings for Spain.
"He wanted to score but he was unlucky. He has scored today and we hope that he can keep the goals coming," Silva said.
City return to Premier League action with a clash against Tottenham on Saturday.
PSG punishment proved Uefa is serious about FFP - Rummenigge
By Christoph Kockeis
Oct 13, 2014 11:23:00
EXCLUSIVE: The Bayern chairman believes financial landscape of European football is far from healthy - but says in-debt Real Madrid are "not the big problem"
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge feels Uefa proved it is serious about Financial Fair Play by punishing Paris Saint-Germain.
The French champions were hit with a €60 million fine and forced to curb their spending for the coming seasons - while they also saw their Champions League squad allowance reduced by four players - due to a breach of FFP regulations.
Premier League champions Manchester City were also slapped with the same punishment, while the likes of Inter, Liverpool and Monaco have been asked to provide further information on their spending for 2012 and 2013.
Rummenigge - who is also acting chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) - is confident the measures now being enforced are vital for the health of the game in Europe.
"A huge company stands behind PSG, with almost infinite money. Since the strength of the squad is very dependent on the transfer market, PSG could be invested in indefinitely. We don't think this is fair," he explained to Goal.
"[PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi] is in a very fast car, but even Ferraris get damaged if they drive too fast. PSG were convicted last summer for violations. They got a huge fine and had to cut the squad from 25 to 21 in the Champions League. You can not misunderstand the signs of Uefa. I do not think they can be threatened by any club president.
"Some clubs have been punished. Michel Platini wants his baby to grow slowly, and this is necessary. We have a professional football world, in which round about 65 per cent of all clubs in Europe are losing money. It is not a healthy landscape. Uefa must challenge and support or we'll continue with irrational transfer fees."
However, Rummenigge was keen to stress he sympathised with PSG's efforts to return to Europe's elite and admits Bayern's significant commercial revenue has been met with similar opposition by fans in the past.
"Many groups are against any kind of commerce, but without them, we would have no stadium of this quality, this atmosphere. We would have no Franck Ribery, no Manuel Neuer, no Arjen Robben. You have to find a healthy balancing act," he continued.
"Nevertheless, I do not condemn PSG. I even understand them. The club was in obscurity for 20 years until they were bought by a sheikh. Thanks to great financial expenses they are back, they are continually playing an important role in the Champions League."
Real Madrid have continued to spend astronomical sums in the transfer market despite debts totalling more than €600m, but Rummenigge insists there is no issue with clubs who spend lavishly as long as it is within their means.
"Real and Barcelona are not the big problem, although they have a higher mountain of debt," said the 59-year-old. "Financial fair play is based on the break-even rule - that's simply 'do not spend more than you earn'. The European Club Association [ECA] had a meeting in Manchester with 150 representatives in 2009. All were in favour."
Rummenigge went on to say the World Cup in Qatar could still potentially be held in winter, and could even be moved altogether should Michael Garcia's report into alleged corruption in the bidding process highlight any illicit activities.
"We at the ECA are always ready to talk about a change of date, regardless of whether it's November, January or whenever," he said. "Under a condition: club football is not the only one that foots the bill.
"Would it be fair to leave Qatar out in the rain? I do not think so. If the Garcia report brings out nothing, the World Cup will take place there. Then we have all options on the table: when is it possible to hold the tournament? When is it useful? What doesn't give the footballing family a stomach ache? It's not about dollars or euros."
The winger has not featured for the Gunners since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in January's 2-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham, but has re-joined first-team training
By Liam Twomey
Theo Walcott is in contention to make his first Arsenal appearance for nine months in Friday's Under-21 Premier League clash with Blackburn, Goal understands.
Walcott has not featured for the Gunners since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in January's 2-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham, and also missed England's disappointing World Cup campaign in Brazil with the injury.
But the 25-year-old returned to first-team training on Monday and, barring any setbacks, could be included in Arsenal's Under-21 squad to take on Rovers at Boreham Wood on Friday evening.
Serge Gnabry may also feature for the Gunners, having participated in Monday's session as he continues his recovery from a knee injury which has sidelined him for the start of the season.
A further boost for Arsene Wenger comes with the news that club captain Mikel Arteta is back in training after missing matches against Galatasaray and Chelsea with a calf injury, while Aaron Ramsey's recovery from a hamstring problem is also progressing well.
Neither, however, are in contention for Saturday's Premier League clash with Hull City and Wenger remains cautious on the status of Mesut Ozil, who sustained a knee injury while on international duty with Germany and is not expected to return until 2015.
Fergie didn't get results he expected at the start
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Louis van Gaal will get things right at Manchester United if he is given time after likening the Dutchman's start at Old Trafford to his own.
Wednesday 15th October 2014
Van Gaal has endured a mixed start to his Old Trafford reign losing three of his first eight games in charge, but United currently sit in fourth place after back-to-back home wins over Queens Park Rangers and Everton.
Ferguson, who backed van Gaal's big spending spree in the summer to reshape the United squad, has compared the Dutchman's start to life at United to the beginning of his own reign and has called on the club's board to back van Gaal.
"He’s not been getting the results that are expected but when I came to the club [in November 1986] I didn’t get the results I expected myself at the beginning," Ferguson told MUTV.
"What we needed then was Sir Bobby Charlton, Martin Edwards and the board to stick by me and we had a great spell after that.
"Once I got settled into the club, everything was fine. Louis is going through that same process and there’s no doubt in my mind that he will sort it out.”
Ferguson was criticised last season for casting a shadow over his successor David Moyes by being too high profile at United games and Ferguson admits he found it hard to contain his emotions during the heavy home defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City last term.
Asked if he is annoyed at how that has been portrayed, Ferguson added: "There's a bit of that. I haven't been to every game, obviously. I've missed a couple this season already but I've been to a few of them and I continue to do that.
"The way I've always been and I did it as a manager, I'm actually quite stone-faced watching a game. I don't try to show any emotions unless we score.
"I always celebrate a goal, even now as a director I still celebrate a goal. You're always conscious maybe the cameras are on you and this is happening quite a lot.
"I got annoyed when we lost to Liverpool last year. I didn't enjoy that. I don't like losing to Liverpool and Manchester City last year, because they are your biggest rivals and the ones you always strive to defeat and are always in our way. Particularly Liverpool of course."
Tomas Rosicky joined Mesut Ozil and Laurent Koscielny on Arsenal's injury list after reporting a problem while on international duty.
Wednesday 15th October 2014
Rosicky, who did not feature in Czech Republic's win over Kazakhstan on Monday after suffering a calf problem against Turkey, told ceskatelevize.cz: "I couldn't do any sharp movement, couldn't sprint. If I tried to play in one tempo, I wouldn't make any difference for the team.
"I'll come back to London and we'll see. The doctor said I have something swollen between the muscles.''
Rosicky has made just one start and five substitute appearances this term, but the prognosis over other key men remains to be fully determined.
Ozil (knee) could be out until early 2015, but Koscielny and Danny Welbeck could play against Hull on Saturday. Welbeck went off against Estonia for England.
Koscielny has a minor Achilles problem, while England boss Roy Hodgson was sure Welbeck's ankle injury was not serious.
There has been good news for Wenger this international break as Theo Walcott returned to training on Monday following his long-term knee injury.
fans of Premier League clubs are now paying almost four times the amount for a season ticket compared to supporters in Germany, according to a new survey.
Wednesday 15th October 2014
The cost of watching football has risen by almost twice the rate of inflation since 2011.
The BBC Sport Price of Football study shows that the average price of the cheapest match-day ticket across all four divisions is £21.49, up 13 per cent since 2011, compared to a 6.8 per cent increase in the cost of living.
The average Premier League season ticket costs £508 compared to £138 in the Bundesliga - Bayern Munich fans can pay as little as £109.65, and in Spain Barcelona fans can get a season ticket for just £103.38. Arsenal is the most expensive club in Europe to watch via a season ticket, ranging from £1,014 to £2,013.
Manchester City have the cheapest season ticket in the Premier League starting at £299.
The cheapest match-day ticket in the Premier League has risen by 15.8 per cent, 31.7 per cent in League One and 19 per cent in League Two. Only in the Championship has it dropped - by 3.2 per cent.
Arsenal have dropped their most expensive match-day ticket from £126 last year to £97.
Chelsea have the highest-priced cheapest match-day ticket of all the Premier League club's - prices at Stamford Bridge begin at £50.
Derby and Sheffield Wednesday both boast £10 match-day tickets - the cheapest in English football and only matched by Southport in the Conference.
The study also shows the average price of the cheapest match-day ticket in Scotland's football's top flight has increased by almost 8% since 2011 - from £18.92 to £20.42.
Liverpool Striker Mario Balotelli Blames Brendan Rodgers’ Tactics For Poor Form
by Edward Bennett October 17th, 2014
Goal-shy forward still adapting to Reds system.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has stated his belief that Brendan Rodgers’ tactics may be affecting his game this season after a poor start to life at Anfield since his summer move from AC Milan, according to the Independent.
The Merseyside giants brought Balotelli in as a replacement upfront for departing star player Luis Suarez, who moved to Barcelona in a £75m deal, though he has struggled to replicate the Uruguayan’s fine goalscoring performances in that position.
Balotelli has often been known for being inconsistent and not quite fulfilling his tremendous potential, and the Italian international feels that at the moment his poor form is down to playing in an unfamiliar lone striker role.
The 24-year-old has largely played as a support striker in a two-man attack throughout his career, and says he has been asked to play as the main centre-forward in the absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge.
“I have never been a real, out-and-out striker – I have always been someone who goes around the pitch,” he said.
“If it was my choice, I would always go with two strikers. It’s the way I like to play, but Brendan asked me to play as the first striker.”
Still, Balotelli also takes some of the blame for his unconvincing start in a Liverpool shirt, explaining that he is working on adapting his game to this new system and that he knows he needs to get into the habit of getting into the penalty area more.
“I need to get in the box more,” he said. “I don’t do it enough but it is something I am working to try to do more.
“I understand that when the ball comes from wide on the left or right I need to be in the box, otherwise there might be no one there at all.”
Diego Costa a big doubt for Palace clash, says Mourinho
Oct 17, 2014 14:01:00
The Brazil-born Spaniard featured heavily for Spain against Slovakia and Luxembourg over the international break and is now racing to be fit to face the Eagles
Jose Mourinho has revealed Diego Costa is a big doubt for Chelsea's trip to face Crystal Palace on Saturday after his exertions for Spain during the international break.
The Brazilian-born forward was one of three Blues players who linked up with La Roja, and, despite returning ahead of schedule, is facing a race against time to be fit for the trip to Selhurst Park - a ground where Chelsea lost last season.
After reeling off a list of his casualties, Mourinho was asked if Costa was a big doubt for Saturday and replied: "Yes."
He added: "The Spanish team played in Luxembourg on Sunday. I gave them Diego, [Cesc] Fabregas and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] two days off [Monday and Tuesday], so they had to report Wednesday at 3pm. Diego was here Monday at 9am. That shows you how strong he is."
When asked if Costa had been forced to return early for medical treatment, Mourinho replied: "No comment."
The Portuguese stopped short of attacking Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque for selecting Costa against Slovakia and Luxembourg, but continued: "They [national coaches] have the power. We don’t have the power."
Costa has made a blistering start to life in the Premier League since his move from Atletico Madrid in the summer, scoring nine goals in his first seven matches.
The France international defender picked up a muscle injury while on duty with les Bleus but is expected to be fit to travel to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday
Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala has been ruled out of Saturday's Premier League match against Tottenham.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed on Friday that the centre-back had returned from international duty with a muscle injury that will keep him out until Tuesday's Champions League fixture at CSKA Moscow.
Mangala played 90 minutes in France's 2-1 win over Portugal but did not feature in Tuesday's 3-0 victory away to Armenia.
"We have just a small problem with Mangala, a small muscle injury, but I think he will without any problem be fit for Tuesday," Pellegrini told the press.
The Chilean also revealed that Yaya Toure had only returned from his spell with Cote d'Ivoire on Thursday and that a decision will be taken over the midfielder's involvement on the day of the Tottenham game at the Etihad Stadium.
City put 11 goals past Tottenham last season, winning 6-0 on home soil in November, but Pellegrini is taking nothing for granted.
"We are not expecting to score six goals every time we play Tottenham," he said. "Last year Spurs away was one of the best games we played.
"We hope to play a very good game but it will be very different [to last season]."
Liverpool to wait on Sturridge fitness for QPR clash
By George Ankers
Oct 17, 2014 17:28:00
Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is excited about the prospect of getting back a key member of his team but will evaluate him on Saturday ahead of Sunday's trip to Loftus Road
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is leaving it late before determining whether or not Daniel Sturridge is able to play any part against QPR on Sunday.
The England international striker has been out of action since facing Tottenham on August 31 but is nearing a return to the first team.
The striker is one of several players on the verge of a comeback after injuries, leaving the Reds boss optimistic of a big impact.
Rodgers told the press on Friday: "Thankfully, we have got a number of our other injured players back. Joe Allen is training and looking really well, Emre Can is back, Glen Johnson is back in so that side is looking healthy. Dejan [Lovren] will hopefully be fine for the weekend.
"We'll have to see tomorrow how Dan is. We just need to see by tomorrow where he's at and then we'll take it from there.
"He has obviously been out for a long time, nearly six weeks. He is working tirelessly with the medical team - I have got an incredible sports science and medical team here.
"They really focus in on his rehabilitation. He's a top-class talent and he'll be looking forward to getting back once he's ready.
"He's an excellent player that not only creates space for himself but for others. If you look at our team in the last 18 months - the penetration and ability to break lines and dominate the game without the ball, with runs - Daniel and other players have made us a real threat.
"Obviously when you take him out of the team you're playing a different game and the model of your game is different. When he's playing and playing how he has done since he's been here, he's one of the top European strikers."
The former Everton and Manchester United boss is ready to return to the dugout as he looks to rebuild his reputation following a six-month break from the game
David Moyes says he is ready to return to football management following his ill-fated tenure at Manchester United last season.
Despite being identified by United legend Alex Ferguson as the ideal man to replace him, Moyes endured a woeful campaign as the club finished seventh and missed out on European qualification.
United reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League before defeat to Bayern Munich, but crashed out of the FA Cup in the third round to Swansea City.
Moyes was in the Old Trafford hotseat for less than 12 months, despite agreeing a six-year contract after his departure from Everton, and the 51-year-old is now ready for another managerial role.
"I'm ready to return," he told the BBC. "I have enjoyed the time off but I have got to wait on the right job and make sure it's one that I want.
"I'm really ambitious. I would never have left Everton for anybody but an ambitious football club. And I thought Manchester United would have given me that opportunity.
"It didn't materialise that way, so I am hoping that the next club I join gives me the chance to build a team, because I think that is what I am good at.
"It doesn't need to be a club that is in European football but I've got to say the time I had in the Champions League last year - getting to the quarter-final in the Champions League wasn't a bad feat.
"I really enjoyed it - embraced it, actually loved the Champions League nights, and we did well."
He added: "I got the job and I expected it to be a six-year plan. I signed a six-year contract... [I am] disappointed it didn't go to plan.
"I expected to be given an opportunity to fulfil that and it wasn't what was expected.
"It was really difficult when I lost the job initially because I didn't really see it coming, even though I had been losing games.
"I knew that it could be difficult but I joined a club that I felt stood behind their managers, made sure they supported them in difficult times. And, you know, Sir Alex had difficult times when he first took over.
"And I do understand that the landscape has changed a little bit in football, but I think that United always stood for the right things and I expected them to do what was right with me."
