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'Where there's money, there's greed' - Keane on British football scandal
Jack O'Toole
Oct 4, 2016 16:03:56
The ex-Manchester United midfielder has given his opinion on the Sam Allardyce and England fallout that dominated UK headlines last week
Republic Of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane is not surprised by the UK's corruption-in-football scandal as he believes that greed and the sport go hand-in-hand.
Last week's 'Football for Sale' investigation, led by the Daily Telegraph, resulted in Sam Allardyce's shock England departure only one game into his tenure after he was filmed explaining how to evade third-party ownership rules to a dummy company.
While Keane suggested a lot of the report is still unsubstantiated, he does not think it tarnishes football due to the passion in the game.
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“It's part of the game,” Keane told reporters in Dublin when asked for his thoughts on the corruption scandal. “We have said it before, there will be greed involved when there is so much money involved, but having said that, it's still a great game.
“There are some brilliant people involved in football and it shouldn't be tarnished as badly as it has been in the last week or so.
“A lot of this is still accusations, allegations against people. But football is a great game and there are great people involved in it. There are a lot of great managers out there, great players who do great things for the game.
“Why do you think so many people watch the game? They love it. Every now and again, there will be a hiccup along the way, but let's not get distracted by it.”
Keane went on to defend the sport's integrity.
“It's the greatest game on the planet,” Keane added. “We all love it and there are some great people involved, top people, people who do great work for charity, who do great stuff behind the scenes.
“There are some brilliant football clubs out there – I have been lucky to have been involved in a few of them and again, let's not get distracted.
“Every now and again a story like this will come up. But again, let's remember what the game is all about. It's the greatest game on the planet and we all love it. I'm not saying we brush it under the carpet, but let the clubs and the FA deal with it, whatever is going on.”
Ireland will host Georgia on Thursday at the Aviva Stadium and Keane said that if the Toffees James McCarthy can get clearance from Ireland’s medical staff for his groin injury, then he should be in line to play.
“We always respect the player and the club but James has been really positive,” added the former Sunderland boss. “He trained [on Tuesday] and has seen no reaction for a player that has been injured for three or four weeks, and obviously just after the [groin] operation. He looked really sharp.
“We’re very pleased with him, he’s been really positive but again we’ll see over the next few days. We’ll get feedback from the medical staff but also from the player.
“James seems really upbeat and positive about his recovery so fingers crossed if there’s no reaction over the next day or two, I’d expect him to be available for the game on Thursday, which is good news for us, because obviously we’ve picked up a few injuries over the last few days.”
The former Chelsea boss left the Portuguese's staff at Inter after an argument with his compatriot, going on to manage Academica
Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that his managerial career was born from a fallout with former mentor Jose Mourinho.
The 38-year-old worked under the current Manchester United boss at Porto, Chelsea and Inter, but opted to leave his job at the Serie A giants in order to pursue a position of head coach elsewhere, eventually taking charge of Academica.
Villas-Boas has now explained that his adoration for Mourinho waned when he got on his "wrong side", prompting him to explore other options.
"In my formative moments working with Jose [I had] the best time of my life," Villas-Boas told reporters at the aspire4sport congress. "I was able to learn many things and working with him takes you to another level.
"You fall in love with him and he becomes your idol. I wanted to be like him, know everything that he knew and absorb all the information he was giving.
"Then you fall on the wrong side of Jose and that's when things change and you realise that you've been blinded by someone. He has this fascinating capability of getting the best out of you, which has good or bad consequences for people.
"My consequences were that as a result of the argument or disagreement we had, I started my coaching career."
Villas-Boas went on to take charge of Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham and Zenit Saint Petersburg, though he admitted the job at Stamford Bridge came too soon for him.
"The Chelsea experience was too much too soon," he added. "I wasn't flexible as a manager at that time. I was communicative, but I wasn't flexible in my approach. At Tottenham I learnt to be different.
"In professional football you have to live day-to-day. The objective is the group performance, but every single individual requires a different response from a manager – you can't be the same person to each player.
"At Chelsea, the group was more important, I stuck to my methods too much."
Don´t judge Bradley on his accent, say Swansea owners
5 October 2016
Swansea City's American owners have pleaded with the club's fans to judge new boss Bob Bradley "on the job he does, not on his passport or his accent".
Former United States coach Bradley was appointed on Monday after Swansea elected to terminate the contract of Francesco Guidolin following a difficult start to the season.
The sacking of Guidolin left a bitter taste for many Swansea fans who believed the Liberty Stadium outfit were beginning to show signs of improvement under the Italian, while the Supporters Trust - which owns a 21.1 per cent stake in the club - revealed the decision had been taken without its consultation.
Reports that prospective replacements had been interviewed during Guidolin's tenure also rankled - reports firmed up by co-owner Jason Levien on Wednesday.
But Levien, who along with Steve Kaplan leads a consortium that acquired a 68 per cent share in the club earlier this year, focused his plea on the perceived Americanisation of Swansea, asking supporters to give Bradley a chance.
"The reason we appointed Bob is not because he's American but because we believe he is the best man for the job," he told talkSPORT.
"Neither Steve nor I had met Bob before we interviewed him last Friday but we did know him by reputation - and he lived up to that high reputation.
"He is a top class leader, tactically very smart and has the strength of character we believe will make an immediate impact in the dressing room and on the training ground.
"Anybody who knows Bob knows he would only take a job if believed he was getting it on merit, not because we simply wanted another American at the club.
"We want fans to give him a chance and get behind him. Judge him on the job he does, not on his passport or his accent."
Bradley - the first American to manage in the Premier League - will lead Swansea for the first time at Arsenal on October 15.
Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol believes Pep Guardiola has taken on his greatest challenge in the Manchester City job.
Puyol enjoyed four successful seasons under Guardiola at Camp Nou, winning three LaLiga titles and the Champions League in 2009 and 2011.
Guardiola then went on to enjoy further success with Bayern Munich, lifting the Bundesliga trophy in each of his three seasons, although glory on the European stage eluded him.
Now at City, Guardiola has made a strong start to his tenure, winning his first 10 matches in all competitions before a slight wobble last week saw them follow a 3-3 draw in the Champions League at Celtic with a 2-0 loss at title rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
After dominating in Spain and Germany, Puyol says Guardiola has his work cut out to repeat the feat in the Premier League but backed his former coach to oversee a cultural change in English football.
"It's the biggest challenge for Guardiola but I think he will change football in England," he said.
"A lot of people say football is different in England to other countries but the way Guardiola works and puts pressure on his players will change football here a bit.
"His biggest challenge is to change the direct style of football. Now in England the football is more direct, with big centre-backs. I couldn't play there because I'm too small.
"Guardiola wants to start playing from the back with intelligent play from the goalkeeper. It doesn't mean he won't play long like against Manchester United when they scored a goal with three touches, but it's the whole style. He is based on ball possession and playing from the back.
"I have seen his influence on the team very quickly. He is doing very well, he has very clear ideas which he tries to transmit to the players. He is the best coach I ever worked with and I'm pleased to see him in England.
"There are a lot of coaches worse than him. He puts a lot of pressure on the players but the players feel free under Guardiola. It's tough but I understand football like that, I enjoy it.
"Guardiola thinks everyone can improve and play at a higher level - and every player improves with him. It also motivates the players to improve."
Wenger will stay at Arsenal and snub England, believes Pires
6 October 2016
Former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires believes Arsene Wenger will remain at the club beyond this season, despite strong links with the England job.
Wenger recently celebrated 20 years in charge at Arsenal, during which time he has won three Premier League titles and the FA Cup on six occasions.
The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of this season, though, with speculation continuing to mount that 2016-17 will be his last at Emirates Stadium.
Wenger has been linked as the permanent successor to Sam Allardyce with England, although Pires does not think international management would suit his former boss.
"I think he'll stay, but it's true that the English national team wants him," said Pires, who played a key role in Arsenal's title winning sides of 2002 and 2004.
"But I'm saying that because, and it's just my opinion, he loves to be on the pitch every day. When you're managing a club or a national team, it's not the same thing.
"So this is why I think he'll stay at Arsenal, because he loves to be on the pitch every morning.
"They think he would be the ideal person to manage this team because this team needs energy and stability, and especially to be credible. With what happened, I think England is not credible anymore.
"If they pick Arsene Wenger, knowing he's a great coach, he speaks English very well, he has a good persona, so yeah he would be the perfect man.
"But I know a bit [about] Arsene, he loves his club Arsenal, he built many things in this club… I know his contract is ending, I don't know what will happen, but for me the best thing would be for Arsene to continue at Arsenal."
Real Madrid beat Barcelona and Manchester United after posting record revenues
7 October 2016
Real Madrid have claimed the mantle of the highest-earning club in world football after posting record revenues in their latest financial figures.
The European champions saw revenue rise 7.4 per cent in 2015-16 to €620 million, eclipsing the figures recorded by Barcelona and Manchester United.
Barca's total of €679m included player sales (thought to amount to approximately €67m), unlike that of Madrid, while United brought in €570m when their latest records were released in September.
Madrid have also wiped out €96m of debt but profit decreased by 22.5 per cent, from €55.9m to €43.3m.
A club statement read: "The Real Madrid Board of Directors have agreed to call an Ordinary General Assembly for October 23, 2016.
"The corresponding results for the 2015-2016 season which will be submitted for approval are as follows: Operating revenues for the financial year 2015-16, without taking into account capital gains obtained as a result of player transfers, have topped 600 million euros for the first time, reaching a figure of €620m, a 7.4 per cent increase on the previous financial year.
"The operating result before repayments and player transfers ('recurring EBITDA') has risen to €163.2m, which is the highest figure ever reached by the club, representing a 26.3 per cent increase on revenue figures and a rise of 20.9 per cent on the previous financial year. This improvement in profitability is due to an increase in revenues having subtracted operating expenses and provisions corresponding to risks and contingencies.
"A pre-tax profit of €43.3m has been recorded, which is 22.5 per cent less than the previous financial year. This is due to the non-recurrent effect of player transfers, despite the operating improvements recorded. After achieving a net profit (after tax) of €30.3m, net worth has risen to €442.2m.
"The cash balance has risen by €102.6m to reach a figure of €211.5m, thanks to higher cash flow generated by operations and restraints on investments.
"As a result of the increase in liquid assets and the reduction of creditor balances by investments, the net debt has fallen by €108.9m to sit at a figure of €-13.1m, which in reality represents, not a debt but rather a net liquidity position. Therefore, multiples of debt over EBITDA and net worth have been reduced to zero, indicating a position of maximum solvency."
Revealed: Why Guardiola moved away from the Cruyff blueprint
Sam Lee
Oct 7, 2016 13:00:00
The Manchester City manager is accused by his critics of lacking a Plan B, but he realised he had to update his tactical outlook when he left Barcelona for Bayern Munich
Pep Guardiola evolved his managerial style and moved away from the Barcelona blueprint during his time at Bayern Munich, according to Marti Perarnau.
Guardiola took over at Manchester City this summer after spending three years in Munich, and Perarnau, whose book ‘Pep Confidential’ charted the Catalan’s first season in the Bundesliga, says he realised he had to move away from the Johan Cruyff ideology that turned Barca into world football’s most dominant team.
Perarnau’s new book, ‘Pep Guardiola: The Evolution’ is released in English at the start of November and offers an in-depth look at how the 45-year-old modified his approach in recent years and documents how he came to the decision to move to Manchester.
And in an interview with the City Watch Podcast, Perarnau explains how Guardiola has changed and why he is ‘less dogmatic’ than when he was at Camp Nou.
“Germany has changed him in his approach to work, he’s more efficient, more German!” Perarnau says. “He’s more clinical in his tactical wisdom, he’s less dogmatic. He’s a better coach because he has more experience, more knowledge, more challenges. Germany has changed Pep very much.
“He’s very different to Barcelona’s Pep. At Barcelona Pep was at home and everything was created around Barcelona’s idea. It was an amazing work, probably we can say the best team in history, or one of the best in history, but they work around the homemade idea every time, the positional play, the Johan Cruyff idea, the same dogmatic idea of the positional play.
"But in Munich Pep had to adapt to a new country, new language, new kind of football but especially to players with different skills to Barcelona’s players: no Xavi, no Iniesta, no Messi, no Busquets, no Pique.”
Guardiola has often spoken of the importance of Cruyff in his career, and on Thursday he once again said he would not have succeeded in football, either as a player or manager, without the Dutchman’s influence.
Many of Guardiola’s critics, however, attack what they believe is an insistence on sticking to possession-based, Barcelona-style football, and suggest he lacks a ‘Plan B’.
But Perarnau, who was given unrivalled access to Guardiola’s work in Germany, says he learned to mix the Cruyff ideology with the more direct style that Franz Beckenbauer made successful as both a player and coach with Germany and Bayern Munich.
“So Pep has adapted very much in Munich, he has added new player ideas, he has constructed a new vision of himself as a coach,” he added. “Pep now is more eclectic as a coach, he has the Johan Cruyff ideas and also the Beckenbauer pace, it’s a mix. I think he’s a better coach than before.”
Liverpool owners said Henderson was a waste of money - Comolli
Oliver Platt
Oct 11, 2016 22:24:40
The Reds' former sporting director has claimed he was sacked over the £16 million purchase of the man who has gone on to become the club's captain
Former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has claimed he was sacked by the club over the signing of Jordan Henderson.
Comolli was leading the Reds' transfer strategy when they signed Henderson for a reported £16 million from Sunderland in 2011.
The Frenchman received criticism when Henderson made a slow start at Anfield and was dismissed in April 2012, but the midfielder has since established himself as a key first-team player and succeeded Steven Gerrard as captain.
"[Henderson] is one of the main reasons I got sacked," Comolli told talkSPORT.
"The day I got sacked, [Liverpool's owners] told me I had made a big mistake on Jordan and he was a waste of money.
"Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I think we paid the right price. He was a young English, British player and we know very often that British players are overvalued.
"But we were more than happy to pay the price because we thought he would become an outstanding player."
Comolli says that Henderson's leadership skills and personality combined with his ability to create chances persuaded him to make the signing.
"I never said it publicly, but I was convinced he would be the future captain," he continued.
"People will say it is easy to say now, but I was convinced at the time that he would become the Liverpool captain. Now he is, and he is also the England captain."
Comolli added: "I was totally convinced, as was Kenny, that we were doing the right thing for the club.
"He fitted the profile we were looking for. We knew he was an outstanding person, we knew he had leadership skills, we knew he was totally dedicated to football, to his passion, and we knew he was someone who wanted to improve on a day to day basis. We knew his physical abilities - his fitness stats were absolutely unbelievable.
"We were looking at statistics and we were going through a lot of midfield players in the Premier League and what amazed me and caught my eye was his ability to create quality chances.
Tottenham are the best team in England - they just need the trophy to prove it
Peter Staunton
Oct 12, 2016 07:27:23
Mauricio Pochettino's side went into the international break with a fine 2-0 win against many pundits' tip for the title and must keep their momentum going against West Brom
COMMENT
It was against West Bromwich Albion late last season that Tottenham Hotspur’s ambitions to win a first top-flight title in 55 years first began to falter. Win and they would have put immense pressure on Leicester City - who six days later were going to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. They drew.
That meant Leicester’s draw with United – combined with Spurs’ meltdown the following Monday night against Chelsea – was enough to hand a first-ever Premier League title to the Foxes. Spurs ended the season in disgrace; their draws with West Brom and Chelsea were followed up with defeats by Southampton and Newcastle – the latter a 5-1 hammering against an already-relegated team.
Spurs ended up third – quite a feat in what had long been a two-horse race – with Arsenal snatching the runner-up spot behind Leicester. Those last four games undermined what had been a sensational league campaign from Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Until that point they would have proven to be worthy – if relatively unloved – champions.
Leicester were long marked out as the story of the season with Spurs – despite their own outsider credentials – cast in the role of big, bad party poopers. There were not many neutrals willing them to win the league ahead of Claudio Ranieri’s men with the Leicester story captivating fans all over the world. Spurs were a good team but no fairy tale. Most of their work – while admirable – was done in the background as Ranieri led his team to a logic-defying victory.
That night against West Brom at White Hart Lane it all began to fall apart for Spurs; their consistency and ability to that point forgotten. Not only did Craig Dawson’s goals at either end clear the path for a Leicester title win but they also hastened what many expected – a very “Spursy” end to the season.
Tottenham have long been regarded as a pretty team but at key moments in years gone by have lacked the fortitude to do anything meaningful. They were expected to crumble and alas they crumbled, time and again. Pochettino has one such Spurs meltdown already on his CV but is proving to have the capabilities to eradicate those traditional failings.
Spurs are back for another tilt at the title. Leicester are not. The Lilywhites were quietly motoring along under the radar at the start of this season – their best opening sequence in over 50 years – until suddenly coming to prominence with the 2-0 win over Manchester City – the seemingly unanimous tip for the title.
Pep Guardiola had overseen a run of 10 successive wins to start his Etihad career with a bang. Then there was a minor blip in the form of a 3-3 draw with Celtic in the Champions League before Premier League momentum came to a grinding halt at White Hart Lane.
Spurs’ performance that day has been widely analysed with the intensity in their play and Pochettino’s ability to outsmart Guardiola being key factors in their win. It led to title challenges being re-assessed with Spurs in many eyes now the equal of their moneyed counterparts from the north.
Their start to the season admittedly included rather gentle assignments against Stoke City, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough but there has been a gradual and undeniable seriousness about Spurs in recent weeks. There is a rhythm in their play on the ball; a zeal to win it back when out of possession and many routes to goal through in-form attackers like Erik Lamela and Son Heung-min.
They are in possession of some of the best performers in the league in their respective positions, not least the towering central defender Toby Alderweireld. Moreover, they have been doing it lately with half a team. Last season’s top scorer Harry Kane is laid up with injury while other stars like Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele have also been sidelined. There is more depth this season though with stand-ins like Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen performing well.
A quick analysis of league form over the past year confirms Spurs’ credentials. Taking the last 12 months as a season, Spurs are top after 37 games with one theoretically to play. They are second only to Liverpool on goals scored and have conceded the fewest. They have covered the most ground – collectively – and have restricted their opponents to the fewest shots on target. Meanwhile, they themselves have hit the most.
There is no question that Spurs are the best team in the league even if they don’t have the trophy to show for it. More and more people are beginning to realise that and it won’t be long until their potential as league winners cannot be ignored. All they need to do is to prevent any more slip-ups and to fulfil the undoubted potential they possess. No more draws against West Brom.
A host of bookmakers in the UK stopped taking bets on the Italian leaving Stamford Bridge, but the Blues boss insists he is focused on improving the team's fortunes
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says there is no truth in reports he is set to be sacked by the Premier League outfit.
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After opening the season with a run of three consecutive victories, Chelsea have picked up just four points from a possible 12 in their last four matches - including defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal - leading to speculation the former Italy coach could lose his job.
Betting was suspended on Conte getting the sack on Thursday, but the 47-year-old has laughed off suggestions he is on his way out.
"I am trying to find the man who put all the money on me getting sacked," Conte joked at a news conference.
"But it is difficult to talk about this situation. I am focused on my work and on trying to improve the team. I have a good communication with the club and there is nothing in this. I take it with a smile.
"We are working hard to change the situation of the past and of last season. We are trying to do something important for the present and for the future. We have to be focused on our target.
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"There is always pressure, it's the same in England as in Italy. It's normal that you have to deal with it, the same goes for the players. You want to win and to do well. Pressure is part of the job."
Chelsea will be looking to make it two wins on the trot when they take on reigning champions Leicester City on Saturday.
The German boss is unhappy that the Reds' fixture against Manchester City at the end of December has been moved for television
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at the Premier League's festive fixture schedule after the re-arranged dates for the period were announced.
Changes to suit television scheduling means Liverpool are due to play Manchester City at 1730 local time on December 31, before travelling to face Sunderland on January 2.
Klopp is unhappy with the changes and says he will look to get the match against the Black Cats moved.
The German – named Premier League Manager of the Month for September – also fired back at Raymond Verheijen, the former Wales and Netherlands fitness coach who has criticised Klopp's training methods, suggesting they cause injuries.
Klopp said: "Manager of the Month is a nice prize, but unfortunately a second ago I saw the new fixture changes.
"I am not too happy. I can't believe we have less than 48 hours between City and Sunderland.
"I learn more and more about this league and maybe I have to ask someone if we can ask if there will be another time for us at Sunderland. I got the information and I thought, 'Who had this idea?'
"I would never say Boxing Day is not a good idea because I love it – but now having a matchday with two days between, I don't know why we play on Monday [January 2]. Is it special here, a day off in school?
"We sit here and you ask me about injuries – 48 hours between two games, how does this work?
"And then you will sit there and say, 'Didn't perform too well, how did this happen?' or, 'Injuries - oh?' and then this Dutch guy, the funny athletic coach, says, 'The training is not too good'.
"How do you prepare a team for this? Do you say only 50 per cent against City because we have Sunderland on Monday?
"It doesn't sound like it is right. Everyone is asking why England is not too successful in big tournaments.
"Ask what other big countries are doing at this time – they have their legs on the sofa and are watching English football."
Verheijen promptly responded on Twitter, saying: "Liverpool manager Klopp caused 20 hamstring injuries in 10 months but keeps blaming external factors for injuries."
Spurs are facing a run of seven games in 23 days, and their coach has hinted he could make changes to his side as he aims to keep players fresh and injury-free
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is ready to rotate his squad during a busy and important seven-game stretch.
Pochettino's men are the only undefeated side remaining in the Premier League after their 2-0 victory over Manchester City prior to the international break.
But, Spurs are looking at seven games in 23 days in all competitions, a busy period Pochettino is wary of.
"It is very important now, these next seven games," the Argentinian told reporters.
"We need to manage and handle all the players. We are working very hard to be right for Saturday, to take the best decisions and not risk losing any players for the next six games."
Tottenham visit West Brom on Saturday looking to continue their strong start to the season, sitting a point adrift of leaders City.
Pochettino warned he had a greater role to play with his players, particularly after the international break.
"The players go away and now they come, like Christian [Eriksen, whose Denmark lost to Poland and Montenegro] is coming back very disappointed with the last result, or the England players [who drew with Slovenia] as well," he said.
"Now our job is to be more than coaches, to be psychologists too."
Mourinho calls for end to Hillsborough & Munich chants
Oliver Platt
Oct 14, 2016 22:49:32
Offensive singing in relation to the two tragedies have marred recent matches between Manchester United and Liverpool and the manager hopes they are not heard again
Jose Mourinho has called for an end to offensive chants concerning the Hillsborough and Munich tragedies when Manchester United take on Liverpool on Monday.
Clashes between the two rivals have been marred in recent years by United supporters' songs about the 1989 stadium disaster, which resulted in the deaths of 96 fans, and their Liverpool counterparts' taunts in relation to the plane crash which killed 23 people in 1958.
The two clubs issued a joint statement on Thursday calling for respect between the two sets of supporters ahead of United's latest visit to Anfield.
"In football we have some football tragedies - if you can speak of them like that - which is the big match we lost, some mistake a player did and you can make fun of that in some way," Mourinho told reporters.
"But human tragedy is something much more serious, and I think is the last thing somebody should use on a football pitch because they were really big tragedies.
"So I would be really sad if in such a big football match that was a negative point."
Mourinho is an unpopular figure with Liverpool fans on the back of past visits to Anfield with Chelsea, and admitted he was excited to now be part of an even bigger rivalry.
"I look forward to it, yes, I always like to play at Anfield," he added. "I won many times there, I also lost. I won big matches, I lost big matches, so I cannot say I like to go there because I'm always successful, because it's not true.
"I like the atmosphere, normally the characteristics of the matches, but being Manchester United manager means something more because we cannot compare the historic rivalry between my former club and United and Liverpool.
"It can be comparable to Real Madrid v Barcelona, Benfica v Porto, these kind of matches."
The Italian coach has been impressed by the midfielder's mentality and stamina and wants more players who put the team before themselves like he does
Antonio Conte has affirmed that he admires the way N’Golo Kante sacrifices himself for the team and wants more players like him in his Chelsea side.
Kante has played every minute of Premier League football since joining the Blues for a reported £32 million in the summer from Leicester, whom they welcome to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Conte is pleased with the way the France international has settled in at Chelsea and wants to see more players adopt his mentality.
"I think one Kante is enough," Conte said at a press conference. "These types of players who put themselves before the team, I like them a lot. I want these types of players.
"You can see that N'Golo has fantastic stamina and can cover a lot of ground. It is very important when you play offensive football to have a player that can work very well to recover the ball and win the ball.
"He has a good metabolic system and is very good in this aspect. He is brave, he is a brave man and he has great quality."
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri wanted Kante to stay at the club over the summer and described him as "irreplaceable," but he will face his former player for the first time after Chelsea triggered his buy-out clause.
Conte admits that Kante must have found it tough to reject Champion League football at Leicester to join Chelsea, whose 10th place finish means they will have to wait until next season at the earliest to get back into the competition.
"I don't know why he chose Chelsea [despite not being in the Champions League], you will have to ask him,” he said.
"I hope it was because of my conversation! I bought N'Golo. I think he is an important player for the present and future of Chelsea. We made a great buy to take him from Leicester.
"He is a fantastic player. He can play with three in midfield and with two in midfield and at Leicester last season he played with Danny Drinkwater and against Hull City he played with Nemanja Matic. In other games, he played with Matic and Oscar or Matic and Cesc Fabregas, but I think he can play in both midfields."
Kante has impressed at his new club, but was criticised after the defeat to Arsenal when Mesut Ozil's skill left him exposed for the third goal; and Conte was quick to come to the defence of his midfielder.
"Sometimes N'Golo pays for his generosity and in this situation, he paid for this because he went and played to stop the opponent who then turned and went past him, but I prefer him making a mistake for the right reasons than another type of mistake.
"This was because he went to close down, not at the right time, but he went. I would prefer he went than stayed away from it. I think these two defeats are important and after these two defeats we changed something."
Liverpool v Manchester United 'just a big match' for Mourinho
Joe Wright
Oct 14, 2016 16:46:07
The manager has compared Monday's Premier League clashes to Europe's biggest matches, but says he does not consider it overly special
Liverpool against Manchester United is no different to any other match between big rivals in Europe, according to Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho takes his side to Anfield on Monday for his first encounter with the Merseysiders since he took charge at Old Trafford in July.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said on Friday that the magnitude of the clash should not be overlooked, but Mourinho feels the rivalry is no greater than others he has experienced during his career.
He said: "I always like to play at Anfield. I won big matches and lost big matches. It's not true that I'm always successful but I like to go there, I like the atmosphere and normally the characteristics of the matches.
"Being Man United manager obviously means something more, but for me it's just a big match. It can be comparable to Inter-[AC] Milan, Real Madrid-Barcelona, maybe Porto-Benfica.
"The season for me is not about Anfield and Old Trafford in January. It's about many matches, many points to lose, many targets."
Mourinho has only managed one victory over Klopp in their past five meetings - a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund as Real Madrid coach back in the Champions League semi-finals in 2013 - but he would not be drawn on his assessment of the German's work at Liverpool in the past year.
"I've not much to say," was his response when asked for his view on Klopp's work.
Asked whether Liverpool should be considered title contenders, he added: "You have to ask them. They're a good team."
Mourinho added that Wayne Rooney has looked good in training in recent days despite the disappointment of being dropped from the England starting line-up for the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia on Tuesday.
"England is not my problem," said Mourinho. "He's good, prepared, he's training well, he's positive."
Klopp beats Guardiola to Manager of the Month award
14 October 2016
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Tottenham forward Son Heung-min have been named as the Premier League's Manager and Player of the Month for September.
Klopp is rewarded after the Reds won all three of their matches last month, defeating champions Leicester City, Chelsea and Hull City.
Pep Guardiola, Alan Pardew, Mauricio Pochettino and Arsene Wenger were the other managers on the five-man shortlist.
After winning the award for the first time, Klopp said to the Premier League's website: "I went into the office of my coaches and said, 'We are Manager of the Month! I don't need personal prizes but it's nice now I have another one'.
"We are on a good way but there are so many good teams in this league and so many difficult games for us, which we have to be ready for.
"I'm fine with the moment, but we have to play a few more games and hopefully we perform well."
It was an award double for Liverpool with Jordan Henderson receiving the goal of the month accolade for his strike against Chelsea.
Son, meanwhile, was named as the month's top player after scoring four times and registering an assist in Tottenham's three league matches – all of which were victories.
He was selected over Kevin De Bruyne, Adam Lallana, Romelu Lukaku and Theo Walcott to become the first Asian winner of the prize.
"This is my dream, to get the award," Son said. "I want to get it a second time, a third time.
"When I take the award home my family will be crazy like you can't believe - they will be really happy.
"I can't believe I'm the first player from Asia. Many players deserved it - Ji Sung-Park had great seasons.
"I'm very thankful for the support. They support every day, every weekend, every game."
'They came to do a job' - Liverpool captain Henderson frustrated by Man Utd
Sacha Pisani
Oct 18, 2016 00:03:11
Jose Mourinho set his side out to stifle Jurgen Klopp's men and they did just that during Monday's Premier League showdown
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson cut a frustrated figure after the Reds stuttered to a goalless draw with arch-rivals Manchester United.
Much was expected of the fiery Premier League fixture but Monday's blockbuster failed to live up to the hype as United negated the attacking threat of Liverpool at Anfield.
In a game lacking clear-cut chances, United goalkeeper David de Gea produced two fine saves to deny Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho in the second half.
The forgettable stalemate brought an end to Liverpool's four-game winning streak in the Premier League, much to the disappointment of Henderson.
"We're a bit frustrated," Henderson told Sky Sports. "We're also a bit disappointed because we didn't play to the level we're capable of and set this season in the majority of games.
"At times we were good but the rhythm wasn't there in the final third, we didn't create many clear-cut chances. We defended well and won the ball back, but we could have been more decisive in the final third. Man Utd are a great side, though, you've got to respect them. They came here and did a job.
"I'm not sure if it was nervy but maybe we were trying to force it a little bit, it was a bit hectic at times. In terms of winning the ball back we had the right attitude.
"Early on we didn't start great, we grew into it as the half went on and dominated the ball more. We dominated in the second half again but didn't create that chance. Phillipe's [Coutinho] strike – I thought it was in top corner but it was a great save!"
'Pogba's a fraud!' - Angry Man Utd fans react to lame display vs Liverpool
Oct 17, 2016 23:47:55
Much has been made of the Frenchman since his world-record transfer to Old Trafford and his display in Monday's clash with Liverpool left a lot to be desired
Jose Mourinho commented that "where Paul Pogba was, I was expecting more penetration" after Manchester United drew 0-0 with title rivals Liverpool on Monday.
The comments indicated he was a little disappointed with the attacking side of the midfielder's performance at Anfield - and he was far from alone among the Twitter masses.
While some angry fans labelled world-record transfer Pogba a "fraud", others simply mocked the former Juventus man's performance.
Leicester players held emergency clear-the-air talks, reveals Schmeichel
Chris Myson
Oct 17, 2016 16:39:58
The Foxes are preparing to face Copenhagen in the Champions League on the back of a poor run, but the Danish goalkeeper will not panic
Kasper Schmeichel says Leicester City players have held talks in a bid to turn their poor start to the season around.
The Premier League champions have only collected eight points from as many matches in defence of their title and were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday - their fourth consecutive top-flight away loss.
Schmeichel is convinced Leicester can recover as they prepare to take on Copenhagen in the Champions League, a competition that has seen them produce better results – two straight wins that have them two points clear of the Danes at the top of Group G.
"We have had a chat and things have been said and resolved, now we move on," the goalkeeper said ahead of Tuesday's game at the King Power Stadium. "Any defeat hurts and it's not nice to lose the way we did.
"We've had to look at ourselves in the mirror and get back on it. It's a massive test for us.
"I'm confident we will come back strongly and I've known a lot of the players for many years, I would never question their heart at all.
"It's not a time to worry or panic. We come good in the middle of a season and really good towards the end. We're working hard and it'll come good - I'm sure of that.
"I remember playing Tuesday nights in front of small crowds in the Championship. We've come a long way and it's important to remember that."
Denmark international Schmeichel is relishing the chance to take on a team from his homeland.
He said: "I was convinced we'd get Copenhagen. They are a draw I was hoping for. I was very happy with it.
"Our mentality won us the league last season but we have been good enough in the Champions League so far."
Manchester City post profit for second time in Sheikh Mansour era
Sam Lee
Oct 18, 2016 07:08:07
The Blues were £11 million in the black 12 months ago - their first profit of the Sheikh Mansour era - and improved their accounts over the 2015-16 season
Manchester City have posted profits of £20.5 million in their latest financial accounts, the eighth consecutive season that the club have announced an improved financial position.
City announced a profit for the first time during the Sheikh Mansour era this time last year, when their accounts were £11m in the black.
The increase across the 2015-16 season is thanks in no small part to City's run to the Champions League semi-final, which helped ensure broadcast revenue rose 19 per cent to £161.4m.
The expansion work on the Etihad Stadium, which boosted domestic attendances, also helped matchday revenue rise by 21% to £52m, while commercial revenue grew 3% to £177.9m.
City's total revenue across the season was £391.8m, a total increase of 11% on the previous results.
“Manchester City has now reached a level of sporting and commercial maturity that allows one to feed the other”, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement.
“I believe the 2016-17 season represents the beginning of a critical new phase in the evolution of Manchester City. We know that we have the playing, coaching and off-field capabilities at our disposal to achieve great things in English and European football in the years ahead.”
City also have assets of more than £677m and operate with zero financial debt.
