SoccerVillage Blog

AVB calls for public backing before Napoli clash

Posted on February 21, 2012 by admin

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has today called on club owner Roman Abramovic to show him a public display of support prior to tonights Champions League with Napoli. Despite recent media reports to the contrary AVB has always insisted that he has the Russian billionaires support but would now like him to show an outward public backing. He said that people need to see that the club’s hierarchy support his vision for the teams’ long term future and back his plan for restructuring the squad to ‘sustain’ their success. He added: ‘These words would be more valuable coming from the top. I cannot keep saying them.’ Since joining Chelsea in the Summer Villas-Boas has spent around £84m on new players all but two of which are under the age of 24 showing that his ‘restructing’ of the squad definitely has a long-term feel about it. The only exceptions were Raul Meireles, 28, who signed from Liverpool and Gary Cahill, 26, who joined from Bolton Wanderers. Despite a poor recent run of form which has seen Chelsea drop 10 points behind Tottenham Hotspur who are in 3rd Villas-Boas remained upbeat about the quality of the squad and wanted to issue another reminder that his’project’ was in its infancy. He said: ‘In terms of the results this year, the speculation is normal given the cultural past of this football club. But you have to understand that there’s a different perspective now. We had a three-year project to change not only the team, but the culture and structure of the club. There’s a lot we needed to do, a lot of plans. That’s why I’m excited about the future. Having said that, we have to build a team to win trophies.’ He then added a little spice to the upcoming Champions League clash by saying that he was still confident that Chelsea could go on and win the competition. He said: ‘We’re no longer in the Carling Cup and don’t have a chance to win the title. But we are still confident we can do well in the Champions League and the FA Cup.’ Chelsea’s top scorers, former Manchester City striker Daniel Sturridge, and Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba have also spoken about tonights match and have made out that the club have a point to prove given their recent results. Sturridge said: ‘They have some great individuals, as well as a good team. But we have the same and we are not going to worry about what they have got. We have to go out there with the attitude that they have got to worry about what we have got.’ Drogba added: ‘We feel that no one really believes in us. We are going to show we deserve to be here. It’s a top game and we are going to have to get a good result.’

So, do you think AVB will get his wish and be backed publicly by Abramovic? Will he still be in the Chelsea job next season or will he be sacked if they don’t secure a Champions League place?

Can Chelsea beat Napoli? Do they stand a chance of winning the Champions League this season?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Chelsea Home Shirt and the Chelsea Away Shirt.

Posted in Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Ivory Coast, Liverpool, Manchester City, Napoli, Tottenham Hotspur | Leave a comment

Niall Quinn leaves Sunderland role

Posted on February 20, 2012 by admin

It has been revealed today that Niall Quinn has stepped down from his role as director of international development at Sunderland after spending the last six years at the club. He joined as chairman in 2006 when the consortium he headed, Drumaville, took over the club and remained in the post until October last year. It is now thought that Quinn will return to his native Ireland to concentrate on spending time with his family and his other business interests outside of football. Speaking about his decision Quinn said: ‘I’ve had the most amazing six years. It gives me a huge sense of pride to see where the club is today.’ As chairman Quinn, and the Drumaville consortium, were responsible for backing Sunderland’s return to the Premier League and he was also heavily involved in persuading the current owner, American Ellis Short, to buy the club in 2009. The former Arsenal and Manchester City player stepped aside last year to allow Short into the chairman role and became more involved with the clubs overseas business deals. Quinn, who amassed an oustanding 92 caps for Ireland, leaves the club in 9th place in the Premier League and also through to the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Since sacking Steve Bruce as manager and appointing former Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill the team have won 10 out of their 15 matches are look set for a strong finish to the season. Speaking about the clubs current situation Quinn said: ‘Everything is in place for Sunderland to really make a statement, which was always my aim. From a football perspective, securing the services of Martin O’Neill has been an absolute highlight. In Martin we have a man that understands the region, the club and the unique place it holds in the lives of its supporters and I am confident that he will harness the immense passion that exists here and take us to new heights.’ He also paid tribute to the Sunderlands as well as owner Ellis Short who he described as an ‘astute’ and ‘passionate’ professional. The owner and chairman responded to Quinn’s decision and spoke highly of the former Sunderland striker. He said: ‘Niall Quinn is and always will be a Sunderland legend. His vision brought me into the club and that vision still inspires what we do. He has been a trusted friend and advisor to me throughout our time together at Sunderland and while I’m sad about his departure, I respect his view that his ‘work is done’. My job is to carry on that work.’ Manager Martin O’Neill also spoke about Quinn describing him as an ‘iconic’ figure at the club. He added: ‘Like everyone, I couldn’t be more disappointed that he has decided to step down but of course I respect and understand his decision. He has been the heartbeat of the football club for so long and his legacy is immeasurable. To me he is ‘Mr. Sunderland’ – and always will be.’

So, what do you think will Quinn’s everlasting legacy be at Sunderland. His goalscoring as a player or his work as chairman?

Where will Sunderland finish in the league this season? Can they win the FA Cup?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Sunderland Away Shirt and the Sunderland Boys Home Kit. We also have a full range of Ireland kits if you are a Quinn fan but don’t support the Black Cats. You can see more by clicking on the image below.

Posted in Arsenal, Aston Villa, Ireland, Manchester City, Sunderland | Leave a comment

Manchester clubs in Europa League action

Posted on February 16, 2012 by admin

Both Manchester United and Manchester City are set to make their first appearances in this season’s Europa League having both been dumped out of the Champions League towards the end of last year. Man Utd play their first leg away at fellow Champions League exitee’s Ajax. It has been reported that Sir Alex Ferguson will not field a full first choice 11 for tonights fixture and it is thought that Patrice Evra, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov will all be rested. The 20 man squad does contain Nani, Cleverley, Young and Jones however with all four players returning from injury. Youngsters Paul Pogba and Zeki Fryers have also made the cut and will travel to Holland today. Despite their illustrious opponents this is the first season that Man Utd have competed outside the Champions League since 1995, a fact that did not escape the notice of United striker Javier Hernandez. Speaking about the tie he said: ‘Both teams have come out of the Champions League and they both have a great history. We have won a lot of European Cups between us, so it will be a very interesting game. We need to get used to the fact we are not in the Champions League this season.’ Manager Alex Ferguson also spoke about the game and reiterated that he will take the Europa League seriously and attempt to win the competition. He said: ‘Winning any European trophy is significant. Irrespective of those who have won the three trophies before it is important for us, with our own history, to win tournaments all the time. We threw it away in our home game against FC Basel and were unlucky against Benfica. That caught us short and we suffered for it. Now players are coming back I am sure we can combine the Premier League and Europa League so I would certainly try to play my strongest team in each round now.’ Premier League leaders Man City are also in Europa League action tonight against another of the Champions League drop-outs Porto. Manager Roberto Mancini is believed to be taking a strong squad to Portugal for the clash and welcomes back brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure from African Nations duty with the Ivory Coast. It is also thought that controversial Italy striker Mario Balotelli is included in the travelling party having served a domestic suspension and also joins January loanee from AS Roma, David Pizarro, in the 20 man squad. One man who has not made the cut is the recently returned Carlos Tevez who has spent the last couple of months in his homeland Argentina having been suspended by the club for gross misconduct. In a brief interview about the match Mancini said: ‘I think this is one of the big games at this stage because we play Porto, a top team who have played in the Champions League. I have met Porto many times in the Europa League or Champions League and it is very difficult to play here. At home they are very strong, last year they won the title. It will be very hard for this reason but I think it will be a very good game.’

So, how do you think City and United will fair in tonight’s away fixtures? Can either of the clubs win the cometition, and who is the most likely to do so?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Manchester United Home Shirt and the Manchester City Home Shirt. We also have stock of both opponents for tonights matches which you can see by clicking on the images below.

Posted in Ajax, Argentina, AS Roma, Benfica, FC Basel, Holland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto, Portugal | Leave a comment

Hazard hints at Spurs move

Posted on February 14, 2012 by admin

Sought after Lille midfielder Eden Hazard has revealed on Belgian television that Tottenham Hotspur may be his preferred destination when the Summer transfer window opens. The 21 year old Belgium international has made 121 appearances for Lille already in his short career and has scored 25 times. He made his club debut at 16 years old and his international debut at 17. Hazard also became the French Ligue 1′s youngest ‘player of the year’ when he was given the award last season aged 20. Not only that but his performances also helped Lille on to a domestic league and cup double. His contract with the French club runs until June 2015 but it is widely believed that this will be broken in the Summer when it is likely that he will move on. Over the last few months it has been widely reported that Hazard is one of the most sought after players in Europe with both Arsenal and Real Madrid being top of the list to land the youngsters signature. It is believed that Arsenal in fact lodged a bid in the region of £26m for Hazard in the Summer following the departures of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and Samir Nasri to Manchester City but a deal failed to materialise. During an interview with Belgian tv station RTBF, Hazard said: ‘Maybe it will be Tottenham. It is a great English club. I said that I would go to England and there are very good players at Spurs. I have not yet signed, this is going to happen soon.’ Despite always being linked with a move to the Premier League, and expressing his desire to do so, Hazard didn’t rule out a move to Spain. He said: ‘Spain is perhaps more my style of game but if I move there it must be to either Barcelona or Real Madrid.’ Hazard’s team-mate, and former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder, Joe Cole has also heaped praise on the youngster recently describing him as an extraordinary player and even comparing him to Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Speaking to talkSport Cole said: ‘Hazard is different class. He’s still only 21 sic and has definitely got another few gears to go up. He’s got the same attitude as Rooney at that age. He’s fearless.’ He then followed: ‘He knows how good he is, and that’s a positive thing. All the top players have got that belief and a bit of presence and arrogance, and he’s like that. He’s a bit like Messi. There’s only one Messi and I don’t want to put pressure on the kid, but he’s like him – short, squat, powerful legs, great touch, he can finish, he’s got everything.’

So, where will Hazard end up in the Summer? Could he be as good as Messi? If so, what could the transfer fee realistically be?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Tottenham Hotspur Home Shirt and the Real Madrid Home Shirt.

Posted in Arsenal, Barcelona, Belgium, Chelsea, England, Lille, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Spain, Tottenham Hotspur | Leave a comment

“Tevez’ wage demands too high.” – Ancelotti

Posted on February 10, 2012 by admin

Paris Saint Germain manager Carlo Ancelotti has today explained the reasons behind his clubs failed January bid for wantaway Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. The 52 year old Italian also said that he would still like to sign Tevez but the Argentine’s wage demands remain a stumbling block in negotiations between the two clubs. The former Chelsea boss said: ‘We spoke with his agent – we wanted to have him – but we couldn’t reach an agreement. I don’t think he’ll change his idea about how much he wants to earn.’ It was believed for some time that the 27 year old Argentina international would leave City in the January transfer window but despite reported interest from AC Milan, PSG and Inter Milan he remained at the Etihad Stadium and has even been selected in Roberto Mancini’s 25 man squad for the rest of the season. This decision has of course prompted reports that Mancini may play Tevez before the end of the season despite previously stating that he was “finished” at the club and would never play for them again. The long running saga began back in September when Tevez reportedly refused to come on as a substitute against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Tevez has vehemently denied these claims and has stated all along that there was simply a misunderstanding between himself and the manager and believed that he was conversing about a warm-up routine rather than a substitution. Immediately after the incident Tevez was fined two weeks wages by the club, an estimated £400,000. Following this he left England and returned to South America prompting the club to fine him a total of six weeks wages for gross misconduct. At a reported £200,000 a week this is estimated to have cost the player £1.2m in total. It has also been mentioned in the media that Tevez has not been paid his wage since the end of November, another massive figure totalling £1.7m. Not only that but shortly before the Bayern Munich incident it was also reported that Man City had rescinded Tevez’ loyalty bonuses for the remainder of his contract due to his persistent transfer requests. This was reported at a simply staggering £6m meaning that the potential loss of money to the player since September 2011 to today could be as much as £9.3m. Speaking to the media about the transfer situation Man City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak spoke highly of Ancelotti’s PSG and Claudio Ranieri’s Inter Milan but criticised Italian champions AC Milan for their lack of professionalism. Despite AC Milan being Tevez’ preferred destination it appears more likely that the club would rather send him elsewhere following the previous discussions. He described their dealings with Tevez as “premature” and said: ‘As things stand, AC Milan are not an option for Carlos. If they want to be a consideration in this transfer window, they would do better to stop congratulating one another and begin to look at how they would meet our terms.’ It is believed that Al-Mubarak would only be willing to let Tevez go for £25m plus add-ons. He then went on to say: ‘Unless we receive an offer we deem appropriate, the terms of his contract will be enforced. Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain approached discussions with us in good faith. It is always a positive experience to deal with people with a professional approach.’ Tevez, whose current deal at City expires in June 2014, is still in his home country and has not played for the team since the 21st September. He is understood to have attended a farewell match at the La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires recently for former Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo.

So, where do you think Tevez will move to in the Summer transfer window? Will he cause any trouble at his next club?

Do you think Tevez will play again for Man City before the end of the season? Should City be willing to accept a lower offer for Tevez just to get rid of him?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Manchester City Home Shirt and the Manchester City Away Shirt. We also have a large selection of international clubs available including Tevez’ possible destinations, you can see more by clicking on the images below.

Posted in AC Milan, Argentina, Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, Chelsea, England, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain | Leave a comment

Sunderland edge local rivals to reach FA Cup 5th round

Posted on February 9, 2012 by admin

In an FA Cup 4th round replay on Tuesday night Sunderland managed to defeat their local rivals Middlesbrough 2-1 after extra-time. A goal from Benin international Stephane Sessegnon just 8 minutes before the end of extra time sealed the victory meaning the Black Cats avoided the dreaded penalty shootout and secured their place in the fifth round draw where they will play at home to Arsenal. The chilly evening match began slowly with the hosts Middlesbrough taking the advantage early and working Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet with one particularly important save coming from former Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca’s dipping shot. Just before half-time however the away side took a devastating lead with Fraizer Campbell laying the ball off to Jack Colback who controlled the ball and powered it in to the net stylishly hitting the bar on the way. Within a minute though Tony Mowbray’s men could have levelled but for a last ditch effort by Phil Bardsley to clear Tony McMahon’s drive off the line. The home side did make the breakthrough after half time however with Lukas Jutkiewicz levelleing the scores after being the first to react to a loose ball inside the Black Cats penalty area. The only other chance worthy of note was a fierce drive from Phil Bardsley which rebounded off the Boro goalpost but with no further goals the tie was sent into extra time where Sessegnon finally sealed the victory on 112 minutes. After the game Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray said: ‘The overriding emotion is disappointment, of course. It’s a game we haven’t won and somewhere along the line, statistics will be used to say we haven’t won since Boxing Day, as I am hearing a lot at the moment. It’s little consolation. The bottom line is when you go to extra-time, you have got to come out winning the football match, not having any consolation that you might have done okay in the game. We didn’t win it and Sunderland found a way to win it tonight.’ Sunderland will meet their FA Cup 5th round rivals this weekend at home with Arsenal making the trip up to the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Speaking after Tuesdays match manager Martin O’Neill said: ‘Arsenal will be pretty pleased that we have gone into extra-time. We will try to get ourselves ready for that game. The cup game will take care of itself the week after. The penalty-kicks were a concern because it’s a lottery. I obviously thought it was going to go that distance because the two teams were tiring. I know they were pressing as the ball broke down, but I am pleased from a selfish viewpoint that it didn’t go to penalties.’ Other notable FA Cup 5th round ties include Chelsea versus last seasons Carling Cup winners Birmingham City as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City who face lower-league opposition in Stevenage and Crawley respectively. Liverpool also go up against Championship opposition like Chelsea when they face Brighton.

So, who do you think will win the FA Cup this season?

What do you make of Sunderland’s amazing turnaround under Martin O’Neill? Can they sustain it for the remainder of the season?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Sunderland Home Shirt and the Sunderland Away Shirt.

Posted in Arsenal, Benin, Birmingham City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crawley Town, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Stevenage Borough, Stoke City, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur | Leave a comment

Wenger defiant ahead of planned protests

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has today said that he intends to ‘rise above’ the protests which have been planned for this weekend by disgruntled fans regarding the teams recent performances. Having drawn 0-0 with Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday night Wenger’s side have only taken one point from their last four Premier League matches. They finished fourth last season and qualified for the Champions League however Wenger’s men currently find themselves languishing in seventh, three places off the Champions League qualifying spot and a massive 17 points behind league leaders Manchester City. One report has suggested that some of the Gunners fans are planning on covering any empty seats at the Emirates Stadium with black bin liners to highlight the dwindling numbers at home matches. Despite these accusations the club claim that the attendances of their last three games have been in excess of 60,000, only just shy of their total capacity of 60,432. Speaking about the plans Wenger responded: ‘I feel we have to be above that and show our quality on the football pitch and not respond to every individual provocation.’ The main talking point among Arsenal fans recently was Wengers controversial decision to substitute youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for lacklustre Russia international Andrey Arshavin against Manchester United when the teams met in the league on 22nd January. The match ended in a 2-1 defeat to last seasons champions and brough to an end a miserable month of league football for Arsenal following defeats by London rivals Fulham and Premier League newcomers Swansea City. Throughout the whole of January, Arsenal only wins came via their two FA Cup fixtures where they beat Leeds United 1-0 and Aston Villa 3-2. Speaking further on the situation the 62 year old Frenchman, who has been at the club since 1996, called on fans to maintain a sense of perspective and said: ‘I believe we played 15 years on the trot in the Champions League, and we play in 10 days in the last 16 of the Champions League. Ideally I want everybody to be completely happy and over the moon, but we live in a world where you have to accept that not everybody reacts the same.’ So, looking ahead to this weekends home fixture against strugglers Blackburn Rovers it is essential for Arsenal to get a result. They are currently five points behind Chelsea who are in fourth and have tough games coming up against a resurgent Sunderland, London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Liverpool at Anfield and high fliers Newcastle United back at the Emirates. The match is equally important for Blackburn however as they have recently slipped back into the relegation zone. There also now appears to be a gap forming between the bottom five teams and the rest of the league. Manager Steve Kean was the subject of many fan protests and demonstrations leading up to the busy Christmas period however he managed to calm fans somewhat with victory over Man Utd as well as draws against Liverpool and Everton. It all started to go downhill again midweek however with many fans walking out of Ewood Park as the team went 2-0 to Newcastle early on in the game. When the teams met earlier in the season Blackburn ran out 4-3 winners after a pulsating game which saw Rovers’ new fan favourite Yakubu score twice however he is unavailable for this weekends match.

So, do you agree with the Arsenal fans protests? Realistically, what can the Gunners ambition be for the remainder of this season? Will Arsene Weneger see out his contract until June 2014 or will he leave sooner?

Can they possibly hope to win the Champions League? Will they even beat Blackburn this weekend?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Arsenal Away Womens Shirt and a brand new set of Arsenal Baby Bodysuits. You can also see more of our home and away kits by clicking on the images below.

Posted in Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Russia, Sunderland, Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur | Leave a comment

Cisse sure Rangers can stay up

Posted on February 2, 2012 by admin

During an interview today Queens Park Rangers‘ newest striker Djibril Cisse spoke about his confidence that the club will beat relegation and stay in the Premier League for next season. The France international joined on deadline day from Italian Serie A club Lazio on a two and a half year deal for a fee of around £4m. He kept up his incredible record of scoring on his debut and netted within the first twelve minutes of his first appearance against Aston Villa last night. Rangers went 2-0 up in the first half but were pegged back by a resurgent Villa in the second half with the match ending 2-2. The club now sit three points above the relegation zone however Cisse is confident that the new look Rangers team possess the quality to beat the drop. The former Liverpool and Sunderland man said: ‘I have absolutely no doubt that we can stay in the Premier League. I don’t want to hear the word relegation. We are a new team in the Premier League so it’s understandable that we make a few mistakes sometimes, but to get a point is a good performance.’ He also spoke about Rangers’ new managerial appointment Mark Hughes and stated the importance of the manager understanding where the players are coming from having been there themselves. Hughes of course was a well travelled player having made appearances for Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Cisse said: ‘It’s important to have a coach who knows what the players feel and think, and it’s even better when he knows what’s in your head because he used to be in the same position as you. I’m very happy to work with him.’ He finished: ‘I’m really happy and really satisfied to score. The goal wasn’t easy because the angle was tight, but it’s the kind of goal I like to put in.’ Hughes also spoke briefly to the media about his new signing and said: ‘We’re delighted that he has such an instant impact so early in his QPR career. You saw his quality tonight in tight areas, where he was able to use his pace and power and that will be effective for us during the course of the season.’ Also making their debuts for Rangers last night were Nedum Onuoha who signed from one of Hughes’ former clubs Manchester City and Taye Taiwo who is on a loan deal from Italian champions AC Milan. Despite making a £4m deadline day move to Loftus Road former Fulham striker Bobby Zamora was not eligible to play in time so his debut for the club will have to wait until their next fixture.

So, is Cisse right, will QPR stay in ther Premier League this season? Would it be disastrous for the clubs ambitions and spending if they were to be relegated? What do you make of the January signings? Will they prove to be the difference?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the QPR Home Shirt and the QPR Boys Home Shirt.

Posted in AC Milan, Aston Villa, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, France, Lazio, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland | Leave a comment

Spurs complete several deadline day deals

Posted on February 1, 2012 by admin

Tottenham Hotspur, alongside Queens Park Rangers, were by far the busiest Premier League club on deadline day yesterday. It was revealed last night that Everton striker Louis Saha was to leave the Toffees and sign an 18 month deal at White Hart Lane. The 33 year old France international joins Spurs on a free transfer bringing an end to his three and a half years at Everton. The former Fulham and Manchester United player has struggled particularly with his fitness since joining Everton and has managed 27 goals in 97 appearances for the club. Speaking about the deal, manager Harry Redknapp said: ‘I like Louis. He is bright, sharp, has good movement and I think he’ll do well for us.’ Moving in the opposite direction from Spurs back to Everton yesterday was South Africa international Steven Pienaar. The 29 year old previously spent 3 years at Goodison Park and became a fan favourite before making the move down to London. He made 76 appearances for Everton during his time there and scored 7 goals. The loan deal that he has signed will last until the end of the season. Also on their way out of the door at White Hart Lane were Sebastian Bassong who joined Wolverhampton Wanderers, Roman Pavlyuchenko who has returned to Russia with Lokomotiv Moscow and Croatia international Vedran Corluka who has hooked up with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. All of these deals were loans which will last until the end of the season. It was also reported this morning that an extremely late deal was struck between Spurs and Blackburn Rovers for defender Ryan Nelsen who is out of contract at Ewood Park and was allowed to leave for free after the Lancashire club cancelled his contract. The 34 year old New Zealand international made more than 170 appearances for Blackburn since joining in 2005 and was also club captain. He also had the rare honour of captaining his national team during the 2010 World Cup. Nelsen’s agent Lyle Yorks spoke about the quick nature of the transfer and said: ‘We settled with Blackburn and have reached agreement with Spurs. We’re just awaiting clearance. It’s for six months, with a one-year option. It all unfolded quickly. Harry Redknapp has always been a big fan of Ryan. When the opportunity came up, it really played itself out.’

So, what do you make of Spurs’ dealings in this January’s transfer window? Has the team been strengthened or has Redknapp let too many squad players go out on loan deals?

We would love to hear from you.

At Soccervillage we have a wide range of Official Football Shirts available for kids and adults including the Tottenham Hotspur Home Shirt and the Tottenham Hotspur Away Shirt.

Posted in Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers, Croatia, Everton, France, Fulham, Manchester United, New Zealand, Queens Park Rangers, Russia, South Africa, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers | Leave a comment

Transfer Deadline Day

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

It has been revealed this afternoon that Queens Park Rangers have agreed a fee of around £4m with Fulham for striker Bobby Zamora. The 29 year old England international joined Fulham from West Ham United for £4.8m in July 2008 and since then has become a regular in the first team scoring 7 goals in 29 appearances so far this season. Although a fee has been agreed between the clubs it is thought that contract negotiations and personal terms have reached a standstill in the last few hours which QPR will obviously hope to push through before tonights deadline. The deal will also hinge on a medical at Loftus Road before Zamora can hook up with former Cottagers manager Mark Hughes. This deal follows several other transfers that Rangers have made during the window including Samba Diakite from Nancy, Nedum Onuoha from Manchester City and a loan deal for Taye Taiwo from Italian champions AC Milan. It has also been reported over the last couple of days that Rangers are close to another £4m deal, this time to bring former Liverpool and Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse back to the Premier League. Cisse’s former club Sunderland have also completed a deal today to take England defender Wayne Bridge on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season. The 31 year old former Chelsea man has struggled to establish himself in the City side since he was signed by Mark Hughes in January 2009 and must now look elsewhere for regular football as his career edges towards its twilight years. Since joining City three years ago he has only made 58 appearances in total with just one so far this season in the Carling Cup. Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill has made the move for Bridge as extra cover since the loss of Wes Brown to injury last weekend and said: ‘I’m very pleased to have him here and with the number of injuries we’ve sustained recently I’m sure he’ll be a great help to us.’
Also today it has been revealed that Bolton Wanderers have increased their bid for Crystal Palace youngster Wilfried Zaha to £7m. The 19 year old winger has impressed several Premier League clubs with his performances recently, particularly in the Carling Cup, but Bolton were the first to pounce and had a bid rejected earlier this week. Manager Owen Coyle expressed his concern that the deal would not go through and said: ‘I don’t think our bid is to the value that the Crystal Palace chairman wants, but it is an offer we felt was fair for a very talented young player. I always put what I think is a fair value on a player and if we get to it, great. He is such a talented young player and he will get better – there is scope for improvement. He has got pace and unbelievable quality and natural attributes. But at the moment it looks as if we are a way apart in terms of valuation.’
It has also been confirmed today that Chelsea have completed the signing of Genk youngster Kevin De Bruyne for a fee believed to be in the region of £6.7m. The 20 year old Belgian has signed a five and a half year deal at Stamford Bridge but will loaned back to Genk until the end of the season. Speaking about the transfer De Bruyne said: ‘To come to a team like Chelsea is a dream but now I have to work hard to achieve the level that’s necessary. I have signed now and I will go back for six months on loan to play some games and gain more experience.’ Earlier this week Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas caused a stir by declaring that it was not his decision to sign the youngster but that it was simply down to ‘club policy’. He said: ‘It’s a target that’s decided by the club, that I knew about for quite some time. In the sense that it’s the club policy for the future, it’s the right thing to buy him and I’ll do everything in my power for him to reach maximum potential. ut it’s down to the club in decision-making. I’m a manager who respects club policy. A club has to look to the future, whether it’s with this manager or another. He’s a good bet for the future.’
One other story hitting the headlines today is that a deal is being prepared by Tottenham Hotspur for Wigan Athletic striker Hugo Rodallega. The two teams actually meet each other at White Hart Lane tonight with many media personal believing that the Colombian international may play against Spurs tonight and then head straight up to the stands and sign a deal. Rodallega is out of contract in the Summer and has already been the subject of a £4m bid by QPR which was immediately rejected. As far as Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is concerned however he must try and make as much cash on the player in this window before he is allowed to leave on a free transfer in the Summer. He joined in 2008 for £4.5m and has scored 25 goals for the Latics in 106 appearances. Speaking in an interview Whelan said: ‘We are used to Tottenham making a last minute bid on transfer deadline day, and by last minute, I mean the very last minute. I have seen Spurs linked with Rodallega for some time, but we have not received a bid, not even an inquiry as far as I know. That doesn’t mean they won’t make a bid, but if they do they always leave it late, very late.’