Liverpool have confirmed that manager Rafael Benitez will leave the club by mutual consent following a disappointing seventh-place Premier League finish last term.
The club lost 11 league games and they also crashed out of the Champions League group stage after falling to disappointing defeats against Lyon and Fiorentina.
Co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have made the decision to bring change to the beleaguered Anfield-based outfit as they look to put pressure on Chelsea and Manchester United at the top of the league next season.
Benitez's big highlight came at the end of the 2004/05 campaign when the Reds sensationally came from 3-0 down at the interval in the Champions League final against AC Milan to tie the score 3-3.
His team then held their nerve and landed their fifth European Cup following a successful penalty shoot-out.
They also came out on top in another shoot-out the following season as they saw off West Ham United in the FA Cup final after another memorable 3-3 draw but that was as good as it got for Benitez.
A message left by the departing coach on the club's official website read:"It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC.
"I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool.
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"I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.
"Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Julio Baptista is being linked with a move to Tottenham this summer, but is the man they call ‘The Beast’ really what they need, and could he be a success at the club? Baptista didn’t have the best of times during his last spell in North London and didn’t make a massive impact or lived up to the hype that was previously surrounding him.
Wenger signed Baptista on a year’s loan from Real Madrid in 2006. The Brazilian was used as both a midfielder and a striker whilst at Arsenal and it was difficult to tell where his best position was. Baptista was a popular player amongst Arsenal fans due to his tenacious and wholehearted approach and as a result he was given a warm reception when he went back to the Emirates with his current club Roma in the Champions League.
At the end of his one and only season with Arsenal, Wenger decided not to sign Baptista permanently and he returned to Real Madrid. During his time in England Baptista showed that he had some qualities that suited the Premiership such as his physical approach, therefore maybe if he was given another season he could have fully adapted to the league. Now that Tottenham could be offering him a return to the Premier League, Baptista would be keen to prove he can cut it in England, after a stop start season at Roma.
However if Tottenham were to sign him would they be bringing him in specifically as a midfielder or a striker? If he is bought to play in midfield then they already have an abundance of options and with Tom Huddlestone, Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios all impressing in the centre last season Baptista would surely only be fourth choice there. Also Spurs have fellow Brazilian Sandro arriving from Internacional so for him to be a midfield acquisition wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. If Baptista is signed as a striker then he probably wouldn’t do any better than what they’ve got already, therefore you have to ask yourself whether the Brazilian would be the type of player that would dramatically improve their squad better than it already is.
This season the players that Harry Redknapp chooses to sign could be crucial as they will look to try and qualify for the Champions League again. In my view Redknapp can’t really afford to take a risk on a player who although possesses some qualities, has continuted to be undone by a lack of consistency at most clubs he has been.
Would you like to see Baptista at White Hart Lane?
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Click image below to see a gallery of the Argentinean babes at the World Cup:
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Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has rejoined former club Bayer Leverkusen on a two-year contract.
The 33-year-old Germany international was handed a free contract at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the Stamford Bridge club.
Ballack, who picked up an ankle injury in May's FA Cup final which prevented him from playing in the World Cup finals, was believed to be holding out for a two-year deal but the Blues were only offering a 12-month extension.
The midfielder has now returned to the Bundesliga with the club he helped reach a Champions League final in 2002, before leaving to join Bayern Munich.
"With my transfer to Bayer Leverkusen a circle is complete. I had a beautiful and successful time here on which I like to look back on a lot," he told the club's official website.
"That was a factor in my decision. But above all the good sporting potential of this young and attractive team were persuasive.
"I am especially looking forward to the great fans, who naturally have been key in my decision to return to Bayer."
Meanwhile, Bayer sporting director Rudi Voller is delighted that Ballack chose his club ahead of a host of other suitors.
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"With Michael Ballack our team is getting an enormous boost in quality," he said.
"That his preference was for Bayer despite our limited financial possibilities in comparison to the competition shows his emotional attachment to the club."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United chief executive David Gill has revealed there is money to spend should Sir Alex Ferguson want to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.
Young defender Chris Smalling from Fulham and Mexico starlet Javier Hernandez are the only two new arrivals at Old Trafford so far this summer.
The Red Devils have been linked with a host of big-name signings from across Europe as they attempt to win back the Premier League crown from Chelsea.
World Cup stars Mesut Ozil of Germany and Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder are two reported transfer targets.
But despite Ferguson keeping his powder relatively dry in the summer transfer market so far, Gill has revealed there are funds available to spend should he decide to strengthen his squad.
"The money is there if we believe there is a player who can improve what we believe is a very good squad," he told the Manchester Evening News.
"The team has been together for a number of years and done very well. In order to improve it a player has to be of a very high quality.
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"Overall I think Sir Alex is very comfortable with the squad composition. That's not to say something won't happen, but I think it is a 'might', not a 'will'.
"We will see what happens over the next six weeks."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Tottenham Hotspur’s season has been preceded by bold claims from the manager and the playing staff. Heurelho Gomes believes they can finish higher than last season while star striker Jermaine Defoe rates their chances of going further than Arsenal in the Champions League. This brash confidence is matched by manager Harry Redknapp who has also targeted the club’s north London rivals: “We have been behind Arsenal by miles for years and years and years, but now we’ve got a chance to really push them and get above them.” William Gallas is a name who has been mentioned around White Hart Lane for different reasons lately. Could his signing give Spurs the advantage against their old foes this season and would the supporters wear it?
Tribal loyalties are only of minimal significance to Redknapp, who identified the former Arsenal centre-back together with Joe Cole and David James as this summer’s outstanding free transfers. It is to be expected that Redknapp would seek to downplay talk of loyalty and long-standing rivalry. The Poplar born manager who supported Arsenal as a boy, trained at Spurs before becoming a professional player at West Ham. He later managed the Hammers and crossed the Southampton Portsmouth divide before becoming Tottenham boss. Redknapp has made no secret of his desire to sign Gallas in recent weeks. “It is a possibility. He has not been greedy at all. His people rung up and we have spoke about it.” Reminded of Gallas’ previous allegiance, Redknapp was quick to highlight the defender’s five year stint at Chelsea. But is Redknapp being too quixotic in his approach? He acknowledged last year that Sol Campbell could never be accepted back at Tottenham and his alleged interest in Patrick Viera triggered some unease amongst fans.
Yet in their quest to usurp the Gunners and improve on last season could the signing of the 32-year old free agent give them the edge? Gallas certainly has experience of playing in teams mounting a sustained championship push having won successive PL titles at Chelsea. Upon leaving Stamford Bridge Jose Mourinho accused him of “lacking respect” and he was no stranger to controversy at Arsenal too. His sit down protest at Birmingham and public revelations about team-mates are etched in the minds of Arsenal fans.
While his personality has been described as abrasive, Gallas’ displays on the pitch continue to solicit interest. A graduate of the infamous Clairefontaine academy, the halcyon days of Gallas’ career are arguably over but he still has much to offer. Most comfortable in central defence the Frenchman is known for his speed and strength. Indeed Gallas navigates the football pitch with consummate ease, often supporting an attack. Intelligent movement is also a key feature of the stopper’s game as he anticipates opposition forwards, halting the attack before it develops. He is a proficient man-marker who is willing to use a well-timed foul if his judgment temporarily goes awry.
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Redknapp is the envy of many managers for having so-called strength in depth. Ledley King and Michael Dawson are his preferred central defensive pairing but the former is unlikely to be risked twice in a week. Vedran Corulka can play at centre-back and whilst Jonathan Woodgate remains absent, Sebastien Bassong and Younes Kaboul are able deputies. Nevertheless Spurs made a virtue of having options where their direct opponents did not last season. If the experienced Gallas is recruited Tottenham’s varied back line would provide a impressive contrast to the Gunner’s currently depleted defence. Gallas to Spurs may have appeared a bizarre transfer prediction a few months back but according to Redknapp, who has been curiously quiet in transfer dealings, the chances are now “fifty-fifty.”
West Ham United’s utility man Valon Behrami has expressed a wish to return to Italy, citing his families’ inability to adapt to London life. The ex-Lazio player could return to the Stadio Olimpico but with fierce city rivals Roma. His desire to move resembles the recent comments of Javier Mascherano who stated that his wife had failed to settle in Liverpool. Previous transfer windows have associated Valon Behrami with moves to Palmero and Juventus. But is the unsettled midfielder’s reason for leaving adequate or is it a convenient digression to exit Upton Park and play Champions League football?
Behrami was signed by Alan Curbishley two summers ago for a fee of £5 million. He was initially deployed at right-back but was soon more commonly found either in right or central midfield. His first season ended prematurely as he sustained a serious knee injury in the club’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City but he had won over the fans with his tireless work ethic. Other Hammers players can be described as having this attribute but not to the extent of Behrami who ceases to stop running throughout an entire match. He is extremely effective at breaking up opposition attacks by using this energetic, rambunctious style. It is a surprising statistic that in 27 Premier League appearances last season he did not receive a single yellow card.
The Kosovo born, Swiss international did not find World Cup referees as lenient this summer as he was handed a straight red in his side’s group stage defeat to Chile. Regrettably Behrami’s incessant running often translates into a rushed and wild approach to the game. His passing is invariably inaccurate and for a pacy player who can go forward he has only scored one goal in each of his PL seasons. However, he took his goal against Hull this year comfortably after playing a quick one-two with Guillermo Franco. The number 21 could have added two more that day but was denied by the outstanding athleticism of Boaz Myhill.
Regardless of his flaws, a player who exhibits such hard work and can adapt to a variety of positions will entice the interest of other clubs, the latest being Roma. Their apparent interest is strengthened by his family feeling unsettled. “My daughter Sofia is now 18 months old and it is not easy to bring up a child in London. Besides Elena (his wife) does not have a big circle of friends here.” The player who once fervently celebrated in front of the Lazio ultras after scoring the winner in the Rome derby, says he would have no problem turning out for the Giallorossi. But are his comments a poor excuse for wanting to leave Upton Park? The location of the east London club and its Essex training base mean there are plenty of options beyond living in the city. Being fluent in English, Albanian and Italian he has previously helped players such as, Alessandro Diamanti adapt to their new club. Surely the former Verona player would be more believable if he admitted to the lure of playing alongside Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi in the Champions League under the stewardship of Claudio Ranieri.
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Leaving the speculation surrounding his motivation for a transfer aside, Behrami is arguably a player West Ham can afford to lose. It is questionable whether he would be shifted to back to defence and the likes of Mark Noble, Scott Parker and Radoslav Kovac and Thomas Hitzlsperger can operate in a similar midfield role. A fee of around £8 million would help West Ham financially after a busy summer of spending. This potential move may make sense for all parties but the Sensi family who have owned Roma since 1993 are looking for buyers, having struggled to contain the club’s debt. Funds are scarce and therefore Behrami and his family may have to redouble their efforts to acclimatise to English life.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has no problems with the rough and tumble of the Premier League, but he does want to see players adopt a more cautious approach when they go in for tackles.
The Gunners will be without Abou Diaby for Wednesday's Champions League opener against Braga after he suffered injury in the weekend victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Diaby was pole-axed by a full-blooded challenge from Trotters hard-man Paul Robinson and, although Wenger is relaxed over the physical nature of some of his side's opponents, he doesn't want to see things get out of hand.
"I would say even the English referees are different when they have matches in Europe. There is less permissive on goalkeepers, on commitment," he said.
"But more protection can become boring as well – I have seen some countries when every little push or shoulder-to-shoulder is a foul and then it becomes boring because they interrupt the game too much.
"I prefer, by miles, the philosophy of the English game – but you need to know everyone goes for the ball.
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"I must say I love the way the English game is played in England and the one restriction has to be full commitment with the intention of going for the ball and only for the ball.
"Then, I prefer English football, ten times as much to the European game. The English game becomes dangerous when the players go to hurt each other."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has heaped praise on his expensively assembled side following their 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
Carlos Tevez opened the scoring just before the break as he chipped over the advancing Ali Al Habsi before turning provider for Yaya Toure, who secured all three points with his first goal for the club as the Citizens jumped from 13th to fourth in the table with their second success of the campaign.
The win was crucial ahead of next weekend's pivotal test with champions and league leaders Chelsea at Eastlands and Mancini was delighted that his men adapted to the troublesome conditions at the DW Stadium.
He said:"We played a good game. It wasn't easy because Wigan played very well and aggressive.
"The pitch was very hard and difficult to play on.
"The first goal was very important for us. The goal changed the match.
"Against Sunderland and Blackburn we had chances to score goals, so when Tevez scored, it obviously changed the game.
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"We never took any risks and never gave away any chances at the back, which I was very pleased about.
"We played better in the second half than the first."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Sir Alex Ferguson is the granddaddy of all football managers having won 11 league titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League medals during a glittering 24-year spell at Old Trafford.
Despite rumours suggesting Sir Alex will retire at the end of this season, the 68-year-old has always claimed he will remain at the Theatre of Dreams as long as his health remains in fine order. The Glaswegian’s comments earlier this year certainly confirm that United fans should have nothing to worry about concerning their manager’s immediate health.
“The only thing that determines whether I stay here is my health. And I am in rude health,” he confirmed.
When the former Aberdeen boss does finally decide to retire he will leave gigantic boots to fill in Manchester having been fundamental to United’s success over the last two decades. Current Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has frequently been mentioned as a possible replacement, yet it is impossible to say how long he will be at the Bernabeu or the level of success he will have in the Spanish capital.
Other names mentioned at various stages over the last few years have included former United players Steve Bruce, Laurent Blanc, Roy Keane and Mark Hughes. Former club stalwarts who have all gone onto become respected managers in their own right having worked under Ferguson’s stewardship. New French manager Blanc is the current favourite being tipped to eventually takeover the Old Trafford hot seat and his support will rise should he equip himself well on the international stage over the next few years.
Yet perhaps a more intriguing option could come from Ferguson’s latest bunch of managerial fledglings, who will soon be ready to dip their feet into the crazy world of football management. Baby-faced assassin Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed this week that he would like manage the Red Devils someday, but admitted it’s an ambition which would take decades of hard work and success to achieve:
“I think if you ask any Man United player at any time of his career if you want to manage somewhere you want to manage Man United, because it’s the best place to be,” Solskjaer told talkSPORT.
“But to get there, to manage Man United, you need to go somewhere else and learn your trade so 15, 20 years from now maybe.”
Current squad veterans Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have all hinted at a possible move into management, while former winger David Beckham has been urged by Fabio Capello to consider a similar undertaking. Everton captain Phil Neville has also publically revealed his desire to try his hand in a management role. Should any of these impress over the next few years then they too could be linked with a possible management role at the club.
Keane, Bruce and Hughes all started their managerial and coaching careers away from Old Trafford and very few former players remain on the club’s staff immediately after hanging up their boots. Yet Ferguson should perhaps consider making an exception and keeping ambassadors such as Giggs and Neville on the club’s coaching staff, with a view to eventually becoming a United manager of the future.
Fergie should make the most of assets such as Giggs, a player who would likely relish the chance of earning his coaching badges and learning his trade under the guidance of Ferguson. These players will eventually have to gain experience outside of the club, but a closer link to the United management set-up from an early stage would be a major positive for both parties.
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Manchester United legend Ferguson looks certain to retire in the next few years and it seems one aspect of his legacy will be the large majority of his former players staying involved in football via a career in management.
Yet whether one of the candidates will ever be good enough to eventually replace the great man himself remains to be seen.
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The facts say that Tottenham lost 2 – 0 on Saturday. Despite the defeat Spurs remain in the top six of what is a very tight Premier League. But what else did the game tell us?
Here are five things that we learnt about Tottenham after Saturday’s game:
The Hoodoo continues
Ok, this one should perhaps be in a ‘5 things we already knew about Tottenham’ list. Tottenham’s poor record against the top four away from home is well documented, so putting another dash in the defeat column shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. But let’s put things into perspective; Anfield, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Emirates are hard places to go, and away teams don’t often go to these stadia and win. However, Tottenham are a team threatening to cement their place as one of the best teams in the league and until they can take the points from one of these cursed away days then many will never see them as true contenders. Unfortunately, Saturday went to a similar script as many have done before, Manchester United were good for their win and Tottenham never truly threatened despite having a good share of possession.
Oh no Huerelho!
Huerelho Gomes is a fine goalkeeper and we’re all aware of the nature of his game, both good and bad. So Manchester United’s final goal on Saturday evening served as another reminder that however good he is, he is still prone to moments of eccentricity and absurdity. I have no sympathy for Gomes and his blunder – and whatever people think of Mark Clattenburg’s part in the goal, it was Gomes’ fault. You should play to the whistle, and while Nani obviously handled the ball, you don’t put the ball down in your own penalty area to take a free-kick if the referee hasn’t given one. Clattenburg gave no indication to Gomes that he’d awarded anything, so he should have played on. Gomes’ form towards the end of last season secured fourth spot, I don’t think anyone would disagree with that, but he remains as unpredictable as ever.
More questions than answers
Without a clean sheet since week one it has been Tottenham’s attacking players that have won them games, yet it is the attacking six that will give Harry Redknapp his biggest headache on Tuesday against Inter Milan. Short of providing answers, Saturday’s game has given Redknapp, and fans, even more to think about. The possible injury to Rafael van der Vaart is a huge blow. Since joining, he has been Spurs’ best player and it was obvious that he was missing when Spurs went to Milan two weeks ago. With Van der Vaart potentially missing, it means thst Jermaine Jenas or Wilson Palacios could come into the side, but neither have been playing well of late. So if Redknapp changes formation to a 4-4-2 in reponse to the Dutchman’s absence, who should play up-front? After all, none of Spurs’ strikers are on form and even though Robbie Keane started against United he was very ineffectual despite all of the running and effort he put in (though it should be considered that Keane’s game doesn’t lend itself well to being a lone front man). Gareth Bale’s league form hasn’t matched his Champions League form and on Saturday he was kept reasonably quiet. If Tom Huddlestone regains fitness and is ready for the game he will fill one of the midfield holes, but what Redknapp does with the rest remains to be seen.
Different season, same old controversy.
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Over the last five years one thing that is certain is that you won’t get a dull game when Spurs go to Old Trafford. And as much as it’s beginning to sound terribly familiar, Tottenham always seem to be on the wrong end of refereeing controversy when they go to United. Remember in 2005 when Pedro Mendes’ lob went over the line? Of course you do. Then there was also 2007 when Berbatov’s shot was handled in the area, and two years ago when a penalty was awarded for Gomes’ fair challenge on Carrick when Spurs were 0 – 2 up. But Spurs’ ill-luck continued at the weekend and you can forgive fans for feeling a little irked. As I’ve said, Gomes could have averted this whole affair by being a little more switched on, but surely a slice of good fortune at the home of the Red Devils is a little overdue?
Will Niko Kranjcar ever get a game?
The talented Croat is yet to make a league appearance despite his fine form last season and goalscoring returns for Croatia in their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. Harry Redknapp has been saying all the right things to the media; that he’s a good lad, he’s been training well and that he won’t be sold in January – but fans, and I’m sure the player, must be getting frustrated. Saturday would have been the perfect time to reintroduce Kranjcar to league affairs as a replacement for Van der Vaart. Being 1- 0 and with nothing to lose, Kranjcar could have had 15 minutes to bring something a little different to the game and help snatch an equaliser. There would be no shortage of suitors for Kranjcar should he decide that he would rather play his football elsewhere and maybe it’s becoming clear that he is surplus to requirements at the Lane.