Scott Parker is desperate to play in next summer’s World Cup Finals in Brazil after overcoming his recent injury problems.
The England stars future in International football looked in doubt as he returned home from Euro 2012 needing surgery on an long standing Achilles problem.
The surgery would keep Parker out until December.
Since returning to fitness, Parker has started Tottenham Hotspur’s last 13 games and earned himself a place in Roy Hodgson’s current England squad to face San Marino and Montenegro.
“Now I am amongst it again, the fire rumbles in my belly to get to Brazil. I’ve not had many massive injuries in my career, but the ones you do have give you that hunger again” Parker said
“I need to take things one step at a time but, now I’m in the squad, if I get my chance, I need to take it.”
The Tottenham Hotspur star admitted that he believed his chances of playing in another major tournament were over.
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“If you ask any player when they have been out for some time, doubts do cross your mind about when you are going to come back.”
Chris Hughton bemoaned Norwich’s poor finishing at Wigan and hinted he could look to bring another striker to the club this summer.
The Canaries’ boss was left frustrated following the 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium on Saturday which has opened up the battle to avoid relegation as third-bottom Aston Villa are now just four points behind his side who sit in 14th position.
Hughton, who has already agreed a deal to sign Sporting Lisbon’s Dutch hitman Ricky van Wolfswinkel in the summer, felt Norwich should not have lost to the Latics.
And he appears intent on strengthening his forward line with players who are ‘clinical’ enough to make a difference in tight matches.
Hughton, whose side have won only once in the last 14 outings, said: “It’s about clinical moments, and they had the one in the game that got them the goal.
“I thought we were good in that first-half period – we broke well, and probably away from home, that’s as much as we’ve got into the final third.
“It’s two things when you’re away from home though – if it’s a close game you’ve got to make sure you keep that clean sheet, or you’ve got to have that little bit of quality that gets you that goal.
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“We didn’t have that today – it’s something that we were guilty of and something we’ll have to look at but it was a never a game that I felt we were going to lose.”
QPR keeper Julio Cesar has played down the furore surrounding pictures of him in a Chelsea shirt.
The Brazilian keeper is expected to be fined by the club, although they may decide that a quiet word is sufficient, after he was pictured wearing the shirt of arch west London rivals Chelsea at a birthday party for their defender David Luiz.
Cesar was unaware of the storm the pictures would cause and he has tried to explain the situation. The Brazilian issued a statement claiming he had worn the shirt as part of joke for Luiz’s birthday.
The statement read: “I would like to clarify that last night I attended David Luiz’s fancy dress birthday party and as a joke for my friend, my family and I dressed as him.
“I want to assure everyone that absolutely no offence was intended.”
Cesar has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge if, as expected, QPR are relegated at the end of the season.
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Mike Phelan and Eric Steele are believed to have left Manchester United as David Moyes assembles a new backroom staff.
Assistant manager Phelan and goalkeeper coach Steele were integral parts of former manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching set-up.
Phelan, who played under Ferguson at Old Trafford from 1989-94, was brought back to the club in 1999 and promoted to first-team coach in 2001 after Steve McClaren left to go to Middlesbrough.
He eventually succeeded Carlos Queiroz as assistant to Ferguson in 2008 when the Portuguese left to take his country’s national team job.
During his five seasons next to Ferguson in the dugout, United won three Premier League titles, a Club World Cup, two League Cups and made two runs to the final of the UEFA Champions League.
Steele, a former Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper coach, replaced Tony Coton in the position at United in 2008 and worked alongside Edwin van der Sar and David de Gea with great success for five seasons.
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The club have not confirmed either departure yet, but Moyes is ready to make changes to the team he inherited from Ferguson to make room for some of his own men.
Wigan have received no offers for midfielder James McCarthy, reports The Metro.
The Irish star has been heavily linked with a return to the Premier League, after the Latics were relegated to the Sky Bet Championship last season.
Newcastle, Everton and Tottenham have all been linked with McCarthy, but Wigan boss Owen Coyle has revealed the club are yet to receive a bid for the 22-year-old.
“I’ve not had any enquiries, let alone offers, for any of my players. But ultimately good players attract attention and there’s no getting away from it, James McCarthy is such a hugely talented player,” Coyle said.
“If there is any interest, he’ll be the first to know. Then as a club we decide what happens from there”
The youngster impressed for Wigan last season, and the midfielder played a huge part in the Latics’ route to lift the FA Cup. Roberto Martinez has been heavily linked with a move to bring McCarthy to Goodison Park to reunite the pair, while Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has also reportedly shown interested.
McCarthy played the full 90 minutes in Wigan’s 4-0 victory away at Barnsley on the opening day of the new season, and is expected to start in the Community Shield against Manchester United on Sunday at Wembley.
Who should McCarthy join this summer? Is he ready for a fight to get Champions League football?
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Three own-goals helped Liverpool secure a comfortable 4-1 victory over West Ham at Anfield to help them rise to second in the Premier League.
The Hammers soaked up a lot of Liverpool pressure in the first-half and went close on a couple of occasions with Modibo Maiga spurning two golden opportunities to put the visitors in front.
But a Guy Demel own goal three minutes before the break, which he could nothing about after Jussi Jaaskelainen could only parry a Raheem Sterling effort in to his shins, gave Brendan Rodgers’ side a deserved lead to give them the upper hand.
And just two minutes into the second-half James Collins deflected a a Mamadou Sakho effort into his own net to double Liverpool’s lead and all but put the game to bed.
A Martin Skrtel own goal gave West Ham some hope of an unlikely comeback just after the hour, but Luis Suarez headed in his first ever goal against the Hammers to regain Liverpool’s two goal advantage with ten minutes remaining.
After Kevin Nolan was shown a straight red card for a studs up challenge on Jordan Henderson, Suarez saw his late effort take a generous deflection off defender Joey O’Brien and past Hammers stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen to complete the rout.
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This victory, their second in a week after the 5-1 thrashing of Norwich City on Wednesday night, means Brendan Rodgers’ side are now second in the Premier League and four points behind leaders Arsenal.
Sam Allardyce’s West Ham, on the other hand, now only sit outside the bottom three on goal difference after Crystal Palace nabbed a 2-0 home win over Cardiff City to go level with them on 13 points.
Look back at our minute-by-minute commentary of the match here.
Man United will be hoping they can gain another victory against Stoke City tonight as they travel to the Britannia Stadium, looking to keep their undefeated record going against Stoke since 1993. This Capital One Cup Round 5 tie is likely to feature a lot of end-to-end action, with the fixture usually giving the Potter and Red Devil fans a lot to cheer about.Mark Hughes side will be looking for revenge tonight after they unlucky not to grab a point at Old Trafford earlier in the league this season and no doubt the ex Man United forward would love to knock his former side out of the cup. Stoke fans will be worried by the fact that their side have failed to score in their last 3 games however, and with David Moyes’ side performing well in cup competitions this season, it will be hard for this Stoke side to cause a real threat tonight. Mark Hughes will still be without centre-back Robert Huth but the return of Matthew Etherington will be a big boost to the Potters.David Moyes is likely to rotate his side after their 3-0 win away to Aston Villa, however Darren Fletcher could return to the first team after he came off the bench as a substitute in the weekends fixture. David Moyes won’t be worrying too much about his squad selection however, with no fresh injuries, he’s likely to field a strong team no matter what. Wilfried Zaha could get a run out, with Javier Hernandez starting up top to replace the injured Robin Van Persie.The team sheets are in, as both sides prepare for this Capital One Cup Round 5 tie:
Arsenal have developed a knack for making announcements at the right time. Season ticket renewals usually come up while a star name from the continent is heavily linked with a move to north London, heightened by talk of increased funds available to the manager.
And now, during a low point in the season where Arsenal could potentially go out of three competitions in the space of less than two weeks, the club have announced new contracts for Per Mertesacker, Tomas Rosicky, and an impending confirmation of a fresh deal for Aaron Ramsey.
Arsene Wenger’s contract is the big talking point that remains. It’s interesting that no one really appears to have a handle on what the situation is. Some reports indicated that, as usual, Arsenal were waiting for the right time to announce Wenger’s stay, more than likely due to the fact the manager has yet to win back those supporters who have called for a change. While the other side of the story is that Wenger himself is waiting on the outcome of this season and whether the trophy drought has come to an end.
As colossal as a departure for the Frenchman from Arsenal would be, waiting on the right time to make a decision is best. It’s clear that there’s still a feeling of discontent among supporters, with small setbacks in the season, such as the loss at Stoke, bringing back old demons and raising the dividing line for those in favour of Wenger and those who want something different.
There could obviously be a lot of good that comes from Wenger moving on. The emphasis being on “could.” Even though Arsenal have been in the title race this season and topped the Premier League for almost the whole of the first half of the campaign, there’s a sense of same old, same old from the team.
The club, or Wenger, failed to address the shortcomings in the squad during the January window, after failing to make good use of the summer transfer period. For that, the team could be dumped out of all three remaining competitions come this time next week.
Not only that, but not a whole lot changes when it comes to performances and the mentality of the squad as a whole. This team is drastically different from the one which lost in the League Cup final in 2011 and subsequently went on to spiral out of the title race and out of control. Yet both share similarities in how they have failed to live up to big occasions against title challengers and during the business end of the season.
It’s more than understandable if some supporters want to see a change in the dugout.
But what needs to be remembered, and what is absolutely vital during this period for the club, is that Wenger is the only football brain at Arsenal. The rest, including the owner, the CEO and various big wigs with a say, are outsiders who have entered the world of football and are likely to be left all at sea if tasked with the job of replacing Wenger without the current manager aiding in selecting a successor.
Of course, it’s not the only reason to keep Wenger on board. Sure, there’s a fear that a risk, which often needs to be taken, could monumentally backfire, but the club can take a lot of good from retaining Wenger’s services for the next three years.
The money available to Arsenal has clearly allowed them to turn a corner. Even if it won’t show in the trophy cabinet by the end of the season, the club are undoubtedly on a higher standing than they were two or three years ago. Why lose that momentum now by replacing the manager?
Wenger’s influence on players is also something that needs to be taken into account. Sometimes his unwavering faith in certain individuals can be a flaw, though at other times it can be a great asset. Aaron Ramsey is a fine example of a player who never lost the faith of the manager, even when there were calls for the midfielder to be moved on. Now the club are reaping the rewards of a player who has fulfilled his potential and who will go on to improve even further. Wenger has not lost his ability to improve players.
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that he was also instrumental in the signing of Mesut Ozil. The German could have been signed without Wenger’s intervention, but the midfielder cited the manager’s discussion with him being a large factor in his decision to join the club.
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There are flaws to Wenger, of course, but are they so telling that they outweigh the good? Rather than a change of manager, the club need a change in the manager.
The club may not be full of football brains at board room level, but they are equipped with experts in PR. It is still very much about timing Wenger’s contract announcement to perfection. Though there should be little doubt that he should continue to be a part of the club for the next three years at least.
Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel says that his side are ready to take on Manchester City in next weekend’s title showdown, but that lifting the trophy is still some way off.
The Reds regained top spot in the Premier League with a hard fought win at West Ham on Sunday to keep their dreams of lifting English football’s top prize for the first time in 24 years in their own hands.
City are seen as the Merseysiders’ major rivals for the trophy, with the Sky Blues four points adrift in third place with two games in hand.
Although they seem to have the advantage, if Brendan Rodgers’ side beat their enemies over the weekend and win their remaining four games they cannot be caught.
Skrtel – who has been one of his side’s top performers across the campaign – says that Liverpool are ready for the crunch clash with Manuel Pellegrini’s men, but that he is not thinking about title glory just yet:
“Things are going well but there is still a long way to go,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“We can’t look too far ahead. We need to keep going game to game and now our focus is on getting three points against Manchester City.
“We will look forward to that challenge. We know the atmosphere created by our fans will be amazing.
“We are going into it in great form and we will be doing everything we can to keep this winning run going.
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“It’s exciting. This is why you play football – for a season like this. You want to be up there challenging for titles.
“There are still five games to play and we all want to keep going in this way and extend this winning run. We just need to stay focused and keep working.”
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Liverpool are taking a gamble with their latest signing, with Adam Lallana set to be confirmed soon as the club’s £25 million purchase from Southampton.
While it’s true that there are few transfers that don’t carry an element of risk, it looks to be that Liverpool are investing in a player – and overpaying – when there are better options on the market.
Brendan Rodgers has seemingly become an expert at capitalising on available players and making the most of what the market has offered up. In Daniel Sturridge, the Liverpool boss landed an English 20-plus goal scorer for £15 million. The advantage was that Chelsea failed to see the upside in the England international and let him go for a relatively knockdown fee. Coutinho’s transfer to Anfield was facilitated by the Brazilian’s struggles to convince at Inter Milan. His best showing since arriving in Europe was a six-month loan spell at Espanyol, and Inter, like Chelsea, were prepared to sell on the cheap.
Liverpool aren’t in a position now where they need to continue to follow than principle, waiting for good opportunities to present themselves. But it doesn’t require reckless spend just yet.
Adam Lallana is a 26-year-old with only two seasons of top flight experience. He’s adapted well to the Premier League, but there are no guarantees that he’s a Champions League-calibre player. At £25 million, and for a team who aren’t backed by limitless funds, it’s a gamble not worth taking.
The World Cup in Brazil has presented many good opportunities for Liverpool. The team need additions all over the pitch. In Lallana’s case, addressing a midfield role, either centrally or on the wing, the tournament in Brazil has shown players who could have been of better value.
Eduardo Vargas is the first player that springs to mind. The Chilean forward has had a good tournament, though it should be noted that his form has often been better for his national team than his club sides. Last season he went on loan to Valencia from parent club Napoli and only started 13 games, scoring just three in the league.
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But Vargas clearly has talent. He has the technical side of his game nailed down. It’s simply a case of getting him to perform consistently. Jorge Sampaoli has managed that at international level.
We’ve seen from this World Cup that Chile are an industrious side, not too dissimilar from what Brendan Rodgers can create at Anfield with further work. Vargas is 24, evidently dispensable by his current club and should come at far fairer price than Lallana, who, prior to the build up to this World Cup, has no experience with the England national team.
Another option is Algeria’s Sofiane Feghouli, who has been incredibly important to Valencia over the past few seasons. The 24-year-old is undoubtedly Algeria’s most recognisable player, as well as their most valuable. He’s another industrious forward who regularly plays on the right side of attack for his club. Feghouli was good for seven goals and eight assists in all competitions last season compared to Lallana’s nine and six.
The English premium attached to Lallana makes it difficult to justify his transfer. He may very well replicate his good form at Southampton for Liverpool, but that doesn’t mean he was the best option available to the club.
There is arguably too much importance placed on the fee of Lallana’s move. When you think of Fernando Torres or Andy Carroll, you’re immediately drawn to those ludicrous fees generated from their respective moves in January 2011. But this is the modern game and inflated prices are the norm.
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The primary concern here is value for money: are Liverpool about to receive the very best they could have gotten with the fee they’re about to part with? It’s a struggle to be convinced.
But there is an acknowledgement for Rodgers, who has done an incredible job of transforming the fortunes of the club and convincing others to buy into his ideals. He may very well round Lallana out into the perfect midfield signing.
We’ll have to see how this one pans out. But for their money, Liverpool could have done more than an overpriced 26-year-old with limited experience.