In a follow up to the TOP TEN Best moments of the season earlier this week, today I focus on the worst moments of the season, so far. These moments are the worst in the sense that I could not really believe what had happened – for negative reasons. These moments are sensational but are not good for the game. They are more lowlights than highlights that football as a whole could have done without.
I am not going to focus on the worst decisions, I will leave that for later in the year. I am sure everyone will want to have a say on which decisions were the worst and which were most influential. The worst moments for me are ones that have made the Premier League a worse division. I am not intending to criticise the league at all, instead I just want to pick out moments of the season that have been bad for the game.
Of course these will not be every team's worst moments. Arsenal fans will probably think the League Cup final or home defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle were the worst moments of the domestic season. Likewise a Tottenham fan will rue picking up only 1 point from 4 games against the bottom 4 sides in the League. Every side will have their own 'worse moment'.
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Click on Rooney below to see the TEN Worst Moments of the season
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Two sides tipped for the drop already meet in an early relegation six pointer that could be seen as a defining game at the end of the season. The Swans started their Premier League life with a crushing defeat against mega bucks Manchester City and Sergio Agüero in particular. Wigan also suffered a disappointing draw against fellow promoted side Norwich City.
The Liberty Stadium will hold its first ever top-flight game and manager Brendan Rodgers will be looking for a positive response from his players after the hiding on Monday night in Manchester. Keeper Michael Vorm is sure to have an easier afternoon at the Liberty after the shift he put in on Monday. Wigan boss Roberto Martinez will also be hoping his side can secure their first three points of the season although they looked bereft of any attacking threat on Saturday and were outplayed by Norwich in large parts of the game. Captain Garry Monk is the only man who will be missing whilst their opponents have a clean bill of health.
Scott Sinclair: The winger is Swansea’s main attacking threat and will be given more of a chance to impress against the Latics than he was on Monday night.
Hugo Rodallega: Wigan need goals and although the Colombian has performed well in the last few seasons his goals total needs to increase to compensate the loss of Charles N’Zogbia.
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Roberto Mancini hailed the perfect opening to the Premier League season as City ran riot in the second half at the Etihad Stadium. New signing Sergio Aguero capped a super debut with two goals and assist, showing City fans there could be more than a future should Carlos Tevez choose to move on.
Elsewhere in the papers there have been a mixed bag of stories that include; Walcott critical of Capello’s preparation; Joey Barton in the clear, while Obi-Mikel pleads for his kidnapped father’s return.
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Mancini hails ‘perfect night’ as Agüero shines on debut – Guardian
Walcott critical of Capello’s preparation – Guardian
Wenger defiant as heat rises on Arsenal – Guardian
Chelsea’s Mikel appeals over father’s kidnapping – Guardian
Don’t worry! De Gea will shine, claims former United legend Schmeichel – Daily Mail
Enrique says Carroll will terrorise defences after winning fitness battle – Daily Mail
Meireles is Chelsea’s latest target as Blues weigh up new Modric bid – Daily Mail
Spurs’ next signing must be a striker – Mirror
Barton in the clear over row – Sun
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With player power playing a more significant role in transfers these days it’s not common to hear of a footballer forcing a move for himself for those so called ‘football reasons.’
It’s becoming all too common seeing a player cry on in a newspaper or tweet he’s ‘gone as far as he could’ or ‘wants a bigger challenge’ in an attempt to engineer a transfer to a desired club. In a few rare circumstances these reasons are valid but 99% of the time money is the key motivation for moving.
Players crave the highest wage possible and clubs are struggling to meet their sky high demands. It makes better financial sense to give a player the move he wants rather than having him linger round a stadium he doesn’t want to call home any longer.
The lengths that some players go to in an effort to force through a transfer are at times comical. Scanning twitter to find a player beaming widely into a camera whilst lugging his expensive bag off an airport conveyer belt or spotting them having a secret meeting with the manager trying to sign them then walking out none the wiser when the flashbulbs are glaring are funny.
But 99% of the time their actions could pop the blood vessel that is quickly becoming more and more prominent on the brow of fans. Threats of striking, ridiculous twittering and lacklustre performances are all traits of a player who wants out. Fans crave loyalty in an age where players pledging their allegiances to a side means absolutely zilch. It all boils down to money and players engineer their moves to get the best deal for them even if it means moving to a team lower down the league.
So here you have it the Top TEN rogues who engineered their own transfer!
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Injury-plagued Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has made his latest return to first-team training.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of his amazement at the condition of the England midfielder, who has made just one substitute appearance in two years for the Red Devils.
Hargreaves has undergone extensive surgery on both knees in recent times following a long-running battle with tendinitis.
"Owen Hargreaves has come back training," Ferguson told MUTV."He trained yesterday (Thursday) with the first team. He looked very good. I was surprised actually how good he was looking.
"It's an extra string to our bow. Bringing him in at this time, after being out for so long, obviously we'll have to monitor him and see how he's going to progress in the next few weeks. But it's good to see him back.
"Because he's been out for so long you have to see whether there's going to be a relapse.
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"That's the first thing on our mind at the moment but having watched him in training yesterday if he continues that way he's going to give me another selection problem, no question about that."
Hargreaves has made just 38 appearances for United following his £17milliion arrival from Bayern Munich in 2007.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Last week, I charted the careers of ten Championship Manager cult heroes who had failed to reach the big time. This week, I’ll be looking at another ten virtual sensations who found footballing success elusive…
Ibrahima Bakayoko
Age: 33
Current Club: PAS Giannina
Country/Caps: Ivory Coast/45
CM said: Africa’s greatest ever player
In reality: Known as ‘Baka-Joke-O’ and ‘Yoko-OhNo!’ amongst Everton fans, PAS Giannina forward Ibrahima Bakayoko has carved himself a reputation as somewhat of a journeyman. An infamous late ‘90s spell at Everton was unfruitful, with the Ivorian bagging just four league goals for the Merseyside outfit after a £4.5m move from French side Montpellier. After eight months in England, Bakayoko returned to France, where he enjoyed a moderately successful four-year stay at Marseille.
Bakayoko, scorer of 30 goals in 45 appearances for the Ivory Coast, enjoyed varying degrees of success throughout the noughties, having turned out for Osasuna, FC Istres, Livorno, Messina, Larissa and PAOK.
Bojan Djordjic
Age: 28
Current Club: AIK
Country/Caps: Sweden/0
CM said: the eventual successor to David Beckham at Old Trafford
In reality: After being awarded the ‘Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year’ award in 2000, big things were expected from the then 18-year-old Bojan Djordjic. The Serbian-born former Swedish U21 international left Manchester United having made just two senior appearances in six years at the club, with this time punctuated by loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday, AGF, Red Star Belgrade and Rangers.
Djordjic moved to Plymouth Argyle on a free transfer, where he made 40 appearances over the course of two years at Home Park. However, Djordjic was placed on the transfer list by manager Ian Holloway due to his lax attitude, and eventually moved to Swedish side AIK, where he recently helped the club to the first league and cup double in their history.
Gareth Jelleyman
Age: 29
Current Club: Unattached
Country/Caps: Wales/0
CM said: The Welsh Roberto Carlos
In reality: Tipped as one for the future during his Peterborough United days, Welshman Gareth Jelleyman has endured a career of mediocrity. After making over 100 appearances for ‘the Posh’, Jelleyman moved on to Mansfield Town in 2005. Following Mansfield’s relegation from the Football League in 2008, Jelleyman made the move to Rushden & Diamonds. A short spell at Rushden has since been followed by stints at both Telford United and Barrow.
The left-back has gained notoriety amongst fans of English football show Soccer Saturday, after presenter Jeff Stelling referred to the then Mansfield Town man’s dismissal in a league match by stating “looks like Jelleyman’s thrown a wobbler.”
Adrian Mihalcea
Age: 34
Current Club: Aris Limassol
Country/Caps: Romania/16
CM said: a mixture of late-nineties Michael Owen and David Villa
In reality: Three-time Romanian Cup winner Adrian Mihalcea, now winding down his career at Cypriot side Aris Limassol, will look back at his career and wonder about what could have been. The speedy forward came to prominence at leading Romanian side Dinamo Bucharest, where he scored 68 goals in a glorious five-year spell at the capital club. Mihalcea earned his first cap whilst at Dinamo, but failed to score in sixteen outings for the national side. Mihalcea was snapped up by Italian side Genoa in 2001, and managed to finish his first full season at Genoa as the club’s top scorer before moving to Hellas Verona.
However, the Romanian struggled at Verona and moved back to Dinamo Bucharest, where he failed to hit the heights of his first spell. This was followed by a brief stint at Korean side Chunnam Dragons, before again returning to Romania with FC Vaslui. Mihalcea moved to current side Aris Limassol in 2006, and has been nothing short of a revelation in the Cypriot first division, having scored 46 goals in 86 appearances and being appointed club captain.
Johnnier Montaño
Age: 27
Current Club: Alianza Lima
Country/Caps: Colombia/5
CM said: skilful, goalscoring midfielder a la mid-noughties Ronaldinho
In reality: At 16, Montaño had the world at his feet. Capped for the Colombian national side at the age of 15, Montaño then went on to star at the 1999 Copa America, and managed to score in Colombia’s 3-0 victory over Argentina. Montaño earned his big-money move to Europe (with Italian side Parma) and was set to become one of the best players of his generation.
Unfortunately, Montaño failed to develop as expected in Italy. The Colombian made just six appearances in five years at Parma, and has since embarked upon a nomadic career. Since leaving Parma, Montaño has had spells at América de Cali, Santa Fe, Al-Wakra, Cortulua, Sport Boys and Alianza Lima, whilst failing to add to his five caps for Colombia.
Continued on Page Two
Daniel Nardiello
Age: 27
Current Club: Blackpool
Country/Caps: Wales/3
CM said: the next Alan Shearer
In reality: Having made just four competitive outings for Manchester United over the course of three seasons, Nardiello permanently joined Barnsley after two loan spells at the Yorkshire side. His good form at Barnsley led to international recognition, with Nardiello making his debut for Wales against New Zealand in May 2007. Despite earning fans’ favourite status at Oakwell, Nardiello invoked the wrath of Barnsley chairman Gordon Shepherd by moving to Queens Park Rangers.
After failing to settle at Loftus Road, Nardiello moved to Blackpool in the summer of 2008. Nardiello has made just seven league appearances for the newly-promoted Premier League side, and has been shipped out on loan to Hartlepool United, Bury and Oldham Athletic over the course of the past two seasons.
Alex Notman
Age: 30
Current Club: Wroxham
Country/Caps: Scotland/0
CM said: Manchester United’s next number nine
In reality: Another hotly-tipped graduate of Manchester United’s academy, Alex Notman failed to make the grade at the top-level. The presence of the likes of Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer meant that Notman failed to make a single appearance for the Old Trafford outfit, and the Scotsman left for Norwich City in November 2000. After regular outings in his first two seasons at Carrow Road, Notman was forced to retire from the professional game after badly damaging ankle ligaments during an East Anglian derby in late 2002.
Since then Notman has competed at non-league level, turning out for King’s Lynn, Boston United, and more recently, Norfolk side Wroxham.
Chucks Nwoko
Age: 31
Current Club: Unattached
Country/Caps: Malta/46
CM said: Malta’s first ever football superstar (approximately 365 times better than Michael Mifsud)
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In reality: Nigerian-born Nwoko, a naturalised Maltese national, struggled to forge a career outside of the tiny Mediterranean island. Nwoko spent 11 years at Birkirkara, making over 200 appearances and scoring 59 goals, as well as winning three Maltese league titles. The midfielder also managed to rack up 46 caps for his adopted homeland, managing to score once in a friendly against Kazakhstan in 2003. A firm fans’ favourite at the club, Nwoko underwent an unsuccessful loan spell at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia in 2006, before leaving Birkirkara permanently in 2006.
Since then, Nwoko has endured injury-plagued spells at Maltese sides Marsaxlokk, Sliema Wanderors and Qormi. Due to injury, the midfielder has failed to appear since his contract at Qormi expired in the summer of 2009, leading to suggestions that Nwoko may have hung up his boots for the last time.
Stefan Selakovic
Age: 33
Current Club: IFK Göteborg
Country/Caps: Sweden/12
CM said: the Swedish Robert Pires
In reality: Attacking midfielder-cum-forward Stefan Selakovic is yet another Championship Manager Swede to have disappointed in real life. His early career was marked by domestic success, having won the Swedish league title with Halmstads in 2000 and finishing as the league’s top scorer in 2001. This attracted the interest of Dutch side Heerenveen, who subsequently signed Selakovic in 2001.
Despite spending four years at the Eredivisie club, Selakovic was unable to reproduce the form he had shown at Halmstads, and returned to Sweden to join current club IFK Göteborg in 2005, where he has managed to add another Swedish league winners’ medal to his collection. Selakovic managed 12 appearances for the Swedish national side during 2001 and 2006, scoring four times in the process.
Andri Sigþórsson
Age: 33
Current Club: Retired
Country/Caps: Iceland/7
CM said: Better than (fat) Ronaldo
In reality: Destined for greatness in Championship Manager 3, the actual career of retired Icelandic forward Andri Sigþórsson failed to mirror that of his virtual one. After languishing in Bayern Munich’s reserve side, Sigþórsson moved back to hometown club KR, where he enjoyed four prolific seasons.
Capped seven times for Iceland, Sigþórsson spent the last three years of his career abroad, first at Austrian side SV Salzburg, and latterly at Norwegian outfit FK Molde. Unfortunately, Sigþórsson’s career was cut short by serious injury in 2004.
READ PART ONE – How Championship Manager’s finest failed to make the big time
Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/zarifrasul
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It’s a rarity this weekend as we have a full Premier League programme to enjoy, with teams battling for places from the top to the very bottom of the Premier League table. The match that stands out is the one at Anfield on Sunday, with Liverpool and Manchester United going head-to-head and you can bet that the Reds would love to put a dent in Sir Alex Ferguson’s title hopes. Elsewhere Arsenal will look to put the pressure on the Red Devils at The Emirates Stadium against Sunderland, while the West Midlands derby between Birmingham and West Brom at St Andrew’s has big implications at the bottom of the Premier League table. Here is what the experts think…
Continue to the NEXT PAGE for the predictions in full …
Andy Dunn (News of the World)
Arsenal V Sunderland – H
Birmingham V West Brom – A
Blackpool V Chelsea – A
Bolton V Aston Villa – H
Fulham V Blackburn – H
Liverpool V Man United – A
Man City V Wigan – H
Newcastle V Everton – A
West Ham V Stoke – H
Wolves V Tottenham – H
City v Wigan: Wigan’s defending last weekend was amongst the worst I’ve ever seen in the Premier League. If they take that form into this game, they’ll lose – Manchester City win.
Birmingham v West Brom: Birmingham are better than their league position suggests and they will be hugely bouyed up by their Carling Cup success.
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Bolton v Villa: Villa’s disappointing FA Cup exit at Manchester City should spur them into a backlash against Bolton – especially as Gerard Houllier left many of his big guns on the bench against City and will have cup-tied Darren Bent available again.
Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce has reacted calmly to reports suggesting that his club could be in line for a big-money takeover.
Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed is reported to be heading up a consortium aiming to take charge at Ewood Park, with a potential transfer pot worth up to £100million being mooted.
However, Allardyce is aware that even if a deal goes through, the money will not be available to spend in the current transfer window.
He told reporters:"Chairman John Williams tells me we can't get the deal done any sooner than maybe even as far as the end of September.
"This transfer window will be well and truly shut at the end of August, so that will not allow us to do anything between now and then.
"If it becomes a reality, that would be obviously very, very exciting, but at the moment it is still in the process of negotiation.
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"The chairman says to me it would be almost impossible to think that any of that money might be available before the end of this window.
"So we continue down the same line as we have all summer and bring in another frontman if we can find him."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Harry Redknapp has committed his long-term future to Tottenham Hotspur by penning a new contract that will keep him at White Hart Lane until the end of the 2012-13 campaign.
The veteran former Bournemouth, West Ham United, Portsmouth and Southampton boss replaced Juande Ramos as manager in October 2008 when the club were in danger of being relegated.
He successfully guided Spurs into mid-table that season before presiding over a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League last term.
A brief statement on the club's official website read:"The club is delighted to announce that we have extended the contract of manager, Harry Redknapp, until 2013.
"Harry guided the side to fourth place in his first full season with the club, our highest league finish since the Premier League's inception, with the prospect of competing in the Champions League for the first time this coming campaign.
"The achievement earned him the Barclay's Premier League Manager of the Season award."
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At the weekend it was reported that the 63-year-old had turned down the chance to manage Dubai side Al Ahli in order to stay with Spurs.
Redknapp's side face a two-legged play-off next month as they attempt to win through to the lucrative group stage of the Champions League.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Steve Bruce has warned his players that English Premier League champions Chelsea come to Sunderland on Tuesday in ‘Big Four’ mood.
The Sunderland manager said: “It’s very unusual to see Chelsea 10 points off the table of the table but the big boys usually come through like trains later in the season.”
“And it’s Chelsea to me who look as though they are most likely to get a real head of steam going and start pushing through.”
“They’ve won three games in a row comfortably and they’ll be looking to come to the Stadium of Light tomorrow to prove a point after we beat them down there.”
Bruce, who is likely to include new signings Stephane Sessegnon and Sulley Muntari in his squad, knows from his own playing days that the turn of the year is usually when the best teams finally start showing their heels to the rest of the pack.
He said: “When I was at Manchester United we would always look to go on a good run in the New Year.”
“It was when the best teams suddenly found their very best form. Things click and you really start producing your best.”
“I can definitely see that happening to Chelsea.”
Bruce’s biggest selection dilemma tomorrow will be where to deploy Kieran Richardson.
The club’s ‘Mr Versatility’ was the star of the show in Sunderland’s last Premier League game, playing just behind main striker Asamoah Gyan at Blackpool and scoring two classy goals in the sparkling 2-1 win on January 22.
The natural inclination would be not to tinker with a winning team.
But Bruce’s masterstroke in Sunderland’s 3-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November was to select Richardson on the right wing to contain the attacking threat of the Blues’ England right-back Ashley Cole.
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Bruce has been absorbed in his pursuit of Inter Milan’s Muntari and Paris St Germain’s Sessegnon and is thrilled to get his two targets of the transfer window.
But he insists he has not taken his eye off the ball when it comes to the Chelsea game
“All people have wanted to talk about is transfers and I can understand that – that’s what you get with the January transfer window, particularly when it starts coming to the end of it,” he said.
“We can’t guarantee a good result, but hopefully we can guarantee a good performance and if we can do that, then I’ll be happy to accept whatever the night brings.”