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Rodgers finds Sterling replacement in Jordon Ibe

July 25, 2015 by

Liverpool seem to have found its next star after departure of Sterling to Manchester City last week, it is revealed by the manager Brendan Rodgers. According to Reds boss, 19-year-old midfielder Jordon Ibe is in his best form to replace the Sterling thanks to his impressive show in the preseason games that made everyone surprised to see his ball holding techniques. In fact, fans have already started comparing him with players like Suarez who recently moved out of Anfield and manager is as well confident they are now in better position to challenge any side in the upcoming English season. This is a coincident that Jordon is also the home grown talent who can serve Anfield side for a longer period of time if he could keep his dedication to the game alive. Calling Jordon an outstanding player, Rodgers said after preseason game in Kuala Lumpur, “Ibe has been outstanding. He has staked a real claim to start the season in the team. Wonderful goal, wonderful finish. He was very good and he has been working very hard. There are a number of qualities I think that he has. He will only improve.”

When asked if he is under any kind of pressure after their dismissible show in the last season, 42-year-old Irish football manager confidently responded, “There is no question that I was bitterly disappointed last season. There were a number of factors and reasons, but it doesn’t matter, we were disappointing so we have to be better. The owners have been very supportive of me since the time they wanted me to be manager. I understand we need to be much better than what we were last season.

“I think it was hugely disappointing at the end of last season. For the first time I felt I needed the break. That week to two weeks after the end of the season was invaluable time, but if you want to improve you have to refocus very quickly. We have made signings and we hope they will come in and make a huge impact. For me the owners have been brilliant since the first day I walked in. I take nothing for granted.

“They have been great supporters of myself, they believe in my work and my job is just to work well with the team and finish as high as we can.”

Looking at the level of confidence Rodgers carries with him; experts are advising him not to repeat the mistake Liverpool did with Sterling or Suarez and try to prolong Ibe’s stay at Anfield if they really want some fruitful results in the next season.

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Sterling gets moral support from Nasri after fans boo in first Manchester City game

July 22, 2015 by

Generally if you are a youngster and get an opportunity to play for your favorite side, you get a grand welcome when you start your career for the side but there have been incidents when any player – making an infamous switch – faces fans anger on the first day itself on the field. Yes you guessed it right, we are talking about promising forward Raheem Sterling who recently made a switch to Manchester City after lots of ifs and buts from Liverpool, his former side. Although, City had to shred off some 50 million pounds for the young Englishman, but he got the headlines for wrong reasons, especially for his highly negative statements about former side when he refused to play a preseason game for the Reds. Anyways, now he is a man in sky blue shirt and he proved why he was looking for a big move when he scored his first goal for Manchester giant in the first game itself – within first three minutes – when playing preseason against Roma in Australia. Surprisingly fans not welcomed his attempt but jeered their new baby for his recent headlines and it was not the first time in recent months when he faced the fans anger. If we look at his last international game in Dublin last month, there also he was the subject of boos from Republic of Ireland supporters.

His colleague in the side, midfielder Samir Nasri, has supported Sterling and his move to City, likewise 28-year-old Frenchman also criticized fans for the way they treated him on his arrival. Reacting strongly over the recent taunts, he said, “You always have stupid fans in the stadium. The same thing happened to me when I left Arsenal. You have to move on. He has come to Manchester City and you have to respect his decision.

“We just have to let him play and he will show how talented he is. He has speed and goals and he’s one of the hottest prospects in world football. If the transfer is not too heavy on his shoulders then he can bring us many, many things. I have not spoken to him about the pressure and the reaction of the fans because we did not expect this. This is a game between Roma and Manchester City in Melbourne.

“We didn’t expect anything like that from these fans, so it is a little surprise, but if he needs any advice about that, then he can come and talk to me.”

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Thomas Muller all set to join ManU, Philipp Lahm downplays his importance

July 21, 2015 by

This transfer window has been unique for one reason, it saw a maximum number of German players seeking switch to English sides especially Manchester United thanks to Van Gaal and his longest association with European clubs that is helping him entice players to join the Reds Devils. Bastian Schweinsteiger recently switched to England from Bayern Munich and now another Allianz Arena player could soon follow his footsteps if preliminary reports are to be believed. Although, there is no official statement from either club in this regard but close sources have revealed that league giant has offered some 100 million euros to the Bayern attacker which is an eye opening amount since probably no English side has until spent that much money on a single player. Anyways, even captain Philipp Lahm is not sure if they will carry 25-year-old into the field next season or they will have to look for an alternate for the in-form striker. Lahm shared his doubts over Müller availability in a press conference in Shanghai on Tuesday where he said, “In football you can imagine everything. It’s not my decision. In football, it goes so, so quickly. It’s not always only up to the player. There are clubs who get players, players go.

“In football everything goes very, very quickly. I think you can never give a guarantee that it will work like this or like that. As a result, I certainly can’t give any guarantee for Thomas Muller or talk about whether I can imagine. You can always imagine anything happening.”

His words were speaking launder than him and there was a kind of appeal in his language as if he was asking the player to rethink over his decision. Anyhow, this is football and money can do anything over here so there should be no gut feeling if anyone choses better perks at this stage of his career. Adding if they can recoup his loss, or if they can hold their best European club status, he replied, “We’re still a top club that every year, or in the last few years, has made at least the Champions League semifinal. We have a top team that’s very well-equipped this year as well and that can challenge on all fronts. So you don’t have to be worried about anything. And I’m definitely not worried about Thomas — I don’t think we’re going to let him go.”

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Martinez criticizes Mourinho’s means to lure John Stones

July 19, 2015 by

Big sides are known for using evet trick of the book to bring a player they want and if we are talking about English sides, it becomes even truer since mentors over there are hard strategic and core focused over any player they see capable to help them sustain a good ranking in premier league. Yes, you guessed it right we are talking about Chelsea and its second term serving manager Jose Mourinho who is the master of playing mind games, we have seen his ability in the last season when he kept lambasting everyone and gained the sympathy that eventually helped them win the league trophy. According to reports, Portuguese is after Everton’s 21-year-old defender John Stones and has already offered a £20 million bid for the youngster which was rejected instantly by the Goodison Park side. Like all the previous examples, Blues boss is reportedly trying to convince the centre-back that he is having a better future if he decides to move to North London. Although. there is nothing wrong in this practice but this is something that is not being liked by the Everton boss Roberto Martínez who lambasted former Real Madrid boss for using unethical means to lure his player.

He was talking after his side’s defeat in Barclays Asia Trophy final to Arsenal in Singapore and made it clear they will not sell Stones no matter what the price tag North Londoners put over him. Actually, he is afraid of losing his eye candy since Chelsea can lure any player and if Mourinho could entice him, Blues can easily trigger his transfer clause and this is something that is itching the 42-year-old, he added, “At Everton, we take pride in developing young players and giving them our own way of football education. Therefore, when a youngster is linked to a big club it is a matter of pride. However, Stones will very much be an Everton player. We are not a selling club. At Everton, we would not have chosen methods adopted by Chelsea. I am not happy at them having spoken to the media in such a manner.”

While if we look at the vibes in Blues army about the 21-year-old, captain John Terry has himself praised the player last month when said, “My aim right now is try and nail down a regular spot in the Everton team and hopefully that will take care of playing for England. I have to keep learning from the likes of Phil Jagielka and keep progressing at the club,” so it looks likely they will succeed in bringing him at Stamford Bridge.

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Fabian Delph takes U-turn, signs a five-year deal with Manchester City

July 18, 2015 by

Manchester City seem to be hungriest for fresh talent that is why they are becoming the most active English side this summer and look unstoppable even after bringing players like 18-year-old Turkish striker Enes Unal and then Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling to their den. They just sealed another deal with Aston Villa for 25-year-old midfielder Fabian Delph yesterday making it sure they will not repeat the mistake they did in the last season when their center line failed to do its job. According to preliminary reports coming out from Manchester, 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal at some £8m with English giant which is being taken as the lucrative deal by the City think-tank. It has just been one week when Delph openly said he wants to remain with Villa Park and stated on the club website, “I’m not leaving. I’m staying at the football club and I can’t wait for the start of the season and captaining this great football club,” then no one knows what happened suddenly and he had to change his mind making a switch to Manuel Pellegrini side – may be played its role!

Anyways, City has now spent some 59 million to hire three players making it most outrageous league side and fans doesn’t mind it too until they are playing within FFP laid guidelines. If we look at Pellegrini, he is happy to have one of the best midfielders in his side and raised his voice in his support when said, “Fabian Delph is an excellent player, and I am looking forward to working with him.

“He has made a huge impact in recent seasons at Aston Villa, and is now one of the brightest young midfielders in the Premier League. Fabian has tremendous skill and energy, and the fact that he has become a regular member of the England squad is further evidence of his progress over the past few seasons. At just 25 years old, he still has his best years ahead of him.”

Clarifying his decision about future, Delph added in club statement, “My decision to stay initially was purely based on the emotion and feelings that I hold for the club and the people there that I would be walking away from — rather than looking at the football opportunity that had been placed in front of me.” Now, Villa fans, including former striker Stan Collymore, are after him for varying attitude after he himself had confirmed his stay at Villa Park, Collymore said, “He said twice now that he wants to stay at the club — nobody put a gun to his head. He said twice that he believes Villa is a great club that he wants to stay at… if he signs for Manchester City or any other club in the next few days then he’s an absolute disgrace.”

Filed Under: England, Soccer News Tagged With: ,
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