Tuesday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Bellers Bollox
HARRY REDKNAPP is set to offer Craig Bellamy a shot at the Champions League with a £6m swoop.
Spurs boss Redknapp will battle Everton in a summer scrap to land the Manchester City striker.
Redknapp controversially claimed mega-rich City hijacked his bid to sign Bellamy from West Ham in January 2009.
But he now wants to do business with Roberto Mancini and recruit the Wales international.
Redknapp will be backed with substantial funds by chairman Daniel Levy after pipping City for fourth place last season.
And he wants Bellamy to spearhead his assault on the Champions League - and make Spurs the 30-year-old’s NINTH club.
Spurs will offload Robbie Keane this summer while Roman Pavlyuchenko could also be shown the exit door.
Redknapp is also lining up a £2m move for Almeria left-winger Albert Crusat.
He tried to net the speedy 28-year-old last summer. Daily Star

meanwhile Celtic have also entered the race ...
Celtic to join Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of Manchester City winger Craig Bellamy
Celtic are set to join Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Manchester City winger Craig Bellamy this summer.
The Scottish giant’s interim manager Neil Lennon is keen to boost his side with a big signing and has identified the Wales international as a potential target, according to The Guardian.
Bellamy played with Lennon at Celtic while on loan with the Bhoys in 2005 and with the 30-year-old looking to leave City he could accept a move back to Celtic Park this summer.
While Celtic would have a tough time affording Bellamy’s £90,000 a week wages but after a successful loan spell last season from Robbie Keane, who makes £68,000 a week, Lennon believes that the club can afford to pay the Welshman.

Bellamy admits doubt over City future to the MuEN
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy has admitted he could yet end up playing for Cardiff – but only if Roberto Mancini decides he no longer wants him.
The Blues forward, who turns 31 next month, insists he would not think of going anywhere else but his home-town club if ambitious City reluctantly decide to let him go.
Previous boss Mark Hughes brought the striker to Eastlands from West Ham for £12m in January, 2009.
He has faced constant speculation about his future since Hughes was sacked and replaced by Mancini in December.
Bellamy’s wholehearted performances have won him many fans at Eastlands, while Mancini has always indicated that he sees the Welshman as a big part of his plans.
He scored 10 Premier League goals last season as City just missed out on a place in the Champions League.
But during a visit to Sierra Leone – where his charity, the Craig Bellamy Foundation, operates – Bellamy indicated that he may still have to consider a future away from the Eastlands outfit.
He said: “There’s more than one or two people run that club, so if I get the vote of confidence off five or six people, then I’ll stay.
“But if it’s a couple in other people’s favour, then it might be different – because I do want to be wanted, like every player does.
“I’ve never once – and I never would once – sit back and pick up my money.
“I just couldn’t do that to myself. It would be lying about who I am as a person, so I’ll probably look for that next challenge.
“But I’ll be very shocked if it’s another English club. I’d be very, very shocked.”
Bellamy’s family live in Cardiff, and he has indicated that any move away from Eastlands would have to be nearer to them.
That would appear to rule out any hopes Tottenham or Everton – both linked with the Welshman, along with German club Wolfsburg – might have of tempting him away from City.
Cardiff themselves were touted as a potential destination for Bellamy as they chased promotion to the Premier League.
But their hopes of pulling off a shock transfer appeared to have faded when they lost to Blackpool in the Championship play-off final.
But Bellamy’s comments suggest that a move to South Wales is not entirely out of the question.
He said: “Playing anywhere else in Europe would be too much of a strain on my family because they all live in Cardiff.
“So it really limits me to maybe one place, so that would probably be it.”
Cardiff, who were just pipped to promotion by outsiders Blackpool, have been beset by financial troubles, and face a winding-up order to settle a £1.9m tax bill on June 16.
But a consortium led by Malaysian businessman Dato Chan Tien Ghee has invested £6m to stabilise the club as they attempt to reach a settlement with HM Revenue and Customs.
A successful bid for Bellamy would be seen as a major statement of intent by the consortium as they begin to build for the future

OFFICIAL CLUB BOLLOX - Ade going nowhere
Roberto Mancini has moved swiftly to shoot down the belief that the Blues are operating a scattergun transfer policy this summer.
The irritated Italian has urged Blues fans to take with a pinch of salt the wild speculation linking the club with dozens of signings all over the globe and to ignore the supposed procession of big name departures.
Mancini instead, today, reassured supporters that the genuine list of targets is small, specific and designed to make sure the team improves on last season’s fifth placed finish.
The manager stressed that patience and value for money will, as ever, be the twin tenants on which any Blues buying will be based.
“We know the players who we are interested in. It is a small list of names, because I only want to bring in players who will improve the team,” confirmed the boss.
“Of course we have various options and it is not easy and it is not always possible to do things quickly. We must be patient, and do the right things at the right time in the market. We know the value of the players we are interested in and will not be forced into paying more than we want to.
Having managed Inter in Serie A and now the Premier League, Mancini is supremely well aware that attaching a marquee club to a player’s name can make interest and fees spiral in tandem – mainly to the benefit of third parties.
“Most of the players I read about we are not trying to bring to Manchester City,” he declared, knowingly, before emphasising his confidence in the vast majority of those who got to within one game of Champions League qualification this season and in the process set several club top-flight records.
“I am confident that the current squad is capable of improving on last season’s fifth-place finish and the Club will not be held to ransom on price for any new players,” he asserted.
“I am looking forward to working with the squad after the World Cup. Pre-season is going to be very important for us to work hard and be ready for the Premier League.”
That squad will be made up for the most part of familiar names including Emmanuel Adebayor who has been subject to one of the more head-shaking bouts of speculation this weekend.
“It is important to remember the squad we have is improving and most of the players have not been here for a long time. City supporters do not need to be worried about us losing our best players,” Mancini reassured any fretting fans.
“In fact, the Club has had no offers from any club for any of our players.
“In Emmanuel’s case, he is a top player who can score lots of goals for Manchester City. I know he can improve and I am looking forward to working with him in pre-season.”

WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.catflapfootball.com/Football ... aggio.aspx

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Spanish giants Barcelona remain confident of signing Arsenal captain and midfielder Cesc Fabregas this summer. "We are working on it," said Barca president Joan Laporta, whose club are believed to be willing to offer £30m for the player, with the Gunners reportedly holding out for more than double that amount. The Sun

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Bordeaux midfielder Yoann Gourcuff as a replacement for Fabregas should the Spaniard leave the Emirates. However, the Gunners would face competition for the Frenchman's signature from Lyon. imscouting.com

Manchester United are ready to make an audacious swoop to sign Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta, who is struggling to make progress with the Merseyside club over an extension to his contract, which has two years still to run. The Daily Mirror

Manager Tony Pulis is set to smash Stoke's transfer record with a £12m offer for West Ham striker Carlton Cole. The Daily Mirror

West Brom expect to complete the signing of the Spanish centre-back Pablo Ibanez on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.The Daily Mail

The Baggies are also set to bank about £3m from midfielder Jonathan Greening completing his move to Fulham, where he spent last season on loan. The Daily Mail

Liverpool hope to deter Chelsea from making a move for winger Yossi Benayoun by demanding £10m for the Israeli. The Daily Mail

Arsenal and Tottenham are leading the chase to sign Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole when he becomes a free agent this summer. The Daily Mail

Newly promoted Blackpool hope to pip neighbours Preston to the loan signing of Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck and hope the prospect of Premier League football will help lure the 19-year-old. The Daily Mail

Birmingham have abandoned efforts to sign Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia but Blues are interested in Celtic's Aiden McGeady and Hull's Stephen Hunt, who is also a £3m target for Wolves, West Ham and West Brom. The Daily Mail

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is chasing Colombian namesake striker Jackson Martinez, who he hopes to team up with fellow countryman Hugo Rodallega at the DW Stadium. The Daily Mirror

Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj could reject the chance to join West Ham in favour of a lucrative move to Qatar, with Al-Sadd interested in signing the Algeria international. The Daily Mail

Leeds are hoping to hijack Wigan's £800,000 move for Hamilton midfielder James McArthur by tabling a £1m plus add-ons bid of their own. The Daily Mail

But Wigan have moved ahead of Sunderland in the race to sign Estudiantes striker Mauro Boselli by increasing their bid beyond the £6m offered by the Black Cats for the Argentina international. The Daily Mail

Southampton boss Alan Pardew is lining up a double swoop for midfielders Brian Stock of Doncaster and Bristol Rovers' Chris Lines. The Daily Mirror

OTHER BOLLOX
Aston Villa full-back Stephen Warnock could be a shock inclusion in England's final 23-man squad for the World Cup at the expense of Everton left-back Leighton Baines. The Daily Mail

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is wanted by ambitious Dubai club Al-Ahli as they spearhead grand plans to overhaul football in the Middle East. The Daily Mail

Inter Milan have made the first move in an attempt to convince Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to switch to the San Siro to replace Jose Mourinho, who was yesterday unveiled as Real Madrid boss. The Sun

Notts County are lining up Bradford boss Peter Taylor to succeed Steve Cotterill at Meadow Lane. The Daily Mirror

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra believes his Algeria side have the full backing of Scotland when they face England in the group stages of the World Cup this summer. "Everywhere I go in Glasgow people stop me and tell me to beat England," said Bougherra.The Sun

[Chinners]

Theo Walcott out of England World Cup squad as Fabio Capello springs surprise
Fabio Capello has left Theo Walcott and Darren Bent out of his England squad for World Cup 2010 in South Africa, with Gareth Barry recovering enough from injury to make the squad.
Capello is yet to confirm his final 23-man selection though has been boosted by reports that Barry had been passed fit to travel this morning. The Manchester City midfielder was given as long as possible to recover from an ankle injury picked up at the end of the season.
Capello urged to pick Cole However, many had expected Walcott to feature after the Arsenal player started in the final two warm up games. Walcott was given a start on his favoured right hand side of midfield position in both England's warm up victories against Mexico and Japan but failed to impress.
Walcott, who was the surprise inclusion in Sven Goran Eriksson's squad four years ago now becomes the major shock from Capello's final judgement for a very different reason.
Barry’s fitness – though he is unlikely to be available for England’s opening fixture against USA on June 12 – sees Tom Huddlestone the most likely to make way with reports leaking out that Michael Carrick is on the plane.
Stephen Warnock is believed to have been given the nod over Leighton Baines to be Ashley Cole’s understudy at left-back, despite having almost no international experience.
Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips are both now almost certain get a place in the squad thanks to Walcott's omisssion.
Bent was given the chance to stake a claim by starting the final match but failed to make the most of it against Japan on Sunday with Capello electing to go with the tried and tested Emile Heskey instead.
The Aston Villa forward is selected despite his lack of goals and playing time with his club. It is the second World Cup in a row that Bent has failed to make the cut despite being prolific in front of goal in the Premier League season just gone.

Barca pair could make Eastlands switch
Barcelona have insisted they won't stand in the way of Manchester City targets Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Yaya Toure if they want to move.
Ivorian midfielder Toure has been tipped to join brother Kolo at Eastlands after failing to cement his place in the Barcelona starting line-up last season.
Despite his 22 goal haul in his debut season at Camp Nou Ibrahimovic has been linked with a move away, while Barcelona have been less than impressed by comments made by his agent and hinted the Swedish star would be sold if his position became untenable.
City boss Roberto Mancini has been linked with a 75million euro swoop on the Barca pair, having worked with Ibrahimovic while manager of Inter Milan, and the Catalan giants have now admitted both players could move on in the summer, although they are not looking to sell.
"Yaya Toure's case is similar to Ibrahimovic, although Yaya has been with the club for a longer period. We are not interested in offloading either of these players but obviously if Toure isn't happy we won't force him to stay," Barcelona's director general Joan Oliver told the Spanish outfit's official website.
"What we won't do is go against our own interests. If he wants to stay, we'll be delighted. If not, then the solution must also be good for the club, not just the player."

Bordeaux midfielder Yoann Gourcuff would prefer a move to Arsenal, despite Lyon's willingness to meet the £21m release clause in his contract. goal.com

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly prepared for a record breaking bid from Real Madrid for England international Wayne Rooney as newly installed Real boss Jose Mourinho looks to bring in a new set of Galaticos this summer.caughtoffside.com

Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport has suggested that Inter Milan will make a move for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres if their own forward Diego Milito is lured to Real Madrid by Jose Mourinho.
imscouting.com

Belgium Under-21 goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has agreed to join Sunderland, according to his agent. "It is now up to the clubs to find an agreement as quickly as possible," Nico Vaesen told the Journal. (Press Association)

“Trigger” Robinho forgets Benjani, but reckons he’s a great player!
Poor Robinho may be developing some worrying form of premature memory loss, which General Dunga, who notoriously doesn’t tolerate any faffing about, won’t be having any of!
You may remember the simple Samba star was convinced he’d signed for Chelsea in September 2008, and was all set to report for duty at Cobham, until a keen reporter filled him in, and pointed out that he’d unfortunately actually signed for Man City. “Chin up mate!”
When questioned this morning on the pedigree of the Warriors (Zimbabwe), who they face tonight in a World Cup preparation friendly, young Robbie drew a blank, confessing he hadn’t a scooby doo about the opposing team or their players.
When eventually asked whether the name “Benjani” (his ex team mate at Man City) inspired anything in him, he had a sudden change of tune.
He had a quick think and a shuffle, and haplessly replied - “He’s a great player, a good striker, with strong qualities for English football.” (É um grande jogador, um atacante forte, com característica do futebol inglês.”)
Having finally awoken to the realisation that, yes, Zimbabwe may just have a football team, he must have then become distracted by some vuvuzela-playing Bafana babes.

Season Review Part 1


Emmanuel Adebayor struck after only three minutes of his debut to help Manchester City make a winning start to the new Premier League season.
The £25m summer signing lashed in an 18-yard drive to open his City account.
Chris Samba's header was superbly saved by Shay Given, who also denied Benni McCarthy as Rovers responded well.
After the break Given kept out Jason Roberts's header and Robinho's shot was saved by Paul Robinson, before Stephen Ireland slotted in to seal the points. Still not sure if Leslie's the man for us but second in the table ... Come On City!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 197359.stm

[Wooders]

robinhos a dozy fucker isn't he?