Tuesday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Hair we go!
Boss Roberto Mancini sports a new look as Manchester City return to pre-season training
Manchester City kicked off their pre-season preparations and boss Roberto Mancini presented his players with the blueprint for change this season: his new haircut!
Gone are the long, overflowing looks and in comes the cropped 'silver fox' approach, as sported by the likes of Alan Pardew and Jose Mourinho.
Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge, Patrick Vieira and Joleon Lescott were among the stars treated to the Italian's new look on Monday at the club's Carrington training HQ, as the hard work for the forthcoming season began.

City gents: Roberto Mancini, sporting his new look haircut, stands beside new Manchester City coach David Pratt
New signings David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure were all missing, however, due to their involvement at the World Cup.
England pair Gareth Barry and Joe Hart continue their extended holidays due to their time in South Africa, along with Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Robinho, Vladimir Weiss and captain Kolo Toure.
Mancini welcomed another new recruit on Monday in former England under-21 manager David Pratt, who has joined the club's backroom coaching staff.
Pratt played alongside mancini at Sampdoria in Italy and appeared to settle in quickly to life at the mega rich Manchester club, who harbour high hopes for the new term.
Brazilian outcast striker Jo was also present, desperately attempting to prove he is no £18million flop while Micah Richards and Stephen Ireland were also in action despite uncertainty surrounding their immediate careers with moves potentially on the horizon.
City, meanwhile, announced that will finish off their preparations for the start of the season when they take on Valencia at the City of Manchester Stadium on August 7.
It will be the second time in three years that the Spanish outfit have visited Eastlands for the club's final pre-season glamour friendly, having met in 2007.
The game could also present City new boy David Silva an opportunity to say goodbye to his former Los Che team mates, having swapped clubs last week for £24million

Manchester City flop Robinho has been offered to Valencia in a season-long loan deal.
Chief executive Garry Cook is touting round the £32.5million misfit.
Brazilian World Cup star Robinho, who spent the end of last season on loan at Santos, is available on a short-term deal if any club will pay part of his £150,000-a-week wages.
City are struggling to offload the striker ­permanently and Santos cannot afford to sign him with the loan deal due to expire on August 4.
Robinho, 26, has returned to Santos to resume training following Brazil’s World Cup exit and the São Paulo club are hoping to persuade City to loan him out again for next season’s Copa Libertadores campaign.
The La Liga outfit may be a better option as Santos may struggle to meet City’s demands.
But president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro said: “We will make an offer to City to try and keep Robinho for another year. There is not a problem ­financially.”

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has flown to South Africa to try to secure the signing of Liverpool and Spain striker Fernando Torres for a British record £50m. The Blues have opened the bidding with a £35m offer for the 28-year-old, who is also a target of Manchester City. (Daily Express)

TRANSFER BOLLOX
New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson wants to sign Joe Cole. The 28-year-old midfielder, who was released by Chelsea at the end of last season, has been linked with a move to Tottenham. the Sun

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has made a secret visit to Spain's World Cup base to try to seal the signing of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. Daily Star

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan has declared that he would never return to play in England. The 31-year-old scored 17 goals for Manchester United in 37 starts, with 58 appearances from the bench from 2002-04. Daily Express

Meanwhile, Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has ruled out making a move for Forlan as he believes the Uruguay star is out of Spurs' price range. the Sun

New Inter Milan boss Rafael Benitez is hoping to sign either Tottenham defender Gareth Bale or Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson as a replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Maicon. Daily Mail

Manchester United are plotting a £25m-move for Inter Milan and Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder, who has excelled at the World Cup in South Africa. Daily Mirror

Chelsea are leading the chase for Germany playmaker Sami Khedira. Stuttgart are reportedly ready to sell the 23-year-old for £12m now, rather than lose him on a free transfer when his contract expires next year. the Sun

Bayern Munich have warned off Chelsea and other Premier League teams who want to sign their World Cup stars. The Blues are interested in midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Mueller, while Manchester United want full-back Phillipp Lahm. (The Sun)

West Ham have launched a £5m bid for 23-year-old Mexico winger Pablo Barrera, who plays for Pumas. the Sun

Newcastle United want to take Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley on loan for next season. Cleverley impressed during a loan spell with Watford last season. Daily Mirror

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is keen on Rapid Vienna's £4m-rated Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic, but may have to wait for a potential takeover of Rovers to happen before bidding.Daily Mirror

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is being offered to West Ham and Wigan by his Spanish club Real Zaragoza. However, Wolves have rejected the chance to sign the player. Daily Mail

OTHER BOLLOX
Manchester United defender Gary Neville reckons England are stuck with the players who flopped at the World Cup in South Africa for another two years because there simply aren't any youngsters good enough to replace them. the Sun

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says he will give the club's young English players a chance to establish themselves in the first-team squad and maybe stake a claim for the national team.Daily Mirror

West Ham's pursuit of 18-year-old Santos forward Neymar has got the thumbs up from the player's father. "He would adapt there for a while and would later reach a big team in a short space of time," said Neymar Silva. Daily Mail

Swansea want Exeter manager Paul Tisdale to replace Paulo Sousa, who resigned as boss of the Swans on Monday and is expected to take the Leicester job. Daily Mail

Social networking website Facebook is in talks with the Football Association about becoming the new sponsor of the England team.Daily Mail

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Bobby Manc gone all EMO.

[john@staustell]

England pair Gareth Barry and Joe Hart continue their extended holidays due to their time in South Africa, along with Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Robinho, Vladimir Weiss and captain Kolo Toure.

Sort of conjures up visions of everyone sharing a youth hostel together.

[Buffalo Soldier]

I see David Platt can't even bring himself to wear a city training top.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I see David Platt can't even bring himself to wear a city training top.

That vest Bobby is wearing looks good though. Does anyone know if you can buy those somewhere?

[Wooders]

England pair Gareth Barry and Joe Hart continue their extended holidays due to their time in South Africa, along with Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Robinho, Vladimir Weiss and captain Kolo Toure.

Sort of conjures up visions of everyone sharing a youth hostel together.

their all in a static caravan in whitley - they're probably getting pissed already, you know what lads holidays are like !

[lets all have a disco]

Pratts face is so round i cant make out his features.

[Vhero]

I like how West Ham are good enough for Neymar but when we were sniffing around we wern't good enough for him?? He obviously knows nothing about premier league football.

[ant london]

Interesting titbit of news I have just picked up on in an article about the new Barcelona president....could very well be relevant to any future dealings between the clubs and/or side agreements made as to pursuing players



Rosell is clearly unhappy at how the previous Barca hierarchy, led by Joan Laporta, have angered Arsenal by conducting negotiations through the press.

Fabregas has told Wenger he wants to return to the club where he came through the ranks, but his route back to Catalonia looks increasingly difficult and Arsenal won't let him go cheaply.

Rosell has a good relationship with the player's family and was photographed talking to Fabregas's mum and sisters at the MotoGP meeting in Catalonia at the weekend.

The former Nike executive is expected to fly to South Africa on Friday for the end of the World Cup and Barcelona newspaper Sport say he is planning to talk to both Wenger and Fabregas.

'The issue is so public that I can assure you that I will try to talk to him on the trip to South Africa. The whole world knows that he wants to come and that the club wants him,' Rosell said.

Barca have already sold Yaya Toure to Manchester City for £24m and are prepared to let Thierry Henry leave for nothing to get him off the payroll.

[sirgordonzola]

Fucl, i barely recognised Mancini.

[Dingus McDouchey]

Manchester U***d are plotting a £25m-move for Inter Milan and Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder, who has excelled at the World Cup in South Africa. Daily Mirror

ITK Nailed on. Rafa Benitez will DEFINITELY sell the lynchpin of the current treble winner's side to Alex Ferguson's Manchester U****d who can DEFINITELY afford him.

[Florida Blue]

I see David Platt can't even bring himself to wear a city training top.

I reckon there is a simple reason: They don't have any XXXXXXXL kits aroud the training ground. Who the hell knew a fat prick like that would be on the staff?? They are apparently on backorder until they can find a piece of material big enough for the fat bastard.

[Beefymcfc]

I see David Platt is enjoying his new role......................Ball Boy ;-)