Saturday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Manchester City face transfer tussle for Cristian Zapata as Zenit St Petersburg line up bid for Udinese defender
Manchester City will have to act fast if they want to sign Udinese centre back Cristian Zapata.
Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg have stepped up their pursuit in the Colombia international after learning of City's interest and also want two of the 24-year-old's team-mates.
Zenit's billionaire owners Gazprom are prepared to fund a spending spree to get the club in shape for next season's Champions League after claiming the Russian Premier League title this month.
Inter Milan have also tracked Zapata, a tall, quick and aggressive defender who can also play right back.
But Zenit's interest is more concrete, with a triple bid for him, midfielder Gokhan Inler and goalkeeper Samir Handanovic not thought to be far away.

Hot-head Balotelli warned to cool down by City boss
Roberto Mancini has warned Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli to curb his temper if he wants to become one of the world’s best players.
Bad boy Balotelli returns from a three-match ban today to lead City’s attack at Stoke alongside captain and the Premier League’s leading goalscorer Carlos Tevez.
City boss Mancini believes Balotelli - who cost £22million - can be held in the same regard as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo - but only if he learns to keep his volatile side in check.
Balotelli was banned for three games following a red card for appearing to kick out at West Brom’s Youssuf Mulumbu in City’s 2-0 win - in which he scored both goals - at the Hawthorns three weeks ago.
Although Mancini felt the dismissal was unjust, he knows Balotelli’s talent can often be undermined by him losing his cool, and has urged the forward to show more maturity.
“Mario must understand that he must change his behaviour on the pitch,” said Mancini. “Because if he plays every game he can make a big difference for us on the pitch.
“I will speak to him about this situation [opponents trying to wind him up] because it can happen. He needs to understand that this can happen in every game.
“He needs a run of games and then, after three or four matches, he will understand that if he shows good behaviour on the pitch and doesn’t argue with the referee, it will make a difference.
“Mario could become one of the top players in the world within two years because he has everything. He is a fantastic player but he is young, he needs time.
“There are a few players like him - Ronaldo and Rooney. If Mario thinks the right way and changes his character - not his entire character because that is difficult - he can be one of the best in the world.
“He’s not crazy, no. He’s just the same as other 20-year-olds. But we are all different. Maybe when you are 20, your behaviour is not perfect every day.
“My behaviour wasn’t perfect every day when I was at that age. But this is normal. when you’re 20 it’s impossible [to behave well all the time.]
“But he is settled here, despite the rumours in Italy that he wants to go back. He went back to Italy when he was injured and he’s been back when he was called up for the national team.”
While Mancini is hoping Balotelli can ease the goalscoring burden on Tevez, another City striker, Emmanuel Adebayor, has effectively been told he can leave in January - with Juventus his likely destination.
Adebayor has made no secret of his anger at failing to play regularly under Mancini, who admitted he would allow the forward, who cost City £25m from Arsenal 18 months ago, to leave when the transfer window re-opens.
“Adebayor must continue to work hard and train hard,” said Mancini. “And when he plays, he must play well.I don’t think anything can happen at the moment, but the situation can change in January.
“But if we sell one player, we must have another player coming in. This is what makes it difficult. We have 10 games between now and January 5, when we play Arsenal.
“All of our players, including Adebayor, must think about their job. No player is happy when he doesn’t play, I understand that. But we can only play with 11 players in any game.
“These players must concentrate on the games between now and January. I think all of our players will play at some stage, then we will see what happens.”

Carlos Tevez threatens to walk away from money-obsessed Premier League
'Football is only about money and I don't like it'
Manchester City's Carlos Tevez has attacked the greed of overpaid young players in the Premier League, claiming they are more interested in lining their pockets than winning trophies.
The Argentinian is so disenchanted with the state of the game he has vowed to quit within "three or four years" and said he would rather punch some of his colleagues than listen to their advice.
"I don't want to play any more. I'm tired of football but also tired of people who work in football," said Tevez. "I'm talking seriously. Football is only about money and I don't like it.
"There are so many agents with really young footballers, it's awful as these young players are not interested in winning titles. They only want money."
The 26-year-old, who has three and a half years left on his £145,000-a-week contract, said football was full of uneducated "bad people".
"The young players think that they have won something in football because they have two cell phones and a house. Today there are many bad people in the football business and you have to fight with them all the time. I'm tired of that, too. I'm going to play football for three or four years in Europe, then I will quit.
"Today the young players have no education at all and I don't want to listen to them," Tevez told Argentinian television station TyC Sports. "When I played in Boca [Juniors], when [Martín] Palermo or [Juan Román] Riquelme talked, I listened to them.
"So I don't want a young player to tell me, 'Why did you do that?' in the dressing room. I would punch [them], as I have won 13 titles in my career."

AUDIO BOLLOX
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce says he would love to bring Roque Santa Cruz back to Ewood Park, but reveals he has yet to meet with the club's new owners to discuss what money might be available to him.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 232264.stm

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says there is no deal in place for Emmanuel Adebayor to leave the club, but admits this could change in January and warns the Togo striker to focus his efforts on playing well for the team.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 232733.stm


TODAYS OTHER BOLLOX
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has said that the club must improve their league position if they are to retain their best players for next season. ESPNsoccernet

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt is linked with a move to Roma in a possible swap deal with France defender Philippe Mexes. Daily Mail

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, 30, is in line for a shock move to Major League Soccer. the Sun

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted Chelsea have lost their air of impregnability this season and that smaller sides now view the London team as vulnerable. ESPNsoccernet

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger does not fear that persistent hamstring problems will impact on the career of his captain Cesc Fabregas. ESPNsoccernet

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has declared that Tottenham can win the Champions League. Daily Mirror

Sir Alex Ferguson has given his Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov six months to prove he has got a future at Old Trafford. Daily Star

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has revealed that he is so close to Salomon Kalou that they are known as Mr & Mrs by their Stamford Bridge team-mates. The Sun

[craigmcfc]

Carlos - "So I don't want a young player to tell me, 'Why did you do that?' in the dressing room. I would punch [them], as I have won 13 titles in my career."


What a shame we haven't got Sturridge anymore

[brite blu sky]

Bob is putting a lot of faith in Balotelli, even to the point of defending his special treatment, if the b*ll*x are believable. That's a risky strategy as it amounts to staking his reputation on him, but as Bob isnt prone to outlandish statements it can only be taken that he really believes what he says. Should be interesting. Lets hope he starts showing more of what he can do against Stoke.

[Rae4685]

Bob is putting a lot of faith in Balotelli, even to the point of defending his special treatment, if the b*ll*x are believable. That's a risky strategy as it amounts to staking his reputation on him, but as Bob isnt prone to outlandish statements it can only be taken that he really believes what he says. Should be interesting. Lets hope he starts showing more of what he can do against Stoke.

Isn't he still banned?

[craigmcfc]

Bob is putting a lot of faith in Balotelli, even to the point of defending his special treatment, if the b*ll*x are believable. That's a risky strategy as it amounts to staking his reputation on him, but as Bob isnt prone to outlandish statements it can only be taken that he really believes what he says. Should be interesting. Lets hope he starts showing more of what he can do against Stoke.

Isn't he still banned?

Nope, he's missed Utd at home, Brum at Home and Fulham Away

[john@staustell]

Funny old world. Read another article today saying Zapata's agent hadn't spoken to anyone about anything!

[john@staustell]

Bob is putting a lot of faith in Balotelli, even to the point of defending his special treatment, if the b*ll*x are believable. That's a risky strategy as it amounts to staking his reputation on him, but as Bob isnt prone to outlandish statements it can only be taken that he really believes what he says. Should be interesting. Lets hope he starts showing more of what he can do against Stoke.

Isn't he still banned?

Try and keep up mate!

[Ted Hughes]

Worried about Tevez. You can tell how much he hates football by his performance & reaction to goals last Sunday. Particularly worried about him biting the badge; clearly a sign of discontent with the club..

[Beefymcfc]

Worried about Tevez. You can tell how much he hates football by his performance & reaction to goals last Sunday. Particularly worried about him biting the badge; clearly a sign of discontent with the club..

And basically saying that he'll finish his career with us, I wonder if he'll be worried about his retirement package?