There are a lot of incredible Italian managers out there in the game today. From Massimiliano Allegri to Maurizio Sarri with Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte inbetween, it’s hard to get away from it. Claudio Ranieri, though, fleets in an out of the top-class category and Newcastle would be smart to avoid appointing him.
Rafa Benitez did a fantastic job under difficult circumstances at St James’ Park, given the way Mike Ashey has the club in financial shackles. The 2005 Champions League winner has been one of the best coaches in the world for a number of years, his CV speaks for itself, but now he’s left the St James’ Park hotseat vacant.
That’s why the Ranieri talk has come about. Sky Sports have claimed that the former Chelsea, Leicester City and Fulham boss is interested in the job at Newcastle United, but that news will not come as music to the ears of our resident Geordies given the 67-year-old’s recent work.
Indeed, it would be a big mistake to appoint the Italian. Leicester City’s 2015-16 title-winning season might be the miracle that the Magpies will hope they can replicate, but Ranieri’s three jobs since certainly don’t offer much hope.
Those jobs have been at Nantes, Fulham and AS Roma, where the football and results have all been underwhelming. Indeed, he led Nantes to a ninth-placed finish during the 2017-18 campaign which was as a step backwards for the club as they finished in seventh position in the 2016-17 campaign. Also, he failed to prove himself on his return to the Premier League with Fulham, sending them on the path to relegation by securing just three wins in 17 games. And, he didn’t exactly make any headlines at AS Roma, his latest job, as they missed out on a Champions League place.
Indeed, it makes no sense to move for a manager who’s done more harm than good over the past few years and some Newcastle fans appear to agree (as per HITC).
Newcastle fans, do you agree that Ranieri is a bad option? Let us know!
West Ham United fans don’t want the club to sign Moussa Marega from Porto this summer.
A fan account, titled West Ham Fan Zone, has asked supporters to give their opinions on the Mali international after reports emerged over the weekend claiming that he could move to the Irons.
Indeed, ClaretandHugh have reported that Marega is a back-up option for the club as they look to recruit some more firepower in the summer transfer window.
Football FanCast understands that Maxi Gomez is a key target for the club and that Director of Football Mario Husillos is in negotiations with Celta over a deal.
But Marega remains on the club’s shortlist as a potential option, though he would cost around £31m.
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And fans would rather the money was spent elsewhere, with many claiming that the striker isn’t good enough to play for the club.
He scored a total of 21 goals in all competitions last season.
[ad_pod ]David Prutton urged Leeds United to bring Dwight Gayle in on loan in his Yorkshire Evening Post article on Monday.The striker spent the previous campaign at West Bromwich Albion where he flourished, netting 24 goals in the Championship.
What’s been said then?
The former midfielder highlighted the one man that Leeds should target this summer. It has been reported that the Whites will have to rely on loan deals in the upcoming transfer window, and the 37-year-old wants his former club to bring in Dwight Gayle.
“Leeds are expected to rely mainly on the loan market, and loan signings from Premier League teams made the difference last year, not just at Aston Villa but at West Brom too,” he said. “Look how many goals Dwight Gayle scored. If he is someone that is available I would look seriously into that.â€
Tough to do
PruttonÂappears to be forgetting how hard it was for West Brom to broker the deal for Gayle.
Newcastle are no fools, they know how much the striker is worth, and if they can avoid loaning him out again they will. The Baggies were only able to bring him in because Salomon Rondon was headed the other way.
Leeds could follow West Brom’s example in using Newcastle’s interest in one of their players to leverage a loan deal for Gayle. The Magpies have been linked with United’s star midfielder Kalvin Phillips, and Victor Orta can certainly use that to his advantage, but that feels like a very big price to pay for a 28-year-old striker.
The Whites definitely won’t be the only club in the Championship looking at signing Gayle this summer either. Fulham have been heavily linked with the £20m-rated attacker, and if it’s a choice between getting a permanent fee or loaning Gayle out to Leeds, surely Newcastle will opt for the former.
Loads of Newcastle fans have been revelling in the brilliance of Papiss Cisse, as the club shared a birthday announcement on his 34th birthday.
Newcastle fans haven’t had much to cheer about in recent years. Mike Ashley has lorded over the club like a dark cloud, a dark cloud that just so happens to have no idea how to sign a good centre forward.
The honour of leading Newcastle’s line has gone to many underserving names since Alan Shearer retired, but Cisse was one of the few that endeaered himself to the Toon Army.
Signed from Bundesliga outfit Freiburg in 2012, the Senegal international scored 44 times in 131 games for the club, striking up a superb partnership with Demba Ba.
Loose cannon or vital cog in the Newcastle’s machine? The Magpie Channel think it would be a mistake to sell the player in the video below…
While he is now plying his trade in Turkey, scoring 16 times this season for Alanyaspor, St. James’ Park will never forget the stunning brace he netted against Chelsea in May 2012.
After slamming home an excellent first goal with his left foot, he swirled a simply ridiculous half-volley over a helpless Petr Cech in the second half, winning BBC Match of the Day’s goal of the season award.
Have a look at the Twitter reactions down below, where fans are forgetting the takeover rumours for a moment to remember a cult hero…
علّق مايكل أرتيتا مدرب فريق آرسنال على ما حدث بين الثنائي داني سيبايوس وديفيد لويز، خلال مشاركتهما في التدريبات يوم الجمعة الماضي.
وذكرت تقارير صحفية أن لويز اعتدى على سيبايوس، وسقط الأخير على الأرض وهو يعاني من نزيف في الأنف نتيجة إصابته بخدش بسبب اعتداء المدافع البرازيلي (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
وقال أرتيتا، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ستاندرد” الإنجليزية: “لا توجد مشكلة على الإطلاق”.
وأضاف: “التدريب تنافسي للغاية وتحدث المشاكل في كثير من الأحيان، يتم حل هذه الأمور على الفور داخل الفريق وليس هناك الكثير لقوله”.
وعندما سُئل عما إذا كان قد رأى ما حدث بين سيبايوس ولويز، رد أرتيتا ضاحكًا: “لا، أعاني من سوء الرؤية عن بعد! لهذا السبب نتدرب خلف الأبواب المغلقة”.
According to a BBC report by David Ornstein, Liverpool are set for a quiet summer in the market.
The Reds will reportedly make just one, or a maximum of two, signings in the window, and neither will surpass the £13m spent on Xherdan Shaqiri last summer.
Liverpool’s owners don’t want to splash out for the sake of it, and the general feeling is that there are few obtainable players that can come in and improve the side.
Luis Suarez certainly had no qualms about celebrating against his former employers in the video below…
With the departures of Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool may move for a ‘versatile’ attacker, although Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Rhian Brewster will mean a like-for-like replacement for Sturridge won’t be signed.
So, are Liverpool right to opt for a quiet summer, given the huge depth of title rivals Manchester City? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…
James Beavis
“Given they accumulated 97 points in the Premier League and are in a Champions League final, Klopp is absolutely doing the right thing. It’s clear to see that not too many changes are needed with this Liverpool squad, with one or two tweaks here and there being enough for the 2019/20 campaign. There is no point going on a spending spree and bringing in lots of new players that would then need time to gel. The Reds have their winning formula, and that continuity and lack of changes will ensure they are elite again next season.”
Matt Dawson
“Liverpool don’t need much or anything at all in the summer market. However, they must capitalise on their stunning season by boasting their ranks even further when the window opens. The club simply can’t afford to rest on their laurels and if they can bring someone of world class quality to Anfield then it must be done. That could be hard to carry out, but with yet another Champions League final on the horizon, who wouldn’t want to join Liverpool?”
Harry Sherlock
“No. Sir Alex Ferguson established his fearsome legacy at Manchester United by constantly strengthening his team, even when they were on top, and Klopp should be looking to do the same. Bringing in a world-class player should be on the agenda; Liverpool have the money, and they have holes that need patching up within the squad. Going out and splashing the cash on a genuinely elite defender would go a long way to ensuring that they are challenging again next season. The idea that they don’t need to spend could lead to complacency and Liverpool certainly don’t need that.”
News emerged yesterday that Newcastle United’s record signing is to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
On the chalkboard
This brings an end to the Paraguayan’s first season in England. Although he did not manage a single goal or assist, his pace in behind has completely transformed the Magpies’ attack.
Ayoze Perez has scored seven goals since Almiron joined, before that he only had three in the league, as the speed and directness of the 25-year-old has allowed Perez and Salomon Rondon to have more space to work with, which they have exploited to great effect.
Sitting on 41 points and with Premier League safety secured for another season, Almiron’s injury is not the end of the world as it will now allow one of their summer signings to get some game time.
Perfect for Muto
Muto was signed from Mainz in a £9.5 million deal but he has found game time very hard to come by in the second-half of the season since the arrival of Almiron – he has only made 14 appearances for the Magpies so far.
He was not helped by the fact he was called up to the Asian Cup squad and thus missed December and January, before this he played in the Newcastle team that did not win in any of their first ten matches but was arguably the Magpies’ best player in that spell.
He scored a goal at Old Trafford in a 3-2 defeat whilst he also looked busy and creative with pace and a willingness to run in behind in all of his early season performances.
Now that Almiron is out for the season, Perez and Rondon need that player who can make runs beyond the defence and create space for their partnership to blossom.
Muto would be a perfect replacement for Newcastle’s last games – they take on Brighton and Fulham with Liverpool sandwiched in-between.
The games against a relegated team and one battling relegation would probably be the best time to use the 26-year old, his pace and work-ethic would certainly trouble both defences.
Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….
For Mainz Muto scored 27 in 72 appearances whilst his Japanese record is three goals in 29 games.
This suggests that Muto will be a success on Tyneside, he has had a disrupted season with injury and Asian Cup duties coupled with the arrival of Almiron, resulting in limited appearances, but these last few games should give the Japanese international a chance to impress the Toon faithful.
Liverpool are looking to repeat their success with Andrew Robertson and Georginjo Wijnaldum by plotting move for £10 million-rated Norwich City star.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are keen on recruiting Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey this summer, with a club source revealing that Liverpool recruitment chief Michael Edwards has been keeping close tabs on the defender sending scouts on regular trips to Carrow Road this season.
The versatile player, who is valued at £3.15 million (by Transfermarkt), possesses all the characteristics of an accomplished modern defender and can operate in defensive midfield as well as central defence and left-back and has become a stalwart presence in the starting line-up since making his first league appearance in December.
It is likely that Norwich City will be incredibly keen on keeping the player as they look almost certain to make the jump into the Premier League at the end of the season, but their resolve will certainly be tested come summer with Premier League clubs circling.
We can understand why Liverpool are so keen on the player having already seen a number of their low-profile signings excel at the top level. Particularly Andrew Robertson, so FSG could pull off another masterstroke by bringing the Norwich City man to Anfield.
The flying Scotsman made his start at Dundee United before being recruited by Hull City, where he enjoyed an incredibly impressive three years – at least, in a personal sense – before being recruited by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to fill a gaping void at left-back.
Indeed, Robertson is the perfect example of why Premier League sides do not have to spend big to find a gem, and if Godfrey is anything close to hit touted quality, they have a star for the future.
Liverpool fans, would you prefer to see your club make big money signings, or take a punt on more potential hidden gems? Let us know in the comments
Tottenham Hotspur opened their glistening new stadium two weekends ago, as their Under-18s team took on Southampton and won 3-1.
On Saturday, another match was played, this time from the other end of the era spectrum as a legends team took on Inter Forever.
The likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Darren Anderton all took to the pitch, and all took the time to give their take on the ground, which was home to 45,000 fans against the Nerazzurri.
Take a look at their verdicts below!
Darren Anderton – Long-serving former midfielder
Anderton, who played for the club between 1992 and 2004, believes the club are now well-positioned to bring in some of the best players in the world, saying:
“The club wants to be one of the best clubs in the world and to do that you have to have one of the best stadiums in the world, that’s exactly what we need and you want the best players to want to come and play for you and who wouldn’t want to play out there every week?
“The wall was unbelievable. Even in the warm up it really was a different sort of sound and it reverberated around there, it was amazing. I can’t wait to hear Wednesday night, when it’s a full stadium.”
David Ginola – A free-scoring dribbler in his heyday
Liverpool v Tottenham 8/11/97 Premiership Pic : Darren Walsh / Action Images Tottenham’s David Ginola gets away from Liverpool’s Steve McManaman Tottenham Hotspur
Ginola insists that Spurs are now well-placed to enter something of a golden era, adding:
“For the club it is a massive step forward because playing away from your home is not something that you want and it’s been for a long time now.
“First of all, they deserve to play at their home ground and now it’s over, the wait is over and Wednesday is going to be the start, hopefully, of something really, really interesting and I think it’ll be fantastic.
“The stadium is part of the whole project, there’s the training ground, the new stadium, everything is going forward, so I think the future of Tottenham Hotspur is really bright.”
Steffen Freund – cult hero and former coaching staff member
Freund enjoyed a five-year spell at the club before returning in 2012 as assistant head coach, and believes the club have sent a message to the entire footballing world, claiming:
“It’s a special place and you can see the difference to other new stadiums, like Arsenal, the Etihad, supporters are closer to the pitch and the south stand is a bit like the south stand at Borussia Dortmund. Everything, from the whole staff here at Tottenham was well organised.
“I came in 2012 as assistant coach, I saw the plans of what they could do and now the stadium is even bigger, that time it was 55,000, now 62,000, the second biggest in London. That’s a message to everyone in England, and to the world, that you can build a nice stadium with a nice atmosphere and still have over 60,000 supporters.”
Robbie Keane – The club’s 11th-highest goalscorer
Keane scored a genuinely brilliant goal during the legends game, having played for the club across two spells, and was especially impressed with the south stand, the largest of its kind in England. When asked about the atmosphere, he said:
“In terms of atmosphere, yeah. You can see it tonight, the atmosphere was fantastic.
“It’s certainly a historic moment for Tottenham Hotspur and it’s a credit to everyone at the club, certainly that big wall at the back there will put shivers down their spine.”
David Howells – A 13-year veteran
Howells, at the age of 51, completed the entire 90 minutes against Inter, having played as a midfielder for the club between 1985 and 1998, and believes Spurs have replicated the feel of the old White Hart Lane, claiming:
“The first thing I noticed was the noise. When we went out, the crowd, just when they were cheering the names as they were read out, it was ‘oh my god, that is noisy’. We all noticed it.
“It feels like home, it really does, I know it’s brand new and the standard of the whole building is absolutely phenomenal but it feels like home, it feels like you’ve come home, which is amazing. I suppose because the journey’s the same, we’re in the same area, but it does still have that feeling.”
Dimitar Berbatov – Former striker
Berbatov played for the club between 2006 and 2008 before earning a major move to Manchester United and was impressed with the facilities in north London, saying:
“It’s going to be a big step to getting Tottenham even bigger, in the world, as a club. They have everything now.
“I think this is one of the best stadiums I’ve been in, if not the best one. So now it’s down to them to show on the pitch how good they are.”
The prospect of playing Premier League football next season is currently a distinct possibility for Leeds United. The Whites are currently in the thick of the Championship title race, along with Norwich City and Sheffield United.
If the Yorkshire club do achieve promotion this time around – and end their 15 year wait for a return to the top flight – then it will be a great achievement for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, for which the Argentine coach would deserve plenty of credit.
Are fans being priced out of the Championship as well as the Premier League? The angry Bolton fan in the video below certainly believes so…
However, former England defender and Sky Sports pundit Joleon Lescott is concerned that the Leeds squad aren’t yet ready to make the step up.
What he said
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Debate (06/03), as quoted by The Boot Room, Lescott gave his verdict on whether or not Leeds are ready for the Premier League: “manager wise I would say…But personnel wise, they won’t have many Premier League players that have played in the Premier League. So they’re going to need to recruit a lot of experience.”
The time is right
Lescott is right that Leeds don’t boast a great deal of Premier League experience. However, 33-year-old veteran Pablo Hernandez has proved his quality in England’s top flight before. What’s more, goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has previously excelled in La Liga, even representing Real Madrid.
On top of that, whilst they may not have Premier League experience, the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Pontus Jansson, Mateusz Klich and Ezgjan Alioski certainly have what it takes to shine in the top flight. A lack of experience shouldn’t hold the Whites back too much, as in Bielsa they have a coach capable of keeping them grounded, confident and focused.
Leeds have never looked more ready for promotion than they do now.