boss Brendan Rodgers admitted Andreas Weimann impressed him again on Sunday amid rumours that he wants him at Anfield.
Rodgers’ Reds beat Villa 2-1 to maintain their hopes of sneaking into Europe next season, but the Liverpool boss was effusive in his praise for Weimann – a striker he has been linked with in the press recently.
The Austrian, who has 15 months left on his current Villa deal, has put contract talks on hold – leading to speculation that he is keeping his options open for a possible move away this summer, despite boss Paul Lambert’s confidence that it will all be sorted out.
Liverpool, Norwich City and Inter Milan have all been linked but the interest from Anfield appears to be the most serious – particularly if Rodgers loses Luis Suarez in the summer.
Weimann also had a good game at Anfield earlier this season when Villa beat Liverpool 3-1.
Rodgers told Talksport: “Weimann made some very good runs and caused us problems all the time.”
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To some it seems inevitable, to others it was completely shocking..
But Kenny Jackett has resigned as Millwall manager.
Jackett resigned three days after the Championship season ended after feeling he’d taken us as far as he could.
It was gutting to see he resigned, but maybe he was right…
This season saw the Lions needing to rely on other results on the final day in order to stay in the division. Whereas in December we were play off contenders.
Jackets poor January signings led us to a bottom five finish. Plus rumours of unhappy players not wanting to play for the manager don’t help, if you lose the dressing room, maybe it’s time to go…
I was hoping he would stay for atleast another year, give him a chance to make right the mistakes made, you don’t become a bad manager overnight.
Plus we have to remember what Kenny has done for the club. Remember when he came in we were looking at relegation to League Two. He kept us up, made us stronger, and promoted us two years later. Then we had a play-off push to the Premier League in the first season back in the Championship.
He’s the greatest manager I will see during my lifetime at The Den, I’m pretty sure of that.
In all of KJ’s years here it either involved a play-off push or relegation battle, no middle ground. Never boring being a Millwall fan…
Of course this season also included an F.A Cup semi final appearance at Wembley. The third time in five seasons ‘Wall would make the short trip to the national stadium.
But in all honesty this very well was the final nail in KJ’s coffin. The further we got the fixtures piled up. Maybe just not having the cup to distract us, we could’ve finished higher.
KJ gave me my first ever taste of success as a Millwall fan. Thanks KJ for all the memories.
Now it’s who to see who could come in. With Owen Coyle being put in as bookies favourite. I wouldn’t mind him coming in but can’t see it happening.
Neil Warnock, semi retired?
Darren Ferguson, wouldn’t be let go.
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Dean Saunders, two relegations in two years.
Karl Robinson, unproven and looking poor at Mk Dons.
Its a tough decision and let’s hope Berylson makes the right decision. With the delicate situation we are in now, the wrong choice of manager will surely spell relegation back to League 1.
For a writer whose trade and passion is football, I have a terrible knack of sleeping through FA Cup finals. Usually, it is not too much of a disaster – excluding the West Ham Liverpool tie in 2006, every final I’ve been able to remember has been won by the favourite, and usually quite comfortably in a match of little action. I am afraid to say that once again assuming that Manchester City would walk away with it this weekend, my belly full of a late Saturday lunch and crisp cider, by the 15th minute my eyes heavied, and I was once again amid my annual siesta.
It was not until I received a text from a friend, joking at the prospect of Ben Watson making it to an FA Cup final, that I awoke just in time to see Pablo Zabaletta shown a red card. Although I had missed the vast majority of the match, you could instantly tell the significance of the Citizens’ most dependable and consistent player being sent for an early shower.
[cat_link cat=”manchester-city” type=”tower”]
Perhaps at the time I was too gripped by the sudden euthoria of Wigan having the upper hand – the Latics are the type of team, composed of style, cult heroes, blind loyalty and belief, that really capture the imagination and thus have a strong following of admirers throughout the country, including myself – that the prospect of Roberto Mancini’s job slipping away was not at the forefront of my consideration.
But as Wigan netted from a corner, a header from Ben Watson, to the irony of my friend’s mocking, and the clock began to run down without any hint of a serious reply from the Skyblues, it became obvious that it would be a trophyless year at Eastlands; the first since Mancini took over the big spenders since 2009, which would no doubt lead to grave consequences.
Whereas the Italian’s tagline before the match – ‘three trophies in three years’ – had an acceptable ring to it, considering City’s non-existent title defence this year, the analysis of the Manchester club’s season upon the final whistle became; embarrassing in Europe, lukewarm at best during a stale year in the Premier League, and overall no silverware, after losing to a club likely to be playing Championship football next season at Wembley.
Needless to say, for a club who has spent £1 billion on transfers alone in a bid to transform them from the depths of mediocrity into a European institution, any year without accolades can only be constituted as a failure. With rumours rife throughout the season, it now appears that Mancini’s job is currently under review, with the almost certain outcome to be that he will be handed his P45 and a ticket back to Italy, as early as today, without even gracing him with the respectful opportunity to lead out a team he lifted the Premier League title with in glorious fashion a year ago this weekend.
But is it right that the City boss is taking the full brunt of the club’s failings this season? And is it fair that his tenure should be cut short by a Cup final alone, where momentum, fate, and the magic of the FA Cup was always going to be in the Latics’ favour? Is he simply becoming a scapegoat for a club frustrated by its difficulty in progressing?
The first mistake regarding City’s poor season was in the summer, and it had little to do with Roberto Mancini. The most hotly desired purchase last year was Robin Van Persie – at £20million, the Premier League’s most prolific and talented marksman was a steal. But despite the infinite finance at the club’s disposal, the Dutchman, set to top the scoring charts for a consecutive season, chose local rivals Manchester United, going on to lift the first Premier League title of his career with the Red Devils.
The Italian gaffer could tell it would come back to bite them; we were only a few weeks into the season when he began criticising Bryan Marwood, the club’s head-honcho when it comes to transfers, and no doubt made an enemy within the club’s power structure in the process. Fire-power has been the difference between the two Manchester clubs this year, with Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Van Persie firing on all cylinders, whilst Edin Dzeko has been unable to shake his ‘super-sub’ reputation, Sergio Aguero has spent the year layed out on a physio bench, Carlos Tevez has been industrious but not clinical, and Mario Balotelli’s career in England imploded by the January transfer window.
Instead of a sharp-shooter, Marwood supplied new recruits in Maicon, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Scott Sinclair and Matija Nastasic, all of whom excluding the latter have had a limited effect on the first team, with Rodwell, Maicon and Sinclair making just 11 Premier League starts between them. The board expected Mancini to simply get on with it – he already had a team of superstars from the previous season. Yet even the most dim-witted of managers will tell you that continuous growth and upgrading is required not necessarily to improve, but simply to maintain.
Furthermore, Van Persie’s decision to opt for the red side of Manchester in many ways sums up the difference between the two clubs, and further gives us an insight into how City’s season within 90 minutes became judged as a complete failure. Whilst the Red Devils remain ever consistent in almost every way possible on and off the pitch, the Citizens are unpredictable; the cut-throat acquisition and casting aside of players, constant rumours of in-fighting and training ground bust-ups, and the star-studded cast’s tendency to play their football far too casually on occasion, implying an underlying arrogance rather than self-confidence.
With Mancini at the helm, there is a simple but true argument that the buck must stop with him. But the United mentality of success after success has been forged over years and decades, and it as much due to the club’s infrastructure from top to bottom – the staff, the coaches, the manager, the chairman, the youth system, the scouting network and the unquantifiable effects of reputation – as it is any particular individual, crux of talent or available funding. My criticism is quite simply; how can you expect the Italian to mimic such a system of repetitive success in the space of four years, unlimited finance or not.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not the soon-to-be-axed City boss’s biggest fan. His continual tinkering during the first part of the season smacked of naivety and idealism. It’s difficult to measure how many points the use of 3-5-2 cost the SkyBlues in the Premier League, but it certainly contributed heavily to their poor European form. Similarly, with the finance at the club’s disposal and the constant flurry of talent arriving at the club, Mancini’s job at Eastlands has been more along the lines of a glorified babysitter than it has a coach, man manager or tactician, and he has not kept the unruly kids under his control.
He’s struggled to get the team performing at top gear for more than in patches throughout his tenure, and despite his apparent media mastery, I find his open criticism of players in the press lacking in class and astuteness. Furthermore, although this campaign’s obsolete title defence cannot be rested entirely upon Mancini’s shoulders, as a number of City’s marquee players have quite simply not turned up this year, he’s failed to create a mindset that would not allow for complacency to creep in.
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The 48 year old has certainly made his fair share of mistakes, but my concern is that his impending dismissal is as much to do with the club’s failings as it is his as a manager. It seems that Mancini’s accomplishments – turning it around to defy the odds and lead the Citizens to their first Premier League title last year, in no small part due to his ability to take all of the pressure of the players and onto the roster at Old Trafford, in addition to lifting the FA Cup in 2010 – have long been forgotten, and instead, a single year of nothing-doing is evidence enough for a managerial death sentence.
But the fact is, in the grand scheme of things, City are still relatively small fish in an ocean of continental football. Their Champions League naivety has shown ever since their initial qualification, and they are still a long way behind Chelsea, Arsenal and United in terms of accolades and silverware; it was only 12 years ago that they were crowned champions of the English second tier.
The club has come on leaps and bounds since then, but it is a long way off providing the consistency of United, the kind of consistency that guarantees a trophy per year, as seems to be the current requirement, and getting into the habit of ‘hiring and firing’, based upon unrealistic targets of silverware, is certainly not the short-cut to getting to the same level as their local rivals.
Mancini has become the scapegoat for the board’s frustration and impatience – a face and embodiment of an invisible and unquantifiable factor they cannot put their finger on – and no doubt, the Italian’s replacement, most likely Malaga’s Manuel Pellegrini, is wondering what qualifies as an acceptable year, and furthermore an acceptable tenure, as City boss.
Arsenal fans are unsurprisingly angry about the possible move for Barcelona ace Cesc Fabregas to Old Trafford, while Manchester United supporters appear to be reveling in their Premier League rival’s woe.
A few Gooners took to Twitter to express their absolute opposition towards their former midfielder joining last season’s champions, as memories of Robin van Persie’s departure reared its ugly head – with many also urging management to bring him back.
“If #Fabregas goes to #MUFC all my faith for loyal footballers is lost,” said one worried Gunner.
Conversely, United supporters seem more than happy to sign the Spain international, after the transfer of Fabregas’s former teammate Thiago Alcantara failed.
“If Barca really want 35 million for #Fabregas well then just pay the money for him. #simple #worldclass,” wrote one Red Devils fan.
There are however some United supporters who seem a little reluctant about the idea of a transfer – preferring to look elsewhere.
“I’d rather have #Fellaini than #Fabregas. We’ve been missing a nasty bastard in midfield since Keane. #MUFC,” said another fan.
According to Sky Sports, the Red Devils have already made a £25million bid, which apparently does not meet Barcelona’s valuation. The midfielder though has said that he wants to stay in Catalonia but if the Blaugrana decide to sell then it is reported that the Gunners will get first refusal due to a clause in the former club captain’s contract.
Here’s what football fans of both teams think about the possible transfer – let us know in the comments below what you think about a possible Fabregas move to Old Trafford.
We have all seen it, and no club has avoided it – the dreaded panic buy that turns out to be a flop. Pressure from fans to force through a deal is generally the reason behind the irrational purchase, that on any other day would be laughed off.
Granted it may be the manager having a sudden paddy over his defence or attack, however the thought of the transfer window slamming shut has often created some of the most ridiculous deadline day decisions ever.
Unusually, Arsene Wenger provided one of the best signings in the Premier League throughout the whole transfer window late on deadline day, with the recruitment of German international Mesut Ozil a surprise to everyone (probably even Wenger himself).
However, as we are well aware, Wenger isn’t always so successful in his deadline day recruitment.
With that in mind, here are FIVE players from recent seasons who did not enjoy the best of times at Arsenal after signing on that dreaded of dates in the calendar – Deadline Day.
Click on Mart Poom to see FIVE Deadline Day shockers at Arsenal
Tottenham have been operating on borrowed time, week after week of ‘getting away with it’ finally unravelled in the bruising capitulation on Sunday. If losing 3-0 to local rivals West Ham wasn’t sign enough of the demise, Premier League humiliation at the hands of Manchester City surely signals the beginning of the end. He hasn’t got a clue; tactically naïve and overhyped, it is time to change.
The honeymoon period is over, AVB hasn’t delivered; anyone got Ian Dowie’s number?
The noisy minority reared their heads once more on Sunday, and this wasn’t surprising given the nature of the defeat. Football is a reactionary and inflammatory sport at the best of times, but more than 24 hours on from the debacle; it is time to get real.
People seem to get frustrated by constantly describing Spurs as ‘in transition’, as if that excuse only washes for a few weeks. Spurs fans need to wake up and realise that this revolution isn’t a question of weeks, probably not even months, but years. To even be in the Champions League reckoning this year would be an achievement, and failure to realise that is wholly naïve. This is all about long term investment and vision, something that Daniel Levy has signed up to but clearly not the White Hart Lane faithful themselves.
Of course it is difficult to see this when you have just been hammered 6-0, but the contempt for AVB and his revolution has been apparent for a number of weeks now. The feelings after the City game aren’t anomalous, they are the continuation of a worrying pattern of delusional Spurs fans that have absolutely no understanding of the long term aims for their club.
Spurs sit 2 points off the Champions League places after playing the majority of the top sides already, yet to play well, for me the only way is up. Playing without the swashbuckle of previous seasons, it is only a matter of time and patience before Spurs get back some semblance of their most successful selves. AVB isn’t a boring manager, you only have to look at the way his Porto side played to realise this. Solid yes, but with a knack of punishing opposition with free flowing attacking football as well. Spurs sides of the past were always entertaining but rarely successful, AVB is trying to bring solidity to the side whilst maintaining the creative threat, at the moment he just hasn’t found the correct balance.
Another criticism levelled at Spurs has been the inadequacy of their summer signings. I have heard droves of people label the likes of Lamela, Soldado and Paulinho as flops. Three players that have never played in England and who can barely speak the language, surely from the apprehension of British players to ply their trade abroad you can understand the difficulty of the switch? You only have to watch these individuals playing for their previous clubs and even for their respective countries to realise Spurs have stumbled upon some special talents. Of course the fog of YouTube is marked, we all thought Sergei Rebrov was the next big thing only to be proven completely wrong. Yet these players have all gained acclaim from respected figures the world over, this opinion isn’t based on a grainy video from the web; for me it is only a matter of time before they come good.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I can even understand to an extent the frustrations with AVB’s management style. But for people to call for his head, you need to suggest an alternative. There really aren’t that many candidates out of a job at the moment, would Klinsmann be the answer? I doubt it personally, and unless you want to be unrealistic about top level managers leaving their jobs for Spurs you are then looking at a second tier that contains names as unappealing as Neil Warnock.
Spurs like so many clubs these days are dogged by narrow-minded short-termists, those that when it really comes down to it are all too happy to settle for the flamboyant mediocrity of the past rather than aspire to anything more.
The road ahead for Spurs will be rocky, don’t expect the City game to be a one off. I’m not blinded by the aura of AVB, but I realise the need to give this project time, and when I say time I don’t mean months.
The reality is that we won’t be in a state to judge the successes of the AVB regime for a number of years. Patience is the key
Is it all doom and gloom for Spurs?
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What is the romance of the cup? Although there are no strict definitions of the term we so often hear when talking about the game we love or tuning into television coverage of each round of the Capital One Cup, it can be boiled down to three things: shocks, stories and the feel-good factor.
This triumvirate of ingredients have all been on displays once again in this year’s Capital One Cup, proving that the tournament has lost none of its magic and appeal.
We’ll start with shocks. You only have to look at Round 1 and 2 of this year’s Capital One Cup to see a few surprise results and unforeseen performances. Wolves may not be the force they were a couple of years ago when top tier football was a weekly occurrence at the Molineux, but they still entered their tie with Morecambe as favourites. Yet the fourth tier side pulled off a memorable performance to overhaul the Midlanders.
Fellow League Two side Bury then matched the Shrimps as they beat Crewe Alexandra 3-2, before the second round threw up an even more unlikely result. Fresh from promotion, Crystal Palace entered their clash with Bristol City expecting a smooth route into the hat for the draw. However, the Somerset side – of League One – shocked the Eagles with a 2-1 scoreline to provide the first true giantkilling of the year. Meanwhile Notts County took Liverpool to extra time at Anfield before Leyton Orient very nearly stunned Hull.
On to stories. Although two sets of 90 minutes stand in the way, we could be set for two of the nation’s great rivals to contest the Final. Manchester City have all but booked their spot at Wembley with a 6-0 dismantling of West Ham, where they could face Manchester United – who are in with a real chance of overhauling a shock 2-1 loss to Sunderland at Old Trafford. Since the Citizens’ Middle Eastern-backed revival, the two sides have reignited their rivalry at the very top, after clashing for the last two Premier League titles – of which each have claimed one apiece. A final contested by the two halves of one of England’s great cities is an excellent prospect, and one that will surely be talked about from pubs around Wembley to living rooms across Asia.
And last but by no means least the feel-good factor. While we have just looked at United and City, their opponents in the last four have been living, breathing examples of this. The Black Cats and the Hammers are both fighting for their lives in the top tier, with relegation and the financial repercussions potentially damaging to their futures. Their fans have endured disappointments on a weekly basis in the league, but the Capital One Cup has provided a welcome break, and a platform for success. The odds on either of the two reaching Wembley aren’t straightforward – even with Sunderland leading on aggregate – but reaching the Semi-Finals will be looked back on with a sense of pride one the final kick of the ball later this year is made.
Although shocks haven’t been plentiful this season, the Capital One Cup has still proved that the romance is bubbling away. And the best part? We aren’t even done yet!
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As West Ham fans revel in their long overdue revival under the continued stewardship of manager Sam Allardyce, it would seem that the decision of the club’s co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold to stick with the former Bolton boss has been vindicated.
The Hammers run of a draw and three wins in their last four league games has helped to ease their relegation fears, in the short term at least, and shows that sometimes it is best to weather the out-of-form storm.
This strategy, however, has not been mirrored by some of the club’s Premier League rivals, many of whom have been quick to issue their marching orders. Indeed, the current managerial casualty rate stands at eight for the top-flight this season (including Ian Holloway’s resignation from Crystal Palace) part of a collective total of 29 across the top four divisions, with 23 having been fired.
The search for success in the modern game then has seen managers become one of the sport’s most expendable commodities, an outcome that brings with it mixed results.
The faring of newly promoted Crystal Palace since their appointment of Tony Pulis is undoubtedly the best example of a managerial change gone right. Since the Welshman’s arrival in late November, the Eagles have averaged 1.6 points per game, form that would see them occupy 8th place in the league had he been in charge since September. This miraculous turnaround has been well received in South London and seen the memories of the turbulent start under Holloway firmly filed under the heading of ‘distant memories’.
Similarly the exploits of Spurs boss Tim Sherwood, who was unexpectedly handed the hotseat following the departure of Andre Villas Boas, has facilitated a similar turnaround, losing just once in eight Premier League games and placing the club firmly back in the race for 4th spot.
The same cannot be said however, of the League’s more recent permanent appointments.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, one of the finest substitutes this country has ever seen, raised a number of eyebrows when he accepted the offer of the Cardiff job from unpredictable chairman Vincent Tan. Having had success in his native Norway with former club Molde, with whom he decided to remain having been linked with the Aston Villa job, the move to Cardiff seemed a little ill-considered, on his part rather than theirs, as his appointment marked the end of the English clubs’ campaign to install him as their boss.
The effect however, has been a little patchy. Four defeats from his first five league games was probably not the renaissance package that Bluebirds (or is it Dragons now?) had envisaged, especially not the comprehensive 3-0 loss to bitter rivals Swansea, currently plying their trade under the stewardship of managerial rookie Garry Monk.
The honeymoon start of a 2-1 FA cup win at Newcastle has certainly worn off and the challenge of keeping the club in the Premier League now is more apparent than ever with a number of 6-pointers on the horizon.
Meanwhile Pepe Mel at West Brom hasn’t enjoyed a fairytale start to his time in England. Taking over from popular Scot Steve Clarke, the former Real Betis coach, apparently so committed to the prospect of working in England that he had been taking English lessons for several months, is yet to record a win in his first four games, which have encompassed defeats to relegation rivals Palace and Aston Villa.
The mood of Baggies fans has been bleak of late, with performances under Mel doing little to remedy it, though the securing of his colleague David Gomez as first team coach may aid the recovery, at this stage the Hawthorns outfit’s survival chances hang very much in the balance.
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And the fate of Rene Meulensteen’s Fulham is similarly uncertain. The much-lauded Dutch coach was seen as the answer to the Cottagers problems following the departure of compatriot Martin Jol. Aside of an impressive 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, however, the Cottagers performances have been little short of atrocious, encapsulated by the drab 1-0 home defeat to League One strugglers Sheffield United in the FA cup. Their latest defeat against Liverpool saw Meulensteen replaced with former Bayern Munich boss Felix Magath after just 75 days in an attempt to bring an instant halt to the Cottager’s slide in to the Championship.
Thus it would appear that the remedy package of a managerial change is by no means guaranteed. Nor however does it mean that those who take over are bad managers. Typically clubs who make these appointments are not doing well anyway and one transfer window is scarcely a chance to rectify this. This serves then to highlight the phenomenonal job of Pulis, to fashion an effective team out of previously unsuccessuful components.
Based on this year’s appointments though and the turnaround by Allardyce, perhaps the sticking-with option is sometimes the best bet.
It was the most fitting and appropriate end to the trophy drought at Arsenal. It was the perfect way to cap a season that has become a page turned for Aaron Ramsey after the difficulties of that injury at Stoke.
Who else could have won Arsenal the FA Cup and had the moment be any sweeter? Had it been Mesut Ozil, it would have been the ushering in of a new era, but one that isn’t really a clear depiction of Arsene Wenger and his values in football.
The German midfielder is the superstar that the club needed, but Wenger’s faith in youth, the steel-like conviction in what he was doing in building for the long-term, his absolute confidence in Ramsey over these past few seasons – two new contracts inside the last 18 months – made the end to the cup final at Wembley all the more fitting.
Money and imported, readymade superstars didn’t win Arsenal and Wenger the FA Cup – Ramsey, a player brought in for relative peanuts as a teenager, did. There can be no stronger vindication for Wenger’s long-held beliefs than that.
It’s fitting that a project has become this Arsenal team’s talisman. Players like Ozil are necessary, if nothing else than to properly equip and supplement those who are developed in-house. But Ramsey has gone full circle. He’s no longer that player who was the brunt of fans’ frustration. The Welshman has taken that step forward, ahead of his teammates lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, to become this team’s leader and poster boy.
Arsenal have long trumpeted the ideal that they make superstars rather than buying them. Bayern Munich’s reported interest in Ramsey acts as confirmation that they’re onto something big with the 23-year-old. Had he been fit all season, Ramsey may well have won the Player of the Year award. At the very least it would have been an extremely close call between him and Luis Suarez.
His long-term move to the sidelines on Boxing Day, still lamented by Arsenal supporters, coincided with the creeping in of a loss of form and loss of belief. Ozil has no doubt added ornamentation to Arsenal’s play; the German has brought intelligence, too. But there’s no safety net or backup for the loss of a genuine game-changer and willing leader in someone like Ramsey.
Ramsey is a player reborn. An apparently limitless supply of confidence now to go along with the talent that was always there. In years gone by, Arsenal have rarely had both – and that goes for individuals and the club as a whole. They’ve got a leader on the pitch – an armband isn’t always necessary or defining – as well as a trophy in the cabinet to really get the motors going. If Arsenal weren’t financially capable of adding further talent in the past, they’re more than able now.
Ramsey has scored the most important goal of his career – and what a stunning effort it was – while arguably scoring the goal that put Wenger’s future beyond all doubt. But the midfielder is 23. Let that sink in. Arsenal have lost out on star players in the past. Cesc Fabregas wanted to return home to Barcelona for a number of reasons, but primary was the opportunity to win silverware. Arsenal certainly lost out on much of Robin van Persie’s career due to the Dutchman’s injuries. He too jumped ship in the pursuit of tangible glory.
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But the club don’t have that problem now. There are few, if any, insurmountable hurdles preventing this club from winning and giving players like Ramsey the incentive to stay.
Following a sensational World Cup campaign with the Netherlands, Mirror Football claim Louis van Gaal plans to bring Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar to Manchester United this summer.
Concrete Ron may not have enjoyed such a glistening career thus far, but he’s well acquainted with the Premier League and the Red Devils gaffer clearly knows how to get the best out of him.
Likewise, the Villans captain’s contract is set to expire in 2015, meaning that Paul Lambert’s side could be forced to sell on the cheap, and he excelled at Brazil 2014 as the central defender in a back three – a system van Gaal now wishes to implement at Old Trafford.
But Mirror Football also speculate that the United manager isn’t planning on stopping there. He wants to bring in a number of Oranje stars and starlets this summer, so we at Football FanCast have decided to take a look at FIVE of them.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON RONCRETE TO REVEAL ALL
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KEVIN STROOTMAN
It’s no secret that Louis van Gaal is tracking Netherlands vice-captain Kevin Strootman; he’s been continually linked with the Roma star since taking the Old Trafford hot seat, and admitted his interest during Manchester United’s pre-season tour:
The 24 year-old has emerged as one of Serie A’s most dominant forces since joining Giallorossi from PSV last summer, claiming five goals and six assists in 25 league outings. This wonder-strike in the Coppa Italia also stood out:
But the Oranje international’s utility to the Red Devils in a box-to-box capacity is better represented by the impressive statistics below…
Often referred to as the Dutch Roy Keane and a firm favourite of van Gaal, a Manchester United switch appears to be the next logical step in Strootman’s career.
But sidelined with an injury that saw him miss the World Cup until at least November, it’s believed the Red Devils boss will wait until the January window to get his man:
Meanwhile, Roma, who are understandably reluctant to sell after only signing the tenacious midfielder last summer, have slapped Stootman with a £79million price-tag!
DALEY BLIND
If Louis van Gaal is to implement 3-4-1-2 as Manchester United’s primary formation next season, the Red Devils need an experienced left wing-back to provide cover for Luke Shaw.
Rather fortuitously, LVG has just spent the World Cup making Ajax utility man Daley Blind look like an absolute world-beater.
Following a Player of the Year award-winning campaign with the Eredivisie Champions, the 24 year-old finished Brazil 2014 with the second-most assists of any player, as detailed below:
That includes this sensational delivery to Robin van Persie against Spain:
Not to mention this tidy strike in the play-off to help Oranje clinch third-place:
Here’s a look at the Netherlands international’s stats from the tournament. Impressive stuff:
Also capable of playing in defensive midfield or centre-back, Blind has a lot to offer the United roster. It was claimed yesterday evening that negotiations have started:
However, Ajax value the Oranje star at a whopping £17.4million, and Barcelona are also said to be interested:
NIGEL DE JONG
Hot off the press this morning, Louis van Gaal is reportedly eying a move for Netherlands international Nigel de Jong:
The 29 year-old, affectionately known as ‘The Lawn-mower’ for his bone-crunching tackles, was one of the better of a bad bunch at AC Milan last season and enjoyed a solid World Cup campaign with Oranje, as detailed below:
United’s midfield is in need of some added physical menace that can tidy up in front of the back four. De Jong’s Premier League experience is a major advantage too, having spent four seasons and won the English title with noisy neighbours Manchester City.
Here’s a look at what the veteran midfielder does best – turn football matches into outright wars:
//www.youtube.com/embed/Y-TeFK8uNGI?rel=0
And with just a year left on his San Siro contract, United believe they can sign de Jong on the cheap:
MEMPHIS DEPAY
Manchester United’s desperate need for added quality out wide could thrust them into the hands of Eredivisie sensation Memphis Depay.
The 20 year-old PSV star destroyed the Dutch top flight last season, as seen below:
He also recorded the most successful dribbles and shots on goal of any player in the division…
The Ghana-born attacker had a solid World Cup too, claiming two goals and one assist for Oranje in a cameo role. That includes this swerving strike against Australia:
As well as this far-post finish against Chile:
Often dubbed ‘The Dutch CR7’ for their shared free-kick technique and playing style, there’s no doubt Depay has a bright future ahead of him. Here’s a look at some of his career highlights thus far:
//www.youtube.com/embed/MiRW90BBv_o?rel=0
If Louis van Gaal wants to bring the Dutch prodigy to Old Trafford however he’ll have to act quickly, with news that Tottenham are poised to make a formal offer:
JOEL VELTMAN
Rather surprisingly, Louis van Gaal has passed on opportunities to sign Oranje World Cup stars Stefan de Vrij and Bruno Martins Indi, who have now joined Lazio and Porto respectively.
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But with Manchester United desperately struggling for quality and depth at centre-back, he could still be tempted into making a bid for Eredivisie hotshot Joel Veltman.
The 22 year-old didn’t see much World Cup action and only broke into the Ajax first team last year. But his debut campaign was incredibly impressive, the vitals of which are detailed below:
That quality on the ball will be particularly important to van Gaal, who needs a ball-playing, front-footed defender somewhere in his back three. Here’s a video showing Veltman’s impressive all-round game (apologies for the Dutch commentary):
//www.youtube.com/embed/bRkp3aLTiYs?rel=0
Once again however, Louis van Gaal would be wise to act quickly, with both Arsenal and Spurs reportedly after the Ajax youngster’s signature:
JORDY CLASIE
Louis van Gaal is big on technical players and Manchester United’s engine room is certainly in need of some added quality. Thus, rumours linking the Red Devils with Oranje youngster Jordy Clasie have hardly been in short supply this summer:
The 23 year-old didn’t see too much World Cup action but comes with a preceding reputation from his three campaigns in the Feyenoord first team, netting eight goals in the process.
As well as being labelled ‘The Dutch Xavi’ for his like-minded passing game, Clasie is a real warrior, typified by his impressive tackling return last season:
And he’s already developed a proficient on-pitch understanding with Robin van Persie – just check out this assist during a Brazil 2014 warm-up fixture:
But Feyenoord claim the midfielder isn’t for sale:
Whilst Southampton are also known to be keen suitors: