Wednesday, September 5, 2012
FABREGAS WANTS ARSENAL RETURN
From Frank Worrall's Weekly Sport column, Sept 5, 2012
IT'S one of those weeks when you hear some crazy inside tips about star players and their futures.
The Ronaldo to United with Rooney to Madrid story was staggering enough but there's one brewing down in London that could prove equally as mind-blowing.
My sources at Arsenal tell me that Cesc Fabregas is unhappy at Barcelona and that he has told pals at Arsenal that he would love to return to the Emirates.
His story is the one of the big fish in the smaller pond who is lost and lonesome when he becomes the small fish in the bigger pond.
His dream move back to his hometown club has not worked out as he would have hoped - he is not a guaranteed starter and his form has suffered.
The John Snag he faces is obvious: Arsenal could not afford to buy him back, or pay his wages. So would they be willing to offer Barca Jack Wilshere in a straight swop deal?
Or will he end up returning to England and playing for Man City or Chelsea?
I would not be at all surprised to see Cesc back here by this time next year. He is a class act.
FRANK WORRALL
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
NASRI - FRIMPONG WILSHERE DING DONG
I LOVE the new boy at Arsenal - Emmanuel Frimpong. Only 19 but a powerhouse and he WILL be the new Vieira given time.
Even at so tender an age he had a hell of a lot of balls.
Look at how he stuck it up Jack Wilshere over Samir Nasri's departure to Man City.
Wilshere, a tough little nut himself, had said all the usual crap when Nasri sold his soul for more money.
‘Good luck to my friend @Nanas08 (mr Nasri) learnt a lot from him. World class player! Will be missed!’ Wilshere creeped on Twitter.
Not so Frimpong. The big guy dismissed Jack's words with a heavy dose of cynicism and truth: ‘Pfffff come on Jack.’
The implication being that, no, Nasri's exit was a bad one - and that he hadn't been pulling his weight since his head was turned by the sheik's millions.
Good lad, Manny...keep it up!
Even at so tender an age he had a hell of a lot of balls.
Look at how he stuck it up Jack Wilshere over Samir Nasri's departure to Man City.
Wilshere, a tough little nut himself, had said all the usual crap when Nasri sold his soul for more money.
‘Good luck to my friend @Nanas08 (mr Nasri) learnt a lot from him. World class player! Will be missed!’ Wilshere creeped on Twitter.
Not so Frimpong. The big guy dismissed Jack's words with a heavy dose of cynicism and truth: ‘Pfffff come on Jack.’
The implication being that, no, Nasri's exit was a bad one - and that he hadn't been pulling his weight since his head was turned by the sheik's millions.
Good lad, Manny...keep it up!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
FABREGAS - HIGHLIGHTING HOW BARCELONA HAVE AN UGLY SIDE
Barcelona are the greatest club football team on earth.
Their play is beautiful and dazzling - as I witnessed first hand when they crushed Man United 3-1 at Wembley last month.
But they are no saints. Beneath the beauty likes a tough, sometimes cynical layer.
It sometimes is revealed on the pitch when some players (yes you Dani Alves and Busquets) go down as if they have been shot after a tackle - and when they confront the ref mob-handed.
It also has come to light in their current pursuit of Cesc Fabregas.
Their arrogance is breathtaking - they believe they should get special treatment simply because they are Barca...'more than just a club'??!!
They want Fabregas to sit on the bench until Xabi finally gets too old to continue. But they don't want to pay the appropriate fee for him - as they need to keep their limited transfer fund for Sanchez.
So their despicable president Sandro Rossell comes out with the usual crap - 'Cesc wants to come and is doing everything he can, but we don't think he is worth £35million'. Well, Mr Rossell, forget it, then! That is what I would say if I was Arsene Wenger or the Arsenal board.
Clearly, Rossell is manipulating the situation in the hope that Fabregas will force through the deal on Barca's terms. That he will say he will strike, he will not play, so that Arsenal have to sell.
Someone at the Emirates needs to tell this pumped-up little shit to either put up - or shut up. They think they're the world's biggest club - well, act like it then - pay the money that Fabregas is worth, even if you have to raise it by selling Villa...instead of playing little games...or crawl back under your stone and keep quiet.
Their play is beautiful and dazzling - as I witnessed first hand when they crushed Man United 3-1 at Wembley last month.
But they are no saints. Beneath the beauty likes a tough, sometimes cynical layer.
It sometimes is revealed on the pitch when some players (yes you Dani Alves and Busquets) go down as if they have been shot after a tackle - and when they confront the ref mob-handed.
It also has come to light in their current pursuit of Cesc Fabregas.
Their arrogance is breathtaking - they believe they should get special treatment simply because they are Barca...'more than just a club'??!!
They want Fabregas to sit on the bench until Xabi finally gets too old to continue. But they don't want to pay the appropriate fee for him - as they need to keep their limited transfer fund for Sanchez.
So their despicable president Sandro Rossell comes out with the usual crap - 'Cesc wants to come and is doing everything he can, but we don't think he is worth £35million'. Well, Mr Rossell, forget it, then! That is what I would say if I was Arsene Wenger or the Arsenal board.
Clearly, Rossell is manipulating the situation in the hope that Fabregas will force through the deal on Barca's terms. That he will say he will strike, he will not play, so that Arsenal have to sell.
Someone at the Emirates needs to tell this pumped-up little shit to either put up - or shut up. They think they're the world's biggest club - well, act like it then - pay the money that Fabregas is worth, even if you have to raise it by selling Villa...instead of playing little games...or crawl back under your stone and keep quiet.
Lampard to Tottenham in Modric deal?
More noises coming from the Bridge after the shock appointment of Andre Villas-Boas...
Roman is still desperate to sign Luka Modric and one plan being mooted is to offer Frank Lampard to Spurs as a £5million makeweight in a £32million deal.
The idea being that Lampard would be a sweetener to help calm Harry Redknapp down - how could he complain about getting his nephew, even if he did lose his second best player (after Baley)?
Roman is still desperate to sign Luka Modric and one plan being mooted is to offer Frank Lampard to Spurs as a £5million makeweight in a £32million deal.
The idea being that Lampard would be a sweetener to help calm Harry Redknapp down - how could he complain about getting his nephew, even if he did lose his second best player (after Baley)?
Andre Villas-Boas - Roman's biggest gamble
I have just been told by Stamford Bridge insiders that Andre Villas-Boas has resigned as Porto boss and is on his way to London to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.
The decision to appoint the 33-year-old former 'facts man' for Mourinho is Roman Abramovich's biggest gamble yet.
How will he cope with the huge egos in the Chelsea dressing room - particularly older stars like Lampard and Terry who think they are as influential voices at the club as the manager?
And how will he persuade big names from around the world to join him - the likes of Sanchez or Neymar would probably say 'who' if you asked them whether they would like to work for Villas-Boas.
Roman is aware of all that - indeed it has been said he had even considered Terry or Lampard as coach with Hiddink as director of football.
In the end, he threw the dice and decided to go for broke with Villas-Boas. The Portuguese has been promised he will have major funds to spend and that he will be backed if there is any friction with any of those big, older names in the dressing room.
Roman wants the team to play better football and be sharper - and it has been mentioned that one of Villas-Boas's more unpleasant tasks will be to actually dismantle the team of the big egos, and replace them with younger alternatives.
Good luck Andre - you will need it, you have a major overhaul of a job on your hands.
The decision to appoint the 33-year-old former 'facts man' for Mourinho is Roman Abramovich's biggest gamble yet.
How will he cope with the huge egos in the Chelsea dressing room - particularly older stars like Lampard and Terry who think they are as influential voices at the club as the manager?
And how will he persuade big names from around the world to join him - the likes of Sanchez or Neymar would probably say 'who' if you asked them whether they would like to work for Villas-Boas.
Roman is aware of all that - indeed it has been said he had even considered Terry or Lampard as coach with Hiddink as director of football.
In the end, he threw the dice and decided to go for broke with Villas-Boas. The Portuguese has been promised he will have major funds to spend and that he will be backed if there is any friction with any of those big, older names in the dressing room.
Roman wants the team to play better football and be sharper - and it has been mentioned that one of Villas-Boas's more unpleasant tasks will be to actually dismantle the team of the big egos, and replace them with younger alternatives.
Good luck Andre - you will need it, you have a major overhaul of a job on your hands.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
MAN UTD SIGN PHIL JONES
Man United have just signed Blackburn defender Phil Jones for £16million.
That will most likely see the departure of Darron Gibson and Wes Brown to Sunderland for a combined £7million.
John O'Shea may also join them at the Stadium of Light.
Utd did not expect to have to pay full wack for Jones but their hand was forced by the late intervention of Liverpool.
Jones and Smalling is the preferred centre-back pairing of the future for Fergie - and that could also mean Jonny Evans leaving the club. He has not progressed as expected over the last 12 months.
That will most likely see the departure of Darron Gibson and Wes Brown to Sunderland for a combined £7million.
John O'Shea may also join them at the Stadium of Light.
Utd did not expect to have to pay full wack for Jones but their hand was forced by the late intervention of Liverpool.
Jones and Smalling is the preferred centre-back pairing of the future for Fergie - and that could also mean Jonny Evans leaving the club. He has not progressed as expected over the last 12 months.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
THE REAL CAPELLO DILEMMA
The real problem with Fabio Capello in the England job is that he has no incentive to develop the team for the World Cup of 2014.
He has 12 months to go on his contract so all his efforts are tied to Euro 2012. It means he has no carrot to get more younger players into the team. Hence the retention of the likes of Lampard, Terry, Rio, Barry.
While the big guns - like Spain, Germany and Argentina and Brazil - have lowered the age of their teams, ours remains relatively stagnant.
Also, he seems more naturally inclined to promote journeymen befoe artists - hence the ridiculous decision to use Milner instead of Ashley Young from the start of the Switzerland encounter!
It don't look good for 2014 onwards...
He has 12 months to go on his contract so all his efforts are tied to Euro 2012. It means he has no carrot to get more younger players into the team. Hence the retention of the likes of Lampard, Terry, Rio, Barry.
While the big guns - like Spain, Germany and Argentina and Brazil - have lowered the age of their teams, ours remains relatively stagnant.
Also, he seems more naturally inclined to promote journeymen befoe artists - hence the ridiculous decision to use Milner instead of Ashley Young from the start of the Switzerland encounter!
It don't look good for 2014 onwards...
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