Manchester United chief executive David Gill has confirmed that current boss Sir Alex Ferguson will have a major say in the appointment of his successor at Old Trafford.
Ferguson has given few indications of when he will finally bring the curtain down on his illustrious reign, but Gill says that planning for the future will be thorough.
He told The Independent:"We don't know when Alex is going to retire and long may he continue.
"It will be discussed with Alex, Bobby Charlton and the owners.
"I think Alex will be the key. He knows people. He will have a big role in advising and being a sounding board.
"I am sure we will talk with the owners and look at who is there and determine who we would like to appoint.
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"It would be remiss of us not to use the expertise and knowledge that we have."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Germany captain Philipp Lahm accused England of lacking respect following their World Cup exit.
England's World Cup campaign ended in total humiliation in the first knockout round as they suffered their worst-ever finals defeat, being comprehensively beaten 4-1 by Germany in Bloemfontein.
Two goals from Thomas Muller and further strikes from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski sent the Three Lions packing and afterwards Lahm was not surprised by the outcome.
"Maybe England were not prepared for this game as they should be," said the Bayern Munich full-back.
"Maybe they underestimated us because our players are not as famous as the England players.
"The reason their defence could not handle our players was because we have very good strikers.
"We knew that we would have chances on the break if we let England attack.
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"It was very important for us to be good on the defence because we always have the quality to get forward.
"We can play short, quick passes and we have a good team. It is a young team, but it is a good team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Sheffield Wednesday have moved quickly to allay fears that they are about to plunge into administration even though they have been served with a winding-up order by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The Owls, who have still to pay a PAYE balance of £550,000, will appear at the High Court on 11 August.
However, the League One club have played down the threat, issuing a statement that read:"Sheffield Wednesday would like to inform supporters that their club is not about to be wound up, nor is it about to enter into administration.
"We have been involved in dialogue with HMRC for a number of weeks. As such we have been somewhat surprised and disappointed by their decision to seek a winding-up order at this time.
"We understand that HMRC is taking a tougher line in general with football clubs, but feel their actions are disproportionate and will raise unnecessary speculation as to the financial position of the club.
"We can inform supporters that the club, working in partnership with the Co-operative Bank and their advisors, will seek to settle this matter as soon as is practical.
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"Furthermore, during a period of change this summer, the bank has been an integral partner for Sheffield Wednesday.
"We will continue to work together to create the best environment possible for the club to move forward, including ongoing dialogue with potential investors that will seek to secure the long-term financial health of the club."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Martin O'Neill is unsure where James Milner will be playing his football this season as reports suggest Manchester City are ready to launch another bid to sign the Aston Villa star.
Milner said last month that he was keen to join City who have already had one offer for the England international rejected by O'Neill.
Villa have put a £30million price-tag on the former Leeds and Newcastle star's head, while O'Neill has confirmed he has spoken with chief executive Paul Faulkner about the matter.
"I only had a brief conversation with Paul today, and it was the briefest of briefs," O'Neill told Sky Sports News."I don't think there's any more news to tell.
"I don't really know if Milner will stay. I don't think at this stage I'd be in a position to give you a definitive answer. Naturally I've said before that, almost everyone to a man, would want James to stay at the football club."
Milner has injured his back in training and O'Neill continued:"It's a problem really because we've been unable to get it sorted out for these couple of days.
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"He had some back spasms, but he didn't have those when he arrived here, it was just in training the other day, so it was best not to have him involved."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Two years ago Newcastle earned an impressive draw on the opening weekend of the Premier League season at Manchester United. The result and notable performance of debutant, Jonas Gutierrez fuelled predictions of a resurgence under Kevin Keegan. The following month saw the resignation of Keegan which left the club in disarray. Newcastle fans will know that this time round, the Magpies face Manchester United on Monday, the result will not dictate the trajectory of their season. After defying the critics and returning swiftly back to the top flight, is survival the aim or do fans harbour more lofty ambitions? Will Chris Hughton, once the loyal caretaker, be able to deliver what so many high profile managerial appointments couldn’t?
Hughton argues that a season in the Championship, despite being hugely successful, has tempered the usual pre-season optimism which permeates the Newcastle faithful. The manager is confident of Premier League survival and flatly rebukes those who question the lack of summer spending at St James’ Park. Similarly to other clubs there is a requirement to reduce a substantial wage bill and search for value in the transfer market. Accordingly he has acted shrewdly, signing the resourceful James Perch from Nottingham Forest and swooping for Dan Gosling and Sol Campbell on free transfers. The seemingly rotund Campbell appears a smart signing as the veteran centre back showed he was still capable of operating at this level for Arsenal last season and will bestow knowledge and experience to his team-mates. The other acquisitions together will the possible loan signings of Hatem Ben Arfa and Tom Cleverley suggest the club is looking for a youthful, attacking zeal in midfield which may surprise and unsettle opponents.
A year in the wilderness has had a rehabilitative effect on many of Newcastle’s most prominent players. The Argentine duo of, Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini have started to justify their considerable price tags. Coloccini was named in the Championship Team of the Year and the ‘Spiderman’ developed an excellent understanding with Jose Enrique on the left flank. Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith both flourished last year, displaying their battling qualities and commitment to the cause. The Liverpool born midfielder scored 17 goals from midfield last season and will be considered along with Smith to inherit the captaincy following Nicky Butt’s retirement.
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The continued efforts of these senior campaigners will serve the Magpies well next season but goals from midfield will be harder to come by against Premier League defences. Andy Carroll emerged as a powerful, burly centre forward who can score goals and formed an effective partnership with Peter Lovenkrands. A tally of 19 goals last season aroused the attention of Fabio Capello who may call up the player for England’s Euro 2012 qualifiers. Should injuries or suspensions disrupt Newcastle’s attack, fans will be unenthusiastic at the prospect of relying on Xisco or Shola Ameobi. Nile Ranger has been tipped for a bright future as a tall and fast forward but is still just 19-years old. The old adage that a goal-scoring centre forward can propel a team up the league still stands.
A mixture of youthful, raw talent, seasoned professionals and veterans should guide Newcastle to Premier League safety this term. Naturally fans will demand more than this but should be mindful of the new financially responsible approach adopted by the club. Further loan signings may be imminent as Newcastle seek to add creativity to their midfield. A decent cup run and taking the spoils in the Tyne-Wear derby would be a welcome bonus. If come next May the club finish above Steve Bruce’s Sunderland and secure survival it would be a good start back to life in the Premier League.
West Ham United have completed the signing of defender Lars Jacobsen from Blackburn Rovers following Premier League ratification.
The Hammers agreed a deal to sign the Denmark international ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline and Jacobsen has now been given permission to join the Upton Park club.
The 30-year-old full-back spent just one season at Ewood Park following a similar short stint at Everton the year before.
Meanwhile, the Hammers have also announced the signing of Belgian goalkeeper Ruud Boffin.
The 22-year-old has arrived from Dutch outfit MVV Maastricht on a two-year contract.
"We have combined youth with experience this window and are pleased with the work we have done, even in these challenging times for the club," chairman David Sullivan told the club's official website.
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"Half of our eight signings are 23 or under and we are confident they can become major players for the club, while the other four have a wealth of international experience."
Thomas Hitzlsperger, Tal Ben Haim, Winston Reid, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna were the other players to arrive at Upton Park during the summer transfer window.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Much has been made of young Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran’s meteoric rise to prominence. The 17 year old made his first-team debut against MSK Zilina in the Champions League and followed this up with substitute appearances against Newcastle United in the Carling Cup and Manchester City on the weekend. In his three appearances, McEachran’s composure and maturity have caught the eye but is he ready to make the step up to start regularly for Chelsea?
McEachran has been at Chelsea’s academy for 9 years after having been spotted playing for his local side Garden City F.C. in Oxford. His ability even at an early age was clearly evident and he has progressed rapidly through the Chelsea ranks. He was an integral part of Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup winning side from last season, turning a number of dominant performances in the centre of midfield.
In addition to his youth team exploits, McEachran has also been featuring regularly for Steve Holland’s reserve side along with fellow academy stars Gael Kakuta and Jeffrey Bruma.
His talent has brought international recognition and McEachran has been capped by England at U-16 and U-17 level. He was part of the victorious U-17 side which won this summer’s European Championships, with McEachran delivering the assist for Andre Wisdom to score the opening goal in the final.
A gifted play-maker with great technique and vision, comparisons to Frank Lampard are inevitable. Indeed, McEachran himself has welcomed the comparison and has looked to incorporate Lampard’s style of play into his own game. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, McEachran said:
“Look at Frank Lampard. I need to get into the box more and score more and that will help me as a player, so I will try that more this season.”
And from what we have seen so far, comparing McEachran to Lampard might not be too far off.
Against Newcastle, McEachran looked completely at ease in possession and showed an impressive range of passing in an assured display after coming on as a substitute. He dropped into space intelligently and used the ball well. He almost managed to get himself on the scoresheet when he cut inside a Newcastle defender and forced a save from Tim Krul in the Newcastle goal.
His confidence must have been sky-high after impressing against Zilina and Newcastle and he showed his class once again in a ten-minute cameo against Manchester City on the weekend. He looked to get on the ball at every available opportunity and invariably used it well. He also produced a moment of sublime skill when he dragged the ball back to leave two Manchester City players on their backsides.
There is no question of McEachran’s talents and he is certainly highly-rated at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out the possibility of McEachran going out on loan as he looks to give the youngster a chance to develop in the first-team with players such as Lampard and Yossi Benayoun currently out injured.
He looks a little lightweight and needs to bulk up a bit in order to deal with the physicality of the Premier League but he is still young and will no doubt fill out his frame in the not too distant future.
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We shouldn’t expect too much too soon from McEachran but he looks like a real talent that has the potential to become the first English academy player since John Terry to feature prominently in the Chelsea line-up.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has played down recent rumours linking midfielder Jordan Henderson with a move away from the Stadium of Light.
The 20-year-old has been mentioned as a possible target for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, but Bruce is not getting carried away by the silly season in the tabloids.
He told reporters:"I give him a bit of stick and say to him 'who is it? Chelsea this week, Inter Milan next week? Real Madrid? I always just make light of it.
"It is inevitable that there will be stories linking him with all sorts of clubs.
"You know that when the big boys come, you are up against it and we have to be realistic about that. We will have to deal with that if and when the time is right.
"But it is normal when a player has burst on to the scene, as he has, then all the top teams in the country are going to be looking at him and obviously want him because he is young and, more importantly, he is English.
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"It is fantastic he's getting all these accolades at the moment.
"But it's very important to make sure we keep him on track and that he fulfils all that potential, because he has only played 40 games."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Ivan Klasnic is the latest Premier League footballer to find himself in a spot of hot water with the law. The Bolton striker was arrested on the 28th October, after allegedly raping a 17-year old female in the small hours of Monday 25th October. Klasnic is not the first Premier League footballer to be accused of such a crime and he certainly won’t be the last.
It’s only a matter of weeks ago that we were led to believe that Sunderland’s calamitous centre half Titus Bramble had been arrested over similar accusations. So why do Premier League footballers find themselves in such compromising positions? Are there really that many nasty men in football? Do they put themselves in compromising positions? Or is there a large volume of opportunist women just waiting for the latest Premier League superstar to slip up?
By know means do I believe it not possible for the allegations to be true, but I would tend to lean more towards the idea that these footballers are placing themselves in compromising positions. This coupled with young naïve women proves to result in serious claims that in the end seem to have little legitimacy.
There is no doubt that this debate should be handled with care and tact and as an outsider looking in, it is easy to have an opinion on the matter. Yet, having seen the conclusions of so many rape claims before I struggle to think that allegations made against Klasnic will be any different.
Like so many Premier League footballers before him Titus Bramble was recently cleared and was no longer under any further investigation in regard to the rape claims. Unless substantial new evidence appears in the Klasnic case I feel the conclusion of this case will follow suit.
In light of the most recent two cases let it be a message to Premier League footballers that they have a responsibility to keep themselves out of needless media spotlight. They must remember that they are celebrities and there is a large amount of people that find that very attractive. There are so called ‘gold diggers’ out there who are willing to do anything in order to land a small fortune.
Given the amount of unfounded rape claims, does the national media need to be more careful in the naming of players that are accused of such serious crimes. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Would we actually hear about any cases of footballers putting themselves in compromising positions if stories were only reported on once players were charged?
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Finally, does some responsibility lie with the clubs? If players were educated at a young age about the pitfalls of large sums of money and celebrity status would players relentlessly put themselves in such controversial positions?
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Manchester City's top scorer Carlos Tevez will miss this weekend's game against Wolves with the thigh injury he sustained in the 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal.
The Argentina international had to be substituted early in the second half after suffering a dead leg.
Manager Roberto Mancini has also allowed the 26-year-old to travel to Argentina to visit his family before returning to Eastlands on Monday.
Meanwhile, Mancini has called for Argentina to use Tevez sparingly, saying:"International football is a problem for Carlos.
"Argentina don't play games in Europe but in South America, Japan or Australia and this makes it difficult for him.
"He arrived back from the last international break tired. He needs time to recover.
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"Argentina have a friendly against Brazil in November, but I hope for that game he can stay here. It would be better for him and his country."
Roque Santa Cruz had hinted earlier in the week that Tevez wanted to leave City, but Mancini said of the rumours: "I don't know whether he will stay here for the next ten years or return to Argentina then, but I'm not worried by it at the moment."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email