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[onesvenus]

They do deserve to win the liga. It's a shame that last time they've won the liga was back in 70's if I'm not mistaken.

They deserve to win the liga???
They have just won once the liga, in 1945. Since then the only thing they've done is to win the UEFA cup the last couple of times and the European Supercup the last year. They are doing better than before but I don't think they deserve to win the liga, it's only these 2 last years that they've been doing great, but to win the liga they need to be regular and I don't think they are prepared, even with the lasts trophies they are a relative small club not on the same league as Barça, Madrid or Valencia IMO. But I recognize that they are getting better and they are doing great football.
What they should do is change their president, I've never seen anyone with such ego.

 

[psycho_snake]

It looks like Iaquinta is heading to Juve. Its a decent buy. He isnt the prolific goalscorer that trezeguet is, but his goalscoring record is still quite good. He's scored 14 goals for Udinese this season.

 

[psycho_snake]

Man U fans not from manchester aren't allowed to call other people glory hunters, sorry. It's the rules.

Im not sure if that was directed at me, but Im no glory hunter. I grew up in manchester and lived there for 12 years.

Explain to me how one gloryhunts rooting for Barca-Chelsea, but not ManU, Real Madrid, Liverpool, etc?

well you are a glory hunter if you didnt live in the place that the team you support is from, I never said it was any different.

EDIT: But it makes you less of a glory hunter if you suppot a team that is successful at the time that you begin watching football and stick with them for the rest of your life even if the club has turned crap.

 

[hadareud]

I don't really agree with this. You can be a legitimate fan or supporter and live miles away.

There's plenty of glory hunters from London, Manchester or any other City though.

 

[psycho_snake]

I say you support the top flight club thats closest to where you live. This is an exception if you follow a foreign league, for instance you cant blame a person who lives in the US for supporting one of the big four over any other club, but they cant keep changing the club they support depending on their success.

Thats why jamesinclairs comment made him sound like a glory hunter. I presume he's been watching football for a long time and I doubt that when he strated watching football he supported barca and chelsea. He's probably only done so when they became very successful over the past few years.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

You're a glory hunter if you only support a club because they win things.

 

[hadareud]

You're a glory hunter if you only support a club because they win things.

that's what I would say too.

Somebody that isn't interested when the team isn't winning, or worse, supporting the team that is on top at the time.

 

[Ryck]

You're a glory hunter if you only support a club because they win things.

True...

 

[psycho_snake]

Lets imagine that we have a child in newcastle in the 90's. He begins watching football and decides that he's going to support united because they were successful. 10 years later he still supports united even though they are not the top team anymore. Now would you call that person a glory hunter or not?

I'd have to say yes and no. Its not right to support a club just because they are successful, so the initial choice is wrong, but if that person can carry on supporting the club even if they're relegated, then you cant really call him a glory hunter.

 

[lachesis]

They deserve to win the liga???
They have just won once the liga, in 1945. Since then the only thing they've done is to win the UEFA cup the last couple of times and the European Supercup the last year. They are doing better than before but I don't think they deserve to win the liga, it's only these 2 last years that they've been doing great, but to win the liga they need to be regular and I don't think they are prepared, even with the lasts trophies they are a relative small club not on the same league as Barça, Madrid or Valencia IMO. But I recognize that they are getting better and they are doing great football.
What they should do is change their president, I've never seen anyone with such ego.

Was it 1945? I guess I was indeed mistaken - but hey, I just wanted to comment on their good fighting spirit this season, especially in all fronts, and they still have a good chance finishing the season w/ double trophies. Also. winning UEFA (vastly underated these days) twice in a row. And they finished the liga just barely behind the leaders, Real and Barca. For the club of that size as you mentioned - I think Del Nido was correct. I'd say the team of this season in la liga is non other than Sevilla and Recre - because for what's worth, they've achieve something great this season for themselves... although 30th liga title for RM isn't anything to look down at.

Every great teams, IMHO, have rise and fall. Take a look at Bilbao - once hailed as #3 or #4 in la liga - barely managed to escape from relagation this year keeping their non-relagated tradition alive. (At the cost of their basque brother Sociedad). On the other hand, recreativo had their historic year this year, and I just think this year's Sevilla is at their high tide (I don't think they will do that great next season though) - and if Madrid didn't win the liga, I wouldn't have minded Sevilla winning the liga, because they played their hearts out this year all year long in all fronts.

Change their president? Nah! As long as Betis - Sevilla rivalry exists - Del Nido is a right person to stay there I think! - it makes quite entertaining to see all those quarrels (sometimes fist fights) between each other! (LOL) Out of all derbys in spain, I think Andalucian ones are the most entertaining one off the pitch, asides Classico.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I thought he was kidding about the "why support anyone else" thing.

Football...well, sport in general...is kind of unique when it comes to this sort of thing. In most other ways, you're an idiot for sticking with something which is so much poorer than something else, especially if that's the only thing you're going with. For example, if you only buy Nintendo products, through good or bad, no matter what other systems are on the market, you're an idiot. Keep only reading books by an author who's clearly lost it and refuse to read the new supertalented guy and...well, you're an idiot.

Keep supporting Blackburn when you've toppled from the top and far more exciting and better teams are around, and you're awesome. Strange.

 

[hadareud]

I started 10 sentences and forgot what I even wanted to say. But yeah, you are right of course.

Although with art and music you can have a devoted fanbase, that will also support you when you are doing poorly sales wise - and those people aren't generally seen as idiots.

Mostly because art is so subjective.

 

[Karakand]

I say you support the top flight club thats closest to where you live. This is an exception if you follow a foreign league, for instance you cant blame a person who lives in the US for supporting one of the big four over any other club, but they cant keep changing the club they support depending on their success.

I'm a Yanquis devil through and through but my mum is from Didsbury (hence my misfortune of being a Man C fan) and what's left of my family there lives in and around Macclesfield (thus I'm a very, very casual fan of Macclesfield Town).

I could never bring myself to support a club I had no familial ties to, though. I have family in Turin, hence my Juve support and there's a couple of lower tier clubs like Legia Warsaw I try and keep up with for similar reasons.

 

[Cornballer]

Is Capello going to get sacked even after winning the league? Lots of rumors circulating today about possible replacements.

PS: Guess which MLS player most closely resembles a garden gnome?

 

[jamesinclair]

Because not everyone is a glory hunter.

If my team finished in the middle of the table every single time, I dont know if Id be such a big fan.

True, my club has never won the Brasilian league, but I know they can. Every year has a different winner.

 

[h0pper]

Is Capello going to get sacked even after winning the league? Lots of rumors circulating today about possible replacements.

PS: Guess which MLS player most closely resembles a garden gnome?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I started 10 sentences and forgot what I even wanted to say. But yeah, you are right of course.

Although with art and music you can have a devoted fanbase, that will also support you when you are doing poorly sales wise - and those people aren't generally seen as idiots.

Mostly because art is so subjective.

But in that situation they can stil be a great band and just not sell. Great football teams don't face that situation, if you're that good you'll be successful.

 

[Yazan]

Well, I live in Sweden but support Ac Milan and only Ac Milan (the swedish league sucks so hard). So am I a glory hunter? I don't think so. I started to support Milan around season 97/98 and they were really bad at that time. I think that they parked at 10 or 11pth place, and it is a team I always will support. Even if we get relegated.

 

[Cornballer]

Rut-roh!

Galaxy unsure over Beckham injury

Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas was thrilled to watch David Beckham help Real Madrid to the Spanish title on Sunday but admits he does not know how serious his star signing's injury might be.

Beckham limped off in the 66th minute of Real's decisive 3-1 win over Mallorca at the Bernabeu. Madrid overcame a 1-0 deficit with Beckham watching from the sidelines.

Lalas admitted he remains in the dark on the extent of the injury.

'Right now he's still a Real Madrid player,' Lalas told PA Sport.

'We have not had any indication on the nature of the injury.'

Beckham seemed to aggravate his troublesome ankle injury and after the game the 32-year-old said he had felt the ankle 'snap'.

'There was a lot of pain,' he said.

Beckham is now due to join up with the Galaxy in mid-July to begin a five-year contract worth up to 250 million US dollars (just over £126million).

Despite such a significant investment, Lalas was not concerned that Beckham had played for Madrid carrying an injury originally suffered playing for England on June 6.

'I don't think anything was going to keep him out of that game,' Lalas said.

'He was obviously carrying an injury but it's nice that he can now have a rest and recuperate. He's going to need it.'

It was Beckham's replacement in the game, Jose Antonio Reyes, who scored two goals as Madrid rallied for the victory. With Barcelona posting a 5-1 win at Gimnastic Tarragona, Madrid had to win to clinch the title.

The two clubs finished level on 76 points, but Madrid claimed their first La Liga title since 2003 - and first since Beckham joined - thanks to a superior head-to-head record against their arch-rivals.

'It's wonderful,' Lalas said.

'We couldn't be happier for David and Real Madrid, and we send our congratulations to him and his team.

'It was an incredible finish to an incredible season and it's a wonderful way for him to end his time in Spain before he heads off to America for a new adventure with the Galaxy.'

 

[hadareud]

bad news. I hope it's not too serious.

But in that situation they can still be a great band and just not sell. Great football teams don't face that situation, if you're that good you'll be successful.

but you could say that you are not supporting the team that is mediocre, but the club that is great, if you know what I mean.

 

[Osorio]

Well, I live in Sweden but support Ac Milan and only Ac Milan (the swedish league sucks so hard).

Come on dude. Support AC Milan all you want but you should support your local team. The Swedish league may not be the level you want it to be but they aren't going to go anywhere if they aren't supported as much as they can.

 

[hadareud]

speaking of local teams - my hometown is promoted to the 2nd Austrian league.

They won their league with a 2:1 victory in the last game - 2nd goal scored in the 93rd minuted. Good stuff, unfortunately I could only have it on the tracker on the internet.

 

[Yazan]

Come on dude. Support AC Milan all you want but you should support your local team. The Swedish league may not be the level you want it to be but they aren't going to go anywhere if they aren't supported as much as they can.

It is not really because the league sucks. I don't now what it is, but I can't stand the Swedish league, even if Malmo FF (the local team) would win the CL (they actually lost the European cup final against Nottingham Forst in 1973).

 

[Fowler]

Lets imagine that we have a child in newcastle in the 90's. He begins watching football and decides that he's going to support united because they were successful. 10 years later he still supports united even though they are not the top team anymore. Now would you call that person a glory hunter or not?

I'd have to say yes and no. Its not right to support a club just because they are successful, so the initial choice is wrong, but if that person can carry on supporting the club even if they're relegated, then you cant really call him a glory hunter.

Funnily enough, I have a friend in (almost) the same situation.

He actually started watching football just before Newcastle's rise. His first ever game was Everton's 4-1 FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham. So he supported Everton.

But when he realised that Everton were actually kinda shite, he stopped supporting them. And Newcastle was on top. So he switched to Newcastle.

And now that Newcastle aren't doing too well, his interest in following them has waned. Honestly, he's only stuck with them because of the endless pre-emptive stick we've given him, knowing full well that he'd switch if he could.

He also used to really like Italian football and F1.

His favourites were Juventus and Ferrari.

See a pattern here at all?

 

[Mama Smurf]

but you could say that you are not supporting the team that is mediocre, but the club that is great, if you know what I mean.

Well that would be the equivalent of keeping on buying crap records from a famous artist just because of who they are, which is the being an idiot in everthing but football situation again.

 

[Osorio]

This goes for any MLS fans: How is the Beckham game coming along in your market? Individual tickets came on sale today for New York and I'm hearing people getting anywhere from 4 to 60 tickets. My supporters group (Empire Supporters Club) wants to keep our usual seats behind the goal so we're trying to buy all the seats we can in that section. Otherwise I hear that the lower bowl is quickly selling out. I still haven't bought mine but that's because I don't know how many I should get. I've gotten requests from about 20 people but there could be more. It should be the most attended match of the season by far.

 

[Mama Smurf]

BARCELONA will turn to Arsene Wenger after losing the Spanish league.

Frank Rijkaard is expected to step down following Real Madrid’s triumph.

The Spanish giants made Arsenal boss Wenger their No 1 target to replace him and reports in France last week said Wenger met with Barca director Feran Soriano in Paris.

There was speculation the meeting was to discuss the transfer of Thierry Henry to Barca.

But senior sources at the Nou Camp were last night insisting Wenger’s own future was also a topic of discussion.

The Frenchman prides himself on having always honoured contracts. He has one year remaining on his Arsenal deal and recently vowed to see it out.

But he is frustrated by the lack of transfer funds and is also still smarting from the loss of close ally David Dein, who quit the Emirates last April.

Look, everyone shut up. I'm arbitrating now. Wenger, Henry, Fabregas...you go to Spain. Rijkaard, Eto'o, Ronaldinho, come with me.

I wouldn't be surprised if Barca do want Wenger as boss, and that's a hard job to turn down, but I believe him when he says he'll see out his contract at the least. Doesn't mean he hasn't agreed to join Barca in a year's time though...

 

[Cornballer]

Now I remember why we won't let you arbitrate...

Alexi Lalas taking off the gloves... :lol

Premiership inferior, says Lalas
Donald McRae
Tuesday June 19, 2007
The Guardian

Alexi Lalas, the president of LA Galaxy and the man responsible for taking David Beckham to Major League Soccer in the United States next month, has suggested that the Premiership is an "inferior product" whose global success is largely down to American marketing techniques.

"There's no accounting for bad taste," Lalas said in an exclusive interview with the Guardian. "That a segment of the world worships an inferior product in the Premiership is their business. English football now has the haves and the have-nots. It's just that the Premiership have become so skilled in presentation. They took a page out of American football and so now they have Saturday Showdowns and Super Sundays. I love it. This is high-calibre marketing - taking an inferior product and improving it through packaging."

Lalas hit out at English criticism of football in America. "The experts in England talk about David Beckham as if he's going into semi-retirement. It's insulting to say Beckham is on his way to Hollywood when he's coming to play in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. There are a lot of stars who would struggle here.

"There's this delusion that if it's English then it's great. But a whole world exists outside of England. That's reflected in the difficulties they had when everyone ran to the Premiership. Maybe it's OK for the fan but, for the average development of the players, their game is struggling."

Full interview here.

 

[Cornballer]

A couple more links...

All of the Week 11 MLS goals on Youtube.

"Homely and Away" - The US Soccer Team's Growing Uniform Crisis. (A slideshow presentation of the ever-changing US National Team uniform. Can't they just pick one and stick with it?)

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

That retro jersey they used against Latvia is beautiful. They should{ve sticked with that one.

Also, someone said that only Mexico gets favored by refs in the CONCACAF. I'm sorry, but that's completely false. It's not the team's fault, but both Mexico and the US are the sugar daddies and as so, they are protected by the organization all the time.

On saturday the ref ignored two clear PKs in Panama's favor. Yesterday, the US ref in the Costa Rica-Mexico match was a complete disaster and had to help them for 120 minutes, so they could get a miserable 1-0 win. We played like shit the whole tournament, but that's no excuse for giving out non-existant red cards or showing yellows to our players and then turn around and show nothing to the mexicans for the same type of action.

It's always the same. They showed today a compilation of sickening ref mistakes Costa Rica has endured against Mexico and the US in the Gold Cup and it's simply appalling. As I said, they should just play the final between the two and get it over with, because that's obviously all CONCACAF wants. One of the many reasons why the development of football in the area is stucked in last century.

 

[Izzy]

Barca in swoop for Wenger

By IAN McGARRY
June 19, 2007


COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BARCELONA will turn to Arsene Wenger after losing the Spanish league.

Frank Rijkaard is expected to step down following Real Madrid’s triumph.

The Spanish giants made Arsenal boss Wenger their No 1 target to replace him and reports in France last week said Wenger met with Barca director Feran Soriano in Paris.

There was speculation the meeting was to discuss the transfer of Thierry Henry to Barca.

But senior sources at the Nou Camp were last night insisting Wenger’s own future was also a topic of discussion.

The Frenchman prides himself on having always honoured contracts. He has one year remaining on his Arsenal deal and recently vowed to see it out.

But he is frustrated by the lack of transfer funds and is also still smarting from the loss of close ally David Dein, who quit the Emirates last April

Hmmmm...

 

[psycho_snake]

Funnily enough, I have a friend in (almost) the same situation.

He actually started watching football just before Newcastle's rise. His first ever game was Everton's 4-1 FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham. So he supported Everton.

But when he realised that Everton were actually kinda shite, he stopped supporting them. And Newcastle was on top. So he switched to Newcastle.

And now that Newcastle aren't doing too well, his interest in following them has waned. Honestly, he's only stuck with them because of the endless pre-emptive stick we've given him, knowing full well that he'd switch if he could.

He also used to really like Italian football and F1.

His favourites were Juventus and Ferrari.

See a pattern here at all?

I based my post on a friend of mine. He's a geordie, but he supports united. Unlike your friend, he's stuck with united all the time, but I dont know if that would have been the case if man united became a mid table team.

 

[Karakand]

Rut-roh!

Psh, all they need is Buddle-Xavier Future to climb out of the basement and return to relevance! Beckham's only important because Lalas thinks you get a trophy for having the most designated player slots at the end of the season.

Spoiler

"Homely and Away" - The US Soccer Team's Growing Uniform Crisis. (A slideshow presentation of the ever-changing US National Team uniform. Can't they just pick one and stick with it?)

Does anyone else find it rather amusing that Team USA is rockin' royal blue? What's next, using real English spelling?

Agree with Bati on the red unis. Those're snazzy.

 

[psycho_snake]

This is turning into such a shitty transfer window for arsenal. Your best players and your manager are all rumoured to be leaving. I love it. I wouldnt actually be too concerned about wenger. Maybe he'll leave in the future, but he'll be your manager next season. He said that he'll honour his contract and I think you can take his word for that.

 

[Cornballer]

I'd go with these two...

 

[Karakand]

I wish "Don't Tread on Me" had caught on more.

 

[psycho_snake]

I'm a Yanquis devil through and through but my mum is from Didsbury (hence my misfortune of being a Man C fan) and what's left of my family there lives in and around Macclesfield (thus I'm a very, very casual fan of Macclesfield Town).

I could never bring myself to support a club I had no familial ties to, though. I have family in Turin, hence my Juve support and there's a couple of lower tier clubs like Legia Warsaw I try and keep up with for similar reasons.

Brilliant, we have a man city fan posting here. Time to post anti-city chants.

Tune: Wonderwall

Uwe threw his boots away
When the scousers knocked the blues for six.
What's more, he didn't even score
And returned to find his car on bricks.

None of the board has any money
For players to stop the blues from going down.

Each week the manager will squeek
That the crisis will be sorted out.
It's not fair, the trophy room is bare
While United's room is hammered out.

None of the board has any money
For players to stop the blues from going down.

And all the fans that watch the match are whining
'Cos City never make a decent signing.

There are many teams that they
Would like to score against.
But they don't know how...

 

[Karakand]

Pick on somebody yer own size, Trafford United Man!

 

[Cornballer]

Also, someone said that only Mexico gets favored by refs in the CONCACAF. I'm sorry, but that's completely false. It's not the team's fault, but both Mexico and the US are the sugar daddies and as so, they are protected by the organization all the time.

On saturday the ref ignored two clear PKs in Panama's favor. Yesterday, the US ref in the Costa Rica-Mexico match was a complete disaster and had to help them for 120 minutes, so they could get a miserable 1-0 win. We played like shit the whole tournament, but that's no excuse for giving out non-existant red cards or showing yellows to our players and then turn around and show nothing to the mexicans for the same type of action.

I think you're off base here. The refereeing in CONCACAF is terrible, and the Gold Cup this year has been even worse than usual. I think we can agree on that. But I really don't think the US gets any favors from the referees in this region. (I'm not going to comment on the CR-Mexico game as I didn't watch it or favoritism towards the Mexicans in general.)

Regarding the US-Panama game, I'm curious what the "two clear PKs" were that you are referring to. One is probably where Gooch grabbed Pavon's arm and pulled him down in the box - that one could have been a penalty, but beyond that, I'm not sure what you're talking about.

On the other side of things, the Donovan penalty was about as clear cut as they come, and I'd ask the question why the guy that tackled him wasn't sent off after cutting him down in the box when he was through on goal. There was also the incident where a Panamanian player intentially knocked a through ball down with his hand while he was already carrying one yellow card. There was no foul and no card given on the play. I could also list numerous examples from the 3 US games in group play if you'd like me to do that, but I don't see why it'd be necessary.

Ives Galarcep also commented on this today:

Sour Grapes or Valid Gripes?
If you haven't heard by now, the Gold Cup has been rigged by CONCACAF to be a showcase tournament for the US and Mexico, with the rest of the tournament's teams there just for show and to provide some speed bumps before the pre-determined final between the Americans and Mexicans.

At least that's what seemingly every other team in the tournament is saying after a week filled with questionable cards and bad officiating that didn't do much to hurt the US team or Mexico.

From Costa Rica coach Hernan Medford to several members of the Panama team, there was no shortage of opinions that the Gold Cup was rigged.

"We all know what went on here," Panama captain Felipe Baloy said after his team's loss to the US. "CONCACAF just wants the United States and Mexico to play again and it shows in the decisions you have seen in this tournament."

Medford expressed similar sentiments after seeing three of his players red carded during Costa Rica's 1-0 overtime loss to Mexico.

What do I think? While I agree that the officating and organization of the tournament has been terrible, suggestions of an outright conspiracy to have Mexico and the US are misguided. CONCACAF can barely run the tournament, do people really think region officials have the skills to rig it?

You don't need a conspiracy to have bad officiating, you just need bad referees. You can't help but feel some pity for a team like Panama, which should have left this Gold Cup feeling confident about its chances in the next round of World Cup qualifying, but instead walked away feeling cheated by the whole experience.

 

[psycho_snake]

Pick on somebody yer own size, Trafford United Man!

but its too easy making fun of manchester shitty.

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

Ives Galarcep also commented on this today:

Has this guy ever heard of a man named Jack Warner, the dirtiest piece of shit to ever be a confederation's president? That's no easy accomplishment, let me tell you. He does whatever the hell he wants and everyone knows it. Most recently, it was proven that he did a huge fraud with World Cup tickets and his son's travel agency and all he got was a slap on the wrist from FIFA.

The Gold Cup is such a shitty torunament and CONCACAF overall is so crappy because he doesn't care as long as he racks in the $$$.

 

[jamesinclair]

Unlike England, its nice to watch less popular teams, because even they have future stars. Ronaldihno for example, came from Gremio, not International of Porto Alegre.

Meanwhile my team (3rd place currently) has this man, Josiel, who in a couple years will be huge

Im thinking of buying a jersey with his name now

 

[Karakand]

manchester shitty.

Aside from the fact that it threatens my weak heterosexual identity (I'd like to see YOU wear a shirt that says Man City in WeHo on a Friday night), this is why I use Man C over Man City. What clever pejorative term can you turn that into? Man Pee? That just makes you sound like a kindergartener.

Spoiler

Ha-ha Manchester United States! How's having a Yanqui for an owner working out? You won the Premiership? Well... uh... F-off.

Spoiler

Allah ykhalliik, no más! (How's that for a pidgin?)

 

[psycho_snake]

Aside from the fact that it threatens my weak heterosexual identity (I'd like to see YOU wear a shirt that says Man City in WeHo on a Friday night), this is why I use Man C over Man City. What clever pejorative term can you turn that into? Man Pee? That just makes you sound like a kindergartener.

Spoiler

Ha-ha Manchester United States! How's having a Yanqui for an owner working out? You won the Premiership? Well... uh... F-off.

Spoiler

Allah ykhalliik, no más! (How's that for a pidgin?)

You could always call us Manure

 

[psycho_snake]

Apparantly chelsea are after some guy called Lee Chun Soo. He's a midfielder for Ulsan Tigers. Has anyone ever heard of him?

 

[psycho_snake]

Todays rumours

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/gossip_and_transfers/6766157.stm

TRANSFER RUMOURS

Chelsea and Arsenal are leading the chase to sign Valencia defender Miguel but have been warned he will cost them £13m. (Daily Telegraph)

Six Premiership clubs are interested in Feyenoord's Royston Drenthe - with West Ham and Sunderland the leading chasers. (The Independent)

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready to offer Manchester United striker Alan Smith regular first team football. (Daily Star)

Charlton striker Darren Bent has told Liverpool and Tottenham he will go to the club that gives him the best chance of being an England regular. (Daily Mirror)

West Ham have joined the battle to land Preston striker David Nugent after missing out on Bent. (The Sun)

The Hammers have been rebuffed after making an enquiry for Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy. (Daily Mail)

Derby boss Billy Davies will make West Ham defender Tyrone Mears his first summer signing this week in a £1m swoop. (The Sun)

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp wants to sign Seville striker Fredi Kanoute as top scorer Kanu is talks with Ajax. (The Sun)

Chelsea are set to hijack Fulham's move for Ulsan Tigers midfielder Lee Chun-Soo, with both clubs under pressure to sign a Korean because of their sponsorship deals with firms from that nation. (The Sun)

Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen is poised for a shock £3m switch to Sheffield United. (Various)

Midfielder Jose Antonio Reyes, who has been on loan at Real Madrid from Arsenal, has begged the Spanish club to let him stay after he helped them lift the title on Sunday. (Daily Mirror)

Wigan are ready to sign Helsingborg defender Andreas Granqvist for £750,000 following a loan spell last season. (The Sun)

Wigan are lining up Preston keeper Carlo Nash for a permanent switch to the JJB. (Various)

Newcastle are poised to complete a £2m move for Czech defender David Rozehnal from PSG. (Daily Mail)

Birmingham have had a £3m bid for striker Marlon Harewood rejected by West Ham. (Various)

Blues boss Steve Bruce has been told he will have to pay £4.5m for Harewood. (Daily Express)

Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have vowed to give manager Rafael Benitez money to splash out in the transfer market following rumours of unrest at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea flop Khalid Boulahrouz has been lined up for a £4m move to Seville. (Various)

Billy Sharp is heading for showdown talks with S****horpe that could see him quit the club. (Daily Star)

Freddy Eastwood has pleaded with Southend to let him complete a £1.5m move to Wolves. (Daily Star)

Reading's Stephen Hunt is demanding a new deal only six months after signing a new two-and-a-half year deal. (Various)

Millwall are ready to offer a trial to former jailbird Fiston Manuella, who plays for Chelmsford. (Daily Star)

Nottingham Forest want to sign Birmingham midfielder Neil Danns for £500,000. (Daily Star)

Middlesbrough are ready to hand a return to England to Ian Harte, who plays in Spain for Levante. (Daily Mirror)

Birmingham have dropped their interest in Fulham's Zat Knight to chase Oguchi Onyewu from Standard Liege - and they also want Cardiff winger Joe Ledley. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City are ready to steal Bolton teenage star Kyle Bartley from under Arsenal's noses. (Daily Mirror)

Charlton plan a surprise £500,000 bid for Birmingham midfielder Stephen Clemence. (The Sun)

Mark McGhee is set to make former St Johnstone midfielder Simon Mensing his first signing after taking over as Motherwell boss. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wants former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to take over as boss of Manchester City if his takeover is successful. (The Guardian)

Barcelona want Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to become their new boss, with Frank Rijkaard expected to step down after his side were pipped to the Spanish title by Real Madrid. (The Sun)

Arsene Wenger's attempts to bring in Reading's Nicky Hammond as director of football failed when Hammond had a last minute change of heart. (Daily Mail)

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill Wood has completed a dramatic U-turn by admitting he is willing to work with billionaire Stan Kroenke. (Daily Express)

LA Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas believes midfielder David Beckham, who is leaving Real Madrid to join the Major League Soccer club, will be bigger in the United States than golfer Tiger Woods or former basketball player Michael Jordan. (Daily Mirror)

Lalas has described the Premiership as an inferior product whose global success is largely down to American marketing techniques. (The Guardian)

Former England striker Les Ferdinand wants Serbia to be kicked out of the Under-21 European Championship for the racist abuse directed at Nedum Onuoha. (Various)

American tycoon Daniel Williams is at least three weeks away from making a bid for Blackburn. (The Sun)

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer says that Magpies striker Michael Owen will stay at the club. (Various)

AND FINALLY

David Beckham missed out on lifting La Liga title with his Real Madrid team-mates in favour of flying off on holiday with his family. (Daily Star)

England trio John Terry, Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard all interrupted their honeymoons to send a congratulatory text to Beckham for his title win. (The Sun)

Derby boss Billy Davies jokingly threatened to chop off Alan Hansen's legs after the BBC pundit tipped his side to get relegated from the Premiership. (Daily Record)

It looks like mama wasnt the only one impressed with Drenthe. There's probably a lot more clubs outside of england that are keeping an eye on him.

 

[Karakand]

Manchester City are ready to steal Bolton teenage star Kyle Bartley from under Arsenal's noses. (Daily Mirror)

yay

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wants former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to take over as boss of Manchester City if his takeover is successful. (The Guardian)

Didn't the Thai Government just seize MORE of his money? :lol

 

[psycho_snake]

Its the return of the made up neviller diaries. This one is about his wedding day

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8751_2419051,00.html

06.00 hours
Woke up with a headache after a wild pre-wedding night playing Scrabble and drinking advocaat (with lemonade) with Silly Billy Philly, Mum and Dad Dad - gave Mum a Chinese burn when she wouldn't let me use 'PEEPEE' or 'WINKIE' and, as captain of my own Scrabble team, I had to chase her around the divan to protest the decision. We switched to Twister and I pulled my groin. Mum told me to stop.

08.00 hours
Cried on the phone with lovely David because he was playing in a silly game of beach football and couldn't come to the wedding - was sad because I was hoping he'd stand up and shout 'it should have been me' when the vicar asked if there was any just impeda impede reason. And he does look dreamy in a suit.

10.00 hours
If it wasn't bad enough that I had to marry a girl (and everyone knows girls smell), Dad Dad made me take off my Manchester United shirt. I had to make do with Man United socks, grundiepants, cufflinks, keyring and handkerchief. Dad Dad said I could put the shirt back on at the reception for the first dance - our special song Come On You Reds.

12.00 hours
Told Mum I didn't care that all the England players are going to Scousie Gerrard or nice Michael Carrick's wedding instead. I didn't want Silly Billy Philly there anyway. And I knew Parky would make a fantastic best man speech - it was worth splashing out on a Korean interpreter.

14.00 hours
Half an hour until kick-off so I did my usual pre-match routine - read the bit in Managing My Life where Sir (can't believe he had a dentist appointment on a Saturday. Boo.) writes about me, read it again, and then read it again. I did have a little panic about Emma (is that her name? Must ask Dad Dad) but Mum said she knows not to wear something blue or the wedding's off.

14.30 hours
I married a smelly girl. We both cried. Especially when the vicar said I could kiss the bride. After some negotiations we agreed that I could kiss my Mum and Dad Dad could kiss Emma (?). Was very mad that some quests had dared to wear something other than red. I slide-tackled Aunty Violet for wearing a blue hat. Chelski scum.

17.00 hours
My speech seemed to go down really, really well - what a really top idea to read out of the Official History of Manchester United. Emma just cried...she's been crying ever since that day on the lovely island of Malta when I asked for her hand and she got totally the wrong end of the stick like a silly smelly girl. I only wanted her to hold my ice cream while I had a pee-pee.

19.00 hours
Emma (?) made a silly girly fuss when I did the first dance with Parky in the full kit of the greatest team in the world ever. Come on you Reds, come on you Reds...just keep your bottle and use your heads...it's the best song ever, ever, ever.

20.00 hours
She tried to take back the bit in the vows (re-written slightly by me) where she promised to love and honour (she wouldn't say 'obey'. Blooming women's lib) my moustache and to be faithful to Manchester United as long as she lives. But she said it in church (the second most holy place in the world) so she can't take it back even if she crossed her fingers. Ha.

20.15 hours
It's so unfair. Nobody told me Ray Quinn was a dirty Scouser. I threw a vol-au-vent, a profiterole and a table decoration. Mum said I'd had too much Sunny Delight and sent me to the naughty step.

20.30 hours
In bed now. Pre-season training starts in 23 days. Told Emma (?) I'll see her next Sunday for dinner at Mum and Dad Dad's.

 

[Blablurn]

So dudes. Every European season came to an end now. I enjoyed the time with and I'm really looking forward to the next season (Including the Euro 2008 which Germany of course is going to win ;o ) ... or maybe Greece <3.

 

[psycho_snake]

I cant predict what will happen in euro 2008, but beckham is bound to go out with a bang and he will have a fiary tale ending to his international career.