It’s nearing the big kick off, what does your boss need to do in order to get one over on the opposition?
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The last time Reading were in the Championship, they collected 106 points and stormed to the title. The Royals lost just two games on their way to automatic promotion and looked for all the world like a Premier League team. Sadly, after one brilliant season in the top flight, they are back in the division from whence they came, although fans will be delighted to see that Steve Coppell has decided to stick around as manager.
There had been speculation that the former Manchester City and Crystal Palace manager would step down at the end of the season, especially after falling through the relegation trapdoor. However, the Daily Mirror report that the scouser has decided to take a massive pay-cut and finish the job he has started at the Madejski Stadium.
He said: “The last thing I want to be remembered for at Reading is for a relegation. I wanted the chance to put it right. Now our motivation is to try to make next season memorable for all the right reasons.”
Are you betting on Reading to repeat their triumph of 2004/5, when they took the division by storm? It llargely depends on keeping hold of Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle and James Harper but to name a few. You’d certainly expect the Berkshire club to be in and around the top six next term, although Sheffield United and Charlton proved last season that relegated clubs have no divine right to these placings.
There’s an almighty scrap at the top of the Championship to determine who will be playing Premier League football next season, which teams will the likes of West Brom and Stoke City be replacing? The bookmakers still don’t give Fulham much of a chance, despite their heroic comeback at Manchester City last weekend. A victory against fellow-strugglers Birmingham on Saturday would mean that their top flight safety could potentially be in their own hands!
Surely Reading fans are a touch on the concerned side, considering their team’s inability to score, let alone win a game. OK, so they managed a creditable 0-0 draw at Wigan last weekend, although the decision to bring back Leroy Lita from his loan spell at Charlton smacked of desperation, while the Daily Mirror report tension in the camp ahead of Saturday’s game against Spurs. The Royals record signing won’t play for his ’stupid team’ anymore apparently.
“It is not clever at all to suspend your own players, it is stupid,” said the 24-year-old. “The sanction is heavy – two weeks!
“I cannot understand their attitude. I refused to play with the reserves and they said: ‘Okay let us meet on Thursday’.
“But in the meantime I received a letter saying I am axed.
“They are not courageous enough to tell me things in the eyes, man to man, in five minutes.
“I am an adult, I can recognise when I make mistakes. I can also admit to people when I am wrong. The team needs all their players for the last two games.
“For sure my future is not with Reading.”
Not exactly what you need when you’re teetering on the edge of the drop zone, although perhaps this will galvanise the rest of the Reading squad, who face a last-day trip to Derby after the weekend game against Spurs. Bolton are in action at home to Sunderland and will at least have the comfort of the Black Cats having nothing to play for after their 3-2 win over Middlesbrough last weekend.
Transfer malarkey and all that jazz…
Arsenal’s bench warming midfield elder statesman Gilberto has signalled that he may be off soon after declaring that he doesn’t have a future at the North London club. (Various)
Chelsea will bag Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan for the cheap as chips price of £1m in the summer. (The Sun)
Manchester United have revealed the signing of the 18 year old Brazilian holding midfielder Rodrigo Possebon from Sport Club Internacional only now. (Various)
…While United’s wonder winger Christiano Ronaldo is angling for a fat Old Trafford pay rise after claiming that he’d like to play in Spain one day, thus wetting Real Madrid’s appetite. (Guardian)
It wasn’t long ago that there was a bit of a scramble for David Nugent, and the winners of that scramble, Portsmouth, now cannot give him away! Preston North End boss Alan Irvine is now looking to take him back on loan. (Various)
Arsenal’s Swiss defender Johan Djourou is being trailed by FC Zurich who want to bag a loan deal for the player. (Daily Star)
Aston Villa’s geek-chic gaffer Martin O’Neill hasn’t given up on American ‘keeper Brad Guzan, and will try to nab him again this summer. O’Neill is reportedly willing to splurge around £2m. (Daily Mirror)
Blackburn are sniffing around Charlton’s Ivorian striker Kissi Richmond. (Daily Mirror)
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is set to move for Senegal’s captain Lamin Diatta, and want to get the defender on loan for the remainder of the season. (Daily Mirror)
Everton’s ginger supremo David Moyes remains confident that Joleon Lescott will sign a new Everton deal despite being linked in the ‘mee-ja’ with a move to Arsenal or Manchester United. (Various)
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has managed to nab Aston Villa defender Gary Cahill , beating Boltonto his signature. (Daily Mirror)
…And Bolton could drown their sorrows at missing out on Gary Cahill by stepping up their interest in Real Betis’ Croatian defender Marko Babic; upping their original £2.2m offer. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is desperate to bag Spurs’ recalcitrant full back Pascal Chimbonda before the transfer window slams shut. (Various)
…And Villa boss Martin O’Neill is also after a grab bag of last minute signings including Leicester full back Richard Stearman and Crystal Palace striker Sean Scannell. (Daily Mirror)
Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready swoop for Charlton midfielder Andy Reid, in a player (Greg Halford) plus cash (£2.5m) deal. (Various)
Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson has slammed Stewart Downing’s agent for his Machiavellian scheming. Gibson – contrary to what agent Elliott thinks – claims that he has offered the winger a sparkling new contract. (Daily Mail)
The second swig from Caught Offside’s potent daily transfer pint…
Chelsea’s powerhouse Ivorian striker Didier Drogba has admitted that he would love to team up with Samuel Eto’o at Barcelona next season. (Various)
Fulham gaffer Roy Hodgson wants to snap up Teemu Tainio after Spurs boss Juande Ramos told the Finnish midfielder that he was finished as a Tottenham player. (Various)
Bolton gaffer Gary Megson is chewing his gum even faster than usual at the prospect of signing AZ Alkmaar defender Gretar Steinsson for £3m. (Daily Mail)
New Bayern Munich manager Jurgen Klinsmann doesn’t want Daniel van Buyten to leave the club, abruptly stopping Everton and Man City’s pursuit of the defender. (Daily Record)
Watford want to nab Arsenal nipper Armand Traore, they want to take the 18 year-old left back on loan. (Daily Star)
Russian midfield skillster Andrei Arshavin has indicated a desire to leave Russian champs Zenit St Petersburg and could be plying his trade in the Premier League very soon. Arshavin has a stark choice to make though, as Arsenal and Tottenham are after him. (The Independent)
Glasgow Rangers are stroking their collective chins and pondering a swoop for Sunderland’s Welsh Wonder, goalkeeper Darren Ward. (Daily Express)
Monaco want to steal away Middlesbrough’s Brazilian midfielder Fabio Rochemback. (The Independent)
The transfer of Senegalese midfielder Amdy Faye to Blackburn is hitting a snag because he has played for too many clubs, he currently plays for Rangers but is on loan from Charlton. Sparky Hughes will have a good chin wag with FIFA which should hopefully resolve the matter. (Various)
Wigan coach Steve Bruce has leapt ahead of Man City and Fulham and is set to snap up ex-Spurs left back, super Swede Erik Edman from Rennes. (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill fully believes that Martin Laursen put pen to paper on a new deal with the club. (The Guardian)
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is poised to sign Argentina’s youth international Mauro Zarate. McLeish will initially land the young scamp on loan from Qatari club Al-Sadd. (The Sun)
…And Birmingham have also put in a final bid of £2.5m to Hibernian for defender David Murphy. (Daily Record)
Upsets left right and centre in today’s FA Cup action. But what was the biggest shock?Coventry somehow managed to obliterate Blackburn 4-1, whilst League One Huddersfield beat Birmingham 2-1. Special mention should also go to Sheffield United who booted out Bolton with a 1-0 win lowly and injury ravaged Oldham, who beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park.
So what was your upset of the day?
Here are today’s 3rd round results in full:
Barnsley 2-1 Blackpool
Blackburn 1-4 Coventry
Bolton 0-1 Sheff Utd
Brighton 1-2 Mansfield
Bristol City 1-2 Middlesbrough
Charlton 1-1 West Brom
Chasetown 1-3 Cardiff
Chelsea 1-0 QPR
Colchester 1-3 Peterborough
Everton 0-1 Oldham
Huddersfield 2-1 Birmingham
Ipswich 0-1 Portsmouth
Norwich 1-1 Bury
Plymouth 3-2 Hull
Preston 1-0 Scunthorpe
Southampton 2-0 Leicester
Southend 5-2 Dag & Red
Sunderland 0-3 Wigan
Swansea 1-1 Havant and W
Swindon 1-1 Barnet
Tottenham 2-2 Reading
Tranmere 2-2 Hereford
Walsall 0-0 Millwall
Watford 2-0 Crystal Palace
West Ham 0-0 Man City
Wolverhampton 2-1 Cambridge Utd
Manchester United LATE KICK OFF Aston Villa
The Times recently published “the Top 50 stats of 2007″ compiled by their resident statto brainbox Bill Edgar – and the number one footballing statistic was how similar Lee Bowyer and Scott Parker are. Edgar writes:
“Both are London-born midfield players who have gained only brief recognition by England; both began their careers at Charlton Athletic and later played for Newcastle United before joining West Ham. And both played keepy-uppy in McDonald’s as teenagers: Parker with a football in an advert and Bowyer with some chairs, for which he was fined £4,500.”
Scott Parker and Lee Bowyer, separated at birth?
Arsene Wenger is keen to bring Barnsley keeper Heinz Muller to Arsenal. The cost? A very Arsene Wenger-like £1m. This move would also pave the way for Teutonic gaffe-lord Jens Lehmann to move back to Borussia Dortmund. (Various)
…And there is “no chance” of a Cesc Fabregas move to Real Madrid according to Cesc’s agent. (The Sun)
Manchester City are apparently in the lead in the frantic scramble to secure Luka Modric’s signature. The Croatia and Dinamo Zagreb midfielder will set Sven-Goran Eriksson back a whopping £20m. (Daily Express)
…Avram Grant is also keen on Modric, especially as Frank Lampard has added himself to Chelsea’s swollen injury list. (Guardian)
…And in his first opportunity to mould the Chelsea team in the way he desires, Avram Grant is set to blow £50m on Nic Anelka, Daniel Alves and Maicon Douglas too. (Independent)
…Avram Grant is also looking to emulate Arsene Wenger’s success with Cesc Fabregas by making a move for Barcelona’s 16-year-old wunderkind Thiago Alcantara. (The Sun)
Tottenham striker Darren Bent is reportedly eager to join his former Charlton gaffer Alan Curbishley at West Ham, and selling Bent could free up some more dosh for Tottenham boss Juande Ramos. (Daily Star)
Sunderland’s Roy Keane is frothing at the mouth with joy about bagging “kicking, screaming, Gucci little piggy” Robbie Savage. Keane is set to pay Blackburn Rovers £1.5m for the midfield agent provocateur. (Daily Mail)
Ginger Mourinho Gary Megson wants to take Portsmouth’s Matt Taylor to Bolton, but the £5m price tag that ‘Arry has placed on Taylor is leaving the Bolton gaffer feeling a little queasy.(Daily Mail)
…And it looks like Everton’s very own Moyesiah is trying the same tactic with Mikel Arteta, putting a huge £25m price tag on the Spaniard’s head in a bid to ward off Valencia. (Daily Mirror)
…And the hunter becomes the hunted! Moyes is planning a double swoop on Valencia for midfielders Albelda and Manuel Fernandes. (various)
…Celtic meanwhile are determined to bag James McFadden and have doubled their efforts, and are hoping to bag their man in time to play Rangers on 2 January. (The Sun)
…Bobo Balde will have a natter with Celtic about his future, and if things aren’t satisfactory he could leap into the arms of either Birmingham or Sunderland. (Daily Express)
Rangers are sniffing around Aston Villa’s young striker Luke Moore and Martin O’Neill may agree to the deal, but only if it is a permanent move and not a loan transfer. (The Sun)
Steve Coppell is hoping to bag Nigerian striker Udo Nwoko. The Reading boss with wave £1.25m in the face of Portuguese club Leixoes hoping they accept. (Daily Mirror)
Middlesbrough’s Gareth Southgate is having a hearty sniff around Sheffield United’s Rob Hulse, and could secure the striker for £2.2m (Daily Mirror)
Sheffield United head honcho Bryan Robson wants new acquisition Gary Speed to convince Bolton’s Ivan Campo to follow suit and leg it to Bramall Lane. (The Sun)
Wigan’s Marcus Bent has announced that he is perfectly happy there and that he wants the loan deal from Charlton to be turned into a permanent one. Bent said:
“I have come to Wigan to play in the Premier League, try to score goals, and do well for the club and myself, it’s up to Charlton and Wigan to sort out a deal.
“I would be happy to stay – the people on and off the pitch have been very good to me.”
Bent has been a consistently strong performer for Wigan Athletic, but would Charlton fans be happy with this deal being made permanent, it could provide some useful extra transfer funds for January? Or would they prefer Bent back at the Valley?
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