Leeds youngster could move across the Pennines to Old Trafford.

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The National Football Museum will honour some of England’s greatest European legends tonight at an ceremony commemorating their success on the world’s biggest stage. This is truly a who’s who list of footballing greats! [Read the rest of this entry »]

While Michael Owen continues to remain free of injuries, Newcastle give thanks for small mercies, with two of their other key forwards on the sidelines. While Obafemi Martins will be back at some stage as he recovers from a knee injury, the same cannot be said with confidence about Mark Viduka, with the Australian continuing to battle against an Achilles injury that just won’t go away. [Read the rest of this entry »]

After hearing his name linked with the words “Leeds” and “League One,” Hull striker Dean Windass figured it was time to make it clear to everyone that he’s more than happy playing in the Premier League next year. So stop trying to sell him off! [Read the rest of this entry »]

So here’s to you Mr Robinson, Juande hates you more than you can know. [Read the rest of this entry »]

It will come as no great surprise to hear that Harry Kewell is leaving Liverpool after five seasons at the club. When the Australian arrived from Leeds United in 2003, he was regarded as one of the hottest players in the Premier League but perpetual injuries have seen him play just a minor role for the Reds every season. Amazingly he did get to start the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul before being subbed due to (yes, you’ve guessed it) injury.

Sky Sports reports that Rafael Benitez has given Kewell and his agent short shrift over the possibility of a new deal and that the winger will be moving to pastures new in the summer. It appears that a certain Norwegian full-back with a penchant for scoring spectacular own goals could be joining him.

“We have tried to come to an agreement with the player and his agent, but that has not been possible,” said Benitez.

“Kewell will leave the club at the end of his contract.

“With Riise and the rest of the players they have one or more years left on their contracts, so he is still our player at the moment and he knows if we receive a good offer – good for him and the club – it could be…

“But he is still our player and I am really pleased with him because he is a fantastic professional,” added Benitez.

Presumably Liverpool fans won’t be sad to see Kewell leave Anfield, although the same might not be said of Riise, who has done pretty well during his seven years at the club. The Norwegian has managed 33 goals for the Reds, which isn’t bad for someone who’s played mainly as a full-back.

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This is not a Leeds-baiting article. Far from it, COS thinks it’s a damn shame what’s been allowed to happen to this football club over the past few seasons, which has resulted in a double relegation, administration, desperation, frustration and now consolidation. Fans of the club thought that it might be a case of celebration after Ken Bates & Co appealed against their fifteen point deduction made at the start of the season, but Sky Sports report they’ll will have to tough it out in the play-offs if they are to be promoted this season.

Whatever the rights and wrongs were surrounding this deduction (which were in addition to the ten points docked towards the end of last season), it would have been one thing restoring some or all of the deficit in the early part of the season but not when there’s only one match of the regular season remaining. It simply wouldn’t have been fair to the likes of Carlisle, Doncaster and Nottingham Forest, teams who are on the verge of securing promotion through that second automatic spot.

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators have therefore made the correct decision and it’s safe to assume that part of their thinking was an overturning of points would have almost certainly led to a series of counter-appeals by some or all of the teams mentioned above. The Football League will also breathe a sigh of relief that they have been found not guilty of acting unfairly towards Leeds in deducting the fifteen points.

United have a chance to now secure promotion to the Championship and will be favourites on the basis of their recent form, their huge following and perhaps the burning sense of injustice being felt at the club right now after this decision.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has added to the garrulous Nou Camp gossip layer cake that Didier Drogba will no doubt leap out of in the summer by claiming that the Ivorian would be welcomed with open arms at the Catalan club. (Daily Star)
…Meanwhile, Barca defender Lilian Thuram may leave the Catalan giants and waltz over to Arsenal to take up a player-coach role. (Daily Telegraph)

Lanky Portsmouth striker Kanu is mulling over a move down under to Australian club Gold Coast Galaxy, who unfortunately have links with the LA Galaxy. (Various)

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley will make a summer move for Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell, and he will bid £5 million for his services. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool to make a profit on something! The Anfield club may sell ‘keeper Nikolay Mihaylo to FC Twente, especially as the big spending Dutchmen are willing to shell out £4m on a player that Liverpool spent a mere £225,000 on. (The Sun)
…And the spawn of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish (no we’re not talking about the “stunna” Kelly Dalglish) – tepid footballer Paul Dalglish has been snapped up on trial by Leeds. (The Sun)

And over on the other side of Stanley Park…Everton are wincing at the thought of an audacious Cardiff City loan bid for striker Victor Anichebe. (Daily Mirror)

Dwight Yorke is playing every minute like it’s his last at the Stadium of Light, his Sunderland contract runs out in the summer and he wants to impress Roy Keane. (Various)

Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill will be given a huge war chest marked “transfers”, in a bid to gatecrash the Big 4’s stranglehold on the Premier League. (Daily Star)
…While Villa ‘keeper Thomas Sorensen has turned his nose up at a potential loan move to Barnsley. (The Sun)

The Daily Mail reports that Dennis Wise sauntered out of Elland road after he was offered a ‘directorial role’ at St James’ and it isn’t hard to see why Wise leapt at the chance to take on this £1.5million a year position.
Mail journo Colin Young writes:

“While Newcastle’s new boss Kevin Keegan was made aware of the seemingly bizarre appointment, it was driven by St James’ Park chairman Chris Mort.

“Keegan was reluctant to discuss Wise’s new role which, surprisingly, is expected to be based primarily in London and involve little contact with the first-team coaching staff. Instead, Wise will help oversee a number of key projects, including recruitment plus the youth and academy system.”

But will Dennis Wise’s presence, even miles away from Newcastle in the capital, put a distracting shadow over Keegan’s tenure? Keegan himself didn’t think so, saying:

“I’m very happy. I’ve spoken to Chris and, really, it’s a distraction we don’t need because I want to focus all my attention on Arsenal — but it’s not a distraction in a negative sense.”

Keegan’s just being polite though, isn’t he? Surely this will put unnecessary pressure on him, and would Wise really move to a desk job unless he had been offered the St James’ hotseat in the future?

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All the latest transfer guff from the papers…

The latest manager expressing a desire to take a swig from the St James’ poison chalice is ex-Liverpool supremo Gérard Houllier. (Various)

Manchester United chief exec David Gill has told anyone who will listen that the Old Trafford transfer S.W.A.T. team will remain dormant for the January transfer frolics. (The Times)

Afonso Alves is ready and waiting to sign on the dotted line for Middlesbrough. But Gareth Southgate’s glorious £12m transfer splurge may yet end up as a damp squib; the Brazilian could find it hard to get a work permit due to the fact that he has won only one international cap. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland hard-man manager Roy Keane is finally going to get his man. Midfielder Stephen Hunt will sign from Reading for £5m. (The Mirror)
…And another midfielder, Chelsea’s Steve Sidwell is set to leap into the arms of Roy Keane, he is signing for Sunderland initially on loan. (Various)

Portsmouth gaffer Harry Redknapp is going to slap a bid in for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe. (The Mirror)
…And that transfer dosh will come in very handy as Spurs want to bring Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing to WHite Hart Lane. (The Mirror)

Hearts’ Senegalese defender Ibrahim Tall is being gawked at by Bolton’s Gary Megson. (The Times)
…And Megson has also snapped up AZ Alkmaar’s Icelandic defender Gretar Steinsson for £4m deal. (The Mirror)
…Although Megson has been forced to admit defeat in his pursuit of Toulouse. striker Johan Elmander.(The Mirror)

Reading and Birmingham City have been sniffing around Rennes’ ex-Spurs left back Erik Edman. (Various)

Birmingham and Derby are locked in a duel for the services of Aston Villa defender Gary Cahill. (Daily Mail)

Leeds head honcho Dennis Wise has informed Derby that they have a snowball’s chance in hell of signing striker Jermaine Beckford. So look for him to sign for the Rams by the end of the week. (The Star)

Blackburn are going to ship in Rangers’ Amdy Faye as a Robbie Savage replacement. (The Mirror)

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The Sun reckons that the ten ultra-violent hard men below are the 10 hardest men in footballing history, what do you think?

Top 10 Hardmen

No10: John Terry
No9: Ron “Chopper” Harris
No8: Vinnie Jones
No7: Norman Hunter
No6: Roy Keane
No5: Stuart Pearce
No4: Romeo Benetti
No3: Dave Mackay
No2: Andoni Goicoechea
No1: Graeme Souness

Picking through this top ten The Sun have attempted to cover all bases in the nutter stakes but there can be lots of areas of complaint – what about Duncan Ferguson Tommy Smith, Julian Dicks or Billy Bremner, do they deserve to be in the list? And should John Terry be in at number 10, and most questionable of all, is Graeme Souness really the hardest footballer ever?

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