Transfers news and gossips
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extracted from soccernet.
Updated: Feb. 5, 2006
Gibson forced to face angry Boro fans
Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson attempted to pacify angry fans outside the Riverside on Saturday night following the 4-0 home defeat by Villa - and insisted Steve McClaren remains the club's best bet to get out of trouble.
Security staff had already intervened when Mark Viduka was heckled by fans as he left the stadium, before Gibson went out to speak to a group of around 20 supporters still waiting two hours after the final whistle.
Astonishingly, Gibson told the group no action would be taken against a fan who ran on to the pitch during the match before hurling his season ticket at manager McClaren, who received strong backing from his chairman.
Gibson told the fans: ``When Steve McClaren came to this club we had only managed 42 points under Terry Venables.
``The only way this club has gone under Steve McClaren is up. We have won the Carling Cup, we have got into Europe the last two years running and we are still in the UEFA Cup.
``You have to look in the longer term. We have had a bad couple of months but there are reasons for that.
``What we need is everyone, all the fans, to get behind the team.''
Gibson dismissed one fan's suggestion McClaren appeared to lack passion for the club.
He said: ``I can tell you if you had seen Steve McClaren tonight you would see how passionate he is about this football club.''
Gibson also promised there would be no ban for the fan who made the season-ticket protest immediately after the fourth goal had been conceded.
``That man will get his season ticket back with no action taken because we understand that kind of passion,'' said Gibson.
The Middlesbrough chairman also confirmed to the group of fans the club had had a bid for Manchester City's midfielder Joey Barton turned down last week. -
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Updated: Feb. 6, 2006
Vieira sale so costly for Gunners, fumes Bergkamp
Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp has questioned the selling the Gunners' midfield general Patrick Vieira to Juventus.
The Dutchman 'never expected the dip to be this big' following Arsene Wenger's decision to let his fellow Frenchman leave at the end of last season. The club are currently fifth in the Premiership.
'Arsene is intelligent enough to know what that did to the team [in selling Vieira]. People saw how influential Patrick was on the pitch, dominating midfield by himself,' Bergkamp told 'The Game' in The Times.
'But people also forget how he was off the pitch, how impressive he was in the dressing room, and how important he was for every other player, young and old. I think a lot of people underestimated that.'
The 36-year-old added: 'When you hear he is going to be sold you try to think of a team without him - and you have the confidence in the board and the coach that they have something in mind.
'You can't just let Patrick go without having someone coming in. But that doesn't happen. You respect Arsene for what he has done; that is for sure, but to tell you the truth you thought something would happen - and nothing did. So slowly you get into the new season and you realise this is going to be a tough one.
'We didn't expect the dip to be this big. It is okay to take one step and two steps forward, but we are not really sure if it just one step back at the moment. It seems more. Somehow we got into a transitional year, and it wasn't necessary.' -
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Updated: Feb. 6, 2006
Boro players unhappy with McClaren - Greening
Middlesbrough players have told former team-mate Jonathan Greening they are beginning to question manager Steve McClaren's methods.
As McClaren struggles to keep his club clear of the Premiership relegation zone, he may be concerned to hear there is disquiet in the ranks.
Greening, whose own club West Brom are a point clear of Boro in the lower reaches of the table, can understand why the Teessiders are having their difficulties.
'I am not really surprised to see Middlesbrough struggling,' said the midfielder, who left the Riverside in 2004.
'I know a few of the boys there who are a bit unhappy with McClaren's way of doing things.'
England assistant coach McClaren has not always been vindicated by his moves into the transfer market, Greening notes.
'Some of the signings have not worked out for him either,' he said.
'He spent £8.5million on Massimo Maccarone, and he doesn't even play.
'McClaren is a really good coach, but some coaches do not make good managers.' -
Is Steve McLaren's managerial career going into freefall mode? I hope not.
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Updated: Feb. 6, 2006
I won't be hinderance, says Shearer
Newcastle's record-breaking striker Alan Shearer has promised his huge presence will not hamper the club's new manager.
Shearer was responding to a question about his influence during Ruud Gullit's unsuccessful reign as manager at St James' Park.
Gullit claimed Shearer was a hindrance to his ability to manage the club.
However, the Magpies captain told BBC Radio Five Live: 'I am only going to be a player for three months, so it won't be a problem - not that I see it as a problem anyway.
'Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I was bought to score goals - and thankfully I've done that. Other people can say what they want. My job is to try my best on the football pitch, and that's what I've always done.'
Shearer confirmed he will retire from playing at the end of the season and will 'probably go into media work.'
He still plans to be a manager, but not just yet.
'I want to go into management one day - whether here or elsewhere I don't know. I am doing my coaching badges and have nearly got my `A' licence.
'I will be retiring at the end of the season. The old legs are carrying me through, and I've got three months left.'
Shearer's 201st goal for Newcastle - scored in front of the Gallowgate end against Portsmouth on Saturday - still 'sends shivers down my spine', he admitted.
'It was a great feeling. I knew there was pressure for me to do it, and the longer it went the harder it became. The pressures were growing, but I'm pleased it's out of way - and I hope to score a few more to help the club,' said the 35-year-old Geordie great.
'If I could have chosen where to do it it would have been at the Gallowgate end in front of my own fans and winning the match. It was meant to happen. I am a great believer in these things. It was meant to happen.'
Asked if Martin O'Neill should be the club's next manager, Shearer said: 'I don't know. I haven't spoken to Martin; I don't really know him.
'I don't know if he is one of candidates. All I know is that the chairman and the board will take their time, because they want to get it right.' -
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Updated: Feb. 9, 2006
McClaren cautious after victory over Coventry
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren will allow his players to take nothing for granted after they launched their recovery bid with a narrow FA Cup Fourth Round replay victory over Coventry.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's first-half strike was enough to book the Teessiders a fifth round trip to Preston and bring an end to a difficult few days in the wake of Saturday's 4-0 humiliation by Aston Villa at the Riverside Stadium.
But having seen his side draw the first game at the Ricoh Arena and then demolish Sunderland 3-0 before capitulating against Villa, McClaren admits there is more work to be done before the corner is turned with Chelsea due in the north-east at the weekend.
'I thought that last week,' he admitted. 'We got a good result against Coventry away, a good performance and result against Sunderland and then went from elation to deflation on Saturday.
'You can't say `That's it'. Each time you get a win, each time you grind something out, you think 'This could be the start'.
'The good thing is, we did it without the likes of (Stewart) Downing and (George) Boateng and (Franck) Queudrue and (Lee) Cattermole, who has done well for us, and those players are coming back.
'That will make us a stronger and a better team. On Saturday, we have a game in which there should be no pressure on us, one we are not expected to win, but who knows?'
McClaren was able to welcome back Chris Riggott and Fabio Rochemback from injury and drafted £7.5million signing Aiyegbeni Yakubu back into the starting line-up, and the early signs were good as Boro dominated the first half and were worth their 20th-minute lead.
However, City rallied after the break and had it not been for a sharp save from Mark Schwarzer in the final minute of the game, Stern John might have taken the tie into extra-time.
'We asked the players for that and we worked on that and picked a team for that,' McClaren said. 'That's the platform of any performance.
'We got that platform, we got a good goal - it was important to score the first one and to have something to hang on to and to fight for - and the players did that.
'We could have done with a second, mind you, just to make things a little easier, but we will settle for the win because this cup competition is important to us and every game is important to us now, to get a performance and a result.'
Coventry boss Micky Adams left Teesside believing his side had done enough over the two games to win the tie and disappointed not to have taken advantage of Boro's problems, although he admitted one lapse in concentration had cost them.
'Obviously, that was in our favour to some degree, but you have got to remember they have still got quality players, particularly at the business end of the pitch, the frontline,' he said.
'They will kick in and produce a little bit of magic when you least expect it, so you have got to be concentrated for 90 minutes. We had one lapse, really.
'I know in the last 10 minutes, they had a couple of half-chances, but we really took the game to them other than that. We felt it was a good opportunity for us, but good luck to them.' -
from premierleague.com
CLEMENCE REVEALS RELEGATION FEARS
Stephen Clemence has admitted Birmingham City could struggle to hold onto their big-name players if they are relegated from the Barclays Premiership.
The midfielder has insisted he would swap any potential glory in the FA Cup - the Blues are away to Stoke City in the fifth round - for being assured of finishing fourth from bottom in the top flight.
Birmingham could be eight points adrift of the safety zone by the time they visit West Ham United on Monday if other results over the weekend go against them.
Bruce has assembled a squad brimming with quality with the likes of Emile Heskey, Chris Sutton, Mario Melchiot, David Dunn, Mikael Forssell and Matthew Upson available to him.
But a lengthy injury list has taken its toll during the current campaign and Clemence is aware of the possible consequences if City lose their Barclays Premiership status after four seasons.
He said: “If we fall out of the Premiership it would be a massive blow, certainly financially because we have a few decent players in here now and a big squad.
“The biggest problem for the club would be holding onto the big names. I am sure that the club would have to get rid of one or two.
“Some of them might not want to play in the Championship, although I don’t think everyone would jump ship and the club would be looking at wages and revenue as well.
“I would definitely now take fourth from bottom at the end of the season. The Premiership is the place to play your football.
“You go out to win every time you put on the shirt but the cup is not that significant. The main aim is to stay in the Premiership and there is plenty of fight left in us.”
Blues boss Steve Bruce will be hoping the additional couple of days before having to face the Hammers will help to ease an injury list which left him short of 15 players for the cup replay with Reading in midweek. -
extracted from bbc sport
Paletta set for Liverpool talks
Paletta looks headed for Merseyside
Argentine club Banfield say defender Gabriel Paletta will travel to England at the weekend to open talks about a summer move to Liverpool. Paletta, 20, helped Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 2005.
"Paletta will travel to England to discuss terms with Liverpool club executives," it said on their website.
"He will travel on Sunday after the game against River Plate. The English club want him to undergo a medical before discussing personal terms."
Paletta is hoping to get the chance to prove himself in the Premiership.
He said: "It would be a great opportunity. It would be a good move for the club as well as for me."
Banfield president Carlos Portell added in Argentina newspaper Ole: "The discussions are very advanced.
"The only remaining things to be sorted are the minor details but I don't think they will be a problem.
"God willing, we will have everything sorted out before the end of the weekend." Ole reports the transfer fee to be in the region of £2m.