Celtic will put in an official offer of EURO 5 Million to Dinamo Zagreb later today according to Jutarnji List, my favourite Croatian daily newspaper. Chief Scout Ray Clark had him watched again in the 6-1 demolition against NK Rijeka at the weekend.
what would you make of kevin doyle at celtic bandage…presume he would be interested in going there…
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo says he may consider his future at the club after next week’s Champions League final.
The 23-year-old, who has scored 41 goals in a superb season, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
“I’m happy here, but let’s see what happens after the Champions League final,” said Ronaldo, speaking to Spanish TV at United’s training ground. “I know Real Madrid like how I play and other teams in Spain do as well.”
Ronaldo won the Football Writers’ Association award on Thursday to make it a clean sweep of the English player-of-the-year prizes this season.
“I have said millions of times that I would love to play in Spain,” Ronaldo is widely reported to have told Antena 3. 606: DEBATE
What do you make of Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments?
"But it’s one thing to dream and another thing for it to be a reality.
“I am feeling calm here. I’m happy here but in the future I don’t know.”
Ronaldo signed a contract extension last year to keep him at Old Trafford until 2012.
And selling the club’s leading scorer would not sit well with last week’s statement from Manchester United chief executive David Gill outlining plans to further improve the squad over the summer.
“We will certainly be in a position where, if we can improve it, we will,” Gill told MUTV.
However, Real Madrid have made no secret of their desire to sign the Portugal international, with their coach Bernd Schuster describing Ronaldo as “the best player in the world” earlier this year.
On Wednesday, Miguel Angel Arroyo, Real Madrid’s general director, said: "We have the solvency and the financial liquidity to be able to take on a signing of the magnitude of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It would be economically beneficial due to the merchandising that would arise from it.”
Real have signed big names from United in recent seasons, with David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy both moving from Old Trafford to the Bernabeu.
Unless Real would pay 100 Million for Ronaldo I cant see him going in the summer.
arsenal are after samir nasri from marsaille for 14 million pounds…only seen him play a few times but seems to have a bit of class about him although he is similar to rosicky and hleb…think wenger needs a centre half and some one to give them a bit of steel in midfield now flamini has left…yaya toure could well give them that…
LEE RETURNS AS ASSISTANT MANAGER
Liverpool have today confirmed that Sammy Lee will return to Anfield in the role of assistant manager.
The former Reds midfielder has agreed to a third spell at the club as a replacement for first-team coach Alex Miller, who left to take over as manager of Japanese outfit JEF United Ciba last week.
The 49-year-old first made an impression with Liverpool during the halcyon days of the late 1970s/early 1980s when, as a player, he helped the all-conquering Reds to three League titles, four League Cups and two European Cups before moving to QPR in 1986, with later spells at Osasuna, Southampton and Bolton.
He returned to Liverpool as reserve team manager under Graeme Souness in 1993 and maintained his role in the backroom staff under both Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier, with the latter promoting him to first team coach.
He would remain at Anfield until the summer of 2004, playing a valuable role in the treble success of 2001, until the arrival of Rafael Benitez coincided with Lee’s decision to leave the club for a full-time position within the England camp.
He returned to the Premier League in June 2005 as assistant to Sam Allardyce at another former club, Bolton, where he would eventually take over the hot-seat in April 2007.
However, he was not given time to flourish at the Reebok Stadium and just six months later he was relieved of his duties.
Strange decision this. It says there that his departure ‘coincided’ with Benitez’s appointment but I was always under the impression that Rafa chucked him and brought in his own team.
Never liked the guy either - always struck me as one of those lads who has no life and hangs off the players. You see them down the country a lot. Some 40+year old selector socialising with the lads on the team thinking he is one of them. Sad fook.
What’s the take on Lee’s return from the Pool fans on here?
As regards Kevin Doyle, like most players in England he’d probably be overpriced at around 6m and I don’t think he’s better than Hesselink. He’d be capable of doing a job but the fact remains that 2.5m for Samaras might be beyond us so I don’t expect us to shell out that much on Doyle, and if we were paying that much I’d want a better player than the Wexford man.
I think an important part of the first team coach and/or assistant manager’s role is to be that buffer between players and manager so I think you’re talking rubbish there Farmer.
The Herald in Scotland are reporting that Portsmouth are preparing a bid for Lee Naylor who’s ‘had an outstanding season at home and in Europe for Celtic’!!!
I also see Second Choice Steve McClaren might be taking over at Twente Entcshede (or however you spell it). They defeated Ajax over two legs to get the second Dutch champions league spot.
Lee Carsely has completed his move to Birmingham on a free transfer.
Degen on a free transfer to Liverpool
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has begun his summer overhaul of the Reds’ underperforming squad by bringing in Switzerland right-back Philipp Degen on a free transfer.
The 25-year-old will leave Borussia Dortmund for Anfield on 1 July when his contract with the Bundesliga club expires.
The former Basel defender will vie with Alvaro Arbeloa and Steve Finnan for the right-back berth after he returns from Euro 2008.
Benitez believes Degen can provide an attacking edge down the right flank.
He told Liverpool’s official site: 'Philipp is still young but has gained great experience from playing in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and on the international stage with Switzerland.
'He also played in the Champions League during his time with Basel and so is used to top-level football. He is an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality.
'His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad."
Degen admitted he took little time to agree to the transfer. ‘When I received the offer from Liverpool, there was no doubt I would accept it,’ he said.
‘They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I am looking forward to the challenge of establishing myself there and playing in the best league there is.’
Whammers are rumoured to be in for Louis Saha and El Hagi Diouf. Mr. Glass and Mr. Spit!!
I feel sick…
Gattuso is staying with Milan. The Palermo striker Amauri (tipped for the very top by yours truly c.24 months ago) is on the verge of turning down Milan and heading to Juventus, with Champions League football next season looking like being the deciding factor.
Pique looks like he’s returning to Barca. So neither himself nor Rossi made the grade - Rossi looked the part, Pique less so.
i dont know saw pique a few times at zaragoza last year and he looked like a decent prospect…good physique and a turn of pace…didnt look like a hoofer anyway…
Apparently Duff has put his house up for sale on Tyneside. Blackburn, Spurs and Portsmouth have made their interest known.
Thought he looked decent at Zaragoza too. Didn’t really see him at United so hard to judge but their defensive record seemed to slip when he was in the team. Still has the makings of a good player obviously and all young centre halves need time.
Was just bored there so decided to have a gander of the Polish press and have translated this Boruc interview from yesterday. Apologies for the odd error - I’m not yet fluent - but he’s had his usual go at the huns and said there’s no firm offers for him to leave this summer:
Journalist: The season in Scotland has ended well for Celtic, has it not?
Boruc: Yes I know? Rangers have had there weakest part of the season towards the end of the year and we’ve managed to capitalise on this. Anyway, I did not stop believing all along.
J: You have a league decider against Dundee United on Thursday. What’s your mood?
B: Same as normal except everything can be decided today if Rangers lose to St Mirren.
J: Will your friend Załuska (Dundee United 'keeper) help you?
B: I do think so. Surely he will want to play his best match as if he didn’t there’ll be an obvious implication from certain people!
J: You’re not going to have long to celebrate?
B: Actually on Friday morning I fly to the national team for Germany. I will not have even one free day even. I have accepted long ago that I have chosen this profession and not to complain about these things. I will make time to celebrate later!
J: You are rumoured to change club? Will you leave Celtic in the future?
B: As yet I stay in Glasgow. It is not known if any other club is wanting me so there’s not a chance to move!
J: Did you not hear about Milan wanting you?
B: Heard nothing.
J: It was in the Italian press.
B: I do not care about what they write about me and Milan. I do not want to talk about it because I do not think that it is true.
J: Would you leave the Champions League with Celtic when there would only be the UEFA Cup for Milan?
B: And?
J: If you thought about this, would you be prepared to do this?
B: I would not think too long about it (laugh)
J: Rangers got to the UEFA Cup final even! You must concede that it is an average level!?
B: It took much luck for them to get to such a level but history will have it recorded that they got the UEFA Cup final and I suppose that’s all that matters.
J: Since we are talking about Rangers…again, after the derby you have been called an “imposter”, “provocator” and “buffoon” in the Scottish press!
B: I do not want to speak about this theme.
J: Really?
B: Yes. These articles are written from people who in my opinion are Rangers sympathisers. The media in Scotland are generally in favour of Rangers and of our rivals. When they played in the UEFA Cup articles begin to appear justifying their bad results in the league and to ask them to extend the season. I am convinced this would not be the case had it been Celtic. Everyone is against us…journalists, trainers and maybe half the players!
J: You have your defenders too. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said you are the best in the world!
B: That’s great that he said so.
J: Does it not please you?
B: Yes of course it pleases me that the trainer thinks so much of me!
J: You made a great impression on the Germans during the World Cup with your performances. Have you been thinking about getting revenge for this loss?
B: I am only thinking about the end of the Scottish League because I really want to end this season as champions. After this I will think about the Germans!
J: Meanwhile our rivals try to provoke us already! They have said that during the World Cup we stole their cars and they are also making bad words against Beenhakker!
B: I must say this is not really that important if they want to provoke us – it’s just silly. I do not care about it and I’m immune to these things. With the history of our countries it needs no more motivation.
J: Do you think you will get abuse from Germans because you were so good against them last time?
B: I would not think so. When I have stood in goal during meetings with the Germans I’ve had no abuse or provocations.
Just saw this now…
Eh - what are you on about? An assistant manager does exactly that - assists the manager in his role. He does not have a specific role to be a go-between between the manager and the players - the manager should have a sufficiently good relationship with the players on his own bat and the assistant manager is there to assist him in whatever stance the manager takes…