Category — English Premier/ English Leagues
Benitez is out
After six seasons in charge, Benitez has agreed to relinquish his position as manager having agreed a settlement package with the Merseyside club.
The Anfield outfit endured a disappointing season in the Barclays Premier League last term, finishing in seventh place and failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Managing Director Christian Purslow and Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish have been asked by the Board of Directors to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position.
Chairman Martin Broughton told the club’s official website: “Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.”
Rafael Benitez said: “It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts.
“I’ll always keep in my heart the good times I’ve had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.
“Thank you so much once more and always remember: You’ll never walk alone.”
During his tenure, Benitez’s oversaw the club’s Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 2005.
Related Posts:
June 4, 2010 No Comments
Benitez leaving Liverpool at last?
Liverpool have offered coach Rafael Benitez a three million pounds (4.5 million dollars) deal paving the way for the Spaniard to leave the club in the summer, The Times newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The report said the club’s board had proposed the deal to ease Benitez out after a disappointing season that saw the five-time European champions place seventh in the Premier League, missing out on lucrative Champions League qualification.
Benitez would normally be entitled to 16 million pounds in compensation for leaving early, having signed a five-year contract only in March of last year.
But with reported debts of 351 million pounds, Liverpool will not be able to manage that much and hopes of a compromise appear to be founded on the belief that the coach might walk if the club will not commit to major summer investment on new players.
The Times reported that the proposed budget for new blood will be just 15 million pounds — far short of what Benitez says he needs to take the club that he led to Champions League glory in 2005 to a higher level.
The paper added Benitez could be tempted to move to the post at freshly-crowned European champions Inter Milan after Jose Mourinho’s switch to Real Madrid.
Related Posts:
June 3, 2010 No Comments
Tottenham Hotspur qualifies for 2011 Champions League
Peter Crouch netted a late winner as Tottenham defeated Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday night to claim England’s fourth Champions League place — a result which could be worth $75 million to the London club.
Harry Redknapp’s team have qualified for Europe’s premier football competition for the first time since 1961, as the win put Spurs four points clear of fifth-placed City with one round of the English Premier League remaining.
It also kept alive Tottenham’s hopes of overhauling London rivals Arsenal, who are two points ahead in third.
If Arsenal lose at home to Europa League finalists Fulham on Sunday, then Tottenham can avoid having to play Champions League preliminary round qualifiers by winning at relegated Burnley.
If Tottenham can reach the group stages of the lucrative tournament, it is expected the club could go on to earn a potential $75 million in television and prize money.
“It’s fantastic. It’s been a terrific season for us, we’ve played some great football along the way and we deserve it,” Redknapp, who before the match accused City of threatening to out-bid his team for midfielder Wilson Palacios if he tried to sign striker Craig Bellamy from West Ham last year, told reporters.
“It was a good night, we played some good stuff and I could see the goal coming. Crouchy was fantastic, led the line, unbelievable. It was a good performance.”
The defeat may have serious significance for City manager Roberto Mancini, who was given the remit of finishing at least fourth by the club’s big-spending billionaire Abu Dhabi owners when he replaced the sacked Mark Hughes in December.
As it is, City will have to make do with a place in the second-tier Europa League, which will make it harder to attract top players to the club and may even result in top scorer Carlos Tevez — who has recently criticized Mancini — leaving Manchester.
“Yes I’m confident. I don’t know but I think I stay here. Why not?” the Italian coach told reporters when asked about his future.
“I work here four or five months, and I think when you build a house you don’t start from the roof, but the basement. We work very well but we are near the roof.
“I am not a magician, I don’t have a magic wand. We wanted this place and we tried like Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
“I think we’ve had a good season because we’ll play in the Europa League next year and we’ve improved a lot. I’m disappointed with this result, but it’s football.”
Both teams had many chances to break the deadlock in a tense end-to-end match, but England striker Peter Crouch finally made amends for some glaring misses of his own when he headed home with eight minutes to play after goalkeeper Marton Fulop did well to keep out a cross by Younes Kaboul that deflected wickedly off City defender Wayne Bridge.
Crouch, who hit the post in the 18th minute, ended his recent barren run with his 13th goal this season to boost his chances of going to the World Cup in South Africa.
Teammate Ledley King, who will also be hoping to be in Fabio Capello’s squad after playing his third match in 11 days despite his notoriously fragile knee, had a header ruled out for allegedly leaning on the recalled Gareth Barry just three minutes later.
Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who was passed fit after suffering a groin injury in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Bolton, did well to save a fierce shot from City’s young England hopeful Adam Johnson — and then turned away a deflection off his own player Gareth Bale.
Fulop denied Jermain Defoe with a fine save in the 56th minute, then the diminutive England striker and Crouch both just missed a low cross from Benoit Assou-Ekotto with the City goal at their mercy.
Crouch then headed straight at Fulop when it seemed easier to score, but six minutes later he pounced to give Tottenham a fifth win in six visits to City’s Eastlands stadium.
Related Posts:
May 6, 2010 No Comments
Footballer of the Year 2010 – Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney has been voted the 2010 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.
he Manchester United striker topped the poll of journalists with just over 81 per cent of a record votes cast, finishing ahead of Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez to win the prestigious accolade which has been running since 1948.
The 24-year-old – who has led the Reds Devils’ challenge to Chelsea for the Barclays Premier League title, scoring some 34 goals in all competitions – will receive his award at the FWA’s gala dinner at The Lancaster London Hotel on 13th May.
“I am delighted to win an award with so much history and tradition and to follow a long line of wonderful players who have been honoured by the Football Writers’ Association since 1948 gives me real pride,” said Rooney.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my manager at United, Sir Alex Ferguson, the coaching staff and my team-mates, without whose help and support this award would not have been possible.
“Also a big thanks to my family and friends for their constant support which is always appreciated.
“I thank the Football Writers’ Association members who voted for me and I look forward to personally collecting my award at the Footballer of the Year dinner.”
FWA chairman Steve Bates, chief football writer for The People, commented: “Wayne is a worthy winner of our prestigious award and the margin of his victory is testimony to the marvellous season he has had for club and country.
“His tally of 34 goals so far this season is certain to have captured the attention of our members, but I am sure the overall improvement in his game at Manchester United has been of equal significance.
“Wayne’s enthusiasm, hunger and desire mark him out as a special player and we hope he can carry his club form onto the international stage in the World Cup this summer to help England achieve their dream.
“We now look forward to saluting Wayne at our dinner.”
Rooney was last week named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year to crown his best season yet.
The England striker has scored 26 goals in 30 Barclays Premier League appearances but is set to sit out Sunday’s showdown at Sunderland through injury.
He hopes to be fit for the final fixture at home to Stoke City on 9th May but has pledged to be fit for the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Related Posts:
April 30, 2010 No Comments
Rooney wins top PFA award
Manchester United striker Rooney has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year while Aston Villa midfielder Milner won the Young Player of the Year award.
Rooney’s selection ahead of fellow nominees Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba means Manchester United have supplied the winner of the prestigious award for a fourth successive year.
The 24-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 34 goals for United and eight for England, and is key to the nation’s World Cup hopes.
“It’s a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it’s voted for by the players,” said Rooney.
“It’s something I’m really proud of and it’s a great honour.
“I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year.
“I saw the players winning the main one and it’s something I’ve aimed for since.”
Rooney, who has only just returned from an ankle problem, missed the weekend’s 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur with a groin injury sustained in training.
The Barclays Premier League’s top scorer with 26 strikes hopes to return for United’s campaign finale against Stoke City next month and promised he will be fit for the World Cup.
“The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,” he said.
“I’m hoping to play for United in the last game of the season.”
Rooney, the first Englishman to win the award since Steven Gerrard in 2006, paid tribute to the influence United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has had on his career.
“Sir Alex is a great manager who has really brought me on as a player since I joined United,” he said.
“His hunger passes through to the players. It’s great to see that he’s pushing 70 and hasn’t changed a bit.
“I’m sure he’ll be here for a long time yet.”
Rooney was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year, but that award went to Milner.
The Villa starlet appears to have played himself into Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad with a string of stellar performances and the 24-year-old midfielder credited a change in position for his success this season.
“I’ve been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more,” said Milner.
“Maybe sometimes wide right you want to influence the game but you just can’t get yourself into it.”
Leeds United legend and former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe, 41, won the PFA Merit award.
“I’m very proud to get such a great award. Sport can change the world – football has played such a big part in lifting my community,” said Radebe.
The PFA divisional team of the year contains four United players, spearheaded by Rooney.
Arsenal, whose title challenge fell away in the final rounds, supply Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen and there are also two from Chelsea in Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic.
The inclusion of Milner and Richard Dunne means Aston Villa are represented twice as well.
Premier League team of the year: Hart, Ivanovic, Vermaelen, Dunne, Evra, Fabregas, Milner, Fletcher, Valencia, Rooney, Drogba.
Related Posts:
April 26, 2010 No Comments
