West Bromwich Albion's DR Congo international midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu has opted to put club before country for the time being.
The 23-year-old has helped the Baggies make a fine start to life back in the Premier League and will not feature for his country until next year.
He told his club's official website:"I have had a word with the president of the federation and at the moment I have told him I am focused on the Premier League season, because it is my first full one.
"We are going to talk again in December and I will give him an answer.
"I stopped playing for my country at first because of disorganisation, but after that we had a word and I told him that this year I need to focus on West Brom.
"We need to stay in the Premier League and it's a big season in a big league. There is high intensity and I need some rest because I run a lot.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
"I think he understood that, which is why he said we will talk again in December when I will let him know how it is going."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted that Owen Hargreaves' shock return to the Manchester United first team had turned into a disaster.
The England international midfielder had not featured for more than two years due to knee problems and was hit by a hamstring injury just five minutes into his comeback against Wolves.
Ferguson commented:"We took a gamble with Owen Hargreaves. We thought by doing that it would give us a compact midfield with experience.
"But he only lasted five minutes. It was a disaster. He has hurt his hamstring, which is unbelievable."
Ferguson added of his depleted side's narrow 2-1 Old Trafford success:"We have done really well to get a result.
"You have to admire the perseverance of the team, because we have done it so many times.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
"But it was a long struggle because we made so many changes."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has threatened to resign if his club are fined for fielding an under-strength side in the 3-2 defeat Aston Villa.
Holloway made a host of changes from the team which drew 2-2 with Everton at the weekend, having taken a leaf out of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy's book – with Wolves having been fined £25,000 by the Premier League last season for the side which played at Manchester United.
"I'd pack in, I can't work for this madness. I would resign," Holloway fumed."They do not know what they're talking about.
"You haven't got to be a genius to work out what happened to Wolves last year and how wrong that was. Mick can pick whoever he likes.
"We deserved at least a point and how dare anybody tell me the players I've been working with, I can't treat them with respect and give them a chance.
"Because they should have played before now. I wasn't sure they were ready, tonight they have enhanced their reputation with me.
"Let some person from the Premier League even try to tell me who I can pick. I am the manager of Blackpool Football Club and I select people to come to the club and play them whenever I want.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
"I'm going to come here and try to beat Aston Villa and I'm going to go to West Ham and try to beat them and all. If I pick a different team, I've got every right to do what I like.
"Let them try and fine me, it's an absolute disgrace. I'll show the Premier League. We were a credit to football and let the Premier League try to tell me otherwise."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
The Premier League has been famed for its unrivalled status as a spectacle, its tenacity, the world class stars it attracts and the passion which is inherent from the fans. This belief has been firmly held for years now, with television funding giving clubs greater resources to buy players and pay their wages. Has this now gone too far? Are players becoming complacent due to their comfortable lifestyles and millions in the bank? These questions if answered in the affirmative would then lead to the further contemplation that the Premier League has become a victim of its own success, with the standards declining, as player’s motivational impetus wanes.
I’d like to suggest that the recent trend in promoted clubs achieving far beyond their expectations or means is partly due to their undertaking, but also largely to do with opposing teams’ inability to motivate themselves to play these sorts. This season has witnessed the likes of Blackpool, Bolton and Stoke creating havoc amongst the regular flow of proceedings and their players can be seen exerting plenty of effort because the Premier League is new to them, they’re deemed underdogs and aren’t on equivalent wages as some other players are.
An example can be seen when you buy an expensive item, you treat it with reverence and fawn over it until a certain amount of time passes and it loses its original appeal. The same is of football players, they reach the Premier League and treat it with respect, endeavouring for many games, until they reach a plateau or start to decline as their environment becomes familiar. I’m not stating this is universal, for certain players manage to motivate themselves regardless of tangible rewards, but then they are normally great players or have further goals they wish to attain.
But when the Premier League starts to become unpredictable and ever tighter, how much can be attributable to the enhancement of inferior teams or the decline of the top teams? With Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, players are earning ever increasing wages, but are they deserving of these wages when the League is contracting? A trend would seem to appear when emerging clubs get promoted with players who aren’t earning as much as the top club earners start to assert themselves during their first season.
The ‘second season blues’ would then be explained by the Premier League being familiar to the previously promoted club and possibly the bonuses players enjoyed for staying up. The quandary then becomes about how to motivate players who seemingly have everything for a comfortable life. With all of the hardships, tribulations and energy expended involved in playing football I’m fairly sure many players have woken up thinking of walking away with their sizeable savings and living an easier life.
I’m not sure how far my theory follows and how revisionary it may become, but I think it holds in certain aspects to be a fair reflection on the reasons behind some of the circumstances we are beholding in the Premier League. Who else believes the standard of the Premier League has declined? Or is this an unfair judgement to make, for which measurements do you judge it on?
To read more articles of mine follow me on Twitter.
*
Click on image below to see a gallery of Christian’s lady wife
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
What struck me most about Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over West Ham was how tight City were at the back. The Hammers rarely had a sniff all afternoon and although Tomkins managed to grab a consolation goal in the 89th minute, City’s defence had them well and truly marshalled. The same is true of City’s game against Bolton on the 4th December. An astute defensive performance saw a decent Bolton side fail to produce an attack of note and meant that a fourth minute Tevez goal was enough to see off the competition.
One man who deserves his fair share of the credit for City’s defensive prowess is Kolo Toure. Kolo left Arsenal to join City in July 2009 for a fee of around £16 million. At that stage many Arsenal fans believed that Kolo had seen his best days. His pace appeared to have left him and mistakes and niggling errors had begun to creep into his game.
However, Kolo has only gotten better during his time at Manchester City. He may not quite have the pace he used to, but he’s still nippy and can keep up with most of the strikers in the Premier League. More importantly, his sense of position seems to have developed – you can rely on Kolo to be in the right place at the right time.
Kolo is now 29 years-old and has bags of experience under his belt. He has played alongside talented defenders like Sol Campbell and William Gallas. Moreover, he achieved great things with Arsenal – he has a Premier League winners’ medal and a couple of FA Cup medals. He was part of the Arsenal side that went unbeaten for 49 games. Kolo Toure is a capable and dependable defender, whose experience in the Premier League really seems to be paying off in the way he has been leading City’s defence this season.
On the other hand, Arsenal don’t look quite so sturdy at the back. An Arsenal clean sheet seems to be a thing of the past. The Gunners can be controlling a game, but a slight slip in concentration often sees their opponents scoring from their first opportunity. Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci came in to bolster the Arsenal defence this summer but have only managed to impress and frustrate in equal measure.
There have been signs that these two are decent defenders, but between them they have also brought about a number of costly errors at the back. Neither appear to have the fire and determination of a player like Thomas Vermaelen (who has been injured for a long stretch of the season) or the defensive nous and experience of Kolo Toure.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It seems that Arsenal’s loss has been City’s gain. As Arsenal continue to struggle defensively, City look tougher and tougher. This is a rare example of a case when Wenger let go of a player who still had more to offer the Gunners. Arsenal play City in the new year – it’ll be interesting to see how Kolo handles the Gunners’ offense. I have a feeling that Wenger will come to regret letting Kolo Toure go to a team that may well go onto be genuine title contenders in the near future.
Frustrated Arsenal fan? Optimistic City supporter? Whatever your colour, follow me on Twitter @ThePerfectPass, for more football discussion and debate.
Holy Crap – it’s live fantasy football! Become part of Juventus v Man City and play Picklive for FREE Watch and bet live – spices up any game!
Roberto Mancini has called on his Manchester City team to tighten up in defence after their 4-2 FA Cup win over Leicester City on Tuesday.Mancini’s side have conceded seven goals in their last three matches and were lucky to hang on for a 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League on January 15.
They shipped two goals in each of their FA Cup third-round matches against Leicester and Mancini knows they will need to improve if they are to maintain a title challenge.
“Our defending has been so-so,” Mancini told ESPNsoccernet.
“I don’t like 4-2 or 4-3 results. It is good for you but not good for me. I prefer 4-1s or 2-0s and 1-0s. Those are the results that win you titles.”
“We have conceded a lot of goals in the last three games, so we must be sure to work hard.”
Manchester City struggled to contain Leicester in the first meeting at the Walkers Stadium on January 9 and they were forced to contend with another spirited performance in the replay at Eastlands.
“It is always difficult in the FA Cup,” Mancini said.
“Leicester played very well in the first 20 minutes but after we played better and scored the three goals.”
“But again in the last 15 minutes, like against Wolves, we thought that it was finished and we conceded another one.”
Leicester boss Sven-Goran Eriksson was proud of his players for remaining in contention against one of the Premier League title challengers.
“We were in the game for 90 minutes at home, and 87 here, and that’s good,” Eriksson said.
“They were better than we were tonight, but we never gave up and from 3-1 down at half-time, coming back to 3-2, we’re in the game again and of course I’m happy with that.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“It’s a little difficult. They have some better players than us, but I think we need to be proud.”
Former City manager Eriksson hoped his players would now reproduce their encouraging cup performances in the Championship.
“Maybe there will be some different type of games, but we have shown in these two games we can play good football and stand up to physically strong teams,” he said.
Sao Paulo lost their first game of the Campeonato Paulista campaign, going down 1-0 to Ponte Preta on Saturday.
Tiago Luis was the hero for the visitors at Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo, netting the winner in the 76th minute.
Conversely, Bragantino brought up its maiden win of the tournament, downing Santo Andre 2-1 at Estadio Nabi Abi Chedid.
The hosts went ahead in the 30th minute when Nego scored, and doubled their lead 10 minutes after the break via Luciano Sorriso.
Nunes pulled a goal back for Santo Andre in the 77th minute, but it was not enough to see them salvage a result.
Elsewhere, Marcelinho’s third-minute goal was all Mirassol needed to hold off Mogi Mirim 1-0 at the Estadio Romildo Vitor Gomes Ferreira.
Portugesa’s trip to Linense’s Estadio Municipal Gilberto Siqueira Lopes was a fruitful one, as they took away a 3-1 victory.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Dodo opened the scoring for the visitors in the eighth minute, but Fausto struck for Linense 11 minutes later to have the scores level at half-time.
Fabricio Silva and Marcelo Cordeiro scored in the second half to seal victory for Portugesa.
Lazio striker Mauro Zarate is facing a lengthy ban from the Serie A after a brawl at the end of the fiery clash at Bologna on Sunday.
Zarate, who only played for half the match after substituting new signing Giuseppe Sculli in the 41st minute, was caught on camera punching a referee’s assistant.
Bologna won 3-1 but coach Alberto Malesani was furious after the match, claiming that Zarate also spat in the face of defender Matteo Rubin.
An earlier scuffle saw Andre Dias sent off and Henry Gimenez red carded from the Bologna bench.
But worse was to come at the final whistle.
A brawl broke out on the touchline with Zarate at the centre of it. Video footage showed he threw the ball at Matteo Rubin’s head, then provoked a pushing match with two opponents.
He tried to swing a punch at Albin Ekdal, but accidentally caught the linesman on the side of the head.
“Zarate also spat at Rubin,” claimed Bologna coach Malesani.
“Gaston Ramirez needs X-rays for a fractured cheekbone from Dias in the first half. Diego Perez reacted to defend his teammate, as did Gimenez before that red card.”
“Perhaps Zarate was coming off a period of tension and he even spat at Rubin’s face after hitting him with the ball following the final whistle.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“Our Uruguayans are good people and mentally strong. It’s not right that all this chaos ruins a great performance and 3-1 victory.”
It has been a tough month for Bologna, who were docked three points for financial irregularities and this week saw new President Massimo Zanetti resign.
Marco Di Vaio, a product of the Lazio youth academy, stunned his former club with two goals in the fiery encounter at the Dall’Ara after Sergio Floccari had given Lazio a fifth minute lead.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has again slammed the Premier League for fining him over fielding an allegedly ‘weakened’ team.
The English Premier League’s governing body issued Holloway with a 25,000 pound fine for fielding what they deemed to be a weakened side in the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa in November, after the Blackpool manager made 10 changes.
The former QPR manager vowed to resign after the game if any action was taken against him and his firm stance on the matter has not changed.
“It’s a total disgrace to Blackpool,” Holloway said. “I’m told who I can pick and when I can pick them. I’m absolutely devastated and my chairman’s asked me not to say anything.”
The ex-Plymouth manager claimed that he had followed through with his vow in the wake of any action but his Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston refused to let him walk out on the club he guided to promotion last season.
“I’ve offered my resignation because I cannot believe for one minute that I’m a manager,” he said.
“I don’t feel like a manager anymore, I feel I’ve got a second string and that someone in some office and panel has told me the players aren’t good enough.”
Holloway’s squad has been dramatically strengthened in the January transfer window and all but one of his new squad additions could feature in Wednesday’s clash with bottom-of-the-table side West Ham.
Striker James Beattie has arrived on loan until the end of the season from Scottish Premier League heavyweights Rangers, as has winger Jason Puncheon from Southampton.
Holloway also signed Belarus striker Sergei Kornilenko on loan from Zenit St Petersberg until the end of the season, but a delay in his work permit may rule him out of Wednesday’s game.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Attacking midfielder Andy Reid was the club’s fourth signing after joined from Sunderland.
Captain Charlie Adam was the subject of bids from Liverpool and Tottenham but remains a Blackpool player.
Defender Stephen Crainey is likely to miss out as he nurses ankle ligament damage he suffered against Sunderland on Saturday.
In light of the big debate as to whether Fulham’s new away kit is one of the worse the Premier League has ever seen, I have taken the time out to assess the worst Liverpool kits of our time.
There’s something unsettling about a multi-national sports manufacturer managing to botch the simple task of designing a football shirt. However, whilst Liverpool have had some decent kits over the years, some of the shirts Liverpool fans have been cursed with would have been more at home in an avant-garde fashion show for Vivienne Westwood. However, we haven’t got all day, and so here are arguably the top five worst Liverpool shirts…
5. 1981-82 3rd strip, Umbro
Perhaps this pinstriped number has a sense of wistfulness about it for some Liverpool fans. They did, after all, win Division 1 and the League Cup the season this shirt was worn. Further, the legendary Bill Shankly tragically died of a heart attack at the age of 67 at the start of the 1981/82 season.
However, nostalgia aside, this shirt looks more like a school PE kit than a professional football team’s jersey. The shimmering, shiny material looks cheap, and that shade of yellow is wrong on many levels. Shame on you Umbro.
Continued on Page TWO
4. 1987/88 away strip, Adidas
This was the first ever grey Liverpool away shirt, and so is responsible for all it’s equally grey ugly siblings that that came along later.
If this kit were a child at school, it would definitely have been picked on profusely, and it would only have itself to blame. When has grey been part of Liverpool colours? When has a murky grey ever been part of the Reds tradition? Historically, Liverpool played in white shirts and black shorts away from home. However, in 1987/88 all hell broke loose and Adidas went with a grey abomination.
However, Liverpool did win their penultimate championship with this as their away kit, and last season they came close to winning the league again for the first time in 19 years with another grey shirt…perhaps they’re lucky?
[divider]
3. 1991/92 home strip, Adidas
Is this a Liverpool shirt, or an Adidas t-shirt? It looks like something even a Mancunian might have mistakenly picked out to wear at an early 90s rave. Seriously Adidas, we get it, your logo is three stripes, but where’s the Liverpool in this red eyesore?
Liverpool fans might still harbour fond memories of this kit however, as they lifted the FA Cup in 1992 wearing this shirt, with Ian Rush and Michael Thomas getting the goals in a 2-0 win over Sunderland. However, with Graeme Souness at the helm, Liverpool were a club in decline, finishing sixth in the league that season.
[divider]
Continued on Page THREE
2. 1996/97 away strip, Reebok
All hail Reebok’s first stab at a Liverpool away kit. The result: beige.
Beige? Why beige? Did Reebok think that there was some sort of intrinsic link between Liverpool and the colour beige? They must have, because they couldn’t have looked at the shirt and thought ‘that looks nice. Yes, we’ll go with the beige’.
It looks like the neutral colour people paint their bedrooms on those annoying property daytime TV shows, of which I am unfortunately all-too familiar. Liverpool need a bold colour, something representative of their proud histroy. Liverpool, under the management of Roy Evans, couldn’t even manage a League Cup or FA Cup in this kit, and I’m not surprised.
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
1. 1994-1996 3rd strip, Adidas
Here we are then, ladies and gentleman. Possibly, the worst kit Liverpool have ever had. Personally, I class this kit as orange. Maybe it is yellow, but for me, it’s at least bordering orange and so the damage is done.
It’s difficult to make out the black outline of the Liverpool badge here, to the extent that it could be just another old orange t-shirt left, on the shelf.
It’s actually such an ugly colour, it leaves you yearning for the grey number, or even one of those various green fashion disasters.
Well, those were the days, and these are the kits. Apologies to those who bought and wore these shirts, we’ve all been there. Let’s just hope that next season, Adidas don’t pull out another orange number…