As reported by The Scottish Sun, Rangers defender Danny Wilson is on the brink of an exit from Ibrox this week, with the player set to undergo a medical at Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids later today.
The homegrown talent’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and that’s forced the move, according to the paper.
Wilson has had his ups and downs at Rangers since rejoining the club from Liverpool in 2015, but recently has strung together some consistent performances with Graeme Murty making him a trusted member of his starting eleven.
Having made over 100 appearances for the Ibrox outfit, it appears his time in Glasgow is coming to an end, but it’s not an exit that supporters are particularly happy with.
Many would much rather he stay on and sign a new contract rather than move elsewhere, preferring to see fellow defenders like Bruno Alves make an exit instead.
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.
Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the exit reports this week…
We love a period of transition in English football; we simply can’t get away from it. A team goes on a run of five or six bad results; it’s usually because they’re in a transition. A poor transfer window is normally indicative rather than the consequence of a period of transition.
The England national team is no different. Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard, cornerstones of the “golden generation,” are coming to the end of their careers. One or two of those individuals may even move on from their current club at the end of the season. The leaning is now on youth and the next wave. We as a country jump on those who are perceived to be the next big thing: Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend. It’s very much a state of transition for Roy Hodgson and the FA.
It’s why I can’t really understand the sense in bringing John Terry back into the fold. Even if thoughts don’t turn into actions, the simple fact that the idea is being discussed is baffling. The last thing Hodgson needs going into a World Cup in South America is negative publicity.
In some respects it’s the easy way out. Hodgson isn’t spoilt for choice ahead of this summer, most notably at centre-back. Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka for now look to be the first-choice pairing, but beyond that there are no certainties. With Terry back in the fold as a regular at Stamford Bridge under Jose Mourinho, the temptation is understandable.
But it wouldn’t just be for footballing reasons. With Terry it never is. There’s so much baggage that comes with the Chelsea captain that there can be little doubt that he simply doesn’t have a place in the England setup going forward. One of the important questions that need to be asked is whether he’ll feature for England, or even be in the thoughts of the England boss, for the following European Championship in France. At his age, 33, it’s highly unlikely.
You have to wonder how much dialogue there is between the FA and its clubs in the Premier League. Instead of flirting with the idea of players like Adnan Januzaj or Nabil Bentaleb turning out for England five years down the line – of which there isn’t much chance due to the players’ connection with other nations – the FA should be focusing on what they do have and can immediately turn to.
Phil Jones is one of the names who should be given special treatment. He’s comfortably one of England’s very best in his age group and could hold one of the centre-back positions for the national side for the next decade. But do England know what his best position is? Is there communication with Manchester United as to what his long-term future holds? Instead of revisiting problem cases that may or may not work out for the short-term, players like Jones need to be made the priority.
The Manchester United defender has had his injury problems, but based on what we’ve seen of him in the Champions League under Alex Ferguson, he’s more than ready to handle the physical and mental challenges that come with the approaching World Cup. If he’d been a regular fixture at centre-half for United, even for this season, you’d bet that he’d be Hodgson’s third pick behind Jagielka and Cahill. But as of now, would Hodgson be picking a centre-back or a utility man? How much will the fourth choice dictate Jones’ role this summer?
Needless to say, it’s a far more productive line of thinking than bringing Terry back. England have little to no chance of winning the World Cup in Brazil – and far from being pessimistic, it’s simply an acknowledgement of reality. But this summer can act as a very good arena of preparation for France in 2016, where the younger players will have the experience needed to properly tackle a major international tournament both on and off the field.
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.
Terry’s inclusion simply blocks the development of a player who can be of greater use to England in the future. And that’s completely ignoring all the negative aspects his character brings.
Every club in the Premier League has one or two players that they would like to shift on off their books, but whether it be due to their exorbitant wages, the fact that they have a reputation for being injury-prone or are simply just not very good, it’s often a struggle and they fall rather neatly under the category ‘dead wood’.
Winston Bogarde is perhaps the most famous example, and he made just nine appearances in four years at Chelsea, famously going on to say as he was extradited from the first-team for his refusal to move to another club on lower wages: “Why should I throw fifteen million Euros away when it is already mine? At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract.” So let’s take a look at the Dutch defenders successors in the Premier League.
Click on Paulo Ferriera to get the ball rolling
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.
There is a debate to be had over whether Jesse Lingard does his best work out wide or through the middle but England’s 5-3-2 formation only allows him to operate centrally.
It is not quite clear what exactly Gareth Southgate will demand from his midfield trio at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, as he has taken options that offer a variety of attributes and playing styles.
However, Lingard will be hoping to force his way into the starting plans in the engine room and will get the opportunity to prove his worth in the Three Lions’ last match at Wembley before the tournament when they welcome Nigeria to the national stadium.
It looks as if Lingard, who got the nod in both of March’s friendlies and scored in the 1-0 away win over the Netherlands – his first international goal – will be in competition with Dele Alli of Tottenham for the most advanced of the midfield roles.
We’ve taken a closer look at the mixed reaction to the news that Lingard will be on from the start against the Super Eagles…
Manchester United recorded a narrow 1-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday to stay in second position, but Red Devils fans were left unimpressed with Marcus Rashford’s late contribution from the substitutes’ bench.
The 20-year-old forward is struggling for form at the moment with only one goal in his last 15 top flight appearances, and he replaced Jesse Lingard in the 80th minute of the clash in Lancashire.
However, the England international’s lack of confidence showed and while he decided to go on his own instead of setting up Romelu Lukaku for a second United goal because of some poor decision-making, he was also booked for a challenge on Georges-Kevin Nkoudou in injury-time.
Man United supporters were quick to have their say on the attacker’s latest display via social media, and while one said “I fear for him”, another said he “needs the Mkhi treatment”.
Tottenham are a side devoid of the swagger and adventure that had made them such a popular side in seasons past. The Premier League club have been reliant on an almost impenetrable defence to guide them to their lofty fourth placed position, surely Spurs are operating on borrowed time?
Nine goals from 10 games would be a return to worry any manager, and considering the ambitions of the North London club you would imagine it has given AVB one or two sleepless nights. It would be wrong for me to say this wasn’t a concern, continue in this vein and one or two of the narrow victories could easily turn into defeat, Spurs need to react fast or risk being left behind.
Sunday epitomised this exact trend, large periods of meaningless possession without any apparent drive or end product. Spurs looked directionless, Everton had far fewer attacks but when they did they broke with pace and looked all the more incisive for it.
It seems a little odd therefore that Spurs while being branded unadventurous and defensive minded have both the second best possession share and the most shots in the league. Are Spurs just not being clinical enough?
[cat_link cat=”tottenham” type=”list”]
For me it is a little more complicated than that. Spurs may well have large amounts of possession and shots, but on the whole they are long-range and pretty hopeful. I would struggle to recall more than a couple of moments on Sunday where Spurs actually had a meaningful opportunity in the box, a serious cause for concern when you have a £26m striker in your line-up.
People seem to have mislabelled Soldado as a sort of Jermain Defoe on steroids, yes he is a potent finisher but Spurs in reality are getting so much more than that. During his time at Valencia he showed his very best when operating on the shoulder of the last man or in and around the penalty spot with players breaking free out wide, food for thought in my opinion.
At Spurs due to AVB’s apparent obsession with ‘inverted wingers’ he simply doesn’t get this service. Narrow and congested, the service, while still there, is woefully inadequate. You can bandy about pass completion stats as much as you like, but the reality is that Soldado’s service is second rate. Often receiving the ball deep with his back to goal, or in other cases an extremely hopefully driven long ball, it isn’t surprising that the Spaniard is struggling.
The bedding in argument is valid, two months isn’t long enough for a team to gel and settle, the relationships between players just isn’t there. This is more a question of patience rather than anything else and by that token it will come of its own volition.
My worry is that there is a more systemic problem at Spurs.
Playing at a pedestrian like pace in the middle of the park, in no small part down to Paulinho and Sandro’s tentative and unambitious passing games, Spurs are predictable and readable. Then you have Lennon and Townsend cutting in off either flank, running almost from one side to the other with no obvious means of breaking through opposition back lines. Teams facing Spurs are all too happy to give up possession in the middle third because unless someone scores an absolute screamer there is little or no risk to their goal. Spurs’ chance creation and shooting stats are misleading in this sense; Townsend or Sigurdsson having a largely circumspect shy at goal doesn’t really count for much in the context of the match.
Spurs need to start stretching opposition. It could be a question of actually settling for less possession and allowing the team to counter with pace. Lennon and Townsend are both menacing when running from deep and when exploiting the flanks, the current blueprint just doesn’t seem to necessitate this.
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.
For me the jury is still out on Paulinho, I would much rather see someone with a bit more energy and desire to go forward lining up in a deeper role. Spurs look so much more penetrative with either Dembele or Holtby occupying this deep-lying role. Currently those that dictate the tempo for Spurs are doing so at a snail’s pace, something that even the most disorganised Sunday league outfit could probably snuff out.
The concern at Spurs isn’t an overreaction, clearly an inability to score goals is a problem for a side with the aspirations that Spurs have. Yet, this isn’t a question of unrelenting doom and gloom, a couple of tweaks in the coming weeks and we could well see a firing Spurs side asserting their dominance onto the score sheet.
Are a lack of meaningful chances at Tottenham a cause for concern?
Sir Alex Ferguson sits in the dugout at Old Trafford as an immovable protector of one of the great empires in world football. It’s hard to shake the fact that someday he will step back for good, leaving a huge number of question marks over his successor’s head. The legacy that Alex Ferguson will leave with Manchester United is one that has launched the club into almost unparalleled territory. And despite pretenders to the throne, United have established themselves as the face of the Premier League and modern English football.
Ferguson’s actions and calculated risks have allowed himself to separate from those who were once equal. The challenges laid before him were swept aside almost effortlessly, and yet there has never been a time when the manager seemed to rest on previous successes.
The introduction of Eric Cantona helped establish the club as the dominant force in English football, while the successes of the youth graduates headed by David Beckham took the club one step further and into glory in Europe. Despite the exciting arrivals and heartbreaking departures of some of the world’s finest talents, there is a comfort in knowing that Sir Alex is more than capable of overseeing a new era of success at United.
Arguably that creates problems for whomever is chosen to replace Ferguson. The pressure will be unthinkable and the weight of expectation will equal that of Old Trafford. But success and the arrivals of great players has become a tradition thanks to Ferguson. There will be pressure for the new manager, but the legacy left behind will ensure that United remain among the elites of European football, never faltering and becoming a second-rate parody of themselves.
Like with Real Madrid and Barcelona, and among a select few of Europe’s greatest clubs, United are able to stand proudly as a club who are a draw for any of the world’s best players. Modern footballers aspire to play for the club, but not because of the manager, rather the name that has been built up over the past number of decades.
It should be safe to say that Sir Alex has and will continue to operate in a manner that is suited to the best interests of Manchester United. As with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, there is a faith that the manager will continue to safeguard the future of his club—a club that has unofficially been handed over to the man in the dugout.
However, problems have arisen and are still currently present. The issue with the Glazers is one that won’t go away, with Ferguson taking on a supporting role to those in unnaturally higher seats of power. While Manchester United is viewed as Sir Alex’s club, it’s necessary to understand that there is a greater hand that rules above his.
The supporters are naturally unhappy with the state of the club, and the debt seems like an unshakeable burden placed upon them by these outsiders. The astronomical fee raised through the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo has not been properly used to re-strengthen the squad and, perhaps for the first time, there are questions as to how much the club is offering the manager to create another powerful, title-winning squad.
But the problems remaining are not of the making of the manager; the owners are rightly seen as the uninvited outsiders who are damaging the club.
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.
Yet, at this stage in his career, Alex Ferguson has ensured that the playing squad is youthful and with plenty of potential to do more. The income the club receives is also an indicator that Manchester United are a global brand and not just a leading light in a sports arena—a position that Ferguson’s success has helped cement.
Football, both in England and Europe, will change once Alex Ferguson decides to step down. But there should be little doubt that a new arrival can continue the tradition and success of the club.
Everton fans were not impressed by Tuesday’s links to Marco Silva, and they’re convinced there are better candidates out there.
Everton fans shared a collective sigh of relief when Sam Allardyce was sacked on Wednesday, but reports earlier in the week suggested Marco Silva would be his replacement, and fans were not happy about it.
Silva impressed when he first moved to England with Hull, but his new manager bounce quickly wore off and the Tigers were relegated.
The charismatic manager’s impressive start with the club yielded a new job offer though, and he started last season in charge of Watford.
[ad_pod ]
Some impressive early results helped by the incredible breakout of Richarlison quickly faded away, and the Portuguese boss was sacked after a run of terrible form.
Fans are concerned over the defensive frailties in both English teams Silva has managed, and they’re desperate for a more proven winner.
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.
Arsene Wenger is a possible short-term fix, while plenty of fans are convinced Paulo Fonseca and former PSG man Unai Emery should be the front-runners. Finally, there are more than a few shouts for a shock swoop for former Liverpool man Rafael Benitez.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Liverpool began the transfer window with a bang by signing Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, but they are yet to soften the blow of losing Philippe Coutinho by bringing in a new signing.
Schalke midfielder Leon Groteska was one of many names being linked with a move to Anfield.
The Independent claims that the Merseyside outfit were in contact with the midfielder’s representatives.
However, it has been confirmed today that the 22-year-old has agreed to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians confirmed on Twitter that Goretzka has signed a contract that will come into effect on July 1.
The news could affect Emre Can’s future at Liverpool given that Goretzka was tipped to replace his fellow German, who is out of contract this summer.
As expected, fans have taken to social media to express their thoughts in the Reds failing to convince the young player to move to Merseyside.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will try to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 15 matches when they take on Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Monday.
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.
The relationship between Mike Ashley and Newcastle supporters has always been cordial at best, and insufferable at worst, but following yet another summer of false promises, the St. James’s faithful are set to launch a new wave of protests against the rule of the Magpies owner with a march before their Premier League clash with Liverpool tomorrow afternoon, headed by a group named ‘Time for Change’.
We’ve been here before with Mike Ashley; iconic images of the ‘Cockney Mafia out’ banner draped across the stands at St. James’s Park live long in the memory, and the club and the fans almost reached the point of civil war when former manager Kevin Keegan resigned 2008.
Now however, the fans seem more serious than ever in trying to force the Sports Direct mogul out of the club, playing on the fact their home fixture with Liverpool will be aired live and therefore their mass protest will receive nationwide coverage, whilst a more militant sub group of disgruntled fans have even suggested a boycott of Newcastle’s Capital One Cup tie with Leeds.
Few supporters would actively turn their backs on their club at the worst of times, so for the idea to circulate enough to be mentioned in the Newcastle Chronicle, there must be a strong section of the Newcastle fanbase that are reaching the point of no return.
And with that in mind, we ask, is it finally time for Mike Ashley to sell Newcastle United, as it appears pre-existing wounds cannot be re-healed.
[cat_link cat=”newcastle-united” type=”tower”]
Newcastle have always held a naturally comedic place in the structure of English football; Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne and Kevin Keegan are but a few of the inadvertent humorous personalities that have plied their trade on Tyneside.
But there’s now a feeling that Ashley has turned the club into a ‘laughing stock’, to paraphrase Shearer himself, and the joke has gone too far following the re-appointment of Joe Kinnear as Director of Football at the start of the summer.
Admittedly, interactions with the press aren’t everybody’s strong point, and even during his days at Wimbledon the former Ireland international wasn’t one for pleasantries. But there isn’t much of a greater public relations faux pas than Kinnear’s ad hoc interview with TalkSport earlier in the summer that pre-dated his official appointment, in which he referred to Newcastle’s French midfielder as ‘Yohan Kebab’ and the Magpies’ former Managing Director Derek Llambias, the man Kinnear was essential replacing, as ‘Derek Lambeze’.
That was embarrassing enough for Magpies fans, considering Kinnear already had an incredibly negative track-record with the supporters from his controversial tenure as Newcastle boss back in 2008, but he then continued by making audacious claims about his ability to attract any player he wanted to Newcastle via his illustrious list of contacts, that included Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.
The proof would be in the pudding this summer, and Kinnear has failed to deliver by epic proportions. Alan Pardew, who remains an almost as unpopular figure as Kinner and Ashley amongst certain sections of Magpies fans, promised new signings in the transfer window working alongside his new Director of Football, but three months’ worth of graft in the transfer market over the summer only saw two signings on Tyneside – 16-year-old Olivier Kemen and Loic Remy on a season-long loan from QPR.
In total, that’s no permanent senior additions to a Newcastle squad that showed it’s intrinsic flaws on more than one occasion last term as they recorded 19 Premier League defeats and finished just five points clear of relegation in 16th place. Rather than admitting defeat however, Kinnear argued in an interview with The Mirror; ” Alan Pardew has signed 16 players costing £60m in the last two years, Newcastle United’s wage bill is now comfortably in the top 10 in the country”, which a Newcastle fan later informed me was untrue.
But to suggest Kinnear’s appointment and actions since are the be-all-and-end-all of the anger Newcastle fans have shown towards Ashley would be incorrect. Their disdain for the running of the club is centred around a combination of issues, including the fact the Magpies owner has continually sold Newcastle’s best players for profit without putting a paralelled level of finance back into the club for new signings. Steve Harper commented after his testimonial that Newcastle require heavy investment if they are to ever get back into the Premier League’s top half, and the fear on Tyneside is that Ashley is now pushing the club to the edge of an incredibly slippery slope that could lead to another shock relegation.
At the same time, Alan Pardew has been a source of intense frustration for the fans. What he actually contributes positively to the first team remains unclear; his tactics are outdated and ineffective, the right to buy and sell players has been taken away from him by Kinnear’s appointment as Director of Football, and his post-match analyses often verge on deluded. It seems the vast majority of what Pardew offers is his ability to produce Tony-Blair-esque sound bites during press conferences. Under Ashley, the Newcastle boss has always appeared little more than a comedic stooge.
Overall, there isn’t much positive to say about Ashley’s leadership in recent years. A team that finished in 5th place two seasons ago is now a shadow of its former self, and for the sake of profit there seems to be little the Magpies owner is willing to do about it. At the same time, the sponsorship deal with Wonga, leading to a fall-out with striker Papiss Cisse, illustrated how little Ashley has considered Newcastle’s reputation and their uniquely vital standing in the local community.
But the problem emerges in imagining life without Ashley. In 2008, the Sports Direct founder put Newcastle up for sale after widespread criticism from the Newcastle faithful following Keegan’s resignation, but a year later he took the Tyneside club off the market after failing to find any potential suitors. A Kuwaiti consortium was linked last summer, but no official contact was ever made.
And history could well repeat itself if Ashley is once again forced to try and sell, with little offers for Newcastle football club on the horizon, despite the outfit’s obvious potential; few Premier League sides can claim a regular maxed out attendance of 52,000, or carry the prestigious history of the Magpies in the English 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.
I share the opinion of the vast majority of Newcastle supporters that it’s time for Ashley to move on. The problems between the owner and the fans seem intrinsic and irreparable, and apart from the occasional strong performance from the first team, there’s been little for the St. James’s faithful to be proud about over the last few years. It’s created a toxic environment on Tyneside, that can only be detrimental to the players’ efforts on the pitch, and thus Newcastle’s future.
But before Ashley can sell, he needs a buyer; one of the main aims of the march ahead of tomorrow’s game is to attract a potential suitor, and if the Newcastle fans can find one, I believe their despised owner would be convinced to part company. At this point, too many bridges have been burned to produce a positive outcome whilst Ashley is still around.