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Scottish Mag

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  1. Fifa vice-president Jack Warner said he will battle to stop England hosting the 2018 World Cup. His decision will be a blow to the Football Association, who were likely to plan a bid on the back of any change to the current selection procedures. "If the World Cup were to go to Europe, I'm quite sure, with the English luck as it is, they won't get it," Warner told BBC World Service. "There are moves to give it to England. I must fight that." Warner, a member of the world football body's executive committee since 1983, added: "It will be Italy, Spain, or even France who will get the World Cup if it goes to Europe. "Nobody in Europe likes England. England invented the sport but has never had made any impact on world football." It is believed Fifa president Sepp Blatter is set to end the World Cup rotation policy when the executive committee meet later in the year. Instead, the association are likely to approve a format that only precludes the continents that held the previous two World Cups from bidding again, which in 2018 would be Africa and South America. Warner, president of Concacaf, added that he would battle to bring international football's premier tournament to his region, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. "I really don't believe that we should just lay down and play dead to anyone who wants to take the World Cup from Concacaf," he said. In July another Fifa executive committee member and former World Cup winner, German legend Franz Beckenbauer, offered his support to England hosting the 2018 World Cup. He told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek: "There is no better country in Europe to host the World Cup in 2018. England is the favourite." He added: "The most important thing is to end the rotation and bring the tournament back to Europe. "The Premier League at the moment is the best league in Europe and the stadiums are outstanding. "In my opinion, there is only one very serious candidate and it is England." BBC World Service will air the full interview with Jack Warner on World Football with Alan Green on Saturday 11 August and Saturday 18 August.
  2. Happy Birthday dude, have a good one.
  3. And greetings from me, from Spain. Just came online to check the score against Sampdoria and say hello too.
  4. I would rather see a creative playmaker signed but I think BSA will bring in someone like Papa Bouba Diop first to play a holding role within the team.
  5. Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has hinted he could make a move for Wigan's Leighton Baines. Allardyce is working hard to bring in defensive reinforcements ahead of the new season and a new left-back is one of his top targets. Baines' future at Wigan has been the subject of intense speculation all summer with the player snubbing a move to Sunderland after holding talks with the Premier League new boys. Wigan also rejected a player plus cash offer from Everton for the England Under 21 international at the end of last month. Newcastle are now ready to enter the bidding for Baines with Allardyce a big admirer of the talented full-back. "Leighton Baines might be a possibility," Allardyce told the Daily Star. "He hasn't moved from Wigan yet and we need a defender."
  6. England striker Michael Owen is likely to miss Newcastle's Barclays Premier League opener at Bolton next Saturday. Boss Sam Allardyce, who signed Alan Smith from Manchester United on Friday, admits Owen's torn thigh muscle "hasn't healed as quickly as we would like". "It doesn't look as encouraging as we first thought," he told the Daily Mail. "There's no point in making any rash decisions just to get him fit for the start of the season. It's about getting him 100% to play on a regular basis." Owen, whose career on Tyneside has been beset by injuries, played just three times for the Magpies last term and has made just 14 appearances since his transfer from Real Madrid in December 2005. The injury has already wrecked the 27-year-old's pre-season programme. "It has been more disappointing for him that he's missed pre-season games more than training," Allardyce added. "He's done enough training to last him a lifetime." The latest setback also puts in doubt Owen's participation in England's friendly with Germany at Wembley on 22 August.
  7. SAM Allardyce still hopes to make another three signings before the close of the transfer window as Newcastle United finally made two crucial breakthroughs yesterday. Newcastle’s manager was able to welcome Alan Smith and Brazilian international Claudio Caçapa from Lyon as his patience finally paid off. Both players – who have cost a combined £9m in fees and wages – are expected to make their Newcastle debuts against Sampdoria at St James’s Park tomorrow. And Allardyce, who admitted last week he was becoming increasingly worried by the lack of new arrivals, has instantly targeted another three players, with Villareal’s 21-year-old left-back Jose Enrique due on Tyneside next week to finalise a five-year-contract. After talks with chairman Chris Mort on Monday Allardyce hinted he could be about to make his biggest signing yet at St James’s Park. He said: “I’m still about three players away. Don’t forget I’ve always wanted four, so if Kieron goes out and Alan comes in, I haven’t got one extra. I’ve just got a replacement for one, so I still need four. I was good at maths at school. “If Claudio comes in that’s one of them and three to go. The availability of quality players is limited, the prices are huge, so we’ll have to keep competing as best we can at that level to bring them in. In the end, if I spend big money on two rather than medium money on three, if that’s the opportunity I get, I might do that. But at the moment strength in depth is lacking.” For now, though, Allardyce is happy to discuss what his latest recruits would bring to the squad after admitting some people might be surprised with his decision to land Smith. He said: “It’s been a good 24 hours with Alan and Claudio signing. They are two crucial players. People might be surprised I’ve gone for Alan Smith but when you get a quality player of his calibre available in the market, I just couldn’t turn my back on it. “He’ll be tremendous for the club, he’ll prove that over the next four or five years and he’s a very versatile player. His only reason for leaving Old Trafford was a lack of games. He wants to play football, not be paid well and not play. That’s one of the reasons why I signed him.” Enrique, who is regarded as one of the most promising youngsters, is reported to be ready for a £4m switch, with the player’s imminent arrival likely to signal the end of United’s interest in Wigan’s Leighton Baines. However, there was some bad news for United yesterday when Allardyce confirmed fears Michael Owen was likely to miss the start of the season with a thigh strain. Allardyce said: “It doesn’t look as encouraging as we first thought. The tear in the muscle hasn’t healed as quickly as we would like, so there’s no point in making any rash decisions just to get him fit.” Meanwhile, reserve keeper Tim Krul has joined Falkirk on loan until January .
  8. You should put that or something similar on pledge bank
  9. According to .co.uk has joined until Jan 1st on loan.
  10. A FRUSTRATED Sam Allardyce last night admitted Newcastle’s players have proved themselves unable to tolerate the training techniques he believes are needed to ensure a successful season at St James’s Park. And it seems the problems stem from the Glenn Roeder regime – with Allardyce suggesting his hapless predecessor had allowed his first-team squad to become ‘de-conditioned’ and left the club’s players in no shape to deal with the demands that the modern game puts on top-flight footballers. Although the Premier League season has not yet begun, United have 10 senior players on the injured list. It is a situation the Magpies manager believes vindicates his faith in the prevention programme he is determined to implement at the club’s training HQ. It will come too late for the forthcoming campaign – with Allardyce’s worst fears about his squad’s general fitness levels having been realised during an ill-fated pre-season programme in which he has seen some of his most-important players suffer various problems that will postpone their Premier League participation. “We’re disappointed with the injuries we’ve got,” said a manager who, with his options limited, was forced to field an inexperienced team during this week’s penultimate warm-up game at Hull. “It seems as though the players’ tolerance levels are still very low. I warned everyone about that before I came. I felt that the players were de-conditioned to a point. It has been proven.” Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi both seem certain to miss Newcastle’s opening fixture at Bolton on August 11 having each played just 45 minutes under Allardyce this summer – the former with a thigh complaint, the latter with a back problem. Albert Luque, Celestine Babayaro and David Rozehnal have all suffered groin strains in recent weeks. All are injuries that indicate that the players’ base fitness levels are lacking. “We’re trying to train in double shifts, that’s what is needed at this stage in a pre-season campaign but the players haven’t been able to tolerate it,” said a manager who has always stressed that it will take time for his methods to have an impact. That he has had to adapt his training sessions to accommodate a fragile squad means it will take even longer. “We’re having to work them in other areas and other ways with the sports science and medical staff to keep up their fitness while recovering from these niggles,” he explained. “We’re trying to give them three rehab sessions a day to (help them) get over their injuries and keep them as fit as we can.” Allardyce has conceded that his team will not be as fit as their opponents when Newcastle take on Bolton next weekend and, considering he was the man who revolutionised the fitness and medical programmes that have become renowned at the Reebok Stadium, that is a major annoyance. The 52-year-old has yet to make the appointments that he hopes will enable him to replicate his Bolton back-room team at St James’s Park. That has not aided his efforts in recent weeks, although it seems that the greatest problems are the ones he inherited from Roeder. Damien Duff was sidelined with an injured ankle that will rule him out until November prior to Allardyce’s arrival, while Emre has not featured all summer and is receiving treatment on his ankle problem first suffered last season under a German specialist. The Magpies boss has also suffered considerable ill-fortune. Having impressed on his debut following a £5.8m move from Manchester City, Joey Barton suffered a fractured metatarsal during his second appearance in Newcastle colours. Steven Taylor suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury during his first game under Allardyce’s charge, while Nicky Butt’s injured knee has ensured the former England international has played a limited role in recent weeks. All 10 players missed this week’s trip a Hull – a match in which Allardyce suffered his first defeat as United boss – and most will sit out this weekend’s final pre-season fixture against Sampdoria. Mark Viduka is expected to make his long-awaited debut, although with the campaign approaching fast, Allardyce’s annoyance continues to mount.
  11. Where you going Ricardo? TBH I have no idea.. I am flying to Alicante but its mainland Spain and a couple of hours away from the airport is as much as I know. Going more so for Susan as after her finally finishing up in her old job where she was working 60+ hours a week she just wanted to get away for a quick break before she starts her new job. Weathers canny just now and they have their own pool so can't complain although my bank balance is taking a fair beating this month what with the holiday, last weekends piss up/hotel and have just confirmed my booking and deposit for the wedding..
  12. It was only an opinion, if we take that logic we may as well stop discussing the majority of players on here. And whilst I am not saying I know better than the supporter of another club again it is still only one persons opinion if people went by somes opinions on here on the basis they support Newcastle the likes of Skol and MattM4 would have you thinking Parker and Ameobi are not fit for Sunday league football.
  13. That's the thing though, I can't remember the last time I saw anything of him, but that's because it seems he hasn't been fit in ages. Didn't he even speak about having to retire a couple of months ago? As you say no one has seen much of him over the last couple of years but before his injury problems I am sure most seen a fair bit of him when he was getting a regular game for Villa and having been part of the Wales team that went through a good patch. For me he was just an average defender who wasn't really any better than the likes of Aaron Hughes. Whilst I would like to see a replacement for Carr I wouldn't really see this as a forward step and we would probably be better off seeing what Allardyce can get out of Carr if he can keep him fit if we are not going to sign a player that will improve the position.
  14. I am off to Spain tomorrow. Only arranged it last night, my other halfs Aunt and Uncle stay out there so we have booked a flight and are heading out to spend some time sunning it for a few days.
  15. http://www.lep.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?sect...ticleid=3083910
  16. TRANSFER RUMOURS Fulham are set to complete the signing of Watford winger Hameur Bouazza for £4m within 48 hours. (Daily Star) West Brom defender Curtis Davies has pleaded with he club to let him move to Tottenham. (Daily Mirror) Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is set to sign £4m-rated Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland. (Daily Express) Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is closing in on Real Mallorca winger Jonas Guttierrez, who is known as "Spiderman". (Daily Mail) Fulham are set to sign 21-year-old defender Adrian Leijer from Australian side Melbourne Victory. (Daily Mail) Sunderland are favourites to sign Cork striker Roy O'Donovan. (Telegraph) Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has turned his attention to Nantes striker Luigi Pieroni after missing out on Alan Smith. (Telegraph) Everton are looking at Elfsborg full-back Daniel Mobaeck, who scored his side's winner in a Champions League qualifier recently. (Telegraph) Sheffield United have been warned off making an approach for Wigan winger Kevin Kilbane. (Telegraph) West Ham have made Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen their main target now that Carlos Tevez is set to leave for Manchester United. (Telegraph) Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is set to complete a deal for Brazilian defender Claudio Capaca. (The Independent) Dundee United are interested in Belgian star Cedric Rousel and will make a decision on whether to sign him after a five-day trial. (Daily Record) OTHER GOSSIP Derby have offered a trial to 19-year-old England youth international Jamie Mullan, who was released by Manchester United in June. (Telegraph) Portsmouth striker Kanu is set to agree a new one-year contract with the club. (Daily Mirror) AND FINALLY Robbie Fowler has decided against moving closer to his new club, Cardiff, and will instead commute to work from his home in Liverpool by luxury helicopter. The 32-year-old will buy a chopper at a cost of £200, 000, build a £5,000 heliport at his home and pay a private pilot £200 per day for the 90-minute flight. (Daily Star) Tottenham new boy Kevin-Prince Boateng has revealed his chosen career path was one of just three options available to those who grow up in the mean streets of Wedding, Berlin. "Here you either become a drug dealer, a gangster or a footballer", he said. ( Daily Star) Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has revealed the secret behind his energetic performances on the pitch - he sleeps 14 hours a day to make sure he is fully rested. (The Sun) Manchester United's new dressing room at their Carrington HQ is apparently so big that phones are being installed in players' lockers. (The Sun)
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