Morison Set for Norwich

June 4th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

After clinching promotion just a few weeks ago, Norwich manager Paul Lambert has certainly been busy in preparing his squad for the upcoming Premiership campaign. The former Colchester boss has moved a step further to strengthening again this afternoon, after a bid for Millwall striker Steve Morrison was accepted.

Even though there is the small matter of personal terms that need to be agreed, Morison has already expressed his desire to join Norwich after he handed in a transfer request at Millwall following early interest from the Canaries. With that, it looks all but a foregone conclusion that the 27-year-old will be plying his trade in the top division in the next campaign.

For Morison, the move would be nothing short of remarkable considering the fact that he was only playing non-league football two years ago. Following a hugely successful spell at Stevenage, Kenny Jackett stepped in and signed him up for a cut price £130k and he hasn’t looked back since. In his first season, he managed an impressive twenty three goals to help Millwall clinch promotion, while his debut season in the Championship was also successful as he bagged seventeen.

Speaking to Norwich’s official website, manager Paul Lambert revealed his delight at signing Morison: “We’re going to need to be as strong as we can in every department.

“Steve is a natural goalscorer who will significantly add to what is already a very competitive striking department. That is what we will need in the Premier League.”

There was doubt that the deal would go through after two original offers for the former Stevenage man were rejected by Millwall. With Paul Lambert also signing a striker in James Vaughan from Everton last week, hopes of the Morison deal concluding appeared to be fading. However, Lambert has eventually got his man as he prepares for his first management spell in England’s top division.

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Posted in Football Transfer Market

Hughes Quits Fulham

June 3rd, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

It was always going to be hard for anyone to follow in the footsteps of Roy Hodgson following his incredible success at Fulham, yet Mark Hughes did a pretty good job after leading the Cottagers to 8th this campaign. However, following intense speculation linking him to the Aston Villa manager’s post, Hughes has now resigned from his position as football’s silly season gets well and truly underway.

Villa were forced to part company with Gerard Houllier earlier this week after the Frenchman’s health had deteriorated to a state where he could no longer commit his long term future to the club. Since then, there have been a host of names linked with the job including Everton’s David Moyes, Steve McClaren and Mark Hughes. However, Hughes’ sudden departure seems to indicate that he is now the front runner from the job.

Despite this, Hughes has stated that his decision to resign is not based on contact from any other club and instead, he simply wants to further his career. Speaking to the BBC, Hughes said: “As a young, ambitious manager I wish to move on to further my experiences.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify that neither myself nor my representative have approached or have been approached by another club.”

As well as taking Fulham to a top half finish, the Cottagers have also qualified for the Europa League due to their sterling disciplinary record. Bearing this in mind, Hughes’ statement could be entirely plausible and he may believe that he cannot take the Craven Cottage outfit any further.

Hughes’ managerial career has certainly been turbulent and after a steady spell at Blackburn, he experienced something of a bizarre tenure at Manchester City where some would say he was unfairly forced out following major investment in the club. Having only been in charge for Fulham for less than a year, some clubs may even be put off by the fact that the former Wales manager struggles to hold onto a job for a substantial amount of time.

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Posted in Aston Villa

Hammers to lose Ba?

June 2nd, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

West Ham’s recent campaign can be described as nothing else but a shambles. However, one positive thing that did arise from it was the signing of Demba Ba and while the Senagalese striker did not fire the Hammers to safety, his individual record was a roaring success.

The 26-year-old joined the club in January in what only can be described as fortuitous circumstances, after Ba’s move to Stoke fell through at the last minute following a failed medical. West Ham opted to take a risk and land the talented striker in a transfer that is believed to have cost an upfront payment of £500k, which then could increase to £6m depending on Ba’s success.

It could be said that the deal was something of a bargain, as Ba went on to score seven goals in just thirteen appearances for the struggling Upton Park outfit. He proved a real handful for opposition defences and following the club’s relegation, it’s no surprise to see many reports linking him with a move away from the club.

The strongest rumour at the moment surrounds a possible transfer to Everton as David Moyes looks to beef up his strike force on a limited budget. It’s widely thought that Ba has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for a cut-price fee should the club be relegated – which could allow Moyes to swoop very soon.

However, West Ham will do everything in their power to try and persuade their star man to stay and they have already reacted venomously to Sunderland, who are another side supposedly tracking him. Hammers’ chiefs have reported Steve Bruce’s side to the Premier League over allegations of an illegal approach although since that news, rumours have since died down over Sunderland’s interest.

Of course, Ba may not be the only player leaving Upton Park. They have already lost the highly rated Matthew Upson, while there are strong rumours that Scott Parker, Rob Green and Carlton Cole could be following him out of the door shortly.

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Posted in Everton, Football Transfer Market, Sunderland

Management Merry-Go-Round

June 2nd, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

The football season may have finished, but the business is most certainly continuing. Two clubs in the top four divisions have just appointed a new manager, while one is now on the lookout after losing theirs.

The most high profile appointment is at West Ham after Sam Allardyce agreed to join the club on Wednesday. Allardyce, who was sacked under surprising circumstances at Blackburn just several months ago, will take over with the aim of achieving promotion at the first time of asking after the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship only a couple of weeks ago.

Elsewhere, there was also an appointment for Championship side Barnsley. The Tykes have been without a manager since Mark Robins’ surprise resignation last month yet the club’s board have now announced that Rochdale boss Keith Hill will be his replacement. The situation is certainly a bizarre one, after Hill appeared to rule himself out of the job following preliminary talks last weekend. The appointment now means that Rochdale are searching for a new manager.

The final piece of manager-related news comes at Villa Park. There has been speculation for a while now that Gerard Houllier would not be returning to his post following illness, but that has now been confirmed. The former Liverpool boss has only been at the club for nine months but after suffering health problems that meant he was unable to work for the latter stages of the season, he has now opted to step down. The announcement has already triggered plenty of speculation, with the likes of Mark Hughes, David Moyes and Steve McClaren all linked with the post.

For now, that is all to report on this subject. However, as the summer progresses there is undoubtedly set to be more managerial changes as football’s silly season gets well and truly underway.

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Posted in Aston Villa, General

Paul Scholes Retires

May 31st, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

A bad bank holiday weekend has just got even worse for Manchester United supporters, with the news that Paul Scholes is to retire from all football immediately.

Scholes’ contract was set to expire this summer and it’s thought that without the promise of regular first team football, the 36-year-old was reluctant to extend his deal. With that, just two days after his last substitute appearance in the Champions League defeat to Barcelona, Scholes has opted to call it a day.

Speaking immediately after announcing his decision, the veteran midfielder said: “This was not a decision I’ve taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing”.

Meanwhile his manager, his only manager throughout his career, Sir Alex Ferguson, was quick to lavish praise as well: “Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role”.

Scholes’ new role is that of a coach as he aims to build his reputation off the field following so much success on it. The midfielder has been one of United’s biggest success stories and after coming through the youth ranks to make his debut in 1994, he has gone on to make 676 appearances in the red shirt. While he was not part of the famous Manchester United FA Cup Youth winning squad of 2002, he emerged in the first team around the same time as the likes of David Beckham, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. Following all of his years at United, he managed to pick up an astonishing ten Premier League titles.

He also enjoyed a sterling international career after making 66 appearances for his country, scoring fourteen goals. However, in 2004 he opted to cut his England career short, stating that he wished to spend more time with his family.

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Posted in Man U

Swans Rise to the Premiership

May 30th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

It was only in 2006 that Swansea lost a League One playoff final on penalties. Five years on however, the Swans are celebrating a remarkable rise following a Championship playoff final triumph, after they managed to record a 4-2 victory over Reading.

Brendan Rodgers’ men couldn’t have wished for a better opening forty five minutes after two goals from Scott Sinclair and one from Stephen Dobbie gave them a significant half time advantage. The first came from the penalty spot after the nippy Nathan Dyer was unceremoniously brought down in the area by Zurab Khizanishvili. Sinclair stepped up and coolly dispatched, before shortly adding a second after goalkeeper Adam Federici had failed to deal with a cross. Dobbie then completed a first half of amazing success after calmly finishing following more good work down the wings.

However, the tie was turned into at least something of a contest not long into the second half. Firstly, an own goal from Joe Allen occurred just two minutes in, before a Matt Mills header gave Reading a huge lifeline. However, they could not capitalize and in the end, another Sinclair penalty not just confirmed his hat trick, but also Swansea’s promotion.

The result means that within six years, Swansea have travelled from League Two to the Premier League. It also means that Brendan Rodgers has most certainly restored his reputation and having failed so miserably in his last job, coincidently at today’s opponents Reading, this achievement definitely reestablishes him as one of the top, young, British managers of today.

As for Reading, they will have to go back to the drawing board as they launch another bid to return to the top flight next season. Their task is likely to be much trickier however, with several big name players such as Shane Long and Adam Federici both linked with moves away from the Madejski Stadium already. If Brian McDermott can keep his squad together though, the Royals will have an excellent chance of making a return to the Premiership after a four year absence.

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Posted in Football Post Match Review

Peterborough Promoted to the Championship

May 29th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

Sir Alex Ferguson won’t have had much to smile about this weekend following Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final on Saturday. However, there was at least some joy in the Ferguson household, after his son Darren masterminded Peterborough United’s promotion following the Posh’s 3-0 victory over Huddersfield this afternoon.

The game may not have had the buildup of Saturday’s final, but everybody involved knew that it would be a special fixture considering the teams involved. Huddersfield approached the encounter having put together an incredible twenty seven game unbeaten run which resulted in them finishing 3rd in the league table with eighty seven points – a tally that should normally mean automatic promotion. Peterborough meanwhile finished the season one place lower in 4th but having scored an incredible 106 league goals and conceded 75, they were by far the division’s entertainers.

Unfortunately for Huddersfield, Peterborough’s attacking prowess proved just too strong in this one as a seven minute spell saw the Posh net the three goals that would result in their promotion. Tommy Rowe netted the first, while a strike from Craig Mackail-Smith and a free kick from Grant McCann wrapped up the result.

Some would say it was harsh on Huddersfield as for long periods the Terriers were on top. However, Peterborough have shown all season that they can score goals and after keeping it tight at the back, Lee Clark’s side didn’t really stand much of a chance on this occasion.

The victory for Posh means they reenter the Championship just one year after coming down. Huddersfield meanwhile have to come to terms with more playoff heartache, having failed at this stage on several occasions through recent years. However, after their sterling finish to the season, Lee Clark’s men are highly likely to be one of the favorites for promotion next year.

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Posted in Football Post Match Review, Football Results

Stevenage and Barcelona Celebrate

May 29th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

It’s not often that you can mention these two sides in the same sentence, yet yesterday there was reason for both Stevenage and Barcelona to celebrate. League Two team Stevenage completed a memorable journey to seal a playoff final victory against Torquay and gain promotion, while Barcelona did what everyone expected and beat Manchester United in 3-1 fashion to lift the Champions League trophy.

For Stevenage, their success over recent times has been remarkable and it seems hard to believe that just two years ago they were plying their trade in the Conference. Manager Graham Westley has now masterminded back-to-back promotions after a John Mousinho effort helped the Boro to a 1-0 win over Torquay yesterday afternoon.

While Stevenage success is superb, we now go to the other end of the spectrum where Barcelona once again showed why they are classed by some as the greatest ever team. The Catalan outfit were classed as clear favourites by the bookmakers, with many even offering money-back offers if the Spanish side won, and with that it came as no surprise as they coasted to a 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

Pep Guardiola’s side were in control from the start and while they were pegged back to 1-1 after taking an early lead, a stunning second half display saw Barcelona lift the Champions League trophy for a second time in three years.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed his opponents were the greatest side he’s ever face and after that statement, you just have to wonder who is going to stop them. With such a nucleus of young talent, there is surely more to come from this and from the neutral’s perspective that is a fantastic prospect. Luckily for them, manager Guardiola has already confirmed his commitment for the future, which should allow for even more success.

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Posted in Barcelona, Champions League, Man U

Blades Appoint Wilson

May 27th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

After sacking Micky Adams following their relegation a few weeks ago, there has been plenty of speculation regarding Sheffield United’s new manager. Today however the Bramall Lane outfit have finally made their decision, with former Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Wilson being handed the role.

For most managerial appointments, there is usually a reasonable amount of debate amongst supporters on whether or not a board has made the right decision. Sheffield United fans meanwhile have taken reactions to a whole new level, with around four hundred thought to be demonstrating outside Bramall Lane following the announcement.

Despite the protestations, United chairman Kevin McCabe claims that Wilson was at the top of his wanted list and he is delighted to have secured the appointment. Speaking to the club’s official website, McCabe said: “Danny was at the top of my wanted list for football reasons.

“Danny was the outstanding candidate from the group of potential managers, all with strong profiles and good track records.”

It’s thought that the main reason for the supporters’ response is due to the 51-year-old’s past. He not only played for bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday, but he also managed them and also had a spell, which happened to be his most successful, at fellow rivals Barnsley. What’s more, with so many managers out of work, some of their supporters were hoping for a more substantial appointment.

As it turns out, their new manager hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in recent years. While he enjoyed early success with previous club Swindon, he couldn’t maintain this and in the end he left the Robins on the verge of relegation. With Sheffield United aiming to bounce back to the Championship following their relegation, it remains to be seen whether Wilson can resurrect his managerial reputation and also get the Bramall Lane faithful on side.

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Posted in General

Lambert no Klose to Signing

May 26th, 2011 by Watch Football News No comments »

Speculation over the past few days have linked Premiership new boys Norwich with German legend Miroslav Klose. However, manager Paul Lambert has quickly moved to pour water on the reports, stating that the Bayern Munich striker is well out of the Canaries’ reach.

The reports seem to have stemmed through Lambert’s past, after the former Colchester man spent time playing for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the late 1990s and after he also spent some time coaching in Germany. However, Lambert himself states that there is absolutely no truth in the reports, saying that a figure like Klose certainly wouldn’t look to Norwich to end his playing career. Speaking to BBC Scotland, Lambert said: “The lad’s 30-odd now, he’s played in front of 80,000 people. He isn’t going to come to Norwich and put his shoulder to the wheel, that’s me being totally honest.”

While Norwich supporters are likely to be disappointed with this news, they know that none of Lambert’s signings so far have been any so called “big names” and that system has worked perfectly for the past two years. Instead, Lambert is more likely to turn his attention towards the lower leagues and abroad, in the hope of recruiting the seven new faces that he says are needed if Norwich are to launch a serious bid to survive in the top flight.

Meanwhile, on a related subject, Lambert himself has actually signed a new contract at Carrow Road. Following speculation linking him with the vacant position at recently relegated West Ham, Canaries chiefs have acted swiftly and handed the 41-year-old a new deal which strangely they have not disclosed the length of. However, it is sure to keep suitors away for now although if the former Celtic midfielder builds on his recent successors, there may come a time where the club have no choice but to let him go.

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Posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League