All posts by h79snht.top

Tottenham will be hoping that Gareth Bale’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared and he’ll be fit to assist the North Londoners in their pursuit of Champions League qualification. Harry Redknapp believes the race for a top four finish is too close to call and on closer inspection you can’t help but feel that he has a point.

At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Tottenham blogs that includes Van der Vaart crosses the line; the perfect heir to King’s throne, is Gareth Bale destined for greatness.

We also look at the best Tottenham articles around the web this week.

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The Premier League’s LET DOWN XI

Top TEN Premier League Wags…well I would!

Gareth Bale: Is he really destined for greatness?

I’ve Scott to Bale out and go for Tevez

Did Tottenham star cross the line?

Tottenham’s Top 10 Transfers – When Levy Got it Wrong

The perfect heir to King’s throne at Tottenham?

Me and the Ghost of White Hart Lane … the legend of John White

UEFA’s stance on Jordan is embarrassing

A stroke of transfer good fortune for Tottenham

Tottenham weigh up £6m move for Perisic

Are we set for the biggest summer transfer sprees in years?

*Best of Web*

Spurs friendly bar close to Bernabeu Stadium – Spurs Musings From Jimmy G2

League Leaders Spurs in Ticket Office Farce – Tottenham On My Mind

Spurs and my part in Supporting Our Future – Martin Cloake Online

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How did you get on with the ticket office today? – Dear Mr Levy

21 Seconds That Suggest Kyle Walker’s Worth A Go – Harry Hotspur

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Click on image below to view Tom’s NEW lady

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Rangers maintained the pressure on Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen on Wednesday.Walter Smith’s men closed the gap on their arch rivals to two points thanks to a first-half goal from Croatian forward Nikica Jelavic.

The striker brought down a long free-kick from goal-keeper Allan McGregor with his chest before connecting with an acrobatic overhead kick to score the only goal of the game.

Aberdeen’s Christopher Maguire should have levelled the scores 10 minutes into the second half, but he put his shot wide.

The hosts went close again in the 74th minute when Maguire played a pass to Robert Milsom, but his cut-back was cleared off the line by Rangers’ Kyle Lafferty.

Rangers goalkeeper McGregor sent a scare through the camp moments before the final whistle when he dropped a catch on the edge of the area, but he reacted quickly enough to clear the chance.

The loss leaves Aberdeen third from bottom, while Rangers maintained the pressure on the league-leaders with seven games remaining.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is adamant that 50 million-pound signing Fernando Torres will break his duck before the end of the season.Chelsea smashed the English Premier League transfer record to land Torres from Liverpool in January but he has so far failed to live up to his hefty fee and is without a goal in his first eight appearances for the club.

Ancelotti left the World Cup winner on the bench for Saturday’s match at West Brom, which Chelsea won 3-1 thanks to goals from Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou.

The manager admits it might be hard for Torres to get back into the starting line-up after the result at the Hawthorns, but insists the striker will find the net before the end of the season.

“He will score,” Ancelotti said. “He can score if he plays.”

“It’s very difficult to change the team that played so well against West Brom, not just for the result, not just for the performance. They did very well against West Bromwich.”

“We are working with him like we are with the other strikers. He has exercises to score – shooting, crossing – but nothing different from the others.”

“I think he wants to score and he’s not happy for this reason. I would like to see my players every time happy and with confidence.”

“It’s not a good moment for Fernando, but I want to do my best to support him.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been dealt a treble injury blow ahead of Wednesday’s home league game with Birmingham.

Midfielder Ramires and defender Alex have been definitely ruled out, while Chelsea are sweating on the fitness of Branislav Ivanovic, who will be assessed after Tuesday’s training session.

The Brazilian pair missed Saturday’s trip to West Brom because of minor hamstring strains, with Ivanovic a major doubt to face Birmingham because of fatigue.

“Alex and Ramires will not be involved and we have a problem with Ivanovic,” Ancelotti said.

“We will check him in training. All the other players are ok.”

“(Ivanovic) was tired against West Brom and he is still a little tired. His muscle is tight and he will train today (Tuesday) and we will see.”

Udinese struck a major blow in the battle for Champions League qualification, climbing to fourth in Serie A with a 2-1 win over Lazio.A seven-minute brace from forward Antonio Di Natale put hosts Udinese 2-0 ahead in the first half of Sunday’s match at the Stadio Friuli.

Lazio were handed a golden opportunity to get back in the contest when Gabriele Angella brought down Tommaso Rocchi inside the area on 67 minutes.

Defender Angella received his marching orders for the foul, but the visitors were unable to take advantage, with Mauro Zarate’s tame effort saved by Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Lazio did pull a goal back 10 minutes later though, with Czech forward Libor Kozak slotting home from close range.

But Edy Reja’s side were unable to force an equaliser and slip to fifth place as a consequence of their defeat.

Udinese replace them in fourth, two points ahead and in possession of the final Champions League qualification berth with two matches left to play.

Inter Milan regained second place with a 3-1 win at home to Fiorentina.

Striker Giampaolo Pazzini and Argentina midfielder Esteban Cambiasso were on target in the first half for Inter at the San Siro.

Alberto Gilardino pulled a goal back for Fiorentina on 73 minutes, before Coutinho completed the scoring for the hosts with 13 minutes remaining.

Inter are now one point ahead of Napoli, who slipped to third after going down 2-1 away to Lecce.

Javier Chevanton struck the winner for struggling Lecce two minutes from time at the Stadio Via del Mare.

Brescia are now just one match away from relegation after they lost 2-1 at home to Catania.

Goals from Luis Jimenez and Dominique Malonga helped Cesena edge closer to safety with a 2-0 win away to Cagliari.

And Parma guaranteed their survival after drawing 0-0 away to Bologna.

Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz hopes to secure a permanent move to Blackburn this summer and end his frustrating time as a Manchester City player.The 29-year-old was a 17.5 million pound signing for City from Rovers two years ago but a combination of injury and poor form has limited him to just six league starts and three goals at Eastlands.

Santa Cruz returned to Ewood Park on loan in January and is keen to sign on a permanent basis once the season is over.

“The loan ends this summer and I need to see how it goes, but once I finish here I will need to go back to City,” he said.

“Everyone knows that I am very happy at Blackburn, I have a lot of friends.”

“I have enjoyed my time here so it would be a great thing for me if I could stay, but it is up to the club and City so we need to see what will happen.”

“As a player you expect and want to play and of course when you come to my age you want to enjoy the last bit of football that you have left.”

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my career not playing. So that is the main consideration for me.”

Should Santa Cruz end up back with Roberto Mancini at City he will be at the bottom of a long list of striking options, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Felipe Caicedo all also out on loan and likely to be sold in the coming months.

Barcelona have been give a hero’s welcome on their return to the Spain following victory in the UEFA Champions League final.Pep Guardiola’s team have been roundly praised after their 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday.

Goals from Pedro, Lionel Messi and David Villa saw Barca crowned European champions for the fourth time in their history, at the same stadium where the secured their maiden Champions League success under Johan Cruyff in 1992.

Many pundits have described the current Barcelona side as the best of all time.

The team flew home from London the morning after their victory, with thousands lining the streets of Barcelona.

Speculation persists, however, about the future of Guardiola, who has suggested he may take up another challenge in the near future, although he has said he will stay for one more year before assessing the situation.

If the 40-year-old is looking for another goal to aim for, it could be to help Barca become the first ever team to defend the Champions League trophy since its inception in 1992.

For Barca’s Spanish internationals such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Villa it has been an incredible year, having helped their country to World Cup glory in South Africa last July.

And for Argentine virtuoso Messi, his name is sure to be listed amongst the greats of world football in years to come.

Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o admits he is questioning his future with the Serie A club.Eto’o, who finished last season as the league’s third leading goalscorer with 21 goals in 35 games, has refused to rule out trying his luck in the English Premier League.

The Cameroon international had committed himself to the Italian club towards the end of the season, but it looks now like he has had a change of heart about leaving the San Siro.

“It is true that I have a few offers,” the former Barcelona player said.

“I have a month off now to evaluate all of them and decide what to do.”

“I’m 30, I’m close to my final big contract and we’ll have to see whether I should stay or go.”

“My eventual departure is not to try to earn 100,000 or 200,000 euros more. What matters in my career is being happy in a city, playing for a big club where I can enjoy myself.”

Eto’o was a key player for Inter this term where he enjoyed his most prolific campaign since joining the club from Barca in 2009.

But with several Premier League clubs expressing interest in the marksman’s services, he admits he has thought about playing his football in England.

“It’s an idea that I have had in my head for a while, it all depends on finding the right club. I’ve had offers from good teams,” he said.

But Eto’o will not be heading back to the Nou Camp.

“A return to Barcelona would seem impractical, something impossible.”

Losing Eto’o would be a massive blow for Inter and their president Massimo Moratti.

“I don’t think any of the others will get offended if I say Eto’o has been our best player this season,” Moratti said in May.

“He’s played at such a high level all year.”

“In comparison it would be like taking Messi out of the Barcelona team – without him they may not have achieved everything they did.”

Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen has stated that Inter’s Wesley Sneijder would be a perfect signing for the Old Trafford club.

The Premier League champions are believed to be in the market for a creative midfielder following Paul Scholes’ retirement, and the Dutch trainer has stated he thinks his countryman would fit in at the English club.

“Wesley Sneijder would fit perfect here. He is the most ideal player for us that I can think of,” the 47-year-old told Voetbal International.

“I don’t say that because he is Dutch. I have been at Manchester United for a while, I know all the ins and outs of the team and I know that he would be a great reinforcement. The new Paul Scholes does not exist, just as there is not a new Roy Keane, but I cannot think of anyone more perfect for us than Sneijder,” he continued.

The former Real Madrid midfielder’s future at the San Siro is in doubt following the appointment of Gian Piero Gasperini as manager, who adopts a 3-4-3 formation and may not have room for the 27-year-old in his first team. If this is the case Meulensteen feels United should make a move.

“Sneijder is not a runner, but perfectly two-footed. He can run the game and puts the ball where ever he wants. To me, he seems a perfect addition to players like Hernandez, Rooney, Park, Young, Valencia, Nani and Giggs. Plus, Wesley has plenty of experience in top football, of course.

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“I don’t know how his future is at Inter, of course – whether he is allowed to leave and whether we can pay him. But purely on the basis of his ability, I would say “Get Sneijder”,” he concluded.

Determination, passion, drive and honour are words I would use to describe what I saw on that pitch on a cold, wet Saturday afternoon, week in week out many years ago. Now the game that millions of people love seems to have been savaged by greedy, egotistical, selfish footballers who instead are just chasing a wage packet rather than gracefully going through their career making a positive impact on and off the pitch! Why did it all go so wrong?

Agents, Billionaire owners, the massive influx of foreign players and managers, or is it a case of if someone is going to offer me the money why should I turn it down? I think it is a massive clutter of all these elements which are all so rife in the beautiful game that millions of people spend their hard earned money to watch.

With the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea throwing money around like it’s going out of fashion, this trend does not seem to be hitting a wall anytime soon. I like many others thought with UEFA’s  financial fair play policy that they have been working hard on for years things were about to change! Then we all got a reality check when Manchester City slap that ruling in the face with their newest sponsorship deal with Eithad Airways who is part owned by the club’s owners, In a deal worth 400 million over the next ten years.  This allows the club to carry on with their astronomical transfer deals and contract offers which gives them a clear advantage. But UEFA seem to feel this is in order with their “financial fair play policy”

The Premier League has lost of grip of what is the most important thing and that is the football, football is the colossal worldwide brand. And if agents, managers, owners, board members and most of all players, keep acting in a selfish manner, this can only be the start of a swinging wrecking ball that will reduce to rubble the game that is much part of the culture in many people’s lives.

Is there a way back? Yes. A salary cap is a probable scenario. The scrutinizing debt that clubs manage to conger up through wages from top to bottom of their club is not a realistic business model to be running a football club from. So it is inevitable that more and more clubs will go into administration putting more strain on the reputation of people involved in football and football itself. Investment in youth is also something that would benefit clubs and equally important the national team.

Will the Premier League change? No. The amount of money involved seems to be a good enough motivation for everyone to carry on with their seemingly unmoral behaviour. We can only hope as true fans that our clubs that we take pride in, that we talk about on a daily basis, that we all have an opinion on and that we give a part of our short lives to, will not drag themselves into a pit of debt and desperation and that they are able to keep their heads held high and breath through the fundamentals of what started our club many years ago.

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Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is edging closer to a move to English Premier League big-spenders Manchester City.Aguero, 23, touched down in Manchester on Wednesday to thrash out the terms on a five-year contract with Roberto Mancini’s side, with City reported to have agreed a 38 million-pound fee with the forward’s current club, Atletico Madrid.

“Just arrived in Manchester to finalise details of deal with City. Everything is going well,” Aguero tweeted on Wednesday.

Atletico manager Gregorio Manzano confirmed the deal was coming to an end on Spanish radio station Cope.

“It does look like this long-running issue will be resolved in the coming hours. It is at an end,” Manzano said.

“The truth is that I hoped to reflect on (Aguero’s) decision to leave favourably. I had hoped that he could have chosen a better, more professional way to leave and shown more love to the club.”

Atletico’s La Liga rivals Malaga have also splashed the cash, signing Spain international Santi Cazorla from Villarreal for a reported fee of 20 million pounds.

Malaga announced the transfer on Tuesday after the midfielder completed a medical and he has signed a five-year-contract.

Cazorla is the 10th new signing at Malaga, joining the likes of new signings Ruud van Nistelrooy, Joaquin and Jeremy Toulalan.

Newly promoted English Premier League club Swansea City have moved to bolster their strikeforce, with Brendan Rodgers’ side said to have agreed a 1.75 million-pound fee with Middlesbrough for forward Leroy Lita.