TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Scottish Premier League supporters like their football to be bone-chillingly cold Some like it hot. We take ours bone-chillingly cold, rimed with frost, laced with blizzards and hung with icicles. telegraph.co.uk |
Mark Gleeson: African Cup of Nations offers up plenty of storylines Sunday marks the start of the 27th African Nations Cup, a tournament long established on the footballing calendar, slavishly followed on the continent and fast gaining international credibility, too. cbc.cacbc.ca |
Hughton revolution sets Newcastle free After years of turbulence, Newcastle are thriving under the radical dressing-room approach of Chris HughtonSteven Taylor is not quite 24 but he has played under seven managers at Newcastle and experienced more turmoil than many footballers encounter during entire careers."I think we're on an even keel now though, we're stable," says the centre-half, resisting a temptation to cross his fingers before touching wood. "The club's turned round, Newcastle United's changed for the better."Such optimism is born not only of the team's position at the top of the Championship but the modus operandi of his seventh boss, Chris Hughton.At Taylor's age the then Tottenham full-back was involved with the Workers Revolutionary Party, an essentially Trotskyite group. Trotsky once preached "permanent revolution" but, three decades on Hughton – these days a committed Labour party member – swiftly realised Newcastle required an antidote to the constant upheaval of recent seasons.His St James' Park revolution has duly been of the velvet variety. While there have been few radical tactical or training ground alterations, the former Spurs and Newcastle coach's approach to dressing-room politics differs markedly to that practised by many peers. First teamers are encouraged to voice their views on managerial decisions with a players' committee comprising Steve Harper, Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith, transmitting opinions to Hughton.Not that Taylor and his colleagues are in any way isolated from a manager who appreciates the importance of frequent communication with every squad member. "Chris is always chatting to all of us, always explaining things – and you can talk to him about anything," says the ex England Under-21 international."His door is always open to everyone and the lads love him for it. He's a real players' manager who has had nowhere near the praise he deserves. You'll never, ever, hear anyone moaning about Chris around this place. It makes a big change at Newcastle United but we all respect him far too much for that."West Bromwich Albion may prove less respectful than other visitors to St James' during tomorrow night's Championship summit meeting but Roberto Di Matteo's side will find themselves facing opponents "United" in more than name only."One of the reasons we're successful is that we're being honest with each other now," reflects Taylor, who turns 24 next Saturday. "In the past some lads got upset about things but kept their feelings back and then didn't perform on the pitch. It caused rivalries but this season, under Chris, it's been great because we've been encouraged to talk about things as a team, to get it all off our chests. We've learnt the best way is being honest with each other."Similarly the dressing-room's old faultlines are a fading memory. "The lads here always sat around in three groups: foreign, young and older," says Taylor. "But that doesn't happen anymore, we all just mix in."It helps that relegation purged Newcastle of individuals who joined the club primarily for the generous wages on offer and had little compunction about embroilment in assorted minor scandals."There were players in the past here who didn't give their all," says Taylor. "But but now we all definitely feel a sense of responsibility for what happened last season. We want to fight for each other, if someone gets tackled we'll help them out."In the past silly things were always going on but we don't have those problems anymore, probably because certain people aren't here. The newspapers are more interested in Big Brother than Newcastle United now. And we've got what this club always needed, players who really want to play for it."Newcastle UnitedChampionshipWest BromLouise Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Leeds expect one last chance to persuade Jermaine Beckford to stay • Simon Grayson still hopes the striker will sign a new contract• Reports suggest Beckford has already agreed move to EvertonLeeds United will attempt to fight off interest from Everton and keep their leading scorer Jermaine Beckford if they win promotion to the Championship, according to their manager, Simon Grayson.Beckford, who will become a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season, is expected to leave Elland Road after turning down an improved deal before Christmas. Leeds, however, have so far resisted the temptation to cash in on the player during the transfer window, rejecting an offer of £1.25m from Newcastle United for the 26-year-old striker.Over the past few weeks Grayson had given the impression of being resigned to losing him in May, and sources close to the player are suggesting he has already agreed basic terms to move to Everton.But Grayson said today that Leeds had not given up. "It would be foolish not to try and keep him, and I'm sure once the season finishes, and hopefully we're in the Championship, there might be one sort of last contract offer towards him," he said."If rumours have it he's being linked to Premier League clubs, then that's obviously difficult for us to compete with, but while he's our player we expect him to keep performing and doing the job he's done for us."Beckford, who has scored 20 goals this season, has failed to increase that total in three games (none of which Leeds have won) since scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. But Grayson denied that the constant speculation may be beginning to affect the player."I don't think so – in fact I'd like to think if he gets better as a player and scores more goals, then he'll get more publicity and maybe, if he's after more money, then that's what he'll get."Whatever happens, nothing can be agreed now, nothing is legally binding with anybody you speak to. If he doesn't score from now till the end of the season – and hopefully he does – then his value will go down and he might not get the money he's looking for."If he scores another 20 odd goals it might be a bigger team that comes in for him than those that are rumoured to be in for him at this moment in time. Hopefully it's the latter, he gets loads of goals for us and maybe then moves on to bigger clubs, instead of average clubs he's being linked with."Transfer windowLeeds UnitedLeague OneEvertonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Juve Fans Banned From Italian Cup Match at Inter MILAN (AP) -- Juventus fans were banned from the Italian Cup match at Inter Milan on Thursday because of race-related incidents involving supporters in games between the teams. feeds.nytimes.com |