TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Brosque stars in Sky Blues win World Cup hopeful Alex Brosque has made a case for a starting spot in Australia's match against Kuwait next month with a starring role in Sydney FC's win over Central Coast. foxsports.com.au |
Cesc Fábregas: I am only thinking about Arsenal • Midfielder is happy with life at Emirates• 'I have a good deal still to do in the Premier League'Cesc Fábregas is happy at Arsenal and feels he still has much to achieve with the Premier League club once he recovers from a hamstring problem that will keep him out for up to three weeks.The midfielder, who scored twice before limping out of Arsenal's 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, has been consistently linked with a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona but says he is focused on his recovery and helping the London club to win trophies."There has been talk about Real and Barça since the summer and the only thing I am doing is thinking about my club, Arsenal, and seeing how I can help my team mates," Fábregas said."The only thing that concerns me right now is this injury. I want to get over this little muscle problem I have at the moment as soon as possible."Fábregas, Arsenal's top scorer with 12 goals, said the team are well placed to win trophies this season. "I have a cool head, I am very happy at Arsenal and in England and there is still a lot for me to do," he said. "That's all I can say. I am not thinking about anything else. I am very content and have a good deal still to do in the Premier League."Cesc FábregasArsenalPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Pompey expect owner to visit club at last • Ali Al Faraj expected to attend first game soon• Club deny they have debts of up to ÂŁ100mPortsmouth expect their owner Ali Al Faraj to finally visit the club he purchased in October last year in the "very near future". The Saudi owner has yet to watch a match at Fratton Park and has not even set foot inside the ground."Mr Al Faraj unfortunately so far has not come to England since the takeover but it's anticipated he will come over very, very soon," the club's executive director Mark Jacob told the BBC."Given the weather at the moment, where would you rather be? He's not the only absentee owner of a football club in the Premier League. I'll be the first to welcome him when he flies into Heathrow, please God, in the very, very near future. I have been explaining to him and also to his brother that there is a real need for him to come to games. But I certainly anticipate that he will be at a game very shortly."The club failed to pay their players and staff on time in both December and January and Jacob refused to guarantee that the situation would not arise again. He did, however, add that he hoped it would not happen."There was a technical problem at the end of November. December was rather unfortunate. Something was anticipated to have come in by the end of December. It didn't; it was delayed," he said. "The players have now been paid and, as far as I'm aware and despite some scurrilous reports that have been in the papers, the players are more than happy. We've had dialogue with the players and with the PFA and let's get on with it."We're in a position where the players have been paid for the last three months. Never forget that players prior to the takeover weren't paid for September 2009. Clearly in October it was Mr Al Faraj that met that liability. And indeed he's had to pick up the tab for various other liabilities he's inherited."It has been reported that Portsmouth are under pressure to balance their books and may seek to use the transfer window to sell players and boost funds. However, Jacob denied that the club would seek to cash in on their playing staff but said the wage bill needed to be addressed. "We don't need to sell players but if Avram [Grant] determines the squad is such that he can trim some of the fat, then I'm sure he will do that," he said.Jacob added that, had Al Faraj not taken over the club, Portsmouth could be bankrupt by now. "If it seems bleak in January 2010, I can assure you that it was dire in September 2009," he said. "The position in September 2009 was such that had Mr Al Faraj not taken over in October 2009 that I have no doubt that the club would probably have been in administration within a very short period of time. Since October I can assure you the club is being run in a firm and good businesslike manner."Despite that, Jacob claimed that the precise levels of debt facing Portsmouth were still in dispute and may be subject to legal proceedings.The Professional Footballers Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has called on Portsmouth to be "up front" about their financial problems. Taylor believes it is a possibility that Portsmouth could suffer the same fate as Leeds and plummet through the leagues if they cannot be stabilised."It's always a possibility when you see that clubs over-reach themselves. But you do like clubs to be in the ownership of people who are prepared to declare their interests and be up front about it and you want them to be football lovers involved for the right reasons," he said. "Now that may well be the case but there's a lack of evidence of that, not just at Portsmouth but with other clubs as well, so that gives you cause for concern."Portsmouth are challenging the winding-up petition served on them by HM Revenue and Customs before Christmas and will go to court on Wednesday to argue the VAT portion of their massive tax debt is too high by ÂŁ7.5m. Taylor criticised the club for not being unable to confirm the level of their debt."Not even knowing the amount of money they're in debt pretty well summed up the situation that is causing a great deal of concern to the supporters and it's a club with a great past – and having said that they won the cup not too long ago," he said. "It's in a mess and it's like the Oscar Wilde quote – once is unfortunate, twice looks like carelessness and we're into the third time they have been late with wages."It's not what you expect of a Premier League club and that's why the Premier League is so concerned about the situation. I didn't think we'd have the danger of a club going into administration since Leeds hit the skids a few years ago, but of course it has happened and with this amount of money now it's a problem, there's no saying otherwise."PortsmouthPremier LeagueTom Bryantguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
James set for surprise switch to Stoke • Stoke and Portsmouth in talks over transfer• James potential cover if Sorenson goes to Bayern MunichThe Stoke City manager Tony Pulis is hoping to sign the England goalkeeper David James in time for Saturday's Premier League meeting with Liverpool. The potential transfer from Portsmouth is being discussed by the clubs' respective chief executives, Tony Scholes and Peter Storrie.Pulis believes James will add to the competition for the No1 spot at the Britannia Stadium, although has refused to rule out the chance of Thomas Sorensen leaving as the Dane has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich."We'll have to see if the two clubs can come to a deal and we're hoping it will be tied up for the weekend, but it will have to be right for us," said Pulis. "If we can get him we'll be absolutely delighted because if there's a weakness [in the squad] it's been between the sticks in respect of having competition and back-up."We lost Thomas immediately before the Fulham game and if anything had happened to [deputy] Steve Simonsen, then we wouldn't have had a goalkeeper."It would have been a tragedy for us, and it really opens up your eyes. So we've an opportunity to bring in a top-class goalkeeper because we have heard he might be available."Pulis feels that his chances of recruiting the 39-year-old are strong, with James known to be itching for first-team football to enhance his prospects of playing for England in the World Cup."You are signing a goalkeeper of real quality, and if he comes here he has a few months' football to play," added Pulis. "Sorensen has done brilliantly, so they will both be fighting for that one spot, but he [James] has something to prove as well."He'll want to be on that plane to South Africa, and that attracts me to him more than anything else. He is desperate to play for England in the World Cup. So if we can bring him in and give him the opportunity to prove he is the best goalkeeper in England, and he proves that, then we'll be delighted."Yet despite suggesting the goalkeeping department lacks strength in depth, there is every opportunity of Sorensen leaving to make way for James."We've heard the rumours that there are clubs in Europe who fancy Thomas, and it makes it more important that we cover ourselves," said Pulis. "If Bayern Munich, Manchester United or Chelsea come in for Thomas, he would want to better himself like everybody else does, just like Ronaldo wanted to go to Real Madrid. But it is a fragile area. Hopefully, we're covering it by bringing in David."Stoke CityPortsmouthPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Reading get new life with Brian McDermott following FA Cup defeat of Burnley It was a tale of two managers at the Madejski Stadium, with the life of one Brian - Reading's McDermott - looking more optimistic than the future for Brian Laws of Burnley. telegraph.co.uk |