TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Ferguson denies 'tap-up' claims before Posh exit • Ferguson: No truth at all to Barry Fry's claims• Change in transfer policy created differencesThe former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson says he was disappointed with Barry Fry's claims that he had been "tapped up" in the aftermath of his departure from London Road.Fry, Peterborough's director of football, made the claim in a press conference following Ferguson's departure in November, but Ferguson says there was no truth in the claim at all. Ferguson told Sky Sports: "I left six weeks ago and I'm still out of work so there is obviously no truth in it at all. The first thing I did was go on holiday. I made a statement thanking the club for giving me an opportunity and left it at that."The club should maybe have done the same but I am not in control of what Barry Fry does or says. It was disappointing that he came out with that but I was not tapped up at all. The situation was clear to me, the club had lost confidence in me and you can call it mutual consent or whatever you want but we all know what it was."Ferguson has been linked with a return to the Championship at Hillsborough and admitted that the job interests him. He said: "Since I left there has been some interest but I decided to have a bit of a break and spend some time with my wife. But I am having itchy feet now and I want to get back involved and I would be interested in talking to Sheffield Wednesday."Ferguson revealed that a change in his transfer policy contributed to his departure from London Road. Confusion surrounded Ferguson's exit in November but he has now claimed that he left the Coca-Cola Championship club after he asked to bring in some experienced players to aid his young squad.Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Fry helped Ferguson win back-to-back promotions from League Two to the Championship with a strict policy of signing young players from non-league clubs. But after a slow start to the season, Ferguson was keen to supplement his squad with some veteran heads – a view not shared by MacAnthony or Fry.Ferguson said: "I felt that given time I could turn it round and the most important thing for me was to get some more experienced Championship players into the squad. There was a difference in opinion on that and the people in charge lost confidence in me."I'm not bitter about it, that's football, but I never wanted to leave the football club. I felt the players needed a bit of help. They had done fantastically well but we were in a league that was a massive leap forward and we needed help."The average age was around 22 which was the policy of the football club but when we got to the Championship that needed to change. In a lot of games we lost goals quickly after each other – which they did again on Boxing Day at West Brom – and a few older heads could have maybe stopped that."PeterboroughChampionshipSheffield Wednesdayguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Jonathan Woodgate injury still a mystery, says Harry Redknapp • Defender still struggling with groin injury• Redknapp wants to hold on to KeaneJonathan Woodgate faces a battle to play again this season. Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, admitted that the club's doctors are no closer to getting to the root of the central defender's long-term groin injury."Hopefully when he comes back, he will be able to train properly but he is not able to train at the moment," Redknapp said. "It is just a case of trying to get to the bottom of what is causing the problem. He has had a few operations on that area and we are finding it difficult to solve the problem."It is more and more of a concern for me and for him as well. He wants to play football as much as anybody, more than anybody. But hopefully, in a couple of weeks, it could go away in the same way as it came."Woodgate had a hernia operation at the end of last season and, having played no part in the pre-season as he struggled with inflammation to the area, he underwent further surgery in early August. He has appeared in only three matches this season, the last of which came was Tottenham's 9-1 Premier League victory over Wigan Athletic on 22 November, and, as specialist opinion and a series of injections have failed to solve the problem, Woodgate has grown increasingly frustrated.He is currently working on strengthening the troublesome area and Redknapp said today that "we just hope that that's going to do the trick for him". Woodgate is not the only central defender whom Redknapp must monitor on a special fitness programme. Ledley King is rarely fit because of his chronic knee problem.The situation regarding Woodgate's and King's availability is made all the more irritating for Redknapp because, in his view, when they are fit and in form, "you would put them up there with Terry and Carvalho, Vidic and Ferdinand".It was put to Redknapp that he could no longer rely on the pair and that, with the transfer window open, he might look to add another body in the position. He also has Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong at his disposal."It's hard," he replied. "How do you replace two fantastic centre-halves? It's so difficult. You just hope that they are going to be OK. With Ledley, I still think that if you can get 18-20 games out of him in a season, he is worth his weight in gold because he is so good. Vedran Corluka can play centre-half for us as well."Redknapp said he did not have any transfer targets in mind, although he did concede that he had his eyes open for a central midfielder and a back-up goalkeeper to replace the injured Carlo Cudicini and, while it is known that he would listen to offers for the striker Roman Pavlyuchenko and the midfielder David Bentley, one player he said was going nowhere was Robbie Keane.The Republic of Ireland striker has been linked with a move away from the club, to a backdrop of noises that Redknapp does not fancy him. "I don't see any way that he will not be here unless someone offers £50m for him," said Redknapp. "If he did [want to leave], he would come and see me, I am sure. Robbie is his own man. He wouldn't be afraid to knock on my door and say he is not happy."His attitude has been first-class and his enthusiasm is infectious around the place. Some people have criticised him and said that he is not what he was but I have been well pleased with him."Tottenham HotspurHarry RedknappPremier LeagueDavid Hytnerguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Everton discuss new stadium 'in the city' • Club hold 'positive' talks over new plans to leave Goodison• Follows collapse of controversial Kirkby plan in NovemberEverton have held "positive" talks with Liverpool City Council over plans for a new stadium within the city.The two sides met yesterday following the Government's decision last year to reject a planning application for a controversial new stadium in nearby Kirkby.The £400m development for a 50,000-seater stadium, in partnership with Tesco, collapsed in November with Liverpool City Council one of the opponents to Destination Kirkby.A joint statement read: "A positive meeting took place between Everton FC and Liverpool City Council about future stadium options within the city boundary, and more discussions have been scheduled for the near future."EvertonPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
FA Cup fourth round action In pics: holders Chelsea overcome Preston; Reading upset Burnley. telegraph.co.uk |
Crystal Palace administrators ban Victor Moses playing at Newcastle • Palace told not to field club's most saleable asset tonight • Neil Warnock left 'devastated' and 'shocked' by administrationCrystal Palace's administrator has blocked striker Victor Moses from playing against Newcastle United tonight in an attempt to protect the club's most saleable asset.Moses, who had been valued at over £5m and was linked with a string of Premier League and European clubs before the club was forced into administration, is now likely to leave in the coming days before the end of the transfer window.The teenager's agent Tony Finnigan told Sky Sports News that Moses was "stunned" to have been prevented from playing by administrators P & A Partnership, and that there was now "no chance" of him staying with the club."They have pulled one of their most saleable assets from the squad for obvious reasons, probably to protect him and a deal is probably imminent," Finnigan said. "He was stunned as he was getting ready to play and do his bit for the team, but it is part of the game and these things can happen in football."Finnigan said he was unaware of any firm offers for the striker."I don't want to speculate about the clubs as there is a difference between having an interest and making a bid for a player. The stands have been full of a lot of scouts, but now Palace are into administration perhaps some clubs are looking like they could have a 'punt' as they may have thought he was too expensive before."I want my player to go to the right club: we won't just be going to the highest bidder, it won't just be about cash."Asked if Moses could still remain at Palace, Finnigan replied: "No chance, you are pulled out for a reason and that is to sell him."Earlier the Palace manager Neil Warnock admitted he was "devastated, shocked and hugely disappointed" by Crystal Palace going into administration, and questioned the timing of the move.Warnock said he was unaware the administrators had been called in by one of the club's creditors until he got off a plane taking him to Newcastle for tonight's game.He said: "I knew, like everyone else, that cash has been tight at Selhurst Park but I could not believe the news that we'd been forced into administration. The timing just astonishes me. There's still a week to go in the transfer window and we are about to sell Victor for millions. I'm devastated, shocked and hugely disappointed."He told the Independent: "I know there will be clubs eyeing up all the talent we have coming through from our youth scheme and thinking they can get players for a song. Let's hope that doesn't happen. As I said, I really cannot understand the timing."Transfer windowCrystal PalaceChampionshipguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |