Former Everton loanee Landon Donovan has opened the door to a possible return to Goodison Park, despite Major League Soccer being keen to keep him in his homeland.
The 28-year-old USA international is currently with the LA Galaxy, but has hinted at a move back to Europe, having scored twice in 13 appearances during a loan spell with the Toffees last season.
He told the Daily Mirror: “I would love to go back to Everton. I love the people there and I love the fans there.
“But that said, I love being in America too, so we are going to take everything into account and see where it ends up.
“Anything is possible at this stage and I’m going to make the decision that’s best for me. We hear little bits and pieces here and there and there have certainly been clubs that are interested, but right now, it’s only preliminary.
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“There’s still a lot of time left in the transfer window, so we’ll see what moves are made and, if it’s serious, then we’ll treat it seriously.”
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has admitted that he would be happy to bring Carlos Tevez to White Hart Lane on a loan deal, should the opportunity arise in January.
The Argentina international’s time at the Etihad Stadium looks all but finished after he refused to come off the bench for Roberto Mancini’s team against Bayern Munich in the Champions League back in September.
With a January departure from the Premier League leaders looking likely, Redknapp has stated that despite the attacker’s off-the-field problems, he would love to have him in North London.
“I would take him if he were available for sure, warts and all. Who wouldn’t?” he told The Daily Mail.
“If Manchester City want to let me have him on loan and massively subsidise it, I’ll take him tomorrow.
“Say what you like, but he’s a world-class player and you can’t say he doesn’t work his socks off when he plays. When he gets on the field he’s a right handful.
“It’s all right people refusing to condone his behaviour but, to be honest, I’m only interested in what he does when he plays. And world-class players are in short supply,” he concluded.
The likelihood of Tevez moving to Spurs is low, as City look to sell their wantaway forward in the new year rather than send him out on loan.
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It’s a question that you will have debated with your mates down the pub on many occasions, who is the best player in the Premier League? English football is home to many fantastic players, both English and foreign, but who is the cream of the crop?
In the Football Fans Survey 2011 carried out here on FootballFanCast.com, we opened that question up to you and gave you plenty of choice. Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes all made the list of nominees, as did Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart from Tottenham, Arsenal’s Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Carlos Tevez of Manchester City, but it was a Liverpool star who took the crown.
Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard won more than one fifth of the vote and beat Fabregas, Tevez, Bale and Nasri into 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place respectively. The Liverpool captain is undoubtedly a top performer and has been one of the best players in English football for a decade, often dragging the Reds up the Premier League table almost single-handedly.
It is interesting that an Englishman won the vote, while the age-old debate about Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard is firmly put to bed here – sorry Frank! With Kenny Dalglish back in charge at Anfield, will Gerrard be tasting some more success in the coming years and is he really the best Premier League player? Have your say…
To see the rest of the results from the Football Fans Survey 2011, brought to you by ZOO Magazine and FootballFanCast.com, click here
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has thrown his weight behind the idea of introducing a Premier League winter break.
Following England's disappointing World Cup campaign, many players were thought to have been suffering from the effects of a long season and the Northern Irishman feels it would be beneficial if it was placed on the calendar.
When coach at Scottish giants Celtic, O'Neill was sure the break north of the border was a major reason for their excellent UEFA Cup final exploits in 2003.
Speaking to reporters, he said:"I am a great believer in it and I think it is important. But I am not controlling affairs.
"People assume it causes a loss of impetus but that's absolutely not the case. You would still have Boxing Day and New Year games and then you have the break – for about three weeks.
"It gives the players a chance to get away with their families. They feel much better for it. It was so beneficial.
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"One of the years when we had the break in Scotland, Celtic went on to reach the UEFA Cup final.
"I genuinely believe the winter break was of great benefit for us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
So here we go again, the start of a new season at Bramall Lane.
A new season of high hopes, tremendous pressure and hopefully this time, success. After being so far in front of our city rivals nearing the end of the season then blowing it and finishing in 3rd place, then going to Wembley, and losing again was a sort of reality check.
It made me realise during my 17-years of life is that we always seem to throw it away or cave under pressure at the most vital part of the season. That’s why this season I’m only going to be slightly optimistic about promotion.
Looking at the bookies, many seem to have us favourites for promotion. Although they also seem to have Chris Porter as favourite for top goal-scorer. On that logic I’d save my money for the boozer before the game.
I’d like us to finish on top of the pile as would every other fan but realistically I can’t see it happening and instead I think going for 2nd place is our best shot. Aim for second so people will be overjoyed if we finish 1st but still happy if 2nd. Anything less than that in my eyes is a failure.
So far the transfer window has looked quite promising. Only selling one member of the squad (to date) while bringing in six fresh faces. Of the six arrivals, the main signing for me has been John Cofie, the young Man U striker. He is technically brilliant, big and strong, and as demonstrated against Rotherham, he knows where the net is, confirmed by a cracking free kick.
All other signings (bar one. No need to name him but we’ll welcome back LJF with open arms) also look to be decent. I’m starting to like the looks of a Blackman, Cofie partnership up front. Last Saturday against Burton (more penalty shoot-out agony) Blackman looked calm and collected. He has a good first touch and in my opinion will not only be a great asset up front but also a crowd favourite.
Perhaps the highlight of the off-season was not the impressive pre- season unbeaten run but the news that our star playmaker, Kevin McDonald, had put pen to paper. He signed a new contract keeping him at beautiful down town Bramall Lane until 2014 much to the delight of all the Blades fans who had been waiting anxiously, not helped by the vast amount of rumours surrounding him.
For me there are a few players to watch this season: McAllister back from his loan, Blackman and McMahon. McMahon looked impressive on Saturday with his passing ability. He switched the ball with what seemed like ease and wasn’t afraid get forward in attack.
The new season finally starts on Saturday at home to Shrewsbury and hopefully it’ll start with win. Or even more so an early annihilation, perhaps that is wishful thinking but it would be nice.
Hopefully this season we can get promoted the easy way without all the heartbreak and tears of going to Wembley again. Let’s get behind the team and not on their backs. This maybe a cliche but we can be the 12th man. And together we can do it! So on to a successful season. UTB
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If you would like to discuss my thoughts or just want to have a general chat about the Blades, you can find me on Twitter @nathansere.
It was an exciting weekend of action in the Premier League, with an end-to-end game at Old Trafford resulting in a 3-1 win for Manchester United against Liverpool, Tottenham scored four against Liverpool as the Reds ended with nine men at White Hart Lane, and Swansea scored their first goals and secured their first win of the season against West Brom. Football FanCast also made another appearance on Match of the Day as a Premier League goal was scored while FFC were on the boards at one of the country’s stadia, but which one?
There were 38 goals in the Premier league last weekend, with every match containing at least two goals, while all four Sunday matches saw four goals scored. But it was at one of Saturday’s top flight games that kicked off at three o’clock at which Football FanCast made the weekend highlights. But was it Villa Park, the Reebok Stadium, Goodison Park or the Liberty Stadium at which we made our mark?
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For a clue head to the Football FanCast Facebook Page
Everton teenager Jack Rodwell is in line to return against Sunderland at Goodison Park on Saturday. Rodwell, 19, was expected to be out until April after injuring his groin playing for England Under-21s against Italy a fortnight ago. Rodwell is desperate to play some part in the crucial clash against Sunderland as Everton look to build on their FA Cup triumph over Chelsea. With the Toffees just three points above the Premier League drop zone, Rodwell is under no illusions about the importance of the clash with Steve Bruce’s side. “Sunderland is a massive game for us,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “We need to pick up as many points as we can – especially at home.”
Rodwell has paid tribute to Everton’s medical staff as he has made quick progress in his recovery. Manager David Moyes is keen to involve Rodwell, particularly as Tim Cahill is in doubt with an ankle knock that forced him out of the FA Cup win at Chelsea after 70 minutes. It’s the second time this season Rodwell has shown his powers of recovery as he returned ahead of schedule after damaging ankle ligaments last August. “The medical staff here are really good,” Rodwell said. “I have full faith in them and hopefully I can shave off a few weeks. My last injury I was told it would be three months but I was back in two, maybe even less.”
Sunderland, who have lost their last three league matches, are seventh on the table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Spurs. The Black Cats have not played in the league since losing 2-1 at home to Spurs on February 12 but young England midfielder Jordan Henderson believes the break has paid off. “I think it’s been a really good break for everyone, now we’re looking forward to being back,” Henderson told the Sunderland Echo. “Everyone’s been lively in training and we cannot wait for Saturday. We just want to concentrate on the future. The first thing is the Everton game and hopefully we can do well.”
Manager Steve Bruce’s hand will be strengthened over the next few weeks with the return from injury of some key first-team players. “I don’t think it’s a case of hanging in there waiting for players to get fit again,” Henderson said. “We’ve got enough quality players in the team to go and get some good results against some good sides. We’ve played well against the top teams and hopefully, in the next four or five games, we can do that again. Personally, I didn’t feel as though I needed a rest. I felt okay, my stats were up to what they had been all season, so I wasn’t really worried about being tired. I just wanted to get out there. Possibly in the last couple of games I didn’t play as well as I could have. But I’m just going to concentrate on the next three games now and try to take it to the level where I was at before. I just love playing football, so I want to play as many games as I can.”
Prediction: 1-1 – you can get odds of 11/1 with bet365!
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Frank Lampard has been confirmed as England’s new World Cup vice-captain.
The Chelsea midfielder will assist new skipper Steven Gerrard following the knee injury which has ended former captain Rio Ferdinand’s hopes of playing in the finals in South Africa.
Gerrard was installed as vice-captain when Ferdinand was named skipper in February after the media storm which surrounded the axing of John Terry as captain in Fabio Capello’s squad.
The Liverpool midfielder has now stepped up to the full captaincy role with Lampard taking the vice-captain’s slot.
“I am vice-captain,” confirmed Lampard, who has won 78 caps since making his international debut in 1999.
“I was told by the manager and (assistant) Franco Baldini yesterday and I am very proud of that.
“Obviously I am very disappointed for Rio. He is a mate.
“But what can I do? I shall just try to give my input as a vice-captain.”
Meanwhile, Lampard has expressed his disappointment for former West Ham academy and first-team colleague Ferdinand.
The Manchester United defender damaged knee ligaments during training on Friday and has been replaced by Tottenham’s Michael Dawson in the squad.
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“I am very disappointed for him to say the least,” continued Lampard.“I spoke to him last night and he is obviously very down.
“He is such a good mate and for this to happen in the build-up to the biggest tournament made me feel sick in my stomach.”
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UEFA’s plans to establish a much more attractive secondary competition in Europe looks to be on the right track. And this season’s Europa League tournament is likely to catch the eye in the same way that last season’s knockout phase did.
American sports fans have it good: Four very different sports on offer and only four leagues to keep an eye on – because who really watches the Canadian Football League? And while I’m hardly complaining about the wealth of football on offer in Europe (that would be bordering on blasphemy), the Europa League is doing well to add its name to a growing list of leagues worth watching.
Now, most won’t be too bothered unless their team is competing. Like Serie A, La Liga and all the other leagues, the Europa League will fall into a category of completely dispensable competitions. Maybe it will have to take Barcelona or Manchester United competing in it regularly to draw the widest possible audience.
But like last year, the Champions League’s little brother, who was given an absolutely necessary makeover, will feature a host of teams that are worth watching.
Falcao should be enough to peak the interest of most neutrals, for lack of a better word. And his excellent performance both last year for Atletico and the year prior with Porto is likely to continue. He’s made the competition his own, and his two wonder goals in last season’s final were of a high enough standard to be included and immortalised in the Allianz Arena.
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But it’s the stigma that UEFA will struggle to shake. The Thursday nights joke may never come to an end within football banter, and who really wants to be associated with that competition? Certainly not regulars of the Champions League.
But are football fans concerned about the name on a trophy or the quality of football? Bilbao’s game against Manchester United at Old Trafford last season was one of the better matches in all of European competition, and there is no escaping the talent that will be on display again this season. It’s often that you hear fans bemoaning a lack of football and having to wait until the weekend. Should we apologise for your club not competing in a tournament outside its domestic league? There doesn’t have to be a negative view of a competition that UEFA are desperate to change the fortunes and image of.
Edinson Cavani will lead a determined, albeit noticeably weaker, Napoli into the tournament, and Tottenham should be good viewing with a manager hungry for success for the second time in three years. Inter Milan, Liverpool and Leverkusen will also add to the weight of high-profile names.
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The inclusion of Manchester United and Manchester City last season did a lot to boost the interest in the competition. And even though there are a number of fans who would be keen to follow clubs like Ajax in Europe, UEFA are deeming themselves extremely fortunate to have another round of big names to draw in sizable audiences.
Prior to the change of name, you’d either have to have been keen on the talent at Shakhtar Donetsk, or a Werder Bremen supporter to switch over to the Uefa Cup. It will take a lot more than just half-a-season’s worth of play to change the makeup of the Europa League, but at least things are moving in the right direction for UEFA.
Arsenal and Manchester United still have intentions to sign target Michel Bastos despite the Brazilian recently signing a new deal at current club Lyon talkSPORT understands.
Bastos has been the subject of interest from the Premier League giants in the past only for Lyon’s refusal to sell causing the duo to halt their pursuit of the 28-year-old.
However recent reports indicate that both clubs remain keen to secure his signature which has prompted the Ligue 1 side to offer the left sided player a new contract.
That deal was duly signed keeping Bastos at the Stade de Gerland until 2015 and putting an end to any speculation over his future in France.
Since moving Les Gones in 2009 Bastos, who can play in defence or midfield, has been linked with a switch to England with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly keen to utilise his versatility on the left.
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger also considered a bid for the Brazil international after losing Gael Clichy in the summer but opted to sign fellow countryman Andre Santos from Fenerbahce instead.
Despite Bastos penning a new deal at Lyon both clubs haven’t been perturbed in their efforts to secure his services.
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