CURRENT SOCCER NEWS: United confirm interest in Stekelenburg

CURRENT SOCCER NEWS: United confirm interest in Stekelenburg

United confirm interest in Stekelenburg

Manchester United have put Netherlands international Maarten Stekelenburg at the top of their list to replace retiring goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
A dependable presence in South Africa last summer for the World Cup finalists, the Ajax goalkeeper is highly rated across the continent. And now United coach Rene Meulensteen has confirmed the 28-year-old - who only has a year left on his current deal with the Eredivisie club - has attracted Sir Alex Ferguson's interest.
"Stekelenburg is indeed the 'keeper who is at the top of our wanted list," Meulensteen said. "We naturally talk a lot among ourselves about who should replace Van der Sar. Alex Ferguson has spoken about Stekelenburg with Edwin and that does not seem strange to me at all."
United's goalkeeping coach Eric Steele acknowledged earlier in the week that the club had three targets in mind who could potentially succeed Van der Sar, who will retire at the end of the current campaign, with assistant manager Mike Phelan suggesting on Thursday that Sporting Lisbon's Rui Patricio is also someone of interest to the Old Trafford hierarchy.
"He's a young keeper with enormous potential - we've known Rui Patricio for a long time and we've also played against him a few times," Phelan said of the 22-year-old. "The only thing I can confirm is that we haven't made any offer."

Reds to stand firm over Torres rejection

Liverpool will not be bullied into selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea, with Kenny Dalglish determined to hold onto the striker despite reports that he is ready to ask for a move.
The Reds revealed late on Thursday night that they had rejected a bid for star striker Torres, with a club spokesman saying: "Chelsea have made a bid for Fernando which has been turned down. The player is not for sale."
ESPNsoccernet can reveal that Chelsea's offer for Torres was £28 million, significantly lower than the £35-40 million suggested in the press on Friday and a second bid of just over £30 million was also rejected soon after.
But even if the Blues were to return with a dramatically increased third bid, Liverpool would still refuse to entertain the idea of selling their prized asset, who has scored 74 goals in three-and-a-half years since arriving at Anfield as the Merseysiders' record signing in 2007.
A source close to the transfer told ESPNsoccernet: "There was a bid tabled at £28 million, but Liverpool made it clear that they won't sell. Kenny Dalglish is there for [at least] six months and he does not want one of his best players sold under any circumstances."
However, Liverpool's hand may yet be forced as reports emerged on Friday that Torres is ready to shock the club by asking to move to the reigning Premier League champions.
"If the player wants to go, that is another matter and if there is a chance [of him forcing a move] maybe Chelsea will increase their offer," the source added.
Chelsea's pursuit of Torres has been a game of cat and mouse, bubbling under the surface for 18 months, with representatives working behind the scenes to try to make the transfer a reality.
The Blues are ready to offer Torres a lucrative wage packet at Stamford Bridge should Liverpool accept a return offer - with a basic £160,000-a-week salary, plus bonuses and a massive signing on fee likely. Torres has been aware of Chelsea's interest for some time and had privately suggested they would be his preferred destination should he leave Anfield.
Manchester City were thought to be willing to pay a staggering £75 million for the former Atletico Madrid frontman last summer and he could have commanded £200,000-a-week at Eastlands, but a move to City has never been on Torres' agenda. Chelsea are travelling up to Merseyside on Friday ahead of their FA Cup clash with Everton, and members of the club's hierarchy have joined the team on the journey north as they consider putting together a new bid for Torres before the transfer window closes at 2300 GMT on Monday.
There are contradicting reports about the existence of a £50 million buy-out clause in Torres' contract and, at any rate, it is debatable whether Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich would be willing to pay that kind of fee.
Torres has endured a difficult season, in which he has struggled for form and fitness, but he has seemingly been given a new lease of life since Kenny Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson in the Liverpool hotseat and has still managed nine Premier League goals this term.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to be drawn on his club's bid for Torres - but said he is happy that "the club are trying to do everything they can to improve the squad''.
Ancelotti added: "I don't want to speak about this, you will have to ask the club. He is not my player and I have to have respect for Liverpool. I don't like to speak about this.''

Woodgate turns down Wolves move

Jonathan Woodgate has turned down the chance to join Wolves, following Niko Kranjcar's lead after the Croatian rejected an offer to move from Tottenham to Werder Bremen.
Woodgate is on the comeback trail from injury and with Spurs willing to let him head out of White Hart Lane on loan, he was given the chance to jump ship to Wolves.
However, the former Newcastle defender has opted against joining Mick McCarthy's relegation-threatened side at Molineux.
"He has been a world-class centre half and if he gets back to fitness he will be again," McCarthy said. "It seems he has made every effort to do that with the treatment he has had.
"If I thought there was a chance to get a player of his ilk, even for five, 10, 15 games, I thought it was worth doing but he wants to stay and fight for his place.
"He has not said it to me. There is some suggestion I have spoken to him, but I haven't. That is the message I have got."
Talented midfielder Kranjcar has found opportunities limited at Spurs this term due to the wealth of options available to Redknapp and Werder came forward with a bid.
Spurs made the Croatian aware of the offer, but the former Portsmouth midfielder has turned down the chance to talk to the Bundesliga side.

Milan complete Vila signing

AC Milan have confirmed the signing of left-back Didac Vila from Espanyol.
Club vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed on Thursday that Milan were close to making their fourth and final signing of the January window and Vila, 21, has now followed Antonio Cassano, Urby Emanuelson and Mark van Bommel to the club.
The deal for Vila, who signed a new contract until 2015 less than a year ago, is reported to be worth around €3 million.
The move provides Milan with cover in the Champions League as Emanuelson, who signed from Ajax, is cup-tied in the competition.
A statement on the Milan official website read: "A left-back was the last missing piece of an excellent transfer campaign carried out by the Rossoneri management. The mission has been completed as 21-year-old Dídac Vilà Rosselló has joined Milan from R.C.D. Espanyol de Barcelona.
"Once again, Adriano Galliani's personal intervention proved to be decisive, as the Milan CEO left for Barcelona immediately after the presentation of Van Bommel and Emanuelson to return to Italy with the Spanish starlet, who's seen as the final piece to complete the Rossoneri defence."

Martins moves to Birmingham on loan

Birmingham City have signed former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins on a six-month loan from Rubin Kazan, according to the Russian club. Martins moved to Newcastle in 2006, but chose to depart for Wolfsburg in 2009. He lasted just a year in Germany before moving on to Rubin for a reported fee of ¬17million and, having failed to settle at the club, has now decided to return to England.
"He has just had a child and he asked to be let go to England, as he wants to go closer to his family," Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev confirmed.
Birmingham have yet to confirm the deal themselves, but it reported that the Nigerian international turned down a move to West Brom in order to move to St Andrews.

Premier League hits Blackpool with fine

Blackpool have been fined £25,000 for fielding a weakened side in their Premier League game against Aston Villa on November 10.
Having drawn 2-2 with Everton in their previous game, Blackpool manager Ian Holloway made ten changes to his side and saw his side lose 3-2 at Villa Park to a last-minute goal.
Holloway argued that following the introduction of new rules that stipulated a club must select a 25-man squad at the start of the season, he should not be punished for drastically changing his side.
He threatened to quit if the Premier League took action, declaring: "If I got fined for picking a weakened team I would resign - I would pack it in. I don't care what anyone else says - I can do whatever I like. Let the Barclays Premier League tell me otherwise. Who the hell are they to tell me how to do my job?"
But the Premier League has opted to punish Blackpool with an immediate fine. That contrasts to the suspended £25,000 fine handed down to Wolverhampton Wanderers after Mick McCarthy's decision to rest ten players for their game against Manchester United in December 2009.
"Blackpool Football Club can confirm the Premier League board has found the club guilty of breaches of Rules B.13 and E.20 in relation to the team fielded by the blub in its fixture against Aston Villa on 10th November 2010," a statement read. "As a result of this breach of rules Blackpool FC has been fined £25,000.
"In reaching a decision the board took into account the team fielded by Blackpool in its match against West Ham United on 13th November 2010 and in subsequent League matches. The board also considered the team fielded in the FA Cup third round tie versus Southampton FC and Ian Holloway's comments concerning the team selected for that game.
"The board was also mindful of the fact that as recently as June 10 2010, following the introduction of the League's new Home Grown Player and Squad Rules, the clubs considered but ruled out removing Rule E.20 and the board is therefore committed to applying it in such extreme cases. The Seasiders have 14 days to decide whether to appeal."
Reflecting on the Premier League punishment, Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston told talkSPORT: "It is a squad game now. As a Premier League rule we have to nominate 25 players ahead of the season and that is what we have done. If the Premier League think those players aren't good enough to appear on our behalf then maybe they should tell us that as we nominate them and maybe they should pick our team for us, I'm not sure.''
Oyston rejected suggestions that Holloway would be leaving Bloomfield Road following the fine, saying he would do "everything in my power'' to retain the manager's services.
"The manager has got absolute total control over which players he picks at Blackpool and I support every decision he makes, so I have no issue with Ian and I think for him to consider resigning when he's done so magnificently well since he was appointed is something that I certainly wouldn't preside over,'' he said.
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure Ian stays at Blackpool for as long as I can keep him there. I don't think we should have been fined and we will reveal our position and possibly appeal against it. I think it's unjust and so does Ian.''
Oyston also elaborated on Liverpool's interest in midfielder Charlie Adam, telling Sky Sports News: "I think they have maybe expressed a direct interest to the media, but that has certainly not been backed up by their conversations with us, which have been slightly bizarre in my opinion.
"Ordinarily, if a club wants to take a player from another club they will approach them directly. Every step of the way through this window everything has been done by the media."
"I find it amazing the way the whole thing has unfolded. It has really left us in a position where we have just had to react to the whole thing rather than ever being in any form of control over it."
Meanwhile, Blackpool have announced the signing of Morocco international Salaheddine Sbai from French club Nimes. The left-back joins the club until the end of the season and has the option of another year with the Premier League side.
Discussions to sign Plymouth defender Onismor Bhasera are ongoing at present. Bhasera would join the club on loan initially, with a view to a permanent move.
"He's up there at the moment," Plymouth manager Peter Reid told the club's official website. "From what I've been told that should go through. We get a fee on that as well, which helps what we're trying to do in the terms of paying the tax man."

Liverpool reject Blues bid for Torres

Torres is known to have long been a target for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich but his attempt to recruit the World Cup winner in January has failed after Liverpool stated their intent to retain Torres' services.
"Chelsea have made a bid for Fernando which has been turned down," a Liverpool spokesman told The Times. "The player is not for sale."
Torres has scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, but only nine of those have come this season as he struggled with his form in the wake of a demanding World Cup campaign, and under the doomed reign of Roy Hodgson.
Prior to Hodgson's dismissal and the return of Kenny Dalglish, it was reported that both Torres and goalkeeper Jose Reina were seriously considering their futures at Anfield, with the club struggling to pull decisively clear of the relegation zone.
However, his performances have improved alongside an upturn in Liverpool's results, and the club have shown their determination to secure the future of the man who joined the club from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2007.

United battle back for extraordinary win

Blackpool's Tangerine dream was shattered by one of those famous Manchester United comebacks as Sir Alex Ferguson's men roared back from two goals down to win 3-2 and surge five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

At half-time, on top and two goals up, it appeared Blackpool would end United's unbeaten record and achieve a result that would go down in the history books alongside the `Matthews Final' in 1953.
But those goals from Red Devils old-boy Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell were insufficient to resist United, who were galvanised by Ryan Giggs and Javier Hernandez.
The Mexican struck the all-important equaliser but once again it was Dimitar Berbatov who did the damage for the rampant Red Devils, tapping home his side's first 19 minutes from time before driving home his 20th goal of the season - and his fifth in four days - to send Sir Alex Ferguson's men five points clear.
United were shaken out of their stride by the hosts, whose enthusiasm knows no bounds and for whom Charlie Adam, putting his transfer request and interest from Liverpool to the back of his mind, was outstanding.
It was Adam's accidental clash with Patrice Evra that forced the Frenchman off the field and meant he was out of position when he returned as the Blackpool skipper swung in his first fateful corner.
Still, there was no excuse for United's total failure to track Cathcart's run.
Tipped for big things by the Old Trafford hierarchy until injury intervened, Cathcart rose unchallenged and powered a header past a motionless Edwin van der Sar.
The veteran Dutchman was also stood still when Nemanja Vidic turned a diving header straight into his chest when he had been aiming to clear.
It was an example of the confusion within the visiting ranks.
Elliot Grandin scooped a 12-yard effort over the bar and David Vaughan brought an excellent save out of Van der Sar, which as it turned out, only staved off Blackpool's second by half a minute.
Again Adam took the corner. Dropping it into roughly the same place.
This time Darron Gibson got his head to it but only succeeded in turning it to Campbell, who bundled home at the far post to send the home supporters into delirium.
It was no surprise that Ferguson replaced Gibson with Giggs at half-time and Blackpool would have known the last time United faced such an unpromising scenario, they nearly defeated Aston Villa.
If Luke Varney had been granted the penalty he was convinced should have been awarded when Rafael sent him tumbling, Blackpool would almost certainly have avoided a similar fate.
As it was, United took inspiration from Hernandez's introduction for an out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney and the Seasiders started to get washed away by the tide of attacks.
The Mexican has come up with a few vital goals already in his debut season and he nearly had another when he streaked clear of the Blackpool defence.
But Kingson took the pace off his shot, allowing Cathcart's incredible evening to continue with a goal-line clearance.
United were on a roll though, and when Darren Fletcher crossed a couple of minutes later, Berbatov was on hand to tap United back into the contest.
Within two minutes, they had bagged another as Giggs' magnificent chip sent Hernandez streaking through.
Having let Blackpool off the hook once, the striker was not keen on doing it again and this time finished with calm assurance.
United were not finished. Even the departure of Rafael on a stretcher that required 10 minutes injury time failed to halt their momentum.
And when Scholes sprayed a magical pass to Berbatov, the Bulgarian blasted home his fifth goal in four days to seal an unlikely win.

Terry defends Chelsea old guard

John Terry says Chelsea's 30-somethings still have a number of good years ahead of them.
Chelsea captain and England defender Terry remains irritated at suggestions that time may be running out for some players.
Terry, 30, believes the reigning champions can kick on after the emphatic 4-0 victory against Bolton and mount a serious challenge to Manchester United and others.
Asked if the group had a future beyond this season, he said: "I certainly hope so. We all realise we are a small squad and the club are looking at different options. I don't want to get into that but, what I will say, if the group has to stay together for the rest of the season we will definitely be right up there.
"We were reading that people don't fear us any more. The message in the dressing room is 'don't fear us at your peril'. People were saying things that we showed great experience with the players we have in the squad. Three months later we are all too old.
"We have players who are 30, 31, 32. We have young blood coming through as well. We have a great mix of players. One thing you cannot take away from the squad is that winning mentality. That rubs off on everyone coming into the group. You have to win in training, you have to win in games.''
Terry also believes striker Didier Drogba is back to his best after a bout of malaria. Drogba made the breakthrough against Bolton with a magnificent opening goal from 30 yards. Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka and Ramires also got in on the scoring act to hand the team their first win on the road since October. Terry highlights their attacking options - and having Drogba up and running again.
It was his 10th goal of the campaign - he scored 37 last season - and Terry said: "I think he is over the malaria now. I have never had it myself but speaking to people and the doctor here, it does knock you for six. Fair play to him, he could have taken two months out but he never did, he wanted to keep on fighting for the team.''

Wenger hints at end to transfer activity

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal's chances of signing Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in January appear slim after Arsene Wenger hinted the Gunners' January dealings are over.
A deal appeared imminent when the player's father hailed Arsenal as the "ideal choice" for a move, but now it seems that Oxlade-Chamberlain will not follow in Theo Walcott's footsteps by switching between the clubs - at least, not in the current transfer window.
Wenger's revelation also appears to herald the end of his search for a defender to ease the club's injury crisis, with Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou currently the Gunners' only fit centre-backs.
Although Sebastien Squillaci is close to a return to fitness and expected to play in Sunday's FA Cup tie with Huddersfield, Arsenal suffered a further setback when Bacary Sagna was forced out of their Carling Cup semi-final win over Ipswich due to a concussion.
Nonetheless, Wenger appears happy with his defensive options ahead of a punishing run-in that sees the Gunners still fighting on four fronts.
"Sagna had a concussion. He has to go to hospital, he was sick after the game," Wenger said. "He has pain at his nose but the most worrying is the concussion of his head. Hopefully we can get good news tomorrow.
"Transfer-wise there is no news and I would be surprised if there is any."

Arsenal close to Saints starlet deal

The father of Southampton's in-demand teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has confirmed that Arsenal are the "ideal choice" for his son, with reports suggesting a deal could be agreed imminently.
Four years ago, Arsenal beat a number of their Premier League rivals to sign Theo Walcott from Southampton and it appears Arsene Wenger is on the verge of luring away another of the Saints' talented academy products, with the Gunners making a concerted effort to recruit Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17.
While the midfielder has been watched by Liverpool director of football strategy Damien Comolli and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson after scoring six goals in 24 league games for the Saints, he reportedly visited Arsenal's training ground on Friday to hold talks with Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
His father, Mark Chamberlain, says Wenger's record of nurturing young players such as Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Cesc Fabregas means Oxlade-Chamberlain is likely to move to North London.
"Arsenal, with the manager there, the way they play and develop players to play the game the right way, I think they are the ideal choice," Chamberlain told Sky Sports News.
"He is coping very well. As you say, it is all speculation, it's the time of the year when things do happen. I think the club, if there is anything happening, will keep us notified."
It is reported that Arsenal will pay an initial £7 million for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who could return to Southampton on loan for the remainder of the season. Wenger has confirmed that he hopes to finalise a deal in January.
"We need an agreement with Southampton, we need an agreement with the player, and we are not the only ones on the case, but we try as hard as we can because I like him as a player,'' Wenger said.
The midfielder will inevitably draw comparisons with Walcott, who left Southampton as a 16-year-old and within six months was a member of the England squad that competed at the 2006 World Cup. However, Oxlade-Chamberlain is a better player, according to his father.
"I am his dad, I have worked with both of them," he said. "They have both got different attributes. Theo has played 100 league games for Arsenal in the Premiership, played for England, scored a hat-trick, so he is a very good player.
"Alexander is a bit different. He is better technically, he is more of a central midfield player rather than a wide player."

Poulsen keen for 'new start' with Reds

Christian Poulsen says he is determined to win over sceptical Liverpool supporters and have a "new start" at Anfield
Poulsen joined the club from Juventus in the summer but became synonymous with the failings of Roy Hodgson's reign at Liverpool and has been singled out for criticism by Liverpool supporters frustrated with his performances in the centre of midfield.
However, the Dane started Saturday's impressive 3-0 win over Wolves and hopes the rare away victory will be the first step in his rehabilitation in the eyes of Reds supporters.
"I know the fans sometimes shout at me, but I did really good in the first half, and I had two or three misplaced passes in the beginning of the second half," Poulsen told the club's official website. "Of course, I want to improve my game and I hope I can do that here at Liverpool.
"It's a fight to get into the team, and with some good performances on the training ground hopefully I can have a new start here at Liverpool. The season hasn't been too good for the club or for me. I hope we can now start getting more wins. We need to.
"It's been a difficult year for Liverpool and hopefully we can turn it around in the rest of the season. It's not just me, it's everyone around the club. We need to work hard and turn it around, and hopefully the start can be this win."
Liverpool's win at Wolves was only their second away from home this season and it was achieved in some style, with 30 passes preceding Fernando Torres' second goal at Molineux. Poulsen believes the appointment of Dalglish will make the Reds a more attractive side.
"Kenny hasn't been here long, and he needs to get to know the players and he will slowly adapt his type of football to the team," he said. "Watching the manager as a player was a little bit before my time, but you can feel the difference it has made. At Wolves, it was unbelievable how the away fans support the manager.
"A little difference is that we're playing more through the middle and it worked pretty good at Wolves. Kenny is a manager who wants to play with the ball, we keep the ball on the floor. It's a long time since we got points away. It was an important game if you look at the table, and I hope it will be a good start for the team."

Ancelotti: Sexy football has cost us

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted Chelsea's pursuit of beautiful football has made them vulnerable but he refuses to switch to a more negative style in search of results.
Chelsea boss Ancelotti accepts the Blues are currently no match for unbeaten Premier League leaders Manchester United when it comes to grinding out results. The Italian's claim casts huge doubt on the champions' hopes of staging an extraordinary comeback in the title race, with the team that finishes top often proving the best at picking up points when playing badly.
However, Ancelotti insists the situation is no different to last season, when his side won the double. Improvement, rather than a revision of tactics, is what he believes is required.
"For Chelsea to win a game, we have to play well, play good football,'' said Ancelotti, whose side travel to Bolton on Monday night ten points adrift of United. "We are not able to win a game if we are not able to play well. We played very well last season and when we didn't play well, we lost the game the same way we have lost them this season.
"Our aim is to improve our football. This is the way to win the game. It is our philosophy. We don't want to stay back and maybe use the long ball or use the counter-attack. Maybe this is also the reason that if we don't play well, we are vulnerable.''
United stretched their club-record unbeaten start to the season to 22 games on Saturday, but Ancelotti is convinced they will not emulate Arsenal's 2004 'Invincibles'.
"I think it's impossible because if we want to come back to fight for the title we have to beat Man United,'' Ancelotti added.
As well as beating United home and away, Ancelotti admits Chelsea must also win their head-to-heads with third-placed Manchester City and fifth-placed Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in the second half of the season.
"We have to win these games. That is the key to come back to win the title,'' said Ancelotti, who admitted he had not been completely satisfied with his team's performance since they beat second-placed Arsenal almost four months ago. "We have to play twice against Man Utd, we have to play Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool.''
Ancelotti has already admitted Chelsea must win at least 13 of their remaining 16 games to retain the title and knows there is almost no margin for error, as he found out in similar circumstances while captain of Roma 25 years ago.
"In 1986 we needed to close a gap of eight points when it was two points for a win,'' he said of his side's battle to overhaul Juventus. "We ran for two months closing the points, eight, seven, six, five. The last but one game we were level and we lost 3-2 at home to the bottom team, Lecce. Before, there was a celebration in the stadium. The coach of Lecce even said, 'I am a fan of Roma. I hate Juventus'. We were not able to win and Juventus won the title. This is life.'

Dalglish: Babel staying at Anfield

Kenny Dalglish revealed on Monday that Ryan Babel will not be leaving Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Dalglish began his morning press conference in jovial mood, asking the Sky Sports reporter if he was comfortable having a female in the room following revelations of sexist comments made by Andy Gray and Richard Keys.
However, the Liverpool manager's mood immediately turned serious when asked about transfers, insisting he is re-establishing the "Liverpool way" by refusing to discuss potential transfer targets.
Dalglish did reveal Babel would not be moving to either Hoffenheim or Ajax, despite Liverpool accepting an offer from the former last week. The manager said: "He's staying here."
Asked what that means regarding Liverpool's move for Ajax forward Luis Suarez, Dalglish preferred to focus on Babel by reiterating: "He's staying here."
The Reds recently lodged a £4 million bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam, a figure labelled "disgraceful" by Ian Holloway, and Dalglish predictably refused to speak about a possible increased offer for the former Rangers midfielder.
"I've told you before, if I've got some business to discuss, we will discuss," he said. "We've said we'll try to adopt the ways of Liverpool Football Club, and certainly one of our ways is to be respectful to other clubs.
"The most important people we have are the players at our football club, not those belonging to others."
Dalglish also welcomed the return from suspension of captain Steven Gerrard, who will play in Wednesday's game against Fulham following a three-match ban.
"He is a special person - he's not just a special footballer," Dalglish said. "The way he has served this club and what the club means to him - it is nothing short of fantastic what he has done for this football club.
"I don't have words in my vocabulary to be complimentary enough about Steven other than to say this club is much better off with him than it could be without him.
"What he's done for this football club, he deserves to be up there in the folklore and the history of the club. He is a fantastic footballer that we're very lucky to have at our disposal."

Harry unhappy with Birmingham

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has criticised Birmingham over their conduct during Robbie Keane's failed transfer to St Andrew's.
Spurs accepted Blues' £6 million bid for Keane last week before the Midlands outfit pulled the plug on the deal, claiming in a statement from acting chairman Peter Pannu that the striker's wage demands were out of their reach.
Keane, 30, denied those claims earlier this week, suggesting that Birmingham had made such an assertion as part of a publicity stunt. And Redknapp backed Keane's stance, insisting that it was "unfair'' of Birmingham to make such a claim about the want-away striker.
"There was never a deal with Birmingham,'' said Redknapp, who is willing to let the striker leave White Hart Lane this month. "He never asked Birmingham for money.
"He never got around to discussing a deal with them so when they said they couldn't meet his wage demands that was totally unfair on Robbie because he never made any demands. He never even spoke to them. I don't see how the deal could've fallen down on wage demands when he didn't make any. That's a strange one.''
Redknapp completed a major transfer coup on Tuesday when Steven Pienaar opted to join Spurs over champions Chelsea. The versatile midfielder, who excelled during time at Everton, has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for a transfer fee thought to be between £2 million and £3 million.
Pienaar will travel to Newcastle with his new team-mates and could make his debut at St. James' Park. But with the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart already cemented in their positions in the team, Redknapp admits Pienaar has a fight on his hands to earn a first-team spot.
"I couldn't sit here and say he will take someone's place. There is competition for all places,'' Redknapp said. "He can play in several positions across midfield. He keeps the ball and he'll enjoy playing in our team.
"He and (Leighton) Baines were fantastic down the left at Everton. We have Gareth Bale who plays wide left so it's a difficult position to get into. Aaron (Lennon) has done great as well. They have all been doing great so he has to work hard to get into the team.''
A number of Spurs players could leave the club this month to make way for new arrivals. Striker Keane, Jamie O'Hara, Giovani dos Santos, Niko Kranjcar and Vedran Corluka could depart while Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch have both been touted as potential replacements for Darren Bent at Sunderland.
The Russian has made 15 starts in all competitions and Redknapp does not think he will be leaving.
"I know Steve (Bruce) is looking for a replacement, but I doubt it very much,'' Redknapp said.
Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi and FC Porto striker Hulk have been linked with Tottenham but Redknapp insists a deal to sign either of the two strikers will not be possible.
Redknapp said: "Rossi? He's a good player but he's not available. Incredible Hulk? No. Not going to happen. I couldn't say we're close to doing anything with anyone.''

Liverpool's £4m Adam bid rejected

Liverpool have reportedly had an offer of £4 million turned down for Charlie Adam, with Blackpool boss Ian Holloway expected to hold out for around double that fee.

Scottish midfielder Adam could hand in a transfer request to try to push through a move to Anfield but Holloway is keen to hang on to his skipper until the end of the season unless a too-good-to-refuse offer is put forward.

Holloway had previously stated his intention to only sell Adam to a big club, which he said would include Liverpool, and he has hit out at "derisory" bids of around £3.5 million from Aston Villa. Considering that Villa splashed out £24 million for Darren Bent and Adam's importance to Blackpool's hopes of staying in the lucrative Premier League, Holloway is reluctant to let Adam go cheaply but reports said he could be tempted by around £8 million if the player wants out.

Before news of the Liverpool bid surfaced, Holloway said he did not want to think about Adam's future until the summer.

"Realistically, with the choice he (Adam) might have in the summer, our heads might be turned by a huge offer which is so ridiculous, we'd have to accept it,'' Holloway said. "But until then, you can't get what you want - you have to work towards getting it. Every day that comes closer to the end of the season, Charlie's contract is ticking, so it's all quite simple for me. Everything else is an absolute load of baloney.''

In terms of bringing players in during the transfer window, Blackpool have missed out on Barnsley winger Adam Hammill, who opted to join Wolves, and it seems talks with Peterborough about their midfielder George Boyd and striker Craig Mackail-Smith have hit a stumbling block.

"We were only offered £3.5million for Charlie Adam. Peterborough want that for two lads who were in a team that got relegated from the Championship,'' said Holloway, quoted in the Blackpool Gazette. "I don't mean that as an insult at all but I'm saying let's have a look at reality.

"They know we're a Premier League side but they don't know where my chairman (Karl Oyston) is. He likes to do good deals and are those players worth £2million (each)? Maybe they are, but who will buy them for that sort of price and what does that make Charlie worth? This is why it is so hard to quantify anything you own. Your house is only worth what someone will pay for it, not what an estate agent tells you.''

Meanwhile, Holloway said he can understand Steve Bruce's shock that Bent would want to leave what the manager is building at Sunderland.

On Saturday Holloway's side play host to the Black Cats, who will be without their top scorer Bent following his decision to join Aston Villa earlier this week. With the Wearsiders currently sixth in the Premier League and in the running for European football, Bruce has been left stunned by the striker's defection to a Villa outfit struggling at the opposite end of the table.

Holloway sympathises with his counterpart, describing the way Bruce has taken Sunderland forward since his appointment there in the summer of 2009 as "phenomenal''.

Asked what sort of job he felt Bruce had done at the Stadium of Light, Holloway said: "Absolutely terrific, and the shock for him now is that someone would want to leave his club and go somewhere else. He is trying to build, grow it and make it better than it has ever been. How quickly he is doing it is quite phenomenal, so I think that is what will hurt him more than anything.''

He added: "I understand how he might feel, but this is life. Any footballer will have his head turned, that is what happens, because you are only in it a short time.''

Pienaar moved to Spurs for sexy footbal

New Tottenham signing Steven Pienaar has claimed it was the club's attractive football that persuaded him to sign for them ahead of Premier League champions Chelsea.Having joined from Everton for around £3 million on Tuesday, Pienaar is looking forward to once again linking up with former Ajax team-mate Rafael van der Vaart and becoming a part of the entertaining style of football that manager Harry Redknapp employs at White Hart Lane.
"The style of football is really important," Pienaar said. "I played with Rafa at Ajax and we played attacking football and I want to be in a team that plays attacking football that is exciting for the supporters to watch.
"There is a lot of creativity in this Spurs team and a lot of goals in the side. Everyone can score from all over the team so that is important, but also we have to make sure we don't concede.
"I want to make sure I work hard and fight for a starting place in the team. I know it won't be easy but I am mentally strong to do that. I hope to bring a lot of energy, creativity and of course hard work to the team."
Pienaar believes Spurs are perfectly positioned to challenge for major silverware this season - particularly in the cups - and hopes that he can make a major contribution towards that, especially in the Champions League.
"As a player, you want to play in a good team and challenge yourself and that's what I always try to do as an individual," Pienaar said. "Every footballer wants to play in the big games. We are playing AC Milan in the Champions League and I've got some good history against AC Milan.
"I've scored against them in the Champions League so if I do get an opportunity against them with Spurs, hopefully I'll do the same again. We are not far off first place in the Premier League so I think we've got a good chance to go all the way and win a trophy this season.
"When you look at the way the team has been playing, they are really serious challengers for the cups, while the run in the Champions League has made a lot of people change their minds about Spurs. This is one of the reasons I decided to join them."

Stoke confirm Carew loan signing

Stoke have completed the signing of Aston Villa's Norwegian striker John Carew on loan until the end of the season.
Carew, 31, has struggled to assert himself on the first-team under Gerard Houllier, with whom he has enjoyed a frosty relationship.
And the £18 million arrival of Darren Bent at Villa Park on Tuesday finally facilitated Carew's departure, initially on a short-term deal.
Carew completed his medical on Thursday and finalised the paperwork on Friday in time to be included in the squad for Saturday's Premier League trip to Fulham.
The former Valencia frontman is out of contract at the end of the season and though the Potters have swooped to take him on loan, a permanent deal is thought to be on the cards should he impress. Stoke boss Tony Pulis revealed his delight at capturing the the 6ft 5in striker.
"This is a fantastic signing," Pulis told the club's official website. "John's record speaks for itself because he has scored goals at the highest level throughout his career.
"As well as all the experience he has gained at international level, he has top played for some top, top clubs across Europe and performed in the Champion League for many seasons, including an appearance in the final for Valencia.
"On top of that, he was Aston Villa's leading scorer last season with 17 goals, so we have acquired a striker with outstanding pedigree."

"The arrival of Carew could well pave the way for Ricardo Fuller to leave the Britannia Stadium, with Sunderland boss Steve Bruce confirming his interest in the striker.

Giggs to carry on for another season

Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs has confirmed he intends to extend his Old Trafford career into an incredible 22nd season.
Giggs, 37, has been playing on season-long contracts for a number of years now, with a decision generally taken in the spring about whether he wants to carry on.
And after another campaign in which his influence has not appeared to wane, the veteran Welshman has revealed that he has no plans to retire in the summer.
"I am quite happy still playing at the moment and enjoying my football as much as ever,'' Giggs said. "I said if I was still enjoying myself and still getting picked I would carry on. We will sit down and talk but I am really looking forward to playing next year.''
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has offered high praise for the midfielder's recent performances and confirmed the "good news" that Giggs will be continuing at Old Trafford for at least one more season.
"I spoke to Ryan a few days ago. He is happy to have another year and that is good news,'' he told MUTV. "You can see his fitness. It is incredible.
"He could do another year, who knows, another two years, because his fitness is so good. I never expected him to be here so long but as the years went on there were improvements in terms of sports science and fitness, and Ryan is very much into yoga too.
"That gives you a better chance of course. But Ryan has also been prepared to make sacrifices and be a really good professional.''
Giggs is bidding to win a record 12th league title this season to go alongside his two European Cups and the countless other trophies on his mantlepiece.
All of this has been achieved under Ferguson. And although their relationship has changed down the years, the mutual respect is obvious.
"It is good to hear praise from the manager,'' Giggs said. "He would be the first one to tell me if I was not playing well or my form wasn't good. We talk a lot more and we are a lot more honest with each other.
"He tells me when I am not going to play and gives me a little bit more notice now. It is a great relationship and one that has been a big part of why I am still playing.''
Ferguson confirmed the decision to extend Giggs' contract had already been taken, and raised the possibility his star winger could carry on beyond that.

Rooney hails 'fantastic' Berbatov

Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Manchester United strike partner Dimitar Berbatov, describing his team-mate as "fantastic to play with".
Having stolen most of the limelight last season after plundering 34 goals in 44 games, Rooney has had to play second-fiddle to Berbatov in 2010-11 - with the Bulgarian currently sitting atop the Premier League scoring charts with 14 strikes to his name.
That Rooney has only scored one goal in open play this season is some departure from the prolific form that saw him named PFA Footballer of the Year in 2010, but the England striker is far from unhappy, choosing instead to shift the attention from his goal-shy run to the ability of his strike partner.
"I enjoy playing with Dimitar,'' Rooney told the official Champions League magazine. "If we are playing well together it is the product of us playing and training together for years.
"You start to learn which movements he will make, when he will pass the ball and when he will shoot. He is fantastic to play with. He can do things that are really special.''
Rooney has not only found himself in Berbatov's shadow this season, as new signing Javier Hernandez has also popped up with a number of crucial goals, including winners against Stoke, Valencia and West Brom.
Chicharito has netted nine goals in all competition since making his United debut in August and Rooney has been impressed by the quality of his Mexican understudy.
"He is a great finisher and a really nice lad,'' Rooney said. "He is always on the training pitch, trying to improve, which is nice to see and shows his dedication.
"He always has a smile on his face and enjoys his football. He has done really well in his first season and won us a few games. He has scored some important goals already. Hopefully he will continue to do that for years to come.''

Rio: We don't need to spend

Rio Ferdinand is adamant Manchester United have the strongest squad in the Premier League, despite Manchester City's continued spending in the transfer window.

Having completed the signing of Edin Dzeko for a fee in the region of £27 million already this month, City boss Roberto Mancini is still exploring ways he can add to his options at Eastlands.
But while his opposite number at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson, has been quiet so far this January, Ferdinand has no doubts United are still the team to beat, and is unconcerned by the activity of the club's local rivals.
"I look around the changing room and I'm happy with the players we've got," Ferdinand said. "I'm sure the manager is too.
"If he sees fit to add to it, I stand by whatever decision he makes. But I don't see a problem with the depth of our squad. When everyone's fit, we've got the best in the league.
"In midfield we've got Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Nani, Valencia, Hargreaves. That's an abundance of talent and people say 'You've not got depth in the squad'. But try and pick a foursome out of that - it's difficult."
Despite being included on Ferdinand's list, the future of Owen Hargreaves is looking increasingly bleak.
The luckless midfielder, who has spent most of the past two-and-a-half years on the sidelines appears set to miss out on a place in United's Champions League squad when it is announced on February 1.
And the England international, whose last comeback was branded a "disaster" by Ferguson after it lasted all of five minutes against Wolves in November, is even thought to be at risk of missing out on a pay-as-you-play deal when his contract - which has cost United around £4 million-a-year - expires this summer.

 

UK sports minister slams football

Football is the worst governed sport in the UK, sports minister Hugh Robertson has claimedRobertson told MPs the game was in need of urgent reform but the Government would wait to see the contents of a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee report before taking action.
Changes were due to be announced around now but would only be made publically available around May after discussions with football clubs and the sport's governing bodies.
Mr Robertson said: "Issues of football governance need attention and need action and that is precisely why the select committee has responded to levels of anxiety across the House and announced their investigation.
"If you look across sport, it is very clear to me that football is the worst governed sport in this country, without a shadow of a doubt.
"The levels of corporate governance that apply to football, a point often addressed by (Labour), lag far behind other sports and other sports are by no means beacons in this regard.
"So action is needed and the Government will take it but it wants to see the results of that select committee first.''
Mr Robertson said he "acknowledged'' the part fans could play in running clubs but added that there were many different types of football ownership which made it difficult to impose a "one-size fits all'' set of improvements upon teams.
His comments followed a question from Conservative MP Philip Hollobone (Kettering), who told the Commons: "Premier League footballers are vastly overpaid, Premier League clubs are hugely in debt, our national football team is, in many ways, a disgrace.
"Meanwhile, in the real world with clubs like Kettering Town football club in the non-league, they are struggling to provide suitable ground facilities despite massive fan support.
"Would you agree with me that football in this country at the moment faces an unsustainable future unless the issues of governance are properly sorted out?''

Mancini plays down Lukaku reports

Roberto Mancini has expressed his admiration for Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku but denied reports he is on the verge of signing for the club.
Lukaku, 17, is considered one of the finest young talents in Europe and, although Real Madrid have openly spoken of their interest in the player, he has revealed he would prefer to move to the Premier League.
Although a fan of Chelsea, French magazine Sport/Foot reported that Lukaku's agents were due to travel to Manchester on Wednesday this week to finalise a summer move to Eastlands.
Asked about the player on Thursday, though, Mancini dismissed suggestions of an imminent move.
"Lukaku is a good player and he is young," Mancini said. "Maybe in the future something will happen but, at this moment, no."
Having brought in Edin Dzeko already this month, City's efforts now appear to be centred on offloading fringe players such as Emmanuel Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Mancini said there are no developments as yet on the attempts to reduce the wage bill but remains hopeful there will be movement by the end of January.
"We have another ten days," Mancini said. "It is possible something could happen but at the moment there has been no progress."

Chelsea play down Lampard fears

Chelsea have confirmed that midfielder Frank Lampard limped out of training on Wednesday with a calf injury, but insist it is a minor problem that will not see him suffer another extended spell on the sidelines.
Lampard has had a scan on the problem, with manager Carlo Ancelotti fearing another lay-off for a player who had previously had few injuries throughout his career.
But the club have now issued a statement on their official website, suggesting that he could be in the team to face Bolton Wanderers on Monday night.
It read: ''Frank Lampard is suffering from a minor calf problem which will be monitored over the next few days.
''The midfielder, who has played every minute of our last six matches since Christmas, is expected to be available for Bolton on Monday night.''
The 32-year-old spent three-and-a-half months on the sidelines earlier this season with groin and hamstring problems after being injured in the 2-0 win over Stoke City in August. He has made a total of nine starts all season.
The Blues have won just two of their last ten Premier League matches, leaving their hopes of defending their crown in tatters.
Losing a player who scored 22 Premier League goals last season would have been a huge blow to Ancelotti's hopes of salvaging something from the season.

West Ham place faith in Grant

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has confirmed the club are "100% behind" Avram Grant and that he will be staying on as manager, as the Hammers are a club that "does the right thing".
It emerged on Monday night that the club's attempts to lure former Aston Villa and Celtic manager Martin O'Neill to Upton Park had fallen through, leading the Hammers to publicly back Grant on Tuesday morning.
Grant's success in retaining his job comes as some surprise as the Israeli was widely expected to be sacked by the club, with some reports on Saturday even suggesting he would lose his job irrespective of the result of West Ham's game against Arsenal, which finished in a 3-0 win for the Gunners.
But ESPNsoccernet reported no decision had been taken over Grant's future and now the Israeli has been given a mandate to try to drag the club away from the relegation zone.
"The entire board is 100% behind Avram," Sullivan told ESPNsoccernet. "He is a really decent person who deserves our support.
"West Ham United is a club that does the right thing and the right thing at this time is to support the manager. We will do all we can to bring in players over the next 12 days and once we have achieved that we hope it will keep us up. I urge all supporters to rally behind the club at this difficult time."
West Ham confirmed Grant would remain in his position after rejecting allegations in Tuesday's press relating to vice-chairman Karren Brady.
"West Ham United categorically deny the allegations made in today's Daily Mirror with regard to Karren Brady, the club's vice-chairman," a club statement read.
"Karren has worked tirelessly to improve all aspects of the club's operation and is extremely disappointed by the nature of these unfounded allegations. West Ham fully intend to identify the source of these unhelpful and untrue comments and remove them from the club. West Ham have placed the matter immediately in the hands of their lawyers.
"The club are committed to retaining Avram Grant as manager and have identified potential transfer targets to give us the best possible chance of retaining Premier League status."
Despite West Ham's show of support for Grant on Tuesday morning, ESPNsoccernet can confirm the Hammers thought they had agreed a deal to bring O'Neill to the club.
It is understood that the man who quit Aston Villa at the start of the season had given every indication he would take the job, going as far as to discuss salary, the make-up of his backroom staff and possible transfer targets, including Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.
West Ham are currently bottom of the Premier League after taking 20 points from 23 games after having appointed Grant as Gianfranco Zola's replacement in the summer.

City survive to move top

Manchester City rallied from the shock of going a goal behind to beat Wolves 4-3 and surge to the top of the Premier League.
City handed a debut to new signing Edin Dzeko but it was captain Carlos Tevez who earned the plaudits with two of the four goals.
Wolves took a shock lead when Nenad Mijilas beat Joe Hart from close range after the keeper had made a brilliant save seconds earlier. It was a lead the visitors were deserving of and they had further chances, but were made to pay a heavy price for failing to convert.
The unlikely source of Kolo Toure drew City level shortly before the interval when stabbing home a corner that was flicked on by Vincent Kompany. Wolves attempted to dig in but were undone by a piece of brilliance from Tevez who picked up the ball, drove into the area and fired beyond Wayne Hennessey.
If Kolo was an unlikely source of a goal, then his brother Yaya was arguably a similar shock. But the midfield destroyer showed his prowess in front of the target when collecting a flick from Dzeko and firing home.
Wolves looked a beaten side as Tevez helped himself to a second with a stooping header, but Mick McCarthy's men rallied when Kevin Doyle slotted home a penalty following some sloppy play from Joleon Lescott and Ronald Zubar set up a grandstand finish when bundling the ball over the line with four minutes remaining.
Chelsea required a victory to keep their faltering title challenge on the rails and Branislav Ivanovic provided the Blues with a vital three points in a 2-0 win over Blackburn.
Carlo Ancelotti's side once again looked laboured, but John Terry flicked on a second-half corner and Ivanovic stabbed home following a scramble. Ivanovic turned provider on 76 minutes, as he reacted well to flick the ball into the path of Nicolas Anelka who poked the ball beyond Paul Robinson.
Following a brilliant win over Liverpool in midweek, Blackpool were brought down to earth with a shuddering thud as West Brom claimed a 3-2 win at the Hawthorns. It started brightly for the Tangerines as David Vaughan put them ahead on 11 minutes with an arrowed shot.
The Baggies rallied towards the end of the second half and Peter Odemwingie ended a five-game barren run with a fine goal - the striker collected a Graham Dorrans pass with one foot before slotting home with the other.
The match swung West Brom's way on 52 minutes, as DJ Campbell missed a sitter for Blackpool and West Brom duly broke clear - allowing James Morrison to score. Blackpool are a team that refuse to lie down and Gary Taylor-Fletcher levelled the scores, but a second from Odemwingie on 87 minutes sealed the points for West Brom.
Stoke City put further daylight between themselves and the drop zone with a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers. Danny Higginbotham was handed a rare Premier League start and rewarded Tony Pulis when bundling the ball just over the line to open the scoring. The Trotters failed to fashion a response and Matthew Etherington won and then converted a penalty on 63 minutes to secure the three points.
Andrew Johnson ended a goal drought that stretched back to March 2009 to earn Fulham a 1-1 draw at Wigan. Hugo Rodallega latched on to a goal kick from Ali Al-Habsi to fire Wigan ahead, but Mark Hughes threw on Johnson from the bench and he collected a pass from Clint Dempsey before firing home the leveller.

Barca happy to play Cesc waiting game

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has hinted that the club will reignite their interest in Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas this summer despite being frustrated in their approach for the midfielder over the past couple of years.

Fabregas, 23, was the subject of a very public tug-of-war between Camp Nou and Emirates Stadium during the summer, which included a number of players and officials from the Catalan giants speaking openly about their desire to bring him to the club.
But Arsenal refused to entertain the idea of selling their captain and flatly rejected a bid from Barca, though talk about a move for Fabregas has now returned - less than a month before Pep Guardiola's side meet the Gunners in the Champions League last 16.
Former Barca president Joan Laporta was frustrated in his plans to sign Fabregas before stepping down last year, and Rosell was also unable to recruit the midfielder - who was a youth player at the Catalan club - upon taking over in July. But Rosell has hinted that a new move is likely this summer.
"Will we sign Cesc this summer? I'll tell you in June,'' Rosell told reporters at an event in Arenys de Mar on Saturday.
Rosell also hopes right-back Dani Alves will agree to a new deal to remain at the Nou Camp amid reported interest from Manchester City.
"It would be absurd to end our relationship,'' he said. "The two parties will focus on the matter in the best way possible and I am sure there will be no problems - where would he feel better than here?''
Barca, like many clubs in Spain, have spent big over the last few years and are now feeling the pinch of the global financial crisis.
Rosell believes sensible management is called for and says the club's academy - which has already seen the emergence of talents such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Leo Messi, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Cesc himself - represents the future for Barca.
"It's important to invest in homegrown players,'' he said. "That's our policy and it's the future of football.''
Three of the players brought through at La Masia - Messi, Xavi and Iniesta - competed for the Ballon D'or earlier this week, with the Argentinian a surprise winner in the end.
Rosell is proud that three Barca players made the final shortlist and says they all deserved the prize.
"All three of them deserved it - I would have been happy whoever won,'' he said. "It is a triumph for the club's model.''

Drogba and Essien set to be benched?

Drogba and Essien

Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that Didier Drogba could be dropped from his starting XI as he plots a way back into the Premier League's top four.

Chelsea face Blackburn at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night desperate for a win and Ancelotti revealed he would consider leaving out some of his experienced players to give impressive youngsters Josh McEachran and Daniel Sturridge the chance to turn the champions' flagging season around.

It is hard to remember a time when a fit Drogba would not have been one of the first players on the Chelsea teamsheet but he has failed to hit top form after recovering from a bout of malaria earlier in the campaign. Midfielder Michael Essien is also in the firing line, with Ancelotti refusing to defend the pair when asked whether they could lose their places in the team.

He said: "Yes, why not? My job is to choose the best team to play the game. Maybe sometimes there are some players who are not in the best condition to play. This does not mean they are not important. I had fantastic players in the past at Milan and they did not play every game."

Ancelotti said it was the form of 17-year-old McEachran and 21-year-old Sturridge in recent matches - particularly in Chelsea's 7-0 thrashing of Ipswich in the FA Cup a week ago - that had given him a selection headache, rather than a desire to drop certain players.

"I have doubts about the selection, up front and also in midfield. The performances of Sturridge and McEachran are the reason I have doubts. I want to take the right decision. There were very important performances against Ipswich, so I have to take them into consideration."

Ancelotti said he had not given up hope of retaining the Premier League, suggesting it could take as few as 80 points to win the title this season. While retaining the title could be beyond them, it is unthinkable Chelsea will fail to qualify for the Champions League next season. Yet, the same could be said for Liverpool last term when they finished seventh. Then-manager Rafael Benitez promised a top-four finish just over a year ago and ended up with egg on his face and ultimately lost his job. Ancelotti was not about to fall into the same trap.

"I don't like to promise because I have to stick with that promise,'' he said. "I don't want to bet because I don't like to bet, but we have the possibility to stay in the top four.''

With Luiz Felipe Scolari sacked just under two years ago when owner Roman Abramovich began to fear Chelsea would not qualify for the Champions League, Ancelotti knows his double win last season will count for little if he fails to finish in the top four.

"It would not be good to be out of the Champions League,'' he said. "For us, one of the most important things is to stay in the first four places in the table. I don't want to speak about financial reasons, but about the motivation of the players, the club, the manager. We have to play the Champions League.''

Ancelotti spoke over the telephone this week to Abramovich, who is obsessed with winning Europe's premier club competition.

"We didn't speak about that,'' he added. "We're not considering being out of the top four. I don't think it's impossible - we have to pay attention - but we didn't speak about it.''

Carlo Ancelotti dismisses Frank Lampard claim

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has laughed off Frank Lampard's claim the climate at the club is akin to the last days of Luis Felipe Scolari's reign.

Scolari was sacked by Chelsea in 2009 after a series of poor results, but the Blues are currently on a worse run.
"This is not good news!" joked Ancelotti when questioned about midfielder Lampard's comments.
"Maybe it's the same atmosphere, but we have the capacity to move on. I support the players and they support me."
He added: "I don't know the feeling with Scolari, but the feeling here with the players is very good."
Ancelotti has come under increasing pressure, with his team's form tailing off badly after they made a flying start to the season.
The reigning champions and FA Cup winners have taken only 10 points from their last 11 Premier League games - their worst run in the league for almost 15 years - and have concerns over the depth of their squad, although they did thrash Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup last weekend.
Ancelotti continues to enjoy the backing of the club's billionaire benefactor, Roman Abramovich, who he spoke to on the telephone this week and who is expected to attend the home game with Blackburn on Saturday.
Ancelotti admitted Abramovich was "not happy" with recent results but that their exchange had been "positive", giving the Italian the confidence to dismiss Lampard's claims.
"I think it's not a big problem if the players are not happy," he explained. "I think the only reason they are not happy sometimes is that we didn't get the right results. This is the only reason.
"I think the players, the team, lost some confidence in their football, the football that we played very well last year.
"But I think we are able to come back and play the same."
Ancelotti admitted the FA Cup win over Ipswich had improved the mood at Stamford Bridge.
"The week was good," he said. "I hope that tomorrow we can show this also not just on the training ground but on the pitch against Blackburn."
England midfielder Lampard had claimed that the recent series of poor results had eroded the players' confidence and likening the atmosphere to the final days of the tenure of Scolari, who was dismissed in February 2009 after less than eight months in the job, following a run that saw them take 17 points from 12 league games.
"At the moment, there's a bit of a feeling that we're not sure what's going to happen when we go out there," he said.
"The end of Scolari's reign was a bit like this. You lose the feeling of being able to win every week.
"Once you've had that and lose it, it's hard to get it back."
Chelsea's recent drop in form has been apparent since the club told Ray Wilkins he was no longer needed but Lampard, 32, refused to blame the coach's departure in November for a sequence that has seen them slip nine points behind leaders Manchester United having played a game more.
Lampard, who returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines last month, told the Sun: "We won The Double last year, all of us together including Ray. Ray is no longer here.
"But the club makes the decisions and, if [owner] Roman Abramovich wasn't here, we wouldn't have won three Premier League titles.
"Things are important off the pitch but we've been putting out a side good enough to beat teams we've lost against.
"What we can't do as individuals is use what happened to Ray as an excuse. We have to perform regardless."
Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Blackburn, Lampard added of Chelsea's current lack of confidence: "If we're honest we all think that. That's just the way it is. You can't help that.
"It won't change anyone's determination to want to win but you can't help but feel it as we haven't been winning.
"We need to work in the same direction, follow the manager and, if we do, I believe it will turn. If we don't, it won't.
"This is a bad moment, make no mistake about it. We don't have to hide it any more. It has been a long enough time."

Ferguson blasts Liverpool players

Sir Alex Ferguson has blamed Liverpool's players for Roy Hodgson's sacking, also insisting there was a media agenda against his old friend.

Hodgson was dumped by the Anfield outfit last week after struggling to get them above mid-table since his arrival in the summer. Although his exit was widely expected, it still came as a shock barely six months after his successful stint at Fulham.
Ferguson has already faced his successor - Kenny Dalglish - and seen Manchester United dash the early optimism generated by his fellow Scot with a 1-0 FA Cup win last weekend. Ferguson believes Hodgson was good enough to remain in the post, instead pointing his finger at Liverpool's underperforming squad.
"It was disappointing for Roy,'' said Ferguson. "I think there was obviously a bit of a campaign to get him out. There is no question about that.
"It's disappointing because he had the experience to do the job - but not the players, obviously. I don't know the full circumstances of how he was operating but you had the feeling through the media that he was on a hiding to nothing.''