Torrid time
Gordon Strachan is a fiery, single-minded and aggressive character. He was a fine footballer and has achieved some success as a manager, most notably with Celtic.
Loved
He has never been widely loved as a manager, even by the clubs he has managed. Even at Celtic, many of the fans felt he simply reaped the benefit of what Martin O’Neill had created and then gradually dismantled it.
To an outsider he is often good entertainment as his media interviews are always worth watching. Some examples of his interview style are;
Interviewer: In what areas do you think they were better than you today?
Strachan: Well, that big green one out there for a start.
Interviewer: You’ve won the game and gone top of the table. You must be very pl…
Manchester City were forced to struggle against Bournemouth – something Ilkay Gundogan feels will benefit the Premier League champions in the long run.
The Germany midfielder sealed a 3-1 win 11 minutes from time after Callum Wilson cancelled out a lead earned for the hosts by Bernardo Silva and restored by Raheem Sterling.
As in the midweek 2-2 draw against Lyon in the Champions League, where Pep Guardiola s men twice game back from behind, Gundogan felt his team-mates responded well when their character was called upon.
We tried to play better because we started quite well in the beginning, moved the ball very quickly and scored, he said.
After 25 minutes we stopped a little bit, played too sloppy and missed easy, simple balls.
We conceded …
Manchester City have had a €40million bid accepted for Benfica goalkeeper Ederson, the Portuguese club have confirmed.
The 23-year-old s move to the Premier League will make him the world s second most expensive goalkeeper, after Gianluigi Buffon, who joined Juventus for €53m in 2001.
Ederson would become City s second signing ahead of next season after the capture of Bernardo Silva from Monaco, with Benfica confirming 50 per cent of the transfer fee paid by City will go to third parties if the deal is completed.
City are keen to add a new goalkeeper to their squad after the release of Willy Caballero, while Guardiola is thought to be unhappy with Claudio Bravo s performances.
The Chile international joined from Barcelona last year, but has failed to …
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We re now officially less than a week away from the start of the rescheduled UEFA Euro 2020 tournament and the excitement is really beginning to build. From fans hoping to get into the stadiums to those watching around the world, we ve been waiting five years for another edition of the European Championship and it s almost upon us. Today, we re going to take a look at one of the last major warm-up games with England preparing to host Romania.
England
England head into the Euros knowing that they re one of the favourites to win the whole thing, and also knowing that the final is going to be played at the home of English football Wembley Stadium. That s the kind of motivation they need to put their best f…
With a crucial meeting set to take place in the Lionel Messi saga, the Barcelona star has reportedly agreed to a deal with Manchester City.
Messi, 33, has sensationally requested to leave the LaLiga giants, where he has spent his entire professional career.
But just whether a move happens could hinge on an upcoming meeting.
TOP STORY – MESSI AGREES €700M DEAL WITH CITY
Messi has agreed to terms on a deal worth £623million (€700m) with the City Football Group (CFG), which owns Manchester City, according to the Daily Record.
The deal is reportedly five years in length, including three in Manchester and two with MLS side New York City.
A six-time Ballon d Or winner, Messi is set for a Barcelona exit after a tumultuous and t…
Nacional winger Daniel Joao Santos Candeias has agreed to join Benfica, his current coach has revealed.
The 26-year-old is out of contract in June and he has decided to search for a new challenge after spending last three years at Estadio de Madeira.
Nacional boss Manuel Machado has revealed that Candeias will be signing for Benfica on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.
“Candeias is a finished product. Ended his contract. Finished his cycle at Nacional. He has the future ahead. Goes to a larger club, I think he is worthy of it,” Machado told reporters after the clash against Sporting Lisbon.
Candeias began his professional career at FC Porto, and also enjoyed loan spells with Varzim, Rio Ave, Recreativo de Huelva and Pacos Ferreira b…
Mark Hughes has a double-injury headache ahead of Fulham s trip to title-chasing Manchester City on Sunday.
New midfield signing Steve Sidwell is definitely out and England striker Bobby Zamora, who has just recovered from a broken leg, picked up a knock in training on Friday and is doubtful.
We ve lost Sidwell for four weeks with a knee ligament problem and I expect he will be out for three to four games, Hughes said.
Zamora did his ankle in training. He just tweaked it and we have iced it, so we are hopeful it will not be too bad.
City won 4-1 at Craven Cottage in November but Hughes says a lot has changed in the months following that humbling.
Our away form has definitely improved and we have been more dynamic and on the front foot, he sa…
With a place in the 2017/18 Premier League campaign and some £170 million up for grabs, there are no doubts Huddersfield Town and Reading will be fighting for their lives in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
After surprising Sheffield Wednesday and winning the semi-finals on penalties, Town have been made , whereas the Royals are available at 5/2.
Huddersfield have earned a chance to fight for a return to England’s elite division for the first time since 1972, whereas Reading hope to end a four-year exile from the Premier League.
Team News
Huddersfield boss David Wagner is expected to field an unchanged side to the one that faces Sheffield Wednesday in the second leg, while Kasey Palmer could return after a three-month absence through a hamstring p…
Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas hopes to compete in the Dakar Rally again in the next five years.
Villas-Boas took part in the 2018 race in South America after leaving his position at Shanghai SIPG.
The Portuguese, a motorsport enthusiast whose uncle competed in the event in 1982, was forced to withdraw after fracturing a vertebra on the fourth stage in Peru.
However, Villas-Boas, who is contracted to Marseille until 2021, wants to have another crack while the Dakar Rally is in Saudi Arabia.
As we granted a day of rest to the players, who deserved it, I took advantage of the invitation from David Castera [Dakar Rally director] to briefly immerse myself in the atmosphere. It reminds me of lots of good memories despite my accident, he told L Equipe.
…
Deportivo La Coruna have confirmed the signing of centre-back Fabian Schar from Hoffenheim.
The Switzerland international has joined on a four-year deal for a reported fee of €4million.
Schar is Depor s fifth signing of the transfer window, following the arrivals of Guilherme, Gerard Valentin, Federico Valverde and Zakaria Bakkali.
Fabian Lukas Schar has this morning, pending medical tests, become a new player for Deportivo for the next four seasons, Depor confirmed via their official website.
The Switzerland international plays as a central defender and comes from Hoffenheim of the Bundesliga.
Schar joined Hoffenheim from Basel in June 2015 and was a regular starter in his first season in Germany s top flight.
However, the 25-year-ol…