Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak came out and publicly slated Manchester United this week after the third choice ‘keeper was denied a move away from Old Trafford on loan. The 29-year-old wants first team football to have a chance of playing in Euro 2012 which is taking place in his native Poland.

Kuszczak must have felt that his time had come when long-term number one Edwin van der Sar announced his retirement last season, but Sir Alex Ferguson felt the need to bring in goalkeepers to replace the retiring Dutchman and Anders Lindegaard and David de Gea arrived and immediately rose above Kuszczak in the pecking order, angering the keeper.

The Pole arrived permanently at Manchester United in 2007 from West Brom but has made just 26 league appearances in his four years at Old Trafford. Never establishing himself as a first team regular has been a huge problem for Kuszczak’s career but it has taken until this week for him to make his feelings heard publically.

Kuszczak said this week: “I’ve become a slave to Manchester, I’m frustrated but I don’t want to slander or criticise Ferguson. It’s not my style.

[ad_pod id=’unruly’ align=’right’]

“I’ve talked to Ferguson recently. I asked him to let me leave the club now, before the January transfer window, I told him I want to play and get back into the national team, because Euro 2012  is just around the corner – but it seems he doesn’t care.”

Surely Kuszczak should have left Old Trafford before now, making the odd Carling Cup appearance may not even be realistic for him this season, and he has seemed happy to sit on the bench or in the reserves, earning a decent wage packet and letting his career pass him by without notice. It appears that just because a major international tournament is on the horizon, Kuszczak has been prompted to try and earn a place in Poland’s squad.

The flopped keeper has only played 10 times for his country, so is nowhere near being a regular at any level of his game currently. Kuszczak claims he was denied a move away from the club on loan but is adamant that he will leave sooner rather than later.

Kuszczak said “The possibility of a two-month loan to Leeds United came up two weeks later. The club blocked it. It was a glimmer of hope for me. It would have reminded the Poland manager about me – but I didn’t get the club’s approval.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“I have respect for Ferguson because, for me, he’s a great manager, but I hope he will let me go in January.”

It is puzzling as to why Manchester United would not allow him the move, but Kuszczak could and should of left United a long time ago when he realised he would never hold the number one shirt. The decision to come out and publically slate the club is not a wise move after they have been paying his wages for doing nothing for the past four years and it will not attract a lot of admires ahead of the January transfer window.

[ad_pod id=’qs-1′ align=’center’]

Pepe Reina is accepted as one of best goalkeepers currently playing the game and has lifted both the World Cup and European Championship as a member of Spanish national squad.

The Liverpool number one is arguably the most consistent stopper in the Barclays premier League and has been a great success since arriving on Merseyside in 2005.

It is little surprise he has flourished in the professional game of course, with a father who starred between the posts for Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and the national side, you could say it was almost expected.

In fact, Pepe and his father, Miguel are probably the greatest goalkeeping family in Spanish football.

Pepe attened Barcelona’s la Masia academy as a youth player, however he was not destined to remain at the club. Despite showing early promise and making his debut at just 18 following injuries to first choice keepers, Dutruel and Arnau, Reina was allowed to leave in 2002 after making just 30 appearances for Barca.

He made the short journey south to Villarreal where he soon established himself as first choice goalkeeper, and for three years he guarded the Villarreal net making 109 appearances. His performances did not go unnoticed either. Liverpool’s Spanish Manager Rafa Benitez, was a keen admirer of the shot stopper and in the summer of 2005 the reds came in to buy him.

Reina settled well in England and was soon hailed as one of the top keepers in the league. He now plays a pivotal role in a side managed by former Anfield great, Kenny Dalglish and is one of the most-liked players in the country.

Known for his distribution and skills in a one on one situation, Reina is still under 30 he has some of his best years ahead of him, despite already being recognised as a great.

As we never however, Pepe Reina is born of good stock. His father Miguel was also an exceptional goalkeeper.

Reina senior began his career in the early 1960′s playing for home town and first division side Cordoba.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

It wasn’t long, just two seasons in fact, before he was noticed by a bigger club. In 1966 he joined Spanish giants Barcelona.

At the time however, Spanish football was being dominated by Real Madrid who won a remarkable eight la liga titles, and this perhaps means Reina does not get the acclaim he deserves, despite playing over one hundred games for the Catalan giants.

Reina’s time at the Camp Nou was not without success either as Barca won the Copa del Rey twice while he was there and he also lifted the Ricardo Zamora trophy in 1973.

His time at Barcelona came to an end soon after and he moved on to Atletico Madrid. It was at Atleti that Miguel Reina enjoyed his most successful period as a player, his side won the Intercontinental Cup in his first season and went on to secure liga and copa titles.

Reina also appeared in 1974 European Cup Final as Atletico took on Bayern Munich in the pinnacle of club game.

Despite a strong performer however, the German champions proved too good for the Spaniards and Miguel had to settle for a runners-up medal.

33 years later and it was his son who was left with the bitter taste of defeat as Liverpool lost the 2007 Champions League final to Ac Milan.

Miguel also represented Spain but his career was limited, making just five appearances for the national side. However caps were rarer in those days, as international matches were limited, and he did go to the 1966 World Cup as a substitute.

Pepe’s international career has also been limited. Though he has tasted success he is yet to reach 25 caps for Spain. That is largely down to the exceptional Iker Casillas, had he not been around it is likely that Reina would have a century of caps by now.

Between them the pair have lifted 13 trophies. Including a World Cup, European Championship, three Copa del Rey and a League title.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With Pepe’s career not ending any time soon he will surely add to that haul.

There are few families who can boast two footballing stars, let alone two who have been so successful and the Reina’s must surely go down as one of the greatest goalkeeping dynasties in history.

Article courtesy of Archie Buck from the fantastic NEW La Liga blog Elcentrocampista

[divider]

 FREE football app that pays you CASH

[ad_pod id=’qs-2′ align=’left’]

Vedran Corluka and his agent will sit down with Tottenham Hotspur big wigs this week in an attempt to secure a loan move to Roma in the January transfer window according to talkSPORT.

The Croatian defender has lost his place at White Hart Lane after the sudden emergence of Kyle Walker who has been sensational in an improving Spurs side this season. Corluka has made just three league appearances under Harry Redknapp this season and is desperate for first team football.

With Euro 2012 on the horizon, the 25-year-old is on the verge of losing his place in the Croatian national team due to lack of first team football at the Lane. Roma though are set to offer Corluka an escape route that will consist of a six month loan, with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

Redknapp does not have the strength in depth that he requires for a title challenge in the second half of the Premier League season and so may not be keen on losing another defender in January without a replacement lined up.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Corluka’s agent Nikky Vuksan said: “Roma are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and I would accept him wearing their shirt. I hope to have a meeting with Tottenham soon so we can clarify his future.”

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

Carlos Tevez’s representative Kia Joorabchian has stated that he is keen to finalise a transfer for his client from Manchester City to AC Milan.

The temperamental Argentine forward is set to leave the Etihad Stadium in the current transfer window after a number of disciplinary issues.

The Scudetto holders have already had a loan move for the South American forward rejected, and Inter have been linked with a move for the attacker in recent days.

Despite this, Joorabchian has stated that he will meet Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani in Rio de Janeiro in the next coming days to hopefully conclude a deal.

“We’re here (in Rio) to finalise with Milan. We haven’t heard from Inter since August,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini has stated that there are a number of teams interested in buying Tevez, and that City may delve into the market once he is sold.

“We need to sell three or four players and with Carlos we could close a deal with a club in the next three or four days,” the Italian coach stated in a press conference.

“We hope for us and for Carlos we can do a deal. There are two or three teams in Italy, a team in France, and another team involved – I hope for him he can start to play football.

“We could maybe bring someone in, but we need to sell,” he concluded.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

One of the hottest talking points of the season so far should came to an end today as Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany learned that his appeal over his red card in the FA Cup Manchester derby was unsuccessful. Chris Foy’s decision to send the City central defender off early in their 3-2 defeat to Manchester United has caused everyone to have an opinion on the matter and predictably the two clubs cannot agree on the referee’s call.

Roberto Mancini claimed after the game that Wayne Rooney’s reaction to the challenge made on his United team mate, Nani, was the reason that the unpopular Foy brandished a straight red card; that sees Kompany banned for four games. However, Sir Alex Ferguson; speaking yesterday at the Ballon d’Or in Zurich; felt that Rooney was within his rights to react to the challenge but has empathy with his managerial counterpart.

“To my mind it was a reckless challenge. I have no complaints about Wayne, I don’t think it was unacceptable. I think it was a natural reaction to a bad challenge.” Ferguson said.

“I can understand where Roberto’s coming from because that’s what happens with players today, they all appeal for penalties or players to be sent off. It’s an unfortunate part of our game.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

There is a distinct pattern forming in the Premier League and one worth delving into the how and why of the matter. It concerns foreign managers and their seemingly apparent top heavy employment into ‘bigger’ clubs. Just why won’t the Premier League’s bottom half employ managers from the continent? Let us examine.

Before we begin, any of you with memory spans long enough to remember Alain Perrin and Velimir Zajec being employed into the Portsmouth manager’s job, you have done well, as they provide clear exceptions to the debate. But the connection between foreign managers and certain clubs runs far deeper.

Firstly, it must be conceded that the bigger money is at the bigger clubs. Take Chelsea as they are a glaringly obvious example. Following Abramovich’s takeover of the club, Chelsea have not only tarnished the reputation of several managerial figureheads in the game, but they’ve indeed had the funds to lure them to Stamford Bridge in the first place.

The same process is repeating itself further north in Manchester as Roberto Mancini succeeded a Brit in Mark Hughes at Eastlands in 2009. Big funds equal big pay packets for big European personalities.

Moreover, Gerard Houllier took over at Villa Park in 2010 after the club’s respectable sixth place finish in the 2009-10 season.

Martin Jol took over in the summer of 2011 at Fulham after an eighth place finish the season before. Hang on and wait a second I hear you cry. Are all of the clubs being mentioned really considered ‘big’ clubs?

The answer deliberately is no, but when you look more closely, there is one thing in common amongst all the teams mentioned thus far. Foreign ownership.

It seems that in the Premier League, foreign ownership has a distinct correlation with the clubs favoured employment of a foreign coach also. With exceptions here and there including Martinez at Wigan, many foreign coaches in recent seasons have been employed into clubs whose ownership too derives from origins far from these shores.

Mohamed Al Fayed has welcomed Jean Tigana and Martin Jol. Milan Mandaric employed Alain Perrin and Velimir Zajec. Randy Lerner welcomed Gerard Houllier. Maybe the correlation isn’t between being at the top and having a foreign boss, being at the bottom and not. Maybe it is about ownership preferences. If you look further afield in the Championship, Leicester City’s foreign owners first employed Sven Goran Eriksson before realising that Nigel Pearson was their man.

Let us speed up to present day and the 2011-12 season specifically. Despite the Premier League having a clear bias towards Glaswegians, a lot of the bottom half is made up of teams with both British owners and British managers. Stoke, Swansea, West Brom, Bolton, Norwich and so on continue to favour employment of talent from these shores.

Cultural knowledge certainly plays a part. For bottom half teams, it is simply much safer to employ a British manager. Let us take the three promoted teams in QPR, Norwich and Swansea. All teams stuck with their managers until Neil Warnock recently. Partly due to their work in gaining promotion from England’s second tier of course, these managers knowledge of England’s subsidiary leagues is extensive and there is a greater sense of connection between fans and boss, fundamental in climbing the Premier League ladder. Maybe this is why Perrin and Zajec didn’t last five minutes? (aside poor form of course).

For teams already competing at the top such as Chelsea and Manchester City, the foreign preference is much more justifiable on the premise that these teams are established and can afford to tinker with a more European playing style as requested by the clubs owners.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Of course, there are exceptions here and there. Just ask Tottenham fans about the appointment of Juande Ramos under Daniel Levy or the Glazers takeover at Old Trafford (although too scared to ever get reservations about Fergie’s position).

There is still something to be said about foreign ownership and the innate temptation to employ a foreign coaching flavour into the English Premier League.

Are British managers safer for bottom half clubs ? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Cardiff City’s season is not exactly at the crossroads some would suggest. Just yet!

A playoff position is still well within their grasp but the Bluebirds form of late has been patchy to say the least. So what’s gone wrong? There has been a seemingly never ending hangover after suffering that cruelest of defeats at the hands of Liverpool in the Carling Cup final, which even the hardest hearted neutral called a classic, all it came down to after 130 minutes of superb football is that Liverpool simply had one better penalty taker, Dreams were shattered when the hapless Anthony Gerrard a lifelong Liverpool supporter and cousin of Stephen had his saved, but to lay the blame at his feet as some so called Cardiff City fans did in the following weeks was shameful, unfair and unjust, others had missed too including strikers Ruby Gestede and Kenny Miller who had also missed what looked to be a sitter in normal time that would have sealed the victory for the Bluebirds.

Miller has become something of an enigma, the lone striker who has not scored for fifteen matches!! Whose constant inclusion in the side at the expensive of the returning local legend that is Robert Earnshaw, who has spent much of the season warming the coach seats as caused confusion and indignation amongst many supporters.

Another major problem for a team struggling to score, is the deep, deep position a man who is capable of scoring twenty-five plus goals in a season from midfield is being asked to play in, step forward Peter Whittingham or rather step back and stay back, so far back that at times in the pass month he has been playing behind goalkeeper David Marshall, trice clearing the ball off the goal line after all in front of him had flapped and failed..The games in the latter part of this season in which Whittingham has played in his favoured position have seen Cardiff City at their best most notably the afore mentioned Carling Cup Final

Whittingham and Cardiff have also sorely missed the influence, pin point passing and holding play of former club captain Stephen McPhail having done battle with Lymphoma cancer he is now suffering from the same rare Sjogren’s syndrome that afflicts tennis star Venus Williams, whom personally contacted the Irishman with an offer of help, fearing his career was at an end due to the condition which affects the immune system causing weakness and exhaustion, he gratefully accepted her advice and flew to Los Angeles for care under the guidance of specialist Dr Daniel Wallace, since then with new medication and monitoring McPhail has managed two fifty minute appearances greatly boosting the morale of teammates, supporters and fellow suffers alike also allowing Whittingham to get forward and cause all sort of problems for the opposition.

But in reality the real crux of the dip in form post Cup final lies in the lack of new players brought in the transfer window and loan periods, to bolster a greatly depleted squad, Mackay took up the management post with twelve senior players having left the club during the summer following David Jones’ departure perhaps tellingly neither striker Michael Chopra nor winger Chris Burke have been replaced during Mackay’s tentureship, with the club strapped for cash it was the loan window that many hoped would be the saviour in allowing Mackay to strengthen his small squad, however following the Channel 4 documentary Dispatches which featured the alleged underhand dealings some clubs had undertaken in the loan market and beyond..Players offered on loan to Cardiff City have been sparse on the ground and a couple that have been, were hastily recalled when they showed good form. The Dispatches programme heavily featured Cardiff City’s name primarily on the ground that last season the Bluebirds acquired Craig Bellamy on loan from Manchester City many Championship clubs at the time cried foul and complained bitterly about Bellamy, Aaron Ramsey and the eight further loanees City fielded regularly last season, however the truth of the matter where Bellamy is concerned is; unwanted by the Manchester City management team, bored, frustrated and depressed he wanted nothing more than to escape and come home to the South Wales Valleys, while on one such trip home he jumped at the chance to play for the team he has passionately supported since a child when approached by then Cardiff City manager Dave Jones, in fact so keen was Bellamy to play he took a sizable pay cut.

No Cardiff City supporter that was there on the day he scored the winner against bitter derby rivals Swansea City will forget the look of exuberation and utter delight on his face the moment the ball crossed the line. It was one that was echoed across the faces of Cardiff City supporters everywhere for several days, It is the lost of Bellamy first back the Manchester city then to Liverpool that tells the real tale behind the ailing form of The Bluebirds, they are a good solid team that work well together, however Cardiff City save for Peter Whittingham are sorely lacking in superstar quality, at this time of the season with a small squad of understandably, deflated, tired, jaded players some of whom are carrying niggles what the team needs is a spark someone to conjure up a flash of magic to lift spirits turn things around…to make everyone believe again….

Personally I think Cardiff have that player that someone will step up and halt the slide that as seen City win just two of their last twelve games.

I believe The Bluebirds will make the playoffs and I’ll keep hold of that belief until the fat lady sings and it’s a statistical impossibility

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Keep calm and don’t panic… yet

BLUEBIRDS!!

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Michel Salgado is reportedly eyeing up a move to LA Galaxy when he leaves Blackburn as a free agent in the summer, according to Mirror Football.

The former Real Madrid full-back has been in and out of the Rovers starting line-up in his time in his time in England, and has had an injury plagued 2011-12.

It is believed that the veteran defender is keen to move out to the MLS, with a source close to the Spaniard speaking of Salgado’s desire.

“Michel felt he could have helped the team, but he was told before Christmas that he could not play. He was prepared to rip up his contract and agree to leave in the summer, but they said no,” the source admitted.

“The club wanted him to go in January, but he didn’t want to uproot his children before the end of the school year. Now he is considering offers from the Middle East and Qatar.”

Salgado played alongside Galaxy talisman David Beckham, and would like to join up with the Englishman on the American west coast.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Chelsea have been told that Shakhtar Donetsk star Willian is for sale at the right price.

The Brazilian midfielder has impressed for the Ukrainian champions both domestically and in Europe, and the Blues are thought to be long-term admirers of the South American.

The Stamford Bridge club had a £16.7 million bid turned down by the eastern Europeans in January, but coach Mircea Lucescu has admitted that he could be tempted to sell his star man.

“They have to pay the price,” he told The Daily Mail.

“They have to pay the price because we bring the players here at 17 or 18 years old. We pay a lot of money because they are talented players and we bring them up. I have 23 or 24 [players like that], not only Willian.

“Luiz Adriano, Douglas Costa, Alex Teixeira, Dentinho, Alan Patrick – they are very young and they are already prepared to win the championship with a good mentality.

“They have played a lot of matches in Europe and they have a very, very good value. If Chelsea pay his [asking price], I am not against letting my players play for the big clubs.

“If they pay the price, he can go. If not, he will remain here because he has another two-and-a-half years on his contract,” the boss concluded.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2012 contained some uninspiring selections, such as Liverpool’s Stewart Downing who failed to contribute a goal or an assist for the Reds in the Premier League last season.

It is the likes of Downing that our hopes for this summer rest on, which has understandably led to a lack of expectation as to how far England will progress in Poland and Ukraine next month.

However, the whole country will still get behind the team when the Three Lions play their opening fixture in Euro 2012 against France and the pressure will be on Hodgson to at least progress through the group stages.

Here are four of England’s wingers: Manchester United’s Ashley Young, Manchester City’s James Milner and Arsenal’s Theo Walcott alongside Downing, but a lion seems to have gate-crashed the photo shoot.

Can you come up with a funny caption for this picture?

[divider]

Leave your suggestions in the comments section below…

This week you can win a copy of FIFA Street on PS3!

FIFA Street is arguably the most authentic street football game ever made. From the creators of the award-winning EA SPORTS FIFA franchise, the gameplay has been inspired by street footballers around the globe.

Using Street Ball Control, FIFA Street allows you to perform pannas and compete in 5v5 futsal-style tournaments in the world’s biggest cities in more than 35 locations around the world.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

For the FootballFanCast.com Caption Competition Terms and Conditions click here

Check out our Caption Competition Gallery for some inspiration and to see the winners so far.

Last week’s winner: Steve – click here to see all entries