QPR chairman Tony Fernandes insists he has “complete faith” in under-fire manager Mark Hughes.
The London club currently occupy 19th spot in the Premier League and are only above Southampton on goal difference.
Despite managing just one win from their opening ten games, Fernandes believes that it would be a mistake to sack Hughes and has given him his vote of confidence:
“I have complete faith in Mark Hughes and we have a great squad, we just need to hold out for that stability and I’m sure things are going to go right,
“It’s been one of those frustrating seasons for us but I’m keeping the faith and keeping calm. It’s not a time to panic.
“I am 100 per cent committed, and we won’t be detracted by fans or media. We’re confident in our approach, and changing a manager now would be suicidal in my point.
“Mark’s a good guy, he’s got good records before him. He needs a bit of luck, but also you’ve got to make your luck.
“But I say cream always rises to the top, you can’t keep a good man down. He has our backing.”
The Malaysian also believes that a sense of security is needed at Loftus Road:
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“I think fans who are true fans know that stability is needed.
“QPR doesn’t need another four-year plan of chopping and changing every few weeks, and Mark has done it before.”
There is a real fresh sense around the Britannia Stadium this season that has been absent for 12 months. On the outside to the average fan it seems the same, same style of football, same expectations, same Stoke.
But the reality is far different. There was a general feeling of stagnation towards the back end of the 2011-12 season and with a lack of transfer activity for most of the summer, combined with the clubs toughest start to a Premier League season, left many Potters fans cast a worrying eye over their shoulders for the first time in three years.
The Premier League did what it always does; it worked out the problem – Stoke City. Teams found a way to stifle the attacking, physical threat and deal with the set-plays while snuffing out the wingers which had served us so well. In the Premier League you need to evolve and improve your standards, standing still isn’t an option like Stoke did last year.
But deadline day delivered as it always seems to do for Tony Pulis and in came Charlie Adam, perhaps the most important signing the club has made in a long time as Adam is the figure head of the Stoke City evolution.
His inclusion has seen Stoke alternate to a 4-3-3- formation. They no longer get outnumbered in midfield and have added a creative spark (a midfielder that can pass a ball!!!), the main ingredient missing from and otherwise well-balanced side. Adam’s ability to retain and distribute the ball is key to the new Stoke. They have kept their rough approach, while adding a touch of class.
Adding to that has been signs of rejuvenation for Matthew Etherington and the fresh impetus of Michael Kightly down the wings. Stoke look a goal threat again in open play and Peter Crouch is no longer isolated on his own upfront. Adam controls the Stoke game, there are players finding space for him to pass into instead of waiting for it to be lumped in the general direction of Crouch. Geoff Cameron looks a fine full-back who is comfortable going forwards and backwards, N’Zonzi is flourishing in a three man midfield, Ryan Shawcross has been called up for England and have I mentioned we have signed Michael Owen?
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Sitting 13th in the league may seem like par for the course as far as we are concerned, but in the opening eight games we have played both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Now with a kinder run of fixtures up until Christmas there is an air of excitement and quiet optimism that we can surprise a few teams and critics alike. But for now, as always, Stoke are going gently under the radar just how they like it.
Tottenham have certainly been active in the January transfer window so far, not only clinching the hugely promising signing of Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby, but also the sealing the controversial switch of former Manchester United youngster Zeki Fryers from Standard Liege, but with Sir Alex Ferguson calling for the move to be blocked after a ‘blatant manipulation’ of the rules, has this potentially opened a can of worms with regards to deals of this sort being conducted in the future?
It has to be said that Ferguson’s main bone of contention above all else appears to be at having been quite so clearly out-manoeuvred by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy over the deal. When the north London club were interested in taking Fryers in the summer, given his status in the England U-19 side and worth to United, had the deal gone to tribunal, then the move was likely to cost them around £5-6m. Instead, Fryers moved abroad to Belgium with Standard Liege for £250,000 and Tottenham forked out the best part of £900,000 for his services this month, which is significantly less. In short, everyone has benefited hugely from the deal apart from United.
This isn’t the first time that United have been stung in such a manner either, with Juventus poaching midfielder Paul Pogba in the summer and the compensation that you are awarded is much lower if the youngster goes abroad for some reason than if he stays in England. It all dates back to pre-season when Fryers trained with Tottenham ahead of a permanent move, but with the two clubs unable to agree a fee, under league rules for players under the age of 23 who have rejected the offer of a new contract, compensating United is the logical, if expensive next step, but there’s also a second option available; you can move abroad for a smaller compensatory fee under Fifa rules.
This led Ferguson to go on the offensive, telling reporters: “I am disappointed in Tottenham, I really am. I think it has been a blatant manipulation of the situation. They tried to buy him from us at the end of last season but we couldn’t agree terms. They then took him on trial and took him to Portugal with the squad and came back and said that they couldn’t afford him. And then all of a sudden he signed for Standard Liège and at that moment in time, when I heard that, I expected him to go to Tottenham in the January window. I’m disappointed in Tottenham. The Premier League should look into it and I think they should stop the registration until they examine it. There will be a trail, mobile phone [records] or something. It is obvious to me [what has happened].”
He went even further later on within the comforts of his own domain, telling MUTV: “It’s a Daniel Levy deal. You know, it’s his fingerprints all over it. It’s the kind of thing we expected he was going to do.” To be fair to the 71-year-old boss, he does have a point, there’s something very odd about this deal and while technically not illegal, or at the moment it hasn’t been declared as such anyway, it does seem an underhand, even sneaky way of doing business.
Having read varying accounts of Fryers time in Belgium, reports range claiming that the 20-year-old was average to disinterested, yet Standard released a statement on the matter denying any wrongdoing: “The young defender felt homesick and had difficulty acclimating to life away from home and family. So when the London club became interested we understood the situation and were not opposed to the return of the player in England.”
Tottenham have also denied any impropriety with their own statement: “Zeki enjoyed his time at Standard – however, when Standard sacked their manager in November Zeki wasn’t part of the new manager’s plans which he accepts and understands happens in football. Unfortunately, a combination of this and the fact he had become homesick meant he wanted to return to England.His representatives made contact with clubs in England. This afforded us a second opportunity to sign the player and as per Fifa’s solidarity contribution mechanism, Manchester United will receive 5% of the transfer fee we have paid.” That 5% should see United pocket just £45,000, hardly the £6m windfall they were hoping for just six months ago.
With United still unsure as to whether any actual laws have been broken, they seem reluctant to make a formal complaint, instead using Ferguson to have a pop in the media but it all smacks of the deal that took Robert Jarni from Real Betis to Real Madrid back in 1998 by detour of Coventry.
Having impressed at full-back on his way to helping Croatia finish third at World Cup 98′, Jarni moved to Highfield Road for £2.6m, but without even making a single appearance for the Sky Blues, he moved within a month to Real Madrid for £3.4m. Coventry had made a tidy profit as a sort of go-between in the deal, with Real Betis refusing to do business with Real Madrid at the time. The deal that saw Clive Allen and Kenny Samson switch between Crystal Palace and Arsenal in 1980 also serves to highlight that there’s precedence over this sort of behind-closed-doors, cloak and dagger deal, with the Gunners only agreeing to take Allen as go-betweens in a deal involving QPR and Palace, with the Tottenham legend lasting just two months at Highbury as a result.
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Fryers hinted in an interview with the Manchester Evening News after completing his move to Standard that he didn’t foresee that he would be enjoying a long stay in Belgium: “My first goal is to grow as a player, not to get international recognition directly. In football, everything changes very quickly. Today I’m at Standard in the first year of my contract (having signed a two-year deal) and I want it to be as good as possible. Maybe after that I can go one step higher.”
It could just be as simple as Fryers wanting to test himself in a different country, a different league and environment and finding it not to his liking, but the way that United have been played over this will certainly leave a sour taste in the mouth. As ever, Daniel Levy looks ahead of the curve and finding a way around potentially expensive compensation packages to other English clubs could be common practice in the years to come. Just so long as there is a way to work around the rules and even bend them to suit a particular club’s needs, there will always be those that will continue to exploit them and that above all else is the true lesson here.
Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will join David Moyes’ new Old Trafford backroom team when the Scot is confirmed as the next United boss.
The veteran United duo, 39 and 38 respectively, are set to stay on in coaching capacities when Moyes takes over from Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of the season.
The news of Moyes’ appointment is yet to be officially confirmed by the club, but United ambassador Peter Schmeichel added his voice to the widely-held belief that the Everton manager is the board’s choice to come in.
Several other newspaper and media outlets are in agreement that Moyes is the man to replace 13-time Premier League and double European Champions League winner Ferguson, 71.
Moyes, 50, left Everton’s Finch Farm training ground shortly after midday today and was said to be in transit to London ahead of a spying mission at tonight’s Tottenham v Chelsea game.
Everton, however, are publicly stating their lack of knowledge of any such appointment.
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Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia is concerned that Manchester City could still come back and win the title from under the Red Devil’s noses, the Independent report.
City won the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Monday night and moved 12 points behind their rivals to put themselves in a similar position to the one they were in last season.
The Champions came from eight points adrift to secure their first Premier League title in stunning fashion on the last day of the season and it will take similar heroics to even make United sweat this time around.
United can pull further clear this weekend as they travel to Stoke City on Sunday and City have their FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at the same time.
Valencia has admitted that United are worried about repeating what happened last season and they want to wrap up the title as soon as possible.
“We’re a little worried,” Valencia told Ecuadorian radio station Sonorama.
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“Last year, we were eight points with six games to go and we lost the league. Now it is 12 points and seven games, and we don’t want it to happen again.”
The FA have charged Newcastle manager Alan Pardew with misconduct, after the manager pushed the referee’s assistant in his side’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday.
The Magpies boss was livid with a decision of play-on after the ball had appeared to have crossed the touchline for a Newcastle throw, and pushed the official with one hand.
The news means that the Tyneside club’s trainer could face a touchline ban, with the news revealed on the FA’s official website.
“The FA has today [Monday 20 August 2012] charged Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew with misconduct following his side’s match against Tottenham Hotspur on 18 August 2012,” the statement reads.
“Pardew has until 4pm on 23 August 2012 to respond to the charge.”
Goals from Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa cancelled out a Jermain Defoe strike in the game to give the hosts three points.
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Newcastle forward Demba Ba is unhappy at starting recent games on the bench, and could consider his future if he is not reinstated to the side’s starting line-up according to the striker’s agent.
The Senegal international started the Magpies’ fixture against Everton on the bench on Monday, before coming on to score both goals for the visitors in a 2-2 draw.
The forward’s agent Alex Gontran has stated that his client is becoming disillusioned with Newcastle boss Alan Pardew.
“Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Demba doesn’t understand the management,” the agent told BBC Sport.
“If he continues to be a substitute all season, we’ll look at other solutions.
“Demba is happy at Newcastle. He is playing in the Premier League, with lot of fellow French speakers and he loves the club’s supporters.
“He would like to start every game but he respects the choice of the coach, even if he does not always understand or agree.
“How could you put your best striker with full confidence on the left wing?’
“The choice to put Demba on the left last season was good for the club, because Papiss Cisse scored 13 goals.
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“But there was a lack of recognition for Demba. It is more difficult to play well when you don’t have the confidence of your staff,” he concluded.
The Champions League is normally seen as the crown jewel of a dominant team’s period of success. Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United in recent years have proven that, coming out victorious in domestic competition and accentuating that success with victory in Europe. But should domestic titles always outweigh Champions League glory, especially as the first step to the building of a dynasty?
Europe’s most prestigious tournament is the richest prize in club football, but it’s still very much a cup competition with an incredible amount of luck pushing the eventual winner to glory. On many occasions, it certainly doesn’t give a realistic indication as to who was the best team in Europe or even in their domestic league.
Chelsea’s Champions League win last season was off the back of a set of tactics and approaches that would never work in a 38 game league campaign. They rode their luck in some stages, benefited from the shortcomings of their opponents in others, but very much came to highlight the famous cup run of an English underdog. They didn’t have a prayer of finishing in the top four of the league as last season wound down, but as the Champions League participants started dropping off en route to Munich, it became increasingly likely that they would lift the trophy.
The parallels between them and Liverpool’s win in Turkey in 2005 are obvious: neither team were anywhere close to being the best in England and arguably not in Europe either, but the Champions League acted as a getaway from the troubles of competition at home.
A league title is more often than not a better indication of how good a team were. Take Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid last season, both of whom dominated on their way to lifting their league titles, showing the necessary consistency against equally or more powerful opposition and etching their names into the books as the best team of that season. It was always a mammoth task for a club like Dortmund to replicate that season, and teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City are proving that the follow-up year can prove to be incredibly difficult to push on again in the same manner.
But Dortmund have built on their first title success under Jurgen Klopp and that disappointing campaign in Europe last year, and even if they don’t retain their title again this season, they are certain to be among the favourites for the Bundesliga crown next year. The idea of three titles in four years or Klopp’s Dortmund side would be the work and creation of a dynasty in domestic competition, especially if the squad is largely the same year on year. Their improvement in Europe this season has also been noticeable and they are good enough to go far in the competition.
A Champions League win for Dortmund this season may be a step too far in predicting the outcome, but so much luck can go into who claims the trophy that a good set of draws and the wind against their backs could see the German champions make a surprise appearance at Wembley.
It won’t matter to them if they don’t make it, and a club like Ajax will also not feel too disheartened if the best they can do this season is qualify for the Europa League via their Champions League group. The Dutch champions are battling a much more realistic and achievable storm at home, for which Frank de Boer was heavily praised for finally reclaiming the Eredivisie title for the Amsterdam-based club. That is where their priorities lie, along with teams like the Greek champions and those from the east; they don’t have the resources to create their own luck in the way the bigger teams can, and they certainly don’t have the players to combat the very best of the top three or four leagues. However, as we’ve seen recently, Shakhtar Donetsk may be one of the few exceptions to that thought.
Those clubs build their reputation at home and through their dominance of domestic competition. Even with Liverpool’s success in Europe and the domestic cups that have come their way in subsequent years, the Premier League title, which continues to elude them, is seen as the biggest prize.
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The Champions League isn’t always the most accurate way of measuring the best in Europe. But by winning consistently in the Premier League, for example, clubs establish or re-establish themselves as the finest their country has to offer. It’s also an idea that in many cases domestic form will spill over into Europe and help to create a winning mentality that can equal that of European competition.
While every major club wants to get their hands on the European Cup, almost all fan bases will be united in the view that domestic dominance is the greatest priority and the necessary first step to building for something greater on the continent.
After a spectacular 5-0 victory on the opening day, Fulham have lost two in a row and welcome and unbeaten West Brom Albion to Craven Cottage on Saturday.
The Cottagers were drubbed 3-0 at West Ham last time out, having previously put up a good performance losing 3-2 at Old Trafford. They have also found themselves dumped out of the League Cup by Sheffield Wednesday.
With three points from a possible nine, Martin Jol will be no doubt going out for maximum points against the Baggies.
Greek International captain Girogos Karagounis could feature, with Jol having singed the 35-year-old on a free transfer.
“I’m delighted to have signed for Fulham Football Club and I am excited by a new challenge in England and the Barclays Premier League,” the former Inter Milan and Panathinaikos midfielder said.
“I’m looking forward to working under Martin Jol and playing alongside some fantastic players at this club.”
Fellow new boy Dimitar Berbatov could also be in line for his first start for his new side, while Simon Davies, Bryan Ruiz and Kerim Frei are all expected to be in the squad.
Steve Clarke’s West Brom side have made a fantastic start to the campaign, beating Liverpool 3-0 on the opening day, before earning a dramatic point at White Hart Lane.
The Baggies claimed another Merseyside scalp during their last outing, beating Everton 2-0 at the Hawthorns.
Romelu Lukaku is hopeful of returning to the squad having sat out the Everton victory.
“Romelu’s injury was the result of a tackle and, to be honest, it was probably a 10-day injury. He just ran out of time to play against Everton,” Clarke said.
“It was natural that he would be fit and ready to play for Belgium.”
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Prediction: Fulham 2-2 West Brom
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Queens Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp is unsure over the future of Adel Taarabt at Loftus Road.
The Moroccan midfielder has been a key player for Rangers since Redknapp took over, scoring twice in their first win of the season last week against Fulham.
The 23-year-old is notoriously tough to manage but Redknapp seems to be getting the best out of him and won’t want to lose a key player in January.
Taarabt is in line for a call up to the Moroccan squad for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations in late January and so could miss several key games for the Premier League strugglers.
High profile European clubs have been linked with a big money move for the talented player who joined the Hoops permanently from Tottenham Hotspur in 2010 for £1million.
Redknapp has revealed that no club has yet approached them about Taarabt and he wants to focus on the busy Christmas period first.
“I’ve got no idea what the situation is with Adel,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“We haven’t discussed it anymore.
“I’m just concentrating on the next couple of game.
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“No one has made us an offer for Adel. There’s always going to be speculation but we don’t want to sell him.”
Redknapp added in regards to the African Cup of Nations: “I hope he doesn’t get picked but we can’t do anything about it. That’s the African Nations Cup for you.
“I think more and more managers will look at this when they’re signing African players now.”