Since Wayne Rooney broke into the Everton first team aged just 17, dozens of players have been played up as being the next big thing to break through in English football. Some players, such as Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere have made the grade and become Premier League players, but plenty more have hardly been heard of since their youth days.
Connor Wickham arrived at the Stadium of Light from Ipswich Town in the summer for a staggering £8million that will eventually rise to £12million depending on appearances. There were rumours that Liverpool may be interested in the English striker, but Steve Bruce got his man and Wickham has made 9 appearances so far this season, scoring once.
With lots of interest in the youngster over the past few years, you would think that we had a superstar on our hands, matching Rooney’s young talent and breaking straight into the Premier League with a bang. But this has not happened so far at Sunderland and it may be time for people to stop talking about the young lad and actually give him a chance to prove himself.
The Hereford-born striker made his professional debut just 11 days after his 16th birthday and has played and scored for the England Under 16’s, 17’s and 19’s as-well as recently featuring for Stuart Pearce’s Under-21’s. But I feel that there is already too much pressure on Wickham at a very young age and that could be the reason for him not making it as a world class footballer in the future.
The tag of a future England star is going to be especially hard for a striker as they are going to be judged on their goal-scoring record and very little else. It is especially hard for a youngster; similarly to Walcott; who was sold for a large price and thrown into Premier League football. Walcott took three years to really adapt to life in the big time and that may be a learning curve that Wickham will go through in the next few seasons.
Putting a £12 million price- tag on an 18-year-old is ludicrous and he would surely have benefitted from staying in the Championship and becoming a prolific striker at that level, before making the step up. If a player does not play well for a long period of time, if he does not score anywhere near enough goals, can it all be blamed on his age? Should he be there if he is too young in that case?
Sunderland supporters were beginning to warm to Wickham before he got injured at Old Trafford two weeks ago and when he returns from his spell on the sidelines it will be time to start scoring goals and putting critics like myself to shame.
For a player that has only scored 16 career goals, surely it is fair to say that he has not played up to expectations so far in his short career, but Wickham has time on his side without doubt, there are not many out-and-out young strikers coming through at the moment and there is a chance for someone to break into that mould to lead the line for England, something that must be an aim for the former Ipswich striker.
It is unfortunate that so many youngsters are hyped up before they have actually proved their worth in men’s football. Players such as John Bostock and Freddie Sears were built up as being the future of English football when they were breaking through their respective youth systems, but they have failed to produce. It is time for youngsters to get a chance to show what they can do before multi-million pound transfer deals and expensive contracts are drawn up, otherwise more and more players will fall flat on their face in the top division and disappear from the limelight.
Before accepting large wage offers and splashing the cash on new cars and houses, is it unrealistic of me to expect a player to focus more on football than the lifestyle? Perhaps, but time will tell if Wickham made the right decision.
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10) Aston Villa v Birmingham – The Second City derby
The countries second city might be a little further down the pecking order in footballing terms but that does nothing to dampen hostilities between Aston Villa and Birmingham.
The Villains have always viewed themselves in higher esteem than their blue neighbours and when the clubs first met when City were Small Heath Alliance back in 1879, the Villa players described Small Heath’s Muntz Street ground as, ‘suitable only for potholing.’
Relations have gone downhill since then and although over the last half a century meetings between the pair have been relatively limited, that only intensifies the occasions when they do get together.
The two clubs traditional stadiums help create a fervent undercurrent which takes few prisoners – just ask Peter Enckelman.
9) Blackburn v Burnley – The Cotton Mill derby
These two might not be considered big players nowadays but Blackburn and Burnley were big cheese’s back in the day by being founder members of the Football League in 1888.
The rivalry between the Lancashire towns eleven miles apart stretches back to the Victorian age when the mill industry was booming and hostilities were later taken from the factory floor to the football field.
Local issues were hardly smoothed over at the turn of the twentieth century when Rovers allegedly complained about Claret’s ‘illegal number of Scottish players’ and the animosity has remained.
Clashes have been scarce in recent years but when they do meet it creates the inevitably cliché’d ‘hot-pot’ atmosphere.
8. Everton v Liverpool – Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is English football’s longest running top-flight rivalry with a game having taken place every year since 1962-63, but this familiarity hasn’t tapered the spice of the contests and meetings between the blue and red halves of the city of Liverpool are often some of the most highly charged contests of the season.
This game has long been coined the ‘friendly derby’ because the opposing sets of fans are said to enjoy a healthy rivalry but on the field it’s anything but.
In the last 30 Premier League fixtures between the scouse giants there have been twenty red cards, scores of bookings and more fight scenes than a Jackie Chan youtube compilation making this particular local fare the most tempestuous football match around. Who needs enemies with friends like these?
7) Manchester City v Manchester United – Manchester derby
The Manchester derby has long been fuelled by one sides dominance over the other. United have been at the forefront of English football for well over half a century whilst City have had to play second fiddle in terms of silverware and prominence.
United fans have revelled in their superior status for decades now and have been afforded the luxury of mocking the blue half of Mancunia for their almost comedic failings as City for long periods strived but largely failed to climb out of the shadows of their near neighbours.
However, the Citizens new found wealth has upset that balance and after ending their long-wait for a trophy and embarrassing the reds on their own patch, this is one confrontation which will only intensify over the next couple of years.
6) Newcastle v Sunderland – Tyne-Wear derby
The Tyne-Wear derby is another inter-city confrontation which has it’s routes through indifference to one another stretching back hundreds of years.
Newcastle and Sunderland – despite being just ten miles apart – fell into different hands following the English civil war and the Jacobite rebellions and although that historical context is largely lost present day, none of the rancor has.
There were 160 arrests in the aftermath of the 1990 Second Division play-off second leg when the Toon fans invaded the St James’s pitch hoping to force an abandonment.
Proceeding games have also fell foul to interruptions and last January, nearly 30 fans were again arrested following clashes in and around the ground surrounding a game which saw a 12-year-old Mackem run onto the turf to push over Newcastle ‘keeper Steve Harper.
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5) Portsmouth v Southampton – South Coast derby
The contentious nature of the south-coast derby gets its origins from the dockyard following centuries old confrontations between the workers from the neighbouring Hampshire ports.
Pompey fans affectionately refer to the Saints as ‘scum’ – an acronym supposedly derived from the South Coast Union Men of Southampton, who supposedly crossed the picket line when Portsmouth dockers went on strike in the 1950’s.
The resentment has always remained and manifested itself onto the football field with clashes between the pair gaining great local and national significance whenever they play.
Games have been sporadic but reignited recently when Harry Redknapp ‘crossed the line’ from Portsmouth to Southampton and back again culminating in an potent tie when Pompey hammered Redknapp’s Saints 4-1 in April 2005 to shove the Dell boys towards Premier League relegation.
4) Leeds United v Manchester United – The Roses derby
There’s little love lost between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire and their most distinguished football teams.
Initial animosity between the folk either side of the Pennines has its origins in the War of the Roses from over 600 years ago and in sporting terms that has been embraced by Leeds and Manchester United.
The friction was heightened during the hooliganism heyday of the 1970’s and ’80’s when sections of both clubs fans often became involved in brutal pitch battles inside and outside of the ground.
A recent football fans census found that both Leeds and United are ranked within the top three clubs based on the number of clubs that consider them to be their rivals, meaning this tribal clash largely defines just who is the most hated club of all.
3) Millwall v West Ham – East London derby
The rivalry between east London’s two main players is less about on-field competition and more to do with terrace culture with both clubs synonymous with the infamy of hooliganism since its inception in the 1960’s.
The vicinity of the sides in the working class area of the capital has borne an enmity which frequently causes trouble between the opposing fans whenever they meet.
In 1976 a Millwall fan was killed when supporters clashed in the streets and hostilities were inflamed from there on.
The teams have largely missed out on each others presence of late but when they were drawn together for a Carling Cup tie in August 2009, the match was played against the backdrop of some of the worst football violence in recent memory.
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A number of pre-arranged battles took place around Upton Park prior to kick leading to one man being stabbed and things didn’t recede much following kick-off.
Pitch invasions disrupted the game on a number of occasions before a Hammers victory was marred at the final whistle by a full-scale pitch invasion with hundreds of fans from either side swarming the playing surface and overrunning the police in images which conjoured up memories of these two’s dark hooligan days of the 1980’s.
2) Cardiff City v Swansea – The South Wales derby
Although Cardiff and Swansea lie 40 miles apart the fact that these two clubs represent their country by venturing by-weekly into the motherland makes it a matter of national honour and pride.
Wales’s biggest clubs have endured a fairly similar history and regularly pogo past each other meaning there’s a constantly evolving battle for status and supremacy both on and off the pitch.
The South Wales derby is arguably the most volatile fixture in the English league calender and matches are frequently scarred by clashes between the rival factions.
Following widespread violence at the ‘Battle of Ninian Park’ in 1993, away fans were banned from attending games on the other others patch and although incidents have largely decreased with more intelligent segregation and policing, the arrest rate at these ties are still amongst the highest in British football.
1) Liverpool v Manchester United – North-West derby
Both Liverpool and United have fierce rivals within closer proximity but being English football’s two most succesful and best supported sides means this is the countries most anticipated and heated contest.
The two cities are 30 miles apart yet the natives view the divide as much larger and have been involved in long running discords harking back to their differing industrial upbringing.
Both clubs golden eras coincided in relative downturns for the other, leading the sets of fans to constantly goad one another during those periods to create a long running historical battle.
The duo have won well over 100 domestic trophies between them leading to a bitter and never ending dispute over who are the kings of the national game.
Newcastle won on Boxing Day for the first time in a decade beating Bolton 2-0 at the Reebok Stadium to claim their first victory in six games.
The Magpies had failed to win a game since beating Everton at the start of November but proved too much for Owen Coyle’s side with Hatem Ben Arfa and Demba Ba striking within two minutes of each to ensure all three points went back to the North East. It was another hammer blow to the Trotters who’s hopes of survival now look slim after they failing to win at home once again. They now sit four points away from safety and must be wondering where their next win will come from after another drab display in front of their supporters. Newcastle, on the other hand, bounced back from their disappointing defeat against West Brom last Wednesday to end their barren run at the Reebok Stadium and move onto 30 points for the season.
Straight from the first whistle it was clear just what the visitors intentions were with Cheick Tiote and the returning Yohan Cabaye marshalling the midfield from kick off. Jussi Jaaskelainen was the first of the two keepers called into action getting down well to save Ryan Taylor’s curling free kick before Tim Krul did brilliantly to keep out Martin Petrov’s stinging effort. It was the Magpies who looked the more likely to score in the first forty five minutes and they should have taken the lead through Leon Best but the striker could only glance his header wide despite being unmarked in the penalty area. However the sting appeared to have been yanked from their tails after the break as the hosts came out fighting in search of only their second home win of the campaign.
Ivan Klasnic’s attempted dribble through the Newcastle defence saw him fall over his own feet with the Croatian nervously glancing over his shoulder in the hope referee Peter Walton wouldn’t brandish a second yellow card for diving after he was booked in the first half. With the game heading towards a goalless conclusion Toon Army boss threw on Hatem Ben Arfa on the hour mark and nine minutes later the Frenchman struck ghosting in at the far post to convert Taylor’s low cross. Two minutes later it was game over for Bolton as Ba struck for the 14th time this season beating Gary Cahill to get on the end of Gabriel Obertan’s right win cross. Coyle threw Tuncay and Kevin Davies on almost immediately but the duo failed to make an impact as the Magpies returned to winning ways.
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The big transfer news from Liverpool ’s POV on Friday was the supposed phone call that Kenny Dalglish had made to Palace regarding Wifried Zaha. It had been rumoured for a couple of weeks that Liverpool had shown a tentative interest but with the news on Friday morning it would appear that the Liverpool manager was making a firm approach for the England U21 International.
I would be the first to admit that I know little of the player or his ability but I have heard positive things about him and that much is the promising aspect of the possible deal. The downside for me – as always, with British players – is the price. £10 million for a 19 year old with 2 U21 caps and less than 75 games in England’s 2nd tier does not represent good value for me. It is the same price that Demba Ba apparently has written in to his contract; it is more than Liverpool paid for Pepe Reina, Jose Enrique, Dan Agger, Martin Skrtel, Lucas, Charlie Adam , Craig Bellamy and Maxi Rodriguez. There is no doubt he has potential but we are paying a premium now for a player that might be good in the future, because you can guarantee he won’t go straight in to the first team. When you look around, there is any number of proven players – particularly abroad – that are available for little more than this that could make an immediate impact and in case the board and coaching staff haven’t noticed, with our players being banned left and right and dropping like flies, immediate impact would be more beneficial to us at the moment.
It is rumoured that we’re looking to sign Zaha as a striker, or at least a forward, as opposed to a winger. Which, given his 6 goals in 74 games for Palace, is a little concerning. Don’t get me wrong, if Zaha could be signed for £5 million or less, I would have no complaints. I am however utterly loathed to hand out so much money for a rough diamond, particularly one that is completely unproven in the position we’re apparently looking to fit him in to.
Another aspect of this is the amount we’ve paid for relatively unproven Premier League players, such as Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson . Both have had small success before joining Liverpool but neither warranted the massive £51 million we paid for the two and neither have done much to justify the fee since they joined us. It is fair to say that players require time, particularly young ones. I was one of Lucas’s biggest supporters from the minute he joined and I was always imploring others to ‘just give him time’ because I could see something in him. I’ve heard others say the same of Carroll and Henderson, so I am prepared to give them both at least another 12 months to start showing something other than promise. But with the news of our solid interest in Zaha, you have to wonder whether we’re looking to build a team whose only attribute is just that: promise. You can’t win the league with potential and you can’t win cups either.
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Liverpool won a chess match against Manchester City on Wednesday night and the key to that win was experience, which the side Liverpool had on the field had in abundance. People these days laugh at Alan Hansen’s comments in the 90’s that ‘you can’t win anything with kids’ and point to United’s success with the likes of Beckham, Scholes, Giggs and the Neville’s. What people like to forget is that that team was based on the foundation of Schmeichel, Bruce, Irwin, Pallister and Keane. The also had Andy Cole and Eric Cantona, both of whom played more than 30 games in that particular title-winning season. So, in effect, Hansen has still not been proven wrong: you will never win anything with kids. Unless, of course, they are complimented with experience.
I can understand that we are investing in the future and I can only get behind that ideology but given that we’ve only signed one outfield player over the age of 26 so far under Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli (Bellamy doesn’t count, he was for free), from a total of 10 made in 2011, there is a worrying trend starting to show. You also have to worry about Kenny Dalglish’s future too because while NESV/FSG appear to be right behind the ‘youth first’ policy, they are also expecting success. With the money spent already, I can only imagine they will be extremely disappointed should we fail to qualify for the Champions League. And with another possible £10 million spent on more potential in this window, they may begin to wonder where their money is going.
I am not against signing players with potential, not in the slightest, I am all for it. However, that needs to be balanced out with signings of genuine, tangible quality now because success breeds success and if these young players we’re signing are around a squad that is failing year on year because of a lack of investment in experienced, talented players they are only going to suffer for it. And so will we. You also have to ask the question: if we are adamant that youth is the way forward, then why are we seeing glowing right-ups of Conor Coady, Raheem Sterling and Suso and then seeing nothing of them? And these players are not far off the age of Zaha and are probably better prepared for Premier League football, having trained and been primed at a top club.
If only we could look in to a crystal ball and see the future, we might know better whether the prices we’re willing to pay for these players is truly worth it, or whether we’re going to be rueing all of these expensive English signings for years to come.
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Article courtesyof David Tryer from Live4Liverpool
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Tottenham go in search of a second win in the space of 72 hours as they welcome Wolves at White Hart Lane as their title challenge starts to pick up speed.
Harry Redknapp’s side won at Everton on Wednesday night to move just three points behind leaders Manchester City and level on points with second place United. Spurs made 19 consecutive games in which they have scored in the Premier League this season – a record that shows no signs of abating. The return of captain Michael Dawson to the back four was a major boost for Redknapp who has lost a number of key defenders in recent weeks whilst the performance youngster Jake Livermore meant the absence of Scott Parker and Sandro wasn’t much of an issue for the North Londoners. It’s been a stunning season for the White Hart Lane faithful who have seen their side perform way above expectations as they continue to challenge for honours at the business end of the top flight. Another win could see them leapfrog United into second should they slip up at Bolton and give further credence to Tottenham being considered serious contenders for the title.
Wolves continue to flirt with the drop zone after a Christmas period that yielded just one win from seven. Mick McCarthy’s side beat managerless Sunderland at the start of December but took only a point from winnable games against Norwich and Bolton. Wanderers’ form since the end of August has been atrocious with just two wins in their last 18 seeing them having to put up another fight for survival. Even the return of chief net finder Steven Fletcher has failed to ignite a streak of improved form despite the Scotland striker providing a regular source of goals. Coming up against title chasing Tottenham at White Hart Lane will pose a huge test for McCarthy’s men as they struggle to pull themselves away from danger. Winning on the road has proved difficult this season as has keeping clean sheets having conceded 19 goals in 10 games away from Molineux. They’ll need to tighten up at the back on their trip to North London especially with Spurs scoring at leisure.
Tottenham Hotspur 3rd : 45 points
Last six: W W D W D W
Team news: Spurs will be without six first team players with Scott Parker remaining a doubt with a knee injury.
Key Player: Luka Modric
He’s the man that makes Tottenham tick and his effortless play making is crucial to the way they attack Modric was at his best once again in the victory over Everton and will surely carry his form over into the game against Wolves.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 16th : 17 points
Last six: L D D D L L
Team news: Captain Roger Johnson and Jamie O’Hara could both return to boost Wolves’ survival bid but Ronald Zubar remains out.
Key Player: Steven Fletcher
Goals have been easy to come by for the Scotland striker since his return from injury as Wolves continue to battle against the drop. Fletcher and strike partner Kevin Doyle are always a handful and could pose real problems for Tottenham’s injury hit back four.
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PREDICTION
Spurs are like a run away steam train at the moment and they don’t look like stopping anytime soon in their pursuit of the Premier League title. Wolves are battling to stay in the division but will surely leave White Hart Lane empty handed.
The FA has fined West Ham starlet Ravel Morrison £7000, after he was found guilty of making homophobic comments on Twitter.
The remark on the social networking site was apparently in response to a comment made by another user, and the extent of Morrison’s punishment has been revealed by the game’s governing body.
“West Ham United’s Ravel Morrison has been fined £7,000 and warned as to his future conduct after he admitted a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words including a reference to a person’s sexual orientation,” an official FA statement reads.
“The charge was in relation to comments Morrison made on Twitter.”
Morrison was adjudged as one of the brightest prospects at Manchester United, but refused to sign a new deal at Old Trafford and instead decided to leave to join The Hammers in the January transfer window.
This case of indiscipline is not the first in the midfielder’s past, as he was once fined £600 for throwing his girlfriend’s phone out of a window after an argument, has been cautioned by police for assaulting his mother and also admitted to witness intimidation last year.
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For the first time this season, Plymouth Argyle now have clear daylight between themselves and the relegation zone.
Dropping out of the football league is still a very real possibility for the Pilgrims, but the win yesterday could prove priceless come the end of the season.
Bradford have the worst away record of any team in League Two so our confidence was high going into this game, and so it proved as with just four minutes on the clock Argyle took the lead. A lovely curling free kick by Paul Wotton was met with ease by Juvhel Tsoumou at the back post, who headed home with aplomb to send the Green Army into seventh heaven.
It was the first of many long balls into the Bradford area that exposed the Bantams makeshift defence. After having two of their defenders sent off in midweek, and missing two more through injury, the visitors always looked weak at the back and had Argyle been more clinical they could easily have scored more than one.
Despite taking an early lead, Argyle did not take their foot off the gas at all. It was only three minutes later when a sweet Robbie Williams free kick hit the post and was unlucky not to go in as it rebounded off the sprawling Bradford keeper’s head and out for a corner.
Bradford did grow into the game as the half went on though, and Argyle were given warning signs when first Ravenhill and then Flynn both went close for the Bantams with efforts from just outside the area. Syers was then denied for Bradford when Durrell Berry, who has improved greatly recently, cleared his well met header off of the Argyle line. The Greens needed to go into half time with their lead intact, and did just that, although the lead could have been greater had Nick Chadwick made a better connection on an Ashley Hemmings cross
Argyle started the second half the brighter of the two sides with Chadwick and MacDonald both shooting narrowly wide before Simon Walton earned his wages with a heroic goal line clearance when it looked like Bradford had equalised.
Steven Fletcher making his debut for Argyle, came on with 20 minutes to go. Despite being 39, the veteran has never been out on loan until now. The reception he received from the Green Army as he warmed up suggests that his arrival to help fight the Argyle cause is appreciated by all associated with the Greens.
The big target man was obviously deployed to make the ball stick at the Bradford end of the field, as Argyle entered the territory where heartbreaking equalisers often come. And so, exactly as they did 2 weeks ago, Argyle led 1-0 at home with 10 minutes to go. The pressure on the Plymouth goal increased, but the defence did not crack. For a gut wrenching second with only two minutes left to play, it looked like Bradford had equalised. However, the linesman’s flag, so often the bane of a football fans life, came to Argyle’s rescue and rightly disallowed the late strike.
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It was the last scare of the game for Argyle, as the final whistle came just seconds later. This was met with one of the loudest cheers I have ever heard at Home Park, the realisation a proper gap had opened up between us and the relegation zone was evident on every face, and the chants of ‘We are staying up’ went on for a good five minutes after full time.
The next step towards safety for Argyle? The good Friday clash at Hereford, a team bottom of the league and fighting for their football league status. Another three points there and the table will look even better still as the dream slowly becomes reality.
Things haven’t exactly been going to plan for Tottenham Hotspur of late and their FA Cup Semi-final defeat against Chelsea at Wembley last weekend pretty much summed up their recent efforts.
Spurs lost 5-1 to the Blues on Sunday, but things might have been very different had Juan Mata’s phantom goal not been given seeing that it didn’t cross the line, and had Petr Cech been sent off after he tripped Emmanuel Adebayor when the Tottenham striker was through on goal.
As it was, Spurs crumbled to a crushing defeat and frustrations started to boil over, shown by Scott Parker’s reaction to John Obi Mikel kicking out at him. Sensibly Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp substituted Parker before he did something he would have later regretted.
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Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has stated that he will not leave the club this summer, despite interest from Real Madrid.
The Argentina international has been a major part of the newly-crowned champions’ first team since signing from Atletico Madrid last summer, and scored the winning goal against QPR on the last day of the season to hand Roberto Mancini’s men the title.
However, Real Madrid have been monitoring the South American’s progress and are thought to be weighing up a summer move for the forward.
Despite this, Aguero has stated that he has no intention of leaving the Etihad Stadium, and is looking forward to playing in Europe for the side next season.
“I will continue with City, I want to play in the Champions League here. Today City lives up to anyone, so I do not want to go. I decide where to go. If I say I will stay, I will stay,” he told Radio La Red, translated to English by The Daily Mail.
The news is backed up by Mario Balotelli’s commitment to remain at the club also, despite disciplinary matter over the course of the last campaign.
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Fabio Capello has thrown his hat in the ring to become the next manager of Chelsea, according to The Daily Mail.
The former England manager walked away from the Three Lions role earlier in the year due to the FA’s decision to strip John Terry of the national captaincy, and has been out of work since.
With Andre Villas Boas sacked earlier in the campaign, Roberto Di Matteo took over as interim boss at Stamford Bridge, and has rejuvenated their senior players and the season.
However, it is believed that Roman Abramovich would prefer a more senior manager, with Pep Guaridola his number one target.
Due to the fact that the ex-Barcelona head coach is set to have a sabbatical away from the game for one year, the Russian billionaire is examining his options, and as such Capello may be an option.
Capello is ready to travel to Munich to watch Chelsea’s Champions League final with Bayern Munich on Saturday, and as such will look to make contact with the west London club.
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