If you think Alex Ferguson was pissed the last time Real Madrid were making headlines trying to tempt winger Cristiano Ronaldo away from Manchester United, then he will go red when he hears about their latest tactics.
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is all over the Spanish media telling anyone that will listen that he still has a chance to sign his dream-boat. And this time we are not talking huge transfer fees, the latest attempt to lure Ronaldo will go right to his pocketbook in the way of making him the highest paid player in the world.
To fuel speculation, Jorge Mendes who is Ronaldo’s agent, has been meeting with Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic. While he claims its for other matters, don’t believe it. Real have a history of destabilizing players thru the media and the love affair with Ronaldo has not lasted the better part of 3 years. Let's just say the meeting wasn't exactly private.
The proposed salary: over 8m pounds per year, and with income tax in Spain about half that of England it would roughly equal 200,000 pounds a week were he being paid within the Premier League.
Ronaldo has scored a whopping 29 goals this season for United and signed a new 120,000 pound a week deal for 5 years. It’s more than likely that Mendes is trying to renegotiate terms and squeeze a few more quid out of Old Trafford, and why not? A winger that can score 30 goals in a season should be the highest paid player in the world.
At the moment Brazilian international Kaka is the highest paid player in the world, where AC Milan shell out 130,000 pounds a week.
I doubt Ronaldo would like to leave, I would imagine Manchester making him top of the salary heap will quiet Madrid.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Are Spurs and Chelsea moving in opposite directions?
Tottenham's Carling Cup win over Chelsea yesterday didn't seem to surprise anybody. In the days leading up to the final, they were well fancied. People argued that they'd turned a corner, that they could just sense that a form-bending win over local rivals Arsenal and subsequent improvements against Manchester United left Spurs ready to turn Chelsea over.
There was also a theory which shows White Hart Lane supremo Juande Ramos in an impressive light: under him, Spurs never get done twice. The suggestion is that he takes a game to suss out the opposition, and then engineers a noteworthy improvement next time out. A draw with United and wins over Arsenal and now Chelsea would appear to bear this out.
Spurs and Chelsea have both changed managers this season, to starkly differing effect.
This season began with Jose Mourinho managing Chelsea and Martin Jol gunning for fourth spot with Tottenham. Things worked out rather badly in both cases, and the managers were quickly walking the plank. Jose worked wonders at Chelsea, and was a victim of circumstance, Shevchenko and backstabbing. Jol suffered a similar fate for similar reasons, though his performance was undoubtedly questionable at the beginning of the current season.
Jose Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge led to the all too predictable appointment of Avram Grant, former manager of Israel and friend of Roman Abramovich. Grant has promised expansive football, and has been credited with improvements in Chelsea from the last days of Mourinho's tenure.
It seems to me though that the new manager has received an inordinate amount of good press. There has been nothing more than a flash of that exciting football, and even Mourinho used to provide it once in a while. The other argument is that Chelsea, just about, have stayed near(ish) the title race. Let's face it, though, Mourinho put together a team of supposedly world class players. So, in effect, Grant has done nothing.
And when you consider the hash he made of yesterday's match - religiously sticking to 4-3-3 despite possessing two of the best strikers on the planet - maybe it's best he doesn't try to put too much of his stamp on things. With his ineptitude and the attitude of the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard, combined with the imminent loss of Didier Drogba, it could well be that Chelsea will be in a battle for fourth next season unless Ranieri-type money is spent once again.
The future for Spurs, though, looks bright. Ramos' ability to observe and alter was alluded to earlier in this post, and shows a coaching aptitude absent at Chelsea. And without wishing to put too fine a point on it, it doesn't look like he'll take any shit. Much has been made of the combined weight loss of the Spurs squad since Ramos came in and ordered them to shed some pounds.
Their fitness is beginning to tell, and the manager seems to have an unerring ability to get the best out of good players. Dimitar Berbatov spoke after the final of his desire to stay at the Lane. Jermaine Jenas has dragged himself from obscurity to vitality. Signing the right players - i.e. tackling a defensive shambles by bringing in Alan Hutton and Jonathan Woodgate - indicates that Ramos will be no mug in the transfer market. In short, he's made a mighty impressive start.
It's entirely possible that Spurs and Chelsea will pass each other on the white way up and the blue way down, and it will be wholly due to differing managerial appointments made by two clubs with good squads.
There was also a theory which shows White Hart Lane supremo Juande Ramos in an impressive light: under him, Spurs never get done twice. The suggestion is that he takes a game to suss out the opposition, and then engineers a noteworthy improvement next time out. A draw with United and wins over Arsenal and now Chelsea would appear to bear this out.
Spurs and Chelsea have both changed managers this season, to starkly differing effect.
This season began with Jose Mourinho managing Chelsea and Martin Jol gunning for fourth spot with Tottenham. Things worked out rather badly in both cases, and the managers were quickly walking the plank. Jose worked wonders at Chelsea, and was a victim of circumstance, Shevchenko and backstabbing. Jol suffered a similar fate for similar reasons, though his performance was undoubtedly questionable at the beginning of the current season.
Jose Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge led to the all too predictable appointment of Avram Grant, former manager of Israel and friend of Roman Abramovich. Grant has promised expansive football, and has been credited with improvements in Chelsea from the last days of Mourinho's tenure.
It seems to me though that the new manager has received an inordinate amount of good press. There has been nothing more than a flash of that exciting football, and even Mourinho used to provide it once in a while. The other argument is that Chelsea, just about, have stayed near(ish) the title race. Let's face it, though, Mourinho put together a team of supposedly world class players. So, in effect, Grant has done nothing.
And when you consider the hash he made of yesterday's match - religiously sticking to 4-3-3 despite possessing two of the best strikers on the planet - maybe it's best he doesn't try to put too much of his stamp on things. With his ineptitude and the attitude of the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard, combined with the imminent loss of Didier Drogba, it could well be that Chelsea will be in a battle for fourth next season unless Ranieri-type money is spent once again.
The future for Spurs, though, looks bright. Ramos' ability to observe and alter was alluded to earlier in this post, and shows a coaching aptitude absent at Chelsea. And without wishing to put too fine a point on it, it doesn't look like he'll take any shit. Much has been made of the combined weight loss of the Spurs squad since Ramos came in and ordered them to shed some pounds.
Their fitness is beginning to tell, and the manager seems to have an unerring ability to get the best out of good players. Dimitar Berbatov spoke after the final of his desire to stay at the Lane. Jermaine Jenas has dragged himself from obscurity to vitality. Signing the right players - i.e. tackling a defensive shambles by bringing in Alan Hutton and Jonathan Woodgate - indicates that Ramos will be no mug in the transfer market. In short, he's made a mighty impressive start.
It's entirely possible that Spurs and Chelsea will pass each other on the white way up and the blue way down, and it will be wholly due to differing managerial appointments made by two clubs with good squads.
The Battle of Stamford Bridge
Things aren't too rosy at Fulham Broadway, it seems. The back of the Evening Standard made entertaining reading today, running the headline 'Chelsea stars losing confidence in Grant' in reference to manager Avram being out of his depth by some distance. The only surprise is that anybody didn't make this assertion instantly upon his appointment.
I've already made the comparison on this blog between Grant and Spurs boss Juande Ramos since both were appointed early this season. It seems that Chelsea players and fans are finally asking the very same question.
Grant has shown nothing to suggest he has a clue what he's doing at Stamford Bridge. As discussed on this week's Football Weekly podcast from The Guardian, Grant's Chelsea have played Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea... and not scored a single goal. The myth-making about Grant 'proving his doubters wrong' is just that. He took on a team with a few world class players, and a few good results and general reasonable form is only to be expected. He has achieved a grand total of nothing at Chelsea, and the players are wising to it.
Still, the players' attitude is, as usual with Chelsea, questionable in the extreme. There's been much coverage of a row between coach Henk Ten Cate and John Terry (pictured getting a much-deserved kick in the chops, from The Sun) and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole have thrown their toys out of the pram, as has Frank Lampard recently. Their dispicable behaviour does not end on the pitch, it seems.
Whichever camp has your sympathy, there is no denying that Stamford Bridge is besieged by tension and in-fighting. Long may it continue.
I've already made the comparison on this blog between Grant and Spurs boss Juande Ramos since both were appointed early this season. It seems that Chelsea players and fans are finally asking the very same question.
Grant has shown nothing to suggest he has a clue what he's doing at Stamford Bridge. As discussed on this week's Football Weekly podcast from The Guardian, Grant's Chelsea have played Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea... and not scored a single goal. The myth-making about Grant 'proving his doubters wrong' is just that. He took on a team with a few world class players, and a few good results and general reasonable form is only to be expected. He has achieved a grand total of nothing at Chelsea, and the players are wising to it.
Still, the players' attitude is, as usual with Chelsea, questionable in the extreme. There's been much coverage of a row between coach Henk Ten Cate and John Terry (pictured getting a much-deserved kick in the chops, from The Sun) and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole have thrown their toys out of the pram, as has Frank Lampard recently. Their dispicable behaviour does not end on the pitch, it seems.
Whichever camp has your sympathy, there is no denying that Stamford Bridge is besieged by tension and in-fighting. Long may it continue.
Monday, February 25, 2008
New tactics = new perfomance. Wigan matches of October and November (FM 2008).
After the weak start I changed tactics of Wigan totally. 4-4-1-1 was replaced on 5-2-1-2 with two fullbacks covering the whole flanks. Then I began to tune new tactics scheme trying different individual settings and different players on positions (I will describe my new tactics in one of the next post). As a result I'm glad with the performance of my at the moment. In October and November we had row of the following matches in the Premier League:
There is only one annoying match with Portsmouth where we could do nothing to resist with dignity. The performance in the other games was very keen. Though in half of matches we suffered a lack of class for gaining a needed result. For example, Arsenal - Wigan after the first half - 1:2 and than 4:2 in the end. By the way it was very principal match for me (as for the former manager of Arsenal) :)
Another example of game lost on class is Bolton - Wigan. We could win there but again got a ball in the net on the last minutes. Lack of concentration? May be... We'll see... Anyway you can believe that playing style of the current Wigan looks very well! Nevertheless our place in the Premier League table is a bit sad:
But having already played games with grand clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester I'm sure we will get good pack of points on the weaker opponents in upcoming fixtures. If I don't get those points I will be sacked as manager of Wigan:
Spurs run out deserved winners
Goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Jonathan Woodgate was enough for Spurs to win their first trophy in over nine years. Didier Drogba had put Chelsea in front but Juande Ramos' men weren't going to be beaten.
Terrific displays from Woodgate and Robbie Keane today but a lot of credit has to go to Spurs boss Juande Ramos. They are simply a different team ever since he has come in and this has been shown by the sides terrific form in recent months.
Congragulations Spurs!
Terrific displays from Woodgate and Robbie Keane today but a lot of credit has to go to Spurs boss Juande Ramos. They are simply a different team ever since he has come in and this has been shown by the sides terrific form in recent months.
Congragulations Spurs!
Hazelton has surgery to repair torn stomach muscles
USC wide receiver Vidal Hazelton played the 2007 season with what he thought was a groin injury, leading the team with 50 receptions for 540 yards and four touchdowns.
But it turned out he played the season with a more serious injury -- two tears of his stomach muscles .
Hazelton recently underwent abdominal surgery for the injuries and is expected to be fully recovered in time for spring practice, according to Los Angeles-area media reports.
The surgery was performed in Philadelphia by Dr. William Meyers of Drexel University, according to reports. While USC usually doesn't send its student athletes east for treatment, Hazelton's family insisted upon an expert in abdominal surgery performing the procedure.
Great Read on Former Charger Dave Misfud
Band of brothers
Close-knit Pioneers have thrived
Terry Foster / The Detroit News
FERNDALE -- Five days before Dearborn's season opener, Pioneers coach Dave Mifsud called a private meeting with his team captains and key senior players. On the surface it seemed like just another football meeting that hundreds of coached have around the country.
But the talk was not about football. That weekend, Mifsud's brother-in-law, Chris Mayone, 44, died suddenly while training for a marathon. The Mifsud family was devastated. Mayone was his best friend and the brother of his wife, Corrine.
As the words rolled from their coach's mouth, a transformation began within the players.
For weeks they spoke about becoming more of a family. The day they were eliminated from the state playoffs last season they felt a disconnect. This goal of bringing whites and Arabs and blacks together was not working the way they wanted.
They vowed to become a band of brothers because deep inside, they felt love for one another, even during turbulent times. They talked about becoming blood brothers. They made up T-shirts that said "14-0" and "2006 state champions." They dreamed of being a family and riding that bond to a state title and gaining friends for life.
Team becomes a family
But this news changed everybody. Now it was more than putting words on T-shirts. Now it was time to put actions before words. From that day, the Pioneers turned from boys to men. More importantly, they learned the essence of being a family.
If you ask anybody why this team will face Warren DeLaSalle (10-2) in Saturday's Division II state semifinal at Ferndale, they will tell you the Pioneers became more than a team and a dream. They became a family.
The Pioneers (11-1) used that bond to avenge a loss to Allen Park, 21-7, to advance to Saturday's game.
The heartfelt talk was a defining moment. Players knew what their coach was going through. Earlier this summer, Mifsud's dad and Pioneers super fan, Joe, suffered a stroke in his home state of Florida. And the rehabilitation has been long and difficult. The players did not want to be a burden. They wanted Mifsud to focus on his own family and not worry as much about the team.
Assistant coach Jamie Griegnon offered to take a bigger role and reminded his friend to remember the three 'F' 's that mean so much to him -- family, friends and football.
"When something happens to your family I will be there to take care of the football aspect of it," Griegnon said he told Mifsud. "You just tell me what you want."
There were a couple of incidents early in the season that might have divided this team. But players and assistants took care of it. They kept it so close and fixed the problem so cleanly not even Mifsud is clear of all the details.
"They (players) took care of it right away," Griegnon said. "This was the kids' way of saying we are focused."
Little things mean a lot
The simple things counted.
It might have been as simple as linebacker Amir Rustom saying a prayer in Arabic just as he would if this were his own family member. It was as simple as defensive tackle Mike Ajami and wide receiver Danny McKae making sure there was peace in the dressing room or nose tackle Mohamad Kassab preaching brotherhood. And it was as simple as the rest of the players going up to quarterback Anthony Mifsud, Dave's son, or their coach and just asking how they were doing. They no longer talked to Anthony or Dave as a coach or teacher or teammate. They spoke to them as family.
"We did not want that to affect coach, so we had to step up as leaders and put more responsibility on senior leadership," Ajami said. "We wanted to make sure coach had an easier time in practice and he could stick to the basics."
Pioneers have matured
But this is something the team had to learn. Two years ago, many of these players were freshmen and sophomores or reserve players watching Dearborn reach the semifinals. Last year, they were too immature and divided to make the same run.
This year, things changed.
"It was like when we were on the practice field we were not white, black, Arabic or whatever," Joe Jakcsy said. "We were all Dearborn Pioneer orange."
Kassab's house often is a gathering place for players. He teaches his brothers Arabic so they can communicate in his household and to open them to his culture. He also learns from the other cultures in the dressing room.
"You have to trust each other off the field," Kassab said. "All this brotherhood leads to being a good team."
Like any other team, there were other mishaps. Rustom thought his season was over when he injured a shoulder. He might still require surgery but will return.
Jakcsy won't play in the DeLaSalle game because he suffered a broken leg in the second round of the playoffs, but he goes to each practice on crutches. Both were showered with love during their darkest moments.
"After I got hurt I never felt so much love from a group of guys," Jakcsy said. "Two of my brothers gave me a kiss on the cheek to show me how much they appreciated everything I had done up to that point."
Dearborn athletic director Roy Gurk said the family extends to the staff. He said at least two dozen teachers and administrators have asked to chip in and help Mifsud, whether it is watching a class or offering food.
"People have come out of the woodwork for Dave," Gurk said. "They ask, 'What can I do for Dave?' "
How tight are the Pioneers? Safety Scott Abramouski has a photo of him and Rustom tackling a Fordson player with the caption of, "Me and my brother making a tackle."
That is what makes this team work. Through the course of death and illness, pain and suffering the Pioneers learned that blood is thicker than water.
Close-knit Pioneers have thrived
Terry Foster / The Detroit News
FERNDALE -- Five days before Dearborn's season opener, Pioneers coach Dave Mifsud called a private meeting with his team captains and key senior players. On the surface it seemed like just another football meeting that hundreds of coached have around the country.
But the talk was not about football. That weekend, Mifsud's brother-in-law, Chris Mayone, 44, died suddenly while training for a marathon. The Mifsud family was devastated. Mayone was his best friend and the brother of his wife, Corrine.
As the words rolled from their coach's mouth, a transformation began within the players.
For weeks they spoke about becoming more of a family. The day they were eliminated from the state playoffs last season they felt a disconnect. This goal of bringing whites and Arabs and blacks together was not working the way they wanted.
They vowed to become a band of brothers because deep inside, they felt love for one another, even during turbulent times. They talked about becoming blood brothers. They made up T-shirts that said "14-0" and "2006 state champions." They dreamed of being a family and riding that bond to a state title and gaining friends for life.
Team becomes a family
But this news changed everybody. Now it was more than putting words on T-shirts. Now it was time to put actions before words. From that day, the Pioneers turned from boys to men. More importantly, they learned the essence of being a family.
If you ask anybody why this team will face Warren DeLaSalle (10-2) in Saturday's Division II state semifinal at Ferndale, they will tell you the Pioneers became more than a team and a dream. They became a family.
The Pioneers (11-1) used that bond to avenge a loss to Allen Park, 21-7, to advance to Saturday's game.
The heartfelt talk was a defining moment. Players knew what their coach was going through. Earlier this summer, Mifsud's dad and Pioneers super fan, Joe, suffered a stroke in his home state of Florida. And the rehabilitation has been long and difficult. The players did not want to be a burden. They wanted Mifsud to focus on his own family and not worry as much about the team.
Assistant coach Jamie Griegnon offered to take a bigger role and reminded his friend to remember the three 'F' 's that mean so much to him -- family, friends and football.
"When something happens to your family I will be there to take care of the football aspect of it," Griegnon said he told Mifsud. "You just tell me what you want."
There were a couple of incidents early in the season that might have divided this team. But players and assistants took care of it. They kept it so close and fixed the problem so cleanly not even Mifsud is clear of all the details.
"They (players) took care of it right away," Griegnon said. "This was the kids' way of saying we are focused."
Little things mean a lot
The simple things counted.
It might have been as simple as linebacker Amir Rustom saying a prayer in Arabic just as he would if this were his own family member. It was as simple as defensive tackle Mike Ajami and wide receiver Danny McKae making sure there was peace in the dressing room or nose tackle Mohamad Kassab preaching brotherhood. And it was as simple as the rest of the players going up to quarterback Anthony Mifsud, Dave's son, or their coach and just asking how they were doing. They no longer talked to Anthony or Dave as a coach or teacher or teammate. They spoke to them as family.
"We did not want that to affect coach, so we had to step up as leaders and put more responsibility on senior leadership," Ajami said. "We wanted to make sure coach had an easier time in practice and he could stick to the basics."
Pioneers have matured
But this is something the team had to learn. Two years ago, many of these players were freshmen and sophomores or reserve players watching Dearborn reach the semifinals. Last year, they were too immature and divided to make the same run.
This year, things changed.
"It was like when we were on the practice field we were not white, black, Arabic or whatever," Joe Jakcsy said. "We were all Dearborn Pioneer orange."
Kassab's house often is a gathering place for players. He teaches his brothers Arabic so they can communicate in his household and to open them to his culture. He also learns from the other cultures in the dressing room.
"You have to trust each other off the field," Kassab said. "All this brotherhood leads to being a good team."
Like any other team, there were other mishaps. Rustom thought his season was over when he injured a shoulder. He might still require surgery but will return.
Jakcsy won't play in the DeLaSalle game because he suffered a broken leg in the second round of the playoffs, but he goes to each practice on crutches. Both were showered with love during their darkest moments.
"After I got hurt I never felt so much love from a group of guys," Jakcsy said. "Two of my brothers gave me a kiss on the cheek to show me how much they appreciated everything I had done up to that point."
Dearborn athletic director Roy Gurk said the family extends to the staff. He said at least two dozen teachers and administrators have asked to chip in and help Mifsud, whether it is watching a class or offering food.
"People have come out of the woodwork for Dave," Gurk said. "They ask, 'What can I do for Dave?' "
How tight are the Pioneers? Safety Scott Abramouski has a photo of him and Rustom tackling a Fordson player with the caption of, "Me and my brother making a tackle."
That is what makes this team work. Through the course of death and illness, pain and suffering the Pioneers learned that blood is thicker than water.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
How much do you bet ?
The majority of sports bettors lose in the long run basically because they do not follow a sensible betting staking strategy. Professional gamblers manage to stay professional mainly because they adhere to a staking management system.
In general,soccer bettors increase the size of their bets too quickly whether they go on a winning or losing streak. Without a system, one is more likely to place too much of his winnings or chase his losses on the next game's to the benefit of the bookmaker. Undue risk is put on individual bets when you do this.
Following a betting staking plan inherently instills discipline in your betting patterns. A systematic method of increasing your bets progressively protects your betting bank and ensures long-term profitability.
1. Nominate a fixed sum of the funds you have available for betting. This will be your Betting Bank. (We recommend setting up an actual bank account for this.)
2. Divide your total Betting Bank into 100 units.
3. When your wins adds your bank up to 125 units or more, divide this total into 100 units again, to the nearest euro (or dollar). This will be your new Betting Bank with an increased size per unit.
4. Do this every time your Betting Bank reaches 125 units.
Assume your initial Betting Bank is 1,000 euro.
Dividing this by 100 makes each betting unit 10 euro.
After 10 bets, your total funds available for betting (including your wins) become 1,250 euro which is 125 units according to your Betting Bank.Divide this 1250 euro (your new Betting Bank) into 100 units.The size of each of your betting unit is now 12.5 euro. (You may choose to round this up to 12 euro or 13 euro.)
Notes
If you choose to be less aggressive, you may want to wait until your betting bank becomes more than 120 units before you increase the size of your betting units. For example, 130 units or 150 units. The reverse is true for this betting strategy in the unlikely event that you suffer losses. If your initial Betting Bank goes down to 75 units, you divide the 75 by 100 and your decreased betting unit is now7.5 euro in the above example
In general,soccer bettors increase the size of their bets too quickly whether they go on a winning or losing streak. Without a system, one is more likely to place too much of his winnings or chase his losses on the next game's to the benefit of the bookmaker. Undue risk is put on individual bets when you do this.
Following a betting staking plan inherently instills discipline in your betting patterns. A systematic method of increasing your bets progressively protects your betting bank and ensures long-term profitability.
1. Nominate a fixed sum of the funds you have available for betting. This will be your Betting Bank. (We recommend setting up an actual bank account for this.)
2. Divide your total Betting Bank into 100 units.
3. When your wins adds your bank up to 125 units or more, divide this total into 100 units again, to the nearest euro (or dollar). This will be your new Betting Bank with an increased size per unit.
4. Do this every time your Betting Bank reaches 125 units.
Assume your initial Betting Bank is 1,000 euro.
Dividing this by 100 makes each betting unit 10 euro.
After 10 bets, your total funds available for betting (including your wins) become 1,250 euro which is 125 units according to your Betting Bank.Divide this 1250 euro (your new Betting Bank) into 100 units.The size of each of your betting unit is now 12.5 euro. (You may choose to round this up to 12 euro or 13 euro.)
Notes
If you choose to be less aggressive, you may want to wait until your betting bank becomes more than 120 units before you increase the size of your betting units. For example, 130 units or 150 units. The reverse is true for this betting strategy in the unlikely event that you suffer losses. If your initial Betting Bank goes down to 75 units, you divide the 75 by 100 and your decreased betting unit is now7.5 euro in the above example
Average player leaves Tottenham for Birmingham
Birmingham have agreed to pay Tottenham 6m pounds for Egyptian striker Mido. The distinctly average striker has left permanently when a loan deal was expected. Incredibly, Spurs stand to profit on the sale after signing the striker for 4.5m pounds in 2006.
Don’t hold your breath though. Personal terms have yet to be agreed which could easily break the deal. Should he sign, Mido would be Birmingham’s seventh transfer since winning promotion back to the Premier League.
Birmingham should think twice about this. Mido has fallen out of favor at every club he has been with and has a history of bad temperament and falling out with managers.
He started only seven games and made five further appearances as a substitute last season after a promising start at the club. He is now further down the pecking order after the expensive signing of Darren Bent.
For Birmingham this would be a record signing. It could turn out positively, without any competition for a place; Mido could settle and score goals. He has always been capable but hindered but a mighty high opinion of himself. Maybe a dose of reality will get him back on track.
Don’t hold your breath though. Personal terms have yet to be agreed which could easily break the deal. Should he sign, Mido would be Birmingham’s seventh transfer since winning promotion back to the Premier League.
Birmingham should think twice about this. Mido has fallen out of favor at every club he has been with and has a history of bad temperament and falling out with managers.
He started only seven games and made five further appearances as a substitute last season after a promising start at the club. He is now further down the pecking order after the expensive signing of Darren Bent.
For Birmingham this would be a record signing. It could turn out positively, without any competition for a place; Mido could settle and score goals. He has always been capable but hindered but a mighty high opinion of himself. Maybe a dose of reality will get him back on track.
Chelsea star linked with £25 million switch to Gunners
According to today's Times, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has decided to leave the club and he could be the subject of a £25 million bid for London rivals Arsenal.
Drogba has outlined his plans to quit Chelsea in the summer and there have been many rumours about his future, with sides like Real Madrid and AC Milan linked with the Ivorian striker.
Arsene Wenger is said to be a big fan of the 29-year old and although he rarely spends big, Wenger may yet splash the cash on Drogba, although personally I feel it's unlikely.
I think, although Drogba is a terrific player that scores loads of goals, he may be a bit old to be spending £25 million on. I feel Wenger will look to Lyon star Karim Benzema and spend £16 or so million on him instead and in my mind that would be a terrific move for the Gunners.
Drogba has outlined his plans to quit Chelsea in the summer and there have been many rumours about his future, with sides like Real Madrid and AC Milan linked with the Ivorian striker.
Arsene Wenger is said to be a big fan of the 29-year old and although he rarely spends big, Wenger may yet splash the cash on Drogba, although personally I feel it's unlikely.
I think, although Drogba is a terrific player that scores loads of goals, he may be a bit old to be spending £25 million on. I feel Wenger will look to Lyon star Karim Benzema and spend £16 or so million on him instead and in my mind that would be a terrific move for the Gunners.
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