Football News: Daily News Round Up

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Review of the Day

Man City Baulk At Spending Money

Or at least that is how it is being reported by the media for some unearthly reason. They were willing to spend a lot more to get him in the summer but now they are being claimed to think he is too expensive at half the price with a slight bump in wages. This story reminds me of the days when journalists would meet at the end of a week to come up with the most ludicrous stories and see if they could get them in print. This is another along the lines of the EU setting down rules for the curvature of bananas. The sad thing is that people believed that because it was in the papers and they will do the same with this story too!

Transfers

Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko has returned to former club FC Midtjylland on loan for the rest of the season.

While Celtic are losing defenders, rivals Rangers have brought one in from Norwich City on loan, as Russell Martin joins them.

Martin is not the only Norwich player to leave the Canaries today as Cameron Jerome has signed for Derby County on a permanent deal.

Police Dismiss Mayor's Barkley Claims

Liverpool's Mayor Joe Anderson, a fervent Everton supporter, went a long way towards proving he is not bitter, honest, about Ross Barkley's January transfer to Chelsea, by writing to the police to make claims of potential fraud, due to his club receiving less money than it would have if he had gone in the summer. The letter, on official headed notepaper, was dismissed by the police, unsurprisingly, due to a lack of evidence of any truth to his claims. They have yet to comment on the second page of his letter which pointed to fraud on the part of Cuco Martina, who has been masquerading as a professional footballer this season.

Tevez Relaxed After Shanghai Holiday

Carlos Tevez has explained why he achieved so little, other than weight gain, during his seven month spell at Shanghai Shenhua as one of the highest paid players on the planet. He has claimed it was ok that he was overweight and pretty much useless because he "was on vacation for seven months". Now back at boyhood club Boca Juniors, they will be hoping he realises that the holiday is over.

Stand Cracks Force Game Abandonment

There were worrying scenes in the Portugese league as a match had to be abandoned at half time as spectators were evacuated onto the pitch following cracks appearing in the stand. Estoril were leading Porto by 1 goal to nil at the time and the second half will be played at a later date, when the Antonio Coimbra da Mota Stadium is rendered safe or an alternative venue is found.

Rodwell Sunderland's Worst Mistake

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini has criticised the signing of Jack Rodwell from Manchester City, calling his contract "a massive liability that they've got to somehow get him out of". The Mackems paid £10m for the always injured former Everton youth and gave him a £60k a week contract with no relegation wage reduction clause, unlike his team mates. I wonder if Gabbiadini has just forgotten about a certain David Moyes and his time in charge of the Black Cats?

FA Reveals Wenger's Words To Dean

Just when you think Arsene Wenger might have truly lost the plot and be unable to see what is happening all around him, the FA release referee Mike Dean's report of his clash with Wenger after the Gunners drew 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Eve. Now we know that actually, sometimes anyway, he feels the same way as the rest of us as he called Dean 'a disgrace' and questioned his honesty. Wenger admitted questioning the integrity of Dean, something we all do whenever we have to watch him referee.

Kit Change For Reading

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson wore two different kits to notch a hat-trick as Reading beat Stevenage in their FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. Stevenage's kit clashed with Reading's home kit but the League 2 side did not have a usable change kit with them, as their blue away kit also clashed with Reading's blue and white hoops, so Reading were forced to change at half time to their away kit. It does make you wonder about the game, why did no one notice in the initial match that it might be a problem? Even more bizarre is that it was not sorted out before kick off as the kit clash was spotted before the match kicked off.

Newcastle Takeover Stalls

In news guaranteed to drive every Newcastle United supporter into paroxysms of anger, it has been revealed that owner Mike Ashley is no longer in talks to sell the club. With just one offer on the table, which does not match Ashley's valuation of the Toon, he will carry on using the club as an advertising billboard for his jumble sale business, Sports Direct. I am sure the £900,000 profit the club made last season, despite spending it in the Championship, will not have factored into the thinking of a man who is known for his generosity to his staff. Or something like that anyway.

VAR To The Rescue

Leicester City become the first club in English football to benefit from a VAR decision as their second goal in a 2-0 win over League One Fleetwood Town was initially ruled out for offside before the decision was overturned by VAR. Striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored both goals in the FA Cup 3rd Round Replay, was seen to be kept onside by Nathan Pond's trailing foot. It took over a minute for the decision to be overturned using the technology, which Claude Puel praised as a step forward for the game, this week at least. We will see what he says when the decision goes against his team though.

Ronaldinho Retires

Party boy Ronaldinho has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37, just 2 years after last playing a match in professional football. One of the greatest entertainers in the game, both on and off the pitch, a personality in a sport which sadly lacks personality these days, he will be sadly missed, even though he never quite lived up to the huge promise he showed.

Written by Tris Burke January 17 2018 04:48:01