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Football News: Review Of The Day 21st April 2019

Review Of The Day 21st April 2019
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Review of the Day

 


Clarke Hits Out After "Worst Refereeing Performance I've Ever Seen"

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke has said that Steven McLean should not manage matches involving Killie as he cannot handle the pressure of refereeing his father's former club. Stuart McLean played over 500 games for Killie in 16 year's at the club and Clarke believes it has made it more difficult for his son to be involved with officiating its matches, following his decision to send off 3 players against Aberdeen on Saturday. Clarke, who intends appeak against two of the red cards said: "Since I've been here, he's always seemed to struggle with Kilmarnock games. Maybe, or definitely, that's because his father was a player here for so many years. Whether he feels the pressure of that, it seems to affect his performance. I have mentioned privately that maybe Steven shouldn't referee Kilmarnock games just to take that burden, that extra pressure, off him. Now I'm saying it publicly. I think it would be better for Steven as a referee and for Kilmarnock as club." I hate to say it, as I dislike managers moaning about officials, but Clarke has got a point. Referees should not be put under extra pressure by managing a club they have a connection with at the top level. Officials are under enough pressure as it is, the last thing they need is added pressure to cloud their judgement.

 

Yaya Not Ready To Retire

Despite not having a club since leaving Olympiakos in December, Yaya Toure has ruled out retirement from playing. With the lack of effort he has put in over the last few years, he could probably play like that until he is in his late 80s to be fair. He has been playing walking football for about 5 years now. When asked where he would like to play Toure said: "Why not in the United States, or in the Gulf or in Asia? I will take the time to think and see what I decide next season. No one can stop me from playing football, I just decided to take an important time off for myself and it is very important to carefully weigh the options. It's not the end or retirement from the game because I believe I can still play on for another two or three years."

 

Schlupp's Ghana Doubt

Crystal Palace's utility man Jeffrey Schlupp is a major doubt for the summer's Africa Cup of Nations after an injury ruled him out of the rest of the season. Schlupp picked up an ankle injury in the defeat to Manchester City and will face a race against time to be fit to represent Ghana in the AFCON tournament which will be held in Egypt. Schlupp said on social media: "Unfortunately my season has come to an end a few weeks early due to an injury. Time to work hard and come back stronger ready for pre-season." Which would suggest he is not going to be fit, but manager Roy Hodgson had earlier said: "He won't play again this season, the ankle injury is such that it will take the three or so weeks we have left (to heal)." Which suggests he will be fit to play.

 

PFA Announce Players' Player Of The Year Shortlist

Last season Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah was PFA Players' Player of the Year, while Manchester City's Raheem Sterling was young player of the year, but this year Salah will not be in the mix to win the prize. Sterling is in both lists, despite being 24 now, he is eligible, as is team-mate Bernardo Silva, for the Young Player of the Year award as they were 23 when the season began.
Players' Player of the Year Nominations:
Bernardo Silva - Manchester City
Raheem Sterling - Manchester City
Sergio Aguero - Manchester City
Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool
Sadio Mane - Liverpool
Eden Hazard - Chelsea
PFA Young Player of the Year Nominations:
Bernardo Silva - Manchester City
Raheem Sterling - Manchester City
Marcus Rashford - Manchester United
Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool
David Brooks - Bournemouth
Declan Rice - West Ham United

 

Fekir Splits With Agent

With Lyon publicly stating just a few weeks ago that they would be looking for offers for their captain Nabil Fekir, he has split with his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes. Bernes believes it will be difficult for his former client to get a move to a big club, despite only just missing out on a summer move to Liverpool last year. Bernes said: "I terminated the contract on (Thursday). It was a choice (Fekir) took. He will certainly look for another agent. Like all human relationships, from time to time you can have a difference of opinion on someone's future or their behaviour. To get into one of the top 10 clubs is very difficult, you must have an approach. You must not place too much importance on the role of an agent. When you have a big player and a big club wants him, it is the club who come to see you. You are not soliciting interest." It seems he is saying there has been no interest from big clubs this year and that Fekir expects him to drum up some interest, but he does not work that way. He is also suggesting that Liverpool have not shown any interest in reviving a move for Fekir. At least so far.

 

Pepe Talking To Many Clubs

With interest from all over Europe in Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, who has had what could be termed a 'breakout season', his agent has confirmed that they are speaking to many clubs about a summer move for the Ivory Coast international. Sami Khiat told RTL: "We are talking to many different clubs, we have still not made a final decision. Up until today there is no clear favorite, irrespective of that may be Bayern or any other club. Nicolas can go wherever he wants to in this moment, we are not looking at only one specific league, we have no favorite destination." Pepe had said back in 2017 that the only English club he was interested in joining was Chelsea.

 

Stuttgart Sack Manager

VfB Stuttgart have handed Nico Willig the job of interim head coach until the end of the season after they sacked Markus Weinzerl. Stuttgart are currently in the relegation play-off place in the Bundesliga after Weinzerl could only manage 4 wins and 4 draws in his 22 matches in charge. A 6-0 defeat away to fellow struggles Augsburg proved to be the final straw for his bosses who have turned to U19 coach Willig to try to rescue the club from relegation. Sporting director Thomas Hitzlsperger said: "We wanted to bring the season to a successful conclusion with Markus Weinzierl and his coaching team. However, after the extremely disappointing match in Augsburg we chose to review the situation again and decided that a clear break is necessary in order to secure our Bundesliga survival. We didn't take this decision lightly, but VfB's success comes first and we have to act accordingly. Over the last few years Nico Willig has done very good work in the VfB youth academy and immediately agreed to help out in this difficult situation," he continued. "We believe he is capable of quickly bringing fresh impetus to the team and helping them avoid relegation."

 

Juve Clinch 8th Successive Title

Juventus have made it 8 Serie A titles in a row after a 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Saturday. Despite being knocked out of the Champions League mid-week by Ajax, the Italian champions recovered to give Cristiano Ronaldo his first ever Italian league crowns. Ronaldo also won the leagues in England, with Manchester United, and Spain, with Real Madrid, in his first seasons at the club and he has committed himself to staying with Juve for next season. Juventus women also secured their league title on the same day.

 

Coutinho Jeered By Barca Fans

It is fair to say that Philippe Coutinho's move to Barcelona is not going the way he expected it to when he feigned injury in order to force a move away from Liverpool to join the Catalans. The Brazilian has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot in Ernesto Valverde's team and has come in for a storm of criticism from the fans. His goal celebration against Manchester United in the Champions League has seemingly irritated the Barca fans further as they jeered his arrival as a 72nd minute substitute on Saturday.

 

LVG Criticices OGS Once More

Louis van Gaal has once more criticised Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's defensive tactical plan. Van Gaal said: "I can see how Ole had some impact in the beginning, because United were ninth in the table when he took over and the team was nothing. United had been playing anti-football, as I call it, but don't think that Ole isn't afraid to park the bus either - he is more defensive than you think. I have been watching the team, because I always look at United still, and Ole parked the bus against Arsenal. He did it against Tottenham in the league. And at stages against Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in the Champions League. He plays against all the big teams like that. The emphasis is more on defending than on attacking or wanting to play dominant football. I actually call it parking the bus. Ole does it not just outside the 18-yard box. He parks the bus right in front of [goalkeeper] David de Gea. But if Man United want to be a dominant force in Europe again - and in England - they have to have a different playing style. The problem as a foreign manager is that you find out that the English football culture is different from Germany and Spain. In those countries, you work on things in training. In England, everything is done by playing matches. They get fitter or gain stamina by playing lots of matches. It is a culture you cannot change easily. I wanted to change things, but it proved very difficult."

Written by Tris Burke April 21 2019 06:51:51

 

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