Football News: Payet Nears Return, Everton Near Takeover And More Stories Of The Day
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1. Warburton hits back at Stubbs
As former Celtic defender Alan Stubbs cranked up the pressure on Rangers in the Championship title race in Scotland, their manager was quick to respond. Hibernian manager Stubbs was talking up his sides good form, as they get maximum points in recent weeks, while pointing out how much Rangers have slipped in the same period. Warburton insisted he was not bothered about Hibs, as, in his weekly press conference, he told the gathered news media that he was more worried about what to buy the wife for Christmas than what Stubbs had to say about Rangers. Now he just has to hope that comment does not come back to bite him when the two teams face off at the weekend.
2. Kolo Toure is one of football's good guys
It is nice to know that not all footballers are overpaid brats who squander their money on flash cars, drink and wild partying. There is Steven Naismith of Everton on the blue side of Merseyside who gives free tickets to people who can not afford them and helps out with a homeless charity back in his home city of Glasgow. On the red half of Merseyside there is Kolo Toure, the Liverpool defender who gives financial support to an orphanage back home in the Ivory Coast. This Christmas the former Manchester City and Arsenal defender is planning a party for the children housed there. He is also looking to organise some fundraising events to help improve the quality of life for those orphans.
3. Spurs confirm injury news
Mauricio Pochettino has revealed some good news for Tottenham Hotspur fans, after he revealed that Ryan Mason is back to fitness following an ankle injury he suffered in a goalless draw with Chelsea in November. The 24 year old also spent some time out with a knee problem suffered in September, but has still managed ten appearances in the Premier League so far this season. Clinton N'Jie and Alex Pritchard are the only players left on Spurs' injury list though it is unlikely that Andros Townsend will be back in the side for the Boxing Day match with Norwich City. Townsend has been banished to the sidelines since he had a row with fitness coach Nathan Gardiner in October, and has yet to feature for the London club since.
4. O'Neill set for a new contract
One half of the Irish twin O'Neill management duo is set to sign a new contract. With the Republic of Ireland managed by namesake Martin, it is the Northern Ireland manager Michael who is set to sign a new deal to extend his stay as manager with a four year deal in the pipeline. Following the country's success in qualifying for next summer's Euros, Michael O'Neill is the current BBC coach of the year, an accolade he was awarded at the recent Sports Personality of the Year awards. The 2016 Euros are the first major tournament that Norn Iron have reached in 30 years and he is riding the crest of a wave of popularity heading into it. "We're well down the line, discussions have been very positive to date," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "I don't envisage everything being signed and sealed before Christmas but we haven't hit any stumbling blocks yet. I'd imagine it'll come to a conclusion some time in the New Year. With any contract, it's a long-term commitment, it has to be right. It's not a two-year deal, it will be a four-year deal," he explained. "It has to be right for me first of all, and for the Association as well. It's just about making sure that both parties get what they want out of it and making sure that there's protection on both sides is key. I'm not out there saying to an agent 'You need to get me a club job now'. If it comes along and presents itself, I would evaluate it. You have to just play it by ear. It's very much driven by who wants you, and the structure of that opportunity. It's not just a case of 'there's a club job, there's the salary, go and take it'....it's more about 'What's the stability of the club? What's the structure of the club? What's the chances of you having some level of success at the club?'"
5. Payet close to a return
Speaking ahead of West Ham United's Boxing Day match with Aston Villa, Hammers manager Slaven Bilic has revealed that French international midfielder Dmitri Payet is ahead of schedule with his recovery from injury. They hope to have him back in training next week and ready to play when West Ham face Liverpool in January. It was feared they would lose Payet until February following a challenge by James McCarthy in a 1-1 draw with Everton. Without Payet, the Hammers have looked a far poorer side, missing his creativity desperately.
6. Everton close to takeover
Following the recent investment in Crystal Palace by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who acquired a major shareholding in the club a few days ago, Everton are the next English Premier League club being targeted by American investors. Everton already have Robert Earl as one of their major shareholders, now they are set for a takeover by John Jay Moores and Charles Noell, who have signed a head of terms agreement according to The Times. The duo are now studying the club's accounts ahead of possibly completing a takeover within the next six weeks. The pair were very close an investment in Swansea City earlier in the year, but a deal to acquire 30% collapsed at the last minute. Moores used to own San Diego Padres, the Major League Baseball franchise.
7. Koeman warns clubs off Wanyama
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has warned potential suitors they would be wasting their time courting his powerful midfield general Victor Wanyama. With the Saints becoming known as a selling club, vultures are circulating in the hopes of picking the bones of the carcass one more time. This time around Koeman is determined to dig his heels in and not sell the Kenyan who has become integral to his plans since his arrival from Celtic. "They can prepare whatever they like to prepare," said Koeman, of rumours clubs are lining up January bids for Wanyama. "Don't spend time trying to buy a player from Southampton because it's impossible."
8. Cole set for LA Galaxy
Former Arsenal left back Ashley Cole has been finding playing time difficult to come by lately. First off his final season at Chelsea saw him sidelined for most of it, then he moved to AS Roma in Serie A and things have not gone so well. Last season he managed just 11 appearances, this season he has yet to make one and, with his contract up at the end of the season, talks have been undergoing to end it early with a view to heading to the USA and MLS football with LA Galaxy. The Galaxy have already traded away an American international defender in Omar Gonzalez to Pachuca in order make space on their roster.
9. Riordan lays the blame at Strachan's door
In 2006 Derek Riordan left his boyhood team Hibernian to join Celtic. While there, Riordan often found himself sat on the sidelines watching on, despite a fans' clamour for him to play. Now Riordan has claimed that it was simply because then manager Gordon Strachan did not like him. "Strachan was what went wrong at Celtic," said Riordan. "We just didn't get on. He made me train on my own. There was a story in the paper about me that he didn't like and that was it after that. I fell out with the one man that mattered most at Celtic, the manager. If you're not part of the manager's plans there's not a lot you can do. I wanted my career to take off at Parkhead. I had the choice of all sorts of clubs but I chose Celtic. I couldn't have picked a bigger and better club." In the end, Riordan left to go back to Hibs in 2008.
10. Poch backs his Spurs to challenge for the title
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has backed his team to challenge for the league title this season. Usually Spurs are aiming to break into the top four, but this season Poch feels that the team can set its sights higher. With the Premier League in a massive state of flux this season, reigning champions Chelsea in the relegation dogfight, last year's strugglers Leicester City heading the table, Argentinian boss Pochettino is backing his side to make a title challenge. He said: "In football all is possible. Most important thing is believe you can win every game. We are young but have a strong squad, and believe in ourselves and will keep working hard to try and win every game. For that it is always important to be focused in every game and training session but in football all can happen if you believe." The North London side are currently nine points behind the leaders Leicester.
Written by Tris Burke December 24 2015 04:42:13