Football News: Herrera Backs Van Gaal, Lazio Admit They Tried To Move Ravel On Deadline Day And More
Image from: zimbio.com
1. Koeman and Aguero pick up January awards
The awards for player and manager of the month for January in the Premier League have been handed out. Southampton boss Ronald Koeman picked up the Manager of the Month award after winning three out of four in January, beating Manchester United after wins over West Bromwich Albion and Watford. Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino was runner up, after also leading his charges to three wins in four. Sergio 'Kun' Aguero picked up the Player of the Month award after the Argentine marksman scored five goals in four games, as well as picking up an assist along the way.
2. Transfer round up
Iliyan Yordanov, Lokomotiv Plovdiv to Borac Cacak, free
Jose Aja, Nacional to Racing Club, on loan
Luis Fernandez, Mushuc Runa to CS Emelec, free
Andres Franzoia, Argentinos to CA Sarmiento, free
Leo Costa, Ponte Preta to Rio Claro, free
Bruninho, Penafiel to Braganca, undisclosed fee
Byron Cano, Delfin to Fuerza Amarilla, free
Shaun Jeffers, Yeovil Town to Woking, on loan
Matheus Ribeiro, released by Atletico Paranaense
Diego Casas, River Plate to Villa Espanola, on loan
Chadrac Akolo, FC Sion to Neuchatel Xamax, on loan
Andre Dias, released by Democrata
Konstantinos Kapetanos, AE Karaiskakis to FS Kozani, free
Oumar Diaby, Levski Sofia to Hamilton Academical, free
Nikolaj Hansen, Vestsjaelland to Valur, free
Marlon, Farense to SC Vila Real, on loan
Pablo Herrera, CS Uruguay to Universidad de Costa Rica, free
Lars Brogger, FC Roskilde to Lyngby, free
Rafael Rocha, unattached to Rio Branco
David Batista, Gil Vicente to Barretos, free
Sorin Ciobanu, Rapid Suceava to Juventus Bucharest, free
Mark Orosz, Dunaujvaros to Mezokovesd, free
Bruno Costa, Monte Azul to Mogi Mirim, on loan
Lukasz Sekulski, Jagiellonia Bialystok to Korona Kielce, on loan
Michael Barquero, Cartagines to Santos, free
Weverton, Coimbra to Tigre, on loan
Andrei Artean, Poli Timisoara to Ramnicu Valcea, on loan
Joao Paulo, Bahia to Alagoano, on loan
Michal Bajdur, Legia Warsaw to Sosnowiec, on loan
Mathias Hebo Rasmussen, Nordsjaelland to FC Fredericia, free
Isa Demir, Assyriska FF to AFC United, free
Elton Doku, released by KF Laci
Arbey Mosquera, Tucanes to Puerto Cabello, undisclosed fee
Maksym Kuchynsky, FK Poltava to Cherkasky, undisclosed fee
Diego, Nautico to Santos, free
Luciano Vella, Defensa y Justicia to Arsenal de Sarandi, free
Mika Aaritalo, FC Lahti to KuPS, free
Baris Ozbek, unattached to MSV Duisburg
Raul Becerra, unattached to Deportivo Cuenca
Douglas Borges, Volta Redonda to Remo, on loan
Diogo Sodre, Coritiba to Tigres, on loan
Matthew Silva, released by Farense
George Fochive, Portland Timbers to Viborg FF, undisclosed fee
Thomas Nielsen, Vikingur to Silkeborg IF, free
Ilia Tsyvilko, Suduva to FK Silas, free
Gladestony, Estoril to FC Cartegena, on loan
Evgeni Klopotskiy, Dinamo Brest to Torpedo Zhodino, free
Nikolaos Argyriou, Anagennisi Karditsas to Ionikos Nikea, free
Felipe Zang, Cianorte to Cruzeiro, on loan
Kamil Kuczak, Wisla Krakow to MKS Klucsbork, on loan
3. Vardy set to sign new Foxes deal
With clubs sniffing around Premier League top scorer Jamie Vardy, Leicester City have offered him a new deal to ward off interest. The 29 year old striker has allayed the fears of Leicester fans by confirming he is set to sign the contract extension. Vardy said: "It will be sorted. I am leaving that to my agent." With the club set to face title rivals Manchester City this weekend, this news could be the boost they need.
4. Kompany returns to training
As Manchester City prepare to face league leaders Leicester City, they have been given a huge boost as key defender and captain Vincent Kompany has returned to first team training. The big Belgian has been missing for six weeks, after this latest injury, and his return will be welcomed, as his presence makes a huge difference for the Citizens. "Vincent Kompany's given the City squad a welcome boost by returning to first team training following a six-week lay-off," a statement on City's official site read. They will be hoping his return to the side will last a big longer than his last return on Boxing Day, which saw him suffer an injury after just nine minutes on the pitch.
5. Bilic backs bargain Austin
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has admitted that Southampton got a bargain in striker Charlie Austin. The Hammers were among the clubs interested in signing him last summer from QPR, but were put off by the asking price of £15m. The 26 year old ended up joining Saints for just £4m in the January window and Bilic believes it is a great signing. "He's a great player," said Bilic. "He has proved himself - he's not one of those who has only done it in the Championship. He did it last year in the Premier League, scoring many goals for a team who were relegated, so for that money he should be a great buy. To add to that he scored the winner at Old Trafford in his first game, so it's a flying start for him. It was a bit of a surprise that he went for that kind of money. In England that is a small transfer. He would definitely be a player with quality enough to play for West Ham, and for most teams in the Premier League. But we had different targets, we have really good strikers and we were looking for different type of players. That is the reason (we didn't try to buy him), not his quality."
6. England plan Feb get together
England manager Roy Hodgson has called a squad meeting for February, despite the Three Lions having no matches to play before March. Hodgson is thankful to Premier League clubs for allowing him to host a meeting to review November's friendlies with Spain and France and look ahead to the clashes with Germany and Netherlands. "It's very good that I will get to see the players between the matches we played in November and the matches we'll play in March as it's an awful long time not to see the players," Hodgson said. "It will be a great opportunity to speak to them with a lot of video back up about the principles that we've actually been working on over the last two years. Including what we're trying to do on the ball, what we're trying to do without the ball, what are the values that we regard as important and also to discuss our general plans around the Euros."
7. Teixeira admits the money was just too good to turn down
Jiangsu Suning confirmed the signing of Brazilian starlet Alex Teixeira, who had been close to a Premier League move to Chelsea or Liverpool in the January window. Neither club were able to match Shakhtar Donetsk's price however, and the player went public with his desire to join a Premier League team. In the end Teixeira agreed to join Chinese Premier League side Jiangsu Suning after they agreed an Asian transfer record fee of £38m, admitting it was for the money.
Alex #Teixeira leaves #Shakhtar to continue his career at Jiangsu Suning. https://t.co/cVsKdG5nag #ThanksAlex pic.twitter.com/q0ndFMa4mf
— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) February 5, 2016
8. Brizzle confirm Johnson talks
Championship club Bristol City have confirmed that they have been given permission to speak to Barnsley's head coach Lee Johnson, with a view to him taking up the vacant manager's role at City. Bristol recently sacked Steve Cotterill and have had John Pemberton in a caretaker role since then.
9. Lazio admit Ravel not in shape
Enfant terrible Ravel Morrison joined Lazio in the summer, but has already fallen out with the management there, leading to him being sidelined. Not so long ago, as a Manchester United youngster, Alex Ferguson was talking about how Morrison was the most talented player he had seen, only for a poor attitude and constant off field issues, often involving a childish desire to be seen as a gangster, to have held him back. A move to West Ham United was a failure, a loan to QPR even more of a flop, and in the end the move to Italy was seen as a chance for a fresh start. Rumours were circulating in the media about how he was set for a surprise return to English football, but now Napoli have confirmed that the only interest was from a Serie B club Salernitana. Morrison turned that deadline day offer down, but the Napolitans manager, Maurizio Sarri, has also revealed that Morrison is out of shape. "He's not in good condition. His adjustment period is over. He knows what he has to do - and what not to do - to be called-up. The same goes for him as all the others. Morrison refused to join Salernitana and I cannot force them to accept. He is a player of quality for Serie B, I'd say worthy of the Champions League. I tried to the last moment of the transfer window, but was unable to convince them. I had also promised them some bonuses, but now they will stay at Lazio where they don't play."
10. Herrera says it would be unfair to sack van Gaal
Ander Herrera has given his backing to Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, Van Gaal has been under criticism all season, with talk of who should replace him being a regular topic in the media, despite the club showing no signs of removing him. Now Spanish midfielder Herrera, despite struggling to nail down a regular spot under the Dutchman, has come out in his defence. "I think it would be unfair to sack him," said Herrera in an interview with Marca. "The way of working in England is to give confidence, and we still have the chance of winning three titles: FA Cup, Europa League and Premier League, even though we are 10 points from Leicester. Distances are less here. In England there is more patience, not only with Van Gaal. Mourinho, being three points from relegation, wasn't sacked. (Arsene) Wenger went nine years without any titles and continues there. City went three weeks without winning and there weren't any doubts about Pellegrini."
Written by Tris Burke February 05 2016 14:44:27