Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic is determined to become a big success in the Premier League next season with Blackburn Rovers.
The 22-year-old netted seven goals in 33 appearances in his first season in England, but expects to play a much greater role for Sam Allardyce's side next term.
He told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph:"Of course I am looking forward to the new season and the chance to prove I am capable of playing in the Premier League regularly as a main striker.
"I am willing to work hard to go a step further now, because I want to become the first striker at Blackburn Rovers. I know that will not be easy but I believe with hard work that is possible.
"Last season went according to expectations for me. I was told when I made the transfer from Croatia to Blackburn, I would not be ready for the first team for the first six months.
"I understood that as I had to get used to the new league and get myself strong enough.
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"I was patient for the first six months and just accepted I would not play all the time, but that I would do my best when I did.
"Last season actually went better than I expected, because I played more games towards the end and scored a few goals."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Fulham have placed Ray Lewington in temporary charge of first-team affairs following Roy Hodgson's departure to take over at Liverpool.
Hodgson's two-and-a-half year reign at Craven Cottage came to an end when the veteran Englishman decided to replaced Rafael Benitez in the Anfield hot-seat.
The 62-year-old had been linked with the managerial vacancy since Benitez's departure on June 3 and the Cottagers have handed Hodgson's former number two, Lewington, interim charge of first-team affairs while a permanent successor is sought.
"Fulham confirm that at 9.20am this morning (Thursday), Roy Hodgson resigned from his position of first-team manager, effective immediately," confirmed a brief club statement.
"The club would like to wish Roy the very best for the future and thanks him for all that was achieved during his tenure.
"Ray Lewington will take temporary charge of team matters until a successor is announced in due course."
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Former Charlton Athletic and West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley is the early front-runner to replace Hodgson at the helm of the Craven Cottage club.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
West Brom midfielder Steven Reid has decided to retire from international football after enduring an injury-ravaged couple of years.
The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland star, who penned a two-year deal with Albion earlier this month, has opted to put all his efforts into extending his club career.
The former Blackburn Rovers star told the Baggies' official website:"It was a tough decision because I've had some terrific times with Ireland. But, having weighed everything up, I know this is the right decision.
"The injuries I've had over the past couple of years have been well documented and I've taken this step to prolong my club career and to spend more time with my family. It's a decision I came to after lengthy discussions with the club's medical staff and my family.
"I've had some unforgettable times with Ireland, the highlight being making two appearances at the World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea in 2002. It's just a shame my injuries cut short the number of caps I possibly could have won over the past few years."
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Reid represented his country on 23 occasions with his last appearance coming in the goalless World Cup qualifier against Montenegro in September 2008.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
In Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh, Arsene Wenger may just have pulled another rabbit out of the hat for Arsenal. The forward, who was brought in on a free transfer this summer has already caught the eye of Arsenal fans with some impressive pre-season performances, capped off with a goal against Italian giants AC Milan in the annual Emirates Cup. Although he has only yet been seen in friendlies, Arsenal supporters will be optimistic that Chamakh can carry this form into the coming season and help Arsenal challenge in the league and in Europe. Last term Arsenal lacked a striker whole scored regularly throughout the season. Whilst Robin van Persie is a quality player, he suffers badly from injury problems and last season was no different as the Dutchman endured a five month layoff from November to April. This was a huge blow to Arsenal; van Persie was in red hot form before the injury and he left a goal scoring hole behind him that no-one else could fill, who knows how the league season may have turned out differently if van Persie had remained fit throughout its duration. With the new signing of Marouane Chamakh though, Arsenal fans will be hoping that the club now has the firepower required to lift the league title.
At the start of last season not many Premier League fans would had heard of Marouane Chamakh. The French-born striker though, had already played a crucial role in Bordeaux’s 2008/09 title winning season. The Morocco international who qualifies through his parents, really caught the eye of fans in Europe during Bordeaux’s highly impressive 2009/10 Champions League campaign. The French outfit were drawn in a tough group with Juventus and Bayern Munich from which many did not expect them to qualify. However Bordeaux topped the group with ease, with Chamakh scoring goals against both Juventus and Bayern Munich. Chamakh continued his impressive form into the knockout rounds, where he scored three goals in two rounds as Bordeaux disposed of Olympiakos before succumbing to French rivals Lyon in the quarter finals. Arsenal were linked with a Bosman transfer for the player for a large part of last season and when he finally signed for the club in May many fans were delighted at the prospect of seeing him pull on the Arsenal jersey. So far at least, those fans have not been disappointed at what they have seen. The fact that Chamakh was also picked up on a free transfer, has made his acquisition even more satisfying.
Marouane Chamakh also fills a gap in the Arsenal team that many have thought has needed plugging. Whilst being technically good, Chamakh has all the attributes of a classic target-man. He is tall, strong, good in the air and holds the ball up well.
The official Arsenal website quotes Wenger as stating “He (Chamakh) is very good in the air and is also a good team player.” After a friendly against Barnet Wenger also stated on the website that “You could see Chamakh was very good at bringing players in. With our creative midfielders, that will be suited to our game.”
Arsenal’s other big striker Nicklas Bendtner, has impressed in spurts but has been inconsistent. Chamakh is older and more experienced and may provide the consistency Arsenal need from a front man this season. Arsene Wenger’s preferred first eleven is as yet unknown, but at the age of 26 Marouane Chamakh is about to enter the prime of his career and will surely have a big part to play for Arsenal this season.
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Harry Kane sounds like a gangster from a Guy Ritchie movie, but he is actually Spurs’ latest young star to have been tipped for great things. Whilst he is not yet a household name amongst football fans, that could well change in the next few years. The 17 year old is regarded as one of the club’s top academy prospects, on Kane’s biography on the official Spurs’ website it says,
“Playing just behind a central striker, Harry made a huge impact during his first full season in our Academy, establishing himself as one of the most highly-rated young players at the club.”
Harry Kane is a product of the Spurs’ youth system and in the 2008-09 season played in the Under-16’s side that competed in the Copa Chivas and Bellinzona tournaments in Mexico, scoring three goals.
In the 2009/10 season Kane played 22 times for Tottenham’s Under-18’s, scoring an impressive 18 goals, he was also named on the first team bench for two matches last season, which is no mean feat for a 17 year old in what is a strong Spurs’ squad. Kane’s good form for Tottenham did not go unnoticed, and he made his international debut for England Under-17’s during the campaign. So far he has made three appearances for England Under-17’s, scoring two goals in the process. Upon his call up to England, Spurs’ Under-18 coach Alex Inglethorpe stated on the club’s website that,
“It’s fantastic for the academy and Harry that he’s been recognised in this way. He’s a lovely lad, a terrific young player with a great work ethic and one who will keep on improving.”
Kane is also renowned as something of a dead ball specialist, scoring two free kicks in one game for the Under-17’s against Watford last season. With set-pieces becoming an increasingly important part of the game, this will stand Kane in good stead to make an impact as he steps up to the next level.
Goals are the currency of football and any player who can score a lot of them will always be in high demand. Harry Kane’s youth career has so far yielded a good number of goals, and this is what has made him really stand out in the Spurs’ academy. Kane is amongst some other highly rated young prospects at Tottenham, with Dean Parrett and John Bostock the most notable of these. These players add to the already large stock of exciting young English players Spurs’ have on their books, including Danny Rose, Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton to name just a few, whilst Aaron Lennon and Tom Huddlestone are still only 23.
Harry Kane may not be a name known by many outside Tottenham Hotspur, but if he can continue the excellent form he has showed in his fledgling career to date his reputation is sure to grow. Goalscoring will never fail to get a player noticed, and Spurs’ and England fans will be hoping he is just as lethal as his career progresses.
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It will be interesting to see if Kane will be able to take full advantage of a talent that seems really remarkable. It could be just what Tottenham needs to get back into contention for the Premier League and be relevant again in Europe as well.
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Online bookmakers in the UK and around the world seem likely to give young Kane credit as a reliable prospect. The English talent is being credited as a potential top scorer for the new Premier League season. We are confident that many football betting enthusiasts will pick Hurricane as their king of goalscorers.
A good way to find the best odds on Premier League’s next leading scorer is to check out the list of the best betting sites offered by CasinoPilot. You will also find exclusive tips and guides for your football bets that will help you increase your chances of landing good winnings.
A comprehensive 4-0 victory ensures that Tottenham will be mixing it with the big boys in Europe this season. The draw hasn’t been overly kind to Harry Redknapp’s men, although you do feel that they’ll have a great chance of progressing to the knock-out stages.
This week at FFC we have seen a mixed bag of Spurs blogs which has included…Tottenham’s financial stance a refreshing change; a signing Spurs cannot afford to miss out on and the kick-start to Tottenham’s spending spree.
Plus we have taken a look at the best Tottenham stories on the Web this week.
Tottenham’s financial stance a refreshing change from the norm
A signing that Spurs cannot afford to miss out on
Do footballers care about the fans when they cross the divide?
UEFA figures only serve to highlight Premier League club’s disdain
The kick-start to Tottenham’s spending spree?
Why youngsters need to take a lesson from ‘Arry
‘Just can’t get enough’ – Part One: Harry Redknapp
Failed at Spurs, improved at West Ham, but Hodgson found the right formula
Transfer gamble for Harry but one that could bring a great return
The Adventures of Spurs in the Champions League
Should Premier League clubs gamble while they still can?
Top TEN Premier League ‘Marmites’ who continue to divide supporters
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Best of Web
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Are we there yet? – Dear Mr Levy
Well qualified – Spurs Musings from Jimmy G2
A New Dawn. Innit. – Harry Hotspur
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Gareth Bale – the jinx who has hit the jackpot at Tottenham – Guardian
Haircuts and a Humdinger – Who Framed Ruel Fox?
63.02%, triffic – Dear Mr Levy
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Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed suggestions that Ryan Giggs could succeed John Toshack as Wales manager.
Toshack's six-year reign was brought to an end by mutual consent on Thursday following Wales' losing start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
Wales lost 1-0 to Montenegro to leave their hopes of qualifying from a competitive Group G looking bleak.
Several names have been linked with the job since Toshack's departure, with Giggs reported to be top of the Welsh FA's hit-list.
However, Ferguson claims the 36-year-old midfielder will not be taking his first steps into management with his national side as he is too important to the Red Devils.
"I spoke to him. It will not happen," said Ferguson."It is impossible to do both (playing and managing).
"At his age, Ryan needs to use all his energy and concentration to be here.
"It is a big season for him. It maybe his second last, it may be his last. We want it to be the second last.
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"The best way for that to happen is for him to concentrate on being here."
Former Fulham boss Chris Coleman and current Wales Under-21 manager Brian Flynn are now the two frontrunners for the role.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Bolton Wanderers striker Kevin Davies claims age will be no barrier when it comes to making a success of his England call-up.
The 33-year-old frontman has been called up to his first international squad and could make his debut in Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro.
The retirement of Emile Heskey following the World Cup and Jermain Defoe’s injury absence have combined to open the door for Davies.
He is now ready to grasp his late opportunity with both hands should head coach Fabio Capello give him the nod.
“I’m confident in my own ability,” he said.“I always felt I could do a job at this level and it just never quite happened for me for one reason or another.
“I trained today and I didn’t feel overawed at all. There were a few nerves beforehand but the lads have been welcoming.
“The age thing is not a concern of mine. I feel as good as I have done since my time at Bolton began. Hopefully I can make an impression and play some part.”
Davies, who had two spells with Southampton and also spent time at Blackburn Rovers, is ready to fill the void created by the retirement of target man Heskey.
He added:“Obviously people have likened my playing style to Emile and he’s retired now.
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“We’ve always been compared, we’ve got a lot of similarities in the way we played the game.
“Fortunately for him he’s the one who’s played for England all these years and I think he’s done a good job.”
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Manchester City and their manager Roberto Mancini have been under fire in recent days from the media who are keen to suggest that things are all doom and gloom for the Blues. Despite victory against West Brom on Sunday, the pundits remain keen to have their say on where it’s all going wrong for Manchester City. It’s true that City are struggling to find their form at the moment, having suffered through three defeats (Arsenal, Wolves and the reigning Polish champions Lech Poznan) but the reports of City’s demise are greatly exaggerated. After grabbing 3 points at the Hawthorns they’ll be looking to push on and improve their form.
There are a surprising number of articles out there that suggest City’s players are in the process of a mutiny. Unfortunately these articles often fail to provide any source or evidence that this is actually the case. It has been suggested that players aren’t fans of Mancini’s boot-camp style of training and that the likes of Tevez and Adebayor are leading a player revolt. Of course, it’s all nonsense. Mancini has been keen to de-bunk the rumours: “Lies, all rubbish,” he told an Italian newspaper when it was put to him that his players were revolting, “there were hard discussions with some players, but the team follows me and the results are arriving.” Indeed a number of players have come out in support of Mancini. There may be some arguments in the dressing room – it would be unnatural if there was no sense of disappointment following three losses on the trot, but to suggest full scale revolt is a little over the top.
Despite his claims to the contrary this hasn’t stopped fans and pundits alike from claiming that Mancini is unable to control the egos and mindsets of his star players. It is suggested that he has been unable to adapt to the swift period of transition at City wherein the wages, the ambition and the number of egos have all increased exponentially. The evidence for these claims comes not from an insider source or something of the sort, but because City lost three games on the trot. The press aren’t satisfied that City has had a few bad days at the office, there has to be a deeper, underlying problem.
If there is a problem at City, I believe Carlo Ancelotti has come closest to articulating it clearly. The Chelsea Boss told the Daily Mail: “Mancini has had to put together a lot of new players in a new team. It’s one of the most difficult things to do.” New players often take a while to settle into the Premier League – it can sometimes take as long as a full season to get them up to scratch. Mancini has the unenviable task of blooding such a large number of new players into his team. Yet, this is a man with 3 Serie A titles under his belt, I’m sure he can handle the prima donnas at Man City. Despite the difficulties, City are currently fourth in the League – hardly a disaster.
It may take some time for this group of players to gel, but when they do you can’t help but feel as though they will be a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps City lack a certain spirit at the moment: United have scored 6 goals in the last ten minutes of the game this season and this led them to win 5 of these games. With time City can establish a similar drive and belief that will see them pick up results even on tough days.
Finally, I don’t feel as though Mancini is under as much pressure as those in the Press are keen to suggest. City’s owners gave Mark Hughes 18 months during which time he dragged City into the bottom three. To suggest that they’d give Mancini (who they elected, which wasn’t the case with Hughes) any less than this period of time (especially whilst they remain battling it out with the top teams) is nonsense.
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Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish is delighted with the form of summer signing Ben Foster.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper has impressed since his £6million arrival from Manchester United, having made the switch to secure regular first-team football.
McLeish told the Birmingham Mail:"I knew we were getting a guy who just needed to play and even Sir Alex (Ferguson) said to me when we signed him 'he will be in the England team by the end of the season'.
"He is fighting Joe Hart for that position. He is a good keeper.
"If a keeper makes a mistake it is normally fatal, but Ben has learned a lot from his Manchester United days and his loan spell at Watford. He is looking a very accomplished goalkeeper.
"It was great we were able to do a swift deal with Manchester United. At the time, everyone else was okay for keepers, so we had no real competitors.
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"A new keeper was top of the list after Joe Hart did so well last season and Sir Alex couldn't hold on to him any longer.
"He had to be fair to the guy and he has done him a favour there."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email