Tuesday Fulham Stuff 17.08.10

[Mr Fulham]

After a strange off-season for Craig Bellamy, in which he was deemed surplus for Manchester United, his ultimate destination is going to be decided very soon.

Uh...NEXT

[os5889]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iSN1GGYLwyh0pnrzxQD-FrW4waoQ

Almunia waiting for keeper news
(UKPA) – 17 minutes ago
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia will seek talks about his future if Arsene Wenger brings in another senior goalkeeper before the transfer window closes.
The Gunners have been linked with Fulham's Mark Schwarzer and Manchester City's Shay Given.
Almunia captained the team in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday, and said in the Evening Standard: "If somebody comes in, I will have to talk about my future at Arsenal. That is it. I cannot talk now, because the talking would be for nothing. I have to work and if one day I am not good for Arsenal, I will talk. That is no problem. I am very happy here."
Should he find himself relegated to second choice, Almunia may reluctantly consider a future away from the Emirates Stadium.
But he admitted: "I don't see anything else outside of Arsenal.
"It will be very difficult to play for another team in England if it wasn't Arsenal. Spain would also be difficult.
"But I am 33 years old and only have a few more years left in football. I would like to enjoy them. I am a keeper who enjoys playing."

[os5889]

Schwarzer sale to spark keeper merry-go-round

Arsene Wenger wants to tie up a £2.5m deal for Mark Schwarzer in time for the visit of Blackpool on Saturday.

And that is likely to pave the way for Fulham to make a move for Manchester City’s Shay Given to be Schwarzer’s replacement.

Mirror Sport first revealed Arsenal’s interest in Schwarzer on May 15 and the Aussie keeper demanding a move last week is likely to speed up the saga.

Wenger wants Schwarzer as his first choice because of the 37-year-old’s experience and he believes he may have a future in coaching at the club.
 
Arsenal have already had a £2m bid turned down by Fulham who are demanding £4m but Schwarzer’s insistence that he wants out means the deal is likely to go through before the window shuts.

Schwarzer’s would also not stunt the development of young keepers like Wojciech Szczesny, 20, Vito Mannone and Lukasz Fabianski, although Manuel Almunia is likely to be sold with Osasuna and Atletico Madrid keen.

Almunia, 33, insists he wants to stay but privately he has been left devastated by Arsenal going for another keeper and it was a surprise for him to start at Liverpool and also be made captain.

He says he is not prepared to sit on the bench at this stage of his career and hinted he could leave in search of first-team football.

The Spaniard said, "If somebody comes in, I will have to talk about my future at Arsenal. That is it.

"I cannot talk now, because the talking would be for nothing. I have to work and if one day I am not good for Arsenal, I will talk. That is no problem. I am very happy here. Football is like life.

"I don't see anything else outside of Arsenal. It will be very, very difficult to play for another team in England if it wasn't Arsenal. Spain would also be difficult.

"But I am 33 years old and only have a few more years left in football. I would like to enjoy them. I am a keeper who enjoys playing, just playing.”

Arsenal have also been linked with Irish international Given but City do not want to sell to a rival club in the top four and Wenger has always had worries over the Republic of Ireland keeper’s ability on crosses.

That has cleared the way for Fulham boss Mark Hughes who signed Given while at City and the keeper merry-go-round will suit the Cottagers.

City, who have made Joe Hart their new first choice, would prefer to let Given go out on loan rather than sell a top class keeper as they push for a Champions League place.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Swiss defender Johan Djourou trained yesterday (Mon) and is confident his hamstring injury will have cleared up to allow him to play against Blackpool.

French defender Laurent Koscielny will miss the Blackpool game through suspension after his red card at Liverpool but Djourou could now partner Thomas Vermaelen.

Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-News-Arsenal-still-want-to-sign-Fulham-s-Mark-Schwarzer-to-replace-Manuel-Almunia-while-Mark-Hughes-will-look-to-Manchester-City-s-Shay-Given-article556333.html#ixzz0woEg4tHZ

[os5889]

F I was Craig Bellamy, I would be fuming at the way I had been treated by Manchester City over the past few days.
And I would be contacting my lawyers to see whether a club I've given everything for are guilty of restraint of trade.
I find it unbelievable that he is now facing the prospect of having to train with Cardiff to keep himself in shape.
He is a player who gives 100 per cent whenever he pulls on the shirt - and never leaves anything on the pitch.
Bellamy was outstanding for City last season and the fans loved him.
Yet apparently he cannot get in their 25-man Premier League squad now, even though he has done nothing wrong.
He has not caused them any major problems and he has not played badly - far from it in fact. I cannot believe he has been treated so unfairly.
Since the Arab takeover happened two years ago, the people involved in running the club have changed.
The old Manchester City looked after their players properly whereas I feel Craig has been treated abominably by them.
If that's the way City want to do it then that's up to them but it will not win them many friends and I just feel the way they have handled Bellamy is really unfair.
I have heard that City have told the top clubs they cannot sign him - because they are worried it could hurt their own chances of finishing in the Champions League places.
If so, to me, that's a restraint of trade. They are stopping a person who has done nothing wrong from bettering themselves by going to a bigger club.
So they are basically telling a player who still wants to fight for his place in their team that he can't - and he can only go and play where they tell him.
Roberto Mancini has not come out of this very well, either, and I wonder whether he has what it takes to deal with the big personalities.
That is one of the things that separates the great managers from the good ones.
This game is all about players and they can make or break managers.
Players get enough stick for not showing any loyalty but it's no surprise when they get treated like this by their clubs.
Fans in Wales may love the idea of Bellamy playing for Cardiff but he's still got so much to offer to the top flight and there will be a queue of clubs wanting to sign him.
Speaking of City, I believe Arsene Wenger should be straight on the phone to them this morning to ask about signing Shay Given.
At Anfield on Sunday there was yet more evidence that my old club will not win the title until they sign a top-class goalkeeper.
You only needed to watch the game at Spurs on Saturday to see how important a keeper can be as Joe Hart almost single-handedly earned City a point. Manuel Almunia is not a bad goalie, but he's a No 2 in my eyes.
The Gunners need someone right out of the top drawer - and that man has to be Given.
I like Mark Schwarzer but Shay just has the edge. He has the experience of many years playing in front of big crowds with big expectations.
He's also a bit younger than the Fulham man and for me would help Arsenal become serious challengers for the big prize.
Whoever goes on in goal against Blackpool on Saturday, I can only see one result at the Emirates.
It's been a fairytale start for the Seasiders and I'm so pleased for Ian Holloway. But I can't see them writing another new chapter in North London.
Arsenal will be wary after losing at home to Hull a couple of years ago so they won't treat the new boys lightly.
But apart from Marlon Harewood and Charlie Adam, I haven't heard of any of the Blackpool players who have worked miracles for the club.
Yes it was a great result for them at Wigan - but that was the game I'd have chosen first up if I was Ollie.
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The men from Bloomfield Road must be thinking this Premier League lark is easy but they will have a different view by Saturday tea-time.
Blackpool will be up against a team who, for me, will finish in the top four this season but maybe come up a bit short for the title. However, if Marouane Chamakh starts firing and they can sign a new goalkeeper and centre-half then I could change my view.
Chelsea have started brilliantly and Manchester United will be up there again.
But I feel the Gunners could give them a run for their money this season.
It looks like Cesc Fabregas will be at the Emirates for at least one more season but on Sunday we got a glimpse of how life will be without him.
They played some really good stuff at times and were worth at least a point.
But without Fabregas there was a tendency to keep going square rather than look for the killer pass.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3098560/Ian-Wright-says-Man-City-have-treated-Craig-Bellamy-shamefully.html#ixzz0woX9NA2c

[os5889]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-ready-to-admit-defeat-as-rivals-launch-bids-for-bellamy-2054320.html

Tottenham ready to admit defeat as rivals launch bids for Bellamy
By Graham Chase

There were conflicting reports last night of just where Craig Bellamy will be today. Manchester City had given the striker permission to train with Cardiff, but it later emerged that he was instead expected to return to the Northwest. The Wales striker, 31, worked with City's reserves on Friday last week as the first-team squad had travelled to London for their match at Tottenham.

As well as Cardiff, Fulham, Sunderland and Celtic are also interested in Bellamy but Tottenham have all but accepted that the forward, who was a Spurs target when he left West Ham for Eastlands in January 2009, will not be allowed to join a Champions League rival.

Cardiff, who were given yesterday off by manager Dave Jones, face serious financial problems but as he aired his frustrations under Mancini last week, Bellamy reiterated that it is one of his ambitions to turn out for the club. He has previously worked with the Fulham manager Mark Hughes, with Wales and City, and also enjoyed a previous loan stint at Celtic.

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John Reid, the Celtic chairman, admits he is still unsure of Bellamy's intentions, despite manager Neil Lennon contacting the player's agent.

"I'm not going to comment about individual players but there is nobody that we are looking at that is dead in the water," Reid said. "There are some that are more difficult than others for a host of reasons. It's not primarily financial. In a lot of these cases it is down to where the player himself wants to play."

The policy that looks set to block Bellamy's move to Tottenham would also scupper any hopes that Arsenal have of signing Shay Given. The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper had stated that he would look for a move if he was left on the bench as back up for Joe Hart on the opening day of the season at Tottenham.

While Mancini will unveil Mario Balotelli this afternoon, he is no closer to tying up a deal for Aston Villa's James Milner, as no progress has been made on negotiating a pay-off for Stephen Ireland, who was set to be included in the deal. Ireland is holding out for a £2m loyalty payment before he will agree to leave the club and is prepared to sit tight.

Another player who had a question mark over his City future is Shaun Wright-Phillips but, despite a disappointing summer at the World Cup with England, the winger started ahead of Adam Johnson in the goalless draw at Tottenham.

Wright-Phillips, 28, now has less than two years left on his contract but is adamant he has never felt he was being forced out of the club. "Everyone knows you have to work hard to stay in this team and it was great to start the first game of the season," he said. "I never worry, I'm always up for the challenge, especially at City, and will keep my head down and work as hard as I can."

[os5889]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/fulham-and-sunderland-lead-chase-for-bellamy-2054330.html

Fulham and Sunderland lead chase for Bellamy
City striker close to exit from City but is unlikely to sign for hometown club Cardiff

Uncertainty surrounded Craig Bellamy's immediate future last night but what seems certain is that he is on his way out of Manchester City. Bellamy was set to return to the club today despite being given permission to train with Cardiff.

As with Shay Given, City are reluctant to let Bellamy join a club that is also chasing a top-four place in the Premier League, leaving Celtic, Fulham and Sunderland as the three front-runners to recruit the Welshman.

Tottenham were believed to be interested in bringing Bellamy back to London where he spent two years with West Ham, but they have now pulled out of the race. The Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, said last night: "I couldn't see them loaning him to us."

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Bellamy, 31, is considered surplus to requirements at Eastlands – especially now that City have spent £22m on the Italy striker Mario Balotelli, who will be unveiled at the club's training ground at lunchtime today. Bellamy has said that he is keen to one day turn out for Cardiff but with the Welsh club beset by financial problems they may struggle to afford Bellamy's wages.

Bellamy had a loan spell at Celtic five years ago and Neil Lennon, the Glasgow side's fledgling manager, has been in contact with his agent to signal his interest. "I'm not going to comment about individual players but there is nobody that we are looking at that is dead in the water," said John Reid, Celtic's chairman yesterday. "There are some that are more difficult than others for a host of reasons. It's not primarily financial."

Redknapp believes any move outside the top flight would be a "waste" of Bellamy's talents. "He's a Premier League player, isn't he?" said Redknapp. "No disrespect to Cardiff, but it would be a waste."