Gary Neville reckons David Moyes will be given time to turn things around at Manchester United, and a huge transfer budget to help him do so, according to talkSPORT.
Moyes has endured a torrid debut season in charge of the 20-time Champions, with United currently 11 points behind Liverpool in fourth spot, and facing the prospect of a trophyless season, bar a miracle triumph in Europe.
But Neville believes Moyes will be given time and money to turn things around at Old Trafford, as the mega contract recently offered to Wayne Rooney proves.
“Everyone always wants to look for the one reason [for failure] and in football these days, if you look at most clubs, it gets put on the manager and they usually get sacked,” Neville said.
“Man United are very different and David Moyes will get the time he deserves to come to terms with things. It’s always been the same.
“Usually the manager is the fall guy for it and he’s the one who will get the most criticism. The club is huge and the task is huge but the club are supporting him by signing Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Maraoune Fellaini.”
And Neville believes the signing of Mata and Rooney indicates there will be further big money signings to come in the summer, despite his belief United will miss out on the Champions League this season.
“There is talk of more serious investment in the squad in the summer,” he added.
“Ed Woodward did his speech to the shareholders a couple of weeks ago and said there was a huge pot of money there to be spent and help Manchester United invest in the team and add to the current players they have got.”
Tuesday night saw one of the greatest international comebacks in recent history with Sweden miraculously salvaging a 4-4 draw in Germany after being 4-0 down with only half an hour remaining.
However, with the international break over for the foreseeable future the domestic lovers can once again look forward to be another exciting weekend in the Barclays Premier League with some fantastic clashes forthcoming.
To whet the appetite I’ve compiled a list of the 15 greatest Premier League comebacks ever witnessed in the past twenty years.
From that brilliant 15 minutes by the great Alan Shearer in the 90’s to the moment when Martin Tyler screamed ‘Aguero’ at the top of his voice, here a list of unforgettable matches which will live long in the memory of football fans across the world.
Click on Tiote below to unveil the 15 great Premier League comebacks
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A Sporting Lisbon quartet – including striker Bas Dost – have terminated their contracts with the Portuguese outfit, as The Telegraph reported on Tuesday morning, and Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have been quick to deliver their verdict on whether they club should sign the prolific Dutchman.
The Telegraph says that the 6ft 5in tall centre-forward – along with teammates Gelson Martins, Bruno Fernandes and William Carvalho – have all rescinded their deals claiming “just cause”, after some of the Sporting players were attacked by a group of supporters at their training ground last month.
Meanwhile, the west Midlands outfit, who reportedly want to sign a 6ft midfielder who dominated Ruben Neves in 2018, may well be busy in the transfer market this summer as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of their Premier League return, and they could look to bring in a new striker – especially after Benik Afobe left to join Stoke City on Tuesday.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
Wolves supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on a potential move for Dost, and while one said “get him to the Molineux”, another said “I’m not sure he’s compatible with our style”.
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At the weekend, Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round by Championship outfit Nottingham Forest, and their chances of silverware could be weakened even further if they fail to beat Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup this evening.
The Gunners were arguably handed the toughest tie as Manchester City drew Bristol City and ended up earning a 2-1 advantage in the first leg on Tuesday night.
Neither Arsenal nor Chelsea are in scintillating form, but Arsene Wenger and his men have a slight disadvantage as the opening tie will be staged at Stamford Bridge.
The two sides went head to head exactly seven days ago in the Premier League, and in fairness to the teams, it was a thrilling match.
The contest ended in a 2-2 draw, and if there is a similar outcome this evening, then it will be all to play for in the second leg at the Emirates.
Arsenal’s Twitter page tried to get fans in the mood for the encounter, but the majority responded with negativity.
Sacking statistics in English football are astounding.
In the last year, no less than 100 managers from the 92 professional clubs have felt the full brunt of the proverbial sacking axe, while just 3% of all current managers have been in their current jobs for more than five years. The average tenure of a top flight manager is now just over a year (373 days).
The Premier League still holds a managerial institution in Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger as a lonesome beacon of positivity, but since the summer, eight gaffers from the English top flight have already been ousted from their respective posts. One in particular – Fulham’s Rene Muelensteen – lasted just 13 games in the dugout, before being relinquished of his Craven Cottage duties in favour of Bundesliga title-winner Felix Magath.
There’s now a whole sub-market of the betting industry entirely devoted to predicting who will be the next victim of a trigger-happy Premier League owner, headed by notorious odds-checking site thesackrace.com, and the small period preceding the January window has been dubbed by West Ham’s Sam Allardyce, and resultantly the British media, as ‘sacking season’.
Yet there is surprisingly little evidence to suggest that changing management mid-season is by any means a fruitful venture. According to statistics released by the LMA, a new appointment in the Premier League usually brings a 2.5 points average for the following match, but over the course of the next twelve fixtures the club’s form most commonly deteriorates further.
At the same time, throughout the past five top flight campaigns, at least one club that has changed gaffer mid-season has been relegated. Last term, two clubs that switched managers failed to beat the drop, and in 2009-10, all three teams that were relegated had changed their management staff. That feat looks set to be repeated this year, with the Premier League’s current bottom five of Crystal Palace, West Brom, Sunderland, Cardiff and Fulham, all wielding the axe since the summer.
So why, despite this mound of statistical evidence suggesting sacking managers simply doesn’t work – at least, not in terms of an obvious, positive correlation between new appointments and results – is the Premier League still trapped in this ‘hire and fire’ culture that was once considered a running joke of its foreign counterparts?
Well firstly, there’s more money at stake in the Premier League than ever before. According to The Independent’s Glenn Moore, this season’s relegated clubs will suffer an estimated £40million drop in income, through missing out on the English top flight’s £60million-per-club TV revenue deal.
Furthermore, there have been countless cases of former top tier sides falling into financial downward spirals – Bolton Wanderers for example, were in the Premiership for eleven years, but now face debts of £164million as they struggle for Championship survival.
Along with the Reebok outfit, clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Leeds United, Wolves, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Birmingham and Blackburn Rovers are still yet to return to the top flight since their respective relegations, many even spending more than a handful of seasons in League 1. Parachute payments of £48million over four years clearly hasn’t had the desired effect for the majority of its recipients.
With that in mind, and considering the unprecedented investments the recent influx of foreign owners have made in purchasing clubs such as Fulham – Shadid Khan spent £200million to acquire the West London club back in the summer – chairmen and boards would be rather seen doing something than nothing, and amid the four-month gap between the transfer windows, changing the management staff is pretty much all that’s within their power. The relentless pressure from the media certainly exacerbates the situation.
With such ridiculous sums of revenues at stake, Swansea’s £4.5million compensation pay-out to Michael Laudrup for example is comparatively a more than acceptable loss.
At the same time, the revolving door nature of the management occupation has become incredibly self-fulfilling. Why stick by a gaffer who has overseen six defeats on the bounce when there’s a good ten or fifteen out of work willing to take the hot seat? There’s no guarantees that any of the candidates will be the right man for the job, but a lot of the time it must seem like one of those ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ scenarios.
Then there’s the elephant in the room, the ultimate factor behind sackings that rarely gets the punditry attention it deserves – the ability to make an axed manager the scapegoat for everything bad that happened under his leadership.
Of course, I’m not suggesting that players refuse to take responsibility, or that the buck shouldn’t stop in the dugout. But overall, it’s much easier, quicker and less debasing to blame a side’s form on one man rather than the entire roster, just as it’s much easier and quicker to change that same one man, rather than an entire squad.
Relinquishing a manager and holding him solely accountable means the players can put poor results, disturbing form and bouts of low confidence behind them; I’m sure we’ve all heard the old adages of ‘everybody will get their chance’ and ‘the players are turning over a new leaf’ before. In effect, it’s a sacrifice for the sake of the players as much as it’s an indictment of one’s leadership.
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Yet, the evidence is still compelling that this strategy rarely has the desired effect. In contrast, amid a free-fall of eleven defeats in 16 games, many called for Sam Allardyce to be given his marching orders at Upton Park. But after a recent revival of four consecutive victories, aided by West Ham’s injury list being significantly shortened towards the end of January, the Hammers are now tenth in the Premier League table, just nine points shy of that all-important 40-point safety mark.
Unfortunately, Big Sam’s tale of the current campaign, boasting the benefits of stability, is becoming an ever-rarer occurrence. Richard Bevan, chief executive of the LMA, has urged clubs to take a more sensible stance towards hiring and firing, stating last month; “Verifiable data has shown that the gains from changing football managers are marginal, if indeed there are any at all, and without doubt the sacking of managers is a costly business to football clubs, not to mention the other effects that the upheaval brings. For the good of the game, I believe it is necessary for all stakeholders to take a more pragmatic approach by looking to the medium term.”
But with the level of finance behind the English game continuing to soar, and every season, weekend and match in the Premier League seemingly so much more ultimate than ever before, the chances of a pragmatic wave tiding over the heads of Premiership owners is about as likely as West Brom’s Pepe Mel – one of the top flight’s most recent managerial additions – being in the same job this time next year.
We mere mortals can only imagine the cost of fame and fortune. Football’s finest watch their life being portrayed through newspaper print, often with an apparent disregard for the truth. Yet in spite of this, there is a relentless expectation for these individuals to act as the nation’s role models. Actors, politicians and members of royalty are all prone to severe errors of misjudgement, so why do we expect football players to be any different?
The stereotypical view of a professional athlete depicts an unsavoury blend of arrogance and ignorance, with little consideration for the morals, ethics and rules that the rest of us abide by. The constant scrutiny of the media spotlight means it is incredibly easy to blow the smallest of misdemeanours out of proportion. However, you can’t help but feel footballers have an uncanny ability to put their foot firmly in their mouth.
As more money is pumped into the beautiful game, making it swell like greedy cash cow, a large percentage will eventually make its way into the player’s bank accounts. This gifts them to the freedom to be reckless and enhance an already lavish lifestyle, which will inevitably evoke a sense of resentment from the public. While many supporters will cheer and chant their heroes for 90-minutes each week, it could be argued they spend the rest of the time doing the exact opposite.
Deep down I think we all love the ‘showboaters’ or the ‘ball hoggers’ because they provide such a vast amount of entertainment. However, such a selfish playing style will inevitably spill over into other aspects of their private life and this is where antipathy is born. Is it fair to say that footballers are loved on the pitch and hated off it?
It’s worth considering the sacrifice potential athletes have to make at such an early age. How often are we told the story of the player who spent every hour of sunlight with the ball at his feet, it’s hardly surprising that these individuals dedicated more time outside on the football pitch than inside with their head buried in a school book. I am not saying footballers are stupid, but I dread to think of the number of brain cells lost thanks to repeatedly heading the ball.
It’s easy to forget that players live a somewhat sheltered life, as their childhood and teenage years are spent in a controlled academy environment. The traditional life lessons that are an essential process of growing up are perhaps discovered further down the line, this becomes obvious when you consider it took Ashley Cole thirty years to understand the perils of using an air rifle.
Mario Balotelli is another character who usually decorates the tabloids for all the wrong reasons, but many were surprised or rather dismayed to learn that almost all of his antics were a complete fabrication. Even if the majority of the stories were true, the Manchester City forward is just like any other 22-year-old on the planet, except he has the finances to bring his childish fantasies into reality. Whether you consider it right or wrong, the media are on a ruthless quest to tear down the thin veil that guards the games stars from the glaring public eye. There is certainly a case to be argued for the phrase ‘ignorance is bliss’.
England manager Roy Hodgson recently suffered the consequences of travelling by London transport, but I am not referring to the never-ending suspensions on the underground. Although it was slightly inappropriate, Hodgson was simply being polite and trying to further improve his relations with supporters. Instead the conversation becomes victim to sensationalist reporting and he is branded as some sort of traitor. Personally, I wouldn’t blame Hodgson if he never uttered a word to the public again.
The Secret Footballer has discussed at length the perils of constant media attention and seems to epitomise the phrase ‘once bitten twice shy’. Is it any wonder that footballers lash out or revert into a social recluse when friends, family and even strangers view them as a walking cash point? There is also a growing realisation that an increasing number of professionals view football solely as a source of income. I fear there will come a point when the only fans of football, will be the fans themselves.
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It seems that we as a nation are somewhat fickle in our attempts to place individuals on a lofty pedestal, only to commence bringing them down the moment they’ve got comfortable. We constantly chip away at their cold exterior, without fully understanding the consequences of what will happen when we break through. Yes, footballers should know better but the fact is most of them don’t and the sooner we realise that, the better.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where Olcan Adin may have just earned himself the nickname, ‘The Turkish Ronaldo’.
Manchester City are littered with world-class talent, but they will look to improve the squad even more this summer.
Pep Guardiola guided the blue half of Manchester to the Premier League title in his second season as manager.
If the club want to claim the trophy back-to-back and progress further than the quarter-finals in the Champions League, then they need the right playing personnel.
According to the Daily Star, City are planning to launch a British record £100m bid for Chelsea star Eden Hazard.
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The playmaker, who has two years left on his current contract, is often linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.
The London Evening Standard claims that the Belgium international is currently earning around £200,000 per week, but is sure to receive a big financial boost if he signs for City.
This season, Hazard scored 15 goals and created seven assists in all competitions, and netted the only goal of the game that earned Chelsea the FA Cup last weekend.
City fans would understandably be delighted with the arrival of Hazard, but not everyone is getting their hopes up.
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Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has explained his reasons for still living in a hotel despite being based in Manchester since the middle of 2016.
Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal as head coach of the Red Devils at the end of the 2015-16 season.
The Portuguese led the club to three trophies during his first year in charge, and there has again been progress this term despite Manchester City’s incredible lead at the top of the Premier League.
Mourinho strangely has not found a house in Manchester, however, with the 54-year-old still living in The Lowry Hotel, which has been his residence since taking control of Man United.
A number of the club’s fans have previously expressed their concerns with Mourinho’s living situation, but the manager has insisted that he prefers living in a hotel due to his laziness.
Mourinho told reporters:
“If the fans want me to be comfortable, then that’s the way I feel very comfortable, because I am very lazy and because I like to arrive in the hotel.
“I don’t want anyone to be worried about me living in a two-square metre room. I am living in an apartment inside of a hotel where I have all the comfort and support, where I have everything that I want, like I’m living in a house.”
Man United booked their spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Derby County at Old Trafford on Friday night.
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The team are currently in Dubai preparing for next Monday’s Premier League clash with Stoke City.
Manchester United’s Round 4 Capital One Cup tie with Norwich City at Old Trafford may not be a must win game for David Moyes, but it is this competition that could do his Old Trafford future a lot of favours.
His stuttering start in place of Sir Alex Ferguson has had many questioning his ability to emulate what Fergie achieved, but Moyes’ job may not necessarily be on the line so soon after taking charge, particularly when you consider his predecessor has publicly backed him and is there to offer advice when required.
Sure, any piece of silverware in his first season would be considered a success. But what is it about the Capital One Cup that is screaming “important” in the face of the Scot?
Perhaps it is the fact that the Capital One Cup is the first trophy, in any season, which is up for grabs. At the time of writing United are in four competitions. Any one of them, in varying order of priority, depending on your persuasion, would mean a successful first season under the former Everton boss. That is, of course, unless United win any of the cups they are in but are relegated.
It is without question, stats do not lie as they say, that United are still trying to get going. No question Moyes has his work cut out, maybe he would have been better advised to have worked with Fergie`s backroom staff, at least for the first season, to ease the massive transition to not only a new manager but a new way of life, a new culture. But he did not, perhaps something he regrets with hindsight though we will all have a long wait if we are looking for such an admission from the United manager.
Moyes has to get on with it and more pointedly the players have too and it is that which underlines the importance of the tie against Norwich. In previous years Old Trafford has been a fortress, it is that no longer. The home crowd has never been so quiet as in recent times.
While the importance of this tie, to United and David Moyes, cannot be underestimated by the same token it cannot be regarded out of proportion and out of context.
Yes, the manager has changed, yes the coaching staff have changed but the players, Fellaini apart, have not. David Moyes, if he hasn`t done so already, could do worse than having a chat with Paul Scholes. No, not about making another comeback, though that might just work, but asking for his take on things.
Maybe too much is being expected of Danny Welbeck, maybe Hernandez needs that run of games he has been asking for. He is without question the best really natural goal scorer on the books at Old Trafford. He is the most unpredictable of strikers in terms of how he conjures a goal out of the merest sniff of a chance and is worth a shout for at least half a dozen games or he could well be on his way to one of the big continental clubs reportedly courting the young Mexican.
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For David Moyes it may not be Capital One Cup or bust but it certainly represents a golden opportunity to put a trophy in the cabinet while the snowdrops are still blooming. Continuity in this competition will not only maintain interest but will also buy Moyes the time to shake United into a more cohesive unit than has been apparent this far.
Shanghai Shenhua striker Didier Drogba insists he is happy at the Chinese club, and may even look to stay at the club beyond his initial two-and-a-half year contract, according to The Telegraph.
Drogba joined Shanghai Shenhua after eight years at Chelsea. However, the 34-year-old has been unsettled in China amidst problems at the club. Firstly, former Fulham manager Jean Tigana was removed from the hot-seat following a poor run of results and a disagreement with the board and this was compounded with the Shenhua board falling out with each other as the Chairman, Zhu Jun, who owns 28.5% of the club, has threatened to stop funding it.
The striker admits that at times this season, he has struggled to adjust to life at Shenhua, “It’s difficult at the moment, but I know there’s hope and I believe.”
As a result of the problems at the Chinese outfit, there was speculation that Drogba would be ready for an impromptu move back to Premier League, with Arsenal and Liverpool reportedly looking to lure the striker back to England in order to bolster their attacking options.
However, the Ivorian international, who has scored five goals in seven games for his new side, insists that whilst life has been difficult since leaving Chelsea, he is happy to remain in China, “I’m really happy here. I miss the Premier League because it is the best league in the world, but really I don’t regret my choice.” Drogba added, “I just arrived like two months ago so I’m really happy. I am, I’m really happy here so I have no reason to leave. I don’t want to leave here.”
Drogba was instrumental in helping Chelsea become the first London club to win a European trophy. He says that night in Munich will live long in the memory, “To be able to win in that kind of game was perfect and it’s something you [speaking about himself] will never forget.”
The Chelsea legend, who also won two Premier League titles at the club, hopes to emulate the success he had in England with Shenhua, “I want to stay here, as long as I can and win some trophies with my team and make our fans very happy.”
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Drogba will have to wait before he can win his first piece of silverware with his new club as Shanghai Shenhua currently lie a disappointing ninth in the Chinese Super League following an inconsistent run of form.