NYHETER: Ex-player/-manager news, Part II

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Alan Wright, the former Aston Villa full back, could join Oldham Athletic in the coming days after impressing on trial.

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Liverpool boss Benitez plays down Kewell injury scare

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez says winger Harry Kewell should be fit for the new season.
The Aussie star hobbled off during the second half against Feyenoord, sparking fears that he had aggravated the foot injury which restricted him to just three games as a sub last season.
But Benitez insists the 28-year-old will be ready for Saturday's league opener at Aston Villa.
He said: "We were protecting him by taking him off against Feyenoord. He'll be fine for Saturday."

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Fiorentina keen on Spurs winger Lennon

Fiorentina are considering a move for Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon.
La Nazione says Fiorentina sports director Pantaleo Corvino has sounded out his trusted contacts in London about the England international.

The stumbling block for Fiorentina is Lennon's asking price, with Spurs unlikely to consider selling for anything less than £17 million.

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FARSLEY CELTIC have added to their summer recruits after signing five players who have impressed in pre-season outings: (...)  former Leeds United youngster Bailey Camfield.
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Farsley's Wilberforce ruled out for a month


NEW Farsley Celtic signing Mark Wilberforce is set to miss the start of the season after fracturing a finger.
The injury was sustained duiring the warm-up for Saturday's pre-season friendly at North Ferriby United when the former Scarborough stopper caught his fingers in the turf.
"Mark went to the hospital yesterday and has been told it will be a three or four week job, so it's relatively straightforward.
"It's something we could do without but that's why we have a big squad. I am philosophical about these things and it doesn't go plain sailing for ever.
"Mark will be disappointed, of course he will.
"He's just come to the club and wants to make an impression, but he will pick up injuries and you have to get on with it.
"Hopefully, it will be as straightforward as they are expecting and three to four weeks isn't bad."

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Speed: Yoga is keeping me on pitch
GARY SPEED has revealed that regular yoga sessions are helping to extend his career.
Bolton's player-coach is looking to improve on a record 521 Premier League appearances in the new season.
And the former Leeds United player Speed has revealed how he is using all methods possible to wring extra mileage out of his ageing body.
"The changes since the Premier League began are breathtaking," he said. "The game of football is the same but everything else has moved on. The biggest difference is the level of fitness and athleticism.
"Take injury prevention. I have been having yoga classes twice a week for the last three years.
"Once upon a time everybody would have laughed at that but it has stopped me having back problems that trouble older players."
The Premier League is now 15 years old and the former Wales captain has seen a massive shift in the landscape as a result of television revenue.
He added: "I would be a hypocrite if I did not mention the money. It has attracted the best players, affecting not just contracts but transfer fees and every other aspect of the sport.
"The stadiums are another big change. When you see footage of old games it reminds you how much the builders have done. Grounds that seemed huge now look tiny in comparison."

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CARSON HEADING TO VILLA...IF RAFA FINDS A REPLACEMENT
Scott Carson looks to be heading to Aston Villa if Liverpool can find a new understudy for Pepe Reina.
'Carson has agreed in principle to join Aston Villa on a season-long loan although the move will be delayed for a fortnight if Liverpool fail to sign a replacement for their second-choice goalkeeper today,' says The Guardian.
'That deadline is necessary because Rafael Benítez has until the close of play to register players for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier against Toulouse, raising the possibility that Carson could be forced to remain at Anfield for two more weeks.'
Benitez apparently doesn't believe that the club's current third-choice keeper, 21-year-old David Martin, is ready to be promoted. It is thought that he has already identified a replacement for Carson - named in some quarters as Lens goalkeeper Charles Itandje.
As for Carson, he wants out of Anfield in a bid to improve his international prospects.
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VILLA CONFIDENT OF CARSON DEAL
Aston Villa remain confident they will tie up a season long loan deal for Liverpool 'keeper Scott Carson.
Carson is set to make the move to the midlands for the next 10 months in a move which will cost Villa around £2 million.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill moved swiftly to recruit the England squad player after he lost out to Sunderland in the race for the signature of Hearts' stopper Craig Gordon.
Although Manchester City are also in the frame, Villa have emerged as the clear favourites to sign the former Leeds player according to sources close to the midlands club.
Carson's burning desire is to eventually follow his former Elland Road team-mate Paul Robinson into the England side.
But he is aware of the need to continue to play regular Premier League football to achieve that goal.
He spent last season on loan at Charlton but, despite performing capably, failed to prevent them from being relegated from the top flight.
Now he is to move to Villa where the expectation levels for the forthcoming campaign will be considerably higher than at The Valley.
Villa have no need to rush the deal through as Carson cannot play in Saturday's home clash with Rafael Benitez's side and Wednesday's game at Blackburn has been postponed because of their UEFA Cup commitments.
If all goes to plan, he is likely to make his debut the following weekend against Newcastle at St James' Park.
Carson's move will inevitably place a question mark over the future of last season's number one Thomas Sorensen once he has recovered from a hamstring injury.
He has only 10 months left of his current deal and there has been no sign of a new contract offer.
Sorensen has shown himself to be a capable shot-stopper but O'Neill would prefer a 'keeper who commands his area in a more authoritative manner.
Stuart Taylor will be between the posts against the Reds with Academy prospect David Bevan on the substitute's bench. (Football365.com)
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Villa agree to take Carson on season's loan
Scott Carson has agreed in principle to join Aston Villa on a season-long loan although the move will be delayed for a fortnight if Liverpool fail to sign a replacement for their second-choice goalkeeper today.
That deadline is necessary because Rafael Benítez has until the close of play to register players for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier against Toulouse, raising the possibility that Carson could be forced to remain at Anfield for two more weeks.
Liverpool and Villa are both optimistic that will not be necessary, with Benítez understood to have identified back-up for Pepe Reina, the club's first-choice goalkeeper. Should the Liverpool manager be in a position to secure that signing today, Carson will join Villa immediately. If, on the other hand, Benítez's plans fall through, he will have no alternative but to hold on to Carson, with the Liverpool manager not willing to consider risking the 21-year-old third-choice, David Martin.
Any delay would be frustrating for Villa although it will not impact significantly on their plans for the opening weeks of this season. Villa entertain Liverpool on Saturday, a fixture which Carson, under Premier League rules, would not be eligible for as loan players are prevented from appearing against their host club. Furthermore, Villa's midweek match against Blackburn Rovers has been postponed, because of Uefa Cup commitments for Blackburn, meaning that possible delay in Carson's arrival could make little difference.
Either way, Villa can at least take satisfaction from completing a deal that looked highly unlikely earlier in the summer when Benitez was adamant that Carson would be remaining at the club to challenge Reina. The Liverpool manager appears to have reneged on that stance after the player made clear his dissatisfaction at starting the season on the sidelines. Carson is believed to have felt that his England place at the Euro 2008 finals would have been at risk if he stayed at Anfield.
Instead Villa offers the chance to play regularly, as he did during a similar loan spell with Charlton Athletic last season, while pressing his claims to challenge Paul Robinson for the England No1 position. Carson's arrival will come as a significant boost to Martin O'Neill after the Villa manager failed to gazump Sunderland's bid for Craig Gordon. Manchester City had also pursued Carson but, unlike Villa, they refused to pay a loan fee for the 21-year-old.
Carson has made nine appearances for Liverpool since joining from Leeds United in January 2005.

The Guardian

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Danny Mills is eyeing a permanent switch to Hull City.
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MILLS AND JOHNSON WANT TIGERS MOVE
Hull boss Phil Brown has revealed he has been approached by Manchester City full-back Danny Mills and Derby centre-back Michael Johnson.
(...)
"Danny has been on the phone as well over the possibility of coming here. We talked about what deal he could take back to Manchester City to get out of his contract there, but as far as I'm concerned it should be a case of him discussing it with his club and then coming to us.
"Danny's wage at Manchester City is quite phenomenal, but rightly so because when he signed it, he was a regular Premiership player," he told the Hull Daily Mail.
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DEFENDER Danny Mills wants a Hull move after being told he has no future at Manchester City.
Mills was on loan with the Tigers last term but his £30,000-a-week pay is a stumbling block.
Hull boss Phil Brown admitted: “A permanent move would depend on what deal Manchester City were prepared to do with his wages.”

The Sun

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QPR new-boy Simon Walton is out for at least six months.
The 19-year-old midfielder, a £200,000 buy from Charlton, has fractured his left leg.

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Former Leeds playmaker Simon Johnson, 24, has penned a two-month contract with HEREFORD.
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JOHNSON JOINS BULLS
Simon Johnson has signed a two-month contract with Hereford United.
The striker has put pen-to-paper at Edgar Street after impressing on trial during the pre-season.
Johnson, 24, was released by Darlington at the end of last season, but United manager Graham Turner is keen to have a closer look at the forward.
"We're going to take on Simon Johnson, he's agreed to take a two-month contract so that we can have a good look at him, " Turner told Hereford's official website.
"He started off at Leeds and was a bit of a wonder kid, then went up to Darlington and it's gone a bit wrong for him.
"What we've seen in the pre-season games, he's got something about him, we're prepared to give him that two months and hopefully he'll respond to that.
"He's got a lot to do, he's got an opportunity and he's got to prove to us that he's good enough."

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Fergie so sad over Smith exit
ALEX FERGUSON has revealed his agony over ending the Manchester United career of fans’ favourite Alan Smith.
Striker Smith, 26, was hugely popular with staff, players and supporters during his three seasons at Old Trafford.
But the England star joined Newcastle for £6million last week before Carlos Tevez’s arrival from West Ham pushed him further down the pecking order.
United boss Fergie said: “Alan’s been a fantastic character in the dressing room and a very important player for us since he came here.
“I was very sad to see him go in many ways.
“There are few characters as big as him in this country at the moment and it was a very difficult one for us to decide.
“He’ll be remembered with great affection by everyone here and I’m sure that’s the case with the fans too.
“I don’t think there has been a more popular player with the supporters during his time here.
“And also he’s been a really good ambassador for this club so we wish him well.”

The Sun

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Tottenham's Aaron Lennon is set to miss England's Euro 2008 qualifiers next month with a knee injury. (Daily Star)
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LENNON BLOW FOR ENGLAND
Aaron Lennon has added to Steve McClaren's problems on the right flank after it was revealed he will not return to training with Tottenham until the end of the month.
Lennon faces a race against time to be fit for England's European Championship qualifiers against Israel and Russia on September 8 and 12, with David Beckham also short of match fitness at the start of his career in America.
Spurs only have one game in September before the international break, which would also hamper Lennon's return to full sharpness after recovering from knee surgery.
"He will be back in training in three weeks, at the end of the month," said Spurs boss Martin Jol. "He had no reaction and is doing conditioning work with the coaches.
"He had an operation on the outside cartilage of his knee, which is three months. He's been out for eight weeks so far."
Lennon had provided Jol with an option on right last season and despite a busy summer, Spurs still do not have an out-and-out left winger.
Lennon had provided Jol with an option on the opposite flank last season and despite a busy summer, Spurs still do not have an out-and-out left winger.

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JOACHIM TO REMAIN AT DARLO
Darlington chairman George Houghton has revealed that want-away striker Julian Joachim is set to remain with the club.
The Quakers were willing to listen to offers for Joachim after the 32-year-old expressed his desire to move closer to his family home in Lincolnshire.
However, Joachim, who cost a club record £100,000 when he joined the Quakers from Boston last September, is set to remain at the 96.6 TFM Arena.
Houghton told the Northern Echo: "Julian had family problems but he has resolved that now.
"His family are going to come up here every weekend which he is very happy about and I think we are going to see a different Julian.
"I wanted him to stay, he wasn't too sure because of his family situation but that is sorted out now

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POTTERS SEEK TRIPLE BOOST
Stoke City hope to sign Jon Fortune on loan, and are waiting on answers from Dominic Matteo and Salif Diao.
(...)
Pulis is also awaiting a decision from experienced duo Matteo and Diao regarding contract offers.
The pair impressed for Stoke last term and the Potters boss is hoping for a positive outcome.
"We're still in discussions with Dominic and we think we're close to a deal with him," added Pulis.

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Viduka's pledge to Toon
MARK VIDUKA is ready to sacrifice his international career in a bid to land Newcastle glory.
Viduka, 31, reckons travelling the world to play for Australia is leaving him drained and unable to fire at club level.
The striker â€" poised for his debut for Sam Allardyce’s Toon at Bolton tomorrow â€" will make a decision when Australia appoint their new boss.
He said: “It’s not about missing Newcastle matches, it’s more about what’s best for Australia and for me.
“I want to play at Newcastle for as long as I can but it’s a big ask to play for Australia.
"It’s not like playing for a European country â€" there’s a lot of travelling involved.
“The travelling takes its toll as you get older. When you come back from Australia your whole body clock is turned around and that’s when you can pick up injuries.”
Viduka is desperate to land his first silverware in England.
He added: “Sam’s stature in the game is second to none and I am confident he will do great things.”

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READING keeper Graham Stack has joined Wolves on a month’s loan.
The Irish ace, 25, only returned to the Royals in the summer following an ex- tended loan spell at Leeds.
Stack will provide cover for Wayne Hennessey as No 1 Matt Murray is out for six months with a knee injury.
Boss Mick McCarthy said: " I had no hesitation in taking him." (The Sun)

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Moore hopes Pools switch will see him back among the goals

AS the great Leeds United meltdown continues, Ian Moore has happily swapped the carnage of Elland Road for a more sedate footballing life at Hartlepool United.
But there's no way the striker views a move to Victoria Park as a step down; it's the chance to win back the lost years of his career.
Since leaving Burnley for Leeds in March 2005, the striker has hardly enjoyed any sort of stability.
He made 14 starts last season and was substituted in eight of those, appeared 19 times on the bench under both Ian Blackwell and Dennis Wise and scored just two goals.
Moving to Pools, promoted into League One last season, should present the chance to get Moore's form and career back towards the level which twice saw him move for a million pounds.
Some 72 goals in 424 Football League outings mean an average of a goal every 5.8 games for the hard-working front man, who will come up against his dad, Ronnie, when Pools meet Moore senior's Tranmere side this season.
The chance to play regular, first-team football at Victoria Park this campaign should see those statistics improve.
"I want to get my career back on track, I'm not that old - I'm only 30 - but I've had a couple of years in the wilderness at Leeds,"
he admitted.
"I played a few games last season, but I'm trying to get myself back and get a few goals - that's my aims for the season.
"We had something like seven or eight strikers at Leeds and when I was playing, it was out on the wing. I would play a couple of games and then be left out. It was hard to get any sort of run in the team, which is what you need.
"I was only getting two or three games and then out again, there was no consistency for me. The manager picks the side and all you can do is try your best - that's what I did, but it wasn't enough for Leeds."
Moore has an early return to Elland Road to look forward to.
Pools go there for their fifth game of the season, on September 8.
"I've left the club and came to a club which is on the up," he believes.
"Leeds are expected to do well, they are a massive club, a massive team - maybe not so much now but there is an unbelievable aura about the place.
"I think we will have a good chance against them this season, I watched them against Darlington in pre-season and there is nothing to worry about.
"There's a couple of big games I'm looking forward to - Leeds and Tranmere. Leeds is first up and every team in the division will look forward to that one.
"It was the same last season in the Championship, teams looked at it as their cup final. And when teams turned it on against them and went for it, they couldn't cope with it.
"Keep the crowd quite for 30 to 35 minutes or so and then the pressure starts to tell. It will be the same this season."
He added: "I've never played in this division, it's always been in the Championship or the Premiership so it's new to me.
"But I've seen enough here already that there are some really good, young players who want to play football the right way. Loius van Gaal said some nice things about us last week after the game with AZAlkmaar and it doesn't surprise me at all.
"I watched quite a lot of games last season, especially with Tranmere playing Friday nights, so I know quite a bit about this division and I don't think there's much to be scared of.
"It's hard to nail one club who you think will run away with it, they are much of a muchness and getting off to a good start will be the key.
"I don't set a goal target, it just puts pressure on your back, but I'm pretty confident I can score goals in this division. I've done it in the division above, so I am sure I can in this league as well."
Moore is in contention to play up front at Kenilworth Road tomorrow with Richard Barker.
Boss Wilson also has the option - he used it in pre-season - of playing three strikers and Moore is happy to adapt either way.
Barker ended last season as the division's leading scorer with 24 strikes for Pools and Mansfield, and Moore admitted: "I knew all about Barks before I came here - he played under my dad at Rotherham, so I know his strengths and his weaknesses.
"All I can hope for is the chance to play alongside him and hopefully get a good partnership going.
"I'm a striker and a lot of the time I've played on the wing. But I enjoy playing as a striker, with a target man in the forward line.
"Or like we did against Alkmaar, I didn't play as a main striker, I was dropped off a bit and we have the option to play three up front.
"I'm not going to say I'm going to be playing every week, because it's not like that here, there's a lot of good players at the club and a lot of competition to keep everyone on their toes."

(thenorthernecho.co.uk)

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Viduka aims swipe at Boro
Viduka hits out at old club

Newcastle new boy Mark Viduka has accused old club Middlesbrough of not doing enough to keep him at The Riverside.
Viduka joined Newcastle on a free transfer earlier this summer after seeing out his contract at Middlesbrough.
The Australian international, who made his Newcastle debut against Bolton on Saturday, admits he was surprised Middlesbrough did not try harder to keep hold of him.

Surprised
"To be honest at the time I was surprised. Most people were, including other players, that there was no offer made earlier," Viduka told the Sunday Mirror.
"It is disappointing when you have played for a club and you want to do well and it comes to a point where you don't know if you are staying or going with six months of your contract left.
"You are free at the end of the contract and you have to start thinking of your future.
"Middlesbrough do not look after you in that sense. They never got around to it. The club gets a lot of situations like that. It happened with Bolo Zenden and then me - and it could be Mark Schwarzer below next."

Claims
Viduka also shrugged off claims from Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb that the former Leeds striker was only prolific in the final six months of the three year contract.
"He had a lot of pressure on him and he wanted to react. I can't comment on what Keith Lamb says," added Viduka.
"I gave everything in every game. Some games I didn't play well, some I did. If I didn't play well I wouldn't have had any clubs after me.
"I would like to think I played well for Boro. Some footballers go unappreciated but that is a different story."

Sky Sports

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Ferdinand: I want to play out career at Man Utd
Rio Ferdinand admits he wants to play out his career at Manchester United.
The England defender told the Observer: "Until they kick me out, I want to stay at United. Hopefully I'm going to achieve great things. If you come to United you're joining the biggest club in the world. It's a phenomenon with a great history."

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quote:Originally posted by kjelvi

quote:Originally posted by Budda

Har du en peil på hva Mark Tinkler har gjort etter Leeds, Kjelvi?

Som Runar skriver: i Hartlepool siden 2001.
Her er det meste: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Tinkler

Sliter med skader og er helt på slutten av sin karriere. Sliter spesielt med akillelsen. Bare fire kamper så langt denne sesongen - tre fra start og en som innbytter.
'Den nye Batty' slo dessverre aldri til, men har en respektabel karriere i de lavere divisjoner med York, Southend og Hartlepool. Høgt verdsatt alle plasser hvor han har vært, bl.a. som kaptein i alle tre klubbene.

Kald fot i ræva av Hartlepool i juni.
Signet for Livingstone i skotske 2. div. i juli.
Leeds --> York C. --> Southend --> Hartlepool --> Livi

http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/newsdet.php?news_id=762&type_id=1
http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/squaddet.php?squad_id=61

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Leicester owner Milan Mandaric is ready to offer JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK a £1m payday.
Mandaric has put together a £20,000-a-week package to try to tempt the Dutch striker, 35, to the Walkers Stadium.
Hasselbaink is a free agent after his release from Charlton and is considering offers to go and play in the Middle East. (The Sun)

[pedro]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,982_2660692,00.html
Ian Harte kunne glatt erstattet Crainey. Vil vel tro at tempoproblemene han hadde i PL ikke ville vært så store i L1.

[auren]

Han vil nok neppe til L1. Ville ikke engang spille i CCC. Men god nok for Leeds pr. dags dato.

auren

Leeds
Till
I
Die!

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Derby may move for Watford striker Marlon King. (Daily Mirror)

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Striker Matthews wins Livi deal

Livingston have signed former Crewe Alexandra striker Lee Matthews. The 28-year-old Matthews, released by Crewe, has signed a one-year contract.
Livi boss Mark Proctor said: "Lee has been training with us for two and a half weeks and will give us some strength and power up front."
Proctor hopes that Matthews, who made 10 substitute appearances in his season with Crewe, has now shaken off the injury problems that have hampered his progress in recent seasons.
Matthews started his career with Leeds United before spells at Bristol City and Port Vale then joining Crewe.
However, he also had loan spells with Notts County, Gillingham, Darlington, Bristol Rovers and Yeovil Town.

BBC

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Watford put ransom on King's head
Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd has warned Premier League clubs off Marlon King by slapping a £60m price tag on the striker.
King, 27, has been linked with a move to Derby but Boothroyd insisted he will not be allowed to leave Vicarage Road.
He said: "If we get into the Premier League we get £60m, so unless somebody has £60m, Marlon's going nowhere.
"We haven't received a bid and Derby haven't got enough money. As long as I am here, he will stay."
King missed much of Watford's brief stay in the top-flight last season through a knee injury.  
Boothroyd sold Hameur Bouazza to Fulham earlier in the summer and allowed Ashley Young to join Aston Villa during last January's transfer window, but is determined to hold on to his prize asset.
The Hornets boss said: "Hameur was a different kettle of fish, as was Ashley Young. Marlon King stays.
"He is part of the core of the team who won promotion in 2006, He missed out last year in the Premier League, but he is going to get us back there.
"He is a key part of my plans, so a move isn't going to happen, he is staying.
"Is Marlon happy? I would think so, he was when I saw him last."

BBC

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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is heading for Cardiff after his move to Leicester fell through. (Sun)
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STRIKER Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink will become Cardiff’s latest big-name signing.
The former Leeds and Chelsea star is set to link up with former Elland Road chairman Peter Ridsdale.
Hasselbaink, 35, will partner Robbie Fowler in a new-look front line after he was released by Charlton at the end of last season. (The Sun)

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Milner to equal England record
James Milner is expected to equal the record for England Under-21s caps when Stuart Pearce's youngsters take on Romania in Bristol next week.
Milner is one cap behind Scott Carson, the on-loan Aston Villa goalkeeper who has 29 caps and is now too old for the under-21s' European Championship qualifying campaign.
Consistency at under-21s level has not always led to success at a higher level, but new full-time coach Pearce wants it to act as a feeder for Steve McClaren's seniors.
"It's great to represent your country at any level and to have as many caps as I have," said Newcastle midfielder Milner.
"The aim for all of us in the under-21s is to use it as a stepping stone to get in the full squad. If you do make it, it makes the transition that much easier."  (...)

TeamTalk

Også: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_2663959,00.html

[fmtj]

Healy har 2 scoringer for Fulham på de to første kampene da![xx(][:0][V]

[kjelvi]

quote:Originally posted by kjelvi

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is heading for Cardiff after his move to Leicester fell through. (Sun)

Hasselbaink teams up with Fowler at Cardiff
Former Dutch international striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has joined Cardiff City, the second division team said on Thursday.
The 35-year-old has been without a club since he was released by Charlton Athletic at the end of last season.
Hasselbaink will link up with former England striker Robbie Fowler, who joined the Welsh side in July following his release by Liverpool.
"I do not think anyone would have believed going into the close season it would be possible to get players like them," chairman Peter Ridsdale told the club's Web site (www.cardiffcityfc.premiumtv.co.uk).
Former Chelsea, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Atletico Madrid player Hasselbaink won 23 caps for his country.

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Carson escapes from Liverpool to refresh his England hopes
Scott Carson believes he would have missed out on the chance to appear at the European Championship next year if he had remained at Liverpool. The 21-year-old, who will discover today whether he has been named in Steve McClaren's squad for the friendly against Germany on Wednesday, was told by England's goalkeeping coach, Ray Clemence, that his international career would stagnate as long as he remained second-choice at Anfield.
"I knew that I'd have no chance of playing for England if I was just No2 at Liverpool, playing Carling Cup or FA Cup games," admitted Carson, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Charlton last season after he had been called up to the England squad for the 2006 World Cup. "At the end of last season I spoke to Ray Clemence and he said: 'It's a big season for you. You need to be playing regularly.' Hopefully coming here [to Villa] will give me that opportunity.
Hopefully I can start getting in the England senior squad more regularly, and get a few caps. It's a big season for me because of the European Championship next year. You don't know what's around the corner. If I'm playing games every week in the Premiership, it gives me a better option in case something happens along the way. Even if it's only a friendly and I get a half or something, I'd be delighted to get one cap: it would top the last couple of years off for me."
Although Carson is keen to make the step up from the Under-21 side to the senior squad, he believes David James, one of his rivals for the three England goalkeeping positions, along with Paul Robinson, Robert Green and Chris Kirkland, ought to be in McClaren's squad.
"[James] played in the tournament in Hong Kong the other week and he was unbelievable," he said. "I think he's still a top keeper and I think he's got a lot to bring [to the England squad]."
Carson, who admitted he was disappointed to have made only nine appearances for Liverpool since joining in January 2005, confirmed there is an option for Villa to make his loan move permanent at the end of the season. His arrival in the Midlands has not been welcomed by everyone at Villa, however, with Thomas Sorensen, the club's former No1, set to be fined by Martin O'Neill after he questioned the manager's decision to bring in another goalkeeper.
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen could be fined for questioning the signing of Scott Carson. (Daily Express)

Aston Villa boss has ordered unsettled keeper Thomas Sorensen to fight for his place in the team after the arrival of Scott Carson on loan. (Daily Mail).

ASTON Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen will be fined by boss Martin O’Neill for questioning the signing of Scott Carson.
Sorensen, 31, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, told the Danish media: "It seemed strange that they spent a lot of money on Carson when we’ve got two good keepers in the squad."
O’Neill has strict rules about players talking out of turn and insisted anyone who did was "in for trouble."  (The Sun)