WORLD CUP QUALIFIER: ENGLAND V ANDORRA
Venue: Wembley Date: Wednesday, 10 June Kick-off: 2015 BST Coverage: Live
commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website. TV coverage on ITV
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England defender Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out Wednesday's World Cup
qualifier with Andorra through injury. The Manchester United centre-back
missed Saturday's 4-0 win in Kazakhstan due to discomfort with a calf
injury. It was expected Ferdinand would join up with his England colleagues
on Sunday but it has now been confirmed the 30-year-old will miss the game
at Wembley. Midfielder Gareth Barry will be absent through suspension after
picking up his second booking of the campaign. In Ferdinand's absence,
Matthew Upson partnered John Terry in the centre of the England defence
during Saturday's win in Kazakhstan; a sixth successive qualifying Group Six
victory under manager Fabio Capello. There was little prospect of England
taking any chances with Ferdinand against Andorra - a team ranked 196th in
the world and without a single point yet in this World Cup qualifying
campaign - even though a victory would leave Capello's side on the brink of
World Cup qualification. Ferdinand's exclusion ends an injury-blighted
campaign for the player. He was troubled by the calf injury in the build-up
to the Champions League final - but played in Manchester United's 2-0 defeat
by Barcelona in Rome - and has also been troubled by a back complaint in
recent times. Bolton's Gary Cahill was called up to squad by manager Fabio
Capello last week for the first time as Ferdinand's replacement. Capello has
opted not to call up a replacement for midfielder Gareth Barry, who scored
England's first goal in Almaty, but is suspended for Wednesday's match at
Wembley after being booked in the first half. England struggled at the start
in Almaty but ended up winning comfortably thanks to goals from recent £12m
Manchester City signing Barry, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard.
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Hull's bid for Campbell accepted
Manchester United have accepted a bid from Hull City for England Under-21
striker Fraizer Campbell. Hull have been given permission to discuss
personal terms with Campbell after agreeing a reported £6m fee. Campbell,
21, scored 15 goals to help Phil Brown's to promotion in 2008 during a
successful loan spell at the KC Stadium during the 2007/08 season. He spent
last season on loan at Tottenham as part of the deal that took Dimitar
Berbatov to Old Trafford. Brown was keen to sign Campbell after Hull were
promoted but missed out when the player joined Spurs. Campbell, who has
seven Under-21 caps, started just one Premier League game during his time in
north London and only made one brief appearance in the final three months of
the campaign. A number of clubs have reportedly shown an interest in signing
him this summer.
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Newcastle 'confident' of takeover
Newcastle expect a deal to sell the club will be completed by the end of
June, according to the man responsible for brokering the arrangement. Keith
Harris, chairman of investment bank Seymour Pierce, also revealed there were
"two or three" rival parties vying to buy the club. "I'm confident there
will be offers to consider in quite short order," Harris told Radio 5 Live's
Sportsweek. "It's a decent guess that there are two or three interested
parties." Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, who bought the Magpies in 2007, first
put the club up for sale in September 2008, having invested £250m. Ashley
has presided over a disastrous period in the club's history, culminating in
relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the 2008/09 season,
and he has become deeply unpopular with fans. Ashley briefly took the club
off the market in December after struggling to sell, but Harris claims the
club is now much more attractive to prospective buyers - at least some of
whom he suggested were based in the United Kingdom. "There is real and
decent interest, and this is not necessarily from far-flung parts of the
globe," he said. "Newcastle had an awful season and got relegated so that
has an implication for the value of an asset of a decrease to make it more
attractive."
Newspaper reports on Sunday suggested that former chairman Freddy Shepherd
was looking to repurchase the club but Harris stated that he would only find
out the identity of the bidders next week. There has also been much
speculation about the future of manager Alan Shearer, with suggestions that
he was not Ashley's first choice for the role. However, Harris stated that
Shearer could be a valuable asset to any prospective new owner. "Shearer is
obviously a very charismatic figure in the area and Newcastle need some
local interest," said Harris. "He is a good commercial addition, certainly
in terms of generating interest among the fans. "Whether he is the right man
to lead the club back into the Premier League is something other people will
express a view on, especially if there is going to be a change of
ownership."
In May, Ashley apologised to fans for his part in the mistakes that
ultimately led to relegation. The decline began with the departure of
popular boss Kevin Keegan in September, amid rumours of disputes over the
club's transfer policy. Keegan's exit prompted mass protests from supporters
with fans demanding Ashley - as well as controversial director Dennis Wise -
quit St James' Park. Ashley then appointed Joe Kinnear as manager but he
soon had to stand down from his position because of health problems leading
to assistant Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood taking charge of team
affairs. As results continued to worsen, Newcastle turned to Magpies legend
Shearer to turn things around but they won just one of his eight games and
were relegated. However, Harris believes that any buyer with a long-term
vision for the club could be richly rewarded. "It is a huge club," he said.
"In attendance terms, last year it exceeded Liverpool with an average
attendance over 48,000. "If you walk around the infrastructure of the
ground, the training ground, the academy, what you realise is for somebody
willing to take a view over two or three years this is a club that belongs
in the top seven of the Premier League. It's very attractive."
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Gorman will be offered job at QPR
John Gorman is to be offered the job of QPR assistant manager following Jim
Magilton's arrival at Loftus Road. Gorman, 59, was Glenn Hoddle's right-hand
man when he managed England and has also had spells in charge of Swindon,
Wycombe and Northampton. He worked at Ipswich under Magilton, who was
recently installed as Rangers boss and is keen for the Scot to join him at
his new club. Magilton was sacked by Ipswich in April after nearly three
years at the helm.
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Terry maintains World Cup focus
England captain John Terry admits they have a long way to go before they can
think about winning the World Cup. England moved closer to qualification
with a 4-0 win in Kazakhstan on Saturday but Terry says they are determined
to improve further. "We are playing well and are on the way to where we want
to be," said Terry. "But there's no point being at the top now and in a
year's time not being where we want to be. We know there are still
improvements to be made." England struggled at the start in Almaty but ended
up winning comfortably thanks to goals from Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey,
Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. It was their sixth successive qualifying
Group Six win under Fabio Capello, who Terry credits for much of the
transformation after ex-manager Steve McClaren's failure to qualify for Euro
2008. "The players are now really relishing getting on the ball and playing
and having confidence and trusting each other again," added Terry. "There
were times when people were on our backs a little bit and certain players
didn't want the ball in certain areas. "But if you look at everyone in this
game, they all wanted the ball and were all making angles for each other.
"Since the manager has come in, that has been a big part of it, to play
right from the back and work hard for the team. You can see how much harder
we are working as a group."
Barry, who completed a £12m move to Manchester City on Tuesday, broke the
deadlock on 40 minutes before former Aston Villa team-mate Heskey tapped
home a second just before half-time. Rooney made it 3-0 with a spectacular
strike before Lampard completed the scoring with a well-taken penalty. "I'm
happy with the team's performance," said England boss Capello. "Kazakhstan
started strongly but step by step we improved. "When you play a team that's
not at the same level you have to score. After scoring the first, it was
made easier."
Barry, who will miss Wednesday's game with Andorra after getting booked
against Kazakhstan, said: "We got everything we expected from Kazakhstan.
"They had a lot of possession and created a couple of chances and we had a
couple of scary moments. "We knew the first goal would be massive and it
took the steam out of them. I was delighted to score the opener that made
everyone settle - it was an important stage of the game." Capello's side can
make it seven out of seven when they face bottom-placed Andorra at Wembley
on Wednesday. When asked about Barry's suspension, Capello joked: "After
this performance I think he can go on holiday. He scored a goal, he signed a
new contract and he changed his team. It's been a fantastic weekend for
him."
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Wigan receive Valencia bids
United and Real table offers in excess of £16million
Last updated: 7th June 2009
Sky Sports News understands Wigan have received bids in excess of £16million
from Manchester United and Real Madrid for Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian
winger has long been linked with the two European giants and it is now
reported that the pair have tabled offers. United are searching for
creativity after big-money signing Nani has failed to live up to
expectations and Valencia is said to have impressed boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Real are desperate to overthrow Spanish and continental champions Barcelona
and the 23-year-old was thought to be close to a move in the winter transfer
window. A switch failed to materialise, but it is now understood that
newly-elected president Florentino Perez, who has pledged a return to the
dazzling days of star signings from his first spell at the Bernabeu, is
ready to test Wigan's resolve. Valencia joined Wigan in 2006 in a loan move
from Recreativo de Huelva and the deal was made permanent in January 2008.
The Latics are currently without a manager following Steve Bruce's move to
Sunderland, but Roberto Martinez is expected to be unveiled as successor on
Wednesday.
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Drogba wants Ancelotti talks
Blues ace delays contract signing until he has spoken to new boss
By Richard Bailey Last updated: 7th June 2009
Didier Drogba has insisted on speaking to new Chelsea manager Carlo
Ancelotti before signing his new contract. The striker has been in talks
over a new extension for a number of weeks and was thought to be close to
signing a three-year deal. But the 31-year-old has halted negotiations,
revealing that he wants Ancelotti to outline his plans for the Blues before
he puts pen-to-paper. The Ivory Coast international has seen his name linked
with a move to join up with former Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan
on numerous occasions, while Manchester City has also been mentioned as a
possible destination. "I have read a lot things but I prefer to know first
hand what plans he has and then decide what is best for me," he said in The
People. Despite the persistent whispers, Drogba insists he is not looking
for a new club and adds that he has heard only good things about the new
manager. "I have a contract with Chelsea and nobody has told me to look for
another club," he added. "My agents have had some informal contact with the
club in the last few days. I want to talk with Ancelotti to find out what he
really expects from me. "I have heard some good reports about him. He is a
big name coach who has won a lot of titles. "They say he is a very open
approachable manager and that is the style of coach that I like."
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Sunday's gossip column
BREAKING GOSSIP
1352 BST: Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery - a reported target of
Manchester United and Chelsea - has ruled out a potential move to England
because he does not like the climate.
1314 BST: Portsmouth defender Hermann Hreidarsson has admitted a move to
Rangers during the summer would appeal to him.
1156 BST: Manchester United and Real Madrid have both made bids in excess of
£16m for Wigan winger Antonio Valencia.
1138 BST: Brazil superstar Kaka has announced that he will make his decision
on whether to join Real Madrid or stay at AC Milan in the near future.
1127 BST: Arsenal have secured a 13m euro (£11.4m) deal for Ajax captain
Thomas Vermaelen, according to reports in his native Belgium.
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Tottenham are leading the race to sign former Manchester United striker Ruud
van Nistelrooy - with his current club Real Madrid ready to let the
32-year-old Dutch striker go for just £1.25m.
Alternatively, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has his sights set on a £10m move
for Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz.
Manchester City will offer defender Micah Richards as bait in their bid to
sign Everton centre-back Joleon Lescott.
Newcastle striker Michael Owen is wanted by Aston Villa, but the 29-year-old
will have to take a £70,000-a-week pay cut to seal the move.
However, Italian club Roma are also eyeing up a move for the England
striker. (Sunday Mirror)
Italian champions Inter Milan are preparing a £25m bid for Arsenal striker
Robin van Persie.
Manchester United face losing out to Champions League conquerors Barcelona
in the race to sign France stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema.
Barcelona are also planning a £20m swoop for United defender Nemanja Vidic.
United boss Alex Ferguson is planning to boost his defensive options by
signing Sheffield United's £7m-rated right-back Kyle Naughton. (Sunday
Mirror)
Atletico Madrid's Argentine striker Sergio Aguero has admitted he's
interested in a move to Chelsea.
Portsmouth defender Glen Johnson will move back to Chelsea this week in a
deal worth £16m. (Various)
New Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will make an ambitious bid to land Antonio
Valencia from his former club Wigan. (Various)
Bruce is also keen to sign centre-back Titus Bramble from the Latics.
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is ready to swoop for Paris St Germain star
Jerome Rothen. (The People)
Manchester City will continue their summer spending spree with the signing
of Athletic Bilbao's Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez, who is rated as one
of the hottest prospects in Europe.
Hull City manager Phil Brown is set to bid £4m for Bolton striker Kevin
Davies. (The People)
Fulham are leading the race for Middlesbrough's England Under-21 winger Adam
Johnson. (The People)
Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson is also ready to offer £1m for Nuremberg's
Australian centre-half Matthew Spiranovic.
Stoke will battle it out with Blackburn and Sunderland to sign Newcastle's
Alan Smith for £3m. (Various)
Liverpool are set to make a shock move to re-sign striker Peter Crouch from
Portsmouth for as little as £4m. (Sunday Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Alan Shearer is ready to walk away from Newcastle because owner Mike Ashley
is stalling on talks regarding his potential future as manager of the club.
This could be because Shearer is not Ashley's preferred choice for the
vacant manager's post at St James' Park, and the only way he will become
their new boss is if a new buyer for the club is found.
Alternatively, Shearer could replace Celtic-bound manager Tony Mowbray at
West Brom.
One potential saviour of Newcastle is former chairman Freddy Shepherd, who
is planning to launch a £75m takeover bid to resume control of the club this
week. (Sunday Mirror)
Liverpool have claimed that they will be able to outspend most of their
rivals this summer despite the financial problems affecting the club, with a
senior source saying, "We have more spare cash to spend than any club except
Chelsea."
West Ham are set to become the latest Premier League club to be taken over
by Americans in a £70m takeover.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba insists he wants to talk to new manager Carlo
Ancelotti about his vision for the future before signing a new deal with the
club. (The People)
Andorra centre-back Oscar Sonejee - who is set to line up for his country in
the World Cup qualifier against England on Wednesday - has blasted England's
players, claiming some of them care more about having a celebrity lifestyle
than playing football. (The People)
English clubs could be forced to abandon plans to recruit foreign players
and shop at home in the near future if Fifa goes ahead with plans to
introduce legislation requiring clubs to include up to six 'domestic'
players in their side. (Sunday Express)
Liverpool are facing a legal backlash after dismissing 16 members of their
backroom staff, who are now set to seek compensation for unfair dismissal.
(News of the World)
Former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes is set to be named Tranmere
Rovers boss this week.
West Brom will play hardball with Celtic in their bid to land Tony Mowbray
as their new manager.
Swansea City have shortlisted Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo to replace Roberto
Martinez.
AND FINALLY
Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has revealed that he never liked new Black
Cats boss Steve Bruce when the two were both players, but he has long since
buried the hatchet. (Various)
New Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has been brushing up on his English in a
Dutch convent that offers intensive language courses. (The People)
(Full story: The People)
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