Tag Archives: rejects

Ferguson rejects transfer talk

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any new signings in the January transfer window (United 9/2 to win the Premier League).

Ferguson saw his side beat Tottenham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday to sit five points behind leaders Chelsea. And he insisted he is happy with the squad he has, and is not considering adding to it this season.

“We won’t be buying in January, definitely not,” said Ferguson in the Independent. “If you want someone to play in Europe, you are limited right away. There are hundreds of players cup-tied.”

The United boss added: “You have five months left of the season, I will have Antonio Valencia back hopefully towards the end of February, which is a new player coming back.

“If Michael Owen gets back, it is another new player coming back. So with the squad I’ve got, I don’t see any reason for us to buy anyone.”

Ferguson is not panicking over the size of his squad, or the fact that Wayne Rooney may not be back in action until mid-December (United 1/14 Top Four Finish).

Rooney was on hand at Old Trafford yesterday after returning from a mid-season break to Dubai with his wife Coleen.

“I think Wayne Rooney will be out for another five weeks,” Ferguson said in the Sunday Express. “He’ll have to pick up his fitness again. I would think five weeks should be about right.”

Rooney could miss a total of 15 games for club and country, after initially having targeted the Manchester derby against City next week.

United’s match at Blackpool on December 4 is now his comeback target, though the Champions’ League visit of Valencia three days later could also be in his sights (United 9/1 to win 2010-11 Champions League).

Ferguson went on to add: “With any player who has been out a few weeks, you want them 100 per cent and not breaking down. That is what happened to Ryan Giggs – he came back and trained a full week and maybe did too much.

“He lasted only 25 minutes against West Brom and it was a loss, because we didn’t have real cover for the wide positions.”

Ferguson said that Rooney would have to battle to regain his place in the team because of the form of Javier Hernandez, who has scored seven goals in 13 games for United.

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Pearce rejects England role

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Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce believes he does not have the experience to take over from Fabio Capello as the hunt for next England manager continues (1/7 Euro 2012 – Group G winner).

Despite the Italian still having just less than two years to see out on his current deal the list of potential candidates to replace him has already begun to take shape.

Capello confirmed last week he would walk away from his role after Euro 2012, stating the need to enjoy his retirement as the reason why he would be quitting.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, Pearce and David Beckham have all been mentioned in connection with the post, although it could be some time before any of them are even scheduled for an interview with the FA.

Redknapp has already said it would be a tough job to turn down, with the FA likely to favour the 63-year-old and Hodgson given their recent success with English clubs.

Should Redknapp build on his reputation at Tottenham (10/1 British team to progress furthest in Champions League) as one of the top English managers he would appear to be the ideal choice, given the FA has said it wants an Englishman to takeover.

Pearce’s name had also been thrown into the hat given his time under Capello as his assistant, as well as his work with the Under-21s.

The former defender’s time with the Under-21 set-up has seen them reach the final of the European Championships and help bring through the likes of Joe Hart, James Milner and Adam Johnson.

Despite his time in the England set-up, along with the two years he managed Manchester City, Pearce still believes he doesn’t have enough experience to take over from Capello and has effectively ruled himself out of the running.

“If you ask me the question today, I’ve not got the experience to do that job, but it’s very flattering for people to mention my name,” said Pearce.

“It’s an honour to be mentioned. Whether I’ve supported the nation as a player, Under 21 coach, or coach with the first team, it’s a massive honour.

“It’s like all people that get mentioned, I’ve got a lot of things going in my favour – I’ve captained England, played in tournaments and coached Under 21 tournaments. This summer I’ve been to a major tournament as a coach.

“I tick a few boxes, but I’ve not got a thousand matches behind me like the Harry Redknapps and Roy Hodgsons of this world.”

Director of Football Development Trevor Brooking has backed Pearce’s decision to step back from the role, claiming the former England international needs to go back to club management in order to establish himself as a potential candidate for the role.

Brooking gave no indication as to who would take over from Capello but hinted the FA would lean towards a more experienced manager to take the England (9/1 – Euro 2012 outright) helm, effectively ruling out the likes of Beckham and Alan Shearer.

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Neill rejects criticism

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Australia skipper Lucas Neill has told reporters his side are not a team of “whingers” as his side stand on the verge of World Cup elimination. (Australia 20/1 qualify)

The Socceroos have only picked up a solitary point from both their games and have a poor goal difference due to the 4-0 hammering they received in their opener against Germany. Australia have also had a man sent off in both their matches so far and have come under fire from their nation’s media for their disappointing conduct both on and off the field.

Neill was visibly disappointed about the criticism and stated that he believed it to be totally unfair. Australia need to beat Serbia by three or more goals and then hope that Germany beat Ghana. (Australia 16/5 to win)

He told reporters: “Everything that’s been written in the last couple of days is the fact that we’re all of a sudden a team of whingers. I think it’s everybody else who’s doing the  whinging.

“Australia have never been a team that whinges, we don’t want to be regarded as a team that whinges.”

“Did we whinge when we were down to 10 men (against Ghana)? We took it on the chin, stood up and in the end probably could have won the game. That’s not a team that whinges.

“A team that whinges is a team that would have lost 3-1 or 4-1 and then come in and complained to the referee.”

The comments came after both Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell told the press that they felt hard done by after being sent off against Germany and Australia respectively and Cahill was even quoted as saying that side had “have never been given the fair go”.

The skipper was keen to come to the defence of the Everton playmaker and insisted that that the midfielder had been misquoted.

“Tim never said that. Why would he?” Neill added. “Every single player went out of that dressing room the other day and took it on the chin. There is nothing we could have done about it.

With regards to Kewell’s dismissal was also quick to defend the player, saying his comments were borne out of pure frustration.

“Harry Kewell said he has worked hard to get where he has and now he has been sent off after 20 minutes,” Neill continued.

“That is not really a whinge, that is disappointment. “But we are going to give him another game, we are going to try anyway.”

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