DELEITURAS

Dean Smith has warned clubs Jack Grealish will cost a fortune but the Aston Villa boss insisted he has never thought about losing his captain.

Villa face Derby in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley on Monday.

Grealish would be expected to leave if Villa lose the £170million showdown despite signing a new five-year contract last September.

Tottenham were interested last year after Villa’s play-off final defeat to Fulham but failed to agree a fee and Smith is not contemplating selling his star.

He said: “If we don’t go up he’ll cost someone a hell of a lot of money if they want to buy him. For me he is committed to Aston Villa and we’ve not even spoken about it otherwise.

“He’s signed a brand new contract at the start of the season, committing himself to the football club.

“He loves Aston Villa and he’ll want nothing more than to get promoted with Aston Villa.”

Grealish has been Villa’s inspiration in their late run to the play-offs, scoring four times in their club-record run of 10 straight wins.

He scored a stunning volley when Villa beat Derby 4-0 at the start of March, his first game for three months after returning from a shin injury, which kickstarted Villa’s winning run.

But Smith is keen to lift the pressure off the homegrown 23-year-old.

“That’s something right from the off we have played down. It is not about one person or pressure, it is about the team,” he said.

“If players perform as a team you have more chance. It is not down to Jack Grealish.

“Yes, Jack’s has got that little bit of brilliance but so has John McGinn and so has Tammy (Abraham) and (Anwar) El Ghazi, Tyrone Mings.

“We won’t put any pressure on any individual and talking to Jack he doesn’t feel that either, he has relished being the captain of Aston Villa and is looking forward to the game and hopefully getting that win.”

Villa’s parachute payments end this season after their Premier League relegation in 2016 and they were struggling financially under former owner Tony Xia.

Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris bought the club in July and Smith is confident plans are in place whatever the result.

“You have to prepare for winning or losing,” said Smith.

“One way or another, on Monday night we will either be a Premier League team or a Championship team and you have to have two scenarios for it.

“But the difference this year is that the owners we’ve got are fully behind the club and it’s on an even keel and hopefully moving in an upwards direction.”

 

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If Maurizio Sarri leaves Chelsea this summer then the club could turn to Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel, according to reports.

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Sarri has led his side to a third-placed finish in the Premier League – despite being 26 points behind champions Manchester City – the League Cup final and they could still win silverware in Europe.

The Italian arrived from Napoli last summer but has drawn plenty of criticism for his tactical stubbornness despite relative success, with supporters often vocally criticising his style.

Sarri has admitted that he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge but recently refused to offer any assurances amid links with the Roma job, but it seems that Chelsea may already be plotting his replacement.

The Evening Standard claims that the Blues are looking at a number of potential replacements should Sarri be axed or decide to leave.

Frank Lampard, who has impressed in his debut season at Derby County, is one option – as is Massimiliano Allegri who will be leaving Juventus at the end of the season.

The most surprising name mentioned though is that of PSG boss Tuchel, who is apparently being ‘lined up’ despite a sub-par season with PSG.

The former Dortmund head coach guided the Parisiens to the Ligue 1 title, but they crashed out of the Champions League after collapsing in the second leg against Manchester United and failed to secure either of the French cups.

 

A Manchester City board member has hit out at reports linking Pep Guardiola with the manager’s job at Juventus.

Massimiliano Allegri will leave his position as Juventus head coach at the end of the season sparking more speculation that they want to appoint the Spaniard.

Guardiola completely denied rumours linking him with Juventus earlier in the season and he was again dismissive on Friday when asked about the Turin club following news that Allegri is to leave.

However, Italian outlet AGI claims that Guardiola has agreed to take over at Juventus and that he will sign a deal on June 4.

Now, City board member Alberto Galassi has further dismissed the speculation, telling Sky Sport Italia: “As a City board member, I was surprised to read such codswallop.

“He’s our Coach and, he wants to stay with us. He can’t understand how his word is not being heard. It’s all a falsehood.

“The first thing a serious club does in these cases is to contact the other club. It’s unthinkable that City are unaware of his supposed presentation in just a few days.

“The story is totally without foundation. We don’t understand why a club should intervene for the umpteenth time to say Guardiola doesn’t want to leave Manchester City. This question doesn’t exist.

“I’m sorry for the Juventus fans, but they’ll have to find another coach.”

 

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Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is dreaming of playing a part in the Champions League final after injury denied him a role 12 months ago.

Among the saddest sights following the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev was the England international hopping around the running track of Olympiyski Stadium on crutches trying to keep up with his team-mates as they acknowledged the support of fans.

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Oxlade-Chamberlain sustained a serious knee injury in the semi-final first leg against Roma, a problem which ruled him out of the clash with Madrid a month later and sidelined him for 12 months in total.

Having made his comeback in two substitute appearances amounting to just 20 minutes the 25-year-old is hoping he gets to make up for missing out last year.

He will, at least, be guaranteed a place on the bench for the clash against Tottenham on June 1 in the Wanda Metropolitano as a change in regulations means clubs can name 12 substitutes for UEFA’s showpiece finals.

“I wasn’t able to get loads of minutes (on his return) but I was happy to just come back,” he told the club’s official website.

“Dreams are made of maybe having some part to play in Madrid, but it’s not about me – it’s about making sure whoever is on the pitch does the job for the club and for the team.

“If I can be involved, that would be amazing, but just to be around it and be fit and healthy again is good for me as well at the minute.

“At times it’s been a little bit frustrating as well because you feel you are back and to then keep up with these boys after the long season they’ve had and the intensity they train at, coming back from a year (out) it’s not so easy and you pick up little things along the way.

“It’s been another little journey for me the last part, but it’s been really exciting to be in and around the team and in contention to maybe have some part in the final, but just to be involved is amazing for me.

“After ‘crutching’ my way around the pitch last year, it’s nice to be in this situation!”

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been working on sharpening up his fitness at the squad’s training camp in Marbella.

Manager Jurgen Klopp, conscious his players will have had a three-week gap of competitive football by the time the final comes around, is trying to organise a match out in Spain for his players.

However, the difficulty he has is that most teams are either now on their summer breaks or preparing for the final week of their season so options are limited.

But, nevertheless, the week-long training break in the sun is helping preparations.

“Obviously the final is going to be in Madrid, so a lot warmer than maybe an evening game in England that we’re used to so, we’ve come out here to try to get used to that ,” added Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“Coming out here and making it a little bit tougher is obviously really helpful. The boys have approached it really well, as they have done all season.

“The gaffer is shouting and pushing us to stay right on top of everything – and that’s what we need. We’ve got one last push now and everyone looks really good.

“Hopefully we can pull something off and make some special memories and history.”

 

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Manchester United transfer committee
So, having read all about Man Utds groundbreaking plan to use previous players as a committee to decide on transfers, I was mortified. Who, in god’s name, thinks that Darren Sodding Fletcher has the pedigree to pass comment on the capability of other players? I mean, he was very unfortunate with his health and worked hard, but he was hardly a world beater. Nicky Butt is in much the same bracket; of the 3 names mentioned, I would only suggest that Rio reached the heights required in his chosen position to be able to pass judgement on the abilities of others. Which got me thinking…

For your chosen team, if you had to pick 3 ex-players (forward, midfield, defence) to curate transfers, and ultimately to decide who is good enough in the relevant positions… who would you pick, and why? For United, for me I think it’s a pretty easy decision:

–          Cantona – The mercurial genius who didn’t have the on-field diving and petulance of CR7 (the karate kick technically wasn’t ON the field…)

–          Scholes – Technically unrivalled; someone else can do the tackling!

–          Rio – Quick, strong, intelligent, could play out; one of the best CBs of his generation.

My colleague, who is a Villa fan, suggested the following for his club:

–          Brian Little

–          Ian Taylor

–          Paul McGrath

Who would you pick for your team?
Ed the Grouch

 

Play-offs
Following the various emails about playoffs this morning, allow to me to present an idea I’ve had for a while, which I think would also provide a bit of post-season excitement – Champions League qualification play-offs.
However, these play-offs would only occur under specific circumstances.
At the moment, it doesn’t matter how poor you are relative to the PL winners, if you finish 4th you are in the CL.
But sometimes teams can finish quite a long way back in 4th place, so my suggestion is that any team which finished a certain number of points behind the champions would have to negotiate a playoff.
Obviously you can debate about the exact number of points, but I reckon 12 seems reasonable. That is 4 losses behind the champions.

How it would work
Teams in 2nd to 4th have to finish within 12 points of the champions or they go into a play off as follows
2nd vs. 7th
3rd vs. 6th
4th vs. 5th
The format would be a one-off match at the home of the higher ranked team. Extra-time and penalties if required, and no away goals rule. That way finishing higher in the league still confers a theoretical benefit – you will play at home, and against what should be an easier team.

So using the season which just finished as an example, Liverpool would automatically qualify as they finished very close to Man City, so there is no 2nd vs. 7th match (sorry Wolves).
But for the remaining two spots we would have Chelsea vs. Man United and Spurs vs. Arsenal!
Who wouldn’t want to see those matches? Imagine the tension of a North London derby where CL qualification is on the line!
Ties would be played in the week following the end of the PL season, and before the FA Cup final.

During the season it is an additional incentive to get as many points as you can (you couldn’t afford to coast at the end of the season if a CL spot is assured, but you can’t win the title), and also gives encouragement to ‘smaller’ teams that they might have a shot at the CL if they can finish 7th.
Michael,Basel

 

My initial thought of relegation playoffs was that we’ve actually been there, done that in the eighties.

I watched Chelsea vs Boro standing in the Shed at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had come 3rd from bottom in the top division and went into the playoffs with the teams in 3rd to 5th in the old 2nd division fighting for their survival. The won 1-0 (Steve Clarke) but lost 2-1 on aggregate and got relegated. Was delicious to be there, watching the arch enemy get relegated (I’m a QPR fan and back then we had a rivalry to speak of). The riot after less so, but this was the dark days..

Anyway I prefer the shout for 15th to 18th to fight to stay up.

We’d have Cardiff v Burnley and Southampton v Brighton as 2 legged playoffs.

Imagine the tension in those games.

The winners stay up and the losers go on to play the Losers Final at Wembley.

Can you comprehend having a fairly crap season, losing a 2 legged play off and then losing at Wembley to get relegated.

WOW..

Now imagine it’s your most hated rivals going through that. At Wembley, on TV.

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Portsmouth fans, imagine Southampton losing on penalties.

Blackburn/Bolton fans, imagine a Ben Mee own goal to send Burnley down.

Swansea fans, think of Warnocks rage as Cardiff concede a last minute pen that was probably outside the box. And smile.

Or Palace fans. Imagine Glen Murray missing an equaliser from yards out..

I’d buy the DVD.
Matt (doesn’t enjoy the camera cutting to fans crying after losing a final in any way, shape or form)

 

I am sure you will get literally single digits of these.

It has happened before. With Chelsea relegated from the old first division in 1988 after losing a two legged final against Middlesboro. One of my worst childhood memories.

I can’t remember why the idea was scrapped but, like everything else everyone moans about in football, it was probably down to the greedy Premier.
Simon Woking (Cards back in the national leage baby)

 

Stephen asks about a relegation play off but I don’t now how the final he proposes works. There needs to be a loser to go down, not a winner of matches like the current promotion play off. Also, how can you have the relegation scrap during the winter break?
Jack no brackets 

 

Greatest team
I know the chatter is about the greatest team since the birth of football in 1992, localised entirely within England, but that’s boring so I’m going to branch out.

Give a thought to 1994-95 Ajax, losing to Feyenoord in the QF of the cup to prevent them claiming an unbeaten treble, or a Pedro inspired Barcelona winning 6 in a calendar year.

But no, the ultimate team has to be the 1986-1989 Steaua București team, who started their domination with a European Cup win – with another final appearance in 1989 to boot, followed by four consecutive league titles and national cups, remaining unbeaten for 104 league games during that time!

Now, a question for some lightheartedness; Which player has won the UEFA Cup/Europa League the most times?
Néill, (no Googling), Ireland

 

Loans are only a short term future
RE Daniel Storey’s article.

The problem that whoever goes up, Villa or Derby, will face is one of retention or replacement.
Sure, they’ll get a financial windfall for getting to the Premier League, but they will have so spend most of it just to maintain the standard of team that got them there. They will either have to sign those loan players or buy replacements for them from elsewhere.

A team getting promotion with its own players can use the same money to improve themselves.

But hey, if short term is what you want, fill yer boots.
Pete B

 

It’s not unique
Sorry Owen but City’s achievement is NOT unique as I pointed out earlier in the week – Guardiola is on film pointing out as much.

Arsenal’s Women’s team of 2007 completed a treble and added the Champions League to boot.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London

 

Celebrity Tottenham fans
Celebrity fans you say? How about Steve Nash (NBA legend), Anthony Costa (actually had a chat with him at the last match attended, sound guy) and Adam Richman (presenter of Man vs Food, possibly the best TV show ever), Jonathan Trott, Ray Liotta (!).

Celebrities I’d like to forget about being Spurs fan? Adele, Anthony Worrell Thompson, Jude Law, Michael McIntyre (sorry but don’t find him funny at all).
Sam, THFC (If we win the CL I may explode with joy. Levy please sign someone early this window FFS), Guernsey

 

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita’s recovery from a thigh problem is ahead of schedule but he is unlikely to be fit enough to feature in the Champions League final.

The Guinea international could, however, be back in time for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on June 21.

Keita tore an adductor muscle in Liverpool‘s 3-0 semi-final first leg defeat in Barcelona and the initial prognosis was a two-month absence.

But having responded well to treatment the midfielder, who is out in Marbella with the rest of the squad preparing for the June 1 clash with Tottenham in Madrid, has now returned to running.

“Naby is, I would say, a bit ahead of schedule, but that doesn’t mean anything for the final,” manager Jurgen Klopp told liverpoolfc.com.

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“He is now doing straight runs and all of that stuff, he feels comfortable with 50 per cent intensity and these things – but there is still a way to go.

“I know about the issues with Guinea and stuff like that; we don’t want to keep a player out if he can play – maybe they think it is like this, but it is not like this.

“For me, it would be good if Naby would be 100 per cent fit and could play the Africa Cup of Nations, to be honest.

“But we don’t know, we will see, and we need to work together with their medical department because in the end, a player who is fit – from my point of view – who can play, should play for his country.

“If he is not 100 per cent fit, he cannot play. That’s how it is. It looks good, very positive and we will see if there is a chance.”

Forward Roberto Firmino is on course to play in the final after recovering from a thigh problem he aggravated in the Nou Camp.

“Bobby looks really good. It was not too long out, but of course we are still careful and want to make sure nothing happens,” added Klopp.

“We have a few days still and want to use them, that’s why he is in, out, in, out.”

According to Klopp Firmino was involved in “70 per cent” of the session on Wednesday and is set to play a full part on Thursday.

 

Manchester United are hoping to win the battle for Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt by tabling a better offer, according to reports.

Barcelona are said to be keen on landing one of the hottest properties in world football, although both United and Manchester City are also after his signature.

Reports this week suggested that the 19-year-old was heading for the Nou Camp, although a deal has not yet been agreed with his agent Mino Raiola.

That has given both United and City hope they could yet lure the teenager to England, although the former’s failure to qualify for the Champions League could play a major part in De Ligt’s final decision.

Sport (via Sport Witness) claims that De Ligt is still waiting for an improved offer from Barca for his services which has given other potential suitors some hope of landing the Dutchman.

The reports says the Red Devils are now ‘one of the top contenders’ after they ‘significantly improved’ their offer for the player.

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United hope De Ligt says ‘yes’ and the report claims their offer is ‘tempting,’ while the Premier League side have made it clear that it will be their last proposal.

If De Ligt rejects the fresh terms then United will move on to other targets as Sport claims the club have gone as far as they can.

 

Robin van Persie says he is “sorry” if he “hurt” any Arsenal supporters by leaving to join Manchester United.

The Dutchman made the move to Old Trafford for a reported £22.5million in 2012 after scoring 132 goals for the Gunners over a period of eight years at the club.

“At crucial moments you have to make tough decisions,” van Persie told the BBC. “It was a very tough decision and I get that fans were angry as I was the captain and top scorer.

“Sometimes you feel like you need a challenge and new adventure. If I hurt people I’m sorry. I made that decision and I stand by it.”

Van Persie worked under two of the greats of English football management in Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson and he was asked his thoughts on the duo.

“Me and Arsene Wenger never had an argument or a big fight,” Van Persie added. “Sometimes on certain levels we had different ideas.

“He was one of the big reasons why I signed. Sir Alex really pushed the guys to pass the ball to me and if it goes in in the crucial games and crucial moments then after a few months everyone at the club had the feeling it was going to be our year.”

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Liverpool would be “absolutely crazy” to let James Milner leave on a free transfer, according to former player Steve Nicol.

The 33-year-old started in Liverpool‘s unbelievable comeback victory over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals and could play in the final on June 1.

However, the former Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season – although The Times suggest he has signed a one-year extension that simply hasn’t been announced.

“Absolutely no chance he goes anywhere other than his car to drive to Anfield to sign a new deal,” Nicol told ESPN.

“It would be absolutely crazy, he’s been a huge part of this year again.

“Regardless of his age, Liverpool will need him next year.

“Maybe he won’t play as many games, but he’ll be needed for cover all around the field.”

 

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Pep Guardiola has agreed a deal to leave Manchester City and become the new Juventus manager, according to reports.

Massimiliano Allegri will leave his position as Juventus head coach at the end of the season sparking more speculation that they want to appoint the Spaniard.

Guardiola completely denied rumours linking him with Juventus earlier in the season and he was again dismissive on Friday when asked about the Turin club following news that Allegri is to leave.

However, Italian outlet AGI claims that Guardiola has agreed to take over at Juventus and that he will sign a deal on June 4.

Guardiola won the domestic treble with Manchester City this season with triumphs in the League Cup, FA Cup and Premier League.

The report adds that Guardiola will sign for ‘four years with a fee of 24 million euros per season’ as his salary with his official presentation to the media coming on June 14.

 

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