Tuesday 21 May 2013

José Mourinho will face greater expectations at Chelsea this time round | Dominic Fifield

Second coming at Stamford Bridge will be popular, but it's likely to be a very different experience for the returning manager

There will be some familiar faces awaiting José Mourinho when, as expected, the Special One – newly liberated by Real Madrid – secures his second coming at Stamford Bridge. Five senior players remain on the books from his glittering first spell in charge at Chelsea and a sixth, Michael Essien, will accompany him back from Madrid. Some of the medical and performance staff, whether analysts or masseurs, linger on. Even Gary Straker, the steward-cum-Italian interpreter turned player liaison officer and one of the great survivors at the club, is still on the day to day scene down at Cobham.

Mourinho will presumably relish renewing old acquaintances, yet it is how he copes with the aspects of the job that may feel rather alien that will determine how long this reconciliation endures. This is a very different Chelsea to the one he left so abruptly, and acrimoniously, in the autumn of 2007 when his relationship with the owner, Roman Abramovich, appeared fractured beyond repair. His original brief had centred upon winning a first Premier League title in half a century, a task achieved at the first attempt, and an inaugural European Cup. That was only secured in his absence, albeit largely with his team. Regardless, he had overseen a revolution featuring a blend of charisma and siege mentality that was ideal at a club muscling its way into the establishment. These days Chelsea talk more of evolution. Therein lies the anomaly of turning to a manager whose appointment tends to guarantee both trophies and, ultimately, a messy divorce.

The Portuguese will arrive mid-project. As Rafael Benítez has been quick to point out over recent weeks, this is a team in transition, a side that includes the first wave of younger talent recruited at significant expense. Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar, and even César Azpilicueta, Victor Moses and David Luiz, were bought to fit into a framework that aped Barcelona's quick-step, the same ideal Mourinho has spent the last three years attempting to usurp.

The club's extensive recruitment and scouting department, overseen by the technical director, Michael Emenalo, is apparently working towards a long-term strategy, even if there has been an imbalance in the senior squad assembled so far. The hope is that Mourinho buys into the overall vision and does not merely set back what progress has been made. Chelsea spent about £90m during his first summer in south-west London, an outlay that would not feel outlandish if repeated nine years on. But, back then, that bought eight players who arguably became integral to his first-choice line-up. Emenalo would suggest the spine is already in place this time around, and that no radical overhaul is required. Indeed, the new manager must also assess the entire squad of youngsters loaned out last season – from Romelu Lukaku to Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt to Josh McEachran – before determining the make-up of his side.

Working with Emenalo will be key. Since joining as a scout under Avram Grant a month after Mourinho's exit, the former Nigeria and Notts County defender has made himself a powerful figure, close to the owner and hugely influential within the set-up, whether earmarking potential signings or reporting back on the current staff. The 47-year-old's rise may have appeared rapid and unexpected, but he has arguably become the owner's eyes and ears down at the training ground, a man whose input is valued. Emenalo is here to stay. Mourinho will have to work with him in a way he would never have accepted with Grant, who had been imposed upon him as a director of football in the summer of 2007.

Indeed, he will have to accept the entire infrastructure of the club this time around, from the chairman, Bruce Buck, to the chief executive, Ron Gourlay. The schism that occurred with his employers six years ago had been born of a perception within the hierarchy that Mourinho felt, and acted, as if he owned the club. The parting of the ways represented the owner reasserting control. The problem is that Abramovich has lurched from manager to interim in the years since and never stumbled upon a candidate capable of amassing the trophies the Portuguese secured in a little over three seasons at the helm. Mourinho may be volatile, a ticking time-bomb off the pitch, but he generally succeeds on it.

This time he must also contend with expectation. He had arrived a Uefa Cup and Champions League winner in 2004, but was still a relative unknown. Chelsea's supporters at the time felt a certain loyalty to the deposed Claudio Ranieri, but were blown away by the sheer brilliance of the new manager: whether he was defending the club in public, riling opponents so brazenly, or transforming matches with tactical tweaks that felt bold and innovative. He was a breath of fresh air. This time round, the fans – so disenchanted by the treatment of Roberto Di Matteo and the willingness to turn to Benítez as a stop-gap replacement – expect their idol to have a similar effect again, completing the team's transition in a blaze of glory reminiscent of those title successes in 2005 and 2006. Yet he will arrive at a club that has secured European trophies in the past two seasons, the margins for progress so much tighter than they were. Mourinho will be welcomed by those in the stands and will savour the task ahead, but this feels like a very different challenge. Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 hours ago. ~Chelsea Headlines on One News Page [United Kingdom]~
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com

Ancelotti warns Mourinho: Even if you win, Chelsea will sack you!

PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti has fired a cheeky warning at incoming Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

read more

    


~Chelsea~
Read more... Ancelotti warns Mourinho: Even if you win, Chelsea will sack you!

De Laurentiis eyes Dzeko deal

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has played down suggestions he wants Rafael Benitez to be the club's new coach and claimed the delegation that visited England was hoping to secure an exchange deal with Manchester City for Edinson Cavani. ~The World Game~
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com/2013/05/21/de-laurentiis-eyes-dzeko-deal-2/

Real Madrid to make David Luiz move?

Real Madrid are reportedly lining up a move for Chelsea defender David Luiz. ~Chelsea - Sports Mole~
Read more... Real Madrid to make David Luiz move?

Liverpool accept £15m West Ham bid for Andy Carroll but striker undecided on move

Football - West Ham United v Reading - Barclays Premier League  - Upton Park - 19/5/13  West Ham's Andy Carroll  Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Alan Walter  Livepic  EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ìliveî services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Undecided: Carroll is unsure of signing permanently for West Ham (Picture: Action Images)

Liverpool have accepted a £15million bid from West Ham for Andy Carroll but the striker is dithering over whether to sign permanently for the Hammers.

In his eight months on loan at Upton Park, the 6ft 3in England international has rediscovered some of the form that persuaded the Reds to pay Newcastle an eye-watering £35m for his services two-and-a-half years ago.

Despite an injury lay-off, Carroll found the net seven times this season for the east Londoners and declared he had 'enjoyed every minute of being at West Ham'.

Regular first-team football under boss Sam Allardyce has helped Carroll force his way back into the England reckoning, with the giant Geordie selected by Roy Hodgson for the forthcoming friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

Ivory Coast's striker Wilfried Bony (R) fights for the ball with Gambia defender Kamin Jamateh (L) at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan on March 23, 2013 during their 2014 World Cup qualifying match between the Elephants of Ivory Coast and Scorpions of Gambia. AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGOISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images
Where there’s a Wil: West Ham will go for Wilfried Bony if they miss out on Carroll (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

Carroll would be a bit-part player under Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers but the 24-year-old will have to take a significant cut to his £80,000-per-week wages if he leaves Anfield for the Boleyn Ground.

If Carroll declines, Allardyce will turn his attentions to Ivory Coast international Wilfried Bony, who has bagged Vitesse Arnhem 31 goals in the Dutch top flight this term.

MORE: The lowdown on West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool target Wilfried Bony

The Hammers, meanwhile, look set to part company with Carlton Cole  after the out-of-favour former Chelsea forward, 29, appeared to tweet his goodbyes to fans.

Carlton Cole looks set to leave West Ham (Picture: Twitter)
Carlton Cole looks set to leave West Ham (Picture: Twitter)

Cole said: 'Life is filled with ups & downs today is a down but i’ll be back! Carlton Cole/CFC as i have been called has left the building #UNDERCHUFFED.

'i want to thank the West Ham fans for their support especially the 1′s who made the away games feel like a home 1 #COYI

'i came to East London not knowing what to expect but i’m glad i did the last 7 years I’ve met a lot of good honest decent people #THANKYOU.'

File photo dated 07/11/2012 of Shakhtar Donetsk's Razvan Rat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday May 21, 2013. West Ham have confirmed the free-transfer signing of Romanian full-back Razvan Rat on an initial one-year deal. See PA story SOCCER West Ham. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire
Rat trap: Razvan Rat has left Shakhtar Donetsk for Upton Park (Picture: PA)

Allardyce today made his first signing of the summer, acquiring Romania captain Razvan Rat for free from Shakhtar Donetsk.

The 31-year-old full-back, who has spent the last ten years in Ukraine, joins on a one-year deal.



~Metro » Football | Metro UK~
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com

José Mourinho will face greater expectations at Chelsea this time round | Dominic Fifield

Second coming at Stamford Bridge will be popular, but it's likely to be a very different experience for the returning manager

There will be some familiar faces awaiting José Mourinho when, as expected, the Special One – newly liberated by Real Madrid – secures his second coming at Stamford Bridge. Five senior players remain on the books from his glittering first spell in charge at Chelsea and a sixth, Michael Essien, will accompany him back from Madrid. Some of the medical and performance staff, whether analysts or masseurs, linger on. Even Gary Straker, the steward-cum-Italian interpreter turned player liaison officer and one of the great survivors at the club, is still on the day to day scene down at Cobham.

Mourinho will presumably relish renewing old acquaintances, yet it is how he copes with the aspects of the job that may feel rather alien that will determine how long this reconciliation endures. This is a very different Chelsea to the one he left so abruptly, and acrimoniously, in the autumn of 2007 when his relationship with the owner, Roman Abramovich, appeared fractured beyond repair. His original brief had centred upon winning a first Premier League title in half a century, a task achieved at the first attempt, and an inaugural European Cup. That was only secured in his absence, albeit largely with his team. Regardless, he had overseen a revolution featuring a blend of charisma and siege mentality that was ideal at a club muscling its way into the establishment. These days Chelsea talk more of evolution. Therein lies the anomaly of turning to a manager whose appointment tends to guarantee both trophies and, ultimately, a messy divorce.

The Portuguese will arrive mid-project. As Rafael Benítez has been quick to point out over recent weeks, this is a team in transition, a side that includes the first wave of younger talent recruited at significant expense. Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar, and even César Azpilicueta, Victor Moses and David Luiz, were bought to fit into a framework that aped Barcelona's quick-step, the same ideal Mourinho has spent the last three years attempting to usurp.

The club's extensive recruitment and scouting department, overseen by the technical director, Michael Emenalo, is apparently working towards a long-term strategy, even if there has been an imbalance in the senior squad assembled so far. The hope is that Mourinho buys into the overall vision and does not merely set back what progress has been made. Chelsea spent about £90m during his first summer in south-west London, an outlay that would not feel outlandish if repeated nine years on. But, back then, that bought eight players who arguably became integral to his first-choice line-up. Emenalo would suggest the spine is already in place this time around, and that no radical overhaul is required. Indeed, the new manager must also assess the entire squad of youngsters loaned out last season – from Romelu Lukaku to Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt to Josh McEachran – before determining the make-up of his side.

Working with Emenalo will be key. Since joining as a scout under Avram Grant a month after Mourinho's exit, the former Nigeria and Notts County defender has made himself a powerful figure, close to the owner and hugely influential within the set-up, whether earmarking potential signings or reporting back on the current staff. The 47-year-old's rise may have appeared rapid and unexpected, but he has arguably become the owner's eyes and ears down at the training ground, a man whose input is valued. Emenalo is here to stay. Mourinho will have to work with him in a way he would never have accepted with Grant, who had been imposed upon him as a director of football in the summer of 2007.

Indeed, he will have to accept the entire infrastructure of the club this time around, from the chairman, Bruce Buck, to the chief executive, Ron Gourlay. The schism that occurred with his employers six years ago had been born of a perception within the hierarchy that Mourinho felt, and acted, as if he owned the club. The parting of the ways represented the owner reasserting control. The problem is that Abramovich has lurched from manager to interim in the years since and never stumbled upon a candidate capable of amassing the trophies the Portuguese secured in a little over three seasons at the helm. Mourinho may be volatile, a ticking time-bomb off the pitch, but he generally succeeds on it.

This time he must also contend with expectation. He had arrived a Uefa Cup and Champions League winner in 2004, but was still a relative unknown. Chelsea's supporters at the time felt a certain loyalty to the deposed Claudio Ranieri, but were blown away by the sheer brilliance of the new manager: whether he was defending the club in public, riling opponents so brazenly, or transforming matches with tactical tweaks that felt bold and innovative. He was a breath of fresh air. This time round, the fans – so disenchanted by the treatment of Roberto Di Matteo and the willingness to turn to Benítez as a stop-gap replacement – expect their idol to have a similar effect again, completing the team's transition in a blaze of glory reminiscent of those title successes in 2005 and 2006. Yet he will arrive at a club that has secured European trophies in the past two seasons, the margins for progress so much tighter than they were. Mourinho will be welcomed by those in the stands and will savour the task ahead, but this feels like a very different challenge.


guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

~Football: Chelsea | guardian.co.uk~

Lampard: Mourinho is the best

Frank Lampard has hailed former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as "the best" ahead of an expected return to Stamford Bridge this summer.

~Chelsea : ClubCall.com~

Today on YouTube: Ross Turnbull's son Josh Turnbull prompts chants of 'sign him up' after scoring goal

Today on YouTube: Infant son of Chelsea keeper Ross Turnbull scores in front of Matthew Harding stand, prompting chants of "sign him up".
    


~Chelsea Football Club~

Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri hopes Falcao will spurn Chelsea and Man City's advances



MONACO boss Claudio Ranieri is still clinging onto the hope that Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao will join his side in the summer.
    


~Daily Express :: Football Feed~
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com/2013/05/21/monaco-boss-claudio-ranieri-hopes-falcao-will-spurn-chelsea-and-man-citys-advances/

Real Madrid weigh up Chelsea's David Luiz as alternative to Pepe



REAL MADRID are considering tabling a bid for Chelsea's David Luiz as they brace themselves for Pepe's departure.
    


~Daily Express :: Football Feed~

Out Through the Exit Door

Out Through the Exit Door
Vitalfootball: Chelsea: 21/05/2013 18:03:00
The fall from grace of Florent Malouda was both swift and without grace.
~VitalFootball Feed: Chelsea~
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com

Jose Mourinho clear to rejoin Chelsea after Real Madrid confirm exit at end of season

Tottenham' success in tying down Gareth Bale this summer will not prevent Real Madrid trying to reach an agreement to take him in a year's time.

~ - Premier League RSS Feed ~
Read more... Jose Mourinho clear to rejoin Chelsea after Real Madrid confirm exit at end of season

Sheikh Mansour & Man City complete MLS club deal

Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has continued to expand his sporting portfolio after it was confirmed Manchester City and the New York Yankees have formed an agreement to purchase an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer.

New York City Football Club will become the 20th club in MLS in 2015 after a deal worth around 100million US dollars (AED367million) was concluded. The two clubs and MLS announced the partnership after a meeting at the league's headquarters in central New York.

Sheikh Mansour purchased City in 2008 and has invested heavily in turning the Premier League club into a major force. His bankrolling of City helped them land the Premier League title in 2012, their first league triumph in 44 years.

And with an eye on the ever-expanding US soccer market, Sheikh Mansour and City, along with the Yankees, will own an MLS franchise, which will hope to be competing from the 2015 season.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano said: "New York is a legendary sports town, as well as a thriving global city with a rapidly expanding soccer fanbase.

"We are thrilled to contribute to the energy and growth of New York City soccer.

"In the Yankees, we have found the absolute best partner for developing a world-class sports organisation and a winning team that will carry the New York City Football Club name with pride."

Majority owner

City will be the majority owner of the new venture, with the Yankees, who previously had a commercial agreement with Manchester United, being an active member of the ownership group.

The new club does not presently have a home but discussions are under way over the construction of a new stadium at Flushing Meadows in the Queens borough of the city. They will play at a temporary location until a development is completed.

MLS commissioner Don Garber said: "We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious global sports organisations to Major League Soccer.

"This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country." 

New York City will operate as a separate entity to Manchester City, although there will inevitably be close links between the teams.

Soriano will now begin the process of putting in place a separate administration for the new entity, which will in turn appoint coaching staff and begin player recruitment.

Manchester City's possible expansion into the MLS was rumoured last month, although it was suggested it would be more of an enterprise undertaken by owner Sheikh Mansour rather than the club itself.

Something special

The involvement of the Yankees builds on a partnership City already have with baseball's most famous club through Legends Hospitality, an international catering organisation. City are also due to play at Yankee Stadium in their second match against Chelsea on Saturday.

The Yankees will not be involved in the football side of the business but will bring their considerable commercial expertise to the operation.

Hal Steinbrenner, managing general partner of the New York Yankees, said: "We look forward to the opportunity to work with Manchester City to create something very special for the soccer fans of New York - and to bringing another terrific team to this city for all sports fans to enjoy."

The right time

MLS feel the time is right for expansion having seen considerable growth in attendances and viewing figures over the past six years. They also wanted to bring an extra team to New York to build a rivalry with the Red Bulls, who are based in New Jersey.

The new venture has the support of mayor Michael Bloomberg, who said: "Soccer is one of the world's most exciting and popular sports, and it should be played on the world's biggest stage - in New York City.

"New Yorkers are the greatest sports fans in the world, and they will welcome a Major League Soccer franchise with the full-throated and loyal support they are famous for."

Negotiations to potentially build at Flushing Meadows Corona Park began last year and are set to continue.

Soriano said: "New York City FC will have a permanent home in the city in the great traditions of New York sports and world soccer - a home that must be a sports, commercial and civic success.

"But in considering any stadium site, we will listen first.

"This is what we have always done in Manchester and what we will do in New York. Only in this way, can the club truly represent the City whose name it will carry."

READ MORE:

- FEATURE (Part 1): A great American adventure awaits Sheikh Mansour & Man City

- FEATURE (Part 2): How Man City & Sheikh Mansour have built their American dream

 

For breaking news, follow us on @Sport_360 or find us on Facebook.

Related Content

Michael Mancienne flourishes in Mighty Mouse's Hamburg footsteps

Chelsea's frustrated talent is playing a lead role on the stage where another Englishman, Kevin Keegan, remains a legend

It is not a bad time to be the only Englishman in the Bundesliga, even if the right-hand drive Range Rover Michael Mancienne parks outside Hamburg's stadium suggests he is not quite ready to buy into everything German. With Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund meeting in the Champions League final, and Pep Guardiola on his way over, Germany is the place to be in Mancienne's eyes. "This league is only getting bigger and better," he says.

Two years have passed since Mancienne left Chelsea, the club where he had been since the age of eight, to follow in the footsteps of a former England international who will always be close to Hamburg hearts. "Mighty Mouse!" says Mancienne, referring to the moniker Kevin Keegan was given at Hamburg. "He was a legend here and they still love him to this day."

Keegan spent three years with Hamburg back in the late 1970s, when the club won a league title and reached a European Cup final, which feels a long way from their current ambitions. Hamburg flirted with relegation in Mancienne's first season and, although they improved this term, a seventh-place finish means they missed out on qualifying for Europe.

It has, Mancienne admits, been "a rollercoaster couple of years" for the club, with Hamburg's erratic form summed up by their results this season against the Champions League finalists. Having beaten Dortmund home and away, Hamburg suffered their second defeat of the season by Bayern Munich, in March, in the most humiliating circumstances possible. They were hammered 9-2, which was their heaviest defeat for 49 years.

"That game was unbelievable," Mancienne says. "I was on the bench because it was my first game back [after injury]. I have never seen anything like it before. They looked so dangerous every single time they attacked. And that wasn't their strongest team, they rested a few, that just shows the depth in their squad. They could probably put another team in the Bundesliga and finish second. Munich's form this season has been phenomenal."

Hamburg's defeat in Munich was so embarrassing that the club felt obliged to do something unprecedented to apologise to those supporters who had travelled to the Allianz Arena. "I think it took some people about nine hours to get there, we wanted to say sorry for such a bad game, so the team threw a barbecue and gave free food and free beers," Mancienne says.

"It took place behind the stand after training and every player had to go. The fans were able to come up and speak to us and pretty much tell us how they felt – you would never get that in England, by the way! Obviously inside the players were thinking: 'Oh shit!' But it was actually a good afternoon."

Although Mancienne is full of admiration for Bayern, and in particular their attacking prowess – he says Mario Mandzukic has been his toughest opponent in the Bundesliga – the central defender senses Dortmund may triumph at Wembley. "Dortmund play really good football but their main quality is that they work so hard for each other. When they lose the ball, watch their players – they all try to win it back. They're so good at countering as well. It's two great teams, but on the right night I think Dortmund could beat Bayern."

Talking in one of the hospitality suites at Hamburg's Imtech Arena, Mancienne gives the impression that he could not be happier in Germany. Mancienne has relished the chance to play regularly – he had started every game but one this season until he damaged his ankle ligaments in January – and believes he has matured as a footballer in a league "where everyone tries to play".

There has, in other words, never been a moment when Mancienne has questioned if he made the right decision to accept an offer from Frank Arnesen, who left his position as sporting director at Chelsea to take up the same role at Hamburg. "As soon as Frank told me, I thought: 'One hundred per cent you need to do this.' It was going to be a new challenge, a different phase of my life and an exciting opportunity. I knew the time was right, a chance to create my own name and not be the youngster trying to come off the bench at Chelsea," says Mancienne, who made six appearances for Chelsea and had loan spells at Queens Park Rangers and Wolves.

"I wanted to be playing regularly and obviously I knew that would be a pretty much impossible task at Chelsea. They've got so much money, and as a homegrown player you almost get cast aside a little bit. You feel like you don't get an opportunity unless you go out on loan. And even then you come back, think you've done well and you get sent back out on loan again.

"It was hard but it just made me more hungry to play football because I knew that I couldn't sit on the bench and rot away. So when this opportunity came along it was something I had to take. And, to be honest, I don't really think about Chelsea now. I'm happy where I am and feel blessed to be at such a big club."

Although Mancienne feels settled in Germany, it would be fair to say that he is living more like an Englishman abroad than a native. "Yeah, that's true," Mancienne says, smiling. "I have German lessons and I can understand a lot but speaking is a little bit difficult. Also everyone speaks English to me. Obviously I've got an English car, I tried driving on the other side but it was strange. I've got English Sky in my house and I read English papers online. The one thing that has changed is my food because they eat so healthily out here. In England I'd be tempted by so much rubbish in the supermarket but it's not like that in Germany."

With no burning desire to return home, it may take an international call-up to get Mancienne back to England, assuming that door is still open. Six years ago Mancienne gave an interview in the Seychelles, which is where his father was born, and vowed to play for the Indian Ocean archipelago if he had not represented England by the age of 25. That birthday passed in January and a full England cap – he was called up by Fabio Capello in 2008 but never made an appearance – to go with his youth and Under-21 honours is still missing from his collection.

Mancienne laughs at the comments he made as a teenager. "I am 25 now but I still feel too young to make a commitment like I promised back then! If the Seychelles were a bigger nation, actually trying to play for something … it's so far away as well. And obviously I was born in England, I grew up there, that's where my heart lies and I want to play for them. As for coming back to England permanently, though, I haven't really thought about it. I'm really happy with my football here and I can't see myself going anywhere else."


guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

~Football: Chelsea | guardian.co.uk~
Read more... Michael Mancienne flourishes in Mighty Mouse's Hamburg footsteps

Jose Mourinho is 'brilliant, brilliant, brilliant' says Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has again been more than forthcoming in his praise of Jose Mourinho ahead of the manager's likely return to Chelsea, saying he's "brilliant with his team, brilliant with individuals and I think he's brilliant with the press."

~ - Premier League RSS Feed ~

Chelsea winger Malouda ready to move on

Chelsea outcast Florent Malouda is ready to return to football next season but is staying tight-lipped over his future destination ~Football news from ESPN.co.uk~
Read more... Chelsea winger Malouda ready to move on

Ambitious Southampton aim for top four finish next season

Southampton's James Ward-Prowse (right)  celebrates his goal with Rickie Lambert during the Barclays Premier League match atthe Stadium of Light, Sunderland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date Sunday May 12, 2013. See PA story SOCCER Sunderland. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. Maximum 45 images during a match. No video emulation or promotion as 'live'. No use in games, competitions, merchandise, betting or single club/player services. No use with unofficial audio, video, data, fixtures or club/league logos.
Southampton believe they can make a bid for the top four next season (Picture: PA)

Southampton are preparing to launch an audacious bid to gatecrash the Premier League’s top four next season.

Saints’ hierarchy have served notice on Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal that one of them will not be planning for a Champions League campaign this time next year.

The south coast club expect to be big players in the transfer market during the summer and manager Mauricio Pochettino will sit down with executive chairman Nicola Cortese in the near future to discuss targets.

The Southampton boss has already told Chelsea to forget about making a £10million bid for exciting teenage left-back Luke Shaw and said: ‘Perhaps we will go and get some Chelsea players ourselves.’

Pochettino has also indicated he expects his side to improve and finish in the top four and now honorary president and former Southampton and England winger Terry Paine has joined in the optimistic view of the future.

When asked about the prospect of Champions League football in a couple of years, Paine said: ‘Why in a couple of years? It might be next year.

‘I think in football if you have to be something, you have to be optimistic – why not dream of big achievements, big goals?

‘We are an ambitious club and we have a clear way of how we want to proceed and the type of football we want to be playing, where there are means of getting that done.

‘Why not put in the effort, the imagination to make that happen and dream together to reach for the stars, why not?’



~Metro » Football | Metro UK~
Read more... Ambitious Southampton aim for top four finish next season

Jose Mourinho on billboard in Chelsea shirt

Chelsea supporters are generally quite excited about the forthcoming return of Jose Mourinho. So any seeing this billboard in Kensington, west London, would be checking their phones for the latest news. ~Chelsea | Mail Online~
Read more... Jose Mourinho on billboard in Chelsea shirt

Chelsea flower show top prize goes to Australians for first time in 100 years

Garden by Fleming's Nurseries takes home best in show with glamorous interpretation of sustainable design

The roar may not quite have been audible back home in Victoria, but the rest of the showground could be in little doubt who was victorious. For the first time in 100 years, a garden design team from Australia has walked away with the top accolade at the Chelsea flower show.

The garden by Fleming's Nurseries is a glamorous interpretation of the theme of sustainable design, where floodwater management comes not from industrial-style tanks or humdrum drainpipes but waterfalls flowing from a rock gorge into a billabong which doubles as a natural swimming pool – one of the build team lost no time in stripping off and diving in to celebrate the win. Perched above the gorge is a studio made of reclaimed timber cut into petal shapes to create an abstract flower shape inspired by Australia's waratah flower. The garden's designer, Australian Phillip Johnson, has achieved the top accolade on his first attempt at the show. But there won't be the prospect of a repeat performance, as sponsors Trailfinders have declared this their final year at Chelsea.

The head of Fleming's, Wes Fleming, said: "I have dreamed of this moment since I was a little boy growing up on the nursery with Mum and Dad regaling tales of the Chelsea flower show. I've been chasing this honour for my whole adult life so to have been awarded not only a coveted gold medal but a best in show at the world's most highly regarded horticultural event is a moment no words can describe. This is the ninth and final garden to ever be presented by Fleming's Nurseries so to go out on such a high is just incredible."

If there was any bitterness from the British designers, they hid it well. The best in show winner two years in a row, Cleve West, congratulated Fleming's on Twitter, adding: "You're gonna need a bigger brewery."

The winner in the fresh gardens category, for smaller, often more conceptual designs, was won by After the Fire, designed by James Basson for Scape Design, while the Japanese Ishihara Kazuyuki Design Laboratory won best artisan garden for their garden based on a traditional tatami room.

Meanwhile Chelsea plant of the year went to the not-so-snappily-named Mahonia eurybrachteata subsp. ganpinensis "Soft Caress", the first oregon grape to have spine-free leaves. Reported by guardian.co.uk 5 minutes ago. ~Chelsea Headlines on One News Page [United Kingdom]~
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Lampard: I would not have stayed in the Premier League if I had to leave Chelsea

Europa League - Benfica and Chelsea, Frank Lampard and John Terry

The midfielder recently became the club's record goalscorer before signing a new deal, but admitted he thought he would be on the way out of Stamford Bridge this summer

~Goal.com News - Chelsea FC~
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Lampard: We have underachieved

Frank Lampard has admitted England's so-called Golden Generation have underperformed at major international tournaments. ~Football365 | Chelsea~
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Torres: I have dreamed of working with Mourinho

Fernando Torres jetted to America for Chelsea's end-of-season tour admitting he has always dreamed of working under Jose Mourinho. ~Independent.ie - Soccer RSS Feed~
Read more... Torres: I have dreamed of working with Mourinho

Real Madrid confirm Jose Mourinho departure

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Real Madrid have just finished with a press conference, and they've confirmed their part in on of the worst kept secrets in the sport. Jose Mourinho will not be returning to coach Real Madrid next season, he'll instead be taking his managerial talents elsewhere.

The La Liga club did not announce where Mourinho will be next season, but that seems to be a foregone conclusion at this point. Mou wants Chelsea, Chelsea wants Mou, Mou needs a job, and Chelsea need a manager. The fit is obvious for both sides, and with Champions League football now secure, I doubt it will be very long before Chelsea confirm the return of the special one.

As far as I'm concerned, the sooner the managerial "hunt" is over, the better. It's been a real emotional rollercoaster ride this season, and bringing back one of the most popular managers in the history of the club shortly after extending the club's all-time leading scorer will bring some much needed calm for Chelsea fans worldwide. It will also lead to a heck of an exciting summer, as starting out with news like this would really be kicking things off on the right foot. Stay tuned...I'd expect Mou-mania to hit it's peak very soon.

~We Ain't Got No History - All Posts~
Read more... Real Madrid confirm Jose Mourinho departure