Archive for the ‘Football’ Category

Stephen Hunt: Wolves are hoping medical tests will rule out the need for surgery

Wolves winger Stephen Hunt is to pay a second visit to a specialist in an effort to get to the bottom on a nagging groin complaint.

The Republic of Ireland international has been unable to shake off a problem that has been affecting him for several weeks.

Things came to a head on Tuesday when he was forced to pull out of training, and Wolves are keen to seek further medical advice as a result.

It is possible that the 30-year-old will require surgery, forcing him onto the sidelines for a prolonged period of time.

Wolves boss Terry Connor is hoping that will not be the case, with Jamie O’Hara and Jody Craddock having already been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

General consensus

He is, however, aware that the relegation-threatened club cannot expect Hunt to play through the pain barrier.

Connor said: “Stephen pulled out of training (on Tuesday) and he’s seeing a specialist. It’s the ongoing stuff with his groin.

“He felt it in training on Monday and, although he trained on Tuesday, the general consensus was that he should get it looked at.

“We feel the best thing is for the doctors to take another look and see if they can get to the root of the problem.

“I don’t know if he will need surgery or not but it’s clear something is still bothering him. Rather than keeping going, the best thing is to seek another medical opinion.”

Gareth McAuley is keen to see Roy Hodgson pen a new deal at West Brom and hopes a strong finish to the season will help to force his hand.

Hodgson’s contract at The Hawthorns is due to expire in the summer and he has so far refused to open talks regarding an extension.

The Baggies are reluctant to part with his considerable experience as he has helped to consolidate them as a Premier League outfit.

McAuley is confident that Hodgson will eventually agree to stay, but appreciates that the players can play their part in negotiations by proving that the club are heading in the right direction.

“I’m sure the situation will be sorted out in the summer when the gaffer sits down with the powers-that-be at the club and hopefully they will thrash something out,” he told the Express and Star.

“The players are hoping that if we can finish the season strongly and progress that will help the situation.

Improved

“We all hope that the gaffer stays because he has improved us as a group and everyone enjoys working with him.”Gareth McAuley Quotes of the week

“We all hope that the gaffer stays because he has improved us as a group and everyone enjoys working with him.

“I’m sure the gaffer will make his own decision but if we can show we’re progressing as a club and getting better that would obviously be a positive thing.”

McAuley is also hoping to see centre-half partner Jonas Olsson agree fresh terms with the Baggies, with the Swede set to enter the final year of his contract in the summer.

He added: “Jonas is a huge player for the club and when he is not in the team we definitely miss him, as has been proven.

“He’s been a great servant to the club and hopefully something can get sorted out to keep him here.”

Ryo Miyaichi: Has received praise from Theo Walcott for what he has done at Bolton

Theo Walcott has tipped Ryo Miyaichi to become an important player for Arsenal after watching the Japanese youngster perform well during a loan spell with Bolton.

Miyaichi was allowed to link up with the Trotters in January on a deal until the end of the season and has taken his chance to shine by producing a series of eye-catching displays.

The 19-year-old has been at Bolton during a difficult period – he was on the pitch when Fabrice Muamba collapsed against Tottenham – and Walcott thinks his club-mate has coped well in the circumstances.

Walcott believes Miyaichi will be ready to push for a place in the Arsenal team next season and could develop into one of the league’s most dangerous wingers.

No fear

“Ryo has done very well at Bolton,” he told Arsenal’s official website.

“It is hard for such a young kid to go there and do what he is doing, showing no fear with everything that happened at Tottenham [with Muamba]. It is hard and it has probably hit him definitely.

“He will be a better person for it, a better player and I can see him coming back here next year and playing a lot more regularly.

“The way he is playing, there are full-backs out there now who are thinking, ‘I don’t want to play against him this week’.”

Charles N’Zogbia: Aston Villa winger could return from injury for weekend trip to Liverpool

Alex McLeish is hoping Charles N’Zogbia will be fit for Aston Villa’s game at Liverpool at the weekend and is not ruling out a return before the end of the season for Jermaine Jenas.

N’Zogbia has missed Villa’s last two games after suffering a knee injury in training prior to last month’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and was initially expected to be out for a few weeks.

However, the winger is back in training and McLeish is keen to call on N’Zogbia at Anfield as Villa look to improve on a run of one win in eight games.

“The specialist thought originally that he would be seven to ten days,” said McLeish. “I was hoping we could rush him back for this weekend.

“If we can, that will be a bonus. They originally thought three to six weeks but he has healed quickly and has been running in straight lines this week.

“There has been a bit of discomfort but nothing too serious.”

Jenas wait

The Villa boss is also keeping tabs on the recovery of Jenas, who was expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in December.

The on-loan midfielder returned to Tottenham Hotspur for treatment, but McLeish says Jenas could play a part in Villa’s remaining games if he returns to fitness before the season is over.

He added: “With Jermaine, the doctor would keep me up to speed with that but I’m not sure what level he is at.

“We are in touch with Spurs’ medics and he’s getting all his treatment down there.

“He is still a Villa player until the end of the season. I can’t rule him out if he was to become available to us.”

Diego Maradona: Wants his son-in-law Sergio Aguero to leave England

Diego Maradona has backed the idea of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero moving back to Spain with Real Madrid.

Recent weeks have seen the Spanish league leaders linked with a sensational summer move for the former Atletico man.

The Argentine was on Real’s radar before he joined City and now they are said to be stepping up their interest again with fellow countryman Gonzalo Higuain linked as part of a potential swap deal.

Aguero himself was quick to deny the suggestions that he could leave City when Real were linked last month.

But Maradona’s quotes have again stoked up the flames of speculation over Aguero’s future.

Speaking to Argentine radio station La Red, Maradona said: “Kun has to play for Real Madrid.

“Even though he is flying at City, the best thing would have been to sign for Madrid. He made a mistake.

“Now, as he is doing so well, it will be difficult to get him from City. However, if Madrid want someone, they get them.”

Maradona insists that Real will pay the money needed to land Aguero.

“Florentino has no limits. It’s a question of convincing City – but not with money because they have plenty of that,” he added.

Wayne Rooney: Manchester United striker feels the leaders can win at Manchester City

Wayne Rooney is confident Manchester United are capable of winning at the Etihad Stadium and does not expect a change of approach against title rivals Manchester City.

United were hammered 6-1 at home by City back in October, but have overhauled their neighbours in recent weeks in the race for the Premier League crown.

A 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers on Monday allowed United to open up a five-point lead and it is possible that victory on 30th April at the Etihad, where City dropped points for the first time this season at the weekend, could wrap up a record 20th title.

In-form striker Rooney sees no reason why the Red Devils cannot claim another three points after securing a 3-2 victory at City in the third round of the FA Cup.

Confidence

“We’re certainly good enough to beat them there,” said Rooney. “We showed that when we beat them 3-2 in the FA Cup in January.

“They have a great home record in the league but we managed to get the result there in the Cup.

“That shows we can go there and win. We just have to be ourselves and play our normal football.

“We’ll take full confidence into that game and hopefully we can get the three points.

“We’ll approach it as we do any normal game. There are three points up for grabs and we’ll be trying to get them. We won’t be doing anything different.”

Welbeck praise

Meanwhile, Rooney has praised the impact of Danny Welbeck and believes his fellow striker is a leading candidate to be United’s player of the season.

He told Inside United: “There are a few candidates…but I’d have to say Welbeck.

“To play so many games for United in his first full season has been brilliant. There has been a lot of pressure on him but he’s done really well and scored some important goals for us.

“He got an opportunity from the start of the season and he came in and played very well and scored a few goals. He’s an exciting player and credit to him for the way he’s performed – he’s played in a lot of matches this season.”

Nigel de Jong: Says Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli needs to show his genius

Manchester City ace Nigel de Jong has told Mario Balotelli he needs to be more serious, rather than being a ‘fool’.

The talented Italian has been plagued by controversy since moving to the Etihad Stadium, both on and off the field.

He again hit the headlines at the weekend as he clashed with team-mate Aleksandar Kolarov in the 3-3 draw with Sunderland, whilst he also found the net twice.

De Jong insists that Balotelli is a ‘genius’ but that his foolish side sometimes overtakes all his good work.

“Sometimes Mario is a fool and at other times he is a genius – there are two sides to him,” he told The Sun.

“Lots of people expect him to pull off crazy stunts and as a result he feels he must do something.

“People like that need to have upheaval in their lives in order to perform.

“He is happy in his personal relationship. That is important and it makes him more focused.

“But he knows that he has to become more serious-minded.”

Some have accused City boss Roberto Mancini of giving preferential treatment to Balotelli, but De Jong insists that the 21-year-old would be lost without him.

“Luckily, we have a manager who has his say, otherwise Mario would have gone off the rails a long time ago,” he said.

“Problems also seem to come from the people who hang around with him.”

Ivica Olic: Put Bayern ahead with a close-range finish in the 13th minute

Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes was full of praise for forgotten man Ivica Olic after the forward scored twice to defeat Marseille in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

The Croatian was a surprise inclusion in the starting line-up for Tuesday’s second leg having spent most of the season on the bench and almost leaving in the January transfer window.

But with Bayern in the German cup final and only three points behind Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga, Heynckes decided to rotate his squad against Marseille.

And the former Real Madrid manager was not disappointed after making the tactical change as Olic scored a first-half double against Marseille to secure a 4-0 aggregate progress to the semi-finals in Europe.

“To have the feeling that, ‘I am valuable for the team’ is very important for a player.”Jupp Heynckes Quotes of the week

“I am very happy for Ivica, not only because he played well but also because he scored,” said Heynckes.

“He worked very hard. He is a bonus for us now. We know we play every three days and I need alternatives, players who can decide a game.

Stressed

“To have the feeling that, ‘I am valuable for the team’ is very important for a player.”

Bayern are now likely to face Heynckes’ ex-club, Real, in the semi-finals, with Jose Mourinho’s team holding a 3-0 first-leg advantage over APOEL.

The Champions League is of great significance for Bayern this season, as the final is at their Allianz Arena, and 32-year-old Olic was feeling the pressure before kick-off against Marseille.

He said: “It is a good feeling. I am a player with a lot of experience, but I was stressed before the start.

“To play in the Champions League is always something special. I am very happy to have scored and to see the team is through to the semis.”

Olic gave the hosts a flying start when he connected with a Franck Ribery pass in the 13th minute and tapped in his second after a well-timed assist from David Alaba in the 37th minute.

And Ribery said: “I am really happy for Ivica. He came off the bench and straight away scored two goals. That is really important for us.”