Archive for the ‘Football’ Category

Scannell: Has played over 100 times for Palace and signs a new long-term deal

Crystal Palace have agreed new long-term contracts with youngsters Jonathan Williams and Sean Scannell.

21-year-old Scannell has already made over 100 appearances for the Eagles since making his debut in 2007.

The forward, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season, has signalled his desire to stay at the club by signing a four-and-a-half-year contract.

He told the club’s official website: “I am really happy to have signed the contract with this club; it is the only place I want to be. I am so pleased that the boss has offered me a new deal.”

Williams made his debut for the club in the 2-1 win over Coventry in August and has played in four games since, including the 2-1 win over Wigan in the Carling Cup, when he scored his first professional goal.

The 18-year-old midfielder has agreed a new three-and-a-half-year contract amidst reported interest from Premier League sides Newcastle and Liverpool.

The Wales U21 international said: “It is great for me to be signing, especially a deal of this length. It has been great to be involved in the first team so early in my career.”

Palace boss Dougie Freedman said: “I am highly delighted that two of our younger players who have both come through the academy have decided to stay for a further number of years.”

Doherty: Has penned a new deal to keep him at Wolves until 2014

Wolves teenager Matt Doherty has put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him at Molineux until 2014.

The young right-back, a £70,000 arrival from Irish club Bohemians in July 2010, impressed for the Midlanders in their 5-0 Carling Cup thrashing of Millwall on Tuesday night.

Manager Mick McCarthy has rewarded him for his progress at the club by signing him up for another two-and-three-quarter years.

McCarthy, who likened Doherty to key defender Kevin Foley, said: “Matt has just signed a new contract and I’m delighted with him.

“He was as good as anybody on the pitch last night at right-back.

“He was great and his use of the ball was as good as anybody’s. He reminds me a lot of Kevin Foley in the way he plays.

“He had another really solid and mature performance.”

Loan

Doherty, who has made three appearances for Wolves, all in cup competitions, believes a stint on loan in the Championship would benefit his development.

He said: “I guess it’s down to my agent to find a club to take me on loan! No one has come in for me yet.

“Maybe there was someone watching last night and I think the gaffer wants me to go out on loan now.

“I want to play every week so, if I could play in the Championship, I feel I would improve massively.”

Gasperini: Gained just one point in three Serie A games for Inter this season

Inter Milan coach Gian Piero Gasperini has hit back at the club president’s claim that he has lost the support of the players after another shock defeat on Tuesday.

Inter lost 3-1 to newly-promoted Novara and are 14th in Serie A after picking up just one point in their first three games.

The Italian giants were also the victims of an unlikely 1-0 home defeat to Turkish side Trabzonspor in the UEFA Champions League last week.

After Tuesday’s defeat, Nerazzurri president Massimo Moratti said: “Gasperini didn’t have control of the match? It really seems to me that he didn’t, but let’s sleep on it.”

Gasperini joined the San Siro outfit in the summer after being dismissed as the coach of Genoa last season.

Inter finished second in the league last term under the guidance of Rafa Benitez and, from December, Leonardo, who had the unenviable task of trying to emulate Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning side of the season before.

But, despite falling below expectations so far in his tenure, Gasperini is remaining defiant.

Support

He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Moratti has declared that I don’t have the support of the players? The harmony of the group is very good.

“If the problem is the coach, then it has an easy solution.

“If instead, as I believe, the problem is another one, then we must resolve it through work.”

International stars such as Wesley Sneijder, Diego Milito and Esteban Cambiasso all played in the defeat to Novara on Tuesday and Gasperini is adamant that he is getting on well with the players.

Revolt

He told the club’s official website: “The relationship with the players is great, more than professional, and there’s no revolt going on.

“I will say what I think directly to the president and the directors. However, I still believe that this team must live less in the past and more in the present, in the situation that we are in today.

“There’s no need to reset everything, but to recognise the reality of the latest performances. It’s necessary to reach a greater consistency, regardless of the formations and the coach.

“This match was certainly a kick in the teeth, but I have to think of doing my job.

“I’m serious about my work, which has given me much satisfaction in the past, and now it is putting me to the test. But I have to work in order to resolve this situation.”

Inter Milan go to Bologna in the league on Saturday before a trip to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Nelson: Being tracked by several sides for possible loan switch

Skysports.com understands Scunthorpe defender Michael Nelson is a target for a number of clubs on loan.

Nelson has been left out Scunthorpe’s side for their last three games alerting clubs to his possible availability.

The 31-year-old joined Scunthorpe from Norwich last January, but was unable to help the club avoid relegation from the Championship.

A host of clubs are believed to be keeping tabs on Nelson’s situation at Glanford Park as they explore the possibility of taking him on loan.

It remains to be seen if Iron boss Alan Knill would be willing to loan out Nelson with Scunthorpe still seeking their first win of the campaign.

Ben Arfa: Featured for the first time in nearly 12 months against Forest

Newcastle winger Hatem Ben Arfa relished making his comeback against Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup after returning to full fitness.

The Frenchman featured in the Magpies’ starting XI for the first time in nearly 12 months at the City Ground on Tuesday night following two spells on the sidelines with injury.

He suffered a sickening leg injury against Manchester City following a Nigel de Jong challenge last October, while an ankle problem picked up in pre-season has frustrated his start to the current campaign.

Ben Arfa produced an encouraging performance and lasted 70 minutes of the encounter against Forest as Newcastle prevailed with a 4-3 victory after extra-time.

The 24-year-old, who joined the Magpies from Marseille in the summer of 2010, enjoyed his run out and hopes manager Alan Pardew will continue to involve him.

Wonderful

“I counted the hours before kick-off on Wednesday,” Ben Arfa told Le Parisien.

“I really endured a difficult year last year and being back on the pitch is a wonderful feeling. I missed competition so much. I am living again!

“I have no more pain, absolutely nothing.

“Now it is up to the coach to make his choices. I believe may be he will incorporate me step by step.

“I feel ready to play each match. I am dying to play.”

McCarthy: Delighted with his side’s response

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with his side’s response after their 5-0 thrashing of Millwall.

The Molineux outfit put successive home league defeats to Spurs and QPR behind them as goals from David Edwards, Adam Hammill, James Spray and a George Elokobi brace saw Wolves progress to the Carling Cup fourth round.

McCarthy was pleased with how his side responded to the 3-0 defeat to the Rs at the weekend as they now prepare to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday.

“We watched Millwall play against Burnley and they played well even though they were beaten,” he told Sky Sports News.

“It is a fillip for us for the weekend of course having been beaten here 3-0, it was nice to get a response.”Mick McCarthy Quotes of the week

“It’s just that we got off to such a good start and it is a fillip for us for the weekend having been beaten here 3-0, it was nice to get a response.”

Jackett unhappy

Millwall boss Kenny Jackett accused his side of a lack of passion following the mauling.

He said: “It was a poor performance tonight, I feel for the 200 or 300 fans who came up from London.

“Poor start, poor goals we gave away, not enough fightback after that, not enough passion and we fell away.

“It’s a very poor run of games for us at the moment. I thought there was a lack of passion and lack of enthusiasm, definitely. We never really got to grips with a talented Wolves side.”

Burnley boss Eddie Howe was relieved that Tuesday’s Carling Cup clash with MK Dons did not need extra-time after the Clarets secured a last-gasp win.

The League One side had appeared on course to cause a surprise upset at Turf Moor when Daniel Powell netted a sixth-minute opener.

The score stayed that way well into the second half, but Howe’s men levelled when Kieran Trippier grabbed an equaliser with a well-taken free-kick in the 59th minute before Andre Amougou secured a stunning effort in the last seconds of normal time.

Howe, who sees his side welcome high-flying Southampton on Saturday, was glad to have avoided an extra 30 minutes but believed they were more than worthy winners.

Flat

“We were pleased that it didn’t go to extra-time,” said Howe.

“We were disappointed at half-time, I felt we were flat and we were rocked by conceding early.

“It was a battle to get the atmosphere going again and it was a difficult half but I thought for the last half-hour, we were dominant.

“Kieran scored a number of free-kicks last year for Barnsley. We worked with him the day before the game and it was a great goal and I was delighted for him.

“In fact we scored two great goals and a special goal won it for us. I wouldn’t say overhead kicks are a regular feature of Andre’s game but it was a great goal.

“I felt the second-half performance was a lot better and I think we deserved it based on that, we were a lot quicker with the ball and got a number of crosses in.”

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson admitted his side left Turf Moor with their heads held high despite failing to hold onto their early lead.

“My team were brilliant and I am very proud of the young kids who came and played football in a way that I think is very unique within this country,” said Robinson.

Freedom

“We played with freedom and expression and our goal came from a one-two between two 19-year-olds and was finished by a 19-year-old in Daniel Powell.

“That’s what football is all about, it’s about the way you play, and the match showed that from the youth team to the senior players that there’s a slow philosophy and infrastructure that’s being built.

“I was disappointed with some of the key decisions though. There was a two-footed lunge in the first half where the body was off the floor. If the ref missed it, then fair play, I’ll hold my hand up to him.

“But in the 91st minute, Daniel Powell knocks the ball through the full-back’s legs and has his shirt pulled for three or four feet. I’m just saying it was about key decisions.”

Holden: Back in action after a six-month lay-off with a knee injury

Owen Coyle lavished praise on Stuart Holden following his impressive display in his first game back after a six-month injury lay-off.

Holden played a starring role as the Trotters saw off Aston Villa 2-0 in the Carling Cup third round and showed no ill-effects of the knee ligament injury which was a result of a tackle by Jonny Evans.

Coyle made nine changes to the team that lost against Norwich but goals from Chris Eagles and Gael Kakuta at Villa Park were enough to put them through to the last 16.

“Considering Stuart has been out for so long after an horrendous injury, for him to play with such intensity and at the level he did tonight, was great,” said Coyle.

“I’ve always said we are a better team with him in it, not just because of his workrate but also the quality he brings when on the ball.”

Delighted

Coyle was delighted with the response of his revamped team.

He said: “It was important after how poor we were on Saturday to bounce back and get a positive response – and we got it.

“The intensity and quality was good from start to finish. Aston Villa had been unbeaten and, given the strength of their side, it was important we were at our

best.

“This result and performance has given everyone a welcome boost. We picked ourselves up and performed from start to finish.”

Villa manager Alex McLeish had no complaints about his side’s exit from the

competition he won last season with Birmingham.

Deserve

The Scot said: “We were not good enough on the night and did not deserve it.

“They got a break for their first goal before a break finish by Eagles and on their second half performance deserved their victory.

“We had our moments in the first half but we never troubled the keeper enough. We got into some good crossing positions but never made the impact we wanted.

“Now it is up to the team to bounce back. That is the reaction I am looking for.”

And McLeish accepted the boos from the Villa fans at the final whistle after his side’s first defeat of the season.

He said: “I thought they were great and stayed with us. If their team get beaten at home, they will not be happy but we are not unique in that respect.”