» Matty Deller

Manager Merry-Go-Round Part 1: Mark Hughes to Stoke

June 17, 2013 in Features, Premier League

Premier League managers are resigning/retiring/being sacked at such a rate these days that we’ll be practically looking at a brand new slate of fall guys in the dug out come the 2013/14 season. With potentially five out of the top six clubs beginning the next season with a new guy in charge (the AVB to PSG rumors are growing stronger), the Premier League looks like it could be in for a reshuffling of the deck in more ways than one next season. So in the summer months, I’ll preview some of the new managerial appointments and look at their prospects for the coming season. First up, the glorious return to the Premier League of the mighty Sparky.

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Why Andre Villas-Boas should ignore PSG and stay at Tottenham

June 17, 2013 in Ligue 1, Premier League

Football’s history is littered with cases of players that moved too far too fast. Cases where someone got a bit excited and jumped the gun, resulting in a terminal downhill spiral. Steve Sidwell springs to mind; how the Reading midfielder thought he would get into a Chelsea team ahead of Michael Essien and Frank Lampard is beyond me. It’s not been quite the same for him since. The same kind of situation – giving up what looks like a promising career for the first train of opportunity that comes your way – looks dangerously close to happening to Tottenham’s manager Andre Villas-Boas, who has so far not quashed speculation linking him with a move to French champions Paris Saint-Germain. In case my train of thought hasn’t articulated my opinion on this matter already, I’ll make it clear: this would be a TERRIBLE move for him.

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Sunderland attack the transfer market but the offence needs work

June 14, 2013 in Premier League

So Sunderland have taken their first steps into the transfer window and it is shaping up to be successful.

The powers that be at the Stadium of Light have surprised all Black Cats fans this summer by actually being decisive, and acting quickly to secure five signings already, with the market not officially open until the beginning of July. Take into account that the three most senior of those, Modibo Diakite, Valentin Roberge and Cabral, have been signed for nothing, they become even more impressive. By comparison, Sunderland have traditionally been very slow out of the blocks. Take for example other recent free transfers; Seb Larsson was not confirmed until the 22^nd of June, while David Vaughan took until the 8^th of July to convince.

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Manchester United’s Transfer Targets List

June 14, 2013 in Premier League, Transfers

With the departure of Sir Alex and the arrival of David Moyes, a new era dawns on Manchester United. Although Sir Alex’s final season at United culminated in the team securing their 20^th top flight title, you would have to say the great man managed it with perhaps the second or even the third best squad in the Premier League. There were moments in the season where United were being dubbed a ‘one-man team’ as a result of Robin van Persie’s goal scoring exploits, which is a stark contrast to the previous great teams of Sir Alex’s tenure. The team of ’96 boasted Schmeichel, Bruce, Giggs and Cantona. The team of ’99 had Beckham, Scholes, Keane and Cole. In ’07, United had possibly their best squad ever with van der Sar, Vidic, Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez. So now, David Moyes has the chance to create a team that will leave its own mark in history.

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Suarez’s nasty habit and his proposed move to Real Madrid

June 14, 2013 in Funny Stuff, Premier League, Transfers

This is not a defence of cannibalism.

Once you’ve tasted human flesh, your perspective on life changes. Once you’ve broken a social taboo, it’s hard not to gain a sense of superiority. When Suarez got his first taste of footballer, it was an accident, an instinctual moment harking back to the days before humans held dominion over the other animals. A primordial reaction is his brain caused the uncontrollable urge to bite Otman Bakkal in November 2010. It changed everything.

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