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Reports are surfacing that Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini is ready to sell striker Mario Balotelli after a string of embarrassing tabloid revelations.
The latest in the circus surrounding the troublesome Italian was his steamy romps with Jenny Thompson – the same hooker who once had a threesome with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney prior to England’s shambolic World Cup 2010 campaign.
The revelations come soon after Balotelli was caught leaving a strip club late at night as City’s Premier League challenge continues to collapse uncontrollably.
Moreover, ‘Super Mario’ has been far from super in recent weeks with his form being less than impressive leaving coach Roberto Mancini increasingly frustrated on the sidelines.
Having dogmatically stuck beside his contemptuous signing at the beginning of the season, Goal.com are now reporting that the former Inter Milan boss is ready to wash his hands clean of the Italian by shipping Balotelli out in the summer.
Manchester City ambassador Patrick Vieira is in the firing line after suggesting that Manchester United get special treatment from referees sparking angry responses.
United defender Rio Ferdinand was amongst the most vocal challengers to Vieira’s comments, which, incidentally, the former Arsenal and Inter Milan midfielder believes has been taken out of context..
‘Why is Vieira so concerned with Man Utd? Two comments in a week. Come on, man, let it go!’ Ferdinand wrote on twitter.
When asked in a BBC interview about Michael Oliver’s failure to award a late penalty to Fulham at Old Trafford on Monday, Vieira replied:
“When United play at home they get some advantages that other teams don’t get. When you go to United, Madrid, Barcelona or Milan, it’s always difficult for the referee to go against these kinds of teams.
Goals by Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben helped Bayern Munich ease past Marseille 2-0 to increase the likelihood of a blockbuster Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid.
The Bavarians were ruthlessly efficient as they tore past French giants Olympique Marseille with aplomb and seal a well-deserved 2-0 win at the Stade Velodrome to all but seal their place in the last four.
With Real Madrid blasting past APOEL of Nicosia the night before, the scene has been set for a dream semi-final clash between Germany’s number one club and (arguably) Spain’s premier club.
So how does that sound; Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid – first-leg at the Allianz Arena before a mouthwatering return-leg at the Santiago Bernabeu?
Inter Milan have sacked coach Claudio Ranieri after just 6 months in charge following a 2-0 loss to Juventus. Although sympathetic, In The Stands’ Rolly Pelovangu argues that the Italian is just a loser.
“President Moratti and all of Inter would like to thank Claudio Ranieri and his staff for the professionalism and the commitment shown in these months,” read the statement on the official Inter Milan website on Monday night with few eyebrows raised in shock.
“Inter would also like to announce that it has entrusted the team to Primavera coach Andrea Stramaccioni, who won the first edition of the Next Generation Series,” the statement ended.
And that was that. We cannot say we are surprised – in fact our sources here at In The Stands knew that the writing was on the wall for Ranieri after the Nerazzurri were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League Last 16 by Olympique Marseille.
Part III of why Jose Mourinho is overrated will look at the Special One’s spell in charge of Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid and more importantly what can be learnt from them.
‘Soldiers of my old guard, I bid you farewell.’ Those were the exact words of Napoleon Bonaparte as he said goodbye to his Old Guard on a damp, muggy spring afternoon in April, 1814.
Bidding farewell to loved ones and those with whom he had built close associates with is something Jose Mourinho would know a lot about.
To those lines can be added the words, ‘I go, but you, my friends, will continue to serve (your country). Its happiness is my only thought’.
Napoleon Bonaparte; the man who so memorably led France to military glory as he conquered nation-after-nation and army-after-army has come to be regarded as one of the most famous military leaders in history.
So Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked as Chelsea boss following Saturday’s 1-0 away defeat to West Brom as In The Stands’ Rolly Pelovangu asks is anybody surprised?
Chelsea announced that they have parted company with 34-year old Andre Villas-Boas on Sunday morning with the news garnering little in terms of headlines or shocked surprise.
We at In The Stands were amongst the first to reveal that Andre Villas-Boas’ fate at SW9 was already sealed back in November courtesy of our exclusive ‘insiders’ at Stamford Bridge. You can read the article here.
Brought in at a cost of £28 million at the start of the season, ’AVB’ was tasked to oversee a period of transition for the club with the old guard struggling after limping home a distant second-place to last season’s champions Manchester United.
However, it appears that these exact same players who are supposed to be the foundations towards the building the club’s future in the end did much to cut the throat of their own boss. Marry Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ comes to mind.
England caretaker boss Stuart Pearce named Scott Parker as the new England captain prior to Englands’s 3-2 defeat to the Netherlands at Wembley thus overlooking Steven Gerrard. One word: madness!
Picture the scene. I am standing in a dining hall after finishing my rather dull and interminable job for a very large Bank (guesses are welcome as I cannot reveal its name or else I face the sack!). When in comes the hottest female going in that shoddy office.
Caked in lavish makeup, long, flowing dark-hair and a pencil skirt to showcase her fine hour-glass figure, she bellows out excitedly, ‘did you hear about the new England captain?’
‘No’ was my reply. ‘Who did he (Stuart Pearce) pick?’ I continued eagerly. ‘Oh, I don’t know his name, but he is that guy who plays for the team in white.’
England lost 3-2 to the Netherlands at Wembley in Stuart Pearce’s first game as caretaker boss with questions being asked as to who should lead the Three Lions forward line?
The obvious answer to that question is Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney alongside Aston Villa forward Darren Bent, however, due to his petulant red-card against Montenegro in October, ‘Wazza’ is suspended for England’s opening two group games, the first of which is on June 11 against France.
It was thus widely assumed that Darren Bent would have stepped in and taken Rooney’s place upfront but the Villa ace fell awkwardly during his sides’ 0-0 draw with Wigan at the weekend and has now been ruled out for up to three months with ruptured ankle ligaments.
So who can fill the void left after two of England’s best forwards need replacing in time for next summer’s championships? The auditions commenced during Wednesday nights 3-2 defeat to World Cup runners-up Holland at Wembley. Building on this, In The Stands have thrown out a few possible names.
This weekend Villas-Boas played it safe. Restoring relics of the Mourinho era to the starting line-up, who, in the form of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, played a vital part in brushing a tame Bolton aside. Perhaps, in hindsight, this should have been something the 34 year old manager should have done from the start.
Since his arrival at Chelsea it is clear that AVB has tried to do too much. He was briefed when he took over from Ancelotti that he needed to re-build an ageing side – run by the Jurassic five of Petr Cech, John Terry, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Dider Drogba.(Combined age: 155 Average age: 31.5) – but there is still mileage in class a fact that Avram Grant, Guus Hiddink and, to an extent, Carlo Ancelotti recognised.
Liverpool won the 2012 Carling Cup after a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win over Cardiff City at Wembley with Anthony Gerrard’s penalty miss proving decisive.
The victory ended Liverpool’s six-year spell without a trophy as Kenny Dalglish’s men lifted the season’s first major piece of silverware.
Cast your minds back to one year ago; the exact same stadium in the exact same competition. With extra-time just seconds away, Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster made a routine punt upfield which the Arsenal defence comically fail to deal with.
Substitute Obafemi Martins could hardly believe his luck as he steered the ball into an empty net to grab the winner for Birmingham as Arsene Wenger’s team of chokers blew the chance to win their first cup since the 2005 FA Cup final.
The Gunners would then subsequently go on to crash out of the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup all within weeks of their Carling Cup heartache, before collapsing miserably in the Premier League as they limped home to fourth place.
In The Stands’ Rolly Pelovangu continues to ask serious questions about Jose Mourinho by examining his success with FC Porto and what can be learned from them.
Part I of why Jose Mourinho is overrated looked at the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’s’ enormous ego, questioned his tactical and coaching abilities, and exposed his very divisive personality as well as his more sadistic traits.
Of course the views may not be agreed upon by everybody – not least if the Portuguese coach has guided the club you support to some major honours during his spell in charge.
With a cabinet full of shiny silverware it would seem silly to even question Jose’s success, but surprisingly enough, every single one of them can be – beginning with perhaps his greatest ever achievement – winning the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto in 2004.
Jose Mourinho Winning the Champions League With FC Porto
A wondergoal by Kevin Prince-Boateng, a brace from Robinho and a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty gave AC Milan a resounding 4-0 win over Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League last 16 1st leg clash. Rolly Pelovangu asks who is surprised?
There is an old saying on the continent concerning Europe’s elite cup competition. The saying is oxymoronic in its nature and by all means sounds contradictory but nevertheless still rings true.
“You cannot win a Champions League tie in the first leg, but you can certainly lose it!” Is how it goes. Never could such a phrase be so pointedly applied to the AC Milan vs Arsenal debacle.
Of course it is only a ‘debacle’ if the colours on your sleeves are red and white as opposed to red and black but then again Arsenal fans have had to put up with similar debacles for too long now.
Arsenal Arrogance When Drawn Against AC Milan
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