Leeds fans have been discussing hothead Gaetano Berardi, and fans are split on the full back’s future.Usually, fans will forgive players for a lack of quality and talent if they can tell the player is leaving every ounce of their heart and soul out on the pitch.Although Gaetano Berardi does exactly that, he also tends to leave his brain… back in the dressing room.Fans were furious last week when Berardi was smacked with a five-game ban, effectively ending his season at Elland Road.The ban came after his third red card of the season in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland, which was the Swiss defender’s sixth red card since joining the club in 2015.The 29 year-old apologised for his behaviour this week.[ad_pod ]“I recognised that I did a big mistake, again. It’s not good enough for a senior professional player,†Berardi said.“It’s a big mistake. I will stop making mistakes when I die I think. There’s a big fire in me and without it I can’t play football. If I remove this fire I just go home and find a job. That’s all I can say.â€For many fans, this “fire†is exactly what makes Berardi so likeable, and he is one of the few players that always puts in 110 per cent for the cause.Still, there are plenty who are fed up with his “mistakesâ€, regardless of his intentions.Fans have been discussing Berardi’s future on Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found below…
Tottenham’s battle to hold onto their most experienced players this summer highlights a curious phenomena in modern football – the age of the ‘last big contract’.
Indeed, while an accusative finger can rightly be pointed at the club’s modest wage structure and Daniel Levy’s prudent efforts to retain it despite the vastly superior salaries on offer at rival clubs, there is another side of the debate questioning the sudden idea that every player needs one final bumper deal to sign off their careers at top level.
Tottenham alone provide two key examples ahead of the summer transfer window. Toby Alderweireld, aged 29, and Mousa Dembele, aged 30, appear open to leaving the club in search of better pay elsewhere knowing they don’t have many years left to attract that kind of wage package. Although there have been other underlying actors, 27-year-old Danny Rose probably falls into that bracket too.
But Alexis Sanchez’s move to Manchester United over Manchester City appeared largely motivated by the finance involved as well, and perhaps the greatest evidence is the way the phrase ‘last big contract’ has slipped into the common footballing vocabulary.
It’s become a largely accepted idea in an incredibly short place of time – the perceived wisdom being that you can’t deny an ageing footballer the chance of a huge final payday, regardless of how ludicrous the destination.
Of course, that’s their prerogative; every footballer is entitled to decide the path his career should take. But you have to wonder quite where this new school of thought has come from, and quite why it’s become so widespread – especially in the Premier League which offers the best money of any top flight in Europe.
Perhaps the notion of a last big contract has always been there and factored into where ageing players have decided to hang up their boots for generations. But there was also a time when veterans chose to play out their final years at a club where they knew they’d get games and where they knew they’d have an impact. We suddenly feel an incredibly long way from Glenn Hoddle turning out for Swindon Town.
There are no doubt examples on the contrary, John Terry electing to join Aston Villa last summer being one of them. He could have easily picked up a massive contract in the Chinese Super League or potentially even with one of Chelsea’s Premier League rivals. Yet it now appears to be such a prevalent concern for players entering their late 20s, despite them being bona fide millionaires for the vast majority of their careers.
And thus, one feels obliged to consider the influence of the agents, the men who have become football’s equivalent of cogs between cogs, pulling strings behind the scenes. After all, while retirement is an inevitable part of the process for footballers, for agents it represents something markedly different – a cash-cow being taken behind the barn and liquidated, practically overnight.
From that perspective, suddenly the idea of the ‘last big contract’ truly starts to make sense. Players will always have other ways of making money once retiring should they choose to pursue them, from advertising and marketing work to coaching and punditry. For agents though, the cash dries up and the last big contract truly will be the last time they receive a substantial agent fee as part of any deal involving that player.
That’s not to suggest Dembele, Sanchez or Alderweireld have suddenly fallen under the spell of their representatives – there’s obvious self-gain on the part of the player too. But it’s far more in the agents’ interests that a last big contract comes while their client still young enough to attract them, regardless of whether it’s actually the right decision for their careers in footballing terms.
Whether you blame the agents or the players though, the rise of the last big contract is yet another symbol of the incredible greed in the game these days. Footballers will always have a right to pursue the best possible wages for themselves, yet it creates a far less romantic image of the beautiful game than the one we imagined ten or 15 years ago.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Players now let the purse rule over the heart, and that’s what the age of the last big contract truly represents – the fact that the money in modern football is so ridiculous that players can’t resist the chance for a last big-money payday.
Leeds fans have been looking ahead to their final match of the season against QPR, and it doesn’t seem like they’re feeling too confident.
It’s been a horrific second half of the season for Leeds fans, as their side’s playoff chances have gone from hopeful to non-existent in a matter of months.
When Paul Heckingbottom replaced Thomas Christiansen in February, the side had fallen away from the playoff pack, but there was still hope they could catch up.
Since then, Heckingbottom’s side have won just three matches, and are yet to show any signs of improvement.
[ad_pod ]
Perhaps the most worrying thing for Leeds fans is that lack of improvement, which of course does not bode well for next season.
The current squad, although ravaged by injuries, is simply not good enough, and fans are already bashing the club for tweeting ticket information for their final match.
Heckingbottom’s side host QPR this weekend, who themselves have had a pretty miserable season.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It seems the one thing that’s annoyed fans more than anything else is the apparent lack of fight and effort, and fans are hilariously mocking their own club because of it.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Rafa Benitez has been in a power struggle at Newcastle almost ever since he pitched up in the North East and according to the Daily Mail, that fact shows no signs of stopping.
Their report states that the Spanish manager may be forced to walk away from the club if he is not given more control over transfer dealings, a £50m war chest and the removal of the need for Lee Charnley – Mike Ashley’s right hand man – to sign off every signing.
That would be a body blow to a club that Benitez has dragged out of the mire and towards comfortable Premier League survival with a squad of players that many would claim are Championship standard.
So we’re asking you: are Benitez’s demands too much or are they fair enough for a man who has been the figurehead for a change in the mood at such a troubled club?
Let us know by voting in the poll below…
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
England boss Gareth Southgate named his World Cup squad on Wednesday afternoon.
As expected, the Three Lions manager has faced a lot of criticism for leaving out certain players, and taking a few fortunate ones.
Danny Welbeck has not exactly had the best of seasons for Arsenal – managing just five Premier League goals during the 2017-18 campaign.
The 27-year-old, who is on £70,000 a week at Arsenal, has a good scoring record for England, however, having managed 15 goals in his 37 appearances for the national team.
It was not a surprise to see Welbeck in Southgate’s selection, and the former Manchester United youngster will be hoping to play his part in Russia this summer.
[ad_pod ]
The Arsenal fans have not always been kind to Welbeck this season, and a number have been left surprised by his call-up to the national team.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
That said, there are also plenty of supporters who feel that the forward more then deserves his spot alongside Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford in the final third.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Everton have been named as one of the front-runners to land Watford winger Richarlison.
What’s the story?
Everton are expected to name Marco Silva as their new manager in the coming weeks, and the potential arrival of the former Watford man is fuelling up the Richarlison rumour again.
The Brazilian winger was heavily linked with a move to Goodison earlier this year, and now Paddy Power have named the Toffees as third favourites to grab the youngster this summer, behind Manchester United and Chelsea.
Given that Manchester United are likely to pursue bigger and more expensive names, the Toffees could lock horns with Chelsea to sign the tricky Brazilian.
A risk for Richarlison?
It is no secret that Everton are on the hunt for a new winger this summer. Xherdan Shaqiri could be available for a bargain release clause, PSV’s Hirving Lozano could follow Marcel Brands to Goodison, but Richarlison’s name is cropping up more than any other.
The 21 year-old had an electric start to his Watford career, forcing his way into everyone’s fantasy team with five goals and four assists in the opening 17 league matches.
[ad_pod ]
Since Marco Silva left the Hornets though, the young winger has not registered a single goal or assist, and it is this inconsistency that makes him a huge risk for the Toffees.
Of course, the arrival of the manager who got the best out of him could make all the difference, but Everton should be looking for bigger and better this summer.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
To compare the Brazilian to Hirving Lozano of PSV, the Mexican winger has more goals (19 in all competitions), more assists, more successful dribbles, more key passes and more shots than Richarlison, and is only a year older than the Brazilian.
Richarlison has the potential to be a fantastic player, but Everton already have plenty of potential in the likes of Nikola Vlasic and Ademola Lookman. What they need is ready made superstars, and Richarlison just isn’t that.
So, Everton fans, would you be happy to swoop for Richarlison? Who do you want to sign this summer? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
As reported by The Daily Record, former Rangers player Billy Gilmour has opened up on why he left Ibrox to sign for Chelsea.
What’s the story?
Gilmour made the switch from Glasgow to London last year before even making his first team debut at Rangers, spurning the chance to become the youngest ever player for the club he loves in order to try and make a career for himself at Stamford Bridge.
It was a controversial decision, upsetting supporters, and now the 16-year-old has decided to make the reasons for his move clear.
As quoted by The Daily Record, Gilmour said:
Most of my family are Rangers fans and I love the club. I’ll always be thankful for everything they did for me.
But when Chelsea showed me what their plan was for me, I just couldn’t turn it down. Everything about the club was incredible and it’s where I wanted to be.
If you really know what you want, it’s an easy decision. If boys are hesitant – ones who say they want it but don’t really – it can be difficult. But my aim has always been to play at the best level. I’ve always wanted to play older, get the best coaching, stay behind and do more.
So when I heard Chelsea came in it was a no-brainer. I wanted to be with the best team. I want to be winning everything.
It’s a highly ambitious mentality from the youngster and one which will serve him well, with his ability ensuring he has a great shot of making it at Chelsea and the Premier League.
[ad_pod ]
Did he make the right decision?
Had Gilmour, a year on, been struggling with the adjustment to life in the youth teams at Stamford Bridge, the move could have been seen as a mistake.
The fact is though that he is thriving right now, shining as the club lifted the Youth FA Cup, with Gilmour scoring in the final against Arsenal in an age group above his own.
A stand-out for their U18s side, he’ll now be pushing for a place in their U23s side at the age of just 16.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It’s now about physically developing and gaining first team experience, whether that comes on loan or at Chelsea themselves.
There’s no doubt he has every chance of making it at the top level in England, fully justifying his exit from Rangers.
According to French media outlet Le 10 Sport, Newcastle United are keen to sign Lille defensive midfielder Thiago Maia and have already had a bid rejected, and their Premier League rivals West Ham United should be watching developments closely.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Le 10 Sport report that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez has made a move to bring the 21-year-old Brazilian to St James’ Park this summer, as he clearly wants to strengthen his options in the middle of the park.
If Maia did eventually leave the Ligue 1 outfit, who only narrowly avoided relegation to the French second tier last term, for Tyneside, he would be competing with the likes of Mo Diame, Isaac Hayden, Mikel Merino and Jonjo Shelvey, who earns £70,000-a-week according to Spotrac, for a spot in central midfield.
He certainly impressed for Lille during the 2017/18 campaign despite their struggles, and according to WhoScored.com he won 55 tackles and made 60 interceptions for his club in 34 Ligue 1 appearances.
Why should West Ham be interested in the situation?
Well, if Newcastle do sign Thiago Maia it would suggest that one of the midfielders we mentioned previously could be on their way, including Shelvey.
The England international was one of his club’s most impressive performers during the 2017/18 campaign as Benitez’s men recorded a 10th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League, and his influence from both a defensive and offensive point of view could be brilliant for West Ham and new manager Manuel Pellegrini, who could save a fortune by using these three exciting youngsters in the first team rather than spending big on the likes of Marlon and Javier Pastore, next term.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The Chilean boss looks certain to bring in a new midfielder with captain Mark Noble getting no younger and Cheikhou Kouyate enduring a tough season last time out, and the powerful Shelvey could be an inspired addition given his ability on the ball.
The Romford-born 26-year-old may well fancy a return to the capital, but the east London club would likely have to spend big on the midfielder given he still has three years remaining on his contract with the Toon.
Newcastle fans were not impressed by Tuesday’s links to Daniel Sturridge, but could the Magpies use the Liverpool man?
According to a report from the Chronicle, Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Sturridge this summer for £15m.
The Liverpool striker turned down the chance to move to Tyneside on loan in January, snubbing the Magpies to join West Brom instead.
The Birmingham born striker supposedly chose the Baggies to be closer to his family, but with Liverpool now looking to cash in, could a permanent move to St. James’ reignite the Englishman’s career?
Everyone knows the biggest issue with signing Sturridge, as the Liverpool man has missed countless games season after season with various injury issues.
However, in today’s inflated transfer market, it could be worth taking a punt on a man who has 48 Premier League goals in 98 appearances for Liverpool.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255847″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Newcastle’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
The 28 year-old is 6 ft 2, strong, quick, skilful and versatile… but above all else he knows how to find the back of the net.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Signing Sturridge would obviously be a huge risk, but it’s not every day you get offered the chance to sign a striker capable of scoring 20 goals a season for just £15m, and if anyone can get his head right it’s Rafael Benitez.
So, Newcastle fans, would you take the risk on Sturridge? Is he worth £15m? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Jesse Lingard’s sudden importance to England’s World Cup hopes, which were perfectly encapsulated by a restlessly offensive performance in the first half of Sunday’s 6-1 win over Panama, hasn’t emerged through some miraculous act of good fortune.
Yes, Gareth Southgate’s roaming No.8 role gets maximum value out of a player who has never quite excelled as a No.10, a winger or a central midfielder, exploiting the incredible energy he possesses to act as part of both the engine room and the forward line, but Lingard’s drastic rise in estimations over months leading into Russia 2018, and his capacity to impress in more central positions, has been meticulously predicted for some time.
It’s exactly why, when Manchester United fans and neutrals were left repeatedly underwhelmed by the 14-cap international’s early club appearances, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho always found room for him in their plans. LVG, Mourinho, Southgate and even Sir Alex Ferguson all saw something they liked in Lingard; only now though, is it truly translating across to the naked eye, to the average supporter who doesn’t get the benefit of witnessing the versatile midfielder’s daily progress on the training pitch.
Perhaps the most well-known prophecy circulated midway through last season, when Lingard’s 2017/18 campaign suddenly exploded to life with a run of seven goals in nine Premier League appearances. Previously, Lingard had done enough to earn just one Premier League start, although his outings in the League Cup – particularly a brace-bagging performance to secure a 2-0 win over Swansea City – suggested that kind of eruption was just around the corner.
How far will England get in Russia? Tell us now and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
After an irresistible performance at Goodison Park on New Year’s Day, a variety of publications picked up on Ferguson’s prediction from five years prior, labelling Lingard as a late bloomer whose ascendance wouldn’t truly take place until the age of 24. Eerily, Lingard celebrated his 25th Birthday midway through that run of seven in nine.
But Ferguson, whose verdict on any player is difficult to dispute anyway, was by no means alone in anticipating an Indian summer of development, and similar comments from Southgate back in 2014 give an insight into why Lingard is so trusted by a Three Lions manager who has completely capsized the mentality and philosophical approach of this England team, the Warrington-born starlet serving at this World Cup as it’s relentless beating heart.
A year after expressing the need to give Lingard time to develop and issuing him a similar age stamp of 23, the midfielder repaid Southgate’s faith by coming off the bench to score a delicious strike that sealed a European Championship win for the now-England gaffer’s U21 side.
The stunning strike unearthed an underlying trait, one which showed itself yet again on Sunday, that has no doubt helped managers maintain their trust in Lingard during the more difficult moments of his career. While his best position and his ultimate level of ability has always been open to interpretation, at least in public quarters, Lingard’s ability to rise to the occasion has remained undeniable.
In addition to ensuring Southgate’s U21s left the 2015 European Championship with a win to their name, he’s scored in an FA Cup final for van Gaal, a Community Shield final and League Cup final for Mourinho and even in a Champonship Playoff semi-final for Oscar Garcia’s Brighton.
[brid playlist=”4766″ player=”12034″ title=”World Cup 2018″]
He’s now played an intrinsic part in England’s most positive World Cup performance for a generation – driving into the penalty box to win Harry Kane’s first penalty, making it 2-0, before surging on from midfield shortly after, this time adding to his collection of goals that combine importance with elegance by curling the ball effortlessly beyond Panama’s rooted goalkeeper.
For a country that has so often become paralysed by the weight of expectation, and for a manager who experienced that himself so painfully from the penalty spot at Euro 96, any player who seems to embrace the biggest of psychological tests automatically becomes an invaluable asset.
That perhaps explains why Southgate was so willingly prepared to hand Lingard his England debut against Malta back in 2016, well over a year before that run of goals for United truly justified the jump up to the international stage.
But the youngster’s emergence as essentially an offensive-minded central midfielder owes more to the manager who gave him his Red Devils debut than the England boss – van Gaal, perhaps the manager who boasts the biggest impact on Lingard’s career.
While he earned an early fan in Ferguson and no attention at all from David Moyes, Lingard instantly won over the Dutchman, starting his first ever Premier League game as Old Trafford boss only to be struck down by injury almost instantly, lasting a mere 24 minutes.
Perhaps if that knee complaint hadn’t kept Lingard out for the next four months, resulting in him ending the season on loan back in the Championship, the exceptional intelligence and ability so many managers have anticipated to surface would have done so much sooner, and Lingard wouldn’t have entered this World Cup surrounded by question marks.
There were plenty who viewed Ruben Loftus-Cheek, another favourite of Southgate’s from the U21s scene, as the more qualified partner for Jordan Henderson and Dele Alli.
The season after, van Gaal would field Lingard in 40 games across all competitions, including the FA Cup final, and along the way came a realisation that has resulted in the Lingard we now see representing England, the lynchpin in Southgate’s quirky 3-1-4-2 setup that no side at the World Cup has managed to comfortably handle so far. Whereas Lingard was utilised as a winger in the Championship, van Gaal believed he was at his most effective in a more central role.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
He’s never quite convinced as an out-and-out No.10, at least not for a club of United’s level, but Southgate’s subtle reinterpretation has really shown what Lingard can do – how he can drive on from midfield, how he can cover such vast areas to join the forward line and pressure the opposition, how he can make runs into the channels or even beyond the striker, how he can score unstoppable goals from range when he finds a few yards of space outside the box.
If we were talking about so many other players within the England team, such a journey wouldn’t perhaps seem so significant – very few England players have entered the tournament with a glistening CV.
But amid the backdrop of the doubts that have continuously circulated around Lingard for much of his senior career because he has always seemed a few stages of development behind contemporaries of similar age, it’s difficult not to take notice of the way in which three prophecies from three different managers have all come together at the perfect time for the Three Lions.
In many ways – in terms of industriousness, mobility and flair – Lingard’s come to embody the identity of Southgate’s young and exciting England cohort.