February 2, 201313 yr Mario Balotelli criticises life in England after Italy return Mario Balotelli says he will miss little about life in Manchester after taking a swipe at English culture following his £19m move to AC Milan. The Italy striker was paraded by his new club on Friday and did not shy away when asked what he liked and disliked most about England. "Good things? Only when I get to Carrington to train, so my team-mates and manager," he said. "Bad things? Everything else - press, weather, food, the way you drive." Balotelli, 22, has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Italian giants AC Milan after scoring 30 goals in 80 appearances for City. He was at the centre of several controversial incidents, both on and off the pitch, during two-and-a-half-years in Manchester. But Balotelli told a news conference in Milan: "I prefer playing - not talking. To be a player for Milan has always been my dream so I'm very happy. Now I'm at Milan it's very important above all because I am close to my family and friends. Manchester is not so far, but it's not close like Milan." Asked whether he planned to return to the Premier League before the end of his playing career, Balotelli added: "It is an amazing league and I think it's the best, together with the crowd and the pitches. But he added: "I don't know for the future if I could go back or not." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21303506
February 2, 201313 yr Newcastle 3-2 Chelsea, great match to watch, I thought we were out of it, Chelsea's goals were brilliant, but vital win for us. I'd probably be one of the few Newcastle fans to admit that it was definitely not only a penalty but also a red card when Collocini booted Ba's nose quite early in the game, it's a high foot, he had no regard for the safety of the player, and worst of all he didn't get any contact with the ball. Nonetheless, desperate times mean I don't particularly care.
February 2, 201313 yr beckham bet he is not paying one cent in rent whilst in he is paris for his travel food etc... hypocrpte... Nice suit of Balotelli... we buy suarez very soon.... well done newcastle ....
February 3, 201313 yr I don't see why David Beckham is getting such negative comments about what he's doing. I read that people think it's a publicity stunt, I don't believe it is, but so what if it is a publicity stunt though, how many footballers do you know who are giving up their wages for charity? I have a lot of time and respect for Beckham.
February 3, 201313 yr I don't see why David Beckham is getting such negative comments about what he's doing. I read that people think it's a publicity stunt, I don't believe it is, but so what if it is a publicity stunt though, how many footballers do you know who are giving up their wages for charity? I have a lot of time and respect for Beckham. Most people who say negative things about Beckham these days haven't seen him play a game for LA Galaxy. The only thing they're looking at is his age.
February 3, 201313 yr gazza is in a very bad way http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p014lnp1 Paul Gascoigne needs immediate help, says his agent Paul Gascoigne's agent says the former England footballer's life is in danger after he started drinking again. The 45-year-old was shaking and slurred his words on stage at a charity event in Northampton on Thursday. Gascoigne, who openly admits to having problems with alcoholism, has spent time in rehab and was sectioned twice in 2008 under the Mental Health Act. His agent Terry Baker told BBC Radio 5 live: "He won't thank me for saying it but he immediately needs to get help." Baker added: "Whatever's happened to him in the five or six weeks since I saw him before Christmas, he is not as well as he has been. "His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no one can save him - I don't know. I really don't know." Gascoigne's former Tottenham and England team-mate and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: "Lots of you asking for my thoughts on Gazza's plight. I can only hope he finds peace somehow, but fear those hopes may be forlorn." The Professional Footballers' Association say they will continue to support Gascoigne, as they have in the past. A statement on their website reads: "The PFA continues to be concerned about Paul Gascoigne's welfare. "The Union has provided assistance financially and medically, supporting the provision of rehabilitation and treatments received both in the UK and abroad. "The PFA recently arranged a detoxification for Paul through the Sporting Chance Clinic. Regrettably Paul checked himself out and chose not to complete the programme. "We will continue to work with Paul and those closest to him. We would like to stress that the support of the PFA and the Tony Adams Sporting Chance Clinic remain available both to Paul and any other members in a similar need or circumstance." Gascoigne's drinking problems started during his playing days. In 1998, shortly after his divorce from wife Sheryl, he was admitted to the Marchwood Priory Hospital - now The Priory - to receive treatment for stress and drink problems. In 2001, whilst playing at Everton, Gascoigne admitted himself to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Arizona on the insistence of his then manager Walter Smith. Four years after retiring, in 2008, he was arrested in Newcastle and detained under the Mental Health Act and was later sectioned following reports that he was acting strangely in Hemel Hempstead. More recently he has been treated at The Priory and the Providence Projects treatment centre in Bournemouth. The former Newcastle, Tottenham and Lazio player was appearing in "An Evening with Paul Gascoigne" at the Park Inn in Northampton on Thursday and Baker says that he tried to cancel the show after he saw that Gascoigne was drinking. He said: "He wasn't in the condition he'd been in for the last two years. He was slurring a bit. "I phoned the organisation and said it was possibly best we didn't put him on but he was insistent he had some new jokes and he was going to be in tip-top form. He was fairly upset but insisted he wanted to go on. "When he came on the stage, we sat him down and he just started shaking. He's always a bit nervous on the stage, but he just started shaking uncontrollably." When asked why Gazza was upset, Baker explained that a friend had recently died in a medical facility - whilst holding his hand - and that it was "haunting him". Baker says he spoke to Gascoigne again on Saturday and that he was "fairly incoherent". Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has called on the PFA to do more to help Gascoigne. After a video of the event in Northampton was put on The Sun's website, Schmeichel wrote on Twitter : "This is not fun watching. Gazza needs help. Come on PFA and (PFA chief executive) Gordon Taylor, time to step up. "We are all responsible for how we live our lives. But that doesn't mean we can't step in and help. "There is always a 'right' time to start doing something, with what we've seen from Gazza, time has come for football." Baker said he hadn't witnessed the former footballer drink alcohol in two years. He said: "I swear to you I have never seen Paul drink in all the time I've known him, until very, very recently. "He has definitely been clean for most of the last two years, absolutely for definite. He has made huge massive efforts to get his life on track and it's just gone a bit wrong at the moment." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21311843
February 3, 201313 yr Gazza's problems with alcohol •June 1996: An alcohol-related "dentist-chair" stunt in a Hong Kong bar during England's Euro 96 preparations puts Gascoigne on the front pages of the newspapers back in Britain. •August 1998: Gascoigne's marriage to Sheryl ends after she is granted a quick divorce. The player left his wife with a black eye and badly bruised face and arm after he attacked her in a drunken rage in Gleneagles, Scotland. •October 1998: The 31-year-old is admitted to the Marchwood Priory hospital to receive treatment for stress and drink problems. •June 2001: Gascoigne admits himself to an alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Arizona on his Everton manager Walter Smith's insistence. •May 2007: Undergoes emergency surgery for a perforated stomach ulcer. •February 2008: Gascoigne is arrested in Newcastle and detained under the Mental Health Act. •June 2008: The former England footballer is sectioned under the Mental Health Act following reports that he was acting strangely in Hemel Hempstead.
February 3, 201313 yr Weak defending. Still, between Sturridge and Suarez, I can see Liverpool putting in 1 or 2. They probably should've already.
February 3, 201313 yr fair bit of dissent from Dzeko and (earlier) Milner. Fucking cocksuckers, arse bandits. There, that's my yellow card. Meanwhile, its afternoon tea and "How do you do" in the rugby....
February 3, 201313 yr Man City 1-2 Liverpool (Steeeeeeeeee Gerraaaaaaaaard Gerraaaaaaaard! 72) Celebrated like he'd just won United their 20th league title.
February 6, 201313 yr FT Man City 2-2 Liverpool That was a bitter pill to swallow that game. I thought we played superbly particularly in the final third. That's where great teams prosper. Barcelona can keep possession in that area, Manchester United can win the ball countless times in that final third. With Rodgers style of play it's essential to succeed in discipline, awareness and precision in that area so it was very good to see a lot of great play there even with players like Henderson and Downing who were completely alien to that sort of play who are now beginning to show a bit of nerve and a higher standard, a year and a half after joining. Long term I see very little prospect of Downing remaining at the club but with Henderson it's a different story. He's really starting to turn himself into a really solid squad player and with the collapse in form of Joe Allen perhaps even a vital player at the moment. His energy and commitment to start running into space is a big turnaround from the former King of the Backpass. It really is starting to work well with Gerrard and Lucas alongside him who are starting to compliment each other, highlighted no more than the return to form of Steven Gerrard. Overall I'm very content with Liverpool at the moment. Rodgers has begun to define a style and purpose of play once more at Anfield that has been absent since Rafa's last season. On a technical level Liverpool are not as far away as the table suggests but the table is reflective in the mental fragility. We've still got some way to go to close out matches we're dominating and to fall down at the first sign of aggression or dominance by the opposition. We're still a few players short from fully challenging for the top 4 so clearly Brendan needs that time and backing from the board and fans for a good while yet. For a still relatively young and inexperienced top flight manager and managing his first high profile job I think he's showing a lot of promise and progression. He's made mistakes, as you'd expect and would perhaps continue for the near future, but when he's got it right he really has got it right.
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