Ferdinand: Top-flight return is not priority May 19, 2015 QUEENS Park Rangers director of football Les Ferdinand has told Chris Ramsey to prioritise re-establishing club traditions over an immediate return to the Premier League after yesterday being handed the manager’s job on a permanent basis. Ramsey has signed a three-year contract having been in temporary charge since February after Harry Redknapp resigned, citing imminent [...]
FFP easing driven by Euro fears May 19, 2015 MOVES to relax controversial financial fair play rules (FFP) have been driven by pressure from European clubs fearful that English teams have become too strong, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Premier League sides account for 20 of the world’s 40 richest outfits, say Deloitte, and a bumper new £5bn television contract set to start [...]
Advocaat ready to pick Johnson for Arsenal visit May 19, 2015 SUNDERLAND manager Dick Advocaat is considering selecting Adam Johnson for tonight’s Premier League fixture at Arsenal, just 48 hours after the winger appeared in court to face child sex charges. The Black Cats need just one draw from their remaining two games to avoid relegation, while a point would also be enough for their hosts [...]
Uefa FFP rules: Why Arsenal and Liverpool are “losers” while Manchester City and Chelsea are “winners” of proposed reforms May 19, 2015 "I think we’ll ease things", said Uefa president Michel Platini on the governing body's notorious financial fair play (FFP) rules yesterday. With Uefa's executive committee set to meet this June, insiders suggest FFP rules are about to be altered to allow clubs to make bigger losses in the pursuit of success. What would such measures [...]
Chelsea and Manchester City set to be unshackled by FFP as Uefa relaxes rules May 18, 2015 Chelsea and Manchester City could be given licence to return to free-spending ways this summer after European chiefs indicated they are ready to relax controversial financial fair play (FFP) rules. Michel Platini, the president of governing body Uefa and a driving force behind FFP, said yesterday that he expected the regulations, which have been [...]
Jose Mourinho blames City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool for his record-equalling Chelsea loss May 18, 2015 Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admitted he was unsurprised by his team’s surrender against West Brom last night, insisting such results are a byproduct of being crowned Premier League champions with games to spare. England hopeful Saido Berahino took his tally for the season to 20 with two goals, either side of a bizarre red [...]
Mike Ashley is unlikely to sell Newcastle even if they’re relegated – a sports business professor explains May 18, 2015 Relegation to the Championship could be a blessing in disguise for Newcastle United fans should their team lose and Hull City win this Sunday, former chairman Freddy Shepherd has said – because it could be what finally forces the deeply unpopular Mike Ashley to hand over the club to anyone who'll take it. Read more: Newcastle [...]
Premier League: Wenger: Let’s finish the job and seal third May 17, 2015 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 ARSENAL 1 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has urged his side to finish the job in midweek after all but securing a third-place Premier League finish thanks to a late equaliser at closest rivals Manchester United yesterday. An own goal from United substitute Tyler Blackett cancelled out Ander Herrera’s first-half opener for the [...]
Premier League: Toure double cements City’s runners-up spot May 17, 2015 SWANSEA CITY 2 MANCHESTER CITY 4 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini has vowed his side will come back stronger next season after tightening their grip on second place in a six-goal thriller at Swansea. City went two up through Yaya Toure and James Milner only to be pegged back by Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis [...]
Summer transfer targets: Who Arsenal and Manchester United need to buy in the window May 17, 2015 Arsenal and Manchester United showed yesterday that they both need strengthening if they are to truly challenge Chelsea next season, but the two clubs will have to take fundamentally different approaches. For the Gunners, summer business ought to focus on making one or two high-class additions in certain key positions to improve what is [...]