Dennis Bergkamp Puji Kebolehan Robin Van Persie

 

Dennis Bergkamp memuji penampilan Robin van Persie sepanjang musim ini dan menilai sang pemain bisa meraih trofi bersama Arsenal.

Bergkamp merasa Van Persie sanggup menjawab tantangan yang dibebankan kepadanya dengan menjadi penyerang tunggal. Van Persie sudah mencetak 29 gol untuk Arsenal sepanjang musim ini dan mereka terus bergerak mendekati peringkat keempat klasemen Liga Primer Inggris.

Saya kira lebih mudah bagi Robin atau saya untuk bermain di belakang striker dan melayani penyerang utama dan terkadang mendapatkan ruang untuk melakukan gebrakan sendiri," ujar Bergkamp kepada majalah resmi Arsenal.

"Tapi pada dasarnya dia diposisikan di depan untuk membuat perbedaan, yang justru memberikannya tekanan lebih banyak, tapi dia bisa mengatasinya. Dia memainkan peran yang sangat sulit."

"Kelihatannya dia selalu membuat perbedaan dan menurut saya itu menggambarkan seorang pemain yang hebat. Sungguh fantastis menyaksikannya berkembang dan pemain sepertinya layak mendapatkan trofi. Jujur saya harap itu bisa terwujud dalam waktu dekat karena karakter dan gaya permainannya begitu fantastis."

Bergkamp kemudian membeberkan tanggapan pribadinya terhadap sosok Van Persie selama berlatih bersama Arsenal.

"Dia bermain dengan banyak kebebasan. Bisa langsung dilihat dia pemain yang sangat berbakat," lanjutnya.

"Saya mengenalnya dengan baik, jelas karena kami orang Belanda, jadi saya membantunya beberapa kali. Bisa dikatakan dia orang baik, ramah, dan sama sekali bertolak belakang dengan apa yang dikatakan media saat dia baru datang bergabung."

"Mereka bilang dia sulit diatur, tidak mau mendengar pemain berpengalaman dan lain-lain, tapi dia contoh bagus pemain yang pindah pada saat yang tepat ke tempat yang tepat. Dia bergabung dengan tim yang diperkuat banyak pemain besar dan sejak hari pertama dia menghormati para pemain itu dan mendengar mereka. Saya rasa itu banyak membantunya."

Sumber: http://www.goal.com/id-ID/news/1108/sepakbola-inggris/2012/03/02/2940436/dennis-bergkamp-puji-kebolehan-robin-van-persie

Ancelotti insists no bitterness towards Chelsea owner Abramovich

Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti holds no grudge against Roman Abramovich over his dismissal.

Ancelotti was axed at the end of last season.

"I thought I could stay longer at Chelsea," he told the Daily Mail. "I hoped to, because I felt really good there.

"I was not happy to leave this club and to leave these people. I had a good relationship with the players. I felt we could go on to enjoy more success. But this is football and I knew this before I went there.

"I want to say thank you, to Roman Abramovich, to the players, to all the people I worked with there.

"The first year was fantastic. The second year was not so good. I am not bitter or angry. Absolutely not. I consider Chelsea a really fantastic club.

"Look, when I was in Milan everything was fantastic but I knew that one day it would come to an end. Even after being a player there. Even after the success I also enjoyed there as a manager. In the end you have to leave.

"I also had other experiences like that in Italy. I had been sacked before. Sometimes it can happen that the owner is not happy and he wants to change things. All the great managers have been sacked. Managers before me at Chelsea were sacked. Fabio Capello was sacked by Madrid after winning the title. Amazing, I know, but this is football.

"Never, however, on my c.v. have I been sacked during the season. That is different. I have only ever been sacked at the end of the season. I am proud of this!"

Source: Tribal Football

Manchester United announce disappointment with Hargreaves injury claims

Manchester United have released a statement over Owen Hargreaves' criticism of their treatment of his knee problems.

United have released a full statement, in which they dismiss the Manchester City midfielder's claims and state they remain "comfortable" with the treatment the midfielder received.

"United does not acknowledge any validity in the comments Owen is alleged to have made," said the statement.

The statement continued: "Manchester United is disappointed with Owen's remarks after the game on Wednesday.

"The club gave him the best possible care for three years and is as disappointed as anyone he was not able to play a part in the team's success at that time.

"It has shared all the medical records with Manchester City and is comfortable with the actions taken by its medical staff at each step of his many attempts at rehabilitation.

"Manchester United has some of the best sports medical staff in world sport, who have made a significant contribution to United's on-pitch success in recent seasons."

Source: Tribal Football

Anelka was close to MLS deal, could still sign

Nicolas Anelka was close to signing with a Major League Soccer franchise in August, according to one of his representatives.

Although a deal for the Chelsea forward never materialized, his camp confirmed to Goal.com that Anelka is still interested in latching onto a club in the North American league.

“I can confirm that Nicolas is still possibly interested in pursuing an MLS career,” said Michael Wiesenfeld, who is part of European Football Group, an organization which will represent Anelka's marketing rights should he join MLS. “He got very close to landing a nice contract with a team on the West Coast in August. He also has opportunities elsewhere in the world.”

It is believed that Anelka was close to signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy, who used their third Designated Player spot to bring in Robbie Keane for a reported salary of $3.4 million per season.

The Galaxy declined to comment if they were interested.

Anelka, 32, is in the final year of his contract and Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that the striker wants to leave the club next summer. The Blues already have a deep group of strikers with Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Romelu Lukaku and Daniel Sturridge.

Anelka joined the Blues for 15 million pounds in January 2008 from Bolton.

Source: Goal.com

Kenny Dalglish wary of England recall for Steven Gerrard

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish hopes Steven Gerrard is not rushed back into England duty after making his club return against Brighton on Wednesday.

Gerrard had been out for six months with a groin problem and Dalglish says his comeback must be carefully managed.

England's next game is a Euro 2012 qualifier with Montenegro on 7 October.

When asked if it would be a risk for England to call up Gerrard, Dalglish said: "I just hope they are as intelligent as we have been."

Gerrard, who has won 89 caps for his country, has missed England's last six games - including four qualifiers - since his last international appearance, a 2-1 friendly defeat by France in November 2010.

England are still unbeaten and top of Group G, and will secure their place in the finals if they pick up a point against Montenegro in Podgorica.

Dalglish added: "I don't pick England's team. Whatever they have to do, they have to do."

"We will just continue in the intelligent manner that we have done. We can look forward to him getting even fitter. There will be no timescale or programme, we'll just take it as it comes
Kenny Dalglish on Steven Gerrard's comeback"

Gerrard, 31, played 16 minutes of Liverpool's 2-1 Carling Cup win over the Seagulls after six months out with a groin injury that required surgery.

And Dalglish stressed that the Reds' captain's recovery and rehabilitation is not something that will be rushed, even now he has returned to first-team action.

"He's done fantastic coming back and it's fantastic for the whole club that he is back but the most important person in all of it is Steven himself.

"He's missed an awful lot of football through injury so he's done brilliant to get where he is.

"We will just continue in the intelligent manner that we have done. We can look forward to him getting even fitter. There will be no timescale or programme, we'll just take it as it comes.

"He's the captain and the talisman of the football club and he's just played around 20 minutes for us. Steven coming back certainly makes our squad a whole lot stronger.

"For us it's a real, real addition to the squad. To get your talisman back on the right road is, selfishly, great for us but more importantly is great for Steven."

Source: BBC

Ranieri is the new coach of Inter.

Claudio Ranieri has been unveiled as the new coach of Inter, replacing Gian Piero Gasperini, who was fired earlier this week following Tuesday evening's 3-1 defeat at Novara. The Giuseppe Meazza club has confirmed the appointment of the 59-year-old on its official website.

"Claudio Ranieri is officially the new coach of Inter. The tactician has signed a contract that will keep him with the club until 30 June 2013," a statement on inter.it reads.

As Goal.com revealed on Wednesday afternoon, Ranieri was close to the Inter job and he has now inked a deal until the summer of 2013. He will lead the team for the first time during Thursday afternoon's training session.

"Everybody at Inter is pleased to welcome Ranieri at the club and wish the coach and his staff all the best."

Ranieri had been out of work ever since he left Roma in February 2011. He previously worked at clubs such as Juventus, Parma, Valencia, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Fiorentina, Napoli and Cagliari.

The Roma born coach will be officially presented during a press conference on Friday.

Source : goal

Nicolas Anelka was close to signing with Major League Soccer, could still join the league

Nicolas Anelka was close to signing with a Major League Soccer franchise in August, according to one of his representatives.

Although a deal for the Chelsea forward never materialized, his camp confirmed to Goal.com that Anelka is still interested in latching onto a club in the North American league.

“I can confirm that Nicolas is still possibly interested in pursuing an MLS career,” said Michael Wiesenfeld, who is part of European Football Group, an organization which will represent Anelka's marketing rights should he join MLS. “He got very close to landing a nice contract with a team on the West Coast in August. He also has opportunities elsewhere in the world.”

It is believed that Anelka was close to signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy, who used their third Designated Player spot to bring in Robbie Keane for a reported salary of $3.4 million per season.

The Galaxy declined to comment if they were interested.

Anelka, 32, is in the final year of his contract and Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that the striker wants to leave the club next summer. The Blues already have a deep group of strikers with Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Romelu Lukaku and Daniel Sturridge.

Anelka joined the Blues for 15 million pounds in January 2008 from Bolton. (Goal.com)