England

Should Cheltenham Town travel abroad for a pre-season tour in the future?

/ Luke Saunders / Leave a comment

With pre-season well underway most English football teams are embarking on short trips to local lower league clubs in order to prepare for their new league season.

Cheltenham Town have already travelled to Oxford City for their first warm up game and now face two very short trips to Bishops Cleeve and Evesham United.

Meanwhile National League side Wrexham are nearly 1,500 miles away in Portugal, and it’s fair to say that former Robins left-back James Jennings is enjoying their tour in the sun.

 
Most Premier League clubs go on cross-continental tours for pre-season. For example Arsenal are currently in Australia and will soon be in China for the International Champions Cup.

But the furthest Cheltenham will have to travel this month is 60 miles to Weston-Super-Mare, closely followed by 54 miles to Bath.

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Close pre-season fixtures are practical and help prepare teams adequately with very little stress, but what harm can be done by taking a trip abroad to experience different climates and environments, not to mention opposition.

It is very well known that Cheltenham Town have a Norwegian fan club, they have made an annual visit to Whaddon Road for the past 14 years and were present to see the last home game of 2016/17 against Hartlepool United, which Cheltenham won 1-0 to secure Football League survival.

There is no reason why Gary Johnson’s side couldn’t travel beyond Britain for pre-season in future years, and Norway could be the perfect destination as it would allow our loyal Scandinavian supporters the chance to see their team at ‘home’.

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It would also give other Cheltenham fans the opportunity to both holiday and watch their team, something that Oxford United supporters enjoyed in Austria last year.

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Former manager Mark Yates did take Cheltenham to South Wales to face Port Talbot in 2012, but we have otherwise stayed in the South West and Midlands regions for pre-season.

Perhaps a trip further afield to foreign shores could be on the cards for Cheltenham Town in the near future.

No Romelu, no problem! Why Everton fans should be feeling anything but blue about the potential departure of Lukaku

/ Luke Saunders / Leave a comment

Everton enjoyed a successful first season under the management of Ronald Koeman in 2016/17, finishing seventh in the Premier League. A place in the Europa League was their reward but the Toffees were largely indebted to star striker Romelu Lukaku who scored 25 goals, only bettered by Tottenham’s Harry Kane who netted 29.

But with such a proven and prolific forward in their ranks, Everton are extremely likely to lose Lukaku in the transfer window. Reports have already suggested that he has reached an agreement with another club.

The Toffees are guaranteed to receive a huge fee for the 24 year-old if he eventually does eventually leave Merseyside but here’s why their transfer business so far shows that they are more than capable of coping without the big Belgian.

 

Davy will show his class in the Premier League

Manager Ronald Koeman’s first summer acquisition was a shrewd signing to say the least.

Davy Klaassen came through the ranks at Ajax and took the mantle as one of their hottest prospects prior to his move. The 24 year-old won Dutch footballer of the year in 2016 and skippered the Amsterdam outfit last season.

 

Also a regular for the Netherlands, Klaassen scored 49 goals and won three Eredivisie titles during his time in Holland and is a well rounded attacking midfielder who will undoubtedly cope with the step up to the Premier League.

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His signature surely indicates that Ross Barkley has been barking up the wrong tree when stalling with his contract negotiations, and his future could therefore lie elsewhere.

Koeman has picked a long term goalkeeper

It’s not just the attacking front where Everton are strengthening, but also at the back.

Jordan Pickford recently put pen to paper at Goodison Park, moving from relegated Sunderland for a fee of around £30 million- a British record for a goalkeeper.

Many have condemned the high price tag but fees are only going to rise in the present transfer market and there were plenty of other clubs lining up to sign Pickford, and with good reason.

The 23 year-old was second only to Tom Heaton in making the most top flight saves last season and has comfortably equalled other goalkeepers at higher placed clubs in terms of stats.

At a young age and on a long term contract, Everton have a safe pair of hands between the sticks for the first time since Tim Howard left the club.

The Toffees have been keen to get their business done early

Former Burnley defender Michael Keane became the fourth Everton addition already this summer.

With pre-season on the horizon, the Toffees have not come unstuck in signing players early as they look to compete amongst the highly competitive Premier League top six next year.

Another exciting English prospect- Keane joins Klaassen, Pickford, Onyekuru and Sandro Ramirez as Koeman’s quintet of summer signings so far.

Sandro, who joined from La Liga side Malaga, is expected to go some way in replacing Lukaku’s goals.

The 21 year-old helped Spain to the UEFA U21 Euro Final and scored 14 league goals in 2016/17, joining for a miniscule fee of just over £5 million. The former Barcelona youngster could be a bargain for Everton.

Goodison Park is the best place for young players

England U20’s were crowned World Champions in June, staking a claim to be called the nations next golden generation.

Four of the starting 11 in their 1-0 final victory over Venezuela play for Everton and the club are a rare and shining example when it comes to developing home grown players.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the winner in the final and he has already broken into the Everton first team on sporadic occasions despite only being 20 years of age.

 

Ademola Lookman, Tom Davies, Mason Holgate, Brendan Galloway, Jonjoe Kenny and Kieran Dowell join Calvert-Lewin in a hoard of promising Evertonians who have all featured in England’s youth ranks.

Under Ronald Koeman, who has a knack of developing youth, they should all continue to thrive in 2017/18.

Everton are finally a financial force to be reckoned with

With Farhad Moshiri appointed as Everton’s new major shareholder, he has vowed to give them the funds to compete with other big spenders in the transfer window and so far that has proved to be the case.

The Toffees have already spent around £90 million this summer and this represents a trend in increased spending over the last few seasons.

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If Romelu Lukaku leaves, it will be for a fee of around that gargantuan amount, meaning that Everton have bulked up in all of the necessary areas using the Lukaku money wisely.

Then again, Lukaku may not leave. Either way Everton FC is in an excellent position and could very well improve on their seventh place finish next season.

England fans weren’t the only clowns at the Euro 2016 crowd circus

/ Luke Saunders / Leave a comment

As Portugal were crowned European Champions after a surprising victory over host nation France, the curtains came down on a competition that has been captivating, but not necessarily for the right reasons. There have been close encounters both on and off the pitch with tight matches involving few goals and heavy hearted contests being replicated by fans in the stands, as crowd violence overshadowed the entirety of Euro 2016.

Altercations began in early June as thousands of England fans descended on Marseille for the Three Lions’ group B opener against Russia. Clashes in the streets started to kick off between English supporters, Russian hooligans and Marseille ultras before the match. Not even a heavy police presence could prevent further trouble during and after the game.

Trouble flares up inside the Stade Velodrome

Constant threat and violence followed England supporters afterwards as minority groups of Russian ‘supporters’ attempted to provoke more trouble ahead of their match with Slovakia in Lille, which was just under 40 kilometres away from where England were playing Wales in Lens. It’s worth noting that the behaviour of both English and Welsh fans was near enough impeccable before the Russians turned up, hardly encouraging considering Russia are set to host the World Cup in two years time.

Unfortunately most England supporters were negatively portrayed in the media, when only a small percentage were really at fault. Let’s remember that they weren’t the only set of supporters who were engaging in anti social antics. German, Ukrainian, Croatian, Hungarian, Albanian, Romanian, French and Portuguese fans were amongst others who caused trouble at the tournament.

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Hungary fans showed an appetite for violence ahead of their clash with Iceland

This is a real issue that UEFA must address properly and not just by handing out fines and suspensions to each nations football federation, especially with the prospect of more trouble on an even bigger stage at the World Cup in 2018.

Euro 2016: Five under 21 stars who will be looking to impress on the big stage

/ Luke Saunders / Leave a comment

As England are set to begin the European Championships with the youngest squad at the tournament it will give our players the chance to showcase their talents and do the nation proud. Marcus Rashford is the youngest player of all the teams travelling to France and he alongside other Premier League wonder kids such as Dele Alli, Hector Bellerin, Divock Origi and Antony Martial will be looking to steal the limelight at Euro 2016. Well established youngsters playing in Europe such as Kingsley Coman, Breel Embolo and Tin Jedvaj are also featuring in the competition but there are many others yet to make a name for themselves.

At all international tournaments new faces emerge and impress, attracting interest from top clubs due to their performances. Here are some prospects under the age of 21 that are worth watching over the next month.

Jason Denayer- Belgium

With Belgium captain Vincent Kompany ruled out of the Euros due to injury, Jason Denayer is set to step in and take his place in defence. The 20 year-old is on the books at Manchester City and has spent two title winning seasons out on loan at Celtic and most recently Galatasaray. Denayer is making rapid progress and is known for his physicality and athleticism, two key attributes as a central defender. He has already made seven international caps and could be a solution to the void in defence for club and country.

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In good Kompany: Denayer shares similar attributes with his international and club captain

 

Emre Mor- Turkey

Turkish football has steadily improved over the years and the national team have a number of top young players in their ranks ready to feature at Euro 2016. The likes Hakan Calhanoglu, Ozan Tufan and Oguzhan Ozyakup are all under the age of 23 but regarded as Turkey’s best players. Now another potential star has been unearthed. Emre Mor is just 18 years-old but the Danish born winger has been selected for international duty at the Euros this summer. Having recently secured a move from FC Nordsjaelland to German giants Borussia Dortmund, Mor’s talents have clearly been spotted and he will bring pace, technical ability and flair to the Turkish flanks in France.

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Euro 2016 will provide mor opportunities for the youngster to impress

 

Viktor Kovalenko- Ukraine

Arguably Ukraine’s most promising talent, Viktor Kovalenko plays in his home country for Shakhtar Donetsk and at just 20 years- old has been touted as one of the world’s future midfield stars. He dazzled at the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2015 winning the golden boot with five goals from attacking midfield and now has the chance to impress at senior level in a major tournament. Despite only making two appearances for the Blue and Yellows, expect Kovalenko to feature regularly in France, alongside another young Ukrainian talent in Oleksandr Zinchenko.

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Could Kovalenko become Ukraine’s next Shevchenko?

 

Leroy Sane- Germany

Schalke winger Leroy Sane has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season in the Bundesliga. The 20 year-old is admired for his blistering pace and flair that has helped contribute to nine goals for the Gelsenkirchen outfit this season. Sane has gained a place in the highly competitive Germany squad for Euro 2016 after appearing for his country at youth level and if he can replicate his club form for the World Champions, a big money move could be on the cards. With plenty of interest across Europe including from Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester City, Schalke could face losing their prize asset after the Euros this summer.

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Sane him up: The Schalke wide man is in demand

 

Renato Sanches- Portugal

Bayern Munich have recently signed 18 year-old Renato Sanches from Benfica for £30 million fee that could rise to an astronomical £60m. He is the youngest Portuguese player to go to a major tournament since Cristiano Ronaldo and possesses a rare ability to run with the ball from holding midfield and start attacks. His size and strength are major attributes and confidence plays a key part in how Sanches plays, even at a young age he holds the ability to decide matches and that’s why Bayern moved to sign the Portuguese powerhouse.

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Game changer: Sanches has been likened to Paul Pogba

 

 

 

 

Should Arsenal fans party over the signing of Jamie Vardy?

/ Luke Saunders / Leave a comment

Out of absolutely nowhere, Arsenal are on the brink of signing England striker Jamie Vardy from Leicester City after they triggered a £20 million release clause in his contract. A deal is expected to be completed imminently providing the 29 year-old opts to leave the Premier League champions.

Arsene Wenger is in the market for a new striker after Danny Welbeck suffered another huge injury lay off and there is intense pressure on the Frenchman to deliver a stellar signing. So far it has been an uncharacteristic start to summer business by Wenger, but his activity in the transfer market is surely pleasing most Arsenal supporters. With the capture of Granit Xhaka confirmed, the North London outfit could be on the verge of spending £50 million before Euro 2016 has even started.

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Gunner go or stay? Arsene Wenger is determined to get the deal done before Euro 2016

 

Olivier Giroud has lead from the front as Arsenal’s main striker since 2012, however he has become a regular scapegoat when the Gunners misfire. The 29 year-old France international has been labelled as a ‘nearly man’ averaging between 15 and 20 goals a season which is seen as not good enough. Although Giroud managed to notch 28 goals in all competitions this season, one more than Vardy, albeit in more appearances.

For many years Arsenal have been linked with strikers deemed as world class, but does Vardy really fit into that goal scoring elite? Last season he was on fire for the Foxes, netting 24 times including becoming the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League matches. He also contributed to more goals than any other player, 30 in total.

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Eleven heaven: Vardy celebrates setting a new record

Vardy has enjoyed a fairy tale rise to the top, he has ascended from playing non league football to becoming a Premier League winner in just five years. But with his age and lack of experience at European level, it is questionable whether the former Fleetwood Town man would be a sustainable buy for Arsenal.

Vardy is used to playing in a very different style to that of which Arsenal advocate, with far less possession. Nevertheless his versatility, high work rate and blistering pace are features that could compliment counter attacking football when Arsenal are on the back foot, as opposed to the slow build up play they usually adopt.

Despite coming off the back of an amazing season, Vardy could still be a risky signing for Arsenal. His quality is for all to see but he would almost certainly be a quick fix rather than a long term solution.

Taking Marcus to the Euros is no rash decision

/ Luke Saunders / 1 Comment

England have announced their squad for the European Championships ahead of the competitions kick off in just under a week and one controversial inclusion in Roy Hodgson’s  23 man squad is teenage sensation Marcus Rashford.

The 18 year-old Manchester United strikers progression over the last three months has been astonishing. After making his United debut in late February, Rashford has scored eight goals in 18 appearances for the Red Devils and has broken many records along the way. He has netted on his Europa League, Premier League and international debuts as well as becoming the youngest ever scorer in a Manchester derby. This form has warranted a place in the England squad for Euro 2016 and Rashford has become the latest recruit of Roy Hodgson’s youthful revolution.

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Roy Hodgson has named England’s youngest ever European Championships squad

 

It’s safe to say that Rashford has become the most talked about prospect in British football and deserves to go to the Euros based on form. His incredible rise from the shadows and unpredictability provides a perfect fit and the Fletcher Moss product is set to be England’s wildcard in France. Rashford shares many similarities with Wayne Rooney and could follow in the footsteps of his international and club teammate if nurtured in the right way.

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Soccerood: Rashford and Rooney scored both goals for England against Australia

However media hype placed on young and inexperienced players like Rashford could damage their development and so the hopes of our nation must not be pinned entirely upon them. Past experiences with Theo Walcott and Raheem Sterling have proved fruitless and so we must be careful not to place too much pressure on young shoulders, as was the case with Reece Oxford at the start of the season.

 

Hodgson has taken a gamble to rush Rashford into the squad for Euro 2016, but its time England tried something different. His inclusion alongside Dele Alli, Eric Dier, John Stones, Jack Wilshere and Harry Kane may give the Three Lions that extra flair and energy to be successful in France. Even if it doesn’t, the future of English football looks bright.