Roberto Mancini admitted he almost signed Tevez for Inter

Roberto Mancini last night saw Carlos Tevez send Manchester City into the top four of the Barclays Premier League and then revealed he tried to sign him three years ago.

Tevez scored a hat-trick at Eastlands as City crushed a woeful Blackburn side 4-1 to edge above Tottenham into fourth place.

City's Argentina striker has scored 15 goals since moving from Manchester United in the summer and is currently on a sensational run of 11 in nine games.

Last night Mancini paid tribute to Tevez and then revealed he tried to buy him when he was manager of Inter Milan in Italy.

Mancini said: 'I used to watch Tevez on the television and I always thought he was a great player.

'I was very interested in signing him but it was impossible as he was playing for Manchester United.

'He has played very well for me and it's great that he scored three goals tonight.

'I wish the Premier League season would end today with us in this position but we can't really afford to look at the table at this moment. We will look at the table in two months.'

Last night's victory means that Mancini has won each of the four games his team have played since he took over as manager from Mark Hughes just before Christmas.

The Italian will rarely enjoy a more comfortable evening against a Blackburn team who seemed to have one eye at least on Thursday night's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Aston Villa.

The only negative for Mancini was that his team conceded the first goal of his reign, and he said: 'It was a gift because we lost concentration for 10 minutes. I wasn't very happy.'

Mancini last night revealed that City striker Emmanuel Adebayor will be given as much time as he needs to recover mentally from the atrocities he has witnessed with the Togo squad at the Africa Cup of Nations.

New Bolton boss Owen Coyle insists: I had to leave Burnley nto about the money

Such has been the acrimonious nature of Owen Coyle’s switch from Burnley to Bolton, it was perhaps inevitable that his first day in charge at the Reebok Stadium would be spent looking backwards rather than forwards.
The front page of the local paper in Burnley greeted Coyle’s decision to leave with a headline that said only: ‘Betrayed’. A billboard near Turf Moor, meanwhile, has been smeared with the word ‘Judas’.

Start again: Coyle is back at the club he served as a player

It has been an emotional week for Coyle and as he began work 20 miles away on Monday it was time for Bolton’s new manager to offer his reasons for leaving.
Coyle said: ‘One thing I want to get straight is the suggestion that I have come for the money.
‘I’ve never been motivated by personal money in my life. I came into the club at Burnley on one of the bottom three Championship salaries and worked my socks off as I said I would do.   

‘If it was financial I would have taken the job I was offered at Celtic in the summer, which would have been double the salary
and everything else. I would have jumped through hoops because that was the team I
supported as a boy.
‘But I want to be involved at the highest level and the highest level in world football is the Premier League. I want to take this football club forward and take them on.’
Coyle admitted that there had been some tears as he said his farewells at Turf Moor last week. Under his guidance, Burnley had returned to the top flight of English football after a 33-year absence and many people believed the Scot had a responsibility to keep them there.  

Asked if he would feel some regret if Burnley are relegated, he hinted that he would. But he insisted that the restraints at the club were such that a successful season there would still not have been rewarded with greater financial flexibility.
He said: ‘The job is done in a sense that the football club had been nowhere near the Premier League for 33 years. I would say that at Bolton I have an infrastructure and set-up that is perhaps five or 10 years ahead of what I am leaving behind.’
Coyle suggested that only Manchester United and Chelsea are operating on a different financial level to his new club. But if he believes that then he has not been playing close enough attention to what the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa have been up to in recent times.
At the Reebok, performances are still viewed in the context of what Sam Allardyce achieved in twice taking the club into Europe in 2005 and two years later. That remains the required standard.

In the long term, keeping Bolton in the Premier League will not be good enough and Coyle’s stated aim of moving the club forward while playing more attractive football certainly seems ambitious.
He said: ‘We have to make sure we get enough points to stay up. Having done that I believe there are creative players at the club and we will be looking to get the best out of them.’
Coyle begins his reign with a home game against Arsenal on Sunday but it is the meeting with Burnley at the Reebok a fortnight today that stands out.
He is prepared. ‘At this moment, I’d expect Burnley fans to come and vent their frustration, but I hope that’s not the case,’ he said. ‘Whatever the game brings up, I will just have to deal with it as I always do.
‘Whoever used the word Judas, be it websites or newspapers, I can’t do anything about it. The local newspaper had a front page with a headline that said: “Betrayed”. If that’s how people want to portray it, that’s up to them. But I can look in the mirror and know I haven’t done anything wrong.'

Jose Mourinho to battle former club Chelsea and Manchester United for £15 Benfica winger Angel di Maria

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho will battle Manchester United and Chelsea for  £15million-rated Benfica star Angel di Maria.

United have offered £12m plus winger Nani for the Argentinian, while Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen has been to see him in action.
But Inter also watched him on Sunday and are now preparing an offer.

Tug of war: Benfica's Angel Di Maria (right) is wanted by several clubs across Europe

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira is determined to keep him, but says they will not stand in his way if a rival club meets his release clause in his contract.

Vieira said: 'The player will be allowed to leave in the transfer window if another club pays the clause in his contract.

'We need to know what the offer will be and then make a decision on which is the best value for the club.'

Roberto Mancini warns underachieving striker Robinho

Even if it has been in less than perfect English, Roberto Mancini has said all the right things about some of his more temperamental players since arriving to manage Manchester City. Every member of the squad is important, he says.

Nevertheless, actions often speak louder than words in football and on Monday the Italian’s decision to leave the Brazilian Robinho on the substitutes’ bench at the start of play said everything about the early impressions he has formed at Eastlands.

Robinho, remember, is still the Barclays Premier League’s most expensive player and one of its most highly paid. The former Real Madrid player cost £32.5million and earns £160,000 a week.

He is, however, maddeningly ineffective on a stage that demands persistent and constructive effort from all those lucky enough to appear on it.

Get the message: Mancini (right) relays information to Robinho

Last season his contribution was limited strictly to home games while this season — one admittedly interrupted by serious injury — he hasn’t even managed that.

When Mancini took charge of his first City game, at home to Stoke City on Boxing Day, much was made of the fact that Craig Bellamy was not in the team.
Given that City had another, harder, game at Wolves two days later that particular decision was not actually so significant.

However, the decision to leave Robinho among the understudies on Monday most certainly was. Against Stoke, Robinho was City’s worst player. Against Blackburn Rovers we were given a true insight into Mancini’s mind.
Those who played with the City manager at club and international level in Italy whispered when he arrived at Eastlands that Robinho would not be his cup of espresso.
Mancini, by all accounts, likes players who can play but who also understand the value of team ethics.
Midway through the second half last night, Robinho illustrated that perhaps he still doesn’t get it.

Shortly before he was introduced in the 68th minute, he was asked to warm up. He did so begrudgingly and sat back down. Mancini told him to do it again. He did, with a long and exaggerated shake of the head.

It was playground behaviour from a player who considers himself to be a world star and a cameo that will have told Mancini all he needs to know, if indeed he hadn’t sussed it out already.

His predecessor Mark Hughes knew all about Robinho’s limitations, too. The problem was that the Welshman felt compelled to pick him.

Mancini clearly does not feel that need and it was clear from the outset that he had made the right decision.

Lightweight: The Brazilian (left) failed to make an impact when he came on

In Bellamy and Carlos Tevez, City have forwards who fully understand what is required and they can expect to be central to Mancini’s plans, as indeed they were last night.

With the Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz not fully recovered from an ankle injury, there was a rare start for the Zimbabwe forward Benjani here. But it was Bellamy and Tevez who carried much the greater threat.

Bellamy will always trouble defenders with his direct running. He is an early candidate for Player of the Year. And not just at City.
Tevez, meanwhile, has finally rediscovered the confidence he never seemed to have fully as a Manchester United player. Maybe it is the responsibility he is thriving on. Or maybe it is what comes with playing regular games.
His hat-trick on Monday was superb and for Mancini it must be pleasing to see one of his star players blossoming. Even if others can’t. Or won’t.

Chelsea lead Arsenal and Manchester City in chase for Racing Santander's starlet Sergio Canales

Chelsea are chasing Spain's latest young superstar Sergio Canales and hope to have a deal in place before the end of the month.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder from Racing Santander has shot to prominence in recent weeks with four goals in his last three games, including two in the club's surprise 2-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday.
He is out of contract in the summer but has a clause which automatically gives him a one-year extension should he play 450 minutes of football.

Hotshot: Racing Santader's Sergio Canales is in hot scoring form

That time is up over his next three games and a clutch of clubs are frantically talking to Santander in the hope of sealing his signature over the coming weeks.
Canales's father and agent Angel would prefer him to stay in Spain but there is a complication because another La Liga club, Deportivo La Coruna, own 50 per cent of his rights from a deal between the clubs in 2006 and they want to cash in.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester City have all shown interest but Chelsea are at the fore should they get the go-ahead to trade.

Togo Officially disqualified from African Cup of Nations

The Africa Cup of Nations descended into farce in Angola on Monday with grief-stricken players from Togo requesting to rejoin the tournament after a three-day period of national mourning and accusing the organisers of being ‘ridiculous’ for rejecting the plea.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) were condemned for officially disqualifying Emmanuel Adebayor and his team-mates for failing to show for Monday's game against Ghana at the Estadio Chimandela in war-torn Cabinda.
Togo’s absence marked a poignant end to their ill-fated campaign after Friday’s gun attack on their team bus left two members of their party and a coach driver dead.
Confusion surrounded Togo’s request to rejoin the tournament after escorting their murdered colleagues back to their homeland on Sunday.
While sports minister Christophe Tchao said a formal request had been made to CAF, the country’s prime minister Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo denied any such request had been made.

Back home: Togo players arrives in Lome on Sunday

The players clearly wanted to return — with the belief being that, out of respect for the three men killed in Friday’s terror attack, their opponents would agree to having the fixtures rescheduled — and striker Thomas Dossevi described the CAF decision as ‘serious and ridiculous’.
‘It would have been simple for us to come back and play on January 21,’ Dossevi said of their opening clash against Ghana. ‘I think Ghana would have agreed to that.
‘It is a serious and ridiculous decision. Everybody wanted us to be here and play the Africa Cup of Nations.’
Emotions were running high as three coffins were carried off Togo’s presidential jet, with players arriving wearing the bandages that have been used to dress their wounds.
Kodjovi Obilale, the reserve goalkeeper who was shot twice in the lower back, remains in hospital in Johannesburg.
In honour of their coach driver as well as assistant coach Amalete Abalo and press officer Stan Ocloo — all murdered by Cabinda separatists in the machine-gun attack — the players said they wanted to return to the tournament once a short period of national mourning had been observed.
Adebayor, the Manchester City striker and Togo’s captain, told reporters at Cabinda airport that Togo might return and attempt to play their Group B fixtures but a senior CAF official said it would be impossible if they missed Monday’s game.
‘We have not heard anything official from them,’ said the spokesman. ‘They have never officially told us they are not going to play or they are going to play. We are only hearing from them in the media.

Tragedy: The body of Togolese assistant Amalete Abalo arrives back in the coutnry

‘The referee has been ordered to start the match and if Togo are not there, then they will be declared to have withdrawn and be disqualified.’
Houngbo said the tragedy was ‘a big loss for Togo’ and ‘a sad day for Togolese football’ before declaring that ‘they will be fittingly buried and deservingly honoured’.
But he denied that an official request had been made for the Togo team to return to Angola for their group games.
‘I do believe there is confusion,’ he told the BBC. ‘The information you have got, I’m afraid, might not be the most accurate.
‘We have simply withdrawn our team, it is not a matter of withdrawing for the mourning period. The information that has been circulated on some websites saying the players are just back for three days’  mourning and will then go back playing is quite wrong.
‘We withdrew our team on the basis they have been the victim of a terrorist attack.’

Houngbo did, however, turn on the CAF, insisting the decision to withdraw was not made in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy but after support from the tournament organisers was not forthcoming.
‘Management did not give us enough assurance,’ he said. ‘We would leave our team being exposed to similar risks. Therefore, we decided to pull our team out of the competition against our will.
‘We would have hoped that one could have serene discussion with the host country, with the confederation, to assess what has happened, assess what one has to do.
‘We received no co-operation from the confederation in terms of any kind of assessment.
'Our analysis is that they want it [the shooting] to be seen as a non-event and the show must go on as planned; there mustn’t be an official change and Togo is causing problems to the festival.’
The decision to pull out was made by the government, and Houngbo insisted there was no alternative.
‘What if something happened again?’ he said. ‘What is our responsibility? It is a matter of taking seriously the safety of our people. It is not my pleasure we withdraw.
'We don’t want to play into the hands of the terrorists, but we have a responsibility to protect our people.’
On Monday Angolan police announced they had arrested two members of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda in relation to the attack.

Kenwyne Jones is worth £40m, Steve Bruce tells Stoke and Birmingham

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has claimed Birmingham and Stoke could not afford to buy Kenwyne Jones, even if he wanted to sell the Trinidad and Tobago striker.

But after seeing off bids from his Barclays Premier League rivals last week, Bruce has admitted the centre forward is providing him with a big challenge.

Bruce inherited the former Southampton star when he arrived at the Stadium of Light and he has seen the frustrations which drove Roy Keane and Ricky Sbragia to distraction.

And a year after Sunderland turned down a £10million Spurs offer, Bruce has rejected similar bids from Birmingham boss Alex McLeish and Stoke's Tony Pulis.

Bruce, who has taken Jones, 25, and the rest of his squad to Portugal ahead of Saturday's clash at Chelsea, has been in talks with Schalke frontman Kevin Kuranyi but is keen to hold on to Jones, too.

Bruce said: 'Everybody's got their price, whether you're Steven Gerrard or Cristiano Ronaldo, and if something out there blows your brains.

'But with no disrespect to Stoke or Birmingham, can they afford him? I very much doubt it. It's not just the fee but wages, all the rest of it. I just can't see it.

'On his day, you can look at Kenwyne and say he's worth £40m, then on another day you'll think, "Come on". That's Kenwyne.

'He tests your skills as a manager. He's a big, genuine, nice lad. It's always the challenge - to get the best out of him.'

Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink lined up to replace Ciro Ferrara at Juve

Russia national coach Guus Hiddink is being lined up to replace struggling Juventus boss Ciro Ferrara.

The former Chelsea manager is among a number of managers the Italian club want to speak to following their 3-0 home loss at the hands of a David Beckham inspired AC Milan on Sunday.

Hiddink is the front-runner for the post and is ready to discuss his future after returning from a winter vacation in Kenya.

One of the lads: Guus Hiddink led Chelsea to FA Cup glory last season

The 63-year-old is considering whether to stay on as Russia boss for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, while he has also been linked with a return to Chelsea as technical director.

The humiliating loss to AC Milan was Juventus third defeat in four games and leaves them 12 points behind pacesetters Inter Milan.

Fans in Turin showed their displeasure by lighting a fire in stands which stayed ablaze through most of the second half.

But Ferrara said: 'I don't feel as though my job is at risk. I am instead very focused on what we must do in order to change this negative trend.

'I will accept any decision but as I have said before and I reiterate, I will not leave this ship. It's a very difficult time for us.'

Juventus have given away nine goals in their last four games and former defender Ferrara understands the fans' frustration.

He added: 'It is us that have to change things around although right now, we are all hit by sadness.
'I just want to recreate the spirit that there was at the start of the season.'

Italy boss Marcello Lippi, who has denied he plans to return to the club in an executive role after the World Cup, said: 'They're dealing with several injuries but they're also going through a moment of psychological insecurity.

'I don't know the necessary measures that need to be taken but there are people within the club up to that task.'

 

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba maintains the African Nations Cup must continue

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba maintains the African Nations Cup must continue, even though the machine gun attack on the Togo team bus has left everyone 'shattered'.

Togo's Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo has denied the country want to re-enter the tournament in Angola, having pulled out after three members of the group were left dead last Friday.

Concerns have been raised over the safety of the team's remaining, many of whom have top European stars in their squad.

But Drogba remained defiant and appeared in the Ivory Coast's opening rubber against Burkina Faso on Monday.

He said: 'We are ready, but the events of Friday have left us shattered. I have spoken with (Togo and Manchester City striker) Emmanuel Adebayor and it was a difficult situation for them.

'We have to show solidarity with them, though, and support the decision they have taken.

'We are all sad to see them leave the biggest competition for African players, but that is life.'

BREAKING NEWS! Emmanuel Adebayor abandon's African Cup of Nations

Manchester City claim Emmanuel Adebayor has left the African Cup of Nations, although his Togo side have not officially pulled out.

Togo's federation said it will consult with players before deciding whether to quit the African Nations Cup tournament after their bus was attacked in Angola, its head of communications told Reuters.

But the players appeared set on leaving, and City announced that Adebayor had already left Angola.

The team's spokesman and an assistant coach died on Saturday after being wounded in Friday's attack on the team bus in the Cabinda region of host Angola. The driver was also killed.

Messan Attelou said the officials from the Togolese delegation were heading to the team hotel.

"We are going now to see and talk to the players and then make a decision," he said.

But Manchester City said Adebayor "is on his way back from Angola".

"The lines of communication between the club and Emmanuel have been open all day, we have spoken to his advisers and his girlfriend and he is coming home," City spokesman Simon Heggie said.

And Moustapha Salifou, who plays for the Premier League club Aston Villa, was quoted as saying on his club's website that "We all want to go home to Togo".

"We must wait, however, so that we can speak to our federation president and some people from CAF and let them know that we don't want to play," he said.

"No one wants to play. We just want to go home ... We can't play in these circumstances and we want to leave for home today."

Latest Update on African Cup of Nations: Tournament 'will go ahead' despite Togo shooting

The African Cup of Nations will go ahead despite an attack by gunmen on the bus carrying the Togo team as the players entered the host country Angola for the tournament, the organisers CAF said.

"Our first priority is the safety of the players but the tournament will go ahead," CAF spokesman Suleimanu Habubu said in Luanda.

A bus driver was killed in the gun attack on Friday shortly after the Togo team crossed the border into the Cabinda enclave, where they are due to play their first group match on Monday.

Two players were injured in the attack along with a further seven team officials, Angolan government officials said. The Togo team were seeking to return home after the attack.

"I don't know even if we will play (in) the Cup," Togo midfielder Thomas Dossevi told Radio Monte Carlo.

The separatist group the Front for the Liberation of Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened two days before the start of the Jan. 10-31 tournament.

Separatists have been seeking independence for the oil-rich territory, which lies to the north of Angola but is separated from the country by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CAF said high-ranking officials would fly to the area on Saturday.

"We want to know the full facts which we don't have as yet. We cannot offer a reaction yet to the media before we have assessed the situation," Habubu said.

He told Reuters Togo had failed to communicate their travel plans. The team had been preparing for the tournament in Ponte Noire in Congo, some 150km north of Cabinda.

The team crossed by bus into Cabinda after which their convoy came under fire. Midfielder Thomas Dossevi told French radio the attack had lasted some 15 minutes.

Cabinda, which has a newly-built stadium with a 30,000-seater capacity for the tournament, is also scheduled to host matches involving Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

Players due to play in the opening Group B games on Monday include Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Michael Essien.

Togo's African Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor was not injured, his club Manchester City said on Friday, but reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale and defender Serge Akakpo were wounded in the attack, Togo officials confirmed.

The stadium in Cabinda was one of four new venues built for the 16-team tournament, which starts in Luanda on Sunday.

Angola is recovering from decades of civil war and has limited infrastructure, which is being severely stretched by the number of visitors for the three-week event.

Togo team should not have taken bus says local officials

Togo's national soccer team was told not to travel by bus to the Angolan province of Cabinda, a soccer official said on Saturday, a day after gunmen ambushed the players as they drove to the African Nations Cup.

The attack, which killed the bus driver and wounded nine people, including two players, came five months before neighbouring South Africa hosts the World Cup, the first African nation to hold the world's biggest single sport event.

Virgilio Santos, an official with African Nations Cup local organizing committee COCAN, told weekly sports newspaper A Bola no team should have travelled by bus through Angola.

"We asked that all delegations inform us when they would arrive and provide the passport number of their players. Togo was the only team not to respond and did not inform COCAN it was coming by bus," Santos told the newspaper.

"The rules are clear: no team should travel by bus. I don't know what led them to do this."

Former Togo coach Otto Pfister said the assault would cast a shadow over the World Cup in South Africa.

"This is a real blow for Africa. It will obviously be linked directly with the World Cup now," he told German sports news agency SID. "And it will give the critics a boost."

Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who was on the bus but escaped unharmed, said his team might quit the African Nations Cup, which was due to open on Sunday and in which some of soccer's most valuable stars were due to play.

A shaken Adebayor, who joined Manchester City for a reported 25 million pounds ($40 million) last year, agreed the attack hurt Africa's image.

"We keep repeating (that) Africa, we have to change our image if we want to be respected and unfortunately that is not happening," Adebayor told the BBC World Service.

"A lot of players want to leave. They have seen death and want to go back to their families," he said.

AMBUSH

Cabinda, the target of attacks by separatist rebels even after Angola's 27-year civil war ended in 2002, is responsible for half of the daily oil production in Angola, which rivals Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer.

The Togo team bus, travelling from its training ground in the Republic of Congo, had just entered the enclave when it came under heavy gunfire.

A crisis meeting is expected to take place in the Angolan capital Luanda between local officials and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over tournament security measures.

Any fallout from the attack will be watched closely by South Africa, which has spent at least 13 billion rand ($1.7 billion) on new stadiums and infrastructures for the upcoming Cup.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma will attend Sunday's opening ceremony as planned despite the attack, his spokesman said on Saturday.

CAF has said the tournament, which ends on January 31, would go ahead and the Angolan government said late on Friday all teams would still take part.

There has been no official suggestion matches will be pulled from Cabinda, wedged between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo and one of four provinces chosen to host matches.

Three other teams -- Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana -- were due to play in the area.

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), which has fought for the independence of the province, claimed responsibility for the attack.

FLEC was not thought to be a serious risk. In December, Angolan minister without portfolio Antonio Bento Bembe, a former FLEC fighter, said the group no longer existed.

He said all that remained of FLEC was a few individuals who were trying to attract unhappy Cabindans with false statements.

Death toll grows in Togo gun attack

Two members of Togo's national team delegation have died following an ambush on the team's bus as it travelled to the African Cup of Nations in Angola.

Friday's attack, in which the driver was also killed and seven others were injured, took place in Cabinda, a province where guerrillas have fought a secession campaign for decades.

"We lost the assistant coach and the press officer," said Messan Attelou, chief spokesman for Togo's federation.

He said Togo had not yet decided whether to pull out of the tournament.

"We are going now to see and talk to the players and then make a decision whether or not we take part in the competition," he told Reuters at Cabinda airport.

Togolese officials named the dead men as media officer Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Amalete Abalo, and said reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale had been evacuated to Johannesburg for medical treatment.

The attack came five months before neighbouring South Africa hosts the World Cup, the first African nation to hold the world's biggest single sport event.

Virgilio Santos, an official with the African Cup of Nations local organising committee COCAN, said teams had been told explicitly not to travel to the tournament by road.

"We asked that all delegations inform us when they would arrive and provide the passport number of their players," he told the sports weekly A Bola.

"Togo was the only team not to respond and did not inform COCAN it was coming by bus ... The rules are clear: No team should travel by bus. I don't know what led them to do this."

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda claimed responsibility for the attack.

A shaken Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who escaped the attack unharmed, said his team might quit the Cup, which is due to open on Sunday and feature some of the world's most valuable players.

Adebayor, who joined Manchester City for £25 million last year, said the attack would hurt the image of Africa as a whole.

"We keep repeating (that) - Africa, we have to change our image if we want to be respected - and unfortunately that is not happening," Adebayor told the BBC World Service.

"A lot of players want to leave. They have seen death and want to go back to their families."

Cabinda, the scene of attacks by separatists even after Angola's 27-year civil war ended in 2002, is responsible for half of oil production in Angola, which rivals Nigeria as Africa's biggest producer.

The Togo team bus, travelling from its training ground in the Republic of Congo, had just entered the enclave, geographically cut off from the rest of Angola, when it came under heavy gunfire.

A crisis meeting was expected to take place in the Angolan capital Luanda between local officials and the Confederation of African Football over tournament security.

Former Togo coach Otto Pfister said the assault would cast a shadow over the World Cup.

"This is a real blow for Africa. It will obviously be linked directly with the World Cup now," he told the German sports news agency SID.

"And it will give the critics a boost."

South Africa has spent at least 13 billion rand (£1.2bn) on new stadiums and infrastructure for the World Cup.

Rich Mkhondo, chief spokesman for the World Cup organising committee, said the attack had no relevance to the World Cup.

"We remain confident that everyone coming to South Africa will have a safe and secure experience in our country," he said.

South African President Jacob Zuma will attend Sunday's opening ceremony despite the attack, his spokesman said.

CAF has said the Nations Cup, which ends on January 31, will go ahead and the Angolan government said all teams would still take part.

There has been no official suggestion that matches will be pulled from Cabinda, wedged between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo and due to host seven matches.

The first games in Cabinda are due to be played on Monday, with Togo taking on Ghana and Ivory Coast facing Burkina Faso.

Ivory Coast general manager Kaba Kone said: "We have not considered leaving the tournament. Organisers and CAF must improve safety. The party is not ruined, we can still have a great party if safety is guaranteed. We did not come here to play with death but to play football."

The FLEC was not thought to be a serious risk in Cabinda, despite claiming to have kidnapped a Chinese oil worker and killed government soldiers last year.

In December, Angolan minister without portfolio Antonio Bento Bembe, a former FLEC leader, dismissed the claims and said the group no longer existed.

Drogba Wins BBC African Player of the year

Didier Drogba has been voted BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2009.

The forward beat Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien, Samuel Eto'o, Yaya Touré and Tresor Mputu Mabi to the title, which was voted for by fans around the world on the corporation's website.

It has been a year of vintage Drogba, bouncing back from injury to score regularly under Guus Hiddink, netting in the FA Cup Final before shooting the Blues to the top of the Premier League in the latter half of the year.

In addition, the 31-year-old earned qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup with Ivory Coast, as well as raising money for a hospital in his home city of Abidjan with the Didier Drogba Foundation.

Joe Cole 'must do better', says Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti

It is almost a year since Joe Cole ruptured cruciate knee ligaments at Southend and Carlo Ancelotti chose to mark the anniversary with a kick up the backside for his gifted midfielder yesterday.
Asked to assess Cole's form, Ancelotti was brutally frank. 'He could do better,' said the Italian. 'He has some very important appointments this year. The World Cup is important. To play well for Chelsea is important. The World Cup is a good motivation because Capello will look at his performances.'

Kick up the backside: Joe Cole could do better says Chelsea boss

Fabio Capello has not selected Cole for an England squad since his return in September after nine months out. Time is running out and Cole admits his form has blown hot and cold since injury.
In an exclusive Sportsmail interview last month, he confessed to feeling under pressure to be Chelsea's best player and their creative force in his new role at the tip of a midfield diamond.
'He has a good mental attitude and he is in good physical condition,' said Ancelotti. 'But it is confidence.'
Cole is 28 and out of contract at the end of the season. Were he so inclined, he could sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club today and leave on a lucrative free transfer in the summer. There would be no shortage of takers for a player of his talent, even if his form is patchy.
Chelsea have played a dangerous game with him. John Terry, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, John Mikel Obi and Alex have all extended their contracts this season. Talks with Cole's agents were opened in the summer of 2008 but pushed back and then put on hold when he was injured.
The club and Cole insist there is no cause for alarm. Negotiations are back on and Ancelotti expects the midfielder, signed for £6.6million from West Ham in 2003, to extend his career at Stamford Bridge into next season.
'Joe wants to stay and we want to keep him. He is an important player, not only for the squad but for the fans,' said Ancelotti.

Emmanuel Adebayor reveals his Togo team-mates want to quit Africa Cup of nations after terror bus attack

Emmanuel Adebayor admitted a lot of his Togo team-mates wanted to quit the African Nations Cup at the earliest opportunity following the attack on their team bus in Angola in which two players were shot and their bus driver was killed outright.

The Manchester City striker, who revealed the terrifying attack en route to the team's base in the Cabinda province lasted 30 minutes, will convene a team meeting as captain at which the squad will discuss whether they stay in Angola or return to their clubs.

Terror ordeal: Adebayor escaped unhurt from the Togo team bus attack in Africa

'I think a lot of players want to leave, I don't think they want to be at this tournament any more because they have seen their death already,' he told BBC Radio 5Live.
'Most of the players want to go back to their family. No-one can sleep after what they have seen today. They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything.
'So we will have a good meeting tonight, everyone will go to their room, they will rest and we will see tomorrow morning we will make a decision which is good for our life.'
Adebayor added: "We are still in shock. If the security is not sure then we will be leaving tomorrow. I don't think they will be ready to give their life.

We will discuss everything as a team and we will take a decision that we think
is good for our career, is good for our life and good for our family.'

Dynamo Moscow signs Liverpool flop Andriy Voronin in a £1.8m deal

Dynamo Moscow have completed the £1.8million signing of Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin.
Snow prevented the 30-year-old flying to the Russian capital earlier this week, but Dynamo have finalised the deal before their first team head for a winter training camp in Belek, Turkey, on Sunday.

On his way: Andriy Voronin

CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg also enquired about the Ukraine international, but Dynamo made the strongest offer as they seek to fill the void left by Russia striker Alexander Kerzhakov, who is set for a return to Zenit.
Voronin has sought help from Everton's summer Russian recruit Diniyar Bilyaletdinov as he hunts for a new home.
Bilyaletdinov, who left Lokomotiv Moscow for Merseyside in August, put his Merseyside rival in touch with a estate agent.
Both Dynamo and Voronin have been coy on the impending transfer, with the club's sporting director Konstantin Sarsania only revealing they were about to sign a 'foreign striker'.

Voronin said: 'I've had some very good offers and everything will be determined soon.'
The Anfield flop, who has scored six goals in 33 appearances since joining Liverpool on a free transfer two-and-a-half years ago, also hit back at critics who say he has wasted his talent.
'With regard to the strange comments about my footballing achievements, I prefer to answer that on the pitch,' he said.
'Perhaps to coaches who have won world championships and European Cups, my successes seem insignificant, but I want to believe that there are things still to achieve in football and I hope I will prove it with my new club.'

Vieira Signs For City

Patrick Vieira has set his sights on another Premier League title after sealing his shock switch to Manchester City.

The Arsenal legend signed a six-month contract with the option of a further year after leaving Inter Milan.
The 33-year-old midfielder has arrived at Eastlands to boost City's push for the Champions League and his own claims for a place in the France squad for the World Cup.

Patrick Vieira poses with the Manchester City shirt

But Vieira, who won three titles with Arsenal, believes he can add another crown at Eastlands.
'The squad is packed full of quality that is why I believe the ambition should be high,'
he said. At Arsenal one year we won the title from 15 points behind at Christmas. Everything is possible.
'I came back to England because I think City is really exciting club with big ambition,” he went on. I still have dreams in football and one of them is to come back to the Premier League and win something.
'We can achieve something really special here. I want to convince the City board and the City players and fans that I didn’t come here just to spend six months.

Reunion: Vieira poses with City boss Roberto Mancini

'I have come here to give something to the club. I believe that I still have a lot to give and I believe the team is strong enough to win trophies.
'I'm really delighted, really happy, really proud to be back. City are a really ambitious club. I am very confident, I believe in myself. I know I am not 20, but I am not 40-45. Overall I am really motivated. I know I can give something to this club and hopefully we will be successful this year.'
City boss Roberto Mancini, who managed Vieira at the San Siro, told the club's official website: 'Patrick is a world-class midfielder with a winner’s mentality and will fit into this group very well.
'Patrick is one of the great players of his era with every almost every honour in the game against his name. I am sure City fans will welcome him warmly and appreciate the contribution he will make.'

Vieira made 279 appearances for Arsenal, winning three League titles, four FA Cups and captaining the 'Invincibles' side of 2003-04.
He enjoyed success with Juventus and Inter and has won the World Cup and European Championships during his 107 caps for the French team.
Earlier this week, Vieira said: 'I wanted to go to the World Cup and I need playing time. I have objectives and I can't achieve them by staying at Inter where I am not part of the coach's choice.

'What's important for me is to go to Manchester City, to show the coach that I am the same as I was during the period when he was at Inter. All this will help me get into the France team.'

After a mixed spell at AC Milan, Vieira joined Arsenal in 1996 and went on to become a pivotal figure in north London.

He moved to Juventus in 2005, spending one season at the Bianconeri during which time the club claimed the Scudetto before being stripped of the crown due to the match-fixing scandal and consequently relegated to Serie B.

Owen Coyle confirmed as Bolton manager

Bolton have finally confirmed the appointment of Owen Coyle as their new manager.

The former Wanderers striker has been on the verge of succeeding Gary Megson all week and was officially announced as the club's new manager this evening.

Coyle will take immediate charge of the team, although with this weekend's clash against Sunderland postponed, his first match will be the Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal a week on Sunday.

Coyle told the club's website: 'I'm absolutely delighted to be back at Bolton Wanderers. I look forward to the opportunity of bringing the good times back to the club for everyone.'

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside said: 'Owen was our number one target and we are naturally delighted that he has returned to the football club as manager.

'He was an inspirational player who leads by example and a great motivator and, on behalf of everyone at Bolton Wanderers, I would like to say welcome home.'

Coyle, who has reportedly signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, has a bedding-in period with the trip to Wearside off due to the ongoing bad weather.

The delay in confirming his appointment was largely due to Bolton's ongoing negotiations in thrashing out a compensation deal with Coyle's former club Burnley.

Caretaker boss Chris Evans had been preparing for Saturday's game before it was abandoned.

Earlier this week Scot Coyle made it clear to Burnley he wanted to make the move and reiterated his desire despite Burnley's reluctance to lose him.

Coyle led Burnley into the top flight for the first time in 33 years after moving from St Johnstone in November 2007, but believes Bolton is a better option.

Burnley graciously thanked Coyle for his achievements after confirming that a compensation package had been agreed with Bolton.

'The officials of Burnley Football Club would like to place on record their thanks to Owen for his services to the club and contribution to our success,' read a statement on the club's website.

Ballack wants stability at Chelsea

Michael Ballack claims Roman Abramovich's managerial chopping and changing at Chelsea has caused disruption at Stamford Bridge and stopped the players from concentrating on winning trophies.

The outspoken German midfielder, 33, has seen four managers come and go during his three-and-a-half years at Chelsea including Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink, who joined the West Londoners as temporary boss last season.

Carlo Ancelotti is now in charge at Chelsea and Ballack has called on the club's Russian billionaire owner Abramovich not to make the Italian another managerial casualty.

Ballack insists Chelsea need stability now and believes Ancelotti is the man to help them start winning 'big prizes' once again.

The Blues are of top the Barclays Premier League, into the last 16 of the Champions League and are still in the FA Cup - a trophy they won under Hiddink last season.

And Ballack said: 'I'm part of a team that is ready to start winning the big prizes again and it feels like we now have a manager who will bring stability to the club.

'We have had too many coaches during my time at Chelsea and that is not a good
idea if you want success.

'Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari all came and went before Guus Hiddink had some time with us last season, but it feels like Carlo is here to stay and that has to be good news.

'This team has connected with Ancelotti and all the players believe he is a man who can work for us, which is a tribute to him because he has come into a dressing room full of highly experienced players who all have their own opinions and beliefs.'

Ballack also defended goalkeeper Petr Cech who came under fire for not taking charge of his area during Chelsea's recent dip in form in December which saw them concede several goals from set-pieces.

'We need to work on areas of our team and set-plays are something we have to give a lot of attention to,' said Ballack.

'Defending free-kicks and corners is a team effort and not just down to the defenders and Petr Cech.

'The best teams win as a group and that is the idea Ancelotti promotes in this team.

'The fact that we are top of the Premier League and still talking about areas to improve means we are a team with amazing potential and this is why I'm convinced we can look forward to the second half of the season.'

Arsenal insist captain Cesc Fabregas is NOT leaving for Real Madrid

Arsenal have moved to quash fresh speculation linking their captain Cesc Fabregas with a move back to his homeland with either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Reports in Spain on Thursday suggested Madrid had spoken to manager Arsene Wenger about a deal to sign the 22-year-old midfielder, with Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain acting as a possible makeweight.

However, the Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis laughed off the claims, drawing on the players own recent declaration of intent to remain in north London.
'No one from any club has approached us about Cesc Fabregas,' Gazidis told The Times newspaper. 'Cesc has continually said — and I don’t think he could say it more clearly — that he’s focused on Arsenal.

Loyal: Fabregas has always stated his desire to remain in north London

'He’s a very important part of our team, so there’s no thought about him going anywhere. I’m reluctant to talk about hypotheticals, but this club will not transfer any player unless it wants to.'
Fabregas is in his eighth year at Arsenal, having been poached from the Barcelona youth set-up as a 16-year-old. He was handed the captain's armband last season and has become one of world football's most sought after stars.
His former club have been vocal in their desire to bring him 'home' but Fabregas himself has remained loyal to the club gave him his chance.

'I have a cool head, I am very happy at Arsenal and in England there is still a lot for me to do,' he told Spanish newspaper Marca a fortnight ago. 'That is all I can say to you. I am not thinking about anything else.
'I am very content and have a long path to cover in the Premier League.

'Since the summer there has been talk about (bids from Real or Barcelona) and the only thing I am doing is thinking about my club, Arsenal, and seeing how I can help my team-mates.'
Wenger, too, has grown frustrated at the noises coming from the Nou Camp but after 13-years at Arsenal, the Frenchman has become accustomed to the transfer tittle-tattle that surrounds his best players.
The Frenchman's own future is also becoming a bit of buzzword around The Emirates. Wenger was 60 in November and is approaching the final 18-months of a contract he signed in 2007.

Gazidis, though, in unconcerned. The South African remains confident Wenger's ambition burns as fiercely as ever, suggesting the Frenchman could continue at the helm beyond his old adversary, Sir Alex Ferguson.

There’s a huge amount of ambition left in Arsene and a huge amount of vision and legacy that has yet to be achieved,' Gazidis said.

'I’m hesitant to talk about a time after Arsene because he’s in great health and I hope he will keep going longer than Sir Alex Ferguson.

'We are very relaxed about Arsene’s contract. 'At the right time we and Arsene will talk about extending that.

'Typically with Arsene those discussions happen towards the end of the contract period. But we’re extraordinarily happy with him.

'But at the same time we have to be aware that the club is bigger than anybody — any owner, which is why I talk about the self-sustaining model, and any individual — and that some day, which I believe will be a long time from now, Arsene is going to say, ‘I’ve done enough, I want to spend some time with my family,’ or whatever it is that he decides.

'The club needs to be prepared to continue the traditions that he has built.

'I’m conscious, and Arsene is conscious, that what he has created here needs to continue after him, so it’s imperative that we take those values, that vision, that legacy, and institutionalise it and take it forward.

'Arsene will be a big part of that when the time comes.'

Liverpool are confident of seeing off fierce competition for Marouane Chamakh and agreeing a deal to sign him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Bordeaux's Morocco striker has confided to friends that he sees his future in England, when his contract runs out in the summer, and talks have already taken place over making Anfield his new home.

Arsenal have been tracking him for months and Tottenham are also keen, while Sportsmail understands Chelsea are also attracted to the idea of expanding their attacking options without paying a fee after relying heavily on Didier Drogba in recent seasons.

                      Anfield bound: Chamakh

Last month, Chamakh reiterated his desire to see out the season with Ligue 1 leaders - and current champions - Bordeaux.
But the 25-year-old will leave the Stade Chaban Delmas on a free at the end of the season, with Arsene Wenger perpetually linked with a move to the Emirates as a potential replacement for the injured Robin van Persie.
Chamakh has not been short in coming forward, telling the Moroccan media of his various suitors.
'My agent has been contacted by Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton, Chelsea and Sunderland in the Premier League along with other clubs like Sevilla, Inter and Juventus.

'However, we do not have a concrete offer on the table at the moment and it is still a bit soon for such things.
When the season ends, I will meet with my agent and we will evaluate all of the offers and decide what is the best for me from a footballing point of view. The economics are not the only important thing for me.'
Despite being highly rated, Chamakh has rarely showed signs of becoming a prolific goalscorer.
After previously failing to register more than 10 goals in a season, Chamakh hit 14 league goals in 34 last season, but has returned just six in 19 Ligue 1 outings this campaign.

Neville is NOT retiring insists Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson

Blast: Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson dismissed as 'a load of nonsense' reports that Gary Neville will retire at the end of the season.
Neville celebrates his 35th birthday next month but the passage of time appears to be catching up with the Manchester United skipper.

The last three seasons have been punctuated by injury and a disappointing performance in Sunday's FA Cup defeat to League One Leeds United led to talk that Neville has decided to call it a day.
It would be a seminal moment, given it would represent the first time a member of that famous 'Class of 92' had called time on their career.
The Sun reported earlier in the week that Neville was due to retire, but Ferguson denied such a decision had been taken.
And while Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are committing themselves to the Red Devils for another year, Neville's future will be determined in the summer.
'There has not been a decision about Gary Neville,' said Ferguson.
'Why make a decision about his future when we don't need to? You don't make decisions like that in the middle of the season.
'It is a load of nonsense.'

Andrea Dossena Leaves Liverpool for Napoli

Napoli today confirmed the signing of defender Andrea Dossena from Liverpool on
a four-year deal.

The Italy international has long been linked with a return to his homeland, with Napoli narrowly missing out in the summer.
Reports suggest the Partenopei have paid Liverpool around five million euros for Dossena - around £4.5m.

Andrea Dossena (right) struggled at Liverpool

Napoli confirmed the deal on their website, announcing that Dossena will remain
at the Stadio San Paolo until 2014.
'I am happy to be able to wear the Napoli shirt,' said Dossena. 'I have chosen a place of great prestige with big plans.
'I can't wait for the time to play at the San Paolo in front of an extraordinary public.'
Dossena could make his debut on Sunday at home to Sampdoria.
The 28-year-old has long been linked with a move away from Anfield, having failed to live up to his £7million price tag since moving to Liverpool from Udinese in 2008.

Sir Alex Ferguson reveals Vidic will be sidelined for 10 days

Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Nemanja Vidic will be sidelined for a further 10 days after tweaking a nerve in his leg, finally casting some light on the defender's previously unexplained absence from Manchester United's last FA Cup exit against Leeds last weekend.

Serbian Vidic had been named on the teamsheet to face the League One club but pulled out during the warm up. Speaking after the shock defeat, Ferguson was at a loss to explain the 11th-hour withdrawl of his centre-back.

There followed a period of intense discussion about the 28-year-old's future, with speculation about a move to Real Madrid only diffused when Vidic claimed he had a 'marvellous relationship' with his boss.

Ferguson has now clarified the situation, and confirmed Vidic will miss tomorrow's trip to Birmingham, plus next Saturday's encounter with Burnley.

'He felt a bit of a problem with the right side of his leg and didn't feel confident about playing the game,' said the United boss. 'I understand that because it was quite painful.

'We sent him to a specialist on Wednesday and the problem will be solved by some exercises we are going to have to give him now.

'He should be back in about 10 days' time.'

Rumours about 28-year-old Vidic have been rife this season with many suggesting his family had failed to settle in Manchester. The sunnier climbs of Spain have been touted as a possible destination.

Arsenal's Clash with Bolton Postponed

Arsenal's clash with Bolton tonight is off as the snow snatched another victim in the football fixture list.

The match became the latest sporting fixture to fall foul of the severe wintry weather affecting the UK after an assessment of the ground and surrounding areas this afternoon.

The pitch at the Emirates Stadium was playable but, as with both of this week's Carling Cup semi-finals, there were safety issues affecting fans and concerns over transport.

Snow joke: Helpers to remove the covering outside the Emirates

Arsenal had an FA Cup tie against Cardiff called off in similar circumstances last February.
A club statement read: 'Despite making every effort to stage tonight's match
against Bolton Wanderers, the sudden and unpredicted adverse change in weather
conditions in the Highbury area has left us no choice but to postpone the
fixture.
'We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and wish to state that this decision was not made lightly and supporters' safety and travel arrangements were major factors in our thinking.

'The club will announce the revised date for this match in due course and all tickets currently held will be valid for the rearranged fixture.'
The Carling Cup semi-finals between both Manchester clubs, and Blackburn and Aston Villa, were called off yesterday.

Chelsea and Manchester City target Franck Ribery hints at new Bayern Munich deal

Franck Ribery has not ruled out committing himself to a new contract with Bayern Munich, although he wants his future decided before the World Cup.  
The France international is currently tied to the Bundesliga club until 2011 and negotiations over an extension are due to take place in the near future.  
Bayern's president Uli Hoeness has already admitted that Ribery may have to be sold next summer if he does not sign a new contract since he would be available for free 12 months later and Bayern 'cannot afford to throw 50 to 60 million euros away'.  

Injured star: Franck Ribery watches his team-mates train in Dubai

Chelsea, Man City and Real Madrid are all interested in the winger, but they may have to wait after the player hinted that a move in the summer is not such a foregone conclusion.  

'The decision is up to me,' he said at Bayern's winter training camp in Dubai today

'It is possible that I extend my contract. Why not?  

'There will definitely be talks with me and my agent and FC Bayern. I think everything will be sorted before the World Cup.'
Ribery missed much of the first half of the season due to a succession of injuries and his luck has not turned in 2010 either as he needed to remove an accumulation of blood from both of his big toes after his first workout of the year.  

He is still a doubt for Bayern's first match of the new year against Hoffenheim a week on Friday, but he is itching to get back onto the field. 

'I hope to be back in the squad to face Hoffenheim and obviously I hope to play too," he said.  

'I have been thinking a lot about the second half of the season because it is going to be very important for me and the club. 

'Therefore, I hope I soon get better. I am not in my best form at the moment because I cannot really train. 

'I feel good at times, and then bad again. I just hope I can recover soon.'

Arsene Wenger: The Premier League title race has just begun

Every year used to start this way for Arsene Wenger, jostling for position at the top of the Barclays Premier League and indulging in mind games with his managerial rivals.

The Arsenal manager admits the title race starts here and is happy to be in the thick of it, with Arsenal set to ease past Manchester United and within a point of leaders Chelsea if they can beat Bolton at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

The next four months will be as much a test of nerve as quality, according to the Frenchman, who has faith in his young team to upset the powerful modern duopoly of United and Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger knows it's time for Arsenal to take their title aspirations seriously

'One month ago, we were far from the top but we have created momentum and we have got to keep it going,' said Wenger.
'It is a good opportunity to come back close to Chelsea and we want to take it, to make it more interesting for everybody.
'I believe we can cope, especially with the players coming back from injuries. Let us be consistent, and then we'll see. We're on a good run. Let us test the resistance of other teams by producing good performances.

'The race starts after Christmas. I don't think nerves play a big part in December but they play a big part in March and April.'

Wenger predicts that the Premier League will be won by a team earning 78-83 points from their 38 games and challenged his players to repeat their first half of the season.

'We have played 19 and have 41 points and if you multiply that by two it's 82 points,' said Wenger.

'Chelsea have played 20 games and have 45 points. The champions will be around there - 82, 83, 84 - but we all have to play each other again. Nobody will run away with it and get 19 wins. There are six of seven teams who could play in the top four and they all play each other. That means everybody will drop points.'

Arsenal were widely written off after a 3-0 thrashing at home by Chelsea at the end of November but have recovered by taking 16 points from six games at a time when their rivals started to wobble.

'It was up to us to get back in the race by being consistent rather than speaking about the title,' said Wenger.

'I was convinced they would drop points, but not so quickly. What was more important was how we responded to the huge disappointment we had on the day.

'We refused to give up and continued to fight. We believed in our strengths. It was down to us to come back into a better mathematical situation and now we have to keep up the momentum.'

Wenger's half-time outburst at Liverpool, which inspired a comeback to win 2-1, has been cited as a turning point by players but the manager said: 'What happened was more down to the quality and mental strength of the players than my team talk.

'They have learned they can change things if they believe they can and it happened again on Sunday at West Ham.

'The biggest test was about mental strength and the solidarity of the players. The second thing was that the other teams dropped points in unexpected ways.

'We know it can go the other way as well but what we have realised in one month gives us a good springboard to go further. Why should we stop here?

'We have great hunger. That doesn't mean that Chelsea and Manchester United have no hunger but you need hunger to be successful.

'We have great solidarity and the team spirit of a side who have grown up together. We have not won anything yet and that makes us hungry.'
Denilson returns for Arsenal on Wednesday night after a back problem and Cesc Fabregas and Gael Clichy are expected back in full training next week. But the Arsenal manager was more cautious on the fitness of Nicklas Bendtner following a hernia operation.

Bendtner's condition will be the key to whether the club chase another striker in January.

Wenger said: 'If he is out for two months, we will need someone, absolutely. He will come back on Friday and then we will assess the situation.'

Bendtner has not played since the win against Tottenham in October, and Robin van Persie is out until May with an ankle injury.

Arsenal's return to title contention may nudge Wenger towards spending money to avoid regrets at the end of the season but his principles remain.

'It is my responsibility to spend the money in the right way,' he said.

'Why should I splash it out and pay 10 for a player who is worth five? You look at the financial situations of many clubs in England and it is because when the income was one they spent two.'

Nemanja Vidic refutes rift claims with Sir Alex

Nemanja Vidic insists he has a 'marvellous understanding' with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Vidic has once again been linked with a big-money move away from Old Trafford in recent days, speculation that was fuelled by his strange withdrawal from Sunday's FA Cup defeat by Leeds moments before kick-off.
At the time, Ferguson could not shed any light on what had caused Vidic's absence, which suggested a breakdown in communication between the pair.
It has now been established Vidic tweaked a nerve in his leg that was causing him enough discomfort to warrant him standing down from the side and Wes Brown stepping in to take his place.

And, aware his name is once again being mentioned with a move away from United, Vidic is eager to play down reports of a rift with Ferguson.
'Everybody in the club knows that I have a marvellous understanding with my coach Ferguson,' Vidic told Sportski zurnal.
'Ferguson said that he didn't talk with the club doctor but he didn't say that he doesn't believe in my injuries and that we are in a fight.
'I am not unhappy at Old Trafford. I am just injured. I hope that I will be able to play as soon as possible.
'The doctors told me that I will not be able to play for the next seven or 10 days so I don't think that I will play against Birmingham City on Saturday but I should be okay after that.'
Although it is claimed Vidic's wife Ana is not happy with life in England, the Serbia star has always appeared content and, if there is a problem, it is more likely to be caused by a desire for his salary to match some of the Red Devils' top earners, an argument that would appear pretty solid given his status as one of the Premier League's best defenders and current United player of the year.
Ferguson does not appear to have an issue with a player signed for what now
constitutes a bargain £7million from Spartak Moscow four years ago.

Ivory Coast accuse Chelsea of treating striker Didier Drogba like a 'machine'

Key man: Didier Drogba is the Ivory Coast's talisman

Ivory Coast boss Vahid Halilhodzic claims Chelsea are running Didier Drogba into the ground and told them to stop using the striker like a 'machine'.
Halilhodzic is concerned at his key player's fitness ahead of the Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations opener against Burkina Faso.
The tournament favourties are furious that Drogba has played nine games in five weeks for Chelsea.
Halilhodzic fears the rest of his players will arrive in Angola later this week already shattered by club football as well.

'We are worried for all our players’ fitness in the squad, especially players like Drogba, who are always involved in so many matches,' said Halilhodzic.
'It is unrealistic for a player to play two matches in three days. That kind of fixture list is too demanding for key players like Drogba.

'Ten days ago I went to England to discuss it with Didier because I did not want this to continue happening to him. He is a human being, not a machine.'

That said, Halilhodzic played Drogba, Manchester City's Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue of Arsenal played in a warm-up against Tanzania on Monday.

Fernando Torres working extra hours to stay fit

Fernando Torres is working overtime to make sure he is fit enough to carry on playing for Liverpool.

The Spain striker, who has been troubled by a groin problem this season, played his fourth consecutive game in Saturday’s FA Cup draw at Reading, his best run of the season.
Torres said: ‘I am good now. Much better than a couple of months ago. I need to keep working three, four or five hours more than the rest of the squad because I need to keep recovering for the rest of the season.

Working extra hours

‘It’s a difficult time but it’s worth it if I want to play. I do the normal training session but before and after I have to do treatment, exercises and gym work to make my leg strong enough.
'We are doing a good job and I’m feeling nothing bad in my leg. I have been able to play 90 minutes in the last four games so I’m really happy with the progression.
‘Maybe I’ll have to do this all season because I know in this situation Liverpool need every player fit.’

Red hot: Liverpool are on the verge of completing a deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez

Torres, 25, who joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid for £21million in 2007, admitted that he has had more fitness problems over the last 18 months that at any time in his career.
‘It’s frustrating because I’ve never been injured before,’ he said.
Liverpool look set to sign Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez on loan from Atletico Madrid and sell Andrea Dossena to Nnapoli for £4m and Andriy Voronin to Dinamo Moscow for £1.5m.

Fernando Torres working extra hours to stay fit

Fernando Torres is working overtime to make sure he is fit enough to carry on playing for Liverpool.

The Spain striker, who has been troubled by a groin problem this season, played his fourth consecutive game in Saturday’s FA Cup draw at Reading, his best run of the season.
Torres said: ‘I am good now. Much better than a couple of months ago. I need to keep working three, four or five hours more than the rest of the squad because I need to keep recovering for the rest of the season.

Working extra hours

‘It’s a difficult time but it’s worth it if I want to play. I do the normal training session but before and after I have to do treatment, exercises and gym work to make my leg strong enough.
'We are doing a good job and I’m feeling nothing bad in my leg. I have been able to play 90 minutes in the last four games so I’m really happy with the progression.
‘Maybe I’ll have to do this all season because I know in this situation Liverpool need every player fit.’

Red hot: Liverpool are on the verge of completing a deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez

Torres, 25, who joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid for £21million in 2007, admitted that he has had more fitness problems over the last 18 months that at any time in his career.
‘It’s frustrating because I’ve never been injured before,’ he said.
Liverpool look set to sign Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez on loan from Atletico Madrid and sell Andrea Dossena to Nnapoli for £4m and Andriy Voronin to Dinamo Moscow for £1.5m.

Manchester City's reveal staggering financial figures ...£92.6m

Manchester City always knew that keeping up with the neighbours was going to be a lengthy process. It has also turned out to be a very expensive one.
Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final meeting with Manchester United may have been lost to the weather but the release of City’s yearly financial figures — that came peculiarly late last night — underlined how far they have to go if they want to take their rivals’ Barclays Premier League crown.
City were bought by the Sheik Mansour's Abu Dhabi investment company in August 2008 and have subsequently spent more than £200m on players in a bid to break into the Premier League’s top four.

High-price of success: Players like British transfer record Robinho (left) and Shaun Wright-Phillips have driven Man City's financial figures down

With their revenue streams not greatly different from previous years — City have not yet had the benefit of Champions League income to bolster their finances — the world’s richest football club lost £92.6m for the financial year ending May 31, 2009.
The previous year the club had lost £32.6m and it is not difficult to work out what happened in the interim.
Operating expenses increased from £83.9m to £121.2m in a year when turnover only went up by six per cent from £82.3m to £87m. Match attendances remained virtually unchanged.
The sheik has also transformed the club's £305m debt into equity, in a move similar to the one pulled off by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich last month.

Money-man: Sheikh Mansur bin Zayed is the man behind the spending

It is clear the purchases Robinho (£160,000 a week in wages and a £30m transfer fee), Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nigel de Jong, Craig Bellamy and Shay Given have left a huge hole in the Sheik’s pocket.
The club attributed this to increased spending on players and wages.
Chief financial officer Graham Wallace said: ‘We’ve always said this transformation will take a number of years. These figures reflect that.’
All of this is to be expected.
The Sheik bought City as a ‘private equity play’ (in other words as a toy) when bailing out his associate Thaksin Shinawatra and success was never going to come cheap.
What is clear, though, is that managers such as Roberto Mancini and whoever follows him — and then him... and then him — will be under ever increasing pressure to provide a return. In trophies, if not capital.

If and when City qualify for the Champions League, City fans can expect the situation to ease.
But with Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Roque Santa Cruz all being bought after the cut-off date of May 31, it can be assumed that next year’s figures will be just as eye-opening.
With City taking the decision to stop leasing their Eastlands stadium for concerts and other events — and with average attendances holding at around 42,000 — the club’s revenues has not greatly increased.
City stressed the figures were entirely what they expected. In keeping with their extravagant wealth, they are watchful if relatively phlegmatic.

 

Alberto Aquilani is just like Xabi Alonso, claims Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard claims £20 million Alberto Aquilani is just like departed midfield lynchpin Xabi Alonso.

The Italy international has failed to hit the heights manager Rafa Benitez had hoped since his arrival from Roma - but the opening months of the midfielder's tenure at Anfield has been blighted by an ankle injury.
Aquilani was hailed as Alonso's replacement after the Spaniard completed a summer switch to Real Madrid.

                                 Real deal: Alberto Aquilani

And despite the 25-year-old's slow start to his Anfield career, Gerrard says he has already seen enough from Aquilani to suggest he can replace Alonso.
He said: 'It’s going to take Alberto a while to get up to speed, with his injury problems, but the boy is a player, there’s no two ways about it.
'He sees a pass, he’s on the same wavelength and he can dictate the tempo of a game. I don’t want to tempt fate, but he’s very similar to Xabi.'
Aquilani needs to find his feet as quickly as possible with Liverpool facing an almighty battle to ensure they make a top-four spot this season.
The Reds have endured a disastrous campaign to date after their early exit from the Champions League and their below par Premier League performances that have killed their title hopes for another season.
And Gerrard told Zoo magazine that his side have not been good enough this season.

                                    Scathing: Steven Gerrard

He said: 'People have said our position is puzzling after last season's success. It’s not puzzling at all.
'The table never lies - we haven't been good enough,' Gerrard explained.
'We are in this position for a reason and it tells us that we really haven’t been good enough - and the players have to take responsibility for that.
'All us Liverpool players have got to look at our league position, roll our sleeves up and get this football club back where it belongs – as far up the table as possible.
'It has been hard to take this season. We’re all very disappointed with the way things have gone, especially after finishing second last campaign.
'There was a big belief we could go all the way. But now is not the time for hiding. We have to look at ourselves and put it right.
'We must aim for the top four - and that is something big to play for still. It’s a priority now, as it always is at this club – for financial reasons and because all top players want to play in the Champions League, me included.
'I still think we can turn the corner. As captain, I’ve got to make sure that happens. It’s fine looking at why it’s happening, but we need to put it right on the pitch.'

Fran Merida will join Atletico Madrid this summer

Arsenal are worried that they will lose Fran Merida at the end of the season with Atletico Madrid keen to lure him back to his native Spain.

The 19-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Barcelona in 2007, is out of contract in June and Atletico are set to offer him a pre-contract agreement which he would be allowed to sign now under FIFA’s post-Bosman regulations.
Arsenal are powerless to stop the Spain Under 21 midfielder from leaving in the summer but they are still entitled to a transfer fee from his new club as he is under 23 years old.

On his way: Fran Merida (right) is walking out on Arsenal

‘I fear the worst but I don’t know,’ said manager Arsene Wenger.

‘We made him an offer but he could never finalise it for different reasons. He is at the stage where he wants to play and he needs to play. I don’t know if he has signed somewhere else. I am a bit disappointed if he has.’

Merida started Sunday’s FA Cup tie at West Ham but has not started a Premier League game.

Laurent Blanc denies he is set to replace Sir Alex Ferguson

Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc has rubbished speculation linking him with a sensational return to Old Trafford.

Reports suggest the former France international is being lined up to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as the Manchester United boss. While there are also suggestions that he could replace the unpopular Raymond Domenech as the French national coach.
But Blanc, who guided Bordeaux to the French league title last season, and the latter stages of the Champions League this campaign, denies United have been knocking on his door.

Staying put: Laurent Blanc dismisses reports he is poised to replace Ferguson

'I signed a contract with Bordeaux for two more years so there is no urgency regarding my future," Blanc told Europe 1.  

'I have not received any approaches either from the [France] federation or from abroad. 

United old-boy: Laurent Blanc spent two seasons at Old Trafford

'Just because I have strong links with Ferguson he's not going to come up to me and say "Hey, here you go Laurent, I've saved the place for you".' 

This season marks Blanc's third as a manager, after seeing out his playing days at Old Trafford.

In his first campaign he steered Bordeaux to second spot in Ligue 1 before finally ending Lyon's stranglehold on the French title last year. 

Blanc claims that, while he would be delighted to be offered the France job, he could very well turn it down.

'It would please me, that's obvious,' he added.

'But I could also refuse it. Contractually I'm not free. Don't forget I have an employer. But if they offer it to me, I would think about it of course.

'But the problem they will have is with dates. The World Cup final is on July 11, unless they take a coach who's free, everyone else will be right in the middle of preparing for the new season and I don't see a coach giving all that up. For me anyway it would be difficult.'