Football News: Review Of The Day 7th April 2018

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Review of the Day

Transfers

Stevenage have confirmed that they are closing in on a deal to sell their England under-19 defender Ben Wilmot in the summer. Despite the youngster being unable to actually move anywhere until the summer window, he has been left out of their squad for the weekend. Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace said: "We have made public our valuation and the closer we are getting to that the more likely it is that Ben will move. We have had interest from Premier League and Championship clubs, which is not surprising when Ben is recognised by England as being one of the top four centre-halves at his age level, with the other three coming from Man City, Chelsea and Spurs."

Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Royal Antwerp have released Senegalese defender Moustapha Sall.

Warnock Shows His 'Class' In Defeat

Neil 'Colin' Warnock has once more shown what kind of man he is after his Cardiff City lost to Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 last night, despite the referee giving them two stoppage time penalties. Warnock, who has been heard screaming at his players to 'break their f**king legs' when his team was losing heavily, and is best remembered by older Wolves fans for the time he sent his Notts County players out with instructions to try and break Wolves legend's Steve Bull's leg, has accused Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo of showing a lack of class. At the end of the match Santo ran onto the pitch to celebrate with his players, rather than shaking Warnock's hand, leading to Warnock refusing to shake his hand later while telling him repeatedly (and a number of the Wolves players and coaching staff) to 'f**k off' when Santo tried to do so. Despite Santo publicly apolosing on TV as well, Warnock was anything but graceful in defeat saying: "I don't accept it at all. I don't give a toss what he says. They've had a great win and I thought it showed a lack of class. I went to shake his hand and he ran off. If that's how they're taught in Portugal then fair enough, but not in Britain. I don't want to speak to him. He can say anything after the game - I'm talking about when the whistle goes, what he should do, the etiquette, the manners, the class. They've won the game for god's sake. They should shake your hand and say unlucky or something, not run off like that and rub your noses in it. A disgrace." Perhaps class would be to verbally abuse officials and accuse them of being the opposition's best player during a match, as Warnock was caught on camera doing while being filmed for a documentary? Or wearing a Sheffield United tie for an interview just before the Bury side you are currently managing is set to face them?

Pep Says Man City Were Offered Pogba And Mkhitaryan In January

Following reports being floated around that super agent Mino Raiola had called Pep Guardiola a 'a coward' and a 'dog' for the way he treats people, Guardiola was asked about it in his pre-match press conference. Guardiola said: "Two months ago he offered me Mkhitaryan and Pogba to play with us. Comparing [me to] a dog is bad - it's not good. He has to respect the dogs." Raiola denied speaking to Pep about the pair, but did not deny that they were offered to Manchester City, just saying: "I never spoke to Pep Guardiola. I would not speak to him about players; I would speak to Manchester City. They are a fantastic club with a fantastic manager." Henrikh Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal during the January transfer window, while Paul Pogba has been out of favour since then....

Dyche Backs Andre Gray To Come Good

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, who was previously player, youth coach, assistant manager and manager at Watford, has backed his former player Andre Gray to refind his form with the Hornets. Gray was sold by Dyche to Watford in the summer and Dyche said: "I know what he did for us and he was fantastic for us. I think he's a very good player. Hopefully over time he'll show that down there, and I believe he will. I just hope he doesn't show it on Saturday. It would be fantastic if he could save it up for another day."

New Deals

League One side AFC Wimbledon have announced that their 17 year old Nigerian defender Osaze 'The Destroyer' Urhoghide has signed his first professional deal. The youngster has made the bench for the EFL Trophy game against Yeovil Town earlier in the season, but has yet to make a first team appearance. He told the Dons official website: "I am so happy about it. Ever since I was young this is what I wanted to do. When I was at school I would say, 'I want to be a footballer'. Now the day has come. I know there is a lot more to do and it gets harder, but I'm really happy that this day has come. I look up to Anthony (Hartigan) because he has earned first-team opportunities and he's taken them. If I do what he has done then hopefully I can get a first-team opportunity and take it."

Another defender, this time not a teenager in 30 year old Genseric Kusunga, has signed a new deal. SPFL side Dundee have announced that the Angola international, who was contract until the end of this season, will now be staying with them for next season as well.

Also in Scotland, yet another defender agrees a contract as Paul Hanlon puts pen to paper on a four year deal with Hibernian of the SPFL. Hibs manager Neil Lennon said: "I think Paul is getting better, he has just extended his contract so we are delighted. He's hardly put a foot wrong this season, he's played so well. He's a modern centre-half, he is comfortable on the ball, quick, and he heads the ball in both boxes so I am delighted with him. Paul Hanlon, like Lewis [Stevenson, who makes his 400th appearance for the club today] has been a fantastic servant to their club and in the past couple of years they have got what they deserved. They have won the Scottish Cup and are back in the premier league and you can see that they are revelling in being back and the connection between them and the supporters is fantastic."

Written by Tris Burke April 07 2018 07:22:17