SOCCER DIGEST: SPURSHarry Redknapp insists there will be no mass exodus of Tottenham's stars this summer even if they fail to secure Champions League football.
Gareth Bale has said he will consider his future at Spurs if they are not in Europe's top club competition next season, with Barcelona set to be lining up a bid, but Redknapp insists the Welshman, and other stars like Luka Modric, will remain at White Hart Lane regardless of whether they qualify or not.
"That idea gets a bit over-hyped," Redknapp said.
"When they [Bale and Modric] came to Tottenham, they weren't in the Champions League. When Luka Modric came here they were nowhere near.
"He didn't come here because they were in the Champions League, he came here because they were a good club, he was on decent money and had a chance to play in the Premier League.
"Are you telling me people aren't going to sign for Chelsea next year if they don't win the Champions League? Of course they will. If they are paid the right money and get the right contract, they are going to a fantastic club in London."
Fenway make more changes at Anfield
LIVERPOOLThe ruthlessness of Liverpool's owners continues. Dissatisfied with the return on a €150 million investment in new players, Fenway Sports Group last month made Damien Comolli pay the price for paying ludicrous prices.
The club’s head of sports science was shown the door, too. On Thursday night it was the turn of Liverpool’s long-serving head of communications, Ian Cotton, following a season of public relations blunders for which the owners must share responsibility.
Their assessment of “the bigger picture”, as Kenny Dalglish calls it, may determine if the Liverpool manager is next.
All that can be said for certain on Dalglish’s position ahead of Liverpool’s final game of the season at Swansea City is that uncertainty surrounds it.
And should John W Henry and Tom Werner, principal owner and chairman respectively, decide their overhaul extends to the manager’s chair then the end will be swift.
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Smalling ruled out of Euro 2012 with 'bad' groin injury
MAN UTDManchester United and England defender Chris Smalling will miss Euro 2012 with a groin injury.
United manager Alex Ferguson confirmed the news yesterday after Smalling suffered the injury during last week’s Premier League victory over Swansea at Old Trafford.
“Chris has suffered a bad injury,” said Ferguson. “It is a groin muscle injury and he will miss the European Championships. We are assessing what to do at the moment but it is a bad injury.”
In other bad news for new England manager Roy Hodgson Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has cast doubt on midfielder Scott Parker’s participation in the Championships due to an on-going Achilles injury.
Di Matteo will give Luiz and Cahill every chance to make it
CHELSEARoberto Di Matteo is to scout Bayern Munich in person by attending their German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund in Berlin this evening as his preparations for the Champions League final next week gather pace.
Chelsea’s interim first-team coach will select a weakened team for tomorrow’s visit of Blackburn Rovers, with his focus now on the showpiece at the Allianz Arena. Neither Gary Cahill nor David Luiz will play as they continue their rehabilitation from hamstring injuries.
With Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry suspended for the final Luiz seems the likelier to be passed fit to face Bayern.
“Neither David nor Gary will be available against Blackburn but we’re trying our hardest towards next Saturday in Munich in the hope they’ll be in training next week,” said Di Matteo.
The Italian refused to be drawn on how fit each would have to be for him to risk them, saying: “I have next week to make those assessments, to see what level they reach.”
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Moyes to discuss his Everton future
EVERTONDavid Moyes will discuss his Everton future with the chairman, Bill Kenwright, within the next fortnight as he looks for assurances that funds required to move the club forward will be forthcoming.
The Everton manager enters the final 12 months of his contract at the end of this season, having been linked with a possible exit from Goodison Park after 10 years.
Moyes wants evidence Everton can compete in the transfer market, before committing to a new deal. “We didn’t need a great deal of money to change things around in January. With £5 million we got Darron Gibson and Nikica Jelavic, and we also got Pienaar and Landon [Donovan] in on loan. Without an awful lot we gave ourselves a fighting chance. We don’t need an awful lot. I just need to know there is a chink of light.”
WOLVESyesterday confirmed the appointment of 44-year-old Norwegian Stale Solbakken as their new manager.
Solbakken has an impressive pedigree although his copybook was blotted last month when sacked by Cologne, who were then third from bottom of the Bundesliga.
