friday's gossip includes west ham

[cockney hammer]

evening standard

Tony Carr calls for rule change to ensure young stars get their chance to shine


Tony Carr has been producing outstanding young players for West Ham and England for more than three decades but feels he could do even better if the rules were changed.

West Ham have three players in England's Under-21 squad for tomorrow's European Championship qualifier at Wembley against Portugal - defender James Tomkins, midfielder Junior Stanislas and striker Zavon Hines.

All three have been members of West Ham's first team this season and will be nurturing ambitions of following in the footsteps of top English talent who also came through the club's famed academy, including Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick. London clubs, in fact, provide more than half of Stuart Pearce's squad for tomorrow's encounter but Carr is concerned that there is still just not enough local talent to go round.

"Because of restrictions, though, it is becoming more difficult to recruit young local talent," said Carr, West Ham's director of youth development. "Young players between the ages of nine and 12 have to live within an hour's travelling time of their club's training ground and 90 minutes between the ages of 13-16.

"At the moment, we can sign players from other countries during that time. I know, though, that there are moves to ban all international transfers under the age of 18. I understand why the rules were introduced, to avoid youngsters travelling long distances to and from training and to prevent disruption to their schooling, but the regulations should be relaxed. As it is, we could never develop another Michael Carrick or Manchester United another David Beckham.

"Clubs like ours should be able to scout other parts of the country. If a young player in Birmingham, for example, wanted to come to us and we fulfilled strict criteria about education and home life, then I believe he should be allowed to move.

"I know that there is a feeling among some Premier League clubs that the present rules are effectively a restraint of trade."

Chelsea lead the way with four players in Pearce's squad tomorrow, with Daniel Sturridge included plus three more presently on loan at other clubs - defenders Ryan Bertrand at Reading and Michael Mancienne (Wolves), plus midfielder Jack Cork, who is on loan at Coventry.

Other London-based players include goalkeeper Scott Loach (Watford), Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs, Tottenham pair Kyle Naughton and Danny Rose, who is on loan at Peterborough, plus Fulham's Chris Smalling.

There would have been even more London interest had Arsenal pair Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere not been ruled out through injury.

England's Under-21 team are currently in second place in their qualifying group, with two games in hand over early leaders Greece. The finals will be held in Denmark in 2011.
Friday's gossip column



TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City have been told by Benfica that star forward Angel Di Maria will cost them £36m after they made him their top target to replace Brazilian Robinho, who has been linked with Barcelona.
Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool have placed a £14m price tag on midfielder Lucas Leiva after a couple of top European sides inquired about his availability. (Daily Mirror)

Fulham are planning a January swoop for Palermo's Brazilian keeper Rubinho who is rated at around £3m.
Full story: The Sun

Blackburn are considering a £4m bid for AZ Alkmaar's Swedish midfielder Rasmus Elm. (Daily Mirror)

Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in Gillingham striker Simeon Williamson and are preparing a £1.5m bid.
Full story: Daily Mirror

West Brom are set to launch a £2.5m raid on Championship rivals Leicester for striker Matty Fryatt.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Birmingham are tracking Sevilla striker Arouna Kone and Real Betis midfielder Achille Emana.
Full story: Daily Mail


OTHER GOSSIP
The Football Association could face a £900,000 compensation bill from Chelsea after midfielder Frank Lampard suffered a thigh injury while on board a "cramped economy jet".
Full story: The Sun

Manchester United have sent Rio Ferdinand to a see a specialist about his back issues and has been placed on a new course of treatment to spare the defender a significant lay-off.
Full story: The Guardian

Peterborough want Brentford boss Andy Scott to replace former manager Darren Ferguson at the Championship club.
Full story: The Sun

Manchester City forward Robinho is set to anger his club manager Mark Hughes by playing for his national side Brazil against England, despite being out of action with an ankle injury since August.
Full story: The Sun

Liverpool's Fabio Aurelio has been forced to pull out of Brazil's squad to face England and is the Premier League club's latest injury worry. Steven Gerrard, Fernado Torres, Glen Johnson, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are among the other injured first-teamers.
Full story: The Guardian


AND FINALLY
Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage suffered embarrassment after turning up at an airport where his side were due to fly to Amsterdam for a friendly with his wife's passport.


Injured Chelsea star Frank Lampard is set to miss the busy Christmas period, while Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has valued Lucas at £14million.

DAILY MIRROR

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard faces up to eight weeks out with a thigh injury.

Robinho has risked a row with Manchester City by staying with Brazil instead of joining his club team-mates.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants an amazing £14million for Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva - and plans to keep him despite his need to sell players.

Blackburn are eyeing AZ Alkmaar's 21-year-old Sweden midfielder Rasmus Elm.

Darius Vassell is desperate to quit Turkish club Ankaragucu and return to England.

West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo is lining up a £2.5million bid for Leicester striker Matty Fryatt.

Wolves could make a £1.5million offer for Gillingham hitman Simeon Jackson.

THE SUN

Referee Alan Wiley is fuming after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson escaped serious punishment for calling him unfit.

The FA face a £900,000 bill after skimping on an economy jet for England stars.

Robinho has stuck two fingers up at Manchester City by reporting for duty with Brazil for Saturday's clash with England.

Craig Gordon has blasted Jermain Defoe for the reckless challenge that broke the Sunderland goalkeeper's arm.

Manchester United winger Nani has revealed he had two dressing-room bust-ups with Sir Alex Ferguson.

DAILY MAIL

Frank Lampard flew back to London on Thursday night with Chelsea's medical team on alert amid fears he could be out for seven weeks with a torn thigh muscle.

Sir Alex Ferguson came in for scathing criticism from an FA regulatory commission on Thursday after becoming the first manager to receive a touchline ban for comments made to the media.

Fulham may bid for Palermo's 27-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper Rubinho in January.

DAILY STAR

Wayne Rooney has dismissed reports linking him with a stunning £85million move to Barcelona, insisting he wants to stay at Manchester United for life.

Jermain Defoe has vowed to heed the warning of Fabio Capello - and not get sent off in an England shirt.

Brazil will risk a club-versus-country row with Manchester City if they play injury-hit Robinho against England.

DAILY EXPRESS

Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have added to Liverpool's injury woes by being ruled out for up to a month due to hamstring problems.

Wayne Rooney is ready to begin talks on a new contract after expressing his desire to finish his career at Manchester United.

THE TIMES

Lord Triesman, the chairman of England's 2018 World Cup bid, took a hatchet to his rebellious boardroom on Thursday night and brought in two of football's key powerbrokers.

Senior officials at Tottenham Hotspur were unaware that Carlo Cudicini owned a high-performance motorcycle until the goalkeeper came off it on Thursday morning, receiving "possible life-changing" injuries.

THE GUARDIAN

FIFA is preparing to abandon all rules relating to player agents, in a move that could turn the global transfer market into a free for all.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is set to forego an appeal against a two-match touchline ban and £20,000 fine for questioning the fitness of referee Alan Wiley.

DAILY RECORD

Rangers will have to retain the SPL title this season or face a summer of drastic cost-cutting.

Aberdeen defender Richie Foster is set to perform a U-turn and commit his future to the club.



Bad news for Tottenham this morning as the wave over injuries crashing down over the Premier League continues with news that Carlo Cudicini's career is in doubt after the 36-year-old was rushed to hospital following a motorbike accident.

According to the Express the Spurs goalkeeper sustained fractured wrists and damaged his pelvis with police describing the injuries as "possibly life-changing".

As news of the accident became public, manager Harry Redknapp said: “We are all sorry to hear about what happened to Carlo. We are just relieved that the injuries he received were not more serious. Everyone at the club sends their best wishes and we hope he recovers soon.”

The accident also means Spurs may well be able to take action against their keeper whose contract, like all footballers, bans him from doing any activity that could affect his ability to play.

Further injury news this morning sees Carlo Ancelotti facing the prospect of eight weeks without Frank Lampard after the England midfielder hurt his thigh during his first training session while on international duty.

Under the banner "Out of the Blues" the Mirror's Martin Lipton writes: "His condition was immediately diagnosed as serious and medical staff got the midfielder on the first flight home.

Ancelotti will no doubt be fuming that a crucial player in his title bid has been sidelined though the FA made moves to reassure other managers and insisted that there "will be no further call ups" for this weekend’s friendly against Brazil.

To Manchester now and Wayne Rooney has denied reports suggesting he is on the verge of completing an £85 million move to Barcelona and instead revealed he is soon to open talks about a new contract to keep him at Old Trafford.

"Roo: I'll never leave United" reads the Star, which claims that Barca are plotting to lure Rooney away by making him the richest footballer in the world. But it seems money will not turn the former Everton player's loyalties.

Training in Doha with the England squad, Rooney said: “I’m really happy at United and I can’t see myself leaving, unless they say otherwise.

“I’ve still got two years left after this year and I’m sure over the next few months we’ll be negotiating a new deal.”

Not having such a happy time at Old afford at the moment is Sir Alex Ferguson who was yesterday handed a two-match sideline ban following remarks he made about referee Alan Wiley during United's tie with Sunderland last month.

The Scot was also charged £20,000 but his punishment has sparked fury with Wiley who, according to the Sun, is furious the FA did not throw the book at the manager.

Echoing the sentiments of Wiley, former Premier League official Jeff Winter said: "The FA have bottled it. If the Respect campaign was struggling, now it is crumbling.

"Ferguson has got a lot of previous and was on a warning after having a go at Martin Atkinson last season. But the punishment he's been given is very weak. What respect did he show Alan Wiley?

"This decision just sends out the wrong message."

Finally this morning an update on England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Yesterday saw Lord Triesman call an emergency board meeting which culminated in the board being cut from 12 to seven with Geoff Thompson, Triesman's predecessor as Football Association chairman and a Fifa vice-chairman, added and sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe among those dropped.

Speaking to the Times, Triesman said: "These changes send a loud message of an absolute determination to bring the World Cup to England.

"While England are well placed to succeed it will only do so if football, and all those involved in the bid, remain supportive of the campaign and the bid team."

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In other news:

- Robinho looks likely to have caused outrage at Manchester City by reporting for duty with Brazil despite having an ankle injury. (Sun)

- Fulham are being linked with making a January move for 27-year-old goalkeeper Rubinho after the Brazilian has made just six appearances for Palermo since joining in August. (Mail)

- Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has put an astonishing £14 million price tag on Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva despite the club's current financial issues. (Mirror)

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Quote of the day:

"I don't know what's happening. I have been told today that I have to eave the hotel - my heart tells me to stay for the fans but my bags are all packed and I wonder sometimes whether I should go back home." Darius Vassell's future in Turkey looked shaky after his club Ankaragucu run deeper into financial trouble.

[party iron]

Cheers

[Georgee Paris]

Tony Carr should really be given an award - come on Queeny sort it out.

[Mr SouthLondon]

Tony Carr should really be given an award - come on Queeny sort it out.

Tony Carr MBE, pretty unbelievable he aint already.

36mil is reasonable for Di Maria

lool Robinho, this guys too funny