In Steve Clarke we trust.

It’s the end of June, the players are due to report back for pre season today and normal service will soon be resumed.

Yet Kilmarnock FC have no new faces in the dressing room as of yet and some of our fans are starting to worry.

Motherwell, Dundee, Rangers and Hearts have been the busiest teams in the league so far. Signing players from all over, A League, Premiership, Swiss League even dropping down to the 5th and 6th tier of English football.

Other than some of the names Rangers have signed – I just want to put it out there that they are signing real quality, the rest don’t bother me. Levein is signing anyone and everyone. 36 year old strikers to Czech reserve keepers, Motherwell are signing League 2 and below players from down south with Dundee following suit.

Now this doesn’t mean that Hearts or Motherwell will have a bad season, far from it but people are getting worried that we aren’t competing and bringing in new faces. SSC I’m sure will have targets lined up and I’m sure we will see at least 1 or 2 players announced before the season starts on the 13th July.

We signed the core of our team to new contracts before the season stopped so a majority of the team are currently there. With a few fresh faces then I’m sure we will be challenging top 6 again next year.

Next stop the Premier League?

With the 16/17 season finishing last night after Arsenal’s triumphant FA Cup win against champions Chelsea its now time to look to the future and the opening of the transfer window.

With the rumors in full flow and clubs starting to make early transfer moves i am going to run through a few players who i think will end up in the Premier League next season.

1. Antoine Griezmann

This will be the least surprising name on the list today but the French forward could’t be missed out. He has been linked with a move to Manchester United for the last few months or so and looks odds on to be the next superstar to join Mourinho at United.

With his £85m buy out clause and the club now qualified for the Champions League it now just seems like a matter of time before the club announce the transfer.

 

In 53 games over 3 competitions this season he has scored 26 times and created 12 goals for his teammates. With question marks hanging over  Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s head about his long term United future i certainly feel this is an easy move for both club and player and could take the club back to possible title glory and take the player to that next level.

2. Tiemoue Bakayoko

Keeping the theme with French players and another one on the move this transfer window is Bakayoko. He has been one of the standout performers for a Ligue 1 winning Monaco side over the last year and a number of high profile clubs have been linked with a move for the defensive midfielder.

Will cost clubs around about 35m which in my eyes is a bargain. He impressed myself in the 2 games against Manchester City in the Champions League game with his all round play and how well he kept to his defensive duties. Doesn’t score a lot of goals with only 3 goals all season but that’s not what your buying the guy for.

Rumors are that Chelsea and Manchester United are sniffing around the player with many media outlets putting Chelsea in the driving seat to seal the deal and create a partnership with N’Golo Kante in the heart of their midfield next season. Watch out Nemanja Matic.

3.  Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang

This name is one that i hope will happen but in actual fact its unlikely it will. The striker from Gabon has made a reputation for himself to be one of the best strikers in the world over the last 4 years or so at Borussia Dortmund. In the past season alone he has played in 46 games and has scored 40 goals. That is some return and most clubs could only wish their strikers could give them so many goals.

This is why i would be surprised to see him join a Premiership club. As i say all clubs need a goalscorer and when one becomes available then they are in high demand.  After winning the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday, scoring the winning goal many outlets are reporting that he has since handed in a transfer request.

Real Madrid, PSG,  AC Milan, Manchester City and most recently Liverpool have been linked with a £85 million move for the striker. For me i think a move to Madrid is the most likely for the player but the draw to work for Guardiola and old gaffer Klopp alongside the money he could make in the Premier League might be factors that come into the decision if or when he decides to move on. Will be an interesting one to watch.

4. Henry Onyekuru

This 19 year old kid who plays in the Belgian League for K.A.S Eupen has came out the blue over the last few weeks.

Various scouts have been looking at the player on the back of an incredible 16/17 season in which he gave his club a return of 24 goals and 14 assists. This has made the player a subject of interest for Celtic, Brighton, Swansea, Arsenal, Red Bull Leipzig and Monaco to name a few who are all interested in the Nigerian who has a £6.8 millon buy out clause.

 

Many clubs will be creating a bidding war for the player over the coming weeks with many hoping he will prove to be the next Christian Benteke if he decides to ply his trade in the Premier League.

5. Bernando Silva

Yes i know that this transfer has already been confirmed but it is hard not to mention him.

What a signal of intent by Manchester City and Pep Guardiola to get this caliber of player tied down this early in the post season. The 22 year old Portuguese winger has joined City for a rumored  £43 million. His return of 10 goals and 10 assists for Monaco last season alongside a string of exciting performances for the French side had caught the attention of many of the big clubs in Europe.

Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid were all linked with the player and rumor has it that Lionel Messi is furious at his club for missing the signing of the player as he seen Silva as the ready made replacement for Andres Iniesta. Now that is some compliment to have and makes the signing much sweeter for Manchester City.

Will be interesting to see where Silva fits in with the array of attacking talent on offer at the Etihad. I suppose it is a positive problem to have and us as fans will have the delight of watching it unfold.

 

So there we have it lads, 5 players who are more than likely going to be ripping up the Premier League next season. If you agree or disagree give me a wee tweet at @f11blog and let me know your opinions.

 

Hope you enjoy this post and i will be returning with another in the coming days.

 

Until next time lads,

Derek

 

FIFA 17- Career Mode

With career mode you either hate it or love it, people say they can’t choose a team to go, get bored after the transfer window is shut or generally prefer online play. For me it’s the complete opposite. I used to love playing ultimate team and building a squad to try and win online but it’s now boring with the same teams you play game in game out. 

There is nothing better than choosing a club in Career mode and the  deciding to play for a few seasons with an end goal in sight and today i am going to talk a little about what i like to do and what i enjoy in this game type. 
1. Road to glory

The underdog, the wee team who have never had a chance at glory or a fallen giant who is now in the lower leagues. This is the career choice where your in it for the long haul. Wheeling and dealing to get you through the leagues, starting at the bottom and to try and get into the top divison in your chosen country. Examples of teams to do this would be a Portsmouth, Blackpool and maybe a Bolton/Charlton type team too. 4-5 seasons your in this for.

2. Fallen Giants.

I mentioned in the road to glory about bringing a team back to the top of the divison but in a lower league, this mode takes it up a notch. This mode is about bringing back a former team who have fell away in recent years back to their former glory. Your talking the likes of Leeds, Rangers, Liverpool and maybe even Manchester United type teams to play . A matter of either stripping back the team and transferring in the players you would like for quick success or trying to build with the players given to you at the start of the season. A fun and interesting way to play with rewarding end results.

3. Moneybags

This is your one season wonders. The big dogs. The teams you go to buy any player you want given the budget you have and you should romp the league. Likes of your Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, PSG type sides with a huge transfer budget allowing you to do what you want.

4. All around the world.

Lastly this is a mode i like to try but i don’t really do well in. Trying to hop between country to country doing well and trying to win trophies. Easier said than done. I feel i am lucky enough to get a move abroad if i start with an English team but when i get the chance and move i rarely get the chance of going to another good team in a different country. Usually offered relegation candidates only. If you get the luck this mode could be unreal and entertaining. If not your stuck with a couple of good seasons and looking to start again.

So there you have it. Something new from me and a different take on FIFA 17 career mode. Hope you enjoyed it and let me know your career mode storys!

Until next time lads!

Southampton V Inter Milan. Europa League 16

Incredible night for all involved at Southampton football club. 6 year’s ago playing in League one to now playing a glamour clash against Italian giants Inter Milan. 

Yes Inter are far from the team they were under Jose Mourinho but that treble winning side was out of this world but this team can cause some problems. Miranda, Candreva, Medel and Icardi are the standouts for me. 

I hope the Southampton players rise to the occasion and their fans get to see a great game and come away with the match with a smile of their face after a home win.

Talking Points – Premier League 28/8/16

First and foremost it is good to be back. After about 3 weeks away due to work, holidays and basically not having time to write i am back with my views on a few points that have been happening recently in the Premier League.

The first point i want to talk about is the ongoing Joe Hart saga. This has been dragging on for a couple weeks now. With Claudio Bravo joining Manchester City midweek for £15 millon and Hart having his farewell game in the Champions League Qualifier at the Ethiad on Wednesday, the stage is set for the Englishman to leave the club. Hart has been linked with a number of clubs in his domestic league and abroad with the likes of Everton, Liverpool, Sevilla and Borrussia Dortmund all being mentioned to be interested in the keeper. With a couple of clubs already stating they are not interested in the move and Hart saying he is not looking to move abroad , i feel he is going to struggle to get a move and might be left to stay at City until the January window if not longer.

Next up is Arsenal and with imminent incoming moves for Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez expected to be confirmed in the next few days it looks like Arsene Wenger is finally making some much needed signings. An overdue move for a centre back and striker which a majority of Arsenal fans have been calling out for since day 1 of the transfer window. I feel that the moves themselves have been made too late and for me i feel the players are not the 1st choice targets for the club, more like 3rd and 4th after missing out on other targets. Will be interesting to see how the fans take to the players and how they perform in the Arsenal shirt.

Last topic for this post is Manchester United and more so Marcus Rashford. After yesterdays late win against Hull a couple topics of conversation have cropped up which i am going to touch on. First off is that Rashford has to start next game alongside his fellow substitute last night in Henrikh Mkhitarayan. Both players came on for 20 and 30 minute cameos and change the dimension of the game. Rashford was willing to run at defenders and always was looking to make opportunities on the pitch. Mkhitarayan was the creative spark that the midfield was lacking and brought that flair to the game and done more than Juan Mata who for me has disappointed this season. Mata and Martial have to be dropped next game with the two super subs starting for Utd. Last point for the post is that last nights game was like a step back in time watching Utd. Constantly pressing for the winner and scoring in additional time. Feel we will see that a lot this season from this Mourinho side.

 

So there we have it. My first post in a few weeks and my views on a few talking points this week.

Hope you enjoyed the post and check back for future blogs.

Derek

Premier League Predictions – 2/2

You have seen my preview about what i think the teams will perform like this year now its on to the players.

I’m going to be discussing a variation of topics about who i think will be doing well for the coming year.

Player of the year – Paul Pogba

Yes this might of been expected but i feel this guy is going to tear the league up. Once he finds his feet and starts to get to know his new teammates i think they will be no stopping this man.  As i have said previously this guy has it all and with Mourinho at the helm big things will be expected.

Young player of the year – Alex Iwobi 

The young Arsenal forward is going to make a name for himself this year after showing glimpses of what he could do last season. With 13 appearances and 2 goals last year in the league and an outing at the Nou Camp in the Champions League , this boy can only get better this coming year. I expect the 20 year old to improve and show what he can do when given the chance and to cement his place in the starting 11.

Top Scorer – Romelu Lukaku 

Lukaku is going to one of the hottest strikers on the planet next year. In a poor Everton side he scored 17 goals which was a club best return in the Premier League era. I expect him to easily get past the 20 goal target and to get the Golden boot.

So there it is my short post about who i feel will do well come the end of the season.

Let me know what you think and what your predictions are.

Let’s see how if they are correct at the end of the year.

Until next time

Derek

Premier League Predictions – 1/2

So it’s nearly upon us the start of the new Premier League season.

Today I’m going to run through my predictions for the coming season and to preview what i think will happen.

Champions – Manchester United

This might be a controversial choice but i feel that Utd have a manager in Mourinho who has done it all before. He has the experience and knowledge about the league and knows what it takes to win the title. Along with the signings he has made in Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Mkhitarayan and Bailly, these players will add that bit of quality to a promising side. Won’t be an easy ride but think they will win the league. Just.

Top 4 – Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea 

Guardiola will just miss out on glory in his first season in the English game. Yes his signings have been impressive but i feel they won’t be enough to take this team to a title win. Guardiola will need time to adjust to the league as well and given the injury problems to key men Aguero and Kompany it won’t be an easy ride for the boy’s in blue. Liverpool under Klopp will be a force this season. After having a full pre season with his players i think it’s now time for them to push on. Showed signs of promise last year and i feel they will do well this season. Chelsea with Conte is a hard one. I feel if they can replicate the way they were playing come the end of last season and take Conte’s style of play under their belts then they could be in with a shout of a Champions League finish. If they don’t it could be a long hard season for the team.

Relegation – Hull, Burnley and West Brom

All three of these teams have just not made enough quality signings to give themselves a chance of staying in the league. Simple as that. Hull has brought in no new players, no permanent manager and a owner who has caused problems since day one with the club. This only means one thing. Goodbye Hull. I like Burnley. I like their manager in Sean Dyche but i feel they just don’t have enough quality on the field to get enough wins which ultimately grants survival in this league. Andre Gray is the only chance they have of staying up. If he is scoring, well they could have a fight on their hands. West Brom is a choice i couldn’t decide on. The thing is Pulis usually guarantees you survival and has shown that in his history in the league but something just tells me that with the ongoing Saido Berahino saga dragging on and with no real moves being made to get new players in, it could be a long season for the team.

Surprise team of the season  – Everton

It was either going to be West Ham or Everton that was my choice here but i have went for the Merseyside team. With Ronald Koeman coming in to replace Martinez as manager, the club has made a big statement of where they are looking to go this coming year. Giving the new owners at the club and the sale of John Stones it means there is money to spend at Everton. If Koeman continues to spend the cash well and can get Lukaku, Barkley and Deulofeu playing again, i predict good things for the club with a top eight finish and a cup run.

So there you have it my first out of two post’s today previewing the new season.

Join me later for my player preview. Hope you enjoyed the post and let me know if you agree with my predictions.

Until next time

Derek

Manchester City – 2 birds 1 Stones

Another move that has been dragging on the length of the summer is John Stones. With rumours going around since the season ended about a move for the young centre back yesterday the £47.5 millon transfer to Manchester City from Everton was finalised.

For me my opinion of Stones is split. On one hand he has the potential to be a commanding centre back who could play for his club and country for the majority of the next decade. He has shown a glimpse of this potential over the last 3 years with Everton. On the other hand he has shown in case’s to be defensively frail at the back, to make silly mistakes and was dropped from a very poor Everton team in the second half of last season but he is young and still learning the game and these mistakes at times are expected.

Regardless of what happened last season or what your opinion of the player is, his manager is the one who wants this player in his team. Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he wanted to bring Stones in. He is a Guardiola type player who likes to play out from the back and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. He will take Stones under his wing and hope to replicate the work he did with Pique, Mascherano and Boateng at his previous clubs and make the Englishman one of the best defenders around.

With Stones eager to make the move to the blue side of Manchester and Guardiola hoping he has finally found a quality centreback who fits the mould of his type of player  and let’s not forget to partner Vincent Kompany at the heart of his team, this could be the start of something special. 

I just hope the price tag doesn’t effect the player and the media don’t hype the boy up too much and just let him play his game and continue to learn and improve.

We will find out how all this plays out in the coming months when the Premier League is back up and running. Will be intresting to see how it unfolds.

Enjoy the post guys

Derek

Paul Pogba – The move we have all been waiting for!

It has been one of the most highly anticipated transfer sagas in recent memory but the transfer of Paul Pogba has been completed.

#POGBACK is all i have seen on Twitter all day. A lot of fans are happy with the 23 year olds move to Manchester Utd from Italian giants Juventus for a fee making him the most expensive player ever at a cost of £90 millon.

Yes the fee is high. Yes it is a lot of money for a player the team let go for next to nothing four years ago but i think this will prove to be the signing that wins Manchester United the Premier League next year. He likes to score goals, can play as a defensive or attacking midfielder, loves a tackle and he knows the club. He is not a new foreign player who is walking into the unknown. This will be like returning home for the Frenchman. His potential is unreal and yes he is not at the level of your Ronaldo or Messi yet but he could get there in years to come.

With a number of good players around him and with a manager in Mourinho who trusts him the sky is the limit. I know the season hasn’t started and we have yet to see Pogba play in a Utd shirt for the second time at the club but on paper the potential for this player and his teammates is unreal and will be a joy to watch their season unfold in the coming months.

Before i sign off this post i just want to touch on the Addias promo video with Grime Star Stormzy giving a freestyle rap with Pogba dancing and rapping along in the background. This all but confirmed the move before the official statement from the clubs. Personally think this is one of the best ways to confirm a move i have ever seen.

PogBOOM is coming to Old Trafford.@paulpogba: Welcome home to @ManUtd.#FirstNeverFollowshttps://t.co/UKrEgp7Mcy

— adidasfootball (@adidasfootball) August 8, 2016

So there you have it my view on Pogba and his move back to Manchester United. I hope that the player fufills his potential at the club and proves to be a successful signing as that will only be good for Utd and the Premier League.  Time will tell with that one.

Hope you all enjoyed the post and be sure to check back with more posts this week previewing the Premier League season.

Derek

Chinese Super League – An insight

Not many people know much about this new emerging league in Asia. High money transfers, international coaches managing the teams and tv deals to broadcast the games worldwide.

Today i am going to give you a run down of all things about the CSL.

Players

The number of high profile players plying their trade in China has increased dramatically over the last few months. Players from all corners of the world have moved for mega money deals with the £45 millon move for Brazilian star Hulk moving to Shanghai SIPG being the standout. Joining Hulk at SIPG is former Sunderland player Asamoah Gyan who is making £227,000 a week. Frighting figures.  Also playing in Shanghai for Greenland Shenua is 3 players that we should all recognise with Demba Ba, Fredy Guarin and Obafemi Martins.  The number of Brazilian players in China are the highest i think they have been in a long while with names like Ramires, Alex Teixeria,Paulinho and Jo all made the move to clubs like Jiangsu Suning and Guangzhou Evergrande. Colombian Jackson Martinez transferred from Spanish giants Athletico Madrid to also join Guangzhou this year for a fee of  just below £40 millon. Other well know names in the league are Graziano Pelle, Stephane Mbia, Gervinho, Papiss Cisse and Ezequiel Lavezzi. Lavezzi being the arguably the most high profile player who currently plays in the league after joining from PSG.

Coaches

High profile players is not the only thing China can attract with quality managers from across the globe now working in the country. Biggest name currently in the league is World Cup winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari who is at Guangzhou Evergrade. The move has been a success as after winning the Super league and the AFC Champions League in 2015 and also adding the Chinese FA Super Cup to the trophy cabinet in 2016, Guangzhou are currently sitting 10 points clear at the top of the table are on course to win the league again. Scolari’s main rival in the league is Swede and former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.  Having been manager at Shanghai SIPG since 2014 and signed the international star Hulk this season he will be hoping to equal the second place finish achieved in 2015. Other notable coaches are Felix Magath who is now at Shandong Luneng Taishan and former Everton midfielder Li Tie at Hebei China Fortune. Previous coaches in the country included World Cup winners Marcello Lippi and Fabio Cannavaro at Guangzhou Evergrade, Jean Tigana and Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Greenland and Dan Petrescu at Jiangsu Suning.

 

CSL – What next?

What is in store next for the League? Can the amount of spending be continued year after year and will the quality of player being attracted get higher with the increased wages that can be offered. Players could go over play for a year, make millions and experience a different culture and league and then come home and continue to play in their respective league. I would certainly do that if i was a player. Coaches will be attracted for the same reason. To try something new and experience managing in a new league. I think we will start to see even more players and managers to go over in the coming seasons and i think it won’t be long till we see a top quality British player to make the move to Asia.

Well there you have it. An insight to the Chinese Super League and i hope you now know a few of the players and managers who are over there.

I hope you all enjoyed the post.Let me know if you would like more of these kinda topics.

Until next time

Derek