All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers fans are absolutely delighted with an official statement from the club in the aftermath of the Glen Kamara racism row.

The Gers were defeated 2-0 by Czechia champions Slavia Prague at Ibrox on Thursday, with the loss knocking them out of the competition in the process. However, much of the discussion since the final whistle has been about the allegations of racial abuse midfielder Kamara has directed at Ondrej Kudela.

Kamara has since released a statement backing up his claim, while Slavia have moved to vehemently deny the allegations (slavia.cz). Now, the Gers have released a statement of their own. They have reiterated their support for Finland international Kamara, and have demanded action be taken by UEFA.

The Gers shared the statement on their official Twitter account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say about the statement

 “Brilliant statement from our Managing Director. As a supporter, this is the type of strong, resolute statement I wanted to see from my club. Now its over to @UEFAcom but they should be rest assured that we will not let this case of racism be brushed under the carpet.”

Credit: @GrahamDoolan1

“I stand with @GlenKamara4 and all players, staff & management of our club @RangersFC. Excellent statement.”

Credit: @RANGERSTILLIDI7

“Superb statement. Stance has been set. UEFA all eyes are on you for a response”

Credit: @Bairdric1

“Very very good statement. Let’s see how serious @UEFA are about stamping out this bile.”

Credit: @beaford_j

“Class statement by @RangersFC again. This is the Rangers I want to see defending our Club our Players and our Fans and also showing compassion to an opponent during injury. Well Done”

Credit: @StandwithKamara

“Brilliant. So proud of everyone at the club. We’re all behind Glen and the rest of our players 100%.”

Credit: @CemetryGates89

In other news, Alan Hutton has suggested this Rangers ace could leave the club this summer.

Sheffield Wednesday are in dire need of a major rebuild this summer and there won’t be a better time to do so, with several of the current Owls squad out of contract at the end of the season.

Indeed, new Wednesday boss Darren Moore has a decision to make on no fewer than 12 senior stars, ranging from former captain Tom Lees to emerging prospect Osaze Urhoghide.

A lot of this squad has been knocking about Hillsborough for several seasons, even stretching back to that double playoff run under Carlos Carvalhal and one name that has overstayed his welcome is surely Dutch midfielder Joey Pelupessy.

The 5 foot 10 maestro was the first signing of that fateful Jos Luhukay era, and very much in a similar vein, he has never really hit the ground running in south Yorkshire.

At the time, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness) reported that Pelupessy had cost around €500k (£426k), whilst it is thought he’s earning wages of £12.5k-per-week, which puts him amongst the Owls’ best-paid players.

According to The Star, the 27-year-old has attracted interest from other teams ahead of the summer, both in England and abroad. They believe ‘there have been conversations,’ in particular, with foreign teams, as Pelupessy has been free to join them on a pre-contract agreement since January.

The long-serving midfielder is certainly a player who splits opinion at Wednesday, as seen by the reaction to him signing a one-year extension last summer.

“This is embarrassing,” said one fan. Another added: “One of the worst players I’ve seen at Hillsborough. Shows the ambition of the club.” Whilst there were positives, some dubbed him a “likeable bloke” and a further supporter claimed he’d be a “good back-up,” as relayed by YorkshireLive.

It’s easy to see why he causes such a stir. In three-and-a-half seasons, he’s never averaged above a mediocre 6.67 rating – and that came in his first six months at the club, as per WhoScored.

His current average of 6.40 is comfortably the worst of his Owls career to date, so it is not like he’s proving a point to Moore that he must be kept around. Overall, you could argue that he’s been one massive flop at Hillsborough.

Owls skipper Barry Bannan has waxed lyrical about his partner in the past, claiming he’s “brilliant” and “the perfect foil” to his playmaking style as “he does the horrible bits that nobody likes to do.”

But with the Dutchman sat amongst Wednesday’s worst performers this campaign, it’s hard to put up a case for offering him yet another contract extension.

It’s time to move on from the Luhukay disaster, irrespective of the division Wednesday will be in next term

AND in other news, “He needs people who..” – Exclusive: Palmer drops Moore claim amid Sheffield Wednesday setback

Southampton will be looking to pick up three points when they travel to the Hawthorns to take on relegation-threatened West Brom on Monday evening, as a win for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side will all but confirm their place in the top-flight next season.

The Saints picked up an impressive 3-2 win against Burnley last time out after coming from two goals down, whilst the Baggies registered a superb 5-2 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, so both sides may well be in confident moods ahead of the clash.

Hasenhuttl has welcomed back key players from injury in recent weeks, with just Oriol Romeu, Michael Obafemi and Will Smallbone currently sidelined, so the Saints can be confident of finishing the season strongly.

Here’s how Football FanCast thinks the Austrian will line his side up against Sam Allardyce’s side on Monday, with two changes from the team that started in the win against Burnley…

Fraser Forster continues in goal as there was very little he could have done about Chris Wood’s penalty or Matej Vydra’s excellent finish last time out.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/southampton-saints-ralph-hasenhuttl-martin-semmens-st-marys” title=”Latest Southampton news, transfer rumours and more”]

A consistent back four is often the way to enjoy an excellent season and this defence is clearly the one most preferred by Hasenhuttl, so he will be glad that Kyle Walker-Peters has seemingly shaken off his knock to be fit for this game.

There’s one change in midfield, as Takumi Minamino returns to the side on the left after being rested against Burnley, with Theo Walcott dropping out as he has only just returned from injury, and should perhaps be rested for the FA Cup semi-final next weekend.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]

Finally, in attack, after Hasenhuttl admitted that Che Adams was omitted against Burnley for tactical reasons but he comes back into the starting XI in place of Nathan Redmond, who is unlucky to miss out after some strong recent performances, but the “fantastic” Adams has also been in good form and he should cause the Baggies defence a lot of problems with his pace.

And, in other news… Southampton could repeat Romeu masterclass with swoop for “outstanding” PL gem

Perhaps one criticism you could make of Steven Gerrard’s title-winning campaign as Rangers manager was the lack of opportunities for young players, but he can put that right by promoting Chris McKee to his first-team at Ibrox next season.

The 18-year-old, who joined Rangers from Linfield in 2018, has been scoring goals for fun in the academy in recent seasons and was rewarded with a new contract with the club in 2020, one which will see him stay with Gerrard’s side until 2022 at least.

He also earned his first call-up to the Northern Ireland U’21s earlier this season as a result of his performances for the Rangers B team, with whom he had scored eight goals by November, which was double the amount scored by any other player, which certainly suggests that he is one of the stars in the academy.

Earlier this month, McKee was sent on loan to Brechin City in League Two, having scored twice and assisted another in a friendly match between Brechin and Rangers’ B team back in November.

Although games have been postponed for all of this year so far as a result of the pandemic, the season resumes this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how McKee performs for Michael Paton’s side.

If he can impress in lower league football then perhaps he will earn a chance to make his debut for Rangers next season, although opportunities for young players in Gerrard’s side have been hard to come by this season.

Other than first-team regular Ianis Hagi, who is 22, we have seen just Calvin Bassey (21) make seven appearances in the league this season, whilst Nathan Patterson (19), has made four league appearances – which is arguably only due to the injury suffered by the influential James Tavernier.

Earlier in the year, Noel Whelan was full of praise for McKee in an interview with Football Insider, saying:

“Rangers have barely paid anything for McKee. He is a young player who knows where the back of the net is so he is worth his weight in gold, he really is.”

Therefore, whilst it may be tough for McKee to force his way into Gerrard’s plans, this loan move to Brechin City represents a real opportunity for him to find his feet in ‘men’s football’ before returning to Rangers ahead of next season, where he can hopefully make a real impression.

And, in other news… Wilson must not rush transfer decision on Rangers ace who Gerrard dubbed a “real threat”

Glasgow Rangers outcast Brandon Barker didn’t take very long to get off the mark for his new club Oxford United.

It only took two appearances for the former Manchester City left winger to find the back of the net.

Barker, shipped out on loan last month by Rangers after falling out of favour under Steven Gerrard, made his debut against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday afternoon and followed that up with his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers to send the Ibrox boss a timely reminder of his obvious potential.

His ability has never been called into question but for whatever reason he has so far largely been unable to translate his performances on the training pitch into competitive first-team action.

With the last kick of the game, the 24-year-old left forward helped to secure a vital three points for Karl Robinson’s side, leaving Cameron Brannagan shaking his head in admiration for his fellow Mancunian.

He said, in quotes provided by The Oxford Mail: “He’s a good kid, I’ve known him for a while now and played for England with him when I was younger. He’s from Manchester so we’ve always knew each other through friends.

“He’s going to bring a lot to the table. He’s not played in a while but once he gets up and running, it’s good for the side, there’s going to be a lot of competition and I think that’ll push people to the limits and that’s what we want,” he added.

“He’s a top player and a top kid so hopefully he’ll show everybody what he can do.”

Barker picked up the ball on the edge of the box before shifting the ball onto his left boot and firing a powerful shot past the hapless keeper.

James Henry’s injury at the start of the second half forced Oxford to be more defensive in the closing stages of the game but Barker still posed a real threat as he came off the bench to complete two successful dribbles from two attempts, which suggests that he managed to get the better of the opposition.

Despite taking just 18 touches during his 31 minutes, he also produced 10 out of 14 passes at a pass success rate of 71%, implying that he tried to set his side on the front foot as often as possible. He only lost control of the ball four times, which implies that, more often that not, he was successful in his endeavours.

In stark contrast, Ryan Kent struggled to make much of an impression as Rangers were held by Hamilton Academical at Ibrox, with the 24-year-old losing possession 17 times.

Kent additionally only won four out of 19 duels in total, which was lower than his season’s average of 4.5 per game, but is now Gerrard’s only recognised left-winger after Barker, Jordan Jones and Glenn Middleton left the club on short-term loan deals.

With the former Liverpool man having played 27 out of a possible 28 games in the Scottish Premiership this season thus far, perhaps their over-reliance on Kent is beginning to take its toll, and Barker’s latest display will only remind Gerrard that he may have been a little bit hasty in sending him out on loan.

AND in other news, Rangers star Kemar Roofe banned for dangerous tackle and will miss next two games…

Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos might be looking dominant in the Europa League but it’s Ianis Hagi who is actually the cream of the crop in Scottish football.

Since signing from Genk in the summer no Scottish Premiership player has recorded more assists than the 22-year-old, other than teammate James Tavernier.

Celtic’s Ryan Christie and Callum McGregor are the best of the rest behind the Rangers duo with seven assists apiece, with Ryan Kent not too far behind on six assists this season.

But Hagi also boasts an impressive average of two shots per 90 in the Premiership which also surpasses that of Tavernier (1.9 shots pg), Joe Aribo (1.7 shots pg) and Scott Arfield (1.3 shots pg).

For context, that’s far higher than his season’s average of 1.3 shots per game in the Europa League last term, which suggests that he has come on leaps and bounds under Gerrard’s guidance in such an incredibly short amount of time.

The Rangers youngster now has two goals in the past four Premiership fixtures he has played after opening the scoring in the 4-1 victory over Dundee United.

That opening goal only serves to highlight just how brilliant the Romania international has been at Ibrox. He’s now been directly involved in 22 goals (nine goals and 13 assists) in 48 appearances across all competitions for the club.

While Gerrard should be commended for the great job he has done in steering Rangers towards their first title in a decade, he also deserves immense credit for transforming Hagi from a young prospect to a fully-fledged first-team starter.

After all, he was initially considered a work in progress when he first arrived at Ibrox, but has now more than justified his place in Gerrard’s starting XI.

It’s about time the son of the great Gheorghe Hagi starts to get the respect he deserves, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Nathan Patterson earns shot at redemption amid James Tavernier injury blow…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Marcelo Bielsa is waiting for assurances over transfers before signing a new deal at Elland Road.

Bielsa has transformed Leeds since arriving at the club back in 2018, taking the Whites back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence. And, under the 65-year-old, they look set to retain their status in English football’s top flight.

The Yorkshire outfit are not in any real sort of relegation danger, making this another successful campaign with Bielsa at the helm. One concern, however, will be the Argentinian’s expiring contract.

Bielsa’s current deal is up in the summer, and Palmer is convinced the ex-Lille and Marseille boss is holding off signing an extension until he finds out the club’s transfer plans. The retired England international told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“They’ll certainly bring players in if Bielsa stays. I think that’s why Bielsa hasn’t signed a new contract yet. I think he wants to get to the end of the season and sit down with the owners and see what money is available for him.

“I think Bielsa’s the type of manager, from what I’ve seen from him in the past, if he can’t see progression, he doesn’t see the point of staying — and that’s why he’s ended up moving so often.”

Last summer, Leeds were very active in the transfer window as Bielsa looked to strengthen his squad ahead of their Premier League campaign.

The likes of Raphinha, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch were all brought in, while Rodrigo was signed for big money, joining from Valencia for a club record £26m fee.

A little under a year ago, Leeds were linked with a move for a player in Turkey.

That might not be enough to get your heart racing but in retrospect, not choosing to sign that individual has turned into a considerable mistake from the club’s recruiters and Victor Orta

The player in question is Canada international Cyle Larin, someone currently playing for Besiktas.

In February 2020, a reported £5m deal was on the table for the Whites but they ignored the forward and thus, settled on different targets in the summer window.

Leeds welcomed Rodrigo and Raphinha to Elland Road in a big summer of spending, deals that came to a combined £47m – £42m more than they would have paid for Larin.

In hindsight, this was a terrible decision from the hierarchy at Leeds. Rodrigo has managed just three goals since his record-breaking move to English football but Raphinha has, fortunately, shown better signs.

The Brazilian is a tricky livewire and has amassed 2.4 shots per game this term, registering four goal involvements for his new team. However, the aforementioned Larin is tearing the Turkish Super Lig apart this term.

Since Leeds failed to conclude a move for the 31-cap international, he has been breathtakingly good for Besiktas, firing in goals on a regular basis.

The 25-year-old has netted 14 times in just 20 outings this season, providing two assists in the process. He also takes fewer shots per game than Raphinha which considering his goal output compared to the Leeds winger is mightily impressive.

Yet, you only looked to look at his remarkable accomplishments in the last week. To put things simply, Larin has been incredible. He has scored six goals his last three matches over the past seven days, netting four in a 6-0 rout of Rizespor.

Coincidentally, that came in his only outing of the campaign where he played from Raphinha’s traditional position on the right flank. Capable of playing across the front three, Larin is clearly a dependable performer but to someone like Kaka that will come as no surprise.

He played alongside the great Brazilian at Orlando City where the Ballon d’Or winner only had praise for the Canadian: “I think Cyle can go far. Cyle is a very good player and the third season for us will be great, but I think Cyle can play in a big team in Europe as well,” Kaka commented.

That’s a fine tribute for a player who could have made Leeds’ dynamic attack under Marcelo Bielsa even more exciting.

Judging by Larin’s record this term, not signing him has turned out to be a howler from Orta. Larin is improving all the time and his scintillating record of six goals in seven days is tough to turn a blind eye to.

At the moment, he is the real deal and if he continues to register those types of numbers, bigger teams than Leeds will surely cast their net in the attacker’s direction.

This is undoubtedly one that got away for the Premier League outfit.

AND in other news, Better than Struijk: Orta must seal Leeds swoop for “dominant” £5.4m-rated colossus…

David Moyes is on course to repeat one of Manuel Pellegrini’s gaffes as West Ham United boss by signing Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz in the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to Sport, via Sport Witness, Real Madrid are moving to put Mariano in the shop window amid building interest from West Ham and AC Milan.

The Premier League and Serie A outfits are said to be monitoring the Dominican Republic striker’s situation, as Los Blancos chiefs have decided for once and for all that the 27-year-old is not who they need 26-months on from re-signing Mariano for £29.7million.

Zinedine Zidane handed Mariano rare starts in Real’s recent La Liga draw with Villarreal and 2-0 Champions League Group Stage win over Inter Milan to raise the striker’s profile ahead of the mid-season market.

Real had sought to sell Mariano this summer but saw their efforts fall short, as the striker rejected a potential move to SL Benfica as the Liga NOS giants could not match his demands for a €5m-a-year (£86k-p/w) contract.

Mariano, who earns €4.5m-a-year (£77.4k-p/w) at the Santiago Bernabeu, continues to have the final say on any potential transfer, but is beginning to warm to the idea of leaving as his future in the Spanish capital is seemingly determined regardless of his performances.

Zidane saw Mariano net just his sixth goal in 28 La Liga appearances when fielded at Villarreal last weekend, having overcome surgery for tonsillitis that saw him lose eight kilos.

Lucas Perez 2.0

While there is no doubt in Mariano’s resilience to fight for his Real Madrid future, despite seeing the number seven shirt torn away for Eden Hazard and almost being forced to accept a move to Benfica this summer, he would not offer a smart signing for West Ham in January.

The Hammers are said to have been offered his services on an initial loan, but Moyes will need a player capable of scoring more than once in a league season – something Mariano has only achieved once with Real Madrid when he netted three in the 2018/19 campaign.

Instead, by signing Mariano – who Lyon assistant boss Gerald Baticle previously described as “a real goalscorer” – Moyes would just be repeating Pellegrini’s mistake of signing Lucas Perez from Arsenal in 2018 and handing the forward an £80k-p/w contract.

The Spaniard had failed to hit any heights at the Emirates Stadium and left for east London after just seven goals in 21 games, a figure he failed to match in claret and blue with a mere six goals and 19 appearances to his name before being sold to Alaves after just one season.

AND in other news, West Ham must bite the bullet and get rid of a £40k-p/w “good character” facing an uncertain future.

Leeds United have a tough hurdle to clear this evening as they prepare to host Newcastle at Elland Road in their midweek Premier League fixture. The Whites are coming off the back of two frustrating defeats, one against Chelsea and the latest against West Ham.

Despite scoring in both matches, Leeds couldn’t do enough to take anything away from either outing. Tonight will be viewed as a must-win by Marcelo Bielsa and his men, but they will be missing several senior players from their roster.

Speaking to Football FanCast correspondent Tom Ward, Carlton Palmer discussed the news that Robin Koch will be sidelined for up to three months following a knee injury sustained against Everton.

“It’s always going to be a massive blow, ” the pundit said. “Any top player that gets injured for any club is going to create a problem.”

Joining Koch on Bielsa’s injury list is fellow centre-back and summer recruit Diego Llorente, who has made just one Premier League appearance for his new club (via Transfermarkt).

In the absence of the duo, Luke Ayling has been forced to step up and take on the centre-back role. Whilst he has been one of the Whites’ more impressive performers, his hard work isn’t being reflected in their recent results.

Whilst Bielsa will be pleasantly surprised to be ahead of Arsenal in the league table, they have a tough run ahead. After 16 years away from the Premier League, it would be crushing for fans if Leeds face relegation at the end of this season.

Palmer believes that there’s very little chance of the Championship winners facing the drop, but they must start banking more points. As it stands, Leeds are just six points outside the relegation zone. A poor run of form and some positive results from the likes of Fulham and West Brom could rapidly turn Bielsa’s dream season into a nightmare.

In other news, Radrizzani must move for free agent Danny Rose next summer…