Tag Futebol

The Champions League final is not for another 17 days, but Liverpool fans are already making score predictions.

The Merseyside outfit will take on Real Madrid in Kiev with the hope of claiming their sixth European Cup.

It will be a hugely tough task for Jurgen Klopp’s team as they are facing a club that are hunting for their third consecutive title in the competition.

Prior to the showdown in Ukraine, Liverpool have a rather important objective – securing Champions League football for next season.

Klopp’s side need to beat Brighton at Anfield on the final day of the season this Sunday in order to cement a place in the top four.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Despite that fixture being the main priority at this moment, Liverpool fans have begun discussing the possible outcome in Kiev.

Most are expecting a high-scoring game, and they made that evident on Reddit while responding to Zinedine Zidane’s quotes about the final.

Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.Comment from discussion Zidane: “I think the match against Liverpool will be an open one with many opportunities. We’ll try to give them a good fight and put them in trouble. It’s a final, it will be intense and i have no doubt it will be spectacular.”.

Liverpool will certainly fancy their chances of beating Everton in this Sunday’s Merseyside derby. The Toffees haven’t actually beaten the Reds in the top flight since 2010 or done so at Anfield since 1999.

More than just history being on their side though, the Reds are currently enjoying a blaze of potent attacking form, whereas Everton are still recovering from a disappointing start to the season.

Indeed, Liverpool are the firm favourites this weekend but to ensure his side live up to that billing, Jurgen Klopp must find the right answers to these three key questions…

Can Liverpool’s fab four fit into the same side?

Sadio Mane’s recent absences against Chelsea and Brighton were incredibly telling. While the Liverpool gaffer will welcome a situation where he can rotate his attacking options without significantly impacting the quality of his side, it also suggests Klopp has some doubts over whether the fab four – Mane, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah – can all operate in the same team without exposing the Reds’ defensive weaknesses.

Interestingly, all four started in the 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow on Wednesday night and only Firmino was subbed off, hinting at least one will be benched for the derby this weekend. Currently, Mane appears to be the most expendable of the four – but he’ll still have a big part to play even if he doesn’t start.

Who replaces Alberto Moreno at left-back?

While his injury may not be as bad as first feared, Alberto Moreno remains a doubt for Sunday’s game – which inevitably begs the question of who should replace the Spain international at left-back. There are two obvious and most likely candidates; summer signing Andrew Robertson, a natural No.3, and versatile veteran James Milner.

The latter’s experience could be crucial in what will likely be an incredibly feisty affair at Anfield, but Robertson is highly-rated and has waited patiently for his chance since arriving from Hull City – winning over the fans with an impressive performance against Everton could provide the confidence the Scotland international needs to truly ignite his Liverpool career.

Considering Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses though, albeit not so much at home this season, Klopp has an important decision to make.

Who starts in central midfield?

Perhaps the most contentious part of Liverpool’s starting XI is the engine room, something highlighted by the fact even captain Jordan Henderson found himself dropped for the Reds’ most recent outing on Wednesday night. Midfield battles are often crucial in bitter-fought derbies and Klopp’s selections in the middle of the park will say much about the mentality he wants his side to take into Sunday’s game.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

While the obvious suggestion is to favour the power and brawn of Emre Can, Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum, a more delicate presence may be in order to break down what will likely be an incredibly compact Everton side.

That could mean a first start of the season for Adam Lallana; he’s just recovered from a lengthy injury layoff but an outing in the derby would catch Sam Allardyce off guard and cause Everton’s defence a few problems.

[ad_pod ]

According to Marca, Arsenal will be offered the chance to sign Barcelona midfielder Rafinha this summer, providing that Hector Bellerin moves in the opposite direction.

What’s the story?

Bellerin only signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal earlier this year, but it is understood that the 22-year-old is desperate to return to Camp Nou.

The full-back, who is currently with Spain Under-21s at the Under-21 European Championships, came through the youth system at Barcelona before leaving for Arsenal in 2011.

Bellerin’s future has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, and according to Marca, Barcelona are preparing to offer Arsenal the chance to sign Brazilian midfielder Rafinha as part of the deal.

Rafinha, who has also been linked with Liverpool, managed seven goals in 28 appearances in all competitions last season, but he missed the last few months of the campaign with a knee injury.

Would it be a good deal for Arsenal?

According to Marca, Barcelona are prepared to offer Rafinha and a cash sum for Bellerin this summer in a bid to convince Arsenal to part with the Spain international.

Bellerin actually struggled to get into the Arsenal team in the latter stages of last season when head coach Arsene Wenger swapped to a 3-5-2 formation, although the full-back is still highly-regarded at the Emirates Stadium.

Barcelona are a pull for any player, however, especially one that grew up at La Masia.

Losing Bellerin would be difficult for a number of Arsenal supporters to accept, but Rafinha’s arrival in the Premier League would certainly be a big boost.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It has been claimed that Rafinha, who is valued at £13m by transfermarkt.co.uk, “is not convinced” by talk of a move to Liverpool, although the Brazil international would be open to discussions with the Premier League outfit.

The pull of London is often seen as important for foreign players, however, and if Arsenal and Barcelona can pull off a player-plus-cash deal for Rafinha and Bellerin, both could move forward heading into the 2017-18 campaign.

The Championship leaders Newcastle United face in-form Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Friday night looking to get back to winning ways.

The Magpies were on a run of nine successive victories before they suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at St James’ Park last weekend.

That defeat was confounded by another loss in midweek when Rafa Benitez’s men were denied a place in semi-finals of the EFL Cup after they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Hull City.

Despite those disappointments, they are still six points clear of third-placed Blackburn in England’s second tier and they remain on course for an immediate return to the Premier League,

But, they come up against a Forest team that will be full of confidence after winning their last two matches, recording 2-0 and 5-2 away wins against Ipswich Town and Barnsley respectively.

Here is FootballFanCast’s Newcastle XI to beat Nottingham Forest on Friday…

GK: Karl Darlow

With Matz Sels, Rob Elliot and Darlow to choose from when all three are fit, Rafa Benitez has lots of quality to call upon when choosing someone to play in goal.

Despite not starting the season between the sticks, the latter has established himself as Benitez’s first choice in the Championship since the end of September and having kept four clean sheets in nine league appearances, Darlow should be recalled to the starting XI against his former side at the City Ground.

RB: Vurnon Anita

Like Darlow, Anita appears to be Benitez’s preferred choice at right-back this season and the Dutchman enjoyed a relatively comfortable afternoon in the televised 2-0 win against Leeds at Elland Road a fortnight ago.

The 27-year-old was then dropped as Benitez rotated his squad against Blackburn, before coming back in the starting XI against Hull in midweek.

The former Liverpool boss is likely to keep faith with the experienced Netherlands international on Friday night.

CB: Ciaran Clark

The summer signing from Aston Villa has formed a great partnership alongside Jamaal Lascelles at the heart of the Newcastle defence this season and the Republic of Ireland international appears to be Benitez’s first choice centre-back right now.

The 27-year-old will have to be at his best on Friday night if Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga is passed fit after a hamstring problem – the attacker has scored six goals in eight appearances for the Reds this term.

CB: Jamaal Lascelles

The Newcastle captain has been one of the stand-out players for the club this season as they have risen to the top of the Championship standings.

The centre-back has shown a real maturity, desire and leadership this term at the heart of the defence alongside Ciaran Clark and the former Nottingham Forest man will want to put in a commanding performance when he returns to face his old side at the City Ground on Friday night.

LB: Paul Dummett

The Welshman has been a key cog in the regular back four for Newcastle in the Championship this season and that settled defence has been part of the reason why the club are flying so high in the standings.

While he is defensively sound, Dummett also gives the team an outlet going forward on the left-hand side and he will be looking to attack as the Magpies aim to get back to winning ways on Friday night.

RM: Matt Ritchie

A few eyebrows were raised when Ritchie made the drop down to the Championship to join Newcastle in the summer, but it has proved to be a worthwhile move for both parties.

The winger has been one of his side’s main attacking threats all season and the former Bournemouth man will be looking to once again bring a goal threat as well as providing some creativity for whichever striker is starting against Forest on Friday.

CM: Jack Colback

The midfielder has been one of Newcastle’s best performers in the middle of the park this season and it may not be a coincidence that their last two games have ended in defeat with him out of action with an eye injury.

Benitez will certainly hope that Colback is available for selection again on Friday night to renew what has been a fruitful partnership with Jonjo Shelvey this term, and his energy in midfield could be key to the Magpies getting back to winning ways.

CM: Jonjo Shelvey

While Newcastle boss Benitez made six changes to his side for the visit of Blackburn last weekend, Shelvey was one of the players to keep his place in the side, and he also started the EFL Cup tie against Hull on Tuesday.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

His penalty in the shootout against the Tigers was poor and he will want to make up for it against Forest on Friday night by driving the team back to winning ways.

LM: Yoan Gouffran

The French winger was one of the players that was dropped from the starting XI against Blackburn after the comfortable 2-0 success against Leeds at Elland Road the week before, and he will be hoping that Benitez’s rotation sees him named back in the team for the trip to Forest.

While he often struggled in the Premier League, Gouffran has been more influential for the Magpies this season and he has three Championship goals to his name.

AM: Ayoze Perez

The Spaniard is one of Newcastle’s best technical players and Benitez is obviously a huge fan with the attacker, who has started the majority of his side’s matches in the Championship this season.

While he has the quick feet, link-up play and ability to create chances and unlock defences, he has also provided a real goal threat for the team this term and has netted six in all competitions – only Dwight Gayle has scored more (13).

ST: Dwight Gayle

Again, Newcastle’s top goalscorer was one of the players that was named on the substitutes’ bench for the match against Blackburn at St James’ Park last weekend, and the Magpies failed to score.

It would seem crazy to drop a striker that has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, and surely Benitez won’t make the same mistake as his team look to pick up three points to start another winning run at Forest.

Since the sale of Gareth Bale two summers ago, Tottenham have experienced first hand just how punishing getting it wrong in the transfer market can be.

With a world record transfer fee to splurge, the likes of Paulinho, Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado were brought to White Hart Lane – all international players and arriving with burgeoning reputations.

However, fast forward 24 months and one has been sold to a Chinese club after flopping, while the other two are practically unsellable due to the extortionate fees that Spurs dished out for them in the first place.

As such, Mauricio Pochettino has seemingly continued where Tim Sherwood left off; by giving some of the North London club’s brightest youth players a chance to shine.

So far it has certainly paid off, with Harry Kane showing that he has all the attributes to be a world-beater and having a terrific influence on the club last season.

Both Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb shone in the heart of the pitch, with potential for a long-term central midfield pairing for years to come.

Looking at the next wave of Spurs youngsters, there is clearly more talent that seems ready for Premier League action, with the signs being that Pochettino is ready to blood more of the club’s best starlets.

The sales of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and now Benjamin Stambouli take three central midfielders out of the Argentine’s squad, while Mousa Dembele’s future at White Hart Lane is also a point of contention.

However, one young central midfielder that looks set to benefit as a result of the exodus in his position is Dele Alli.

The promising former MK Dons star is still only 19, but has proven that he has all the physical attributes to play senior football over the last number of seasons in the Football League.

This all-action, goalscoring midfielder is seen as one of England’s brightest young homegrown talents, with the Spurs man featuring for the national under-19’s side.

Although the step up to playing in the Premier League for someone so young will take time, the signs are there that Alli could well get his chance.

After Mason, Bentaleb and Dembele, Spurs have no other recognised central midfielder apart from Alli and fellow young star Tom Carroll. Both could have a part to play in 2015-16.

Further forward, the right side of Pochettino’s attack has been an area of concern, with neither Andros Townsend nor Lamela proving consistent enough to call the position their own.

This surely should be an area that the Londoners are looking to strengthen this summer, but a telling reason that they are not could well be the return of Alex Pritchard.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The homegrown star had a fantastic campaign on loan at Brentford last season and has been starring for England under-21’s.

A live-wire with pace to burn, trickery and an eye for goal, Pritchard’s inclusion will surely freshen Pochettino’s options up and add another young star to the first-team reckoning.

Although buying big-name players can still pay dividends for a team with top-four ambitions like Tottenham, the policy of promoting youth seems to be one that they are set to continue with.

[ad_pod id=’ricco’ align=’center’]

Tottenham are interested in signing Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic, according to The Daily Mail.

Manager Andre Villas-Boas is keen to bring Pjanic to the Premier League, for an expected fee of £20million.

Pjanic, who scored three goals last season for Roma, has been highly linked with a move to Tottenham, as well as La Liga giants Barcelona. Earlier this year, the Bosnian midfielder claimed that the Catalan side had approached him.

“It’s true, Barcelona are tracking me and enquired about my situation with my club,” he said.

While Spurs may have to fight Barca for the midfielder, they are unlikely to battle with rivals Arsenal for the 23-year-old. The Gunners were close to signing Pjanic from Lyon, before he moved to the Italian capital.

Pjanic has scored three goals in four World Cup qualifiers for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the nation top their group ahead of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

The playmaker has completed his second season with Roma, where he has scored six league goals in his time.

Roma missed out on a Europa League spot last season by four points, as they finished in 6th place, behind Udinese. The club then missed out on a second chance to qualify for the European competition, as they lost the Coppa Italia to rivals Lazio.

Would Pjanic do well at White Hart Lane? Is he worth £20million?

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Join the debate below!

‪[cat_link cat=”tottenham” type=”grid”]

West Brom defender Liam Ridgewell wants to keep Dimitar Berbatov quiet tomorrow after watching the Bulgarian run riot the last time he lined up against him.

Berbatov scored a hat-trick for Manchester United when Ridgewell was forced to fill in at centre-back for Birmingham City just before they won the Carling Cup in 2011. Tomorrow he will have to be on top form if he is to thwart the 31-year-old striker, who looks certain to make his home debut for new club Fulham. The 28-year-old told the Birmingham Mail:

“He’s a new face but everyone knows about him and how good a player he is. It is sometimes worrying because you can get a bit laid-back, then suddenly he spurts into scoring a hat-trick. So you’ve got to keep your wits about you. They have got a lot of good players, though, and we will have to be on our game to make sure we stop them. We will definitely be up for the game, that’s for sure.”

Berbatov made his Cottagers debut from the bench in the 3-0 defeat to West Ham last time out but couldn’t affect the result. Albion will be hoping he fails to kick-start his career for a second game running but Ridgewell knows Fulham have plenty of other players who can cause damage if he does have a quiet day. He continued:

“Over the years they have always been good at home and they are a good side, whoever they’ve got in their team. “Fulham away is a tough game but we will be going down there with a lot of confidence and hopefully we will be able to come away with a positive result.”

West Brom face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[divider]

Complete the survey below to be in with the chance of winning a football shirt of your choice…

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

Julian Nagelsmann was thought to be open to joining Tottenham, but the club and chairman Daniel Levy won't consider him, according to reports.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

Nearly two months after parting ways with former boss Antonio Conte, the Lilywhites are stills searching for his permanent replacement as interim coach Ryan Mason sees out the Premier League campaign.

Chaos has engulfed Spurs in the last few months, with the club also searching for an out-and-out sporting director after ex-transfer chief Fabio Paratici was forced to resign.

The contract of star striker Harry Kane is also a prevalent issue as the England star and club legend is set to leave for free next summer as things stand, dealing a real worry to Levy and co over their prized asset.

Back to their manager search, it is arguably imperative they get someone in promptly, with time of the essence to give Spurs' prospective new boss time to work in pre-season whilst identifying transfer targets for the summer.

It is reported that the likes of Feyenoord boss Arne Slot, Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim and Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi all feature prominently in their thinking.

Nagelsmann, however, won't be contending for the Spurs job as things stand after a flurry of reports last week detailed that information.

Now, The Evening Standard and reliable reporter Dan Kilpatrick have shared some background, making a fairly interesting claim on the 35-year-old and his interest in the job.

Indeed, it is believed that Nagelsmann was actually "open" to joining Spurs, even if he did hold reservations over their lack of a sporting director.

Regardless, it is apparently still the case that he won't be interviewd, with the club and Levy not considering him for the role as things stand.

Who is Julian Nagelsmann?

Arguably standing out as Europe's most exciting young manager, as well as being a free agent, the decision not to pursue him is a real head-scratcher.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The "phenomenal" Nagelsmann has already won league titles at such a young age whilst encouraging an intense, high-pressing brand of football that has the potential to excite supporters.

Pep Guardiola tipped him to be a success as far back as his Hoffenheim days, with the Man City manager saying this on him back in 2018:

“I’m really, really impressed [with Nagelsmann]. Taking over Hoffenheim in such a bad situation so young. He will have a lot of success in his career. He’s already at a good team in a top competition. It’s the first time we meet, but hopefully it won’t be the last.”

Rafa Benitez and all the Newcastle fans will be begging Mike Ashley to open up his chequebook and bring in some new additions to St James’s Park. 

The only permanent signing the club have made is the £3.6 million capture of Martin Dubravka following his superb loan-spell with the club.

Benitez is in desperate need of forwards this summer and is after a striker and a number 10 t0 freshen up the squad. According to The Sun, both Newcastle and West Ham are battling it out for Paraguayan star, Miguel Almiron.

 The Breakdown

The attacking midfielder has been heavily linked with a £10 million to either club with the player also keen to make the move to Europe.

Almiron joined Atlanta United in December from Argentinian club, Lanus and the American club are keen to keep their star player for the remained of the MLS season, and that may be key to any deal. With the MLS season well underway, it’s likely Atlanta are going to make the negotiations easy as they would probably be more keen on a January sale.

A second sticking point is likely the price of the midfielder. While in today’s transfer market, £10 million is nothing, it’s unlikely that someone like Mike Ashley will pay that kind of money for a player who plays in America.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Benitez and Ashley have been at odds on what deals will be going through. Mike Ashley simply must get this deal over the line otherwise it won’t just be the club’s future in jeopardy but it may also usher Benitez to the exit door.

Thoughts Newcastle fans? 

With the new League Two season approaching Paul Sturrock is working hard in building a strong team aiming for Promotion.

After taking over the reign from Steve Tilson in July 2010 Paul had a lot of pressure to win over the Southend United faithful after the sacking of Tilson came as a shock to many.

With only five first team players on the books at United, Sturrock had a lot of work to do and he seemed to relish the prospect of putting his own stamp on the team making numerous signings.

With a full squad of players the task doesn’t seem too daunting for Paul; however it could be harder than last year with many fans expecting promotion whether it would be automatic of play-offs even with the quality of teams being higher this year.

The signing of Neil Harris is a coup for a club of Southend’s calibre especially considering he was playing in the Championship for Millwall and his goal scoring record talks for itself.  There had been many whispers within the stands of Harris signing considering he is a local lad and hasn’t denied he comes to watch The Blue’s any possibility he has, but with the money problems circulating around the club for the past couple of years many people didn’t believe it would actually happen.

Another shock to the club is the departure of Captain Craig Easton after he turned down a new contract offer and has now left Roots Hall. Craig came into the club during the summer of last year after previously being managed by Paul at Swindon Town and they both seemed eager to continue their football relationship in the South East but something obviously went downhill when it came to contract discussions and Craig seemed to think it would be best to leave the club.

A player Paul has brought in to ‘replace’ Easton is promising midfielder Alassane N’Diaye on a season long loan from Crystal Palace, N’Diaye is only 21 years of age and at 6’5” he is going to have a huge presence in the centre of the park with the likes of Anthony Grant. One thing Southend don’t have to worry about is N’Diaye experience even at his young age he has managed to play over 37 games for Palace and also spending time on loan at Swindon in League One.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Many fans felt the squad needed a winger to help push the club up the League’s and the Blues managed to bring in American Jemal Johnson to the club after he had a six month stint in Bulgaria with Lokomotiv Sofia where he made 11 appearances contributing to one goal which gave the team a place in the Europa League. Johnson will have no problems in the English League after plying his trade with numerous clubs including Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also managed to lift the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with MK Dons which obviously meant a lot to him has he has already stated he wants to have the same success with United.

The squad seems to be getting stronger by the day and Southend United have a real opportunity of making their way up the league if they can manage to be consistent and produce the results they need against the likes of recently relegated Bristol Rovers and Swindon.